monary consumption, bringing with him a younger brother who was labouring under incipient phthisis, induced by too close an application to study in the academy where his employers had kindly placed him to learn the Spanish language. Not being able to obtain a direct passage to this place, they proceeded in a French vessel to Tahiti, where they were detained so long that it began to be doubtful whether Reuben would live to return; at length, the owner of an American bark from San Francisco, hearing of their situation, offered to bring them hither, and did so, showing them the greatest kindness during a protracted passage of twenty-two days, and then refused remuneration in any shape, but the thanks of gratitude, and these were heartily accorded him by the whole community. I saw from the first there was not the slightest hope of Reuben's recovery; but this afflictive dispensation was mercifully divested of its bitterness on finding he was perfectly aware of his situation, and not only resigned to it, but anxiously desirous to depart and enter into that rest which remaineth for the people of God. Sometimes flattered by the specious appearance of his insidious disease, his dear mother would hint at the possibility of his being yet spared us; with a gentle shake of the head he would reply, 'No, dear mother, I feel that I am rapidly approaching the grave: humanly speaking, my recovery is impossible, and that my father knows as well as myself; and if it is not an improper wish, I would rather not return to health again. My earnest desire and prayer is, to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.' Such was the tenor of his discourse during the short time he remained with us; and he died strong in faith, giving glory to God.' An hour before his death he was seized with a violent spasm which we thought would carry him off, but he rallied again. Seeing his mother weeping, he said, 'Do not weep, mother; one more such stroke, and I shall be in the arms of my Saviour.' Shortly after he had another attack, and nothing remained but his attenuated form. The happy spirit had returned to join the glorified throng. He died on Friday, March 2d, at six o'clock in the afternoon, in the twenty-fifth year of his age. The Sunday before his death I administered to him the holy Eucharist; there were eight of us present, and it was a time of refreshing; so awfully sublime did it appear to us all, that we felt as if we were indeed where Jacob felt himself to be on his awaking at Luz. Most grateful did I feel that I was invested with full authority to dispense

this most precious rite; that I could stand by the bed of my dying child and offer him the symbols of a crucified Saviour's love, and declare the remission of sins through faith in His all-sufficient atonement. I repeat, I felt most grateful to those who, under God, were instrumental in conferring upon me clerical ordination; for (and I speak with all humility) the benefits are already very apparent throughout the community.

"Three weeks after the demise of my son, death made another inroad among us; a little boy of eleven years of age pierced his foot with a barbed arrow (used for taking fish from holes in the rocks) which induced tetanus, and in forty-eight hours after the terrible disease had commenced, his happy spirit fled to the realms of bliss. During the intervals of the violent spasmodic contractions of the suffering body, the dear child would speak of his blessed Saviour, and ask Him to take him to be with those whom He took in His arms when on earth. The patient sufferer was aware that he could not recover; still he never expressed the least fear of death. At the time of his departure I was praying with him, his parents and several other persons were kneeling around his bed. The constriction on his jaws suddenly relaxed; he gave a slight shudder, and exclaimed in a clear and audible voice, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' and then went to see Him as He is.

"But one fortnight had elapsed from this period when another sad and awful bereavement fell upon the community. Daniel M'Coy and his wife Lydia went to the north-west side of the island in quest of fish; after descending to the rocks (on a level with the ocean) Daniel left his wife, and reascended with the intention of passing the head of a small inlet of the sea, and then going down to the rocks on the other side. While doing so, he fell; and his wife saw him fall, but there was the before-mentioned inlet between them into which a heavy surge was running; to avoid this, Daniel had gone round the head of the bight, and in the act of descending to the shore on that side it was that he fell. His wife, without hesitation, plunged into the heavy surf, (which she had unfortunately persuaded her husband to avoid,) and landing on the opposite side, found him, on the rugged lava of the shore, a corpse. She had the presence of mind, previous to her braving the foam-crested billows, to call a lad at some distance fishing, and dispatched him to the village with the sad tidings that Daniel had fallen, but she did not

know the extent of his hurt. Less than half an hour previous he had left her with a smile on his countenance— for Daniel was always in a cheerful mood. What must have been the poor girl's agony as she sat by the side of her dead husband with his head resting in her lap for more than an hour, ere any one could get to her assistance! Her feelings I will not attempt to describe, but I shall tell you what she did on finding life extinct; she knelt down and prayed that God would give her grace so to live that she might rejoin her dear Daniel in heaven; for I am sure,' said she, when speaking to me on the subject, that he was prepared for death, and that takes away the pain of my great loss.' I was in bed at the time of the accident, suffering from bronchitis, or something very like it. The fishermen were immediately summoned home, and the whale-boat manned, and taken to the spot where the corpse lay, when it was put into the boat and brought round to Bounty Bay, then transferred to a canoe for a bier, and borne on men's shoulders to the village.

"Such and so sudden was the death of Daniel M'Coy, a young man beloved by all the members of the community, and most deservedly so. He is the third of the family who have met an untimely end within a very few years. William M'Coy died from lockjaw, occasioned by a splinter of wood running into the upper part of his foot; Matthew M'Coy, from wounds received by the accidental discharge of the Bounty's gun; and now the third brother, Daniel, by falling from the precipice on the north-western side of the island.

May the God of the widow support poor Lydia under the awful calamity. She has no children to rest her affections upon, but she has a mother, brothers, and sisters, and she has the sympathies of the whole community. On Him who above all others deserves the name of Friend, may she place her unwavering trust; to Him may she flee as a very present help in time of trouble, and all will be well both for time and eternity.

"There have been three other deaths since the above accident: one survived its birth only a few hours; the other two were also infants under twelve months."

WHAT MAY WE EXPECT

We believe that the world is to be Christianized, first of all, because we have a sure "word of promise." There is

another argument, however, which is gaining strength every year. The past success of missions shews us what we may expect hereafter if we are careful to conform to the divine will. This matter was clearly stated by Bishop Selwyn, not long since, in the pulpit of the University of Cambridge. "When I remember," be says, "that it is only forty years since the first missionary landed in New Zealand, and that for the first ten years the work was carried on by catechists, and yet that the whole nation, so far as I am able to judge, comparing man with man, are as worthy of the name of Christians as our own people in England; I cannot see reason to doubt the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon every missionary work undertaken in simple faith.”

This testimony is highly gratifying; and the expectation of the bishop is certainly reasonable.

A HELPFUL KING.

THE King of Tonga visited Australia a few months ago; and he was deeply impressed by the efforts which Christians were making for the good of their fellow-men. He returned fully persuaded that it was the duty of the church in Tonga to do much more than they had ever done. Hearing that missionary meetings were about to be held at Vavau, he sent over a message from Habai, urging the chiefs and people to exert themselves, and setting them an example by contributing twenty gallons of oil. This was seconded by his son, David, who resides at Vavau; and many of the chiefs and teachers gave four gallons; so that the people raised about three tuns altogether from that circuit. The king also expressed his wish that every man in the islands should contribute four gallons a-year towards the support of the mission. This has been partially acted upon; 80 that," says one of the missionaries, "together with the voluntary contributions and the oil for books, we shall forward this year to the colonies, about forty tuns of oil, which, at the same rate at which the last was sold, will realize about £1200." Many such kings and chiefs will God raise up in His own good time. Let us take courage, then, "always abounding in the work of the Lord."

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