and keep Him off from that full possession of our soul and spirit which we know in our hearts is inevitable if He once gets entrance there. And here, in the holy record, stand in wonderful proximity the two events-the wise men worshipping, sublime in their humbleness, and Herod, the petty tyrant, hiding his insignificance in a horrible tragic mask of crime, trembling in insane terror which, rather than worship, strove to kill-a contrast well worth looking at, well worth thinking over, and not so entirely removed from actual ordinary possibilities of recurrence as one might suppose.—Sundays, by Mrs. Oliphant. OUTLINES OF SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS. LIFE OF CHRIST. I. LAST CIRCUIT OF GALILEE. (Read Luke xi. 14, to the end.) WHAT FOLLOWED ON THE DUMB HAVING SPEECH RESTORED.-(Verses 14-28.) THE SIGN OF JONAS.-THE LIGHT OF THE BODY.-(Verses 29-36.) THE PHARISEES AND LAWYERS Rebuked.-(Verses 37, to the end.) II.-IN GALILEE. THE FEAR OF JESUS' FRIENDS.-THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST-THE RICH. MAN'S FOLLY.-(Verses 1-21.) GOD'S CARE OF HIS OWN.-THE SERVANTS WATCHING.(Verses 22-40.) THE SERVANTS FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL.-FIRST-FRUITS OF JESUS' COMING.-SIGNS ON THE HEAVENS.-(Verses 41, to the end.) III.-IN GALilee. (Read Luke xiii.) WARNINGS OF JESUS.-PARABLE OF THE FIG-TREE.— (Verses 1-9.) THE WOMAN HEALED OF HER INFIRMITY.—THE SABBATHDAY.-PARABLES REPEATED.—(Verses 10-21.) WHO SHALL BE SAVED.-LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM.— (Verses 22, to the end.) IV. IN GALILEE. (Read Luke xiv.) HEALING AGAIN on the SabbaTH.—(Verses 1-6.) THE KINGDOM, ITS GUESTS AND PLACES.-ITS MESSAGE and Reception.—(Verses 7-24.) THE CROSS OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP.-(Verses 25, to the end.) LABOUR FOR CHRIST. I know thy works, and labour, and patience.-Rev. iii. The throne, the kingdom, and the crown! Rev. iii. 21. Go, labour on,-while it is day The long dark night is hastening on ; Speed, speed thy work,-up from thy sloth; It is not thus that souls are won! See thousands dying at your side, Eccl. ix 10. John ix. 4. Heb. vi. 12. Rom. x. 14. Psalm xlix. 10, 12. Your brethren, kindred, friends at home; Rom. xi. 14. See millions perishing afar, Haste, brethren, to the rescue come! Toil on, toil on; thou soon shalt find Prov. xxix. 18. Jude 23. Heb. x. 37. Rev. xiv. 13. Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom's voice, Matt. xxv. 6. The midnight peal, "Behold I come." Rev xxii. 12. ANOTHER LETTER FROM SOUTH AFRICA. N esteemed friend of our young readers has favoured us with the following extracts of a letter he has received very lately from Mr. Ross: : A commando was lately raised by some Griquas, which swept off all the cattle belonging to the Bechuanas living at Bootchap. Two Griquas were killed, and one Mochuana, one of our Church members. The chiefs in all the land met to settle the matter, and I was highly honoured in having Gasebono, the first chief of the Batlapi tribe, and Mahura, chief of Taung, as my hearers one Lord's day. My text was, "I have a message from God to thee." Gasebono has five wives at present, and is the determined and powerful supporter of heathenism in its darkest shades. Mahura, his uncle, has four wives, and is older and more deceitful, also more successful in destroying his own soul, and the souls of thousands, than his nephew. VOL. VII. No. V. At MAY 1, 1858. Borigelo there is a very arousing time; the Church members, many inquirers, and the most abandoned heathen, crowd to hear the Word of God. I preached on Sabbath morning early, from "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain that they may live." After the solemn service, I baptized nine adults and eighteen chil dren. Oh, how responsible, solemn, and cheering work! I preached in the afternoon from "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise," &c. Adminis tered the ordinance of the Supper to many. And in the evening held a meeting for speaking of and praying for the heathen. A feast and a good day. Some called upon me in the night and in the early dawn, to confess Christ before man. When the Spirit works, who can sleep or be callous? After examining the school, on Monday, of one hundred scholars, doing well, I proceeded on my journey to visit the Bamaira, and in the afternoon we encountered a most terrific thunderstorm. The Lord was indeed in the fearful hurricane. For when the lightning killed three goats and a cow not far off, we also saw it strike the ground, and about twenty yards from my waggon. Oh, how thin the partition between us and the eternal world! And how necessary to live near God, and as seeing Him who is invisible, to hear our Father's voice, and to witness His wonderful workings among the children of men! At the Bamaira the blessed work is slowly and steadily progressing. The people are much tried by some free-state Boers wishing to put them out of a part of the land the Bechuana have long possessed. As I took on this journey the writings of the Old Testament prophets for the first time, I preached from "I know that my Redeemer liveth," &c. The great interest it created among my hearers was evident. They said in the evening at my fire, "Come, tell us more of Job and his Redeemer." I met the anxious inquirers by candle-light, and addressed them, that slavish fear might not overwhelm them; afterwards I examined each, and was much pleased at hearing them speak as if they felt deeply what they confessed. Motlabani, the chief's eldest daughter, was one of them. I baptized her husband and children about a year ago. Where these poor people dwell is a complete wilderness; they have only the rain that filleth the pools for their drink. The native teacher Gasebono was sent by the chief to sue for peace among the contending Boers whom I mentioned above. He arrived at the place on Saturday, and on Sabbath-day called the people together to worship God. The uncouth Boers wished the business settled immediately, even on the Lord's day, but he said, "We do no business to-day; we meet to worship God only." This made the "Christen menchen," Christians, as they call themselves, quite ashamed of their demand. Next I proceeded to Taung, and was encouraged exceedingly to find the revival, of which you heard some time ago, progressing and increasing. The chapel is now too small, and more outside than within. Addressed on Friday from "I will heal your backslidings, I will love you freely," &c., and examined the candidates for Church fellowship, the elders, &c. I chose seven to be received into the Church on Saturday by the vote of the Church members. On Saturday addressed the Church from "Go, tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." On Monday I examined the school of fifty lively and improving scholars. It would have done your heart good to have heard them sing their 63d Hymn, a translation of "There is a land of pure delight, where saints immortal reign," to the tune of "Auld lang syne." Bechuana have no Scotch association of ideas in singing their sweet sacred hymn. I renewed the class boards, and gave instructions to those who account me their spiritual father, the only missionary they ever had, and acknowledged as their own. We met in the evening to speak about and pray earnestly for the heathen, after receiving their willing and voluntary contributions. The whole habitable world was prayed for most scripturally, but Scotland, England, Ireland, and France were specially named by one of the members. At Likatlong the good work is also progressing. More than twenty inquirers are seeking the road to Zion, with their faces thitherward. Large meetings listening to the Gospel. A large school of at present one hundred and thirty improving scholars. Many composing pieces for our Sechuana periodical, called Mokaeri oa Bechuana (Instructor of Bechuana). This is likely to be a great blessing to our people, as we can now instruct them in many things that we could not introduce in preaching. It is a collection of pieces from us all who know the language. It is a powerful lever by which we expect to raise many heathen nations in this dark land. Its motto is "Knowledge is power" (Kico ki nononco). All the c's are pronounced che. Two experienced believers have lately died in faith, commending the work of God to all who heard them. One Morisa, an old man, said, "When the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved, I have a building of God, an house |