groping about, you may lose yourself in the endle passages. In 1837 a party of thirty descended i these catacombs, and never came back again; guid were sent in search of them, but in vain. A you Frenchman once determined to explore them alor with only a string to guide him. With his torch thread he went boldly down, and went on and on r on, so deeply interested in the curious relics writings which he found, that he lost the thread, whi could alone guide him back to daylight. A terri fright seized him, and in his fright his torch went o I do not know whether we can imagine his dreary a dreadful situation. He screamed, but there w nobody to hear his cries. He ran along from galle to gallery, like one half mad. It was all dark, da everywhere. At last he staggered and fell upon cold damp stone, and in his fall-Oh, what joy!hand grasps the lost string, the only clew to life & daylight. By its friendly help he got back to t mouth of the catacomb, when he threw himself up his knees and poured forth his thanks to God. On account of the dangers which beset a visit: these catacombs, a great number of the inscriptions & relics have been brought out of their dark hidi places and placed in a hall of the Vatican, which is splendid palace in Rome. On one side of this vast h is an immense collection, 3000 or more, of Christi epitaphs taken from the catacombs; and in contrast, the other side, are the old pagan epitaphs of the sam age; and it is curious to see how each breathes th spirit of the religion of its dead. Here is an example of a pagan epitaph: "O relen less fortune, who delightest in cruel death, why Maximus so early snatched from me?" Is not th A STRANGE BUSINESS. 141 rk and savage? What comfort had this poor mother the death of her son? Alas, none. To her, death as only a cruel tyrant. Heathenism has no comfort r the sorrowful, no heaven for the dead. Here are some from the Christian side: "Victorine peace, and in Christ." "Gemella sleeps in the ace of the Lord." Mark how differently death is presented. To the Christian it is not cruel; it is a eep, a peaceful sleep, a sleep in the Lord; and if it a sleep in the Lord, it is also a waking in the Lord, a aking to a heavenly life in him who is the Resurction and the Life; for, “Blessed are the dead who Le in the Lord." A STRANGE BUSINESS. LAST month we showed our young readers a broken ol from China. Would they like to see how the idolakers in that country announce their goods? An advertisement recently appeared in a Canton wspaper which said that the person who sent it was ready for orders to make any idols, from twelve feet gh to the size of a marmoset monkey, or the most deous monster that can be conceived, to inspire awe reverence for religion." His charges were:for an orang-outang, three feet high, a sum equal to hundred and forty pounds of our money; a sphinx, ghty pounds; a bull, with hump and horns, a huned and thirty pounds; a buffalo, a hundred and sty; a dog, forty; and a donkey, in a braying attide, a hundred and seventy." Let us hope that this poor Chinese idol-maker will soon have to shut up shop and betake himself to better business-not forced by others, but willingly his own accord, from having learned to love and ser for himself the only true God. S. YOUNG MEN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION LETTER VIII. * DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-I am very glad to be able to te you that the Missionary Meetings, held in London on th first of August, all passed off well, though the attendance young people at one or two was not so large as we could hav wished. There were altogether about three thousand childre present, and the addresses given by the kind friends who spoke at the meetings were all so interesting, that we cann but hope that much good will result. The Rev. Alfred Sake arrived in time from Africa to speak at two of the meetings and he did so although he was very unwell. We are very thankful to God, that not only this dear Missionary brother but the Rev. J. Law from the West Indies, and Mrs. Smit and family from India, have all been preserved to arrive i England in safety. We are now anxiously hoping that M Allen, from Ceylon, will soon be here too; but we have hear that the ship has been detained on her passage in consequen of" springing a leak,"—that is, she somehow got a hole in he hull that admitted the water, and to save the lives of the crew and passengers the captain put in at the first port (t Mauritius) to get the vessel repaired. It is a great mere that this accident was discovered in time to prevent serious results. an The Annual Meeting of Lewisham-road Juvenile Auxiliary A report of the meetings, with the address to the childre from the Association, appeared in "The Freeman," on the Si instant. WATCH, MOTHER, WATCH. 143 was held on Sunday afternoon last. There were about six hundred young friends present, and they were addressed by the Rev. Jos. Russell, who presided, the Rev. A. Saker, and the Secretary of the Young Men's Association. This Auxiliary is in a very flourishing condition, for it appeared, by the report read by Mr. Harvey, that nearly £30 have been collected during the past year, upwards of £11 being the subscriptions of the Sunday scholars. The money is devoted to the support of two schools-one in Ceylon, and the other in India. I think I mentioned some time ago that the girls of the senior Bible class, at Cannon-street school, Birmingham, had determined to support a school in Ceylon. Their teacher was very pleased to inform us recently that they had completed their first year's subscriptions, amounting to £10. They are now only waiting Mr. Allen's arrival to have a school allotted them, and we congratulate them on having so far kept their engagement. Your faithful friend, 33, Moorgate-street, August 15th. THE SECRETARY. ** Deputations from the Society have addressed meetings, during the past month, at Cottage Green, Camberwell; South-street, Walworth; Stepney, Tottenham, Bexley, and Crayford. am." A BOY'S THOUGHT. "Now I suppose I shall have to be very good, grandma', because we have got this baby, for mother won't want her to be naughty, and she will be, if I So said a little fellow, looking earnestly up into his grandmother's face; and every one will allow what his grandmother says, that it is a very good bit of reasoning. It is well for all young folks to remember that they cannot be good or naughty for themselves alone; they will always influence somebody or other to be like them. WATCH, MOTHER, WATCH. MOTHER, watch the little feet Climbing o'er the garden wall, Bounding through the busy street, Ranging cellar, shed, and hall. Never count the moments lost, Never mind the time it costs; Little feet will go astray, Guide them, mother, while you may. Mother, watch the little hand Picking berries by the way, Tossing up the fragrant hay. Mother, watch the little tongue Mother, watch the little heart Beating soft and warm for you; Wholesome lessons now impart; Keep, oh keep that young heart true. Extricating every weed, Sowing good and precious seed; Harvest rich you then may see, Ripening for eternity. |