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the sea.

hold, but the men that held them were thrown inte The pirate-captain was vexed at this disaster; but he told more men to come and throw the grappling-irons again. They shared the same fate. Seeing he could not succeed in this manner, he ordered his men to keep on firing at the poor "Britannia" till she should sink. But this plan also strangely failed. The balls missed their aim and fell into the sea.

But

as they kept on firing, the smoke became very thick, and hung about the vessels for some minutes, hiding them from each other's view. The pirates hoped they were doing great mischief, and that the ship would soon sink.

What then, do you think, was the astonishment of the pirate-captain, when a sudden gust of wind cleared the smoke away, and he saw the "Britannia" at a distance, with all her sails spread to the wind, speeding swiftly away from the attack! He was full of anger as he saw himself obliged to abandon his cruel pur pose.

Thus wonderfully did God answer prayer, and save the vessel, Ps. cvii. 28-31. But all the answer to

their prayers was not yet given.

The Missionaries reached the Island of St. Thomas in safety, and began to preach about Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners. They went on doing this for five years. Then they and the other Missionaries thought they would meet together to celebrate the anniversary of the day when God so wonderfully saved them from the pirates, and to thank him for all his other mercies. We ought often to look back thankfully.

As they sat together talking of God's goodness, word was brought that a stranger wished to speak to them. They said he might come in. So a tall man

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ntered, with fine, bold features, and a pleasant exression of face. The Missionaries wondered what he vanted. One of them asked him his business.

"Are

"First answer me one question," said he. ou the men who came to this island, five years ago, n the English ship Britannia ?'”

"We are,” replied the Missionary who had spoken. "And you were attacked upon the sea by pirates?" Exactly; but why are these questions ?"

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"Because," answered the stranger, "I am the captain that commanded the pirate-vessel."

The Missionaries looked at one another in silent wonder. Their former enemy continued to speak. He said, "The miraculous way in which your vessel escaped was the cause of my own salvation from the power of sin, through faith in Christ."

It would be too long to tell you all he said; but you may imagine with what great joy the Missionaries listened to his tale. He told them that he wondered very much at their escape, and some time afterwards, when on shore, sought out the captain of the "Britannia," and made inquiries of him. He learned that the escape was owing to the prayers of the Moravian Missionaries of St. Thomas. He was still astonished. How could a vessel be saved from pirates by prayer? So he resolved to know the Moravians. And one day, when he was in some part of America, he heard of a Moravian chapel; he went in and heard a sermon from the words, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." The sermon came home to his conscience. It impressed him so much, that he went to the preacher, and asked him to tell him more about Jesus. "And thus," to use his concluding words, 'from a pirate-captain, I am become a poor sinner,

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justified by the grace and mercy of Christ; and chief hope has been that I might one day be abl seek you, and relate to you my conversion to G This joy is granted to me to-day."

The Missionaries were so glad, so very glad. T had met to celebrate their deliverance from the cra pirates on that day five years ago, through praye and there stood before them the pirate-captain hi self, not fierce now, not cruel now, but humble & pious, tracing his own deliverance from the bond of Satan to the same prayer that rescued them f him!

And they all knelt down together before God, thanked him for his great mercies.

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[He who wrote and signed this letter, is your obedient servant, Don Juan Kumbral.]

THE following letter, received by the Young Men's Missionary Association, was written by the schoolmaster (Don Juan Kumbral), at the Mission School, Mahabootgama, in the island of Ceylon, and has been

LETTER FROM CEYLON.

15

iterally translated by the Rev. James Allen, The sentence above is a specimen of the original.

"With many thanks to the Baptist Missionary Society in England, I have written to the following effect.

"In the village and neighbourhood of me whose name is signed below, the men and the children were ignorant of the true God, and of Jesus Christ, and sin, and of the destruction coming from it, and of the mode of salvation; whilst they were without civilization and any right instruction, and living after the manner of beasts; through the Divine mercy, the preacher named Daniell was sent to that quarter. That gentleman having compassion on the men of that quarter, having instituted a school in the village named Mahabootgama, appointed me to teach them. From that time up to this day, having been appointed, I have remained a teacher. Through the love of the Baptist Missionary Society many of the children who got instruction from me, having been appointed to employments are getting their living. They have been made more civilized than they were before. The persons who were without consideration concerning another world, are become people having consideration. The people who were without knowledge concerning sin, are having consideration about it. Many people from among those who rejected a place of worship, are now going to chapel. Through the assistance of the school, the houses without the Bible are few. Though the people who have accepted are few, yet the hearers are many. I have heard that even many heathens thank the Baptist Mission Society which established this great good work. Many parents and children also thus thank. My skill to write exten

sively about its excellency and the worth of th immortal goodness doing to the heathen in my quara by the Baptist Mission Society, is not sufficient. T men and boys who have been brought to good action by that good work, are many; many are preparis At present in my school, there are ity boys. The read the Bible and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th lesso books. They learn by heart the 1st and 2nd este chisms: they read the book of Native Kings and the history illustrations of Lankha, or Ceylon; they als learn the sciences of arithmetic and writing.

time to time, in their learning and their behavin they proceed to improve. Although these little childre are not yet come to piety, we hope that they vill come to believe Christ, and to the knowledge of the true God. Many of these boys come to the Sunday school. Through them their parents and brothers als hear the glad news. Although they are not yet be lieving in Christ, they have learned to know that is the Saviour. When the men who are in darknes will come to the light, I cannot say. Through help and efforts of the Baptist Mission Society, the light and the darkness continue doing warfare. But I hope through the power of God the Spirit, the darkness having passed away, the light will shine. Give us our hope through the merits of the sacrifles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

"It is the letter sent to the Baptist Padri Allen. “In Mahabootgama, in the year 1857, on the 31st day of August."

We beg to lireet the attention of our readers to the announcement on page 3. "The Lintons will be contintel in the next number, which will also contain some beautiful poetry, and other interesting pieces.

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