OUR young readers have often heard of Hayti, and of our mission there. Sometimes the island is called St. Domingo.* By one or the other name, it will easily be found in any map of the West Indies. Formerly it was a colony of France, and the French language is still spoken there. Slavery prevailed in the island until the black inhabitants rose against the French government, and declared themselves free, and the island a republic. Fierce and cruel wars between

In old books and atlases the island is called Hispaniola.

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the blacks and whites followed, but in 1804 peace was concluded, and a negro emperor chosen. From that time many changes occurred, until, in 1846, a negro who had been a slave, then a shoeblack, then a soldier, then a captain, and then a general, was chosen PRESI

DENT.

In 1849 the President was invited to take the title of Emperor-a plan most likely of his own: and he was saluted as FAUSTIN THE FIRST. His real name was SOULOUQUE. The picture shows him sitting in council with his generals. Does he look much like an Emperor? In 1851, Soulouque held a grand coronation, and crowned himself with his own hands in the presence of his troops and a great multitude of his subjects. But Soulouque is Emperor no longer. His subjects became tired of his craftiness and cruelty, and last year drove him from his throne. The brave shoeblack had grasped at too much, and so lost all. Hayti therefore is once more a Republic, as it has been several times before. A President has been appointed, but how long his government will last no one knows; nor who will rule there next, whether General, President, or Emperor.

Happily our mission in that island still goes on quietly and prosperously. Whatever changes there may be of emperors and kings, we know that Jesus "MUST REIGN."

Mr. Webley, our devoted missionary in Hayti, writes: -"You will learn with much pleasure that this country has just accomplished one of the finest revolutions ever heard of. The empire, one of despotism, rapine, and blood, has been overturned. The ex-emperor, after having resolved upon the murder of all the people of colour, has been compelled to abdicate, and has embarked for Kingston under the joint protection of the

A BLACK EMPEROR.

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President and the British Government, and the republic has been re-established upon liberal and intelligent principles. All this has been accomplished in the short space of three weeks, and is so manifestly the result of an overruling Providence, that not a life has been sacrificed, and scarcely a gun has been fired. The president Geffrard is personally known to us, and the last time he was at Jacmel spent nearly two hours with the mission family. He is a man of talent, of education, and of noble sentiments. Indeed, the country could hardly perhaps produce a more competent man to preside over its destinies. He announces in his proclamations that the reign of despotism and terror has ceased; that the revolution is the work of God; that he has been guided by an unseen hand; and that he still depends upon Divine Providence for future guidance and support. So far so good. One could scarcely have looked for better sentiments even from a devoutly Christian man. I am now, therefore, full of hope for this hitherto downtrodden country. For under the present Government all educational movements will doubtless receive every encouragement, whilst Christian missionaries will, in all probability, be able to preach the Gospel when and where they please, a liberty of which we have been deprived for many years.

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"Four persons were baptized here last year, whilst we have some five or six more coming forward. These have sent in all their idol trash, and kindled their fires and cooked their food with the wooden crosses that ornamented their dwellings-an awful sacrilege amongst the Roman Catholics. May God in His mercy now open the windows of heaven upon us, baptize us anew in His Spirit's influence, and give us a gracious revival of religion." L. L. N.

HOSANNA!

A MISSIONARY SERMON TO CHILDREN.

I WANT you, dear children, to go with me in thought to "the days of long ago," and to the great city of Jerusalem. Along the streets I seem to see a little boy tripping by his mother's side. Very sweet and bright is his smile as he looks up into her face, and once and again exclaims, "I am so glad that I am twelve years old! I am so glad that I am twelve years old!"'

But why is he so happy, and what do these words mean? Why, the dear child had been told a long long time back that, as soon as he was twelve years old, he should go with his parents to Jerusalem, and to God's glorious temple, that there he might keep the feast. This, then, was a joy that he had been looking forward to almost all his life. Many a time had he talked by day and dreamed by night of the Journey, and the City, and the Temple. In the far-off country village where he lived, it had often seemed as if the day would never come! But it had come at last; and there he was, among the happy crowd, on the way to the House of God. At length the Temple rises before them; the child grasps his mother's hand more tightly; his heart is too full to speak. They climb the lofty steps, and walk a while in the broad courts, open to the sky. They admire the massive stones, the lofty pillars. Hush that is the distant song of the priests in the holy place :-then the child whispers, "Mother, where are the men to-day? Father is not here; have the men all gone away? I only see a few, like that blind man begging, and yonder poor cripple lying in the porch. I wonder where the rest can be!" The mother only answers, "Hark!" Then they both stand still. The

other women and children there stand also, listening. For, down below, in the city, there is heard a sound like the roar of distant waters. It rolls nearer, nearer still. Then it rises, like the sound of a multitude of voices, and the rush of many feet. A few minutes more, and the voices become plainer, and the listeners catch the word " Hosanna," first faintly rising above the tumult, then clear and ringing, "HOSANNA, HOSANNA, to the Son of David!" Now numbers of people are seen running up the Temple steps, looking behind them as they ran, and still joining in the shout. The crowd becomes larger, they press along more slowly, the children cling tightly to their mothers' dresses. Then,

"Oh mother, who is that?" they ask. For amid the throng there is ONE, unlike any other person whom those children have ever seen, so noble and yet so gentle are his looks, so sweet but so sorrowful. There is a

smile on his lips, and a tear in his eye, as he looks around upon the shouting crowd, and with them enters the Temple gate. First he goes up to some people who are buying and selling there. Very much ashamed they go away. But now, see! he has taken yonder poor cripple by the hand, has lifted him up, and in a moment the lame man flings away his crutches, and walks, and leaps, and sings! On that blind man's eyes too he has placed his finger, and now the blind can see. These wonders fill the children's hearts with a strange joy. They can be silent no longer, but shout aloud in wonder and delight. They cannot help it, but with all the might of their young voices cry, "Hosanna to the Son of David." Then some strange sounds of murmuring and anger are heard. "Be quiet, children there must be no noise here!" Who could they be that speak in this manner? Some people, we