1855.] THE STONHAM ASPAL MEETING. 125 by faith, without the deeds of the law, and salvation by free gracethese doctrines were the crown and glory of Christianity-the strength of the minister and of the message-the secret of our embassy-the stamp and mark of a really flourishing church. But he solemnly charged them all never to forget that there was another doctrine which must always be linked and tied to justification by faith, and that was the doctrine of holiness as the inseparable companion of saving faith. It had sometimes been disputed whether justification or sanctification were the more important doctrine. For his own part he would ever hold and trust that both were important. That blessed man of God, Rowland Hill, was once asked which he liked best, justification or sanctification. He replied, that he should give the answer of the little girl who was asked whether she liked her father or her mother best. It was this "I like them both best." But he hoped they would all make a practical application of this that very night. He entreated them all, if they professed to value the gospel, to behave so as to let men see that they found the gospel a sanctifying religion. Many eyes were upon them. The enemies of all vital religion were watching for their halting. Let no one that day give occasion to the enemies of the truth to blaspheme. Crowds were always in need of warning. Temptations were always near when large bodies of people were gathered together. There was one present that afternoon who took no ticket, and had not been invited-one whom they would gladly keep out if possible, but they could not-one who crept into the garden of Eden and marred the happiness of paradise-and that was our great enemy, the Devil. Let them be on their guard. Let them take heed to their ways and to their behaviour that night, and not give place to Satan. Let them return home with the recollection that God's eyes were always upon them, and that there was no darkness with Him. An infidel once said to a little boy, "Tell me where God is, and I will give you an orange." The little boy replied at once-"Tell me where God is not, and I will give you two." That was a wise and good answer. Well would it be for them all, both minister and people, if they would learn every year to live more and more under an abiding sense of God's presence. Happy was that man, woman, or child, who did all as to the Lord, and in God's sight. His heart's desire and prayer for them all was, that they might feel, daily and hourly, "Thou God seest me." Then indeed would there be an increase of gospel spreading and gospel living. To walk with God as Enoch didto walk before God as Abraham did-this was to be a thorough servant of Christ, and a really useful disciple. At six o'clock the party broke up, the doxology having been sung, and hundreds perambulated the rectory gardens and grounds till the meeting in the church, which took place at seven o'clock, and in which the objects and claims and operations of the Church Missionary Society were ably advocated. The church was crowded in every part, and very many were unable to gain admission. At the opening of the meeting that beautiful and appropriate hymn was sung, "Let there be light," and was followed by a selection of prayers from our admirable liturgy. After a few introductory remarks, Mr. Shorting read the report for the past year-a report calculated to call forth deep thankfulness to that gracious God who had inclined the hearts of many 126 A FRAGMENT. [NOV. to give so liberally, and in so touching a manner. In the face of heavy taxation and expensive necessaries of life, this village has increased its contributions. It certainly is a remarkable fact, that, with scarcely a resident gentleman, a rural population, hardly exceeding 800 souls, should raise for Missionary purposes a larger sum than many towns of twenty, and even thirty thousand inhabitants. To God be all the praise! May other places be excited to a like liberality! The meeting was then powerfully addressed by the Rev. R. H. Groom, rector of Monk Soham, in a very striking speech, followed by Mr. Storr and Mr. Ryle. At the conclusion of the meeting a collection was made amounting to 281. 12s. 2d. And many and many a thankful heart left this meeting with the feeling, "It is good for us to have been here. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!" A FRAGMENT. I WENT this morning into the bush in search of good timber for my church roof. At a considerable distance from the town I crossed a clear little brook, and the people told me its name was Majewoffa. The meaning is, "Do not suffer the person in pawn to die." Thereby hangs a tale of sorrow with a thousand branches, that is, stories occurring every day. A poor person gets into debt in some way or other, but more frequently through country priests dictating to him to make such and such a sacrifice. There is no money for it, and the poor person is to put himself, or a child of his or her's, into pawn; that is, a man lends you so much money on condition that you work for him two days out of three, or as it may happen to be, until you have paid the money back, which is a hard matter; for how will a woman, or even a man, be able to lay money by to pay a debt, if he has only one day out of three to earn his own living? There the poor iwoffa-person in pawn-labours and toils day after day, and month after month, and year after year too, far away in the farms, among forests. There is a little brook, where the thirsty and exhausted iwoffa can refresh; and in his exhaustion, as he approaches the refreshing rivulet, he exclaims, "Ma-je-iwoffa-ku""Don't let the iwoffa die!" Oh, thou poor negro, pawned out for centuries past into the service of Satan, come to the river of life, and exclaim, "Ma-je-iwoffa-ku!" [Rev. D. Hinderer, Ibadan. www.wm YOUNG CONVERTS IN INDIA. IN our last Number we referred to the bitter trials which young converts to Christianity have to endure in India; and some instances of this were introduced, which we trust may have served to call forth the sympathy of our readers, and in their prayers to "remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." In the report received from the Burdwan Mission for the year 1854 a similar instance occurs-a young convert cruelly treated by his own father, because he would not act against his convictions, and remain a heathen. The narrative of his sufferings is related by himself. Let our younger friends, whose Christian parents, 1855.] YOUNG CONVERTS IN INDIA. 127 instead of hindering them, encourage them to give themselves to Christ, compare their own position with that of this poor suffering youth, and be thankful. "On the 27th of December 1854 I went, with the Rev. B. Geidt and two native-Christian brethren, Thomas and Boigunda, to preach the gospel to the heathen; and on our return I wished to see my sick parents, who had often desired me to come, and promised solemnly nothing whatever should happen to me: at the same time I wished to see whether my wife would be willing to come to Burdwan. I took, therefore, leave of my pastor, who, for precaution sake, advised the two native Christians to accompany me. Having arrived at my native place, we heard my father had gone out; but being desirous to see him we remained there three days. Many people came to see us, to whom we made known the gospel. As my father did not return, we wished to leave for Burdwan, but my eldest brother and others confined me to the house, and drove away the two dear Christian brethren. Now my father came home, and I saluted him friendly, and asked him, 'How are you at present?' He answered in a furious manner, saying, 'You have no need to ask me any thing, because you are not my son, and you have no relation with me.' After this he slapped me in my face repeatedly. Then my mother, who loves me, sent me to the house of my brother-in-law at Gopaulnogore, with a guardian and my youngest brother. Having an opportunity, I ran off early in the morning, desiring to reach Burdwan; but my brother-in-law pursued me, with others, and brought me back to his house. On receiving this news, my father came, shaved me, cut off my hair, and forced a poita on my shoulders, which I tore off immediately. About this he was very angry, took me back to his own house, and beat me severely again. He then put another poita around me, which I did not take down at once, on account of their rude conduct. Two days after this four Christian brethren came, sent from Burdwan, to see me, but I could only see them from the verandah. They asked me whether I had remained faithful, and whether I would return with them. I answered, I am not only willing to go with you, but I am willing to give my life for Christ's sake.' On saying these words, seven or eight persons forced me into the house, ill-treated me, and confined me. Then I tore off again the poita, and allowed them no more to put another around me, though they much persecuted me. I was very sorry not hearing any thing of what had happened to the Christian brethren in the tumult before the house. That very night my father sent me to a village called Jogoria, where I was kept for a week like a prisoner. Then my father took me back to his house. Sometimes he beat me, and sometimes he caused others to teach me Hinduism; and when I would not follow their advice, they used very abusive language towards me; but being regardless of those things, I spoke to them of the Saviour Jesus Christ. After a few days had thus passed by, one influential man of our relatives came, who much persuaded me to forsake Christianity, and remain with my father; and when I would not consent, both my *They were very ill-used, and driven by force from the village, and even persecuted in other places. No one was allowed in the neighbourhood of Paul's village to sell them any thing, or to give them a shelter. 128 THE CONQUESTS OF THE GOSPEL. [NOV. father and eldest brother did beat me, and kick me, and slap me in my face. After this they hanged me, fastening ropes about my hands and feet, and keeping my face downward, and again and again beat me with a hammer on my elbows and knees, all which I bore quietly, and prayed for them to the Lord Jesus, who gave me strength to suffer without murmuring. This enraged them more, and they were now ready to drive nails into my hands and feet, and to make me lame; but the man who guarded me snatched the nails from them, and made me free from the persecution of that day. A few days after, the jamadar of Joypur came and asked me, 'Is your name Horinaraion Chokrobutty?" I answered, 'Yes.' Then he said, 'The Missionary of Burdwan has written to the magistrate of Bancoorah to send you there. If you are willing to go, I came to make you free.' I answered, 'I am willing to go.' I had some hope to be delivered; but soon all hope was over, for he took a bribe from my father, and left me bound behind him. My father beat and kicked me again on that day in such a way that I got a boil on my forehead; and though I suffered now very great pain, he continued beating me. In the midst of that distress another burgundaz was sent from Bancoorah* to make me free, and conduct me to Bancoorah. When it was night we reached Bolgooma, and they put my legs in stocks. The next day I went to the magistrate, who was kind. He asked me many things, and fined the jamadar who had taken the bribe; and the next day he sent me to Burdwan with a man. I am not sorry that I suffered so much: I rather bless God for His mercy and love which He has granted me.' Our Missionary, the Rev. B. Geidt, adds Paul has hitherto been so diligent and well-behaved that he now receives a scholarship in the English school. May this poor youth experience the truth of the Psalmist's expression of hope-" When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." THE CONQUESTS OF THE GOSPEL. Let serfs of distant Russia, and vassals of the East, I had to write a second letter to Bancoorah, which had the desired effect. + As if he had been a thief. Then shall the Hebrew nation, gathered from every clime, From their own vales and hill-tops raise notes of praise sublime: From Mount Moriah's temple, a holy sacrifice. Then from each mountain fastness dark error shall be driven, And find no secret covert beneath the arch of heaven. Thrice blessed, happy era! from far we hail thy light! Break, break, thou wished for morning, dawn over error's night! 129 ANNA. THE FEEJEE ISLANDS. (Continued from p. 118 of our last Number.) THERE were few communities in the heathen world in which the fragments of a primeval faith less abounded than in the Feejee islands, or in which the popular belief presented fewer points of contact with Christian teaching. The belief in the inspiration of their priests might indeed prepare the natives for comprehending the true inspiration, and their practice of sacrifice for understanding the atonement. But their sacrifice was unaccompanied by any proper sense of demerit: even their supreme divinity was without providence, and their immortality without retribution; and their deep moral debasement, and torpid human sensibility, seemed to raise a mountain-barrier against the pure and spiritual lessons of the gospel; while their indifference to human life, and the numerous reports of white men who, welcomed with treacherous smiles, had perished on their shores, seemed to warn the Missionaries that they could only hope for protection, among such a people, by a special miracle. Yet, in the face of all these discouraging signs, these evangelic heralds sailed from Tonga, the capital of the Friendly Islands, over a stormy ocean of 300 miles, and landed on these islands of murderers and man-eaters, at the date we have named, to "sow in tears," and, with a rapidity and to an extent that exceeded their very dreams, to "reap in joy." And it is interesting to notice the means by which a shield was, at the beginning, placed by Providence over the heads of these friendless and unprotected men. It came, not from the presence of British warships, or from friends suddenly raised up to them; but from the fears and superstitions of the people themselves, by which God "made the wrath of man to praise Him." Many years before, certain mariners, two of whom resembled, in appearance and dress, Messrs. Cross and Cargill, had been shipwrecked on one of their islands, murdered, and eaten. Shortly after, a dreadful distemper had broken out on the island which had been the scene of the murder, as well as on contiguous isles, accompanied by excruciating agonies, and spreading death with the rapidity of a plague. The natives, concluding this to be a punishment from God for killing the white men, continued lenient to foreigners for a number of years; and though of late the restraint had been relaxed, and many whites had been sacrificed, yet the recollected resemblance between the Missionaries and the men who had been murdered previously to the plague leading them to conclude that they, too, must have been Missionaries, held back their murderous hands; and these restraints continued until the number of the Christian converts, and the involuntary respect which the character of the Missionaries gradually inspired, surrounded them with other and surer defences. A conside |