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the very bottom. There she lay, crying, calling, screaming for her mother; but her mother was far away. And there this little girl would have had to stay all night if the good minister had not heard the great noise she was making. He put on his hat, took a light, and went out of doors to look. He thought the cries came from the church, so he took the key and went in; and only think how astonished he was to find this little girl lying at the foot of the break. He saw how frightened she was, so he did not scold at her, but kindly lifted her up, took her by the hand, and led her out of the church. He then sent her home, where everybody was wondering at her delay to return. She learned a lesson that she never forgot.

We have very much more to tell you about this interesting Mission, but it would make this paper too long, so we must wait till another month. Meanwhile we hope you will be very active in getting ready for the collecting cards. They will come with your "Messenger on the 1st of April, each card containing a beautiful view of Corfu, in which you will see the lofty blue hills, the tall narrow trees, and the poor Corfoites with their little caps and long flowing dresses. You got 500 subscrip-gallery-stairs, crying as if her heart would tions for the Khunds; we hope you will not fail to have as many for the Jews. But we want also your prayers. Learn to plead with God for these poor children, for their parents, and the dark minded Rabbis,-not forgetting to see to it that you are true friends of the Saviour yourselves.

THE SLEEPY LITTLE GIRL.

I HAVE a true story to tell you, my little child, whoever you may be. Yes, a true story; for if you could go a great many miles with me, I could show you the very little girl that I am going to tell you about.

A good minister whom I know and love very much, lived in a pretty house quite close to his church, so that there was only a small garden between. His church was large, and a great many people went there to worship God. He had a Sunday school too, and many little boys and girls have learned there to love and serve God aright.

Now it happened, that the little children of the Sunday-school would sometimes get sleepy in church, and very often in evening service, their eyes would be shut up tight, their heads would nod, and they would dream of everything but the sermon. One beautiful Sunday evening, the church was filled with people, and our good minister, after prayer and singing, began to preach from God's holy word. Now there was one little girl there, who, perhaps, thought it was going to be a long sermon, and she would not be able to keep awake. Perhaps she said to herself, "I am only seven years old. I heard a great deal about good things this morning. I've been to Sundayschool and said my hymns. Other children go to sleep, so I will."

Sitting up in the gallery, where she could not be seen by everybody, and forgetting that the eye of God was upon her, this little girl quietly went to sleep. But the sermon was not so long as she had expected. The sweet hymn was sung, and, after a solemn prayer, all the people went home. The minister bade the sexton "good night," and went to his house. The sexton put out the lights, put on his hat, locked the doors, and off he went.

But where was our sleepy little girl? She was all alone and fast asleep in the gallery of that great church! After a long nap of more than an hour she awoke, and rubbed her eyes, and found herself all in the dark and all alone! At first she thought it was a dream, but no! the dead silence and the darkness made her feel that she was really all alone in that great church. O! how bitterly she cried! She tried to find the stairs, and, in doing so, her foot slipped, and down she went, step after step, to

DARE TO BE WISE.

HAVE a mind of your own. It is the great evil of many that they cannot think for themselves. They are influenced by every movement-drawn along by every current-receive every impression. Have an enlightened mind of your own. Do not believe just because others believe. Investigate for yourselves. I would not have you shrink from the conflict. If a believer in divine truth, dare to be an advocate of it. Have a decided mind of your own. What you hold, hold firmly. It is sometimes trying to withstand a crowd, but if the truth is worth holding, it is worth holding if the wide world should abandon it. Let me present to you some fine instances of that decision which I would recommend. There was Moses-who "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect to the recompense of reward." There was Caleb-who stood against the other ten spies and a disheartened people, and said, "Let us go up at once, and possess the land; for we are well able to overcome it." There was Joshua-who if the nation had revolted from God would have been firm to his purpose; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." There was Elijah-who, singlehanded and alone, encountered on the mount of sacrifice the 400 priests of Baal, a degenerate court, and a debased people. There was David-who said, and abode by his decision, "I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." There was Ruthurged to return to her home by all the weight of example, country, and of kindred, said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest I will go: and where thou lodgest I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." There is a story in the "Mother's Magazine" (for Feb., 1848), which illustrates the principle I would urge upon you, and which is worthy of being written in letters of gold.

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"I was sitting," says the writer, "in the second story of one of the large boarding houses at Saratoga springs, thinking of absent

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friends, when I heard shouts of children from the piazza beneath me.

"O yes, that's capital! so we will! Come on now! there is William Hale! Come on, William, we are going to have a ride on the Circular Railway. Come with us!'

"Yes, if my mother is willing. I will run and ask her,' replied William.

"Oh, oh! so you must run and ask your ma! Great baby, run along and ask your ma! An't you ashamed? I didn't ask my mother,' -nor I,'-'nor I,' added half-a-dozen of voices.

"Be a man, William,' cried the first voice, come along with us, if you don't want to be called a coward as long as you live. Don't you see we're all waiting!'

I leaned forward to catch a view of the children, and saw William standing with one foot advanced, and his hand firmly clenched, in the midst of the group. He was a fine subject for a painter at that moment. His flushed brow, flashing eye, compressed lip, and changing cheek, all told how that word coward was rankling in his breast. Will he prove himself indeed one, by yielding to them?' thought I. It was with breathless interest I listened for his answer, for I feared that the evil principle in his heart would be stronger than the good. But no.

"I will not go without I ask my mother!" said the noble boy, his voice trembling with emotion, "and I am no coward either. promised her I would not go from the house without permission, and I should be a base coward if I were to tell her a wicked lie."

There was something commanding in his tone, which made the noisy children mute. It was the power of a strong soul over the weaker; and they involuntarily yielded him the tribute of respect.

In the history of Napoleon we have also a fine instance of the value of firmness. "When the First Consul, it is said, crossed the Mediterranean on his Egyptian expedition, he carried with him a cohort of savans, who ultimately did great service in many ways. Among them, however, as might be expected at that era, were not a few philosophers of the Voltaire-Diderot school. Napoleon, for his own amusement on ship-board, encouraged disputation among these gentlemen, and on one occasion they undertook to show, and, according to their own account, did demonstrate, by infallible logic and metaphysics, that there is no God. Bonaparte, who hated all ideologists, abstract reasoners, and logical demonstrators, would not fence with these subtile dialecticians, but had them immediately on deck, and pointing to the stars in the clear blue sky, replied by way of counter-argument, 'Very good, Messieurs! but who made all these?""

Dare, then, my young friends, to have opinions of your own; see to it that they are according to the Scriptures of everlasting truth; and when you have embraced them, hold them with a firm and unwavering grasp. The great danger is, not that truth will change -but that you may be driven from a safe position, and lose your hold of that which alone can be your security.

HOLY GROUND.

"FATHER, I want a little piece of ground in one corner of the garden, that I may call my own," said a little boy of eleven years of age. "You may have such a piece, my son," replied the father.

"Oh! I thank you very much; but I have one more thing to ask.”

"What is that, my son? If it is possible, you shall have what you ask."

"Well, father, I want some wheat to sow on my ground."

"You may have all you wish, my son."

This little boy then went to the barn and got some wheat, and sowed it in his ground very thick, much thicker than men sow it. He watched it with great care and solicitude from day to day, pulling up every weed and blade of grass, till it was more than three feet high, or higher than his head, and thick as it could stand.

His father noticed that he went to his piece of wheat very often, and determined to see at the first opportunity, how he was engaged while there. Accordingly, early one morning as he saw him enter his wheat, he followed silently and unobserved. What was his surprise, upon coming near, to hear his dear boy engaged in prayer! He then knew the reason of his sowing wheat instead of flowers, and felt quite satisfied with the disposition he had made of his ground.

A few days after, his little boy expressed a wish that his wheat might stand all winter. His father inquired the reason, telling him at the same time the birds would devour it if it was not harvested. The boy hesitated about telling why he made the wish, but still seemed desirous about having something that would grow all the year. His father pressed him to answer, promising to enclose his ground with

evergreens.

"Father," said he, "it is holy ground, and I go there to pray, every morning and night."

The delighted father hastened to fulfil his promise, feeling well rewarded by this mark of early piety in one so dear as a child.

For years after, this little boy made his inclosed "holy ground," a retreat for prayer and holy reading; and, as may well be supposed, he lived an example of what early religious training will do,—beloved by all who knew him.

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THE ENGLISH

PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER.

Original Papers.

THOUGHTS ON CHRISTIAN BENEFICENCE.

BY AN OFFICE-BEARER.

We have never felt inclined to award to "this age of benevolence," the amount of credit for its liberality it is frequently disposed to claim. Doubtless, many and varied are the schemes and objects of its bounty, and not a few of them are deserving more support and encouragement than they receive; but the mere number of such is mistaken by many for a proof of extensive beneficence, forgetful of the very inadequate manner in which they are sustained. Looking beyond the denominational circles, we scarcely find an institution, however complete and effective in its workings, or philanthropic and Christian in its aims, but, if chiefly dependant on free-will offerings, it "is crippled for want of funds." The amount received can only be obtained by means of sermons, lectures, "telling speeches," special appeals, and other impulsive efforts; besides, measures of a questionable character are often resorted to, in order to prevent the Society of 1845 being devoured, piecemeal, by its younger contemporary of 1852. Instead of affording evidences of increasing health and vigour, many of them are constantly engaged in a ceaseless struggle for life. Nor do we think the evil is attributable in general to a superabundance of such institutions; for in the present state of society, at least, there are few we can afford to lose. Wide fields of usefulness are generally spread out before them, untouched by any but themselves, and yet they are scarcely enabled to do more than afford proof of their adaptation for the work.

In the various Churches throughout the land we find similar evils existing to an equal, if not greater, extent. The ministers of rich congregations are usually supported in comfort, and the necessary means of carrying out their plans afforded them; but those who preach the Gospel to the poor are often doomed to the endurance of hardships and penury, enough to paralyze the energies and wither the affections of zealous and devoted men. The minds of the most faithful are diverted from their legitiNo. 52,-New Series.

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VOL. IV.

mate work when their hearts are longing for the salvation of soulstheir time and energies are demanded for raising money, which, if men understood their duty aright, would require no time or labour in collecting; it would be cast into the Lord's treasury unsolicited.

A minister in one of the largest Dissenting bodies in England, complaining of the hardships to which many of his brethren are subjected, thus writes:

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"Paid, in many cases, less than the wages of a skilled artisan, and yet expected and compelled to maintain a certain outward appearance of respectability; living in a country where show is almost erected into a moral standard, and where a shabby coat is nearly as damaging as a bad name, their lives are not unfrequently passed in a perpetual conflict with sordid and harassing difficulties, which, if surmounted one day, are sure to recur again the next, and which, in their long unintermitted operation, eat into the very soul, destroy the stamina of manly independence, and impose upon the mind of one who ought to be not only a good, but also a courageous man, the weakness of a timid and almost broken heart."

Nor is it merely in one Church that we find this state of matters existing; the experience of other Churches in England is similar; it is the chief breaker against which the Free Church of Scotland has at present to contend; the United Presbyterian Church complains loudly of the same difficulty, and this common remonstrance of those in Britain, against the robbery of God in his tithes and offerings, is echoed by our American brethren across the Atlantic.

When such evils exist in the internal condition of a Church, it is impossible that her external or aggressive efforts for the spread of the Gospel, can be either vigorous or extensive. Forced to struggle for a bare existence, she is shorn of much of her evangelistic life and power. Hence we find that little progress is being made for the extension of the Gospel either here or abroad. Foreign missionary stations are increased but slowlyvery slowly; and there is scarcely more being done for the masses at home. The great bulk of our working population have sunk into a state of infidelity, or stupid indifference; their numbers are increasing year by year, and yet the Churches-thankful to retain the ground they possess-are making few earnest or honourable efforts for their reclamation. Some men, looking around them in wonder, are asking when the world is to be converted to the living God, if the universal Church continues to increase at her present ratio. "An earnest ministry," says one, is "the want of the times," and no sincere man will deny the statement; but a liberal and self-denying people is another want of the times, and one which God has rendered as essential to the spread of the Gospel as the former. Christian beneficence, as enforced and illustrated in the Word of God, is understood by few professors, and practised by still fewer. It is a subject men are not likely to study carefully for themselves; it is usually brought before them in the form of pleas and appeals through the pressure of circumstances; but its elementary principles are seldom expounded either through the pulpit or the press. Among the numberless publications of the day, we find many on Sabbath observance, but scarcely one, worthy of the subject, on the obligations of Christian benevolence. There are many who regard the former as a positive duty, and willingly devote every seventh day to the worship of God, but who give no more of their substance for the extension of his kingdom than they can possibly avoid; and yet the latter duty is enforced and illustrated in the Old and New Testaments with much greater frequency than the former. If the Sabbath-breaker commits a sin when he robs God of sacred time, surely the Sabbath-worshipper who robs Him

of his "tithes and offerings "-who makes no sacrifice for the sake of Christ and the spread of his Gospel-cannot be held guiltless.

Not only is the evil manifested in limited contributions, but also in the spirit in which even these are given. Few men write "holy unto the Lord" upon their religious offerings; they are more generally viewed as beggarly elements, unconnected with the Gospel, as if God had not bound them together by a fixed rule. It is seldom that a minister is able to say of his people on a "collection day" what the King of Israel once said of his, "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly; for all this store that we have prepared, to build a house for thy holy name, cometh of thy hand, and is all thine own."

Would that we could hold up the Presbyterian Church in England, in regard to the evils we have mentioned, as an exception to the general rule; but we greatly fear that in this respect she is not even equal in liberality to some of her fellows. And here we must allude to another erroneous impression which obtains among the members of Churches, and not less so, we fear, among ourselves than other communities. Many regard the amount they pay for the support of ordinances in their own places of worship as a mere gratuity; they consider themselves faithful in the exercise of Christian beneficence if they pay regularly their pew-rents and a few extras for church expenses. Now, it is difficult to see, if we look at the matter in a proper light, how this can be considered as an act of benevolence at all. What a man pays to procure the means of religious instruction for himself and his household, is no more a charity than what he pays for the establishment and support of schools for the benefit of his own children. The latter might with equal propriety be considered as a sacrifice upon the altar of benevolence as the former, for in many respects the one is more indispensable for his present and future wellbeing than the other.

Looking, therefore, at the contributions of our Church for the extension of the Gospel beyond her own sanctuaries, we find the example she furnishes not quite suitable for others to imitate. During the year 1850, the total amount contributed for this purpose was 3,0137. 5s. 11d.; but if we deduct from this the sums received from extraneous sources, it reduces the gross amount contributed by ourselves, to the following:

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The average number of communicants in 1850 must have been over 13,000; and of seatholders and adherents (including the former), 24,000. These are composed of rich and poor-doubtless a large portion of the latter;—but we have reason to know that among them are also a very large number living in comfortable circumstances, to whom God has given a goodly heritage, who are able to give for the extension of the Gospel; and who ought to do it, in greater measure, through the medium of that Church to which they belong. Let us suppose that, in one way or other, twelve thousand* have contributed to the "Schemes" during the year to

* This is a very low estimate of the number who ought to contribute.

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