she could bear it. Six weeks ago we had the pleasure of receiving into our house Mrs. Arnold, who brought with her from Athens her youngest son for change of air. She is a highly accomplished, warmhearted Christian, and was very devoted in her attentions to Mrs. C. Three weeks later Mr. Arnold, her husband, also came a man of his grave character and earnest piety was peculiarly profitable on such an occasion. She remembered to the last also a very brief but interesting visit which we had from Mr. Macdonald, of Blairgowerie, who had only time to offer a short, fervent prayer at her bedside, and then hurry on board the steamer for Trieste. She was also much edified by the visit of a Mr. Thomson, minister of a large congregation in New York, who lately lost his wife by the same complaint. Thus was she cheered by the very best of human helps, and was the better prepared for her triumphant death."

As the letter from which the above is quoted was a private one, we shall only glean from it a few brief particulars of her last illness. The day on which she died was their Communion Sabbath, and Mr. Charteris went to church at half-past eight in the morning, leaving her under the care of Mrs. Arnold, already named. Shortly after he left, Mrs. A. found her getting worse, and sent for Dr. Reade, who remained with her until Mr. Charteris's return at half-past eleven. On entering the room, Mr. C. found her still conscious and tranquil, but with strong evidences that death was very near. Some time afterwards, she looked up. "her whole countenance beaming with hope and joy," and said, "I wish; I wish."-On being asked what she wished, she at last succeeded in saying,-“ I wish to go to Jesus." These were the last words she uttered. Shortly after this, Mr. Charteris had occasion to repair for a few minutes to another room; on returning, he found her, as he thought, asleep; but it was the sleep of death! Her weeping attendant, Mrs. Arnold, said, "Dr. Reade has just told me she is gone. He has gone away in tears, saying, May God grant us all such a happy death!""

Mr. Charteris adds, "I will not now dwell on my own sorrows. I have good reason to rejoice that my dear wife, so dutiful to me, and so affectionate as a mother, was privileged to hold fast her confidence in our blessed Redeemer, even

to the end; that she was so full of faith, of glowing love and lively hope, and that she was so well sustained by Divine grace under the protracted sufferings which she endured with such exemplary resignation."

The heat being great (ninety degrees in the shade) they were obliged to commit her body to the grave by half-past six the following morning. On the gun carriage, commonly used there for funeral purposes, the body was drawn to its place of rest by twenty of the soldiers, under charge of the sergeant-major of the Royal Artillery. It was deposited in a grave beside that of Dr. Grey, a physician from whom she derived much benefit, and also encouragement by his Christian counsel, about two years ago.

Of her it may be truly said

"By foreign hands thy dying eyes were closed,

By foreign hands thy decent limbs composed,

By foreign hands thy humble grave adorned, By strangers honoured, and by strangers mourned."

There is no invader that makes home so desolate as death; and now, to our beloved brother, on his lonely island, removed from the immediate consolations and sympathies of Christian friends, with his little orphan daughter at a school at Athens, and the kind and affectionate partner of his joys and sorrows in the grave, his home--once so full of sanctified affection and joy-must to him be lonely enough. Let our supplications be more frequent and urgent for him in this God may protect and sanctify his orphan season of severe trial, that our gracious child, and that His presence may compensate for that loss which has left a void

in

the bereaved parent's heart, that nothing else on earth can fill.

THE CHINA MISSION. ALTHOUGH we have elsewhere invited attention to the following letters from our brethren in China, the interest and importance attached to them induces us to repeat that invitation here. If the present movements in that country do not increase the importance of our Mission there, they at least give to it a deepening interest and hopefulness which we sincerely trust may be turned to the best account. If the Lord be in this movement, and these overturnings the work of his own hands, it is, doubtless, that his truth may enter in, and that the kingdom

of the Redeemer may be extended;- and if this be so, it surely presses upon us with renewed urgency the duty of increasing our contributions in support of this work. It will say little for the interest which the members of our Church take in the prosperity of the cause of Christ, if the income of this Mission is not much greater than in former years. And it is gratifying to know that brethren at a distance are beginning to manifest a special sympathy for, and interest in, the work. A minister of the Free Church of Scotland, writing, lately, to the Treasurer, says :-" I have been long wishing to get my people to contribute to your China Mission, as we have none to China in connexion with our own Church; but we have so many collections that it is no easy matter to get a Sabbath free. However, I asked them to give something on the Thanksgiving Monday after our Communion, and they collected 37., for which I inclose a post-office order. It is a small amount, but I hope to be able to send you an annual collection-that is to say, if our own Church does not greatly increase the number of our own. One thing you will value more than the money, I believe that the making of the collection has procured for your Mission the prayers of God's children in our congregation. I hope that the news regarding the revolutionists in China is true, and that their movement is to open a wide door for the Gospel there."

It is to be hoped that this good example will meet with imitators in the Free Church and elsewhere, and that we ourselves will lead the way.

DR. YOUNG TO THE CONVENER.

Amoy, 11th May, 1853. MY DEAR SIR,-It was my desire to write before this, but my time has been much occupied. I have first to mention the state of the Schools. The one under this roof has thirty-nine on the list, twenty-two of whom were scholars last year. The one at Kék-lai has thirty-eight on the list, nineteen of whom were scholars last year. The daily attendance at each school is about thirty. I cannot say that there has been any observable impression made on the hearts of any of the boys. Mr. Burns is kindly giving his assistance in superintending and instructing the Kék-lai school.

My time has been, and is still, increasingly taken up with medical work. On the regular days for the patients coming (Tuesdays and Fridays) there have been greater numbers; on other days, cases that require

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immediate attention have been numerous. My limited stock of medicines, with help again from the American Mission, has been made to serve pretty well. Since about the beginning of March, there has been a very great demand for medicine for the cure of opium-smoking, or rather to enable persons to give up the habit. The medicine emSince the first of April there has been a conployed is simple, and answers effectually. sumption of above 1200 pills daily, or 8,400 per week, about 300 persons using them. The demand continues great, and even greater, than we can supply. We know of upwards of twenty cases, that have been already cured of this habit. Almost the whole of those who are taking the medicine have entirely left off the habit, and are following out the treatment, which consists in gradually lessening the quantity of the medicine. A great many have lessened the quantity so much that they may be considered almost cured. It can hardly be doubted that many have been delivered from the habit, but it is impossible to know to what extent, when the applicants are so numerous. the people come, of exhorting them to An excellent opportunity is afforded, when repent and believe the Gospel, and of giving tracts on this and other subjects. A great many of the applicants are men who can read. They are in the habit of smoking from thirty to two hundred grains of the extract of opium (equal to nearly double this weight of ordinary opium) daily. A charge is made of two cash a pill, which pays for the materials used, and the wages of two men employed in compounding them. It is right, as mentioned in a former letter, to make some charge, as otherwise the gratuity might be abused; and if the expense was not met, we could not carry on. people think nothing of so small a charge, and say we must have a loss. It is a great saving to these poor people, from the time they begin to take the medicine. For every ten grains of the extract of opium, which costs twenty-two cash, they begin with one pill, which costs two cash, thus at once saving ten cash for every one laid out in medicine. There is now being received for pills 16,800 cash, or eleven dollars per week.

The

An interesting case occurred more than a month ago. A tea-dealer from the tea district came to Amoy to dispose of his teas. He smoked opium in considerable quantity, and hearing of the medicine, he came and applied for some. My dispensary assistant, who is a steady and zealous Christian, supplied him, and at the same time spoke to him concerning the Gospel, and gave him tracts. He seemed at once to be impressed with the truth, sat up during the night at his lodgings reading the tracts, came often here and conversed with my servant, and attended

we heard, from good authority, that the common people and foreigners, instead of being molested, would be protected from thieves or ill-disposed persons by the insurgents, and this has been the case: yesterday two men were killed for stealing from a shop. Yesterday, the 19th, the leader of this movement rode through the town, assuring the people of peace and safety, and desiring them to go on with business as usual. Order is being established; and, saving noise and bustle at the jetties from these armed men arriving and departing, all is going on again as usual. In many parts, however, there is danger of thieves taking advantage of this time for stealing. The people have not yet got over their fright. On Tuesday, the 17th, few boys came to the school, and since that there has been none at all. The teacher was here yesterday, and says the parents will not be willing to let their children go through the streets until the new laws are fairly in operation. Thanks to our gracious God and Father, we have been kept in safety during this commotion. May this change turn out to the furtherance of the Gospel. You will have heard that it is reported confidently that the leader of the whole has been instructed in the truths of Christianity,one report has it that he was baptized by Dr. Gutzlaff, and that as he proceeds in conquest he demolishes the idol temples. We have also recently heard that the main body rests on the Sabbath. Nothing satisfactory, however, is known on these points. There appears to be some foundation for the reports, but we dare not build hopes upon it. As yet there has been no idolatrous observance among the rebels since they came here, at least that I have seen or heard of; several, however, are wearing chains hung round the neck, and perhaps they may only be kept back from a public demonstration of idolatry from their having other business to attend to. One of the insurgents got his head cut with a sword, at one of the city gates, on the day of the fighting, and came to me to have it bound. There was profuse hemorrhage from one of the wounds, which was easily stopped. The man was thankful, and his friends who brought him were all most friendly disposed. Other of the insurgents have been applying for medicine. Indeed, these men are just of the class who apply for relief to the missionary, and they are well disposed towards every one except the Government or Tartar authorities, whom they are determined to subvert. There seems little doubt that they will gain a complete victory throughout the whole empire. Chinese government will be set up, bringing with it changes, perhaps of great, perhaps of small importance. May the Lord over

to afford protection to foreigners, if necessary. We had heard that they did not meddle at all with the people, their only aim being to seize and kill the Mandarins, and plunder and pull down their establishments; indeed, that plundering the shops or houses of the common people was instantly severely punished. We did not know, however, what would be their course towards foreigners, and at this time our man-of-war (at present a steamer), which usually lies in the harbour, was up the coast after pirates. On the morning of the 18th, before sunrise, great numbers of armed men arrived in boats, and landed in two companies, one at the upper, and the other at the lower extremity of the town. The suburbs (which form the principal part of the town) were soon taken possession of without opposition. At sunrise I was awakened by the noise of shouting among the junks and boats in the harbour. A number of government war-junks were sailing about, firing occasionally, but keeping out of the way of the insurgents' boats; and further on in the day, when great numbers of insurgents were arriving, these war-junks quietly left the harbour, apparently either afraid or not wishing to interfere. In the suburbs, the insurgents pulled down one Mandarin's house and offices, and burned another. A party appeared first at our landing, close to this house, bearing a quantity of spoil from one of these offices. Subsequently there were great numbers on our landing, all armed with swords, spears, and matchlocks. Every ten had a leader, who carried a small flag; Each man's right arm and shoulder was bare, the jacket being doubled over to the other side, and almost all had a short sword or knife, either alone, or with a spear or gun. Though without order, they yet seemed to be under good controul, and showed no intention of injuring any of the people. Indeed the people were willing to cast in their lot with the insurgents. During the forenoon the city was attempted to be taken. It is surrounded by a high strong wall. The gates were barred, and government soldiers were stationed on the walls. There were also companies of soldiers within the city. There was some resistance; the soldiers on the walls fought a little, and a few of the insurgents were killed; but the walls were soon scaled and the gates opened. The soldiers, some of whom were even favourable to the insurgents, gave in, and in the afternoon the city was in full possession of the rebels. They plundered, but did not destroy, the Mandarin's establishments; we saw a great deal of spoil put into boats at this jetty. We have not heard of any of the Mandarins being killed; some have fled, and two are stated to be in the hands of the insurgents. In the forenoon,

A pure