book nearly so easily as a French one, though he had only studied French for two months in all his life. However, at last he was able to write a tract, which he got printed, and gave a great many away. Then he began to translate the New Testament, and used to talk about the true religion to people who visited him.

He had been in the country about four years, when one day, as he was sitting in his house, a Burman, of respectable appearance, and followed by a servant, came up the steps. He asked, "How long time will it take me to learn the religion of Jesus?"

"If God

Dr Judson told him that such a question could not be answered. gave light and wisdom, the religion of . Jesus was soon learned; but, without God's 's help, a man might study all his life long, and yet never learn it.” “ "But," continued Dr Judson, "how came you to know anything of Jesus?-have you ever been here before?"

lips of a Burman. I handed him a tract and catechism, both which he instantly recognised, and read here and there-making occasional remarks to his follower; such as, 'This is the true God: this is the right way.' I now tried to tell him some things about God and Christ, and himself; but he did not listen with much attention, and seemed anxious only to get another book. I had already told him two or three times that I had finished no other book, but that in two or three months I would give him a larger one, which I was now daily employed in translating.'

"But,' replied the man, have you not a little of that book done, which you will graciously give me now?" And I, beginning to think that God's time is better than man's, folded and gave him the first two half-sheets, which contain the first five chapters, on which he instantly rose, as if his business was all done; and, having received an invitation to come again, took leave.

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Throughout his short stay, he appeared different from any Burmans I have yet met with. He asked no questions about customs and manners, with which the Burmese tease us exceedingly. He had no curiosity, and no desire for anything, but more of this sort of writing.'

Dr Judson afterwards heard from one of this man's acquaintances, that he was reading the books all day long, and showing them to all who called on him. He does not mention him again, so that we cannot tell whether he received the truth into his heart or not.

Ar the annual meeting of the London Missionary Society, which was held in Exeter Hall in the month of May, one of the speakers said,—" The first sentences that I heard from the report, as I entered this hall, reminded me vividly of an incident which, twenty-one years ago, was, perhaps, the first that filled me with peculiar interest, that has never ceased since, in missionary labours; and this incident was in connection with this very Society. I had read, I forget at this moment where—I think it might have been in the voyages of Kotzebue certain things against your mission in the South Sea Islands, which filled me, for the moment, with the scepticism natural to a young man. I happened, accidentally, to meet with the captain of a ship that voyaged to the South Seas. I was a total stranger to him, and he to me; and without mentioning my name or profession, or anything else, I drew beside him, and the man being pointed out to me as one who had just returned from the South Seas, I said to myself, here is a prac

tical man, I think-he will give me an unvarnished account; he is an honest sailor-I shall have the benefit of the evidence of an honest man; and I knew that he was a good living man. I inquired of him, "Do you think that missions have done much good in the South Seas ?" He looked at me and said, "I do not know what you know about missions, but I will tell you a fact.

Last year I was wrecked on one of these islands, and I knew that eight years before, an American whaler had been shipwrecked on the same island; that the crew had been murdered; and no doubt you may judge my feelings, when we anticipated that we should either be dashed to pieces on the rocks during the night, or, if we survived to the morning, subjected to a dreadful death. As soon as the day broke, I saw a number of canoes, manned, pulling away between the island and the ship. We prepared for the worst consequences. Judge of our amazement, when the natives came on board in a European dress, and spoke to us in English. In that very island I heard

the gospel on the Sabbath-day, and sat down at the Communion-table, and sang the same Psalm that I sang in

Scotland." He added, "I do not know what you think of Missions, but I know what I think of them."

THE SINNER AND THE TEMPTER. When the late Rev. John Thomas was one day addressing a crowd of natives on the bank of the Ganges, he was accosted by a Brahmin, as follows: Sir, don't you say that the devil tempts men to sin?" Yes," answered Mr Thomas. "Then," replied the Brahmin, 'certainly the fault is the devil's; he, therefore, and not man, ought to suffer the punishment." When he said this, the countenances of many of the natives showed their approbation of what the Brahmin had said.

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Mr Thomas, observing a boat, with several men on board, descending the river, said, Brahmin, do you see yonder boat?" "Yes." "Suppose I were to send some of my friends, and tell them to destroy every person on board, and bring me everything that is valuable in the boat; who ought to suffer the punishment?-I for instructing them, or they for doing this wicked act?" 66 Why," answered the Brahmin, with emotion, "you ought all to

HE SAID HIS PRAYERS, YET NEVER
PRAYED.

A poor old man had been taught, when a child of three years of age, to repeat a prayer every night. He did this till he was seventy-three years old; and very proud was he to say that he had not omitted saying his prayer for seventy years.

At length the grace of God, in his old age, reached his heart, and made him a living follower of the Lord Jesus. And in speaking of himself after this, his words used to be, I am the old man who said his prayers for seventy years, and yet, all that time, never prayed at all.”

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You will always find something to do, if you do the duty which lies nearest to you.

that some of these men were most valuable helpers to him. The effect of their preaching was indeed wonderful, for numbers of Indians came flocking to the Grove to hear more from the Missionary himself, and invited him to come and see them. Mr Bernau could now leave Bartica under the care of a catechist, who had arrived from England, so he set out to travel into the interior of the country. He had two companions with him; one of them was Eric, a converted chief of the Carabeese tribe; and the other, Frederick, was Mr Bernau's interpreter. They set out in a boat, and sailed up a river which runs into the Essequibo. They found it very difficult to get along in some places, where the trees had fallen across the stream; it was no easy matter to cut their way through them.

About sunset, on the second day, they came to an Indian settlement; the barking of the dogs let the inhabitants know that strangers were near. Several people came running out to stare at their visitors, and to welcome them. Soon a large fire was lighted at some distance from their huts; and while they were all sitting round it, Eric informed them why he and the Missionary had come, and in a very pleasing manner told them of the coming of Jesus Christ into this world on His errand of love. It was a lovely evening; the sky of that deep clear blue which is never seen in our colder country, the stars shone sweetly down, and not a sound but the croaking of the frog broke the silence with which all listened to the stranger. When

Eric had finished, Mr Bernau spoke on the same subject. It was late when they retired to rest, for the people seemed eager to hear the word of God. They gave the Missionary a hut to sleep in, but no sleep could he get, for the myriads of vermin of all kinds. You can have no idea of the filthy habits of these people; the little children were so covered with dirt, that they could hardly be told from negro children.

ment.

6

When morning came, Mr Bernau proceeded up the river, and in the afternoon stopped at another settleAbout eighty people gathered together, and listened attentively for hours, while he read and explained to them, in their own language, the history of our Lord's sufferings and death. Mr Bernau says, "When I laid the book down, they asked, 'Are you going to stop reading?' I replied, If you are anxious to hear more I will proceed.' They answered, 'We are not yet tired, for we have never heard this before.' It was near eleven at night when I left off reading and speaking; and during the whole of the night I overheard parties conversing with each other on what they had heard. This was indeed a joyful day." The next morning before seven o'clock, the Indians were again sitting round Mr Bernau listening to the word of God. He was sorry to leave these poor people who were thus thirsting for instruction. They begged hard that he would send them a teacher, and promised to do all in their power to make him comfortable and happy. Mr Bernau could only promise to do what