28 THE LITTLE IRISH SWEEP. mouths of babes and sucklings God perfects praise!'" Upon this the preacher quitted the pulpit in great wrath, breathing out threatenings against the poor boy who was instantly thrown into prison where he remained for several years before he was got out again. A GREAT WORK. THE Missionaries of the American Sunday School Union organized last year 2,528 Sabbath Schools, where none existed before, into which they gathered over 104,000 scholars. During the year previous they organized 2,440 schools, into which were gathered almost 100,000 scholars. During the last six years they have organized between 12,000 and 13,000 schools, which have numbered over 500,000 scholars. THE LITTLE IRISH SWEEP. SOME years ago, an effort was made to collect all the chimney-sweepers in the city of Dublin, for the purpose of education. Among others came a little fellow, who was asked if he knew his letters. " 'Oh, yes," was the reply. "Do you spell?" "Oh, yes," was again the answer. you read? "Oh, yes." "And what book did you "Do learn from?" "Oh, I never had a book in my life, sir." "And who was your schoolmaster?" "Oh, I never was at school." Here was a singular case; a boy could read and spell without a book or a master. But what was the fact? Why, another little sweep, a little older than himself, had taught him to read by showing him the letters over the shop doors which they passed as they went through the city. His teacher, then, was a little sweep like himself, and his book the signboards on the houses' What may not be done by trying? REQUEST OF AN OLD INDIAN. A MAN lately came to a Missionary in India; there seemed to be a heavy load at his heart, for he looked anxious and restless. "I have found out," said he, "the truth of that text; their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after other gods!" And with a look of unutterable earnestness he said, “I am an old man, and must soon go hence, O, let me become a Christian before I die." This poor man's prayer was heard, and now he is rejoicing in the peace of God. Alas! how many old idolators may have uttered that cry in vain! LITTLE TOMMY. WHILE passing rapidly up King Street one day, I saw a little boy sitting on the curbstone. He appeared about five or six years old; he had well-combed hair, clean hands and face, and his clothes, too, were clean and tidy, although his jacket and trousers had many neat patches upon them, showing that his industrious mother was poor. My attention was first attracted to him by his sorrowful looks, and the marks of recent tears upon his cheeks. I could not help stopping, as I saw the poor little fellow sitting so disconsolate, and putting my hand upon his head, I asked him what was the matter. He replied by holding up in his hand the fragments of a broken toythe figure of a cow. "Oh! is that all?" I replied, "well, never mind that; you can get another quite as good. Step into the nearest toy-shop and buy one," and I dropped a fourpenny piece into his hand, saying, "that will buy one, will it not?" "O, yes!" said the dear little fellow, his heart bursting 30 LESSONS OF LIFE AND DEATH. with grief, and the tears streaming from his eyes. “Oh, yes! that would buy another, but this was little Tommy's; and and he's dead." I gave him the last piece of silver I had, and I dare say it had been gold he would have noticed it no more than the silver. The wealth of the world would not have filled the vacancy that the breaking of that toy had left in his ittle heart. I could not help saying to myself, as I went away, dear boy! may the Saviour himself fill that void in your heart that your little brother's death has made! and may the day yet come when Tommy and you will meet again at the right hand of the Lord on high! LESSONS OF LIFE AND DEATH. "OH! blessed be God that I was born," said Mr. Halyburton, when dying; I have a father, and a mother, and ten brethren and sisters in heaven, and I shall be the eleventhOh! blessed be the day that I was ever born. . . . . My peace hath been like a river. Blessed be God that ever I was born." The Dying Hottentot. An old Hottentot, who was taken ill, was visited by a Missionary. He said, "This is the message of death. I shall now go and see the other country, where I have never been, but which I long to see! I am weary of everything here: I commit so much sin here; I wish to be free from it: I cannot understand things well here, and SEED SOWN IN THE CRIMEA. 31 you cannot understand me. The Lord has spoken much to me, though I cannot explain it." The Right Company. Dr. Preston, when he was dying, said, "Blessed be God, though I change my place I shall not change my company; for I have walked with God while living, and now I go to be for ever with Him." A Child's Answer. At a missionary station among the Hottentots, the question was asked, "Do we possess anything that we have not received of God?" A little girl of five years old mmediately answered, "Yes, sir, sin.” SEED SOWN IN THE CRIMEA. It is very pleasing to think that during the war, when men were scattering the instruments of death all around, there were some of the followers of Christ sowing the good seed of the Word. A Missionary who laboured among the soldiers says:-"I have given away 57,000 tracts, 370 books, 739 English Bibles, 1,634 Testaments, 125 Welsh Testaments, 71 French Bibles, 1,158 French Testaments, 236 Italian Bibles, and 5,095 Italian Testaments; 84 in Russian, Turkish, and German, making in all of copies of the Word of God distributed 9,142. No doubt some of these Bibles have been lost by this time, but more have got theirs in their knapsacks; and it will not be till the judgment day, that we shall know the good they have been the means of doing. THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDERS' GIFT. The THE Converted natives of a South Sea island once said they were sorry they had no money, that they might give it to "help in causing the word of God to grow." Missionary told them that they had pigs, which increased very fast; and that if every family were to set apart a pig, when the ships came to the island they could sell them for money, and thus a large sum could be raised. They were pleased with this thought, and early the next morning the squeaking of the pigs, which were receiving a mark in the ear for this purpose, was heard all throug the station. A ship soon came to the island, the captain of which gladly bought the pigs; and, to the delight o the Missionary, there was put into his hands the sum of £103. This was the first money they ever had, and every farthing of it was given to the cause of Christ. If we have received the Gospel, and know its value, we should be concerned that others should know and love it too. LESSONS FOR THE SABBATH AND THE SCHOOL. SUBJECT. TO LEARN. Question. TO READ. Feb. 8 The Conversion XIV. & Isaiah liii. 6, 7 XV. 15 The Conversion XVI. & Acts ix. 11-15 of the Eunuch. of Paul. Dorcas. of Cornelius. XVII. Acts viii. 26-40 Acts ix. 1-25 22 The Raising of XVIII. Acts ix. 40-42 Acts ix. 32-43 Mar. The Conversion XIX. Acts x. 1-4 Acts x. 1-43 |