DIAMOND DUST.

ONE of the saddest things about us is, that we may guide others in the path of life without walking in it ourselves; that one may be a pilot and yet a castaway. If Paul sometimes was afraid of this, so may we.

The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat oneself; all sin is easy after that.

In our journey through life, it is easier to find pre. cepts than patterns.

A revengeful knave will do more than he will say; a grateful one will say more than he will do.

The most effective way to secure happiness for ourselves, is to confer it upon others.

"He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly."

"Fools make a mock at sin."

"Hell and destruction are before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of men."

If you would not have affliction visit you twice, listen at once to that which it teaches. "Why should ye be stricken any more ?"-Isaiah i. 5.

What boys wish to do they think they can do ; but when they do not wish a thing, it becomes impossible. Cheerfulness depends more on the state of things within, than the state of things without.

One may as well throw stones at a star as murmur at his own fortune.

He who loves his purse alone, has set his affections on the best thing about him!

"The hypocrite's hope shall perish."

"There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches."

A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR CHINESE MISSION.

(Being the conclusion of one of the Juvenile Prize Essays.) IN February, 1852, Mr. Burns was induced to accompany some missionary brethren to visit some of the inland villages on the island; they accordingly set out for two days, and visited some of the principal villages seven or eight miles from Amoy, where they had encouraging success. They again went forth in the same direction on the 24th of February, and during the seven days they were absent they visited between thirty and forty villages, where their preaching was listened to with interest. They had good assemblies, chiefly owing to its being the celebration of their new year, when the people were all comparatively unoccupied. Mr. Burns saw here more then ever the difference of disposition between the people of Canton and Amoy; as an example of which, in these short excursions into the island he had been entertained free of charge. In June he had begun the translation of the Pilgrim's Progress, as exercises in Chinese, and also, if they should prove sufficiently perfect, to have them published, the Chinese having quite a liking for this kind of literature. He was also at this time engaged in assisting other missionaries in compiling a set of fifty hymns in Chinese for public worship. Dr. Young's school still continues to be as prosperous as ever, having increased after several alterations from thirty to above eighty.

On Thursday, July 14th, 1853, was witnessed the departure of a third missionary from our church to the Chinese empire the Rev. J. Johnston sailed in the Bosphorus, to join the missionaries who were laying down for that mighty nation the stepping stones across the deep stream of ignorance surrounding and isolating them from the living God.

HISTORY OF OUR CHINESE MISSION.

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In March, 1853, a scheme was set on foot for collecting money to send Bibles to China, the origin of which is interesting. Mr. Johnston, a length of time previous to his departure to China, having occasion to be in Edinburgh, called upon a friend there, and while conversing with the mother, two spirity boys, one about six years, leading his younger brother, entered the room, and each presented to the missionary the halfcrowns they held in their hands; on being interrogated as to the object of their offering, they replied that they were to send Bibles to the poor Chinese. A few months after this, in travelling by express from Edinburgh, to see friends in Manchester, the same two little boys were hastened to their homes in heaven, by the upsetting of the train.

Mr. Johnston, after a pleasant voyage, occasionally interrupted by stormy weather, reached the British colony of Victoria on the 12th November, 1853. Having now reached the frontier of China, he proceeded to Amoy. Just twelve hours after he was welcomed to its shores, Mrs. Young was called to the realms of celestial bliss; she departed triumphing over death and Satan, a sample of the firmness of believing faith. Her mortal remains were laid beneath the sod in a secluded nook, beside one of her fellow natives of our island home, in the adjoining island of Koo-hung-soo. On the 1st of May Mr. Burns had returned from a tour of four months; on the 9th January he, along with two of the members of the American Mission in China, had left Amoy for Peh-tswy-yiah (White Water Camp), and several other towns and villages in Pechuia, which they took for their centre of action. Two or three whole families were converted, also many single individuals. Almost every place they visited, their message was received and listened to with attention. Mr. Johnston attended

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HISTORY OF OUR CHINESE MISSION.

to the schools for a few weeks, and occasionally went on a hort tour to Shanghae.

In April, 1854, a fund was begun in England, to raise money for the printing of the translation of the " Pilgrim," which Mr. Burns had completed, two or three hundred copies of which were thrown off and in circulation at the latter end of 1854. In December, 1854, Dr. Young returned on account of severe indisposition, so severe, that on his rather hasty return, Mr. Burns was obliged to ac company him, therefore leaving Mr. Johnston alone. That he might prosecute his work with more speed, he had obtained a boat of his own, in which he navigated the bay and the villages upon its shores. At Pechuia, a school had been formed for the benefit of the Christian children of that city, they being forbidden ingress into other schools.

On Friday, March 9th, 1855, Mr. Burns and Mr. Carstairs Douglas departed on board the Challenger for Hong Kong. Mr. Johnston in his turn was, on account of his ill-health, compelled to return to England before Mr. Burns and Mr. Douglas could arrive at their destination, and so on August the 23rd he reached London on his way to Scotland. Mr. Burns' first movement on arriving at Hong Kong was to proceed to Shanghae, while Mr. Douglas was detained a few days at Hong Kong before sailing to Amoy. When he reached there he continued to conduct the services, which were instituted before he went, and Mr. Burns continued at Shanghae and the neighbourhood. He left Shanghae for Swatow, where they arrived on the 12th, in which he continued up to May, blessing and being blessed by the God whose gospel he so assiduously and successfully proclaims.

11, Temple Street, Newcastle.

WALTER B. NISBET.

ALL THE WAY BY WHICH THE LORD
THY GOD LED THEE.

WHEN we reach a quiet dwelling
On the strong eternal hills,
And our praise to Him is swelling
Who the vast creation fills;
When the paths of prayer and duty,
And affliction, all are trod,

And we wake and see the beauty
Of our Saviour and our God;

With the light of resurrection,
When our changed bodies glow,
And we gain the full perfection
Of the bliss begun below;