the avenger smote him to the earth, and he died with his bleeding head resting on the very threshold. These events in the land of Israel were intended as a type of what takes place in the kingdom of God on earth. The manslayer is the type of a sinner-of your self, reader. "The wages of sin is death." The avenger represents God's holy law, which says:-"The soul that sinneth it shall die." And the City of Refuge is the salvation provided for the sinner in the Lord Jesus, and bestowed without money and without price. Reader, if you are not yet saved-make haste for the city. The avenger of blood-God's broken law-is pursuing you. Jesus is your city. No river rolls between you and him. No hills rise to hinder you. The way is plain and open; it is broad and level. Up, then, and flee. Up and run speedily. Thousands have got in already. There is room yet for you. And even with the red stains of guilt upon your soul you will be sure of a kindly welcome, for Jesus says, "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." GOOD WORKS. "God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love."-HEB. vi. 10. SOME time since (says the Rev. W. Brock) I was called upon to visit the dying bed of an aged member of my own church, where all was significant of poverty, but where there was that air of cleanliness and wholesomeness which Christianity is sure to give to the cottage of the poorest. There she lay, extended on her dying bed. She called me to her side, and when I had administered the consolations of religion, she said to her daughter, "Fetch me that paddy that lies upon the shelf." A caddy was brought ; CHRISTMAS HYMN. 181 the poor old lady raised herself upon her dying bed, and with a trembling, aching, pleasurable hand, she opened it; and there lay, folded up, a paper directed to me, from a fear that she might not see me before she died. With her dying hand she placed it in mine, and said, "There is my contribution to the Jubilee Fund" (of the Baptist Mission). I counted it, and found that it amounted to three shillings, the mite of a widow, for a widow she was. I inquired whence she obtained it. She replied, "As soon as you said about the Jubilee, I extracted a farthing from my butter, a farthing from my tea, a farthing from my sugar, and I obtained a few farthings from some of the other poor members of the church." Having placed it in my hand, she said, with a faltering, quivering, but confiding heart, "Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." (From Brumby's Sacred Poetry.) Come and worship, come and sing, Shepherds in the field abiding, Come and worship, come and sing, 182 CHINA. PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS. Sages, leave your contemplations, Come and worship, come and sing, Saints before the altar bending, Come and worship, come and sing, Sinners, wrung with true repentance, "All that will live godly must suffer persecution." THIS was sadly true when the Saviour was on earth; it is equally true in many parts of the world now, and perhaps in none more than in China. The poor Christians there are often subjected to all sorts of annoyances and persecution, both by their neighbours and the people in authority. In a letter received from Mr. Swanson (our own Missionary) the other day, he gives us an account of the shameful and wicked annoyances to which some of the Christians are subjected. But we will allow bim to tell himself. He says: CHINA. PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS. 183 "The seventh month of the Chinese year is one that tries our Christian brethren much. During that month (which has just closed) various rites are performed for the benefit of the spirits of the departed; and to procure the performance of these a levy is made on all and sundry. Of course, our church members always make a stand against such idolatrous practices, and will not give any money. OAT (Wat), a member of the Bay-pay church, who has formerly suffered much in loss of property for his faithfulness to his God, and who lives in a village about four miles distant from Bay-pay, was called upon to give money for these idolatrous practices, but he of course refused, and thereupon he has had to endure very severe persecution. They first refused to allow him to take water from the public well, and beat his son when he attempted to fetch it. They then cut down a large number of his pine-trees, which formed a very considerable portion of his property; and it was in vain he applied to the authorities to protect him. We just heard yesterday that the men of the village were cutting down his fruittrees; and we fear he may be deprived of all he has. Some years ago he lost his cow by persecution; and this time 100 dollars would not make up for all his losses. His whole case is particularly trying to the whole church here, and to us." "BAPTISMS ON THE GOSPEL-BOAT. "At Au-hai, last Sabbath week, Mr. Douglas and Mr. Grant baptized four men on board the Gospel-boat.' These are the first instances of baptism here, and to us were especially refreshing. I know that our friends at home will be particularly delighted with this intelligence," 184 MULES IN CENTRAL AMERICA. Let us pray that these poor, persecuted Chinese Christians may have grace' to remain firm, “having done all to stand." MULES IN CENTRAL AMERICA. ONE of the most striking characteristics of the mule is his aversion to the ass, and the pride he takes in his relationship to the horse; which instincts are met by obtrusiveness in the ass, and by indifference in the horse. If an ass at any time-urged by the vanity peculiar to its race as related to the mule-happens to fall in with a drove of mules, he will, in all probability, be kicked and lamed by his proud relative. A horse, on the contrary, takes a distinguished position in a drove of mules. The latter crowd around him, and follow his movements, exhibiting a violent jealousy, each trying to stand nearest to their high-bred relative. This instinct is employed to keep together the droves of mules, on a journey or at pasture, by putting a mare to the drove, with a bell round her neck, and called the bell-mare. is led day and night by a cord, and the whole drove is thus kept under control, and will not leave their queen. It is, therefore, very difficult to separate the drove. The man who leads the drove is instructed, in case of an attack from the Indians, to leap upon the back of the animal, and take refuge in the waggon encampment, whither the drove is sure to follow him. Even if the Indians succeed in separating any from the drove, they find it difficult to carry them off. The animals incessantly attempt to turn back, and the travellers are thus enabled to overtake the robbers, and recover the stolen animals. The Indians, in consequence, use every means to get possession of the mare; and if This animal |