PRAYER IN A SABBATH SCHOOL. 55 sorrow. In living with my relatives, as I am compelled to fall into many sins, I am very desirous to believe in Christ, in view of hell-fire and the wrath of God, which is to be the portion of all the Christless; and I ask of you under these circumstances to make proper endeavours to take me back into the mission. For your doing so, I will pray to and bless God on your behalf, through Jesus Christ. 'The signature of 'December 27, 1858.' NARRAINSAWMY. "True translation of the original Tamil.-J. B." PRAYER IN A SABBATH SCHOOL. When laden under sin we lay, Wherein they walk that love thee. O may that sun arise on all And rev'rence, fear, and love thee. Thou gavest up thy Son to death O free us from our sins, we pray, We more and more may love thee. 56 THE FRENCH REFUGEES. In thee we'll overcome our foes, And so when Death this life shall close Eternally that love thee. "D. G." 4 THE LAND OF THE LIVING. SAID one to an aged friend, "I had a letter from a distant correspondent the other day, who inquired if you were in the land of the living," "No," replied the saint-like, venerable man, "but I am going there. This world is alone the world of shadow; and the eternal is the only one of living realities." THE FRENCH REFUGEES. ABOUT an hundred and eighty years ago, a large number of Frenchmen-several thousands-arrived in London. They were not tourists come to see our great city, nor soldiers come to fight us, but they were mostly poor silk-weavers, driven from their native land by Popish persecutors. They were a quiet inoffensive people, but Protestants, and therefore the king, led on by his confessor and others, determined to compel them to return to the "true church." So he sent large bodies of dragoons into the provinces, to compel them to renounce their principles. He carefully guarded the frontiers lest they should get away, but the God in whom they trusted opened for them a way of escape.". Upwards of five hundred thousand of them made their escape, some to Switzerland, Germany, Holland, and England. Those who came to England settled in a place on the north-east side of London, called Spitalfields, and established the silk-weaving trade there, so well known over the world. A very interesting meeting of the descendants of these French refugees was held in Spitalfields a few weeks ago. Nearly a thousand of them sat down to tea together in THE FRENCH REFUGEES. 57 a large school room. They were all poor, very poor; and we fear that many of them did not know much about the God of their fathers, or of the great truths and principles for which they fled to a foreign land, for they have been sadly neglected; but it is very pleasing to see that some thing is being done for them now. Several kind friends attended the meeting, and addressed them on the great truths of salvation which their fathers knew and loved. Among others, Mr. Payne, the assistant judge, was present, and concluded his address with the following appropriate verses: HAPPY OLD ENGLAND. "Five hundred descendants of French Refugees, Is surely a scene which should gladden our sight, "And here they have labour'd, and studied, and stay'd, "May all read their Bibles, and pray to their God, 58 DARE TO STAND ALONE. Reader, be thankful that you live in happy old England. Forsake not the God of your fathers. Remember the advice and the warning the king gave to his son : "And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts; if thou seek him he will be found by thee; but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever." ONE LANGUAGE. A HINDU and a New Zealander once met upon the deck of a missionary ship. They had been converted from their heathenism, and were brothers in Christ, but they could not speak to each other. They pointed to their Bibles, shook hands, smiled in one another's faces, but that was all. At last a happy thought occurred to the Hindu. With sudden joy he exclaimed, "Hallelujah!" The New Zealander, in delight, cried out Amen!" Those two words, not found in their own heathen tongues, were to them the beginning of "one language and one speech." 66 DARE TO STAND ALONE. BE firm, be bold, be strong, be true, A PRODIGAL TURNED PREACHER. Stand for the right! Though falsehood reign, A poisoned arrow cannot wound A conscience pure and clear. Stand for the right!—and with clean hands Thou'lt find warm, sympathising hearts Men who have seen, and thought, and felt, Stand for the right;-proclaim it loud, A PRODIGAL TURNED PREACHER. A FEW years ago, there was in Boston a young man, the son of wealthy parents, who had given himself up to all manner of wickedness. He spent his time in drinking and carousing. His heart-broken parents first tried one plan, then another, to bring him to a better state of mind, but to no purpose. At last they resolved on sending him on a long voyage to sea. While on the voyage he induced the crew-he leading-to break into the spiritroom, where they had a general carousal, to the great danger of the ship and all on board. By and bye they went to the Fejee Islands; they landed at one of them, and while there, this young man visited the rude dwelling of a native chief, probably for mere amusement, The chief, who was a Christian, entertained him hospitably, and, supposing that he, coming from a Christian land, was a Christian too, asked him to pray with the family before he departed. Here was a dilemma. How could he pray ?—such a reprobate! The good old |