ponds after the inundations. This, more than any other plant, is connected with the religious rites and mythological history of the ancient inhabitants. No plant is so frequently seen in the ancient sculptures and paintings. On the monuments the rose-lily is frequently carved, but this plant has entirely disappeared in Egypt, and is now only found in India. There is a date-tree, the fruit of which is of great service as food to the people, while its leaves serve to make baskets, its bark ropes for rigging, and its timber rafters for houses. Egypt has no hard timber, but its sycamore-tree grows to an immense size, fifty feet in circumference, and though the wood is not hard, it resists decay for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians made their coffins for the mummies out of this wood. In addition to these, there are the plantain-tree, numerous kinds of melons and cucumbers; the gourds, much used as food by the poor people; the colocasium, the safflowers, the acacia, or mimosa of the Nile, from which gum-arabic, or Arabian frankincense, is made; the henna, and the mitre-shaped aloe, a symbolical plant, dedicated in some measure to religion, and believed by the people to drive away from their houses evil spirits and apparitions.*

Miscellaneous Articles, Anecdotes, &c.

CHINA FOR CHRIST.

If any one doubted as to the expediency of our small body entering upon so great an enterprise as THE CHINESE MISSION, the signal success which God has given to the work must, we think, now exchange the doubt for adoring gratitude and praise. It may be expensive, but it is an honour to be counted worthy of sustaining it. If good men are willing to give their lives, it is but a small matter for us to contribute of our property. If God crowns the enterprise with his blessing by dispelling the darkness of paganism, and bringing the devotees of idolatry to the enjoyment of salvation, we have a present reward infinitely transcending any sacrifices we have made in this great cause. As if to remove all unbelief on this

question, and render the sacrifice a service of love, cheerfulness, and joy, God has from the beginning said, by unmistakable facts, "This work is mine; I approve of it, and I will acknowledge it with my blessing." The facts are before us; the evidence is indisputable. It is not yet seven years since our devoted brethren, Innocent and Hall, set foot in China: it is, indeed, only about five years since they entered upon their present sphere of labour; and what has God enabled them to accomplish within this brief period? They rapidly acquired a knowledge of that difficult language, and scarcely had they begun to preach before God honoured their ministry by the

Since this article was written, news has reached this country from Dr. Livingstone. Disaster has overtaken his attempt to explore the region lying between Lake N'yassi and Lake Taganyiki. Some of his men had returned in a sadly destitute state; all the beasts of burden had died, and some of the Indians; and there was some anxiety as to the safety of Dr. Livingstone himself.

H

sound conversion of souls. Many missionaries of other Denominations have laboured for ten and fifteen years, and spent almost as many thousands of pounds, without the conversion of a single heathen ; but, to the honour of God's abounding grace be it recorded, our brethren have had from the beginning to rejoice in the fruits of salvation. On referring to our Minutes, I find that some time during the first year in Tien-tsin, there were three Chinese received as candidates for church-fellowship. The next year (1863) there were 15 returned as church-members and 3 probationers, these 18 including, as I suppose, 4 English and 14 Chinese. In 1865 I find 16 members and 5 on trial, and, among these, five had begun to act as exhorters or evangelists. In the last year's returns (1866), I find 21 native or Chinese members, 3 foreign members, and 7 probationers, making a total of 31. Such results in a thoroughly heathen country are really wonderful; and yet these numbers do not fully represent the extent of the good accomplished, for among these there were three native preachers devoted to the sacred work, four local preachers, four Bible colporteurs, and one Bible woman, being herself a native convert. Thus, out of 21 native converts, 12 of them were become labourers, seeking to bring their benighted countrymen and women to Christ. The material and educational interests of the Mission had, in the meantime, been advanced in the same proportion, for I find in the reports, an English church, which had been erected almost free from debt, five preaching rooms had been opened, and a small boarding-school, with one teacher and four boys, had been established as the beginning of a valuable institution. These results cannot but excite gratitude in every heart loyal to Christ. It is evident we have the right men on the spot, and God is honouring their labours with success.

On the 13th of last July two additional missionaries, Messrs. Hodge and Thompson, embarked to join their brethren in the same sphere of labour, and we have just heard the gratifying news of their safe arrival. By a most remarkable coincidence, just at the time our two brethren were leaving this country on their gracious errand, God was opening out new spheres of usefulness in the neighbouring province of SHANTUNG, about 100 miles away from Tien-tsin. It appears that occasionally inquirers come from a distance of sixty and a hundred miles to hear our missionaries in Tien-tsin; and during the last summer, some of these inquirers carried back with them both the good news of salvation and copies of the Holy Scriptures; and such a general awakening has taken place in two villages, that about 100 persons have become anxious inquirers for salvation, 45 converts have been baptized, and many others are earnestly seeking the Saviour. Their hearts are opened for the Gospel, and their houses for the accommodation of its messengers; and it has been found necessary to yield to their urgent entreaties by placing two native agents in that new field of labour. "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." However, we need not enlarge on this great work of God, as we suppose the whole Connexion has read with delight the intelligence communicated in the last number of this periodical. With what thrilling joy will the two devoted young men be received by our brethren at this juncture, and

with what exultation will the native converts welcome this timely accession to our ministerial staff! May Jehovah continue to our beloved brethren the tokens of his presence, and pour out his Holy Spirit still more abundantly on their labours!

There remaineth yet, however, very much land to be possessed. The few isolated spots where Christian culture has been begun are but like small patches of verdure in a boundless desert. China proper is divided into eighteen provinces, yet, for the whole of China, there are but about 100 missionaries of all Protestant Denominations, and these are so distributed as to leave immense regions totally unvisited by any messenger of the Gospel. For instance: out of the eighteen provinces in China proper, there are but seven provinces in which any Protestant missionaries are located, leaving eleven provinces without a solitary missionary. Then, again, the missionaries in these seven provinces are resident, only here and there, on the skirts of the seaboard of that vast country. But how do even these occupy the mighty cities and towns within that area? They so occupy it that, labour how they may, travel as much and preach as oft and as zealously as their mental and physical strength may endure, they must, after all they can do, leave at least one hundred and eighty-five millions beyond their reach. Thus nearly four times the population of France are actually beyond the pale of evangelistic labour. Such is the spiritual destitution of the seven provinces in which the one hundred missionaries reside.

But let us for a moment take a glance at the condition of the other eleven provinces. There is the province of Kansuh, with 16,000,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Sz chuen, with 25,000,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Yun-nan, with 6,000,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Shensi, with 11,000,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Shansi, with 15,500,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Honau, with 25,500,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Gau-hwny, with 39,000,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Kiang-si, with 25,500,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Hunan, with 20,500,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Kwai-chau, with 6,500,000, and no missionary! There is the province of Kwang-si, with 8,000,000, and no missionary! In all eleven provinces, including 197,500,000, with no missionary! Add to these the 185,000,000, and you have a total of 362,500,000 who may be said to have no missionary! But to these you must further add the millions that belong to China improper, of which we know not exactly the number. What an awful aggregate of spiritual destitution! Here are more souls than one man could count in eleven years, yet all without the knowledge of Christ! And such has been the condition of that great country for many centuries-for more centuries, indeed, than the lifetime of some modern kingdoms. It is awful to think of. It almost makes one's blood run cold to consider the destiny of the souls that have been passing into eternity, as age after age has revolved!

Yet now, thanks to God, the light is breaking. The country is open, and the people, weaned from idolatry, with its gloomy, hopeless,

helpless monotony, are becoming willing to hear the Gospel; are, indeed, inquiring after the truth, and in some cases receiving it with joy. What is more, God is raising up a native ministry, as he did in apostolic times. This is the most hopeful feature in the condition of China. Look at our own station. With 2 English missionaries we have already 3 native ones, 4 native local preachers, 1 native Biblewoman, 4 Bible colporteurs, and 1 native student. And now our brethren are reinforced with two more English missionaries, we may reaasonably expect many more native agents to be raised up. Mr. Innocent expressly says, "We believe the Lord will give us the men here, but we must look to our friends in England to give us the money; at least for the present. By-and-by the Chinese will learn to give of their substance." They must, indeed, be taught at once the duty of giving; for people never so easily learn to be generous supporters of God's cause, as when their hearts are burning with their first love. Thus it was in apostolic times. Yet it cannot be expected that the few Christians in China can adequately support a cause of such growing magnitude, destined, as we believe, to spread ultimately over all that great country. Immense money will doubtless be saved by working largely with a native agency; but, after all, a growing mission will require expanding funds. Ours is growing-growing in answer to our prayers. God is wondrously doing his part; and he requires us to do ours. He has proved his fidelity and mercy, and he calls upon us to prove our sincerity; and sincerity requires generous gifts as well as good wishes and earnest prayers. This great work must not be allowed to slacken for want of funds. There is not a doubt but the extension of the cause now in progress, including the salary of the two additional missionaries, will require five or six hundred pounds annually more than heretofore. The truth is, we require a round sum of about £2,000 annually to sustain the Chinese mission with vigour. We must look on this as a duty, and meet it cheerfully. We can do it if we resolve upon it, and if we are faithful we shall do it; and in doing this we shall, as a religious Denomination, take an important part in inaugurating the brightest dispensation that has ever come to the land of Sinim. China is destined to become a great Christian nation, and the dawn of the day is come. The light is now tinging the orient hills, and the Sun of Righteousness is about to arise with healing in his wings. Who does not hail it, and say, Let thy chariot speed, Lord! Let the sweeping wheels, instinct with life, roll on, until the protracted night shall be changed into day, and the whole empire of China shall bask in the meridian beams of thy dominion!

It has been thought this would be a fitting time for offering special donations of gratitude, thus gratifying a pious sentiment, and aiding a glorious cause. We hear of one friend who offers £10, and two others £5 each, as special thank-offerings to God. We hope many others will follow the example. WILLIAM COOKE.

LOVING AND CHASTENING. THE worldling, under the influence of the degrading sin of covetousness, often goes on through a long

life in seeming prosperity, adding house to house, and land to land; and heaping up gold as if it could purchase a ransom for his