138 LIFE AND MISSIONARY LABOURS AND [DEC. knowledge of the Indian language was invaluable. She entered most willingly into the grand design of giving them the whole of God's revealed will, especially after seeing and hearing the blessed results which followed the dissemination of St. John's Gospel, the first portion of God's word ever printed in Rupert's Land. Most people deem the cares of a family quite enough to employ the time of a female; but the labours of Sophia, notwithstanding her feeble and delicate constitution, were augmented by the Indian day school, visits to the Indian tents, and daily translations, besides having to attend to the wants of a large family, which she laboured to bring up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and that in the wilderness, where, in time of sickness, no medical assistance could be procured. Three years ago she came, with her husband and family, to England. These have been years of suffering and toil. In the autumn of 1858 she was attacked by pleurisy, which brought her to the very gate of death : her life was despaired of, and her medical attendant thought she could not possibly recover; yet God heard prayer, and raised her up again, but she suffered afterwards from a pain in her left side, and constant headaches. In 1859 a severe cold at Holloway rendered necessary her removal to a milder part of London (Brompton), where her health improved; and there she laboured night and day to finish the final revision of the Old Testament, having completed the New in 1859. When her husband was away advocating the cause of Missions, she would be labouring at the desk, until pain in the side compelling her to rise, she would walk up and down the room until it had subsided, and then sit down to her work again. This pain was endured unknown to any one until the work was completed, and she could say, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." That work had been slowly advancing under her careful superintendence since 1846. The most competent and best-informed Indians had been from time to time consulted: no means within reach were left unemployed. While the husband, the schoolmaster, the interpreter, and others, laboured by day, Sophia would perhaps be engaged in her household affairs, or attending to the children, or drawing designs for the Indian females to work upon their muslins, in which she greatly excelled, and in this way conferred upon them considerable temporal benefits, and then at the close of the day all would be revised by her. But if not otherwise engaged, she would be with us, and her sanction would decide generally any difficulty with respect to the most correct rendering of the passage into Cree. Let the church remember to pray for those who are engaged in translating the Scriptures of truth, that God would give them wisdom and skill, patience and perseverance, faithfulness and love, that they may feel the power of the word in their own hearts, and be enabled by the Holy Spirit to convey its blessed truths to the hearts of those among whom they labour. In 1846 the first portion of God's word was translated and printed in Rupert's Land, and the most blessed results followed. Indians, unknown to the translators, obtained copies, learned in a very short time to read, and were brought from heathenism to Christianity. Many a poor pagan would have lived and died in pagan darkness, but for the blessed light 1861.] HAPPY DEATH OF SOPHIA MASON. 139 which the Gospel of St. John poured upon his ignorant mind. This success only stimulated to further effort. In 1859 the New Testament was sent out, but unfortunately the vessel, on her way through Hudson's Straits, was nipt in the ice, and went down with all its valuable cargo. But there remained in the possession of the British and Foreign Bible Society 2000 more copies, which safely reached their destination in 1860, and most encouraging information has been received, both from the Missionaries who know the great benefit of the Syllabic character, and the Indians themselves. On the 25th of July, Sophia gave birth to her ninth and last babe, and hopes were entertained that she might be spared to see it grow up, and become a comfort and a blessing to her, but a few weeks served to demonstrate that her days were numbered. The insidious, slow, gradual pulmonary disease made rapid progress towards the close of her life, but that life was not taken until she had put the last finishing stroke to the final revision of the Old Testament. Her sickness was borne with exemplary Christian resignation: not a murmur, not a single word of complaint escaped her lips; no doubting of God's goodness; no mistrust of his unchangeable love. Throughout the whole she gave the most cheering illustration of the power of the Christian faith to subdue fear, and disarm death of its sting. She who had suffered so much during her short pilgrimage, was permitted to die without pain in body or mind. Her sorrowing husband stood by her bedside, wondering at the great goodness of God in so gently taking down the frail tabernacle without any positive suffering. The enemy of souls was not permitted to disturb her peace, or in anywise to molest her. She held constant intercourse with Jesus, whom she so often said was precious to her soul, wishing to depart to be with Him, which she well knew would be infinitely better, yet patiently waiting God's own good time-"I have no fear of death;" "I am quite happy." Many of her favourite hymns were repeated to her, and she would exclaim, "Beautiful!" and one in Cree, which she had composed, and which she had heard so often sung by the Indians in Rupert's Land. But the Bible was her companion to the last. It had been read daily from her childhood, and now its blessed promises afforded her comfort and consolation when every earthly blessing failed. Unable to hold up the book to read herself, she would ask one of her daughters to read to her. She lingered for nearly three months after her confinement, and in her was fulfilled the promise, "Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee, because he trusteth in thee." Shortly before her death delirium ensued; but even then the noble object of her life appeared to be the ruling passion, for in her wandering moments she would imagine herself in the Indian tents, and, speaking in the language of the Crees, would be pointing them to Jesus: sometimes she would be in the Indian school teaching the children, and then, again, engaged in distributing the charity clothing sent out by the benevolent ladies of happy and highly-favoured England. A few extracts from Mr. Mason's journal will complete this memoir"Tuesday, October 8th, 1861-Sophia seemed better this morning, and 140 POETRY. [DEC. she thought she was strong enough to walk across the room, but, in making the attempt, she fell to the ground. I raised her up. She said she had no idea she was so weak. She spoke delightfully of the blessed hope of the Christian, and prayed for the dear children, and then said, ‘I hope they will all give themselves to God.' "She spoke of the 'prize,' and expressed a wish to depart, yet she hoped she was not impatient; she was willing quietly to wait God's time. 'I hope my good God will give me strength to endure all to his glory.' "She meditated upon those two passages of Holy Scripture-Fear not thou worm Jacob, I am thy God.' Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.' "Wednesday, October 9th-Dear Sophia has been very still all day to-day. It is evident that she is passing the valley and shadow of death, and she is quite sensible of the fact. 'I am going to Jesus,' she said. Thursday, October 10th-A restless night, with intervals of sleep. This morning, after uttering the word 'heaven,' my dear wife passed into the presence of her Saviour, at a quarter before ten o'clock, without a single struggle, or even a groan. "Oh how great is my loss and that of the nine poor orphan children. May the Lord take them up.' Yet, in the midst of all, we have much to be thankful for. She has been spared to accomplish a great work, the Cree Bible; and to bear such a testimony for Jesus amongst the heathen, by the patience with which she suffered, and her zeal and persevering labours to make known the glorious Gospel of salvation. All, all is due to the sovereign mercy and grace of God, and to Him be all the glory. "Cut off in the prime of life, her sun going down in noon, yet her days were full; and if every Missionary were only able to accomplish the same amount of temporal and spiritual good, how soon would the shout be heard from pole to pole- The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our God, and of his Christ.'" "BUT THE DOVE FOUND NO REST FOR THE SOLE OF HER FOOT, AND SHE RETURNED UNTO HIM, INTO THE ARK.” OH! cease, my wandering soul, All this wide world, to either pole, Behold the ark of God! Behold the open door! Oh, haste to gain that dear abode, There safe thou shalt abide; Then cease, my wandering soul, THE GREEK CHURCH-ITS ACTUAL STATE. THERE are some amongst us who appear to think that the corruptions under which the Greek and other Eastern churches labour are not deep-seated, and that it is possible for individuals to remain in their communion and yet have opportunities enough to know what is needful for the salvation of the soul. Now this we believe to be altogether a misapprehension. If of any one of these churches the question were asked, "What shall a sinner do to be saved?" there is not one of them who would give to it a correct answer. Instead of directing the inquirer aright, they would lead him astray. Nay, more, not only have they ceased to teach the truth as it is in Jesus, but if a sinner, by some means afforded from without, finds the truth, they will not allow him peaceably to continue in their communion. He is oppressed and persecuted until he is forced by the oppressive action of these bodies either to give up the old church or give up the truth. When it comes to this, secession becomes a duty. Now upon this subject let the following testimony be attended to-the testimony of one of our Missionaries, who is well known as a lover of the truth, and is an attached member of the Church of England; one, too, whose lengthened experience of Missionary work amongst the Turks and so-called Christians of the East well qualifies him to speak on this subject-the Rev. J. T. Wolters, of Smyrna. This, then, is his testimony May 4, 1861-The Greeks are preparing for the celebration of their Easter (according to old style) by firing off pistols, buying of lambs, cheese, eggs, and other eatables. This, and, on the part of the females, the cleaning of houses and getting ready their dresses, occupies all their thoughts during Passion Week. They flock to their churches, it is true, confess, and receive (even little infants) the Communion, during Lent, but it has no influence on their hearts, and their sinful lives are not changed. The Greek church is dead-dead in trespasses and sins. Patriarchs, bishops, priests, deacons, monks, and people, are far gone from apostolical purity of doctrine and practice. May the Lord have mercy upon the souls thus perishing for lack of knowledge! A Missionary living long among them cannot but feel deeply for their spiritual welfare. Many of the people would listen with pleasure to the preaching of the Gospel, if it were possible to reach the masses. I am thankful that "the word of God," and Christian books and tracts, are finding their way into their houses. May they, by the Spirit's power, find their way also to the hearts! One little fact mentioned in his journals will serve to confirm this view June 19-A poor, old, and blind woman, whom Mrs. Wolters visits from time to time, sent her little granddaughter to-day to tell Mrs. Wolters that she should come and speak some good words to her. Mrs. Wolters accordingly went, and tried, as on other occasions, to speak a word of Christ to her. The poor old creature hears willingly, but, as yet, 142 BANNER FOR THE KARENS. [DEC. Christ and his all-sufficient merit is hid from her mind's eye. In thanking Mrs. Wolters for the kindness she had received, she wished that the most holy Virgin and St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Greek church at Boujah, might reward her. She said that the Greek priests will not come "to read her," i. e. to read prayers over her, without receiving twenty-five piastres for the trouble, though they know the woman is very poor, and lives mostly from charity. BANNER FOR THE KARENS. THE "Missionary Intelligencer" contains a letter from Sau Quala, the native preacher in Burmah, in which he represents the general desire of the Karens for a banner, representative of their Christian as well as national unity. The banner, which may be borne for ages as the national emblem, has the device of a Bible and a sword, with the motto, "The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." The "Intelligencer' says 'The Karens have lately resolved to adopt a national banner, and they have appealed to the American Bible Society to furnish them with one. A writer in the "New-York World" of August 8th, describing the presentation of this banner, in the Mariners' church in Cherry Street, to Mrs. Mason, for the Karen churches, remarks, speaking of the Karens "This strange wild people are being rapidly Christianized, and they have sent to America for a national flag to commemorate their exodus out of heathenism; the most curious and exhilarating request that we have ever heard of from a new nation.' "The letter conveying their application was written by their chief native pastor, Sau Quala: it was printed in the 'Star,' a newspaper in the Karen language, published monthly, and we are assured that our readers will be interested in its perusal. We therefore give it, only slightly abridged "To all the churches at Tavoy, Maulmein, Rangoon, Bassein, Henthada, Kyoukgyee, Shwaygyeen, Toungoo, Prome, Thayet, greeting! "To the great teachers, small teachers, men and women, Tseetkays, Terays, Gounggyouks, Tsayas, Peons, young women, young men, deacons, elders, old and young, men and women, one and all, greeting! "I, a son of Tavoy, teacher Quala, trust you all know and understand the word of God, and can speak of the things pertaining to the truth and light which God has given us. "In order that we may be able to conquer our enemies, and escape from every evil hand, God has given us a weapon. What is it? What kind of a weapon is it? "It is best that we should now raise an ensign, something to let our children know, and the nations, down to the remotest generation, that hereafter they may speak of these things, and desire to follow us. "Behold! the children of Judah, when they escaped out of the hands of the Egyptians, in order that their children might understand how they were delivered out of their hands, erected banners with emblems of the hawk, the lion, the bear, and ox. |