The humble and forgiving spirit.

In the brief notes written by her husband, it is stated, that, "though up to the time of her death she manifested those good dispositions which are the fruit of the Spirit, and the good works which accord with them, she also evinced failings incident to the flesh. Without concealing any of the defects which thus appeared, she repented of them; and, having confessed them with an humble heart to her gracious God, obtained pardon and peace through Jesus Christ."

I shall not soon forget the kind and forgiving disposition which she exercised towards some who had offended against her. Though not the offending party, she was the first to express her desire for the renewal of peace

and Christian love.

Aspirations after holiness and heaven.

During the latter part of the year 1847, she was called to look forward to another period of suffering. She had a most striking presentiment that it would be, as it indeed proved, her last of earthly sorrows. For several months her trials were very great, both in body and mind. On one occasion she observed to her husband, "This world is a troubled scene. I suffer for a little time, but in heaven my soul will find eternal comfort, without a single pain. This world is filled with sin-that with holiness: heaven is the world I seek." A few days before the time of her trial, I observed her standing at her door, and in passing reminded her that she must not be over-anxious, but trust in the Lord. She replied with a smile, "Yes, Sir; I always put my trust in Him."

The child of God leaving the world. On Saturday evening, the 12th of February, 1848, she was taken ill, and suffered much that night, but still more on the following Sabbath. On the morning of that holy day, the last she was destined to spend upon earth, she joined with her dearly loved and loving husband, and her children, in prayer. This was her last service upon earth. Towards the close of the day, when her sufferings became so great that she could hardly endure them, addressing the women who were near her, she said, "You are taking great trouble about me. Do not trouble yourselves so much, for I have committed all my affairs into the hands of my Lord. Let it be as He wills."

Soon after this she began to endure great agony. When the painful intelligence was communicated to her husband, he hastened to her side, and on his asking, "How are you?" she replied, "My tongue is becoming motionless-my ears are stopped-my feet and hands stiff. I am in great agony." When he heard this uttered with a weak voice, he foreboded the worst, and said, "Shall I read the Gospel to you?" She replied, "Read." On this, with much anxious affection, he began to read and repeat the passage, "For we know, that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." A few minutes after this, the merciful Saviour, in whom she had believed, came and bore her happy soul away to His Father's house, where there are many mansions, and no more pain, or sorrow, or death.

CHINA.

"THE IDOLS HE SHALL UTTERLY ABOLISH."

IN the month of March last, two Chinese Converts, a father and son, received the rite of baptism from our brethren at Amoy.* They evinced, by their statements on the occasion, a clear knowledge of the way of salvation and great boldness in the faith; and the whole service was peculiarly animating and propitious. Previous to the celebration of the ordinance, they threw away their household gods— the former objects of their fond but slavish adoration; and these, having fallen into the possession of our Missionary brethren, though in a broken state, were conveyed to this country by a friend returning from China, and are now deposited in the Mission-house. A further explanation of the circumstances will be found in the following extract of a letter from Mr. A. Stronach, dated in October last :When I sent home a statement of the conversion and baptism of Go-to and his son

Peng-an, I mentioned that they had previously cast their idols, as useless lumber, out* Missionary Magazine, July, 1848.

side the roof of their dwelling-house; and afterwards, on my asking for them, they cheerfully gave them up to me. From the way in which the idols were thrown on the roof, they have been somewhat damaged and broken; yet I think it may be interesting for the Society to have in its possession the identical images which were for many years worshipped by those who are now our devoted "brethren in the Lord."

These two ill-looking, worthless images, were once held in great veneration by Go-to and his family, who used to present offerings and prayers to them, and whose wrath they greatly feared. Labels, containing the names of the idols, written in Chinese and English, are fastened on their backs. One is Tho-tiKong, or the god of the land, on whose pleasure the fruitfulness of the fields is believed to depend; and the other is Chau-KwunKong, or the god of the kitchen, who is believed to preside over the cooking of food,

and is capable, when pleased with his votaries, of making their food wholesome and nourishing to them.

Every member of the family of Go-to has entirely ceased from idol-worship. He and his son Peng-an give us entire and uniform satisfaction, by the evident sincerity of their endeavours to serve and to glorify our Lord and Saviour: both in their speech and by their lives they aim to commend His "great salvation" to their fellow-countrymen in Amoy. The younger son, Wan-kwan, a lad about eighteen years of age, is now living with us as our servant, and is eagerly receiving instruction in divine truth. The younger daughter, Gi-sun, a very promising girl, not yet eight years of age, has been long learning to read a little at home, taught by her brother Peng-an, and she may by-and-by be placed as a scholar under Mrs. Young. I would fondly hope that the whole household may at length form "a family anew, unbroken in the skies."

SAMOA.

FRUITS OF THE GOSPEL.

AMONG the tribes of Samoa, the Gospel continues to prove itself the power of God unto salvation. The tumults of war have not been able to put to silence its still small voice, nor has the power of heathen depravity prevailed against its lifegiving influence. Our Missionary brethren are abundant in labour; and, amid many trials and anxieties, they are comforted by the assurance that the Lord is working with them, and graciously fulfilling the promises of His word.

Our recent correspondence supplies the following account of the state and progress of the work at Palauli, in the island of Savaii, the station formerly occupied by Mr. Macdonald. Our brother was compelled to leave the locality at a period when it became the scene of sanguinary conflict between two of the native tribes, but he afterwards laboured occasionally among the people, and in this statement he gives the particulars of the latest visit he paid antecedent to the date of his communication:

About three weeks ago, I returned from a visit to Palauli, where I spent eight days preaching to the people, and conversing with candidates. That station is still interesting to me, although the ungodly portion of the people are bold in open wickedness. Three of the church-members have relapsed into sin, one of whom was guilty of the awful crime of killing his sister. It is truly deplorable that the people have no laws to meet such cases. This was a most distressing affair-the horrid deed was committed in a great passion, and the man now looks like a wretched outcast from society. The other two are foremost in almost everything wicked. These are melancholy instances of the deceitfulness and awful

wickedness of the heart of man, which the power of God alone can change and subdue.

But we are not without encouragement: there are a few whose deportment makes us hope that God will yet revive His work among them. During this visit, I baptised five adults, admitted six into the church, and restored one. I had also serious conversations with about fifty candidates.

With a dying convert, who has been a member of the church for years, I had frequent conversations of an interesting character. We knew her well, for she was a member of our domestic circle while at Palauii. I felt pleased with the state of mind she manifested in the immediate prospect of death. She declared

KINGSTON.

DEATH OF A CHURCH MEMBER.

THE labours of our Missionaries in various parts of the world have been blessed not only to the salvation of multitudes of the heathen, but, through the abundance of the Divine mercy, have proved instrumental to the conversion of many from their own beloved country. An affecting but delightful instance of the spiritual good which has flowed to our own countrymen in heathen lands, through the faithful ministrations of our Missionary Brethren, is recorded in the following communication from Mr. Wheeler, of the Jamaica Mission, who is supplying the place of Mr. Wilkinson, at Kingston, during his visit to this country. Writing on the 7th of July last, Mr. W. states:

the house of God to pray. His prayer was remarkable. He prayed that God would afflict him in some way rather than that he should be allowed to love the world, and to lose those impressions which had so often proved to be like the morning-cloud and the early dew. What an earnest desire to "serve the Lord" did that prayer exhibit! Like Moses, he chose affliction rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. So great was his estimate of the value and importance of religion, that he preferred the temporary judgment of Heaven to carelessness and irreligion.

His prayer was heard and answered. At midnight the Bridegroom came. He awoke, and was alarmed to find that he had broken a blood-vessel. He supposed that death had come as a thief in the night; and, alluding to that solemn season, he said to me a little time before his death, "If I had died that night I should have gone to Hell." He was raised, however, from the bed of sickness, and, unlike too many who break in health those vows they make in sickness, he returned to the house of God, asking, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?" He gave himself to Christ, continued to grow in grace, and, after suitable examination and due trial, was admitted to the fellowship of the Church.

Our friend partook of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in March for the first and the last time. Pulmonary disease settled upon him, and for more than three months he was confined to his room-a room "privileged beyond the common walks of life-quite on the verge of Heaven." I often visited him, and at length walked pensively with him through the valley of the shadow of death. Seldom have I seen a more patient sufferer, or a more meek and intelligent believer. All was resignation and heavenly peace: His hope of salvation was founded exclusively upon the finished work of Christ. friend, who asked him on what rock he was

building, he said "emphatically, "Christ, not my own works." He was asked if he desired to be restored to health. He replied, "For three months I have been entirely resigned to the will of God. I would die and go to heaven." I quoted the text, Having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." "Yes," he said, "far better." I said to him, "Do the rod and the staff comfort you?" He replied with emphasis, "They do, they do."

About an hour before he died, I was with him. Looking up to heaven, like Israel looking over upon the fertile fields of Canaan at the banks of the Jordan, he repeated those well-known stanzas which have comforted many a christian pilgrim :

"There is a land of pure delight

Where Saints immortal reign;
Infinite day excludes the night,

And pleasures banish pain.
Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood,
Stand drest in living green;

So to the Jews old Canaan stood,

While Jordan rolled between."

After offering prayer I parted with himparted till we meet in heaven. On my coming away he waved his hand, and, giving me his dying blessing, said, "Fare you well;" and looking up he prayed, "Come, Lord Jesus, and receive my spirit!" After I left him he requested his friends to sing a hymn. He then spent half an hour in silent prayer, and, turning upon his bed, fell asleep in Jesus. Prayer was—

"His watchword at the gates of death:
He entered heaven by prayer."

As he was under thirty years of age, I intend preaching a funeral-sermon for him next Sabbath evening, addressed to young people, from the text which he himself selected, "There is but a step between me and death." May the death of one be the spiriTo a tual life of many!

ARRIVAL OF MISSIONARIES IN INDIA.

WE are gratified in being able to announce the safe arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Porter, and Mr. and Mrs. Sewell, per Trafalgar, at Madras, Dec. 13th.

*

*The Directors respectfully request that, during the absence of the Rev. J. J. FREEMAN, the Home Secretary of the Society, all letters connected with the business of the Home Department, be addressed to the Rev. Ebenezer PROUT, Mission House, Blomfield-street, Finsbury.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

The best Thanks of THE DIRECTORS are presented to the following, viz.:—

For Native Teachers, Samoa. To T. Parkinson, Esq., Bolton, for a cask of hardware, &c.

For Mrs. J. C. Williams, Upolu. To Mrs. Waraker and Friend, Tooting, for a box of useful articles.

For Rev. Dr. Legge, Hong-Kong, To Mr. J. Legge, Huntley, for a box of useful articles.

For Song Hoot Keam, Hong-Kong. To Rev. M. Caston, Stratford-on-Avon, for a box of books.

For Mrs. W. Porter, Madras. To the Ladies' Missionary Working Society, Blandford, for a box of useful articles.

For Rev. E. Storrow, Calcutta. To Ladies' Missionary Working Society, Bridgnorth, for a box of useful articles.

For Rev. E. Holland, Jamaica. To Friend at York-
street Chapel, Dublin, for a communion service.
For Rev. R. Dickson, Jamaica. To T. Spalding,
Esq., Kentish-town, for a communion service.

For Rev. J. S. Wardlaw, Bellary. To Friends in Albany-street Chapel, Edinburgh, for a box of useful articles.

For Rev. J. J. Freeman, South Africa. To Miss Furse and Friends, Argyle-street, for a parcel of useful

articles.

To Miss C. A. Howell and young Friends, for a parcel of useful articles. To a Friend, for a parcel of ribbon.

To Rev. S. Bell, Stockwell; to W. J. Lees, Esq., Camberwell; to Mr. W. Lefever; to J. and R. R.; to R. Tamplin, Esq., Brighton; to W. B.; to a Subscri ber; for parcels of books, Evangelical Magazines, &c.

MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS.

From the 16th of December, 1848, to the 15th of January, 1849, inclusive.