14 A WORD ON PERSEVERANCE. them; and tried to make them understand the nature of prayer. Negana, one of the Khund girls, said to them, in a very impressive manner, Remember, every word mamma has told you is true. Believe it, and every day pray from your hearts the prayers we have taught you.' Next day Mrs. Buckley and her orphan girls returned home, having spent five days with the villagers. Mr. Buckley and Mr. Wilkinson remained a week longer, and visited many more Khund villages. Some of these villages were in such out of the way places, that it was scarcely possible to get at them: and they would not have found them, if the head man of the village, near which their tent was pitched, had not directed them. He, and another man with him, walked before them from village to village, carrying their bows and arrows in their hands. It seemed scarcely possible for human beings to be living in such places as these people were in. They brought presents of grain, firewood, fowls, &c., to the mission-I aries, and begged that they would visit them again. They said, that, as they had never heard such things before, they were not able to understand them; but they wished to hear them again. One of them said they had sacrificed, and done as their fathers had taught them to do, because no one had come to tell them that they were wrong, and to teach them to do better. They had no priests, and no temples. They believed that without shedding of blood there is no remission;' but they had never before heard how the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.' 'How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? or how shall they hear without a preacher? or how shall they preach except they be sent ?' Surely some missionaries will soon be sent to this interesting people; and the poor neglected Khunds be able to say, 'How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace!'" A WORD ON PERSEVERANCE. A NEGRO in the West Indies was once little boys or girls hear an interesting story trying to explain to the people he was ad- about the poor heathen, and are told they dressing what PERSEVERANCE meant, and can do something to help, they are all he did it in this way. "It means, my readiness, and away they go to their teacher friends," he said, "TAKE RIGHT HOLD;- or minister, and get a card or a box, and HOLD FAST-HANG ON-NO LET GO." This ask every one they meet with for a contriis exactly what it is; and if you look into bution. But by and by they get a few reall the dictionaries ever written, you can- buffs, they are discouraged, and give up. not find a better explanation, and I want The truth is, they never got "right hold;" you to attend well to it. Too many young they did not feel aright the claims of the people do very well in a good cause for a poor heathen-the value of their soulslittle time; but then they get tired, and and their own duty to Christ. The affectgive it up, and their zeal and efforts end. Iing story they had heard was all that had know some nice little boys and girls, who were once all life in the missionary cause, but have gone back, and do nothing for it now. Such should be taught well the negro's explanation of the word PERSEVER ANCE. I. You must " TAKE RIGHT HOLD." When made them act, and as soon as its influence was gone, back they were. Now, to "take right hold," remember SIX HUNDRED MILLIONS of Souls are crying to you to send them the gospel; that every hour you delay 2,283 of these poor heathen drop into eternity; that Jesus is looking to you to try to save them; that their conversion will fill missionary societies, and have greatly helpthe world with his glory; and that you are ed in this great work; so "Hold fast;;able, though a little child, to do something Hang on;-No let go;"-and you will at to bring it round. Surely these thoughts last succeed. will make you “take right hold." It is the eause of God you are engaged with, and is connected with the happiness and honour of all the world. And now, let me show you how you are to turn this speech of the negro's to some good account. 1. If your little society has begun to fall its funds to grow less, then revive it again; stir up your own mind, and go to all the collectors that used to help, and stir them up too. Get them to "Take right hold; to hold fast;-to hang on;-and no let go." II. You must "HOLD FAST ;-HANG ON ;-off, its number of subscribers to lessen, and and NO LET GO." Many things will at times discourage you. Some young people will find fault with you, and some will laugh at you; some foolish boys and girls will try to make you spend your money as they do on Billy things, and not give it to the cause of God; and some will try to persuade you that it is only for older people, and not such young folks as you, to undertake this work. But whatever they say, "Hold fast." Think of what young people have already done. They have bought a ship, and stored it with Bibles and missionaries, and sent it to the South Seas; they have given thousands of pounds to all our great 2. If your own mind has begun to be tired, and you are not taking the same interest and pleasure you once did in this work, think over all you have done, and begin again as you begun before, and persevere through another year, taking once more right hold upon the work. If so you act, success and pleasure, by and by, are sure to be yours. A COLUMN OF SCRAPS. Ir is stated that, in the Church of Rome fifth, They do it all together." Here a throughout the world, there are now 147 pause ensued, and no other children aparchbishops, 584 bishops, 71 vicars apos-peared to have any answer; but, after some tolical, prefects, and 200,000,000 mem- time, a little girl arose, and said, "Why, bers. sir, they do it without asking any questions." A daily paper gives the following item, which we hope will operate as a caution to our readers to guard against similar losses : A Sabbath school teacher, instructing his class on that petition of the Lord's prayer, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven," said to them, "You have told me, my dear children, what is to be done the will of God;' and where it is "Lost, yesterday, somewhere between to be done on earth;' and how it is sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each to be done as it is done in heaven.'-secured with sixty diamond minutes. How do you think the angels and the happy spirits do the will of God in heaven, for ever." as they are to be our pattern?" The first child replied, "They do it immediately;" the second, "They do it diligently;" the third, "They do it always;" the fourth, They do it with all their hearts;" the 64 "No reward offered, for they are gone Papa," said the son of bishop Berkeley, "what is the meaning of the words cherubim and seraphim, which we meet with in the Holy Scriptures ?" Cherubim," replied his father, "is a Ilebrew word, signi 66 fying knowledge; seraphim is another word his Saviour. Reader, are you a Sabbath school scholar? or do you say as did the hapless youth referred to? Which condition would you choose upon the bed of death? of the same language, and signifies flame. Whence it is supposed that the cherubim are angels who excel in knowledge; and that the seraphim are angels likewise who excel in loving God." "I hope, then," said the little boy, "when I die I shall be a seraph; for I would rather love God than know all things." "You don't catch me at the Sunday school:"-so said a lad not long since, whom we asked if he went to Sunday school. A week from that time we were told by his employer that he was very sick. A few days after we again met our friend, who said, "G- is dead!" We thought of the careless youth's heedless reply to our question, and we wondered if he would have regretted upon his dying bed if he had been a Sabbath school scholar. He was deranged from almost the first day of his sickness to his death, and left the world without any evidence of having Christ for A little girl, who died lately, got a pair of combs from her brother, who was a baker in Edinburgh. On the Sabbath following, she came out of her room with her hair brushed and plain. Her mother asked her, "What have you done with your combs?" She said, that, when she put them in her hair and looked in the glass, her heart was lifted up with pride; and when she thought of the psalm, "Turn thou away my sight and eyes she took out the combs, and thought it better not to wear them. She said, "Mother, his Spirit must quicken me forward; I will lay by the combs; I must go on in my journey. It was not long before this dear child ended her pilgrimage, and she now sleeps sweetly in Jesus. JUVENILE MISSIONARY MEETINGS AND CONTRIBUTIONS, 1846-7. LONDON.-National Church School-December-L.2: 17: 6-India, China, France-Various speakers. GLASGOW.-Laurieston Free Church-December-500 present-L.5 :2: 6-African Mission-Speaker, Mr. Govan from Caffraria, &c. PERTH.-St. John's Place-December-3s. 2d.-Raratongans. Bateman. BARNSLEY-December 22d-400 present-L.1: 15s.-London Missionary Society-Speaker, Rev. C. H. HOPTON, near Dewsbury-January 1st-150 present-London Missionary Society-Speaker, Rev. C. H. Bateman. Price d., or 4d. per dozen. Published by J. GALL & SON, 38 North Bridge, Edinburgh. HOULSTON & STONEMAN, London. Anglo-Saxon Gods worshipped in Britain during the Heptarchy. OUR PAGAN ANCESTORS.-No. III. there was a mixture of Roman and British idolatry, and Christianity, through the south and south-west of the island. THE Druids of whom I gave you an became Christians during the time of the account last month-were not our only Romans, about whom I shall tell you in a idolatrous forefathers; when their power future Paper, and for some hundred years fell, other superstitions followed. They were greatly reduced, and at last uprooted by the Romans, who conquered the island about 1700 years ago. With the Roman government came some of the Roman gods; at a very early period good missionaries came from Rome, and preached the gospel in the country. A great many people thus May 1847. In about the year of our Lord 448 the Romans retired, and the Britons, unable to defend themselves from the Picts from Scotland, invited over the Saxons from Germany. These Saxons were heathens and idolaters. They came in great num- Their chief god was Wodin, or Bodin, or bers, and not only conquered and drove Odin, for he is called by all these different back the Picts, but conquered the Britons | names. He is supposed to have been the too, and divided the country into seven same god as is now worshipped in Thibet, small kingdoms, which we call “ The Hep-| Burmah, India, China, &c., under the name tarchy," from words that mean seven gov- of Budh. This Woden was considered the croments. Idolatry now again overran the father of all the other gods, and his wife country; and, though a few Christians were Freya, the mother of all. He was therestill left, chiefly in Wales, the most of the fore called All-Father," or universal people worshipped false gods. 'parent. He was supposed to govern all Amongst other gods were the following, ( kingdoms and all gods. Thor was said to from which the days of our week are taken; and I have put down the Saxon names of the days, from which you will see how our names have come : The SUN, The Moon, or the Sun's-day. . or the Moon's-day. TUISCO, or the Tiw's-day. WODEN, OF ODIN, or the Woden's-day. THOR, OF THUNNER, or the Thunre's-day. FRIGA, or the Friga's-day. SATURN, or the Seterne's-day. Besides these, they had many others. Of these I may mention three goddesses: one called RHEDA, another EASTRE, and a third HERTHA. Rheda had sacrifices offered her in the month of March, and which was therefore called "Rhed-Monath." Eastre was worshipped with peculiar rites at the time of Good Friday celebrations, and which still keeps up her name in Easter. Hertha is supposed by many to be the goddess of Nature, as her name means, "Mother Earth." An ancient writer tells us that there was an island in the ocean devoted to this goddess. In this island was a beautiful grove, within which was a sort of car, covered with a fine covering, under which the goddess was supposed to live, and so sacred, that no one but the priest might touch it. On certain great days this car was carried forth by cows, and the people marched with great rejoicings about it. It was taken to a certain lake, and there washed by slaves, who were always drowned after, as an offering to the goddess. be his son, and next in rank to Freya, and Hertha, his daughter. Of their different gods they had images of brass, and iron, and wood, and stone. Some of these idols are pictured for you at the head of this account, and another will be given you next month. To all these gods they offered different marks of honour, and to some they presented even human sacrifices. After great battles, in which they were victorious, it is said they offered the tenth of their captives; and, on certain great national events, they tried to get the favour of their gods by human blood. In the month of February, they offered cakes to the sun, and which was therefore called "Sol-Monath." Some think this gave rise to our custom of making pan-cakes about that time. September was a month of religious ceremonies, and was therefore called the holy month; and in November, cattle were offered to certain gods. They had many temples and priests. The priests were both men and women. The men attended to sacrifices, and the women pretended to be able to foretell future events. Such were some of the dark and heathen practices of our forefathers. I shall tell you more, if spared, another time; but now must close. How good has God been to us to send us that glorious gospel, which has done away with all this superstition! "Wonders of grace to him belong, |