Page images
PDF
EPUB

88

removed it would again fall away, and they would be dissolved once more into all the individualities and all the "isms" in which they find themselves at this moment.

INDIA: APPEAL FOR MORE MISSIONARIES.-The Bishop of Madras appeals for more help in South India. After beseeching the younger clergy to consider the claims of the Telugu country, he says, "Several other parts of South India, some in and some adjacent to mission fields of our Societies, are in urgent need of missionaries. Thousands upon thousands of young Hindus have received a western education, but have no Christian teacher near to converse with them of the things of God, and seek to win them to Christ. ......If thirty men, qualified for missionary work, were willing to come out, and there were money to build them houses and to maintain them, I could assign them places in this diocese where they would find abundance of work without trenching upon the field preoccupied by mission agents of other denominations."

Dr. J. Chamberlain, missionary from Southern India, relates the following incident. He had delivered a lecture in an Indian village, which was attentively listened to by an audience of one hundred and eighty; composed of Brahmans, merchants, artisans, officials, and students. "As I took my hat to come away," he says, 66 a Brahman, one of the best educated in the place, arose, and politely asked permission to say a word. I of course assented, without the slightest idea what his purpose was. In a neat address of ten or fifteen minutes, couched in choice and ornate language, and with apt illustrations, he urged upon his fellow-citizens to second, in every way, the efforts I was making for their intellectual and moral advancement. I will give you, briefly, the substance of one part "Behold that mango-tree on yonder road-side: its fruit is fast approach

:

ing to ripeness. Bears it that fruit for itself or its own profit? From the moment the first ripe fruits turn their yellow sides towards the morning sun, until the last mango is pelted off, it is assailed with showers of sticks and stones from boys, and men, and every passer-by, until it stands bereft of leaves, with branches knocked off, and bleeding from many a broken twig. Piles of stones underneath, and clubs and sticks lodged in its boughs, are the only trophies of its joyous crop of fruit. Is it discouraged? Does it cease to bear fruit? Does it say, “If I am barren nobody will pelt me, and I shall live in peace?" Not at all; the next season the budding leaves, the beauteous flowers, the tender fruit, again appear. Again it is pelted, and broken, and wounded; but it goes on bearing, and children's children pelt its branches and enjoy its fruit.

"That is a type of these missionaries. I have watched them well, and seen what they are. What do they come to this country for? What tempts them to leave their parents, friends, and country, and come to this, to them, unhealthy climate? Is it for gain or profit? Some of us country clerks in Government offices receive more salary than they! Is it for the sake of an easy life? See how they work, and then tell me. No! They seek, like the mango-tree, to bear fruit for the benefit of others, and that though treated with contumely and abuse from those they are benefiting.

"Now, look at the missionary. He came here a few years ago, leaving all, and seeking only our good. He was met with cold looks and suspicious glances, and shunned, and avoided, and maligned. He sought to talk with us of what he told us was the matter of most importance in heaven or earth, and we would not listen. Was he discouraged? He started a dispensary, and we said, "Let the Pariahs take his medicines; we won't:" but in the times of sickness and distress we had

to go to him, and he healed us. We complained if he walked through our Brahman streets; but when our wives and daughters were sick and in anguish, we went and begged him to come into our inner apartments, and he came, and our daughters and wives now smile upon us in health. Has he made any money by it? Even the cost of the medicines has not been returned to him! And now, in spite of our opposition, he has bought this site and built this beautiful room, and furnished it with the choicest lore in many languages, and put into it newspapers and periodicals, which were inaccessible to us before; he has placed here tables to write on, chairs to sit on, and lamps for us to read by. And what does he get for all this? Does he make money by it? Why, we don't even pay for the lamp-oil consumed by night as we read. Now, what is it that makes him do all this for us? It is his Bible. I have looked into it a good deal at one time and another, in the different languages I know; it is just the same in all languages. The Bible! There is nothing to compare with it in all our sacred books, for goodness, and purity, and holiness, and love, and for motives of actions. Where did the English-speaking people get all their intelligence, and energy, and cleverness, and power? It is their Bible that gives it to them. And now they bring it to us and say, “This is what raised us; take it, and raise yourselves." They do not force it upon us, as the Mohammedans did with their Koran, but they bring it in love, and translate it into our language, and lay it before us and say, "Look at it, read it, and examine it, and see if it is not good." Of one thing I am con

vinced: do what we will, oppose it as we may, it is the Christian Bible that will, sooner or later, work the regeneration of this land.”—Missionary Link.

CHRISTIAN WORK IN NAPLES.-I had the pleasure lately of visiting Naples, where hitherto so excellent a work has been done by the schools presided over by a large unsectarian committee. The Rev. Mr. Gray, who has lately been settled in the Scotch Church in Naples, was able to remove a heavy deficit which oppressed the work last spring, and will take the active place which Mr. Buscarlet used to occupy on the committee. All the different branches of native mission work will shortly be represented in the capital of the South. The Rev. Mr. Jones in the Wesleyan interest has built up a strong cause. I had the pleasure of worshipping in his splendid new church, in the very centre of Neapolitan bustle and stir, and of hearing therein the eloquent monk Ragghiante, the Gavazzi of Southern Italy. Like Gavazzi, he is a large-hearted and patriotic man, and so has incurred the accusation of preaching politics; but on the best authority I was assured that he was an earnest preacher of the Cross. What I myself heard on the difficult subject of the Trinity was full of beauty and thought and expression, as well as of spiritual unction, and was delivered with all the grace of the finished orator. I am told that Ragghiante's influence on the educated classes of Naples, particularly the young men, is great and wholesome, and that his week evening lectures and discussions are thronged. -From a correspondent of Evangelical Christendom.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

MARY BOYD was born at Mountgilbert, near Belfast, on the 7th of January, 1824. Her father, Mr. Gil

bert Shanks was a class-leader for many years, and was one of those consistent church-officers who "first show

piety at home." With his godly wife he brought up his children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." The effects of his prayerful and Scriptural training, in the case of his little daughter Mary, were seen in her early conversion. While yet a child she gave herself to God and to His people. She was admitted to Christian fellowship in her father's class, and received her first ticket of membership in June, 1838, from the late Rev. William Reilly, the friend and biographer of Gideon Ouseley. As a member she was noted for her love of the communion of saints, and a consequent diligent attendance upon the means of grace.

In the year 1847 Miss Shanks, by marriage, became Mrs. Boyd. This event necessitated her removal to Belfast, in which busy and prosperous town the next fifteen years of her life were spent. This period of her history was marked by domestic trials of a severe and painful kind, culminating at last in her loss of all things earthly. Still, in the midst of all, she retained her integrity, and was faithful to the grace of God.

Mrs. Boyd's altered circumstances required her to seek a home for herself. This she found with affectionate sisters and friends in Liverpool. While staying with them Providence opened up her way to a new and honourable sphere of labour very unexpectedly. Through a clergyman of the Church of England she was introduced to the Ladies' Committee of the Prescot Domestic Mission, and became the visiting agent of this excellent institution. Her business was to visit the houses of the people, to read the Scriptures and offer prayer wherever she could, to invite poor women to the Mothers' Meeting, and, by every method within her power, to warn the careless, instruct the ignorant, reclaim the wandering, and lead inquirers to Christ. In this important Christian work she was diligent, zealous, and successful. It was in no perfunctory spirit that

she discharged her duties, but with a loving heart and willing mind. Her tender sympathies, her intelligent piety, and her extensive knowledge of Holy Scripture, qualified her well for her work as a domestic missionary. Her form, as she "went about doing good," became a familiar object to the poor of Prescot. Into numerous dark dwellings in that town did she carry the light of truth, and not a few troubled hearts did she comfort with the "exceeding great and precious promises" of God's Holy Book. She wore not the dismal livery of some "religious order," nor employed the symbols and talismans of superstition, to work upon the fears of the ignorant; but as a real sister of mercy, clad in the ordinary garb of an English matron, Mrs. Boyd went up into garrets and down into cellars with Christ's Gospel of peace and goodwill to men. She worked for God amongst the ignorant and vicious, amongst the healthy and the sick; the living and the dying; and her labour was "not in vain in the Lord."

It was not only as a female missionary that Mrs. Boyd made herself useful. While working in that position under Church of England supervision, she acted as a class-leader in the WesleyanMethodist Society, and also as the teacher of a Bible-class for young women. In these offices she had

cheering success, and by the members of both classes she was greatly beloved.

For nearly eleven years did Mrs. Boyd toil as a "ministering” woman amongst the poor of Prescot, when she was compelled by illness to desist from her beloved labours. She came to Liverpool to reside with Mr. and Mrs. Tobin, her brother-in-law and sister. For about ten months she was laid aside for God, and glorified Him in suffering His will. The disease by which she was prostrated was of a very painful nature, but she endured her sufferings with Christian patience. The cup which her Father had given

her, bitter though it was, she willingly drank. Sometimes, when in great agony, she would say, "I do want to be resigned and patient, but pain is pain, and I cannot help moaning!" Her habitual frame, however, was one of happy cheerfulness. Several Christian friends visited her during her long illness, and few of them left her presence without receiving rich blessings to their own souls; and they glorified the grace of God in her. This was the case with the ministers who saw her, as well as with friends in Liverpool and from Prescot. On one occasion, as the writer read to her the hymn beginning,

"Worship, and thanks, and blessing,

And strength ascribe to Jesus!"

her feelings were of a very rapturous kind, and she felt it difficult to refrain from shouting aloud her joys.

On the last night of 1873, she had a sort of watch-night service in her sick room. When the ringing of bells announced the birth of the new year, the windows were opened, that she might hear more distinctly the music of the joyous chimes. A portion of Holy Scripture, and the new-year's hymn, Come, let us anew Our journey pursue,"

[ocr errors]

were read, and then the invalid herself broke out into fervent and powerful prayer. She invoked God's blessing upon her relatives and friends, upon the people of Prescot amongst whom she had laboured, and upon the Church and the world. Then, in the most solemn and impressive manner, she formally resigned herself, soul and body, into the hands of her Heavenly Father, to do with her as He pleased.

That was Mrs. Boyd's last new-year's day upon earth. She pursued her journey not quite seven months longer. On the last morning of her life she found the text of Scripture for the day. Being asked if she could see it, she replied, "Yes;" and then distinctly read the words: "Yea, though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Here her voice failed, and her sister finished the passage for her: "For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." "You don't fear any evil?" said her sister. "No! O no!" replied the dying Christian.

A few hours before her death it was said to her, "You are drawing near to your heavenly home." "There is no mistake about that, "she replied; and then repeated, "It is a bright hope! it is a bright hope!" Soon after she sweetly fell asleep in Jesus. Her life in heaven began on July 27th, 1874. T. M'C.

MRS. FRANCES ELIZABETH SMYTH, wife of the Rev. Samuel Smyth, Wesleyan minister, died September 7th, 1874. Her ancestry was partly English and partly Welsh, and her more immediate parentage was among the first European settlers in the West Indies. Her father, Mr. William Thomas, and her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas, were both born in the West Indies. The former was remarkable as a most consistent conservative of the old school of West India politics, and the latter for the sweetness of her disposition. The subject of this obituary was the last child but one of a large family, and grew up a special favourite in the household, while, on account of her lively wit, genial spirit, and loving heart, she was greatly beloved in the social circle to which she belonged. These qualities, with the favour which they won for her, made her life one of high enjoyment, even before she became a partaker of God's saving grace.

The qualities by which she was distinguished in mature age were quickness and accuracy in the perception of character; independence of judgment respecting men and things; liberality of sentiment on all subjects; courage to avow her convictions, and resolution to act in accordance with them at all hazards; and an almost unparalleled spirit of self-sacrifice.

As a

friend she was faithful and unchangeable, and as a wife and mother she was most devoted. Accustomed from childhood to the best society, she sedulously sought to accommodate herself, so far as she could without sacrifice of self-respect, to the tastes and habits of persons in the humblest condition; and was so far successful as to share the confidence of persons of almost every social rank. Her elasticity of mind and purity of motive made her feel at home in all circles, and gave such grace to her actions as to inspire respect and kind regard on the part of all who became acquainted with her. If she had a fault, it was that of being so condescending as to expose herself, where she was unknown, to slight on the part of those who are more favourably impressed by arrogance and pretentious manners than by that simplicity which belongs to truly noble natures.

Her parents were members of the Church of England; and she was the first of that branch of the old family to become a Wesleyan-Methodist. Constitutionally proof against prejudices, not excepting those in the midst of which she grew up, she at first occasionally attended the Wesleyan ministry, and then, from a sense of duty, and with an earnest desire to secure all the advantages to be derived from closer intercourse with the Church by whose agency she was brought into the enjoyment of spiritual religion, she became a member of that Church.

As she was unostentatious in other matters, so was she in religion; but she consistently exhibited the Christian character. With a heart overflowing with the "milk of human kindness," and full of tender compassion for the distressed, she was unwearied in her efforts to succour the afflicted; her private charities having no limits, except those imposed by her means; and if it be a privilege to live in the affections of the poor, then she was largely privileged. Her urbanity and kindness of heart were proverbial among

persons of this class. The last act of her active life was expressive of her "ruling passion." She attended classmeeting at the chapel on the evening of the night on which she was seized by the malady which caused her death; and although feeling unwell, walked home, so as to afford her aged classleader the use of her conveyance, and to save the horse the labour of an additional trip. She reached home exhausted, and soon retired to bed, never more to leave it alive.

The power of her religion was strikingly apparent in her last illness. At an early stage of it she had the impression that she should not recover; but her mind was calm and firm; and never did she exhibit the slightest perturbation of spirit. Calm, selfpossessed, and with perfect resignation to the Divine will, she talked of the eternal future which she felt to be near, and of those she would leave behind. No murmur ever escaped her lips, notwithstanding the painful character of the disease from which she suffered; and when one who was in constant attendance upon her was endeavouring to remove from her mind the impression that her sickness was the prevailing epidemic, she quietly replied, "I am not better than others who get it." With that tender concern for others which so strongly marked her entire life, she committed those around her, to whom her fond heart clung with the utmost tenacity, into the hands of God; and expressed her gratitude for being associated at such a time with those who could sympathize with her spiritual emotions. She was then favoured with such views of heaven and its joys as led her, with a smile indicating ecstatic happiness, to exclaim to her husband, “ O such a sight as I have had!" Soon after this she said, "After such views as I have had, I have no longer any desire to remain here on my own account."

She frequently desired that the hymn commencing "Rock of ages, cleft for me," should be sung for her;

« PreviousContinue »