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'No, for I have read the true cause.'

'What is it, Prêm Châd?'

'I will tell you, but I do not think you will understand. It is said that there is a fluid which pervades everything. It is called the electric fluid. When there is more in one place than another, it goes from the place where there is most to that where there is least, and when it is visible we call it lightning. Sometimes it flashes from cloud to cloud, and sometimes from the clouds to the earth,—the noise of the concussion of the clouds we call thunder. Do you understand?'

'Yes, a little. How much more you know than I do!'

'Of course, you have not been to school.'

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Are you frightened, Prêm Châd?'

'You are very stupid. Why should I be frightened?'

'Well, perhaps I am stupid, but do you remember telling me about a house in Calcutta being struck by lightning and two men being killed? I am afraid lest I should be killed in the same way.'

'Why?'

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'Prêm Châd, how am I to tell you rightly. I have many doubts about our religion, and when I heard the others just now saying, “ Râm, Râm,” I thought, suppose there is no such person as Râm, he cannot possibly protect us.'

Then did you pray to the Christians' God, Jesus Christ?'

'No, no, Prêm Chad! how could I, for I have not believed in Him? I feel as if I were in a little boat on the river alone in the midst of a storm; I did not know to whom to cry for help. What more shall I say, Prêm Châd? I am afraid I shall be swamped like the little boat.'

'Have you read any more of the Testament?'
'No, I am afraid to touch it. I am sorry that I told
since I began to read it my mind has been very unsettled.
I ought to do?'

Will you give your Testament to me?'
'No, I cannot do that; I want to read the whole of it.'
'Well, then, read it if you wish to do so.'

you to bring it, for What do you think

These words ended their conversation and they went to separate places. The hot season passed and the rainy season came on, and with it the strong south wind ceased, and there was nothing to hinder Bashanta from reading. She read eagerly, and as every night she read of the Acts of the Apostles she was filled with wonder, and thought, 'These Apostles were just like the pâdri sahebs (missionaries) who come to this country, for they used to go everywhere telling of Jesus Christ. Sometimes I wish that I did not belong to a high-caste family: I could be a seller of purple like Lydia; then I might, perhaps, go to Calcutta and hear them preach. Ah, how sad it is that I am shut up in the Zenana; I shall never be able to hear them.'

After their return from their visit to Calcutta Prio Nâth used to go there every week with his brother to school. He was so fond of play that he did not study so diligently as Prêm Châd, but he made some progress nevertheless. He was always merry, and he always had a new song to sing to please his mother and aunt. One Saturday evening as they were all sitting in the starlight listening to what he had been doing during the week, Bâmâ Sundari asked, Prio Nâth, have you learned a new song?'

'Yes, I have learned a Christian song; I heard two of our schoolboys singing it, and I gave them some marbles to get them to teach it to me.'

'Let us hear it.'

Prio Nâth began to sing, but he was quite heedless of the holiness of the words :-

'The Lord left His heaven and came to man's earth,
O soul, for thee.

He for man's sake, O soul, did become a man.

O soul, for thy sins, in Gethsemane's garden,
How great was His sorrow!

For thy sins, O soul, was He nailed to the Cross.

Strive, O my soul, for the Lord's toiled-for treasure,
And you will find life.

O soul, if you strive not, to hell you must go.

The man who truly believes finds Christ's treasure-
It is a priceless jewel-

It will last for ever, O soul, and never grow less.

O hear, forgetful soul, this word to the very poorest,
Cling to Christ's feet;

O soul, in great joy you will rejoice, and gain
In heaven the throne.'

Although Prio Nâth could not sing it very correctly, Bashanta listened eagerly to this sweet hymn. And she thought, 'In the Lord Jesus Christ are the true riches; if only I could get them I should be happy. All I hear of the Christians' words seem sweet and holy. Ah! how different was this song from the hundred other songs that Prio Nâth knows; how I wish I could learn it.'

At last, after she had given him sweetmeats and pice again and again, Prio Nâth taught her the whole. And at night she would sit apart from the rest humming this hymn to herself. Her longing for heaven increased, and she had many other wishes.

Day by day light dawned in her mind, which had been so dark, and she began, like the once blind man, 'to see men like trees walking.' But as when the light begins to dawn it cannot be stopped from lighting the whole earth, so, O blessed Lord, when once the light of the Gospel shines in the heart of man, it must increase until it enlightens the whole mind.

(From lack of space we are obliged to reserve many notices and extracts we had prepared till next issue.)

Extracts from Proceedings of Committee.

4th October 1882.-Presented financial statement showing receipts from 1st April, £4707, 2s. 8d.; disbursements, £9035, 4s. ; balance in bank, £1786, 11s. 8d.

Read and confirmed minutes of Finance Committee sanctioning quarterly and other payments, and reporting the advance in the ordinary income to date as being one-fourth above last year, and sanctioning the sending out of another missionary in addition to three more required to fill vacancies.

Reported the death of Mrs. Baring, which took place in India on 28th July last, and resolved:

That the Committee have heard with much sorrow of the death of Mrs. Baring, and desire the Secretaries to express their deep sympathy with the Rev. F. Baring, and their sense of the loss the native church in the Punjab, and at Batala especially, have sustained in her removal.

VOL. II.

2 B

Read and confirmed minutes of Candidates' Committee. Several most promising candidates for next year were mentioned, and hope was expressed that one or two more might yet be able to go this year.

The Clerical Secretary reported his interview with Mrs. Pennefather and Dr. Burns Thomson on the subject of medical training for candidates, and it was resolved that until the Society may feel able to make its own provisions for the purpose, ladies who desire some medical training for the work of our missions be advised to avail themselves of the Training-Home in Ferntower Road, N., and the Mission Hospital in Bethnal Green, on the understanding that arrangements will be made at the said Hospital for lectures nd instruction suitable to the requirements of missionary work, to the satisfaction of the Committee.

Reported arrangements for dismissal meeting, and for the sailing of the missionaries, four for Bengal, per Goorkha, sailing 18th October, and four for the Punjab, per Manilla, 20th October.

The correspondence received from India since last meeting of Committee was read, and the arrangements made for the location of the missionaries was approved. The Honorary Secretary in Calcutta pressed for three additional ladies to strengthen Burdwan, Bhagulpore, and Krishnaghur, so that there might be two ladies at each of these important centres.

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The Rev. E. Sell reported the formation of a Corresponding Committee at Madras, the constitution of which was approved. The foundation-stone of the mission house at Trichur was reported as having been laid on the 15th August. The arrival of Miss Garforth from Australia at Madras was reported, and, her papers and references being satisfactory, she was accepted as a Missionary of the Society, and her location fixed for Masulipatam. A letter from Rev. J. Cain was read, reporting that two ladies were accompanying himself and Mrs. Cain, for work at Masulipatam and Ellore, at the expense of friends in Melbourne, through Rev. B. B. Macartney. It was resolved that the best thanks of the Committee be given to Mr. Macartney for his assistance on this and former occasions.

Read letter from Miss Blandford asking permission to visit England next year. Her twenty-one years in India will be completed in December. It was with much thankfulness to God for all he had done in Trevandrum during this long period that the Committee acceded to Miss Blandford's wishes, and ordered that the requisite arrangements be made for carrying on the work in her absence.

A letter from Mrs. Lewis was read reporting commencement of the house of rest for the Tinnevelly Missionaries on the Pulney Hills, towards which she had already raised 1200 rupees. Resolved, with the sanction of the Finance Committee, to make a grant of £100 towards it.

Leave was given to Miss Macdonald, whose six years of service will expire in April, to visit England next year.

Read letter from Mrs. Alexander, applying for two clocks for the schools at Ellore, and for workboxes and other prizes. These latter had been already provided by the kindness of friends.

Letters from Mr. Clark were read, reporting the completion of the Jhandiala house, excepting some outhouses. Some grants for schools and Bible-women applied for by him were sanctioned.

Surgical instruments for the use of the Amritsar Hospital, and some medicines for Miss Sharp and Miss Parslee, were ordered to be supplied, as sanctioned by the Finance Committee,

A request having been made from Canada for a deputation to visit that country, it was resolved that a deputation should be sent, if friends there would guarantee the

expenses.

The name of Lady Plunket (wife of the Bishop of Meath) was added to the list of Vice-Presidents.

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