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was accosted by some officers, who, either by art or authority, got the young man into their power; and from that day forward he had been confined by order of the Inquisition, without an opportu'nity during fifteen years, of ever communicating with his friends, although they advertised a reward for his discovery shortly after he was lost. During this long confinement the door of his cell began to fall down, and grating much on "the pavement, it became necessary to renew it; the hinges being rusted into the wood, a large forge-hammer was used to detach them; in course of the operation the door was thrown over, the light was extinguished and the large clinch-nails were scattered about the floor. He groped about, and collected several of these, and afterwards employed them in working a hole through the wall suffi

ciently large to admit his arm, the small end tapering to the joint of a stone on the outer side, which he filled up with stones or wood from the inside. Meantime, a young Irish Catholic, about to take Holy orders, visited by special leave the dungeons of the Papal Office: with him he hazarded conversation, begged he would interest himself for his release, or, that at all events, he would supply him with paper, pen, and ink: the former being impossible, the latter was accomplished by smuggling these materials at two future visits into his dreary abode. These were the means by which he wrote the letter, conveyed it through the hole, and slipped it into the boatswain's shoe. The pen was found concealed in the seam of his prison-robe, the ink-glass in his trowsers, and part of the paper he then retained. Such is the seaman's account of our countryman's confinement and liberation.

It is about ten years since the writer received the above account from Henderson, who was a man of character in his station and profession, and was employed as a ship-rigger at Leith, till accidentally drowned about two years ago: his widow is a respectable and pious woman, who bears testimony to her husband's narrative.

Three other British prisoners had died in the Inquisition, one of them a Scotch

man, the other two were from Wales. On inspecting the spot where the two seamen had stood, a small piece of wood was observed in a slit of the wall, which could be pushed inwards from the street, and, of course, had been under the controul of the prisoner within.

ANECDOTE RELATED BY A MISSIONARY IN SOUTH AFRICA.

A poor black boy, the property of a slave dealer in Africa, having heard of the preaching of the misssionaries, felt a strong desire to go and hear about Jesus Christ. For this purpose he crept secretly away one evening; but being obliged to pass under the window of the house, his master observed him, and called out, "where are you going ?" The poor fellow came back trembling, and said, "me go to hear the missionaries, massa."

"To hear the missionaries, indeed; if ever you dare to go there, you shall have nine and thirty lashes, and be put in irons." With a piteous look the poor black replied, "me tell Massa, me tell the great Massa." "Tell the great massa (replied the master) what do you mean ?"

"Me tell the great Massa, the Lord in heaven, that my massa was angry with me, because I wanted to go and hear his

word." The master was struck with surprise; his colour changed, and unable to conceal his feelings, he hastily turned away, saying, go along, and hear the missionaries."

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Being thus permitted, the poor boy gladly complied; but in the mean time, the mind of the master became restless and uneasy: he had not been used to think that he had a Master in heaven, who knew and observed all his actions: and he at length determined to follow his slave, and see if there could be any peace obtained for his troubled spirit. Creeping in unseen, he slunk into a secret corner and eagerly listened to the words of the missionary. That day Mr. Kicherer addressed the natives from those words,

Lovest thou me ?""Is there no poor sin-ner (said he) who can answer this question

not one poor slave who loves Jesus Christ? No one who dares to confess him ?" Here the poor persecuted slave, unable to restrain any longer, sprang up, and holding up both his hands, while the tears streamed down his cheeks, cried out with eagerness, Yes, massa, me love the Lord Jesus Christ, me do love him, mẹ love him with all my heart.”

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The master was still more surprised; and he went home convinced of the blessings the gospel brings; and his conversion was the result. Some time afterwards, this same

person pleaded the cause of the gospel with the Heathen; and his slave being present, he ventured up timidly to the master, and said; "would massa take money for it?" On being permitted, he went and told his friends, "Massa take money from poor slaves." On hearing which, they all rushed out, and in a short time returned pouring their money on the ground. Mr. Kicherer, who was present, tried to prevent them, saying, "Stop, keep back your money, that we may take some account;" but their eagerness could not be restrained, and on enquiring afterwards what each had given, the universal reply was, "Me don t know, massa-me gave all."

THE TONgue,

Command.

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Psalm xxxiv. 13.

St. James tells us that the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire in hell. What attention therefore ought we to pay to the admonition given us in the text! How ought we to watch over our words, and to see whether what we are going to say is necessary, or will promote the glory of God:

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