Tales and Sketches.

WHAT ONE MAN CAN DO.

were sitting in the region and shadow of

death. A mission to the heathen was sugWITHIN the last seven years one humble gested to their minds. The matter was Christian pastor and his parish have sent talked over and prayed over, and twelve of out and supported twenty missionaries to their number at once offered themselves to the heathen, and have twenty-one more go wherever they might be sent, to carry, ready to send the present year! Besides in the name of the rest, the Gospel of Christ these, they have sent one hundred pious to the destitute. This was in the year 1849, settlers or colonists to labour in connection one year after pastor Harms commenced with the missionaries, to teach the people his labours. These twelve who offered mechanical arts and various forms of labour. ! themselves entered immediately on a course The work commenced and proceeded as of training, under the instruction of the follows:

pastor's brother, designed to continue four In 1848, the young German pastor, years, and to consist chiefly of Biblical Harms, commenced his labours in Her studies, of church history, and systematic mannsburg, a small town in the kingdom theology. The field of labour they decided of Hanover, North Germany, situated in upon was the east coast of Africa, and then the midst of a wide sandy plain, sparsely the Gallas tribes lying north-west of the inhabited by a plain but enterprising people. Zanzibar. The Gallas were the terror of There was always considerable orthodoxy the whole coast; a strong, hardy, savage in Hanover, but it was orthodoxy of the race, of whom one of themselves said : Church and not of the Spirit. It was quite “ We Gallas are men, it is true, but we are as powerless for good, and as hurtful to not human.” They were robbers and murthe people, as rationalism, which was do derers by profession. minant elsewhere. The young pastor at Before the candidates had completed once aimed at the spiritual renovation of their studies, some young German sailors - his whole flock, devoting himself to this became fired with the same zeal, offered to great work in prayer, in preaching, in going | join the expedition, and soon after the misfrom house to house, and in living before sionary enterprise took another form. A them as a man of faith and a man of God. number of peasants with their families, The result is, that Hermannsburg is now a who had no missionary gifts, pleaded to be Christian parish, the like of which is not taken out as settlers. Out of sixty who to be found the world over. There is offered eight were chosen, and the scheme not a house in the village in which there is at once assumed a magnitude that had not not regular family worship, morning and been contemplated. evening; there is no one absent from church, And now came a new trouble. How were except through sickness. Nearly the whole all these persons to be sent out? Where population are communicants. The services would the money come from? An extract of the week are as well attended as on the from pastor Harms' account will show the Lord’s-day. The labourers have prayer in secret of his success : the fields. Instead of country ballads, the " Then I knocked diligently on the dear ploughboy or the weeding girl is singing God in prayer; and since the praying man one of the grand old hymns. The people dare not sit with his hands in his lap, I are like one Christian family, and their in- | sought among the shipping agents, but fluence and conversation have already acted came no speed ; and I turned to Bishop on the surrounding districts. Their houses | Gobat, in Jerusalem, but had no answer; are neater, drunkenness is unknown; so is and then I wrote to the missionary Krapf poverty. They are kind-hearted, good far in Mombaz, but the letter was lost. Then mers, and good peasants.

said one of the sailors, 'Why not build a ... While God was working such wonders in ship, and you can send out as many and the renovation of this community, bestow as often as you will ?' The proposal was ing such rich spiritual blessings upon them good, but the money! That was a time of at their own firesides, the same Divine agent great conflict, and I wrestled with God; turned their thoughts to those afar off who | for no one encouraged me, but the reverse.

Even the truest friends and brethren hinted on board, and the leaving time came. A that I was not quite in my senses. When | service was held in the church ; people Duke George of Saxony lay on his death | poured in from the neighbourhood and bed, and was yet in doubt to whom he thronged outside. Young Harms preached should flee with his soul, whether to the a farewell sermon, and then the sixteen Lord Christ and his dear merits or to the | stood up together and sang, Pope and his good works, there spoke a

“Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott." trusty courtier to him: 'Your Grace, straightforward makes the best runner.'

Next day they went to Hamburg, and on That word has lain fast in my soul. I bad the 28th of October, 1853, the anchor was 1 knocked at men's doors and found them lifted, and the “ Candace" floated dow ! shut, and yet the plan was manifestly good

the Cuxhaven. and for the glory of God. What was to be

Twelve missionaries and about eighty 1 done ? Straightforward makes the best

settlers have since followed, and twenty. runner. I prayed fervently to the Lord, one missionaries are to sail this year. Their laid the matter in his hand, and as I rose good ship, the “ Candace” has made five up at midnight from my knees, I said with missionary voyages. It is only about seren a voice that almost startled me in my quiet years since their missionaries first sailed for room: Forward, now, in God's name!'

Africa, and there are now 100 settlers From that moment there never came a

spread over the eastern provinces at eight thought of doubt into my mind."

stations ; there are dwelling-houses and Arrangements were made for the build workshops at every station; they have ing of a brig at Harburg. It was well and

about 40,000 acres of land; fifty heathens quickly done, and one bright autumn day

have been baptized; their influence reaches a special train carried the clergyman and

from the Zulus on the coast to the Bechusome hundreds of his parishioners to Har anas in the centre, and from the Orange burg, where they found that the shipping river to lake Ngami. At home they have was dressed with flags in honour of the .

the mission house and farm, with forty-five new missionary vessel. They held a simple persons living there; the Refuge Farm service on board, in which they de dicated with twenty persons; they have their own the “ Candace” to its work of carrying the

ship, and print their own books, and they Gospel to the Ethiopians. At Hermanns

continue with one accord in breaking of burg there was a ceaseless industry. Smiths,

bread and in prayer. The Hermannsburg tailors, carpenters, shoemakers, coopers were

Missionary Magazine, edited by pastor preparing for their ship. A water-butt or

Harms, and printed by the parish, has a a suit of clothes, for any other purpose, was

monthly circulation of 14,000 copies, and not to be had at any price. The women

is a source of income to the mission, the and girls knitted with a rapidity that was

profits last year being 2,000 crowns. The truly awful to look upon. The farmers

Hermannsburg missionary festival, held came in with loads of buckwheat and rye. during two days in the month of June ir The orchards were stripped. Pigs and each year, is attended by 6,000 persons hens were accumulated to the proportions every house in the village being filled to of an agricultural show. The very heath its utmost capacity.-Good Words. was stripped for besoms. Nor did a Christmas tree fail, but one was carefully planted in a large tub, to be in readiness against crossing the line. Then the mission pupils

THE BRIDE. had to pass their examinations. There were “HENRY, my son,” said Mrs. Manly, only eight now, for two had died and two « will you allow me a few moments' conhad proved unworthy-a scandal which has versation this evening ?” “ Certainly never been reproduced. Those that were mother.” “You tell me you are to be left passed with credit and compliments married in a few months to Helen Sfrom the dignified board of examiners to “ Yes, mother, we are engaged; you a their ordination. The colonists had to be tainly can have no objection to so ele got ready. They all knew something of gant a girl. No family in the city stands agriculture, but by more definite profession higher in wealth and influence." "A they were two smiths, a tailor, a butcher, that is true, very likely, and I have no ob a dyer, and three labourers. The captain jection on that ground; but have no was chosen and the crew. The cargo was l 'weigbed the matter thoroughly? Have yo

made up your mind to love religion, let , spirit, her faithful husband was pleading for what will come?" " Why, mother, I am her conversion. “ For her sake, Father, a member of the Church, and humbly hope have mercy; not for me, but for her, O I always may be. I have never seeni a mo God." nent that I wished to leave God's people. This was all she heard. She felt in a - have failings, it is true; but by the grace moment that she had done wrong, in reof God I hope to conquer.” “All this is fusing to kneel with him. A conviction ery well, my boy, and your promised came over her that it was cold and ungrateride is, without doubt, an amiable girl. ful to one who always treated her with so ut she is a daughter of fashion, brought much kindness. She made up her mind at p in all the luxuries of wealth, accus once to countenance his reading the Scripmed to attending church, it is true, but I tures, and to kneel with him at prayer ir destitute of vital religion. You have time. This resolution was carried out; y best wishes for your happiness through and, occasionally, as Henry stepped into a; but promise me you will begin right. their room unawares, he found his wife omise me that you will begin your reading the Bible. Nothing was said to dded life with reading the Scriptures and annoy her, but often and earnestly his qyer. Tell me, Henry, that you will rear prayers went up for her in secret. d sustain a family altar.” The young One evening Henry was going out to atin's face crimsoned. He hesitated a lit tend the prayer-meeting, when, turning to ; and finally replied, “ Yes, mother, Helen, he said in a kind voice, “Would D HELPING ME, I WILL.”

you like to go, dear?” Throwing on her Three months elapsed, and a lady array bonnet and shawl, they were soon on the in her bridal robes sat in her own dress way. Finding nothing unpleasant in the ?-room. Beside her was a youthful but prayer-meeting, she went again and again; tlemanly man, apparently a little and in a few months was as close an attendughtful. " Henry," said the lady, ant as her husband. Henry saw a change, hat is the matter? You look almost slow but sure. · I trust you are not unhappy.” “O, As they entered the room one Sabbath, hing, love, nothing is the matter. Shalí after listening to an awakening sermon,

have worship this evening ?” at the Henry ventured to ask one or two quesce time drawing the Bible near him. tions. To his surprise, he was only anust as you choose, of course; but for swered by a flood of tears: “I am a sinner, self I feel that I am doing very well ;” Henry. 'I am lost for ever," was all the slight flush passing over her counte youthful wife could reply. “But there is ace. Henry made no further remarks. hope for you, I humbly trust, my dear e ice was broken ; and opening the Bible, Helen. Do you wish to be a Christian?" read a portion of Scripture; then falling “ I would give all the world, were it mine on his knees, he prayed earnestly. He to give, to feel that peace you have always se strengthened, with a full determina seemed to possess.” “ Could you bear the n to discharge every known duty. reproaches of the world, of your own family Che family altar was reared, and he had in particular-for you have no reason to y to sustain it; an item he was careful expect them to favour your opinion ?” “I

to neglect. Henry persevered. There have felt for the last three weeks willing to $ a secret hope that by-and-bye his bear anything that could come upon me, if athful partner would join him. Months I could only feel that my name was written ssed by; but when the hour for prayer in heaven." “ You really feel then that to ne round, the wife sat in her chair un be a heart-Christian is the essential item of wed, not even bowing her head while the life ?” “I do, indeed.” Both fell upon sband prayed. No words passed be their knees; and long and earnest was the een them on the subject. He did not prayer that Henry offered up. Then for juest her to kneel, but every day he re the first time in her life in the presence of ed alone, and offered up a prayer for her. any human being the young wife opened ne day the young wife was out, and her lips to God. She arose with some enry was kneeling in their own room. spiritual light; and ere a week had elapsed er return was sooner than he anticipated; she was rejoicing in the Lord. d as she stepped on the hall stair, she Years afterwards Mrs. Manly had the ard the voice of prayer. Helen listened; pleasure of seeing her daughter-in-law a id with all the fervency of an agonizing | faithful Christian, and Henry, in all the trials of life, found a partner ready to assist | fectly arranged and fitted up. Who can him in every good word and work.

have put it here for you?

You go to ask. You meet Betsy, the cook, who always has something pleasant

for you; but she looks very mysterious, WHO MADE IT?

and rolls her great eyes so funnily, and

shows all her teeth, though she tries ever FOR THE YOUNG.

so hard to keep from laughing, and says, SUPPOSE on some bright New Year's “I didn't see anybody make it; I guess it morning you should go to your play room grow'd thar!” But you know better than and find there the dearest little baby house that. You never saw anything grow in you ever saw ; four windows in front, and such a shape, and nobody ever did. two on each side. You look up the steps, You find your brother Jack. He has ring the bell at the front door, and, upon been to sea, and he must know where these looking inside, you find four nice rooms, a fine playthings come from. But he is a kitchen and a dining room below, and a funny fellow, and says, “ On, nobody made parlour and chamber above.

the little house; it came there by chance." You look into each. Every floor is “Why, no," you say: "it could not come nicely carpeted. The chamber has a tiny so without somebody put it there, for there set of cottage furniture. The bed has a is the very kitchen, with its cooking range, canopy over it, and pretty muslin curtains ; and its rows of shelves, and tins, the wash the washstand is perfectly furnished; the tubs, and the iron kettles, and the little dressing table, with its little looking glass, stone jugs which deargrand mamma brought the bureau, with its rows of drawers, the me from Paris. I know I have seen that lounge, (such a nice resting-place for tired before. And then there is my little dolls!) everything in perfect keeping. jointed black Dinah, for cook; and up

The parlour has its rosewood piano, its | stairs, in the parlour, is my wax doll; and library, with real shelves, all filled with the crying baby is on the lounge ; and I miniature books, in uniform binding. The am sure they could not come there without sofa and the chairs are covered with the hands.” nicest blue satin damask, candelabra on the “Oh, well,” says Jack, with a very comimantel, and all sorts of pretty things scat cal look, “I suppose it all happened just tered about to give it a home look!

so. These little dollies saw this nice baby But the dining room! Could ever any house happen here, and so they hurried young housekeeper wish for anything more into it, because, of course, the house would perfect ?

be no good without a housekeeper." You open a little door, and there is a per “Now, Jack, I see you are funning; and fect little China closet, with its rows of there is no use in trying to make me believe gilt-edged plates, cups and saucers, just such a story as that. My little dolls never the cunningest little tureen for play soup, walked a step alone in the world : you know and every thing you can think of to make they never did ; not even little Fay, and the tea and the dinner sets complete. she's the brightest of them all.”

There is a tiny knife box, too, which you “Well, I know,” says Jack, “Fay is a did not spy at first, with knives in one side, poor, weakly little thing, always catching and spoons and forks in the other; and the measles, or something else, and I suplittle trays, and such a gem of a castor! pose she hasn't the strength.” just what you have wanted so long. Dear But you are getting impatient with Jack's me, very dainty little fingers will have to | teasing ; so you run to papa, who is reading hold those mites of tumblers !

the paper. Then there is the dining table (it is just “Papa, do you know who put that nice the size for your little family), and a pretty | baby house in the play room for me chandelier hanging over it; (how you long Jack tries to make me think nobody dua to light those waxen tapers, just to see how it, it all grew so by chance; but I know they will look !) There is a grate, for an

better." open fire (how pleasant that will be in the "And how do you know?” says pape., long winter evenings!); and a mantel, “Now, papa, you know it never could with its little clock, and its old-fashioned

grow so. Somebody must have taken vases.

great deal of pains to make it, with all me Oh, there never was a house more per ) windows and doors, and somebody m

ave been a great while getting so many 1 There you have it. God made them all, retty things together to put into it.” and he is good, for “God is love." “Why do you think it was made and I suppose one reason why God made aced there?

things beautiful is, that he delights in them "Oh, I suppose it was done to please himself. How many flowers bloom where

no eye but his ever sees them! How many “And who would want to please you, beautiful shells, whose bright colours are d make you happy ?”

hidden at the bottom of the ocean! “It must be somebody who loves me,” Just think for a moment how one who u say; and papa's eyes twinkle, and a did not care for the happiness of his creanile curls around his mouth, and then you tures would have made this world. Per

haps he would have made the apples all of "Oh, it was you, papa, I'm sure. No one colour-lead colour-and stuck them dy would have thought of doing so much on to the bare trees, without any leaves or e me, but you and mamma ;” and then sweet blossoms to tell of their coming. He way you run to find mamma, and thank might have made the peaches with no soft, r for giving you so much pleasure. downy, rosy cheek, to please the eye; or You go out some pleasant spring morn he might have made the earth with no 5, when the air is full of the song of flowers at all. rds and the fragrance of flowers. The Suppose the flowers had been made very ach and cherry trees are in bloom, and beautiful, but of so disagreeable a smell that e apple buds look very red. They know we should never want to go near them; or e spring has come, and they cannot suppose they were very sweet, but poisonep it to themselves long, but must blow ous. Suppose the grass, instead of being out on their perfumed petals as far as the soft, green colour which it is, was a ey can.

bright, fiery red, so that every time you The crocuses have told their story, and looked at it in the sunlight, it would make e violets are taking up their part, and your eyes ache. Would you not feel that hispering that spring is here. You think, the being who made all this loved to cause How good somebody must have been to pain, or at least did not care to make his ike everything so beautiful! I wonder children happy? at it was made so for.”

When you look at the pleasant things Perhaps one will answer, “Oh, it all about you, the singing birds, the green ew s0; it only happened so." But no; grass, the pretty flowers, the cheerful sunu cannot believe that, any more than you light; when you breathe the pure, fresh air n believe Jack's story of your play house, in the dewy morning, laden, as it is, with d you ask,

the sweetness of many flowers, just remem"What were all these beautiful things ber that He who made them all is a God of ade for ?"

love, who delights in your happiness, and "To make people happy.”

I'm sure you cannot help loving him; and "And who would want to take such I hope you will never, never forget to thank ins to make others happy? It must so kind and loving a Father. ve been somebody good.”

Gems from Golden Mines.

IE CONVERSION OF CHILDREN.

| or other, though after many years only, the

prayers which they offer up on their behalf. As far as my experience goes, it appears | Now, while such passages as Prov. xxii. 6, me that believers generally have expected Eccles. xi. 1, Gal. vi. 9, Cor. xv. 58, give too little of present fruit upon their la- | unto us assurance, not merely respecting urs among children. There has been a | everything which we do for the Lord in ping that the Lord some day or other | general, but also respecting bringing up vuld gwn the instruction which they give | children in the fear of the Lord in partichildren, and would answer at some time cular, that our labour is not in vain in the