BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS. DEATH OF WALTER LOWRIE. Mr. Walter Lowrie, late senior Corresponding Secretary of the Board, departed this life December 14th, 1868, at his residence in this city, aged eighty-four years and a few days. Hereafter our pages may contain some record of one who was so long connected with the work of missions. Recent Intelligence. DEATH OF Rev. EDWARD BOEK LEN.-Mr. Boeklen died at the house of Mr. B. V. R. James, Monrovia, after a short, but severe illness, rendering him unconscious in his last hours. His life of Christ-like piety left no need of his death-bed testimony to assure us of his being called into the presence of the Saviour. Seldom have we known any person who seemed to be more entirely devoted to the service of Christ, and that in a loving, humble, and trusting spirit. This Christian devotedness gave great value to his naturally good talents and his superior scholarship, so that we had formed sanguine hopes of his usefulness in the work of education in Liberia, as superintendent of the Alexander High School; but the Lord's ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts. Mr. Boeklen was a German, educated in his native country with the best advantages. Afterwards he spent several years in New York and its vicinity, as a tutor in the family of a German merchant, gaining their very warm personal regard. He was taken under the care of the Second Presbytery of New York as a licentiate preacher, went to Africa in 1866, was ordained by the Presbytery of West Africa in the next year, and departed this life on the 28th of last September, in the thirty-eighth year of his age. It is with much regret we must add, that all the missionaries in Liberia, and his physician, attribute his last illness to exposure, which might have been avoided. CONVERTS RECEIVED.-At Little Traverse, Chippewa Mission, a middle aged man was received to the communion of the church, and encouraging interest was shown in the religious services, with a better attendance of scholars in the school. In China, six persons were received into the church at Shanghai on the first Sabbath of October-two men, two women, and two pupils in the girls' boarding school; these were admitted out of twenty-three applications before the Church Session. In Siam, at Petchaburi, an interesting convert was admitted to the church, on the 16th of August, one who was formerly a Buddhist priest, and was considered the third scholar in the kingdom; he gave most pleasing evidence of being a true Christian, but he was taken to the church above on the 15th of September. In Brazil, at Sao Paulo two persons were received as members of the church on the second Sabbath of October, and at Rio de Janeiro five persons on the third Sabbath of the same month,-all converts from Romanism, and one of them a woman of more than ordinary intelligence, who gave up her situation as a teacher in one of the schools in Rio, rather than teach, as was required, some things contrary to the Word of God. NATIVE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-The members of the Shanghai church have formed a society of this kind, which is said to be flourishing; its managers visit their station in town once a month, and their reports increase the interest of the members in this work for Christ and for their own people. NATIVE CHURCH LIBERALITY.-The members of the Furrukhabad church made a collection of Rs. 89.12, to which Rs. 10.4, were added by the Hindu and MohamLaedan teachers and scholars in the school, making Rupees 100, or $50 in gold, to aid in paying the debt of the Board. In the circumstances of the church members, who are but forty in number, their collection is a very liberal one, involving in many cases the exercise of great self-denial. To this may be added the gifts to the Board of milreis 20, or $10 in gold, by a poor Swiss colonist in Brazil, his second annual gift of the same amount, accompanying it with this remark: "I can do nothing by my words, therefore it is my duty to do something by means of gifts." Mr. Schneider, in transmitting this gift, “ a large one for so poor a man," wishes that "some of our church members at home could visit his cabin; it would certainly be a lesson to them which they would not forget." DEATH OF THE KING OF SIAM.-This poor idolatrous, polygamous king has been removed by death. It is sad that one who had learnt so much of the Christian religion from personal intercourse with missionaries, and who in respect to commerce and other public matters showed intelligence and enterprise much in advance of most Asiatic rulers, should have become in his later years increasingly devoted to superstitious observances, and depart this life without so far as is known accepting the only way of salvation. He deserves to be remembered for his policy of toleration, towards those who were seeking to introduce the Christian religion among his subjects. IN JAPAN, the missionaries report the continued civil war, greatly destructive of the interests of the country; the steady prosecution of their work in preaching, translating the Scriptures, teaching, and medico-missionary labours; and the public baptism of two Japanese converts by one of the missionaries of the Reformed (Dutch) church at Yokohama. LETTERS RECEIVED TO DECEMBER 14th: from Little Traverse, Chippewa, November 27th; Tallahassee, Creek, November 2nd; Seminole, November 25th; Santa Fe, November 28th; San Francisco, November 4th; Yokohama, October 27th; Peking, September 30th; Shanghai, October 14th; Ningpo, October 7th; Canton, October 13th; Bangkok, September 30th; Chieng-mai, May 27th; Futtegurh, October 20th; Mynpurie, October 15th; Dehra, October 24th; Kassauli, October 17th; Monrovia, September 30th; Rio de Janeiro, October 26th; Sao Paulo, October 19th; Bogota, October 16th. The Navajoes. The last number of the Record mentioned the appointment of a minister and his wife as missionaries to the Navajoe Indians. We have since heard of their arrival at Santa Fe, New Mexico. as These Indians are said to be of the Apache family. Their country was in what is now called the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona-the northwestern part of the former and the northeastern part of the latter. A few years ago, at the end of a war with our Government, they surrendered prisoners and were placed on a reservation called the Bosque Redondo, southeast from Santa Fe. The sanguine expectations of the military officers that they could support themselves on this reservation by tilling the ground were disappointed, the soil being poor and arid, and they have been removed within the last few months to a new reservation, in the vicinity of their old homes. It cost the Government several millions of dollars, one official says more than $10,000,000, to support them on the Bosque reservation. The Navajoes are mentioned by Spanish writers as early as three centuries ago. A few of them are nominally Roman Catholics, but most of them are pagans. They have always had the reputation of being a bold, predatory tribe; but they are now greatly humbled and reduced to poverty, after having in former years been in possession of considerable property. They tilled the ground to some extent, kept horses, mules, &c., wove their own blankets, and were partially removed from an uncivilized state; excepting their frequent robbing forays, often accompanied by murder, they may be regarded as quite in advance of the savage tribes. The number of Navajoes on the Bosque Redondo, December 31st, 1864, was eight thousand three hundred and fifty-four, of whom three thousand two hundred and sixty-five were under eighteen years of age. The Government has made liberal provision for establishing schools among them, in their new abode, and also purchased large supplies of agricultural implements for their use. It is hoped that a better day has come for these poor people. Vigorous efforts will no doubt be made to secure the control of the schools, and indeed of all the religious efforts for the benefit of the Navajoes, by the Romanist priests; it is indeed noteworthy, that a board of military officers a few years ago recommended that the educational and religious interests of these Indians should be placed in their hands; and the General then in command of our troops, whose despatches show vigour, liberal views, and humane purposes, officially obtained the appointment of a Roman Catholic priest, to be provided with everything that was required, and all this at the expense of government funds! The result of his work for the Indians is not reported in the General's correspondence, and probably little if anything was done. The time has passed for any of our military officers to attempt again to unite Church and State in this way. We have no reason to suppose that those who are now in command in New Mexico would be willing to follow the example just referred to; but we may expect opposition of every kind to our missionary efforts from the agents of the Roman Church. Let our trust be in the Lord for success. And let our prayers accompany the missionaries, the Rev. James M. Roberts and his wife, in their important and difficult work. This mission will cost a considerable expense, on account of the distance of the Indian reservation from the States, and the high price of provisions. It was hoped that permission could have been obtained to purchase the latter from the commissary stores at officers' rates, but it seems this cannot be granted. Some of our friends also supposed that government "transportation" could have been obtained, as the missionaries go without charge to do the work which the Government recognizes as essential; but this favour also could not be granted. In both cases, the refusal was made with courtesy and good feeling. Of course we could ask no favour which could not be granted to others. We are not sorry, however, that the whole cost will fall on the Church. All we need is an open field, and the blessing of God. One Soweth and Another Reapeth. BY REV. JULIUS F. ULLMANN, OF FUTTEH- There is perhaps no country, in which this saying is more verified, than in India. A missionary brings the message of salvation, not only to the natives of his own station, and its surrounding villages, but travels also about in the country; and wherever he goes, on his missionary tours, in the bazars of towns and villages, at fairs and market places, he preaches the gospel to those whom he perhaps has never seen before, and who it may be will never hear him again. Or he may have been labouring in a certain place for some time, and is then transferred to another. Or he may have been working for a number of years faithfully, as long as his health permitted, and may then be obliged to return to his native country with his health broken down. Or he may, though suffering now and then, and feeling the effect of the climate in his decreasing strength, work on in the service of his Master until he falls in the missionary field. He is gone, but his strength has not been spent in vain, in his work of faith and labour of love. Another comes in his place and finds that the people in general, and some in particular, have a certain amount of the knowlege of the gospel; and they tell him that they heard it at such and such a place, from such and such a padree, and show him perhaps also the books which they have received from him. There are some names of missionaries, and others, which the people will never forget. Here at Futtehgurh they will occasionally tell us, when we speak to them, that Padre Rankin Sahib, and Padree McAuley Sahib, and Padree Fullerton Sahib, and Colonel Wheeler Sahib, were such good sahibs, [gentlemen,] who told them of the way of salvation; that they had forgotten a great deal of what they have heard, but still remembered something of it, and would never forget their kindness. We missionaries in India, when baptizing candidates, very often reap only what our brethren before us sowed; and we sow in hope that though we see not as much fruit as we should like, our brethren after us will enter into our labours; and at last both they that sowed and they that reaped will rejoice together. I will relate here two cases, one from the experience of another brother missionary, and the other from my own. for A missionary of the town of Mwho is now with the Lord, preached the gospel with self-sacrificing love and zeal in the district of F about twelve years. Among many other places, he visited a certain religious fair, the Dudree mela, regularly every То year, proclaiming the gospel, though apparently with but little success. him the command of his Master, "Go ye and preach the gospel," &c., was sufficient to work and not to faint, and his prayer was, "Lord, grant that thy sheep among the heathen, when hearing me, may hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.” He baptized only a small number, but he was contented to know that he was in the path of duty, doing the will of his Master, and that success was in the hands of the Lord. In his zeal for his Master's cause he did not take sufficient care of his body, and fell a victim to that zeal. He died of cholera, but was thankful that the Lord had counted him worthy to be a herald of the cross, knowing that some of the good seed which he had sown would yet spring up and bear fruit, though that fruit would be gathered in by other reapers. He -? Some years passed, and other missionaries came to the Dudree fair, proclaiming salvation by Christ. One of them, an old missionary from a town on the banks of the Ganges, was one day holding forth the Word of life to a large crowd at the fair. A respectably dressed native came up to him, asking, whether he would sell him a New Testament in Hindi. The missionary was surprised to find that, contrary to the custom of the natives, who are naturally very unwilling to pay for books, this man of his own accord came forward to buy a New Testament. gave it to him and took the money, requesting him at the same time to visit him in his tent. The native did so, and one of his first questions was, "Where is the tall padree from MFor several years have I come here in hopes to find him, and to hear the gospel again from him, but whilst I see. others, I cannot find him. Where is he?" "In heaven with the Master whom he serves." "Ah, sir, I shall never forget his words. From him I heard the gospel of Jesus Christ first, and I felt the man meant what he said, and that it came from his heart, and it went my heart, and I could never forget what he said. He gave me also a little book which I read; but I want to know more; I want to know the whole story of Jesus, and have therefore bought this New Testament." "Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour?" asked the missionary. "Yes, I do indeed." "Will to แ you be baptized ?" "Yes, but I will come to the place where you live, and there become a Christian." The missionary after the close of the fair returned to his home, and very soon the native also made his appearance. After some time he was baptized, and his growth in grace and in the knowledge of Christ was so evident, that the missionary made him a catechist, and as such he has preached the gospel to many of his benighted countrymen. This missionary has also gone to his rest, years ago. He reaped the fruit of what another had sown, and now the sower and the reaper both rejoice together in the presence of the Master whom they served on earth. Another case is the following. A number of years ago, when I was stationed at C, a Hindoo came one day to my door, begging for a certain tract. Upon asking him where he had come from, he said that his village was sixty miles distant, and that when one day he visited a friend, he found him reading in a Christian tract. "Let me read that book I said, and I read, and read, and very soon found that that little book revealed to me truths which I had never heard or read of before, but which were comforting to my inquiring mind. Oh, how I wanted to keep that little book, but the owner would not part with it, but said, go to C, there are padrees, and you will get what you want. Now, sir, I have come sixty miles on foot for such a book; my name is Abhilakhee, which means one who has a great desire, and I am an Abhilakhee, for my desire is to know how I may obtain salvation." I made him sit down, and told him that sweet story of old, of Jesus the Saviour of sinners; and hence also the Saviour of the Hindoos. I then gave him not only a tract, but also a portion of the New Testament; and seeing that he was a true inquirer, I requested him, as he had come from such a distance, to stop with me for a month or so, in order that I might instruct him daily. I promised to give him a little hut to live in, and a little money for his daily food. To this he agreed, and he was thus regularly instructed in the truths of Christianity. He received all gladly, and grew not only in knowledge, but as I believe, also in grace. He evidently showed that he was "of the truth." After he had been a little more than a month with me. I called him one day, and said, “Abhilakhee, you now know the gospel, and what Christ did for you; and you know also what he demands from you. His command is that those who believe in Him should be baptized. Are you willing now to make a public confession of your faith, and receive baptism?" To this he objected, saying, that he wanted first to return to his village, and see his own people, for if he received baptism now, he would be at once entirely cut off from all those who were near and dear to him. "Then," said I, "I will let you return to your village. Take this New Testament and these tracts with you; and remember what the Lord said in Luke xiv. 26-27; and whenever you are willing to be baptized, come to me." He then left me. Years passed on, and I had almost forgotten Abhilakhee, when once on a missionary tour with another brother missionary, we came to B, a town high up in the north, not far from Nepaul. We there remained for some eight or ten days, preaching the gospel in, and around about B- After we had done so one day in the market place of the town, some of the people took the message of the gospel with them to the village not far from there, where a young intelligent man lived, but who was considered by the other villagers a madman, because he would not worship their idols, but despised them, and all heathenish customs, and would only read in his own books. On hearing from the returning villagers, that a padree had been preaching in the market-place of B- and had been speaking of Isa Masih (Jesus, Messiah) he inquired how the preacher looked. They gave him some kind of description of me, upon which he said, "That is my padree, I must go and see him at once." I was sitting one afternoon in my tent, when this young man stood before it, with four of his friends, to see me. I came out, and, looking into his face which was beaming with joy, I said, "Abhilakhee, where have you come from, here in this part of the country?" 66 Sir," said he, "my village is only five miles from here. I heard from some people of my village, that a padree was here; and when they told me how you looked, I knew at once it was you. I am so glad you have come. I remember all your instructions, and read daily in my books, but I am hated by the other people of my village. I tell them that the idols are nothing; that their worship is sin; that their gods are |