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THE SOUTH-SEA CONVERT.

[FEB.

"Tell them," he replied, "to hold fast their confidence to the endthat faith in Christ is necessary to salvation;" and then, as strength would allow, his quivering lips repeated John iii. 36.

"This may, perhaps, be our last meeting below."

"Well," said he, ". ere long we shall meet again in the far brighter world above, to dwell for ever with the Lord, there to see the King in his beauty,' and that land," pointing to the heavens, "which is afar off." I prayed with him, and left his humble cottage.

Just as I was going to the out-station, a little after this, I was again sent for to see our dying friend.

"You will soon leave us," I said.

"Yes, the chariot is at the door. The body is the clog which keeps back my spirit; but soon the thread will be cut; then shall I fly away." "Have you any fear in the prospect of leaving us?"

"None at all."

"What is the reason of this peace of mind as death approaches?" "Christ is mine. To Him I have committed my soul: why should I fear?"

"Is your trust entirely in Christ?"

"In Christ alone I trust for salvation. He is the true foundationthe way-the door."

As I prayed with him, and asked the divine presence with his soul, he joined with much feeling. I then took my leave. Next day his son came to say that he was near death. I went. His pulse was scarcely

He was unable to speak, but pressed my hand. After a while he revived, and opened his eyes.

"You will, I trust, soon be with Christ," I said.

"Yes, I shall."

"To-morrow," I said, "is the Sabbath."

He said, "I shall be in heaven."

"How great the love of God in not leaving you in the ignorance of your heathen state !"

Raising his eyes upward, he said, "Great! great !"

With his son-in-law and daughter I then conversed on the difference between the death of a saint and sinner, all of which he heard and understood, as a reply he made fully showed. I left him for a little; but ere I could return, his spirit had fled to be with Him who had redeemed him with his precious blood.

Thus died Kaisara, a good man, a consistent follower of Christ, who was born a heathen, but died a Christian.

MR. Peet, American Missionary of Fuh-chau, speaks of the contempt with which many books and tracts, published by Missionaries, have been received by the literati of China, as having no literary merit, but calculated to injure the style of those who read them; and is very grateful in view of the fact, that, so far as the Scriptures are concerned, this stumbling-block has been removed. He writes-"The version published by delegates from different Protestant Missions is now received more extensively, more favourably, and is better understood by the natives generally, so far as my observation extends, than any other version in Chinese that has yet been published. And this is mainly from the fact that it is more strictly classical, contains a larger number of classical allusions and idiomatic expressions, and adheres more closely to the peculiar genius of the Chinese language, as opposed to foreign or western idioms."

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OTTA, IN THE YORUBA COUNTRY.

THE Rev. James White is stationed at Otta, a town lying between Abbeokuta and Lagos. The approach to this town from the Lagos side is very pleasing. The traveller advances along a picturesque lane or green alley, bordered on each side by a fence of natural bush and trees, through the gaps of which are glimpses of beautifully-cultivated fields of Indian-corn, with tall, white, spectrallooking trunks rising here and there, the remains of trees destroyed by fire to get them out of the way. This lane, with its showy white blossoms, looking out from the bush on either hand, leads on for a considerable distance until the town is reached with its ruined walls and its eager population of curious Africans. Otta was broken by the Egbas some years since, and its walls have never been rebuilt. Mr. White is laboriously engaged in the Christian instruction of its inhabitants, and has gathered a little flock of eighty native Christians. Of Ishagga, and the sufferings of the native Christians there, he thus speaks

It is indeed a matter of deep regret to view, and yet without being able to correct, the gross error committed by the great powers of the Yoruba country in wasting their time in puny dissensions, and nursing their strength against themselves, instead of uniting together in defending their territory, and directing their arms in crushing their common foe, that monster of cruelty, the King of Dahomey.

Whilst, therefore, Ibadan, Ijaye, and Abbeokuta are foolishly thinning their ranks and weakening their forces by the destruction of one town after another, the King of Dahomey, who had all along been watching for a fit opportunity to attack Abbeokuta, is too wise not to take advantage of the distracted state of Yoruba, in putting into execution. what he had long meditated upon. Thus, while Ijaye, Awaye, and Makun are laid waste by the forces of Abbeokuta and Ibadan, Dahomey had courage enough to make a descent upon Ishagga, and massacre the greater part of the inhabitants, sparing the remainder only as victims,

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DESCRIPTION OF THE SNAN JATRA, &c.

[FEB.

As the

to be shortly offered in sacrifice to his deceased father. church of God is more the concern of all God's people, so the question with them naturally is, "What has become of God's church in these places?" And what answer can be more appropriate than the words of the Psalmist addressed to God, and complaining of the misery and calamity which befel the nation of Jerusalem-"O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy temple have they defiled, they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heavens, the blood of thy saints have they shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them. We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us." The servant of God, with the Ijaye Christian band, is gone into captivity; the Christian band of Awaye has undergone a similar fate; and the Christians at Ishagga are slaughtered, and Doherty, their leader, nailed to a tree. It is a great honour to Doherty that he should be counted worthy to suffer thus as his Lord.

These are heart-rending news and scenes of horror, such as must rend the heart of every true Christian. And who can tell how far the devastation will extend, and who are the next victims to follow. The devout breathing and earnest prayer of many individuals will be the same as that of the same Psalmist-" How long, Lord? Wilt thou be angry for ever? Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?" But it may be asked, "Why does God permit his church to be desolated, and his beloved and chosen people to be delivered into the hands of the heathen?"

Surely for wise reasons, which at present our limited capacity cannot understand; for it cannot be from any want of power to save, as He has already given proofs of his omnipotence by his providential and signal deliverance of a John Baptist Dasalu and a Sally Bonetta Forbes out of the jaws of this barbarous tyrant. Nay, the very town of Abbeokuta was providentially delivered from his formidable and overwhelming host.

Our readers will perceive what need there is that fervent prayer continue to be offered. The Psalmist says-"Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain." May there be providential interferences of such a nature as to impress the minds of the people of these lands with such a sense of the majesty of God, that we may see amongst them effects produced, such as the next verse of Psalm lxxvi. refers to "Vow and pay unto the Lord your God; let all that be round about Him bring presents unto Him that ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of princes; He is terrible to the kings of the earth."

DESCRIPTION OF THE SNAN JATRA, OR BATHING FESTIVAL,

AS SEEN AT SERAMPORE.

THE Snan Jatra, or bathing festival, was held on the 12th of June. The morning was very threatening, and about ten o'clock very heavy rain began to fall, and at intervals throughout the day the showers were very copious. We went out very soon after ten, and found a considerable

1863.]

DESCRIPTION OF THE SNAN JATRA, &c.

21

number already assembled. Our first preaching station is at the corner of the road leading to the Johnnugger village, where the boys' vernacular school was formerly held. The house, or rather shed, stands just at the junction of three roads, along the principal one of which all the people who come from that quarter must pass; and as it stands a little back from the main road, apart from the great noise and confusion prevailing through the whole of the day, it is a favourable preaching-place, and crowds gather round it all day. One of the native brethren is preaching as we enter. We listen to him for some time, and then go on. The crowd is evidently thickening. Special trains have just arrived, bringing with them their living cargo to swell the multitude of the worshippers of Juggernaut. All ages, and apparently all classes, join in the festival. Young children, and men and women, tottering with age, are there. Let us walk along the road with the multitude, and observe the scene as we go.

On both sides rude sheds have been run up, in which almost every conceivable thing is sold. Fruit, fish, vegetables of all kinds, brushes, combs, rings, toys, pictures of the very rudest description, uncouth shapes of animals fashioned in mud and painted in blue, green, red, yellow, or any gaudy colour to catch the eye,-all these things abound. Here is a blind man, whom we recognise as having been a regular visitor for years. Sitting down by the roadside, he holds out his hand, and sings some mournful ditty, and calls on the passers-by to pity his state, and, for the sake of Juggernaut, to help him. Some put down a little rice before him, others a few cowries, and some few throw him a pice or two. Here is an image, another of their gods, set upon a small impromptu altar, and covered overhead with a screen of calico. A Brahmin stands by the side beating a gong, and calling for offerings; the multitude passes by scarcely heeding, and some few only seem to have piety or care enough to offer a little. And though, by the end of the day, a rather large heap of rice may be seen and several pice be counted before the images, yet it is by no means so much as a stranger would suppose would be given to the deities. Here is a group of singing men and singing women, with cymbals and tambourines, playing and dancing, while every now and then between the trees, and a little off from the roads, we catch a glimpse of temporary places erected, and hear the sounds of music and dancing. All seem glad and joyous, but it is with the revelry of hell. Licentiousness and profanity, that we scarcely imagine, reign there. We pass by one of the great temples, and soon are at the entrance of the Christian village. In the distance stands the chapel, and close by a plain shed, where there is another body of native preachers, lifting up their voices in the midst of the universal wickedness, on behalf of rightcousness, temperance, and the judgment to come.

Let us go inside and listen. The crowd stands outside, listening very patiently and attentively; they are not at all angry as they hear the evils of their system exposed; they laugh at the exposure of the vices and follies of their gods; they devour every word that is said, and apparently quite agree with all the preacher says. He finishes, and then one of the European Missionaries speaks. As he is doing so, the crowd in the road thickens more and more; the excitement increases; and there

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DESCRIPTION OF THE SNAN JATRA, &c.

[FEB. rushes along the road a body of lattials, or club-men, preceding one of the great men, for whose arrival the priests wait. In a moment the throng around the preaching-station joins them, and not a man is left. The excitement is so great that the preaching must stop for a time. So we go out too, to observe what is going on. We push on with the stream. The shops still ply their vocation. Here is a batch of what we call "Ups-and-downs,” so common to an English fair. They are all still now, though they have been and will be busy enough. How dense the crowd is! We can scarce push our way through. A drizzling rain is falling, but there is no room to keep an umbrella up.

To our left is Juggernaut's car: all around are men, women, and children, packed as closely as men, women, and children can be. Look down the road, to the left and right. As far as you can see, nothing but a waving sea of heads. Every tree is filled with human beings, and every house-top is covered. Perched on the top of the cocoa-nut trees, whose branchless trunks out-top the trees around, you will see one or two venturesome beings. Right before you is the plain, heaving with steaming men and women. On the far-off side of the plain stands the temple. Look, they have brought out the god. How carefully he is wrapped up. He is hoisted on the top of the reservoir, so that he can be seen by all around. What an ugly monster he is! His goggle eyes stare fiercely. His grinning mouth stretches all across his face. His stunted arms are fixed close to his side, and he looks altogether a hideous, helpless, misshapen monster. See, they fasten on the stumps of his arms a pair of silver hands; and now, lest the sun should smite him, or the rain hurt him, they hold over him a large umbrella; and lest the heat should overcome him, one stands behind with a large fan, made from the palm-leaf, and fans him gently.

And now what do they wait for? For the great man to come, to give the order to proceed. Ah, here he is. A larger crowd of lattials-a fiercer rush the dense multitude opens-the great man passes-the gaps close up, and all wait in expectation as before. Flowers and fruit are thrown up as offerings to the god. Suddenly there is the stir amongst the multitude just around the reservoir; and now the officiating priest gets up by the side of the god, and pours over him water, milk, ghee, &c., and as the liquid runs down the face of the hideous grinning monster, the whole crowd bend with their hands to their face, and shout out, "Hurree Bol! Hurree Bol! Victory to Juggernaut! Victory to Juggernaut!"

Oh, you want to see a scene like that to know what Paul meant when his spirit was stirred within him as he saw the city was wholly given to idolatry. Without exaggeration there must have been at least 40,000 persons gathered together, and gathered together not for the purposes of the fair, but to do honour to Juggernaut. Do you ask when this was? In this present month and year, June 1862. Do you ask where? Within fifteen minutes' walk of the place where Carey, Marshman, and Ward laboured for years; of the place which was for so long a time the headquarters of the Mission; on the very spot where the Gospel has been preached week after week for many a year; within eyesight of the Christian village of Johnnugger, where a congregation assembles every Sunday, and where services are regularly conducted.-Missionary Herald.