done a good and noble work in its time-but the new edition will do more work, we hope, and better, than the last.

IME brings many changes, interesting to many of us. It has and the old year, just gone, has seen the last of the JUVENILE MESSENGER in its old shape, with its little pages and yellow great-coat. Henceforth It will come out more into the daylight, with larger leaves, larger pictures, and better every way than before. But we are not going to speak disrespectfully of the little old MESSENGER, so familiar and

It is not our intention to say much here as to what will be found in the pages of the JUVENILE MESSENGER in future-that will be found out in due time, when all our arrangements are completed. This, however, we can promise, that we shall

New Series.

hear more frequently than of late And now we heartily wish you from our kindly old friend the all a happy New Year. May it be Reporter our pictures will be a year to each of you of much larger, and, we hope, better than happiness, much usefulness, and they have been, and our missionary much blessing!

news more varied and interesting.

As a beginning-for we can

scarcely say we have yet begun INTERESTING NEWS FROM

CHINA.

our next number will contain a
life-like portrait of the Rev.
William Burns, our first missionary Rev. W. S. Swanson says:-
to China, dressed in his Chinese
robes, with pigtail in true Chinese
fashion. Not a few of our friends
will, we are sure, be pleased to pos-
sess such a memorial of so devoted
a servant of Christ.

IN a letter lately received, the

"In the Baypay region we have been cheered by a large accession of interested persons from the surrounding region. At Baypay Chapel we have had an average attendance of eighty or ninety per

We have discontinued the "Sab-sons each Sabbath day, and of bath Lessons," as we have been many of these we entertain high given to understand that every hopes. This refers merely to the Sabbath School has its own set of lessons; but if any of our friends wish them resumed we will thank them to say so before the middle of January.

chapel at Baypay. In the region around we have regular services at other four places, and at these places the average attendance ranges from sixty to twenty adults.

And now when we are going to "In this whole region we have do all we can to improve the now under our care, including JUVENILE MESSENGER, and make it church-members, about 250 permore interesting, we wish all our sons. The whole aspect of the friends to help us. We do not region is very promising indeed, mean by sending us pictures or and we feel much encouraged by anything else to print; we can find it. But we feel quite unable to these ourselves, but we cannot work it as it should be wrought; always find as many subscribers as and ready as the region seems for we should like, and therefore we the reception of the Gospel, it is wish you would ask the superin- very trying for us to find ourselves tendent of your school, and also with our present numbers unable some of your friends, whether they to overtake it. At last Communion would not do something more to in Baypay, our chapel could hardly extend the circulation and sale of contain the numbers who gathered our little book. in. It was only by packing and

The Missionary Cards will soon squeezing that room could be had be due again.

at all. The sight reminded me

somewhat of one of our northern | as can, meet every evening for worScottish Communions. Those that ship. The place of meeting is hired

came from a distance brought their food with them, and more than one hundred persons dined in the chapel, while others were entertained in the houses of some of the Christians of the village. I was very thankful, indeed, to think that my brethren on their return to Amoy should be cheered by such an increase.

and paid for by themselves. About a month ago there happened to be a great annual idolatrous festival in the village, and one of the most influential men in it told the Christians that for three days, while this festival lasted, there must be no evening worship and no singing, threatening that if they did meet and sing, a very speedy and "In connection with the increas-effectual stop would be put to it. ing prosperity of our work, I need "The Christian to whom this was

said replied that it was impossible
for them to consent. They could
not at the command of any man
cease to worship God. The
Christians met every evening as
usual, and for the first two nights
there was no disturbance. On the
third night they had finished praise
and reading, and had knelt down
to pray, when a sudden rush was
made by the heathen party into
the little chapel.
The lamp was

hardly say that the enemy is not at rest. Yet one thing is very surprising to us who have been long here the wonderful manner in which God is protecting those that seek him. To a certain extent God has thrown a hedge around them, and the fact that they are Christians enables them, in spite of clan feuds, to pass to and from the chapel in peace and safety. I could give you many most interesting instances of this had I space and time. These speedily knocked over, and so too, Christians come and go while their the chairs and tables. The Chrisheathen neighbours dare not, in tians made for the door, and had the disturbed state of these inland all got off without injury, with the districts, move with such impunity. exception of the man who replied But this is not to say that persecu- as above to the heathen who tion is at an end. Cases of hard-threatened. As this man got to ship and persecution are constantly the door, he was struck a blow with occurring. It was only two weeks a stone in the forehead, and fell inago that I heard of one, while Mr. sensible. He lost a great quantity Douglas and I were in Baypay. At of blood. The Baypay elders were a village three miles distant, about immediately apprised of what hai twenty adults met every Sabbath happened, and when they got to for worship, and one of our agents the place they found their brother regularly goes to conduct worship very seriously ill indeed. As soon on Sabbath, and to instruct them. as their enemies saw what they had During the week, as many of them done, and heard of the arrival of

THE PEARL.

A TRUE STORY.

While in the school the youth not only became wise for this world, but he got the best of all wisdom -he was brought to know Christ. The worship of idols was given up, and he humbly trusted in the Saviour for the pardon of his sins.

the elders, they began to fear, and| sent respectfully requesting an interview with the elders. The interview was granted, and in pre- A HINDOO youth was sent by his sence of the elders the proud parents to a mission school in India. heathen promised to do all in their As the native young men who are power to make reparation, and re- able to read and write in the English quested them not to call in the language are almost sure of good missionary. The elders replied employment, the parents of this that the matter was very serious, youth had a natural and proper and one of persecution merely wish that he should be trained to for the Gospel's sake, and they get forward in life. must inform me. The enemies entreated hard that they would not do this, and at last the elders consented to settle the matter, if an ample apology was made, and a promise given that there would be no annoyance in future. They also demanded that Chui Keug (the injured man) be supported while ill, and all expenses paid for doctor and medicine. This was all agreed to by the enemy and by Chui Keug, and the matter was settled. The heathen party were astonished at the clemency with which they were treated, and we have had some additional persons coming to hear the Gospel from this village. I cannot tell you how thankful we all were to hear this, for all those persons meeting for worship are yet unbaptized, and this has been a sore trial to their faith, and well have they come out of it. I cannot too strongly press upon the Church at home the duty of suporting us by prayer in the present promising state of our work."

When his parents heard of this change in their son, they were much troubled. They said, "We did not send you to school that you might become a Christian, but that you might get useful knowledge." When this message was brought to him, he wrote to them this letter:

"DEAR PARENTS,-Six years ago you sent me down to the sea-shore to gather oysters. After picking them up for a long time, and thinking them only oysters, my eyes were opened, and I saw that they contained pearls. I said to myself, 'My parents did not send me here to seek for pearls, but will they be angry if I take them? What shall I do? I see they are of great value. Shall I cast them away because they did not send me for them, or because they will be angry if I take them?" "

How beautiful the thought of

this young man! A pearl he had what wonderful houses the white found; and so precious was it that ants of Africa build, sometimes fourhe would gather it and make it his teen storeys high,-higher than a own, though his friends should up-man; but our red and yellow fieldbraid him for it. A father and ants prefer building underground. mother's love was as dear to him as If you could take off the top of an it is to others; but dearer to him ant-hill, that loose sand which is was that Saviour whom he had the roof, you would find all sorts of found when he expected it not. He chambers, built in the nicest manhad met with the "pearl of great ner, snug, strong, warm, and waterprice," and was ready to give up all proof; and a more busy community that he had to make this pearl his you never saw.

own.

Young reader, you have the Sabbath, the Bible, and other means of grace. In these, through God's blessing, the pearl of salvation may be found. It is the desire, we hope, of your parents that you should seek and find it. Whatever other good and useful knowledge you may get, they hope you will secure that which is the best of all.

THE ANT-HILL.

THERE are three classes of ants, -males, females, and workers. The males and females have white

glistening wings. In the pairing season you can see then strutting round among the workers. Should one try to escape his duty, and desert, he is looked after. We once saw one "getting beyond the lines" seized by three workers, who took him by the wings and marched him back.

Going to market for such a family cannot be a small matter. I once saw an ant walk up to a piece of apple and examine it on all sides. He saw it was too much for him, so he ran back and brought four ants to help him. They sawed the apple in two. Three took one piece, and two the other, and pulled it home. I do not believe they ever go out without some business on hand.

It was very good in the Bible to tell idle, lazy people to go to "the ant and consider her ways." I do not know where we could find a more industrious, united, happy little people.-A. B.

CHRIST OUR GUEST.

WHEN one of the boys in an orphans' home had said the grace, "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and bless what thou hast provided," a little fellow looked up and said,—

"Do tell me why the Lord Jesus never comes? We ask him every

The workers are the builders, masons, nurses, and market-men day to sit with us, and he never of the colony; and faithful workers comes." they are. You have, perhaps, read |

"Dear child, only believe, and