ling almost constantly from place to place (for it must be remembered his diocese is very large, extending far beyond the single colony of Sierra Leone); but confining ourselves to Sierra Leone alone, we learn that there are ninety-six Sunday services, twenty-two week-day services, and one hundred other class meetings, Bible classes, etc., held weekly. The Sunday morning services are attended by about 6500 persons, the second services by about 5250 persons, and the week-day services by about 1000. As before said, about 14,000 persons profess to have attached themselves to the missions of the Church of England, and of these 4215 are communicating members. Then there are forty-four day schools and ninety-two Sunday schools. Two thousand six hundred is the average attendance at the day schools, and about two thousand in the Sunday schools. Ten of the parishes have native pastors only; whilst there is not a church in the colony where a native clergyman does not share in the work; neither is there a school in which the teacher is other than one born in the land.

Strangely must that mind be prejudiced which fails to see in these remarkable statistics the conclusive evidence of the blessing of God on the labours of His servants; and well may the Bishop thus comment on the results secured in this portion of the mission field ::

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The country in which this has been achieved is on the west coast of Africa; the people among whom Christianity has been thus planted are a people redeemed from slavery; and the work is only half a century old! Has not God been faithful to His promises? May not those who have sown in tears reap in joy? Has not philanthropy, notwithstanding all its toils, reaped a great reward? Have not the men of faith who planted here the standard of the Cross reaped even beyond a reasonable expectation ? What would Granville Sharp and Robert Clarkson, what would William Wilberforce and Sir Fowell Buxton, say-names ever to be cherished in our midst-could they behold the things our eyes behold? How would Scott and Venn, how would Pratt and Bicker

hath promised? Surely here the wilderness is becoming a watered garden which the Lord hath blessed!"

The Bishop's charge, from beginning to end, is most interesting; and as a testimony borne on the spot, in the presence of eyewitnesses and actual workers in the Mission, even those who are ready to think lightly of a missionary speech at home cannot call it in question. One has heard of so-called "men of science "ridiculing the possibility of African elevation to European equality, as if God had not "made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth." Such men of science (science often falsely so called-the science of unbelief) should read Bishop Cheetham's practical Charge to the African clergy. I remember the visit two or three years since of one of these clergy to the city of Worcester. I heard him address a congregation from my pulpit with remarkable freedom and power. He afterwards spoke in the Guildhall, and astonished some of the audience by telling them of the African lads in the college at Sierra Leone who could translate Latin and Greek as well as many boys in our English schools. I had much conversation with him, and I was charmed with the richness of his intellect, as well as the graces of his heart, and the retiring humility of his disposition.

Of course the work in Sierra Leone, as in England and everywhere else, has its darker shades. What has been done is not all that needs to be done. The Bishop in his charge refers to the mistake of over-estimating our success, sometimes made when the bright side only is exhibited at our missionary meetings. He points to many sad features of Sierra Leone society. The habits of a people are not soon changed, and the habits which are engendered-spring out of the degradation of slavery-are not lost in a generation or two. Moreover, the population is comparatively poor, especially the truly Christian portion of it. Worldly colonists may be prospering, but the Christian Church is sadly hampered for means. Hence, the Bishop says: "The hearts of toiling husbandmen in the spiritual harvest are oppressed, and their

This lack of means is the more to be regretted, because, from a special point of view, Sierra Leone, if the silver and the gold were at the disposal of Christian workers there, might become a centre of direct mission work far into the interior of Africa. The bishop calls particular attention to "God's providential gathering together of so many tribes in Sierra Leone." He asks," What can it be for ? And he traces God's purpose in such a mixture of tribes to" produce a strong and mighty nation, which, in days to come may at all events exercise a dominant influence over a much larger territory than the mere peninsula of Sierra Leone." Already the influence of Sierra Leone is greatly extending throughout the fifteen hundred miles-more than three times the length of England-which measure the west coast of Africa;

and in the vigorous branch missions at Lagos and Abbeokuta, and on the banks of the Niger, and towards Central Africa. And, it will be remembered, it was Dr. Livingstone's earnest plea that a colony might be formed upon the coast of East Africa from among the native Christians on the West coast, as affording the best hope of introducing civilization and Christianity into those still benighted regions.

66

I think our glance at mission work in Sierra Leone may well furnish a practical comment on the wonderful words of the great missionary, the Lord Jesus Christ: The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof " (St. Matt. xiii. 31, 32). When these words were spoken, how improbable must the fulfilment of them have seemed! But He who spake them knew His own purpose, and could read the present in the light of the future.

Christianity was then verily "the smallest of all seeds," and yet what England now is she owes to Christianity! The Bible, as our Queen declared to the African prince who asked her to tell him the secret of our greatness—"The BIBLE is the secret of England's greatness." And in due time we

doms of the world shall become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ."

As a lesson then for every reader, let it be our aim to sympathize more and more with Christ's purpose toward those who are still "sitting in heathen darkness." As we do this, our self-denying interest in mission work will increase. We shall be anxious to do our part-to do what we can. Let no one say, "My influence is small." Though it be as a grain of mustard seed," consecrate it to the Lord, and He will perfect His strength in your weakness.

God has always put honour on the weakest instrumentality. The history of the progress of the Church of Christ, its great seasons of true spiritual revival, have ever turned upon the faithfulness, the love, the zeal, the devotedness of humble individual members of His Church. Look at Luther, the pray erful, Bible-searching monk. What a development, what a growth of" the mustard seed," was the glorious Reformation! Superstitious multitudes, despotic princes, a persecuting priesthood,-all yielded to "the solitary monk," who, strong in the Lord and in the power of His might," truly "shook the world." Look at Wesley and his praying companions at Oxford, and trace as the result the revival of spiritual religion in our own Church and land. Ponder that spectacle which the illustrious Wilberforce described twenty years after in the House of Commons, as the "sublimest that could be conceived "-the devoted Carey, the poor village cobbler, forming the resolve to give to the millions of Hindoos the Bible in their own language; and connect with "the cobbler's dream" its marvellous fulfilment in his personal labours, and in the combined offerings of himself and his companions Marshman and Ward in the time of their prosperity of a sum approaching £80,000 to carry on the mission work in India! Nay, to come to our own home experience, let us trace any local awakening in spiritual life and activity back to its source, and we shall discover that it sprang from some "upper" or "lower" room, in which two or three unnoticed and unknown disciples were wont to meet together for simple prayer to God to use them in bringing about His own

ling almost constantly from place to place (for it must be remembered his diocese is very large, extending far beyond the single colony of Sierra Leone); but confining ourselves to Sierra Leone alone, we learn that there are ninety-six Sunday services, twenty-two week-day services, and one hundred other class meetings, Bible classes, etc., held weekly. The Sunday morning services are attended by about 6500 persons, the second services by about 5250 persons, and the week-day services by about 1000. As before said, about 14,000 persons profess to have attached themselves to the missions of the Church of England, and of these 4215 are communicating members. Then there are forty-four day schools and ninety-two Sunday schools. Two thousand six hundred is the average attendance at the day schools, and about two thousand in the Sunday schools. Ten of the parishes have native pastors only; whilst there is not a church in the colony | where a native clergyman does not share in the work; neither is there a school in which the teacher is other than one born in the land.

Strangely must that mind be prejudiced which fails to see in these remarkable statistics the conclusive evidence of the blessing of God on the labours of His servants; and well may the Bishop thus comment on the results secured in this portion of the mission field :

"The country in which this has been achieved is on the west coast of Africa; the people among whom Christianity has been thus planted are a people redeemed from slavery; and the work is only half a century old! Has not God been faithful to His promises ? May not those who have sown in tears reap in joy? Has not philanthropy, notwithstanding all its toils, reaped a great reward? Have not the men of faith who planted here the standard of the Cross reaped even beyond a reasonable expectation ? What would Granville Sharp and Robert Clarkson, what would William Wilberforce and Sir Fowell Buxton, say-names ever to be cherished in our midst-could they behold the things our eyes behold? How would Scott and Venn, how would Pratt and Bicker

hath promised ? Surely here the wilderness is becoming a watered garden which the Lord hath blessed!"

The Bishop's charge, from beginning to end, is most interesting; and as a testimony borne on the spot, in the presence of eyewitnesses and actual workers in the Mission, even those who are ready to think lightly of a missionary speech at home cannot call it in question. One has heard of so-called "men of science "ridiculing the possibility of African elevation to European equality, as if God had not "made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth." Such men of science (science often falsely so called-the science of unbelief) should read Bishop Cheetham's practical Charge to the African clergy. I remember the visit two or three years since of one of these clergy to the city of Worcester. I heard him address a congregation from my pulpit with remarkable freedom and power. He afterwards spoke in the Guildhall, and astonished some of the audience by telling them of the African lads in the college at Sierra Leone who could translate Latin and Greek as well as many boys in our English schools. I had much conversation with him, and I was charmed with the richness of his intellect, as well as the graces of his heart, and the retiring humility of his disposition.

Of course the work in Sierra Leone, as in England and everywhere else, has its darker shades. What has been done is not all that needs to be done. The Bishop in his charge refers to the mistake of over-estimating our success, sometimes made when the bright side only is exhibited at our missionary meetings. He points to many sad features of Sierra Leone society. The habits of a people are not soon changed, and the habits which are engendered-spring out of the degradation of slavery—are not lost in a generation or two. Moreover, the population is comparatively poor, especially the truly Christian portion of it. Worldly colonists may be prospering, but the Christian Church is sadly hampered for means. Hence, the Bishop says: "The hearts of toiling husbandmen in the spiritual harvest are oppressed, and their

This lack of means is the more to be regretted, because, from a special point of view, Sierra Leone, if the silver and the gold were at the disposal of Christian workers there, might become a centre of direct mission work far into the interior of Africa. The bishop calls particular attention to "God's providential gathering together of so many tribes in Sierra Leone." He asks, "What can it be for ?" And he traces God's purpose in such a mixture of tribes to" produce a strong and mighty nation, which, in days to come may at all events exercise a dominant influence over a much larger territory than the mere peninsula of Sierra Leone." Already the influence of Sierra Leone is greatly extending throughout the fifteen hundred miles-more than three times the length of England-which measure the west coast of Africa; and in the vigorous branch missions at Lagos and Abbeokuta, and on the banks of the Niger, and towards Central Africa. And, it will be remembered, it was Dr. Livingstone's earnest plea that a colony might be formed upon the coast of East Africa from among the native Christians on the West coast, as affording the best hope of introducing civilization and Christianity into those still benighted regions.

I think our glance at mission work in Sierra Leone may well furnish a practical comment on the wonderful words of the great missionary, the Lord Jesus Christ: "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof" (St. Matt. xiii. 31, 32). When these words were spoken, how improbable must the fulfilment of them have seemed! But He who spake them knew His own purpose, and could read the present in the light of the future. Christianity was then verily "the smallest of all seeds," and yet what England now is she owes to Christianity! The Bible, as our Queen declared to the African prince who asked her to tell him the secret of our greatness-"The BIBLE is the secret of England's greatness." And in due time we

doms of the world shall become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ."

As a lesson then for every reader, let it be our aim to sympathize more and more with Christ's purpose toward those who are still "sitting in heathen darkness." As we do this, our self-denying interest in mission work will increase. We shall be anxious to do our part-to do what we can. Let no one say, "My influence is small." Though it be as a grain of mustard seed," consecrate it to the Lord, and He will perfect His strength in your weakness.

66

God has always put honour on the weakest instrumentality. The history of the progress of the Church of Christ, its great seasons of true spiritual revival, have ever turned upon the faithfulness, the love, the zeal, the devotedness of humble individual members of His Church. Look at Luther, the prayerful, Bible-searching monk. What a development, what a growth of" the mustard seed," was the glorious Reformation! Superstitious multitudes, despotic princes, a persecuting priesthood,-all yielded to "the solitary monk," who, strong in the Lord and in the power of His might," truly "shook the world." Look at Wesley and his praying companions at Oxford, and trace as the result the revival of spiritual religion in our own Church and land. Ponder that spectacle which the illustrious Wilberforce described twenty years after in the House of Commons, as the "sublimest that could be conceived "-the devoted Carey, the poor village cobbler, forming the resolve to give to the millions of Hindoos the Bible in their own language; and connect with "the cobbler's dream" its marvellous fulfilment in his personal labours, and in the combined offerings of himself and his companions Marshman and Ward in the time of their prosperity of a sum approaching £80,000 to carry on the mission work in India! Nay, to come to our own home experience, let us trace any local awakening in spiritual life and activity back to its source, and we shall discover that it sprang from some "upper" or "lower" room, in which two or three unnoticed and unknown disciples were wont to meet together for simple prayer to God to use them in bringing about His own

From "the mustard seed" as the emblem of the "kingdom of God," let us learn that great usefulness is not dependent on great opportunities, great wealth, or great wisdom.

It turns rather upon "the single eye," and the whole-hearted offering of ourselves to God, prompting the question of our lives: "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ? "

CEPT.

OW, remember!" said the Grey Cat to her Kitten. "You understand what I have been telling you. Never take anything that does not belong to you. If you do, will suffer for it. You have you escaped undetected this time, but you are not likely to do so again. Think of my words, and always be honest."

"I'll be sure," said the Kitten, who was longing for a romp with a ball that lay

near.

"It is such a shocking thing to steal," pursued the Grey Cat. "It becomes such a habit. If you don't conquer it now, you will never overcome it when you are older. You will grow up a confirmed thief; be disliked by every one; and break my heart."

"I won't," said the Kitten, looking much impressed.

"You see, habits of that kind always grow upon one," said the Grey Cat again. "Don't you agree with me?" appealing to the old Tortoise-shell.

"Very much so," replied the Tortoise-shell. "You don't mean to say that your little one is addicted to stealing ?"

"Not often," said the Kitten deprecatingly. "Only just a little milk once or twice."

"A little is as bad as a great deal, if it doesn't belong to you," said the Tortoise-shell, who was the model of an honest, well-behaved cat.

"Just what I have been saying," observed the Grey Cat. "It is very sad-a melancholy fact to contemplate. I can't imagine how a kitten of mine can have so forgotten herself, or what can have put it into her head."

"I could tell you that easily enough," said

"Do. What was it, my dear?" asked the Grey Cat unguardedly.

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'Well, I didn't see, mother, why, if you took butter out of the larder, I mightn't take milk out of the pantry," said the Kitten, taking care to keep at a respectful distance. "Ah! I see," said the Tortoise-shell. "I understand now. Take care, Mrs. Grey Cat, that, with all your talking and teaching, you don't, by the mere force of example, turn out your child an arrant thief, probably ten times worse than you are yourself."

And the Grey Cat slunk away without a word to say for herself.

III. WHO TO BLAME.

HE feathered songsters of the forest were in a great state of excitement. And no wonder. For the daily concert which took place amongst the trees all through the summer months, delighting every ear with its sweetness and melody, had for once proved a failure, and much perplexity was excited as to the cause.

So a meeting was at once convened of the principal songsters to discuss the question, and to discover on whom the blame rested. But this was not an easy thing to find out, for every one endeavoured to shift the blame from his own shoulders to those of his neighbour.

"I can inform you to whom part of our failure was owing," remarked the Blackbird, who was a personage of importance, more on account of his size than of his musical powers: "The Sparrows were twittering most disgracefully out of tune.”

"It seemed to me that somebody whistled most disgracefully out of tune," muttered a pert Sparrow, who had hopped unasked into the assembly.