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him, she uttered an exclamation of joy, so loud that her master ran to the spot, and, on being informed of the state of matters, he asked the colporteur to step into his room, and, his wife having been called in also, a lengthened conversation ensued, which ended in the purchase of a Bible for the use of the master and mistress, and of a New Testament in 32mo., which they presented to the little girl.

I will only add, that at the present time the master and mistress, and the little servant maid, are true and zealous disciples of the Bible, who have gathered around them several individuals, of some of whom it may be said that they are very near to the kingdom of heaven; a matter which deeply afflicts the Jesuit. "It would be shameful," he long continued to say to his former flock, "for your little servant to gain the victory; for ignorance to show itself more powerful than science; for darkness to prevail over light." "No-no!" was the reply; "this little girl is but a feeble instrument. What has wrought a change in us, and what has enlightened us, is the word of Godthe candle which you place under a bushel: against this you can accomplish nothing."

THE CRESCENT HELPING THE CROSS.

Besides the increasing demand for the Scriptures amongst the Turks, the following few facts may not be thought uninteresting :-On one occasion, some Turks calling at our dépôt for Ingils (Testaments), not only paid readily the price asked for them, but observed that those books were invaluable, and deserved a Bakshis besides their cost. Another time, on the Rev. Mr. Spencer's (one of the Scripture readers) presenting Testaments to two Turks, when they saw what books they were, they kissed them, and placed them in their bosom, thanking Mr. Spencer over and over again for them. One day, when a Turk bought a Bible from our dépôt, he observed, "This book be

longs to us, for we took possession of it when we took Constantinople; we then cared nothing for it, and the English have since printed it." This, I suppose, he intended as an excuse for purchasing a Bible in the presence of Christians. A Turk who is persuaded of the truth of the Gospel, but dares not avow it publicly, expressed a wish to open a shop to sell the Scriptures, and other Turkish religious publications, in a quarter of Constantinople entirely inhabited by Turks, and applied to the American missionaries to furnish him with books for that purpose. The American brethren have taken into consideration the courageous proposal of this Turk, and will, no doubt, give him a helping hand to put his project into execution, provided they can feel confident that no serious harm will befall him. It is a remarkable fact, that years ago our Society possessed only a smalĺ obscure dépôt in Galata, which was opened only twice a week, and where the Turks never put their foot in, and the Christians entered it rarely, and by stealth. Now, besides the great dépôt, which is kept open all day long in a most frequented street at Constantinople, leading to the principal bazaars, the Society's books are exposed for sale in the grand street of Pera, at the Scripture-Readers' Depository and Readingroom at Galata, at the London Jews' Society's stores at Constantinople, and last, not least, they are hawked about the streets of this vast capital by colporteurs, and may be met with on the great floating-bridge, and other parts of the city, taken there by vendors of books.

This, indeed, is a sign of the times, and all praise is due to God, who has brought about such wonderful changes.

Italy, Spain, Portugal, &c., may truly blush to see the inveterate enemies of the cross countenancing the circulation of the Scriptures, whilst they, who profess to be the champions of that cross, studiously and

energetically shut up all avenues against the promulgation of the words of our blessed Saviour, the precious Founder of our redeeming faith. But theirs, alas! is a wooden cross, without life or spirit to kindle in their bosoms a sacred flame of pure vital Christianity.

PATIENCE.

WHEN life is full of care and grief,

And agitating fears ;

When Joy has hush'd his gladsome strains,
And Hope but dimly cheers;

Then PATIENCE, with her quiet face,

And quiet step, appears.

How calm and self-possess'd the air

With which she draweth nigh!
She moves serenely as the stars
That gem the evening sky,
And childlike trust and confidence
Gleam in her tranquil eye.

She soothes our fever'd restlessness
In low and measured tone,

And bids us rest till daylight's dawn

Night's mysteries shall have shown;
And stays the hand that fain would pluck
The flower not yet half blown.

With thoughtful aim she casts her seed

Into the cultured soil,

Nor asks to reap and gather in

At once the golden spoil;

But meekly waits for harvest-time
To recompense her toil.

For all life's varied ills, she brings

A cool and healing balm,

She smoothes for us each rugged path,
And softens each alarm,

And tells us, when the way is steep,
To lean upon her arm.

Beside the sufferer's couch she stands,
And calms each murmur there;
She nerves the faint and drooping heart
Its heavy cross to bear,

And thus prepares it for the crown

Which Christ's redeem'd ones wear.

And when our barque is roughly toss'd
Upon a trackless sea,

Through hours of sad and long suspense
And deep perplexity—

Without sweet Patience for our stay,
Oh, think what life would be!

Nor will she leave us till our feet
Have touch'd the heavenly shore,
Where sorrow's painful discipline
Will be for ever o'er;

And we, in glory perfected,
Shall want her aid no more.

H. M. W.

THE INTERPRETER'S HOUSE.

PART I.

IMMEDIATELY after admission at the Wicket Gate, application is made at the door of the Interpreter's house-or, laying aside the language of allegory, the moment the sinner is admitted into fellowship with the Saviour, who is "the way, the truth, and the life," the Holy Spirit takes the soul

under His own guidance, and commences the work of spiritual illumination.

This is very much needed by the young believer. As we have already said to you, it is not yet with him perfect day in spiritual things. It is but at best a season of twilight. The light is still struggling with that moral "darkness" which "comprehendeth it not.” There is, therefore, much need of the Holy Spirit's direction-of that Divine Agent's operation within the mind, which will be the guiding into all truth, which will consist in taking of those things which belong to Christ, and so revealing them to the believing heart, that it may understand the way of the Lord more perfectly. Otherwise, the believer will not make a thorough, solid, firm Christian. He may be a true Christian, but unless he have the teachings of the Holy Spirit, in an especial sense, at the outset of his pilgrimage, he will hereafter have to trace to that want of spiritual light and spiritual knowledge much disquietude, many mistakes, many humblings in the narrow way, much mental gloom, much spiritual uncertainty, and many suspicions and misgivings of heart. From these we believe he will be free, if he at the beginning of his pilgrimage make a more earnest application at the throne of grace, that that Comforter, that Guide, that Counsellor, may "guide him into all truth.”

We see an illustration of this thought in the parable of the man who built his house upon the rock. We might, for argument's sake, imagine that man erecting his house, in truth, upon the rock, but building in the dark; and do you not see, that supposing that man had built his house upon the rock in the dark, he might have built in earnest and in reality upon the rock-foundation, and so have built upon the right foundation; but still his house would have been badly constructed, strangely put together, supposing he had no light to guide him-no light to see how

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