A VISIT TO FUNAFUTI. Tuis is one of the islands in the people as strange and outlandish as its name; but a Christian native teacher was placed on the island about a year and a half ago, and when Mr. Murray paid it a visit in his missionary trip from island to island last November, to see what was the condition of the teachers and their stations, he found the island of Funafuti in the happy condition described by him as follows: "On the evening of Saturday, November 10th, we anchored at this island, and had the satisfaction of finding the teacher and his family well; and prospering in his work; indeed, the state of things is truly surprising. One can hardly realise the fact that scarcely eighteen months have elapsed since the commencement of the Mission. I spent the Sabbath among them. Oh! what a contrast to a Sabbath I spent with them in 1865, when the chief uttered the touching words, 'We are all in darkness here, and are just waiting for some one to teach us.' Now, to a great extent, that darkness has past, and the true light shineth; for some have both come to the light, and have found the life. I met the people in a neat substantial stone chapel, which does credit both to them and their teacher. It is furnished with doors and Venetian windows, and the roof is ornamented with various devices, according to native taste. The walls are plastered, the floor is covered with fine mats, and the whole looks. remarkably neat and tidy. It is the first stone building erected for the worship of God in all these regions. May it prove the birthplace of many souls! "The Sabbath services were very interesting, and the Sabbath school is quite in keeping with other things at Funafuti. The children are divided into classes, which are taught by native monitors, the native teachers superintending. The intelligence of the scholars is wonderful, considering the short time they have been under instruction. "On Monday I conversed with thirty persons, who professed themselves anxious to be disciples of Christ, and at least half of the number are Christians indeed. The Sabbath is spent on this island quite in accordance with its design; for the people rest entirely from their ordinary occupations, and spend the day | will, and laboured hard. The in spiritual duties. Every family has worship night and morning. Old things have indeed passed away, and a new and blessed time has begun. Fully one-half the population can now read, many of them intelligently and fluently. How some of the old people accomplished this feat is surprising: they must have laboured with a desire for books, especially for Bibles and hymn-books, is very great. I trust we shall soon be able to send them a good supply. They brought us very liberal contributions of food, and in this and in other ways proved their gratitude for the benefits which, by the grace of God, we have been able to confer upon them." SOUTH AFRICA. VISIT TO A QUEEN.. BY REV. JOHN BROWN, OF KURUMAN. ERHAPS as my young friends read the above title, they will think I am going to tell them of a visit to some splendid palace where lives a queen surrounded by all the grandeur and magnificence which wealth can furnish. Or perhaps they will picture a noble-looking woman clad in queenly garments and surrounded by a host of admiring servants. Now if such be the case, you will be disappointed; for though I am going to try to tell you of a visit to one who was once a queen, I shall not have to ask you to accompany me into a royal palace, or amaze you with descriptions of grandeur and splendour. On the contrary poverty and wretchedness will be our companions, and a hut, instead of a palace, our place of call. You have doubtless all heard of or read the stories which are given in the Rev. Robert Moffat's book about the people of South Africa. One person mentioned in that book is Mahuto, the queen, who was the wife of Mothibi, the great chief of the Batlapi tribe of Bechuanas. At that time this Mahuto was a woman of considerable influence among the people, and sometimes proved a source of no little trouble to the missionaries, as she then had an unchanged heart, which loved heathenism and sin. Afterwards, however, God spoke to her by His Spirit and word, and she heard His voice and gave her heart to Him. Since that time great changes have taken place among her people. Her husband, Mothibi, is dead, and his grandson is the head chief of the tribe, though his son is the acknow. ledged ruler of a good many of the people. A short time ago I visited the town where this son is chief, and where his mother Mahuto also lives, and it was on this occasion that what I wish to tell you about oc. curred. I had seen Mahuto before, and, as I knew that she always liked to talk to the missionary, I went to call upon her on the night I arrived, see" kako dela po 11. Now I must tell you that you would find it very difficult to make out any particular house in many Sechuana towns; for there are no streets, and the houses, which are all built on one plan, are scattered about without any order. Still, I knew this one because I had been at it before. It was surrounded, as all are, by a thickly-set fence of tall twigs, inserted in the ground and fastened together near the top. I passed through this fence by an opening so narrow that I had to go sideways, and found myself in a little space where in summer the cooking is often done, and where the natives in the day time sit to talk or lie down to sleep. The roof of the hut, which is round, projected, as usual, over the wall, and I had to stoop low in order to avoid knocking my head against it; and the entrance to the hut was even narrower than that of the fence. As it was night a few sticks were burning on the floor inside, but not with sufficient light to enable me to discern objects distinctly. I therefore called out, "Is Mahuto at home ?" and a feeble, cracked voice from within answered, "I am here, my son." But how shall I describe to you the person who spoke ? As my eyes became accustomed to the dim light, I saw her sitting as near as she could to the flickering sticks, over which she was cowering as though very cold, though the day had been intensely hot. On her head she wore a fur cap, and a skirt of prepared skin with a "kobo," or kind of skin cloak, hung loosely on her feeble and emaciated body. Her eyes were turned towards the door as I entered, but it was easy to perceive that they were almost sightless. She recognised my voice, however, as that of the " new teacher," and welcomed me with glad. ness. I looked round for a seat, but she had nothing of the kind, and I had to follow her example, with the exception of having a piece of matting made of rushes between myself and the mud floor. This seat did not feel very comfortable, as you may suppose, especially when I was cautioned to beware of "tampans," an insect whose bite is very painful, and which abounds in native houses. Still I sat and tried to enter into a conversation, which, with my imperfect know ledge of the language, was not very easy to do. Fortunately, however, I had for the most part to be a listener only; for |