A Danger; and no Deliverance. FEW years ago a sloop laden with coals was beached on the shore of the Solway, near Wigton, on the Scottish Coast, in order that her cargo might be carted away during ebb-tide. While the vessel lay high and dry on the sand, some men were sent in beneath her to effect some necessary repairs. While the work was going on, some person outside observed the hull reeling slowly over to one side, and gave the alarm to the workmen. All escaped but one. The ship in leaning over caught his limbs before he had time to creep out, and locked them fast between the hull and the sand. The man lived and spoke, and took counsel with his neighbours, but remained pinioned to the spot. All hands went to work. They tried first by lightening the ship of her cargo, but this method proved too slow; they tried by digging in the sand; but this method also failed; they tried by attaching hawsers to the ship's mast, and setting a great num. ber of men to pull, but their united efforts failed to heel her over to the other side. The men were not able to liberate their comrade. In their abor tive efforts a precious hour-the precious hour-for there was but one,-had been lost, and now the tide of the Solway came rushing in like a racehorse. All that were free fled before it and left their impris oned companion to his fate. The sea soon slackened the grip of the ship's side, and set the captive free; but before it lifted off his burden it had quenched his life. The water drowned him and then let him go. Deliv erance came too late, and his lifeless body was washed up in the surf. Thus the Heathen are in awful peril. But there is help for them, and we can give it. "Now is the accepted time." THE STORY OF THE DEVIL TEMPLE. BY REV. JAMES DUTHIE. (Concluded from page 37.) ELL, in the course of my tour I have paid a visit to this village where the Devil Temple was built. The pastor had not told me the name of the village, though I had heard the story from him some time ago, nor did I know, when on my way to this place, what I should see there. The pastor, I think, sought to surprise me. Our path lay through dense jungle; some parts of the way were very narrow and difficult-a steep hill rose on one side of us, and every now and then we could catch a glimpse through the trees and bushes of the rice valleys, which the traveller every now and then comes upon very unexpectedly in these out-of-theway places. Smoke rising up among the trees betokened that we were close upon a village, and I was expecting at every turn to see the usual plain square-thatched building, with red mud walls, by which our chapels in these parts may be known. Being tired with the long walk, I was anxiously looking out for this, when our guides, emerging from the jungle, turned at an abrupt angle in the path, as if leading away from the. houses. "Where is the chapel," I inquired?"Yonder," was the reply, pointing to a building on the summit of a rock. I thought it a strange conceit to perch a chapel on the top of a rock, such as that at the base of which we now stood, and by no means very easy of ascent. However, we climbed up, and there stood before us such a chapel as I had never before seen. It was easy to see that its builder designed it for far other purposes than. that of a place of Christian prayer and praise. It was built entirely of wood, joined with great care, having a small square apartment at its further end for the idol, the end opposite being open, as was also one of the sides-exactly after the model of a Devil Pagoda-and all brought level with large stone boulders, on which the entire structure rested. I walked round and round it, had its dimensions taken, and very soon the old man-now ninetyeight years of age he must have been thirty-five when the missionaries first came to Travancore, upwards of sixty years ago!-came up and sat down beside us. By-and-by the people began ascending the rock, bringing us plantains and cocoanuts for our refreshment. There was neither chair nor table in this House of God, so I seated myself on the door-frame of the inner room, intended for Pattra Kali (the most honourable seat I ever occupied!) and having given thanks to God for his abounding mercy, we spoke to the people of the love of Jesus. Never shall I forget the scene. The prospect from the rock was very pleasant. The mountains rose up in front, a narrow rice valley, skirted with deep jungles, stretched away on either side of us; but the grandest sight of all was that temple on the rock in which we were then worshipping— now the House of God, crowded with worshippers whose fear of demons has been banished, and in whose hearts (though they are still "babes" in spiritual things) is the hope of heaven, through the abounding grace of God in Jesus Christ. Will you not, my dear young friends, who read this, thank God with us for His mercies, and will you not pray more and more earnestly that speedily the kingdom of Jesus may come, when every knee shall bow to Him, and adore that blessed name which is above every name Yes; I feel sure you will. Now we must get our Saman (boxes, &c., &c.) packed up. The rain has ceased, and we have yet many hills to climb. But how blessed it is to think that we shall meet many poor oppressed people in these hills, ready to hear the words of eternal life. God bless the kind Editor of the "JUVENILE," and you his numerousreaders-among whom are my own dear children, now in England, far from their papa and your friend, JAMES DUTHIE. The Woollen Apron. HILDREN often give a penny, when the contribution plate comes round, because their parents have given it to them to give; but I am afraid few people, large or small, are accustomed to deny themselves for the sake of doing good to others. There was once a poor woman in Wales who went to a meeting with one shilling in her pocket, which was all the money she had. She had meant to buy wool to make herself an apron with half of it, and a few candles with the rest, by which she might see to spin. But as the good minister went on to tell of the blessings which the Bible had brought to so many of the dark corners of the earth, she thought she would give half of her shilling to the good cause. And as the speaker went on, she could not resist her desire to give the whole amount. "It is better I should do without my apron awhile," she thought, than that the heathen should do without God's word.” So that when the collection was made she cheerfully dropped in her shilling, and the thought of her lost apron gave her not a moment's uneasiness. She slept very sweetly, though the floods poured down and beat upon her little home. She knew the Saviour she loved and trusted would take care of her. He was providing for her by means of that very storm. In the morning a neighbouring farmer knocked at her door, and said "We have had a bad night of it, Peggy. Some of my sheep> have been carried away by the flood. There are two lying quite dead beside your garden fence. You may take them, if you like, and get some wool." Peggy's heart was full of gratitude to God and her kind neighbour, for here was an abundance of wool for all her needs, and tallow for candles, to light up many a long, dull evening. You see how abundantly God gave back to her what she gave to Him. He loves to have us ready to deny ourselves for His cause, and depend upon it, we shall never be losers by it. In the cold winter night, In a long silver line, I stay not to shiver In the moonbeam's pale quiver, But curl up in the house, As snug as a mouse, And play Jacky Horner, In the cosiest corner, Breaking nobody's laws, With my chin on my paws, Asleep with one eye and awake with the other, For pats from the childen, kind words from the mother, FOR I AM THE FAMILY CAT. |