der, a slave of C. Fannius. Agrius tortured him, and, on his confessing the crime, handed him over to Fannius, who put him to death. Shortly afterward the missing slave returned home. This same Alexander was made of sterner stuff, for when he was subsequently suspected of being privy to the murder of C. Flavius, a Roman knight, he was tortured six times, and persistently denied his guilt, though he subsequently confessed it, and was duly crucified." Another instance is furnished by the "case of Fulvius Flaccus, in which the whole question turned upon the evidence of his slave, Phillip. This man was actually tortured eight times, and refused through it all to criminate his master, who was nevertheless condemned." Augustus believed torture to be the best means of arriving at truth: Modestinus held it to be the last resort, in which Adrian also agreed. Ulpian expressed it as his opinion that evidence extorted from slaves by torment was "unsafe, dangerous, and deceitful, for some men were so resolute that they would bear the extremity of torment without yielding, while others were so timid that through fear they would once inculpate troduced into England in the innocent." Examination by torture was the fourteenth century, and was not abolished until the early part of the last century. The Orphan of Juggernaut. BRAHMIN family in the north of India, set out on a pilgrimage to the temple of Juggernaut. They knew and felt that they were sinful, but thought that by this pilgrimage they could atone for their sins. They had never heard of Christ. The family consisted of a man, his wife, an infant of two or three months old, and a few servants. They had pro ceeded to within one hundred and twenty miles of the temple, when cholera attacked the mother. The father then left her, proceeded on his journey, and probably sacrificed himself to the idol. With great difficulty the suffering mother dragged herself and babe to the door of a house, where she expected to find the succour she needed; but her hope was in vain There are no sympathizing hearts amongst real heathen. Some little time after, the missionary passed on his way to preach to the pilgrims, and found her lying on the ground, under the shade of a large tree, unaided, uncared for, with her starving infant clinging to her. Just then the sky threatened to burst upon their heads in a fearful storm, and at his feet lay that expiring mother and the helpless babe, so soon to be left an orphan. The missionary had to walk some miles before he could procure a cup of milk for her; and for the first time she heard the story of grace," from the friend who so tenderly cared for her perishing body. In a few days she died. What was then to become of her little girl? Girls are always unwelcome 66 to the heathen, and a mother could not be found to tend it. A native doctor was asked by the missionary what could be done for the infant. "Let it die too," was his reply. The missionary then resolved to take the forlorn little one to his own home, while the native doctor took the gold and silver ornaments the woman wore, and the money that was found on her person. The starving condition of the child was soon shown after its reception under the Missionary's roof. Some food was put on a plate on the floor, and while a spoon was being sent for, with energy the little thing crawled to it, and began feeding herself. Years rolled on, and the babe was taken to America, and placed in a boarding-school, and after her return to her native country she became assistant teacher in the schools of the Mission which had been her happy home. She afterwards married a highly-educated Christian Rajpoot. No heathen rites nor Hindu revellings were practised at their marriage, but they lived to the praise of the good God who had saved her life so near that very spot. Varieties. THE LITTLE GIRL'S LETTER TO HER MOTHER. on SOME years ago, a noble steamer was sinking, with hundreds of persons board. Only one boat-load was saved. As a man was leaping into the the tossing boat, a girl who could not. be taken into the boat, and who knew that she would soon be swallowed up in the deep, deep sea, handed him a note, saying: "Give this to my mother." The man was saved. The girl, with hundreds of other persons, was drowned. The mother received the note. What do you think the little girl had written in it? Here are her words: We're bound for the land of the pure and the In that blessed land neither sighing nor anguish, No poverty there-no, the saints are all wealthy, Each saint has a mansion, prepared, and all furnished, Its gates and its towers with glory are burnished, March on happy pilgrims, the land is before you, And soon its ten thousand delights we shall prove ; Yes, soon we shall walk o'er the hills of bright glory, And drink the pure joys of the Eden above. Poetry. PRAYER FOR DIVINE AID. AUTHOR of Good! to thee I turn: Alone can all my wants discern, Oh let thy fear within me dwell, Not to my wish, but to my want, Unasked, what good thou knowest grant; NOT POOR. WHAT! poor, you say? Why, save you, friend, Such wealth as mine you cannot boast, No cunning thief can take away. |