What the Mole said.

165

copper. The world doesn't think much of us because we are so common; that's the way of the world. If we had never been found in this latitude and suddenly one of us should appear in some foreign land, what a time would be made; it would be a rare specimen, a treasure indeed, and crowds would rush to behold the wonder; but my children are calling and I mustn't stay chatting here. Goodby, my boy and girl, don't say a mole lives in a hole again, and when you look at the many humble creatures on and in the earth, remember God made them all.'

The mole said no more. Bessie had a tight clasp of Eddie's hand, who now suggested that they should sit down awhile by a bush close by; but as they came near it who should jump out from behind the green leaves but Uncle Henry, who, by the way, was always playing practical jokes on the children, and making up for it with candy or a nice story.

'Oh Uncle Henry,' said Bessie, breathlessly, 'did you hear the mole talking?'

'Did he hear it?' cried Eddie, kissing her; why you little goosey, it was Uncle Henry himself; I knew it all the time, but thought I wouldn't spoil the fun. I saw his arm through the bush just as he began, and said to myself, "Ha! ha! that's one of Uncle Henry's tricks." Then Eddie laughed till he grew red in the face. Bessie was suddenly lifted to her uncle's shoulders and borne away round the field-galloping, the children called it.

'Was it true, uncle!' finally Bessie jerked out from her elevated position.

'What? that the mole talked ?'

'No, sir, all you said about its home.'

'Yes, dear, it's all true; so those people say who study about such things."

'Well, then,' said sensible little Bessie, 'I've got the best of the joke, for I've learned something.'

CHRISTIAN Society is like a bundle of sticks laid together, whereof one kindles another. Solitary men have fewest provocations to evil, but, again, fewest incitations to good. So much as doing good is better than not doing evil will I account Christian good fellowship better than an hermitage and melancholy solitariness.

KNOCKING!

KNOCKING!

4

1. Knocking, knocking, who is there? Waiting, waiting,

It Doesn't Pay.

IT DOESN'T PAY.

167

'You don't look as if you had prospered by your wickedness,' said a gentleman to a vagabond, one day.

'It's a business that

'I haven't prospered at it!' cried the man. doesn't pay. If I had given half the time to some honest calling which I have spent in trying to get a living without work, I might have been a man of property and character, instead of the homeless wretch I am.'

He then told his history, and ended by saying, 'I have been twice in prison, and I have made acquaintance with all sorts of miseries but I tell you my worst punishment is in being what I

in my am,'

life; Men can steal our money, and rob us of our reputation, but no man can defraud us of what we are.

Obituaries.

JOHN B. BENNETT was born at Plymouth, October 14, 1856. At an early period of his life he was severely afflicted with small-pox, during which time his mother prayed earnestly for his recovery, and his recovery, she believes, was in answer to prayer. He was from a child the subject of religious impressions, and always felt religiously inclined. At the age of eleven years he gave his heart to God, in his mother's house, at 11 o'clock at night, while his mother and brother were praying with him. He was physically weak, which kept him back from getting on as he wished. He was at an early age entered into the Sabbath school, and gave evidence that, if spared, he would be a useful member of society; but the Lord ordered it otherwise, for in September 1873 he took to his room and showed evident symptoms of rapid consumption. While bodily strength seemed to fail him, he became strong in the Lord, and when he knew that death was approaching his prospects for eternity grew brighter. During his illness, he was often heard to say, 'O Lord give me patience, that I may not grieve thee.' 'Father take my hand,' and other sentiments, which exhibited deep submission to the will of God. Oftentimes when I visited him I rejoiced to see the vigorous state of his soul, his strong faith in God, and how valiant he felt in the face of the foe. One night when drawing near the river, he said, 'Dear mother if I should be taken to-night unknown to you, be assured of this that I am gone to heaven.' As his mother stood weeping for the loss of a

son so promising, he would say, 'Look at the bright side, dear mother, God is a present help in time of trouble.' 'Put your trust in God.' When his medical attendant told his mother that he was gradually sinking; and this was made known to him, he said, 'The doctor has brought me good news; I shall soon be home.' About four o'clock on Thursday morning he commenced singing—

and

'O, the blood of Jesus,

The precious blood of Jesus,
It washes white as snow.'

'My Jesus I love thee," &c.

He continued to grow weaker, and during the following night he said to his mother, 'When you write to father' (who was at sea) 'tell him that Jesus was with me, and that I am only going a little before.' With this he closed his eyes, and, as his mother and a friend stood watching, thinking that he was passing off, he opened his eyes and said, 'I thought I was going, but I have only to pass a rivulet, not a river.' As death was doing his deadly work, and the last struggle was being made, he was heard to utter distinctly, 'Victory! victory!' His spirit took its flight to a brighter clime in the presence of his maker. In this state of calm but confident victory he fell asleep in Jesus on the 19.h day of December, 1873, in the 18th year of his age. ROBERT G. ROSCAMP.

ALICE FIELD, the daughter of John and Rebecca Field, was born at Redditch in September 1858, and died December 31, 1873. From her infancy she was brought up in our Sabbath-school, and in an unusual degree exhibited the happy results of its teaching and influence. She manifested remarkable self-possession and steadiness, was modest and retiring; she cared but little for the ordinary recreation of youth, but loved the Sabbath-school. Her parents and her home, her sweetness of disposition, her teachableness, her habits of prayer, and obedience to her parents, made it evident that her young life was under the control of the Spirit and word of God. Her influence at home was great and eminently beneficial. But the fever smote her and she died. Her sickness, which was brief, was marked by happy reflections and dreams,-by perfect peace and soulresignation. We miss her; the Sabbath-school and her home are poorer by the loss of her, but she blooms in a healthier clime, and is for ever freed from temptation and care, and sorrow, and sin.

J. J. P.

OME weeks after our arrival we started a Mutual Improvement Class on Saturday evenings, to be conducted on principles somewhat similar to those of our ministerial associations at home. On Saturday evening, June 27, 1874, our esteemed friend, Peter Bull, was appointed to prepare an essay on 'Boobee Ideas of the Future,' Brother Crooke being appointed to act as amanuensis. It must be confessed that Peter wandered from his text, but we were quite interested with the essay on the ful

lowing week.

Peter Bull's name has almost become a household word in our beloved Zion, and to many his countenance has become familiar; still, the following particulars of his life, taken from his essay, on the 4th of July, 1874, may be generally acceptable :

He was born at George's Bay, on the western coast of the island; but when quite a lad he was brought to the town where he now resides, viz., Santa Isabel, which is the only civilized town in Fernando Po. His parents, although from different mothers, were children of the same father, for Peter's grandfather had two wives, and in this respect his father walked in his grandfather's steps. His first employer was a Mr. Bull, whose surname Peter still bears. He remembers the advent of the Baptist missionaries, but on account of the severe restrictions upon servants in those days, he could not attend their services. He also remembers the persecuting spirit which banished those godly men, and prohibited the reading of good books, especially the Bible. Although profoundly ignorant of the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, he often thought of the great future. He had been told by his grandfather that 'teefin (stealing), bad company, &c., be no good;' and, in common with his brothers and sisters, he had been taught to pray to be kept from ochaula' (the big hole). In accord