The Little Girl and her Copy. 95 And, even then, an odour faint but rare Breathed from its inner heart and seemed to pray. And then I thought 'twas wafted from my hand, Was it a dream? -Harper's Magazine. THE LITTLE GIRL AND HER COPY. A LITTLE girl went to a writing school. When she saw her copy, with every line so perfect, I can never write like that,' she said. She looked steadfastly at the straight, round lines, so slim and graceful. Then she took up her pen and timidly put it on the paper. Her hand trembled; she stopped, studied the copy, and began again. 'I can but try,' said the little girl; 'I will do as well as I can.' She wrote half a page. The letters were crooked. What more could be expected from a first effort? The next scholar stretched across her desk and said, 'What scraggy things you make!' Tears filled the little girl's eyes. She dreaded to have the teacher see her book. 'He will be angry with me and scold,' she said to herself. But when the teacher came and looked, he smiled. 'I see you are trying, my little girl,' he said kindly,' and that is enough for me.' She took courage. Again and again she studied the beautiful copy. She wanted to know how every line went, how every letter was rounded and made. Then she took up her pen and began to write. She wrote carefully, with the copy always before her. But O! what slow work it was! Her letters straggled here, they crowded there, and some of them looked every way. The little girl trembled at the step of the teacher. 'I am afraid you will find fault with me,' she said; 'my letters are not fit to be on the same page with the copy.' 'I do not find fault with you,' said the teacher, 'because I do not look so much at what you do. By really trying you make a little improvement every day; and a little improvement every day will enable you to reach excellence by-and-bye.' 'Thank you, sir,' said the little girl. And thus encouraged she took up her pen with a greater spirit of application than before. And so it is with the children who are trying to become like Jesus. God has given us a heavenly copy. He has given us His dear Son 'for an example, that we should follow His steps.' He did not sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.' He is altogether lovely and 'full of grace and truth.' And when you study his character, 'I can never, never reach that,' you say, 'I can never be like Jesus.' God does not expect you to become like Bis dear Son in a minute, or a day, or a year; but what pleases Him is that you should love Bim and try to follow His example. It is that temper which helps you to grow, day by day, little by little, into His likeness, which God desires to see. God sees you try, and he will send His Holy Spirit to help you. WRECK OF A MISSIONARY SHIP. The IE Sandwich Islands, in some respects the most important group in Polynesia, were discovered by Captain Cook, and were so called by him in honour of the Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty at the time they were discovered, 1778. They are ten in number, the largest being Hawii, or Owhyee, having an area of about 4,000 square miles. It was here, too, that Captain Cook lost his life in a quarrel with the natives. The population of the entire group is estimated at 100,000. They lie west of Mexico about 2,700 miles, east of China about 5,000 miles. chief interest connected with these islands is the blessed change produced in them by missionary labours. They have made considerable advances in the arts of life. A single monarchical government has been established, limited by a legislative assembly; laws have been enacted and enforced, civil institutions have been founded; towns have been built with a due regard to convenience; a small fleet has been collected, and under the auspices of the American Beard of Missions, the language has been reduced to writing, and the Bible translated into the native tongue.' The Americans have, for a considerable time, carried on extensive missionary operations in various parts of the world east and west, and, as we have intimated, they have carried the gospel to the Sandwich Islands. To facilitate their work in Polynesia, they considered Wreck of a Missionary Ship. 97 it desirable to have a ship exclusively for their own purposes. This ship was called the 'Morning Star.' Unfortunately, it became a wreck. We present this month an engraving illustrative of this event. (Page 98.) It occurred about five years ago. From 'The Missionary News' we gather the following particulars: The "Morning Star" had entered the south harbour of Kusaie, waiting for the wind. The missionaries, Messrs. Payne, Snow, aud Sturges, were on their way to the Sandwich Islands. After nine days, a light breeze sprung up, and she was towed out to what was considered a safe offing from the land. At tea time all on board were unusually buoyant, and at evening worship they sang with much spirit 'Homeward Bound.' After prayers Captain Taystoom remained in the cabin a little while talking with Mr. Snow. When he went on deck it was found that the vessel had been working in towards land, and was getting dangerously near to the breakers. The boats were immediately lowered, and commenced towing, but without apparently checking her progress towards the land. There was a strong current, and the vessel was beginning to set her in. An anchor was let go in twenty fathoms of water. This seemed to hold her until a severe squall came up, striking her over the bow port. Shortly after she dragged, and struck broadside on.' The surf was heavy and the shore rough and rocky, so that all hope of saving the vessel was immediately abandoned to save life. The boats were lowered, and one of them broke away and was lost. The larger one was then got alongside, and the passengers, officers, and crew got away from the wreck and were landed safely at the village they had so recently left. The vessel rolled off and on at a frightful rate, and the boat was tossed fearfully, but all were saved.' If this happened with a competent captain and crew on board, what may not happen to a smaller craft if entrusted only to missionaries ? Some of our missionaries, we know, are first-rate men, are highly respected by all who know them, and have a great measure of selfreliance; but this is one of those qualities which a man may have in excess. We are glad to hear of the success of these men, but we should not pay a true regard to their interests were we to impose on them the onerous and dangerous duties of steam navigation. The day, however, will, no doubt, arrive when, as a matter of economy, Primitive Methodism will require a ves el of her own, a swift-winged messenger to convey our missionaries and supplies from one place to another. |