JUVENILE EFFORT AS A NEW YEAR'S OFFERING TO THE JUBILEE FUND.

TO THE MINISTERS OF CONGREGATIONS; THE PRESIDENT AND OFFICERS OF JUVENILE MISSIONARY SOCIETIES; THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS; THE CONDUCTORS OF BOARDING AND DAY SCHOOLS; AND HEADS OF FAMILIES IN GENERAL, IN CONNECTION WITH THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

DEAR FRIENDS,-You will not, we trust, consider us too importunate in soliciting your immediate attention to the subject of a Juvenile Effort, as a New Year's Gift, in aid of the Jubilee Fund of the London Missionary Society. All parties were encouraged and delighted by the zeal and ardour manifested by the thousands of our young friends last year, in the contributions which they raised towards the purchase of the "John Williams." We indulge a hope, that, by those efforts, a deep and permanent interest was created in the hearts of many of the rising generation, on behalf of that noblest and best of all objects-the evangelization of a sinful world. It is our earnest desire, and we feel assured it is your own also, to employ every legitimate means for sustaining that interest, by presenting to our young friends another special object of commanding magnitude, just at this important period in the Society's history.

The interest, which they have felt in regard to the "John Williams," will long be perpetuated by the voyages of that vessel and by the accounts we may receive and publish, from time to time, of the labours of our Missionaries in the South Seas: so, too, we trust, that a Jubilee effort will not be of transient or evanescent interest. It will be a circumstance of vivid, and, we hope, of grateful recollection, for years to come; and we feel assured that Christian Parents, and all who are entrusted with the charge of training the young, will often recur with delight, in the future movements of the Society, to the fact, that they encouraged their own offspring, and their Juvenile Friends generally, to take part at such a period in the great enterprize; to connect themselves in the very morning of life with so delightful a work; and to dedicate their first energies to Him "that loved us and gave himself for us."

Collecting Cards have been prepared for the occasion, and the following Address to the Young, entitled, "A Plea for Heathen Children." These may be had, on application to the Home Secretary, Blomfield-street, Finsbury, London. We are, dear Friends, on behalf of the Directors, very cordially yours,

It is earnestly wished that this Juvenile Jubilee Effort should be restricted to the month of January, so that the Amounts collected may be paid in to the respective Treasurers, or to the Parent Society, by the 31st of the month.

ADDRESS TO THE YOUNG.-PLEA FOR HEATHEN CHILDREN. DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-We made an appeal to you last year respecting a New Missionary Ship, and you very kindly answered the appeal. We said, we wanted a new ship, and told you why. You said, "Then, we young people, can raise the money for it." And you did so. Many of you gave your own pocket-money, and your presents from your friends. Others of you asked their friends also to give, and by these means the money was raised, and the ship bought. All this you did very cheerfully; and we feel sure there are none among you who repent having been so employed, or having so given your money. But now a new year has come, and presents a new object to your attention. This is,

you are aware, the Jubilee Year of the London Missionary Society, and we do very much wish that you, beloved young people, would make a Jubilee Effort, and present a Jubilee Gift on this great occasion. We want you to have part with us in this delightful work. We, who sign this address to you, shall not live to see another Jubilee. Long before the year 1894, we shall have finished our course, and be numbered with our fathers who commenced the Society fifty years ago. But many of you will be alive, and will be, we hope, able to say at that time, "We helped them fifty years ago; we have kept on ever since; and now what a delightful change do we witness in the state of the heathen world!"

The one particular object for which we ask you to help us this time is, the teaching poor heathen children the same things that you are taught about the Saviour of sinners, and the way to heaven. We want to increase our Schools in India, and yet we cannot do so without money; and all the money that you can now give or collect we intend to use in having more Schools in that part of the world.

Now, dear young friends, think how much they need them.

India is an immense country: it contains ten times more people than the whole of England. But they are nearly all either idolaters or the followers of Mahomet; and these latter, you know, think that Mahomet, their prophet, is much greater than Jesus Christ; and they believe that, when all the world will be judged in the last day, everybody will have to pass over a long bridge as narrow as a hair and as sharp as a razor; that only the disciples of Mahomet will be able to get over it; and all the rest, such as idolaters, Jews, and Christians, will stagger and fall over a dreadful precipice, and be punished and tormented in different ways beyond all description.

But it is principally among the children of those natives who are worshippers of idols that we are wishing to increase the schools. There are several schools in that country already, and, perhaps, not fewer than 15,000 children under the training of our Missionaries; and many of them are quite convinced of the folly and sin of praying to idols. There was a little boy named Deeno, who died when he was only eleven years old; but he was ill a long time before he died, and during that time the Missionary saw him very often, and talked with him. One day, when his parents were crying at the thought of losing their dear little fellow, he said to them, "Weep not for me, but for yourselves. It will be well with me-I am going to the Saviour." The evening before he died, Mrs. Hill came to see him, and, taking him by his emaciated hand, said, Deeno, are you happy?" He replied, "Yes." "Do you feel your love to God increase?" "Yes." "There will be no weakness in heaven-no sin in heaven, Deeno." His eyes brightened with delight at the thought, and with much emphasis he cried, "No! never!"

He ate a little, and, feeling revived, said, "Father, I am not yours. I am the Lord's. Father, did Jesus die for sinners? Then, believe in Him; pray to Him." He spoke no more after that, but shortly afterwards fell asleep in Jesus.

Simon, another youth in the same school, only seven years of age, was one day seized with sickness in the morning, and died in the afternoon. A catechist called to see him, and asked, "Simon, are you not afraid to die?" "No," said he; "I am going to my Father's house." "Your Father's house! where is that?" Raising his dying head and pointing upwards, he said, "My Father in heaven." "But are you not a sinner?" "Yes; I know I am a sinner; but my heavenly Father sent his only Son to die for sinners. If he calls me, why should I be afraid?"

He then turned on his side, and soon afterwards died. May we not hope he has entered our Father's house in heaven, where there are many mansions, and of which Jesus Christ told his disciples when He said so condescendingly, "I go to prepare a place for you?” You hope, dear children, to find a place there when you die, do you not? But would Jesus Christ receive you there? Do you think you are truly his disciples? Do you sincerely love Him? Do you try to serve Him? Does it make you happy to hear of these poor children learning about Him, and, when they die, putting all their trust in Him?

Yes, it does; it does gladden your tender hearts, and many of you are saying, "Oh! I wish I could have seen and heard poor Deeno and Simon. I wish there were many more like them!" If you really wish that, you can help us to set up schools and pay the teachers; and we hope there will be many children as tender-hearted as Deeno and Simon. Perhaps you would like to have one more little anecdote. Many of you have read about Africa, where Mr. Moffat lives, and many other Missionaries. We want to support schools there also. In one of our schools in that part of the world, there was a poor Hottentot boy, about ten years of age, named Frederick. He was taken ill, and felt that he should soon die, and said to the people about him, "I shall not be with you to-morrow. I am going to heaven." He wished to see his school-fellows, and when they came, he said to them, "I am going to leave you; I cannot play any more with you. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Do not wait till you come on a death-bed. It might be too late. Seek the Lord while you are in health." He then shook hands with each of his school-fellows; and after that, he conversed with his little sisters in a very serious manner, and took leave of them. About midnight he asked his father to lift him on the bed, and then said to his mother, "I must leave you. God calls me away. Give me the last kiss." The poor mother, with a heart full of anguish and affection, pressed his pale cold lips for the last time, and received his farewell. His pain ceased-he sank gradually away, and was just heard to say, "Lord Jesus, do receive me—I am a great sinner, but pardon my sins." He then died without a struggle; but such a happy death was, indeed, an impressive lesson to all who witnessed it. They were both surprised and delighted.

These are the happy effects of teaching heathen children in Christian Schools. It would be a sin not to try and increase such schools, and lead many thousands of poor heathen children to know and love the Saviour in the same way.

Heathen parents teach their children to worship idols. They train them up in that way from their infancy. Do you recollect reading of the family in India going to offer sacrifice? The father carried a fowl to offer; his son, a little boy, was carrying three sweet potatoes; his daughter, a little girl, on his shoulder, was carrying a cocoa-nut; the mother was carrying some rice, sugar, and flowers, and she had an infant about twelve months old, and even that babe was carrying a plantain in its little hand for the sacrifice. How zealous, then, should Christians be to teach these people the knowledge of the True God, and of Jesus Christ the Saviour !

In the "Juvenile Missionary Magazine" for September, there is a letter addressed to young people, by the Rev. Mr. James, of Birmingham, about collecting for the Jubilee. If you will read that, you will see how much they can do, if they set about it in earnest. There are nearly 200,000 persons who buy that little magazine every month. Why, if they collected only one shilling each, it would amount to 10,0007.! Some could not collect so much, but many could collect more-very many could; and if they collected, one with another, a half-crown each, that would make the noble sum of twenty-five thousand pounds ! And why should not the Christian Youth of our friends in Great Britain raise that sum ? Now, beloved young friends, think for a moment of the many blessings which you share ! - Christian parents, ministers and teachers, chapels and schools, bibles, books, and magazines! Thank God for all these-thank God that you are taught the Great Redeemer's Ask Him in prayer, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Then rise and go forth in His service! Try what you can give and what you can collect for the Jubilee Fund-a Juvenile Offering to the Jubilee Fund.

name.

Signed, on behalf of your affectionate friends, the Directors of the London Missionary Society,

J. J. FREEMAN.

** Cards for Juvenile Collectors may be obtained of the Home Secretary, at the Mission House, Blomfield-street, Finsbury, London.

CELEBRATION of the JubilEE IN THE NORTH OF INDIA. By communications received from India since the date of our last publication, we rejoice to learn that the confidence reposed in the Missionaries and Friends of the Society at Calcutta, Madras, and other stations, in connection with the season of its Jubilee, have been more than justified by the results, so far as they have been ascertained. The benefactions of our Christian countrymen, in the two cities just named, have been most liberal; nor have the native believers, generally, in proportion to their means, been slow to manifest their attachment to the Society, and their obligations to the Saviour. Should the efforts at other stations, from which no intelligence has yet arrived, prove equally generous, (and of this we indulge the strongest conviction,) India will eventually present a truly munificent offering to the Jubilee Fund. We have now the pleasure to insert a detailed account, extracted from the Calcutta Christian Advocate, of the various services and meetings held at our stations in the North of India, viz., Calcutta, Berhampore, Chinsurah, Benares, and Mirzapore; and next month we trust it will be in our power to supply similar information of the proceedings of the Peninsular Missions.

CALCUTTA. A series of deeply interesting services have been held in Calcutta during the last fortnight, in commemoration of the Jubilee of the London Missionary Society. We sincerely hope that the perusal of the various statements and appeals may excite in all devout thankfulness to God, and increased devotedness and liberality in favour of the cause of Missions.

On Sabbath-day, September 15, the Rev. Thomas Boaz preached two sermons, preparatory to the series of services on which the friends of the Mission were about to enterin the morning from Nehemiah v. 15, "So did not I because of the fear of God." The importance of acting from christian principle, in all our almsgivings and labours for Christ, was illustrated and enforced from this passage. On the evening of the same day, Mr. Boaz preached, from Psalm lxxii. 29-on the desire of the Christian for the diffusion of the glory of Christ.

On Tuesday evening, Sept. 17, the Sabbath-school scholars, their teachers, the young people attached to the congregation of the Union Chapel, and others interested in the Jubilee, assembled at the Union Chapel-house: they were entertained by the friends of the Mission with tea, after which they assembled in the chapel. The Rev. T. Boaz opened the services by reading the 8th Psalm and prayer, after which he briefly explained the object of the meeting. After the children had united in singing a hymn, the Rev. A. F. Lacroix addressed the juvenile audience on the importance of the work of Missions, the state of the heathen, and the happy results of Missionary labour during the last fifty years. The Rev. T. Smith, of the Free-Church Mission, in a further address to the young people, endeavoured to carry their minds back to the period when Missions were commenced, and to describe the feelings of those who first manifested an interest in the subject in the father-land. He then endeavoured to carry them on for fifty years, and to place before them the bright scenes which would then, in all probability, present themselves to christian contemplation. He urged on all their deep responsibility to seek salvation for themselves, lest the heathen, converted by the blessing of God on Missionary effort, should rise up in judgment to condemn them. After the children had sung another hymn, the Rev. T. Boaz exhorted them to attend to what they had heard, and endeavoured to enlist their youthful services in collecting for the Jubilee fund. At the close of the meeting many of the young people came forward to solicit Jubilee Subscription books-they all appeared deeply interested in the good work.

On Wednesday evening, Sept. 18, the friends of the Mission assembled at the Union Chapel for special prayer, that the Divine blessing might rest upon all the meetings con

nected with the Jubilee throughout the world, and upon all the labours of the Society in every part of the globe.

The object of the meeting was briefly explained by the Rev. T. Boaz. The services opened by singing the hymn, commencing

"Oh God, our help in ages past;"

after which prayer was offered up to the Lord the Head of the church, for his blessing, by the Rev. Messrs. Paterson, Brooks, Parker, and Mullens. Suitable portions of Scripture were read, and hymns appropriate to the occasion were sung during the intervals of prayer. The meeting was well attended and full of solemn interest.

On the Sabbath, Sept. 22, two sermons were preached on occasion of the Jubilee at the Union Chapel-in the morning by the Rev. T. Boaz; in the evening by the Rev. Micaiah Hill, of Berhampore. In both services, gratitude for past mercies, humility for past defects and failings, as well as deep devotedness to the cause of God for the future, were inculcated, and, we trust, felt by all present.

The sermon in the morning was founded on John iv. 35, 36, and pointed out the application of the sentiment in the text to the present condition of the world :-the agency employed by God in carrying on this work, with the spirit in which the agents toil:-and finally, the success with which God was pleased to crown their efforts. The sermon was marked by deep solemnity throughout. The topics discussed were most appropriately illustrated by a reference to those facts in the history of the world, to which, both in ancient and modern times, the words of our Lord might especially be deemed applicable. We trust that those who listened to these truths may feel encouraged to greater diligence in the Lord's cause, and to more fervent prayer.

At the public meeting held in Union Chapel, on Wednesday evening, Sept. 25, the service was commenced by singing the hymn, "Blow ye the trumpet, blow." Rev. J. Campbell read appropriate portions of Scripture and offered prayer; and A. Grant, Esq., having taken the chair, opened the business by referring pertinently but briefly to the early history of the Society.

The Rev. W. Morton proposed the first resolution, which was as follows :—

I. "Jehovah commanded his ancient people at various stages of their history to pause and review all the way in which he had led them-they obeyed and were benefited by the survey. The friends of the London Missionary Society, in imitation of the ancient Church, would, at this the commemoration of the Jubilee of the Society's formation, pause and review the goodness of God displayed to the Society, and, through it, to the world during the last forty-nine years."

After speaking of the mingled feelings of gratitude and humiliation which the occasion was calculated to awaken, and explaining the scriptural origin and meaning of the word "Jubilee," Mr. Morton proceeded to remark upon the leading events, characteristics, and results, presented in the history of the Society since its commencement, in 1795. He dwelt upon the innate energy and vitality of Christian truth, as illustrated in the progress of its labours; the state of unmitigated guilt and wretchedness in which the heathen nations were almost universally sunk at the period when those labours were commenced; the blessed results which had flowed from the operations of the Society in the South Seas, South Africa, and the West and East Indies; the development of sanctified human energy in the prosecution of the objects of the Institution, as instanced in the case of Vanderkemp, Morrison, Williams, Moffat, Wright, and Johns; the literary achievements of the Society in the preparation of grammars, dictionaries, and other works, and the translation of the Scriptures into various heathen languages; the establishment of schools, and the effects of instruction among the young; and, lastly, the concomitant good which had been effected in the spread of civilization, industry, social order and comfort, the abolition of slavery, cessation of war and other barbarous and sanguinary customs, and the promotion and security of commerce. Mr. M. next proceeded to give a comprehensive view of the effects