others as is now too generally the case! Oh, thou who wast rich and for our sakes became poor that we through thy poverty might become rich, breathe thy spirit on the churches of to-day as on the churches of Macedonia!

II. Why the churches of Macedonia gave as they did.

1. Because of the grace of God. They had received the Spirit of Christ and could no more help giving than light can keep from shining, or heat from imparting warmth.

In just the proportion that churches are illiberal, and feel no interest in others, refusing to give to relieve the woes of others, in just that proportion, let them know, they are destitute of the grace of God.

Brethren, judge yourself by this standard and see how it is with you: "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Are you sympathizing, giving, sacrificing for humanity as would Christ, were he in your place?

beginning of those missionary Gospel to England, to all I land.

The Christian churches of to Christian missions.

There is scarcely a charge in to the missionories for direct ginning of their history. Grea ceived direct contributions fro when struggling to lay the for prosperity.

Let us not forget that many ence, and the other Conference greatly assisted by the Missio such assistance had not been could have been what they ar

And what is true of home true of spreading the Gosp India, China, Japan, Africa, will remain in that condition

2. They gave as a thank-offering for the blessings they pel. had received.

Through the prayers and fastings of the church at Antioch, Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others had been sent out on missionary journeys; Paul had seen that strange vision of a man of Macedonia standing and crying, "come over and help us," in response to which he and Silas, with Luke, had visited that country and brought them the Gospel, with all its unnumbered benefits.

These churches of Macedonia could not forget that. They never could be thankful enough for the great change the Gospel had wrought in and for them, and so they felt that they must, from very gratitude, give "beyond their power," and even then could never repay their indebtedness to the Gospel.

How is it with us, favored far beyond those churches of Macedonia? We have peace, they had persecution We have plenty, they had poverty. They, to show their gratitude for the Gospel, gave so that the Apostle was amazed. How do we express our gratitude? Are our offerings to the great benevolences of the Church the measure of our thankfulness for what we have received from the Gospel?

3. They gave because they knew that those destitute of the blessings of the Gospel would thus remain, until helped as they had been helped.

They were helpless, in cruel and bitter bondage to idolary and superstition with all their attendant evils, until the cry, "come over and help us," was answered. The churches of Macedonia put themselves in place of

those who were without the Gospel and said as much

The converts already won remained heathen had not the sent the Gospel to them. T ulation are to-day heathen, "we, whose souls are lighted send them the same blessed

"Whosoever shall call on be saved. How then shall t have not believed? And ho of whom they have not hear without a preacher? And h they be sent?"

Oh, brethren, that vision darkness, come over and Church, and will continue features of sin and woe, un dom shall be preached in a

God is putting it into th dreds to go and preach to men and women of the CH for this work. Shall it be shame that they remained willing to send them?

4. The churches of M others as the best means tresses.

Their great trial of afflict to the riches of their liber tressed, and surrounded b depress them, even to the

in them

But instead of

oly

as

tle looked upon them he was unable to discover a single
trace of misery.

The only thing he could write concerning them was
the "abundance of their joy."

I have no doubt it was by seeing these churches of Macedonia that Paul was led to coin those blessed sentences: "Joyful in all our tribulations," "rejoicing in the Lord always."

the Father, and also with saints. But it g with Christ and with t world, "that the wor

me," and "know that loved me."

To this end Christ of the Father, the Ho mission. They are on not in nature, but in th

They had discovered the secret of happiness-living While they work in th for others.

That eminent minister, the Rev. Andrew Fuller, once said to a friend: "There was a period of my ministry marked by the most pointed systematic effort to comfort my serious people; but the more I tried to comfort them the more they complained of darkness. Wherever I went among them one lamentation met my ear, Ah, sir, I can get no comfort, I am unable to appropriate any of the great and precious promises to myself; I looked for light and behold darkness.' I know not what to do, nor what to think, for I had done my best to comfort the mourners in Zion. I was therefore at my wits' end. At this time it pleased God to direct my attention to the claims of the perishing heathen in India; I felt we had been living for ourselves and not caring for their souls. I spoke as I felt. My people wondered and wept over their past inattention to this subject. They began to talk about it. The females especially began to collect money for the spread of the Gospel. We met and prayed for the heathen; met and considered what could be done amongst ourselves for them; met and did what we could. And whilst all this was going on the lamentations ceased. The sad became cheerful, and the desponding calm. No one complained of a want of comfort. They were drawn out of themselves. Sir, that was the real secret, God blessed them while they tried to be a blessing."

Many afflicted, languishing, comfortless churches of to-day, mourning over the desolations of Zion, could in a little while be made exceedingly joyful, if they would only lose sight of themselves in their interest for the millions perishing in heathen darkness.

Watering, they themselves would be watered. Giving Giving with a liberal hand, it would be given unto them, pressed down, shaken together, running over. Carrying light to Carrying light to others, they themselves would be transfigured. Bearing joy to the desolate, all the fountains of joy would burst forth for their own refreshing, and sighing and sorrow would forever flee away.

O churches of Macedonia, come to us from your far

-the repentance of th

God so loved the w son, that whosoever b but have everlasting li of the Father; and al angel mind.

Christ loved us and redeem us from all ini a peculiar people zeal sacrifice and also imm salvation of man.

St. Paul entered wi Christ and the Father love of Christ constra that if one died for all live should not hencef who died for them and

Here was Paul's con in his course was the ducing love to him for merely the love of Ch advance in his pers wholly to the Lord, he of Christ's love, for th of it constrains, impels save sinners.

Child of the living God has bestowed on and while blessing you This is the blood-boug does not appreciate hi sympathize with him i each, and has assigned sion. We are to bear prayer, a lost world, a men to salvation.

Our hearts consecra ing on us, our lives m ready as needed; our families, friends, and will indicate our inter precious to him. In travail of his soul and

Reader, shall you fa this work? Will you your zeal in any degre retard the work of verteth a sinner, from

About four years ago some Christian ladies were acking a Christmas box to send to Japan. Books and oys, pictures, everything, were thankfully received by hem for the little ones in a heathen land.

A little girl living in Brooklyn sent a French doll, to idd to the contributions, accompanied by a note from her father saying, that whoever became the owner of the doll, he would be pleased to have them write, telling

about herself.

It takes a long while for a letter to come from Japan to America, and the little girl doubtless had forgotten all about the dollie she had sent, when one day her father surprised her by putting a letter into her hands from Japan. She eagerly opened it, and found it was from a little girl in Yokohama, Japan, who had become the happy possessor of the doll.

In the letter she described the Christmas tree, and how happy she was when she received her present. She named the doll after this little girl, and spent many a happy hour playing with it. She was at the American Mission Home at Yokohama, and very far advanced in her studies for a girl of her age. She was learning Chinese and English, and wrote a very nice letter. She was a Christian, too, which was the best of all.

The little girl answered the letter, and so the correspondence has been kept up ever since, and the Japanese girl is counted among the warmest friends of the little American. They exchange presents at Christmas, and I will describe some of those sent from Japan.

One year she sent her a cunning little Japanese doll, dressed in crepe and silk and one of the cutest Tam O'Shanter caps on its head. In one apartment of the box there were pieces of material like those the dress was made of, and a pair of wooden shoes. Also a miniature needle-case with everything exactly like the larger ones used in Japan.

MOTHER. Do you know w
MAMIE. In India.

MOTHER. What is the pa women live?

MAMIE. The Zenana. MOTHER. Yes, the high-c exclusively, never seeing any upon them, and occasionally women and girls in a Zenana

of the master of the house. MAMIE. Do they never go MOTHER. No, the childre

school or out on the streets to

not allowed to look out on the

of amusement or to visit their MAMIE. How do they spe study?

MOTHER. They neither their time in conversation work.

MAMIE. such lives.

MOTHER.

Poor things! TI

They are tired,

themselves. Girls are marrie

and then they lose even the co sympathy.

MAMIE. Do they have to MOTHER. Yes; they go to who rules the house and leads

MAMIE. If the husband

young, could she not go back

MOTHER. NO; she must becomes even more miserable burn herself on her husband': stopped, and the poor little wi clothes taken from her, made on the bare floor, and fast tw MAMIE. I should think th MOTHER. They would, if funeral pile, for they believe t if they die in any other wa some ugly beast.

MAMIE. What does a wo

There was a box of toy musical instruments which make very sweet sounds, though I doubt if you could play a tune on them; a beautiful little card-case, which, aside from its value as a useful article, was worth a great deal more because it came from Japan; two brightcolored silk balls which are very pretty as ornaments, and last, but not least, is the little Japanese girl's picture. If the little girl had refused to give up one of her dolls, and thereby make another happy, she would have missed the pleasant intercourse which has been such a pleasure to her, and she also would have missed the opportunity of knowing something about heathen lands, been cast in such pleasant

the people and their occupations.

1:44la thing and vet how much came out of it!

where she lives among the ot! MOTHER. A high-caste caste woman is taught to co kinds of rough work. In eit band as a god, look neither t presence, but keep her eyes t mands. When he eats she: and when he has finished, ea MAMIE. How glad I am MOTHER. Yes; we shou

ignorant, suffering women m

So, one morning, more than a thousand men and women gathered about the rain-maker's kraal, and after he had made them wait a long time in the burning sun, he came out to see what was wanted. He had on no dress, nor covering of any kind, but his face and hands and arms had streaks of red paint on them, and he wore on his head a turban made of the skin of a wild animal. In his hand he held a long javelin, and a short, knobbed stick.

"Why have you come to my kraal?" he asked.

"We have come to ask rain from the Uninini Wemvula," was the answer; "the land is dead with drought, and we are in great distress."

"You are my teache understand myself. S will explain."

"Now, Gqindiva," s can make rain ?" "I do not say so; I "And when you see country?"

"I have often given diva; "these chiefs k here to ask if they did

"I think the rain book it says, 'God giv

TWO GIRLS OF AFRICA.

"God, in times past, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with joy and gladness."

be well to thank God, and t that he may now withhold 1

All acknowledged that th years afterwards no one So these poor Africans fo great gifts came from. Le tell them about the best gif that they might be saved.

A Cheer

The pastor preached on

"The book says truly," said the rain-maker; "I say of necessity, for God lovet too that God gives the rain."

One of the children tal

"How is that?" said the missionary. "You said just She said: "The preacher now you have the rain; you give the rain."

"I have the rain from the spirits, and I would give it, but I am hindered. I have tried these three moons to bring it, but something turns it away."

their money to the Lord. should give, or only big pe

The father replied: "L my child, but when they l

"Who is it that hinders the rain from falling, and how they can to send the good

is it done?" asked the missionary.

"Do you ask me who hinders the rain ?"

"It is I who ask."

"You are the hindrance."

"How do I hinder the rain from falling?"

"I have offered cattle to the spirits," said Gqindiva, "and I have often burned herbs. When the clouds come up from the sea and spread all over the land, and the rain is ready to fall, that thing which you have brought into the country, and set up upon a pole on the top of the hill at Etween, goes tinkle, tinkle, tinkle; and the clouds go away, and no rain can fall."

"Now, I know you speak lies," said the missionary. "God never told you that the bell that calls people to worship him prevents rain from falling. I will tell you what I think. Perhaps God sends the drought because the people seek from the rain-makers, who are only men, what they should ask from him alone."

never heard that Jesus die

"I wish I had thought "because I have never g I have always put your m sionary box. The preac grudgingly could get no b

"Grudgingly means un rather keep for ourselves to give to the Lord?"

"Because I love him, an "Then you will be a ch it is more blessed to give only to give your money t him in other ways. Yo Jesus and you can sing bless others. Be willing and even to suffer for Jes

Mission

Hear the pennies dr
Every one for Jes
Dropping, dropping

'Tis our gift to Je Now, while we are

But, when we are Though we have no He will own our

The missionary and the rain-maker talked on for awhile, and then the people went to their homes; but they could not forget what they had heard. They could not tell whether to believe the missionary or the rain-maker. There was so much said about it, that some of the Christian natives were frightened, and thought it would be better not to ring the bell till after it had rained. But the missionary said: "No; that would be yielding to superstition. We will do right, and trust to God." Then he appointed a day for fasting and prayer for rain, say-ng yesterday in the stre ing that God was the giver of every good gift, and that he had told us to pray to him when we needed anything. When the day came, there were several services in the

A missionary lady in

of the street, at the base burning. We asked wh few days before an O