intelligence and candor differ. By some of these it is claimed, and with what seems to be good reason, that both yayin and oinos refer in some passages to fermented, and in others to unfermented wine. On this point is it not true, that "Dogmatism on either side is inadmissible? It is for the devout student of the Bible to decide which mode of interpretation seems to him the one most consistent with the spirit breathed throughout the teaching of the sacred records, and the more consonant with the general tenor of the life and character of Christ."

My regard for "the very truth" is all that could have prompted me to let my voice be heard in this matter, and my respect for the Editor and readers of Friends' Review will lead me, I think, to close my share of the discussion with this letter. The subject has been ably canvassed for years, and I wish to repeat my request that those interested will study earnestly for themselves. An excellent text book is the "Temperance Bible Commentary," by Dr. F. R. Lees and Rev. Dawson Burns. It is said that " Every text of Scripture bearing on drinks and drinking is commented on, and the various interpretations are candidly stated," MARY S. KNOWLES.

BRUMANA, MOUNT LEBANON, Sept. 18th, 1884. Dr. Beshara was saying this afternoon that we must try to have a little holiday from hospital work as soon as possible, for some needful white-washing and cleaning to be done; and for us to get a little rest. We have had a busy summer, as for the last five months we have had the hospital almost always full. For one week when the doctor was away at Ramallah, we were purposely reduced to eight or nine, but with that exception, the work has been at rather high pressure, as some of the cases have been very bad ones. Five patients left this morning, three of them cured, and the other two very much better. We have still one German woman very ill, but as her mother has come from Jerusalem to see her, I do not have much night work. One of the men who left us this morning very much better, has been for five months in the hospital with diseased bone, from a broken limb having been improperly treated by a charlatan. Before the five patients left this morning, four of them repeated very correctly in Arabic: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life;" and, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

One of our patients, a boy of eight years old, had been teaching them. He was for some weeks the best reader in the hospital. His name is Nachleh, which means "palm-tree." The fifth patient seemed quite unable to learn anything. We tried again and again to teach him, but he could not remember two words of it, and as he was an old man we at last gave up trying. Yet we still hope even in a case like this, that in the rock

"Some cleft there may be riven Where the little seed may hide." -Friend of Missions. E. CLAYTON.

THE following paragraphs are from the correspondence of the Christian Worker:

The conference at Columbus, on the 23rd, between Bp. Taylor, representatives of the Ohio W. F. M. A. Board, and others, together with Dr. Johnson and your own [Indiana] Delia Rees, was an occasion never to be forgotten by those present. The two latter told us the story of their providential leadings in reference to going to Africa. I think we all felt the call to

be too clearly of God for us to do any less than encourage them to go if way still opens.

Bp. Taylor defined his position as to a Quaker mission to be very similar to that of Friends in Madagascar. All applicants must first be accepted by him, and if they are Friends they must also be approved by Dr. Johnson, who will under Taylor be at the head of the Quaker wing of the mission. The work of our missionaries will be separately reported to our home societies. Our applicants will be at liberty to draw their passage money from the general fund, if necessary but the different societies that pay their $500, can each choose a missionary as its special correspondent.

Bp. Taylor proposes to sail in a few days to England, and to be at Liverpool, to preside over the Tenth African Conference. The remainder of the party will not go until April, and it is hoped they will then be able to reach the newly discovered territory lying immediately south of the equator, without serious exposure to the climate dangers of the coast. He is uncertain as yet whether to go forward by a steady march, or to establish stations by the way. If he does the latter the party will reach its destination at a much later day.

Twenty-five men and women are now enlisted, two doctors besides Dr. Johnston, two printers, some stone cutters and some machinists.

It is proposed to take a quantity of the best varieties of seeds. If they do not find a supply of edibles they will plant and raise them.

The languages spoken in Africa are thought to be not less than four hundred and eighty, and Bp. Taylor, in place of attempting to learn any one of these, intends to open schools under the palm trees and teach English orally, according to the natural or object lesson method, and then to teach the phonetic system for reading. In this way he believes he can have hundreds of natives sufficiently instructed within three years to act as interpreters.

JOSIAH DILLON'S passage to Kingston, Jamaica, was engaged on the steamer Aline, to leave New York Eleventh mo. 21st, at I o'clock P. M. He goes to Jamaica with a prospect of missionary service, under the auspices of Iowa Yearly Meeting.

FOUND AT LAST.

A little girl stood by her mother's death-bed and heard her last words: "Jessie, find Jesus."

When her mother was buried her father took to drink, and Jessie was left to such care as a poor neighbor could give her.

One day she wandered off with a little basket in her hand, and trudged through one street after another, not knowing where she went. She had started out to find Jesus. At last she stopped from utter weariness in front of a saloon. A young man staggered out of the door and almost stumbled over her. He uttered the name of Him she was seeking. "Can you tell where He is ?" she inquired. "What did you say ?" he asked. "Will you please tell me where Jesus Christ is, for I must find Him."

minute without speaking; and then his face sobered, The young man looked at her curiously for a and he said in a broken, husky voice, hopelessly: "I don't know, child-I don't know where He is."

At length the little girl's wanderings brought her

to a park. A woman, evidently a Jewess, was leaning against the railing, looking disconsolately at the green grass and the trees.

Jessie went up to her timidly.

Perhaps she can tell me where he is," was the child's thought. In a low hesitating voice, she asked the woman :

"Do you know Jesus Christ ?"

The Jewess turned fiercely to face her questioner, and in a tone of suppressed passion, exclaimed: "Jesus Christ is dead.”

Poor Jessie trudged on, but soon a rude boy jostled against her, and snatching her basket from her hand threw it into the street. Crying, she ran to pick it up. The horses of a passing street-car trampled her under their feet-and she knew no more till she found herself stretched on a hospital bed.

When the doctors came that night they knew that she could not live until morning. In the middle of the night, after she had been lying very still for a long time, apparently asleep, she suddenly opened her eyes, and the nurse, bending over her, heard the whisper, while her face lighted up with a smile that had some of Heaven's own glad

ness in it :

WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE FARM.
BY A. W. BELLAW.

The town is the town, dear wife, and we're very much out of our place;

your face,

Here we never could feel at home, I have seen it in But you had no word of complaint, yet something in your smiles

Has said, "I'm away from home a matter of seven miles."

Seven miles from the homestead where there was many a charm,

Seven miles of regret :-But we're going back to the farm.

'Twas an evil day when we left, but the children would have their way,

said we were growing old, because we are grow

They ing gray. We gave but a slow consent, though our hearts there lingered still,

And we sighed, like the Moors of old, when we went over the hill,

And since, in our days of exile, the olden memorie s

SUMMARY OF NEWS. FOREIGN INTelligence.—Advices from Europe are to the 18th inst.

GREAT BRITAIN.-The Franchise bill passed its first reading in the House of Lords on the 13th, and on the 18th, passed second reading without division. In the House of Commons on the 13th, the Secretary of War moved the appropriation of £1,000,000 for the Nile expedition. He said that the object of the expedition was the relief of Gen. Gordon, but that Lord Wolseley was not precluded by his instructions from establishing a settled government over Khartoum and the surrounding district. The credits for the Nile expedition were passed by 78 yeas to 31 nays, and the navy credit for Egypt by yeas 66, nays 23. On the 17th, W. E. Gladstone in a speech in the House of Commons, said that the Government wish to pass the Franchise bill without delay. They cannot enter into any understanding with the Opposition without adequate assurance that the bill will be passed this autumn; but in that case they are ready to make the Redistribution bill the subject of friendly communications, or to introduce it into the House forthwith, and push it with all possible speed.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed to meet the financial deficit, amounting to £2000,000, by adding one penny on the pound to the income tax. This proposition was adopted.

The crofters of the Isle of Skye at a meeting held on the 12th, unanimously resolved to offer no resistance to the police force, even if they should make arrests. The Scotch Farmers' Alliance also passed a resolution urging them not to resist. Sir William Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Home Department, said in the House of Commons that the crofters had his deepest sympathy, and that he was not in favor of employing force against them; and he earnestly appealed to the landlords in the West of Scotland to mitigate the condition of the crofters.

It is stated that a severe earthquake shock, accompanied by an explosive report, was felt on the night of the 14th at Clithero, in Lancashire, about 33 miles from Manchester. The shock threw down horses and wagons in the streets, and caused much consternation among the people.

A conference of the land owners and farmers was held in London on the 18th, having been called by the Farmers' Alliance. A series of resolutions were adopted, the most important of which were to the effect, that a substantial reduction of rent is essential to meet the present agricultural depression, and enable tenants properly to cultivate their land; that it is necessary to encourage enterprise by giving complete security for money expended by tenants for improvements and by abolishing "distress;" that courts of arbitration should be established in all the counties, to settle disputes between landlords and tenants.

IRELAND.-The Corporation of Limerick refused by an overwhelming majority, to pay any attention to the second writ for the extra police tax.

FRANCE. The Council of Ministers has approved the principle of imposing an increased duty on cereals, so as to afford to the agricultural interest the same protection as is given to other industries.

The Tariff Committee of the Chamber of Deputies has approved the principle of increasing the import

|

duties on corn and flour, but resolved to confer with the Government as to the amount of increase.

The cholera has reappeared in Toulon, which city is said to be in a very filthy condition. In Paris it is apparently spreading gradually through the city. As yet there is little or no indication of panic, though many persons have left the city. Those who remain are generally taking precautions. Efforts are being made to cleanse and disinfect the foulest districts. The total number of deaths in the first eight days of the epi. demic was 460, the highest being on the fifth day, 98. Cooler weather and frost are apparently affecting favorably the mortality.

Several municipalities have recently decided in favor of restoring salaries and allowances to parish priests.

The Committee of the Chamber of Deputies has decided in favor of the abolition of life Senatorships by extinction.

GERMANY.-The Bundesrath (Federal Council), has rejected a resolution adopted by the last Reich. stag abrogating the law which permits the Government to intern or expel priests engaged in the unlaw. ful exercise of ecclesiastical functions. It has approved the Steamship Subsidy bill, and the resolution of the Reichstag providing that only master workmen who are members of guilds shall be allowed to have apprentices.

The Congo Conference was opened at Berlin on the 15th, by Prince Bismarck, in a short speech, moderate and pacific in tone. He said the object of the Conference is the solution of three prominent questions. Ist. Free navigation, with freedom of trade on the Congo river; 2d, free navigation of the Niger river; 3d, formalities of valid annexation of territory to be observed in future on the continent of Africa. This is the positive aim. Negatively, the Conference will not concern itself with the present questions of sovereignty. The British commissioner, in reply, accepted the three points proposed as the basis for discussion, with the reservation that England, while willing to see the principles of free navigation extended to the Niger, expects that the surveillance over the exercise of those principles shall not be made the business of an international body. That is the duty and privilege of England, as the chief, if not sole, proprietary power on the lower Niger. Count Bismarck was unanimously elected President of the Conference. It was agreed that the proceedings should be secret.

It is estimated that the revenue of the German Government for the year has decreased 200 000.000 marks, and the expenditures increased 22,000,000 marks. The deficit will be met by an increase of the contributions from the different German States.

EGYPT.-It is said that a letter has been received from Gen. Gordon dated the 4th inst., and that he reported his situation at Khartoum as very secure, and his troops in good spirits. He said that the Mahdi regularly receives European newspapers, from which he learns the movements of the British troops in Egypt. A firm of Greek merchants in Cairo are also reported to have received from their partner in Khar. toum assurances that the city is still safe.

TURKEY.-A revolt in Yemen, Arabia, has attained such force that the Porte has abandoned the collecting of taxes, the authority of the Sultan being purely nominal.

DOMESTIC.-Eli K. Price, a valuable and respected citizen of Philadelphia, and the oldest lawyer, with one exception, of the bar of that city, died on the 15th inst. in his 88th year. He retained an unusual degree of mental and physical vigor for his advanced age, to the last day of his earthly life.

FRIENDS' FOREIGN MISSIONS.

MADAGASCAR.—The following sketch is extracted from a long and interesting account sent home by Helen Gilpin, and is a striking testimony, not only to a useful life, but also to the power of Divine truth to elevate and sustain the Christian believer : RAMATOA RANARY, LATE TEACHER at the Girls'

SCHOOL.

"We have just lost by death our head teacher, Ramatoa Ranary, and I thought it would greatly interest Friends in England, both old and young, to hear the story of the life of one who has been connected with our school ever since its commencement in 1868, and who only retired from its duties when her strength gave way, in May, 1883.

"As far as I can ascertain, our friend was born in the year 1823, and as a child she was brought up within the precincts of the palace. Her father was a great friend of Radama I. His name was Andria Mahazonoro, and he came from Voapero, where he had been a petty king until conquered by the Hovas. Radama sent him to Mauritius, and some say he went to London, but this is uncertain. After the king's death he was on one occasion sent for to give medicine to the queen, who was ill. The medicine cured the queen, who wishing to retain his services, ordered him to drink the Tangena '; if he stood the test he should be one of her most

Monthly Record 257 M., concluded

258

Monthly Record 259 Public Ledger 259 ..Public Ledger 260 Frances E. Willard 261

..... 261

Selected 262 263

Contemporary Review 263

7. M. Wilson 263

EDITORIALS.-Friends Quarterly Examiner-Bible Wines-J. B.

Braithwaite and Eli Jones....

MARRIAGE AND DEATH...............
Baltimore Yearly Meeting...

Kansas Yearly Meeting, concluded..
Items......

POETRY.-The Teacher's Morning Hymn-Freedom...
SUMMARYOF NEWS..

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264

266

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trusted nobles. This excited the jealousy of the other nobles, and, at their instigation the queen sent him a bottle of rum to drink after he had stood the test of the Tangena.' He drank it, and sent for his family, but before they came he had been put out of the way. This trial by ordeal (the Tangena) is happily unlawful now. The Tangena is a nut, a powerful poison, but when only a little is taken it acts as an emetic. The person tried first eats whole three pieces of the skin of a fowl, then rice, then the scrapings of a nut are administered in the juice of a banana. Innocence is proved by the rejection of the three pieces of skin. It is computed that in the days of Ranaralona I, 3,000 persons died yearly from this custom.

66

Ramatoa's mother seems to have been an intelligent woman, and taught her to read and sew. About the year 1838 or 1840, Ramatoa married a man her senior in age, a scholar of Mr. Griffiths, one of the early missionaries, and in 1850 her husband and herself were united to the church, publicly confessing their faith in their Saviour. This was at a time when the fires of persecution were raging in this country. The Christians, as they increased in numbers, were fearful of attracting attention, so they dispersed, and divided themselves into fifties, meeting at the houses of the deacons, on seventh-day evening, and if the deacon could afford it, they would eat rice together. They separated at five A. M., leaving one by one to avoid