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THE CHILDREN'S MONTHLY

MISSIONARY NEWSPAPER.

VOL. IV.

“THY KINGDOM COME."

CHINESE HYMN.

SPECIMEN OF A CHRISTIAN HYMN IN CHINESE, WITH A TRANSLATION OF THE SAME.

AIR-" Coronation." ORTONVILLE.

No.2.

ONE of the missionaries in China, a kind Christian lady, has sent me this hymn, printed in Chinese characters, and translated into English, that I may put it into your little Newspaper. The Chinese letters are read from the bottom to the top of the lines, and begin where we would end. 人

生命河流不息

天堂之日無夜 無

福音裏內烫

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人 今天夜 白日 間 間星露色

ENGLISH TRANSLATION.

暫催飛入 Ź # #
時過
於草光
如明之得
是日見是

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草之面
之光在出潢上

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2 LIKE sunlight playing on the hills,

福耶光痛

能生天福耶

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Or dew-drops on the grass,

Or stars that twinkle in the sky,
So short-man's pleasures last.

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Like dreams which in the night we see,

Like meteors' rapid flight,

To-day pursues to-morrow's dawn,

So quickly passes life.

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音穌照 音 The gospel has full real joy,一

光照人間逐問
福音裏滿載冨福

Lights up man's dark distress,

While Jesus, glorious Prince of Peace!

Points out the way of bliss.

No night, no end to heaven's day;

Ceaseless, life's river flows;

福 And all who turn-believe in Christ,一

Have endless life's repose.

February 1847.

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BICKERSTETH BAJAN; OR, JOY IN DEATH.

BICKERSTETH BAJAN; OR, JOY IN DEATH.

BAJAN, a Hindoo boy, was early taught | On the morning of the day on which he to worship the idols of his country. When died, the missionary called upon him early. he was about twelve years of age he was He was then so low that his voice could left an orphan: this led to his entrance scarcely be heard. On being asked, if he into a school kept by the missionaries. still trusted in Christ, to give a sign by where, by his good behaviour and attention lifting up his hand : "Yes, yes," was the to his learning, he gained the esteem of reply; and he gave the sign by lifting up the his teachers. When there was reason to quilt under which his hands were placed. believe that he was a converted youth, he was baptized, and received the name of Bickersteth Bajan.

Bickersteth was not fond of play, like many boys, but gave his whole time to his books; and, being a thoughtful and clever lad, he soon learned several languages spoken in the East. He also stood at the head of the school for his knowledge of the English tongue. He was now of great service to the missionaries, in their visits to the villages and heathen fairs.

Poor Bickersteth, however, soon showed signs of leprosy-a sad disease, which corrupts the blood. Large swellings formed on his neck, and he became feeble and reduced; and, at length, he was scarcely able to walk. He now looked forward to death; and, in reply to the questions of the missionary, said, that he thought much on the love and death of Christ for his sins; that he was not only a sinner, but was born a sinner; but that his Saviour had promised not to cast out any that came to him. He also said he wished to have some one to be with him, to read to him, and to pray for him. Hearing of his wish, several of his friends and school-fellows begged to be allowed to attend upon him. IIis hope in his Saviour was strong. "Can I for a moment," he once remarked, 'think of giving up such a Saviour, to trust in stocks and stones?" IIe often entreated his young friends to keep close to Christ, and not to forsake Him.

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Bickersteth never showed any fear of death, but always was willing to depart.

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Some of his fellow-scholars then read to him from the Bible, when he again urged them not to forget the Saviour. His voice now returned, so that he could again speak plainly. Soon after the scholars left him, he rose into high feelings of joy, and cried to his nurse, a native Christian woman, Oh, come, come, and behold a host of angels, and Christ in the midst of them! and he calls me away! Do you not see them? Christ calls me away. I am coming, Lord." Ile now wished the scholars and his friends to be called, that he might take his farewell of them. The nurse being alone, did not like to leave the youth; she, however, called to a native Christian, who came, and they gently raised his head, when, without a struggle or a sigh, his spirit took its flight to glory.

The next morning his funeral took place, when all the boys and girls of the school attended, with a crowd of others, and sung a hymn over the grave of the Hindoo orphan boy.

Will not Christ do as much for the reader of this little tract as he did for Bickersteth Bajan, if he is sought in faith and prayer? Most surely he will; for " Ile is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him," Heb. vii. 25; and he has said, "Ilim that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," John vi. 37. He is able-he is willing. He can reconcile you to God, make you happy in life, enable you to rejoice in death, and then receive you to his heavenly kingdom.Religious Tract Society Missionary Tracts.

MISSIONS IN CAFFRELAND.

MISSIONS IN CAFFRELAND.

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tions have been established by the London Missionary Society, the Wesleyans, Presbyterians, and Moravians, and we have hoped that good was doing.

The present war, however, has put an end to mission operations for the present, and involved the missionaries and their families in great distress. Burn's Hill, a Scotch mission station, was destroyed at the beginning. Three of the Wesleyan stations, and all of the London Missionary stations, with others, in all above twenty stations, have been destroyed. The following letter from Mr. Read, a missionary, will give a view of the painful position of the Christians there.

Ir is not many months since you were told about the sad distress in the island of Raratonga, and now I have to tell you of almost equal distress in Caffreland amongst the missions there. Caffreland lies along the eastern coast of South Africa, to the north of the Cape colony, and extends to the countries of the Bechuanas and Bosjesmen on the west, and about 200 miles towards the north. It contains about 200,000 persons, and they are known by the name of Caffres. They are a bold and warlike race, with dark complexions, and rather pleasing countenances. They have many customs like the Jews, such as circumcision, and, like them, have an idea of defilement from touching dead bodies, which "The day we had to leave our beloved they greatly dread. This leads to the Philipton was a heart-rending day. Some practice of carrying their dying into the on foot, some in waggons, some on horses, woods, and there leaving them to be de- some on sledges-the lowing of the cattle voured by wild beasts. They perform puri--the bleating of the sheep and goats-fications by washing in water, and burn fat some people weeping-I could compare it in sacrifice. The country abounds with somewhat to David leaving Jerusalem from mountain-fastnesses, and thick woods; and his wicked son Absalom; and my language, in these safe hiding-places they keep their I trust, was like his when he sent back stand, and make inroads on the colonists, Zadok with the ark, If I shall find favour whose cattle they drive off, and whose pro- in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me perty they plunder. This has long involved again and show me it, and his habitations. them and the colonists in war, and of late But if he thus say, I have no delight in years their inroads and robberies have thee, behold here am I, let him do to me greatly increased. Our government made as seemeth good unto him.' a treaty with them some years ago, binding them to certain terms; but they have broken through it, and marched down in fresh force on the colony. This has roused the colonists, and a war has been commenced with them which is at present raging with great fury, and must prove very ruinous to the Caffres in the end.

About forty-six years ago a mission was begun amongst these people by Dr. Vanderkemp, who hoped the Chief Gaika would assist it; but it did not succeed, and was abandoned till 1816, and again given up in 1818, and only begun again in 1826. Sta

"All were anxious to get away from Philipton that night; but, by some mistake or neglect, two helpless women were left behind, both understanding the Caffre language. No sooner were we all away, than the Caffres came. One of the poor women fled into the chapel, and hid herself under the benches. The Caffres entered to see the place. One of them proposed to set fire to it; but another said, 'No, it is God's house-if we burn it, we shall have no good luck in the war.'

"But now another circumstance took place. Some Fingoes, from Tambookie

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VISIT OF INDIAN ORPHAN GIRLS TO SOME KHUND VILLAGES.

and, came in the evening, and not know- winter to pass, which is likely to be very ng that we had left, fell into the hands of cold, and then proper provisions will be very he Caffres. One of them was stabbed scarce. We have built ourselves huts outlead upon the spot; a Caffre held his gun side the fort, where we remain by day, and to the breast of another, to kill him; but at night in our waggons in the fort. The another Caffre, taking hold of the gun, scene before us is very dark indeed: we said, 'No, we are not to kill everybody we have Martial Law proclaimed throughout fall in with; so he desisted, and said to the colony; and Boors, Hottentots, and The Fingo, Get hastily to your people, for many of the late Apprentices, are coming there are many wolves (meaning strag- down from every part of the colony, to gling Caffres), and they may not spare you, make a stand against the ravages of the as we have done.' The men came to us Caffres." the next day, and related the above. The other Fingoes and the two girls escaped unhurt.

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'On our arrival at this place, we found a large town of miserable huts in a wretched state. There were our poor people, who had been obliged to leave their comfortable abodes, now residing in hovels made of reeds and rushes, with a few poles-all was confusion.

"I am sorry to say that diseases have begun to rage among us from the manner in which we are huddled together, and the difference of diet. A number of children have died: three were buried yesterday; and I regret to say that I have been attacked with my old disorder, but through mercy I am a little better; but I have the

Later intelligence speaks of even greater troubles, and proves that the missionaries and their families, together with their converts, are in a most destitute condition. An appeal has been addressed to the Christian females of Britain in their behalf, and efforts are making for sending relief in a similar way to that sent to Raratonga. Let us pray that the God of battles would overrule all these events for the wider extension of his kingdom, and the glory of his name. We know his cause cannot suffer, and we may, therefore, sing, even in the midst of trouble,

"God in the midst of her doth dwell,
Nothing shall her remove;
The Lord to her an helper will,
And that right early, prove."

VISIT OF INDIAN ORPHAN GIRLS TO SOME KHUND VILLAGES. In the January number of your Paper, I told you about the cruel practices of the Khunds in sacrificing little children, and the efforts now making to save the children and instruct the people. I have now an interesting account to lay before you of a visit paid some time ago to the villages of these people, and am sure you will read it with pleasure. I copy it from a very delightful book, called "The Juvenile Missionary Keepsake," published by Mr. Snow. "It was in December 1845, the time when many of our little readers gather round their parents' firesides, that a party

of little girls set out, under the care of a missionary's wife, to make the tour of some villages in Ilindostan. These little girls were, for the most part, orphans; some were

indoos, and others were Khunds. They had been saved from starvation, or a death worse than that, and placed under the care of some Christian missionaries at Berampore. They were now happy and loving little girls. They had been instructed in the good word of Jesus, and some had felt its power in their hearts, and the missionary's wife wished to teach them how to be missionaries to their countrymen. So,

VISIT OF INDIAN ORPHAN GIRLS TO SOME KHUND VILLAGES.

when Mr. Buckley, her husband, and Mr. | country.
Wilkinson, another missionary, resolved to
go on a little missionary journey among
the Hindoo and Khund villages, it was set-
tled for Mrs. Buckley and their orphan
girls to accompany them.

"The Khunds are a race of people in northern India, who offer children in sacrifice to make their lands fruitful. They live chiefly in the mountains; but there are many who live in villages at the foot of these mountains among the Hindoos.

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The girls told them that how they were in danger of being cut in pieces in sacrifice, and that some British officers had rescued them; that they had been placed under Christian instruction, and taught to read a book which the true God himself had given to men; that this book taught that such sacrifices as they offered could not take away sin; that God himself had provided an atonement for sin; and that the Lord Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, died to save sinners. When the girls had finished, Mrs. Buckley added, that this Saviour had sent them to tell the Khunds that He was willing to save them; and that, if they would love and obey Him, they would obtain salvation. She told them a great deal more about sin, and its

"There are a number of Khund villages about eight or nine miles from Berampore, and it was these which Mr. Buckley and Mr. Wilkinson wished to visit. They took tents with them, and pitched the tents very near to one of these villages. In the cool mornings and evenings, the two mission-consequences. The poor Khunds listened aries, with the native assistants and Khund guides, went to more distant villages. They found about thirty villages in one part. Mrs. Buckley and her girls remained behind where the tents were pitched, and visited the people near them. The Khund girls were quite safe under her protection, for the people are governed by the English, and would not dare to hurt them or theirs. The news of the white lady and her family having arrived soon spread. Many Khund men and women came to the tent to see the strangers. Mrs. Buckley and the girls could speak the Oreah language; and all the people who came to see them understood it a little. She and the girls soon became very friendly with their new neighbours, and visited them, and received their visits every day. The villagers never came empty-handed-they always brought some present with them; and whenever Mrs. Buckley and the orphans visited them in return, they seemed pleased and thankful. Mrs. Buckley was not the only speaker; the Khund girls of her school talked to the women and children, and told them that they were their sisters, and that they had once lived in the Khund

with pleasing attention, and said, 'If you will stay with us, and talk to us every day, we shall soon be able to understand your words.' All this passed on the first visit Mrs. Buckley paid them. The second time she tried to explain to them more fully the fall of man, and the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. She asked the parents whether they would like their children taught, and they seemed quite willing. The last time she visited them was the evening before she left. Two of her Khund girls were with her. At other times she had seated herself on a log of wood in the street, and the women had gathered round her. This evening it was raining, so she went into the first house in the village. Two women were in the house. They welcomed Mrs. Buckley and her companions, and asked them to sit down. They sat down on the door-sill, and several more women came in. Mrs. Buckley told them what was her reason for coming to visit them, and that perhaps she might never see them again in this world. She talked to them about the judgment-day, and the life to come. She repeated what she had told them of the willingness of Christ to save

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