rise to the surface; and all on board rush aft to afford all the help that may be in their power. No boat could live two But no help is of any avail. minutes in those troubled waters. to the surface of that troubled raging sea, no human eye caught a glimpse of him. Only his hat can be seen floating near the spot where he has been engulfed. He has passed away far beyond mortal ken, and in the full vigour of young and lusty life has sunk into an ocean grave. He has left his companion to go alone to that which had been marked out as the scene of their united toil, and a large circle of loving friends to mourn over the unexpected intelligence of the loss they have sustained in his early removal to the land of the blessed. Dark and inscrutable are the ways of God. We cannot now understand why the Great and Holy One should thus snatch away the young missionary to his rest, before he could enter upon his work. But He doeth all things wisely and well. By and by we shall see clearly, as we cannot see now, that this painful dispensation of Providence that deprived the church of a valuable missionary agent, and sent sorrow and anguish to many hearts, was ruled by unerring wisdom and infinite love. XIII. YELLOW-FEVER VICTIMS. They who die in Christ are blest; And, through Christ, the crown secureth! Bishop Doane. FTER a voyage of more than sixty days from the A Thames, the good ship "Atlantic" reaches her destination, bearing three young men, and the wife of one of them, to the scene of their allotted toil in the slave land of Jamaica. Having dropped her anchor for a few hours during the night at Port Royal, she has taken advantage of the land breeze to make her way through the narrow, circuitous channel to Kingston; and while the morning is yet young, takes up the berth assigned to her by the imperative official styled the harbour master. A shore boat shortly receives the passengers, with the few articles of baggage they are able to take on shore with them; and in a few moments they find themselves on the wharf. How new and strange is the scene! They are surrounded by piles of lumber, with numerous hogsheads of sugar, and puncheons of rum, that half naked Negro slaves are rolling towards a ship lying close to the wharf. The crew are busily occupied in hoisting them on board, to the tune of some favourite nautical melody, which serves to animate and lighten their toil. Threading their way with care over small pools of molasses that have drained from the sugar casks, they soon emerge into a narrow street, where a decent-looking coloured woman, hearing their inquiries for the Methodist mission house, and justly concluding from their appearance that it is a band of new missionaries who have arrived, steps forward, and with respectful curtsey and smiling face, volunteers her services to conduct them to the place they wish to find. The streets are heavy with sand, and the full tide of tropical heat pours down upon them, as they slowly follow their guide, who has pressed two or three of her sable acquaintances into the service; making them take charge of the packages which the voyagers have brought ashore with them. In a quarter of an hour they find themselves in a fine square of considerable extent. On the eastern side a large house, with green jalousies stretching across the entire front, is pointed out to them as the chapel. The woman turns round, as she directs their attention to it, and exhibiting in her pleasure a set of glittering ivory teeth, informs them, "Me member of the society too, massa. Me hope minister and missis hab one pleasant voyage. Me glad for true to see minister come for teach me de way to hebben." Ascending some steps, through a broad gateway, they pass between two wide staircases, which they are informed lead up into the chapel, and enter the mission house on the ground floor. They are warmly greeted by the occupants of the dwelling, even before they can present the letters of which they are the bearers from the connexional authorities under whose auspices they have left their homes, to enter upon a field of usefulness in a far distant foreign land. Very speedily a multitude of visitors are flocking around to welcome them; for the news has rapidly spread, far and wide in the city, that some new missionaries have arrived from England. Many a warm shake of the hand and many a tear-bedewed cheek bear witness to the heart-felt joy with which their presence is hailed. It is with very strange and mingled emotions that the young missionaries, and the fair youthful companion of their voyage, regard the dusky faces, which, full of animation, and radiant with pleasure, surround them on every side. These visitors are the free people, who thus hasten on wings of love to welcome the missionaries among them; their time being at their own disposal. By and by one and another, with timid faltering steps, present themselves at the door, to look in upon "the new ministers and the lady." These they learn are children of bondage,—slaves belonging to families in the city; who, sent upon some errand, have ventured to step a little out of the way "just to look at massa minister." Some of them have to bear no small amount of ill usage at the hands of unfeeling owners, who seek to cure their love of prayer, and drive religion out of them, by the free use of the "cat." The new comers are not long in learning that it is no easy service to which they are devoted, and that they have come to a land where bigotry and persecution are rampant. The several attempts which have been made by the legislature of the colony to hinder, by statute, the benevolent efforts of missionaries to enlighten and elevate the downtrodden children of Africa by the benign influences of the Gospel, have been baffled by a timely appeal to the justice and tolerant feelings of the sovereign. But the municipal authorities of the city, whose charter exempts them from the immediate control of the crown, and gives them power to make ordinances for the government of the city, have been stirred up to abuse that power for evil purposes. A city ordinance now exists that prevents any religious service being held in the city before sunrise or after sunset, under heavy penalties. This intolerant law has the designed effect of almost entirely cutting off the slaves in the city from the opportunity of worship or instruction. Spies are ever on the watch to observe, and bring to the notice of the authorities, any infringement of this oppressive enactment. No disposition is cherished by the missionaries to oppose the authority so wantonly exercised, however they may groan under the oppression to which they and their people are subjected; and they submit, commending their cause to God, and hoping for better days. The arrival of the new missionaries is hailed by hundreds with satisfaction and joy, heightened by the discovery that both the lady and her husband have excellent voices, well trained in the sweet melodies of those glorious Wesley hymns, whose lofty, glowing strains have cheered and animated thousands in the sorrows of life and the vale of death, and helped to plume the wings of many a departing spirit in its last triumphant flight to the paradise of God. The little mission party assembled in the afternoon in the ordinary sitting room, have sung together many a familiar tune, to which the new harmonious voices lent an additional charm; and many a new strain, adapted to bring forth with greater sweetness and power the true poetry of those beautiful hymns, has helped to beguile the hours and produce forgetfulness of all earthly sorrow and care. As the thrilling melody ascends,— "To patient faith the prize is sure; The cross shall wear the crown," —the enjoyment of the party is rudely disturbed by the abrupt entrance of several officials of the law, including one of the city magistrates, who, directing their attention to the fact that a few minutes have passed beyond the hour when the law allows a religious service to be held, proceed at once to take Messrs. a. and K., the resident missionaries, into custody, for the purpose of conducting them to a place of confinement. It is in vain that they and others of the party point out that they were not holding any religious service within the meaning of the law, but merely amusing themselves, as a social party, in singing a few hymns. The astute official, in common with his sapient magisterial brethren, can discern no difference. "Singing hymns is preaching" in their estimation, and "praying is also preaching;" and, despite all remonstrance, the two missionaries are taken away, to find such rest as they may in the dark, comfortless dungeon dignified with the name of the "City Cage." On the following day the younger of the two is set at liberty by the magistrates, while the elder, as the master Р |