profession that will repay me for past toils, and win for myself a name that will go down to future generations." "And what then?" said his friend again. "I mean, when I am conscious of advancing years, to retire from the bustle of life and to enjoy peace and quiet in the evening of my days. "And what then?" said his friend, yet once more, "Of course I must die." And what then?" was his friend's final inquiry. A solemn pause, the sign of earnest thought, this time followed the oft repeated question. It had been answered again and again without any difficulty or hesitation, now it was put in a form in which it could not be re plied to. The great future beyond the grave, of which he had not before thought, rose up in all its solemnity to the view of the youth. The awful day of judgement-an eternal heaven an eternal hell-the righteous rising higher and higher in bliss, and the wicked sinking deeper and deeper in woe. He saw what he had never seen before, that there is a what 'hen. This piece of faithful dealing was the means, in the ands of the Holy Spirit, of leading at young man to see and feel his real condition as a sinner and to take shelter in the atoning work of Jesus. The Lord grant thus it may be with each of my youthful readers, upon whom I would urge the necessity of seeking the fellowship of wise and prudent persons. You will remember David was happy in the friendship of Hushai who, by his sound sense and deep pene ration, defeated the pernicious councils of Ahithophel, and extricated his royal master from a state of the greatest perplexity. Friendship to be worth anything must be godly. For he that is not a good man cannot be a good friend, You may take it for grant-d, there can be no lasting friendship between bad men, which has been sadly but strikingly confirmed by recent events. Bad men may pretend to love each other, but their friendship is a rope of sand, to be broken at any convenient season. Depend upon it, those are the most valuable and desir. able friends who are at the same time, A like Abraham, the friends of God. Not, my young friends, the gay, the impure, and profane, but the serious and thoughtful, the circumspect and holy, whose conversation will be instructive and their example improving, whose hearts glow with love to God, and whose conduct and behaviour exhibit all the beauties of the divine in the soul. By such an association the young Christian will be strengthened against temptations, kept from many a hurtful snare, be convinced of sin when he has committed it, and rendered more steadfast in the ways of God. We are distinctly told that Godly people are not to make friendship with the wicked. Paul's advice must be followed at any cost"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing; and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." person who indulges in any sin wil be sure to endeavour to lead his companion into the same. It is a great and good thing to have that kind of friend only who will help you to do the right, and walk with you in the way to heaven, as kindred minds dwelling together in the fear of the Lord. "As iron sharpeneth iron," says Solo"So mon, a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." I can hardly account for it, but so it is. We insensibly contract a likeness to those whom we choose for our companions. If they are modest and humble, we grow like them. If they are bold and impudent, we become so too. Now permit me to add, if a courteous and obliging temper, a natural sweetness of disposition be added to strict virtue and real godliness, it makes the ties of friendship sweeter and more durable. This seems to have been the case with respect to David and Jonathan. Take this as a regulating principle: that man can never be a friend to others who is a foe to himself. As I write for the benefit of the young, I should like to impress yet a other thought on their minds. True friendship gives no heed to false rumours or tale bearings. You will often find wicked and unscrupulous people endeavouring to make mischief between those who love each other. They will raise false reports and carry them from one to the other to cause strife. How much harm is frequently done by this. Solomon "A says, whisperer separateth chief friends." There was a man in the days of David named Ziba, who acted in this base way between Mephibosheth and David, which nearly caused a rupture between those two friends. Daniel's enemies accused him to the king, who was very fond of him, and, in this case, the talebearing seemed to be attended with more serious results, though it had the effect afterwards of increasing rather than diminishing the king's love for Daniel, which will be the case always when the friendship is real. If you are favoured to have a true friend, you will find him faithful and persevering, smiling when the world is frowning, standing by you when others are forsaking you, and adhering to you in the face of the greatest opposition. Thus all Saul's threats and reproaches could not make Jonathan renounce the covenant of friendship he had made with David, whom he loved as his own soul. Such friendships are rare. "My brethren," says Job, "have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the stream of brooks they pass away." A failing brook is a fit emblem of a false heart. A friend that loveth at all times, who does not change, but is the same whether we are in a state of affluence or want, in honour or disgrace, is one of the choicest gifts of God. But, however valuable earthly friendships may be, what are these compared with the friendship of Jesus, in whom all the true characteristics of friendship meet. He is the greatest, best, and most affectionate, the most disinterested, and faithful of all friends; a friend to them that have no other friend; a friend to those who have been his bitterest enemies, and who lives when other friends die, to whom we may justly apply the words, "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." O, may each of my young friends be enabled, through grace, to say, "This is my beloved, and this is my friend." C. MASTERSON. Brighton, May, 1883. Strict Baptist Mission. REFERENCE was made in the last Annual Report to the opening up of a new mission field at Christianpettah, distant about 440 miles from Madras, where our brother Mr. H. F. Doll had formed a Strict Baptist Church of sixty-one members, appointed a pastor and deacons, and set on foot a Sunday and day school, and with the sanction of the Committee a teacher was appointed. But it was earnestly and prayerfully desired that a brother might be found able to take the charge of not only this church at Christianpettah, but form others in villages ad jacent, where some of the people who love the truth were anxiously yearning for a preached Gospel and the bonds of Christian fellowship. In a remarkable way our superintendent's son, Mr. Walter A. Doll, having an earnest desire to become a missionary, left his secular calling, and, the work of the new station greatly needing help, he much desired to become, and is now, the servant of the Committee on a probationary term. Our young brother is most ably assisted by his wife, formerly a Miss M. A. Wheeler, who left Old England in June, 1882, to be married to Mr. W. A. Doll, and soon after her arrival in Madras made a public profession of her faith in the Lord Jesus, and was immersed by Mr. Doll, sen. A very interesting letter from our sister has lately been received, which is sub joined, and will, doubtless, be perused with a great deal of loving regard and sympathy. Mr. Wakelin, of 159, Huddleston Road, N., has photographs of our new probationary missionary and his wife, and will be most happy to send copy or copies on receipt of six stamps for each. Most encouraging and satisfactory reports are periodically received, which serve to confirm the Committee's action in the appointment on probation of Mr. W. A. Doll; and, as other churches are being formed, there is very great and pressing need for more funds to come in to carry on this work, and the Committee would most affectionately appeal to their friends that this undertaking may not be allowed to slacken for want of pecuniary support. We thank most heartily those who have helped and are helping, but may they not be asked to kindly redouble their efforts and obtain fresh subscribers? The Committee not only urgently need £50 Now, but an additional £40 per annum. Recent reports state that village outdoor and cottage meetings have been regularly conducted; at Christianpettah the Sabbath services and Sunday schools have also been regularly conducted and well attended; the day schools are progressing fairly. It should be observed that our missionary and his wife at first took up their position at this place, but after six months' experience found it impossible to reside there on account of the scarcity of food and other reasons (vide Mrs. Doll's letter), and so, with the superintendent's permission, they, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Doll, have removed to a more central position, viz., Palamcottah, where the work of the mission will be better served. Our brother says in his report for March: "Myself and wife left Tinnervelly railway station on the 1st, and reached Koilputty in the afternoon, where we were met by some of our Christians. The next morning Mrs. Doll was carried in a palanquin by bearers, or coolies, and I rode on a pony. As we entered the village of Elavarasananthal, the residence of the zemindars, or landlords, guns (if they could be called such) of some sort were fired, and the native band struck up music with resurrection trumpets, cymbals and drums, which deafened us. We had to put up in a wretched little place, but were thankful for the shelter the zemindar gave us. Myself, my wife, and a few of our Christians examined the candidates, and in the evening of Friday, and on profession of faith, I baptized 33-16 men and 17 women, all formerly heathens. It was felt to be a very solemn and grand scene. The next day I formed a New Testament Church, and recognised P. Gurabathen as native preacher and teacher; also appointed two deacons, and gave one and all of the members the right hand of fellowship, and then administered the Lord's Supper, and gave addresses in words of encouragement and steadfastness. The Monday following we visited another village, viz, Elliarapunnie, where more candidates were examined, and I baptized eight men and eight women, also converts from heathenism, and another church was formed similar to the last, and Manuel Murryan appointed as native preacher and teacher, and two others as deacons. In addition to the last mentioned there were three who were formerly mem bers, making nineteen, so that in three villages in the Tinnervelly District there are 113 members in association with the Strict Baptist Mission. In the two latter villages mentioned the people are wanting a shed to meet in for divine worship, and are willing to raise the walls and provide straw if labour and sticks can be procured for them. Since coming to Palamcottah a few English people have waited on us, asking us to open a Sunday-school, and after prayerful consideration we consented to do so, and have now a Sunday-school of sixteen children." Our superintendent says a tent and a travelling-carriage, with a pair of good bullocks, are indeed requisites a missionary should possess, which will cost about £20. Also substantial sheds for worship and school purposes, costing about £5 each. Teachers for these stations will also soon be wanted, and must be paid for. Dear friends, come to the rescue. We feel the Lord has smiled graciously on our little mission, and given us a large blessing, and still we pray and hope for large outpourings of His Holy Spirit. Do, then, please, relieve the Committee of further anxiety, and send the amount affectionately asked for. Letter from Mrs. Doll above referred to: six in the evening we were glad to continue our journey, although the conveyance brought for us by the native Christians looked anything but inviting to travel a distance of forty miles over mounds, hedges, and ditches and roads (if they could be called such). We went now a jerk, then a jolt, now a terrible shake, as if my heart was in my mouth, and then a creak there, in danger of being upset every moment,till we reached Christianpettah next morning about 10 a.m., by the continual jolting of the two-wheeled cart or bandy, and for want of proper food I was quite ill. My dear friends, a word about Christianpettah. imagine yourselves on a large plain almost enclosed by hills, with not an European except my husband to be seen. Now, "To the Secretary of the Strict Baptist Very pretty to look at, with groups of Mission, London. "My dear Christian Friend,-Thinking that the Committee and all friends interested in the Strict Baptist Mission may like to hear a little of my first experience of Indian life, I send this report. I left London on the 29th of June, 1882, for India; sailed in S.S. Goorkha, of the British India Steam Navigation Company; passed through the Suez Canal at a most perilous time, when the Egyptian war was imminent; and arrived at Madras on the 2nd of August by the care of a kind Providence. I was to have gone to the Nilgires to live on a coffee estate, but God had planned otherwise, and suited to a long-cherished desire known to me and my God, that is to work for Jesus. I was married at Madras on the 18th of Sept. On the morning of Sept. 26th, 882, at six a.m., my husband and myself started from Madras for our Mission Station, Christianpettah, reaching, at twelve noon the next day, Saturday, a railway station quite destitute of any accommodation. Very tired we were, and through the intense heat and incessant noise of the natives during the previous night, and want of sleep, we found it impossible to remain there. After partaking of what refreshments we had brought with us, at native huts, very different from our neat English cottages. The huts are built of mud and thatched roofs, with just a tiny hole for a window, and a doorway so low and narrow that one must stoop very low to get inside. A good number of these people are Christians, while the large majority are heathen and dark idolaters. They are all very poor, and depend entirely on what they get from their landlords at harvest time for their support the whole of the year round. Their food consists of rice and other coarse grain, which is grown by them. When they were asked to send their children to school, some said they had no clothes or they would gladly send them; very often they have hardly any food to eat, and are glad to eat rats, tender leaves, and roots of shrubs. Christianpettah being damp and marshy many die of malarious fever and starvation, as there is not the assistance and protection given to these poor natives as is given to the English poor at home. The Sunday and day schools are very well attended, the children are quick and anxious to learn. I examined the day-school, and was pleased to find them progressing so nicely. A supply of prints and long cloth would certainly be most acceptable to these poor creatures, as they are quite willing to wear decent clothing; but many are obliged remain at home, not having the means to buy a piece of cloth to throw around themselves, being so badly paid for their labour, which is generally in grain, which lasts only for a short time. About our own difficulties I think you should know a little. Living fifty or sixty miles from any large town where provisions could be obtained would be most inconvenient at home; but in this tropical country, where even bread soon becomes unfit for use, we found it very difficult to get our supplies. The village we lived in was so outlandish, thoroughly native, and so remote, that we were obliged to send a runner forty miles to get our supplies, this taking him five days, and then he brought us scarcely enough, for he was not able to carry much, and what he brought was most unfit for use. The water, also, is quite unfit for drinking or cooking, for it produces fever and dysentery that native inhabitants themselves suffer greatly from this painful disease and die. I suffered greatly from dysentery the whole time I was there, and my husband also, although not so severely, yet with all we worked, and my husband made his tours, the Lord preserving and blessing us. "Till you hear from me again, "Palamcottah, 28th March, 1883." Mr. Doll says, "I have no doubt the above letter will find a place in the hearts of our Christian sisters at home, and will enlist their sympathies in favour of your missionaries who labour among the heathen who sit in darkness, and to whose prison houses they are carrying the glad tidings of great joy." We would take this opportunity of reminding our friends that Mr. C. Hill, of Stoke Ash, will (D.V.) preach on behalf of the Strict Baptist Mission at Keppel Street Chapel, on Thursday, June 21st next, and it is earnestly hoped there may be a od attendance. Also g to take notice, that meetings may not clash, that it is arranged the Annual Meeting of this Society be held on Tuesday, October 23rd next, at Soho Chapel, Oxford Street, and Mr. Styles has consented to preach the Annual Sermon. Mr. Briscoe, the Finance Secretary, resides at 17, Arlington Square, N. Lews from our Churches. EBENEZER, BRIGHTON. ON Thursday, May 3rd, eight believers in the Lord Jesus (two being over seventy years of age) were baptized by the pastor, Mr. S. Gray, after a sermon suited to the occasion from the words: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." On Lord'sday, May 6th, the baptized, with two other dear friends likewise "beloved of God, called to be saints," were with gladness and rejoicing received into full communion with the church. In giving them the right hand of fellowship, the pastor addressed them separately, asking each to memorialise a particular text in connection with the sacred event. The Scripture portions thu given were in order as follows:-(1) Ps. xi 13-15; (2) 1 John i. 6, 7; (3) Isa. xliii. 3; (4) Isa. xliii. 4; (5) Numb. xxiii. 19; (6) Jer. xxxi. 3; (7) Ps. xci. 4; (8) Isa. xlvi. 4; (9) Ps. cxxi. 4, 5; (10) Heb. xiii. 20, 21, which precious passages in God's most holy Word devout readers will do well to refer to and meditate upor. MOUNT ZION, HILL STREET. THE thirty-sixth anniversary of the Benevo lent Society was held on Tuesday, May |