built, an undertaking that has for a long time been considered
impracticable. From the year 1891 travellers will be able to reach the
El Dorado of Alpine tourists in about two hours and a half from the main
line in the Rhone Valley, and step out of the railway carriage almost at
the foot of the mighty Matterhorn. The line is already marked out, and
follows pretty closely the present bridle path. It is to be narrow
gauge, without cogwheels, and will cross the Visp torrent five times.
The curves will be rather sharp, and there are to be six small tunnels.
The capital for building the line is said to amount to six million
francs, and work is to be commenced this autumn. The length will be
twenty-eight miles, and as Zermatt is 3,160 feet higher than the
starting point, the incline will be over two per cent.
AN ANCIENT DOCUMENT.--According to a telegram received from Lloyds'
Signal Station at St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight, a letter,
supposed to have been written 103 years ago, was picked up on the beach,
at Rock End, on October 3rd. The following is a copy of the
document:--"Office of Ordnance, 11th July, 1785. Gentlemen,--His
Majesty's ship the _Trusty_, being ordered to be paid off at Portsmouth,
you are, by the Board's directions, to cause her powder to be taken on
shore, and lodged in His Majesty's magazine, under your charge.--I am,
gentlemen, your humble servant, AUG. ROGERS, Secretary. Respective
Officers, Prondy's Hard, W. A." There is a memo, on the back of the
letter--"11th July, 1785. Aug. Rogers, Esq. _Trusty_ paid off."
THE number of preserves in Austria alone, not counting those in Hungary,
is stated at 15,764. and on these there were shot, in 1887, 32 bears,
113 wolves, 24 lynxes, 9,490 stags, 60,252 roebucks, 7,709 chamois,
2,998 wild boars, 26,411 foxes, 9,729 polecats, 1,055 otters, 2,672
badgers, 333 marmots, and no fewer than 1,439,134 hares. Wild rabbits
are scarce in this country, and are not counted in the general record,
but 27,797 were shot in Bohemia, where there are most warrens. The
totals for feathered game are--4,498 grouse, 1,300 wild geese, 102,748
pheasants, 1,336,934 partridges, 34,448 quails, 12,652 woodcock, 7,614
snipe, and 28,914 wild ducks. The birds of prey shot were 561 eagles,
38,610 owls, 1,365 horned owls, and 106,353 hawks, kestrels, kites, and
vultures.
THE RABBIT PEST IN NEW ZEALAND.--The United States Consul at Auckland,
in a recent report, describes the extent to which New Zealand has been
economically injured by rabbits, and the cost incurred in endeavouring
to exterminate them. Nothing, he says, could so overrun a country since
the locusts in Egypt. The rabbits have so eaten out the ranges that the
capacity for maintaining sheep has greatly lessened, and the flocks have
fallen off in numbers. At the Stock Conference of 1886, it was stated
that rabbits reduced by a third the feeding capacity of land, and the
weight of fleeces had decreased by 1 lb. to 11/2 lb. each. The number
of lambs decreased from thirty to forty per cent., while the death-rate
increased from three to thirteen per cent. Since 1882, when the Rabbit
Act became law, Government has expended L7,000 on Crown lands alone, and
it is estimated that during the last eight years private persons have
spent L2,400,000 in extirpating rabbits. The methods generally in favour
were fencing, poisoned grain (generally phosphorized oats), and ferrets,
weasels, and stoats. Large numbers of men have been hired from time to
time to make war upon the rabbits, and it is said that these "rabbiters"
encourage the vermin in every way, and have been caught killing the
stoats and ferrets. The bonus system has been found objectionable and
expensive. Notwithstanding all that has been done, in some localities
the rabbits have continually increased, and the damage has continued. It
is hoped, however, that as the country becomes more populous, and the
large tracts of land are occupied and cultivated, the numerous herds of
rabbits which now roam over the land will disappear.
ONE THOUSAND MEN DROWNED.--It is reported from China that the whole of
the new embankment of the Yellow River, which was commenced last autumn
at the spot where the old embankment gave way, has been completely swept
away by the summer floods. It is said to have cost about L2,000,000
sterling (9,000,000 taels). As the floods rose, it was seen that the
strain was becoming dangerous, and Li Hang-tsao, the high official in
charge of the work, was sent for in hot haste, but before he could
arrive the whole bank went down before the flood, and of the eight
thousand feet of river wall lately completed, not an inch remains, and
the waters are pouring unchecked through the immense gap into the Honan
province. From eight hundred to one thousand labourers, who were on the
bank, were also swept away and drowned. It is reported from Peking that
all the officials concerned are being severely punished.
A SHARK STORY.--Sir,--The following story may be of some interest to
many readers of your valuable paper. The sailing-ship _Grassendale_
(registered 1,800 tons, and classed A1 at Lloyds'), with a crew of about
thirty-five hands, on its voyage from Sydney to San Francisco, met with
great numbers of sharks, about twenty of which the crew killed. One
shark, in particular, had a quantity of young ones with her. By some
means the little ones were frightened, and swam into its mouth.
Naturally the crew were curious, and tried to hook it, which they
eventually did. When they cut it open on deck, imagine their surprise to
find no less than forty-two little sharks, measuring from twelve to
fifteen inches in length, all alive, and capable of swimming as well as
ever--a most remarkable incident, not heard of before, even in America,
being, to all appearances, a shark's wonderful way to shelter their
young. This information the writer has received this week direct from
his brother, who is chief officer of the said ship, and he can,
therefore, vouch for its truth.--Yours truly, H. H. WHITE. Rye, October
10th, 1888.--_South Eastern Advertiser._
[Illustration: "IT WAS AGREED THAT SOME ONE SHOULD READ THE BIBLE TO
HER." (_See page 266._)]
THE BLIND WIDOW.
"_Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many
days._"--ECCLESIASTES xi. 1.
Recollecting the feelings of discouragement and sadness which often
oppressed my mind during the first months of our employment as district
visitors and Sunday School teachers in a retired village, and the many
instances affording cause for joy and thankfulness which occurred during
the latter years of our residence there, I am led to record one of them,
with the hope of encouraging my fellow-labourers in this interesting
occupation.
One of the first cases which came under my own observation was that of a
blind, aged widow, who lived a few steps from the church. Her husband,
who had been dead at this time about seven years, had led an ungodly
life, and had fallen a victim to the habit of intemperance. She was left
with one son, who was a lad at the time of his father's death, and was
soon after bound as a parish apprentice to a good neighbour, a
blacksmith, with whom he afterwards lived as servant. I think he was a
good boy. He had remembered and taken pleasure in what he had learned at
the Sunday and National School. He was constant in his attendance at
public worship, and showed much dutiful affection and attention to his
widowed mother. In his spare hours he took care of her little garden,
drew water, and tended the nursery of beautiful geraniums which adorned
her windows; and when he could, he would come and read aloud to her on
Sundays out of the Bible or some good book. All the poor widow's
happiness centred in Henry. It was her delight to do all she could for
him; and many a time have I seen her, blind as she was, bestowing her
cheerful labour in making his shirts as white as snow. She had one other
son, older than Henry, who had accompanied an uncle to the West Indies,
and as she had never heard of them since, she thought they had very
likely both of them died in that climate, so unhealthy to English
constitutions.
Mrs. Worthington was, I think, naturally an amiable woman. Many sorrows
had subdued and broken her spirits, for she had once lived near London
in very good circumstances. Though in some degree acquainted with the
leading doctrines of Scripture, and believing them to be true, she was,
it seemed, quite destitute of any hope towards God, or true faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ, as her Saviour and her Friend. To use her own words,
"she had long ago given up herself for lost." When I asked what led her
to do so, she replied that she knew she had not led a good life, and
that some neighbours had told her it was no use for such a person as she
was to think of going to heaven. In this sad state she was lingering on
in a painful earthly existence, without one hope of anything better
beyond it.
There was a kind woman who lived in the next house who, when able, would
lead her to church and back again. There she paid attention, and thus
had many interesting Scripture histories stored in her memory, for she
had never learned to read.
At length, with her own consent, it was agreed that some one should read
the Bible to her every forenoon. She listened with earnest attention and
much interest, and at length found, to her great joy, that she was not
excluded from hope in the mercy of that gracious God and Saviour whose
loving-kindness and tender mercy towards a lost and fallen race it
reveals and declares. She discovered with delight that she was one of
those very characters that had moved His heart to pity, and for whose
redemption and happiness He had sent His only-begotten Son into the
world, and spared Him not, "but delivered Him up for us all," that He
might make satisfaction for fallen sinners, and lead such back as
reconciled children to their Father and God. She received the gracious
message with a sense of her own extreme need of its blessings, and
welcomed it with her whole heart, as sent to her by the God of love.
I think the first word of promise which was fixed in her mind was the
engagement which God makes, in Luke xi., to give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask Him. She felt that her mind was dark, and her heart cold and
dead towards God. She wished it were otherwise, and prayed for the Holy
Spirit. It was delightful to observe the heavenly light dawn in her once
benighted soul, and to behold the altered state of all within. Humility,
thankfulness, hope, and love all appeared in their loveliness, and in
various ways did she give incontestable evidence that old things had
passed away, and that all things had become new.
I remember calling one morning, and finding her much out of spirits. On
inquiring the cause, I found that, it being the wake season, some of her
former friends and acquaintances had visited her. It was their
conversation which had grieved her, consisting very much of scandal and
detraction, and she was greatly distressed at being obliged to hear it,
and felt that she had done wrong by listening to it, so truly had her
mind become conformed to the principles of the Gospel of peace.
Before her change of heart she was much disposed to murmur, but when
enabled to apprehend the love of God to her, her spirit was filled with
gratitude to Him for all His undeserved mercies; and however depressed
her circumstances on earth might be, she had the comfortable hope of
eternal bliss in that world where all tears will be for ever wiped away,
and there will be no more want and pain, for "the Lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters" (Rev. vii. 17).
One morning, to my great sorrow, I found her very ill. She was suffering
from an attack of paralysis, which took away the use of her left side,
and very much affected her speech. She was suddenly rendered almost
helpless. At first she was greatly distressed, knowing that her own
means were insufficient to pay any one to help her, and that the only
alternative was a removal to the workhouse, a prospect which to her mind
was full of terror and disgrace. It became, however, quite needful, for
there was no prospect of amendment; and in about a fortnight she was
obliged to quit a home endeared to her by a long residence, and the
honourable independence with which she had occupied it, for though often
obliged to take only bread for her breakfast and supper, she invariably
paid her quarter's rent. Her faith in Christ, however, soon gained the
ascendancy over her natural regret and sorrow, and she received this
painful dispensation as her Heavenly Father's will, and submitted to it
with quietness.
The workhouse was about nine miles from our village. It was a
well-conducted one, and favoured with the visits of some Christian
friends and a good clergyman. The matron was a kind person, and treated
our blind friend with much consideration. Her son visited her as often
as he could, and paid her every dutiful attention, so that her home
there was, I think, more comfortable than the one she had left. I never
saw her afterwards, but I occasionally heard of her. She was almost
entirely confined to her bed, but quite able to enjoy and profit by the
kind visits and Christian conversation of some persons who visited the
workhouse. She found her God was present with her there, and He
fulfilled to her that beautiful promise made to His people of old--"Even
to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I
have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you"
(Isa. xlvi. 4).
A. E. H.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF A SHIPWRECKED CREW.
Two seamen, named John G. Crone and James R. Wilson, late of the Scotch
barque _Henry James_, arrived a short time ago at the Liverpool Sailors'
Home, and gave information of the loss of that vessel, through which
they underwent an extraordinary experience.
The _Henry James_ struck a coral reef near the island of Palmyra, in the
Pacific Ocean, and became a wreck. In an hour the crew had to abandon
her, experiencing the greatest difficulty in getting away. The
shipwrecked people only saved what they stood in, even the ship's papers
and the captain's instruments being lost. They were in a sad plight. One
boat containing provisions was swamped and the food lost. The captain
nearly lost his life by being thrown into the sea. Fortunately a box of
matches was got ashore dry, and with these a fire was lighted.
The island of Palmyra was found to be uninhabited, but a search next day
revealed a number of small huts made of boards and leaves. The island is
about nine hundred miles from Samoa. The mate, who had saved his
sextant, volunteered to go in a small boat to Samoa to seek for aid, and
a boat was accordingly manned, the mate having for his companions the
boatswain and three seamen. These poor fellows were three weeks in the
open boat, in a tropical climate, and their sufferings were very severe.
They traversed about thirteen hundred miles, and some days before
arrival their food and water gave out. Their sufferings were then
terrible, and when they reached Apia, their condition plainly showed
what they had passed through. Had their voyage been lengthened but a
couple of days, it is likely all would have either gone mad or perished
from starvation. The shipwrecked people on the island were in the
meantime living on wild birds, birds' eggs, and on cocoa-nuts. They had
no arms with them, and the only means of catching the birds was by
sticks, the men having to get within reach of the birds before they
could be caught. In the first days the only water the people had was
what they caught by spreading out the leaves of trees. The matches at
last got wet, and the poor people could not make their accustomed fire.
A powerful telescope glass then furnished a burning glass, and enabled
them to get fires once more. Altogether they were on the island six
weeks. At the end of this time the mail steamer _Mariposa_ called at the
island, and rescued the people from their island imprisonment. The party
included two ladies (passengers) and six children.
The Board of Trade have awarded a piece of plate to Captain Hayward, of
the _Mariposa_; a gold medal to Mr. Hart, first officer; and a silver
medal and a sum of L2 each to seamen Barpark, Erving, Allan, and
Driscoll, in connection with the rescue of the castaways. Captain
Hayward, who was bound to San Francisco with mails and passengers,
voluntarily incurred the risk of a heavy fine for breach of contract,
and set off with the above-named crew in an open boat, and rescued the
unfortunate people.
BIBLE SUBJECTS FOR EACH SUNDAY IN DECEMBER.
Dec. 2. Commit to memory Ps. xc. 2.
Dec. 9. Commit to memory Ps. xc. 4.
Dec. 16. Commit to memory Ps. xc. 10.
Dec. 23. Commit to memory Ps. xc. 12.
Dec. 30. Commit to memory Ps. xc. 14.
HE WENT WRONG, BUT HE FOUND MERCY.
On Sunday afternoon, August 26th, 1888, Mr. Carr, of Leicester, gave an
interesting address to the scholars attending the Zion Sunday School,
Trowbridge. After singing and prayer, Mr. Carr took "The Prodigal Son"
as his subject, which he explained in a most interesting manner. He
said:--
"Once upon a time there were two brothers. One of them ran away, but he
got into no end of trouble. But while he was so wretched, something
occurred with him, and by-and-bye he was brought back in peace to his
father's house, and was happy for ever afterward.
"Most of you know that this is the outline of the parable of 'The
Prodigal Son,' and I am going to try and tell you the details of it. I
shall divide it into four parts. The first one is _Ruin_; the second,
_Repentance_; the third, _Return_; the fourth, _Reception_. He was
ruined. By grace he repented, returned to his father, and was joyfully
received by him.
"First, then, _Ruin_. Now, there are steps leading to ruin. You find the
prodigal was happy at home at first. Like Adam, in the garden of Eden,
God gave him a great many good gifts, as He has given you. He has given
us life, hearing, eyesight, and intellect. The prodigal had a large
portion of good gifts, but what did he do? He wandered away from his
father, and went into a far country. Do you like to be away from home?
Remember this--if you do, it is the first step to your ruin, as it was
with the prodigal. He took his journey into a far country, where he was
far away from his father; and so we, in our natural state, are far away
from God. Do you ever think what a dreadful thing it is to be far away
from God? The prodigal wanted to be far from Him. But when there, at a
distance from his father, he had no God to go to in his troubles. He
doubtless did not like the text, 'Thou God seest me.' If you are like
this, remember that every sin you commit is written in His remembrance
book. But the prodigal made up his mind not to trouble about that. Have
you thus done so? If so, you will have to trouble about it some day.
There is a day coming when we shall all have to stand before God, and it
is a dreadful subject for those to think of who, like the prodigal, are
now at a distance from God. Therefore, we see that _Distance_ is the
first step.
"The next one is _Dissipation_. He wasted his substance--put his gifts
to a wrong use. Have we wasted the good things which God has given us?
If so, it is the road to ruin.
"After he had thus wasted his substance by riotous living and falling
into bad company, there came another step, namely, _Destitution_, which
we all have come to spiritually, and ere long we who have life, health,
bright eyes, rosy cheeks, and busy hands, shall be going to the grave.
By-and-bye we shall have spent it all, and we shall be nothing but a
heap of dust and ashes.
"But you find that, when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine,
and he began to be in want. He then fell into disgrace, and went to a
citizen of that country to see if he could help him. He went into the
fields to feed swine, and he had not a friend to speak to--none to help
him. The hand of God had gone out against him, and all his friends
forsook him.
"That is just the state of the ungodly. But when he was in the very heat
of this ruin, something happened to him. He was brought to _Repentance_.
What was his first step to repentance? He was brought to himself--that
is, a right understanding was given to him. What had the prodigal a
right understanding about? About himself. Sin had made a madman of him,
but now he began to consider the extent of his misery. How many of you
have considered what you are in the sight of God? You may be dead before
next Sunday. Where would you be? In heaven or in hell? The prodigal
began to consider what his sin had done for him. He said, 'How many
hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish
with hunger!' He knew he was perishing; and we are, if Christ has not
saved us.
"The first step was, a right understanding. Now comes the second step,
knowledge of the extent of his misery, thirdly, a felt sense that he was
perishing; then, fourthly, a wise resolution--'I will arise, and go to
my father.' He had been trying to make himself more respectable, but
found he could not, but that he must go to his father just as he was.
Thus he was brought to himself. Grace did this, and if grace works in us
there will be a willingness to go to God. Either you want to be near to
God, or, like the prodigal, you want to shun the very thoughts of God.
We are either on the road to ruin or salvation. What did the prodigal
say to his father? 'Father, I have sinned.' He knew he was a sinner, and
that he had sinned, and he confessed his unworthiness. He said, 'I am no
more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.'
He was brought to repentance, and he made up his mind to return to his
father. But his father was a long way off--too far for him to see him.
But his father saw him while he was yet a great way off, and had
compassion on him. He did not say, 'I see that naughty boy that wandered
from me, and got into so much trouble and sin, and now I will punish
him.' But he had compassion on him, and did not say a word about his
wicked ways. 'He ran.' Now, look, here was the prodigal creeping to his
father, but the father 'ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.' No
doubt he had a dirty face, but the father did not wait till his face was
clean. Just as we are as sinners, so the prodigal here was in all his
rags. He said to his father, 'But, father, I am a vile sinner. I have
sinned against heaven and in thy sight.' Thus he told his father just
what he was.
"Now then comes the fourth part--_his reception by his father_. When his
father met him he took no notice of his sins, did not answer him a word,
but he said to his servants, 'Bring forth the best robe.' That was the
robe of righteousness. Here were manifested the riches of divine grace.
The prodigal had nothing but sin and grief, but now his father gave him
a better robe than he ever had before. His first robe was not the best.
It was one of creature-righteousness, but now he had lost it; and when
he was brought back by grace he had a better robe given him. A robe of
righteousness is better than one of creature-righteousness. The best
robe was brought forth, and a ring was put on his finger. A ring is
something which has no beginning nor end, and the ring is a most blessed
emblem of eternity. It has neither beginning nor end. And a ring denotes
love--love of the giver to the receiver. This ring denotes a Father's
eternal love. His father loved him, all the time the prodigal was
sinning against him, with an eternal love. And they put shoes on his
feet--shoes of the preparation of the Gospel. They were shoes that would
wear well. The saints have a rough road to travel, and therefore they
need shoes of iron and brass. Then the fatted calf was brought and
killed, and they had a great feast and were merry, and we do not read
that they ever left off. There is no end to the rejoicings over
repenting, returning sinners. Oh, that we all may know what it is to be
redeemed by grace! This parable teaches us man's ruin, Christ's
redemption, and a Father's eternal love."
M. G.
JOHNNIE'S CHRISTMAS.
[This, and three other pieces of poetry, including the one given last
month, were written for a boy who recently died. After long and severe
suffering he was seized with a fit. He held up both arms, and, as the
struggles ceased, he looked up and said, "Come! Come!" His mother asked
him if he thought he should go to heaven. He replied, "I'm sure of it.
Jesus told me He would take me, and He wouldn't have said it if He
didn't mean it."--ED.]
Hang out the toys for the little ones;
Pile up the raisins, and take out the stones;
But nut, and pudding, and Christmas tree,
Says little Johnnie, are not for me.
If the children frolic I have to start,
With a bitter pain at my silent heart;
And my throbbing head is afraid to move
At sound of the voices which most I love.