RICHARD BAXTER'S CONFESSION. I CONFESS, to my shame, that I remember no one sin that my conscience doth so much accuse and judge me for, as for doing so little for the salvation of men's souls, and dealing more earnestly and fervently with them for their conversion. I confess that, when I am alone, and think of the case of poor, ignorant, worldly, unconverted sinners, that live not to God, nor set their hearts on the life to come, my conscience telleth me that I should go to as many of them as I can, and tell them plainly what will become of them, if they do not turn to the Lord. And though I have many excuses, yet none of them do satisfy my own conscience, when I consider what heaven and hell are, which will one of them be the end of every man's life. My conscience tells me that I should follow them night and day, with all earnestness, and take no denial till they return to God.

HENRY'S RESOLUTION.

LONG before we were boys, Henry Smith was a man. But Henry was once a boy; and one day when return

M

ing from school, he was invited to accompany a number of his companions who were on their way to the wood for nuts. Henry had almost made up his mind to go; but just then Mr. Willis, the master, made his appearance, with his little dog Fan, to take his afternoon's walk. Mr. Willis asked Henry where he was going; and, knowing there was no harm in gathering nuts when all were allowed to go, Henry, pointing after his companions, told him. "There can be nothing wrong," said Mr. Willis, "in a little boy gathering nuts after school-hours; but remember, Henry, that your poor mother is at home ill, and just think for a moment whether you would not be doing something far better by going home to keep her company. The question

went to Henry's head and his heart; and without hesi tation he turned to go home. Of course his companions laughed and jeered, but Henry's mind was made up, and without waiting to argue with them, he bade Mr. Willis good-bye, and hastened away. Very "soft" and foolish the boys said Henry must be in giving way so easily to the Master, but events soon proved they were mistaken.

Henry's mother had grown rapidly worse throughout the day, and he reached home just in time to receive her parting blessing, and see her die.

Oh, how thankful Henry was afterwards, that he listened to the kind suggestions of his teacher! He lived to become a wise and a careful man-one of those men who appear to thrive well for both worlds. He had many mercies to be thankful for; many Ebenezers he had raised by the way; but he never forgot the providential goodness that sent him home so unexpectedly to receive his mother's farewell blessing.

FORMOSA.

LETTER FROM DR. MAXWELL.

Takao, Formosa, Aug. 2, 1863.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-I must write you a brief letter, but this time not from Amoy, or from any of the dear places round it, where there are mission churches, and little congregations who gather into them every Sabbath day. To-day I write from Formosa; and if you will look at the map of China you will not be long in finding out where Formosa is. If you look on the map a little way east from Amoy, you will see a very large island, much longer than it is broad, and curved round so that the middle is further east than either of the two extremities. That is the island of Formosa, a word which means beautiful, the Spaniards or Portuguese having given it that name long ago, when their ships came sailing past it, and they saw its great high mountains, and the trees, and the rich plains. But, ah! though it is indeed very beautiful to look at with the eye, it makes the heart very sad to know that in all that island there is no knowledge of the Lord God, and that its millions of people are given up to idolatries and superstitions which are utterly abominable in God's sight. But we must be very thankful that at length God's mercy is reaching also to them, and that in these days he has sent his servants to tell them of the love of Jesus, and of the way back to the Father's house, so free, so open to all. We must expect, and continually pray, that God will soon lead some of the poor heathen men, women, and children here to give their hearts to Christ; and I am sure when you ask God to bless the missionaries in Amoy and Swa

tow, and to help them in their labours, you will not forget your friend in Formosa and the mission here. You know that all missions to new places meet with difficulties at the beginning. Satan does not like that his territory should be entered by God's servants, and is full of wrath when he sees poor heathen people listening to the message of the Gospel, and so he does his utmost to stir up wicked people against the missionaries, and if possible to get them driven away. And sometimes the Lord permits him to succeed for a little, and apparently to get the upper hand; but it is only for a little. and-bye God leads his people back again, and helps them to overcome and overcome; and so he will do until the whole earth, all kingdoms and all peoples, have been subdued to Christ.

By

The new mission in Formosa has been fighting this battle with Satan, too; and after three or four weeks' constant preaching of the Gospel in the great city of Tai-wan-foo, the wicked one stirred up his servants, and the missionaries were driven out of that city. But much precious seed was sown in these days, and we think that in after days good fruit will result. Meanwhile, the missionaries have gone to Takao, a large village thirty miles to the south of the great city, where there is no danger of their being driven away; and now they are working hard every day to make the love of Jesus known to all around. At another time I will write you about some interesting things in the island of Formosa; but before I conclude I must tell you something that will make you all glad. A day or two before I left Amoy to come here, I had a visit from Taipit and his mother. I was so glad to see them once more. It was like coming back from the grave, for we had all ceased to hope that