ACCOUNT OF MRS. SEANG. 117 perpendicular. We left our two guides in care of the horses, and walked up the mountain. Our road continued along the ridge, having precipices on each side. The sight from the summit was grand beyond description. Our descent was beautiful, but not without danger. Having reached the plain, another horse fell from fatigue, and we were obliged to stop at the nearest mud-wall thatched cabin, where we were received very hospitably. We found it composed of two rooms; one was the bed-room of the family, and we were surprised to find it contained beautiful mahogany furniture. Their costume was peculiar; a loose dress, which they are always too lazy to fasten, a handkerchief elegantly arranged on their heads, sufficed for the women. What amused us most was, that they could not refrain from examining with their fingers the colour on my cheeks, which seemed to them unaccountable. After supping on an omelette, cooked on a fire in the open air, we retired to rest in the same room with the family. The next morning our good hostess introduced us to all her friends in the neighbourhood, who all appeared much interested in us, and were surprised and pleased at our settling in their country, especially when we mentioned the object of our coming here. Of our arrival in Port-au-Prince, and our kindly greeting by our worthy Superintendent, you are aware. We have now had a little experience in our work, and find, as elsewhere, pleasures and difficulties. For the pleasures we are thankful, and for the difficulties the grace of God will suffice. Anna Toase. Port-au-Prince, March 24th, 1857. ACCOUNT OF MRS. SEANG, A CHINESE CONVERT. ONE of the three persons baptized by the Wesleyan Missionaries in China, on the 1st of February, was a woman, a smallfooted, respectable Chinese woman, about thirty-two years of age, and the mother of five little boys and girls. Her surname is Seang, her name A'ha'. The instructions and example of her husband led her to the knowledge of Christianity, and she joined him in renouncing idols and worshipping God. One of her children was brought to death's door by a disorder which native doctors failed to cure 418 SCENE OF WRETCHEDNESS IN HUDSON'S BAY. but, by God's blessing on the medicines given by the Missionaries, he was restored to health. This the mother often mentions with grateful feeling. Mrs. Seang could read a very little; and her desire to know the truth led her to find time, more or less, every day, to read the word of God. She prayed, too, and thus became "wise unto salvation." Her husband established family-worship morning and evening; when the mother and their two eldest children joined with the father in reading the Bible. Besides this, Mrs. Seang prays for herself; she has not opportunity to get alone in the day-time, but she kneels down whilst her children are around her, and prays to God; in the night, too, she sometimes gets up to pour out her soul to God. This woman not only prays for God's protection and care over her body and her family, but she prays for her soul. She feels that she is a great sinner, and needs pardon; and she asks for it, for Christ's sake. I think she has true faith, and is indeed a child of God through Christ. Will not the readers of the "Juvenile Offering" remember this woman and her family in their prayers? Pray that she and her husband may be able to train up their children aright, and that this family may prove a light and a blessing to all around. George W. Piercy. A SCENE OF WRETCHEDNESS IN HUDSON'S BAY. THIS morning I was awoke at an unusually early hour by the sound of many voices outside my bed-room door. I dressed as quick as possible, and, on opening my door, what a spectacle met my eye! Never can I forget it: there stood a man with an intelligent countenance, well dressed, an old woman with a dirty blanket trying to conceal her filthy rags underneath, a young woman with a baby at her breast, and two poor, half-starved, naked girls, about ten and twelve years of age, squatted on the floor, and two little boys standing by the man's side: these were strangers, and living in all the vices of Heathenism. We sent for our interpreter. While Mr. Brooking was conversing with the man in one room, I, with my little girl's assistance, talked with the women and children, until Mr. Sinclair's return. I said to the old woman, "I am glad to see you. Are these your chil SCENE OF WRETCHEDNESS IN HUDSON'S BAY. 119 dren?" pointing to the two poor girls. She said, "These are mine, but the others belong to the other wives." I instantly saw, from the difference in the children's dress, this wife was not the favoured one, though, as I afterwards learnt, she was his first and oldest. My heart was touched with her misery. I said, "Do you ever pray?" "O no; what is pray? I do not know what you mean.' "Looking down on her rags, she said, "Why, you do not think that a poor, dirty, ignorant thing like me can read or understand you!" I said, "God loves you, and your soul is very precious, for it cost a great price." She looked up in my face, saying, " God, who is God? Soul, soul, I do. not know what you mean: this is the first time in my life I have been told these things." I said, "Are you willing to be taught these things?" After a few minutes, she said, "Do you think such a one as I could learn?" I told her I was sure of it. "Well, then," said she, "I am willing." I gave her some books, and she promised me she would get some one to teach her to read. She begged of me to give her poor girls some clothes, and offered me a basket full of gum from the pine-tree to pay for them; but to her great sorrow, I told her that I had nothing that I could spare, for I had not received any of our cases. My little girl was so moved by the wretchedness of the girls, that she said, with tears in her eyes, "O mamma, give them my frocks, give them all, if you like," forgetting that she was only half their size. On my leaving the room, she got close to the girls, and, in their own language, told them that they must pray to God every night and morning, then God would take them to heaven when they died. The man promised Mr. Brooking to make arrangements for putting away all but one wife; "for," said he, "your Christian Indians have told me about this new way of living." What would have been the feelings of Christian wives and mothers in my dear native land, could they have witnessed this scene? And how would our much-loved juvenile Collectors have been stimųlated to renew their energies in behalf of poor little Heathen children! My own mind is so deeply affected, that I can do. nothing but weep and pray for them. Will not our Christian friends pity and help us? Mrs. Brooking, HEARING JESUS'S VOICE. I HEARD the voice of Jesus say, Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Weary, and worn, and sad; I heard the voice of Jesus say, Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quench'd, my soul revived, |