As we contemplate the conduct of Jonathan, we are made more thankful for the fact of immortality. Who would like to believe that then the body fell in the field there was an end to all his virtue, and hat the fair and glorious character which the grace of God had built

did then and there perish for ever? Surely God did not create uch holy beauty only to speedily destroy it again. Did He not create that He might maintain it and make it yet more perfect ?

"Nor blame I death, because he bare

The use of virtue out of earth;
I know transplanted human worth
Will bloom to profit otherwhere.”

BUDHI, THE CHRISTIAN ASSAMESE WIFE. The native Christian village of Christ, and as a happy Christian sagor, Assam, is located near the she entered her new home, full of ho river, a small stream which joy and hope; and here, surrounded . is its waters a few miles below | by her Christian brethren and sisthe noble Brahmapootra. Stand ters, under the guidance of the misback from the road on the river sionaries who first took her a heathen

in a compound shaded with child into their home, Budhi spent utiful trees and flowering shrubs, the first year or two of her married

facing the river, is the mission life. She was greatly attached to galow, with its broad verandahs, her teachers and Christian associetian blinds, and thatched roof. | ates, and well improved the privithe right of the bungalow, only a | leges she enjoyed. rods distant, and in a line with But a change was soon to take is the mission printing office; place in Budhi's home, which she ile at the left of the bungalow, had never anticipated. Her first se to the road, under the shade of beloved teachers left for home; and Kamp of bamboo trees, stands the though her first grief was great live chapel.

at their departure, yet, under the Back of this row of buildings is care of the missionaries who reChristian village of Sibsagor. mained, her Christian privileges and houses of the native Christians, happy home were still enjoyed. Her It low of bamboos and reeds, and husband, with daily employment at tched with the long jungle grass the mission press, earned sufficient the country, after the native cus support to supply the simple wants , present in their appearance of | of his family; and the young wife, tness and convenience, a strong contented and happy, never dreamed atrast with the houses of the of a change, ghbouring heathen.

A few months after her teachers into a pleasant home in this left, Colonel T., one of the European Det village, Peter, a Christian | officers at Dibrooghor, anxious to Tvert, took his wife Budhi on obtain an honest native to hold a

day of their marriage. A few responsible situation, offered it to rs before, Budhi, a homeless, wild, Peter, promising four times the athen girl, had been brought wages he received at the printing

der the care and instruction of office. The temptation was too The missionary's wife, and led to great for Peter to resist, and he

school.”

asked to be discharged from his family safely reached their destinapresent employment, that he might tion. accept the new situation. His re Very sad and unhappy was Budhi quest was granted, but his wife in her new home the first few weeks could not be reconciled to the pro after her arrival. The dark, dingy posed change, and in her grief she hut, with its two small rooms, incame to her teacher, exclaiming : spired no exertion to make home at

“Oh, Mem Sahib, my heart is tractive. The pretty treasures which heavy; night and day there is no had decorated her former cheerful joy. How can I leave my teachers, home, lay hid in the chest. So memy Christian brethren and sisters, chanically she prepared her daily to live among the heathen. There | meals, and mechanically united with are no native Christians at Dibroog her husband in their morning and hor, no chapel or missionary there, evening devotions. But when he no one to instruct or watch over us, had left for his daily labour, Budhi not a friend to care for us in sick would sit and weep for hours as her ness; how can I go away from all I child played on the mat by her side. love here? And," she added, as the No one spoke to her save a few crowning grief of all, “ my dear boy heathen women who met her at the cannot there be brought up like a tank where she went to fill her jar Christian, to go to worship and to with water. They tauntingly bid

her "not come nigh them with her The teacher's eyes filled with tears water jar, for it would destroy their as she witnessed Budhi's distress. caste; and if she but touched their Perhaps the thought of her own cooking dishes, they would throw separation from her native land, and them away; no caste was so low as the happy home of her childhood, the Christian caste. She was a dog, deepened the sympathy she felt for and if she died no one would bury this weeping convert. .

her," and spitting on the ground in Sheltered as Budhi had been in a token of contempt, they would pass Christian village, under the protec on. tion of the missionaries, she had not Budhi never retorted, nor did she realized as she now must the full try to win them; but sad and gloomy cost of declaring herself a Christian turned away. Where were all her among the heathen. Not only would earnest resolutions to try and do her she be deprived of her Christian people good,—to make her home an privileges, but as a Christian in the example to her heathen neighbours? midst of a heathen village, she would All buried under her load of grief daily be exposed to the insults of the and unreconciliation. The form of people around her. But, thought sacred devotion was gone through her teacher, “My grace is sufficient daily; but with no heart, and it for thee;" and turning to Budhi, she brought no comfort. The dear encouraged her to be faithful to the Christian hymns she so often sang heathen among whom she was to be in her old home, she could not sing placed ; and, cheering her with the now. These were days of darkness hope that on their missionary tours | bringing no light from her Saviour the teachers would by-and-by visit for she would not go to Him and her at Dibrooghor, she bade her seek it. good-bye, and a few days after Budhi Late one Lord's-day evening, the with her husband and child left for third one after her arrival at Di her new home.

brooghor, as she sat alone by her In their small covered canoe, the sleeping boy, thinking of the Chris journey up the Brahmapootra was tians at Sibsagor meeting in the long and tedious, but the Christian pleasant chapel where she had sd

Him.

often met with them, and contrasting save now and then the shrill cry of it with her present loneliness and a jackal, or the buzz of the insects as deprivation, overcome with grief she they flitted through the air. Then threw herself on her knees, and bow near by, a clear, sweet voice singing ing her face in her hands to the a familiar Christian tune fell on his ground, she begged Jesus to help ear. The officer started : listened. and comfort her, for there was no

“ Can that be? Yes; it is one of comfort, no joy for her but in our old English tunes, that I have

not heard before for years;” and risThe dear Saviour heard the cry of ing from his seat, he went to the anguish, and sent the Comforter to steps of the verandah, and leaning the heart of His sorrowing disciple, against a pillar listened as verse filling it with joy and praise. She after verse was sung. He did not took her Testament in which were understand the words, they were in written precious promises like these: | the Assamese language; but he "As the Father hath loved me, so could not mistake the tune; and as have I loved you; continue ye in my he listened, the old home in England love; " "I will never leave, I will came to mind, the family worship never forsake you.” Here was com at which this very tune had often fort, love, and strength; for these been sung. Thoughts of parents, were the words of the blessed Jesus, brothers, and sisters, came rushing meant even for this poor, lone disci upon him, and forgetting the present, ple. Her heart received and trusted he was once more a child again, with in them. She was filled with joy; his mother's face smiling upon him. and taking a seat on the mat by the The voice ceased, checked his mudoor, where the bright moonlight sings; but in a moment it tuned shone in, as she waited for her hus joyously forth again in the notes of band she sang in clearest strains, in “Coronation." familiar English tunes, the long-neg.

“ Who can this be" said the lected Christian hymns.

officer to himself, as the voice again That same evening, in the English ceased. officers' bungalow, a short distance “Bearer,” he shouted to a servant from Budhi's but, but hid from it who, tired of waiting for his master, by a high red fence, Colonel T. sat

had squatted in the corner of the alone. The day had been very hot, veranda and fallen asleep. “Bearer; and the evening air had as yet bearer ; are you asleep" caught no cool breezes from the dis “Sahib, I am coming. I have tant snowy Himalayas. Restless come, Sahib." and weary the colonel went into the “Did you hear that singing just verandah, and seating himself in a now-that beautiful singing ? Who large cane easy chair, he longed for was it?” & single breeze to relieve the oppres “It was the band, Sahib, playing sion of the atmosphere. As he sat for the great Babu's wedding." there, a gay wedding procession with “Pshaw !” exclaimed the colonel music and torches passed the bunga indignantly; “I don't mean that low. The light from the torches horrid Babel of sounds, but the voice glimmered through the mango, ta I have just heard singing a Christian mul, and cocoa-nut trees of the tune—a woman's voice." garden, while the noise of cymbals, The bearer, fast asleep, had not tomtoms, and trumpets, almost deaf heard a sound of those sweet notes; ened him.

but the word Christian explained it The wedding procession passed all to him. “It is, perhaps, the wife on, and the noise of the band died of the Christian Peter, who lives in away in the distance; all was still a house behind the garden fence;

for Christian women sing at their tidings from her husband, “Our worship, I am told.”

teachers have come; they are at the “Ah, I had forgotten,” said the Colonel Sahib's bungalow. We will colonel to himself. “Peter did bring go to them. Come!” his wife. A Christian among these Hastily dressing herself and boy heathen. Just like the wretches to in their best attire, trembling with torment her. That was a pleasant eagerness, she hurried to the bungaChristian village at Sibsagor.” low with her husband and child.

And then for the first time he | Entering the room where her teachthought of her present home as con ers were sitting, regardless of the trasted with the one she had left; presence of the officer, she eagerly and turning to the bearer he asked: approached the missionary's wife,

“Is the Christian woman happy and throwing herself on the floor at here?”

her feet, she bowed her face into her “How should I know, Sahib P It | teacher's lap, and wept unrestrainis not our custom to know about edly tears of joy, exclaiming: other men's wives.”

"Dear Sahib, dear Mem Sahib! “No,” replied the colonel, sarcas- God has heard my prayer; God has tically. "You are all very pious answered me. Our beloved teachers souls; but you will lie, and steal have come at last! the time seemed every rupee you can lay your hands so long, I feared you would never on; ” and dismissing his servant for come.” the night, he entered the house. But The greatness of her joy revealed the thought of his own loved home a little the longings and deprivations far away, and the hallowed scenes she had suffered. There was not a which the singing of Budhi had re dry eye in the room. After she had vived, could not be banished, and he left, Colonel T. said to his guests : resolved “he would live more like a “That woman is a true Christian. Christian than he had been living." She is a wonder to the people here.

Budhi had found her joy in Christ Never angry or quarrelsome, neat again; and taking up her home and tidy in her house and person, duties, she discharged them faithfully, caring for and watching over her and tried with tenderness and love child, she is a good example of the to win the heathen women around Christian religion. I have listened her, and teach them of her Saviour. many an evening here in my veranda Faithful to her husband and child, as she sat singing her Christian gentle to her neighbours, and devoted hymns at home; and I believe Budin her religion, she set a bright ex hi's singing has done me more good ample to all around her. But her than the chaplain's sermons." heart still yearned for her friends in During the week the missionary Sibsagor. The letters she received and his wife remained, Budbi had from the Christians there seemed the delight of hearing the gospel only to increase her desire to see again preached in her own language, them, and she begged most entreat and of spending an hour or two daily ingly in her replies to them for the with the missionary's wife in the promised visit of the missionaries, study of the Scriptures. To her, pleading touchingly her loneliness | Budhi unburdened her heart, telling and need of instruction. But many of her former trials and struggles, weary weeks and months of watching and the joy and peace which foland waiting she endured before the lowed. desire of her heart was granted.

Like cold water to a thirsty soul Over a year had passed in her new were these privileges to Budhi's home, when one morning she was famishing heart. But as the time of surprised and gladdened by the her teacher's departure drew nigh, the longing to see her dear former | but Budhi did not murmur or comhome and friends revived, and she plain. The dear Saviour was with could not be denied her request to her cheering and sustaining her. visit it. Arrangements were made On the morning of the day she died, for her to soon accompany her hus calling her husband to her bedside, band to Sibsagor. Cheered by the she said: visit of her dear“Sahib" and "Mem “I am going to die; I shall not Sahib," as she used to call the teach | go to Sibsagor, and never see my ers, and with the hope of soon meet dear Sahib and Mem Sahib and my ing them again with her dear Chris Christian friends again on earth, for tian brethren and sisters at Sibsagor, I am going to Jesus, to heaven. she bade them a pleasant good-bye. They will all meet me there by-and

It proved however a last farewell. | by. Give to our beloved teachers The missionary and his wife, after my dearest love. Oh, what a joy it making their journey farther up the was to see them here before I died ! river, returned to their own station; God sent them to comfort us, did but instead of meeting Budhi there, He not P Tell them I die happy,as they expected, a letter from Peter the blood of Christ is my hope. He was handed them giving an account has given me a white stone in which of his wife's death.

a new name is written.'” Again she The first few days after the teach spoke : ers left Dibrooghor, Budhi, cheerful “My dear husband, ask the teachand happy, busied herself in making ers to care for my boy. You will preparations for her anticipated visit. take him to Sibsagor, and stay with At the close of the week she was him there, and he will be brought suddenly taken very ill. A native up a Christian after all.” She died doctor was called, but he could do at noon, rejoicing to the last in the her no good. Peter, in his distress, assurance that she was going to went to Colonel T., who sent him Jesus. with a note to the English physician. She was not buried like a dog, as He kindly visited her at once, but the heathen women had tauntingly soon saw there was no hope of re prophesied when she first came covery. Budhi must die.

among them. Peter with his own Nearly two days she lingered in hands dressed her in the white robes great suffering, alone with her hus she had so joyfully put on the day of band and child, for no heathen | her teachers' arrival, and through women would dare enter her house the influence of the kind colonel she through fear of breaking their caste. was buried with all tenderness and Her loved teachers and Christian respect in the European graveyard. sisters, who would gladly have “Faithful unto death, I will give ministered to her, were far away; ' thee a crown of life.”

THE REPRESENTATIVE CHURCH IN SIMON'S HOUSÉ.

John xii. 1-8. Mark xiv. 3-6.

BY THE REV. B. D. THOMAS. This is a most interesting and instructive history. Who that knows anything of the inspired book has not read of Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and Bethany? Bethany was a place of Christ's frequent resort; and Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, His chosen and beloved friends. It is