infancy from certain perdition? When women, who have expiated the crimes which woman alone can commit, are released from their prison, why should they be met at the prison-gates by the Daughters of Pollution, to carry them back to the haunts of guilt, and not by Sisters of Charity, to redeem them from a life of shame? In all our villages, in all our cities, throughout our land, there are sufferings and crimes which no human law can remedy, though our lawgivers were a Senate of Solons or of Solomons; but which the Divine law of benevolence, written on the heart of woman, can reach and abolish. As man has discovered science after science, opening into the wonders of the intellectual world, so may woman now discover new and grander realms of benevolence, opening into the beauties of the spiritual world. The genius of man has originated thousands of inventions to enrich and aggrandize his race, each of them a wonder in the age of its birth; the heart of woman can develope a thousand æsthetic and moral charms, a thousand new allurements to truth, and incentives to virtue, each of them a glory and beauty for ever. Art, knowledge, power, grandeur, and all the wisdom which the intellect could give, have been the attendant ministers of his dynasty; gentleness, beauty, purity, peace and universal love, will be the angels that come with her Evangel.

Well may the people shout, GREAT IS VICTORIA, THE QUEEN! But hearken a moment to me, and I will tell you of sovereignties more royal than hers; of dynasties that shall never come to an end; of queens more lovely than ever sat upon an earthly throne. They are the Daughters of Benevolence! They agonized, because they saw around them a world of agony and sin. Weeping and disconsolate, they went forth to reclaim it; and lo! God made them the happiest of all the daughters of men. They teach the Gospel of God's Laws. They teach the gospel of Health; and the nois ɔme abodes of poverty, the Tartarean depths of city streets, open to the purifying breezes of heaven and the disinfecting sunlight; and where they go, He who sendeth forth the pestilence hath forbidden it to follow. They teach the gospel of Beauty; and the charms of art and embellishment spring up, like a luxuriant vegetation, around the humble dwellings of the poor. They teach the gospel of Intelligence and Refinement; and the seekers after pleasure no longer go downward into the regions of sensation, but upwards into the regions of emotion, for their joys. They teach the gospel of Temperance; and squalid want and frenzy soon learn to sing the thanksgivings of abundance and peace. They teach the gospel of Virtue; standing at the diverging paths, whereof one leads to heaven, and the other to the chamber of death, they point and guide to the ascending ways. They teach the gospel of Salvation; before which death loses its sting, and the victory is transferred from the grave to the righteous soul that triumphs over it. The angels call them Sisters. The Father from His throne beholds them. "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels."-Hon. Horace Mann.

A Negro Benefactor. (From "Homes in the New World.") "I must tell you about one negro, whose history is closely connected with the family on this plantation, and which has been related to me. It is a beautiful instance of the peculiar nobility of the negro character, when this approaches its proper development. This man is called Samedi, or Saturday, and was the servant of Mr. C.'s parents, in St. Domingo, when the celebrated massacre took place there, and from which he saved, at the peril of his own life, the two sons, then boys, of his mastermy host being one of them. He carried them on his shoulders in the night, through all dangers, down to the harbour, where he had secured for himself and the boys a passage in a small vessel to Charleston, in South Carolina. Safely arrived here, he

He

He

placed the two boys at school, and hired
himself out as a servant. He and the boys
also had lost everything they possessed in
the horrible night at St. Domingo.
had been alone able to save their lives.
now maintained and clothed them and him-
self by his labour. Each week he took to
each of the boys three dollars of his wages,
and this he continued till the boys grew
into young men, and he an old man. My
host went to sea, and acquired wealth by
his ability and good fortune. Afterwards,
when he was possessed of a plantation in
Cuba, and had married, he took old Satur-
day to live with him; and now he took care
of him in his turn, and every week gave
him three dollars as pocket-money in return
for those which he had received from this
magnanimous negro in his boyish years.
Old Saturday lived here long and happily,

and free from care, beloved and esteemed going to have-but oh, mistress, my heart by all. He died two years since, in extreme was so overloaded with grief that I was old age. He was an upright Christian, and very pious. It was, therefore, a surprise to his master, after his death, to find that he wore upon his breast an African amulet, a piece of folded paper, printed very small, with letters and words in an African tongue, and to which the negroes appear to ascribe a supernatural power. But good Christianity does not trouble herself about such little heathenish superstition, the remains of twilight after the old night. Our good Christian peasantry of Sweden cannot help still believing in fairies and witchcraft, in wise men and women, and I myself believe in them to a certain degree. There is still witchcraft enough prevailing, but

'The good can say our dear Lord's prayer, And fear neither witch nor devil?' Still, nevertheless,

'It is so dark, far, far away in the forest!' What do you now say to this negro slave? Ought, indeed, a race of people which can show such heroes ever to have been enslaved? But this conduct of Saturday's is by no means a solitary instance of its kind in that bloody night of St. Domingo. Many slaves saved, or endeavoured to save, their masters or their children, and many lost their lives in the attempt."-Fred. Bremer. Letter from a recently escaped Slave in

not able to ask him any questions, or to answer any. We had a pleasant passage to Charlestown-he treated me well; I stopped in King-street, at Mr. Perry's hotel. Mr. S. told me I might go out and see the town-but I had seen too much of it already. Excuse me, mistress, for not telling you how I reached this country; I would be happy to do so, but I am afraid it might stop some other poor slave who might wish to try the same plan. Slave, did I say? What a name to rise from a country that waves the proud flag of liberty, and wastes so many thousands of pounds of gunpowder, every 4th of July, celebrating libertyyes, and four years ago, last fourth of July, you know what a sad day that was for mebut, however, I will dwell no longer on this point, for I think you well know what I mean. Now, mistress, please to allow I am now in London-I confess I wear no me to tell you something about this country. watch or chain now, neither have I my old clothes-press to go to. I walk through no all those pleasures now, if pleasures you cotton or rice fields-no, I am deprived of call them; but here I have the watch of freedom, that I hope will time me through life. When I rise in the morning and look out of my chamber window, my eyes behold no slave tied to the whipping post, To his Mistress in one of the American Slave States. neither do my ears hear the cry of the slaveDear Mistress,-You no doubt will feel mother-no, thank God, the word slave is astonished to receive a letter from this not known here. Sometimes I can hardly country, more especially from your old believe that I am free, but the Queen, who servant, A. B., but I feel it my duty to let has no slaves, says I am, and all her subyou know that I am not dead. I write to jects shout freedom, and I assure you I help you, for I think you take a deeper interest them. Now, mistress, will you allow me in my case than any other person. I don't to ask you one favour? It is not for gold or write out of any ill feeling to you, or any silver I ask, neither is it anything that I of the rest I left behind. I am now in a think is out of your power to grant. Will country that is far from my native home; you please to give me some information but although the country is new to me, it where my dear mother is gone?—you, I am makes me feel like a new man-all faces quite sure, know where she is gone; I am that I see are strange to me-but they all willing to give the rest of my labour through acknowledge me free here, and I feel so. life for my mother's freedom, if it can be Mistress, you no doubt think that I speak had. Oh, mistress, you once had a mother; hard of you, now I have become a free man. think what your feelings would have been, I have thousands of questions asked me had she been placed in circumstances like concerning my old home. I tell the truth, mine. Mistress, I know your heart is not and by so doing am obliged to tell of some hard and cold; I think you know how to of master's cruel deeds-you may wonder feel for my case; and if you will give me what those deeds are- -oh no, it can't be the least encouragement to learn where my possible you do, for your eyes have joined dear mother lives, if gold can buy her, I will in tears with mine over some of them. The strive to earn it, God helping me. And if morning I left your house, Mr. S. kept she cannot be bought, will you try to get talking to me about the new home I was some word to her that I am free, and I pray

London,

for her day and night, and will endeavour to meet her in the land where we shall both be free, with Him who has bought our souls with His precious blood. Oh! how I wish I could have a couple of hours' conversation with you here, for this being my first attempt to dictate a letter, it comes very hard and tiresome for me; but I am in hopes soon to be able to pen you a letter by my own hand, as I am trying to learn to read and write. If times go on well with me I shall hope to write master a letter. I heartily hope that you and he and your family are all well; please make my most respectful remembrances to them, and give my most affectionate regards to Hannah. One word more, mistress-Believe me I hold a grateful recollection of all your kindness and care for me, and hope, as you value freedom yourself, you will not think hardly of me that I have tried to grasp the same blessing. Praying heartily for your welfare, I am, dear mistress, Once your faithful slave, but now A FREE MAN.

The efforts of this excellent minister, and the lingering illness and death-bed triumphs of a Christian lad-son of my platform friend--had been richly blest to the soul of the poor girl, and the fervent desire arose in my heart that the sorrowful impressions which then oppressed my spirit might be made useful in my conduct through life.

A few "Leaflets" and tracts, with a little book called "Insensible Influence," were, with a pencilled word of interest and best wishes from the stranger, thankfully accepted; and with the parting salutation to the poor flushed invalid, whose smile of calm serenity bespoke her trustful reliance on her Saviour, I treasured in my inmost heart the reflection that in very truth, for evils like this--"The help must come from the ladies."

EDITOR'S OMNIBUS.

early grave that they may have a fashion- rivulets of happy influence. He did not able dress or bonnet in the quickest possible work for the praise that comes from men, time. I knew he spoke the truth there," and he did not get it; for few were acshe said thoughtfully, but without a tinge quainted with his quiet labours for the wellof bitterness. being of others. He needed no such praise; for in his countenance and gentle tenor of his daily life, he mirrored the reward that shone serene in his conscience. In his weakness, he never wearied of his efforts to do good. Every day of his life had its work and its word of faith and love. His loving and Christian sympathies seemed in equilibrium, in all the various enterprises of philanthropy in which good and true men are engaged. It was difficult to say which of these causes was dearest to his heart. Then, as a humble, untiring teacher of the Christian religion to the poor, the value of his labours will never be known in this world. It was his delight to get little audiences together on the Sabbath, in the scattered hamlets about Bristol, and preach to them his little Gospel sermons, full of love for human souls, full of faith in his Saviour, full of the earnest unction of the Spirit, which blessed his words to many an humble hearer. He was, as it were, the head and heart of the little Brotherhood band Edward Hazard Mathews. And still that was originated in Bristol in 1846; and another! As the journey of life descends from that time to the day of his departure, into the winding shades of its last years, bis interest in the cause seemed to wax how many partings come by the way! How warmer and warmer. He was present at frequent the farewell and final words of the first Peace Congress at Brussels, in 1848; earthly separation said by friend to friend, and attended several of the subsequent deby those who had "cherished noble longings monstrations. Thus, one by one, the active for the strife," and co-worked, hand in hand, and long-tried workers in this great field of in labours of Christian philanthropy! In philanthropy are falling, on the right and the Bond for December we offered a few the left. One by one, all who remain will words of remembrance to the memory of our soon pass away, and their places be filled by dear friend, George Bradshaw. Almost be- others, whom the Father of the harvest shall fore the ink was dry with which we penned raise up to carry on the work He approves. those reflections, the intelligence reached Let every one take home this great lesson to us that another ardent, meek, indefatigable his heart, and whatsoever his hand findeth worker in the cause, with whom we had to do, do with his might; for the night been intimately associated from our first cometh. arrival in Great Britain, had been sum- Another!—And still another departure of moned to his rest. Edward Hazard Mathews, an active and zealous worker in the cause of of Bristol, was an earnest, Christian young peace and brotherhood calls for a few man, ever active, hopeful, and faithful, in reflections. For we would, as it were, every good work and word. Few of his devote a little tablet in the Bond to the age and circumstances have ever been memory of every one of the earnest spirits more zealous and indefatigable in the that are transported from this field of Chrispeace, temperance, and anti-slavery move- tian effort to those realms of light, love, and ments. And the chief and striking merit peace, of which He is the way, the truth, of these efforts lay in the meekness of heart and the life, whom they followed and obeyed with which they were put forth. He lived in these works of love and faith on earth. a life of little benevolent activities, that Mrs. James Coombs, of Bedford, was one made no noise in their flow, though they of the most active members of the Olive permeated and enriched many of the low- Leat Circle in that town, which was formed lands of human experience with full-running in her own house in 1851. From that time,

mote.

to the day of her departure, her benevolent in this vale of tears and trials,—could we sympathies became more and more enlisted but for a moment realise aught of the gloin the cause which it was organised to pro-ries of her heavenly home, we should rejoice Last winter, she and one or two that the Master so soon called her redeemed spirit to its mansion of rest and peace. Her bereaved friends, especially her husband and three little children, call for and obtain very deep sympathy from all who knew her exemplary life."

Sow in Hope.-There are, and must be, black over every field of Christian effort; seasons when clouds will hang dense and when the timid will counsel the sower to withhold his hand, and not drop the precious seeds of truth on the waters in their flood the hand that falters and falls spiritless beand fury. But no harvest is promised to fore such aspects and mutterings of danger. God loveth the liberal giver, and "he that he may sow them with his tears, "shall, goeth forth, bearing precious seed," though doubtless, come again, bearing his sheaves with him." We would remind those of our readers of this Divine promise, who inclined to shrink before the aspects of those sudden clouds that gather in the East, and

may

be

obscure the firmament of Christendom with

their shadow. Behind these clouds is the

more members of the Circle, got up a large tea meeting, almost entirely furnished at their own cost, the proceeds of which were appropriated to the expense of a public meeting on Ocean Penny Postage, in the largest hall in the town. She came all the way to London, with two or three other members of the Bedford Circle, to attend the Olive Leaf Soirée at the Bridge House Hotel, and seemed to derive the greatest enjoyment from the proceedings of that interesting meeting. Her bereaved and devoted husband, in a letter communicating the intelligence of her death, writes,-"She loved the cause of universal brotherhood, and laboured earnestly in its behalf. A few hours before leaving us, she requested me to write and give her kind remembrance to yourself and Mr. Fry. Your Bond was always a welcome messenger, for it told her of the progress of the good cause, and confirmed and encouraged her in the efforts she made to promote its success. As she had lived the life of a Christian, so she died the death of one; and, to mitigate the grief at parting, she was specially favoured by God sun; and above and beyond the sun, is the in her last moments; and when she had great Master of the harvest, who holds these noisy elements of human wrath in his reached the threshold of heaven, was per-control, and will constrain and restrain them mitted to look back on us, while the light to His glory and the good of mankind. We of heaven radiated on her countenance, to would entreat them to "bate no jot of tell us with joy of the glory on which she heart or hope," to hold not their hands for all waters, at home and abroad. Whata moment, but sow in hope and faith by ever may be the issue of this Eastern Question, it must accrue to the ultimate advantage of the cause of peace. If the potsherds of the earth shall be permitted to strive with their fellow potsherds on the battle-field again, in connexion with this question, the result of their folly and fanaticism will furnish a new and impressive illustration of the rectitude of the principles of peace. Already the wickedness, insanity, and stupidity of the policy of armed negotiation have been brought out in startling relief by Russia in its forcible occupation of the Danubian Provinces for the purpose of overawing Turkey into a concession of unjust claims. There is but little doubt that the Russian Emperor would give up half his empire if he could recover himself from that violent step consistently with that spurious code of honour which makes it disgraceful in a Government to own that it is in the wrong, and to make just amends for it. On the

was about to enter. Such a life and such a death as hers, make me feel with your own Longfellow, that

'Life is real, life is earnest ;

And the grave is not its goal."" And yet Another. And still another has fallen asleep; one who was also earnest and active in labouring for the cause of peace and human brotherhood. Esther R., the wife of John King, of Birkenhead, was one of the secretaries of the Olive Leaf Circle in that town, and full of lively interest in the objects of the association. Her pen contributed one of the little "Leaflets of the Law of Kindness;" and she was ever ready to employ it in behalf of the cause. A member of the Society thus adverts to her departure:-"You are doubtless informed of the loss our little Circle has sustained, in the death of our dear and valued secretary, Esther R. King. Ours is the loss; hers the eternal gain: and could we abandon our selfish affection, which fain would have kept her amongst us yet longer