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JOHN JOHNSON IN PERPLEXITY.

YES, my name is John Johnson, and I have been a little bit perplexed. In this way it was.

One evening last week, I left work half an hour before time, and went home, got a wash and a shave, and a bit of supper, put on a clean shirt and my best coat, and then went to a missionary meeting.

Now, I like these meetings, and I don't care who knows it. They do me good. Time was when I used to go, three or four nights in the week, to the Phoenix or the Oak, and sit soaking and muddling myself with beer and tobacco for a couple of hours at a stretch; and I used to call that enjoyment. I don't now; and all that is past and done with, I trust, for good and all. I have learned to look at things in a different light.

Some of my neighbours think it is a waste of time and money to go to such meetings, and to give a trifle now and then in this way. Well; they may think so, if they please, of course; but to my way of thinking, the man who goes to the beer shop wastes more time and money than he who goes to a religious meeting now and then; and for my own part, I know that I am better off now, by odds, than I used to be, and my family is a happier one, by a long way. So, if we come to the family economy' of the plan, I think it is a good one: the plan, I mean, of setting aside tippling and lazing in a public house, and of paying some regard to better things.

Well, I like these missionary meetings, let who will run them down; and I like them for their own sake's

sake, and not because I am better off now than I was when I spent my loose money another way. It is a good thing, I take it, for Christians to meet and encourage one another in 'works of faith and labours of love,' and to listen to good news from far countries. I like to see the rich and the poor meeting together on common ground, so to speak; and it cheers my heart to hear how the dark places of the earth' which are full of the habitations of cruelty,' are becoming enlightened by the bible. And I think it is only natural for people who are Christians to feel as I do.

So, as I was saying, to this missionary meeting I went. It was held in the Squire's great hall; and a beautiful sight it was. It was crammed quite full, with five or six hundred people, at the least; and all up the grand staircase, to the first landing, where the Squire sat as chairman, with the speakers on both sides of him, and higher up on the stairs, and round the gallery above, was crowded with people; while dozens stood on the stone steps, leading up to the hall. The moon was at full that night, and not a Icloud was to be seen. Altogether, what with the crowds of people in the hall, and the glorious moon shining through the big oaks on the lawn, a prettier sight I have not seen for a while.

Then, inside the hall was well lighted with lamps; and looking right up from the middle of the hall, when I happened to get a seat, through the large glass dome in the roof-the blue sky, and here and there a star could be seen, so quiet and peaceful! It was a fanciful thought, but it did seem as if heaven and earth were brought very close together that night.

Then, when I looked round me, before the business came on, I could see all sorts and ranks of people, from the Squire down to the day labourer in his smock frock; and from the ladies who came in their carriages, dressed in silks and satins, to the cottagers' wives in their cotton gowns. I could see, too, church folk and chapel folk all mixed together, and

church and chapel ministers sitting side by side. I liked that, and that did not perplex me. Not a bit. If the people are Christians, I thought, they have the same Father above, and are going to the same home. When they get to heaven, they will mix together free enough, and why should they not now? No, no; this did not perplex me.

Presently, the business of the meeting began. First, the Squire gave out some verses, and the people joined in singing them to a fine old tune. Thinks I, this

hall has sounded, days past, many a time, with hunting songs and drinking songs; but now, for years and years, it has been used to Christian songs. And this, surely, is a change for the better.

Well, after what somebody called the preliminaries of the meeting, the secretary of the society-that is, our local society, as it is called-read a report of the last year's doings, and of the cash account.

I don't say it boastfully; but for a place like ours, only a country village, the subscriptions muster up pretty fair. I dare say more might be done, if all were to try their hardest: but it is better than doing nothing. First of all, there was the collection at the last meeting; then the yearly subscriptions, a goodish number; then came the donations, as they are called, and the missionary boxes. may just mention a few particulars, to show how some country people find out the way to do a little good in money matters, when there's a will.

Among other items, then, were,- 'The produce of six perches of potato ground,' -so much: A hive of bees,' -so much: 'Farthings taken at the village shop,' --so much: Thanksgiving for being able to work all the year round,' '-so much: Thanksgiving for a good apple crop,'-so much: Children's pence,' in such and such a family, so much: 'Profit of one pear tree,' in so and so's orchard,-so much: 'One of a nine farrow sow,'-so much: Part of the proceeds of gleaning,'-so much. Then came the account of the missionary boxes, some with a few pence, and

others with a good many shillings. Well, all this was pleasing, and not at all perplexing. It seems but reasonable, and altogether right, that those who are taught and believe that they owe everything they have -all their daily mercies,-food, clothing, health, yea, life itself, to the Great Giver, should acknowledge these blessings by sending the knowledge of Him to them that are perishing for the lack of it. To be sure, we know that God might do all the work himself, without any feeble attempts of men, in money or what not; for all power is his, and all the gold and silver too. But we know that he puts honour on his people by letting them work for him in different ways -He guiding and making the work prosper all the while. So that Christians should combine together in trying to make others as happy as themselves, in the knowledge of God-this did not perplex me.

Well, after these accounts were got through,—and they took no long time to read-a gentleman stood up, and told us a very touching story of a poor African boy, who, a good many years before, had been stolen from his home, and put into a slave ship;how he was rescued, and taken to a place of safety, and was taught, by missionaries, to read ;-how that, after a time, he became a missionary himself to his own countrymen. That African missionary,' he said, 'is now in England; he is in this hall, and will now address you.'

Then the African came forward; and to hear him tell his story in good English, and talk of the superstitions of his countrymen, and of the means that are being used to civilize and instruct them, was enough to interest all who heard. It was strange, to be sure, to see a man with skin almost as black as a coal, in a company of white people, and to hear him talk like one of them: but it was not this that perplexed me.

After the African, two or three other gentlemen made speeches,-very lively and warm-hearted they were; one old gentleman, especially, seemed full of good Christian zeal, and made a clever use of the

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large old oak trees that front the Squire's mansion, and are the pride of his park ;—at least the curiosities of it.

'Ah,' said he; our African brother '

I liked that; it put me in mind of a picture I have seen of a poor black man in chains kneeling down; and under him was written, 'Am I not a man and a brother?' Certainly, all men are brothers, be their skins white, red, or black.- Our African brother,' said the old gentleman, 'has been telling us about the superstitions of his country and we can tell him, that two thousand years ago, the people who lived in this country were heathen idolators, and were cruel and superstitious. Yes,' said he, and had those old oaks outside there been standing then, they would have been worshipped, as trees are now worshipped in Africa; and human sacrifices would have been offered beneath their shade.'

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Well, I thought, this is very true; for I have read something about the old Druid worship of our country; and I thought, too, the old gentleman might have come down a little nearer to our own times. So, putting one thing to another, I said to myself, as the sixteenth psalm has it, 'The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.'

And I wondered in my heart what my neighbour, Harry Watson would say to this. Harry always talking about the good old times, as he calls them; and it was only the day before that he had got into a long argument with me about the old times and the new times, and wanted to make out, that what with education, and machinery, and books, our country is going, as fast as it can go, to confusion and ruin. The poor,' said he, 'are getting so proud and up-ish, that they think themselves as grand as their masters. They send their children to school, where all sort of stuff is put into their heads, that can never do them anything but harm. They have books written on purpose for them, to teach them this, that, and the other. And what is the consequence?' said he ;