others remarked that his prayer was one of extraordinary power and beauty, pointing him out as a man fit for earth or heaven."

On Wednesday, at midnight, when all hope of saving the ship had fled, he commenced a prayer-meeting in the saloon. This prayer-meeting lasted till the afternoon of the next day, until the ship sank to the bottom of the Atlantic. In this meeting for prayer all joined-passengers and crewthat is, all of the latter that could be spared from duty; and the captain, who was a religious man, occasionally visited the religious scene, and assisted in the devotions. Mr. Draper was constantly passing among the people, exhorting his "drowning charge " to look to Jesus for mercy. One and another, as he moved among them, would say, "Mr. Draper, pray for me;" a request he always complied with. On Thursday he stood up, and, with tears running down his face, said, "The captain tells us there is no hope; that we must all perish. But I tell you there is hope-hope for all. Although we must all die, and shall never again see land, we may all make the port of Heaven." In the importunity of his soul, he was often heard to pray, "O God! may those that are not converted, be converted now; hundreds of them." The last words he was heard to utter, were, "In a few moments we must all appear before our Great Judge. Let us prepare to meet Him."

The conduct of all on board, from the time the captain announced the probable fate of the ship until she sank beneath the waves, was not only deeply affecting, but, highly decorous and becoming. There were no cries or shrieking, no frantic behaviour. Mothers were seen bending over their helpless little ones, and weeping as they pressed them to their bosom for the last time. Friends were mutually embracing, and giving each other the parting tokens of affection, ere the wild waves closed on them for Others were engaged in silent prayer, or opening the pages of their Bibles, hoping to get strength from the book of God in the fearful crisis through which they were now

ever.

passing. All appeared to meet death with the utmost fortitude. The last man who left the ship was asked, "What was the last thing you heard or saw them doing on board ?" He said, "The last I heard was this; they were singing—

'Rock of Ages cleft for me,"

At two p.m., on Thursday, the 11th, the vessel appeared to be sinking rapidly. The captain then directed Greenhill, the second engineer, that as the port cutter was ready for lowering, he had some chance of saving himself, and he had better get into her. The captain shook hands with him, and said, "There is not much chance for the boat; there is none for the ship. Your duty is done; mine is to remain here." The boat was lowered; nineteen got into her; three only being passengers. The captain was asked to get into her, but, with true manly courage, he said, "No; I will go down with the passengers, but I wish you God speed, and safe to land." He gave them their course-NN.E., to Brest,-and threw them a compass to steer by.

Those in the boat now pushed off, as every moment was precious. The disabled vessel was fast sinking, and they apprehended being sucked in as she went down. In five minutes after they left her side, she went down stem foremost-and all was over. The boat drifted about for twenty hours, and was then picked up by an Italian brig, and the passengers landed at Falmouth, on the 17th of January,

The total number of souls on board the London appears to be 263. Nineteen of these escaped to tell the tale of the disaster, leaving the number who perished at 244. Had the port cutter foundered, the loss of this noble vessel had been involved in mystery, as is the case with the President and the City of Boston. But the heart-rending narrative has been told; and for many years to come the memory of Daniel J. Draper and Captain Martin will be cherished with regret and affection,

P. P.

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF SAINT JOHN.

(BY A SABBATH-SCHOOL SCHOLAR.)

SAINT JOHN was the son of Zebedee and Salome. Compare Matt. xxvii. 56, with Mark xv. 40-41.

His father was a fisherman of Galilee, and, having hired men in his employment (Mark i. 20), it seems he was not in the lowest condition of life.

St. John was the youngest of the twelve apostles, being called to follow Christ in early life, and he lived to the greatest age.

He is the only apostle whom tradition says died a natural death.

He was called to be a follower of Jesus while engaged with his father and brother James mending their nets at the Sea of Tiberias. (Mark i. 19-20.)

Our Saviour was greatly attached to him, and he is called that disciple whom Jesus loved.

He was one of the three favoured disciples who accompanied Jesus up the Mount of Transfiguration, who were present at the raising of the Ruler's daughter, and who were present with our Lord in Gethsemane during his

agony.

At the last Supper John leaned his head on the Saviour's bosom, and he was the only disciple present at the crucifixion. Jesus, while hanging on the cross, commended his mother to the care of John, who took her to his own home. (John xix, 26-27.)

History informs us she lived fifteen years after the crucifixion.

At what time John went to preach amongst the Gentiles is not certainly known.

It has been supposed that he resided in Judea, and its neighbourhood until the war broke out with the Romans, and that he came into Asia Minor about A.D. 66 or 70.

It is thought, that after his banishment in the Isle of Patmos, he retired to Ephesus, where he ministered to the Church till his death.

From his writings he appears to have been of a very loving disposition, and in his gospel and epistles he frequently speaks of the Saviour's love.

He wrote five of the books of the New Testament: the Gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelations.

Edinburgh.

J. G.

LIFE A JOURNEY.

"This is not your rest.”—Micah ii. 16.

THE Prophet Micah here tells us that in this life there is no abiding rest, and so the Christian finds this to be true. There is nothing here on this sublunary state-this state of probation-which can give the Christian true rest. The Christian is seeking a city "whose maker and builder is God." Yes, he is journeying on the narrow road, and by and bye he will cross over the Jordan, and Jesus and angels will be in waiting to receive him into the gates of the heavenly city, where there will be no more sin, no more crying, no more pain, and no more night. Oh, what a blessed place, and what a glorious reception the true Christian will then experience! Oh, what eternal blessedness there, where "the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest !" Oh, what a thought! Methinks this ought to stimulate us to great energy in the divine life.

1. Let us consider that "this not our rest." Are we preparing for a better world than this by God's help? Are we sensible that we must leave this world behind in a short time?" Prepare to meet thy God," ere it may be too late.

Are you

2. "There is a rest for the people of God." his followers? Are you the Saviour's sheep? His sheep hear his voice, and they follow him, and he gives unto them eternal life. Oh, what encouragement for you! May

you go at once to him, if you have not done so before, for "this is not your rest."

3. Our time here is very short and uncertain. Go to yon graveyard and what a lesson you can learn, illustrating the uncertainty of all this here. Oh, be wise and consider your latter end ere you are summoned away in an hour when ye think not! Listen!

"Choose ye to-day, Christ calls to-day," &c.

'My son give me thine heart."

"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found."

Plymouth.

THOMAS HEATH, Junr.

JENNY THE WASHERWOMAN.

SOME years ago, while living in a large town in Scotland, I became acquainted with Janet M. I required the services of a washerwoman, and she readily undertook to wash for me, taking the clothes to her own home and returning them in three days.

One sultry morning, I stood watching Jenny as she ascended the hill to our house with a heavy bundle across her shoulders. "Janet," I said on opening the door, "I fear your back is almost broken with that great weight this hot day." "Nae fears, Mem," said she, "since the Lord took the burden o' sin frae aff my shoulthers a' ither burdens hae been light, an oh," Jenny continued, "what a glorious time I had last night as I prayed in my ain room, it seemed as if the Lord himself had opened the very heavens and came down. And I got up on the top o'a big stool and shouted Glory, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord." Janet had godless neighbours, some of whom complained of her praying so loudly that they could not sleep. "I want to stir you up," she would say; "I often wrestle with God for you all, and pray that ye may be saved."