AID TO THE AFRICAN MISSION FUND.

MR. EDITOR, DEAR SIR,-In looking over the Juvenile Magazine for 1868, we observed "six hundred pounds are wanted for the purpose of sending two missionaries to Africa."

At a meeting of the teachers belonging to the Primitive Methodist Sabbath-school, Wingate, Thornley Station, it was resolved to take the African mission question up, and to see if anything could be done to help it. Mr. W. Glass was elected Treasurer, and brother John Bell, Secretary, and we commenced in right earnest to labour for the African mission fund, and I am happy to say that we succeeded in raising the pleasing sum of £1 2s. 6d., which has been turned over to the Rev. J. Magee, out of a school of one hundred and twenty-five scholars and nineteen teachers. Our earnest prayer is, "God be with them that go to Africa, and many souls crown their labours."

The annual services for the promotion of home and foreign missions were held on Lord's-day, Nov. 22, 1868, when two sermons were preached, afternoon and night, by Mr. W. Yate, of Coxhoe, in the afternoon, from John x. 27, 28, to a respectable audience. The evening subject was based on St. Luke's Gospel, xii. 6, 7, 32, to a crowded congregation. At the prayer-meeting one soul found peace with God through believing.

On the Tuesday evening following the annual missionary meeting was held, when Mr. John Bell was called upon to preside. The meeting was addressed by the Revs. J. Magee, T. Close (Methodist New Connexion Ministry), and J. Watson, deputation. The meeting was one of great interest. The collections with cards and boxes were £3 13s. 11d.; donations from Mrs. Lewins and Mrs. Good £1 each; Sunday-school African Mission Fund £1 2s. 6d. ; total for the General and African Mission Fund £6 16s. 5d.

Dear Sir, you will be glad to learn that God has visited us at Wingate with a glorious revival of religion. For the last two months there has been a gradual improvement in the congregations, in the classes, in the prayer-meetings, and in the Sabbath-school. I am happy to say that nearly fifty souls have been awakened, and professed to have obtained salvation by the remission of sins. During the services the quickening has been chiefly among the young, but

not confined to them.

We are praying for the good work to continue and spread, till vast numbers are made subjects of heaven's glorious King, and to him “ we will ascribe all the praise."

JOHN BELL.

A BEAR STORY.

JOHNNY BAKER killed a bear the other day. Johnny is a small boy, but very brave. He used to be afraid of bears. No wonder. They are terrible creatures. Johnny had run away from this one times enough. He resolved to fear him no longer, and he turned round and dealt him a terrible blow, which laid the great creature flat on the grounddead.

Johnny was surprised; he had not supposed the monster could be so easily killed. He would have turned upon him sooner if he had known how short a piece of work it would be.

You are probably surprised at Johnny's courage, and wonder in what wild region of country he lived. You would not like to be frightened by such an animal.

You will open your eyes wide when I tell you that this kind of bear is numerous in all parts of the land, and that

there are doubtless more than one prowling about your own home.

The animal Johnny killed was a bug-bear. He belonged to the "I can't" species.

Did you ever see a bear of this kind? Are you afraid of them? You may well fear. They are stubborn, persevering They will follow your track for days and weeks, sometimes even for years.

creatures.

You may learn to consider them harmless. On the contrary, they are very dangerous. They are certain to grasp and smother you in their terrible hug. You do not die all at once, as from the grasp of a great Greenland bear, but their close grasp is no less certain death in the end.

You linger along for years, it may be a miserable, useless being.

I have seen strong men dying by inches from having being once conquered by a creature like the one Johnny Baker killed.

You have, perhaps, seen such men. They are wretched beings. They are no comfort to themselves or their friends. Often they are harsh and cruel, abusing their own poor, helpless, little children. People call them drunkards. They know they are wrong, and wretched. They say they wish they could break away from the habit, but the fact is the tough old bug-bear "I can't" gave them so strong a hug a while ago, that they will probably never recover.

Another species of bug-bear is called "What will they say?" This is a smaller, meaner looking beast than “I can't," but he is a terribly strong creature. He likes to get hold of boys (and girls too) who are afraid of him.

If ever you shrink from what is right and noble through fear of ridicule, be sure that this contemptible bug-bear is on your track. The whole tribe of bug-bears are dangerous animals, but they are easily killed. Deal them one strong blow, and you will be astonished to find them dead.

Never allow an "I can't," or an "I'm afraid of being

laughed at," to live. Kill them before they smother you. Never succumb to a "bug-bear."-The Little Corporal.

ONE WAY AND THE OTHER.

"FATHER," said a woman to her husband one morning, "the boys want some new shoes."

"Want, want, always wanting!" said the man in a cross tone. "I've got no shoes; if you want them get them."

"I don't know who should, if you can't," answered the wife, catching the spirit of her husband; and the spirit once caught, she carried it down stairs into the kitchen, where she quickly saw that breakfast was in a backward state."

"Sally," she cried, "why in the world is not breakfast ready the mornings are long enough."

"This awful green wood!" cried Sally, who until now had been doing her best; but catching her mistress's tone, she quite lost her temper.

"The wonder is breakfast's got at all," she muttered; while her mistress went out, and little Joe came in from the wood-house.

"Tie my shoe, Sally," said he; "the string has tripped me up awfully."

"Go away," cried Sally, "and not pester me at breakfast time."

"Cross creature!" cried little Joe, pouting and pulling off his shoe, which for mischief, or not knowing what else to do, he swung at the cat lapping her milk. The shoe sent the cat one way and the cup another, and the milk in a puddle.

"You mischievous puppy," cried Sally, giving little Joe a shake, and sending him off to the sitting-room.

Joe, in a terrible pet, fell upon his little sister, who was

playing with a woolly dog, a little toy her auntie gave her, making it bark in a wheezy tone no real dog was ever guilty of. "Give it to me," cried Joe, snatching it from her hand; whereupon Susy burst into an angry cry. Joe's mother struck him for it, and he set up a howl equal to any young cub in a bear's den; so that by the time breakfast was ready the family sky was as dark and squally as it could well be; for crossness is catching, and "the beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water." Prov. xvii. 4.

THE OTHER WAY.

"Father," said a woman to her husband one morning, "the boys want some new shoes."

66

Yes, I suppose it is 'most time," answers the husband, "but I can't so well spare the money just now. I wonder if I could not black them nicely up, to make them answer a little longer. Let me see now."

"Do not trouble yourself with them, husband," said the wife. "Let me try and see what a gloss I can put on them; maybe they'll look as good as new; and away she tripped

down stairs into the kitchen.

"Sally," she said, "you are a little behind in breakfast, but I'll help you. No wonder; the green wood troubles you, I'm afraid."

"Please, no," answers Sally; "I'll fetch breakfast on the table in a minute;" and Sally stirs about with cheerful briskness, while little Joe comes in and asks to have his shoe tied.

"In a moment, deary," answers Sally, "while I run down and get some kindlings; your ma' wants breakfast."

"Let me go," says little Joe; "I'll bring you some beauties," and away scampers the little boy, who soon came back with an armful. "There, Sally," he says, "won't that help you ?'

"Yes, deary," cries Sally; "now let me tie your shoe;" and while she does it, Joe is looking at pussy lapping milk. "Pussy's had her breakfast," said Joe, "and I'll take up her cup, lest somebody should step on it and break it.