Africaner was, but a few years since, a powerful predatory chieftain, the terror of South Africa. He plundered the natives, destroyed the missionary stations, and carried fire and sword wherever he went; but even this man has been subdued by the power of the Gospel! He sits at the feet of the Christian teacher, docile as a little child; is anxious to make restitution for the wrongs he has done, to proclaim the grace of God, and to live in peace and charity with all men! Does not this simple fact speak volumes in favour of missions to the heathen?

The following extract from the Rev. Mr. Campbell's Second Journey in South Africa, may well be added to our Correspondent's statement.

"There was one circumstance in this meeting of a very affecting nature. I saw before me, at this moment, worshipping under the same tent, and receiving the glad tidings of the Gospel with much feeling, the noted Africaner, and Berend the Griqua captain. Till their conversion they were mortal enemies to each other. Berend was brought to feel the power of divine truth several years before Africaner. When the Namaqua chief was converted, he sent a message to the Griqua chiefs, confessing the injuries he had done them, and soliciting them at the same time to unite with him in promoting universal peace, and the improvement of the people.

"Africaner and Berend are both judicious excellent Christians; and their own feelings must have been strongly excited upon the present occasion. These patriarchal men are now kings, fathers, and priests, in their domestic connexions. They instruct their families, preside among the people in the absence of Missionaries, and breathe nothing but peace on earth and good will to men. Thus, when God blesses his people, he makes them blessings to others. With all the particulars relating to these chiefs in view, what would Infidelity have said on contemplating so interesting a scene? To what agency would she have ascribed this marvellous change in the characters of these men? Could her favourite system have exhibited such fruits, she would have called upon all men to fall down and worship her!

"The subject of address was- The invitation of God to the ends of the earth to look to Him, and to Him alone, for salvation.' Berend, on this occasion, engaged in prayer, and Africaner knelt at his side. Twenty-four years before this time they and their respective adherents fought, for five days against each other on the banks of the Great Orange River. Africaner has now some intention of leaving the west side of Africa, and of taking up his residence in the vicinity of Berend, for the remainder of his days." Scene-The Desert; Time-Evening.-Meeting of a Missionary and a Horde of Hottentots.

MISSIONARY.

O TRAVELLERS of the desert, say

Why o'er these burning sands you stray,
Where cooling streams nor fragrant shade
Refresh the solitary glade?

Beware how here you pitch your tent
Beneath that ridge of sparkling flint,
Lest from the hills at midnight deep
The gaunt hyænas scare your sleep,
Or prowling lions in their way
Rush on their unsuspecting prey,
When sturdy guard, nor armed hand,
Protects your pale and trembling band.
Turn southward from this dreary glen,
And seek the safer haunts of men.

TRAVELLER.

O stranger! hast thou ne'er been told
Of Africaner, fierce and bold,
The chief of predatory bands,
And terror of the neighb'ring lands,
Whose ravages have spread the way
With desolation and dismay?
Late on the desert's utmost bound
Our peaceful settlement was found,
Deep in a green and palmy vale,
Unwither'd by the burning gale,
Where springs and rivers cool and clear
Refresh'd the soil and crown'd the year:
But here, e'en here, remote from fame,
Too soon the fell destroyer came,
To sweep our flocks and herds away,
And make our hard-earn'd wealth his prey:

He to the flames our dwelling gave,
And swept our kindred to the grave;
With carnage warm he strew'd his road,
And all his footsteps mark'd with blood.
At midnight from our home we fled,
While all the skies around were red
With bursting flames, that rag'd afar,
And mark'd the track of savage war.
Thus far escap'd from dangers past,
We fear no monster of the waste;
If furious Africaner's hand
No more molest our trembling band:
Safe from the terrors of his arm,
We shun no toil-we dread no harm;
But never may we southward turn,
O'er our deserted home to mourn,
Till war's dread perils shall be o'er,
And the fierce tyrant be no more.

MISSIONARY.

Dismiss your fears-the hour is come
When you again may seek your home:
Ceas'd are the evils you deplore—
For know, the tyrant is no more!

TRAVELLER.

Blest be the hand, and well it sped,
That turn'd the vengeance on his head!
But tell us, for thou sure canst tell,
When, and by whom, the tyrant fell?

MISSIONARY.

Wilt thou the brief assertion heed?-
No mortal arm achiev'd the deed:
The terror of each tribe and horde
Is fall'n beneath the Gospel sword:
Amidst the pride of prosperous days
The conquer'd chieftain weeps and prays;
The Christian's God he dares invoke,
And bends him to the Christian yoke.
The heart that could in blood delight,
The hand that sought the savage fight—-
That late all human power defied,
Now seek the mercy they denied.
Humble and child-like in the dust,
Benign, benevolent, and just,
The dread freebooter now forsakes
His prey, and retribution makes
To all, whom, with injurious power,
He plunder'd in oppression's hour.

Hence let the stoutest sinner view
What God's almighty grace can do,
When ev'ry human method fails,
Nor arm nor artifice avails:
This can the savage breast reclaim,
And sink the lion to the lamb ;
Exalt the monsters of our race
To holy Charity's embrace,
Cancel their crimes of deepest dyes,
And fit th' unworthiest for the skies!

THE NEW VILLAGE PASTOR.
[Concluded from Page 135.]

WHEN the feelings of a believer have been powerfully excited, nothing of an external nature can better contribute to restore composure, than a view of the works of God. The creation exhibits so much peace and concord; there is such a sweet consistency in the different objects and forms of a landscape; the plains with their variegated plots of ground, the mountains with their rocks and woods, the sky and clouds with their softly blending tints, present a picture which, when contemplated for a few moments with those feelings which the creature ought ever to possess in the presence of his Creator, leads us to partake in some degree of that eternal harmony of which the Lord is at once the centre and the cause *.

-The boundless store

Of charms which Nature to her votary yields;

The warbling woodland, the resounding shore,

The pastor experienced this as he drew nigh to the village. The road, shaded by ancient oaks, wound along the sides of the mountain, and unfolded new scenes at each successive moment. Sometimes were seen extensive meadows sprinkled with farm-houses and knots of trees; sometimes a forest appeared, in the depths of which the road seemed to be swallowed up; at another turn, the arrow upon the steeple glittered above the rounded tops of the walnut and lime trees, or the blue smoke rose in undulating columns from the half-concealed roof of the cottage. All

these objects, whilst they charmed his eyes, were no less interesting to his heart, because they were connected in his mind with the work which he was going to undertake and to pursue in the midst of those villagers. Happy, thrice happy!" he exclaimed, "the man to whom the Saviour has

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The pomp of groves, and garniture of fields: said, Go, preach my Gospel."

All that the genial ray of morning gilds,
And all that echoes to the song of even,
All that the mountain's sheltering bosom
shields,

And all the dread magnificence of heaven:

*

*

These charms shall work thy soul's eternal
health,

And love, and gentleness, and joy impart.
BEATTIE.

I could not but present the reader with
this interesting description, so strikingly
similar to that in the narrative, that it
seems almost the same in a poetical dress.
The evangelical propriety, however, of the
latter, gives it, I think, no small supe-
riority. The charms of nature display them--
selves, too often, utterly in vain, to the
man who is unconverted. "Their line is,
indeed, gone out through all the earth, and
their words to the end of the world." But
who regards them? An infidel may choose
to roam," where a blue sky, and glowing
clime extends;" and to witness "nature's
pages glassed by sunbeams on the lake;"
and he may remain miserable and an infidel
still. It is the man who is first "admitted
to the embraces of his God " (like the Pas
for in the narrative), who really feels and
enjoys the charms of nature.
JULY 1822.

If his heart is truly submissive to his Master-if he consecrates himself in sincerity to his service, it is no longer a painful and fatiguing task in which he is engaged; but it is his own happiness which he daily increases and improves. O how true is it, that to be a pastor is a good work *!

But though his heart was thus pleasingly affected, he did not immediately enter into the village. His mind was powerfully attracted to serious meditation. Leaving the avenue which conducted to the nearest dwellings, he chose a winding pathway, and proceeded by the back of the village into the churchyard. He easily discovered what he sought for there. the foot of an aged alder, and beneath its flowering branches, in the most solitary corner of that silent abode, a stone newly hewn records

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