gether to the English service in the chapel.
Mr Colquhoun preached a simple but impressive sermon from John x. 4;
which text he illustrated by an incident that he had witnessed in a
recent journey northwards.

A shepherd with a flock arrived at a river of some impetuosity. He
entered it first, trying the depths with his staff, got over at the best
place, and then with his voice called over the sheep to him. From which
the following points were deduced:--

1. That the shepherd led the way, and the flock waited for his call.

2. That the sheep followed when he called, although not all of them at
the precise ford he had discovered. Some of them trusted to their own
judgment, and these generally got out of their depths for a time. His
way was certainly the best one.

3. That as the shepherd stood on the opposite bank, he showed no
symptoms of uneasiness, for he was confident that every one of the flock
would get safely across.

4. That the sheep in passing over used each his own efforts to get
across, apparently just as much as if there were no one present to help;
although no doubt the presence of the shepherd had a good effect upon
their exertions. It is beyond our reach to explain the metaphysical
mystery of this.

5. The shepherd in first crossing the stream himself tested the force of
the stream. Each individual creature had to do the same; but those who
followed the closest upon his track had an easy passage, while those who
tried new ways for themselves were some of them swept down the current
for a distance, and had to make hard struggles to rejoin their companions
and to reach the beloved shepherd.

6. All got safely over, for they were his sheep; he knew them all by
name; he had tried the way before them and shown it; he then called them
to himself.

Of course each of these points was made use of as personally applicable
to the hearers. The sermon did me much good from its quiet and truthful
character.

At this service, it is needless to observe, that there was no separation
of sexes in the congregation. The girls of the school (who are all
taught English) were there placed by themselves, and prettily dressed,
wearing the Oriental _izar_, (or large white veil,) with flowered
borders, a novelty to us.

Returning to the mission-house, the late afternoon and the time of sunset
and twilight were spent in rational conversation of Christian character.
And such was our Sabbath-day of devotion a