In the year 1808, the communication between England and Japan was opened up in a manner by no means calculated to give the latter a favourable idea of the former. the execution of some benevolent pro- | interrupted, and has never since been ject; or to lend to the Lord some of that revived. earthly substance of which he has been made the steward. But he says, "Not now." An amiable youth is affectionately entreated to consecrate the morning of life to the service of God; to enlist in the ranks of the great Captain of our salvation; to give himself to the extension, and share in the rewards of that kingdom which is from everlasting to everlasting; and, though apparently almost persuaded to become a Christian, he turns away from us, saying, "To-morrow." These are but a few specimens of the procrastinating spirit. We might add to these almost infinitively; but to attempt any enumeration of the evils attending and resulting from it would be a painful task, which we have no heart for. May we not hope that our readers will profit by these suggestions? May we not, at least, expect that the young, whose habits have not yet become abiding, will adopt the rule herein recommended, and rigidly adhere to it? At the close of a year, how appropriate that all should begin (if spared to see it) the one which is to follow it, with the determination, in the Holy Spirit's strength, henceforth" never to leave till to-morrow what should be done to-day."-Adapted from an American Newspaper. RECENT EUROPEAN INTERCOURSE SINCE the expulsion of the Jesuits, the intercourse of Europeans with Japan has been extremely limited. Tempted, however, by the wealth of the country, various attempts have from time to time been made to open up an intercourse with it; but in every case they have been unsuccessful. As regards our own country, it is a curious fact, that about two centuries ago, William Adams, an English sailor, attained to very considerable influence in the Japanese empire. This man, having been shipwrecked on the coast, had managed to ingratiate himself with the monarch of the country by delineating charts, and by teaching the art of shipbuilding. Adams tried to use his influence in favour of the English, and after some attempts succeeded in procuring permission for them to trade with Japan. In the early part of the seventeenth century, however, the commerce was "Captain Pellew, of his majesty's frigate the Phaton," says the author of Manners and Customs of the Japanese," "while cruising in the Indian Seas, projected the capture of the Dutch vessels annually trading with Japan, and he prosecuted it even into the Bay of Nangasaki. The consequences of this step were such, we are assured, as to excite a fierce hatred of England in the minds of the Japanese. Upon captain Pellew making the coast, the report of a strange vessel in sight was brought to Nangasaki, and the usual deputation was sent forth. The boat bearing the members of the Dutch factory was in advance of that with the Japanese commissioners, and as the Phaeton displayed Dutch colours, they advanced joyfully to meet their shallop; when, as soon as they were within reach of each other, the Dutch officials were grappled, dragged forcibly into the ship's boat, and carried on board." The Japanese were thunderstruck at this adventure, and rowed back in alarm, to communicate the intelligence to the governor. Still more astonished were they when the English man-of-war, without leave being either asked or given, made her way into the harbour, and dropped anchor. The governor being highly indignant at this conduct, removed all the Dutch from the island of Dezima, and ordered his secretary to repair on board the British vessel; and after demanding the delivery of the captives, to assassinate the captain, and then commit suicide himself, in the event of a refusal. With some difficulty he was persuaded to abandon this design, it having been pointed out to him that such a course would only aggravate matters. The governor immediately sent summonses to the various princes in the neighbourhood, to come down to the attack of the strange vessel; but was mortified to learn, that neither troops nor generals were in a state of fitness for war. While plans were being formed for setting fire to the English frigate, the captain of the latter, after discovering that the Dutch vessels, of which he was in search, were not in the harbour, liberated his captives, and set sail again with the same coolness with which he had entered it. The result of this expedition was very serious for the Japanese authorities. The governor of Nangasaki and the leading princes considering themselves disgraced, committed suicide, and a violent prejudice was left against the British name. From that period, the only visit paid by British vessels appears to have been by a few straggling parties, who have made vain attempts to open up a traffic, the jealousy of the rulers having completely defeated their object. About four years ago, an attempt was made by captain Belcher, of her majesty's ship the Samarang, which visited Nangasaki on a surveying expedition. The Japanese authorities offered no opposition to his proceedings for completing his survey, and even allowed him to land on a small island for that purpose. The ship was crowded with visitors, who displayed a very lively and intelligent interest in all they saw. Many of the young men could speak a few words in English, and seemed desirous of adding to their stores in that language. They made inquiries on various points, both political and otherwise, which showed they were by no means indifferent observers. In particular, they expressed much curiosity about the Chinese war, and asked whether it was really true that they had paid the sum fixed as the expenses of it. They seemed astonished on learning that it was true. "We can imagine that they would promise it," they said; "but that they should actually have paid you is wonderful." On the return of the Samarang, some idea of a commercial embassy to Japan seems to have been formed; but no progress appears to have been made in the design. Other passing visits have very recently, we may add, been paid to Japan by British ships. The Russians and Americans have also, during the present century, made ineffectual efforts to open up a commerce and intercourse with this country, but in every instance they have been unsuccessful. Captain Cooper, of the American whale ship Manhattan, having picked up twelve shipwrecked Japanese, carried them into the harbour of Jeddo, where he safely landed them, and was treated with much kindness by the authorities. He was told that the emperor thought well of his heart, for having been so kind as to come so far out of his way with his shipwrecked subjects, and that he had accordingly ordered that he should be treated with attention, and have every description of provisions supplied gratuitously. The emperor, as a further mark of his consideration, sent him his own autograph. Still, however, every precaution was made against their landing. The ship was surrounded by three circles of boats. In the first, the boats were tied together, so that nothing could pass through them, and were filled with men having lances and various warlike instruments unknown in Europe. The second and third circles were not so close as the first, but the total was bewildering; they amounted to about a thousand boats. Magnificent as was the spectacle during day, it was still more beautiful at night, from the display of lanterns and transparencies in such countless numbers as to remind the spectators of an eastern fairy tale. The captain, during his stay, obtained a map of Japan, which he speaks of as being remarkably curious. The various presidencies and states were chalked out most minutely; rivers, streams, and roads, with every portion of statistical information, were also accurately put down upon it. The whole empire seemed to swarm with towns and hamlets. "It is almost," he adds, "impossible to conceive its populousness without an inspection of this map." The captain was, however, notwithstanding the courtesy of the emperor, expressly ordered not to visit the shores of Japan again; and the wind being unfavourable for his departure, a thousand boats were employed to tow him out of the harbour, for a space of twenty miles. Another American visit to Japan was made about a dozen years ago, by Dr. Parker. This gentleman, who was an eminent medical missionary to China, having met with some shipwrecked Japanese at Canton, conceived the design of taking them back again, and at the same time of introducing a knowledge of Christianity. Accompanied by Mr. Gutzlaff, the Chinese missionary, he succeeded in reaching the shores of Japan. The vessel was boarded by the official authorities, and it is supposed that some surmises were formed by them respecting the religious character of the mission, as the vessel was soon afterwards fired upon, and obliged to set sail, without even landing its Japanese crew. Thus has terminated the first and only attempt ever made to introduce a knowledge of Scriptural truth into Japan. Over that island still remains spread the gloomy pall of heathen superstition. Along its shores there has rung no clear blast of the jubilee trumpet, proclaiming the glad tidings of the remission of sins through the blood of atonement. Satan reigns paramount, and mocks at every effort made to break through the bulwarks which he has erected round his dark domain. Let us, however, not be discouraged. Of late years we have seen an empire, once as hermetically sealed, opened to the reception of the truth. Modern warfare has discovered modes of reducing to subjection the strongest cities, and the history of the Christian church has furnished us with examples of strongholds of Satan, as powerful as that of Japan, being overcome. The secret of that success, and the instrument by which it has been achieved, has, we need not say, been prayer. Let us, then, ply that weapon. Sooner or later this artillery of heaven shall destroy the mounds of superstition which oppose it. To those who have known, by experience, the value of prayer and the worth of the immortal soul, we would especially appeal. In your public and private devotions, let this large and interesting island have henceforth a place. Truly delightful would it be at the great day of account to discover, that owing to what has now been written, prayer for Japan should have begun from this time to be offered; especially if by that prayer the liberation of this vast empire from the dominion of Satan should, in any degree, have been accelerated. X. X. X. TIME HASTENS ON. "We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body."-2 Cor. v. 10. TIME is hurrying us on. We are, as it were, dragged or driven along, however reluctant we may be, to the precipice of death. Like the poor culprits of old, who were sentenced at Rome to be hurled down from the summit of the Tarpeian rock, we are, as it were, hurried along under the sentence of death to the verge of the precipice of eternity; on-on!— down-down we must go! We cannot turn about and parley with the officers that are hurrying us along; we cannot turn about and say to the minutes, hours, and days, "Oh! stop-wait-linger a little slower-give me a little more time do not fly so fast-a little space! a little respite!" Impossible! on, on, on we must go; who or what shall arrest the rapidity of our progress? What barrier can be erected to stay the flight of time? Is it not necessary, then, for the poor sinner to have access to his God? If you could suppose a culprit, such as I have been speaking of, doomed to be cast from the summit of the Tarpeian rock; if, when he was in the act of being dragged to the execution of his sentence, it were possible that he could even then have access to the means of pardon; if it were possible that even then his voice might reach the ears of the judge who could reverse his sentence-Oh! with what joy would he pour forth that cry, would he send forth that supplication to the judge's ear, if haply indeed his fate might be arrested, and he might be restored to liberty and life! Though we cannot pause in our progress to eternity, yet we may have access every moment to the ear of our Judge. And remember that it is not a sinner crying to God for respite and for pardon. No; but this is the awful point of the case, that it is God crying to the sinner to receive respite and pardon:-" Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?" Remember this; it is not only-"Come you to God-cry you to the Judge, for the Judge will have mercy on you!" but the language of the gospel is a message from your God to you, crying to you "Oh! sinner; peace, peace, pardon, pardon! Come unto me, and I will give you rest ;''look unto me, and be ye saved.' Oh! think of this! "He came and preached peace to you who were afar off;" here is the access you may have access continually to your God. God invites, commands you to cry to him, to come to him; he proclaims peace to you, however far off-pardon, however guilty.McGhee on the Ephesians. - THE FLOATING TRACT. THE son of a pious mother wandered from the ways in which he had been trained, and imbibed the soul-destructive principles of infidelity. Prayers were constantly offered for him, but how were they answered? One day, the young man in a musing frame of mind was walking near his own mill-pond. His glance fell on a leaf of paper near the edge of the water; he carelessly picked it up, and a few steps further he picked up two or three more. He had now in his hands a complete tract, which perhaps the winds of heaven had blown to the spot. Becoming interested he read the tract through. The little thing spoke of God. It spoke of the Bible; it spoke of eternity. Again he read it, and feelings arose in his bosom which he thought had been annihilated; having arrived at his house he again read the tract. He paused and thought, deeply thought, if this be all true, what?-the idea was too awful, he would not pursue it; he rose and paced the floor. Now, for the first time perhaps in his life, he felt an anxious desire to look into a Bible. But in his well-furnished library, that precious book was not to be found. The pocket Bible, which he called his own when a boy, was now in the book-case at his mother's residence. His mother had often urged him to take it home, but no, he had no use for such books. "I will send," said he quite aloud, "and borrow one. But no, that will expose my weakness. Yes," catching at the thought suggested by the word last uttered; 66 yes, it is weakness; I will not submit to it. Have I not lived satisfied with my principles? What reason have I now to distrust them? Strange that reading this tract should so disturb my composure! I see how it is, I am indisposed, have been unwell all the morning; I will throw the tract aside, and think no more of this matter." 1 The dency to remove her fears. The sole After giving vent to her tears, the tears of hope and fear, and after having poured out her soul before God, she recovered in some degree her composure. Again, like Joseph, she entered the room-her son was gone; she sprang towards the book-case-the pocket Bible was also gone. Mr. L. repented in sackcloth and ashes his former hostility to Jesus of Nazareth, and, in the course of some weeks, he found peace in believing in the Saviour, whom he had scornfully rejected. If he was once zealous in But the tract was not to be put off scattering the poison of infidelity, he is in this manner. It had seized on the now doubly so by his walk and converspirit of a stubborn sinner; it grap-sation in advocating the doctrines of the pled with his infidel principles. It gospel." Jubilee Memorial of the Religave no ground; the contest was long gious Tract Society." and serious; the tract was read over once more, and it triumphed-“ Yes,” said he, "I will have a Bible." THE PHENOMENA OF EARTHQUAKES. THAT agitation of the surface to which the term earthquake is applied, appears to be due to the same cause which produces a volcanic eruption, namely, the energy of subterranean elastic vapours struggling to find a vent. Hence while most common in volcanic districts, the shocks are most severe at a distance from volcanoes, as if the latter afforded passage for the eruptive energy, which, at other points, fissured and upheaved the surface, in order to effect its disengagement. In some countries, slight tremors of the ground are experienced daily, or after intervals of a few days; but though often sufficiently strong to displace various objects, they excite no alarm from inflicting no damage. Thus, at Lima, on the Peruvian coast, an average of forty-five shocks may be expected in the year. They occur mostly in the latter part of October, in November, December, January, May, and June. Experience also there gives reason to conclude that not more than two desolating visitations have marked the course of a century, occurring after intervals of from forty to sixty years, as since Europeans have known that region, the eras of considerable catastrophes have been the years 1586, 1630, 1687, 1713, 1746, and 1806. The movements of the surface during an earthquake are variously vertical, horizontal, and undulatory, or whirling. Low rumbling noises, resembling distant thunder, or sharp sounds, like the clanking of chains and discharges of artillery, are commonly heard in a great convulsion. Extensive fissures and chasms are frequently opened near the centre of a shock; streams are diverted from their course by the uplifting of their beds; |