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A KHAN.

Thomas. WHAT is this a picture of, father?

Father. Read the name underneath, and see for yourself.

T. What a strange word! K-h-a-n. What am I to call it?

F. Why just like c-a-n, can, to be sure.

T. Well, then, what is a k-h-a-n, or a can?

F. Let me see: I should think it must be something like a good-sized inn; only it can't be in this country, for there are some camels standing to drink in the middle of it. I've heard they ride camels instead of horses in the eastern countries when they take a long journey, I mean in places near the Holy Land. But read about it and see.

T.(reading.) "The picture represents a khan, or, in our language, an inn, at Pergamos, a town of Asia Minor." Oh, father, I've heard master talk about Asia Minor; it's the country where St. Paul was born, and where he travelled about so much, preaching. It's only the other day we were reading in the Acts, how they used him so cruelly, and stoned him; and that was at a place called Iconium. Master showed us it on the map, and it is just in the very middle of Asia Minor. Oh, the khan's in Asia Minor, is it? now I know where I am. Well, the book says, "The khan is two stories high, and is built round a large square court-yard. Thẻ roof projects very far in the inside, forming the cover to a gallery that runs nearly all round the khan, on a level with the floor of the upper rooms. These are the traveller's rooms: they are very small, and have no furniture, unless a few nails fastened up on the bare walls to hang clothes upon may be honoured with that name. Each room has a door opening into the long gallery.

"When travellers arrive after a long journey, they undo the heavy burdens from their camels, and lead them to drink at the great trough that stands in the middle of the yard." Ah, that's just what you said, you know, father, about the camels. 66 They then get ready their own

VOL. XXVI.

I

lodgings for the night, unpack all their luggage, spread out their carpets to sit upon, and make up their beds. By eight o'clock almost all in the khan are fast asleep.

"That white tower just outside is the minaret of a mosque, or Mahommedan church" (poor Tom was obliged to ask his father to help him in these hard words). "They do not use bells or striking clocks much in these countries, (though it is, perhaps, true that the art of making them was brought over to us from thence,) but there is a certain officer, called the muezzin, belonging to every mosque, whose duty it is to cry out from the gallery of the minaret the invitations to prayer, or ezzai, at the five sacred hours; namely, at dawn, at noon, at four o'clock in the afternoon, at sunset, and at nightclose. To a stranger the effect of it is very striking when, in the stillness of the night, the slow chant breaks upon his ear, 'God is great, there is no God but God, and Mahomet is his prophet.' The voice may be heard at a great distance, the height of the tower being considerable, and the tone powerful and distinct. Upon hearing it the poor ignorant Mahommedans turn their faces towards Mecca, the place where Mahomet was born, and repeat their prayers."

When Thomas had read this, his father told him to look at Rev. ii. 12-17, and there he found an account of Pergamos, the town in which the khan is. It was a very wicked city, so that our Lord calls it the place "where Satan dwelleth :" but the Gospel came and gave it light; and God's children were gathered out of it. However, false teachers soon came in and led the people away: and God said, "Repent," but they went on still in their sins.

"Have you finished what you were reading?" said his father.

T. No, father. (Reads again.) "The present town of Pergamos lies beneath a lofty hill, on the top of which are the ruins of a beautiful temple, that in former times must have given to the city a very grand appearance. The houses in which the Turks now live are made of wood, and are very low and mean. By the side of the ruins of tall arches and marble palaces which are to be

seen in many parts, they look no bigger than the storks' nests which are built here and there on the tops of the decaying pillars.

"There are but few Christians now in Pergamos, and these are very ignorant and wicked. They belong to what is called the Greek Church, which is nearly equalin superstition, corruption, and idolatry to the Church of Rome: the sad consequence is, that the Turks hate and despise all Christians."

F. Well, then, what the Bible foretold has now come to pass, and God has "fought against" the city" with the sword of his mouth." Truly the anger of God against sin is fearful.

T. What a sweet text that is which mother taught me a few days ago, "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. ii. 5.) I wish they would sing this from the top of the tower, instead of the wicked words to the honour of the false prophet Mahomet,

Let

F. So do I, Tom; but it's empty work wishing. us pray for these poor people, that God would send out to them once more "his light and his truth," and give them a heart to receive and love it.

PROVERB, No. 2.

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

E. D.

The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.-PROV. xviii. 10.

A PARABLE is contained under these words; and it must be thought out, before all the meaning can be rightly understood. When an enemy comes to fight against a people with a great many soldiers, the king of the country will not only raise an army to meet them, but he will do all he can for the safety of the country people, their wives, and their children. In such cases it is a common thing to build towers, with thick walls, at little distances from each other. This was more common in the days when the proverb was written than it is now; but even in our days, when an enemy was expected to come in ships to our land, towers were built, and places of safety arranged for the people. If the

enemy came into the country, the people would run to these towers, where the king's officers received them, that they might not be taken prisoners. All this is referred to, as a kind of parable, in this proverb.

We are poor defenceless people; and the Captain of our salvation has gone into another part of the country, to prepare a safer place for us than can be found in this. The enemy takes advantage of his absence-the great enemy of souls, Satan, with all his evil angels. He comes upon us with all his recruits out of our own country behind him-the army of deserters called "the world." How often it pours upon us like a torrent of water; but when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord, our Captain, lifts up a standard against him (Isa. lix. 19.): that standard is His NameHis precious Name. The righteous-a true subject of Christ the King, comes under that banner-calls upon that name-runs into that tower, and is safe. Surely, it is a strong tower, it defends him as a rock-the enemy cannot pierce through it-the weak one is safe within it.-Yea, whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.-Safe for ever.

Read the twentieth Psalm, which is a larger explanation of this smaller Proverb.-Rev. A. D.

THE CHURCH IN THE COLONIES.

Ar a meeting held in London by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, the following was a resolution, seconded by Lord John Russell, lately one of the highest members of her Majesty's government and his testimony to the value of missionary labours is well worth insertion in our pages.

"That the merchants, bankers, and traders of the city of London, whose commercial interests are so closely interwoven with the prosperity of the colonies, are specially called upon to promote their moral and spiritual welfare."

The resolution was seconded by Lord John Russell, who was received with great applause. His Lordship said," My Lord Mayor, I rise to address you, not only

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