grandchildren, —- who are already counted by the hundreds in some of the islands. I am always happy to bring down missionaries, but am rather sad to take them away; I did so want to bring back dear Mr. and Mrs. Snow, and my favorites, the Doanes. How they are repeating themselves in the songs everywhere sung in New Micronesia! Dear good veterans, how I miss them! And now I must take back another of them. Mrs. Sturges is much needing me to help her get away into a cooler clime. And poor Mr. Sturges! he will soon be the only one of the original band in Micronesia; how he does hang on! Wonder if he plans to never give up? I love my younger friends, and shall try to keep on coming to them as long as I can. If any more want to come, I can assure them a hearty welcome and a glorious work. These isles wait for the Law of the Lord; and I can wish no one any higher good or sweeter happiness than a share in bringing to them the Gospel of Life. I shall be happy to continue in your employ, and serve you to the best of my abilities. Thanks for past favors. "Your sincere servant,

"THE MORNING STAR."

THE FAKIRS OF INDIA.

In another part of this number of the Herald, much is said about the success of the gospel in India during the past year. Thousands have thrown away their idols, and are now learning of the true God. On page 162 there is a picture of a temple, in which some of these recent converts in India were a few months ago worshiping blocks of wood and stone. The beautiful temples of that land are in strange contrast to the ugly and misshapen idols to be seen within them. But it is not strange that those who make such hideous images for gods, should think that the way to please these gods is by making themselves hideous. The religion of Jesus teaches us that saints are such as love God and righteousness. The religion of the Hindoos teaches them that men become saints, disfiguring their bodies, and living in nakedness and filth. These Hindoo saints are called fakirs (pronounced fah-keers). They form a class of people by themselves, generally wandering about from place to place, having no fixed home. They deem it a virtue to be filthy and almost naked. They neither cut their hair nor comb it, twisting it about their heads or letting it hang loosely. They paint their naked bodies or rub ashes over them, so as to make themselves as repulsive as possible. A few years ago there were said to be two millions of these fakirs in India. The people greatly reverence them, seeking their blessing and dreading their curse. They are great beggars, and no one dares refuse them a gift. The proudest Brahmin will bow down before one of these wretched creatures whom he happens to meet upon the street.

There is a class of these fakirs who give themselves up to some special form of self-torture, and it is astonishing what sufferings they will endure. Occasionally one will make a vow to fasten his eyes on an object and never take them off while waking. He will stand for days with fixed gaze, as if he were stone. Some of these devotees will stand on one foot until their

legs shrivel, and it becomes impossible for them to walk. Others will tie an arm over the head, and keep it there until it becomes rigid and useless. A missionary tells of a fakir whom he once met who was making a pilgrimage to Benares, a distance of 240 miles, by measuring the whole distance with his body. He would throw himself at full length upon the ground, and then placing his feet where his head struck, repeat the process all the day long.

The picture given above is from Dr. Butler's Land of the Veda, and is engraved from a photograph of a group of fakirs who wore a larger amount of clothing than is usually seen upon men of their class. They make us think of that demoniac whom Jesus saw at Gadara, who went about crying and cutting himself with stones. It is not strange that people who call these filthy and wretched beings "holy," should be themselves corrupt and unholy. Neither is it strange that when a religion requiring purity of heart is presented them, they should be slow to understand it, and slower still to receive it. But little by little they are learning of the better way. Sixty thousand persons in Southern India who have had this sad notion about what makes a saint, have within a year left their idols, and have asked to be taught the religion of Jesus. There will be no fakirs in India when the people have learned that they only are saints who are holy in heart.

MISCELLANEOUS.

REDUCTION IN FOREIGN POSTAGE RATES. — Important reductions in rates of foreign postage will be noted in a schedule on fourth page of cover. Letter rates to Foochow, China, Ceylon, and India, are reduced from ten to five cents. The rates on newspapers and other printed matter have been generally reduced.

Some have supposed that small articles of general merchandise could be sent abroad under the head of "SAMPLES OF MERCHANDISE." This is not the case. The limitation is restricted to samples of no money value.

SAMPLE COPIES. Pastors and others who desire to cultivate a more general acquaintance with the MISSIONARY HERALD are requested to send freely for sample copies, and thus aid in its increased circulation. The literary labor, cuts, type-setting, office rent, and some other items, cost as much for one thousand copies as for one hundred thousand; hence, every thousand new paying subscribers reduces the average expense per copy.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

Persons having occasion to correspond with business houses whose advertisements appear in the HERALD, will do them and the monthly a favor by referring to the fact that the advertisements were seen here.

Advertisements are not admitted unless of such character as to be believed to be above question, and from parties so reliable that the readers of the HERALD are safe in ordering from any distance. Advertisements of articles offered at less price than the same of good quality could be manufactured; agencies which promise improbable income from trifling investments, etc., etc., are neither solicited nor admitted.

Whatever friends may do in directing first-class advertisements to the advertising pages of the HERALD, will be in the direction of its self-support.

PACKAGES FOR MISSIONARIES. - Persons sending packages for shipment to Missionaries should state in general terms both the contents and value; as, "Books, $7.00,” “Clothing, $15.00,” etc.

There are no specified days for sending out goods; but, in general, it is well to send packages to the Rooms as soon as prepared, that they may be ready for the first shipment. It has very frequently occurred that persons have written to ask when a shipment will be sent, and have just missed the shipment, when if the goods had been sent at once, with a letter or postal giving contents and value, they would have been in season for shipment. Mark boxes and packages 1 Somerset Street, and address letters to Charles Hutchins, No. 1 Somerset Street, Boston.

BOUND VOLUMES OF MISSIONARY HERALD. - Persons sending the numbers of the MISSIONARY HERALD can have them bound in cloth binding for 40 cents; half sheep, 75 cents. Returned by mail for 15 cents. Bound volumes may be purchased at $1.40 or $1.75, according to style of binding.

All such

WAS THE MARCH NUMBER RECEIVED? - For some unaccountable reason the March number of the HERALD failed to reach some subscribers. are requested to notify at once, that the number may be supplied.

MORE THAN A DOLLAR A MINUTE. - It will take less than a minute to look at the memorandum accompanying the address on this copy of the HERALD to see if it has been paid to the close of 1879. If not, it is to be presumed that this brief space of time will be worth $1.10, or more, to the subscription book of the HERALD.

BILLS. There is a peculiar difficulty connected with sending bills to persons on the paying subscription list of the MISSIONARY HERALD who seem to be in arrears. Many thousands pay who are entitled free, but of the large paying list we have no means of knowing, in regard to most, whether they are entitled free or not, and many who are entitled free persistently refuse to be so marked, preferring to pay. Bills are occasionally sent to all upon the paying lists who seem to be in arrears. Most receive them kindly; but some, who are entitled free, and who would have been so marked had they so requested, but who have paid, but not to date, feel either grieved or somewhat offended; while other some are profoundly offended, and write such letters as require peculiar grace to read, and special grace and gifts to answer. If bills are to be sent at all, there seems to be no way but to send to all who were heard from last as paying subscribers.

Again, there is embarrassment in regard to a very large number who are marked "FREE," and who have been so entitled at some time but are not now. They expect to pay whenever a bill is sent them. As each one of these subscribers knows for himself whether he should be a free or a paying subscriber, it would relieve all difficulty if all such would remit at once, without waiting for a bill. In the absence of such general remittance, there seems no safe way but to send bills to all who are not reported as entitled free for the current year.

PERSONS ENTITLED FREE UPON ANNUAL APPLICATION. Ministers whose churches contribute to the American Board; Honorary Members; donors of not less than ten dollars annually; collectors of not less than fifteen dollars annually; and treasurers of churches contributing not less than twenty dollars annually.

THOSE FIGURES. · - Some periodicals mark the date to which payment has been made. With these "79" would indicate payment through 1878 and to January 1, 1879. The figures upon the MISSIONARY HERALD indicate the time to the close of which payment has been received; thus "79" indicates that payment has been made to the close of 1879. So "f79" indicates that the subscriber has been marked as free to close of 1879.

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SPECIAL OFFER. Any who are interested in extending the circulation of the HERALD may send five names or more for the remainder of the year, including the May number, at the rate of $3.00 for five subscribers. Send early. Send five, or many times five.

Address

CHARLES HUTCHINS,

2

No. I Somerset Street,

BOSTON, MASS.

167 & 169 Washington St. 4 full line of New and Standard Text