HIS NATIVE LAND.

INTRODUCTION.

FTER travelling in Egypt, and going up the Nile as far as the first cataract, we returned to Cairo, and then made our way towards Palestine. We enjoyed our tour on the Nile, and everything was very well managed by Mr. Cook's agent. In Egypt we met many agreeable travelling companions, among them a minister of the Established Church of Scotland and an American clergyman, who often used to make us laugh with his witty and pithy remarks. One day a lady of our party, who was not always satisfied with her surroundings, remarked that a certain island would not be very beautiful if you took away the mountains and the water. 'No, my American friend observed, 'I guess if you take away the land and water from most places there would not be much beauty left.'

Whilst at Cairo we visited Miss Whately's schools. There were about 500 children in attendance. I heard

them read, and I was very pleased with the answers they gave to my questions on the Holy Scriptures. One of the pupil-teachers, who was a convert to Christianity, had been in the schools from four years of age. Before we came away the children sang hymns in English very sweetly. I feel certain there is a great work being carried on in this school, and by Miss Whately herself, who takes missionary tours up the Nile at certain seasons of the year. I can recommend this work to the liberal support of all who take an interest in missionary work. The children seem to like the English language, and my American friend was of the opinion that we should endeavour to teach English all over the world, and through that medium the gospel should be spread. We enjoyed some days at Cairo, as there is much to be seen; especially we enjoyed a visit to the Boulak Museum, where we saw many Egyptian antiquities. The donkeys at Cairo are very good, and many a good gallop we had there; but as it is not my intention to write about Egypt, I must hurry on.

How often, even from our earliest years, has a desire sprung up within our hearts that we might one day visit the Holy Land! This desire has been kindled by the accounts which we have read of the sojourns of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; of the glorious entry of the children of Israel under Joshua, when the walls of Jericho fell down, and of the many victories he obtained whilst he was their commander

in-chief; as we have read of the prophets, like Samuel ('the asked of God'), Elijah, and Elisha; or of kings, as Saul, David, and Solomon. Then, when we have. opened the pages of the New Testament, and read of Jesus of Nazareth (very God and very man), and of His disciples, the works they did, the wonders they performed, surely there has oftentimes arisen within us a desire to visit and see with our own eyes those sacred places, where those holy men of old lived; where the Son of God lived, died, and rose again, when He came in the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.'

How few of us are able to gratify this desire! Therefore I think it only right that those who are so fortunate as to do so should tell those at home of the sights they have seen. This is my object in writing this little book, and I shall be fully repaid for my trouble if some by reading it are brought to study their Bibles with greater interest, and to love more than before their Lord and Saviour, who is so prominently set forth in that Holy Book, and who, when He came upon earth, came forth and lived upon this Holy Land.