comfortable now." And he told Inari about his visit to the Bizen palace.

The god said nothing for a few minutes, and then he asked, "I shall be returning here in a fortnight's time; could you make it convenient to lend me fifty riyos!''

'Willingly, sir," said the peasant, and he counted out the sum from his bamboo stem and placed the paper in the hand of the god. In a fortnight Inari returned to the peasant's house and said, Here are the fifty riyos you were kind enough to lend me-and, taking from his own pocket a roll of notes, "here are five hundred more. I only borrowed from you to test your heart, and perhaps you can guess who I The astonished and delighted couple fell on their knees, in an ecstasy of joy. Inari disappeared, and the poor peasant prospered ever after, until he became the owner of the largest teahouse in Kawasaki.

am.

The fourth story is called

A CURE FOR DISCONTENT.

In that low quarter of the city of Yedo, called Shinagawa, there lived a poor sandal-maker. He was very poor, and belonged to the proscribed tribe of Etas, a race which, previous to the present era of refinement and enlightenment, lived by themselves, the spurned and despised of men, able only to follow certain trades of a menial character, such as the flaying of animals, the execution of criminals, and the making of sandals and clogs, to which the free-born citizens would not stoop. Poverty and misery preyed upon the mind of the poor sandalmaker so much that one night he said to his wife, O Taki, I wish I could be a great lord for a few days, to do nothing, to eat and drink of the best, and never to be obliged to think about spending a tempo. 'Don't be stupid, Denkichi,' replied his wife; "you would never do you would never do to be a lord, you might just as well try to swallow Fuji" (the great mountain). But the god Inari, who was prowling about as was his wont, heard this, and resolved that he would teach the poor man a lesson of contentment. So when the sandal-maker was asleep between his filthy quilts he appeared to him, and said, "You want to be a lord. Very well, you shall try it for a week."

The sandal maker rubbed his eyes and awoke. He was in a beautiful room, the walls of which were hung with curiously painted scrolls; the mats were of the finest and whitest straw; his quilts were of the softest silk, and his pillow was of camphor wood with a roll of the best bamboo paper tied upon it.

66

As he awoke a servant approached him kneeling, with a tray of sweetmeats. Denkichi took a handful and swallowed them, smacked his lips, and cleared the dish. The servant prostrated himself to the mats and retired, as he came, kneeling. "Well," said Denkichi, "this is luck! I suppose I'd better dress." His old garments were gone, and in their place was a suit of splendidly embroidered silk, fitted with stiff cardboard wings, and adorned with huge white crests of oak leaves. A personage who seemed to be a sort of major-domo appeared, and informed him that the suitors were waiting in the ante-room. 'But where's O Taki?" asked Denkichi. The man shook his head. Well, as I'm a regular lord," thought Denkichi, "I may as well see what it's like; but I should have liked O Taki to have seen me. And these clothes are confoundedly hot and heavy. But never mind, here goes!" So he went into the ante-room, where there must have been at least a hundred people assembled, who all made obeisance as he appeared. The majordomo showed him a sort of raised daïs on which he was to seat himself, and for three long hours he was obliged to remain motionless, listening to claims and petitions, and remonstrances and beggings of favors, and details of estates, and of revenue, and of a hundred other things about which he knew nothing. Several times he felt as if he would have liked to jump up and stretch his legs, and hitched himself uneasily, but the eye of the major-domo spoke a silent remonstrance, and he subsided with a sigh.

When at length the business was concluded, Denkichi was about to fling off his robes, and lie down as was his wont, half naked, with his pipe between his lips and a bowl of wine beside him, when the major-domo informed him that the hour of the mid-day meal had arrived. At this repast he was introduced to the ladies of his retinue, who were magnifi

cently arrayed, but so staid and solemn of demeanor, so unable to appreciate the jokes by which he had won for himself the name of the Shinagawa Wit," that he would much rather have had his plain, homely O Taki by his side. The meat was splendid, but Denkichi would have preferred a dish of stewed eels, a bowl of Yakidofu, and a measure of Three Virtue wine, to all the delicate dishes presented to him, so smothered in sauces and condiments as not to preserve an atom of their natural flavor. It was a long affair too, and when it was over he exclaimed with a sigh of relief, "Well, at any rate, now they'll let me have half an hour's peace. But the major-domo approached, and reminded him that the fencing master was waiting. So poor Denkichi was obliged to encase himself in a heavy suit of chain armor, and for more than an hour attack and defend, repeat, parry, cut, lunge, and'dance about until he was nigh dropping with fatigue. After the fencing came the master of Chinese, and after the master of Chinese the music instructor. A few cups of tea-spoiled, so thought Denkichi, by the infusion of cherry flower-somewhat refreshed him, and for the first time during the day he was enabled to get a few minutes of such rest as his stiff raiment would allow him. But the business of the day was by no means over. A council of the heads of the ward was held at which Denkichi presided, and again he had to sit listening to dry arguments on questions of law, petty differences of opinion, long speeches,

He

and statements about matters in which he did not feel the slightest interest. This was followed by the evening meal, an entertainment just as formal and twice as lengthy as that at mid-day. was almost asleep with weariness and fatigue, and would have crept into his sumptuous bedchamber, but the majordomo-how he hated that major-domo! -told him that a new theatre had been opened in the quarter, and that the people would be offended if the lord were not to honor the first night with his presence. A fresh suit of clothes, if possible heavier and stiffer than the first, was necessary for this performance, and not until the small hours of the next morning could poor Denkichi at last throw himself down between the quilts, only to be aroused in a short time to meet the assembly of suitors.

66

So, for a week this continued, with but little variation. On the evening of the sixth day Inari appeared. "Well," he said, how do you like it?" Denkichi fell on his knees. 'Let me go back this minute!" he cried, and never more shall you hear a word of discontent pass my mouth." Inari granted his prayer, and he found himself back again at the old hut in Shinagawa, with O Taki by his side. So utterly wearied and worn out was he that he slept during the whole of the next day, and then he related his experiences to a wondering circle of friends. circle of friends. But he never more was heard to grumble at his lowly condition.-Belgravia Magazine.

66

read a poster which was placarded on the walls of a northern city, one statement in which could not be thought less than unvarnished blasphemy. The Salvation Army visited our town, and I was deterred from going to its meetings by hearers repeating to me a sentence from the speech of one of the officers, of so disgusting and impious a nature that one could only shudder and shrink back.

The opinions of my friends varied as much as my own observation. A clergyman, at the Newcastle Church Congress last year, spoke of the good the Salvation Army had done in his parish; and how he had worked in harmony with it. He said that the Army penetrated to the lowest strata of society, and from the mud of the gutters drew out men and women who were perishing; that though it rescued such as these, they needed after-teaching to build them up in the faith, and that (if I remember rightly) he had formed six mission congregations belonging to his church from these persons-persons whom in the first instance he could never have reached. On the other hand, another clergyman of the widest sympathy, great ability, and most saintly character, whose long life has been spent among the workingclasses, and who has refused every offer of preferment for the sake of his beloved work, after careful examination, gave his verdict against the way in which the Army is conducted (especially in its financial aspect), and prophesied ultimate failure for it and General Booth.

At length I determined to attend a meeting of the Salvation Army, and judge of its services for myself. I took the opportunity of a visit to Bristol in December last, to go to the headquarters of the Army there-a disused Circus in a low part of the town, and I intend in this paper to give simply an account of what I actually saw and heard.

It was a thoroughly wet night, and though it wanted as yet an hour to the time of service a stream of people was passing into the building. The place seats 2243, allowing, as the doorkeeper triumphantly informed me, seventeen inches each." I know, however, that I did not get more than half my space. He said the usual Sunday evening attendance was 3000. The arena and the sides or galleries all round were

66

66

seated with forms without backs. ners hung down from the poles which supported the roof, upon which were inscribed texts and the motto of the Army, 'Fire and blood." Many of these flags were soiled, and the only fresh object to be seen in the place was a bunch of humble chrysanthemums on a red-covered table. This table stood on a platform exactly facing the doors. On either side of it were some chairs. I secured a place near the platform in the front row of the gallery; my neighbor was a workingman, down whose countenance the perspiration was already pouring. We entered into an interesting conversation; I laid before him a difficulty connected with work in which I am engaged, and was struck by the conviction with which he kept repeating, It's a matter for faith and prayer. The Circus was rapidly filling. I found the seat I was in was reserved for girls whose occupation it was to sell firewood in the streets; with two exceptions these young persons' heads were uncovered; they wore redcotton handkerchiefs round their necks, their dresses were poor, and one had bare arms, and it is certain they would never have so entered any other place of worship. The firewood sellers very kindly allowed me to retain my seat, though indeed it was a squeeze. I had no wish to move, as their seat was certainly the best in the place both for hearing and seeing. My friends chatted cheerfully to one another, and I was greatly struck by the universal friendliness and the general readiness to be incommoded. People were streaming rapidly in, and constantly were to be seen the S on the men's coat-collars, the bit of tri-colored ribbon, the shieldbrooch pinned on the bosom of the poor dress or jacket-the signs of membership worn so proudly and openly. Many women wore decent black gowns and jackets with white neckerchiefs and black straw poke bonnets-which dress is the female uniform of the Army; they looked very modest and clean soldiers. One such, going up to a seat behind us, stretched out her hand and grasped the hand of my bare-armed neighbor, a bright smile was exchanged, the poorlyattired girl lifted her face, the other instantly bent down and kissed her, and

then passed on. Violent hand-shaking was rapidly going on, as soldier met soldier, all over the Circus. Some one struck up

"Come, let us join our cheerful songs : Hallelujah to the Lamb who died on Mount Calvary.

Hallelujah Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

"

Amen."

Then the next line, and the next, all through the hymn, each line followed by the ringing chorus. My friends stamped time, and sang with all their hearts; but they broke off anywhere to talk" See, there's Joe's mother." 'Joe isn't with her. No, he'll have gone to church or chapel. See, there's So-and so; she's got on the bonnet; it suits her, doesn't it?" and then on again"Hallelujah!" I asked questions and, to explain my inquisitiveness, said I had never been to a meeting of the Army before. My lefthand neighbor froze instantly, and looking honestly at me, asked, "Then aren't you converted ?"" Yes; how long have you been converted?" Seven months. "And you?"-to the girl on my right hand, who, with a very pretty pale face, was looking at us-" Thirteen months.' And then she made friends with me; but till quite the end of the meeting, when I recommended a remedy for her corns, as she was pulling her boot on again, No. 1 looked on me as a to-be-suspected outsider. A man now fell on his knees and prayed, for three minutes, for a blessing on the coming service.

Then came

66

"I love Thee in life, I love Thee in death, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now,' rather disturbed by a girl dropping down fainting. Instantly an officer sprang on to a form and motioned stillness with his hands. "Keep quiet, keep still, was the word of command, and then a fatherly private bundled her up in his arms and carried her out. The Circus now is very full and very hot, and the people are packed standing in the passages, and yet it is only ten minutes after six. A concertina commences, and plays apparently all of its own accord, and we are all beginning to sing again, when a man drops down. Again an officer gives the word," Keep quiet."

The audience back him up well by going on singing. Two policemen march in, an enormous bottle of smelling-salts is handed up, and the patient comes to, and does not go out, though his pallid face shows distinctly against his red cotton handkerchief. By the by these spots of red are sprinkled all over the place. Ten more minutes have gone. A young sergeant fetches the colors from the platform, and shoulders his way out. And presently, while we are singing with all our strength,

"The angels stand on the Hallelujah strand, And sing their welcome home,"

back he comes, and after him a brass band of privates" (who give their services), and then a woman in the dress, who is an A. D. C.-explained by my friends as meaning "here, there, and everywhere' the captain, and the lieutenant, and a sweet-looking young girl, a sergeant. They ascend the platform. The captain had been ill from cold, so a mass of believers, ranged behind the platform up to the outer wall, give a kind of cheer of welcome; but the word It was a seemed to be "Hallelujah." strange sight. Three thousand people were present, all very much in earnest. Their clothes, though poor, were decent. The faces were all toil-worn, and many of them of a low and uneducated type. Some were, and some had been, brutal, for on many a countenance rested that look of quiet peace, of restful confidence, which is God's signet-stamp. I saw no rags, though men and women were present whose only Sabbath toilet was a clean face. From the audience I looked at the leaders. The A.D.C. had a long sensitive face, nervously excitable to a degree, and she sat a good part of the time with her eyes closed. She might have been thirty. The captain was a middle-sized man, with a round, pale face and a mass of light hair, and red beard and whiskers. The lieutenant had close-cut dark hair, no whiskers, and a powerful face; his fingers were long and sensitive, and he doubled his fist with a clench. Probably both the captain and himself were under twentysix.

We began with a slight disturbance caused by some young men in the gal

Two persons prayed-one in the gallery, and then one in the arena-very earnestly. Fill the captain with the Holy Ghost." Amen, amen!" came in a fierce cry from the privates. "Fill the lieutenant, fill the soldiers. Make us like a cable chain ('Amen, amen'). Pass not the people here. Thou didst not pass me, thou saved me (Yes, yes!')."

66

ur

The lieutenant rises, shuts his eyes. Silent prayer. He stands a couple of minutes with his hand raised, and then begins to pray. His voice is strained with much speaking; but he does not mind that, nor does the congregation. His voice rises, and I notice he repeats a sentence two or three times till he gets a sufficiently warm response; for instance, Bless Thy word" ("Amen" from fifty); "bless Thy word," in louder tones Amen" from a hundred); "bless Thy word," gently ("Amen" in a shout from five hundred). Presently he closes his prayer and gives out a hymn, and not only turns round and round, beats time to the brass band in front, the believers behind, the people all over the Circus, but flings in fiery comments as he reads the verse: "Millions saved!- -one is not many in a million, but I'm one, praise the Lord!" 'Haste away'-a lot of you will make up your minds, be in haste. Make up your minds now. Next comes another prayer. Then a single voice beginsinging I'm a pilgrim bound for glory. Others take up the strain, and the chorus comes with a burst:

I love Jesus, Hallelujah!

I love Jesus, yes I doI love Jesus, He's my Saviour, Jesus smiles and loves me too!" People up and down begin waving their hands, but the leading officers are not satisfied.

ed at those hands; every one that I could see (around and below me in the pit) told of misshaping toil, and my heart beat fast as I felt the strength of the link which bound these English poor -such poor!-to Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth. Rich poor! who claim such a brotherhood. But stop! the lieutenant takes his big Bible in his hand. He long ago threw open his tunic; he wears no collar, so that is not in the way; he unbuttons his gray flannel shirt, and reads us in as loud a voice as he can summon, Jeremiah 2: beginning at the twenty-sixth verse. There is intense quietude in the Circus; every face, serious with attention, turns to the reader. He finishes the chapter, puts the Bible on the table by the bunch of chrysanthemums, and begins to preach. He says the Israelites had false gods, and so have men and women now. walks about the platform, he flings out his arm, and brings that clenched fist of his down with a crash; he points direct at one of the congregation with his bony finger. It is all quite unlike an ordinary sermon, but it is preaching, for the man is determined to arouse his hearers, to save them, if possible, and they know it. No fear of fidgeting or of yawning here.

64

See," he says, here's a young woman taken up with the theatre.' Then he describes how her father took her to the play as a little child, how she grew to love it. She's taken up with it; it's what she desires." It becomes her god; not the God of the Salvation Army, but the god of the theatre." She worships it all her life, then comes her death-bed. Surely, we say to her, it will help you. Shall we bring it here to your death-bed? It's no use saying, Come along, let us go to the theatre. You can't, but shall we bring it here? let's have some acting. "No, it does not satisfy me. But you chose it; it will help you; you've taken it for your god.' No use to me now, I'm lost, I'm dropping into hell. I tell you I'm lost!"

Then the preacher draws a vivid picture of a young man who loved dominoes, then cards; who grew constantly to think of the game, who worshipped it. "He plays and wins his game." So he goes on, sometimes winning sometimes losing, but ever desiring,

46