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EMPRESS WOO.

THE young readers of the 'Dayspring' never before seen such a queer picture as this of Empress Woo. It is the picture of one of the remarkable women of the world. The three black characters at the right of the picture are her title of Woo Dsua Tien; for no title would satisfy her but one which raised her above humanity and compared her with Heaven, tien. Ön her head is an oblong imperial ornament with seven small circles. These represent the seven stars of the Plough,' which is sacred to the emperor of China. From each side of her highly ornamented hair hangs a string of rich pearls. In her hands she holds a yahoo, or tablet for writing notes; and you observe that both hands and feet are hid away beneath the ample folds of her loose robes; for neither hands nor feet of a Chinese empress must be seen by any one. The heavy black lines of the edge of her sleeves will show how enormously wide those sleeves were; and the ends of her sash are flying behind her. Her robes, though anything but grand in the picture, were of the richest silks or satins, used in China long before such garments were known in our country; and they were embroidered with rich needle work in dragon and other figures.

The condition of women in China is a very sad one, even though it is better than in Mohommedan countries. They are regarded and treated as inferior beings, and considered as the assistants and servants of their husbands, rather than their companions; while education, which is so general among men, is extremely rare among women. Yet any one looking at the fine forehead and keen eyes of the generality of Chinese women, can easily see what a powerful aid to the well being of China and the world would be the proper education of those sharp women. There are rare exceptions however, where wealthy men, high mandarins or teachers, give their daughters an education which almost always acts beneficially; and there are many women who, from mere force of character, command their proper place in the social scale.

Chinese history indeed contains a large list of women who have been famous; some for their remarkable learning; some for their surpassing beauty and social influence; and others for their robust mental activity, and their marked ability in conducting or influencing public affairs. The immense empire of China has been fairly well conducted for over twenty years by two empresses, who are Regents, along with an imperial prince, in name of the boy who is present emperor, and of the youth who last reigned.

Among all the notable women of China, the most remarkable, though certainly not the best, was empress Woo, who lived 1,200 years ago, and was the daughter of a man of low rank.

Her beauty procured the youthful Woo Jao the rank of concubine to the emperor Tai Dsoong, after whose death she, with all her fellow-concubines, had to retire into a Buddhist temple and pass the remainder of her life as a nun.

But there the successor of Tai Dsoong saw her, loved her, and would have her to himself. Her beauty and talent soon made her this emperor's favourite companion, and she was elevated, first to be a wife and then to be principal empress; but as the number of empresses was necessarily complete, the chief empress was dethroned to make way for young Woo. Her power thereafter rapidly increased, especially as she was possessed of a mind much abler than the emperor's. But, as is all but invariably the case with ambitious natures, the power which she wielded legally, great though it was, had its limit, and those limits chafed an ambition which had grown with success. She therefore got a powerful clique of her creatures to endeavour to subvert the government, that all power might be thrown into her own hands. The plot was discovered, the plotters were siezed and thrown into prison. Instead of being afraid at this discovery of her plans, she went to the emperor, and, in a torrent of abuse, upbraided him with cruelty to her friends. The weak husband excused himself by saying that it was all

the work of the ministry; and the result was, that the plotters were freed, and the principal ministers took their places in prison. She became virtual ruler of the empire.

Though the salic law has always ruled in China, empress Woo assumed the nominal as well as the real imperial authority and style, after the death of her imperial husband. For she made his son, and young successor, a virtual prisoner, after she had degraded him from emperor' to 'king' or prince. And for fully twenty years this able woman governed, with courage and with cruelty, the enormous empire of China; and upheld her own authority within the empire, and made the name of China respected beyond its own frontiers. Her ruthlessness may have been necessary severity, though the Chinese historians generally give it a much harsher name; for any minister was always cut down who dared to cross her, or endeavoured to change or modify her action by appeals to Chinese customs or laws. But her action in Corea was pitilessly cruel. For after that kingdom, away near Japan, had been in subjection to China for many years, she caused a general massacre of its inhabitants, and converted it into a desert.

She was dethroned in her old age, the rightful heir was proclaimed emperor; but she died still bearing the title of empress. Her reign is always pointed to by Chinese scholars as a beacon against women sovereigns; and she has had no

successor.

Women however have influenced and will continue to influence Chinese rulers; and if the Christian women of Britain could only teach their two hundred million Chinese sisters the comforting doctrines, the guiding precepts and the encouraging examples of Christianity, those sisters would soon change the evil practices that abound among that most intelligent of all Asiatic peoples.

JOHN ROSS.

EMINENT MEN

OF THE FIFTEENTH AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES THOMAS A KEMPIS.

125

A light still shines round the name of

Thomas à Kempis; and after all the changes of centuries and all that has come and past, his holy thoughts are with us to make us better and purer. He was born at Kampen, a little village near Cologne, so long ago as the year 1380. His real name was Thomas Hamerkin, but that is almost forgotten; for the name of which he is known and honoured is taken from his little native town.

That his father and mother were very poor, but honourable for their piety,' is all that is known of them. We have no sweet glimpse of the early home, of the little brothers and sisters, of the tender cradle songs sung over the little babes, which might be memories to the lonely monk through the long late years of his life. When but a little boy Thomas à Kempis had left his home and was studying in the Grammar School at Deventer. When he had passed childhood, he entered the Brother-house there. And in this Brother-house he remained till he was past twenty, his special and most dear friend being 'Master Florentius, Vicar of the Church of Deventer.'

Through the influence of Florentius, who only urged what he himself had secretly and long desired, he became a monk when he was little more than twenty, and entered the secluded convent which was to be his home for seventy-one years.

The convent of Mount St. Agnes stood on a low green hill. It was but newly built when Thomas à Kempis came to it. Every trace of the building has vanished long ago. It never had any fame apart from the fame of à Kempis. Three miles off stood the little Dutch town of Zolle, but the Augustinian Monastery stood quiet and alone on its soft green upland with a gentle stream at its foot. The sounds of battle and dispute were surging over all Europe, but they did not reach that little water, nor the quiet convent on the hill.

And full of a happy peace, it is said, was the long life of à Kempis. A busy and quiet life which left long results behind it. Most of the writings he left are now little known, but their names yield sweet suggestions of the poetry and peace which overflowed the writer's life. The Little Rose Garden, the Valley of Lilies, the Soul's Soliloquy, and a small volume of hymns, are part of the results remaining of that lonely convent life. But the book which has made his name loved is not one of these; it is called 'The Imitation of Christ;' a book which at least by name is familiar to almost every one. We read its devout words, its earnest counsels, with a doubled interest and delight when we know what a holy and beloved life was lived by him who wrote it.

'Endeavour to be always patient of the faults of others, which require a reciprocation of forbearance. If thou art not able to make thyself that which thou wishest to be, how canst thou expect to mould another in conformity to thy will.'

'Love Him and cherish His love, who, though the heavens and earth should be dissolved, will not forsake thee nor suffer thee to perish. Thou must one day be separated from all that thou seest and lovest among created things, whether thou wilt or not; living and dying, therefore adhere to Jesus, and securely commit thyself to his faithful protection.'

'Make thy door fast behind thee, and invite Jesus, thy Beloved, to come unto thee, and enlighten thy darkness.'

'Thou wilt always enjoy tranquility if thy heart condemn thee not. Do not hope to rejoice, but when thou hast done well."

'Simplicity and purity are the two wings with which man soars above the earth and all temporal things.'

'If thou desirest to obtain victory, make ready for the battle. The crown of patience cannot be received where there has been no suffering, and if thou refusest to suffer, thou refusest also to be crowned.'

'Love knoweth no limits, feeleth no burden, considereth no labour: it desireth to do more than it can: it is never restrained by apparent impossibility, but conceiveth that all things are possible, and that all are lawful: it therefore attempeth every labour however difficult, and accomplisheth many under which the soul that loves not, faints and falls prostrate. Love is watchful, and though it slumbereth, doth not sleep. Love delights in the communication of good, and with a swiftness equal to thought diffuseth its blessings. It is courageous and patient, faithful and prudent, longsuffering and generous, and never seeketh itself; for that which seeketh itself, falls immediately short of love.'

Filled with such beautiful thoughts, the long life fled away. Ninety years had passed over him, and still peacefully and gladly, in the convent of Mount St. Agnes, the old monk was serving God. He is described as a bronzed man, of short but singularly manly figure, and of bright eyes, which kept their brightness to the last days of his life.

He died at the age of ninety-one years, in the quiet convent where his long life had been spent.

'When shall I come,' he had prayed long ago, and appear in Thy presence, and behold Thy blessed face? Not yet is that hour arrived: closed to me yet is the gate of heaven. Therefore mourn I with heart and voice so long as I tarry here, and until I come to thee, O my God.'

THE STORY OF LUKA.

H. W. H. W.

side of the house. At this Apollos, the teacher, stood forth to meet his fate; Luka poised his spear, and threw it, but lo! it fell flat at his feet. The quansaseeva (a loop made of fibre and put round the forefinger, which passing round the spear gives it precision and force when thrown,) had slipped off his forefinger, and the spear fell. Luka stood motionless and powerless. Apollos addressed him thus: God has taken the quansaseeva off your forefinger, and like Saul on his way to Damascus, he has defeated your wicked designs, having better things in store for you.'-Luka replied, 'It must be so, get food gathered and give to my young men, who followed me this day to see the end of the servants of this God who has taken the strength from me. This Apollos and his party willingly did; and having sent his young men away, Luka remained while Apollos told him the wonderful story of Saul's conversion, in Acts ix., and urged him to become a worshipper of the same Jesus of Nazareth.

From that memorable day, Luka became the friend of the teachers. He refrained from many of his heathen customs; and was kindly disposed to the gospel, but refused to go to church. At last, one day a trading vessel called and sent a boat on shore: he shouldered a pig, walked down to the beach, sold it to the traders, and bought calico. This he brought home, tore off two yards, put it on as a girdle, and on the following Sabbath, and ever after, Luka was a regular attendant at the house of God. Many men went to church with grass petticoats like the women, but this Luka would not do, and thus he had to wait patiently till he could procure cloth.

After becoming more enlightened, he astonished many of his heathen friends by making a large bonfire and destroying all his sacred stones and other heathen things. He and his wife became church members under the Rev. John Inglis.

Having attended classes for reading, and the Teachers' Institution, he was sent forth as a teacher among several heathen tribes on his own island. He was also ordained an elder; and after labouring

faithfully for years on his own island, he was sent as a foreign teacher to the neighbouring island of Tanna. Previous to our arrival, he and his wife had to flee for their lives to another village; they having suddenly become aware, in the middle of the night, that they had been deserted by their professed friends.

For some years they lived at a place seven miles from us, called Meikuvera. There they built a church and dwelling house of grass, and for a considerable time met with much encouragement. But war broke out. Five shots were fired at Luka; one knocked off his hat, another passed through his shirt, the other three fell short of him; and his only real friend was slain. He was often in want. His wife took ill, and a false friend gave her a fish which proved to be poisonous. We heard of their condition, got them removed to our premises, where she died in hope of a glorious resurrection. Since that timeabout four years-Luka has lived with us. He taught in the morning school, assisted on Sabbaths, and often intinerated. He was

a constant student of the word of Godwas a faithful servant and ever a kind and warm friend.

Before we left he was in very bad health, and we wished to remove him home to Aneityum; but he refused to go, saying, he 'wished to remain at his work, and cared not though he died on Tanna.' Some days before we sailed I said, 'Oh, Luka, how can I leave you; my heart is like to break!' -He said, 'You must not cry.'—I said, 'But if you cry you will make me do so also.'-He replied, 'I will try hard and not weep.'-Poor old man! when I bade him good-bye, he smiled as best he could, and said, Good-bye, Missi; my love to you two; the Lord watch over you.' Day by day, at the morning school, he prayed 'that we might have a good voyage home, that we might meet all our dear relatives, and that the Lord would make up to them the loss of our presence.'

Like Paul, before his conversion, Luka was strong in his opposition to the gospel, but after his turning he was as strong in