But there
are laborers in Ceylon stronger than any in England. I mean the
ELEPHANTS. It is curious to see this huge animal meekly walking along
with a plank across its tusks, or dragging wagons full of large stones.
Among the mountains there are herds of _wild_ elephants, sometimes a
hundred may be seen in one herd. There are no elephants in the world as
courageous as those of Ceylon, yet they are very obedient when tamed. If
you wished to visit the mountains, you might safely ride upon the back of
the sure-footed elephant, and all your brothers and sisters, however
many, might ride with you.
MISSIONARIES.--There are some in Ceylon, and some of the heathens have
obeyed their voice.
There was once a devil priest. Having been detected in some crime, he was
imprisoned at Kandy, and while in prison he read a Christian tract, and
was converted. Thus (like Onesimus, of whom we read in the Bible,) he
escaped from _Satan's_ prison, while shut up in _man's_ prison. When he
was set free, he was baptized by the missionary at Kandy, and he chose to
be called Abraham. What name did he choose for his son, a boy of
fourteen? Isaac. He buried his conjuring books, though he might have sold
them for eight pounds. His cottage was in a village fifteen miles from
Kandy. He had left it--a _wicked_ man; lib returned to it a _good_ man.
After some time, a missionary went to visit Abraham in his cottage. A
good Cingalese was his guide.
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