Long has the night of heathenism and of wickedness ruled over the world.  “Darkness has covered the earth, and gross darkness the people.”  But the gun has fired and “The morning cometh.”  The nations once wrapped in gloom are waking to life and truth.  Divine light is quickening all the pulses of human thought; the heart beats more warmly; the eye looks upward, and the great world is drawing nearer to its Father.  The Gentiles are coming to the light, and kings to the brightness of His rising.  And when at length the Sun of Righteousness shall rise in power, His new creation, “with verdure clad, with beauty, vigour, grace adorned,” shall give Him loving welcome; and He shall shine, to set no more, on “the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

APPENDIX.

Extension of our Missions.

One valuable result has followed the recent revision of the Society’s missions, which was scarcely expected when that revision began.  The Directors already find themselves able to contemplate an extension of our missions into new localities long crying out for aid.  They are moving in the following direction:—­

For several years past the south sea mission has taken up but a small quantity of new ground.  Small groups like the Ellice group, the Lagoon Islands, and the Tuamotus, with a few hundred people, have been instructed.  But since Niue and the Loyalty group were evangelised, nearly twenty years ago, not a single large island has been occupied.  Meanwhile the Theological Institutions have been training native students in considerable numbers, and many are now ready for evangelistic work.  The Directors therefore are anxious to commence such work in new localities without delay; and they have arranged that, during her next year’s voyage, the John Williams shall visit the large islands of the northern New Hebrides, together with the Kingsmill and other groups, in order to establish new missions among the thousands of heathen which they contain.  The Directors hope that not less than thirty competent and devoted native evangelists will go forth on this expedition.  In due time English missionaries will follow:  and three of our valued brethren on the spot have already volunteered for the service.  In Eastern Polynesia the brethren in Tahiti and the Leeward Islands will complete on system the efforts which they have recently commenced in the Tuamotu or Pearl Islands.  For this desired extension funds have been already provided or offered by two of the Society’s warm friends.