Gleanings from Recent Letters.

Baptism and Death of an Aged Yoruba Woman.

The Rev. Daniel Olubi, Native Minister at Ibadan, writes:—

"My dear aunt Joanna Ebiba gently sleeps to-day in Jesus' loving arms, after a long illness of six months. Ebiba was brought to know about the Saviour through my instrumentality in 1852, a few years after my own conversion. She was selected for baptism. She came all the way from Abeokuta to tell me of this, of which I rejoiced to hear. "When shall the baptism take place?" I asked her. "In two week's time," she replied. I told her to be ready to get back in time for the purpose. On her way home she passed by Ijaye. Here she was told about the dangerous illness of her brother at Agbagi, several days' journey from Ijaye. She thought she should be there and back again before the day of her baptism, but alas! no sooner was she there than a long blockade took place, and the whole country was in confusion. During this time she became a resident of that part of the Efan country. Trying to trade about in the Efan country, she went on further and further, that we heard no more of her, and the hope of her being alive was given up. It seemed that there was reason in her case. A few years after her departure from us, I was made a schoolmaster; some years after, a catechist; and again, after this, it pleased the Lord to call me into the holy order of deacon. Two or three months after my ordination, news came that my aunt was still alive, living in a place about eleven days' journey from Ibadan. I sent immediately a young faithful Christian man to bring her to me, charging him to stay no longer than thirty days. This was faithfully accomplished. After eighteen long years' separation we were brought together again. The joy of this happy meeting is inexpressible. I asked her how she passed her life all the time she lived in the Efan country. 'I am known by everybody,' she replied, 'to be a worshipper of God after the way of the Oibo religion' (i.e., Christianity). Receiving a few months' instruction, she was admitted into the Church by baptism. She was about the age of ninety. Who could ever have throught eighteen years ago that her youn nephew would have to baptize her himself? How mysterious and wonderful are the ways of God!"