THE REV. H. GRACE TO HIS FRIENDS. To the Editor of the New -Zealander.

Otago Witness, Issue 697, 8 April 1865, Page 5

THE REV. H. GRACE TO HIS FRIENDS. To the Editor of the New -Zealander.

Will you allow me, through the medium of your paper, to express my gratitude and thanks to all those who have shown so lively an iuterest in the safety of myself and those who were with me. It was only yesterday, I heard something of the very wide-spread sympathy that has been manifesteJ by the authorities and public of Auckland. I feel that an expression of thanks is only a poor return for all that has been djne, nevertheless I trust it will be acceptable.

First. Let me do honor to the Provincial Government. Nothing could have been more prompt, willing, and generous, than the course they took. What shall I say ? Without doubt I was a prisoner for the Gospel's sake. I must refer them to the words of my Master, " Whoso shall give a cup of cold water, &c, &c, verily I say they shall not lose their reward.'' They did much more than this, and their reward will be according to their work.

Secondly, I feel grateful to the various congregations of the Church, and those of the Dissenters in and around Auckland, for their united and earnest prayers to Almighty God for our safety. During fifteen days of anxious suspense, made doubly bitter by daily persecution, I felt conscious that I was supported by the prayers of others, and while reading those words on the fifteenth day, " The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise, and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain." I felt sure that it would be even so. The flat of Him who hears prayers had gone forth, v hitherto shalt thou come and no further." Those fierce persecutors, before

whom only the day before my escape X had reason to tremble, lest in their excitement and frenzy I should have been offered a sacrifice to their god*, as they consecrated the newlyerected post for their horrid worship, like threatening waves had been rolled back four miles up the plain, so that at the very moment they were wanted at the spot to keep me secure, like the keepers of Peter they were asleep and at a distance, and while I was able to rt joice in the words I had read the day before, " The proud are robbed, they have slept their sleep, and all the men whose hands were mighty have found nothin?, 1 ' they were gnashing their teeth with rage because I was gone.

The parallel between th's cisc and the death of Jamrs, and the deliverance of Peter in answer to the ''unceasing prayers of the Church unto God for him," is so striking that I cannot help referring to it. In this case as in that one has been taken, and the other left. Ye*, the one most fitting has been taken, while the most unworthy has been left.- There was a moment on the morning of the murder, when we had a hope from human aid, but that failing, my dear brother said " we must trust in God." That trust never failed him, and I rejoice in being able to say that his last houre were peace. He was led away from me unconscious that it was to dtath — and when made acquainted with the terrible fact, he meekly knelt down, commended his spirit to his Siviour, prayed for his murderers, and while in the act of shaking hands with them, and forgiving them, he was hoisted up on the fatal tree. To me it appears imp^sible not to see that God in his inscrutable wisdom has allowed this, and that we shall jet see in New Zealand, as elsewhere, that the " blood of the martyrs ha? been the seed of the Church." On the other hand, in answer to the prayers of God's people, I have obtained. my liberty in a way scarcely less miraculous than that of Peter ; all I can add is that my friends who have so earnestly prayed for me, have the blessing of him [ who was v ready to perish,"

I have farther to acknowledge the great kindness I received from Captain Fremantle, the officers, and the crew of 11. M.5. 5. Eclipse. Every kindness and sympathy that ■could be shewn was shewn, everything that could be done was done. The perseverance of Captain Fremantle — the willingness of every man on board, so disinterestedly to brave danger and death, whether for myself, the rescue of the schooner and her crew, or for the Tauranga natives detained on shore, were such that I will not attempt to do them justice. I slnll ever look back to my rescue by H.M.S.S. Eclipse with poculhr pleasure, and heartily pray tint God's blessing mayrest on the British navy, and on the Eclipse and her gallant capta ; n and crew in particular.

There is another class of private friends, and others too numerous, perhaps, for me to have an opportunity of seeing personally, to whom I wish to pay a tribute of thanks. The kindness and sjMnpathy they have shown to the dear ones I had left amongst them, will ever be engraven on our hearts. I was indeed troubled for the consequences likely to happen on hearing of what had befallen me. With the blessing of God upon the kindness and consolation thus offered, they have been carried through a most painful period of suspense. I feel certain that to those kind friends the best reward will be to assure them that God has heard their prayers, and blest their efforts, and will, in His own good time, reward them "sevenfold into their own bosom."

There is yet another to whom a public acknowledgement 13 due, but in this case I am altogether unable to do justice. Wisdom says desist. Be it so. I will leave the work of our very deir friend the Bishop of New Zealand to speak for itself.

la conclusion I can only say that God has ble^sid the united efforts of our friends, and made all things work together for my safety, and therefore I am here today to return them tha.iks and to give their all the glory.

P. S. Grace.

20th March, 1865.

A country school-teacher, preparing for an exhibition of Ills school, selected a class of pupil? and wrote down the questions which In wouldput to them on ex iminaf ion. day. The d.iv arrived, and so di.l the hopefuls, all but one. The pupils took their places as had baen arranged, and all went on glibilv until the question of the absentee came, when the teacher asked, "In whom do you believe?" "In Napoleon Bonaparte !" was the answer quickly raturned. "You bel'eve in the Holy Catholic Clnivch, do you not?" " No,'*said the youngster, amid the roars of laughter,. " the boy that believes in (hat Church hasn't come to school to-day ; he's at home sick abed."

A. laugh has been got up at a Paris club at the expense of a not-over-iatelli^ent young French traveller, who has been making the grand tour ot London during the recent most promising months for seeing life and fashion. He lodged at a house where no Fiench was spoken, and he spoke no English, evcept that which is very comprehensible to an English loJging-liousekeeper's mind —viz., putting gold into his hand. The joke against him is, that his letters to his friends during this momentous visit were dated, " No. 4, Billstickers Beware, Leicester Square." This he declares was the name of the street he lived ia.