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GOD'S ANSWERS:

A RECORD OF

MISS ANNIE MACPHERSON'S WORK

AT THE HOME OF INDUSTRY, SPITALFIELDS, LONDON, AND IN CANADA. 

CLARA M. S. LOWE

"Peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy Godhelpeth thee. "

--1 CHRON. Xii. 18. 

CONTENTS. 

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I. 

1861-1869. 

Prayer of Hon. And Rev. Baptist Noel--Residence in Cambridgeshire--Visit to London in 1861, and first attendance at Barnet Conferences--Visit of Rev. W. And Mrs. Pennefather--East of London, 1861--LeftCambridgeshire, 1865--Work in Bedford Institute--1866: Voyage to NewYork and return, 1867--First girl rescued--Matchbox-makers--First boyrescued--Revival Refuge open for boys and girls--1868: Home ofIndustry secured--1869: Opened. 

CHAPTER II. 

1869-1870. 

Emigration of families--A visitor's impressions--The great life-work--Emigration of the young, begun 1870--First party of boys to Canadawith Miss Macpherson and Miss Bilbrough--Their reception--Mr. Merrytakes oat second party out boys--Miss Macpherson returns to Englandand takes out a party of girls--Canadian welcome and happy homes--Canadian pastor's story. 

CHAPTER III. 

1870-1871. 

Workers' meetings at Home of Industry--Training Home at Hamptonopened--Personal experiences--Welcome in Western Canada--Help for aGlasgow Home--Scottish Ferryman--"Out of the mouths of babes andsucklings"

CHAPTER IV. 

1872. 

The need of a Home further West--Burning of the Marchmont Home--Homerestored by Canadian gifts--Miss Macpherson and Miss Reavell arrivein Canada--First visit to Knowlton in the East--Belleville Homerestored by Canadian friends--Help for the Galt Home--Miss Macphersonreturns to England--Miss Reavell remains at Galt

CHAPTER V. 

1872-1874. 

Letter from Rev. A. M. W. Christopher--Letter from Gulf of St. Lawrence--Mrs. Birt's sheltering Home, Liverpool--Letter to Mrs. Merry--Letter from Canada--Miss Macpherson's return to England--Letter of cheer for Dr. Barnardo--Removal to Hackney Home

CHAPTER VI. 

1875-1877. 

Mrs. Way's sewing-class for Jewesses--Bible Flower Mission--GeorgeClarke--Incidents in Home work--The Lord's Day--Diary at sea--Lettersof cheer from Canada

CHAPTER VII. 

1877-1879. 

"They helped every one his neighbour"--Miss Child, a fellow labourer--The work in Ratcliff Highway--Strangers' Rest for Sailors--"WelcomeHome"--"Bridge of Hope"--Miss Macpherson's twenty-first voyage toCanada--Explosion on board the "Sardinian"--Child-life in the GaltHome--The Galt Home now devoted to children from London, Knowlton tothose from Liverpool, and Marchmont to Scottish Emigrants

CHAPTER VIII. 

1879-1880. 

Experiences among Indians--Picnic in the Bush--Distribution OfTestaments--"Till He Come"--"A Home and a hearty Welcome"

CHAPTER IX. 

Questions and Answers--Sorrowful cases--Testimonies from those whohave visited Canada--Stewardship

INTRODUCTION

BY

THE REV. JOHN MACPHERSON, _Author of "The Life of Duncan Mathieson. "_

From East London to West Canada is a change pleasing to imagine. From dusky lane and fetid alley to open, bright Canadian fields is, in the very thought, refreshing. A child is snatched from pinchinghunger, fluttering rags, and all the squalor of gutter life; from acreeping existence in the noisome pool of slum society is lifted upinto some taste for decency and cleanliness; from being trained inthe school whose first and last lesson is to fear neither God norman, is taught the beginnings of Christian faith and duty, and by astrong effort of love and patience is borne away to the free, spacious regions of the western hemisphere, of which it may be said, as of the King's feast, "yet there is room, " and where even a haplesswaif may get a chance and a choice both for this world and the worldthat is to come. This is a picture on which a kind heart loves torest. But who shall make the picture real?

Go and first catch your little Arab, if you can. I say, if you can;for he is too old to be caught by chaff, and you shall need as muchguile as any fowler ever did. Then with patient hands bestow on hisbody its first baptism of clean water, a task often unspeakablyshocking; reduce to fit size and shape a cast-off suit humbly beggedfor the occasion, and give him his first experience of decentclothing. Thereafter, proceed to the work, sometimes the most tryingever undertaken, of taming this singularly acute, desperately sly, and often ferociously savage little Englishman, training him to bewhat he is not, or harder task still, to be not what he is. Having, by dint of much pains and many prayers, obtained, as you hope, somebeginnings of victory over the most wayward of wills, and the mostunaccountably strange of mixed natures, with its intellectualsharpness and moral bluntness, its precocious knowingness andstereotyped childishness, its quickness to learn and slowness tounlearn, prepare for the next stage of your enterprise. Lay out yourscheme of emigration, get the money where you can, that is to say, call it flown from heaven and wile it out of earthly pockets, anticipate all possible emergencies and wants by land and sea, finishfor the time the much epistolary correspondence to which this samefragment of humanity has given rise, tempt the deep with yourrestless charge, bear the discomforts of the stormiest of seas, andinwardly groan at the signs of other and worse tempests ready ever toburst forth in the Atlantic of that young sinner's future course; andwhen after many weeks of anxious thought, fatiguing travel, andlaborious inquiry you find a home for the child, fold your hands, give thanks and say, "What an adventure! What a toil! But now atlength it is finished!" And yet perhaps it is not half finished. 

Multiply all this thought and feeling, all this labour and prayer athousandfold; and imagine the work of a woman as tenderly attached tohome and its peaceful ways as any one of her sisters in the threekingdoms, who has made some twenty-eight voyages across the Atlantic"all for love and nothing for reward;" has, by miracles of prayerfultoil and self-denying kindness, rescued from a worse than Egyptianbondage over three thousand waifs and strays, borne them in herstrong arms to the other side of the world, and planted them in agood land; meanwhile, in the intervals of travel, facing the perilsand storms of the troubled sea of East London society at its veryworst, and from a myriad wrecks of manhood and womanhood, snatchingthe stragglers not yet past all hope, and, in a holy enthusiasm oflove, parting with not a little of her own life in order that thosedead might live. 

The outer part of the story alone can be told: the inner part onlyGod and the patient toiler on this field can know. Yet the inner workis by far the greater. The thought, the cares, the fears, theprayers, the tears, the anguish, the heart-breaking disappointments, and the fiery ordeals of spirit by which alone the motive is keptpure and the flame of a true zeal is fed, --in short, all the lavishexpenditure of soul that cannot be spoken, or written, or known, until the Omniscient Recorder, who forgets nothing and repays eventhe good purpose of the heart, will reveal it at the final award, isby far the most important service as it is ever the most toilsome andpainful. 

In the work of the kingdom of God on earth the true worker is inpoint of importance first. Apart from the wise, holy, beneficentsoul, even the truth of the Gospel is but a dead letter. It is in theintelligence, loveliness, magnanimity and sweetness of a humanspirit, touched finely by His own grace, that the Holy Ghost findsHis chief instrumentality. Preparation for a good work is usuallybegun in early life, and the worker, whose story is to fill thefollowing pages, unconsciously learnt her first lessons for thisservice in her father's house. There was, indeed, seemingly little tobe learned of any rare sort in the quiet village of Campsie, wherelife passed as peacefully as the clouds sailing along the peacefulheavens. Almost the only break in the even tenor of those days was anoccasional sojourn in the house of her uncle, the Rev. Dr. Edwards, aminister of the United Presbyterian Church in Glasgow, where thatvenerable soldier of the cross still lingers, as if halfway betwixtthe Church militant and the Church triumphant But whether in thefather's house or in the uncle's manse, kind and truthful speech wasthe coin current, a good example the domestic stock-in-trade, and aninterchange of cheerful, loving service the main business. It was aquiet school, whose very hum was peaceful; and yet the schooling wasthorough; things strong often grow as quietly as things feeble. Theoak rises as silently in the forest as the lily in the garden. Strongcharacters, too, under any conditions of life, school themselves muchmore than they are schooled. Active, inquisitive, resolute, andpossessing a fair share of the national _perfervidum ingenium_, not without some tincture of those elements of the Scottish characterknown as the "canny" and the "dour, " our worker early developed thatrobust vigour of mind and body which has so long stood the wear andtear of severely trying work. 

One passage of significance in the family history deserves notice, especially as suggesting a peculiar feature in her early training andsupplying a link in the chain of providential events. In work amongthe young her father was an enthusiast. With a heart bigger than herown family circle, her mother took in two orphans to foster and rear. Thus in the work of caring for the outcast and the forlorn AnnieMacpherson was "to the manner born. " Inheriting her father'senthusiasm and her mother's sympathetic nature, the quick-witted, warm-hearted girl would not fail to note the equal footing enjoyed bythe stranger children, and would know the reason why: the much tactemployed to keep the new and difficult relations sweet would engageher attention; and the exceeding tenderness with which the motherlesslittle ones were treated, would be a very practical Gospel to ouryoung scholar in Christian philanthropy. Were matters sometimesstrained? did little jars arise and a shadow now and then gather onthe faces of the strangers because their own mother was not? The wisefoster-mother would set all right again by some merry quip, somegleesome turn, some one of those playful gleams of humour whichfurnish a key to the secret of successful work among the young. To bea mother to those orphans, to make life in its duties and joys, asfar as possible, the same to them as if they had not lost their ownmother, ay, and to teach them to gather the brightest roses from thethorniest bushes, was at once a good work in itself, and a model forone who was destined to similar service, only on an immensely widerscale and on a tenfold more difficult field. The sisterly fosteringof the orphans was a providential training for her future life-work. To learn to love and to serve over and above the claims of merenatural affection, could not fail to enlarge the heart and awaken thesympathies of a quick, susceptible child. Little did her mother knowwhat she was doing when she took the orphans to her bosom. She onlythought to make a warm home and a bright future for the hapless pair;but in effect she was preparing a warm home and a bright future forthousands of the poorest children on God's earth. 

But there was something better in store. Girlish days swept by muchas usual--the rapid growth of warm thought and feeling making eachrevolving year a continuous springtide, an opening summer. Atnineteen, Annie Macpherson looked out on a world that always promisesmore to youthful eyes than it ever fulfils. Eager hope was drawingmuch on a future whose furthest horizon was Time. Suddenly a shadowfell. A word spoken by a friend was the vehicle of a divine message. A more distant and awful horizon arose to view: Time with its hopesand joys, like a thin mist in early morning, vanished in the light ofeternity; and quickly from that young heart, pierced with a newsorrow, went up the prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"

How little the world understands that same old prayer. Yonder afaroff stands a man who, having trafficked in all iniquity, havingmatured in wickedness, and perfected himself in the fine art ofdodging truth and conscience, is at length found out in the thicketof his own vices by a bull's eye that glares on him like hell. Wellit befits such an one, even the world admits, to smite upon hisbreast and cry for mercy. But for a girl in her teens, an innocent, merry-hearted, pure-minded young thing, to raise a cry for mercy likea very publican or a prodigal, is confounding to the world's sense ofpropriety and measure in things; and hence that world is angry, andin effect repudiates the need of so much mercy, of so much abasementand urgency in a case like this. The root and rise of this cry formercy the natural man does not understand; but that soul knows itright well, where the lightnings of Omniscient Holiness have gleamedand the shadows of God's anger have fallen. 

The cry was heard. Light arose on that troubled soul, the Saviourappeared and drew the sinking one out of the waters. Even where thereis little to be changed outwardly, conversion is always followed byremarkable effects; the light of the morning is like a new creationon the cultivated field as well as on the barren moor. Our youngconvert saw everything in a new light. She understood now, as she hadnot before, why her mother, stealing precious hours from sleep, wearied her fingers and weakened her eyes with the self-imposed taskof providing for the necessities of children not her own. If a rulingmotive is one of the greatest things in the secret of a human life, the grandest of all forces on earth is the love of Christ. This shefelt, and it was to her a divine revelation. From the feeblestarlight of natural sympathies she had passed into the clear day ofChristian affections, and she now knew the secret joy and power ofself-sacrifice. A hundred lessons and practical illustrations givenher by both her parents were suddenly lighted up with a new meaning, and clothed with a beauty she had not heretofore seen, and a powershe had not hitherto felt. All she had learned before of truth, andprudence, and kindness, she learned over again, and learned with thequickness characteristic of the young convert. Very soon her wholetreasury of knowledge and feeling, of experience and character, waslaid with youthful jubilance on the altar of the Lord. From that hourshe began to work for Christ with an intensity of enthusiasm thatever since has known no abatement. 

GOD'S ANSWERS. 

CHAPTER I. 

1861-1869. 

Prayer of Hon. And Rev. Baptist Noel--Residence in Cambridgeshire--Visit to London in 1861, and first attendance at Barnet Conferences--Visit of Rev. W. And Mrs. Pennefather--East of London, 1861--LeftCambridgeshire, 1865--Work in Bedford Institute--1866: Voyage to NewYork and return, 1867--First girl rescued--Matchbox makers--First boyrescued--Revival Refuge open for boys and girls--1868: Home ofIndustry secured--1869: Opened. 

The winter of 1860-61 is a time to be had much in remembrance beforethe Lord. It was then that the East of London, with all its sins andsorrows, was laid as a heavy, burden on the heart of His faithful andbeloved servant Reginald Radcliffe. 

Before the commencement of his labours, a few Christian friends metfor prayer at the invitation of the Hon. And Rev. Baptist Noel. TheEast of London, and its "stunning-tide of human care and crime, " wasnot the only thought of that revered man of God. His faith lookedforward to greater things, and one well-remembered petition was, thatblessing through the work then to be begun in that deeply degradedand neglected region, might not be stayed there, but might flow fromthence to far-off lands. One then present, the Dowager Lady Rowley, was not long permitted to sow precious seed with her own hand, butwas instrumental in the fulfilment of this petition, as it wasthrough her leading that Miss Macpherson's voice was first heard inthe East of London. 

At that time Miss Macpherson was residing in the neighbourhood ofCambridge with her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. Merry, and, wasalready a worker in the Lord's vineyard. 

She thus writes of the year 1861:--

"It was a turning point in my life. I made a pilgrimage to London toattend the preaching of Reginald Radcliffe in the City of LondonTheatre, Shoreditch. There I met Dr. Elwin. On the following evening, at the Young Men's Christian Association, Great Marlborough Street, he introduced me to Lady Rowley, Mr. Morgan, and many other Christianfriends. Through them I was led to attend the next Barnet Conference, where I learned what it was to wait for the coming of the Lord. "

With this bright and blessed hope she returned to work with astrength and power before unknown. Many souls had already beenawakened, but the full tide of blessing had not yet come. In thevillages around her hundreds of labourers were employed in diggingfor coprolites, a fossil which, when ground, is useful as manure. Among these men were many of the wildest wanderers, and MissMacpherson's heart was deeply stirred for their spiritual welfare, and her time and strength were given to reach them by every means inher power. She had established evening schools, lending libraries andcoffee-sheds, and of these and further efforts she wrote:--

"Second to the preaching of the gospel, we lay every laudable snareto induce men to learn to read and write. In doing this, spare timeis occupied to the best account, and the enemy is foiled in some ofhis thousand-and-one ways of ensnaring the toil-worn navvy at theclose of day. 

"The more our little band goes forward, the more we feel that drink, in all its forms and foolish customs, must be resisted, --first, bythe powerful influence of a felt example; and secondly, by gently andkindly instructing the minds of those amongst whom we labour as toits hurtful snares. We are accused by some of putting this subjectbefore the blessed gospel. God forbid! But when we look on everyreclaimed one and know that this was his besetting sin, we regard thegiving it up as the rolling away of the stone before the Saviour'svoice, 'Come forth, ' can be obeyed. 

"These first endeavours to spread the gospel story in a moreenlarged way were made in villages where the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon hadlaboured when not yet twenty years of age, and where souls had beenblessed through the youthful preacher. Some of these converts becamemy helpers, and are co-workers to this day. 

"It was in 1863 that I first became an almoner for others, whilstfilled with a desire to build a missionhall among the coprolitediggers in Cambridgeshire. 

"The friends attending the Barnet Conference heard of my wish andshared my burden. "

The following letter to Dr. Elwin shows the sympathy that he felt inher work:--

"My DEAR FRIEND, --Thanking you for your daily remembrance of mycontinual wants in this the Lord's work among these poor migratorycoprolite diggers, I must say it was indeed refreshing to think thatthis little hidden vineyard was laid on your heart to present to theLord at the Bristol Conference. The answer has come, and now it is myblessed privilege to ask you to rejoice and praise our loving Fatherfor another six souls born anew. Yes, dear brother, they are those Ihave laid before you again and again to plead for, that the dead formof godliness might be broken down. Though diggers, they are residentsin a neighbouring village, and have attended my ploughmen's Bible-classfor some years. From the mouths of many witnesses, in a seriesof outdoor gatherings every Lord's day evening in the past summer, they have heard, on their own village green, a present, free, andfull salvation. 

"Is it not kind of the Master to employ us feeble women in Hisservice, by allowing us to use our quiet influence for Him, and to domany little things, such as inviting wanderers to listen, providinghymns and seats, also refreshment for those sent to deliver theKing's message? And oh! it is indeed a hallowed privilege to be a'Hur, ' to hold up the hands of the speaker, and watch the index ofthe soul as the message of love or of warning falls; to slip in andout of the group, and meet the trembling soul with a blessed promise, or grasp the hand with Christian sympathy. Then for us women suchservice affords opportunity of giving the little leaflet or book, such as the case requires, and following it up in the home with Biblein hand. 

"The Lord was very good in sending me helpers, _i. E. _, brothers, to speak during all those summer Lord's-Day evenings. On one occasionI was left alone, and yet not alone. At another time my faith wastried. No one had come to speak. The people had gathered. I opened myTestament on the passage, 'Come and see' (John iv. ) If the Samaritanwoman was led so boldly to say to wicked men, 'Come and see, ' surelymy Lord knew my burden, and my need for a brother to speak to thatvillage gathering. We sang a hymn. I was led to pray. On arising fromthe grass, a young man came round the corner and said, 'Miss, the Lordhas laid it on my heart to come here and preach to-night. Can I be ofany service?' He took for his text, 'Yet there is room. '

"I know you like to trace the links in the chain of blessing, so Iwill enter a little into detail. One village displayed the mostperfect outward form of all that is considered correct as to theusing of means. There were clubs, saving of money, young men welldressed and regular at their place of worship, four nights a week attheir evening school; but oh! my friend, not one soul of them with awarm heart towards the Lord Jesus Christ. They read and answered myquestions on Scripture better, and sought after the library bookswith more interest, than any in the other villages; but it was allhead-work, no heart; all intellect, no love. On Christmas Day six ofthese joined our coprolite party to tea, and from eight to ten solemnprayer seemed laid on every heart for them; and again the followingevening nineteen young men met to pray still for this village. Lastevening eighteen Christians of various denominations met in a cottageat this said village. There was no formal address, but after earnestprayer, one of the brethren felt this passage laid solemnly on hisheart, 'To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. 'Then some converted stone-diggers pleaded for a blessing. The answerof four years' prayers came, and the feeble infant wail was heardfrom one after another amid weeping and sobbing. Surely the angelichost had songs of praise while, in that holy stillness, these youngmen had a sight of themselves. Oh, pray on that our faith waver not, for we believe we shall see still greater things. 

"You remember the village where you preached upon 'Jesus passingby. ' There is now a band of more than a dozen praying young menmeeting constantly in their little outhouse. 

"The more we go forward in this labour of love the more evident itis that the cursed drink is our great difficulty. This stone must berolled away. Another evening home for these men is a stern necessity, and must be provided; a place which they may call their own. Eachbuilding would cost 30 pounds. The men would furnish it cheerfully andsupport it nobly. Two such buildings have been erected, are now inoperation, and answer beyond my most sanguine expectations. Morning, noon, and evening, groups of men, while at their hasty meals, arewilling to listen to the Holy Scriptures or whatever else may bebrought before them. "

"The memory of the just is blessed. " It is sweet to recall anyincident in the life of him who will ever live in the hearts of many. Miss Macpherson thus records the day of blessing:--

"It was at a meeting in July 1864, at Mildmay Park, that it was laidon my heart to gather together, before the harvest-time, thestone-diggers, villagers, and their friends, and to invite the Rev. W. And Mrs. Pennefather to see face to face the hundreds of souls forwhom they had wrestled with God. Early in the afternoon of the dayappointed, streams of poor men and women came, having walked distancesof from two to ten miles to be with us. Conveyances brought earnestlively Christians from Cambridge, and, including the stone-diggers, there were representatives from more than thirty towns and villages. On the arrival of Mr. And Mrs. Pennefather, great was our joy; and whoof you cannot imagine our beloved friend in the midst of thismultitude, of warm hearts, as with tears in his eyes he exclaimed, 'This is another conference'? Gatherings on the grass were formed astables were insufficient, and our dear friend went in and out amongthem, every feature showing forth the love with which God had filledhis heart. His loving eye alone discovered poor Tom, lately out of theworkhouse, standing trembling, and afraid to approach the party;behind the tent tears of joy streamed after he had secured, amid therush for tea, a supply for the wants of this poor Tom. A lovely sunsetwas shedding its radiance over the humble gathering, when Mr. Pennefather rose and spoke to them of 'the coming glory, ' firstreading Luke ix. 25-35; and knowing that many before him would asChristians be called upon to endure ridicule from ungodly companions, he pointed out to them that in all the Gospels which speak of theTransfiguration, the event is preceded by an account of theChristian's path of self-denial. After an earnest address to theunsaved, this delightful gathering was closed by his telling them thata little offering had been made at Mildmay Park, and that, by the helpof that money would now be presented to each man and woman, (stone-diggers and boys included), a pocket Testament, to be used inthe intervals of harvest toil. 

"Many are their struggles in resisting bad companionship and drink, in trying to improve in reading, in seeking to clothe themselves, tohelp their parents, to work for Jesus with little light, and lesstime, and few talents. Oh, how much do they glorify God compared withsome in other circumstances, who have been surrounded by heaven-breathingassociations all their days! Well, indeed, can we understand thatverse, 'The first shall be last, and the last first. '"

Scenes of a different character must now be described. 

Sad and deeply humiliating as the sights and sounds of the East Endof London still are, none who now visit the vast region lyingeastward of St. Paul's can realise the sense of desolation thatoverpowered one's spirit when beholding it at the time Mr. Radcliffebegan his services in 1860-1861. At that time the condition of themillions who existed there was ignored by those dwelling in morefavoured regions. No railways had been as yet constructed by whichvisitors could come from the north and west. The space now occupiedby the great railway stations in Broad Street and Liverpool Streetwas then crowded with unwholesome dwellings, well remembered fordeaths in every house. No centres of usefulness where Christianworkers could meet for prayer or counsel then existed. The BedfordInstitute had not then been built, and no Temperance Coffee-Palacehad even been heard of. 

The power of the Lord had been very present to wound and to heal inthe City of London Theatre and at other services held by Mr. Radcliffe, and the young women who had been blessed were invited tomeet for a week-evening Bible-reading and prayer-meeting, and forthis purpose Lady Rowley rented a room in Wellclose Square. In thismeeting, and in Lady Rowley's mothers' meeting in Worship Street, Miss Macpherson began the ministry of love which has extended sowidely. She afterwards visited the homes of the poor, and the toiland suffering she witnessed, especially in those where matchbox-makingwas the means of livelihood, lay heavy on her heart. With _her_feelings of pity were always quickly followed by practical effort. Inthe midst of the winter's distress, one of the most cheering giftsreceived was from her praying band of coprolite diggers. After awatchnight service, they had spent the first moments of theconsecrated new year in making a gathering from their hard-earnedwages. Miss Macpherson had placed the East of London foremost in thelist of subjects to be remembered at their prayer-union every Lord'sDay. Little did the praying band think that in fulfilling thispetition, the Lord would take their beloved leader from among them. 

It was in 1865 that Miss Macpherson was guided of the Lord to leavescenes endeared to her by many hallowed associations, and toencounter the trials and seek the blessings of Christian work in theEast of London. Her first efforts were in answer to an invitationfrom the Society of Friends to hold classes for young men, both onthe Lord's Day and on week evenings, at the Bedford Institute, abuilding lately erected by that Society, and which stood outconspicuously as a monument of Christian love. On the week evenings, instruction in reading and writing was the inducement held out toattend. The first fruits may be seen in G. C. , once a violentopposer, afterwards a valuable helper in Canada, and now a preacherof the Gospel in China. The work at the Bedford attracted so muchinterest, that many helpers were drawn to it from other parts. TheSunday Bible-classes became an object of remarkable interest. Perhapssuch an assemblage has seldom been seen. Many tables were filled inone hall with men, in another with women, many of whom were veryaged, all with large-print Bibles before them, and each table headedby some earnest teacher, all at the close being gathered together forthe final address. 

Other Gospel meetings were also held at the Bedford, but MissMacpherson's labours could not be confined to this spot. In severallittle rooms poor Christian women were gathered for prayer, anddepots for tracts were established, and Scripture texts placed in thewindows, in streets which were never so lighted before. But these andall other efforts for the poor East End were interrupted in theautumn of 1866. She felt the Lord called her to accompany her sisterand brother-in-law, Mr. Merry, with their young family across theAtlantic. Mr. Merry's object was to settle his four sons in theWestern States of America. The voyage proved most perilous andstormy. On arrival in New York, Mr. Merry's health entirely brokedown, and the medical opinion given was that nothing would restorehim but return to his native land. In March 1867 they were welcomedback with exceeding joy. How mysterious did this trial appear! Whywere those who had sought the Lord's counsel so earnestly, permittedto undertake a voyage apparently so useless, and accompanied by somuch anxiety and suffering? How little could any one then conjecturethat the Lord was thus training His children for the great life-workbefore them! Not for the welfare of their own family were Mr. AndMrs. Merry to be permitted to settle in those broad western lands;but many voyages were to follow, and they, and subsequently theirchildren also, were to be fellow-helpers in the glorious work offinding homes on earth, and training for a heavenly Home, thousandsof children who would have been otherwise homeless and uncared for. "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. "Blessed hereafter! when we shall see _all_ the way the Lord ourGod has led us; not a smooth way, not an easy way. "The soul of thepeople was much discouraged because of the way;" "but the Lord ledthem by _the right way_. "

With her usual energy, Miss Macpherson again entered on her God-givenwork among the poor of the East End, and at once resolved to do all inher power to help the destitute children with whom she came in dailycontact. 

In the very month of her return, the first girl was rescued andreceived into her own Home, then at Canonbury. Her story was thuswritten at the time:--"E. C. , aged sixteen, was sent to my lodgingsto know if I could provide a home for her. In August 1866 the fatherof this poor girl had bidden her farewell as she was leaving home onan excursion with the Sunday-school to which she belonged. On herreturn, cholera had numbered him among the dead. The mother threwherself into the canal, and, though restored, was lying helpless in aworkhouse. E. C. , who had before been learning dressmaking, wastossed about from one poor place of service to another--her clothesall pawned, or in tatters--till her last resting-place was on theflags. Then she applied at the Rev. W. Pennefather's soup-kitchen inBethnal Green, and slept in the room at that time rented above it. The two following days were occupied in vain endeavours to procureadmittance into one of the existing Homes for girls, the third, inpreparing clothing for her, while, at the same time, _no way_appeared open for her to be received anywhere. When her clothing wasready, our first visit was to a sufferer paralysed and convulsed inevery limb, at times compelled to be fastened to his bed, --one whosegarret reminded one of the dream of Jacob; for answers to prayer wereso direct, it seemed as though heavenly visitants were ever ascendingand descending. He prayed, and while he was yet speaking, the Lordsent His 'answering messenger. ' Miss Macpherson had felt it laid onher that day to come to the East End to my help, though knowingnothing whatever of the present need. When poor E. C. Returned fromthe baths and washhouses in her clean clothing, (having sold herformer rags for twopence-halfpenny), she was met by the loving offerof a home. She seemed afraid to believe it, and followed, as if in adream, the friend so mercifully raised up for her. She was afterwardsplaced in service with a Christian friend, and her two littlebrothers were among the first inmates of the Revival Refuge. "

Most mercifully for the poor little matchbox-makers was MissMacpherson's return ordered at this time. Much sympathy had beenawakened concerning them, and much help had been sent for theirbenefit from the kind readers of the "Christian" paper. They numberedmany hundreds, and Miss Macpherson undertook care and responsibilityconcerning them, for which the strength and powers of an olderlabourer were totally unfit. In this, and countless other instances, Miss Macpherson has proved herself ever ready to "fulfil the law ofChrist" (Gal. Vi. 2). The case of these infant toilers had rested onher heart from the first moment she had been made acquainted withtheir sufferings. The first sight of them is thus described by herown pen:--

"In a narrow lane, having followed high up a tottering spiralstaircase till we reached the attic, the first group of tiny, palefaced matchbox-makers was met with. They were hired by the womanwho rented the room. The children received just three farthings formaking a gross of boxes; the wood and paper were furnished to thewoman, but she had to provide paste and the firing to dry the work. She received twopence-halfpenny per gross. Every possible spot, onthe bed, under the bed, was strewn with the drying boxes. A loaf ofbread and a knife stood on the table, ready for these little ones tobe supplied with a slice in exchange of their hard-earned farthings. 

"This touching scene, which my pen fails to picture, gave me alasting impression of childhood's sorrows. Never a moment for schoolor play, but ceaseless toil from light till dark. "

Miss Macpherson's first attempt for their benefit was to openevening schools, the inducement to attend which was the gift of sadlyneeded clothing. These schools were opened in various localities, thechief gathering being held in a house kindly provided for us byCharles Dobbin, Esq. , still one of our unwearied benefactors. 

Not only reading, but the art of mending their tattered garments wasa new thing to them, and their outward condition was such, that whenfor the first time a country excursion was planned for them, it waswith the greatest difficulty they were made fit to appear. 

Whilst making every exertion to raise the matchbox-makers from theirhitherto almost helpless state, her heart yearned over theirbrothers. A tea-meeting was given for boys by the veteran labourerGeorge Holland, at the close of which one lad was noticed so much tobe pitied, that it was felt, if nothing could be done for the others, he at least must be saved. 

Money was not plentiful, the need of the East End was thencomparatively little known, but a young believer, the son of thathonoured servant of the Lord, W. Greene of Minorca, had just setapart a portion of his salary to help some poor, London boy, and theletter telling this was on its way from the Mediterranean when thislad's history became known. Thus he was educated, and eventuallyraised to a position in which he became a helper of others. 

Many other homeless boys were found among that evening's guests, andMiss Macpherson felt it was impossible permanently to raise theircondition without receiving them into a Home, where they could betaught and trained to regular work. The Lord gave the desire, andthrough the active sympathy of E. C. Morgan, the editor of the"Christian, " the means were provided. A house was found at Hackney, and named the Revival Refuge, where thirty boys could be at oncereceived. A few weeks afterwards, looking at these bright, intelligent young faces, it was difficult to believe in the darksurroundings of their earlier years. So great was the encouragementin caring for them, spiritually as well as physically, that MissMacpherson could not rest without enlarging the work, and adilapidated dwelling at the back of Shoreditch Church "was fitted upto receive thirty more boys. "

In the house first mentioned, besides the matchbox-makers' eveningschools, mothers' meetings and a sewing class for widows wereconducted by Mrs. Merry, and the upper storey was devoted to theshelter of destitute little girls. But in these, as in all MissMacpherson's undertakings, the Lord blessed her so greatly that moreaccommodation was required for the constantly increasing numbers. 

The needed building was provided in a way that could have beenlittle conjectured, but the Lord had gone before. Along the greatthoroughfare leading from the Docks to the Great Eastern Railway, lofty warehouses had taken the place of many unclean, totteringdwellings formerly seen there. During the fearful visitation ofcholera in 1866 one of these had been secured as a hospital by MissSellon's Sisters of Mercy, and water and gas had been laid-on onevery floor, and every arrangement made for convenience andcleanliness. When the desolating scourge was withdrawn the house wasclosed, and many predicted that it would never be used again. In thefollowing year Mr. Holland suggested how well it would be to secureit for a Refuge. The doors had been closed twelve months when Mr. AndMrs. Merry and three other friends entered the long-deserteddwelling, and joined in prayer that where death had been seen in allits terrors, there souls might be born to God, and that the voice ofpraise and prayer might be heard within those walls which had onceresounded with the groans of the dying. Then the doors were locked, and for twelve months more remained as before. Then they were againopened, and on a gloomy winter's evening, with one candle the vastunlighted dwelling was again entered. The little company included R. C. Morgan, Charles Dobbin, and Henry Blair, of the Madras CivilService, whose interest in the work now begun, only ended with hisdeath. Through the kindness of these friends the building wassecured, and the rent promised, but then a new difficulty arose. Ithad been hoped that Mr. Holland, who had first suggested the effortto secure the building, would have been willing to undertake thecharge, but the work at George Yard was too dear to be given up. Andnow, who would bear this burden? It could hardly be believed that anywoman would undertake the responsibility, for women had not then beencalled forward in this country so prominently as they now are. Heremay be seen something of the Lord's purpose in having permitted MissMacpherson's voyage to New York. In that city she had seen the faithand courage the Lord had given to women to "attempt great things"_for Him_, and the day is well remembered when many prayers wereanswered that she would accept the post. It is a post far advancedinto the enemy's territory, for the adjoining streets are known asthe "Thieves' Quarter. " Three thousand, it is supposed, have theirheadquarters here. In the square mile in the midst of which theRefuge, (now called "Home of Industry"), is situated, 120, 000 of ourpoorest population are to be found. From the first Mr. And Mrs. Merrygave themselves as willing and invaluable helpers to the enormouswork connected with the undertaking. It appeared great from thebeginning, but little could any one have imagined how it would go onspreading and increasing. It is difficult, or it may be impossible, to name any form of distress or any class which has not been hererelieved and blessed. Every hour of the day, and even far on into thenight, the voice of praise and prayer has been heard in some part ofthe building. Even in the vaults beneath the pavement was a littlesanctuary made. Under the very stones, before trodden by them ashomeless wanderers, some have joined in asking the Lord's blessing onthose who had rescued them. 

In February, 1869, the Lord granted us the desire of our hearts, andthe Home of Industry was opened with praise and prayer. "The Lord haddone great things for us, " but far more than any heart then, conceived were the blessings yet in store. 

On February 22, Miss Macpherson wrote as follows in the "Christian":--

"BELOVED HELPERS, --To-night how your hearts would have rejoiced tohave seen me and my happy hundreds of little toiling children in ournew schoolroom in the Refuge. How varied their feelings! Onewhispered, 'It was here my mother died of the cholera. ' Another, 'Oh!I was once in this ward before, so ill of black cholera. ' Dearchildren! our prayer was that it might still be a house of mercy tomany a sin-wearied soul. We have never had such a large schoolroombefore, nor the advantage of desks. Their joy knew no bounds whentold to invite their mothers to come one afternoon in the week tohelp me to sew and to earn sixpence, my object being twofold, --tosecure an opportunity of telling them the gospel, and to endeavour tohelp them in the management of their homes and little ones. "

The following will show something of the trials attending "holdingthe fort" in such a spot:--

"Last night I felt it right to sleep at the Refuge for once, so asto be able to enter into all its needs. No words can describe thesounds in the streets surrounding it throughout the night;--yells ofwomen, cries of 'Murder!' then of 'Police!'--with the rushing to andfro of wild, drunken men and women into the street adjoining thebuilding, whence more criminals come than from any other street inLondon. At three o'clock the heavy rumble of market-waggonscommenced, and then the rush of the fire-brigade. Thus much by way ofasking special prayer for those whom God has made willing to live inthe midst of such surroundings. On the other side of the building isan empty space, known as 'Rag Fair, ' filled in the morning with ahorde of the poorest women selling the veriest old rubbish. We arethankful to have among these a faithful Christian woman, who, thougha seller of rags, is able to testify of the great love of the LordJesus. "

CHAPTER II. 

1869-1870. 

Emigration of families--A visitor's impressions--The great life-work--Emigration of the young, begun 1870--First party of boys to Canadawith Miss Macpherson and Miss Bilbrough--Their reception--Mr. Merrytakes second party of boys--Miss Macpherson returns to England andtakes out a party of girls--Canadian welcome and happy homes--Canadian pastor's story. 

Emigration had now for some time been in view as the only means ofrelieving the chronic poverty of the East of London, and in April1869 a circular to this effect was issued by Miss Macpherson and MissEllen Logan. Fifty families were selected as being suitable for suchhelp, and these were gathered together at a farewell tea-meetingbefore leaving for Canada, all expressing deep thankfulness for theopening given to them. The preparations for the voyage of thesefathers, mothers, and little ones required much thought and labour, both for their temporal and spiritual welfare, but from the verybeginning of the work, sisters in Christ came from a distance, givinghours or days as a labour of love, and besides personal help on thespot, many busy fingers were at work in their own homes. The firstparty was followed by others, all involving much care and labour. Before the close of the year very encouraging accounts were receivedfrom many of the travellers, and the contrast was great between theircondition in the new country and that which might here have beentheir lot. Whilst this important work was being carried on, eveningreading and sewing classes for the little matchbox-makers, andmothers' meetings, were continued without intermission, together withthe teaching and training of boys begun at the first Homes; and onthe Lord's Day, besides the very large gathering of matchbox-makers, every effort was made to bring all around under the sound of thegospel. A stranger thus describes his impressions after a visit tothe Home of Industry, November, 1869:--

"'The mighty cry of anguish' that has gone up for so long from theEast of London has, thank God, touched many a heart, and led some tocarry God's answering messages in person to the suffering poor, andothers to help in the lesser service of gifts. 

"Determined to see how the matter stood as regards one portion ofthat great mass of misery, I gave myself up to the skilful guidanceof one whose whole life is spent in the service of God and His poor. 

"Leaving the rail, we proceeded to visit the sick-bed of one of thevoluntary workers in the Refuge. We found him recovering from asevere attack of enteric fever complicated with pneumonia of theright lung. A fine, handsome young man, once the leader of thesinging in a philharmonic club, now the devoted servant of God, hiswhole anxiety seemed to be as to when he could return to his work. During our visit, it was most touching to see the tenderness andanxious care of his companion, a young man called Fred, a labourer inthe large wine vaults at the docks, who, though smelling of wine, andhis clothes saturated with the fumes of spirits, was a staunchteetotaller; and judging from the intelligent way in which heanswered our questions, would be a valuable witness before anycommission of inquiry into the practices which wine-sellers term'mixing, ' but which he vulgarly called 'adulteration. ' Every nightduring the many weeks of illness Fred had paid his friend a visit, and watched over him with all the love of a Jonathan to a David. 

"We now pressed him into our service to conduct us through some ofthe many licensed lodging-houses and thieves' kitchens, which aboundin the neighbourhood of Spitalfields. 

"On our way we met two little girls, matchbox-makers. The outline oftheir lives was given in a few moments. The father, a drunkard, hadabsconded six years ago, leaving his wife and six children tostruggle with awful poverty as best they might, having previously sobeaten and kicked his wife about the face, that she had become almostblind. 'Where's father now?' 'In the workhouse, stoneblind. '

"In a room with a roaring fire were seated some thirty men and a fewwomen with infants. The landlord's reception was anything butgracious. In answer to our 'Good evening, ' he growled out, 'We don'twant talk; those men want bread. ' And hungry enough many seemed. Sowhile one was sent for a supply of bread, which was received withunmistakable gladness, and devoured greedily, we spoke to them ofthat living bread which came down from heaven. All were interested, and one young man seemed to wince and to be ill at ease when the loveof God was spoken of. I could not but feel that conscience was atwork, perhaps memory carrying back his mind to a godly mother, whoonce had spoken the same loving words, but had gone to her rest intears. 

"We then entered a licensed lodging-house accommodating 350. Thiswas a sad sight, because three-fourths of the men were unemployedpoor, chiefly dock-labourers, willing and glad to work, if work couldbe got. On many a face there were stamped hopelessness and apathy. Two poor fellows were sipping a cup of tea, without milk or sugar, given to them by a poor man, but they had not a morsel of bread; andthis was their breakfast, --a late one truly, for it was ten at night. Out all day in search of work, their last coppers were paid for thenight's lodging, and a cup of poor tea was their only meal. It madeone's spirit groan to think of the misery that sin and selfishnesshad wrought for these poor fellows. 

"In the next house the inmates were mostly thieves. But here is onepoor fellow, a workman, but with no work; he has been out in thestreets three nights, and now one of his companions pleads with usfor three-pence to procure him a night's rest. We peeped into severalother such dwellings, but the same story was repeated in each. In allwe were struck with the kind reception we met with, evidently due inpart to the presence of our companion, who, although a lady, feelscalled of God to labour among these dens of misery, where there is somuch to do and _so few to do it_, and to the fact that we lent akindly ear to their tale of distress, and did what lay in our powerto relieve the immediate pressure of the very destitute. But, aboveall, we were thankful to meet with such a spirit of hearing, and aready attention when Jesus was lifted up as the Saviour of sinners. 

"We now entered a court to visit a poor woman whose husband had diedsuddenly the week before. It was between nine and ten, and we foundthe widow had been washing, the clothes hanging from lines in theroom. Her two children, aged nine and eleven, were busily employed inmatchbox-making. 

"The rapidity and neatness of these little human machines were trulymost remarkable; the number of boxes made in a day, from half-pastsix in the morning to ten at night, was something fabulous. The floorof the room was covered with boxes; they earned a shilling each aday; often days passed when they were unable to get work to do. Poorchildren! thin and wan-looking, life seemed a terribly serious thingto them, their days spent in incessant toil when work was plentiful, their nights--well, they had a bedstead with a bundle of dirty ragsfor a bed, but not a stitch of bedclothes; the clothes the childrenwore were their only covering at night. 

"In another court we found a silk-weaver hard at work, --from eightin the morning to eleven at night. This man, a Christian, hadformerly been a weaver of velvet, but finding that a living could notin any way be made out of it, in an evil hour he was tempted to gointo a skittle-alley as a helper. Here, though receiving good wages, he found he could not be happy, --could not 'abide with God;' so hegave it up, and now he is earning barely tenpence a day; but hard ashis lot is, he is happy in the consciousness of doing right, andstill manages to spare a little time to take his reading-lesson fromthe Bible, and to tend a flowering-plant, his only companion, whichrepresentative of the vegetable world seems to have nearly as hard astruggle to live as its master. 

"Our next visit was to a poor old woman between sixty and seventyyears of age, surrounded with every discomfort, and troubled withconstant cough and weakness. Apparently she had only a few days tolive, but she was able to rejoice in Jesus as her Saviour, whosepresence even then made all things bright. 

"The next visit was to a poor dying girl; in a room so small thatthere was only a margin of about three feet round two sides of thebed for standing ground, the floor covered with rags, (her motherbeing a rag-mender), lay one, who, though poor and miserable, was yetan heir of glory, and was upheld in all her wretchedness by Him whowas sent to be 'the Comforter. ' We thanked God for these two brightspots, where divine light and love were seen and felt. 

"At the Home of Industry we had been invited to take tea with twohundred and fifty destitute widows. The testimony of one of these, aclean, tidy old woman, was very precious. She had once been inaffluent circumstances and drove her carriage; her fortune lost inone day, she was now reduced to poverty, but, 'Sir, ' she said, 'Iwould not go back to it all and be as I then was; no, not for all theworld. ' Possessing Christ as her own, she felt she had the riches ofGod, and knew that there was an inheritance reserved for her inheaven, incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. "

The great lifework of Miss Macpherson and her devoted family may besaid to have begun this year. The need of emigration may be expressedin her own words:--

"Boys came to us for shelter instead of going to empty barrels, railway arches, and stairways. We found they were grateful for allthat was done for them. The simple gospel lesson was our lever tolift them into new thoughts and desires. The sharp dividing knife ofthe Word of God would discover the thief and liar, and rouse theconscience to confession more than anything beside. But our walls hadlimits, and our failures in finding employment for many away fromtheir old haunts became a great difficulty, and the God-opened way ofemigration to Canada was pressed upon us. "

"Thy God hath commanded thy strength. " To the astonishment of many, Miss Macpherson expressed her determination to pioneer the firstband, and He Who of old sent forth His disciples two and two, wasmindful of the present need, and so strengthened the heart of a youngsister (already deeply interested in the work, and singularly giftedin many ways) to lay all at the feet of her Master, and to offer toshare whatever toils and trials might be in the way. "Ye have notpassed this way heretofore. " It was a new way, an "untrodden way. "

We have now been for many years so accustomed to hear of the kindwelcome given in Canada, and the prosperity of the young emigrants, that we cannot realise the faith and courage required by MissMacpherson, and her co-worker, Miss Bilbrough. Many misgivings arosein the hearts of some at the thought of these two sisters in the Lordarriving uninvited in a new land where neither owned a friend, and, greatest of all, fears were entertained that those who had known thewild roaming life of city Arabs might defy the control and authorityof the leaders. But how vain were all these fears! Wisdom had beenasked of the Lord in every step of the way, and He had given"liberally, " according to His gracious word. How blessedly was thetitle of Counsellor as well as Leader and Commander of His peoplethen fulfilled! The following description of the departure of thefirst party was written at the time:--

 "Our souls are in God's mighty hand, We're precious in His sight. "

These words, sweet and true at all times, surely never soundedsweeter than when sung by the band of young emigrants gathered forthe last time within the walls of the Refuge, which to many of themis hallowed as no other spot on earth can ever be. _How_ preciousin His sight, none can tell but He who watched over those youngwanderers, and surrounded them with the loving care and prayers whichstill follow them to a distant land. 

The beloved helpers at a distance, who have toiled, and collected, and borne to a throne of grace the burdens of their beloved sister inthe Lord, Miss Macpherson, will like to know every detail, even tothe outward appearance of those once ragged, shoeless wanderers. Nowthey stood in ranks ready to depart, dressed in rough blue jackets, corduroy suits, and strong boots, all made within the Refuge, thework of their own hands. All alike had scarlet comforters andGlengarry caps; a canvas bag across their shoulders contained achange of linen for the voyage, towels, tin can, bowl and mug, knife, fork, and spoon; and one kind friend, the last day before starting, brought them a present of a hundred strong pocket-knives. A Bible, a"Pilgrim's Progress, " and a little case of stationery, were providedfor each, and while they stood thus indoors, singing their lastfarewell, a dense crowd filled the street without, having waited forhours in the pouring rain. It was with difficulty the police couldkeep struck with the sight of the boys, all remarking that they hadnever seen more intelligent countenances, and one observed, afterhearing something of their history, "This is real religion. "

Liverpool was reached at 4 A. M. , and all went at once on board the"Peruvian. " Then came a trial of patience, --they had to wait somehours for breakfast, --but restraining grace was so manifestthroughout, that one's heart was continually lifted up in praise andthanksgiving for this mercy as well as for countless others, and mostespecially for the loving-kindness of the Lord in strengthening andsupporting His beloved servants at the time of parting. 

From want of space, it appeared impossible, (as far as could bejudged from the first day's experience), to gather all the boystogether, but even amid the difficulties attending first going onboard, Miss Macpherson succeeded in holding a little service with aportion of them. Some of the passengers and crew gathered round; allwere remembered in her supplications, and a deep solemnity rested onall. Then she called on those boys who knew what it was to draw nearwith assurance to the throne of grace to ask for blessing, and, withher undaunted energy, exhorted them not to be afraid to speak forJesus. Prayer was followed by the oft-repeated hymn, --

 "There is a better world, they say, Oh, so bright!"

The tender brought on board a band of Christian friends, who oncemore thronged around her, till the parting signal was given, and thenthe last sounds heard on leaving were, "Yes, we part, but not forever, " and "Shall we gather at the river?"

The following note of cheer quickly arrived, to the joy of manyanxious hearts and the praise of a prayer-hearing God:--

"On Board the 'Peruvian, ' off the Coast of Ireland, May 13, 1870. 

"MY DEAR SISTERS, --Fearing lest in your anxiety for us you may haveimagined a rough night for the first, I send a few lines to assureyou that all is love, even to the smallest details. Each rolling wavereminds me of that word in the Epistle of James, 'Let him ask infaith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of thesea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think thathe shall receive anything of the Lord. ' Many a faithful prayer hasascended for a prosperous voyage; prosperity of soul is oftenrealised by being kept in the lowest place, and when my boys told mehow ill some of them had been in the night, and how they had, notwithstanding, held little prayer-meetings, crying to Jesus in themidst of what to them seemed a storm, I rejoiced. Thus trial sends usto Jesus, the Captain of our salvation. 

"With the exception of two, all are on deck now, as bright as larks;they have carried up poor Jack Frost, and Franks, the runner. It ismost touching to see them wrap them up in their rugs. Michael Finn, the Shoreditch shoeblack, was up all night caring for the sick boys;he carries them up the ladder on his back. Poor Mike! he and I haveexchanged nods at the Eastern Counties Railway corner these fiveyears; it is a great joy to give him such a chance in life. Oh, towin his soul to look to Jesus for everlasting life!"

The following extract will tell the answer to the many prayers bywhich Miss Macpherson was upheld, and how assuredly it was the Lordwho had guided her way across the pathless deep:--

"Mr. Stafford, the agent at Quebec, would willingly have kept thehundred boys there, but we only left him eleven, and brought the reston to Montreal; and there too they were anxious to keep them, andsaid if it were made known, in three days we should not have oneremaining. As it was, we left twenty-three, and all in excellentsituations. Some of the best were picked out, numbers of them ashouse-servants. Then we left eight at Belleville, half way betweenMontreal and Toronto. " These boys were left in charge of Mr. LeslieThom, who had acted as schoolmaster at the Home of Industry, andwhose help was invaluable on arrival in the new country. 

Miss Macpherson's youngest sister, Mrs. Birt, thus writes concerningthe departure of the second family, so readily sent out in answer tothe invitations of dear friends in Canada:--

"I am sure our dear friends will feel exceedingly pleased andgratified to hear that the departure of our second band of boys forCanada this year, under the care of Mr. Merry, took place on the 21stof July, leaving our hearts filled to overflowing with thankfulnessand praise for the very marked way in which the Lord has led us onstep by step. 

"Little did we think, a month ago, that it would be possible in soshort a time to select, teach, and outfit seventy boys, and to softentheir manners, even if we had the necessary money for their expenses. But the Lord has most wonderfully brought it all about in His ownway. The money was sent, boys anxiously in search of employment camebeseeching help, the needful work for their outfits was accomplishedin far less than the usual time by faithful widows, who sewed away asdiligently as though each had been making garments for her own son. An active, earnest, clever teacher was also provided by the Lord, togive to these rescued ones that punctual and diligent, dailyattention that seemed to us so important. Even the postponement oftheir sailing from the 14th inst. To the 21st inst. Was overruled forgood; Mr. Merry was enabled to become more personally acquainted witheach, and we know that 'the good seed of the Word' was sown in manyhearts, we trust to bear fruit. On reaching the ship, we were toldthat our band would have the benefit of a place set apart forthemselves, whereas, had they sailed the previous week, they wouldhave been crowded up with other emigrants. After three days' rest wereturn, the Lord willing, to the Refuge, to select and prepare a bandof young girls. Our sister Miss Macpherson writes to us that she hasbeen besought most earnestly by the Canadian ladies to send them outsome little English maids; and that they promise to watch over themand care for them as if they were their own. "

After the arrival of Mr. Merry in Canada with the second party ofboys, Miss Macpherson returned to England and wrote as follows:--

"My BELOVED FELLOW-LABOURERS, --You will be surprised to hear that, after a pleasant voyage, with renewed health, I am again in myprivileged place of service in the East of London. My song of praiseis very full. The Council of the county of Hastings has given me ahouse capable of holding 200, free of all expenses, situated in thetown of Belleville, Ontario, leaving the management in my hands, entirely untrammelled by conditions. Thus a work of faith is nowcommenced on Canadian shores, where our little street wanderers canat once be sent and trained under our own schoolmaster, Mr. LeslieThom. My friend Miss Bilbrough, assisted by the Christian ladies ofthe town, has undertaken to furnish this Distributing Home inreadiness for Mr. Merry's arrival. There all will undergo a training, and will be kept till suitable situations are appointed for them. "

After remaining a short time in England, Miss Macpherson, accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Birt, returned to Canada with thethird party of young emigrants, numbering over a hundred. 

The following is an extract from Mrs. Birt's first letter aftertheir arrival:--

"In my memory are associated two scenes connected with the prettypark in which the Distributing Home is situated, scenes that cannever be forgotten; first, the long procession of the tired and wearylittle travellers, wending their way up the carriage-drive, theclear, starlit sky overhead, and the quiet, bright full moon shiningdown on their upturned faces, as they stood in front of their newhome, and sang so earnestly--

 'Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him, all creatures here below;'

and secondly, on awaking the next morning and looking out, the sightof the whole party scampering about the park, just like so manylittle wild animals let loose from a cage, rushing about under everytree, as if trying whether their freedom was real. I had to call mysister to look at them; and in mind we carried them back to London atsix o'clock in the morning, and felt it was indeed good for them tobe thus in Canada. How longingly we wished we could fill theDistributing Home with just such a number every month of the year, for certain it is we could find places and homes for them all. "

A little later Miss Macpherson wrote:--

"Yesterday afternoon Miss Bilbrough drove us out into the clearedbackwoods to visit some of our children. The country was charming;woods and green valleys, with every now and then rich orchards ladenwith rosy apples; the long Concession roads, forming at timesmagnificent avenues, in which here and there a maple, which hadcaught a cold blast, prematurely showed the lovely autumnal tints sopeculiar in richness to this country. 

"Everywhere we called the warmest hospitality was shown us, verylike the 'furthy auld kintra folk' of Scotia in days lang syne. 

"Our first recognition was a boy named Ambrose, of the seconddetachment; he was busy in the farmyard, but soon, with a brightface, came to the side of our vehicle, telling us he was so happy andwell; indeed, it required no words to assure us of this. Our nextcall was to one of the first settlers of fifty-eight years ago, stillliving in the house he had at first erected. His dear wife, onhearing of the arrival of the little English orphan children, couldnot sleep all night, but had her horses put into the team, and drovein to Belleville, and for the Lord's sake, who had been so good toher and hers, took away two, one for herself and one for her marrieddaughter, whose home had never rung with the voice of a littleprattler. It was great joy to see that they loved and cared for theselittle waifs as though they were their very own; my heart aloneknowing whence they had been taken, and their little memories stillkeen as to the awful contrast of former want and this presentabundance of food, fruit, and kindness. 

"With this dear, pious couple, we drank tea. Such a spread at thismeal is never beheld in the old country. Around my cup of tea wereseven different kinds of choice dainties at the same time. This istheir way, and it is done with few words but warm welcome. Thehomespun, well-worn coat and well-patched shoes of our aged host wereall forgotten when listening to his intelligent remarks on men andthings; and though seventy-eight years of age, every faculty of headand heart seemed to keep pace with the times. He was a WesleyanMethodist, and with pleasure told us of the erection of their newZion, whose glistening tinned spire we could see rising among thewoods at no great distance. "

Miss Bilbrough wrote at this time:--

"Miss Macpherson has been able to spend during this summer much ofher time in visiting among the different farms where our children arelocated, within some twenty or forty miles of Belleville in thecounties of Hastings and Prince Edward. She would start some sunshinymorning on a week's tour, dining with one farmer, having tea atanother's, and passing the night at some special friend's, Charlie, the mission horse, receiving the best of fare; while next day thefarmer harnesses his horse and takes her round to the neighbouringfarms where the little English emigrants have found a resting-place;and oh! the joy of these children to see again the well-rememberedface, and hear the cheery voice of her who had first seen andrelieved their misery in the old country, and now bringing freshcheer and comfort in the new! With what haste the table is spread andsoon loaded with substantial food, and afterwards what opportunitiesarise for a few words of counsel! Some verses are read from the Wordof God, and then kneeling down, we and the new friends would committhe child to the care of Him who has said, 'I will never leave theenor forsake thee. '

"Here, too, the numerous tracts and books brought from England, 'God's Way of Peace, ' 'The Blood of Jesus, ' 'British Workman, ' 'Bandof Hope, ' and 'The Christian, ' often containing a letter from MissMacpherson, are eagerly sought after and read; and when passing alongthe road, Charlie seems now instinctively to stop when meeting somepedestrian, that out of our well-filled handbags may be given sometract or book. "

The following is a record of days of travel in the backwoods:--

"MARCHMONT, BELLEVILLE, _October_. 

"My friend Miss Bilbrough and I started, after an early dinner, from Marchmont, having declined the kind offer of a friend'sconveyance, preferring to go by the usual stage-waggon, as our objectwas to study the country people, and know those with whom our littleones mingle. In so doing we increase our opportunities ofdistributing books and tracts, --a new thing in these outlyingdistricts. We ask prayer for a blessing on these, and for every dearboy and girl who has been under our care, that the Holy Spirit maybring to each mind the remembrance of the truth in Jesus, which hasbeen set before them. Our faith is from time to time strengthened byseeing one after another joining the Lord's people. 

"The novelty of our position was increased when the driver and ourfellow-passengers, seven in number, discovered that we were thefriends of the orphan children. Their politeness was touching. We hadto take the best seat, the curtains were drawn down to shelter usfrom the wind, and the driver strove to interest us by telling ushistories of such of our boys as he knew at different points of hisjourney. 

"For miles the country seemed well cleared, except where portions offorest were left to supply wood for the years to come. The cedar-railfence and 'Concession roads' marked all into well-defined portions. On these roads the homesteads are built in every variety of style, from the log-hut built of cedar-trees laid one upon the other, cemented together, and roofed with bark, to the stone and brickedifice, with barns and stables, and other surroundings, like untoone of our own old country farmhouses. 

"Our fellow-travellers were farmers, returning from Toronto Fair. They seemed amused and willing to listen to our conversation with thedriver, and received our books most politely. 

"The 'lumbering district' stretched away northwards, some seventy-fivemiles from where the giants of the forest had been felled. Therecollections of our fellow-passengers were interesting as to the fewyears ago, when the very country we were passing through was a densemass of similar unhewn timber. Now on every side there were homesteadstelling of plenty, and enlivened by rosy, healthy little ones. Whowill question the desirability of thus peopling our Father's gloriouslandscapes, and gathering up our poor perishing children from ourovercrowded dens and alleys, where they are dying by thousands yearlyfor want of pure air and sunshine, many becoming criminals ere theyscarce leave their mother's knee?

"The past encourages us to hope that He will not permit us to gobefore Him, and will both send sufficient strength for the day, andsufficient means for the support of all He would have us rescue frommisery, by bringing them under the influences of a pious home, placing them in Sabbath schools, and above all, gathering thembeneath the sheltering wing of the loving Shepherd. 

"We arrive at length at Roslin, and soon find the pretty house ofour friend Dr. H---, where we are warmly greeted for the Master'ssake, and ere long introduced to the only little baby prattler, itsmother, and her widowed sister. They had lived in the city, hadvisited the old country, were friends of Mr. Gosse, and readers of'The Christian. ' Hence we soon found that though in a Canadianbackwood settlement, we had tastes and topics in common, and onelonging especially united us--the burden of precious souls to be wonfor Him we all loved. 

"Through a chain of circumstances, Dr. B--- had obtained one of ourboys, who had been engaged in a similar capacity in a suburb ofLondon, but had lost his situation, and become an orphaned wandererin our great city. His knowledge of dispensing was a recommendationfor his appointment to another doctor; and, to my great joy, hithertohe had conducted himself so well, that in all the neighbourhoodaround other boys were so much in demand, that we now have no lessthan forty children in that district among the farmers. 

"My friend, ever a true helper as secretary, remembered that a smallboy named Smith, who had left a mother sorely fretting after him, lived near, and proposed to go and get a report of him at once. TheDoctor's conveyance soon was at the door, and in less than an hour myfriend returned with a bright account of the comfortable home and thehappiness of its young inmate. 

"The short hours after tea swiftly passed in conversing over thebasket of books and tracts, many of these the gathered-up stores ofmy friends, which when read had been sent to the Refuge, and were nowbeing spread freely in Canadian homes. We also talked over theprinciple which we were endeavouring to work out with thesefriendless children, namely, that as the Lord Jesus had given Himselfto save us, so we ought to reach out the hand of love, and endeavourto snatch others from lives of misery and want. If we cannot open ourown doors to the lost and wayward; ought we not to help in findingout those who can, that the lost and wandering lambs outside in thewilderness might be gathered beneath a sheltering wing inside somehappy fold?

"Dr. H--- and his intelligent wife and sister held a longconversation with us on the method best suited for those whom we areseeking to benefit--whether to educate them for a series of years inour institutions in the old country, or to afford them only atemporary residence with us, where their character, temper, andtalents could be studied for a few months with a view to determinewhat family they would suit best. Our experience with the threehundred children now placed out and watched over by our co-labourersin Canada brought us to the latter conclusion, and the testimony ofothers in Germany was to the same effect. 

"Pastor Zeller, who himself founded an orphan asylum at Beuggen, hadlong before strongly advocated the placing of bereaved children inChristian families as the very best method of training them. Commenting on this, M. De Liefde observes--'An establishment whichcontains from fifty to seventy children (and this surely is only asmall one), however well managed, cannot help being unnatural in manyrespects. Nature seldom puts more than twelve children together inone house; quite enough for a man and his wife to control, if dueattention be given to the formation of the different characters andthe development of the various talents. The training of a band ofchildren beyond that number cannot help assuming the character ofwholesale education. The larger the number, the greater theresemblance of the establishment to a barrack; it becomes a depot ofready-made young citizens, got up for social life at a fixed price, and within a fixed period of time. No wonder that they often turn outunfit for practical realities, and uncured of inveterate defects. 'The noble Immanuel Wichern felt this objection so forcibly, that hisfamous 'Rauhe Haus' institution is like a village of families, eachhomestead with its house-father and house-mother, and its twelve boysor girls, as the case may be. He considered that he could nototherwise do justice to those whom God had committed to his care thanby bringing the principles of family life to bear upon eachindividual. 

"In the course of conversation we asked, how it was that so far fromthe city they had heard of our having boys to dispose of, and it waspleasant to hear that the weekly 'Christian' was the link that ledthem to depute a relative to watch for our passing through Montreal. Family worship closed this day of sweet service. 

"The next morning our kind host studied the various Concessions inwhich our children had been located, and soon the 'democrat' (apeculiar carriage suited for this country) was brought to the door, and the doctor, and his sister accompanied us for the day's drive. 

"The day was balmy, like one of our bright June days, and beechesand maples, firs and cedars, were beautiful to behold in their autumnloveliness. 

"Our first call was at Mr. V---'s. He was a widower, and, findinghis home lonely, had sought at Marchmont for a little one to love andcheer him. He had taken the twin-like brothers, Freddy and Tommy, whose sweet little faces bore some resemblance to his own. We foundthe children at school, looking hearty and happy in the playground aswe passed the schoolhouse. Mr. V--- was from home, but his mother, apious woman, received us most kindly, and spoke affectionately of thechildren. She took us to see her lovely flowerbeds of annuals, alllaid out with taste in front of the wooden house, and tended by herown hands when house-work was over. My heart longed for the joy oftelling the happiness of these children to the aged pious grandmotherpining away in want and sickness, and forsaken by her own son, thefather of these boys. 

"Passing onwards, we drove past a rosy-cheeked little fellowclimbing a bank. A month in the fresh air had so changed him from thedelicate, pale, thin boy, that we looked again ere we recognisedAlfred Bonkin. His widowed mother will sing for joy to hear of hisbeing thus educated, clothed, and fed, and growing up to an honestlife. 

"Alfred was 'fixed up' (to use a Canadian term) with two others ofour children in a family settlement. One was a grown-up lad, employedin farm work, and the other a little matchbox-maker. The venerablecouple who had adopted them had won our hearts when calling upon usat the Home. They were both over eighty years of age, had thirtygrandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and yet room to love ourlittle ones, and not miss the 'bite and the sup. ' It was washing-day;but the old lady left her tub 'right away, ' and hoped we would not be'scared, ', by her being in a bustle, but just 'take off, ' and shewould soon spread the table? We spoke of our long round of calls, andwith difficulty we got away, not before we had been laden with abasket of the finest apples we had ever seen, and had promised tocome and pay a long visit next time. From all we witnessed, we couldnot but rejoice in the way God had opened homes and Christ-lovinghearts to receive our perishing little ones. "

"Peace and plenty smiled on every hand. Tears came as a relief whenfondling little Annie Parker took my hand, saying, 'Tome and see myfather's new house!' The memory came back of Mr. Morgan, Mr. Holland, and a few friends meeting with me in John Street to form a 'LittleGirls' Home. ' Two years have now passed since Annie and her wholefamily were carried to the Fever Hospital. Both the parents died; thefour girls took a room, and lived by matchbox-making. Annie andMaggie were the youngest, starved and ragged beyond description. Since that time they have both been cared for, have learnt theirletters, and can now read and write. Surely the most inveterateopponents to emigration could not but approve of and seek a blessingon such a change. Where in all England could we have found, in a fewweeks, hearts and homes for forty adoptions? These families arethrifty and homely--spinning, weaving, knitting, knowing what smallmeans with a blessing can do, and are the very people to train up ourchildren for a common-sense battle with the difficulties of life. "

"We were interested in observing the forethought displayed in layingup stores for the winter; apple being peeled, quartered, strung uponstrings, and dried either in the sun, or over the kitchen stove;pumpkins cut into parings and dried, &c. "

"All that remained at this late season (October) in the fields wasthe buckwheat. When this is cut and placed in stacks, its red rootsare exposed, affording a pleasant contrast to the dark green of theup-springing fall-wheat. More immediately around the houses, lay theimmense yellow pumpkins, still attached to their dying stems. "

The time for Miss Macpherson's return to England now drew near, andwith a heart filled with thankfulness for the mercies they hadalready experienced Miss Bilbrough offered to remain at Marchmont, tobrave alone the first Canadian winter, and with Mr. Thom's help towatch over any case of difficulty that might arise among those whohad come out; for as yet the work was an experiment. 

A CANADIAN PASTOR'S STORY. 

"Annie and Maggie, the children before mentioned, were taken out toCanada by Miss Macpherson, and were at first unavoidably placed infamilies residing at some distance from each other. The younger onewas brought back to the Marchmont Home on account of a peculiar lisp, which her master's children were acquiring from her. Almostimmediately another farmer called for a girl to assist his wife inthe care of her little ones. He saw little Maggie, cared nothing forher lisp, and would have her away with him. On taking down hisaddress, it was found that he lived on the farm next to that wherethe elder, sister was placed. It was near the end of the week, and onthe next Sabbath morning an unexpected meeting occurred, feelinglydescribed in the following verses. The incident was related to MissMacpherson by the pastor himself. "

 Come now, a story, dear papa, Now find a knee for each; You said, papa, that once you heard Two little sisters preach

 A better sermon far than you: Jane says that cannot be. We want to know, so tell us now, Before they bring the tea. 

 Come then, my darlings, you must know, Beyond the wild deep sea, In London's streets, these sisters grew In want and misery. 

 Their parents died, and they were left, Poor girls, in sore distress; Ah! dear ones, may you never know An orphan's loneliness!

 But kindly hearts, which God had touched, Felt for them in their grief; He taught them too the surest way To give such woes relief. 

 Away from London's crowded streets, They bade the sisters come, Within our brave, broad Canada, To find a pleasant home. 

 A pleasant home for each was found, But far apart they lay; And thus apart the sisters dwelt While long months rolled away. 

 Poor little girls! 'twas very sad; They were too young to write; And no one guessed the quiet tears Poor Annie shed at night. 

 Among our Sabbath-scholars soon I learned to watch her face; A quiet sadness on her brow I fancied I could trace. 

 One summer's morning, Sabbath peace Filled all the sunny air, And all within God's house was hushed, To wait the opening prayer;

 When up the aisle a neighbour came, With hushed but hasty tread; And by the hand with kindly care A little girl he led. 

 A sudden cry ran through the church, A cry of rapture wild; And starting from her seat we saw Our quiet English child. 

 "Sister! my sister!" was the cry That through the silence rung, As round the little stranger's neck Her eager arms she flung. 

 And tears and kisses mingling fast, She pressed on lip and cheek; For silent tears can sometimes tell What words are poor to speak. 

 Then soft o'er cheek, and brow, and hair, Her trembling fingers crept; Then heart to heart, and cheek to cheek, Those loving sisters wept. 

 Nor they alone, for strong men sobbed; Women stood weeping by; And little ones looked up amazed, And asked what made them cry. 

 Oh, broken was the prayer we prayed, Scarce could we raise the hymn; And when God's holy book I read, My eyes with tears were dim. 

 And yet we felt the Saviour there, Right in our midst that day; "Will you not love my little ones?" We almost _heard_ Him say. 

 No need of laboured words that day Long hardened hearts to move; Well had the sisters' meeting preached The lesson, "God is Love. "

 His heart had felt their childish grief, The while they mourned apart; His loving-hand had wrought the plan, To bring them heart to heart. 

S. R. GELDARD. 

CHAPTER III. 

1870-1871. 

Workers' meetings at home of industry--Training home at Hamptonopened--Personal experiences--Welcome in Western Canada--Help for aGlasgow home--Scottish ferryman--"Out of the mouths of babes andsucklings. "

Before the close of the year Miss Macpherson had returned fromCanada, and at the usual monthly meeting for workers was againenabled to tell of the goodness and mercy that had followed her. 

One of the great needs of the East End which has already beenmentioned, was that of some central spot where Christian workersmight meet for prayer and counsel. This need was abundantly met atthe Home of Industry, open at all times, with a welcome and words ofcheer ready for the servants of the Lord from every part of theworld. The workers' meetings, once a month, have given opportunitiesfor hearing tidings of the spread of the gospel in the "regionsbeyond. " Those who had hitherto been standing idle have been aroused, and many who have long borne the burden and heat of the day have beenrefreshed. It would be difficult to reckon the number of those whohave in the Home of Industry first heard the summons from the Lord to"go forth, " as "messengers of the glory of Christ, " and are nowtoiling in distant lands. 

The difficulty of keeping a number of active restless spirits withinthe hounds of a house in the position of the Home of Industry, without one inch of yard or playground, and in the midst of streetsin which it was unsafe for one of these boys to be seen, can hardlybe imagined. It was a subject of the greatest astonishment to adescendant of Immanuel Wichern's that in such circumstances MissMacpherson was enabled to keep them under control. It was, however, most desirable to find some place where their active energies couldbe employed in some sort of training for the Canadian out-door life. Miss Macpherson thus refers to her thankfulness that such a spot wasfound:--

"Those who share with us the burdens of this work will rejoice tohear that we have now a Home in the country, where we can cultivate afew acres, and where the children can become efficiently trained forCanada under the superintendence of Mr. And Mrs. Merry. It issituated near the village of Hampton and is now being furnished. Thiswill enable me to rescue another hundred from street-life at once. What a boon from the Lord Whom we serve!"

It proved to be just what was needed, as is shown by the testimonyof another friend:--

"The Training Home at Hampton bids fair to be a most valuableaddition to Miss Macpherson's scheme for rescuing these dear childrenif only for their health's sake; the pure air, the early hours forrising, the outdoor and spade exercise, the plentiful supply of realmilk, are all good; and the absence of all noise and excitement givesa much fairer chance of seeing what the boys really are, and theprobability of their taking to Canadian life. "

The next party was arranged to leave for Canada by the "Prussian" onthe 4th of May, and on this occasion one who had the privilege ofaccompanying them thus wrote:--"I feel it as impossible to convey tofriends in England a true idea of the kind welcome accorded to ourpoor little ones, as it is to give to dear Canadian friends anyadequate idea of the crowded misery of our own dens and alleys. 

"It has scarcely been credited by some that so many hundreds oflittle travellers could have crossed the Atlantic in many successivevoyages and not have experienced one storm. How we realised the powerof Him 'who stilleth the noise of the sea, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people!' for on this voyage, as on every other, it has been remarkable that no discord has arisen among her manyyoung charges. The work begun on land was carried on at sea, and manyyoung hearts were blessed of the Lord ere they left the ship. It waspleasant to hear many testimonies in their favour among thepassengers and crew; pleasant also to hear testimonies ofthankfulness for Miss Macpherson's presence in the ship; for shelaboured unceasingly among the crew and steerage passengers as wellas with her own special charges. 

"Kind letters of welcome were received off Quebec. For a few hourswe were detained at Point Levi, waiting for the emigrants' train, andwatching with delight the sun descending and streaming with splendouron the cliffs and magnificent river; some of the heights bare, othersclothed with firs, all picturesque and grand. The evening star shonebefore us as we were carried westward; one of the little orphan girlssaid it looked as if watching over us to help us; and in the morningwe reached Montreal Junction, where one of the warm Canadian friendswho have welcomed Miss Macpherson so cordially entered the cars, andspoke very encouraging words to the young travellers, telling themhow he had himself been as dependent on his own exertions as any ofthem could be, and how by perseverance in the situation he had firstentered, he had risen from the humblest post to the highest, and hadlong been in a position to help others. This friend is thesuperintendent of a large Sunday-school, and his scholars haveundertaken the support of an English child. 

"A lovely cloudless day was just dawning as we arrived atBelleville, and we were greeted at the station by the kind voice ofMr. Henderson, one of the evangelists, for whose labours in Canada wehave had so much reason to praise the Lord. The sun had not risenwhen we were first taken across the blue rushing river Moira, carrying with it the floating logs, felled far away, and borne by itsrapid current to the Bay of Quinte, the beautiful shores of which wecaught sight of just 'as the crimson streak in the east was growinginto the great sun. '

"But we were now at Marchmont; and lovely as it was in the freshgreen of spring, (the maples, not yet in full leaf permitting aglimpse of the bay, ) yet all other feelings were lost in the joy ofbeing welcomed by dear Miss Bilbrough, who had been watching for usall through the night. Miss Macpherson was allowed but few hours torest before the throng of visitors came to welcome her, and to takeaway the newly arrived little ones. Among the first was a lady, themother of eight girls, who had lost her only son, and who carriedaway, with tears of joy, a boy brought from Southampton workhouse. There were farmers from many miles round, bringing theirrecommendations from ministers or other well-known friends; therewere children who had been brought out the previous year, someearning good wages, and bringing their savings to Miss Macpherson, too full of joy to say much, but clinging round the one whom the Lordhad blessed in rescuing so many from want and misery. Among thesewere three former little matchbox-makers, who had known more sorrowand care during their early years than is sometimes crowded into alifetime. Tears on both sides were sometimes the only greeting given. Pages might be filled with records of one day at Marchmont, recordsof the Lord's goodness to the fatherless and motherless, and thoserescued from a worse fate still; whose parents would have draggedthem down into the haunts of drunkenness and sin, from which, inlater years, it would have been so much harder to reclaim them. Oh, that many more in our own land could witness with their own eyes theboundless openings for work, and provision made for our poor childrenin the broad lands the Lord has so mercifully spread before us!

"The first experience I had of the home of a Canadian farmer was inthe neighbourhood of Stirling. Our drive was partly along the banksof the river Moira, which, perhaps, from being the first with which Iwas made acquainted, has always appeared to me one of the loveliestin 'this land of broad rivers and streams. ' After leaving the river, our road passed through woods, in which we saw wild flowers of largersize and brighter colours than our own, though fewer in number; andfrom a rising ground we saw Stirling beneath us, and a few milesbeyond reached the dwelling of one who had come out with no otherriches than the strength of his own hands. His house was humble inoutward appearance, but contained every comfort, and was surroundedby orchard and garden, and many acres of cultivated land. Huge barnsto hold the abundant produce are always the most conspicuous featurein every Canadian farm. Cattle, sheep, and poultry were all around, and all his own, and in his own power to leave to the sons growing uparound him. In this family the sons were all following the father'soccupation. 

"In most families that I have seen, as a good education is withinthe reach of all, some of the sons have preferred following the studyof law or medicine; the farmers have therefore the more need ofhelpers, and welcome the more eagerly the young hands brought out. Though we were quite unexpected, all but one of our party beingperfect strangers, we were pressed with the usual Canadianhospitality to remain the night; and while our horse rested, our kindhost took out his own team and drove Mr. Thom to visit childrensettled in the neighbouring farms. 

"My next experience was that of a farm beyond Trenton, where one ofthe boys was engaged. Our drive was along the bay, and the oppositeshores of Prince Edward's county often reminded me of the Isle ofWight as seen from the Hampshire coast. Our road first passed theDeaf and Dumb Asylum, a grand and spacious building, a mile out ofBelleville, and then was bordered by orchards and rich cornfields, scattered cottages and farmhouses, with lilac bushes clustering roundthe doors and verandahs. Outside every farmhouse may be seen by theroadside a wooden stand, on which are placed the ample cans of milkwaiting for the waggon to carry them to the cheese factories. Nofear, it appears, is here entertained either of milk being stolen orof fruit being missed from the abundant spoils on either side theroad. 

"At Trenton, beautifully situated near the head of the bay, a boyrushed out at the welcome sight of his friend, and farther on moregreetings of love and gratitude awaited her. The farm we this dayvisited was one of more importance than the last. Four hundred acresof ground surrounded a well-built house, two stories high, andcovering much ground. In such a dwelling a handsome piano is seldommissing, and here stood one in the inner drawing-room. Luxuries thatcould be purchased for money were not wanting, but labourers were notso easily procured, and the contrast between the interior of thehouse and the rough approach to it was most remarkable. 

"So much must necessarily be done with so few hands, that time for aflower-garden, or even the making of a neat footpath, cannot befound. The mistress of the house looked sadly worn and wearied fromwant of help in her indoor labours. 

"Within easy reach of this house stood a much smaller one, built bythe owner of the farm for himself and his wife to retire to whenevertheir eldest son should choose a bride and undertake the farm. This Ihave seen elsewhere in Canada and have also known the heir of theproperty to go out for the day helping at another farm, where nolabourer could be found in the neighbourhood. No contrast could begreater to one coming from the sight of the constant distress in thecrowded East of London, --distress arising from want of work, food, light, air, and room to live and breathe in, and the comfort herebeheld and experienced through the abundance of all; the pure freshair, the sight of 'God's blessings growing out of our mother earth, 'the ground ready to bestow so rich a return for all the labourbestowed on it, and the only want that of the human hands--the handsthat, in our own land, are to be had so easily, that human beings areexpected to work like machines, and human frames are used as thoughmade of brass or iron. "

Miss Macpherson was not permitted to remain many days quietly atBelleville. The call came for her to go farther into Western Canada, and this eventually resulted in the establishing of the Home at Galt. The journey is thus described in her own words:--

"Believing that our gift was to pioneer, we left our dear friendsembosomed at Marchmont among the bursting maple trees in loveliestspring-time. At early dawn on May 23rd we started, with a party oftwenty of our boys of different ages, for Woodstock and Embro, adistrict of country where thousands of Scotch families have settled, and where there has been a wave of blessing from the Lord, throughthe faithful preaching of evangelists in the past year. Therefore welonged to 'spy' the land, not so much to gain an increase of dollarsor more cultivated land for our boys, but our object was to findhearts that had been awakened to newness of life; and we trusted thatwith such our children would be nourished by the sincere milk of theWord, and grow thereby into godly men and faithful witnesses of theLord Jesus. "

"At the close of a long and hot day's travel, we reached Woodstock;and though a single telegram had been the only announcement of ourexpected arrival, warm hearts greeted us. Next day the boys weregazed at, admired, wished for, questioned, and _feted_, until webegan to fear lest they should be spoiled by seeing the great demandfor them, and the eagerness with which they were sought after, beingconsidered, as they term them, 'smart boys. ' With ourselves it was aday of much prayer for the needed wisdom. And in the afternoon, (being the Queen's birthday, and kept by loyal Canadians as acomplete holiday), the dear boys went off with us through shadygroves for a walk. We went into a cemetery, and read together fromour penny Gospels the 9th of St. John. But here we were found out, and invited to one of the loveliest country-seats we had ever seen. It had been an old Indian settlement, and from its groves we had aview of the distant woodlands clothed in richest foliage. On abeautiful lawn, the old Scotchman, with tearful tenderness, fed ourdear boys with unaccustomed dainties, and jugs full of new milk. "

"In the evening a Scotchman arrived from a still more westerndistrict, Arkona, deputed by his neighbours to come for seven moreboys. We could, however, only spare him five. The boy he took from uslast year had behaved so well, that the demand had increased. Thencame those painful leave-takings; and to see great boys of sixteenand seventeen sobbing, was no easy work for my clinging heart; but Hewho scattered His disciples, and went Himself by lonely pathways, knew our need, even at this time. "

"Next day we went farther inland, nine miles beyond the railroad, toEmbro. There we found 'democrats, ' each with a pair of horses, for theboys and luggage, in which they went off in high glee, under the careof a good man of my own name; and for myself and friend, a Highlanderlong frae the hills of our native land, had sent a carriage and pairof splendid spirited horses. "

"Our party of boys had by this time considerably decreased; and hadthey been hundreds instead of ones, of similarly trained boys, therewould have been no difficulty in distributing them into good homes. "

"Canada is just now in a most prosperous state. Farmers' sons do notremain at home, but either, enter professions or stores, or gofarther West to colonise. Hence the need of further help, which ismet by our boys, who take their place, beginning with the A B C offarm-work, or, as Canadians express it, 'choring round. '

"This new district was very pleasing to a Scotch eye--hill anddale, rich woods, substantial farmhouses, richly cultivated orchards, beautiful with blossom; picturesque views of gushing rivers in wildgorges, with grand old monarchs of the forest telling the tales ofyears gone by, ere the emigrant's axe had laid their companions low. "

"We reached a lovely village, and were warmly welcomed by 'Macs' ofevery name, reminding one of childhood's summers spent in theHighlands of old Scotia. Here we were at home; the sweet assurance ofa Saviour's love shone in the faces that now surrounded us; we wereon the trail of an evangelist, and Jesus 'lifted-up' had been beheld, making faces beam with thankfulness to Him who had given Himself forthem. "

"The kind McAuley, who had opened his house and heart in expectationof the whole twenty boys from London, had himself been overwhelmedwith love-offerings in the shape of food the good neighbours had sentin, vying with each other in showing kindness to the orphan and thestranger. 

"Ah! what a power and privilege is granted to us women, in that weare permitted to arise and second the work of the evangelist byshowing our faith by our works, and giving to the Christians in thisland of plenty and _no_ poverty objects upon which to work outtheir love! Words fail to depict the extreme tenderness and delicateattention shown to us, for Jesus' sake, during the forty-eight hourswe spent in the midst of this kindred people. 

"In the evening the old Scotch kirk was filled to the door, andafter the singing of some sweet hymns and several heart-breathings ofprayer, we spoke of the dealings of the Lord in this mission amongthe children of our million-peopled city. Whilst doing this, it wasdifficult to realise that we were not at home, among the dearbrothers and sisters who are wont to meet with us for prayer at theHome of Industry. 

"The thank-offering to the Lord at the close was spontaneous, alsothe supply of food sent in by the farmers, and which was sufficientfor a hundred children. It seemed almost more than my poor heartcould bear when I called to mind the starving multitudes gathered in, and ravenously devouring the morsel of bread dealt out to them inLondon. It made me long that the Christian women of our land wouldrise up in some great national movement, and help many thousands ofour oppressed families to come out to this land of plenty, wheremillions of acres are crying for labour. It is no romance nor idealof a heated brain, but a plain, practical way of showing ourChristianity, this bearing the burdens of many a sinking, crushed-downfamily. 

"The much-dreaded Canadian winter is really the most enjoyableperiod of the whole year, and when it is over one hears of nothingbut sorrow that 'winter's noo awa. '"

Miss Macpherson had intended returning to England in October, butwas delayed for a time by many calls for service. From Montreal shewrites:--

"Strike another note of praise for the answer to the many prayers ofour Glasgow fellow-labourers. A friend in Scotland has been stirred upto give 2000 pounds in order to build an Emigration Refuge in thatcity, that homeless lads may be trained for Canada. Let us unite inasking that ere long similar Homes may be opened in Edinburgh andLiverpool, where poor and oppressed orphans abound. Before returningto you, we trust that corresponding Homes on this side will be incourse of preparation, one in the East and another in the West, sothat when the 150 young emigrants arrive at Quebec, fifty can proceedat once to each Home for distribution. 

"We leave Marchmont accompanied in our mission carriage by two boys;and these two have histories which contain a lesson for all boys. Their antecedents in England were much the same--orphanage, want ofcaretakers, misery. One is still self-willed, having no mercy onhimself, a runaway from the home in which we had placed him, and wasbrought to us a second time by the police as homeless. We are nowtaking him back to his master to hear all about the grievances, andfind out that they arose from his determination not to go to school. A boy that does not value the opportunities afforded him, but prefersgrowing up in ignorance, must suffer for it sooner or later. May allboys who read this determine to apply themselves to every lessonheartily; each difficulty overcome will render it more easy to masterthe next. 

"The other boy was one of the first hundred; he arrived by trainfrom Toronto at midnight, and rang us up, expecting admittance, forhe felt that he was coming home to see his friends, his master havinggiven him a holiday. This boy, though utterly alone in the world, snatched by us from a life in London stables, stands there, atfourteen, a self-reliant little man, with his purpose in lifeclearly defined. He is not many minutes in the house before hediscloses the joy it is to come home, and tells us how he has as gooda suit of Sunday-clothes to put on as any gentleman. 

"Next morning he sits during Bible-lesson in the schoolroom side byside with the ne'er-do-weel. Both are received for Jesus' sake, theone in his poverty and self-will, the other in his good suit andself-complacency, but both still wanting the 'one thing needful' tofit them for the home and mansions on high. Whilst endeavouring toexplain how Jesus had loved them, and wrought out a righteousness forthem, and was as willing to receive them as we had been, and that Hehad a large and loving heart, and cared for the many hundreds stillwandering about in the great city, tears filled the eyes of thelittle group. Just picture what we felt as J--- P---, in the mosthumble and childlike way, put his hand in his pocket and drew outtwenty-five dollars, saying, 'Miss, that will bring another. '

"My words ceased, and a choking feeling came into my throat as thelesson was being learnt by half-a-dozen of self-willed returned boys. Much we longed that all our children could have witnessed this scene. Very few of them, except the selfish and depraved, would like to bebehind J--- P--- in having the privilege of giving us so muchencouragement in this work. 

"The first year J--- P--- received no wagers, only his food andclothes; now, his services having become valuable, he gets sixdollars a month. He has purchased for himself a silver watch, a goodovercoat, and has also returned most honourably his passage-money, therefore he has received his neatly framed and beautifullyilluminated discharge, to hang up, showing he is now no longer a pooremigrant. 

"J--- holds that the habit of saving the cents is the secret ofsuccess, and he intends plodding on until he can purchase a farm ofhis own, and we think it will not be very long before he does so, ifhis life is spared. Thus he accompanies us as a son, and as such isreceived and lodged in the various homes we visit. 

"It was most amusing to hear him tell the runaway sitting by him inthe carriage how to get on and advise him not to give way to his ownwill and his own temper. 

"By boys this advice is more easily given than taken, as was provedin this case. We left the boy on his promising that he would beobedient and go to school. But the subtle enemy, ere the day was out, gave this boy of fourteen years old the idea of being his own master, rather than live out that wondrous word of four letters, _obey_. Again he escaped from a good home, and after wandering many miles, knocked late at night at a ferryman's, and asked for food. HereRobert Jack, a kind Scotchman, recognised the English corduroy, andat once met him with, 'You are one of Miss Macpherson's' boys. ' Hewas fed and lodged, and strange to say, next day we were led, in thecourse of our journey, to cross that very ferry. The young runawayseeing us from the window exclaimed, 'Oh! here comes Mr. Thorn, ' andwould have hidden away from our sight, knowing he was doing wrong, for he would not understand that we were his friends, willing to helpand love him. Oh, may all boys who read this seek earnestly tobelieve that Jesus is their very best Friend, and He only can removetheir self-will and blindness of heart!

"In crossing the ferry early in the summer, we had spoken faithfullyto this ferryman, and had sent him the 'Life of Robert Annan' bypost. They had been schoolfellows together, and after reading thebook, he got many others to read it also. This small sixpenny gift, accompanied by prayer, had done a work. Robert was willing to becomea co-worker with us, and is now trying to train to honest industryour little self-willed runaway. Thus we hope that in the log-hut ofthe Scottish ferryman he may learn to read and write, and that theblessed Spirit will work on the hearts of both master and boy. 

"The experience of yearning over this orphan boy moved our hearts tospeak of Jesus, who bore with such long-suffering love our ownrebelliousness ere we came to Him. "

The story has been told before of the first poor girl rescued in theEast of London through Miss Macpherson's blessed agency, one whosefather had died suddenly of cholera, whose mother had thrown herselfinto a canal, and, though rescued, had been, through drink, a sourceof misery to her children. The eldest brother [Footnote: This boy, now a shoemaker, has written asking to be allowed to have one of thelads, as an apprentice. ] of this poor girl, about sixteen years ofage, had been brought out the previous year to Canada, and appearingone day at Marchmont, I thought from his looks and dress that he wasone of the farmers' sons come to engage a boy, little thinking thatso short a time had passed since he was destitute as the poorestamong them. 

In England we are so accustomed to the sorrowful sight of neglectedchildren, it can hardly be imagined by us how such a fact strikes aCanadian. Often have I seen the tears in the eyes of the farmers atthe sight of little ones brought so far to seek a home at such anearly age. This was especially the case with regard to little Anniereferred to in the following lines, the youngest of three sistersleft motherless in a workhouse. When I last saw this little suffererhealth and strength had been given to her, and she was the pet of allin a home of comfort. 

 "OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS. "

 "From the mouths of babes and sucklings, " Was the Psalmist's grateful word, "Thou hast perfected Thy praises, " And I thank Thee, gracious Lord. 

 And e'en yet from infant voices Words of wondrous meaning fall, And the Christian's heart rejoices, For he knows his Father's call. 

 Little Annie sat beside me, Smiles upon her baby face; Early sorrow, early suffering, On her cheek had left their trace. 

 Little feet, too weak to wander Where the merry children play; 'Neath the flickering aspen shadows, By broad Quinte's sunny bay. 

 Thoughts of pitying love came thronging As I thought how Jesus came; How He blessed the little children, How He healed the sick and lame. 

 So I asked the little maiden, "Annie, Jesus cares for you-- If we saw Him now beside us, Can you think what He would do?"

 Strangely solemn, seemed the answer, (Listen, sisters o'er the sea); "Jesus, just to you would give me, And would bid you care for me. "

 English sisters, rich and gifted! Ask your hearts, Can this be true? Christ hath many a homeless orphan, Is He saying this to you?

 "Take this child and nurse it for Me?" Will you dare to say Him nay? Dare to let His children perish, Or in evil paths to stray?

 If too stately are your dwellings, Send them hither, let them come; In our fair Canadian homesteads, Gladly we will make them room. 

 Room where orchard boughs are dropping Fruit that waits their hands to pull; Room to rest, and room to labour, Room in home, in church, in school. 

 When the winter snow lies sparkling, They shall share our winter joys, Tinkling bells and merry sleigh-ride, With our laughing girls and boys. 

 When our maple pours its nectar, They shall share the luscious treat; Where the woodland strawb'ries cluster, Glad shall stray their little feet. 

 When our Sabbath-scholars gather, They shall join the joyous throng; Sweet will sound their English voices, 'Mid the burst of children's song. 

 Sisters, shall we share the blessing? Bring the lambs to Jesu's fold? _Ours_ are homes of peace and plenty, To _your_ hands He gives the gold. 

 S. R. GELDARD. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1872. 

The need of a Home further West--Burning of the Marchmont Home--Homerestored by Canadian gifts--Miss Macpherson and Miss Reavell arrivein Canada--First visit to Knowlton in the East--Belleville Homerestored by Canadian friends--Help for the Galt Home--Miss Macphersonreturns to England--Miss Reavell remains at Galt. 

In her first letter on returning to England Miss Macpherson writes:--

"BELOVED FELLOW-WORKERS, --Once more at home among the old familiarscenes in the East of London, the sadness and the sin shadows our joyand thanksgiving. My first visit in the immediate vicinity of theRefuge I shall not soon forget. 

"Taking good news of Andrew in Canada to his mother, I found hisfather lying dead drunk in one corner, and his little brother lyingdead waiting to be carried off to the grave by the parish in theother. 

"In the first low women's lodging-house, I found a poor misguidedgirl asking me, 'How's my little sister?'

"Passing on to Mr. Holland in George Yard, I cheered him withanswers to his many inquiries as to the placing out of his rescuedones. 

"Many a warm shake of the hand I had from poor costermongers andgrey-headed men, for what had been done for their belongings intaking them from the sin and want around. 

"My way is now open to go forward, as means permit, to rescue girlsand train them for Canada or for service in England. "

Miss Macpherson goes on to tell of the purchase of the Galt Home, 300 miles westward, and states the need in these words:--

"We found that to educate our Canadian family, and thoroughly fitthem to be of value to the farmer, a few fields to work upon would bean advantage, that they might see the effects of new soil andclimate, in the growth of vegetables, shrubs, and farm produce. "

"Thou hast tried us as silver is tried. We went through fire andthrough water, but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. " Thiswas the experience of the beginning of the year 1872. MissBilbrough's letter brings to mind Deut. Xxxiii. 12. 

"BELLEVILLE, _January 29_, 1872. 

"DEAREST ANNIE, --It is indeed difficult to begin a letter to you, when I know you always open our letters feeling sure of good news. And yet this one brings you the best you ever had. Lives spared, Itrust, to work more than ever for Him who hath done such great thingsfor us. Our song is one of continual thankfulness and praise, and Iknow you will join us in giving thanks. Our beautiful Home lies inruins, only the walls standing, and there is one little grave dug byBenjamin Stanley's, containing the ashes of little Robbie Gray. 

"I hardly know how to begin, it still seems so terrible and real. 

"We had had a happy Sabbath. We were to have an early breakfast nextmorning, and I awoke in the night thinking it was daylight. MissBaylis came to my door, which was shut, saying, 'Miss Bilbrough, there's smoke!'

"I jumped up, and oh, the feeling, when I saw the house full ofdense white smoke! I knew well what it must be. I rushed to Mr. Thorn's room, he was sleeping heavily, but I roused him, saying thehouse was on fire; then I went down to the boys, Philips and Keen, who were in the schoolroom, called them up and told them to save thechildren, and rushed upstairs, nearly choked, calling 'Fire!'

"Mrs. Wade, Miss Baylis, Miss Moore, all came out. Downstairs I ranagain and unfastened the front door, and went to the corner of theverandah. Philips was getting out the children, and the flames werecoming on with frightful rapidity; it was blowing a perfecthurricane, and the whole building was enveloped in smoke and ashes; Iran back half-way upstairs to see if I could get a dress, or mycash-box, or watch, but I was too much suffocated, and had to get backto the front door. Mrs. Wade, Miss Baylis, and the children, weremaking for the fence. I saw Mr. Thorn, and called to him to searchagain with Philips for the children. 

"The intense cold in the snow seemed almost worse to bear than fire. We all climbed the fence and ran to the nearest house. Poor Mrs. Wadehad got her hands frozen, even in that short time, as the thermometerwas about twelve or fifteen degrees below zero. 

"Here we called over the names of the children; some were here, somein another house, sitting over the stove with bare legs and onlytheir little shirts on. Soon little Robbie was found missing, butPhilips had lifted him out, and he had been seen running with theothers; we suppose that the poor child, blinded with smoke, ran tothe front door, and then went through into the schoolroom, the placehe knew best, where he must soon have been suffocated. It was allover in a few minutes, all around was fearfully bright and lurid. Theengine came, but was of course too late, the fire spread with suchterrible rapidity. 

"We sat almost stunned with fright and cold. Soon the Shearings andElliotts came, bringing clothes, &c. , and we went to dear Mrs. Elliott's house in a sleigh. It was not four A. M. , and the fire wasalmost out, burning round the verandah and the window-sills. 

"Oh, how our hearts went up in thankfulness to God for sparingmercies! A few moments more, and we dread to think of what might havebeen. Miss Baylis' door being ajar, the smoke got in; mine was shut, my room was free, but I saw the light on the window. Miss Moore wasin Miss Lowe's bedroom; she could not realise it, and, after beingfirst roused, was going to bed again. 

"As soon as it was daylight I went with Mr. Thorn to see the ruins. All around the melted snow had frozen like iron; the thermometer, which was hung on the verandah, was found uninjured; nothing wasfound but a table and one stove; all gone. Books, papers, clothes, everything; but there in the blackened ruin lay distinctly thecharred frame of little Robbie. Mr. Thorn went for Dr. Holden and acoffin, and the remains were brought to Mr. Elliott. Dear littlefellow, he was the most prepared of any of the little ones to go. This is such a comfort to me now. 

"I had gathered the little ones round me in the evening before thefire, when the others were at church, and we had sung some sweethymns. I made Robbie especially stand beside me, and made him singalone. 'I will sing for Jesus, ' was the hymn he chose. He sang itsweetly. How little did I think in a few hours he would be singingthe 'new song' before the throne! His history in our book is verytouching. 'Robert Gray, aged six; a happy little man, who can saylittle or nothing about himself. ' The rest of the page is blank, ashe had never been away from Marchmont. An inquest was held over thebody. We wished it especially, so that we might have an investigationas to the cause of the fire. 

"Dearest Annie, when I think what it might have been, and the griefof all at home, and the intense sorrow, oh, it makes one so thankful!I felt Jesus very precious through it all, recognising His hand in somany ways. I had had much blessed communion with Him that Sunday, andseveral seasons of sweet prayer. I can fully realise that for me itwould have been all right, if the Lord had ordered it otherwise; butfor the sake of those at home I bless God for life spared, and trustearnestly the Lord may give us all increased power and spirituallife. Having passed through 'the fire, ' may we also receive thebaptism of the Holy Ghost. And oh, may our lives be more and moredevoted to His service! Not our own, but bought with a price, may welive more and more unto Him who hath loved us!

"Miss Moore was out at nine o'clock in the woodshed; all was safethen. Mrs. Wade locked the doors at ten with stable lantern in thewood-shed (the boys' summer dining-room), and then all was safe; thefire in the kitchen stove was out. She came shivering in to-prayers alittle after ten. The parlour fire was nearly out, and Miss Baylisand I were quite cold. The fire upstairs was not lit, nor had anyashes been taken up on Sunday morning. If any had been removed onSaturday, they were placed in iron vessels in the first kitchen. Thefire broke out in the further corner of the wood-shed. The cause isso far quite unknown, and will, I suppose, ever remain so. 

"I send you the account of the inquest, and other papers, as I knowwell it is better to see and know all particulars. I cannot, however, tell of all the kindness and sympathy we have met with--a telegramfrom Mr. Claxton, offering money, &c. , Hon. George Alien wishing totake the children; Mr. Eason: 'I am praying for you, can I help bycoming?' numbers of friends coming with clothes of every kind;subscriptions got up to start a new Home immediately; sewingsocieties at work and ladies canvassing the town in every directionfor help to furnish another Home at once. I could not even begin toparticularise our friends. Mr. Flint came up at eight, begging me tocome to his house. 

"This afternoon we have buried little Robin. The service was held inMr. Elliott's church. 

"How often we have thought of home friends during the last few days, and longed that you might not hear the news in any way till thisreaches you, which will be nearly three weeks! and now you must fancyus happy at our work again, and as much under the loving care andprotection of our God as ever, trusting only to Him for everything, that whether absent from the body, or still in the flesh, we may bemore and more filled with faith and love for the Lord's work. 

"Wednesday. We seem each day to realise only more fully ourmarvellous escape. The firemen say they never remember such a night, nor saw a house burn so rapidly. Now every one is so kind; thingskeep pouring in for the new Home;--it is to be Canadian this time, not English. Mr. Flint says he has written to you, telling you all, but he could not tell you one quarter of the kindness we have metwith on every hand. 

"Oh, that verse in Isa. Lxiv. II, is so expressive:

"'Our beautiful house where we praised Thee is burnt up with fire, and all our pleasant things are laid waste. ' What a ruin Marchmont isnow! the blackened ashes all around--nothing but the walls standing. I feel such mingled feelings as I look at it--all the happy days wehave spent there--the holy associations never to return again. 

"'We have no continuing city here, ' was the text which filled Mr. Thorn's mind, and it is one we hope more than ever to keep before us. This trial seems to have given the four of us deeper sympathy andinterest together. So nearly entering eternity together, and yetsaved, we trust, to render more devoted service to the Master, forhaving passed through this fiery trial. 

"I can hardly bear to think of all the sorrow you are feeling forus; but oh! let thanksgiving and praise be uppermost. It is the onethought that fills our minds. We are wonderful in health, no cold, and are as occupied as possible, looking after the children, andpreparing for the new Home. Happily, Charlie the horse, the sleigh, and the buffalo robes are safe, and most useful we find them now. 

"I am so thankful that it will be nearly three weeks ere you know, and you must think of it as past and gone, and, if possible, just atfirst see the beginning of great good in making the work more known, and rousing the sympathies of others. "

 What, Marchmont gone! That pleasant Home nought but a memory now; And yet, in humble thankfulness we bow, -- Father, Thy will be done. 

 It was but lent: Thou wilt not that Thy children fix their heart On aught below: theirs is a better part-- A treasury unspent. 

 Still are its memories dear! The maple shadows that around it lay, Stirred by the breezes from the silvery bay, Or bathed in moonlight clear--

 How fair were they! Lovely when decked with earliest buds of spring, Loveliest when radiant autumn came to fling A glory on each spray. 

 Oh home of praise and prayer! Where glad sweet voices raised the morning hymn, Pleaded for blessing in the twilight dim, Or thrilled the midnight air. 

 Can we forget The meetings and the partings we have known? The welcome glad, the farewell's sadder tone-- Ah, we remember yet. 

 We were not there When thro' its halls the fierce destroyer swept; But God was watching, while our dear ones slept-- Safe were they in His care. 

 All safe with Him; Yes, for our Robbie "sings for Jesus" now In sweeter tones, with far more sunny brow, And eyes no tear's can dim. 

 They wait His word-- Stanley and Robbie side by side--and we Caught up together with them soon shall be For ever with the Lord. 

 S. R. GELDARD. 

All former kindness was as nothing compared to that now received, aswill be seen by the following from Miss Bilbrough:--

"BELLEVILLE, _February 2, 1872_. 

"I know that many many prayers are now being offered for us, andthat the Lord is answering them every minute, giving us sustaininggrace and wisdom, and help as to the future. I knew it would be fiveweeks before I could hear from you, and I could trust that all wemight arrange here would meet your approval, as it has generally done. 

"However, the Belleville people, with Mr. Flint at their head, quitetook the matter out of my hand, being determined that they wouldprovide and furnish themselves a still better house than Marchmont. The sympathy awakened is great, and the pleasure of friends athearing that we could have a large substantial house on the KingstonRoad for our orphan children was equally so. Mr. Flint has secured itfor three years, the Council paying the rent and taxes, andsufficient is already gathered to furnish it. So that when the firstarrivals come in May, all will be ready for them. 

"How good the Lord is! even out of apparent trial He brings thegood. We had been praying for special blessing, and in this way, (strange as it seems to us), we do recognise the answer. "

In March, Miss Macpherson writes:--

"BELOVED FRIENDS, --While you are reading this, my pathway will againbe upon the mighty deep. The Lord willing, I look to leave Liverpoolby steam-ship 'Scandinavian, ' March 7th. Miss Reavell, who has fortwo years been our scribe in the Refuge, accompanies me. Your prayershave gone up that blessing may be ours, as a little band of feebleworkers for our Lord, and if He has been pleased to try our faith bythe trial of fire, shall we not praise Him for anything His lovinghand doth send us? And as one has beautifully said, 'What God takesit is always gain to lose. ' Heaven is nearer now our little Robbie isthere; Jesus is dearer, and has quickened us all by His constraininglove. 

"My object in going now to Canada without children is twofold. Strength being given, my desire is to visit the new districts, whereI hope in the coming summer to place out the hundreds now underexcellent training and holy influence here and in Scotland, and tofind out Christian families who may be willing to receive them onarrival. Plead that the Holy Spirit may fill with power those who aredaily seeking to win these wanderers back to the fold. 

"Secondly, I wish to make use of the late sad calamity, and God'swonderful interposition in saving life, so that the teaching may notbe lost upon the hundreds of immortal souls connected with ourmission. "

It is impossible to describe the eagerness with which the arrival ofthese dear friends was looked for, and day after day, those inservice in and around Belleville would come with the hope of seeingthem. And among these were former match-box makers, who had beenrescued from such depths of sorrow; one of whom had already savedfrom her wages sufficient to pay her brother's passage out, besidesbringing offerings of her own work towards the furnishing of MissMacpherson's room in the new House. Through many dangers they werebrought safely, in answer to many prayers, but Miss Reavell hadsuffered much on the voyage, and one special instance of the Lord'scare I cannot help here recording, "They shall abundantly utter thememory of Thy great goodness. " Miss Reavell had been a most diligentand necessary labourer at the Home of Industry night and day. At seaher strength seemed to fail; she only existed on oranges, and thelast orange was gone. In the midst of a fearful storm, signals weremade by another vessel that they were without food, and the life-boatwas put off from the steamer, carrying to the distressed vessel abarrel of flour and pork In return, a thank-offering came in theshape of two boxes of the best oranges, the ship being from Palermo, bound for New York with a cargo of fruit. "Even the very hairs ofyour head are all numbered. "

The visit of Miss Barber, a Canadian lady of influence, to the Homeof Industry, was the means of interesting friends in the EasternTownships' Province of Quebec, and of leading them to open a Home atKnowlton. 

The following letter is from Miss Macpherson:--

"The year's experiment in this new district will enable us to test itas to whether it will be a suitable one for our children; if so, itwill not cost many pounds of English money. The old house we havetaken was formerly a tavern, and its ball-room will make us anexcellent dormitory; the rent is only 20 pounds, and is paid entirelyby a Canadian. Should the children thrive under the fostering care ofour dear friend Miss Barber (now doubly dear to us all after thewinter of help she has given us in the East of London), there will beno difficulty in establishing a permanent Home, built of brick, halfof the necessary sum having already been subscribed in and aroundSheffield, Leeds, and Nottingham; and the other half our friends inthe province of Quebec have freely offered to collect. Thus will thoseboth on this side and at home share the benefits; the old countryseeing hundreds educated that might otherwise in a few years becomeexpensive criminals, and the new country, receiving, ere habits arefixed, young life which, in future, will call Canada 'the home of itsadoption. '

"Though, according to all accounts, this is an uncommonly heavysnow-season, I have no fears for the children, the air is so dry andclear, and well fitted to invigorate their frames. This morning Istarted about five o'clock, and soon forgot the fear which had creptover me but a week ago, when I took my first winter journey amongthese snowy hills. 'Knowledge is power, ' and the experience of dangersmet and passed gives quietness and confidence. 

"You will be imagining that owing to these prolonged snow-storms allwork is stayed. Not so; everything goes on most vigorously--lumbering, carting, cutting wood for summer's need. Ladies seemalways busy; yet as it is often seen, those who have most to do canbest arrange to be at leisure. There is an education of forethoughtcaused by having to watch against the heat and cold; this has deeplyinterested me in the practical manner in which they are going to workin furnishing this Eastern Townships' Home. In return for thekindness shown to this Mission, may the whole district be spirituallyblessed, and may our loving Lord be the joy and strength of eachfaithful labourer!

"The heavy calamity that it pleased our Father to send by fire, hasaccomplished in a few weeks that which would otherwise, humanlyspeaking, have taken many years to make known. Our motives andprinciples of service were all new, and even our simple faith andtrust in prayer were often misunderstood. Though we had travelledseveral thousands of miles in Canada, seeking to stir up Christiansto aid us in finding and watching over the right home for ourchildren, we had no medium on this side like 'The Christian, ' bywhich we could communicate with those like-minded, and tell them ofour burdens. 

"The Hon. B. Flint tells us how the hearts of his fellow-townsmenwere moved with compassion on hearing of the destruction of theChildren's Home, on that terrible night, and that some of themattempted to ascend the hill and offer aid, but had to turn back, unable to face the hurricane and tempest. 

"The citizens of Belleville have contributed freely towardsreplacing the Home, and the Lord's dear children all over the landhave sent their love-offerings. The County Council receivedtestimonies from many of the homesteads concerning the six hundredchildren placed out round Belleville, and generously contributed 500dollars to show their esteem for the work. The funds in hand led Mr. Flint, after the withdrawal of the rented house at first proposed, topurchase a freehold of three and a quarter acres, possessing a goodhouse and out-buildings, which were adapted to our use by theaddition of dormitories, and furnished by the aid of the ladies ofBelleville. This Home is now given to us for so long as it shall beused by our mission band in connection with the emigration ofchildren to this district. "

In April, a detachment of thirty elder boys arrived, to be followedquickly by others. 

In June 1872, when 150 emigrants arrived, 50 children were sent toeach of the three Homes now opened to receive them, and for severalyears this order was observed, until other arrangements were made tomeet the growing character of the work. 

The following tells of the progress of the Galt Home:--

"Many will wish to know how this Home at Galt shapes itself, andwould be amused at the varied occupations of the past week. 

"A Canadian springtime is very brief, so we have had to buy a spanof horses and a plough, and, with the aid of other neighbours'ploughs, the corn and clover seed will soon be all sown. The ladiesof several churches have met in the council-chamber, and worked atall household gear, others superintending the house arrangements, andpurchasing necessary things. 

"My part has been that of a faithful recipient, giving praise fromhour to hour to Him who hath laid my every burden here on His ownchildren's hearts. The past little season has been to me a preciousrest-time, seeing others work. We expect to be all in order by thearrival of our next party. The threshing-floor we have transformedinto a dining-room; one of the barns is fitted up as a dormitory. Thechaff-house makes a lavatory; and, from the interest around, we donot expect to keep our little men very long out of the homes waitingfor them. 

"The love-tokens here, as at home, are varied in their character. Our farmer's wife has set us up with poultry, another with eggs; alittle boy brought us his pet hen as an offering; indeed, wherever weturn, some kind thought is shown, and our hearts are gladdened, andour faith is able to rejoice at the prospect of returning home, andgathering up another thousand precious young immortals from thedepths of our sin-stricken cities, and placing them out in homeswhere Jesus is loved. "

In June, Miss Macpherson was welcomed back with warm thanksgivings, having left the Home at Galt under the wise and loving care of herfaithful companion, Miss Reavell. In after years Mr. And Mrs. Merrydevoted themselves chiefly to this branch of the work, and have beenthe watchful and tender foster parents of this ever-varying family. It would be hard to say whether Mrs. Merry's presence was more valuedhere, or among the sorrowful widowed mothers in Spitalfields. 

CHAPTER V. 

1872-1874. 

Letter from Rev. A. M. W. Christopher--Letter from Gulf of St. Lawrence-Mrs. Birt's Sheltering Home, Liverpool--Letter to Mrs. Merry--Letter from Canada--Miss Macpherson's return to England--Letter of cheer for Dr. Barnardo--Removal to Hackney Home. 

Though human praise is not sought, we cannot but feel peculiarpleasure in giving the following testimony from a servant of the Lordso much revered as the Rev, A. M. W. Christopher of Oxford:--

"Of all the works of Christian benevolence which the great love ofChrist constrains His servants to carry on, with which I have becomepersonally acquainted, not one, has impressed me more deeply, by itsgreat usefulness, than the work of God carried on by Miss Macphersonand her fellow-labourers. She has in three years transplanted morethan twelve hundred boys and girls from almost hopeless circumstancesof misery and temptation in Great Britain, to healthy, happy, industrious homes in Canada. And this has not been all; daily effortshave been made in faith and love during the period of training, andon the voyage, and in the Distributing Homes in Canada, to win theseyoung hearts for Christ by means of the Gospel. There can be no doubtthat God has blessed these labours of love to bring many to Himselfin the Lord Jesus. 

"When I was in Canada last September, I made three special journeysexpressly to visit Miss Macpherson's three 'Distributing Homes' atGalt, Belleville, and Knowlton, respectively in the west, centre, andeast of the Dominion. 

"On September 10, 1872, I left Toronto at 5. 30 A. M. , and travelled113 miles to the east along the Grand Trunk Railway to Belleville, which is 220 miles west of Montreal. I took the Lady Superintendent, Miss Bilbrough, by surprise. Her sister was with her, having latelybrought over a hundred boys. These two young but experiencedChristians are evidently full of faith and energy and delight intheir work and of lore to the children. About a thousand boys andgirls brought out, or sent out by Miss Macpherson, had passed throughthe Home in three years. She has herself placed out 800 boys andgirls, 600 of whom are in homes around Belleville. She meets with thekindest reception from the farmers with whom she has placed thesechildren. _She could place out a thousand more if they were at oncesent out_, the demand is so great. All the orphan children undernine years of age are adopted by farmers who have no children, to betreated exactly as if they were their own. Miss Bilbrough, and alsothe Lady Superintendents at Galt and Knowlton, never place a child ina home unless the farmer brings a testimonial from his minister. 

"The burning of the Home very much touched the people of Canada, whohad learned to appreciate the efforts for good connected with it; and, unasked for, dollars from kind Canadians poured in. Miss Bilbrough haddaily to write thanks to many. More than 3000 dollars (600 pounds)were soon sent in, and instead of renting a house, they were able tobuy the first-rate one they now occupy, and which was given to MissMacpherson, with so much kind feeling, by the Canadians. 

"I was equally interested in the work of Miss Reavell in the Home atGalt, to the west of Toronto. This had only been established a fewmonths before I visited it. Here also I was greatly impressed by thepatient, painstaking Christian lore of those who had charge of thechildren. The children looked healthy, and happy, and ready for work. 

"The last Home I visited was at Knowlton, an eastern township of theQuebec Province, south of the St. Lawrence. I heard that Miss Barber, the Lady Superintendent, was nursing some of the children who had thesmallpox. I went to see her. It was quite clear that the love ofChrist constrained her to devote herself with all her heart andstrength to the children committed to her care. I spoke with theuninfected children before I saw her. I was interested to see howaccustomed they had been whilst in this Home to be treated with love. Soon three little ones climbed upon my knees, whilst I talked ofJesus to them and the elder ones. Miss Barber is a lady of goodposition, the half-sister of the excellent Judge of that district, lately Minister of Agriculture in the Dominion Government. In earlylife she had very bad health, but has been raised up frond greatweakness to work most diligently for Christ among the children whopass through her Home. Her brother, the Judge, and his wife, who liveat Knowlton, zealously do all they can to help the good work. 

"Many in England know better than I do the great work for God, carriedon in connection with Miss Macpherson's 'Home of Industry, ' CommercialStreet, Spitalfields, and the similar Homes at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Liverpool. Others may visit these, and have their heartsstirred up to help forward the work by what they see in those Homes;but Canada is a great way off, and, as an independent witness, Idesire to bear the strongest testimony to the Christian usefulness ofthe work, and to the faithful, the wise and careful manner in which itis carried on. A far greater number of children might be thustransplanted with the best results, under God's blessing, ifsufficient means were supplied to Miss Macpherson. May I not hope thatthe great love of Christ will constrain those who read this paper tosend help promptly, so that this work may be extended, and that manymore children may be rescued. Remember, dear reader, the love of yourSaviour for little children. _'Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which, was also in Christ Jesus'_ (Phil ii. 4, 5). 10 pounds will fitout, and pay the passage of a child. How can 10 pounds be betterspent? Try, dear reader, and raise 10 pounds among your friends, ifyou cannot give it yourself. Or do what you can, however little thatmay seem to you to be. The matter is urgent, the season is passingaway. Pray send help at once, and strive to interest your friends inthe work. How many more might be rescued! What a contrast there isbetween the photographs of the miserable, hopeless children, takenwhen they are received at the Homes in this country, and thephotographs of the same children after they have been a few months inCanada; I have many such contrasts with me. They would move you tohelp this work of love. But. The love of Christ must be the greatmotive; yet we should not forget that the Holy Spirit taught St. Paulto write, _'He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; andhe which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every manaccording as he purposeth in his heart so let him give: not grudginglyor of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver'_ (2 Cor. Ix. 6, 7). "

In May of this year, Miss Macpherson took out another party of youngemigrants, and writes as follows:--

_"On board 'Circassian, ' Gulf of St. Lawrence, May 5th, 1873. _

"MY DEAR FELLOW-WORKERS, --Hitherto our blessed experience has beenthat 'The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, and theLord shall cover him all day long;' 'The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. ' Our song is one ofunmingled praise, and our little band is strengthened and invigoratedby the voyage, --no storm permitted to alarm us by day or night We arenow entering the mighty Gulf, and passing through fields of ice; but'He who hath compassed the waters with bounds, and divided the seawith His power, ' maketh a right way for us and our little ones. "

"Morning and evening, my dear fellow-workers have been enabled tocontinue sowing precious seed in these young hearts, so soon to bidus farewell. Our steerage has been the rendezvous, when weatherpermitted, of those who love praise and prayer. In quietness and restwe have sought to renew our strength by waiting upon the Lord;holding up your hands by prayer, dear fellow-labourers, grasping theprecious fulness of the promises, for you as well as for ourselves, that every opportunity given you upon Rag-market, in the courts andsorrowful dens around our Home, in every small room prayer-meeting, or-when you gather around the Word, may have been used, andaccompanied by the 'demonstration of the Spirit' and signs following. "

"We have to-day realised answers to your prayers for us, whilstcutting through miles of ice, going at the rate of two knots an hour, but all has been peace and safety. "

"We are now beyond the vast acres of frozen sea, and every hourbrings us into a warmer climate, and nearer to our desired haven. Those interested in our little band, may rest assured it has been ahappy voyage with each one. Not _one_ case of disobedience hascaused us anxiety. Early to sleep and early on deck has given goodappetites, as all their brown and rosy cheeks do testify. At thispoint of our journey we recall the experience of May 1870, entering away unpassed heretofore. Now can we praise with a full heart, andtestify that His own 'I wills, ' in Isa. Xlii. 16, have been realisedby us as a little band. 

"We are now about to land with our 1520th child, our twelfth voyage, without a storm, thousands of welcomes from warm hearts awaiting us. Open doors in scores of towns around each of our three missionarycentres, ready to receive the evangelists who travel with us. We askcontinued prayers that they may be young Stephens, filled with faithand power, and that we maybe guided in the right distribution of thetracts and books we carry with us. 

"And oh, dear pleaders, remember the many lonely, little hearts weare finding homes for; it is very sorrowful work unbinding, as itwere, the little twinings their sweet, obedient ways have alreadybound around us. Many were writing letters this morning ready to postwhen landing, but very many had not a love-link to earth. One littlefellow said, 'I ain't got nobody to write to but you. ' The one mostlonely as to earth's relationships will soon become a solitary oneset in a family; and again, if permitted, we shall return and gatherin another family from the sad, sad, million-peopled city. --Yours, inthe bonds of the Gospel, "Annie Macpherson. 

"P. S. --May 7. We have landed under the brightest sunshine, on awarm, balmy June-like day, feeling deeply thankful for all ourheavenly Father's mercies. A deputation of Quebec Christian sistersawaited our touching the shore. What a bond is ours in Christ Jesus!"

Allusion has been made to the Home opened by Mrs. Birt at Liverpool;and the following letter will show the heart-rending nature of thescenes occurring there as in London:--

"August 7. 

"Dear Friends, --On the 12th of May last we opened the above Home, and there were present on the occasion more ladies and gentlemenwhose hearty sympathy seemed with us, than the large room couldcomfortably hold. One little destitute fellow was presented as thefirst to enter for protection and kindly care. Since then_ninety_ poor tiny creatures have been admitted, and these alikeshare in the love, attention, and comfort found within the walls ofthis happy Home. 

"Through the great kindness of the friend who placed the premises atour disposal, we have obtained an additional room, which enables usto rescue some little girls, many of whom are orphans, who draggedout a miserable existence by begging for food, and sleeping whereverthey could find shelter; others, worse off, were, through theirrelationship, running every risk of being reared to a life of infamyand ruin. Others are the children of widowed mothers, who say theyare willing to work, but finding none of a continuous character, haverapidly sunk to a condition of wretchedness from which it seemsimpossible they can rise. 

"Seventy have rapidly progressed, and are so obedient and anxious toplease, that so far as training in this country is concerned, theyare in a fit state of preparedness for emigration to Canada; and fromthe statements received from our sister, Miss Macpherson, of theincreased and increasing demand from Canadian families for usefulboys and girls, to assist them in their house and farm duties, we dothink that these should be taken without delay to the comfortablehomes waiting to receive them, --homes in which they will be trainedto habits of industry, usefulness, and saving. 

"The boys' clothes are near completion, and the girls' outfits arebeing made, and greatly helped on by the kind-hearted exertions ofChristian ladies in Liverpool and Birkenhead, who have brought to theSheltering Home their own sewing-machines, and plied them at fullspeed on our behalf at the weekly sewing-meetings held on Wednesdays, from eleven till five P. M. At these gatherings, much to thegratification of the ladies, the little ones whose garments they weresewing, have sung for their pleasure children's sweet hymns of praiseto Him by whose love they were being cared for. 

"My heart, and the hearts of my few but loving helpers who live withme in the Home, have been nearly broken this afternoon by witnessinga sight so terrible, that we hope and pray we may never see the likeagain. A most depraved, drunken, and wicked father, set on by twowomen more wicked (because more cunning) than himself, dragged out ofour Home by main force two dear little girls he had himself, whenmore sober, besought us many times to take in. They knelt, theyprayed, they begged as for dear life to be left in the Home; when, refused by him again and again, they saw he was urged on by the womento drag them out, they gave way to their poor little wills andscreamed, 'I won't go with you! I won't go with you! I know where youwill take us to! You never cared one bit for us, but now, that we areclean and comfortable, and learning to read, you wish to take meback. If you do, I will get something to take my life away, ratherthan live with you!' And by the man's sheer force they were carriedscreaming from the Home; and the last thing we heard, through theirshrieks, was the father uttering threats we cannot repeat. I ran tomy little room to hide myself and weep; but I heard them screamingstill, as the poor girls made one more desperate effort atresistance. Though now it is three hours since, I hear theirscreaming yet; and, dear friends, I think I shall hear it till I die. As a little band, we are completely petrified, bruised, and sore, quivering in every nerve, looking up earnestly to God to know HisWill, and praying that we may have all the other dear ones left totrain for Him; for the Roman Catholic spirit is bitterness itselfagainst thus teaching the little ones. 

 "'Jesus loves me, this I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong, They are weak, but He is strong. '

"Dear friends, pray for our little ones. Money is useful, personalhelp is useful; the thoughtful gifts we receive from time to time areuseful; but prayer--which 'moves the hand that moves the world'--ismore useful than all beside. Pray for our children; for those wepurpose taking to new homes in a distant land, that they may neverdisgrace the Home they have been sheltered in; and for those who havebeen torn away from us, that they may be preserved from temptation, and from becoming a curse. Then shall we joyfully take them forth, and in God's good time return, and again fill up this spacious Home, and feel it the greatest privilege of our life to labour among thepoor neglected little ones of the streets of these large cities. Share then in the blessing wrapped up in the King's word, 'Inasmuchas you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, yehave done it unto Me. '"

How great is the contrast in turning from these heart-rendingdetails, to the following letters from across the Atlantic:--

"BELLEVILLE, _June 7th, 1873_. 

"My dear Mrs. Merry, --I wish you had been with us to-day, and seenpart of the result of all your patient toil and joyous service forthe Lord daring the past five years' work among His little ones. 

"Knowing the joy it would be to so many of them to see dear MissMacpherson, we sent out postal-card invitations to those livingwithin 25 miles. Some few were unable to accept; but between seventyand eighty children, with their employers, came in one by one, looking so brown and healthy. You would hardly recognise in the tall, slim youth, now quite a help to his master, a carpenter by trade, thelittle, tender-hearted George M--, eldest of three orphan brothers. It hardly seems three years ago since their father stood up in agathering of Christians, and with failing breath declared what theLord had done for his soul. Then you remember how quietly he passedaway, leaving his three boys entirely in Miss Macpherson's care. Alldoing so well in Canada--Fred and little Johnnie still in their firsthomes. 

"One great pleasure of the children was to roam over the Home underthe orchard blossoms, glancing over the books of photographs andrecognising some friend or mate with whom some far different days hadbeen spent. Among the attractions were the tables of toys, pictures, books, &c. , sent out by English friends; and here the little onesspent some of their hoarded cents, thinking so much of anythingreally English. About twelve o'clock we gathered in the flower gardenin front, while sandwiches, buns, and milk were passed round amongthe children. Your sister sat with them chatting to them of oldtimes, and answering many questions as to former companions and stillloved though often silent English friends. Can you picture the eagerlisteners to the familiar voice of one who was to them the linkbetween the sorrowful past and the happy future?--a Bible lesson onthe lost sheep. My eyes often filled with tears when I looked attheir bright faces, and blessed God for the open door for them inthis country. There stood Jamie D--, who, with his little brotherHughie, formed one of the saddest photographs of childish wretchednesseven Glasgow streets could produce; so bright, so well-dressed, though still with a little of the old look of childish care. William C--, the little fellow of four years old, whose mother diedin India, and the father on his return sank in a London hospital, leaving little Willie friendless, was here with a lovely bunch ofhot-house flowers ready to present to Miss Macpherson, and to receivefrom her one of the beautifully illustrated scrap-books made bylittle English children. Willie has been nearly three years in hishappy home, surrounded by all the influences of education andrefinement. 

"Now the friends were gathering thickly, and listened while anearnest address was given to the boys by Miss Macpherson. When sheceased, first one and then another gentleman stood up and gave theirearnest, hearty sympathy with and approval of the work, and of thecharacter of the boys. And here I must tell you, in passing, weattribute much to the loving, tender training of your Hampton Home. It is not that Canadian farmers would put up with _anything_, orthat a bad boy is so useful that his faults are overlooked; for hereevery single boy is thoroughly known, and discussed over all thecountry side. Mr. Grover, from the village of Colborne, quite cheeredour hearts with the good accounts of the twenty in his neighbourhood, most of whom have joined his classes, and by their steady industriousconduct are recommending themselves. 

"He said, 'I do not speak without personal experience. W. O--- hasbeen two years in my employ, and a more truthful, upright, honestboy, I would not wish to have; he has left now to learn further aboutfarming, and I immediately applied for another one from Marchmont, and believe W. S--- will prove as successful and honest a servant. 'Then the Rev. William Bell stood up and bore testimony to yourfavourite Tommy--one of the rescues from Mr. Holland's Shelter, in1869. 'I have boarded now over a year in the good farmer's home, where Tommy S---lives. He is as good, and truthful, and honest a boyas I would wish to have about a house; and his master so appreciateshis services that he gives him fifty dollars for his first year. These boys are in every way a blessing, and advantage to ourcountry. ' Mr. V. , who has been already alluded to, said, 'I soughtguidance and direction from the Lord before I came to the Home, nownearly three years ago, and then I only intended to take one boy; Ihave never regretted I took two. Except one or two days, they havenever missed school; indeed I do not believe any one could hire themto stay away. I know that their labour morning and evening repays mefor any expense I am at, and they can be at school all the time. 'Miss Macpherson then told these two boys, F--- and T---, of herlast visit to their grandmother in the tidy attic in Bethnal Green, and how pleased she was to receive the five dollars they had senther. Mr. Ward, a farmer from Sidney, had brought his little boy, Tommy S---; and Johnnie, the brother, had come from a home acrossthe Bay of Quinte. So there was a touching meeting, and manyexperiences for the two brothers to relate, during one month'sabsence. Mr. Ward told how he intended to educate his boy, andtrusted he might yet fill some prominent position, for which bynatural gifts he seemed well qualified. Speaking of the religiouscharacter of the work, he said, 'I asked him who had taught him somuch of Jesus? He told me he did not even know who He was till he wastaken into the Refuge; but now he knows about Him, and of His lovefor little children. ' I know you will like to hear particulars of H. W---, whose sad history excited so much sympathy, and for whom thenoble-man's little son gave up his pet pony that he might have themoney to emigrate him. Well, you could not tell the round-faced, happy boy, to be the same. He brought four dollars he had earnedtowards his passage money; is in a good home, and doing well. Also ofGeorge and Mary F---, who met, after ten months' separation, sochanged that they hardly recognised each other. How it would cheertheir kind rescuer's heart (Mr. George Holland) could he see themnow! but I knew nothing, not even such joy as this, could tempt himaway from his special work; so I sent the children, to their greatdelight, to the town to get their likenesses taken to send him. 

"Altogether the day was a most happy one. But no onlooker couldfully understand the deep, rich joy of looking into those happyfaces. Only those who had watched over and prayed with them from thebeginning could at all enter into this peculiar feeling; and manyearnest prayers ascended that these loving, tender hearts might bewon for the Saviour, and from among them many ambassadors for Jesusmight yet go forth. And for you too, dear friend, that you may bestrengthened and helped; ever remembering the promise, 'Cast thybread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days'(Eccles. Xi. I). --Yours, in sweet work for the Lord, "Ellen A. Bilbrough. "

"My very dear Sister, --Could you but see me this morning, started onmy peregrinations in these snowy regions, you would be amazed. Thepoor worn head perfectly well, after a whole week in the quiet, restful Home at Knowlton, where children are being trained, sewing-meetings and Bible-readings held, farmers conversed with, andmy privilege has been to hold up the hands of my two companions, whowent forth to address Sunday-schools or to preach the gospel. 

"Fancy me starting yesterday morning, fixed up in my delightfullywarm fur cloak, and many other ingenious devices, to defy the cold, wintry blast, a drive of eighteen miles. During the journey westopped twice. The first time we met with one of our once poor, pale-faced rescues, Katie D---. What a change, now happy and useful, compared to the time when we sheltered her from the dreaded return ofher drunken father from prison!

"As the night closed in, the cold caused us to hasten to ourjourney's end as quickly as the strength of our Home horse wouldadmit of. But cheery was it to be told by our friend, as we passedone farmhouse after another, 'We have a boy here and a girl theredoing well. ' Sometimes it would be, 'We have had to move a boy; histemper did not suit; but since he has been back to the Home, andplaced out again with a firmer master, he is doing much better. ' Avery hearty Canadian welcome awaited us. Ushered into a warm room, our wraps taken off, soon we were seated, enjoying a 'high' tea. Itsnowed all night, and drifted in at every crevice of our bedroomwindow. 

"Snow fell all day, and to my idea it seemed improbable for many togather for a meeting. The village street was enlivened all day by theconstant passing of the sleighs, with merry jingle of bells. It wasindeed a new scene to witness the gathering of a meeting to hear ofthe orphan and destitute children, whose cause we had come to plead, and contradict a report which had gone forth in their district, thatit was a mass of jail-birds we had brought from England. 

"As we arrived, a farmer kindly offered to broom the snow from ourfeet--a process all seemed prepared to do for each other. Then, in agood-sized hall, about fifty of all ages gathered around an immensestove--ministers, doctors, and farmers, with their belongings. Chairsin front of the stove were set for the minister and myself. 

"After singing 'Rock of Ages, ' etc. , and prayer, it was so like afamily, that it became easy just to tell real story after story as tohow we find the children, where the means come from, and what isrequired of those who receive them. 

"The minister then present was one who, having heard of the work atthe commencement; had gone to the Home and received little Bessie, aged ten. She now came up and gave me a hearty kiss, and then, sochildlike, showed me her new winter garments. Now who was Bessie? Thechild of a surgeon who had rained his family by intemperance. Themother, a teacher in a ladies' school in Germany, earning her ownbread, after a long and heavy struggle. Bessie is loved and is beingeducated in everything to make her a useful woman. 

"Next morning we started for visits to several children. Found thefirst child gone to school. We saw her looking well as we passed theschool-house, and called her out. All we saw that day filled ourhearts with deepest thankfulness. The meeting in the evening was heldin the Congregational Church, well warmed and lighted, and a mostintelligent-looking gathering. Ere long I espied one of the orphanlads, and called him to me, that he might speak for himself, knowingthat his own words would endorse the work more forcibly than anythingI could say. He was a bright, intellectual looking youth of fourteen, who in a most manly way answered me a few questions. In this way weare securing the prayers of God's dear children, and, we trust, opening many a heart and home for those who may yet come forth fromthe dens of sin and iniquity of our great cities. 

"Our Canadian horse seemed to enjoy the snow as much as we did, eventhough the depth had tripled since our leaving home. How much on thisjourney we have learnt of the continued loving-kindness of ourcovenant-keeping God, making our fears fly, and giving protectionfrom the stormy blasts, in forms so comparatively new to us. Everyperson is so kind to us that we are so glad we have been led to yieldto this service as a child. Many a door, we trust, will soon be wideopen for earnest evangelists to come and be fresh voices, cheeringour brethren who are labouring on in these small towns away from thefront. 

"Pray on for us, as a band, that we take not one step _before_the Lord, but that we hold not back on account of our weakness or thefear of man. Ask for us that we may each one live so close to theLord, that we may be fitted to deal personally with those we meetwith. 

"We are frequently holding up your hands and praying that daily theLord will send the means with the children, and that you all besustained in health. Grace and peace be with you all--Yours, in sweetfellowship, A. MP. 

"Eastern Townships, Prov. Of Quebec, November 18, 1873. "

In March, 1874, Miss Macpherson returned from Canada filled withpraise for the encouragement met with. She had been enabled to pleadthe cause of her children before many in positions of influence, judges, merchants, lawyers, and doctors. A choice of two hundredhomes, amidst the love and affluence of that country, were nowawaiting her little rescued ones. Her own joy was increased byreceiving the letter of which she thus writes:--

"The enclosed letter will cheer our brother Dr. Barnardo, by showingwhat a home God has provided for a dear little boy he was permittedto rescue and train. Surely the departed mother, from whom ourbrother received the child, would feel that the Lord is indeed theFather of the fatherless. 

'DEAR MISS, --I embrace this early opportunity of letting you knowhow well pleased we all are with, and how much we like, little HenryTuppen. He is such a willing, obedient, and loving fellow, he has wonall our hearts, and we feel very much attached to him already. Many, very many thanks to you and your fellow-labourers for the invaluable, yes, priceless, lessons he has received under your kind care. Surelythis is much more than "the cup of cold water, " and "you shall in nowise lose your reward. " Oh, may we discharge our duty as you havetowards this dear little orphan! My visit to you and your home thatmorning was a great blessing to me; never shall I forget it. To hearthat dear little fellow sing "Bright Jewels, " and look around overthe group of little ones, far from native home, and father andmother, brother and sister, and think, "These are the jewels, precious jewels, " it seemed to bring heaven near. And truly theSaviour was present. I never think of it but the tear starts, and asilent prayer is offered that the Lord will give them all goodChristian homes, and that they may be all 'bright jewels, ' and greatshall be your reward. Their heavenly Father sees it all. 

'But I am forgetting my main object in writing to you, which is toask you if the little girl, the elder of the two whom we saw, is yetprovided with a home. If not, we have room for her, and should beglad to have her. She would be such good company for my sister, whois at home with mother. She would be treated in every way as adaughter and a sister. Father is very sorry he did not bring her thatmorning. It seems he thought of it then, but wished to talk it overwith the rest of the family. '"

Miss Macpherson adds:--

"Who is the little girl asked for to become a daughter and sister?None other than the little Eliza who was found deserted seven yearsago, when only a few weeks old, and who has been most carefullytrained since then by our beloved sister-labourer, Miss Mittendorf, whose toil among infant wanderers deserves the deepest gratitude ofthe children of God. "

The Homes at Hampton, endeared as they were by recollections of manyblessings, were this year vacated. The distance from Spitalfields hadalways been a great strain on the strength of wearied workers, andboth time and fatigue were spared by removal to Hackney. 

The opening of this Home is thus mentioned:--

_November 5_, 1874. 

"On Saturday, the New Home situated in London-fields was opened withprayer and thanksgiving. It consists of two large old-fashionedhouses thrown into one, and the situation is, for the neighbourhood, remarkably open and airy. Many friends assembled, Mr. Dobbinpresided, and suggested, at the opening of the meeting, an analogybetween the Home of Industry, with its various stations, and the poolof Bethesda 'having five porches. ' Much prayer, and praise followed, and worshipful hearts told themselves out in love and adoration. Suchhymns as 'Call them in, ' 'Till He come, ' and 'More to Follow, ' aptlyexpressed the aspirations and hopes of the earnest workers. Mr. Merry, Mr. Maude, and others spoke, and then Mrs. Birt, only two dayssince returned from Nova Scotia, gave accounts of the success of therecent voyage, when eighty-three rescued children found happy homeson the other side of the water, and most touching particulars of thedeath of little Dickie, who went actually into the earthly harbour, and entered the heavenly haven of rest at the same time. In thebustle of arrival, 'he was not, for God took him. '"

CHAPTER VI. 

1875-1877. 

Mrs. Way's sewing--class for Jewesses--Bible Flower Mission--GeorgeClarice--Incidents in home work--The Lord's Day--Diary at sea--Letters of cheer from Canada. 

The Home of Industry has been already likened to the Pool ofBethesda with its fine porches. Many sights there have been peculiarto itself, and in no instance has this in past years been moreremarkable, than in the meeting for Jewesses, which has been carriedon ever since the year 1870. From fifty to seventy daughters ofIsrael are gathered weekly, through the Lord's blessing on thepatient, unwearied labours of his honoured servant Mrs. Way. Greatlyindeed should she be honoured, for she diligently sought out theselost sheep, when few comparatively could be found to "care for theirsouls. " When first told of "the name at which every knee shall bow, "much scorn and contempt were manifested, but Mrs. Way is now cheeredby many signs of the Spirit's work, and when a hymn of praise to the"Crucified One, " is heard from the inner hall on the ground floor, visitors may be startled to know the voices are those of Hebrewmothers. 

Again the Pool of Bethesda is brought to mind, as love for the sickand suffering is shown in a way hitherto unthought of. In 1875, theHome of Industry became a centre of the now well-known Bible FlowerMission. One of the much-loved helpers recorded this touchingincident:--

"In the early spring of 1874, a snowdrop, primrose, and two or threeviolets which had been casually enclosed in a letter from an East-endworker to Mrs. Merry, were passed round her sewing class of 200 poorold widows, 'for each to have a smell, ' and then divided and given tothree dying Christians, one of whom breathed her last fondly claspingthem. From that time flowers were collected through the medium of'Woman's Work, ' etc. , and during the season distributed by the ladiesat the Home of Industry among the sick in the neighbouring courts, and in different hospitals. 

"Again the hedges, tipped with tiny coral buds, primroses, anddaffodils peeping up amid the brushwood, golden-eyed celandines anddaisies lifting their sweet faces with smiles of welcome, remind usof the near approach of the bright spring-time. But the heart issaddened, and the joy of seeing this fresh burst of resurrection--loveliness is clouded, when we turn to gloomy, stifling courts andlanes in the crowded cities, where gleams of sunshine scarce everpenetrate; the lives of whose miserable inhabitants are yet moreutterly devoid of brightness; to whom the voice of spring is anunmeaning sound; to sick ones in these courts, who have no easiercouch for the pain-filled limbs than a heap of shavings on the hardfloor of a room filled with noisy children, and disorderly men andwomen; to other sufferers tossing feverishly in hospital wards, withnothing softer for the tired eyes to rest on than the endless stretchof whitewashed walls, the background of long rows of patients whosesad pale cheeks vie in whiteness with the sheets and walls: and thecry ascends?

"'Oh, that a tithe of the wealth of fragrant, many-coloured flowersso lavishly spread over gardens, fields, and hedgerows, could bebrought to cheer those who so dearly prize each separate bloom!'

"And once more down, deeper down, into the haunts of vice, smilingso sweetly with the radiance of heavensent gifts, these messengersmay go--ready-made missionaries--to open doors and hearts fast lockedhitherto, but which must yield to their gentle influence; and thusprepare the way for the ministry of the word of salvation. 

"Oh, that men and women surrounded by loveliness could see as theangels do!--strong natures, hardened by years of sin, whose stonyhearts are melted at sight of the flowers, and weep (as only suchcan) when the deep hidden springs are touched, and memory recallsdays of childhood's innocence, long, long past; lessons in thatvillage Sabbath-school of the holy God; the story of the Son of Hislove dying in die stead of guilty sinners, to raise them to thebright, pure land above, where is no sin, no curse, no sorrow, butcloudless day and endless rest and joy; and the spotless flowers seemto beckon them onwards and upwards, to seek and find the way thither;for are not the flowers one of the first links in that chain of lovewhich draws the poor, wearied, sinful heart up to God and heaven?

"Ah! and would to God the country folk might hear! ay, and that thesounds could penetrate into the halls and castles of our land; thesilent cry of hospitals with several hundreds of patients, and butrarely a flower?

"'I should _so_ like a little buttercup. '

"And the weary murmur of gladness that steals through the wards whena chance bouquet is brought in; and the heartfelt blessings from manydying lips on the flower-gatherers. 

"'Tell them we may never meet on earth, but we shall thank them inheaven. '

"Oh! could the veil be lifted for a brief moment and the dull earsquickened to catch the pleading accents of the blessed lord? '_Do itunto Me_'? none would longer count their flowers and fruit theirown, the Royal seal would be seen on each, whether growing wild incopses, or carefully nurtured in hothouse and conservatory, and thesetreasures would be poured out for those so sadly needing them, 'ForJesus' sake!'"

THE BIBLE FLOWER MISSION. 

It is needless to say that the appeal thus made has been answered bythousands of loving hearts. The work at the Home of Industry is thuscarried on:--Twice in the week one of the spacious floors is devotedto receiving these fragrant treasures, and dear friends from adistance come, some of them many miles, and spend one or two hours inarranging them, and attaching to each little cluster an ornamentedcard with some message of redeeming love. By twelve o'clock thebaskets are generally filled, and all assemble to hear, either fromMiss Macpherson or some other tried servant of the Lord, words ofcounsel and cheer; and then to seek wisdom for the labourers, and tospread before the Lord the spiritual needs of those to whom they aregoing, --many cases continually occurring for whom the comfort ofearnest united prayer is felt. 

When the lovely burdens are carried forth, it is hard for thebearers to resist the entreaties from many a doorstep for "oneflower, one single flower. " Of the thankfulness with which they arereceived when they reach their destination, we might tell countlessinstances, and of conversions through the messages they bring webelieve not a few. Indeed who can say where the blessing ends? forthose who have found a blessing themselves will not keep the cardsunder their pillow, but have sent them to soldier sons in India andChina, and to sailors afar off upon the sea. 

The following lines were written by a poor woman, aged 70, in theMile-end Union:--

 "Many an eye with the film of death, With fading pulse, and bating breath, Have cast a look on those things so bright; And perchance a prayer with electric light, Has passed through the brain with magic power, Brought to the heart by a beautiful flower. Beautiful thought to bring to the sad, Sweet bright things to make them glad. "

Of the numbers of labourers and abundance of texts and flowersrequired, some idea may be formed when it is mentioned that thirteenHospitals, four Unions, some containing over 1000 inmates, and oneLunatic Asylum, are provided for from the Home of Industry. Nor isthis all. The secretary supplies Bible women and city missionarieswith flowers for solitary sick ones at home, and receives constantappeals from various, missions for these bright messengers of God'slove. 

Who can read the following without praise to the Giver of every goodand perfect gift? Those who knew the condition of Spain had earnestlyprayed for evangelists for that dark land. One (Senor Previ) wasraised up through the instrumentality of the Bible Flower Mission, and the following extract, from the report of a workers' meeting, asgiven in the "Christian, " tells of his conversion, and the way inwhich the Lord led a fellow-labourer to join him in this almostuntrodden path. 

"He came from Malaga in the summer of 1875 to the OphthalmicHospital, Moorfields, for treatment. One afternoon, two ladiesbelonging to the 'Bible Flower Mission' at the Home of Industry, brought flowers and texts to give to the patients. One of thevisitors was about to offer a bouquet to the Spaniard, Senor Previ, when the nurse remarked, 'It's of no use giving him a text, for he isa Roman Catholic, and besides he can't speak a word of English. ''Never mind, ' was the reply, 'I will offer him a bunch of flowers, and then see what I can do. ' But what about a text? Surely it was theLord's doing that for the _first_ time she had brought onewritten in French; and it was indeed appropriate? 'There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. ' Afterpointing him to the Great High Priest, she asked if he would accept aSpanish Bible. This he refused to do, saying, 'No, I cannot, for itis a bad, forbidden book; besides, I shall leave the hospital to-morrowmorning. ' 'Nevertheless, I will send you a copy, ' was the answer. Withgreat difficulty the lady procured a second-hand Spanish Bible, andsent it off just in time for him to take away. 

"Senor Previ then told us how, after studying that Bible for severalmonths, the eyes of his soul were opened to see Jesus as the'_one_ Mediator. ' Thus was fulfilled that promise so precious toall seed-sowers? 'My Word shall not return unto Me void. '

"Soon afterwards he entered Mr. Guinness's College, employing hisfree time in distributing Gospels, &c. , on board foreign ships, andassisting every Sunday at the services in the Spanish Chapel, thusgaining experience for future work in the vineyard. He spoke mostwarmly of the kindness of Miss Macpherson, and the happy hours spentin the 'dear Home of Industry, ' where, at a previous workers'meeting, the ardent desire had first been kindled in his heart totell the good news of Jesus, the 'one Mediator, ' to his owncountrymen. For some time he prayed earnestly that the Lord wouldraise up a friend to go with him. This petition has been fullyanswered. 

"Mr. Lund then rose, and told us that whence, student in Stockholmthe desire to work in Spain had been laid on his heart for nearlyfour years. He studied the language, but, seeing no opening, was onthe point of starting for America, when he received a letter from Mr. Guinness which entirely altered his plans. He came to London, and onmeeting Senor Previ, offered to accompany him to Spain. The twobrethren earnestly requested the prayers of the meeting for their newand difficult work. "

The prayers here offered were more than answered. The first labourerhas fallen in the field, but others have filled the ranks, and thelight kindled in a dark place is now shining brightly. 

Miss Macpherson's own words here follow:--

"What is the cry from all ends of the earth? For men and women towitness of a Saviour's love by His death and resurrection. And we arenot only to pray the Lord to send forth labourers into the fieldsthat are white, but to look at the things we oft call our own asbelonging to another. There are hundreds of young men and women whohave been brought to the truth, and whose souls long to be free forChrist's service, but they need a helping hand in little things. 

"Let us pray that, from this mission, there may be many results suchas the following letter shows. Six years ago the writer was thefirst-fruits after a winter's labour in the Bedford Institute, Spitalfields--a wild, musical Shoreditch youth. We offered to teach him to write. The Lord changed him, and he has ever since been a consistentChristian. He has been the means of leading his mother to theSaviour. He went to Canada, earning sufficient money to place himselfthis winter at Oberlin College. I was asked if I knew of one suitedto become an artizan-missionary among the tribe of the Basutos. Hisreply encourages our faith that many more, led thus simply on, maysoon go forth as working missionaries, after the pattern of St Paul, reaching souls by their simple, holy life, as well as by theirpreaching. "

"OBERLIN COLLEGE, OHIO, _March_ 25, 1873. 

"My DEAR MOTHER IN THE LORD, --Your welcome letter to hand on the22nd, and the book on the Basutos on the 24th. My soul doth bless theLord for all that He hath done for me. My soul was filled with praisewhen I read your proposition to go to Africa. I had been bound inspirit for you, as you for me, and I had been asking the Lord formany days that He would incline you to write to me. 

"Previous to receiving the same, I had cast myself upon the Lordmore than ever. I could not see my way to run in debt, and I waswondering whether I should go and work on the road; but I had aburning desire to labour most of all for Christ, and I was longing togo South, or somewhere to tell the heathen of Jesus. But when Ireceived your letter, I took it as an answer to prayer from the Lord, and I could hardly finish reading it before I was telling my landladyto rejoice with me. How blessed to trace the hand of the Lord inthis! I have learned by this to praise the Lord for what He has done, and it has enabled my soul to trust Him for what He has promised. 

"Believing this call is of God, and after much prayer, I have laidmyself, all that I am or hope to be, upon the altar, for Africa, tolabour to lead souls to the Lamb of God, to the blessed Lord Jesus. Iexpect to be consumed by the power of the Holy Ghost, to be fittedthrough Him for the work I am called to, to be used as the ram'shorn, to be spoken through, to lead souls to Jesus, not to receivethe praise of men, but of God. 

"And I feel led to say, if it is for anything save for the glory ofGod that I accept this call, to be used to the salvation of souls, may the Lord take me home to Himself on sea or on land, that I seeyou not in the flesh but in glory. 

"I have written this in prayer before God to you, and this is myburning desire, to be used of God. I do pray the Lord to keep me, andput down all vain-glorying thoughts, which will naturally rise atsuch a point as this, and He is doing it. I want to see Jesus more, the value of precious souls, and all the realities I profess. 

"I have read 'The Rides in the Mission Field of South Africa. ' I wasmuch interested, and I had a longing to go, but I could see no placefor such a hope; I hare lent it to others here to read. 

"I am reading 'The Basutos, ' and I enjoy it; I am reading in prayerthat the Lord will show me what things would be necessary to take. Ishall speak on this point presently. 

"I had a letter lately from some of my old neighbours in Muskoka, telling me of the conversion of a young man I had often spoken to andprayed for. I rejoice that my mother has given me up joyfully forAfrica, and I am so glad she continues bright in the Lord. I ampraying that I may have the privilege of seeing them all brought toChrist, before I leave for Africa, I cease not to pray for you. --Yourson in the faith, G. C. "

Interest in the Basuto tribe could not but be deepened from thetouching incident that in February of this year a feast for thelittle matchbox-makers was provided from the contributions of Basutochildren, --those who had been blessed through the Lord's long-triedlabourers, Mr. And Mrs. Dyke. How little could any one thenanticipate the deep waters through which those servants of the Lordhave since been called to pass. 

The workers' meetings at the Home of Industry are often a time ofmingled joy and sorrow. It is not alone the little emigrants forCanada who are sent forth, but many a brother and sister in the Lord, leaving home and kindred for His dear name's sake, have here beencommended with tearful prayers to His gracious keeping. The workers'meeting in July this year was a season of peculiar interest, asGeorge Clarke, the first-fruits of the work, was present on the eveof his departure for China. The way had not been made open for him tojoin the mission in South Africa, as he had desired, and since hisdeparture at this time for China, he has laboured in connection withthe China Inland Mission, not once revisiting his native land. 

A few incidents in home work are here recorded:--

"Having asked the Lord to send those He would have rescued for Him, no less than _five_ children came to the Refuge last Wednesday. Their touching histories need no comment. 

"A struggling mother desires a start in life for her boy of ten, whose stepfather subjects him to ill-treatment. The lady interestedin him (for the woman attends her mothers' meeting) writes: 'Williamwould be saved from destruction, to which he is fast hastening fromunkind treatment. '

"Arthur's story is summed up in his own words: 'I saw my father killmy mother; he stamped on her when he was drunk, and killed her, and Icried out. ' Then, turning to his new friend and protectress, thelittle fellow went on: 'But when I get a big man I'll work for you, and pay you back for taking care of me when I was a little boy. '

"The next group, clad in deep mourning, is brought by a professionalopera singer: a babe in arms, a boy and girl aged two and four, evidently born in a much higher sphere--pretty, refined children. Attheir mother's death this young woman took charge of them, theirfather having promised to pay 1 pound a week for their support;--anempty promise it proved, for the '_gentleman_' absconded, heavilyin debt to many others. The children's friend can no longer affordto keep them, though she seems tenderly attached to them, and will notpart with the baby as long as she can maintain it. The only way opento her was to let the children wander on the street, on the chance oftheir being taken up by the police and put in the workhouse, at thesame time risking her own imprisonment if discovered. Mercifully sheheard of the Refuge, and came to beg a home for these deserted lambs. 

"A widowed mother, whose failing eyesight prevents her sewing, andwhose earnings by charing cannot support herself and four children, heard Miss Macpherson speak at the Moorgate Street Hall NoonPrayer-Meeting, and was led to bring little Alice to her, pleading forChristian care. Amid many tears she tells of the wayward wilfulness ofthe elder girl, out at all hours of day and night, and whose perniciousexample is too likely to ruin the little sisters. "

Could such cases be sent away, or a deaf ear turned to the cry ofthese "young children asking bread, and no man giving it them?" (Lam. Iv. 4. )

Miss Macpherson also writes:--"Many of those, once the little match-boxmakers, are now Christian girls taking our counsel and going asservants into Christian families. 

"Thus our child-loving hearts cannot refuse to rescue the sorrowfulchildren that come to us to escape the atrocities of the almostunacknowledged bloodless war that goes on in our midst. Most of thefifty rescues now under our care are here through the slain upon thebattle-field of drink, shaven heads telling the tale of neglect. Thelast two motherless little girls sent to us were turned out by theirdrunken stepfather. 

"The leader of our class for mothers and widows says that it isalmost impossible to visit them, their unmurmuring sufferings are sotouching. In many of their little garrets almost everything is sold. And these are the saints of the Lord--those who will very soon go into the King more than conquerors. Yes, these are they from whom welearn our best lessons of trust and patience, how to deal withsceptics, and how to go down and share our crust with a sufferingsister. "

"Oh, friends, listen to a mother's sad words. 'Some days nothing allday. A little relief comes with the parish allowance; but many amorning those hungry voices ask? _Mother, is this the day forbread?_' Hear in fancy your loved and cherished little ones askingthis, and you will feel for that mother's heart. She recalls one daythat she left them crying for bread; but she left _One_ withthem, the children's Friend. _He_ quieted them; and when aftertwo hours the mother returned, she found them sleeping. 'But, oh, 'she said, 'that sight just broke-my heart, so starved they looked--even the baby in Lizzie's arms--all just like little skeletons! Icouldn't help it; I just sat down and wept. ' Only with tears could wehear such a tale. No other response would come as we took in thepicture; and it did not mend our sorrow when she added, 'There werethousands such as these. '" Oh, the _intense_ longing that hervoice could reach to those drawing-rooms yonder! Will not the echo ofit, coming in this form, cause some, not in imagination merely, butin reality, to "come and see?" Climb the dark stair, and hear foryourself these melting stories, which will fill your heart with pity, and not leave you wondering what will interest next. What aprivilege, yea, high honour, it is to be allowed to take messages forJesus! It was stated lately in a crowded gathering of six thousand, as the misery of the poor was dwelt on, that if God were to ask theangels in heaven if any were willing to spend fifty or a hundredyears down here to befriend some? little shoeless, homeless boy, forwhom no Christian was caring, to tell him of Jesus, and lead him toheaven, 'why, in three minutes, ' were the burning words, 'I don'tbelieve there'd be an angel left within the pearly gates. '"

"My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. " That which is called theday of rest, is at the Home of Industry one of varied and incessantlabour; one day may serve as a specimen. Before the usual hour formorning service, two of the lady-workers start for the FenchurchStreet Station, to hold a Bible-class with the railway porters;others at the same time leave for Bird Fair. Bird Fair would he a sadsight to witness on any day in any place, how humiliating it is tobehold on that which is called the Lord's Day in a so-calledChristian land. Here, from eleven till one, dog-stealers parade theirill-gotten prey, and crowds through which it is scarcely possible tomake one's way, are occupied in gambling and betting on them, and onthe beautiful pigeons here made such an instrument of sin. Thecharacter of the neighbourhood may be, known from the appeal made bytwo poor boys who came on a week day to ask shelter from a blind, Christian woman. They were locked out of their own home (a bird andrabbit shop), for their parents were both out drinking, and theysaid, "Father and mother keep sober only on Sundays, because there ismore business to be done. " There, amid many interruptions, the Gospelis preached to those who would never hear it elsewhere. The preachingstation on this occasion was in a railway-arch, here the harmoniumwas placed, and two brethren, who came purposely from a distance, gave the help so much needed; for the strain is great on head, heart, and voice. In the afternoon the spacious floor, well known to manywho attend the workers' meetings, is filled by adult classes ofwomen. At the close an address is given, often by a returnedmissionary, and many among these very poor of the flock bring theirofferings, scanty in themselves, but surely much prized in the sightof Him whose love has constrained them; twice over has a preciousoffering been given to me for the Punrooty Mission--once from theadult classes, and again from the younger Sunday scholars. The adultSunday-school numbers more than 160 members. A class of working menis held below. The tea hour is one of peculiar interest. Many youngmen who are engaged in business in the week, and give this day ofrest to the business of their King, meet here after having spent theafternoon teaching in various schools. During this meal letters areread from far-off lands, often written by those who had formerly methere, and who have gone from this training to dark places of theearth. Many subjects for prayer are thus brought forward andremembered before the Lord; then the building is again filled tooverflowing. An infant class of ninety in one room on the groundfloor--when these disperse a Gospel meeting is held in this room, --aclass of factory girls in another, while above crowds of childrenpress. But there is much outside work besides, to occupy everyhelper. Lodging-houses in the thieves' quarters are visited, andservices held, and many hundreds are thus reached; and after nineP. M. , when the labourers return from their varied spheres, all joinonce more in praise and prayer, and many walk a long mile and more toreach their own homes, none using any vehicle or train oh the Lord'sday. 

It is impossible to follow every detail in this continuallyincreasing work, and only brief mention can be made of the goodnessof the Lord in having once more preserved the lives of dear ones inCanada, when, in 1875, the Home at Belleville was again destroyed byfire, and again Canadian kindness and hospitality were manifested tothe utmost. Each summer's sun had shone upon band after band of youngemigrants guided safely across the ocean, through the goodness andmercy of Him, "Who carries the lambs in His bosom, " and "Who holdeththe waters in the hollow of His hand. " In the labour of watching overthese little ones on the voyage, as in every other, the Lord raisedup helpers like-minded with those who bore the burden of the work. InMay, 1876, the twenty-second party sailed under the care of Mr. Merryand Miss Macpherson, and the following extracts are from her diary:--

"Friday, May 5. --Calm seas, children bright and happy, cloudlessskies, weather charming and exhilarating, though cold. Morning spentover our Bibles. Time seemed to fly rapidly while we talked of 'thethings concerning the King. ' In the afternoon the bracing air andbright skies invited vigorous exercise, and our Birmingham friend andI walked between two and three miles. Faith was our theme ofconverse. May the result be that we both shall trust our God morethan heretofore, for ourselves and our work, and realise increasedmeasure. (Phil. Iv. 19) 'My God shall supply all your need. '

"Our children being on deck, we joined them in their games, and thenassembled our large family in their separate steerages; and standingin the doorway between, I was enabled to address them and the helpers--140 in all. Their evening hymn attracted the sailors, and this gavea double gathering on mid-decks. Our portion was Luke x. 38-42, 'Theone thing needful. ' _Jesus_ the need of each one, ere leavingus. A saddened look fell over every little face, as we referred toparting, while many beamed with joy, as we talked of the meeting byand bye. We closed by singing 'Around the throne of God in heaven. 'During this hour Mr. Merry held a solemn meeting among the sailors inthe forecastle. May the Lord Jesus scatter His saints to the fourquarters of the globe, that His glory may be increased. If those whocannot go would only meet weekly, in twos and threes, and pray forthe foreign fields of perishing millions, surely we should seegreater results. 

"This day ended in one of the most lovely of moonlight nights, andas we walked on deck we were ever and anon led to praise God andadmire the beauties of His hand. Venus was resplendent; very largeand full of soft lustrous beauty, while an aurora shed some lovelytinges of colour across the sky. Our little group turned once moretowards the chart room, and sang a hymn of praise to 'Him who hathloved us. '

 "'If so much loveliness is sent To grace our earthly home, How beautiful, how beautiful Must be the world to come!'

"Saturday, May 6. --At early dawn we were awakened from a longbrain-refreshing sleep by one of the officers gently tapping at ourdoor, and in a whisper saying, 'A glorious sunrise. ' We were soon withhim on the bridge, filled with admiration as we gazed upon the scenebefore us. The sun appeared rising from the ocean, its golden raysshedding a dazzling brilliance on all around. While we watched, thescene changed, and a misty veil beclouded the whole horizon, hidingfrom our view that which had been so lovely. 

"After going down to an early cup of tea we sang our morning hymn ofpraise, and had a season of prayer; a very hallowed opportunity itwas, one which brought us again to feel our deep need of grace, tolive one more day to His praise and glory. 

"About noon we bad another of those never-ending changes which areto be met with on this great ocean; the sun came out bright and warm, the sky became brilliantly blue, and the sea was one sheet of icefields as far as the eye could reach. 

"Our noble Scotch ironclad rode on her way majestically, leaving apathway in the frozen fields to be seen for miles behind, and as shestruck her boom upon the massive sheets of ice, they seemed tovibrate and cause a movement in huge sheets on before and on eitherside. Some magnificent pieces, when touched by the ironclad's power, shiver into thousands of fragments, others pass our vessel's side, hard as iron, to be wafted on to the Gulf Stream, there to come undera warmer influence. This Arctic scene causes our captain and hisofficers to look rather serious, and they mount at times to thefore-topgallant mast. Did we but know the dangers which beset usthrough yielding to the allurements of the world, how often would wealso mount aloft, and get upon, our watch-tower and look out!

"You will naturally ask, How far did the ice reach? We were fourteenhours cutting through it, passing sixty vessels and two steamers(many of them fixtures), signalling those we came near. It wastouching to see a barque make efforts to get into our opened-uppathway, but she could not make the short distance to reach thecleared waters. Those who watched throughout that long day as wetriumphantly, though slowly, broke our ice-girt way, saw sealsbetween the fields of ice, porpoises and whales spouting and boundingin their glorious freedom, sea-gulls and small red birds flying about. 

"Our little fellows were constructing allegories after the fashionof their last course of lessons on Banyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress. ' Theice field, they said, was like Satan, and the ship was likeChristian; and thus they went on, as they sat looking over thebulwarks at the ice which so hindered our progress. There is not achild who has not had his constitution braced by this most favourablevoyage. To-day we passed a steamer in the ice, which had started aweek ahead of us from Glasgow. How we realised at this time thecomfort and rest of having a captain and officers who were men ofprayer. 

"The gun was now fired to tell the dwellers at Metis to telegraphthe glad news to you that we were safe in sight of land, though thereare still Amaleks to be overcome, --narrow straits lined withmountains full of minerals, which are a magnetic attraction to ourironclads, and more ships have been lost here than anywhere else;fogs which come and go, ever keeping the sailor as he nears the shorein anxious trepidation; and shallows that require skill in sounding. 

"Sunday, May 7. --A cloudy day, after a week of unspeakableloving-kindness and tender mercy. We could by faith hear His own voicewithin, saying 'My peace I give unto you. ' Our children all day weremost obedient, and kind and loving to each other. We spent themorning together, the last of the kind until we meet on that morningthat hath no clouds. Ere commencing our lesson, we asked a sailor tolift the hatchway wide open. This gave the suggestion for thesubject, 'The Man with the Palsy, ' which was easily understood bysupposing the sailors with cords to let one more little boy down intoour midst. 

"The pilot met us at Father Point about 4 P. M. , bringing a telegramof welcome from one of our dear Canadian friends, also a verse fromPhilemon. Thus we feel assured loving hearts are prayerfully awaitingus on the shores we are nearing, a sweet symbol of the better landand the loved ones on before. 

"Monday, May 8. --Mr. Merry was astir before five o'clock, andawaking the young helpers. Soon they were in the steerage among thechildren; commenced packing of blankets, &c. , as we were expecting tomake the port soon after breakfast In this, however, we weredisappointed, as in Travers's Strait the Mineral Mountains attractedthe compass, and a dense fog hiding all headlands retarded ourprogress, making it necessary to lower one of the boats to take thesoundings, and go before the great 'Sardinian, ' showing her how toshape her course in the narrow way. A sweet reminder this to us thatour Lord was so condescending as to use the possessions of a littlelad when He needed the two small fishes. And we take encouragementthat many of our little ones are going on before, preparing the wayin many a district by their sweet hymns telling of the 'wondrousstory, ' for the devoted evangelists who are being raised up in Canadato follow with deeper revealings of the blessed Bible, winningprecious souls 'till He come. '

 "'I am coming! Are you working? Short your serving time will be; Are your talents idle lying? Are you using them for me?'

"Such is the effect of fog at sea, that we are told it may be 6 P. M. Ere we arrive, and judging from all appearances, great caution isrequired in the Gulf at this time of year. At 11 A. M. We had a sweetseason of thanksgiving for the many mercies received. At twelveo'clock the fog lifted, and the engine went on with its accustomedvigour. At 5 P. M. We neared the shore, and there stood a group ofmore than a dozen young ladies, waving a welcome. Soon they were ondeck, and saluted us and our children, telling us they had borne usup in prayer before the Lord. After uniting with them in praise forthe unspeakable mercies by the way, we bade farewell to passengers, officers, and crew, and sliding down the long gangway from the Ibulwarks, felt our feet once more on _terra firma. _ Shaking ourcaptain's hand with a grateful heart for all his kindness to us andours, in a few minutes steam was up, and the 'Sardinian' on her wayto Montreal. 

"We then went to see the little ones having tea in an adjoininghall, while Mr. Merry was very busy among the agents and luggage. Itbeing announced that the Quebec boat was ready to cross the river, wehad to part with our young friends, who told us they should all takea deeper interest than ever in us now they had seen the bright facesOf our children. Front love to Jesus, they had met during the pastwinter to make clothing, and presented me with a large case to takeon. 

"After sending our telegrams to each Home, we found the first-classcars ready for our children, so we put every one at full length, andsoon all were soundly asleep, and we went on hour after hour. 

"Tuesday, May 9. --We arrived at Montreal at ten o'clock, where amost comfortable breakfast was awaiting us, with nice washingaccommodation. Here we had the pleasure of meeting the Secretary ofthe Emigration Department of Ottawa, who kindly gave us some soundcounsel on many points bearing upon our work of emigration. 

"At eleven o'clock we heard the summons, 'All aboard!' and were soonagain on our way. We dined at Prescott, and then still westward wetravelled until midnight. 

"All was mercy. For Sidney, our little delicate child, we feared thecold night-air would be too much, so the cry went upwards forguidance with regard to this precious orphan, whose story was sotouching. A Christian widow had sheltered his mother from the streetswhen the child was but two weeks old, and had kept him for fiveyears, but now, her failing eyesight rendering her unable to supporthim, with a breaking heart she gave him up to us. All my desire nowour journey was ending was to keep from making one specialattachment, yet his delicacy drew us all more than ever to him. 

"Owing to a telegram not having been delivered, about midnight oneof the trying incidents of this part of our journey unexpectedlyoccurred. On arriving at Belleville, after awaking our sleepingfamily, we found neither friend nor conveyance awaiting us. Mr. Merrywalked the mile to the Home, and soon our waggon was ready to takeback a few of the most exhausted ones, whilst our car was shunted toa siding for the night. 

"Wednesday, May 10. --Ere seven o'clock, by help of a large omnibus, we were conveyed to the new Belleville Home, where we met with a warmwelcome. It was a day of reunion with loved fellow-workers, talkingof the way the Lord had led us, and the trials and joys of the pastyear. Twelve months ago, I left this Home a mass of ruins and burntembers; now a new and more efficient one for the purpose is erectedon the same spot My beloved friend Miss Bilbrough has indeed had manya burden to bear, but her testimony to the Lord's faithfulness isgreater than ever. Her heart is more and more devoted to thechildren, and to carrying forward the work in all its never-ceasingdetails. 

"After a few hours' sleep, it was so very interesting to walk overour new and conveniently arranged Home. Truly our hearts were filledwith praise as we knelt together to thank the Lord. Towards theafternoon I was introduced to a young man who was working asgardener. We had brought him out from England in 1870, and he hasever since given great satisfaction to his employers, has paid backhis passage-money, joined the Church, and not long since was marriedto his late master's daughter. 

"In the evening we walked into town, and met with 'Daniel's Band, 'which is composed of seventeen Christian young men, who are unitingin prayer and work for the souls of their fellow-townsmen; andthrough their instrumentality many conversions have taken place, andthe churches have been stirred up to greater activity. Mr. Merry gavea clear Gospel address, and another meeting being asked for, aBible-reading was arranged for the following evening. Thus we had theprivilege of witnessing for our blessed Master to about 200, andcheering the hearts of 'Daniel's Band. '

"Thursday, May 11. --Occupied the day writing English letters andreceiving friends. Also went to see an aged saint, who had from ourfirst visit to these shores been a helper by her prayers. 

"Friday, May 12. --Left Belleville for Galt soon after 6 A. M. , takingwith us thirty-eight children, and travelling by rail along theshores of Lake Ontario. The morning hours passed quickly _enroute_, and as we neared Toronto, towns and villages became morefrequent and more attractive. At Berlin an unexpected kindness wasshown us. Orders had been given to send us on by special train, sothat no delay was experienced in travelling the remaining fourteenmiles of our journey. Those who have travelled 3000 miles with anumber of children can understand how this was appreciated by us, when every nerve was strained, and nature was yearning for a longsleep free from the shaking of the railway. 

"At 5 P. M. , on the seventeenth day after leaving London, we reachedthe end of our journey, and found our farmer-nephew, with his team, awaiting our arrival. Soon we were on the hill, looking at the littleHome beyond. As we approached the gates the shout of welcome frommore than a score of young voices greeted us, and on the verandah wewere received by our loved niece, and the dear friends who have beenassisting her in the absence of her parents. The strain of travel nowbeing over, we were able to enjoy a few hours' rest, our hearts fullof gratitude for the many mercies which had encompassed us all ourjourney through. 

 "'How good is the God we adore, Our faithful, unchangeable Friend Whose love is as great as His power, And knows neither measure nor end. '"

During the winter, individual visitation of the children had beenmost effectually accomplished by the four Inspectors appointed by theCanadian Government, the result of which proved to be most favourableto the plan of placing the "Solitary in families. " After two daysrest at Galt, Miss Macpherson started on the same loved work, and metwith the usual cheering results. 

On her return home Miss Macpherson thus writes:--

"_July 20. _

"In the providence of our covenant-keeping God, and Father of thefatherless, we have been again permitted in peace to return fromanother visit to the adopted homes of our little ones. To His praise, who is the Answerer of prayer, we record that 100, 000 miles have beentravelled in connection with these special charges in the past sixyears, and no storm or accident has been permitted to alarm, no deathrequiring the remains to be committed to the great deep. 

"During the past year the Dominion Government chose four of theiroldest officials to visit all our children, (as their Blue-bookrecords), 'deeming that from their experience they would be bestenabled to judge of the condition, position, and prospects of thechildren in their situations. ' The Government are satisfied (asparents of the State), that our children 'are very carefully placed, 'bringing out the fact that, ninety-eight out of every 100 are doingwell. " Miss Macpherson adds:--

"A letter will often show the progress of an industrious young man, and being asked for details, I give the following from a handful ofsimilar encouraging testimonials:--

"MAGNETAWAN, DISTRICT PARRY SOUND, ONTARIO. 

"DEAR MISS MACPHERSON, --This is from William Miller--one that camecut under your care three years ago last June. I worked in the townof Galt as a substitute three months, for a man while he went home tohis friends in Scotland. After that I went to live in Pelham, in thecounty of Welland, a situation that Miss Reavell directed me to, andthere stayed three years, and saved a little money; and now I havemoved to Parry Sound, to the address which you will find at the endof this note. Dear friend, I desire to hear of your welfare in thework that God has put in your hands to do, --in bringing out thedestitute ones from England into a land of plenty, and where they canbe well cared for. I have seen many of them around the country whereI have been, almost all looking well, and enjoying themselves much. 

"I now live in the township of Croft. I have 186 acres of land, onthe banks of Doe Lake. I think if I had stayed in England I shouldnot have had as many feet. I like England very well, but it is a hardplace for the poor. I took 100 acres of this land as free grant, andthe rest I bought. It is two miles and a half from the village. Thereare two stores, post-office, and sawmill; I think a flour-mill willbe built this summer. Magnetawan River runs through the village. There are two waterfalls for mill purposes in the village. A dayschool will commence in the summer, and there is also a church andSunday-school, to which I go. In the winter it is not held, becausethe roads are so bad, but when the country gets open more the roadswill be better. 

"I humbly thank God for guiding and keeping me in good health, andunder the banner of Christ, and I trust walking in His ways, and hopeto remain so unto death, and then live with Him above, there to partno more. 

"My brother is living here also; he has 200 acres of land. Rememberme to all the workers at the Home, praying that we may all, asChristians, work for the Lord of glory, and at last meet together topraise Him. 'Wait on the Lord. '

"I remain, yours truly in Christ, W. MILLER. "

Those who have been helped, help their kindred in after years. Thefollowing is an instance:--

"DOUGLAS, _June_ 29, 1876. 

"DEAR Miss MACPHERSON, --I have been here four years in August, Iwill be four years with my master in October. I like this countrywell; the crops are growing well, and there is prospect of a goodharvest. Dear ma'am, I have a little brother nearly ten years old, and he is living with my mother; he wants to come to this country, and mother is willing he should, and I think I have enough to pay hispassage out; and if it pleased you, would you take him into yourHome, and send him out with your boys. Please would you send him tothe Belleville Home, as we would then be able to get him, because theman that my brother is with says he would not object to taking him. Please would you let me know how much it would take to pay forsending him to Belleville, and where would I send the money to. 

"I am able to plough now, and milk cows, chop wood, reap grain, andmow hay. I am raising fifty young apple-trees of the Spitenberg kind. I am going to be a farmer myself some day; it is very nice andhealthy work. I get a good many rides on horseback. I have a lamb ofmy own; my master gave it me when it was a small, little lamb, butnow it has grown into a good-sized sheep. The Premier of the Dominionwas at this village, and I heard him speak. We will soon begin to cutour hay; we have a mowing-machine, so that it does not take long tocut our hay. There is a Sunday-school three miles away from us, quitenear where my brother lives; it has sixty scholars, and I go to itevery Sunday, but the preaching is only once a fortnight. In ourSunday-school we sing about the same hymns we used to sing whenin the Refuge, and there is three of us 'Home' boys go to thatSunday-school. We have seven head of horn-cattle, five horses, tensheep, and six lambs, thirty-six hens, forty-four hen chickens, twogeese, and nine goslings, two pigs, and one calf, so I will saygood-bye for the present. --I remain, yours sincerely, JOHN HENEY MITCHELL. 

"P. S. --Give my love to all the boys, and accept the, same from me, J. M. "

The following incidents are told by Miss Macpherson:--

"Miss Bilbrough often goes off with half-a-dozen to see them placedin their new home. Whilst on one of these journeys, the little oneswere attracting the notice of fellow-travellers, as some forty tofifty are generally in a compartment. From amongst these MissBilbrough is accosted by a young gentleman, who lifts his hat to her, and sits down by her side. This was one of our first party, now ayoung solicitor, just about to pass his last examination. He was onthe important business of going to some place in the backwoods tovalue a farm for the firm by whom he was employed. 

"Another young man, one of our second band in 1870, is now visitinghis friends in England for a month, ere beginning his career as alawyer in Canada; and more than this, he is, we rejoice to say, aconsistent Christian of several years' standing. Now, when we want alawyer's counsel, our young friend is glad to give it us, and alreadyhas done us good service. Sweet thank-offerings!

"My past birthday in June was spent in taking two little fellows totheir homes. After travelling nearly one hundred miles, as we nearedour destination very tired, we wondered to ourselves whether it wouldbe in a log hut, farmhouse, or mansion we should find a welcome withour little charges. It proved to be the last. 

"The Lord had put it into the heart of a young married lady to rearan orphan boy, and thus fulfil a long-cherished idea. She had alsoinduced another Christian lady to do the same. It was a sweet rewardto His wearied servant, to know that two orphans would be so wellcared for. "

CHAPTER VII

1877-1879. 

"They helped every one his neighbour"--Miss Child, a fellow-labourer--The work in Ratcliff Highway--Strangers' Rest for Sailors--"WelcomeHome"--"Bridge of Hope"--Miss Macpherson's twenty-first voyage toCanada--Explosion on board the "Sardinian"--Child life in the GaltHome--The Galt Home now devoted to children from London, Knowlton tothose from Liverpool, and Marchmont to Scottish Emigrants. 

"They helped every one his neighbour, and every one said to hisbrother, Be of good courage" (margin, be strong). Miss Macphersonwrites in February this year, the eighth anniversary:--

"As a band, we need to '_be strong_' for any emergency. At thisseason we are surrounded by hundreds of men out of employment, and inwant of food, who say now to us--'We have listened to your Gospel;we are in want; show us thy faith by thy works. ' This we areendeavouring to do by providing for them suppers of soup and breadtwice a week. The other evening a crowd had gathered outside the doorat the specified hour, when only 150 could be admitted. Did we butknow the gnawings of real hunger we should not wonder that theunsuccessful applicants attempted to burst in; and one poor manfalling in the crush, broke his arm. 

"We need your prayers while dealing with this class for anothermonth. Strong hearts quail at the sight of these hopeless lookingmen. Our evening-school three times a week, taught by ladies, we findto be the most successful plan of dealing with them. The being calledby their _own names_, man by man, wakes up an interest, andcauses the public-house life to go into the shade. 

"The friends of the match box-makers (our oldest love in thisvineyard) will rejoice to hear that we gathered 300 of them straightfrom their boxes to a New Year's tea, when a kind friend helped tomake the evening a pleasant one by exhibiting dissolving views. Afterthis the gifts of clothing, &c. , with which we had been supplied bymany contributors, were distributed among them. 

"Last week we had a very happy evening with our Christian band, manyof whom were the matchbox-makers of former days, now grown, intoyoung women, and fellow-workers for Christ in their own homes, and inthe courts and alleys where they dwell. Deeply interesting were theirtestimonies of answers to prayer, the power of the Word, anddelivering grace in time of trial in the factories where they labour. Dear helpers by prayer, you now behold what great things the Lordhath wrought for us in giving us this band of young women to go forthon the Sunday afternoons in couples with their tracts, and reach manywhom perhaps we might not find. Some of these are also teachers inour Sunday-school, sympathising with us in our East-end trials, teaching to others what they have learned of Jesus through their ownexperience of His great love. 

"The 'elder girls' of the East-end are a continual heavy burden onour heart; much thought and care are being bestowed in devising andperfecting plans for winning their young lives to the Saviour, andfitting them for honourable service for God and man. This greatpreventive work among those young bread-winners can only besuccessfully accomplished by those who, through studying theirhabits, temptations, and surroundings, by constant loving contactwith them, and by special training, are able to win their confidenceand affection. "

In this year a new and most important work was begun, one which haseminently received the blessing of "Him who is the confidence of allthe ends of the earth, and of those who are afar off upon the sea. "

Miss Child, one like-minded with Miss Macpherson inter zeal forsouls, and her longing to save them from the curse of drink; had beenresiding in the Home of Industry, and visiting public-houses inRatcliff Highway. To those who have never seen the open parade of sinin that part, (long notorious for every, evil), it is hard todescribe the scene, where even in broad daylight the unhappy captivesof Satan seem to glory in their shame. Miss Child's heart yearnedover the sailors who crowd the public-houses, escaped from the perilsof the sea only to fall into worse dangers. She longed for some meansof helping them. Miss Macpherson appealed to him whose burning wordsin the City of London Theatre in 1861 had so stirred her own heartMr. Reginald Radcliffe had lately opened a Strangers' Rest inLiverpool, and only longed to see the same established in every portin the world. In answer to the call, he came up to London andaddressed Christian workers assembled at the Home of Industry, stirring them up to undertake a new form of attack on the strongholdsof the enemy. Mr. James E. Matheson took the deepest interest in thiswork, and a house was secured in Ratcliff Highway, the appearance ofwhich was made to contrast very strongly with all around. Gospeltexts in many languages appeared in all the windows, and invitationsto sailors to enter and write their letters, materials provided freeof cost. This work needed many helpers. Preachers were required forthe different nationalities. Such were found, and willing listeners, so that soon a larger house was necessary. Notwithstanding the manycalls on her time and strength, Miss Macpherson was frequently to befound here, delighting in seeking to save among a class hithertodifficult to reach. Many other sisters in the Lord were, called on tohelp--some to play the harmoniums provided in each room, and lead thesinging in varied languages--others in writing letters for those whocould not use a pen themselves, and whose hearts were softened bykindness shown in this way--others in filling, bags with books andtracts. The blessing which has followed these cannot be reckoned;none can tell what these silent messengers, so often despised onshore, have been to sailors when read far away from home and friends. Many of these bags have been made by Christian invalids, and arefollowed by their prayers that the contents may ever be blessed. 

As yet, however, nothing had been done for the women in KatcliffHighway, and Miss Macpherson, when visiting that neighbourhood whereSatan reigns so openly, longed to save some of her poor lost sisters. On one occasion a young woman said most piteously to her: "Why don'tyou speak to us as you do to the sailors, and we would be convertedand be happy too?" This led to the first decided effort being made, and the following year a small mission room for their use alone wasopened. Tea-meetings and Gospel addresses-were given here. MissMacpherson's long-tried helper, Miss May, added this work to her manyother burdens for the Lord, and other kind friends joined her invisiting and seeking out the lost. 

Although, in Miss May's words, "humanly speaking all things wereagainst us, "--for in this neighbourhood the wages of iniquity arehigh, yet encouragement was met with, and it was felt that themission room was not sufficient, but some shelter must be takenwherein to receive' poor applicants until they could be removed to asafer locality. A tiny three-roomed house was secured and openedwith, much prayer, and has fulfilled the promise of the name given toit, "The Bridge of Hope. " The Lord blessed Miss Macpherson in thechoice of a helper, Miss Underdown, the brave pioneer who volunteeredto remain here alone, ready to welcome the poor wanderer at any hourof the day or night. She is now working among sailors at Cape Town;but the Lord has proved in this instance, as in many others, thatwhen His summons to a distant land is obeyed, the work at home willnot be suffered to languish. Another devoted sister in the Lord, MissSteer, has given up home ties and home comforts, counting it all joyto rescue those most deeply sunk in guilt and misery. The work hasdoubled and trebled in importance, more than a hundred having beendrawn out of this whirlpool of sin and infamy, and brought under thesound of the Gospel within the walls of the larger Refuge, sinceopened for them. More than once we have had to praise God for thehelp given by Christian sailors; their watchful eyes have noticed inthe "Highway" some who were evidently strangers to the haunts ofvice, and have brought them here for safety, and even borne part ofthe expense of their journey homewards. The house originally takenfor the Strangers' Rest having been found inadequate for theaccommodation of the crowds who frequented it, a larger house wastaken, but it was felt that after the many hallowed associations ofthe first house opened, where Miss Macpherson and Miss Child hadoften rejoiced with the angels of God over repenting sinners, it wasimpossible to relinquish it for ordinary uses, --it might be in thatneighbourhood for some direct work of Satan. To Miss Macpherson'sgreat joy her faithful, co-worker, Miss Child, determined on openingit as a Temperance Coffee House, or "Welcome Home" for the sailors, and thenceforth made this place her abode, and the work of God hasnever ceased. 

In the spring of this year Miss Macpherson had contemplated startingwith a party for Canada, but as the time drew near she was so muchworn out by the continued strain of "holding the fort" atSpitalfields for the last two years, that some of her friends almostfeared she would be unable to take the charge. She would not sufferher bodily weakness to hinder her, and on May the 8th started on hertwenty-first voyage in the "Sardinian, " accompanied by herbrother-in-law, Mr. Merry, with a party of fifty children, and two youngmen who had gone out with her in 1870, and had returned to see theirfriends, and were on their way back with her to the land of their adoption. So many thousand miles had been traversed by land and sea, and hithertothanksgivings had gone up for preservation from even alarm of danger. Now a deeper thanksgiving was to be called forth, for the Lord'spreserving care in a scene which brought all face to face witheternity. On the Monday before she left Miss Macpherson remarked tosome friends, "The Word is full of _Deliverance_, both individualdeliverance and otherwise, " little dreaming how soon she would becalled to realise this truth. 

The following letter, which appeared in the "Times, " tells of thestrength given in time of need:--

"_May_ 14, 1878. 

"Captain Grills, of the Liverpool Mercantile Marine ServiceAssociation, going to Derry upon a pleasure trip, was upon the bridgeof the 'Sardinian' when the accident occurred, and speaks in highterms of the discipline of officers and crew under the tryingcircumstances. He says:--'I was on the bridge with Captain Dutton, looking for the approach of the tender, when in a moment an explosionoccurred down in the fore-hold, where a quantity of coal was stored, and blew into the air thousands of fragments of wood. Immediatelyafterwards people came shrieking up the companion ways, many, of themcut, bruised, and blackened. The scene was indescribable. A greatdeal of confusion was caused by the separation of children fromparents and husbands from wives. One poor woman begged me to go andfind her baby, which was torn from her arms. The Captain, on hearingthe explosion and seeing the smoke, sprang from the bridge, orderedthe hose to be instantly applied, and by dint of extraordinaryexertions on the part of himself, the officers, and crew, succeededin saving several people who were in the midst of the debris. Thehold was flooded with water from the hose, but the smoke continued topour out in dense volumes, and ultimately they had to abandon allhope of saving the ship except by opening the sluices and letting thewater in. Before doing this the vessel was taken into five fathomsof water, so that when she settled down her decks would be abovewater, and she might the more easily be pumped out and raised. Whilethese orders were being executed, the whole of the saloon passengers, assisted by many of the crew, were engaged in transferring theemigrants to the mail tender which had just come alongside. About 300or 400 soon crowded her decks, and she landed them at Moville pier, after which she returned for orders. Subsequently the second tendertook off most of the saloon passengers, many wounded, and a largequantity of baggage. The boats were lowered in order to save thebaggage. The mail tender returned and took the rest of the people, and I went with them, and we reached Derry about nine o'clock thatnight. I cannot refrain from referring to the heroic conduct of onelady, [Footnote: Miss Catherine Ellis of Tryon House] a saloonpassenger, who, while partially dressed, rescued a baby that wasfearfully burnt, at considerable risk to herself; the mother hadproceeded to Derry, thinking she had lost her child for ever. Thepromptitude and energy displayed by Captain Button was in every wayadmirable, and his orders were executed with great decision. MissMacpherson and her little band of Canadian emigrants showed no smallamount of true fortitude and heroism. Most of the children behavednobly under the trying circumstances, and exhibited much of the fruitof their careful training. They kept repeating to one another many ofthe sayings they had heard from Miss Macpherson about being patient, and brave, and good; I visited the infirmary before leaving onSaturday, and spoke to each of the nine patients, who are allsuffering seriously, but I am hopeful of the recovery of some. '"

Miss Macpherson's own account follows:--

"Sunday morning. 

"Since we parted from you and those beloved Christian friends at St. Pancras last Wednesday, we seem to have lived years, and learnt moreof the reality of the delivering power of our loving Father than inall our lives before. 

"Wondrous to relate, and as marvellous as the deliverance of thethree children from the fiery furnace, is the fact that all ourprecious little ones are in safety, and now gone to a place ofworship. 

"Behold the loving-kindness of our God! Had the explosion takenplace a little while later, our vessel would have been on her wayinstead of standing still waiting off Moville for the mails. 

"Most of the children" were on deck, basking in the lovely sunshineof that afternoon. We were all busy finishing our letters, and Iintended to write one more, and then go and spend an hour in thechildren's steerage, when presently there was a terrible sound, as ofa cannon, followed by a deathly stillness for two minutes; I rushedon deck and beheld a man jet black with soot, his halt burnt off, issuing from a gangway near; then one of my own boys came, exclaiming, 'Oh, Miss! I prayed to Jesus, and He saved me. ' Then thedeck became a fearful scene of confusion, poor foreigners weeping, and oh! the mutilated men and women, ghastly with fright, some oftheir faces entirely skinned. 

"My first care was for the little ones. They clustered round me, asthe two young men, (former boys of 1870, who had been home to seetheir friends), gathered them out of the crowd. Mr. Merry gave me thelist, and they dried their tears, and answered to their names whencalled. We soon found all accounted for, and were hushed with praisePicture us all standing near the wheelhouse, awaiting orders, or tosee, it might be flames, or another explosion of a still more seriouscharacter. 

_"Oh! could every Sunday school teacher in the land realise myfeelings at that moment, they would never rest until every child intheir class was' washed in the Blood of the Lamb. I saw nothing butimperfection in all my work, and want of burning reality forsouls. _

"The scene of the disaster was very near to the children's sleepingberths; a very few yards off two women sat upon a box together, onewas blown up into the air, the other driven she knew not whither; butlate that night I came across her seeking a bed in Moville, and shetold me that in those first terrible moments _every sin she hadever committed came before, her, _ and the one most awful was herhaving rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, what our God can do intire twinkling of an eye! by unbalancing a little breath of His owncreated air, then the stoutest-hearted sinners quail"

Another witness wrote:--

_Sunday. _

"It is terrible to have been in the midst of such a calamity! andthe sight of the poor, blackened, and scorched faces of the sufferersI shall never forget. There was such a nice, family on board; thefather, mother, and four children. The mother was blown up; her bodywas found yesterday, scarcely recognisable, but the husband had to goand identify it. Poor man! he was here, and in such an agony ofdistress. The last order I heard the Captain give, was thundered out, 'Send all the women and children up from below, ' and Miss Macphersoncame herself, and dragged me up. Captain Button says there have beenthe most wonderful providences. 

"It was wonderful how calm every one seemed at the time of thatterrible crash. There was no panic, but the peculiar wailing of thepoor Sardinians rings in my ears still, and the groans of thosesufferers. Silence must be cast over the scenes of that sad day. 

"If I thought of anything at the time of the accident, it was ofMiss Macpherson's _Bible, _ and I know her thought was for me andthe children. It was most sweet at the time to see the way peoplethought of others more than of themselves; there were many littleacts of kindness done then which will never be forgotten. 

"Miss Macpherson said to me as we were starting on Thursday, 'Ithink this is going to be a most unusual voyage. I have never hadsuch sweet dismissals before. '

"I did so feel as I stood round those poor sufferers. Why was Ispared? All in the same ship, all exposed to the same peril, and yetwe are _untouched, _ and what are we better than they? We canonly bow low before our, loving Father with 'What can I render untothe Lord for all His benefits towards me?'. . I managed to get to theinfirmary, where I paid a very interesting visit. .. . The thirdofficer is so terribly hurt, quite unrecognisable. "

On her return from Derry, whither she had hastened to give help tothe sufferers, Mrs. Merry gave a thrilling account of how the watershad not been suffered to pass over them, nor the flame permitted tokindle upon them; and told how nobly that brave seaman and man ofGod, Captain Dutton, had acted; how he had instantly summoned allhands to his help in seeing to the safety of the children, so that inless than three minutes by the watch, after the shock, the whole ofthe forty _little_ tones were around Miss Macpherson, having nomore hurt upon them (with one exception) than a little singed hairand a few blisters. 

Not only were their lives spared--they were not even called upon to"take joyfully the spoiling if their goods, " for not one box orparcel either of clothing or gospel, tracts and books was lost orinjured. The "Peruvian" was sent from Liverpool to take, the place ofthe "Sardinian, " and the rest of the voyage was accomplished insafety. 

When nearing Cape Race Miss Macpherson writes:--

"Many a touching scene have we witnessed. A company of betweentwenty and thirty Swiss Christians, with their evangelist, guided bya lady, to form a little colony in Canada, when passing throughLiverpool, had spent all their evenings at the 'Sailors Rest, ' so we, being I one in the eternal bond, sang together the same hymns, thoughin different languages, the first evening we sailed out. To see themdrying their Bibles and hymn-books, all the covers gone, oh! it mademe weep. How very _precious those mutilated books were to themnow!_ One dear German Christian showed me his Bible, and I wastold the two front blotted pages were written by a dying mother'shand. Another young German, when he found his Bible was safe, forgotall else, and danced about with the most touching joy, but then heknew not where to put his treasure for safety and to get it pressed. Although I understood not his language, and no one was at hand tointerpret, I put out my hand to help him; he took one long look intomy face, and with a smile gave me his precious book. Five days afterwe met again, and he held out his hands, exclaiming 'Bibel!'

"You heard how very promptly the Deny Christians acted for the pooremigrants. Every minister intimated the need in his church, and theresponse was made before nine o'clock on the Monday morning. Cartloads of clothing were sent in and distributed among, theemigrants, so that as far as covering for the present goes, all havebeen liberally helped to go on their way. 

"Sunday. --A day of lovely sunshine, all on deck enjoying the warmth. The foreigners quietly reading their mutilated books; but--oh, howsad to see!--with the English emigrants it is beer--beer--beer--taking with them to the new land habits that will tell ill for themwherever they go. 

"The children and I spent the morning singing together, and thankingour God for all His wondrous love. Often during the-past week I feltlike breaking down, and letting the pent-up tears flow; but while Bob(eleven years old) prayed, I could hold out no longer, and the strongsailors leaning over the mid hatchway joined me too, as the dear ladasked God, for Jesus' sake, to care for the blind mother he had leftin the workhouse, and that his runaway brother might be brought toJesus; that his brother with the bad leg might be found of the Lord;that his sister in service might please her master and mistress; andthat he himself might follow Jesus, and be a good boy, and obedientto those placed over him. "

The following is dated from Galt:--

"Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thywings will I rejoice. " (Ps. Lxiii. 7). 

"MY DEAR FELLOW-HELPERS, --On arriving at this sweet spot ourjourneyings ended for the present. You can well imagine the completeenjoyment of repose as with my family I wander round the Cottage Homewhen school hours are over. During a week in which I had beenseparated from them, they had made the acquaintance of horses, cows, ducks, hens, sheep, &c. --all so new to our poor London children. Theynever tire of inviting me to come and see _our_ this and that, or some new-found pleasure. How quickly this country life developscharacter, touching chords which are left unawakened in many anature! It is such a contrast to the artificial tastes and habits ofcity life, which arouse passions not easily kept in subjection. 

"Mrs. Merry will be glad to know that I am delighted with all in andaround the Home. The new wing, with its lavatory and simplearrangements for the health and comfort of the children, would, webelieve, be highly approved of by the relatives of our departedfriends, Miss Wilson and Mr. Marshall, who so kindly left us themeans to make this addition. One of our former' boys works on thefarm; his life was consecrated nearly two years ago for China. He isa manly, consistent young Christian, and tells me it was an addressgiven here by George W. Clarke (the first of our missionary sons fromSpitalfields), before he went out to China, that gave him the firstburning longings to become a missionary. It is my duty to see that asuitable education be given him to strengthen these desires;therefore when field-work is over, we have hours for study, Mr. Merryteaching in the morning, and I in the evening. 

"The last mail from China brings a letter from G. W. Clarke, inwhich he writes:--"The Lord has blessed me with good health, whilstmany of our brethren engaged in the hard work of pioneering are insome way feeling the strain upon their strength. " I am very thankfulfor the _roughing_ I had in Canada, and for whatever trials Ihave had in China, which have enabled me in any way to "endurehardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. "

"We need much prayer for this branch of the work, that it may be thenatural outcome of family life, and grow gradually as our heavenlyFather leads. 

"Several of the elder boys are at the Home now from differentcauses; their work on the farm pays for their board, and they againcome under blessed Gospel influence, while we watch and pray for"their conversion. The dear sisters who work out the details value aninterest in your prayers, as they so realise 'from day to day theneed of patience. ' All your desires that I should _rest_ arebeing fulfilled. If you could but see me sitting on a bank with threeor four little heads leaning on my lap, the others buzzing round, bringing flowers and weaving wreaths for our hats! Then a handopens to show _'such a dear' young frog!_ Another brings anendless variety of caterpillars, &c. Then there come shrieks ofdelight from a group of boys who have almost caught a squirrel Arowing boat glides down the river, and the children strike up animpromptu strain--'Row, brothers, row!'

"A little fellow has a burden on his mind, ending with, 'Could I notstop here always?' Alas! he had to be told 'impossible, ' for therewere many more poor boys far away in London, crying to be loved, andhe would soon find a 'pa and ma' to love him. How this thirst forsympathy grows in these tiny hearts! May more dear mission-workershave _anointed eyes_, to seek out the orphans in the dens of ourgreat city. May more jewelled fingers yield their offerings, ere theopportunity be past, for rescuing immortal souls that may becomewitnesses of Jesus Christ, and shine for ever and ever in His crown. 

"Too many seek to square the cases up to their rules, but theopposite I believe is more according to God's mind. Oh, if every townin Old England would arise and build its own Orphan Home! Surely theChurch of Christ in every denomination can unite in love over thechildren. Witness the burst of love in a few hours after theministers of every sect in Deny told the need of the emigrants, andthe children cast naked upon their shores! They gave until thereceivers said, 'It is enough!'

"In this quiet resting-place, I have time to listen to the Master'sown voice, and hear Him say, 'Go forward!' This is the twenty-firstvoyage--the _majority_! I would celebrate it by desiring stillgreater things for God's glory, devising, yet leaving the directionto the Lord. Already it has proved a time of trial and rich blessing. My heart is with you all in, your joyous privileges of making known aSaviour's love. My spirit flits to the _needy children_. Athousand board schools will never supply the loving, tender care wewomen can give to the fatherless and motherless, or sow the seed andlead the precious little souls to Jesus. Therefore follow me in theseenlarged desires the Lord hath given, and oh! keep your eyes and earsopen to the cry of the children. Hot summer days will lessen some ofthe Refuge work, but I follow you to Bird Fair, Ratcliff Highway, andmany a court around. Don't forget that terrible corner by the lamp-postin the next street. 

"Then for your own souls I send this word--'They thirsted not whenHe led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out ofthe rock for them. ' As to your work, Do it. Should He be pleased toremove any of us, to stir our nest, or lay sickness upon us, shall wenot hear Him say, 'Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will withmine own?' Beloved friends, 'Hold that fast which thou hast, that noman take thy crown. '--Yours affectionately, "ANNIE MACPHERSON. "

The work had now so increased, that it was thought well to dividethe three Canadian Homes. Hiss Macpherson found the Gait Homesufficient for the needs of the children transferred from the Home ofIndustry. Miss Bilbrough retained possession of the Marchmont Home, now devoted exclusively to children from Scotland; and the KnowltonHome, in the province of Quebec, was placed under the management ofMrs. Birt for the reception of little emigrants from Liverpool. 

It was at the workers' meeting in August that Miss Macpherson waswelcomed home; and Miss Ellis of Tryon House said she had been inCanada with Miss Macpherson, and the thought most on her mind inrecollection of the scene on the "Sardinian" was "_given back_. "As delivered from death, they had returned, each to their lovedspheres of work, and felt increasingly how consecrated such livesshould be, and for what great blessing they might look out. 

As one quite unconnected with the work, Miss Ellis said she mustremark how much she had been struck with the arrangements of the GaitHome--the children were thoroughly well fed and well cared for (notlike little princes though, nor above their station), and not anunnecessary shilling was expended. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1879-1880. 

Experiences among Indians--Picnic in the Bush--Distribution ofTestaments--"Till He come"--"A Home and a hearty Welcome. "

Once more in Canada, Miss Macpherson records experience of anunusual kind:--

"In one of the large villages we visited, an all-day prayer-meetingwas held from 9 A. M. To 9 P. M. , which proved a season of richblessing. We found openings for mission work all around, farmers andtheir families willing to gather and sit any length of time withBible and hymn-book in hand. We feel an open door is made for us hereby the entrance of these little children, who have, proved excellentpioneer evangelists. 

"After this interesting tour, I was about to return to the GaltHome, when a messenger arrived with a pressing invitation to visitthe Indians on the Chippawa Reserve, and tell them the story of ourchildren. This come through their pastor, the Rev. Mr. Jacques, andalthough weary in body, a lady friend and I resolved to go forward toPort Elgin, situated on Lake Huron, whence a dear Canadian sisterdrove us along the ten miles of wild and poorly cultivated countryleading to the Indian reserve. Fire had in past years ravaged thedistrict for miles, leaving thousands of charred trunks of hightrees. We enjoyed the scenery of the beautiful Sangeen, with itsgrand old forests in their finest clothing, and at times we caughtsight of Lake Huron, lying calm as a mirror, with the last rays ofthe setting sun reflected upon its bosom. 

"On arriving at the little manse on Chippawa Hill we were serenadedby the Indians, who had already gathered by hundreds from far andnear. We made a hasty repast, and felt grateful for the opportunityafforded us so unexpectedly of speaking to them: Our service wasopened by singing in Indian a well-known hymn of praise. Then one ofthe evangelists spoke upon a portion of Scripture for twenty minutes, after the other had prayed, when an interpreter took half-an-hour totranslate it into their own language, after which my companion sang"The Ninety and Nine, " and I spoke. The interpreter repeated thestory, and though our audience scarcely ever moved, the pastor's wifesaid they were feeling deeply. "

"Many a dear squaw and I clasped hands that night, and we gazed intoeach other's eyes, knowing full well, although unexpressed, that wewere one in the same deep love for the weak and helpless. "

"While the choir sang another hymn, under the direction of thepastor's daughter, who is also the daily teacher of the young, weshowed some of our photographs, and never were more grateful for thatart. My lady friend sang another solo, and then began anindescribable scene. Chief John was first introduced to us, as westood on a raised platform with a rail in front. The dear old manseemed much moved, and burst into an oration full of gratitude forour coming to visit his people. We acknowledged this, when the wholecongregation of three to four hundred, young and old, passed andshook hands with us. Every now and then we were presented with gifts, made by the hands of the giver. Chief Henry's wife gave a beautifulbark basket ornamented with porcupine's quills. Then another head mangave us a bag made of beaten bark, saying this was made before theyknew the white man. We thought that now all was over, but no. Allwere again seated, quietly and in order, the grace of ease andperfect harmony pervading the whole scene. The Indians had a wish todo us honour, and to show their love in their own way, we were eachto receive from them an Indian name. We found this new name hadrequired thought, and when saying 'Buzhu?' or 'How do you do?' theyafter this called us by the name they had given. 

"The pastor, (Mr. Jacques), and his wife and family, were trulyparental in their actions, and are beloved by these simple-heartedIndians. It was a touching scene! There are ninety in Christianfellowship, and among them some old veterans of ninety years, withscarcely a grey hair, and more sprightly than the young men in theirtribes to-day. As regularly as the sun rises, they are at the churchdoor, though they live five miles off, through swamp and wood. 

"One thing charmed me, --the firm law made for them in connectionwith drink. Would that England would treat our white drunkards in thesame way! A man, when found the worse for liquor, is fined from fiftyto two hundred dollars, or put in prison for one month; also the manwho sells it to him. Two more weeks are added if he will not tell whosupplied him with the drink. 

"On leaving the next morning, I was addressed by my new name, 'Ke-zha-wah-de-ze-qua' (Benevolence); my friend also was greeted as'Wah sage zhe go-qua' (Shining-sky lady). "

The following account of a picnic in the Canadian Bush, at which anIndian chief was present, will not be out of place here:--

"A picnic is a much more frequent entertainment in this country thanin England, for the lovely bright days of a Canadian summer are somuch more suitable than our damp and variable weather. MissMacpherson was anxious to meet as many as possible of the kindfriends in and around the Children's Home at Galt, who are interestedin the Lord's work among the little ones. A picnic was suggested asmost pleasant, and the Bush as more spacious than our cottage-rooms. So a general invitation was given through the ministers and the localpapers. 

"Last Thursday was all that could be desired. Cool breezes temperedthe hot sunbeams, and a brilliant blue sky was reflected in thestill, flowing river. Such a lovely spot, too, is the 'Home' Bush! Apartially cleared space near the river was chosen for the tables andseats; nearby a log-fire was kindled, on which huge kettles of waterwere boiled. One thing only marred our hopes for the day. MissMacpherson herself was almost prostrate through a sharp attack ofrheumatism, and oar hearts sank as we feared she would be unable tobe among us. However, in the 'prayer of faith' we laid her deep needbefore the Lord, and He graciously gave her the faith to trust Him, and the courage to attempt, even in great pain, to rise from bed, andwalk down to the Bush. The needed strength was marvellously given, and she was able to remain with us until sunset. Truly the Lord doethwondrous things!

"At four o'clock our guests began to arrive. One visitor was thecentre of attraction--a chief of the Six Nation Indians, from thereserve near Brantford, who arrived earlier in the day with Mr. B. Needham, the missionary. Chief Jonathan, now a Christian, was dressedin the native costume, now worn only on high days and holidays. Mostpicturesque it was to see him seated on the green slope near theriver, leaning against a tall maple tree. His coat and trousers ofyellow buckskin were fringed at the edges. An embroidered scarletsash was loosely tied around his waist. Then his head-gear was moststriking. Long thin black hair hung over his shoulders, --not his own, but from the scalp of some poor Indian slain in warfare! This wassurmounted by a turban cap of scarlet, and white beads, a row offeathers all round it, and in front three or four very long brightfeathers standing erect. He was able to talk with us in English, andtold us how his grandfathers owned all the land along the 'GrandRiver. ' It is very pitiful to think how the poor Indians have beenpushed further and further into little corners of their once proudterritory, to make way for the white man, who, alas! brought to themthe terrible 'fire-water' which has gone so far to prove their ruinand increase their desolation. Thank God that now they have earnestmen of God, whom His own love and zeal for souls has so filled as toenable them to give up all for His glory, and go and live among thesedark, despised ones, and take to them the glad tidings of a freesalvation. 

"During our tea-hour great interest was taken by all our friends inthe group of little ones enjoying their cake and tea, and MissMacpherson told how good the Lord had been to the mission, in openingup homes for nearly all the sixty rescued children we brought outthree weeks ago. After tea, our forty younger ones seated themselvesin a ring upon the green grass, under the shade of the maple andhickory trees. They sang sweet hymns of Jesus, and repeated manyprecious texts for Mr. Needham to take as their messages of love tothe Indian children in his Sunday-school. Little Bobbie gave as histext, 'God requireth that which is past. ' Joey then stood up andrepeated, 'Suffer little children to come unto Me. ' Johnnie andGeorgie gave, 'The eyes of the Lord are in every place, ' and 'When myfather and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. '

"A few questions followed from Miss Macpherson, --'How can any oneget into heaven?' 'They must love God, ' was the first answer. 'Theymust have their hearts changed, ' said another. Then Bobbie's clearvoice was heard, again, 'By being washed in the blood of Jesus!'Beautiful answer! wondrous truth!

"The Indian chief stood gazing in calm wonder at this circle ofhappy English children. Presently Mr. Needham rose and said: 'TheChief tells me he is very anxious to say a few words to the "Queen"(_i. E. , _ Miss Macpherson), to the friends, and to the children. He understands English, but his thoughts flow more freely in hisnative tongue, and he has asked me to be his interpreter. He saysthat many years ago his fathers kindled the fire and smoked 'the pipeof peace' at such a gathering, and he thanks God for such a sight asthis. He has never been so touched as this afternoon by thechildren's texts and answers. One hymn especially has struck him--

 'There's a home for little children, Above the bright, blue sky. '

'His fathers looked for the home of the spirits, but knew nothing ofthe Christian's heaven. There are still, in his nation, 700 paganswho sacrifice the white dog to the spirits, and are ever travellingtowards the land of the setting sun. He hopes the pagan children willbe taught about Jesus. He is so touched by the care taken of theselittle ones and by the work of the Christian lady who saves them. TheChief says he is very thankful I brought him here to-day. The circleon the grass reminds him of how the Indian children sit to sacrificethe white dog. He is going back to tell the children of his peopleall these blessed things. '

"During Mr. Needham's interpretation the Chief stood by him, hisusually impassive face quite lit up with animated interest. After awhile he played to us on his cornet, his favourite tune being 'Godsave the Queen. ' Mr. Needham told us a few deeply interesting detailsof his work among the Indians, and how the Lord is giving Hisblessing in conversions, and also in the temperance work just begunamong them. He told us of an Indian mother who would walk eight milesto hear the Gospel, with one baby slung over her back, in its curiousmummy-like cradle, and another slung on her arm! The poor Indians arebeginning really to value the care and labour bestowed on them by themissionary whom God has so evidently prepared for and led into thiswork. And surely such a mission as this has a deep and solemn claimon the help and sympathy of those who have now possession of the landof the Red Indian, and enjoy the blessings he has lost. Let thewhite man, who brought him the 'fire-water, '--dire instrument ofdeath!--seek now, though, alas! so late, to carry to him with allspeed the blessed 'water of life, ' that he may drink and live forever. 

"As the shadows on the grass grew longer, and the west began to glowwith the sunset crimson, the little ones, tired yet happy, were takenhome to bed, and our kind friends bade as all farewell. When we lookback on our happy picnic in the Bush, and raise our earnest prayersfor the dear children God has rescued and shall yet rescue, let usnot forget to plead for the mission to the Six Nation Indians, and toask that the light of the glorious Gospel may speedily bring hope andgladness to many a poor dark heart. "

Miss Macpherson's next letter tells of many varied interests:--

"DEAR FELLOW-WORKERS, --Our proposed three days of Christianfellowship and conference at the Galt Home are now over. Numbers werenot large, the accommodation here being limited, bat severalministers, evangelists, and devoted brothers and sisters, who havetrue sympathy in the Master's work for the deaf children, waited onthe Lord with us, and it has proved a time of great spiritualblessing, preparing us to go forth in the days that remain, strong tolabour for our blessed Lord, just to do His will. 

"Leaving matters at Galt going on in their even way, only varied bythe occasional return of children, who, from temper, ill-health, orsome other cause, have not been able to remain in the situationsfirst found for them, (which shows the value of our Homes on thisside the Atlantic), we are again on the wing. 

"The Sunday after the conference was spent at Sheffield, a villagecontaining a thousand inhabitants. On arriving we found the shedsaround the church full of conveyances, betokening a goodcongregation. The people, looking bright in their white summercostumes, joined with wonderful heartiness in singing, 'All hail thepower of Jesus' name. ' Mr. Merry gave a powerful address on Ezek. Xxxvii. 1-10. During the afternoon we learned that a time of revivalhad sprung from a few godly women meeting at each other's houses topray for a blessing on the village. They felt the need of a definiteobject for their prayers, and selected a young man who was a greatdrunkard, and the disturber of every meeting. Soon they were rejoicedto learn that he was truly converted to the Lord without any humanagency. Now his face is the brightest of the congregation, and noneis more active to win souls than he. On leaving Sheffield we weregrateful to know we had secured many hearts to pray for us and ourlittle ones. 

"We took a large case of Testaments to the next place we visited; andan evangelist who had been labouring for some weeks there, sold forus; on Henry Moorhouse's plan, in the market-place, 600 Testaments, and gave away 7200 Gospel leaflets. 

"Since then we have stayed with the friends at St. Catharine's, exchanging words of cheer with Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, and other brethren. Now we are staying with members of the Societyof Friends at Fonthill. How sweet is this fellowship of saints, 'endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!'Here we learn with joy how our brother-in-law was used to theconversion of many in the villages around during the past winter. We have been comparing notes with four of the dear sisters here, contrasting our work at Ratcliff Highway, with its three mission-houses, our elder girls, widows, and lodging-houses, with theirs among navvieson Welland Canal, drunkards, and farmers and their wives living awayin solitary nooks. The work is one presenting a full, free, andpresent salvation by a once crucified and now risen Lord. 

"The dear wife of the Lord's honoured servant, Jonathan Grubb, isgiving great joy and help to the busy workers on this hill-top, bysending large parcels of tracts purchased from the various societiesin England, assorted into packets during her winter hours. From thefriends here they go to many a lone corner of the great continent. The postal charges are so small, that surely many a sister mightshare with us in sending a fresh packet now and again to those whohave little reading of any kind; also the many gifts from the TractSociety have been most valuable in these country places. 

"Our children settled in the neighbourhood of Font-hill are growingup into manhood, some of them becoming earnest Christians. 

"Our stay is necessarily brief; distances are great, and strengthsmall; but we ever realise, 'He leadeth us. '

"Dear fellow-workers, let us watch and pray, and labour on, 'till Hecome. '"

"Till He come!". It is sweet with these words to close thisimperfect record of the labours of the Lord's beloved handmaid;especially when we look back to the time twenty years' before, whenthe "blessed hope" was first made the source of new strength andpower to her soul. May not the words of the letter quoted above beadopted with little alteration by every Christian labourer? Our staycan be but brief, --perhaps not one working hour is yet left to us, and how emphatically do the words now come to us, "Redeeming the time_because_ the days are evil;" so evil, that were it not for thesure word of prophecy, we should lie down in despair. If we looked topresent agency to change the scenes of sin and sorrow around us, allhope would vanish. But we have "a hope that maketh not ashamed, " and"that blessed hope" is an "anchor of the soul" "The work is great, "great it has always been, but how much greater now that doorshitherto closed are open in every part of the world; from everycountry the cry is, "Come over and help us. " Many a solitary pioneerhas fallen, oh! that others might come forth to fill up the ranks. "Strength is small;" "Without me ye can do nothing;" "Is there not anappointed warfare (margin) to man upon earth?" He, who has appointedthe warfare will not send any at their own charges. The "blessedhope" strengthens the weak hands and confirms the feeble knees. Hewill give the grace, the wisdom, the strength, all that is needed, day by day. _"Till He come. "_ Three little words--no more--butwho can tell the comfort, the strength, the sweetness this hopebrings to those who are watching for the coming of their King?

 * * * * *

The following deeply affecting lines are from the same pen as thosebefore quoted. Miss Geldard, the gifted writer, was for a time a muchvalued fellow-labourer both in England and Canada:--

A HOME AND A HEARTY WELCOME. 

 All day has the air been busy, As the daylight hours went by, With the laugh of the children's gladness, Or their pitiful, hopeless cry. 

 But now all is hushed in silence, They are lying in slumber deep: While I ask, in this solemn midnight, _Where_ do the children sleep?

 We know there are children sleeping In many a happy home, Where sickness rarely enters, Where want may never come. 

 Their hands in prayer were folded Ere they laid them down to rest, And on rosy lip and soft white brow Were a mother's kisses pressed. 

 They sleep and dream of angels; Ah! well may their dreams be fair!-- Their home is now so like a heaven, They seem already there. 

 But where are the children sleeping In these wretched streets around, Where sin, and want, and sorrow Their choicest haunt have found?

 Will you climb this broken staircase, And glance through this shattered door; Oh, can there be children sleeping On that filthy and crowded floor?

 Yes! old and young together, A restless, moaning heap; O God! while they thus are sleeping, How dare Thy children sleep?

 Does the night air make you shiver, As the stream sweeps coldly by? (Cold as the hearts of the heedless), Here, too, do the children lie. 

 An archway their only shelter; The pavement their nightly bed; Thou, too, when on earth, dear Saviour, Hadst nowhere to lay _Thy_ head. 

 So we know Thou art here, dear Master, Thy form we can almost see; Do we tear Thy sad voice saying, "Ye did it not to Me?"

 Yes, chill is the wind-swept archway, The pavement is cold and hard Better the workhouse coffin, Softer the graveyard sward. 

 Thank God! yet we say it weeping, Thank God for many a grave! There sleep the little children Whom Christians would not save!

 Yet smiles through our tears are dawning When we think of the hope that lies In our children's Land of Promise, 'Neath the clear Canadian skies. 

 Though the frost he thick on the windows, Though the roof with snow is white, We know our Canadian children Are safe and warm to-night. 

 There thick are the homespun blankets, And the buffalo robes are warm; Then why should these children shiver Out here in the winter storm?

 Why wait till the prison claims them? Why wait till of hope bereft For that fair young girl the river Be the only refuge left?

 Come! help us, answer the message Now pealing across the seas-- "A home and a hearty welcome For hundreds such as these!"

 It comes from broad Ontario, And from Nova Scotia's shore; They have loved and sheltered our gathered waifs, They have room for thousands more. 

 S. R. GELDARD. 

CHAPTER IX. 

Questions and Answers--Sorrowful Cases--Testimonies from those whohave visited Canada--Stewardship. 

The fallowing plain answers to practical questions, are written bythose well acquainted with the work:--

I. "Are these children really _street Arabs?_ If not, where doyou find so many?"

In the early days of the work, before the establishment of SchoolBoards and kindred institutions, a large proportion of the childrenwere actually taken from the streets. Now, the rescue work beginsfarther back, and seeks to get hold of the little ones before theyhare had a taste of street life and become contaminated. A policemanbrings one sometimes, having found it in a low lodging-house, forsaken by its worthless, drunken parents. Christian ladies are everon the look-out for the little ones in their work among the poor, andmany a child has been taken straight from the dying bed of its onlyremaining parent to Miss Macpherson. "Rescued from a workhouse life"might be written on many a bright little brow, and "saved from drink"on many more. Poor, delicate widows, striving vainly to keep a large, young family, have often proved their true, unselfish love by givingup one or two to Miss Macpherson to be taken to Canada. Such areencouraged always to write to and keep in loving memory the deartoiling mother at home. Widowed fathers in ill-health, and short ofwork, feeling their utter helplessness to do for their motherlessflock, have come to Miss Macpherson entreating her to take care ofsome of them. 

2. "How come the Canadian farmers to be willing to take thesechildren?"

From a business point of view this is quite easily explained. Labouris so scarce out there, and hired help so dear, while _food_ is_so plentiful, _ that the Canadian farmer finds it quite worthhis while to take a little boy from the old country, whom he cantrain and teach as his own, and who very soon will repay him in quickability for farm labour. 

3. "Are you sure the children are really _better off_ there?"

Every boy in Canada has before him a definite hope for the future. If he be steady, industrious, and of average intelligence, he mayreasonably look to being independent some day, to owning land of hisown, and attaining an honourable position in Canada. People do notamass fortunes there as a rule, but they may all live in comfort andplenty, and what they have is their own. Surely this is a brighterprospect than the ceaseless round of toil at desk or counter, inwhich so many in England, --even the more fortunate, --spend theiryouth helping to make rich men richer. 

4. "Among the hundreds are there not some failures, some exceptions?What becomes of them?"

Yes, there are disappointments and failures in this work as well asin every other. We do not take little angels to Canada, but veryhuman little boys and girls with every variety of temper andcharacter, and sometimes hereditary disadvantages which it is hard tobattle with. But patient forbearance and gentle treatment and time doso much for them. And often a kind farmer has asked to be allowed tokeep, and "try again" the wilful little fellow who has tried to runaway or proved tiresome to manage. 

"Ninety-eight per cent, of our children do well, and for the two percent, we do the best we can. If any circumstance arises making itdesirable for a farmer to give up a boy, he is at once returned tothe Home, where he is received and kept until another more suitableplace is found for him. "

Should any be still blinded to the blessings of emigration for theyoung, surely their eyes will be opened on reading the followingfacts as related by Miss Macpherson:--

"William and Mary were brother and sister living in a terriblewarren near Drury Lane. The boy's employment was to gather rags andbones. Their parents had been buried by the workhouse. Theircondition was too deplorable to be described. A year's training wasnot lost upon this sister and brother. They came to Canada in 1873. Now, could yon see them at nineteen and twenty-two--able to read andwrite, well-clothed with their own honest earnings, having saved, in1877, one hundred dollars; and this year, 1879, William is having$100 as wages, and Mary $60. They come from time to time to visit theHome. William is thinking of having a farm of his own. 

"A. B. --Who was he? The son of a drunken woman, who, when verytipsy still comes in from Ratcliff Highway to abuse us atSpitalfields. Alfred has been many years in a lawyer's family, andhas saved enough money to be apprenticed as an engineer. He was awise boy to be guided by the kind counsel of those he served. We arenot satisfied with earthly adoptions only; we continue to pray thateach one may be adopted into the family of those who are washed inthe blood of the Lamb. 

"Well do we remember the winter, when a wild man from Seven Dialsdiscovered that we had the little Annie, of whom he used to make suchtraffic in the gin palaces; though we had no right to her. The lambwas but six years old. Thank God, an ocean separates her from hisdrunken villanies. Now she is with kind-hearted, homely people, thecompanion and playmate of their daughter. 

"S. W. , seven years old; so puny--only a few pounds weight--owing toher being starved and beaten by a drunken stepfather. Now, a year ina happy home, going to school regularly, is companion to an onlychild, and lacks no earthly comfort. The poor mother was ill-used inthe dens where she lived by her neighbours, for having, they said, sold her child. We received a photograph of the little one from herhappy Canadian home; this closed every mouth, for it could not begainsaid. 

"Whilst stopping at one of the railway stations, we were accosted bya young man, who told us he was one of our old boys of ten years ago, but was now settled in that town. He had 'rolled' about a good deal, he said, but at last had settled down, and never was so happy in hislife before. He had sent for his brother to come and live with him. Since then John and his wife have spent a day at the Gait Home, andthey think in another year, if they continue to prosper, that theyalso would like to be entrusted with a little one. Thus openings areever occurring for those yet to follow. "

Since the above was written other young emigrants, now married andsettled in homes of their own, have offered to adopt orphans andchildren, homeless as they once were themselves. 

The following are independent testimonies of those who havetravelled or are residing in Canada:--

The late Sir Charles Reed, Chairman of the London School Board, stated that in his visit to Canada last year he had given specialattention to Miss Macpherson's work, and as his inquiries andinvestigations were made unofficially, the information he obtainedmight be looked upon as quite impartial. He was gratified by hearingfrom the Governor-General, Lord Dufferin, at Quebec, that he was wellinformed as to the work, and bore testimony to its worth. He (SirCharles) was prepared to say that the children were warmly welcomedand kindly treated. He also, without making his purpose known, visited some of the homes where the children were located, and whathe saw only confirmed what he had been told, as to the Canadians'appreciation of the children. They were well occupied, well fed, andas happy as they could be. He had entered into conversation with thechildren as to familiar scenes in the East of London, and learned howpleased they were with their new homes. 

At Toronto he met Miss Bilbrough, a lady in charge of one of theHomes, and a person enthusiastically devoted to this merciful work, who thus became a true "Sister of Mercy. " God has endowed womanlargely for this Christian ministry. In half an hour she thoroughlyinterested him in the work, and put him in possession of such factsas convinced him that the work was one which in England demandedChristian sympathy and support. It was work which goes on quietly, and is little talked of; but it ought to be, as he trusted it wouldbe, widely known. He was glad to say that through the School Board itwas becoming known to intelligent Christian men both in and out ofParliament. It is good to work in faith, as those in charge of thiswork do; but it is also good to have evidence as an encouragement tofaith, and as a corroboration of the work. Such evidence he, as in asense a special commissioner, had qualified himself to give, and itgave him much pleasure to render it. 

"WOODVILLE PLACE, DUNDEE, 13th August 1873. 

"MY DEAR MISS MACPHERSON, --Various ministerial and pastoraloccupations, since my return home, have prevented me from carryingout my intention of putting into shape my impressions and thoughtsabout Canada and your work. If the Lord will, I shall do so at nogreat distance of time. Meanwhile, allow me to express in a few wordsmy mature judgment in regard to the leading features of your work. Itseems to me to furnish the key to the solution of one of the mostdifficult problems in Home Mission work. 

"The character of the training to which the children are subjectedprevious to their removal to Canada appears to be all that could bedesired. I was delighted with their knowledge of Scripture, theirgeneral intelligence, their respectful bearing to their superiors, their promptness of obedience, and other evidences of religiousconviction working itself out in their general conduct. Theextraordinary care exhibited in the selection of homes and in theplacing of them out in Canada strikes me as one of the most importantand valuable elements of the work. Most of all was I charmed with thenoble Christian character of your fellow-workers, and was thoroughlyconvinced that a very remarkable measure of the blessing of God restsupon the entire movement. I anticipate the most precious results fortime, and in view of eternity the issues of the movement will exceedall calculation. I could say much more, but for the present mustforbear. For the sake of the poor, dear, lost little ones in ourlarge towns; for the sake of Canada, of whose wants I am notignorant; for the sake of humanity, and, above all, for the Lord'ssake, I heartily wish you were enabled to carry every summerthousands instead of hundreds of little children across the Atlanticto be settled in those beautiful Canadian regions, where by God'sblessing they may grow up 'trees of righteousness, the planting ofthe Lord, that He might be glorified. '

"Go on, my dear friend; the Lord is manifestly with you, and He willbless you still-aye, and more than ever. 

"JOHN MACPHERSON. "

_"November 5th, 1874. _

"Having just returned from a six weeks' visit to Canada, I wish toadd my testimony to the many already given of the very valuable workof Miss Macpherson in the three Homes which she has established inCanada for young British destitute children, each Home under thedirection of devoted and much esteemed Christian ladies. 

"Lady Cavan and I found much pleasure in visiting all these Homes, situated in different parts of the Dominion of Canada, in each ofwhich children are received from two to twelve years of age, lookedafter with motherly affection. The greater number sent out this yearhad been provided for. 

"There is a great demand for young children in this country, wheredomestic and farming servants are so few, and numbers of thesechildren are adopted into families, the greatest care being taken toplace them with kind and good people. They are either trained for theplace which they will occupy, or, for the most part, are loved andtreated as children of the house. 

"It needs but to see for oneself the happy, bright faces of thechildren, to be satisfied of the value and importance of thistransplanting institution for the rescuing of children from theirdegraded position, for which they are in nowise responsible. May manybe brought under the Christian, happy influence of Miss Macpherson, through the liberality of those interested in our poor. "

"CAVAN. "

What a work of blessing is being carried on by the different Homeshere! My soul has been greatly refreshed this Christmas in seeingsome of the dear boys return to 'Blair Athol, ' to spend a few dayswith our sister Miss Macpherson. The change in appearance, fromLondon's hapless poverty and degradation, to this glorious clime, --bright, rosy faces, full of laughter and fun, and yet deeplyinterested in the dear, loving Saviour, whose Spirit thus practicallytells His own sweet story of love to their young hearts. One dearfellow specially delighted me. I was present as he was ushered inwith his little brother, his eyes full of tears of gratitude and joyas he said to Miss Macpherson, 'Please, Miss, here's a present foryou, ' drawing a large, fat, beautiful goose from under his arm, carefully packed. Excuse my adjectives, but I cannot help it, for Ifairly loved the boys; and when I looked back but four years, andcontrasted their hapless life (workhouse children) in one of ourEnglish provincial towns, my spirit was full of gladness, and Ithanked God for these broad lands, and the untiring energy of theband of workers and friends who so intelligently and successfullysave them from poverty, crime, and wretchedness, and by change ofposition, sympathy, common sense, and Christian love, fit them foruseful, prosperous lives here, and, by grace, for eternal gloryyonder. 

"HENRY VARLEY"

The following is from a Canadian friend and benefactor:--

"Dear Miss Macpherson, --My attention has been called to acommunication referring unfavourably to your work in bringing out thelittle waifs and strays from England, and placing them in farmers'homes in the country of this Canada of ours. I have thought thatperhaps a letter from me, giving my experience, might not be out ofplace. 

"Fully eleven years ago I first heard of your intention to bring outsome young emigrants to Canada, and as I heard that they were of thedegraded, vicious, and criminal class, I did not look with favourupon the effort. Being in England shortly after the first lot cameout, without making my object known, I went down to the East End ofLondon repeatedly, and personally inquired into the working of thescheme, saw the gathering in from the widows' families, the orphans, the destitute, and those worse than orphans. I saw the cleaning, thefresh clothing, the training in work and discipline, and, above all, the schooling in religious teaching from God's Book, and singingsweet Gospel hymns. I was satisfied that this part of the work wasbeing well done in England, and great care exercised in selectingonly suitable cases and giving lengthened training; so that the girlsand boys from the youngest to those of thirteen and fourteen years ofage, when drafted to Canada in fifties and hundreds, looked likelyyoungsters for workers in this land of plenty. 

"After my return to Canada, having got thoroughly interested in thework, seeing at least that it was doing a good work for London inrelieving the over-population there, I decided, if in my judgment thework was as well cared for in Canada, and as much care exercised inplacing them out in homes as in gathering in and training, then itwould prove a good work for Canada also. 

"Now, (after over ten years), I can say, from large personalexperience, that the placing of several thousands of these young, sturdy, willing workers in the homes of our Canadian fanners, throughthis agency, has been a blessing to Canada, not only as workers, butalso in many cases carrying good religious influences with them. Thegreatest care is exercised in selecting suitable homes, and in nocase is a child placed out unless the applicant brings goodcertificates of character from the minister or justice of the peace. In these homes of the farmers the youngsters are well-fed, well-clothed, and well-treated, in most cases made one of the family. I haveconstantly inquired, in various localities, as to how theseyoung people are getting on, from prominent men, such as judges, members of Parliament, mayors and councillors of towns, ministers andfanners, and am satisfied as a whole they turn out as well as theaverage of young people from any class of society. Some proveunsuitable--these are returned to the Distributing Homes and given afresh start; some few turn out badly or sickly--these are returned toEngland: but compared with the large number that turn out well theaverage is very small. I know the Distributing Homes at Knowlton, atBelleville, and at Galt; they are fine, comfortable, substantialbuildings, and at Galt there is a farm of 100 acres of land. I knowthe workers and the oversight they take in training until placed out, the care taken in placing out, how they visit and correspond withthem, and I have seen and possess hundreds of letters from theseyoungsters, written voluntarily by them from their new homes, many ofwhich have been published in Canadian as well as English papers fromtime to time. I have seen and possess hundreds of photographs ofthese waifs and strays as taken into the gathering Homes in London, then brought out to Canada, then, after being here two, five, andeven ten years, the progress being marvellous. 

"Now, in conclusion, having within the past month visited the GaltHome and Farm, with more than fifty healthy, hearty, vigorousyoungsters being trained and fitted for work among Canadian farmers, it is my firm conviction that this work is being well done on bothsides of the Atlantic. It is being carried on upon right principlesand from pure motives, and God has owned and blessed it wonderfully. There is not only room for, but a hearty welcome also for hundredsmore of such emigrants. The work has proved a blessing to Canada aswell as a blessing to England, and those engaged in it should receivehearty encouragement on both sides of the Atlantic. 

"--Yours faithfully, "T. J. CLAXTON. 

"MONTREAL, _July 1st, 1881. _"

Miss Macpherson writes after Lord Dufferin's visit to the Galt Home:--

"His lordship said, 'We meet your children everywhere, and they areso happy; we have crossed the ocean with them, and even last nightwhere we were slaying we were waited upon by one of your boys as apage, --he did it well too. '"

STEWARDSHIP. 

May Miss Macpherson's solemn words on stir up many to follow herself-denying efforts, and may the same blessing attend them. 

"Since 1868, we have been receiving the love offerings of the Lord'salmoners, and under the direction of two auditors and a publicaccountant, a yearly balance sheet has been issued. To the praise ofthe Lord who knoweth the needs of the destitute ones we have soughtto help, we have not been permitted to contract a debt, or been leftin want of bread or clothing at any time. Our faith has beenfrequently proved, at times for days, and at others for years. Yetour 'God is love, ' and we are in His own wondrous school, and bow toevery trial. 

"From 4000 to 6000 pounds annually have been the requirements of themission. As it came, so was the money spent, leaving us often with avery small balance, but always on the right side. 

"When the funds have been low we have often been led to wonder andadore the love that placed our burdens upon the hearts of others, causing them to consider Him who loved them, and who had enjoined usto go forth and sympathise with the 'Christies' grinding their oldorgans, and the 'Jessicas, ' with broken hearts, crying for bread inthe alleys of our great city. 

"Our sainted sister, Miss Havergal, once earnestly entreated us towrite on about the needs of little children. Mrs. Herbert Taylor, nowin glory, said, 'Oh continue unto the end pleading the Christ-likecause. '

"Yes! we are stewards, and not of money only. 

"Do these departed workers regret one effort made for Jesus? It isonly now we can watch with Him for the little children, --theopportunities for self-denial will soon be past. No more longvoyages, or sleepless nights, --soon the Lord Himself will come, ourbungling and failures all blotted out by the blood on the Mercy-seat. Let us employ every remaining hour for our Lord as He leads us forth;let the eye rest upon the grace that was in Jesus when He took thelittle children in His arms (Mark x. 13-16). How full of tendernessas we see Him placing the child by Himself (Luke ix. 47, 48). Wouldwe follow Him, then shall we be faithful stewards of every gift withwhich He has entrusted us. When we have had nothing left butHimself, -so near to faith's vision, --then how inexpressibly full hasshone out one or other of the 33, 000 precious, never-failing promises. 

"Precious Comforter! drawing ever near to His oft 'perplexed, reasoning, troubled' ones; waiting to comfort them; showing them His hands and Hisfeet, and lifting those hands to bless them (Luke xxiv). "

 "'A little while' for patient vigil keeping, To face the stem, to wrestle with the strong; 'A little while, ' to sow the seed with weeping, Then bind the sheaves and sing the harvest song. 

 "And He who is Himself the Gift and Giver-- The future glory and the present smile, With the bright promise of the glad 'for ever, ' Will light the shadows of the 'little while!'"

"YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE THAT SHALL COME WILL COME, AND WILL NOT TARRY. "

THE END.