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Les diagrammes suivants iilustrent la mdthode. errata to i pelure, on d n 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 GOD'S ANSWERS. BAM.ANTVNE, HANSON AND CO. ElilNBUKOH ANO LUMJON HOME OK INI)l>TUV. Fri'iitisjiii'ce.] , '-f:.' i GOD'S ANSWERS: A RECORD OF MISS AxNNIE iMACniERSON'S iVORK AT THE HOME OF INDUSTRY, SPITALF/ELDS, LONDON, AND JN CANADA. BY CLARA M. S. LOWE, AUTHOR OF " PUNROOTV." " Peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers ; for thy GoJ helpcth thee."— I Chron. xii. 18. LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO, 21 BERNERS STREET. MDCCCLXXXII. 1 CONTENTS. iNTROnCCTIOM PAQR > ix CHAPTER T. 1861-1869. Prayer of Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel -Residence in Cambridge. 8hire-Vi«it to London in i86r, and firat attendance at Barnet Conferences- Visit of Kev. W.and Mrs. Pennefather- East of London, iSoi-Left Cambridgeshire, l865--Work in Bedford In8titute-i866 : Voyage to New York and return, l867-Fir8t giri rescued-Matchbox - makers- First boy rescued-Revival Refuge open for boys and girls-1868 : Home of Industry secured— 1869 : Opened CHAPTER IL 1869-1870. Emigration of families-A visitor's impressions-The great life- work-Emigration of the young, begun l870-Fir.st party of boys to Canada with Miss Macpherson and Miss Bilbrough -Their reception-Mr. Merry takes out second party of boys-Miss Macpherson returns to England and takes out a party of girls-Canadian welcome and happy homes-Cana- dian pastor's story .... J ram vi CONTENTS. CHArTER III. 1870-1871. PAOE Workers' meetings at Home of Industry-Training Home at Hampton opened-Personal experiences— Welcome in \\^e8tern Canada -Help for a Glasgow Home-Scottish Ferryman- "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings " . , . cj CHAPTER IV. 1872. The need of a Home further West-Burning of the Marchmont Home-Home restored by Canadian gifts-Miss Macpherson and Miss Reavell arrive in Canada-First visit to Knowlton in tde East-Belleville Home restored by Canadian friends- Help for the Gait Home-Miss Macpherson returns to Kng- laud— Miss Reavell remains at Gait 71 CHAPTER V. 1872-1874. Letter trom Rev. A. M. W. Christopher-Letter from Gulf of St. Lawrence-I trs. 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 . . . . , gn CHAPTER VL 1875-1877. Mrs. Way's sewing-class for Jewesses-Bible Flower MissJon- George Clarke— Incidents in Home work— The Lord's Day- Diary at sea— Letters of rheer from Canada . i'3 CONTENTS. vu AOE 51 CHAPTER VII. 1 87 7- 1 879. rxoB They helped every one his neighbour "-Miss Child, a fellow- abourer-The work in Ratcliff Highway-Strangers' Rest for Sa.lor8-" Welcome Home "_" Bridge of Hope "-Mis^ Macpherson'B twenty-first voyage to Canada-Explosion on board the " Sardinian "-Child-life in the Gait Home-The Gait Home now devoted to children from London. Knowlton to those from Liverpool, and Marchmont to Scottish Emigrants 145 71 CHAPTER VIIL 1S79-1880. Experiences among Indians-Picnic in the Bush -Distribution of Testaments-" Till He Con.e"-«.A Home and . ), T Welcome" * ^^^'"^^ 165 CHAPTER IX. Ructions and An. .wers- Sorrowful cases-Testimonies from those v^ ho have vi«.ted Canada-Stewardship . I So INTRODUCTION BT THE EEV. JOHN MACPHERSON, Author of " TJie Life of Duncan Mathieson." From East London to West Canada is a change pleas- ing to imagine. From dusky lane and fetid alley to open, bright Canadian fields is, in the very thought, refreshing. A child is snatched from pinching hunger, fluttering rags, and all the squalor of gutter life ; from a creeping existence in tlie noisome pool of slum society is lifted up into some taste for decency and cleanliness ; from being trained in the school whose first and last lesson is to fear neither God noi man, is taught the t»eginning3 of Christian faith and duty, and by a strong effort of love and patience is borne away to the free, spacious regions of the western hemi- sphere, of which it may be said, as of the King's feast, " yet there is room," and where even a hapless waif may get a chance and a choice both for this world and the world that is to come. This is a picture on which a kind heart loves to rest. But who shall make the picture real? INTRODUCTION. 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 much guile as any fowler ever did. Then with patient hands bestow on his body its first baptism of clean water, a ta-sk often unspeakably shocking; reduce to fit size find shape a cast-off suit humbly begged for the occasion, and give him his first experience of decent clothing. Thereafter, proceed to the work, sometimes the most trying ever undertaken, of taming this singularly acute, desperately sly, and often ferociously savage little Englishman, training him to be what ho 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, some beginnings of victory over the most wayward of wills, and the most unaccountably strange of mixed natures, with its intellectual sharpness and moral bluntness, its pre- cocious knowingness and stereotyped cliildishness, its quickness to learn and slowness to unlearn, prepare for the next stage of your enterprise. Lay out your scheme of emigration, get the money where you can, that is to say, call it down from heaven and wile it out of earthly pockets, anticipate all possible emer- gencies and wants by land and sea, finish for the time the much epistolary correspondence to which this same fragment of humanity has given rise, tempt the deep with your restless cliarge, bear the discomforts of the stormiest of seas, and inwardly groan at the signs of 1 INTRODUCTION. xl other and worse tempests ready ever to burst forth in the Atlantic of that young sinner's future course; and when after many weeks of anxious thought, fatiguing travel, and laborious inquiry you find a home for the child, fold your hands, give thanks and say, « What an adventure ! What a toil ! But now at length it is finished ! " And yet perhaps it is not half finished. Multiply all this thought and feeling, all this labour and prayer a thousandfold ; and imagine the work of a woman as tenderly attached to home and its peaceful ways as any one of her sisters in the three kingdom?!, who has made some twenty-eight voyages across the Atlantic "all for love and nothing for reward;" has, by miracles of prayerful toil and self-denying kindness, rescued from a worse than Egyptian bondage over three thousand waifs and strays, borne them in her strong arms to the other side of the world, and planted them in a good land ; meanwhile, in the intervals of travel, facing the perils and storms of tlie troubled sea of East London society at its very worst, and from a myriad wrecks of manhood and womanhood, snatching the strugglers not yet past all hope, and, in a holy enthu- siasm or love, parting with not a little of her own life in order that those dead might live. The outer part of the story alone can be told : the inner part only God and the patient toiler on this field can know. Yet the inner work is by far the greater. XII INTRODUCTION. The thought, the cares, the fears, the prayers, the tears, the anguish, the heart-breaking disappointments, and the fiery ordeals of spirit by which alone the motive is kept pure and the flame of a true zeal is fed, — in short, all the lavish expenditure of soul that cannot be spoken, or written, or known, until the Omniscient Recorder, who forgets nothing and repays even the good purpose of the heart, will reveal it at the final award, is by far the most important service as it is ever the most toilsome and painful. In the work of the kinc^dom of God on earth the true worker is in point of importance first. Apart from the wise, holy, beneficent soul, even the truth of the Gospel is but a dead letter. It is in the intelligence, loveliness, magnanimity and sweetness of a human spirit, touched finely by His own grace, that the Holy Ghost finds His chief instrumentality. Prej^aration for a good work is usually begun in early life, and the worker, whose story is to fill the following pages, unconsciously learnt her first lessons for this service in her father's house. There was, indeed, seemingly little to be learned of any rare sort in the quiet village of Campsie, where life passed as peacefully as the clouds sailing along the peaceful heavens. Almost the only break in the even tenor of those days was an occasional sojourn in the house of her uncle, the Eev. Dr. Edwards, a minister of the United Presbyterian Church in Glasgow, where that venerable soldier of the cross still lingers, as if halfway .f INTRODUCTION. Xlll betwixt the Church militant and the Church triumphant. But whether in the father's house or in the uncle's manse, kind and truthful speech was the coin current, a good example the domestic stock-in-trade, and an interchange of cheerful, loving service the main business. It was a quiet school, whose very hum waj peaceful ; and yet the schooling was thorough ; things strong often grow as quietly as things feeble. The oak rises as silently in the forest as the lily in the garden. Strong characters, too, under any conditions of life, school themselves much more than they are schooled. Active, inquisitive, resolute, and possessing a fair share of the nation il fcrfervidum inf/cnmm, not without some tinc- ture of those elements of the Scottish character known as the " canny " and the *' dour," our worker early developed that robust vigour of mind and body which has so lorg stood tlie wear and t?ar of severely trying work. One passage of significance In the family history deserves notice, especially as suggesting a peculiar feature in her early training and suj)plying a link in the chain of providential e/ents. In work among the young her father was an enthusiast. With a heart bigger than her own family circle, her mother took in two or2)hans to foster and rear. Thus in the work of caring for the outcast and the forlorn Annie Macpherson was " to the manner born." In- heriting her father's enthusiasm and her mother's n XIV INTRODUCTION. sympathetic nature, the quick-witted, warm-heafted girl would not fail to note the equal footing enjoyed by the stranger children, and would know tlie reason wliy: the mucli tact employed to keep the new and difficult relations sweet wouUl engage her attention ; and the exceeding tenderness with which the mother- less little ones were treated, would be a very practical Gospel to our young scholar in Cliristian pliilan- thropy. "Were matters sometimes strained ? did little jars arise and a shadow now and then gather on the faces of the strangers because their own mother was not ? The wise foster-mother would set all right again by some merry quip, some gleesome turn, some one of those playful gleams of humour which furnish a key to the secret of successful work among the young. To be a mother to those orphans, to make life in its duties and joys, as far as possible, the same to them as if they had not lost their own mother, ay, and to teach them to gather the bright "st roses from the thorniest bushes, was at once a good work in itself, and a model for one who was destined to similar service, only on an immensely wider scale and on a tenfold more difli- cult field. The sisterly fostering of the orphans was a providential training for her future life-w.nk. To learn to love and to serve over and above the claims of mere natural affection, could not fail to enlarLje the heart and awaken the sympathies of a quick, sus- ceptible child. Little did her mother know what she INTRODUCTIOS. XV -heafted enjoyed e reason new and ttention ; J mother- practical I philan- did little er on the other was ight again )me one of lish a key To 'o- 1 its duties 1 as if they teach them test bushes, model for only on an more difti- irphans was i-work. To 3 the claims I enlarge the quick, sus- ow what she '4 was doing when she took llie orphans to lier bosom. She only thouglit to make a warm home and a bright future for the hapless pair ; but in effect she was pre- paring a warm home and a bright future for thousands of the poorest children on God's earth. liut tliere was something better in store. Girlish (lays swept by much as usual — the rapid growth of warm thought and feeling making each revolving year a continuous springtide, an opening summer. At nine- teen, Annie [Macpherson looked out on a M'orld that always promises more to youthful eyes than it ever fulfils. Eager hope was drawing much on a future whose furthest horizon was Time. Suddenlv a shadow fell. A word spoken by a friend was the vehicle of a divine message. A more distant and awful lioiizou arose to view : Time with its hopes and joys, like a thin mist in early morning, vanished in tlie light of eternity; and quickly from that young heart, pierced with a new sorrow, went up the prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner! " ]Iow little the world understands tliat same old l»rayer. Yonder afar off stands a man M'ho, having trafficked in all iniquity, having matured in wicked- ness, and perfected himself in the fine art of dodging truth and conscience, is at length found out in the thicket of his own vices by a bull's eye tliat glares on liim like hell. Well it befits such an one, even the ''vorld admits, to smite upon his breast and cry for h XVI INTRODUCTION. mercy. But for a girl in lier teens, an innocent, merry- liearted, pure-minded young thing, to raise a cry fur mercy like a very publican or a prodigal, is confound- ing to the world's sense of propriety and measure in t-hings ; and hence that world is angry, and in effect repudiates the need of so much mercy, of so much abasement and urgency in a case like this. The root and rise of this cry for mercy the natural man does not understand; but that soul knows it right well, where the lightnings of Omniscient Holiness have gleamed and the shadows of God's anger have fallen. The cry was heard. Light arose on that troubled soul, the Saviour appeared and drew the sinking one out of the waters. Even where there is little to be changed outwardly, conversion is always followed by remarkable effects ; the light of the morning is like a new creation on the cultivated field as well as on the barren moor. Our young convert saw every- thing in a new light. She understood now, as she had not before, why her mother, stealing precious hours from sleep, wearied her fingers and weakened lier eyes with the self-imposed task of providing for the necessities of children not her own. If a ruling motive 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 she felt, and it was to her a divine revelation. From the feeble starlight of natural sym- pathies she had passed into the clear day of Christian :, merry- cry fur 'nfound- xsure ill n effect much 'he root an does it well, s have alien, roubled ing one i to be ived by is like rell as every- as she recious akened ng for ruling 3t of a is the divine 1 sym- I'istian INTRODUCTION. XVII S affections, and she now knew tlie secret joy and power of self-sacrifice. A liundred lessons and practical illustrations given her by both her parents were sud- denly lighted up with a new meaning, and clothe.l with a beauty she had not heretofore seen, and a power she had not hitherto felt. All she had learned before of truth, and j.rudence, and kindness, she learned over again, and learned with the quickness characteristic of the young convert. Very soon her whole treasury of knowledge and feeling, of experience and character, was laid with youthful jubilance on the altar of the Lord. From that hour she began to work for Christ with an intensity of enthusiasm that ever since has known no abatement. GOD'S ANSWERS. -♦♦- CIIAPTEK I. 1 86 1- 1 869. Prayer of IFon. and Kcv. Baptist Noel— Kesidoncc in Canihrulgo. • shire— Visit to London in 1861, and first attendance at Barnet Conferences— Visit of L v. W. and Mrs. Pennefathcr— East of London, 1861— Left Cambridgeshire, 1865— Work in Bedford Institute— 1866 : Voyage to New York and return, 1867— First girl rescued— Matchbox-makers— First boy rescued— Revival Refuge open for boys and girls— 1868 : Home of Industry secured — 1869 : Opened. The winter of 1 860-6 r is .a timo to be had mucli in remembrance before the Lord. It; was then that the East of London, with all its sins and sorrows, was laid as a heavy burden on the heart of His faithful and beloved servant Eeginald Eadcliffe. Before the commencement of his labours, a few Christian friends met for prayer at the invitation of the Hon. and Ptev. Baptist Noel. Tlie East of London, and its "stunning tide of human care and crime," was not the only thought of that revered man of God. His faith looked forward to greater things, and onq GOD'S ANSWERS. well-rcmemLercd petition was, that blessing through the work then to be begun in that deej)ly degraded and neglected region, might not be stayed there, but might flow from thence to far-ofT lands. One then present, the Dowager Lady liowley, was not long permitted to sow precious seed with her own hand, but was instrumental in the fulfilment of this petition^ as it was through her leading that Miss Macpherson's voice was first heard in the East of London. At that time Miss Macpherson was residing in the neidibourliood of Cambridge with her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. Merry, and was already a worker in tlie Lord's vineyard. She thus writes of the year 1 86 1 : — " It was a turning point in my life. I made a pilgri- mage to London to attend the preaching of Reginald lladclifTe in the City of London Theatre, 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 Piowley, Mr. Morgan, and many other Christian friends. 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 a strengtli and power before unknown. Many souls had already been awakened, but the full tide of blessing had not yet come. In the villages around her hundreds of labourers were employed in digging for coprolites, a fossil which, when ground is useful as through egraded ere, but le then ot long n hand, petition^ ilierson's ding in ster and I worker a pilgi'i- Reginald oreditch. evening, I, Great Eowley, Through iference, iDiniiig of limed to Llany 11 tide of und her '••liiif; for iseful as RESIDENCE IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 3 manure. Among these men were many of the wildest wanderers, and Miss IMacpherson's heart was deeply stirred for their spiritual welfare, and her time and strength were given to reach them by every means in her power. She had establislied evening schools, lending libraries and coflee-sheds, and of these and further efforts she wrote : — " Second to the preaching of the gospel, we lay every landable snare to induce men to learn to read and write. In doing this, spare time is occupied to the best account, and the enemy is foiled in some of his thousand-and-one ways of ensnaring the toil-worn navvy at the close of day. " The more our little band goes forward, the more we feel that drink, in all its forms and foolish custom.^, must be resisted, — first, by the powerful influence of a felt example; and secondly, by gently and kindly in- structing the minds of those amongst whom we labour as to its hurtful snares. We are accused by some of putting this subject before the blessed gospel. God forbid ! But when we look on every reclaimed one and know that this was his besetting sin, we regard the giving it up as the rolling away of the stone before the Saviour's voice, * Come forth,' can be obeyed. " These first endeavours to spread the gospel story in a more enlarged way were made in villages where the Ilev. C. H. Spurgeon had laboured when not yet twenty years of age, and where souls had hccn blessed tlirough the youthful preaclier. Some of these converts became my helpers, and are co-workers to this day. m n r^ 4 GOD'S ANSWERS. "It was in 1863 that I first became an almoner for others, whilst filled M'ith a desire to build a mission- hall among the coprolite diggers in Cambridgeshire. " The friends attending the Barnet Conference heard of my wish and shared my burden." The following letter to Dr. Elwin shows the sym- pathy that he felt in her work : — "My Dear Fihend, — Thanking you for your daily remembrance of my continual wants in this the Lord's w^ork among these poor migratory coprolite diggers, I must say it was indeed refreshing to think that this little hidden vineyard was laid on your heart to present to the Lord at the Bristol Conference. The answer has come, and now it is my blessed privilege to ask you to rejoice and praise our loving Father for another six souls born anew. Yes, dear brother, they are those I have laid before you again and again to plead for, that the dead form of <:iodlines3 mic^ht bo broken down. Though diggers, they are residents in a neighbouring village, and have attended my ploughmen's Bible-class for some years. From the mouths of many witnesses, in a series of outdoor gatherings every Lord's day even- ing in the past summer, they have heard, on their own village green, a present, free, and full salvation. " Is it not kind of the Master to employ us feeble women in His service, by allowing us to use our quiet influence for Him, and to do many little things, such as inviting wandere-^s to listen, providing hymns and seats, also refreshment for those sent to deliver the Kincc's LETTER TO DR. EL WIN. message? And oh! it is indeed a hallowed privilege to be a * Hiir/ to hold up the hands of the speaker, and watch the index of the soul as the message of love or of warning falls ; to slip in and out of the group, and meet the trembling soul with a blessed promise, or grasp the hand with Christian sympathy. Then for us women such service affords opportunity of giv- iniij the little leaflet or book, such as the case re- quires, and following it up in the home with Bible in 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 occasion I was left alone, and yet not alone. At another time my faith was tried. No one had come to speak. The people had gathered. I opened my Testament on the passage, * Come and see " (John iv.) If the Samaritan woman was led so boldly to say to wicked men, ' Come and see,' surely my Lord knew my burden, and my need for a brother to speak to that village gathering. We sang a hymn. 1 was led to pray. On arising from the grass, a young man came round the corner and said, 'Miss, the Lord has laid it on my heart to come here and preach to-night. Can I be of any service ? ' lie took for his text, ' Yet there is room.* "I know you like to trace the links in the chain of blessing, so I will enter a little into detail. Ono village displayed the most perfect outward form of all that is considered correct as to the using of means. There were clubs, saving of money, young men well GOD'S ANSWERS. I i dressed and regular at their place of worship, four nights a week at their evening school ; but oh ! my friend, not one soul of them with a warm heart towards the Lord Jesus Christ. They read and answered my questions on Scripture better, and sought after the library books with more interest, than any in tlie other villages; but it was all head-work, no heart ; all intellect, no love. On Christmas Day six of these joined our coprolite party to tea, and from eight to ten solemn prayer seemed laid on every heart for them ; and again the following evening nineteen young men met to pray still for this village. Last evening eighteen Christians of various denominations met in a cottage at this said village. There was no formal address, but after earnest prayer, one of the brethren felt this passage laid solemnly on his heart, ' To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.' Then some converted stone-diggers pleaded for a blessing. The answer of four years' prayers came, and the feeble infant wail was heard from one after another amid weeping and sobbing. Surely the angelic host had songs of praise while, in that holy stillness, these young men 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 passing by.' There is now a band of more than a dozen praying young men meeting constantly in their little outhouse. " The more we go forward in this labour of love the more evident it is that the cursed drink is our great i I > t THE REV. W. AND MRS. PEXXEFATIIER. 7 difiiculty. This stone must be rolled away. Another evening home for these men is a stern necessity, and must be provided ; a place which they may call their own. Each building would cost ^30. The men would furnish it cheerfully and support it nobly. Two such buildings have been erected, are now in operation, and answer beyond my most sanguine expectations. ^Morning, noon, and evening, groups of men, while at their hasty meals, are willing to listen to the Holy Scriptures or whatever else may be brought before them." " The memory of the just is blessed." It is sweet to recall any incident 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 laid on my heart to gather together, before the liarvest-time, the stone-diggers, villagers, and their friends, and to invite the Eev. W. and 'Mrs. I'ennefather to see face to face the hundreds of souls for whom they had wrestled with God. Early in the afternoon of tho day appointed, streams of poor men and women came, having walked distances of from two to ten miles to be with us. Conveyances brought earnest lively 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 who of you cannot imagine our beloved friend in the midst of this multitude of warm hearts, as with tears in his eyes he exclaimed, ' This is vl 8 GOD'S ANSIVERS. li! i another conference'? Gatlierintf.s on the srass were formed as tables were insullicient, and our dear friend went in and out among them, every feature showing forth the love with which Clod had filled his heart. His loving eye alone discovered poor Tom, lately out of the work- liouse, standing trembling, and afraid to approach the party ; behind the tent tears of joy streamed after he had secured, amid the rush for tea, a supply for the wants of this poor Tom. A lovely sunset was shedding its radiance over the humble gathering, when Mr. Penne- f ather rose and spoke to them of * the coming glory,' first readinnj Luke ix. 25-35 > ^^'^^> knowing that many before him vv^ould as Christians be called upon to endure ridicule from ungodly companions, he pointed out to them that in all the Gospels which speak of the Trans- figuration, the event is preceded by an account of the Christian's path of self-denial. After an earnest address to the unsaved, this delightful gathering was closed by liis telliniT them that a little offering had been made at Mildmay Park, and that, by the help of that money would now be presented to each mau and woman, (stone- diggers and boys included), a pocket Testament, to be used in the intervals of harvest toil. "Many are their struggles in resisting bad companion- ship and drink, iu trying to improve in reading, in seeking to clothe themselves, to help their parents, to work for Jesus with little light, and less time, and few talents. Oh, how much do they glorify God compared with some in other circumstances, who have been surrounded by heaven-breathing associations all their I EAST OF LONDON IN iS6r. days ! Well, indeed, can we understand that verse, * The first shall be lust, and the last first.' " Scenes of a difTerent character must now be de- scribed. Sad and deeply humiliating as the sights and sounds of the East End of London still are, none who now visit the vast region lying eastward of St. Taul's can realise the sense of desolation that overpowered one's spirit when beholding it at the time Mr. Eadcliffe began his services in 1 860-1 86 r. At that time the condition of the millions who existed there was ignored by those dwelL.ig in more favoured regions. No railways had been as yet constructed by which visitors could con^e from the north and west. The space now occupied by the great railway stations in Broad Street and Liver- pool Street was then crowded with u iwholesome dwell- ings, well remembered for deaths in every house. No centres of usefulness where Christian workers could meet for prayer or counsel then existed. The Bedford Institute had not then been built, and no Temperance Coffee-Palace had even been heard of. The power of the Lord had been very present to wound and to heal in the City of London Theatre and at other services held by Mr. Eadcliffe, and the young women who had been blessed were invited to meet for a week-evening Bible-reading and prayer-meeting, and for this purpose Lady Eowley rented a room in Well- close Square. In this meeting, and in Lady liowley's mothers' meeting in Worship Street, Miss ^lacpherson ?1 H! lO GOD'S ANSWERS. began the ministry of love ^vllich lias extended so M'idely. She afterwards visited the homes of the poor, and the toil and suffering she witnessed, especially in those where matchbox-making was the means of liveli- hood, lay heavy on her heart. With her feelings of pity were always quickly followed by practical effort. In the midst of the winter's distress, one of the most cheering gifts received was from her praying band of coprolite diggers. After a watchnight service, they had spent the first moments of the consecrated new year in making a gathering from their hard-earned wages. Miss Macpherson had placed the East of London foremost in the list of subjects to be remembered at their prayer-union every Lord's Day. Little did the praying band think that in fulfilling this petition, the Lord would take their beloved leader from among them. It was in 1865 that Miss Macpherson was guided of the Lord to leave scenes endeared to her by many hallowed associations, and to encounter the trials and seek the blessinijs of Christian work in the East of London. Her first efforts weie in answer to an invitation from the Society of Friends to hold classes for young men, both on the Lord's Day and on week evenings, at the Bedford Institute, a building lately erected by that Society, and which stood out conspicuously as a monu- ment of Christian love. On the week evenings, instruc- tion in reading and writing was the inducement lield out to attend. The first fruits may be seen in G. C, once a violent o^poser, afterwards a valuable helper in Canada, and now a preacher of the Gospel in China. WORK AT THE BEDFORD INSTITUTE 1865-6. il The work at tlie Bedford attracted so much interest, that many helpers were drawn to it from other parts. The Sunday Lible-classes became an object of remarkable interest. I'erhaps such an assemblage has seldom been seen. !Many tables were filled in one hall with men, in another with women, many of whom were very aged, all with large-print Bibles before them, and each table headed by some earnest teacher, all at the close being gathered together for the final address. Other Gospel meetings were also held at the Bedford, but Miss Macpherson's labours could not be confined to this spot. In several little rooms poor Christian women were gathered for prayer, and depots for tracts were established, and Scripture texts placed in the windows, in streets which were never so lighted before. But these and all other efforts for the poor East End were inter- rupted in the autumn of 1 866. She felt tlie Lord called her to accompany her sister and brother-in-law, ]\Ir. Merry, with their young family across the Atlantic. Mr. Merry's object was to settle his four sons in the Western States of America, The voyage proved most perilous and stormy. On arrival in New York, Mr. Merry's health entirely broke down, and the medical opinion given was that nothing would restore him but return to his native land. In March 1867 they were welcomed back with exceeding joy. How mysterious did this trial appear! Why were those who had sought the Lord's counsel so earnestly, per- mitted to undertake a voyage apparently so useless, and accompanied by so much anxiety and sufl'ering ? N 12 GOD'S AXS]VERS. IIow little could any one then conjecture tluit the Lord was tlius training His children for the great life- work before them ! Not for the welfare of their own family were Mr. and Mrs. Merry to be permitted to settle in those broad western lands ; but many voyages were to follow, and they, and subsequently their children also, "wore to be fellow-helpers in the glorious work of finding homes on eartli, and training for a heavenly Home, thousands of 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 our God has led us ; not a smooth way, not an easy way. " The soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way ; " " but the Lord led them by the rujht imy^ Witli her usual energy, !Miss Macpherson again entered on her God -given work among the poor of the East End, and at once resolved to do all in her power to help the destitute children with whom she came in daily contact. In the very month of her return, the first girl was rescued and received into her own Home, then at Canon- bury. Her story was thus written at the time : — " E. C, aged sixteen, was sent to my lodgings to know if I could provide a home for her. In August 1866 tlie father of this poor girl had bidden her farewell as she was leaving home on an excursion with the Sunday-school to which she belonged. On her return, cholera had numbered him among the dead. The mother threw herself into the canal, FIRST GIRL RESCUED. U and, though restored, was lying helpless in a woikhouso. E. C, who had before been learning dressmaking, was tossed about from one poor place of service to another — her clothes all pawned, or in tatters — till her last rest- ing-place was on the flags. Then she applied at the Itcv. W. Pennefather's soup-kitchen in Bethnal Green, and slept in the room at that time rented above it. The two following days were occupied in vain endeavours to procure admittance into one of the existing Homes for girls, the third, in preparing clothing for her, wliile, at the same time, no way appeared open for her to be received anywhere. When her clothing was ready, our first visit was to a sufferer paralysed and convulsed in every limb, at times compelled to be fastened to his bed, — one whose garret reminded one of the dream of Jacob ; for answers to prayer were so direct, it seemed as though heavenly visitants were ever ascending and de- scending. He prayed, and while ho was yet speaking, the Lord sent His * answering messenger.' Miss Mac- pherson had felt it laid on her that day to come to the East End to my help, though knowing nothing whatever of the present need. When poor E. 0. returned from tlio baths and washhouses in her clean clothing, (having sold her former rags for twopence-halfpenny), she was met by the loving offer of a home. She seemed afraid to believe it, and followed, as if in a dream, the friend so mercifully raised up for her. She was afterwards placed in service with a Christian friend, and her two little brothers were among the first inmates of the lievival Eefuge." 14 GOD'S ANSWERS. i Most mercifully for the poor little niatclibox-makcrs wn.s Miss Macpherson's return ordered at this time. Much sympathy had been awakened concernini^ them, and much help had been sent for their benefit from the kind readers of the " Christian " paper. They num- bered many hundreds, and Miss ^lacpherson undertook care and responsibility concerning them, for which tho strength and powers ol an older labourer M'cre totally unfit. In this, and countless oMier instances. Miss Macpherson has proved herself ever ready to "fulfil tho law of Christ" (Gal. vi. 2). Tho case of these infant toilers had rested on her heart from the first moment she had been made acquainted with their sufferings. The first sight of thim is thus described by her own pen : — " In a narrow lane, having foL ;d high up a totter- ing spiral staircase till we reached the attic, the first group of tiny, palefaced matchbox-makers was met with. They were hired by the woman who rented the room. The children received just three farthings for making a gross of boxes; the wood and paper were furnished to the woman, but she had to provide paste and the firing to dry the work. She received two- pence-halfpenny per gross. Every possible spot, on the bed, under the bed, was strewn with the drying boxes. A loaf of bread and a knife stood on the table, ready for these little ones to be supplied with a slice in exchange fof their hard-earned farthings. " This touching scene, which my pen fails to picture, gave me a lasting impression of childhood's sorrows. LITTLE MATCIIDOX-MAKERS. IS Never a moment for school or play, but ceaseless toil from liglit till dark." Miss Macphersou's first attempt for their bctieflt was to open evening schools, the inducement to attend which was the gift of sadly needed 'Clothing. These schools were opened in various localities, the chief gathering being held in a house kindly provided for us by Charles Dobbin, Esq., still one of our unwearied benefactors. Not only reading, but the art of mending their tattered garments was a new thing to them, and their outward condition was such, that when for the first time a country excursion was planned for them, it was with the greatest difliculty thyy were made fit to appear. "Wliilst making every exertion to raise the matchbox- makers from their hitherto almos } A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS. 23 a pliilliarmonic club, now the devoted servant of God, his whole anxiety seemed to be as to when he could return to his work. During our visit, it was most touch- ing to see the tenderness and anxious care of his com- panion, a young man called Fred, a labourer in the large wne vaults at the docks, who, though smelling of wine, ar d his clothes saturated with the fumes of spirits, W;i,s a staunch teetotaller; and judging from the intel- ligent way in which he answered our questions, would be a valuable witness before any commission of inquiry into the practices which wine-sellers term ' mixing,' but which he vulgarly called ' adulteration.' Every night during 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 of the many licensed lodging-houses and thieves' kitchens, which abound in the neighbourhood of Spitalfields. " On our way we met two little girls, matchbox- makers. The outline of their lives was given in a few moments. The father, a drunkard, had absconded six years ago, leaving his wife and six children to struggle with awful poverty as best they might, having previ- ously so beaten and kicked his wife about the face, that she had become almost blind. * Where's father now V * In the workhouse, stoueblind.* " In a room witli a roaring lire were seated some thirty men and a few women with infants. The landlord's reception was anything but gracious. In answer to our H GOD'S ANSWERS. * Good evening,' he growled out, ' We don't want talk ; those men want bread.' And hungry enough many seemed. So wliile one was sent for a supply of bread, whicli was received with unmistakable gladness, and devoured greedily, we spoke to them of that 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 love of God was spoken of. I could not but feel that conscience was at work, perhaps memory carrying back his mind to a godly mother, wlio once had spoken the same loving words, but had gone to her rest in tears. " We then entered a licensed lodging-house accom- modating 350. This was a sad sight, because three- fourths of the men were unemployed poor, chiefly (lock -labourers, willing and glad to work, if work could be got. On many a face there were stamped hopeless- ness and apathy. Two poor fellows were sipping a cup of tea, without milk or sugar, given to them by a poor man, but tliey had not a morsel of bread ; and this 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 the night's lodging, and a cup of poor tea was their only meal. It made one's spirit groan to think of the misery that sin and selfishness had wrought for these poor fellows. "In the nc" : house the inmates were mostly thieves. But here is one poor fellow, a workman, but with no work ; he has been out in the streets three nights, and now one of his companions pleads with us for tliree- A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS, as pence to procure him a night's rest. We peeped into several otlier such dwellings, but the same story was repeated in each. In all we were struck with the kind reception we met with, evidently due in part to the presence of our companion, who, although a lady, feels called of God to labour among these dens of misery, where there is so much to do and so few to do it, and to the fact that we lent a kindly ear to their tale of distress, and did what lay in our power to relieve the immediate pressure of the very destitute. But, above all, we w^ere thankful to meet with such a spirit of hear- ing, and a ready attention when Jesus was lifted up as the Saviour of sinners. " We now entered a court to visit a poor \voman whose husband had died suddenly the week before. It was between nine and ten, and we found the widow had been washincf, the clothes hangin^j from lines in the room. Her two children, aged nine and eleven, were busily employed in matchbox-making. " The rapidity and neatness of these little human machines were truly most remarkable ; the number of boxes made in a day, from half-past six in the morning to ten at night, was something fabulous. The floor of the room was covered with boxes ; they earned a shil- ling each a day ; often days passed when they were unable to get work to do. Poor children! thin and wan-looking, life seemed a terribly serious thing to them, their days spent in incessant toil when work was plentiful, their nights — well, they had a bedstead with a bundle of dirty rags for a bed, but nut a stitch imnM 26 GOD'S ANSWERS. of bedclothes; the clothes the children wore were their only covering at night. " In another court we found a silk- weaver hard at work, — from eight in the morning to eleven at night. This man, a Christian, had formerly been a weaver of velvet, but finding that a living could not in any way be made out of it, in an evil hour he was tempted to go into a skittle-alley as a helper. Here, though receiving good wages, he found he could not bo happy, — could not 'abide with God;* so he gave it up, and now he is earning barely tenpence a day ; but hard as his lot is, he is happy in the consciousness of doing right, and still manages to spare a little time to take his reading-lesson from the Bible, and to tend a flower- ing-plant, his only companion, Mhicli representative of the vegetable world seems to have nearly as hard a struggle to live as its master. " Our next visit was to a poor old woman between sixty and seventy years of age, surrounded with every discomfort, and troubled with constant cough and weak- ness. Apparently slie had only a few days to live, but she was able to rejoice in Jesus as her Saviour, whose presence even then made all things bright. " The next visit was to a poor dying girl ; in a room so small that there was only a margin of about three feet round two sides of the bed for standing ground, the floor covered with rags, (her mother being a rag- mender), lay one, who, though poor and miserable, was yet an heir of glory, and was upheld in all her wretched- ness by Him who was sent to be ' tlie Comforter.* We THE GREAT LIFEWORK. 27 thanked God for tliese two bright spots, wliere diviiio light and love were seen and felt. *' At the Home of Industry we liad been invited to take tea with two hundred and fifty destitute widows. The testimony of one of these, a clean, tidy old woman, was very precious. She had once been in aflhient cir- cumstances and drove her carriage ; her fortune lost in one day, she was now reduced to poverty, but, * Sir,' slie said, ' I would not go back to it all and be as I then was; no, not for all the world.' Possessing Christ as her own, she felt she had the riches of God, and knew that there was an inheritance reserved for her in heaven, incorruptible, and undo filed, and that fadeth not away.' " The great lifework of ^liss Macpherson and her devoted family may be said to have begun this year. The need of emigration may be expressed in her owu words : — " Boys came to us for shelter instead of going to empty barrels, railway arches, and stairways. We found they were grateful fur all that was done for them. The simple gospel lesson was our lever to lift them into new thoughts and desires. The sharp divid- ing knife of the Word of God would discover the thief and liar, and rouse the conscience to confession more than anything beside. But our walls had limits, and our failures in finding employment for many away from, tbeir old haunts became a great difficulty, and the God-opened way of emigration to Canada was pressed upon us." 28 GOD'S ANSWERS. "Thy God liath commandnd thy strength." To tho astoiiislinicnt of many, Miss Macpherson expressed licr determination to pioneer the first band, and He Who of old sent forth His disciples two and two, was mindfnl of tho present need, and so strengthened tlie heart of a young sister (already deeply interested in the work, and singularly gifted in many ways) to lay all at the feet of her Master, and to offer to share whatever toils and trials might be in the way. " Yo have not passed this way heretofore." It was a new way, an " untrodden way." "We have now been for many years so accustomed to hear of tlie kind welcome given in Canada, and the prosperity of the young emigrants, that we cannot realise the faith and courage required by Miss Mac- pherson, and her co-worker, Miss liilbrough. Many misdvinr^s arose in the hearts of some at the thou'dit o o o of these two sisters in the Lord arriving uninvited in a new land where neither owned a friend, and, greatest of all, fears were entertained that those who had known the wild roaming life of city Arabs might defy tlie control and authority of the leaders. But how vain were all these fears ! Wisdom had been asked of the Lord in every step of the way, and He had given "liberally," according to His gracious word. How blessedly was the title of Counsellor as well as Leader and Commander of His people then fulfilled ! The following description of the departure of the first party was written at the time : — DEPARTURE OF I'lRST BAXD. 29 "Our soula are in Ood'a mi;,'lity liand, We're precious in His siglit." Tlicso words, sweet and triio at all times, surely never sounded sweeter than when sung bv the hand of young emigrants gathered for the last time within the walls of the Refuge, wliich to many of them is hallowed as no other spot on earth can ever be. How precious in His sight, none can tell but He who watched over those young wanderers, and surrounded them with the loving care and prayers which still 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 in the Lord, Miss Mac- pherson, will like to know every detail, even to the outward appearance of those once ragged, shoeless wanderers. Kow they stood in ranks ready to depart, dressed in rough blue jackets, corduroy suits, and strong boots, all made witliin the Ilefuge, the work of their own hands. All alike had scarlet comfurters and Glengarry caps ; a canvas bag across their shoulders contained a change 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 provided for each, aid while they stood thus indoors, singing their last farewell, a dense crowd filled the street without, having waited for hours in the pour- ing rain. It was with difficulty the police could keep ♦ 30 GOD'S ANSWERS. the way clear for the boys to enter the vans ; aiul as tliey came out, most blessed was it to think that, altered as they were in outward appearance, many o£ them had experienced a far greater change within — that with man/ "old things had passed away; behold, all things had become new." At St. Pan eras Station a band of Christian friends had assembled to commend them to the Lord, and the heaib of His beloved servant was further cheered by seeing among these one of those whom He had given her among the first-fruits of her labours in Cambridge- shire. It must not be omitted that a band of young nuitchbox-niakers ran through the pouring rain all the way from Spitalfields, and forcing their way through every obstacle, rushed on to the platform to grasp once more the hand of their best earthly friend. The train left St. Pancras at 8.30 r.M., and at one station, reached a little before midnight, a friend, un- known by sight, but well known through kind deeds, was waiting with an offering towards the expense of the journey. At Derby the boys had a run on the platform to warm themselves, and then gathered round their beloved leader, and in the dead of the night made the arches of the station ring with their songs of praise. T-iiey then followed Miss Macpherson in prayer, and in the carriages prayer was still continued by many till sleep overcame them. There is reason to believe that in the case of two souls the answer to these petitions was given before the train reached Liverpool. At Derby, as elsewhere, passengers and officials were EMBARKATION IN THE ^^ PERUVIAN.^^ 31 Struck with tlie siglit of tlie boys, all remarking that they had never seen more intelligent countenances, and one observed, after hearing something of their history, " This is real religion." Liverpool M-as reached at 4 a.m., and all went at once on board the " Peruvian." Then came a trial of patience,— they had to wait some hours for breakfast, —but restraining grace was so manifest throughout,' that one's heart was continually lifted up in prais^e and thanksgiving for this mercy as well as for countless others, and most especially for the loving-kindness of the Lord in strengthening and supporting His beloved servants at the time of parting. From want of space, it appeared impossible, (as far as could be judged from the first day's experience), to gather all the boys together, but even amid the difficul- ties attending first going on board. Miss Macpherson succeeded in holding a little service with a portion of them. Some of the passengers and crew gathered round; all were remembered in her supplications, and a deep solemnity rested on all. Then slie called on those boys who knew what it was to draw near with fissurance to the throne of grace to ask for blessing. and, with her undaunted energy, exhorted them not t°o be afraid to speak for Jesus. Prayer was followed by the oft-repeated hynm,— ** There is a hetter world, tlioy say, Oh, 80 briglit ! " The tender brought on board a band of Christian 33 GOD'S ANSWERS. friends, wlio once more thronged around her, till tlio parting signal was given, and then the last sounds heard on leaving were, " Yes, we part, but not for ever," and " Sliall we gather at the river ? " The following note of cheer quickly arrived, to the joy of many anxious hearts and the praise of a prayer- hearing God : — " On Board the ^Peruvian,' off the Coast of Ireland , May 13, 1870. " Mv DEAii Sisters, — Fearing lest in your anxiety for us you may have imagined a rough night for the first, I send a few lines to assure you that all is love, even to the smallest details. Each rolling M'ave reminds me of that word in the Epistle of James, ' Let him ask iu faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.' Many a faithful prayer has ascended for a prosperous voyage ; prosperity of soul is often realised by being kept in the lowest place, and when my boys told me how ill some of them had been in the night, and how they had, notwithstanding, held little prayer- meetings, crying to Jesus in the midst of what to tlieni seemed a storm, I rejoiced. Thus trial sends us to Jesus, the Captain of our salvation. *' With the exception of two, all are on deck now, as bright as larks ; they liave carried up poor Jack Frost, and Franks, the runner. It is most toucliing to see them wrap them up in their rugs. Michael Finn, the Shoreditcli shoeblack, was up all night caring for the LANDING AT QUEBEC. 33 sick boys; he carries tlieni up the ladder on his back. Poor Mike ! he and I have exchanired nods at the Eastern Counties Eailway corner these five years ; it is a great joy to give hira such a chance in life. Oh, to win his soul to look to Jesus for everlasting life ! " The following extract will tell tlie answer to the many prayers by which Miss ^facpherson was upheld, and how assuredly it was the Lord who had guided her way across the pathless deep : — " Mr. Stafford, the agent at Quebec, would willingly have kept the hundred boys there, but we only le** 'm eleven, and brought the rest on to Montreal ; and taero too they were anxious to keep them, and said if it were made known, in tliree days we should not have ono remaining. As it was, we left twenty-three, and all in excellent situations. Some of the best were picked out, numbers of them as house-servants. Then we left eight at Belleville, lialf way between Montreal and Toronto." These boys were left in charge of Mr. Leslie Thorn, who had acted as schoolmaster at the Home of Industry, and whose help was invaluable on arrival in the new country. Miss Macpherson's youngest sister, Mrs. Birt, tluis writes concerning the departure of the second family, so readily sent out in answer to the invitations of dear friends in Canada : — " I am sure our dear friends will feel exceedingly pleased and gratified to hear that the departure of our second band of boys for Canada this year, under the care of Mr. Merry, took place on the 21st of July, leav- 34 GOD'S ANSWERS. ing our hearts filled to overflowing with thankfulness and praise for the very marked way in which the Lord has led us on step by step. " Little did we think, a month ago, that it would be possible in so short a time to select, teach, and outfit seventy boys, and to soften their manners, even if "we had the necessary money for their expenses. But the Lord has most wonderfully brought it all about in His own way. The money was sent, boys anxiously in search of employment came beseeching help, the needful work for their outfits was accomplished in fa.' less than the usual time by faithful widows, who sewed away as diligently as though each had been making garments for her own son. An active, earnest, clever teacher was also provided by the Lord, to give to these rescued ones that punctual and diligent, daily attention that seemed to us so important. Even the postpone- ment of their sailing from the 14th inst. to the 2ist inst. was overruled for good ; ^Ir. Merry was enabled to be- come more personally acquainted with each, and we know that * the good seed of the Word ' was sown in many hearts, we trust to bear fruit. On reaching the ship, we were told that our band would have the benefit of a phice set apart for themselves, whereas, had they sailed the previous week, they would have been crowded up with other emigrants. After three days' rest we return, the Lord willing, to the Kefuge, to select and prepare a band of young girls. Our sister Miss Mac- pherson writes to us that she has been besought most earnestly by the Canadian ladies to send them out some HOME GRANTED AT BELLEVILLE. 35 5t little English maids; and that they promise to watch over them and care for them as if they were their own." After the arrival of Mr. Merry in Canada with the second party of boys, Miss Macplierson returned to England and wrote as follows : — "My Beloved Fellow- Labourers, — You will bo surprised to hear that, after a pleasant voyage, with renewed health, I am again in my privileged place of service in the East of London. My song of praise is very full. The Council of the county of Hastings has given me a house capable of holding 200, free of all expenses, situated in the town of Belleville, Ontario, leaving the management in my hands, entirely untram- melled by conditions. Thus a work of faith is now commenced on Canadian shores, where our little sti-eet wanderers can at once be sent and trained under our own schoolmaster, Mr. Leslie Thom. ]\Iy friend Miss Bilbrough, assisted by the Christian ladies of the town, has undertaken to furnish this Distributing Home in readiness for !Mr. Merry's arrival. There all will un- dergo a training, and will be kept till suitable situa- tions are appointed for them." After remaining a short time in England, Miss Mac- plierson, accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Birt, returned to Canada with the third party of young emigrants, numbering over a hundred. The following is an extract from Mrs. Birt's first letter after their arrival : — " In my memory are associated two scenes connected with the pretty park in which the Distributing Homo 36 COD'S ANSWERS. is situated, scenes tliat can never be forgotten; first, tlie long procession of the tired and weary little travellers, wending their way up the carriage-drive, the clear, starlit sky overhead, and the quiet, bright full moon sliining down on their upturned faces, as they stood in front of their new home, and sang so earnestly — * Praise Gotl, from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him, all creatures here below ;' and secondly, on awaking the next morning and look- ing out, the sight of the whole party scampering about the park, just like so many little wild animals let loose from a cage, rushing about under ev^ery tree, as if try- ing whether their freedom was real. I had to call my sister to look at them, and in mind we carried them back to London at six o'clock in the morning, and felt it was indeed good for them to be thus in Canada. How longingly we wished we could fill the Distributing 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 cleared backwoods to visit some of our chil- dren. The country was charming; woods and green valleys, with every now and then rich orchards laden with rosy apples ; the long Concession roads, forming at times magnificent avenues, in which here and there a maple, which had caught a cold blast, prematurely showed the lovely autumnal tints so peculiar in rich- ness to this country. bt 11- m in [cr to [•e \y KIXD WELCOME BY CANADIANS, 37 "Evervwlicre we called the warmest hospitalitv was shown us, very like the 'furthy auld kintra folk' of Scotia in days lang syne. "Our first recognition was a boy named Ambrose, of the second detachment ; he was busy in the farmyard, but soon, with a bright face, came to the side of our vehicle, telling us he was so happy and well ; indeed, it required no words to assure us of this. Our next call was to one of the first settlers of fifty-eight years ago, still living in the house he had at first erected. His dear wife, on hearing of the arrival of tlie little English orphan children, could not sleep all night, but had her horses put into the team, and drove in to Belleville, and for the Lord's sake, who had been so good to her and hers, took away two, one for herself and one for her married daughter, whose home had never rung with the voice of a little prattler. It was great joy to see that they loved and cared for these little waifs as though they were their very own ; my heart alone knowing whence they had been taken, and their little memories still keen as to the awful contrast of former want and this present aljundance of food, fruit, and kindness. *' With this dear, pious couple, we drank tea. Such a spread at this meal is never beheld in the old country. Around my cup of tea w^re seven different kinds of choice dainties at the same time. This is their wav, and it is done with few words but warm welcome. The homespun, well-worn coat and well-patched shoes of our aged host were all forgotten when listening to his intelligent remarks on men and things ; and though 38 GOD'S ANSWERS, seventy-eiglit years of age, every faculty of licad and lieart seemed to keep pace with the times. He was a Wesleyan Methodist, and with pleasure told us of the erection of their new Zion, whose glistening tinned spire we could see rising among the woods at no great distance." Miss liilbrough wrote at this time : — " Miss Macpherson has been able to spend during this summer much of her time in visiting among tlie dif- ferent farms where our children are located, within some twenty or forty miles of Belleville in the counties of Hastings and I'rince Edward. She would start some sunshiny morning on a week's tour, dining with one farmer, having tea at another's, and passing the night at some special friend's, Charlie, the mission horse, receiving the best of fare ; while next day the farmer 1) am esses his horse and takes her round to the neigh- bouring farms where the little English emigrants have found a resting-place ; and oh ! the joy of these children to see again the well-remembered face, and hear the cheery voice of her who had first seen and relieved their misery in the old country, and now bringing fresh cheer and comfort in the new ! With what haste the table is spread and soon loaded with substantial food, and afterwards what oj^portunities arise for a few words of counsel! Some verses are read from the Word of God, and then kneeling down, we and the new friends would commit the child to the care of Him who has said, * I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' " Here, too, the numerous tracts and books brought VISITING IX FARMHOUSES. 39 from Ell-laud, '(lixl's AVay of Peaco,' 'The Blood of Jesus,' 'IJritisli Workman,* ']jatid of Hope,' and 'Tlic Christian,* often containing a letter from Miss Mac- pherson, are eagerly sought after and read; and when passing along the road, Cliarlie seems now instinctively to stop when meeting some pedestrian, that out of our well-filled handbags may be given some tract or book." The following is a record of days of travel in the backwoods : — lim " Marchmont, Belleville, October. " My friend Miss Bilbrough and I started, after an early dinner, from Marchmont, having declined the kind offer of a friend's conveyance, preferring to go by the usual stage- waggon, as our object was to study the country people, and know those with whom our little ones mingle. In so doing we increase our opportunities of distributing books and tracts, — a new thing in these outlying districts. AVe ask prayer for a blessing on these, and for every dear boy and girl who has been under our care, that the Holy Spirit may bring to caeli mind the remembrance of the truth in Jesus, which has been set before them. Our faith is from time to time strenglliened by seeing one after another joining the Lord's people. "The novelty of our position was increased when the driver and our fellow-passengers, seven in number, discovered that we were the friends of the orphan children. Their politeness was touching. We had to 40 GOD'S AN!i\VERS, titko the Lest scat, tlic curtains were ilrawii down to shelter us from the wind, and tlic driver strove to interest us by telling us liistories of such of our boys as he knew at diflerent points of liis journey. "For miles the country seemed well cleared, except where portions of forest were left to supply wood for the years to come. The cedar-rail fence and 'Con- cession 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 witli bark, to the stone and brick edifice, with barns and stables, and other surroundings, like unto one 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 the driver, and received our books most politely. " The * lumbering district ' stretched away northwards, some seventy-five miles from where the giants of the forest had been felled. The recollections of our fellow- passengers were interesting as to the few years ago, when the very country we were passing through was a dense mass of similar unhewn timber. Xow on every side there were homesteads telling of plenty, and enlivened by rosy, healthy little ones. Who will ques- tion the desirability of thus peopling our Father's glorious landscapes, and gathering up our poor perish- inj? children from our overcrowded dens and allevs, where they are dying by thousands yearly for want I RECEPTION AT ROSLIN. 41 a 17 (1 s- 11- it of pure air ami sunsliiiie, many becoming criminals ere they scarce leave their mother's knee ? "The past encoura<:;es us to liope that He will not permit us to go before Him, and will both send suOicient strength for the day, and suflicient means for the sup- port of all He would have us rescue from misery, by bringing them under the inliuences of a pious home, jilacing them in Sabbath schools, and above all, gather- ing them beneath the sheltering wiui? of the loving Shepherd. "We arrive at length at Iloslin, and soon find the pretty house of our friend Dr. H , where we are warmly greeted for the Master's sake, and ere long in- troduced to the only little baby prattler, its mother, and her widowed sister. Tliey had lived in the city, had visited the old country, were friends of Mr. Gosso, and readers of * The Christian.' Hence we soon found that though in a Canadian backwood settlement, we had tastes and topics in common, and one longing especi- ally united us — the burden of precious souls to be won for Him we all loved. " Through a chain of circumstances. Dr. H had obtained one of our boys, who had been engaged in a similar capacity in a suburb of London, but had lost his situation, and become an orphaned wanderer in our great city. His knowledge of dispensing was a recom- mendation for his appointment to another doctor; and, to my great joy, hitherto he had conducted himself so well, that in all the neighbourhood around other boys were so much in demand, that we now have no 4a GOD'S ANSWERS. less tliau forty children in that district among the farmers. " My friend, ever a true helper as secretary, remem- bered that a small l)oy named Smith, who had left a mother sorely fretting after him, lived near, and pro- posed to go and get a report of him at once. Tlie Doctor's conveyance soon was at the door, and in less tlian an hour my friend returned with a bright account of the comfortable home and the happiness of its young inmate. " The short hours after tea swiftly passed in convers- ing over the basket of books and tracts, many of tlicse the gathered-up stores of my friends, which when read had been sent to the liefuge, and were now being spread freely in Canadian homes. We also talked over the principle which we were endeavouring to work out with these friendless children, namely, that as the Lord Jesus had given Himself to save us, so we ouj^dit to reach out the hand of love, and endeavour to snatch others from lives of misery and want. If we cannot open our own doors to the lost and wayward, ought we not to help in finding out those who can, that the lost and wandering lambs outside in the wilderness might be gathered beneath a sheltering wing inside some happy fold ? " Dr. H and his intelligent wife and sister held a long conversation with us on the method best suited for those whom we are seekiufj to benefit — whether to educate them for a series of years in our institutions in the old country, or to afford them only a temporary PASTOR ZELLER. tch lot wo )St lilt lie 43 residence with us, where their character, temper, and talents could be studied for a few months with a view to determine what family they would suit best. Our experience with the three hundred children now placed out and watclied over by our co-labourers in Canada brought us to the latter conclusion, antl thu testimony of others in Germany was to the same efiect. " Pastor Zeller, who himself founded an orphan asylum at Ijcuggen, had long before strongly advocated the placing of bereaved children in Christian families as the very best method of training them. Commenting on this, M. de Liefde observes — 'An establishment whicli contains from fifty to seventy children (and this surely is only a small one), however well managed, cannot help being unnatural in many respects. Nature seldom puts more than twelve children together in one house ; quite enough for a man and his wife to control, if due attention be given to the formation of the difTerent characters and tlie development of the various talents. The training of a band of children beyond tliat num- ber cannot help assuming the character of wholesale education. Tlie larger the number, the greater the resemblance of the establishment to a barrack ; it becomes a depot of ready-made young citizens, got up for social life at a fixed price, and witliin a fixed period of time. No wonder that they often tarn out unfit for practical realities, and uncured of inveterate defects.' The noble Immanuel Wichern felt this objection so forcibly, that his famous 'ITauhe Ilaus ' institution is like a village of families, each homestead with its house- 44 GOD'S ANSWERS. father and house-mother, and its twelve boys or girls, as the case raav be. He considered that ho could not .>therwise do justice to those whom God liad committed to his care than by bringing the principles of family life to bear upon each individual. " In the course of conversation we asked, how it was that so far from the city they had heard of our having boys to dispose of, and it was pleasant to hear that the weekly ' Christian ' was the link that led them to depute a relative to watch for our passing through. ]\Iont.eal. Family worsiup closed this day of sweet service. " The next mornin" our kind host studied the various Concessions in whicli our children had been located, and soon the 'democrat' (a peculiar 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 beeches and maples, firs and cedars, were beautiful to behold in their autumn loveliness. "Our first call was at Mr. V 's. He was a wido^vcr, and, finding his home lonely, had souglit at Marcli- mont for a little one to love and cheer him. He had taken the twin-like brothers, Freddy and Tumrny, whose sweet little faces bore some resemblance to his own. We found the children at school, looking hearty and happy in tlie playground as we passed the schoolhous'j. Mr. V was from home, but his mother, a pious woman, received us most kindly, and spoke affectionately of the children. Slie took us to see her lovely flower- beds of annuals, all laid out with taste in front of the CIIILDRES L APPY HOMES. 45 wooden Iionse, and tended by her own hands when house-work was over. My Iieart longed for tlie joy of telling the happiness of these children to the aged ])ious grandmother pining away in want and sickness, and forsaken by her own son, the father of these boys. "Passing onwards, we drove past a rosy-cheeked little fellow climbing a bank. A month in the fresh air had so clianged him from the delicate, pale, thin boy, that we looked again ere we recognised Alfred Bonkin. His widowed motlu'r will sing for joy to hear of his being thus educated, clothed, and fed, and growing up to an honest life. "Alfred was 'fixed up* (to use a Canadian term) with two others of our children in a family settlement. One was a grown-up lad, employed in farm work, and the other a little matchbox-maker. The venerable couple who had adopted them liad won our hearts when calling upon us at tlie Home. They were both over eighty years of age, had thirty grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and yet room to love our little 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 she would soon spread the table i We spoke of our long round of calls, and with difiiculty we got away, not before we had been laden with a basket of the finest apples we had ever seen, and had promised to come and pay a long visit next time. From all we witnessed, wg could not but 46 GOD'S ANSWERS. n'j(jice in the way God had opened liomes and Christ- loving hearts to receive our perishing little ones. "reacc and plenty smiled ou every hand. Tears came as a relief when fondlimj: little Annie Parker took my hand, saying, ' Tome and see my father's new house ! ' The memory came back of Mr. Morgan, ^Ir. Holland, and a few friends meetincj with me in John Street to form a ' Little Girls' Home.' Two years have now passed since Annie and her whole family were carried to tlie Fever Hospital. Both the parents died ; ^tlie four girls took a room, and lived by matchbox-making. Annie and Maggie were the youngest, starved and ragged beyond description. Since that time they have botli been cared for, have learnt their letters, and can now read and write. Surely the most inveterate opponents to emigration could not but approve of and seek a blessing on such a change. Where in all England could we have found, in a few weeks, hearts and liomes for forty adoptions ? These families are thrifty and homely — spinning, weaving, knitting, knowing wliat small means with a blessing can do, and are the very people to train up our children for a common- sense battle with tlie difficulties of life. "We were interested in observing the forethought displayed in laying up stores for the winter ; apple being peeled, quartered, strung upon strings, and dried eitlier in the sun, or over the kitchen stove; pump- kins cut into parings and dried, &c. "All that remained at this late season (October) in the fields was the buckwheat. When this is cut and THE CANADIAN PASTOR'S STORY. 47 placed in stacks, its red roots are exposed, affording a pleasant contrast to the dark green of the up-springing fall-wheat. More immediately around the houses, lay the immense yellow pumpkins, still attached to their dying stems." The time for ^Miss Macpherson's return to England now drew near, and with a heart fdled with thankful- ness for the mercies they had already experienced Miss Bilbrough offered to remain at Marchmont, to brave alone the first Canadian winter, and with Mr. Thorn's help to watch over any case of difTiculty that might arise among those who had come out; for as yet the work was an experiment. a ^y »g it la 1 id A CANADIAN PASTORS STORY. "Annie and Maggie, the children before mentioned, were taken out to Canada by Miss Macpherson, and were at first unavoidably placed in families residing at some distance from each other. The younger one was brought back to the Marchmont Home on account of a peculiar lisp, which her master's children were acquiring from her. Almost innnediately another farmer called for a girl to assist his wife in the care of her little ones. He saw little Maggie, carelayground, and in the midst of streets in which ifc was unsafe for one of these boys to be seen, can hardly be imagined. It was a subject of the greatest astonish- ment to a descendant of Immanuel Wichern's that in such circumstances Miss Macpherson was enabled to keep them under control. It was, however, most de- sirable to find some place where their active energies could be employed in some sort of training for the Canadian out-door life. Miss j\Iacpherson thus refers to her thankfulness that such a spot was found: — " Those who share with us the burdens of this work will rejoice to hear that we have now a Home in the country, where we can cultivate a few acres, and where the children can become efficiently trained for Canada under the superintendence of Mr. and Mrs. Merry. It is situated near the village of Hampton and is now being furnished. This will 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 testimony of another friend : — " The Training Home at Hampton bids fair to be a most valuable addition to Miss ]\Iacpherson's scheme for rescuing these dear children if only for their health's PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. 53 'ork tho lore lada It is io'»vn sake ; the pure air, the early liours for rising, the out- door and spade exercise, the plentiful supply of real milk, are all good; and the absence of all noise and excitement gives a much fairer chance of seeing ^vhat the boys really are, and the probability of their taking to Canadian life." The next party was arranged to leave for Canada by the " Prussian" on the 4th of May, and on this occasion one who had the privilege of accompanying them thus wrote : — " I feel it as impossible to convey to friends in England a true idea of the kind welcome accorded to our poor little ones, as it is to give to dear Canadian friends any adequate idea of the crowded misery of our own dens and alleys. " It has scarcely been credited by some that so many hundreds of little travellers could have crossed the Atlantic in many successive voyages and not have experienced one storm. How we realised the power of 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 many young charges. The work begun on land was carried on at sea, and many young hearts were blessed of the Lord ere they left the ship. It was pleasant to hear many testimonies in their favour among the passengers and crew; plea- sant also to hear testimonies of thankfulness for Miss !Macpherson's presence in the ship; for she laboured unceasingly among the crew and steerage passengers as well as with her own special charges. 54 GOD'S ANSWERS. "Kind letters of welcome were received off Quebec. For a few hours wo were detained at Point Levi, wait- ing for the emigrants' train, and watching with delight the sun descending and streaming with splendour on the clilFs and magniliccnt river; some of the heights bare, otliers clothed with firs, all picturesque and grand. The evening star shone before us as we were carried westward ; one of the little orphan girls said it looked as if watching over us to help us ; and in the morning we reached Montreal Junction, where one of Mie warm Canadian friends who have welcomed Miss lacpherson so cordially entered the cars, and spoke very encouraging words to tlie young travellers, telling them how he had himself been as dependent on his own exertions as any of them could be, and how by persever- ance in the situation he had first entered, he had risen from the humblest post to the highest, and had long been in a position to help others. This friend is the superintendent of a large Sunday-school, and his scholars have undertaken the support of an English child. " A lovely cloudless day was just dawning as we arrived at Belleville, and we were greeted at the station by the kind voice of Mr. Henderson, one of the evange- lists, for whose labours in Canada we have had so much reason to praise the Lord. The sun had not risen when we were first taken across the blue rushing river !Moira, carrying with it the floating logs, felled far aM'ay, and borne by its rapid current to the Bay of Quinte, the beautiful shores of which we caught sight IV i WELCOME AT MARCILMOXT. 55 long the his dish nge- hmg of just 'as the crimsou streak in the east was growing into the great sun.* "Ihit wo wore now at M;irchinont; and Lively as it was in the fresh green of spring, (die maples, not yet in full leaf perniiLting a glimpse of tlie bay.) yet all othur feelings were lost in the joy of biing welcomed by dear Miss JUlbrongli, wlio liad bjeu watching for us all through the night. Miss Macpherson was allowed but few hours to rest before tlie throng of visitors camo to welcome her, and to take away the newly arrived little ones. Among the fu'st was a lady, the mother of eight girls, who had lost her only son, and who carried away, with tears of joy, a boy brought from South- ampton workhouse. There were farmers from many miles round, brin^ini:' their recommendations from ministers or other well-known friends; there were children who had been brought out the previous year, some earning good wages, and bringing their savings to Miss Macpherson, too full of joy to say much, but clinging round the one whom the Lord had blessed in rescuing so many from want and misery. Among these were three former little matchbox-makers, wlio had known more sorrow and care during their early years than is sometimes crowded into a lifetime. Tears on lioth sides were sometimes the only greeting given. Images might be filled with records of one day at i\Iarch- niont, records of the Lord's goodness to the fatlierless and motherless, and those rescued from a worse fate still, whose parents would have dragged them down into the haunts of drunkenness and sin, from whicli, 56 GOirS ANSWERS. ill later years, it would linve heen so much harder to reclaim thcni. Oli, that many moro in our own land could witness with their own eyes the boundless open- ings for work, and provision made for our poor cliil- dren in the broad lands the Lord has so mercifully spread before us ! "Tlie first experience I had of the homo of a Cana- dian farmer was in the neighbourhood of Stirling. Our drive was partly along the banks of the river Moira, which, perhaps, from being the first with which I was made acquainted, has always appeared to me one of the loveliest in ' this land of broad rivers and streams.' After leaving the river, our road passed through woods, ill which we saw wild fiowcrs of lavirer size and briiihter colours than our own, though fewer in number ; and from a rising ground we saw Stirling beneath us, and a few miles beyond reached the dwelling of one who had come out with no other riches than the strength of his own hands. His house was humble in outward appearance, but contained every comfort, and was surrounded by orchard and garden, and many acres of cultivated land. Huge barns to hold the abundant produce are always the most conspicuous feature in every Canadian farm. Cattle, sheep, and poultry were all around, and all his own, and in his own power to leave to the sons grow- ing up around him. In this family the sons v.ore all following the father's occupation. " In most families that I have seen, as a good educa- tion is within the reach of all, some of the sons have preferred following the study of law or medicine ; the VISITS TO FAKMS. 57 ravs irm. his )W- all Ica- Lve Llie farmers have tliorcfore the more need of helpers, and welcome tlie more eagerly the young hands hrought out. Thouf^h we were quite unexpected, all but one of our party being perfect strangers, we were pressed with the usual Canadian hospitality to remain the night; and while our horse rested, our kind host took out his own team and drove Mr. Thom to visit children settled in the neighbouring farms. "My next experience was that of a farm beyond Trenton, where one of the boys was engaged. Our drive was along the bay, and the opposite shores of Prince Edward's county often reminded me of the Isle of Wiglit as seen from the Hampshire coast. Our road first passed the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, a grand and spacious building, a mile out of Belleville, and then was bordered by orchards and rich cornfields, scattered cottages and farmhouses, with lilac bushes clustering round the doors and verandahs. Outside every farm- house may be seen by the roadside a wooden stand, on which are placed the ample cans of milk waiting for the waggon to carry them to the cheese factories. No fear, it appears, is here entertained either of milk being stolen or of fruit being missed from the abundant spoils on either side the road. "At Trenton, beautifully situated near the head of the bay, a boy rushed out at the welcome sight of his friend, and farther on more greetings of love and grati- tude awaited her. The farm we this day visited was one of more importance than the last. Four hundred acres of ground surrounded a well-built house, two 58 GOD'S ANSWERS. stories high, and covering much ground. In such a dwelling a handsome piano is seldom missing, and here stood one in the inner drawimr-room. Luxuries that could be purchased for money were not wanting, hut labourers were not so easily procured, and the contrast between the interior of the house and the rougli aj)proach to it was most remarkable. " So much must necessarily be done with so few hands, that time for a llower-garden, or even the making of a neat footpath, cannot be found. The mistress of the house looked sadly worn and wearied from want of help in her indoor labours. "Within easy reach of this house stood a much smaller one, built by the owner of the farm for himself and iiis wife to retire to whenever their eldest son should choose a bride and undertake the farm. This I have seen elsewhere in Co,nada, and liavealso known the neir of the property to go out for the day helping at another farm, where no labourer could be found in the ueigli- bourhood. No contrast could be greater to one coming from the sight of the constant distress in the crowded East of London, — distress arising from want of work, food, light, air, and room to live and breathe in, and the comfort here beheld and experienced through the abundance of all ; the pure fresh air, the sight of * God's blessings growing out of our mother earth,' tlie ground ready to bestow so rich a return for oil the labour bestowed on it, and the only want that of the human hands — the hands that, in our o\\n land, are to be had so easilvj that liuniau beings are expected to v.-ork like I I WESTERN CANADA. 59 :ii- 111 ul macliincs, and liiimau frames are used as tliougli made of brass or iron." Miss Macpherson was not permitted to remain many Jays quietly at Jjelleville. Tlie call came for her to go farther into Western Canada, and this eventually resulted in the establishing of the Home at (Jalt. The journey is thus described in her own .words : — " Believing that our gift was to pioneer, we left OU: dear friends embosomed at Marchmont amonc' the bursting maple trees in loveliest spring-time. At early dawn on May 23rd we started, with a party of twenty of our boys of different ages, for AVoodsti^ck and Embro, a district of country where thousands of Scotch families have settled, and where there has been a wave of blessing from the Lord, through the faithful preaching of evangelists in the past year. Therefore we longed to 'spy' the land, not so much to gain an increase of dollars or more cultivated land for our boys, but our object was to find hearts that had been awakened to newness of life ; and we trusted that with such our children would be nourished by the sincere milk of the Word, and grow thereby into godly men and faithful witnesses of the Lord 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 our expected arrival, warm hearts greeted us. Kext day the boys were gazed at, admired, wished for, questioned, and feted, until wo began to fear lest they should be spoiled by seeing the great demand for them, and the eagerness with which 6o GOD\S ANSWERS. J I they were songlit after, being ccnsiJered, as tlioy term them, ' smart boys.' With ourselves it ^va3 a day of much prayer for the needed wisdom. And in tlie after- noon, (being the Queen's birthday, and kept by loyal Canadians as a complete holiday), the dear boys went off with us through shady groves for a ^alk. We went into a cemetery, and read together from our 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 settle- ment, and from its groves we had a view of tlie distant woodlands clothed in richest foliage. On a beautiful lawn, the old Scotoliman, with tearful tenderness, fed our dear boys with unaccustomed dainties, and jugs full of new milk. "In tlie evening a Scotchman arrived from a still more western district, Arkona, deputed by his neigh- bours to come for seven more boys. We could, how- ever, only spare him five. The boy lie took from us last rear liad behaved so well that the demand had in- creased. Then came those painful leave-takings ; and to see great boys of sixteen and seventeen sobbing, was no easy work for my clinging lieart; but He who 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, to Embro. There we found ' democrats,' each with a pair of horses, for the boys and luggage, in which they went off in high glee, under the care of a good man of my own name ; and for myself and SCOTTISH SETTLERS. 6i erm y of fter- .oyal went went enny 'ound ■seats ,ettle- istant utiful S3, fed 1 jug3 a still neigli- liow- lus last :id iu- ; and bbing, e who lonely )eyond locrats,' [itigage, :are of Ai and fi lend, a Highlander long fiae the hills of onr native laud, had sent a cairingc and pair of splendid spirited horses. " Our party of boys liad by this time considerably decreased; and had they been hundreds instead of ones, of similarly trained boys, there would have been no difficulty in distributing them into good homes. " Canada is just now in a most prosperous state. Farmers' sons do not remain at home, but either enter professions or stores, or go farther West to colonise. Hence the need of further help, which is met by our boys, who tak^* 'heir place, beginning with the ABC of farm-work, or, as Canadians express it, ' choring round.' " This new district was very pleasing to a Scotch eye — hill and dale, rich woods, substantial farmhouses, richly cultivated orchards, beautiful with blossom; picturesque views of gushing rivers in wild gorges, with grand old monarchs of the forest telling the tales of years gone by, ere the emigrant's axe had laid their companions low. " We reached a lovely village, and were warndy welcomed by ' ]\Iacs * of every name, reminding one of childhood's summers spent in the Highlands of old Scotia. Here we were at home ; the sweet assurance of a Saviour's love shone in the faces that now sur- rounded us ; we were on the trail of an ivcngelist, and Jesus 'lifted-up' had been beheld, making faces beam with thankfulness to Him who had given Him- self for them. 62 COD'S ANSWERS. I " The kind McAuley, who had opened his house and licart, in expectation of the whole twenty boys from London, liad himself been overwhelmed with love- ofTerings in the shape of food the good neighbours had sent in, vying with each other in showing kindness to the orphan and the stranger. "Ah! what a power and privilege is granted to us women, in that we are permitted to arise and second the work of the pvangelist by showing our faith by our works, and giving to the Christians in this land of plenty and no poverty objects upon which to work out their love ! AYords fail to depict the extreme tenderness and delicate attention shown to us, for Jesus' sake, during the forty-eight hours we spent in the midst of this kindred people. "In the evenin'f the old Scotch kirk was filled to the door, and after the singing of some sweet hymns and several heart-breathings of prayer, we spoke of the dealings of the Lord in this mission among the children of our million-peopled city. Whilst doing this, it was difficult to realise that we were not at home, among the dear brothers and sisters who are wont to meet with us for prayer at the Home of Industry. "The thank-offering to the Lord at the close was spontaneous, also the supply of food sent in by the farmers, and which was sufficient for a hundred children. It seemed almost more than my poor heart could bear when I called to mind the starving multitudes gathered in, and ravenously devouring the morsel of bread dealt I GLASGOW HOME. 63 3ve- haa iS to io us dtlie y our )lenly tlieir erness ' sake, idst of lied to hymns spoke among Whilst reve not ho are ouie of Dse was by the Ihildren. ^ild bear rathered [ad dealt out to tliem in London. It made me long tliat the Christian women of our land would rise up in some great national movement, and help many thousands of our oppressed families to come out to this land of plenty, where millions of acres are crying for labour. It is no romance nor ideal of a heated brain, but a plain, practical way of showing our Christianity, this bearing the burdens of many a sinking, crushed-down family. "The much -dreaded Canadian winter is really the most enjoyable period of the whole year, and when it is over one hears of nothing but sorrow that ' winter's noo awa.' " ]\Iiss Macpherson had intended returning to England in October, but was delayed for a time by many calls for service. From Montreal she writes : — " Strike another note of praise for the answer to the many prayers of our Glasgow fellow-labourers. A friend in Scotland has been stirred up to give ^2000 in order to build an Emigration liefuge in that city, that homeless lads may be trained for Canada. Let us unite in asking that ere long similar Homes may be opened in Edinburgh and Liverpool, where poor and oppressed orphans abound. Before returning to you, we trust that corresponding Homes on this side will be in course of preparation, one in the East and another in theAVest, so that when the 150 young emigrants arrive at Quebec, fifty can proceed at once to each Home fur distribution. "We leave Marchmont accompanied in our mission 64 GOD'S ANSWERS. carriage by two boys; and those two have histories which contain a lesson for all boys. Their ante- cedents in England were much the same — orphanage, want of caretakers, misery. One is still self-willed, having no mercy on himself, a runaway from the home in which we had placed him, and was brought to us a second time by the police as homeless. We are now taking him back to his master to hear all about the grievances, and find out that they arose from his de- termination not to go to school. A boy that does not value the opportunities afforded him, but prefers grow- ing up in ignorance, must suffer for it sooner or later. ]\Iay all boys who read this determine to apply them- selves to every lesson heartily ; each dilliculty over- come will render it more easy to master the next. " The other boy was one of the first hundred ; he arrived by train from Toronto at midniglit, and rang us up, expecting admittance, for he felt that he was com- ing home to see his friends, his master having given him a holiday. This boy, though utterly alone in the world, snatched by us from a life in London stables, stands there, at fourteen a self-reliant little man, with his purpose in life clearly defined. He is not many minutes in the house before he discloses the joy it is to come home, and tells us how he has 'as good a suit of Sunday-clothes to put on as any gentleman. "Next morning he sits during Bible-lesson in tha schoolroom side by side with the na'er-do-weel. Both are received for Jesus' sake, the one in his poverty and self-will, the other in his good suit and self-com- A LESSOX TO BOYS. C^S )ric3 tute- lage, iUea, iioiue ) us a ! HOW it the is de- es not arONV- o « Inter. Uiem- ^ over- t. ed he rang i^s as com- rriven in the stables, m, wit-h )t many it is to > suit of in the Both poverty elf-coni- placcncy, but botli still wanting the ' one thing needful ' to fit them for the home and mansions on high. "Wliilst endeavouring to explain how Jesus had loved them, and wrought out a righteousness for them, and was as will- ing to receive them as we had been, and that lie had a large and loving heart, and cared for the many hundreds still wandering about in tlie great citv, tears fdled the eyes of the little group. Just picture what we felt as J V , in the most humble and child- like way, put his hand in his pocket and drew out twenty-five dollars, saying, 'Miss, that will bring another.' "My words ceased, and a clioking feeling came into my throat as the lesson 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 be behind J V in havinsf tlio privilege of giving us so much encouragement in this work. "The first year J P rccc'ved no wages, only his food and clothes ; now, liis services having become valuable, he gets six dollars a month. He has purchased for himself a silver watch, a good overcoat, and has also returned most honourably his passage-money, therefore he has received his neatly framed and beauti- fully illuminated discharge, to hang up, showing he is now no longer a poor emigrant. " J holds that the habit of savin-' the cents is the secret of success, and he intends plodding on until \v. 66 GOD\S ANSWERS, can purchase a farm of liis own, and we think it will not 1)0 very long before he does so, if his life is spared. Thus he accompanies us as a son, and as such is received and lodged in the various liomes we visit. " It was most amusing to hear him tell the runaway sitting by him in the carriage how to get on, and advise him not to give way to his own will and his own temper. " By boys this advice is more easily given tlian taken, as was ;j^)roved in tliis case. We left tlie boy on his promising that he would be obedient 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, ohei/. Again he escaped from a good home, and after wandering many miles, knocked late at night at a ferryman's, and asked for food. Here liobert Jack, a kind Scotchman, recognised the English corduroy, and at once met him with, ' You are one of Miss Macpherson's boys.' He was fed and lodged, and strange to say, next day we were led, in the course of our journey, to cross that very ferry. The young runaway seeing us from the window exclaimed, ' Oh ! here comes Mr. Thorn,' and would have hidden away from our sight, knowing he was dointj wront:^, for he would not understand that we were his friends, willing to help and love him. Oh, may all boys who read this seek earnestly to believe that Jesus is theii very best Friend, and He only can remove their self-will and blindness of heart! " In crossing the ferry early in the summer, we had f mm THE SCOTTISH FERRYMAX. 67 , will leived aaNvay advise 3 own L taken, oil ld3 scliool. ive this lis own I of four )me, and nirrht at rt Jack, •oy, and )licr son's ,av, next to cross \\9> from . Thorn,' wing be tliat we liim. Ob, believe only can ■J we bad I spoken fuitlifuUy to this ferryman, and had sent him the * Life of llobert Annan ' by post. They had been schoolfellows together, and after reading the book, he got many others to read it also. This small sixpenny gift, accompanied by prayer, had done a work, liobcrt was willing to become a co-worker with u.'', and is now trying to train to honest industry our little self-willed runaway. Thus we hope that in the log-hut of the Scottish ferryman he may learn to read and write, and that tlie blessed Spirit will work on the hearts of both master and boy. "The experience of yearning over this orplian boy moved our hearts to speak of Jesus, who bore with such long-suffering love our own rebelliousness ere we came to Him." The story has been told before of the first poor girl rescued in the East of London throucrh Miss ]\Lac- pherson's blessed agency, one wliose father had died suddenly of cholera, whose mother had thrown herself into a canal, and, though rescued, had been, through drink, a source of misery to her children. Tlie eldest brother * of this poor girl, about sixteen years of age, had been brought out the previous year to Canada, and appearing one day at Marchmont, I thought from his looks and dress that he was one of the farmers' sons come to engage a boy, little thinking that so short a time had passed since he was destitute as the poorest among them. * This boy, now a shoemaker, has written asking to be allowed to liave one of the lads, as an apprentice. 68 GOD'S ANSWERS. Ill England wo are so accustomed to the sorrowful sight of neglected cliildren, it can liardly be imagined by us liow sucli a fact strikes a Canadian. Often liave I seen the tears in tlie eyes of the farmers at tlio sight of little ones brought so far to seek a home at such an early age. This M'as especially the case with regard to little Annie referred to in the following lines, the youngest of three sisters left motherless in a workhouse. When I last saw this little sufferer health and strength liad been given to her, and she was the pet of all in a home of comfort. "OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS." *' From the moutlia of babes and sucklings," Was the Prialniist's grateful word, " Thou hast perfected Thy praises," And I thank Thee, gracious Lord. ''I 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 l)eside me, Smiles upon her baby lace ; 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. I '^DADES AND SUCKLINGS." Tliou^'lits of ])ityiiif,' love came thronging Art I tliouglii lidw Jesus mnie ; How llo blesst-il tlio lillle cliiltiren, lluw Ho licakd the bick and lamo. So I asked the little maiden, "Annie, Jesus cares for you — If we saw Ilini now beside us, Can you think what He would do?" Strangely Bolemn seemed the answer, (Listen, {*isters o'er the sea) ; "^ jsus, just to you would give me, And would bid you care for me." Engli.-h si.sters, rich and gifted ! Ask your hearts, Can this be true ? Clirist hath nuuiy a liomeless orphan, Is He saying this to you ? " Tii^ is child and nurse it for Me 1 " Will J ou dare to say Him nay ? Dare to let His children perish, Or in evil paths to stray t H too stately are your dwellings, Send them hither, let them come ; In our fair Canailian homestea■ /. om^ V w /A Photographic Sciences Corporation rv 1 ^^7 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 i'- X-' 70 GOD'S ANSWERS. When our maple pours its nectar, They shall share the luscious treat ; Where the woodland straw b'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. B. Geldard. I ill: ( 71 ) CHAPTEE IV. 1872. ''^^''Hom/n^ Home further West-Burning of the Marchmont mTM";;? ^'"' 'n '''^ ^y ^'"''^^^^" gifts-Miss Macphersoa fn th^ Ea^t'T 'TV'^ Canada-First visit to Knowltoa in the Last-BeleviUe Home restored by Canadian friends- Help for the Gait Home-Miss Macpherson returns to England —Miss Reavell remains at Gait. In her first letter on returning to England Miss Macpherson writes : — " Beloved Fellow- Workers,— Once more at home among the old familiar scenes in the East of London, the sadness and the sin shadows our joy and thanks- giving. My first visit in the immediate vicinity of the Eefuge I shall not soon forget. "Taking good news of Andrew in Canada to his mother, I found his father lying dead drunk in one corner, and his little brother lying dead waiting to be carried ofif to the grave by the parish in the other. "In the first low women's lodging-house, I found a poor misguided girl asking me, ' How's my little sister ? ' ^ " Passing on to Mr. Holland in George Yard, I cheered him with answers to his many inquiries as to the placing out of his rescued ones. I i\ 72 GOD'S ANSWERS. '* Many a "warm shake of the hand I had from poor costermongers and grey-headed men, for what had been done for their belongings in taking 'hem from the sin and want around. " My way is now open to go forward, as means per- mit, to rescue girls and train them for Canada or for service in England." Miss Macpherson goes on to tell of the purchase of the Gait Home, 300 miles westward, and states the need in these words : — "We found that to educate our Canadian family, and thoroughly fit them to be of value to the farmer, a few fields to work upon would be an advantage, that they might see the effects of new soil and climate, in tlie growth of vegetables, shrubs, and farm produce." " Thou hast tried us as silver is tried. We went through fire and through water, but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." This was the experience of th beginning of the year 1872. Miss Bilbrough's letter brings to mind Deut. xxxiii. 12. Hi "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, I trust, to work more than ever for Him who hath done such great things for us. Our song is one of continual thankfulness and praise, and I know you will join us BURNING OF MARC HMO NT. 73 in giving thanks. Our beautiful Home lies in ruins, only the walls standing, and there is one little grave dug by Benjamin Stanley's, containing the ashes of little Eobbie 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 next morning, and I awoke in the night thinking it was daylight. Miss Baylis 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 of dense white smoke ! I knew well what it must be. I rushed to Mr. Thom's room, he was sleeping heavily, but I roused him, saying the house was on fire ; then I weit down to the boys, Philips and Keen, who were in the schoolroom, called them up and told them to save the children, and rushed upstairs, nearly choked, calling ' Fire ! ' " Mrs. Wade, Miss Baylis, Miss Moore, all came out. Downstairs I ran again and unfastened the front door, and went to the corner of the verandah. Philips was getting out the children, and the flames were coming on with frightful rapidity ; it was blowing a perfect hur- ricane, and the whole building was enveloped in smoke and ashes ; I ran back half-way upstairs to see if I could get a dress, or my cash-box, or watch, but I was too much suflbcated, and had to get back to the front door. Mrs. Wade, ^liss Baylis, and the children, were making for the fence. I saw Mr. Tliom, and 74 GOD'S ANSWERS. ' called to liim to search again with Philips for the children. "The intense cold in the snow seemid almost worse to bear than fire. We all climbed the fence and ran to the nearest house. Poor Mrs. Wade had got her hands frozen, even in that short time, as the thermometer was about twelve or fifteen degrees below zero. " Here we called over the names of the children ; some were here, some in another house, sitting over the stove with bare legs and only their little shirts on. Soon little Robbie was found missing, but Philips had lifted him out, and he had been seen running with the others ; we suppose that the poor child, blinded with smoke, ran to the front door, and then went through into the schoolroom, the place he knew best, where he must soon have been suffocated. It was all over in a few minutes, all around was fearfully bright and lurid. The engine came, but was of course too late, the fire spread with such terrible rapidity. *' We sat almost stunned with fright and cold. Soon the Shearings and Elliotts came, bringing clothes, &c., and we went to dear Mrs. Elliott's house in a slei2:h. It was not four a.m., and the fire was almost out, burning round the verandah and the window-sills. " Oh, how our hearts went up in thankfulness to God for sparing mercies ! A few moments more, and we dread to think of what might have been. 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 was in Miss Lowe's bedroom ; she could ALL SPARED BUT ONE, 7$ Soon s, &c., n. It God id we Jaylis' "lit, my idow. 1 could not realise it, and, after being first 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 was found but a table and one stove ; all gone. Books, papers, clothes, everything; but there in the blackened ruin lay dis- tinctly the charred frame of little Robbie. Mr. Thorn went for Dr. Holden and a coffin, and the remains were brought to Mr. Elliott. Dear little fellow, 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 the fire, when the others were at church, and we had sung some sweet hymns. I made Robbie especially stand beside me, and made him sing alone. ' I will sing for Jesus,' was the hymn ho chose. He sang it sweetly. How little did I thin^.w in a few hours he would be singing the 'new Pcng* before the throne! His history in our book is very touching. 'Robert Gray, aged six ; a happy little man, who can say little or nothing about himself/ The rest of the page is blank, as he had never been away from Marchmont. An inquest was held over the body. We wished it especi- ally, so that we might have an investigation as to the cause of the fire. " Dearest Annie, when I think what it might have been, and the grief of all at home, and the intense sorrow, oh, it makes one so thankful! I felt Jesus S' ^^ w* ii. 76 GOD'S ANSWERS. very precious through it all, recognising His hand in so many ways. I had had much blessed communion with Him that Sunday, and several seasons of sweet prayer. I can fully realise that for me it would have been all right, if the Lord had ordered it otherwise; but for the sake of those at home I bless God for life spared, and trust earnestly the Lord may give us all increased power and spiritual life. Having passed through * the fire,' may we also receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And oh, may our lives be more and more devoted to His service ! Not our own, but bought with a price, may we live more and more unto Him who hath loved us ! "Miss Moore was out at nino o'clock in the wood- shed ; all was safe then. Mrs. Wade locked the doors at ten with stable lantern in the wood-shed (the boys' summer dining-room), and then all was safe ; the fire in the kitchen stove was out. She came shivering in to prayers a little after ten. The parlour fire was nearly out, and Miss Baylis and I were quite cold. The fire upstairs was not lit, nor had any ashes been taken up on Sunday morning. If any had been removed on Saturday, they were placed in iron vessels in the first kitchen. The fire broke out in the further corner of the wood -shed. The cause is so far quite unknown, and will, I suppose, ever remain so. " I send you the account of the inquest, and other papers, as I know well it is better to see and know all particulars. I cannot, however, tell of all the kind- ness and sympathy we have met with — a telegram ,1 1 d in so fn with prayer, leen all but for spared, creased gh * the e Holy d more rht with im who e wood- 16 doors lie boys' the fire ering in nearly the fire liken up Ived on Ihe first Irner of Iknown, other know kind- llegram KINDNESS OF CANADIANS. 77 from Mr. Claxton, offering money, &c., lion. George Allen wishing to take the children ; Mr. Eason : * I am praying for you, can I help by coming ? ' numbers of friends coming with clothes of every kind; subscrip- tions got up to start a new Home immediately ; sewing societies at work and ladies canvassing the town in every direction for help to furnish anotlier Home at once. I could not even begin to particularise our friends. Mr. Flint came up at eight, begging me to come to his house. *' This afternoon we have buried little Eobin. The service was held in Mr. Elliott's church. " How often w^e have thourrht of home friends durincj the last few days, and longed that you might not hear the news in any way till this reaches you, which will be nearly three weeks 1 and now you must fancy us happy at our work again, and as much under the loving care and protection of our God as ever, trusting only to Him for everything, that whether absent from the body, or still in the flesh, we may be more and more filled with faith and love for the Lord's work. "Wednesday. We seem each day to realise only more fully our marvellous escape. The firemen say they never remember such a night, nor saw a house burn so rapidly. Now every one is so kind ; things keep 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 met with on every hand. " Oh, that verse in Isa. Ixiv. 1 1, is so expressive ; 78 GOD'S ANSWERS. fl * Our beautiful house where we praised Thee is burnt up with fire, and all our pleasant things arc laid waste/ What a ruin Marchmont is now ! the blackened ashes all around — nothing but the walls standing. I feel such mingled feelings as I look at it — all the happy days we have 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 and interest together. So nearly entering eternity together, and yet saved, w^e trust, to render more devoted service to the Master, for having passed through this fiery trial, " I can hardly bear to think of all the sorrow you are feeling for us ; but oh ! let thanksgiving and prp;'se be uppermost. It is the one thought that fills our minds. We are wonderful in health, no cold, and are as occupied as possible, looking after the children, and preparing 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 at first 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 i memory now ; And yet, in humble thankfulness we bow, — Father, Thy will be done. *v 1 'b> ISAIAH LXIV, II, It was but lent : Thou wilt not that Thy children fix their heart On auglit below : theirs ia 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 ana 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 1 The welcome glad, the farewell's sadder tone— Ah, we remember yet. We were not there When thio' its halls the fierce destroyer swept ; But God Wcvo watching, while our dear ones slept— Safe were they in His care. All safe witli Him ; Yes, for our Roboie "sings for Jesus" now In sweeter tones, with far more sunny brow, And eyes no tears 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. 79 I So GOD'S ANSWERS. W: m All former kindness was as nothing compared to that now received, as will be seen by the following from Miss Bilbrough : — "Belleville, February 2, 1872. "I know that many many prayers are now beinj^ offered for us, and that the Lord is answering them every minute, giving us sustaining grace and wisdom, and help as to the future. I knew it would be five weeks before I could hear from you, and I could trust that all we might arrange here would meet your approval, as it has generally done. " However, the Belleville people, with Mr. Flint at their head, quite took the matter out of my hand, being determined that they would provide and furnish them- selves a still better house than Marchmont. The sym- pathy awakened is great, and the pleasure of friends at hearing that w«. could have a large substantial house on the Kingston Road for our orphan children was equally so. Mr. Flint has secured it for three years, the Council paying the rent and taxes, and sufficient is already gathered to furnish it. So that when the first arrivals come in May, all will be ready for them. '• How good the Lord is ! even out of apparent trial He brings the good. We had been praying for special blessing, and in this M'a} , (strange as it seems to us), we do recognise the answer." In March, Miss Macpherson writes : — " Beloved Friends, — ^AVhile you are reading this, my pathway will again be upon the mighty deep. The ANOTHER VOYAGE. 8i to tliat 2 from o , 1872. V bein;^ rr them wisdom, be five lid trust Bt your riint at ad, being sli them- Che sym- f friends ial house iren was ee years, sufficient Yhen the r them, rent trial )r special to us), we this, my [ep. The Lord willing, I look to leave Liverpool by steam-ship * Scandinavian,' March 7th. Miss Eeavell, who has for two years been our scribe in the Kefuge, accompanies me. Your prayers have gone up that blessing niay be ours, as a little band of feeble workers for our Lord, and if He has been pleased to try our faith by the trial of fire, shall we not praise Him for anything His loving hand doth send us ? And as one has beautifully said, 'What God takes it is always gain to lose.' Heaven is nearer now our little Robbie is there; Jesus is dearer, and has quickened us all by His constraining love. "My object in going now to Canada without children is twofold. Strength being given, my desire is to visit the new districts, where I hope in the coming summer to place out the hundreds now under excellent training and holy influence here and in Scotland, and to find out Christian families who may be willing to receive them on arrival. Plead that the Holy Spirit may fill with power those who are daily seeking to win these wanderers back to the fold. " Secondly, I wish to make use of the late sad cala- mity, and God's wonderful interposition in saving life, so that the teaching may not be lost upon the hundreds of immortal souls connected with our mission." It is impossible to describe the eagerness with which the arrival of these dear friends was looked for, and day after day those in service in and around Belleville would come with the hope of seeing them. And among these were former match-box makers, who had been rescued from such depths of sorrow ; one of wliom 1^=^ 82 GOD'S ANSWERS. had already saved from her wages sufficient to pay her brother's passage out, besides bringing offerings of her own work towards the furnishing of Miss Macpherson's room in the new Home. Through many dangers they were brought safely, in answer to many prayers, but Miss Eeavell had suffered much on the voyage, and one special instance of the Lord's care I cannot help here recording, "They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness." Miss Reavell had been a most diligent and necessary labourer at the Home of Industry night and day. At sea her strength seemed to fail ; she only existed on oranges, and the last orange was gone. In the midst of a fearful storm, signals were made by another vessel that they vvere without food, and the life-boat was put off from the steamer, carrying to the distressed vessel a barrel of flour and pork. In return, a thank-offering came in the shape of two boxes of the best oranges, the ship being fiom Palermo, bound for New York with a cnrgo of fruit. "Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." The visit of Miss Barber, a Canadian lady of influence, to the Home of Industry', was the means of interesting friends in the Eastern Townships* Province of Quebec, and of leading them to open a Home at Knovvlton. The following letter is from Miss Macpherson :— "The year's experiment in this new district will enable us to test it as to whether it will be a suitable one for our children ; if so, it will not cost many pounds of •English money. The old house we have taken was for- CANADIAN WINTER. 83 merly a tavern, and its ball-room will make us an excel- lent dormitory; the rent is only ;{^20, and is paid entirely by a Canadian, Should tlie children tlirive under the fostering care of our dear friend ^T.iss Barber (now doubly dear to us all after the winter of help she has given us in the Kast of London), there will be no diffi- culty in establishing a permanent Home, built of brick, half of the necessary sum having already been sub- scribed in and around Sheffield, Leeds, and Nottingham; and the other half our friends in the province of Quebec have freely offered to collect. Thus will those both on this side and at home share the benefits ; the old country seeing hundreds educated that might otherwise in a few years become expensive criminals, and the new country, receiving, ere habits are fixed, young life wliich, in future, will call Canada ' the home of its adoption.* "Though, according to all accounts, this is an un- commonly heavy snow-season, I have no fears for the children, the air is so dry and clear, and well fitted to invigorate their frames. This morning I started about five o'clock, and soon forgot the fear which had crept over me but a week ago, when I took my first winter journey among these snowy hills. * Knowledge is power,' and the experience of dangers met and passed gives quietness and confidence. " You will be imagining that owing to these prolonged snow-storms all work is stayed. Not so ; everything goes on most- vigorouslv — lumberini^, cartincf, cuttinc: wood for summer's need. Ladies seem always busy ; vet as it is often seen, those who have most to do can ~r 84 GOD'S ANSWERS. I best arrange to be at leisure. There is an education of forethought caused by having to watch against the heat and cold ; this has deeply in- crested me in the practical manner in which they are going to work in furnishing this Eastern Townships' Home. In return for the kind- ness shown to this Mission, may the whole district be spiritually blessed, and may our loving Lord be the joy and strength of each faithful labourer ! " The heavy calamity that it pleased our Father to send by fire, has accomplished in a few weeks that which would otherwise, humanly speaking, have taken many years to make known. Our motives and princi- ples of service were all new, and even our simple faith and trust in prayer were often misunderstood. Though we had travelled several thousands of miles in Canada, seeking to stir up Christians to aid us in finding and watching over the right home for our children, we had no medium on this side like * The Christian,' by which we could communicate with those like-minded, and tell them of our burdens. " The Hon. B. Flint tells us how the hearts of his fellow-townsmen were moved with compassion on hear- ing of the destruction of the Children's Home, on that terrible night, and that some of them attempted to ascend the hill and offer aid, but had to turn back, unable to face the hurricane and tempest. " The citizens of Belleville liave contributed freely to- wards replacing the Home, and the Lord's dear children all over the land have sent their love-offerings. The County Council received testimonies from many of the ■ ■ vy.iw>««mBMJ!Wg-»«^;if^r:^jy;i»-::.^,T^:^Si.aia3^ GALT HOME. S5 'hough ill of his hear- that ed to back, ely to- lildrc'U 1 The of the homesteads concerninfr the six hundred children placed out round Belleville, and generously contributed 500 dollars to show their esteem for the work. The funds in hand led Mr. Flint, aficr the withdrawal of the rented house at first proposed, to purchase a freehold of three and a quarter acres, possessing a good house and out- buildings, which were adapted to our use by the addi- tion of dormitories, and furnished by the aid of the ladies of Belleville. This Home is now given to us for so long as it shall be used by our mission band in con- nection with the emi<]fration of children to this district." In April, a detachment of thirty elder boys arrived, to be followed quickly by others. In June 1872, when 150 emigrants arrived, 50 cliildren were sent to each of the three Homes now opened to receive them, and for several years this order was observed, until other arrangements were made to meet the growing character of the work. The following tells of the progress of the Gait Home : — " Many will wish to know how this Home at Gait shapes itself, and would be amused at the varied occupations of the past week. " A Canadian springtime is very brief, so we have had to buy a span of horses and a plough, and, with the aid of other neighbours' ploughs, the corn and clover seed will soon be all sown. The ladies of several churches have met in the council-chamber, and worked at all household gear, others superintending the house arrange- ments, and purchasing necessary things. 86 GOD'S ANSWERS. "My part has been that of a faithful recipient, giving praise from liour to hour to Him wlio hath laid my every burden here on His own cliildren's hearts. The past little season iias been to me a precious re ^.t- time, seeing others work. We expect to be all in order by the arrival of our next partv. The threslimg- floor we hav3 transformed into a dining-room ; one of the barns is fitted up as a dormitory. The chaff-house makes a lavatory; and, fiom the interest around, we do not expect to keep our little men very long out of the liomes waiting for them. " The love-tokens here, as at home, are varied in their character. One farmer's wife has set us up with poultry, another with eggs ; a little boy brought us his pet hen as an offering; indeed, wherever we turn, some kind thouglit is shown, and our hearts are gladdened, and our faith is able to rejoice at the prospect of returning home, and gathering up another thousand precious young immortals from the depths of our sin-stricken cities, and placing them out in homes where Jesus is loved." In June, Miss Macpherson was welcomed back with warm thanksgivings, having left the Home at Gait under the wise and lovincj care of her faithful com- panion. Miss Reavell. In after years Mr. and Mrs. Merry devoted themselves chielly to this brancli of the work, and have been the watchful and tender foster parents of this ever-varying family. It would be hard to say whether IMrs. ]\Ierry's presence was more valued here, or among the sorrowful widowed mothers in Spitalfields. W T t< < J 5! a a J a ( 89 ) CHAPTER V. 1 872- 1 874. 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 Marpherson's return to England — Letter of cheer for Dr. Baruardo — liemoval to Hackney Home. Though human praise is not sought, we cannot but feel peculiar pleasure in giving the following testimony from a servant of the Lord so much revered as the Rev. A. M. W. Christopher of Oxford :— " Of all the works of Christian benevolence which the great love of Christ constrains His servants to carry on, with which I have become personally acquainted, not one has impressed me more deeply, by its great useful- ness, than the work of God carried on by Miss Macpher- son and her fellow-labourers. She has in three years transplanted more than twelve hundred boys and girls from almost hopeless circumstances of misery and temptation in Great Britain, to healthy, happy, industri- ous homes in Canada. And this has not been all ; daily efforts have been made in faith and love during the period of training, and on the voyage, and in the Dis- 90 GOD'S ANSWERS. ti'ibuting Homes in Canada, to. win these young hearts for Christ by means of the Gospel. There can be no doubt that God has blessed these labours of love to bring many to Himself in the Lord Jesus. "When I was in Canada last September, I made three special journeys expressly to visit Miss Mac- plierson's three 'Distributing Homes' at Gait, Belle- ville, and Knowlton, respectively in the west, centre, and east of the Dominion. "On September lo, 1872, I left Toronto at 5.30 a.m., and travelled 113 miles to tlie 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, hav- ing lately brought over a hundred boys. These two young but experienced Christians are evidently full of faith and energy and delight in their work and of love to the cliildren. About a thousand boys and girls brought out, or sent out by Miss Macpherson, had passed through the Home in three years. She has her- self placed out 800 boys and girls, 600 of whom are in homes around Belleville. She meets with the kindest reception from the farmers with whom she has placed these children. She could place out a thousand more if they ivcre at once sent out, the demand is so great. All the orphan children under nine years of age are adopted by farmers who have no children, to be treated exactly as if they were their own. Miss Bilbrough, and also the Lady Superintendents at Gait and Knowlton, never LETTER FROM REV. A. M. W. CHRISTOPHER. 91 30 31* place Q child in a home unless the farmer brings a testimonial from his minister. " The burning of the Home very much touched the people of Canada, who had learned to appreciate the efforts for good connected with it; and, unasked for, dollars from kind Canadians poured in. Miss Bil- brough had daily to write thanks to many. More than 3000 dollars (^600) were soon sent in, and instead of renting a house, they were able to buy the first-rate one they now occupy, and which was given to Miss Macpherson, with so much kind feeling, by the Canadians. "I was equally interested in the work of Miss lieavell in the Home at Gait, to the west of Toronto. This had only been established a few months before I visited it. Here also I was greatly impressed by the patient, painstaking Christian love of those wlio had charsje of the children. The children looked healthv, and happy, and ready for work. "The last Home I visited was at Knowlton, an eastern township of iho Quebec Province, south of the St. Lawrence. I heard that Miss Barber, the Lady Superintendent, was nursing some of the children who had the smallpox. I went to see her. It was quite clear that the love of Christ constrained her to devote herself with all her heart and strength to the children committed to her care. I spoke with the uninfected children before I saw her. I was interested to see how accustomed they had been whilst in this Home to be treated with love. Soon three little ones climbed upon j:. 92 GOD'S ANSWERS. my kneef?, whilst I talked of Jesus to them and the elder ones. Miss Barber is a lady of frood position, the half-sister of the excellent Judge of that district, lately Minister of Agriculture in the Dominion Govern- ment. In early life she had very bad health, but has been raised up from great weakness to work most diligently for Christ among the children who pass through her Home. Her brother, the Judge, and his wife, who live at Knowlton, zealously do all they can to help the good work. " Manj in England know better than I do the great work for God, carried on in connection with Miss Macpherson's 'Home of Industry,' Commercial Street, Spitalfields, and the similar Homes at Glasgow, Edin- burgh, Dublin, and Liverpool. Others may visit these, and have their hearts stirred 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, I desire to bear the strongest testimony to the Christian useful- ness of the work, and to the faithful, the wise and careful manner in which it is carried on. A far greater number of children might be thus transplanted with the best results, under God's blessing, if sufficient means were supplied to Miss Macpherson. May I not hope that the great love of Christ will constrain those who read this paper to <=end help promptly, so that this work may be extended, and that many more children may be rescued. Remember, dear reader, the love of your Saviour for little children. * ZooJc not every Ttian on his oivn things, hut every man also on the thi^igs of others-. ! I LETTER FROM REV. A. M. W. CHRISTOPHER. 93 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus* (Phil. ii. 4, 5). ;^io will fit out, and pay the passage of a child. How can ;^io be better spent ? Try, dear reader, and raise ;Cio among your friends, if you cannot give it yourself. Or do what you can, however little that may seem to you to be. Tiie matter is urgent, the season is passing away, rriiy send help at once, and strive to interest your friends in the work. How many more might be rescued 1 What a contrast there is between the photographs of the miserable, hopeless children, taken when tliey are received at the Homes in this country, and the photographs of the same children after they have been a few months in Canada; I have many such contrasts with me. They would move you to help this work of love. But the love of Christ must be the great motive ; yet we should not forget that the Holy Spirit taught St. Paul to write, ' I£e which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparinfjly ; and he luhicli soweth honntifidly shall reap also haunt i- fidly. Every man according as he purjwseth in his heart so let him give : not grudgingly or of necessity, for God lovcth a cheerful giver ' (2 Cor. ix. 6, 7)." Jn May of this year, !Miss Macpherson took out another party of young emigrants, and writes as follows : — *^ On board 'Circassian,' Gulf of St. Lawrence, May sth, 1873. " My dear Fellow-Workers, — Hitherto our blessed experience has been that ' Tlie beloved of the Lord 94 GOD'S ANSWERS. shall dwell in safety by Ilim, and the Lord shall cover him all day long ; ' ' The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.* Our song is one of unmingled praise, and our little band is strengthened and invigorated by tlie voyage, — no storm permitted to alarm us by day or niglit. We are now entering the mighty Gulf, and passing through fields of ice ; but * Ho who hath compassed the waters with bounds, and divided the sea with His power,' maketh a right way for us and our little ones. " Morning and evening, my dear fellow- workers have been enabled to continue sowing precious seed in these young hearts, so soon to bid us farewell. Our steerage has been the rendezvous, when weather permitted, of those who love praise and prayer. In quietness and rest we have sought to renew our strength by waiting upon the Lord ; holding up your hands by prayer, dear fellow-labourers, grasping the precious fulness of the promises, for you as well as for ourselves, tliat every opportunity given you upon Eag-market, in the courts and sorrowful dens around our Home, in every small room prayer-meeting, or when you gather around the Word, may have been used, and accompanied by the ' demonstration of the Spirit ' and signs following. " We have to-day realised answers to your prayers for us, whilst cutting 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, aud every hour brings us into a warmer climate, and GULF OF ST. LAWRESCE. 95 peace sea, and nearer to our desired haven. Those interested in oup little band, ma}- rest assured it has been a happy voyage with each one. Not one case of disobedience has caused us anxiety. Early to sleep and early on deck has given good appetites, as all their brown and rosy cheeks do testify. At this point of our journey we recall tlio experience of May 1870, entering a way unpassed heretofore. Now can we praise with a full heart, and testify that His own 'I wills,' in Isa. xlii. 16, have been realised by us as a little band. " We are now about to land with our 1520th child, our twelfth voyage, without a storm, thousands of wel- comes from warm hearts awaiting us. Open doors in scores of towns around each of our three missionary centres, ready to receive the evangelists who travel with us. We ask continued prayers that they may be young Stephens, filled with faith and power, and that we may be guided in the right distribution of the tracts and books we carry with us. " And oh, dear pleaders, remember the many lonely, little hearts we are finding homes for ; it is very sor- rowful work unbinding, as it were, the little twinings their sweet, obedient ways have alread}'' bound around us. Many were writing letters tliis morning ready to post when landing, but very many had not a love-link to earth. One little fellow said, * I ain't got nobody to write to but you.' The one most lonely as to earth's relationships will soon become a solitary one set in a family; and again, if permitted, we shall return and :^' Di 96 GOD'S ANSWERS. gather in another family from the sad, sad, million- peopled city. — Yours, in the bonds of the Gospel, " Annie Macpheuson. I *'P.S. — ^fa1/ 7. We have landed under the brightest sunshine, on a warm, balmy June-like day, feeling deeply thankful for all our heavenly leather's mercies. A deputation of Quebec Christian sisters awaited 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-rendinL; nature of the scenes occurring? there as in London : — " A ufjust 7. " Dear Friends, — On the 12th of May last we opened the above Home, and there were present on the occasion more ladies and gentlemen whose hearty sympathy seemed with us, than the large room could comfortably hold. One little destitute fellow was presented as the first to enter for protection and kindly care. Since then ninety poor tiny creatures have been admitted, and tliese alike sh.are in the love, attention, and comfort found within the walls of this happy Home. " Through the great kindness of the friend who placed the premises at our disposal, we have obtained an addi- tional room, whicli enables us to rescue some little girls, many of whom are orphans, who dragged out a miser- able existence by begging for food, and sleeping where- HEA R TRENDING SCENES. 97 lon- N. litest eling rcies. d our Christ 3d by r will urring \ust 7. Dened casion mtby )rtably as the Since initted, omfort placed addi- le girls, iiiiser- wliere- 11 ever they could find slieltcr ; others, worse off, were, through tlieir relationship, running every risk of being reared to a life of infamy and ruin. Others are the children of widowed mothers, who say they are willing to work, but finding none of a continuous cliaracter, have rapidly sunk to a condition of wretchedness from which it seems impossible they can rise. "Seventy have rapidly progressed, and are so obedient and anxious to please, that so far as training in this country is concerned, they are in a fit state of pre- paredness for emigration to Canada ; and from the statements received from our sister, Miss Macpherson, of the increased and increasing demand from Canadian families for useful boys and girls, to assist them in their house and farm duties, we do think that these should be taken without delay to the comfortable homes waiting to receive them, — homes in which they will be trained to habits of industry, usefulness, and savings. " The boys' clothes are near completion, and the girls' outfits are being made, and greatly helped on by the kind-hearted exertions of Christian ladies in Liverpool and Birkenhead, who have brought to the Sheltering Home their own sewing-machines, and plied them at full speed on our behalf at the weekly sewing-meetings held on Wednesdays, from eleven till five p.m. At these gatherings, mucii to the gratification of the ladies, the little ones wliose garments they were sewing, have sung for their pleasure children's sweet hymns of praise to Him by whose love they were being cared for. a t^ i : 4 98 GOD'S ANSWERS. "My heart, and the hearts of my few hut loving helpers who live with me in the Home, have been nearly broken this afternoon by witnessing a sight so terrible, tliat we hope and pray we may never see the like again. A most depraved, drunken, and wicked father, set on by two women more wicked (because more cunning) than himself, dragged out of our Home by main force two dear little girls he had himself, when more sober, besought us many times to take in. They knelt, they prayed, 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 women to drag them out, they gave way to their poor little wills and screamed, ' I won't go with you ! I won't go with you ! I know where you will take us to ! You never cared one bit for us, but now, that we are clean and cornfurtable, and learning to read, you wish to take me back. If you do, I will get something to take my life away, rather than live with you ! ' And by the man's sheer force they were carried screaming from the Home; and the last thing we heard, through their shrieks, was the father uttering threats we cannot repeat. I ran to my little room to hide myself and weep ; but I heard them screaming still, as the poor girls made one more desperate effort at resistance. Though now it is three hours since, I hear their screaming 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 His Will, and praying that we may have all LETTER TO MRS. MERRY. 99 sore, God re all the other dear ones left to train for Him ; for the Roman Catholic spirit is bitterness itself against 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, personal help is useful; the thoughtful gifts we receive from time to time are useful; but prayer — which * moves the hand that moves the world ' — is more useful than all beside. Pray for our children ; for those we purpose taking to new homes in a distant land, that they may never disgrace the Home they have been sheltered in ; and for those who have been torn away from us, that they may be preserved froir temptation, and from becoming a curse. Then shall we joyfully take them forth, and in God's good tiwa return, and again fill up this spacious Home, and feel it the greatest privilege of our life to labour among the poor neglected little ones of the streets of these large cities. Share then in the blessing wrapped up in the King's word, * Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.'" How great is the contrast in turninf; from these heart-rendinc; details, to the foUowinir letters from across the Atlantic : — " Bkllkvillk, June 7th, 1873. " My dear Mrs. Merry, — I wish you had been with U3 to-day, and seen part of the result of all your lOO GOD'S ANSWERS. ! I 1 patient toil and joyous service for the Lord during the past five years' work among His little ones. " Knowing the joy it would be to so many of them to see dear Miss Macpherson, we sent out postal-card invitations to those living within 25 miles. Some few were unable vO accept ; but between seventy and 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, the little, tender- hearted George M , eldest of three orphan brothers. It hardly seems three years ago since their father stood up in a gathering of Christians, and with failing breath declared what the Lord had done for his soul. Then you remember how quietly he passed away, leaving his three boys entirely in Miss Macpherson's care. All doiii<» so well in Canada — Fred and little Johnnie still in their first homes. " One great pleasure of the cliildren was to roam over the Home under the orchard blossoms, glancing over the books of photographs and recognising some friend or mate with whom some far different days had been spent. Among the attractions were the tables of toys, pictures, books, &c., sent out by English friends; and here the little ones spent some of their hoarded cents, thinking so much of anything really English. About twelve o'clock we gathered in the flower garden in front, while sandwiches, buns, and milk were passed round among the children. Your sister sat with them chatting to them of old times, and answering many icmg TESTIMONY FROM CANADIANS. lot questions as to foriner companions and still loved tliough often silent English friends. Can you picture the eager listeners to the familiar voice of one who Mas to them the link between the sorrowful past and the hflppy future ? — a Bible lesson on the lost sheep. My eyes often filled with tears when I looked at their bright faces, and blessed God for the open door for tlieni in this country. There stood ^aniie I) , who, with his little brother Hughie, formed one of the saddest photographs of childish wretchedness even Glasgow streets could produce ; so bright, so well-dressed, though still with a little of the old look of cliildish care. William C , the little fellow of four years old, whose mother died in India, and the father on his return sank in a London hospital, leaving little Willie friendless, w\as here with a lovely bunch of hot-house flowers ready to present to Misa Macpherson, and to receive from her one of the beautifully illustrated scrap- books made by little English children. Willie has been nearly three years in his happy home, surrounded by all the influences of education and refinement. "Now the friends were gathering thickly, and listened while an earnest address was given to the boys by Miss Macpherson. When she ceased, first one and then another gentleman stood up and gave their earnest, hearty sympathy with and approval of the work, and of the character of the boys. And here I must tell you, in pnssing, we attribute much to the loving, tender training of your Hampton Home. It is not that Canadian farmers would put up with aiujUdng, or that I K nf 1 02 GOD'S ANSWERS. im a bad boy is so useful that his faults are overlooked ; for here every single boy is thoroughly known, and discussed over all the country side. Mr. Grover, from the viUage of Colborne, quite cheered our hearts with the good accounts of the twenty in his neighbourhood, most of whom have joined his classes, and by their steady industrious conduct are recommending them- selves. " He said, ' I do not speak without personal experi- ence. W. lins been two years in my employ, and a more truthful, upright, honest boy, I would not wish to have; he has left now to learn further about farming, and I immediately applied for another one from Marchmont, and believe W. S will prove as successful and honest a servant.' Then the Eev. William Bell stood up and bore testimony to your favourite Tommy — one of the rescues from Mr. Hol- land's Shelter, in 1869. '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 boy as I would wisli to have about a house ; and his master so appreciates his services that he gives him fifty dollars for his first year. These boys are in every way a blessing, and advantage to our country.' Mr. Y., who has been already alluded to, said, ' I sought guidance and direction from the Lord before I came to the Home, now nearly three years ago, and then I only intended to take one boy; I have never regretted I took two. Except one or two days, they have never missed school ; indeed I do not believe any one could hire them to I f JOYFUL MEETINGS. 103 :ed ; and rom with lood, tlieir hem- :peri- iploy, ^ould .irtlier lother prove J Rev. ^ your^ Hol- over a Dov as master n fifty y way V^.jWlio ice and Home, tended )k two. school ; hem to f stay away. I know that their labour morning and evening repays me for 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 her Inst visit to their grandmother in the tidy attic in Bctlmal Green, and how pleased she was to receive the five dollars they had sent her. Mr. Ward, a farmer from Sidney, had brought his little boy, Tommy S ; and Johnnie, the brother, had come from a liome across the Bay of Quints. So there was a touching meeting, and many experiences for the two brothers to relate, during one month's absence. Mr. Ward told how he intended to educate his boy, and trusted he might yet fill some prominent position, for which by natural gifts he seemed well qualified. Speaking of the religious char- acter of the work, he said, ' I asked him who had taught him so much of Jesus ? He told me he did not even know who He was till he was taken into the Eefuge ; but now he knows about Him, and of His love for little children.' I know you will like to hear parti- culars of H. W , whose sad history excited so much sympathy, and for whom the noble-man's little son gave up his pet pony that he might have the money to emigrate him. Well, you could not tell the round- faced, happy boy, to be the same. He brought four dollars he had earned towards his passage money; is in a good home, and doing well. Also of George and Mary F , who met, after ten months' separation, so changed that they hardly recognised each other. How it would cheer their kind rescuer's heart (Mr. George ir 104 GOD'S ANSWERS. o> Holland) could ho see them now ! but I knew nothing, not even such joy as this, could tempt him away from his special work ; so I sent the children, to their great delight, to the town to get their likenesses taken to send him. '* Altogether the day was a most happy one. But no onlooker could fully understand the deep, rich joy of looking into those happy faces. Only tliose who had watched over and prayed with them from the beginning could at all enter into this peculiar feeling ; and many earnest prayers ascended that these loving, tender hearts might be won for the Saviour, and from among them many ambassadors for Jesus might yet go forth. And for you too, dear friend, that you may be strengthened and helped ; ever remembering the promise, * Cast thy bread 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 on my peregrinations in these snowy regions, you would be amazed. The poor 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 con- versed with, and my privilege has been to hold up the hands of my two companions, who went forth to address Sunday-schools or to preach the gospel. "Fancy me starting, yesterday morning, fixed up in my delightfully warm fur cloak, and many other ingenious AMONG THE CHILDREN. los devices, to defy the cold, wintry blast, a drive of eighteen miles. During the journey we stopped 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 of her drunken father from prison ! " As tlie night closed in, the cold caused us to hasten to our journey's end as quickly as the strength of our Home horse would admit of. But cheery was it to be told by our friend, as we passed one farmhouse after another, ' We have a boy here and a girl there doing well-.' Sometimes it would be, ' We have had to move a boy ; his temper did not suit ; but since he has been back to the Home, and placed out again with a firmer master, he is doing much better.' A very hearty Cana- dian welcome awaited us. Ushered into a warm room, our wraps taken off, soon We were seated, enjoying a * high ' tea. It snowed all night, and drifted in at every crevice of our bedroom window. " Snow fell all day, and to my idea it seemed impro- bable for many to gather for a meeting. The village street was enlivened all day by the constant passing of the sleighs, with merry jingle of bells. It was indeed a new scene to witness the gathering of a meeting to hear of the orphan and destitute children, whose cause we had come to plead, and contradict a report which had gone forth in their district, that it was a mass of jail-birds we had brought from England. *' As we arrived, a farmer kindly offered to broom the lar io6 GOD'S ANSWERS. snow from our feet — a process all seemed prepared to do for each other. Then, in a good-sized hall, about fifty of all ages gathered around an immense stove — ministers, doctors, and farmers, with their belongings. Cliairs in front of the stove were set for the minister and myself. "After singing ' Eock of Ages,' &c., and prayer, it was so like a family, that it became easy just to tell real story after story as to how we find the children, where the means come from, and what is required of those who receive them. " The minister then present was one who, having heard of the work at the commencement, had gone to the Home and received little Bessie, aged ten. She now came up and gave me a hearty kiss, and then, so child- like, showed me her new winter garments. Now who was Bessie ? The child of a surgeon who had ruined his family by intemperance. The mother, a teacher in a ladies* school in Germany, earning her own bread, after a long and heavy struggle. Bessie is loved and is being educated in everything to make her a useful woman. " Next mornincf we started for visits to several chil- dren. Found the first child gone to school. We saw her looking well as we passed the school-house, and called her out. All we saw that day filled our hearts with deepest thankfulness. The meeting in the evening was held in the Congregational Church, well warmed and lighted, and a most intelligent-looking gathering. Ere long I espied one of the orphan lads, and called AMONG THE CHILDREN. !07 med ring, illed him to me, that he miglit speak for himself, knowing that his own words would endorse the work more forcibly than anything I could say. lie was a bright, intellec- tual looking youth of fourteen, who in a most manly way answered me a few questions. In this way we are securing the prayers of God's dear children, and, we trust, opening many a heart and home for those who may yet come forth from the dens of sin and iniquity of our great cities. " Our Canadian horse seemed to enjoy the snow as much as we did, even though the depth had tripled since our leaving home. How much on this journey we have learnt of the continued loviu'^-kindness of our covenant-keeping God, making our fears fly, and giving protection from the stormy blasts, in forms so comparatively new to us. Every person is so kind to us that we are so glad we have been led to yield to this service as a child. Many a door, we trust, will soon be wide open for earnest evangelists to come and be fresh voices, cheering our brethren who are labouring on in these small towns away from the front. " 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 w^eakness or the fear of man. Ask for us that we may each one live so close to the Lord, that we may be fitted to deal personally with those we meet with. " We are frequently holding up your hands and pray- ing that daily the Lord will send the means with the children, and that you all be sustained in health. loS GOD'S ANSWERS. I rl!. f.-i : ' 1 1 Oraco and peace be with you all. — Yours, in sweet fellowsliip, A. M'P. **Ea8tei'n Townships, Prov. of QimbeCf November 18, 1873." In March, 1874, Miss Macpherson returned from Canada filled with praise for the encouragf^ment met with. Slie had been enabled to plead the cause of her children before many in positions of influence, judges, merchants, lawyers, and doctors. A choice of two hundred homes, amidst the love and aflluence of that country, were now awaiting her little rescued ones. Her own joy was increased by receiving the letter of which she tlius writes : — "The enclosed letter will cheer our brother Dr. Barnardo, by showing what a home God has providt 1 fur a dear little boy he was permitted to rescue and^ train. Surely the departed mother, from whom our brother received the child, would feel that the Lord is indeed the Father of the fatherless. 'Dear Miss, — I embrace this early opportunity of letting you know how well pleased we all are with, and how much we like, little Henry Tuppen. He is sucli a willing, obedient, and loving fellow, he has won all 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. Surely this is much more than "the cup of cold water," and "you shall in no wise lose your reward." Oh, may we dis- charge our duty as you have towards this dear little CHEERING WORDS FOR DR. DARNARDO. IC9 and ich a our sadv. ft/ llow- Is he is is you dis- little orphan ! My visit to you and your home that morning was a great blessing to me ; never shall I forget it. To liear that dear little fellow sing " Bright Jewels," and look around over the group of little ones, far from native liome, and father and mother, brotlier and sister, and think, " These are the jewels, precious jewels," it seemed to bring heaven near. And truly the Saviour was p esent. I never think of it hut th tear starts, and a silent prayer is offer-'d that tlie Lord will give them all good Christian homes, and that they may be all 'bright jewels,' and great shall be ) our reward. Their heavenly Father sees it all. ' Uut I am forgetting my main object in writin;^ to you, which is to ask you if the little girl, the elder of the two whom we saw, is yet provided with a home. If not, we have roi/. .or her, and should be glad to have her. She would be such good company for my sister, who is at home with mother. She would be treated in every way as a daughter and a sister. Father is very sorry he did not bring her that moi ling. It seems he thought of it then, but wished to talk it over with Lhe rest of the family.' Miss Macpherson adds : — " Who is the little girl asked for to become a daugliter and sister ? None other than the little Eliza who was found deserted seven years ago, when only a few weeks old, and who has been most carefully trained since then by our beloved sister-labourer, Miss Mittendorf, whose toil among infant wanderers deserves the deepest grati- tude of the children of God." no GOD'S ANSWERS. The Homes at Hampton, endeared as they were by recollections of many blessings, were this year vacated. The distance from Spitalfields had always been a great strain on the strength of wearied workers, and both 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 with prayer and thanksgiving. It consists of two large old-fashioned liouses thrown into one, and the situation is, for the neighbourhood, remarkably open and airy. Many friends assembled, My. Dobbin presided, and suggested, at the opening of the meeting, an analogy between the Home of Industry, with its various stations, and the pool o^ Bethesda 'having five porches.' Much pi aver, and jjraise followed, and worshipful hearts told them- selves out in love and adoration. Such hymns as ' Call them in,' ' Till He come,' and ' ]\Iore to Follow,' aptly expressed the aspirations and liopes of the earnest workers. Mv. Merry, ]\Ir. Maude, and others spoke, and then Mrs. Birt, only two days since returned from Nova Scotia, gave accounts of the success of the recent voyage, when eighty-three rescued children found happy homes on the other side of the water, and most touching: particulars of the death of little Dickie, who went actually into the earthly harbour, and entered the heavenly haven of rest at the same time. In the bustle of arrival, ' he was not, for God took him.' " I of chiug went 1 the )ustle \ u ! i I ( "3 ) CHAPTEE VI. 1875-1877. Mrs. Way's sewing-dass for Jewesses-T^il.l^ vi tv*- • George Clarko-Incidents nZZ y^J^l^ 711^0°"' E..,ry at sea-Lclters of cheer from Ca°u;d:> ''^~ The Ho„,e of Industry has been already likened to he Poo of Bethesda with its fine porches. Many sights there have been peculiar to itself, and in no instance has this in past years been more remarkable than ni the meeting for Jewesses, which has been carried on ever since the year ,870. From fifty to seventy daughters of Israel are gathered weekly, through the Lords blessing on the patient, unwearied labours of his I'onoured servant Mrs. Way. Greatly indeed should she be honoured, for she diligently sought out these lost sheep, when few comparatively could be found to care for their souls." When first told of "the name at winch every knee shall bow," much scorn and contempt were manifested, but Mrs. Way is now cheered by 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 b« H "4 COD'S ANSWERS. f 5 i startled to know the voices are those of Hebrew mothers. Again the Pool of Bethesda is brought to mind, as love for the sick and suffering is shown in a way hitherto unthought of. In 1875, the Home of Industry became a centre of the now well-known Bible Flower Mission. One of the much-loved helpers recorded this touching incident : — "In the early spring of 1874, a snowdroj , primrose, and two or three violets which had been casually enclosed in a letter from an East-end worker to Mrs. Merry, were passed round her sewing class of 200 poor old widows, * for each to have a smell,' and then divided and given to three dying Christians, one of whom breathed her last fondly clasping them. From that time flowers were collected through the medium \of 'Woman's Work,' &c., and during the season distri- buted by the ladies at the Home of Industry among the sick in the neighbouring courts, and in different hospitals. "Again the hedges, tipped with tiny coral buds, primroses, and daffodils peeping up amid the brushwood, golden-eyed celandines and daisies lifting their sweet faces with smiles of welcome, remind us of the near approach of the bright spring-time. But the heart is saddened, and the joy of seeing this fresh burst of resurrection-loveliness is clouded, when we turn to gloomy, stifling courts and lanes in the crowded cities, where gleams of sunshine scarce ever penetrate; the lives of whose miserable inhabitants are yet more FLOWERS GOD'S MESSENGERS. ns utterly devoid of brightness; to wliom the voice of spring is an unmeaning sound ; to sick ones in these courts, who have no easier couch for the pain-filled limbs than a heap of shavings on the hard floor of a room filled with noisy children, and disorderly men and women ; to other sufferers tossing feverishly in hospital wards, with nothing softer for the tired eyes to rest on than tlie endless stretch of whitewashed walls, the back- ground of long rows of patients whose sad pale cheeks vie in whiteness with tlie sheets and walls: and the cry ascends — " * Oh, that a tithe of the wealth of fragrant, many- coloured flowers so lavishly spread over gnrdens, fields, and hedgerows, could be brought to cheer those who so dearly prize each separate bloom ! * " And once more down, deeper down, into the haunts of vice, smiling so sweetly with the radiance of heaven- sent gifts, these messengers may go — ready-made mis- sionaries — to open doors and hearts fast locked hitherto, but which must yield to their gentle influence; and thus prepare the way for the ministry of the word of salvation. " Oh, that men and women surrounded by loveliness could see as the angels do ! — strong natures, hardened by years of sin, whose stony hearts are melted at sight of the flowers, and weep (as only such can) when the deep hidden springs are touched, and memory recalls days of childhood's innocence, long, long past ; lessons in that village Sabbath-school of the holy God; the story of the Son of His love dying in the stead of guilty n6 GOD'S ANSWERS. sinners, to raise them to the bright, pure land above, where is no sin, no curse, no sorrow, but cloudless day and endless rest and joy ; and the spotless flowers seem to 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 love which draws the poor, wearied, sinful heart up to God and heaven ? "Ah ! and would to God the country folk might hear ! ay, and that the sounds could penetrate into the halls and castles of our land ; the silent cry of hospitals with several hundreds of patients, and but rarely a fower — " ' I should so like a little buttercup.' "And the weary nmrmur of gladness that steals through the wards when a chance bouquet is brought in; and the heartfelt blessings from many dying lips on the flower-gatherers. n " * Tell them we may never meet on earth, but we shall thank them in heaven.' " Oh ! could the veil be lifted for a brief moment and tlie dull ears quickened to catch the pleading accents of the blessed Lord — 'Do it unto Me' — none would longer count their flowers and fruit their own, the Royal seal would be seen on each, whether growing wild in copses, or carefully nurtured in hothouse and conservatory, and these treasures would be poured out for those so sadly needing them, ' For Jesus' sake ! ' " THE BIBLE FLOWER MISSION. It is needless to say that the appeal thus made has been answered by thousands of loving hearts. The THE BIBLE FLOWER MISSION. 117 we lent ling lone )wn, ring and out has The work at the Home of Industry is thus carried on : — Twice in the week one of the spacious floors is devoted to receiving these fragrant treasures, and dear friends from a distance come, some of them many miles, and spend one or two hours in arranging them, and attacli- ing to each little cluster an ornamented card with some message of redeeming love. By twelve o'clock the baskets are generally filled, and all assemble to hear, either from Miss ]\Iacpherson or some other tried servant of the Lord, words of counsel and cheer ; and then to seek wisdom for the labourers, and to spread before the Lord the spiritual needs of those to whom they are going, — many cases continually occurring for whom the comfort of earnest united prayer is felt. When the lovely burdens are carried forth, it is hard for the bearers to resist the entreaties from many a door- step for " one flower, one single flower." Of the thank- fulness with which they are received when they reach their destination, we might tell countless instances, and of conversions through the messages they bring we believe not a few. Indeed *»Yho can say where the blessing ends ? for those who have found a blessing themselves will not keep the cards under their pil- low, but have sent them to soldier sons in India and China, and to sailors afar off upon the sea. The following lines were written by a poor woman, aged 70, in the Mile-end Union : — " Many an eye with the Ulm of death, With fading pulse, and bating breath, Ii8 GOD'S ANSWERS. Have cast a look on those Ihinf^s so briglit ; And perchance a prayer with electric light, Has passed through the brain with magic power, Brought to the heart by a beautiful llower. Beautiful tliought to bring to the sad, Sweet bright things to make Iheni glad." Of the numbers of labourers and abundance of texts and flowers required, some idea may be formed when it is mentioned that thirteen Hospitals, four Unions, some containing over looo inmates, and one Lunatic Asylum, are provided for from the Home of Industry. Nor is this all. The secretary supplies Bible women and city missionaries with flowers for solitary sick ones at home, and receives constant appeals from various missions for these bright messengers of God's love. Who can read the following without praise to the Giver of every good and perfect gift ? Those who Knew the condition of Spain had earnestly prayed for evan- gelists for that dark land. One (Senor Previ) was raised up through the instrumentality of the Bible Flower Mission, and the following extract, from the report of a workers' meeting, as given in the *' Christian," tells of his conversion, and the way in which the Lord led a fellow-labourer to join him in this almost untrodden path. "He came from Malaga in the summer of 1875 to the Ophthalmic Hospital, Moorfields, for treatment. One afternoon, two ladies belonging to the 'Bible Flower Mission' at the Home of Industry, brouglit flowers and texts to give to the patients. One of the \isitors was about to offer a bouquet to the Spaniard, \ A BLESSING TO SPAIN. 119 I Sefior Previ, when the nurse remarked, * Il*s of no uso giving /im a text, for he is a Koman 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 wliat about a text? Surely it was the Lord's doing that for tho Jirst time she had brought one written in French ; and it was indeed appropriate — * There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' After pointing him to the Great High Priest, she asked if he would accept a Spanish Bible. This he refused to do, saying, ' No, I cannot, for it is a bad, forbidden book ; besides, I shall leave the hospital to-morrow morning.' 'Nevertheless, I will send you a copy/ was the answer. With great difficulty the lady pro- cured a second-hand Spanish Bible, and sent it off just in time for him to take away. " Sefior Previ then told us how, after studying that Bible for several mouths, the eyes of his soul were opened to see Jesus as the * 07ie Mediator.' Thus was fulfilled that promise so precious to all seed-sowers — * My Word shall not return unto Me void.' " Soon afterwards he entered Mr. Guinness's College, employing his free time in distributing Gospels, &c., on board foreign ships, and assisting every Sunday at the services in the Spanish Chapel, thus gaining experience for future work in the vineyard. He spoke most warmly of the kindness of Miss Macpherson, and tho happy hours spent in the 'dear Home of Industry,' where, at a previous workers* meeting, the ardent I20 GOD'S ANSWERS. desire had first been kindled in his heart to tell the good news of Jesus, the * one ]\Iediator/ to his own countrymen. For some time he prayed earnestly that the Lord would raise up a friend to go with him. This petition has been fully answered. " Mr. Lund then rose, and told us that when a student in Stockholm the desire to work in Spain had been laid on his heart for nearly four years. He studied the language, but, seeing no opening, was on the point of starting for America, when he received a letter from Mr. Guinness which entirely altered his plans. He came to London, and on meeting Senor Previ, offered to accompany him to Spain. The two brethren ear- nestly requested the prayers of the meeting for their new and difficult work." The prayers here offered were more than answered. The first labourer has fallen in the field, but others have filled the ranks, and the light 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 to witness of a Saviour's love by His death and resurrection. And we are not only to pray the Lord to send forth labourers into the fields that are white, but to look at the things we oft call our own as belonging to another. There are hundreds of young men and women who have been brought to the truth, and whose souls long to be free for Christ's service, but they need a helping hand in little things. *' Let us pray that, from this mission, there may be I :: ..J CRy FOR LABOURERS. 121 r many results such as the following letter shows. Six years ago the writer was the first-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 consistent Christian. He has been the means of leading his mother to the Saviour. He went to Canada, earning sufficient money to place himself this winter at Oberlin College. I was asked if I knew of one suited to become an artizan-missionary amonrr the tribe of the Basutos. His reply encourages our faitli that many more, led thus simply on, may soon go forth as working missionaries, after the pattern of St. Paul, reaching souls by their simple, holy life, as well as by their preaching." "Oberlin Collkge, Ohio, March 25, 1873. "My dear Mother in the Lord,— Your welcome letter to hand on the 22nd, and the book on the Basutos on the 24th. My soul doth bless the Lord for all that He hath done for me. My soul was filled with praise when I read your proposition to go to Africa. I had been bound in spirit for you, as you for me, and I had been asking the Lord for many days that He would incline you to write to me. " Previous to receiving the same, I had cast myself upon the Lord more than ever. I could not see mv ft/ way to run in debt, and I was wondering whether I should go and work on tlie road ; but I had a burnin'^ desire to labour most of all for Christ, and I was lon^r- 11 #r 122 GOD'S A NSIVERS. ing to go South, or somewhero to tell the heathen of Jesus. But when I received 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 landlady to rejoice with me. IIow blessed to trace the hand of the Lord in this ! I have learned by .his to praise the Lord for what lie 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 laid myself, all that I am or hope to be, upon the altar, for Africa, to labour to lead souls to the Lamb of God, to the blessed Lord Jesus. I expect to be consumed by the power of the Holy Ghost, to be fitted through Him for the ^york I am called to, to be used as the ram's horn, to be spoken through, to lead souls to Jesus, not to receive the praise of men, but of God. " And I feel led to say, if it is for anything save for the glory of God 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 see you not in the flesh but in glory. " I have written this in prayer before God to you, and this is my burning desire, to be used of God. I do pray the Lord to keep me, and put down all vain-glorying thoughts, which will naturally rise at such 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. "HERE AM 7, SEND ME/' 123 "I have read 'The Rides in the Mission Field of South Africa.' I was much interested, and I had a longing to go, but I could see no place for such a hope ; I have lent it to others here to read. " I am reading ' The Basutos,' and I enjoy it ; I am reading in prayer that the Lord will show me what things would be necessary to take. I shall speak on this point presently. " I had a letter lately from some of my old neigh- bours in Muskoka, telling me of the conversion of a young man I had often spoken to and prayed for. I rejoice that my mother has given me up joyfully for Africa, and I am so glad she continues bright in the Lord. I am praying that I may have the privilege of seeing them all brought to Christ, before I leave for Africa. I cease not to pray for you. — Your son in the faith, G. C." the 'OU, I all at to the Interest in the Basuto tribe could not but be deepened from the touching incident that in February of this year a feast for the little matchbox-makers was provided from the contributions of Basuto children, — those who had been blessed through the Lord's long- tried labourers, Mr. and Mrs. Dyke. How little could any one then anticipate the deep waters through wliich those servants of the Lord have since been called to pass. The workers' meetings at the Home of Industry are often a time of mingled joy and sorrow. It is not alone the little emigrants for Canada who are sent forth, but 124 GOD'S ANSWERS. many a brother and sister in tlic Lord, leaving home and kindred for His dear name's sake, have here been com- mended vs^ith tearful prayers to His gracious keeping. The workers' meeting in July tliis year was a season of peculiar interest, as George Clarke, the first-fruits of the work, was present on the eve of his departure for China. The way had not been made open for him to join the mission in South Africa, as he had desired, and since liis departure at this time for China, he has laboured in connection with the Cliina 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 Jive children came to tlie Eefuge 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-treat- ment. The lady interested in him (for the woman attends her mothers' meeting) writes : ' William would be saved from destruction, to wliich he is fast hastening from unkind treatment.' " Arthur's story is summed up in his own words : ' I saw my father kill my mother ; he stamped on her when he was drunk, and killed her, and I cried out.* Then, turning to his new friend and protectress, the little 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 HOME WORK. 125 niing : 'I her out.* , the li I'll mo it by a professioual opera singer : a babe in arms, a boy and girl aged two and four, evidently born in a much higher sphere — pretty, refined children. At their mother's death this young woman took charge of them, their father having promised to pay ;^ i a week for their sup- port; — an empty promise it proved, for the 'gentle- man ' absconded, heavily in debt to many others. The children's friend can no longer aflbrd to keep them, though she seems tenderly attached to them, and will not part with the baby as long as she can maintain it. The only way open to her was to .^-t the children icander on the street, on the chance of their being taken up by the police and put in the workhouse, at the samo time risking her own imprisonment if discovered. Mercifully she heard of the Refuge, and came to beg a home for these deserted lambs. " A widowed mother, whose failing eyesight prevents lier sewing, and whose earnings by charing cannot sup- port herself and four children, heard Miss Macpherson speak at the Moorgate Street Hall Noon Prayer- iMeeting, and was led to bring little Alice to her, pleading for Christian care. Amid many tears she tells of the wayward wilfulness of the elder girl, out at all hours of day and night, and whose pernicious example is too likely to ruin the little sisters." Could such cases be sent awav, or a deaf ear turned to the cry of these " young children asking bread, and no man giving it them ? " (Lam. iv. 4.) Miss Macpherson also writes : — " Many of those, once the little match-box makers, are now Christian 126 GOD'S ANSWERS. girls taking our counsel and going as servants into Christian families. " Thus our child-loving hearts cannot refuse to rescue the sorrowful children that come to us to escape the atrocities of the almost unacknowledged bloodless war tliat goes on in our midst. Most of the fifty rescues now under our care are here through the slain upon the battle-field of drink, shaven heads telling the tale of neglect. The last two motherless little girls sent to us were turned out by their drunken stepfather. " The leader of our class for mothers and widows says that it is almost impossible to visit them, their unmur- muring sufferings are so touching. In many of their little garrets almost everything is sold. And these are the saints of the Lord — those who will very soon go in to the King more than conquerors. Yes, these are they from whom we learn our best lessons of trust and patience, how to deal witli sceptics, and how to go down and share our crust with a suffering sister." " Oh, friends, listen to a mother's sad words. * Some days nothing all day. A little relief comes with the parish allowance ; but many a morning those hungry voices ask — 'Mother, is this the day for hread V Hear in fancy your loved and cherished little ones asking this, and you will feel for that mother^s heart. She recalls one day that she left them crying for bread; but she left One with them — the children's Friend. Jle quieted them ; and when after two hours the mother returned, she found them sleeping. ' But, oh,' she said, 'that sight just broke my heart, so starved «'/5 THIS THE DAY FOR DREADS 127 )ome the Iking She jad; lend. the oh; :ved they looked — even tlie baby in Lizzie's arms — all just like little skeletons! I couldn't help it; I just sat down and wept.' Only with tears could we hear such a tale. No other response would come as we took in the picture ; and it did not mend our sorrow when she added, * There were thousands such as these.' " Oh, the intense longing that her voice could reach to those drawing-rooms yonder ! Will not the echo of it, coming in this form, cause some, not in imagination merelv, but in reality, to " come and see ? " Climb the dark sfdir, and hear for yourself these melting stories, which will fill your heart with pity, and not leave you wondering what will interest next. What a privilege, yea, high honour, it is to be allowed to take messages for Jesus ! It was stated lately in a crowded gathering of six tliousand, as the misery of the poor was dwelt on, that if God were to ask the angels in heaven if any were willing to spend fifty or a hundred years down here to befriend some little shoeless, homeless boy, for whom no Christian was caring, to tell him of Jesus, and lead him to heaven, 'why, in three minutes,' were the burning words, * I don't believe there'd be an angel left within the pearly gates.' " " My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." That which is called the day of rest, is at the Home of Industry one of varied and incessant labour ; one day may serve as a specimen. Before the usual hour for morning service, two of the lady- workers start for the Fenchurch Street Station, to hold a Bible-class with the railway porters — others at the same time leave for I II M' i 128 GOD'S ANSWERS. Bird Fair. Bird Fair would be a sad siglit to witness on any day in any place, how humiliating it is to behold on that which is called the Lord's Day in a so-called Christian land. Here, from eleven till one, dog-stealers parade their ill-gjtten prey, and crowds through which it is scarcely possible to make one's way, are occupied in gambling and betting on them, and on the beautiful pigeons here made such an instrument of sin. The character of the neighbour- hood may be known from the appeal made by two poor boys who came on 1 week day to ask shelter from a blind, Christian woman. Thev were locked out of their own home (a bird and rabbit shop), for their parents were both out drinking, and they said, " Father and mother keep sober only on Sundays, because there is more business to be done." There, amid many interruptions, the Gospel is preached to those who would never hear it elsewhere. The preaching station on this occasion was in a railway- arch, here the har- monium was 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 many who attend the workers' meetings, is filled by adult classes of women. At the close an address is given, often by a returned missionary, and many among these very poor of the flock bring their offerings, scanty in themselves, but surely much prized in the sight of Him whose love has constrained them ; twice over has a precious offering been given to me for VARIED LABOUR. 129 reii is an .nd eir ^ed 111; Ifor the Punrooty Mission — once from the adult classes, and again from the younger Sunday scholars. The adult Sunday-school numbers more than 160 mem jers. A class of working men is held below. The tea hour is one of peculiar interest. Many young men wlio are engaged in business in the week, and give this day of rest to the business of their King, meet here after having spent the afternoon teaching in various schools. During this meal letters are read from far-off lands, often written by those who had formerly met here, and who have gone from this training to dark places of the earth. ]\Iany subjects for prayer are thus brought forward and remembered before the Lord; then the building is again filled to overflowing. An infant class of ninety in one room on the ground floor — when these dispe.'se a Gospel meeting is held in this room, — a class of factory girls in another, while above crowds of children press. Lut there is mucli outside work besides, to occupy every helper. Lodging-houses in the thieves' quarters are visited, and services held, and many hundreds are thus reached ; and after nine P.M., when the labourers return from their varied spheres, all join once more in p"aise and prayer, and many walk a long mile and more to reach their own homes, none using any vehicle or train on the Lord's day. It is impossible to follow every detail in this con- tinually increasing work, and only brief mention can be made of the goodness of the Lord in having once more preserved the lives of dear ones in Canada, when, in 1875, the Home at r>ellevillc was again destroyed by I30 GOD'S ANSWERS. fire, and again Canadian kindness and hospitality were manifested to the utmost. Each summer's sun had shone upon band after band of young emigrants guided safely across the ocean, through the goodness and mercy of Him, " Who carries the lambs in His bosom," and "Who holdeth the waters in the liollow of His hand." In the labour of watching over these little ones on the voyage, as in every other, the Lord raised up helpers like-minded with those who bore the burden of the work. In May, 1876, the twenty-second party sailed under the care of Mr. Merry and Miss Macpherson, and the following extracts are from her diary : — "Friday, May 5. — Calm seas, children bright and happy, cloudless skies, weather charming and exhila- rating, though cold. Morning spent over our Bibles. Time seemed to fly rapidly while we talked of ' the things concerning the King.' In the afternoon the bracing air and bright skies invited vigorous exercise, and our Birmingham friend and I walked between two and three miles. Faith was our theme of converse. May the result be that we both shall trust our God more than heretofore, for ourselves and our work, and realise increased measure. (Phil. iv. 19) 'My God shall supply all your need.' " Our children being on deck, we joined them in their games, and then assembled our large family in their sepa- rate steerages; and standing in the doorway between, I was enabled to address them and the helpers — 140 in all. Their evening hymn attracted the sailors, and this gave a double gathering on mid-decks. Our por- DIARY AT SEA. 131 tion was Luke x. 38-42, 'The one thing needful.' Jestis the need of each one, ere leaving us. A saddened look fell over every little face, as we referred to parting, while many beamed with joy, as we talked of the meeting by and bye. We closed by singing * Around the throne of God in heaven.' During this hour Mr. Merry held a solemn meeting among the sailors in the forecastle. Mav the Lord Jesus scatter His saints to the four quarters of the globe, that His glory may be increased. If those who cannot go would only meet weekly, in twos and threes, and pray for the foreign fields of perishing millions, surely we should see greater results. " This day ended in one of the most lovely of moon- li^dit nights, and as we walked on deck we were ever and anon led to praise God and admire the beauties of His hand. Venus was resplendent ; very large and full of soft lustrous beauty, while an aurora shed some lovely tinges of colour across the sky. Our little group turned once more towards the chart room, and sang a hymu of praise to ' Him who hath loved us.* '*' If so much Loveliness is sent To grace our earthly home, How beautiful, how beautiful Must be tlie world to come ! ' " Saturday, May 6. — At early dawn we were awakened from a long brain-refreshing sleep by one of the officers gently tapping at our door, and in a whisper saying, * A glorious sunrise.' We were soon with him on the bridge, filled with admiration as we gazed upon the scene be- fore us. The sun appeared rising from the ocean, its 13* GOD'S ANSWERS. ^m < golden rays sliedding a dazzling brilliance on all around. While we watched, the scene changed, and a misty veil beclouded the whole horizon, hiding from our view that which had been so lovely. "After going down to an early cup of tea we sang our morning hymn of praise, and had a season of prayer ; a very hallowed opportunity it was, one which brought us again to feel our deep need of grace, to live one more day to His praise and glory. " About noon we had another of those never-ending changes which are to 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 ico fields as far as the eye could reach. " Our noble Scotch ironclad rode on her way majes- tically, leaving a pathway in the frozen fields to be seen for miles behind, and as she struck her boom upon the massive sheets of ice, they seemed to vibrate and cause a movement in \nv2,e sheets on before and on either side. 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 under a warmer influence. This Arctic scene causes our captain and his officers to look rather serious, and they mount at times to the fore- topgallant mast. Did we but know the dangers which beset us through yielding to the allurements of the world, how often would we also mount aloft, and get upon our watch-tower and look out ! . "You will naturally ask, How far did the ice reach? / I CUTTING THROUGH THE ICE. 133 We were fourteen hours cutting through it, passing sixty vessels and two steamers (many of them fixtures), signalling those we came near. It was touching to see a barque make efTorts to get into our opened-up path- way, but she could not make the short distance to reach the cleared waters. Those wlio watched throughout that long day as we triumphantly, though slowly, broke our ice-girt way, saw seals between the fields of ice, porpoises and whales spouting and bounding in their glorious freedom, sea-gulls and small red birds flying about. " Our little fellows were constructing allegories after the fashion of their last course of lessons on Bunyan's ' Pilgrim's Progress,' The ice field, they said, was like Satan, and the ship was like Christian ; and thus they went on, as they sat looking over the bulwarks at the ice which so hindered our progress. There is not a child who has not had his constitution braced by this most favourable voyage. To-day we passed a steamer in the ice, which had started a week ahead of iis from Glasgow. How we realised at this time the comfort and rest of having a captain and officers who were men of prayer. " The gun was now fired to tell the dwellers at Metis to telegraph the glad news to you that we were safe in sight of land, though there are still Amaleks to be over- come, — narrow straits lined with mountains full of minerals, which are a magnetic attraction to our iron- clads, and more ships have been lost here than anywliero else ; fogs which come and go, ever keeping the sailor JJ4 GOD'S ANSWERS. as he noars the shore in anxious trepidation; and shallows that require skill in sounding. " Sunday, May 7. — A cloudy day, after a week of unspeakable loving-kindness and tender mercy. We could by faith heai* His own voice within, saying ' My peace I give unto you.' Our children all day were most obedient, and kind and loving to each other. We spent the morning together, the last of the kind until we meet on that morning that hath no clouds. Ere commencing our lesson, we asked a sailor to lift the hatchway wide open. This gave the suggestion for the subject, * The Man with the Palsy,' which was easily understood by supposing the sailors with cords to let one more little boy down into our midst. "The pilot met us at Father Point about 4 r.M., bringing a telegram of welcome from one of our dear Canadian friends, also a verse from Philemon. Thus we feel assured loving hearts are 2)rayerfully awaiting us on the shores we are nearing, a sweet symbol of the better land and the loved ones on before. " Monday, May 8. — Mr. Merry was astir before five o'clock, and awaking the young helpers. Soon ihey were in the steerage among the children ; commenced packing of blankets, «&c., as we were expecting to make the port soon after breakfast. In this, however, we were disappointed, as in Travers's Strait the Mineral Mountains attracted the compass, and a dense fog hid- ing all headlands retarded our progress, making it neces- sary to lower one of the boats to take the soundings, and go before the great ' Sardinian,' showing her how MINERAL MOUXTAINS. i3S |s> to shape lier course in the narrow way. A sweet reminder this to us that our Lord was so condescend- ing as to use the possessions of a little lad when He needed the two small fishes. And we take encourage- ment that many of our little ones are going on before, preparing the way in many a district by their sweet hymns telling of the ' wondrous story,' for the devoted evangelists who are being raised up in Canada to follow with deeper revealings of the blessed Bible, winning precious souls ' till He come.' •" ' 1 am coming ! Are you working ] Short your serving time will be ; Are your talents idle lying ? Are you using tlieni fur 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 Caullon is required in the Gulf at this time of year. At 1 1 a.m. we had a sweet season of thanksgiving for the many mercies received. At twelve o'clock the fog lifted, and the engine went on with its accustomed vigour. At 5 p.m. we neared the shore, and there stood a group of more than a dozen young ladies, waving a welcome. Soon they were on deck, and saluted us and our children, telling us they had borne us up in prayer before the Lord. After uniting with them in praise for the unspeakable mercies by the way, we bade farewell to passengers, officers, and crew, and sliding down the long gangway from the bulwarks, felt our feet once more on terra firma. Shaking our captain's hand with a grateful heart for all II y 136 COD'S ANSWERS. his kindness to us and ours, in a fuw minutes steam was up, and the * Sardinian ' on lier way to Motitreal. " We then went to see the little ones having tea in an adjoining hall, while Mr. Merry was very busy among the agents and luggage. It being announced that the Quebec boat was ready to cross the river, we liad to part with our young friends, who told us they sliould all take a deeper interest than ever in us now they had seen the bright faces of our children. From love to Jesus, they had met during the past winter to make clothing, and presented me with a large case to take on. "After sending our telegrams to each Home, we found the first-class cars ready for our children, so we put every one at full length, and soon all were soundly asleep, and we went on hour after hour. " Tuesday, May 9. — We arrived at IMontreal at ten o'clock, where a most comfortable breakfast was await- ing us, with nice washing accommodation. Here we had the pleasure of meeting the Secretary of the ^Muigratiou Department of Ottawa, who kindly gave us some sound counsel on many points bearing upon our work of emigration. "At eleven o'clock we heard the summons, 'All aboard ! ' and were soon again on our way. We dined at Prescott, and then still westward we travelled until midnight. " All was mercy. For Sidney, our little delicate child, we feared the cold night-air would be too much, so the cry went upwards for guidance with regard to this pre- yOURNEY ]VnST]VARD. ^37 ii I e cioiis orphan, whoso story was so touching. A Christian widow had sheltered his mother from tlie streets wlien the child was but two weeks old, and had kept him for five years, but now, her failing eyesight rendering her unable to support him, with a breaking heart she gave liini up to us. All my desire now our journey was end- ing was to keep from making one special attachment, yet his delicacy drew us all more than ever to him. "Owing to a telegram not having been delivered, about midnight one of the trying incidents of this part of our journey unexpectedly occurred. On arriving at Belleville, after awaking our sleeping family, we found neither friend nor conveyance awaiting us. Mr. Merry walked the mile to the Home, and soon our waggon was ready to take back a few of the most exhausted ones, whilst our car was shunted to a siding for the night. "Wednesday, May lo. — Ere seven o'clock, by help of a large omnibus, we were conveyed to the new Belle- ville Home, where we met with a warm welcome. It was a day of reunion with loved fellow- workers, talking of the way the Lord had led us, and the trials and joys of the past year. Twelve months ago, I left this Home a mass of ruins and burnt embers; now a new and more efficient one for the purpose is erected on the same spot. My beloved friend Miss Bilbrough lias indeed had many a burden to bear, but her testimony to the Lord's faithfulness is greater than ever. Her heart is more and more devoted to the children, and to carrying forward the work in all its never-ceasing details. 13S GOD'S ANSWERS. " After a few hours' sleep, it was so very interesting to walk over our new and conveniently arranged Home. Truly our hearts were filled with r>raise as we knelt together to thank the Lord. Towards the afternoon I was introduced to a young man who was working as jrardener. We had broudit him out from Eno^land in T870, and he has ever since given great satisfaction to his employers, has paid back liis passage-money, joined the Church, and not long since was married to his late master's daughter. " In the evenincj we walked into town, and met with * Daniel's Band,' which is composed of seventeen Chris- tian young men, who are uniting in prayer and work for the souls of their fellow-townsmen; and through their instrumentality many conversions have taken place, and the churches have been stirred up to greater activity. Mr. Merry gave a clear Gospel address, and another meeting being asked for, a liible-reading was arran<::red for the foUowincj evenin". Thus we had the privilege of witnessing for our blessed Master to about 200, and cheering the hearts of 'Daniel's Band.' "Thursday, May 11. — Occupied the day writing English letters and receiving friends. Also went to see an aged saint, who had from our first visit to these shores been a helper by her prayers. "Friday, May 12. — Left Belleville for Gait soon after 6 A.M., taking with us thirty-eight children, and travel- ling by rail along the shores of Lake Ontario. Tlie morning hours passed quickly en route, and as we neared Toronto, towns and villages became more frequent and jfOURNEYING MERCIES. 139 more attractive. At Berlin an unexpected kindness was sliown us. Orders had been given to send us on by special train, so that no delay was experienced in travelling the remaining fourteen miles of our journey. Those who have travelled 3000 miles with a nuT >ber of children can understand liow this was appreciaied by us, when every nerve was strained, and nature was yearring for a long sleep free from the sliaking of the railway. "At 5 P.M., on the seventeenth day after leaving London, we reached the end of our journey, and found our farmer-nephew, with his team, awaiting our arrival. Soon we were on the hill, looking at the little Home beyond. As we approached the gates the shout of wel- come from more than a score of young voices greeted us, and on the verandah we were received by our loved niece, and the dear friends who have been assisting her in the' absence of her parents. The strain of travel now being over, we were able to enjoy a few hours' rest, our hearts full of gratitude for the many mercies which had encompassed us all our journey tlirou«^h. " ' How good is the God we adore, Our faithful, uiiclmngeable Friend "Whose love is as great as His power, And knows neither measure nor end.' " During tlie winter, individual visitation of the chil- dren had been most effectually accomplished by the four Inspectors appointed by the Canadian Government, the result of which proved to be most favourable to the plan of placing tlie "Solitary in families." After two .^^ I40 GOD'S ANSWERS. days rest at Gait, Miss Macplierson started on the same loved work, and met with the usual cheering results. On her return home Miss Macplierson thus writes : — " /iJi/ 2d. "In the providence of our covenant-keeping God, and Father of the fatherless, we have been again permitted in peace to return from another 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 been travelled in connection with these special charges in the past six years, and no storm or accident has been permitted to alarm, no death requiring the remains to be committed to the great deep. "During the past year the Dominion Government chose four of their oldest ofiicials to visit all our chil- dren, (as their Blue-book lecords), * deemir.g that from their experience they would be best enabled to judge of the condition, position, and prospects of the children in their situations.' Tlie Government are satisfied (as parents of the State), that our children * are very care- fully placed,' bringing out the fact that, ninety-eight out of every 100 are doing well." Miss Macplierson adds : — " A letter will often show the progress of an indus- trious young man, and being asked for details, I give the foUowinfj from a handful of similar encourn!:,ane same from me, j '^^ „ The following incidents are told by Miss Mac- pherson : — "Miss Eilbrough often goes off witli half-a-dozen to see them placed in their new home. Whilst on one of these journeys, the little ones were attracting the notice of fellow-travellers, as some forty to fifty are generally r 144 GOD'S ANSWERS. I in a compartment. From amongst these Miss Bil- brough 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 a young solicitor, just about to pass his last examination. He was on the important business of going to some place in the backwoods to value a farm for the firm by whom he was employed. "Another young man, one of our second band in 1870, is now visiting his friends in England for a month, ere beginning his career as a lawyer in Canada ; and more than this, he is, we rejoice to say, a consistent Christian of several years' standing. Now, when we want a lawyer's counsel, our young friend is glad to give it us, and already has done us good service. Sweet thank- ofTerings ! " My past birthday in June was spent in taking two little fellows to their homes. After travelling nearly one hundred miles, as we neared our destination very tired, we wondered to ourselves whether it would be in a log hut, farmhouse, or mansion we should find a welcome with our little charges. It proved to be the last. " The Lord had put it into the heart of a young married lady to rear an orphan boy, and thus fulfil a long-cherished idea. She had also induced another Christian lady to do the same. It was a sweet reward to His wearied servant, to know that two orphans would be so well cared for." ( 145 ) CHAPTEE VII. 1877-1879. "They helped every one his neighbour "-Miss ChiM a fellow- labourer— The work in J^.f,.l;(r II- 1 ,, ^"" '' ••■ ^<'"«^\■ Sailors- " \V .1 '" 'r'^"'' H.-hway-Strungers- Rest for feulor«- ^\elc•orue Home "-" Bridge of lioj.e " - Miss Macpherson's twenty- iirst voya-e to (••ii....l., Pi • limivJ +l.« uQ 1- • ,. v., -^ " *-'»'"iUla— hxplo.sion on boa d the Sardnnan --Child life in the Gait Hon>e-Thc to tlfoTr^'^;."''^^ '' ^'''''^'•^" f-"^ J-'-lon, Knowl on En.vrts/^^" '^^'^^^^^^'' -^^ ^^--^'"-"^ t; Scottis.; "TiiEY helped everyone his neighbour, and everyone said to his brother, Be of good courage " (margin, be strong). Miss Macpherson writes in February this year, tlie eighth anniversary :— "As a band, we need to 'bestro^ir,' for any emercrency At this season we are surrounded by hundreds of men out of employment, and in want of food, wlio sav now to us-' We have listened to your Gospel ; we are in want; show us thy faith by thy works.' Tliis we are endeavouring to do by providing for them suppers of soup and bread twice a week. Tiie other evenin- a crowd had gathered outside the door at the specified hour, when only 150 could be admitted. Did we but know tlie gnawings of real hunger we should not wonder that the unsuccessful applicants attempted to K 146 GOD'S ANSWERS. burst in ; and one poor man falling in tlie crush, broke his arm. " We need your prayers while dealing with this class for another month. Strong hearts quail at the sight of these hopeless looking men. Our evening-school three times a week, taught by ladies, we find to be the most successful plan of dealing with them. The being called by their oivn navies, man by man, wakes up an interest, and causes the public-house life to go into tlie shade. *' The friends of the match box-makers (our oldest love in this vineyard) will rejoice to hear that we gathered 300 of them straight from their boxes to a New Year's tea, when a kind friend helped to make the evening a pleasant one by exhibiting dissolving views. After this the gifts of clothing, &g., with which we had been sup- plied by many contributors, were distributed among them. " Last week we had a very happy evening with our Christian band, many of whom were the matchbox- makers of former days, now grown into young women, and fellow-workers for Christ in their own homes, and in the courts and alleys where they dwell. Deeply interesting were their testimonies of answers to prayer, the power of the Word, and delivering grace in time of trial in the factories where they labour. Dear helpers by prayer, you now behold what great things the Lord hath wrought for us in giving us this band of young women to go forth on the Sunday afternoons in couples with their tracts, and reach many whom per- haps we might not find. Some of these are also teachers .Jf" tea, RA TCLII-F HIGH WA Y. ,47 in our Sunday-scliool, sympathising with us in our East- end trials, teaching to others what tliey have learned of Jesus through tlieir own experience of His great love. "Tlie 'elder girls' of the East-end are a continual heavy burden on our heart ; much thought and care aro being bestowed in devising and perfecting plans for winning their young lives to the Saviour, and fitting them for honourable service for God and man. This great preventive work among those young bread-winners can only be successfully accomplished by those who, through studying their habits, temptations, and sur- roundings, by constant loving contact with them, and by special training, are able to win their conadence' and afTection." In this year a new and most important work was begun, one which has eminently received the blessing of " Him who is the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are afar off upon the sea." Miss Child, one like-minded with Miss Macpherson in her zeal for souls, and her longing to save them from the curse of drink, liad been residing in the Home of Industry, and visiting public-houses in Ritcliff High- M-ay. To tliose who have never seen the open parlde of sin in that part, (long notorious for every evil), it is hard to describe the scene, where even in broad daylight the unhappy captives of Satan seem to -lory in their shame. Miss Child's heart yearned over the sailors who crowd the public-houses, escaped from the perils of the sea only to fall into worse dangers. She 148 GOD'S ANSWERS. longed for somo means of helping them. Miss Mac- pherson appealed to him whose burning words in the City of London Theatre in 1861 had so stirred her own lieart. Mr. Ileginald ItadcliU'e had lately opened a Strangers' Kest in Liverpool, and only longed to see the same established in every port in the world. In answer to the call, he came up to London and addressed Christian workers assembled at the Home of Industry, stirring them up to undertake a new form of attack on the strongholds of the enemy. Mr. James E. Matheson took the deepest interest in this work, and a house was secured in llatcliff Highway, the appearance of which was made to contrast very strongly with all around. Gospel texts in many languages appeared in all the M'indows, and invitations to sailors to enter and write their letters, materials provided free of cost. This work needed many helpers. Preachers were required fur the different nationalities. Such were found, and ■willing listeners, so that soon a larger house was necessary. Notwitlistanding the many calls on her time and strength. Miss Macpherson was frequently to be found here, delighting in seeking to save among a class hitherto difhcult to reach. Many other sisters in the Lord were called on to help — some to play the harmoniums provided in each room, and lead the singing in varied languages — others in writing letters for those who could not use a pen themselves, and whose hearts were softened by kindness shown in this way — others in filling bags with books and tracts. The blessing which has followed these cannot be ii I »=■- '^BRIDGE OF HOPE.'' 149 Iters )lay the Iters laud in. icts. be 1 reckoned ; none can tell what these silent messengers, so often despised on shore, have been to sailors when read far away from home and friends. ^Many of these bags have been made by Christian invalids, and are followed by their prayers that the contents may ever be blessed. As yet, however, nothing had been done for the women in RatclifT Highway, and Miss Macpherson, when visiting that neighbourhood where Satan 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't you speak to us as you do to ^he sailors, and we would be converted and be happy t jo ? " This led to the first decided effort being made, and the following year a small mission room for their use alone was opened. Tea-meetings and Gospel addresses were given here. Miss Macpherson's long-tried helper. Miss May, added this work to her many other burdens for the Lord, and other kind friends joined her in visiting and seekincj out the lost. Although, in Miss May's words, " humanly speaking all things were against us," — for in this neighbourhood the wages of iniquity are high, yet encouragement was met with, and it was felt that the mission room was not sufficient, but some shelter must be taken wherein to receive poor applicants until they could be removed to a safer locality. A tiny three-roomed house was secured and opened with much prayer, and has fulfilled the promise of the name given to it, "The lU-idge of Hope." The Lord blessed iMiss Macpherson in tho f ^f 150 GOD'S ANSWERS. choine of a lieiper, Miss UnderJown, the brave pioneer who volunteered to remain here alone, ready to welcome the poor wanderer at any hour of 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, that wlien His summons to a distant land is obeyed, the work at home will not be suffered to languish. Another devoted sister in the Lord, Miss Steer, has given up home ties and home comforts, counting it all joy to rescue those most deeply sunk in guilt and misery. The work has doubled and trebled in import- ance, more than a hundred having been drawn out of this whirlpool of sin and infamy, and brouglit under the sound of the Gospel within the walls of the larger liefuge, since opened for tliem. More than once we have had to praise God for the help given by Christian sailors ; their watchful eyes have noticed in the " High- way " some who were evidently strangers to the haunts of vice, and have brought them here for safety, and even borne part of the expense of their journey homewards. The house originally taken for the Strangers' Eest having been found inadequate for the accommodation of the crowds who frequented it, a larger house was taken, but it was felt that after the many hallowed associations of the first house opened, where Miss Mac- pherson and Miss Child had often rejoiced with the angels of God over repenting sinners, it was impossible to relinquish it for ordinary uses, — it might be in that neighbourhood for some direct work of Satan. To Miss Macpherson's great joy her faithful co-worker, Miss •' WELCOME HOME." i;t Cliiltl, detcrmiiieil on opening it as a Tuniperanco Conbo House, or " Welcome Home " for the sailors, and thence- forth made tliis place her abode, and the work of God has never ceased. In the spring of this year Miss ^lacpherson had contemplated starting with a party for Canada, but as the time drew near slie was so much worn out by the continued strain of "holding the fort" at Spitaliields fur the last two years, that some of her friends almost feared she would be unable to take the charire. She would not suffer her bodily weakness to hinder her, and on May the 8th started on her twenty-first voyage iti the "Sardinian," accompanied by her brother-in-law, Mr, Merry, with a party of fifty children, and two young men who had gone out with her in 1870, and had returned to see their friends, 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 hitherto thanksgivings had gone up for preser- vation from even alarm of danger. N' w a deeper thanlrs- giving was to be called forth, for the Lord's preserving care in a scene which brouirht all face to face witli eternity. On the Monday before she left Miss Mac- pherson remarked to some friends, "The Word is full of Deliverance, both individual deliverance and other- wise," little dreaming how soon she would be called to realise this truth. The following letter, which appeared in the "Times," tells of the strength given in time of need : — 152 GOD'S ANSWERS. "J/ay 14, 1878. "Captain Grills, of tliG Liverpool Mercantile Marine Service Association, going to Derry upon a pleasure trip, was upon the bridge of the ' Sardinian ' when tlie accident occurred, and speaks in high terms of the dis- cipline of ofTicc^s and crew under the trying circum- stances. He says : — ' I was on the bridge with Captain Button, looking for tlie approach of the tender, when in a moment an explosion occurred, down in the fore- hold, where a quantity of coal was stored, and blew into the air thousands of fragments of wood. Immediately afterwards people came shrieking up the companion ways, many of them cut, bruised, and bhackened. The scene was indescribable. A great deal of confusion was caused by the separation of children from parents and liusbands from wives. One poor woman begged me to go and find her baby, which v.'as torn from her arms. The Captain, on hearing the explosion and seeing the smoke, sprang from the bridge, ordered the hose to be instantly applied, and by dint of extraordinary exertions on the part of himseh', the officers, and crew, succeeded in saving several people who were in the midst of the dehris. The hold was Hooded with water from the hose, but the smoke continued to pour out in dense volumes, and ultimately they had to abandon all hope of saving the ship except by opening the sluices and letting the water in. Before doing this the vessel was taken into five fathoms of water, so that when she settled down her decks would be above water, and .slie might the II p In u EXPLOSION. 153 p.iore easily be pumped out and raised. "While tlieso orders were being executed, the ^vhole of the saloon passengers, assisted by many of the crew, were engaged in transferring the emigrants to the mail tender which had just come alongside. About 300 or 400 soon crowded her decks, and she landed them at Movillo pier, after which she returned for orders. Subsequently the second tender took oft' most of the saloon passengers, many wounded, and a large quantity of baggage. The boats were lowered in order to save the baLTijage. The mail tender returned and took the rest of the people, and I went witli them, and we reached Derry about nine o'clock that night. I cannot refrain from referring to the heroic conduct of one lady,* a ?;aloon passenger, who, while partially dressed, rescued a baby that was fearfully burnt, at considerable risk to herself; the mother had proceeded to Derry, thinking she had lost her child for ever. The promptitude and energy dis- played by Captain Dutton was in every way admirable, and his orders were executed with great decision. Miss Ma'ipherson and her li,tle band of Canadian emigrants showed no small amount of true fortitude and heroism. Most of the children behaved nobly under the trying circumstances, and exiiibited much of the fruit of their careful training. They kepi' repeating to one another many of the sayings they had heard from IVIiss Mac- phersou about being patient, and brave, and good. I visited the infirmary before leaving on Saturday, and spoke to each of the nine patients, who are all sufler- • Miss Catherine EUis of T^'yon House. i 154 GOD'S ANSWERS. ing 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 Chris- 1-ian friends at St. Pancras last Wednesday, we seem to have lived years, and learnt more of the reality of the delivering power of our loving Father than in all our lives before. "Wondrous to relate, and as marvellous as the de- liverance of the three children from the fiery furnace, is the fact that all our precious little ones are in safety, and now gone to a place of worship. "Behold the lovinc^-kindness of our God! Had the explosion taken place a little while later, our vessel would have been on her way instead of standing still waiting off Moville for the mails. " JMost of the children were on deck, basking in the lovely sunshine of that afternoon. We were all busy finishing our letters, and I intended to write one more, and then go and spend an hour in the children's steer- age, when presently there was a terrible sound, as of a cannon, followed by a deathly stillness for two minutes ; I rushed on deck and beheld a man jet black with soot, his hair 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 the deck became a fearful scene of confusion, poor foreigners weeping, and oh ! the mutilated men fffll^ DELIVERANCE. 3> 13 he ro, er- as wo ick •ay ng, le.' on, IL'U and women, ghastly with fright, some of tlieir faces entirely skinned. " My first care was for the little ones. They clustered round me, as the two young men, (former boys of 1870, who had been home to see their friends), gathered them out of the crowd. LIr. Merry gave me the list, and they dried their tears, and answered to their names when called. "We soon found all accounted for, and were hushed with praise. Picture us all standing near the wheelhouse, awaiting orders, or to see, it might be flames, or another explosion of a still more serious character. " Oh ! could every Sunday school teacher in the land realise my feelings at that 7noment, they would never rest until every child in their class was icashcd in the Blood of the Lamh. I saw nothiny hut iuiperfection in all my work, and loant of hurning reality for soids. "The scene of the disaster was very near to the chil- dren's sleeping berths ; a very few yards off two women sat upon a box together, one was blovrn up into the air, the other driven she knew not whitlier ; but late that night I came across her seeking a bed in Moville, and she told me that in those firsD terrible moments every sin she had ever committed came hcfore her, and the one most awful was her having rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, what our God can do in the twink- ling of an eye! by unbalancing a little breath of His own created air, then the stoutest-hearted sinners quail." 156 GOD'S ANSWERS. Another witness wrote : — Sunday. " It is terrible to have been in the midst of sucli a calamity ! and the sight of the poor, blackened, and scorched faces of the sufferers I shall never forgot. There was such a nice family on board ; the father, mother, and four cliildren. The mother was blown up ; her body was found yesterday, scarcely recognisable, but the husband had to go and identify it. Poor man ! he was here, and in such an agony of distress. The last order I heard the Captain give, was thundered out, * Send all the women and children up from below,' and Miss Macpherson came herself, and dragged me up. Captain Button says there have been the most wonder- ful providences. ' It was wonderful how calm every one seemed at the time of that terrible crash. There was no panic, but the peculiar wailing of the poor Sardinians rings in my ears still, and the groans of those sufferers. Silence must be cast over the scenes of that sad day. " If I thought of anything at the time of the accident, it was of Miss Macpherson's IJiblc, and I know her thought was for me and the children. It was most sweet at the time to see the way people tliought of others more than of themselves ; there were many little acts of kindness done then which will never be for- gotten. " Miss Macpherson said to me as we were starting on Thursday, ' I think this is going to be a most p*" * «• ost of " ]VHY WAS I SPARED?'' 157 unusual voyage. I have never had such sweet dis- missals hefore.' " I did so feel as I stood round those poor sufferers. Why was I spared ? All in the same ship, all exposed to the same peril, and yet we are untoucJicd, and what are we better than they ? We can only bow low before our lovincf Father with 'What can I render unto the Loia for all His benefits towards me ? ' . . I managed to get to the infirmary, where I paid a very interesting visit. . . . The third oflicer is so terribly hurt, quite unrecoi^nisable." On her return from Derry, whither she had hastened to give help to the sufferers, Mrs. ]\Ierry gave a thrilling account of how the waters had not been suffered to pass over them, nor the flame permitted to kindle upon them; and told how nobly that brave seaman and man of God, Captain Dutton, had acted ; how he had instantly summoned all hands to his help in seeing to the safety of the children, so that in less than three minutes by the watch, after the shock, the whole of the forty little ones were around Miss Macpherson, having no more hurt upon them (with one exception) than a little sinired hair and a few blisters. Not only were their lives spared — they were not even called upon to ''take joyfully the spoiling of their goods," for not one box or parcel either of clothing or gospel tracts and books was lost or injured, The "Peruvian" was sent from Liverpool to take the place of the "Sardinian," and the rest of the voyage was accomplished in safety. 158 GOD'S ANSWERS. neanug Cape Eace Miss Macplierson When writes : — " Many a touching scene have we witnessed. A com- pany of between twenty and thirty Swiss Christians, with their evangelist, guided by a lady, to form a little colony in Canada, when passing through Liverpool, had spent all their evenings at the 'Sailors' Rest/ so we, being one in the eternal bond, sang together the same hymns, tliough in different languages, the first evening we sailed out. To see them drying their Bibles and hymn- books, all the covers gone, oh ! it made me weep. How very precious those mutilated books were to them now! " One dear German Christian showed me his Bible, and I was told the two front blotted pages were written by a dying mother's hand. Another young German, when he found his Bible was safe, forgot all else, and danced about with the most touching joy, but then he knew 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 to interpret, I put out my hand to help him ; he took one long look into my face, and with a smile gave me his precious book. Five days after we met again, and he held out his hands, exclaim- ing ' Bibel ! ' " You heard how very promptly the Derry Christians acted for the poor emigrants. Every minister intimated the need in his clmrcli, and the response was made before nine o'clock on the Monday morning. Cartloads of clotliineloved friends, ' Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.' — Yours affectionately, " Annie Macpiiekson." listen ay, 'Go le maj'o- rrreater direc- of trial m your s love, d board |[;are we less, or Jesus. The work had now so increased, that it was thou'^ht well to divide the three Canadian Homes. Miss Macpherson found the Gait Home sufficient for the needs of the children transferred from the Home of Industry. Miss Bilbrough retained possession of the Marchmont Home, now devoted exclusively to children from Scotland ; and the Knowlton Home, in the pro- vince of Quebec, was placed under the management of Mrs. Birt for the reception of little emigrants from Liverpool. It was at the workers' meeting in August that Miss Macpherson was welcomed home; and Miss Ellis of IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / o \ ^ i. % >^J% 23 WEST MAIN STRkET WEBSTER, N.Y 14580 (716) 872-4503 c^ o^^ ce love that placed our burdens upon the hearts of others, causing them to consider Him who loved them, and who had enjoined us to go forth and sympathise with the ' Christies ' grinding lieir old organs, and the 'Jessicas,' with broken hearts, crying for bread in the alleys of our great city. "Our sainted sister, Miss Havergal, once earnestly entreated us to writ* on about the needs .,f little .\ 194 GOD'S ANSWERS. children. Mrs. Herbert Taylor, now in glory, said, *0h continue unto the end pleading the Christ-like cause.' "Yes! \,e are stewards, and not of money only. " Do these departed workers regret one effort made for Jesus ? It is only now we can watch with Him for the little children, — the opportunities for self- denial will soon be past. No more long voyages, or sleepless nights, — soon the Lord Himself will come, our bungling 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 the little children in His arms (Mark x. 13-16). How full of tenderness as we see Him placing the child by Himself (Luke ix. 47, 48). Would we follow Him, then shall we be faithful stewards of every gift with which He has entrusted us. When we have had nothing left but Himself, — so near to faith's vision, — then how inexpressibly full has shone 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 com- fort them ; showing them His hands and His feet, and lifting those hands to bless them (Luke xxiv}." ' I lory, said, Jhrist-liko only. ffort made with Him for self- oyages, or will come, r the blood remaining he eye rest e took the 1 6). How ; the child we follow 5 of every BQ we have to faith's shone out ever- failing ' to His oft ing to com- [is feet, and 0." STEWARDSHIP. " ' A little while ' for patient vigil keeping, To face the stern, to wrestle with thrstrong- 'A little while,' to sow the seed with weepinr. ' Then bind the sheaves and sing the harvest son.. "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 \ 195 » » « Yki k i,nir.E w„„,K, and He that sha.,. come wru. comk, AND WILL NOT TARRY." THE END. KRINTEU «V nAI.t.ANTVNE, HANSON AND CO. KL.INEURGH AND LONDON. T a I A SELECTION OF BOOKS SUITABLE FOB GE LI STIC WORKERS, PUBLISHED BY JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET, LONDON. RAGGED HOMES, AND HOW TO MEND THEM. By Mrs. Bayly. Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. cloth. Also a Cheaper Edition, Is. 6d. cloth limp. SEEKING THE LOST : Incidents and Sketches of Christian "Work in London. By the Rev. C. J. Whitmoke, Author of " The Bible in the Workshop." Crown 8vo, Ss. 6d. cloth. " A series of sketches throwing a flood of light on the misery ... of the Kreat metro^ohB."—£nglish Independent. THE WHITE FIELDS OF FRANCE : An Account of Mr. M'AU's Mission to the "Working Men of Taris. By Houatius Bonau, D.D., Author of "Hymns of Faith and Hope," &c. Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. cloth. "The title page of this book is in itself full of interest, and a very cursory perusal of the contents will convince the reader that . . . there arc at present white fields m France gleaming bright with the promise of a glorious Christian harvest. — Record. DOES GOD CARE FOR OUR GREAT CITIES? A Word for the Paris Mission. By the Rev. Hobatius Bonak, D.D. ISmo. 9d. cloth. HASTE TO THE RESCUE ; or, Work While it is Day. By Mrs. Charles Wightman, Author of " Annals of the Rescued," &c. With a Preface by the Author of " Enghsh Hearts and En-dish Hands." Small crown 8vo, is. 6d. limp. OUR COFFEE-ROOM. By Lady Hope of Camden. With Preface by liieutenant- General Sir Arthur Cotton, R.E., K.C.S.I. Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. cloth. "Just the book to stir up other believers to go and do likevrtse."— iJccoj-ti. "Pi-ayer and work together do wonders, and those who wish to see what they can achieve should read this modest volume."— CAriatian Tor/ii. COFFEE-ROOM." By the same. MORE ABOUT "OUR Crown 8vo, 38. 6d. cloth. "This volume is even more interesting than the IhsV—Englith Independent " Intensely interesting and valuable."— CA»-i«