IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1,0 ! I.I 1.25 M 2.2 us WUu lAO 1.4 1.6 V VQ % v; A r> ■> '/ # V ^ k ^ \\ '% ^.\/#^\ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / N tes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. n n Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqudes Tight binding (may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin)/ Reliure serr6 (peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge int^rieure) L'Institut a microfilmd le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. 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The following diagram.s illustrate the method: Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour dtre reproduites en un seul cliche sont film6es d partir de Tangle supdrieure gauche, de gauche d droite et de haut en bas, ^n prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la m6thode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 n ' T i Lig-hts and Shades of Mission Woit ^r^mm 1 Licjh^s and Shades n^ission UToptj^; ■OR- LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. BEING REMINISCENCES OF SEVEN YEARS SERVICE AT THE CAPITAL. r885.-l892, BY B. H. W. OTTAWA : FREE PRESS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING HOUSE. 1803, 12.V 7^(^^0 CONTENTS CHAPTER I The Master's Call CHAPTER II .Open Doors CHAPTER III .A Great Venture CHAPTER IV A Much Needed Institution CHAPTER V Light in Dark Places CHAPTER VI.. ..Retrospection and Anticipation i PREFACE. To write the story of the past seven years of service for the Master as it ought to be written is a task beyond the ability of the author. All that is offered therefore is a series of rapid sketches portraying the main features of the work rather than giving a connected historic narra- tive. That, written as it has been, amid the rush and whirl of a busy life, it is not free from blemishes which a careful revision would have removed, will be apparent to the reader. Such as it is, we send it forth with the earnest prayer that the Master may use it to inspire young Christians to offer themselves to God, to be used just when and where and as He wills in the world's great Mission field. — B. H. W. Young Women's Christian Institute, Ottawa, Oct. 1892. » LIGHTS AND SHADES OF MISSION WORK. THE MASTER'S CALL. CHAPTER I. TT was a beautiful evening in Aagust 1885, when a young girl, just budding into womanhood, stood thought- fully at a shop window watching the sea of faces which, like a swelling tide, passed down Sparks street on a Saturday evening, and then receded only to return. What a sight ! What a study ! To her it was overwhelming. In the swelling, surging mass were hundreds of young women with pale, careworn, unsatisfied faces. What a blessed release it must have been from the crowded, ill-ventilated work rooms m which many had toiled through the long, hot, weary hours of the day. With all the diversities of character, endowments and capabilities, both physical and mental, — with thoughts, imaginations and aspirations all on different planes, — she 10 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. saw but two classes, those whose aims and desires never reached beyond their own selfish gratification, and those who, having tasted of the unsatisfying earthly streams were, perhaps inconsclously, thirsting for that water " of which if a man drmk he jhall never thirst." An intense desire came into her heart as she hurried home that night to gather them into some room or hall and tell them of One who was becoming day by day so increasingly precious to her and in Whom she had found the consummation of a'l her soul's deepest longings. Was it a strange coincidence that on opening the Word that evening she should have read the following ? — "Arise stand upon thy feet : for / have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee d minister and a witness, both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I wiii ^.pear unto thee. Delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee. To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins anc^ inheritance among them which ar'3 sanctified." — (Acts 26.) Surely it was a call from the Master Himself. But how ready was unbelief to cry out, " Behold I am a child, I cannot speak," and to apologize for unfitness and to THE master's call. II bring all kinds of difficulties, excuses and objections to Him. Again He spoke thro'igh His own Word, " Say not I am a child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord. " Was it a dream? Was it a vision? Could it be pos- sible that He whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot con- tain had condescended to speak face to face, " as friend speaketh with friend," with one so unworthy, and that He had really chosen such an instrument to be used in the highest, the noblest, the grandest work in which mortal man can engage — the work of winning souls ! Such were the thoughts that forced themselves upon her as she timidly went forth to do the Master's bidding. The bright, comfortably furnished rooms of the W. C. T. U. were then secured for an hour on Sunday after- noons and hundreds of invitations to a Gospel meeting to be held at 4:30 were carefully written in plain, bold, round hand, but how to distribute them became a perplex- ing question. A prominent dry goods merchant suggested visiting the work rooms and kindly offered to give an intro- duction to his employees. It was a grand opportunity, but imagine the embarrassment of a shy, shrinking, sensitive 12 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. girl, on being suddenly ushered into an immense room where nearly one hundred young women were at work and introduced as " a young lady who was about to formulate some plan for an association of young women, and wno will now address you." What could she have said ? "Un- accustomed as I am to public speaking ?" Surely it would have been the truth. For a moment she was "covered with shame and confusion of face." Unfortunately there was no reporter present to record that maiden effort, and the " address " must pass into oblivion. It evidently made a marked impression, however, upon the poor girls, for one was heard to remark afterwards, " She's a Salvationist," " She's a Protestant Nun," said another, " She thinks she can get us to join a religious club of old maids, I suppose," and a merry peal of laugh- ter resounded through the room. A terrible temptation came as she left that place to give it up and to throw away the invitations that cost so much time and effort. However, when the next block was reached and the flourishing establishment of R. & Co. loomed up before her, the words, 'Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee — whatsoever I commanri thee thou shalt speak — be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee,'" came like a message from heaven, and when in THE master's call. 13 i fear and trembling the request was made and granted to visit the head dressmaker, an opportunity was given of speaking to the girls personally and soon they made her feel quite at home. One sitting by a machine said, *' Girls, I think it would be just lovely, let's go." Inspired with a new hope from this visit, all the leading houses and printing offices were then visited and invita- tions distributed. At length the long-looked for Sunday arrived and im- mediately after Sunday School the rooms were opened and seats carefully arranged, while she wondered if her audience would consist of eighty or one hundred. Surely, she thought, there would not be less than forty, for hun- dreds of invitations had been given out. After looking nervously over some carefully prepared notes on the text, "The Lord is my Portion," she waited for the first sound of footsteps in the long corridor, but the only sound that broke the awful stillness was the ticking of a large clock which soon caused considerable uneasiness by striking five, half an hour after the appointed time of meeting and no one had appeared. What could it mean ? Surely there could be no mistake about the call. It seemed so clear and definite. Almost overcome with the nervous strain of the previous few days, she threw herself at His feet and poured forth her grief and disappointment. 14 LEAVES FROM A V/ORKER'S NOTE BOOK. The following Sunday found the rooms again opened. No special effort had been made during the week, but simply to lay the matter before Him and with no will but His she again waited to be used or laid aside. Again the meeting consisted of two, the Master and His willing ser- vant, and a blessed meeting it was. She seemed to get a vision of Abraham who was called to do what his whole soul rebelled against and how, obedient to God's Word, the wood was laid on the altar, and upon it his only well beloved son, that he might be tested as to his willingness to do whatsoever He might say to him and it occurred to her that the Lord might be trying her heart to see whether she was willing and obedient. "He knows my unfitness, " she thought, " He could not entrust so im- portant a work to such an instrument, " and so disappoint- ment gave way to implicit confidence and with a lighter heart the rooms were again closed. Another week had passed, it was a dark, wet, chilly Sunday in September. " Surely, " she thought, " no one would venture out on such a day, " but something seemed to lead her to the rooms once more. Imagine her joy on finding wet foot prints on the stairs, and then seven young women waiting in the upper hall. THE MASTER'S CALL. 15 The little class of working girls tlius formed became eventually the nucleus of a great work. The attendance steadily increased until scores of girls went each Sunday to hear the "Girl Evangelist." They came from all kinds of motives, some to scoff and to laugh at the mistakes which the Lord permitted her to make in order to keep her humble; others because they enjoyed the bright, cheerful songs of redeeming love; some, friendless and discouraged, came to find a way out of all their dark- ness into the sunshine of life again. The hearts of these dear girls were soon reached by sympathy and love, and life upon life without a purpose, received almost unconsciously a new impetus which led to resolutions to turn over new leaves, until many had undertaken the hopeless task of their own reformation. Strange that one so blind had been chosen of God "To open the eyes of the blind, to turn them from darkness to light," yet so it was, until in His infinite mercy He taught through a little incident the much needed lesson of justification by faith. At the close of one of the meetings a young woman was found under deep conviction of sin. There had been an unusual manifestation of the presence and power of the Holy Spiric as our young worker spoke of the heart .•rt-l ! 1^ M i6 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. searching question which God put to the first sinner — *' Where art thou ? " And He had evidently whispered to this poor soul, the sad word ''Losf." For weeks she had striven to do the best she could and at last the truth of her lost and helpless condition was being fully realized. Never shall we forget the heart-rending words so broken with sobs— "Oh, ivJiat shall I do.? What shall I do? What more can I do ? " " Suppose, dear girl, you give up trying and begin trust- ing. It says somewhere — ^Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.'" " But I do believe, I always did believe." " Perhaps you do not believe in the right way; what you want is saving faith." " Well, how can I get saving faith } " *'Ask God to give it to you." " How shall I know that the faith He gives is saving faith?" " I think you will feel very much happier." A new hope came into the poor broken spirit as they knelt together to pray for " the right kind of faith," and as they separated she went on her way wondering if she "felt any happier," while our young worker rejoiced in the vain thought that she had helped to lead a sinner to Jesus. THE master's call. 17 Oh, the unutterable joy of that hour, as she looked up into the starry heavens and thought of the angels about the throne, she would not have changed places with one of them. They could not win souls, they could not " preach the goepel to the poor, nor heal the broken-hearted." Once she used to sing : " I want to be an angel And with the angels stand." Now she could thank God that she was still in the flesh, and had the unspeakable privilege of labouring together with Him for the salvation of the lost. Not many days had passed, however, when her convert returned looking the picture of misery. She hau not yet received the ' the right kind of faith,' poor girl, nor did she ' feel any happier.' What was to be done ? The cry went up from the depths of her heart—" Lord, save her; if I could carry her into the kingdom I would, but I can do nothing — oh do a thorough work in her soul for Jesus' sake." Suddenly the Spirit seemed to bring to remembrance the text : "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, but the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." i8 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. "You realize that you have gone astray, but did you ever think that the Lord hath laid upon Him all your sin and that He had taken the blame of your wanderings ? Your salvation is all His work. " He bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness : by whose stripes ye were healed^ for ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd of your souls."' " But I have not returned, because I cannot believe in the right way. " Oh, Mary, Mary, never mind about believing in the right way ; after all, it is not so much hoiv we believe as uhat we believe. Suppose two men fall from a steamer, both are struggling in the water, when a life preserver and a walking stick are thrown them. The man who grasps the stick begins to sink. Why ? Is it that he does not take hold of it in the right way ? No, he does not take hold of the right thing. You are struggling in the waves of sin. Your only hope is trust in the finished work of Christ, and it seems a matter of little consequence how you trust, believe or grasp it." " Then why is it, that when I do believe, I do not feel any happier ? " " I am beginning to doubt that feeling has anything to I»» THE master's call. 19 do with salvation. Our blessed Lord said : He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent Me kith everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death into life, whether he fecleth it or not." Soon the dark clouds of difficulty and doubt disappeared,, and a ray of heaven's own sunshine came into that troubled face. " Why, then," she said, triumphantly, " I have passed from death into life." "Yes, dear girl, you have. Let us praise Him for it." Mary's subsequent life proved that the Lord had done a thorough work, notwithstanding all the hindrances that had been thrown in her way, through the ignorance of one who sought her highest interests. This little incident marked an important epoch in the history of the class, for hardly a Sunday passed that several did not linger to inquire the way and that dear old room with its green window shades and its newly carpeted floor, became the birthplace of many souls. i) OPEN DOORS. Chaptkr II. FEW months later found a little band of whole hearted, self denying girls, willing to live and work and die if need be for the salvation of others. But what ■could they do ? Deprived, as many of them had been, of educational advantages, they could not teach ; they could not visit the sick and poor, for from Monday m.orning until Saturday night their time was another's ; they could not even give of their slender earnings which in many cases went towards the support of aged mothers and younger brothers and sisters. Notwithstanding, there was an ever increasing desire to show forth their love and gratitude to Him who had done so much for them, in some definite Christian service. Their hearts could echo the language of the little hymn, " I will not work my soul to save That work the Lord hath done, But I will work like any slave For love of God's dear son." Soon a way opened in which their services could be OPEN DOORS. 21 Utilized and their latent powers developed. Several good voices were found and it was decided to form them into a choir and to interview the authorities of the jail and hos- pital with a view to getting permission to hold services of song on Sunday mornings. How often has a gospel hymn the advantage over a sermon ! The truth of it touches die heart of the hearer unawares when he is not on the defensive against the gospel. Eternity alone will reveal the number of souls who have been led into the Kingdom through the singing of a hymn, the chorus of which, perhaps, has echoed and re-echoed in the heart long after the last strains had died away. Permission having been granted, after careful prepara- tion and earnest prayer, six young workers went forth in fear and trembling into the woman's corridor of the county jail. What a strange scene awaited them that morning ! The classification of prisoners in 1886 was not what it is now. Ten young women who had been arrested late Saturday night and were awaiting their trial, were there in "party" dress. White kid slippers and gloves, a profusion of cheap artificial flowers, paint, powder, diamond dust, &c., were noticeable. Some had evidentlv been the worse of X 'II It I ; f i.' ■ ■!! II 22 LEAVES FROM A WORKERS NOTE HOOK. liquor, some had been smoking cigarettes. Crouching in the farthest corner of a cell was a shapeless bundle of humanity, evidently an imbecile who had been picked up in the woods near the city and retained there for foui years. Locked in another cell was an insane woman who made the place ring with her wild shrieks. Several others in plain, loose'fitting " duck " wrappers on which were printed the large white letters C.C.P. (County Carleton Prison) were counting the days when they would no longer ** languish in durance vile." One was a little girl, an orphan, who was serving a term for larceny. What a school for a pure minded child ! Theyfelt rather disconcertedat first; however,the matron paved the way for them by saying,"Girls, these youngladies have come to sing to you this morning ; come now, bring up the benches, get seated. It is very kind of them to think of you and to try to makeSunday brighter for you." Hymn books were then distributed and several joined in the old familiar hymn, " Tell me the old, old story." The choir then sang — " I will sing the wondrous story Of the Christ who died for me. How He left His throne in glory For the cross of Calvary." OPEN DOORS. 23 One, inexperienced in such work, then followed with a lew remarks based upon the hymn which had just been sung, but they laughed her to scorn. Tears came thick and fast as she made repeated attempts to regain their interest and attention, but it seemed of no use. At length, turning to the motherless child who had been the cause of much of the trouble, she said : " Annie, suppose I were to read in the Evening Journal or Free Press that you had been tried and found guilty of murder and were condemned to suffer the utmost penalty of the law, and that on the evening before your execution I were to come down here and say, ' You are not pre- pared to die and I cannot bear the thought of you going down to eternal perdition a lost soul. Here, slip off your convict's dress, let me put my ulster and cap on you and I will arrange my storm collar up about your face, now you may walk out with all confidence, they will never dream that it is you. I will take your old brown wrapper, sleep in your cell and in the dawn of the morning they v^ill lead me to the gallows and I will be hung in your stead and for your sin.' " Every ear was strained to catch the words as they fell from her lips, even the insane woman seemed calm for a time. mm II f} 1 1 1,0 24 LEAVLS FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. Suddenly, breaking the stillness, the little incorrigible said thoughtfully : " You nor nobody else would ever do that for the likes o' me, 'cause nobody care's 'nough." "Yes, dear child, somebody does care. Jesus cares and 'He suffered the just for the unjust that He might bring you to God.' 'His own self bare your sins in His own body on the tree.' " After further conversation and several hymns, the meet- ing closed with a few words of prayer, and to i^e'ir surprise they were invited to come again the following Sunday. A short, brisk walk soon brought them to the Protestant Hospital, where they were kindly received by the matron, Mrs. Gooderson, who ushered them into the men's ward. Whatachange of scene fromtheonetheyhad just witnessed ! Instead of the dark, gloomy, dismal corridors with their iron bars and gates, were long, well lighted, well ventilated wards, with plants and f.cwers and birds. There war an air of sweetness and cleanliness about the place. The nurses with their white caps and aprons gliding in and out amongst the beds must have seemed like ministering angels to the poor fellows who had suffering and sorrow depicted on every line of their wan faces. They sang together, very softly : — ! I OPEN DOORS. 25 " The great Physician now is near The sympathizing Jesus." And as the last strain diea away one of their number said timidly, " Yes, dear friends, He is near and He says to you as He said to Hagar in the wilderness ' What aileth thee ? ' While we behold various bodily diseases in those about us, God's all searching eye can see what we cannot see, the diseases of the soul. 'What aileth thee ? * Do you say ' I will not believe what I cannot under- stand.' That is a case of blindness. The little hymn says : ' The blind rejoiced to hear the cry, Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.' There never was a blinci man who came to Jesus that He couldn't heal — even those who were born blind received their sight. - Do you say ' I don't feel that I'm such a bad sort of a fellow, I'm as good as the most and better than a great many.' Then you must be a spiritual paralytic if you cannot /(3e/ that you are a sinner. The same Lord Jesus who healed a paralysed body once, can heal a paralysed soul, if you will only let Him. No doubt some would say, ' I want to have a jolly good time,' ' I want to get rich,' * I want to get a good edu- i^ r 26 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. cation.' There is a burning thirst, a restleisness which are symptoms of fever. Some seem to have the yellow fever, a Ciaving for gold ; others have brain fever and want to be scientific in their type of mind. He who drew near to the bedside of Peter's wife's mother is drawing near to you this morning and His touch has still its heal- ing power. If he sees a desire for soul health He will undertake your case and and and " There was a pause, an awful stillness. All thought of what she was going to say had suddenly vanished. The embarrassment of the situation became so apparent that she closed the book and said ner\ously, " Let us pray." There \, as another painful silence of a minute or so and then she attempted to lead in the Lord's prayer, but even that for the time was forgotten. The work^ thus commenced " in weakness and in fear and in much trembling " has been full of incident and fruitful in results. On one occasion at the close of one of the meetings a worker approached an old sailor from the Jsle of Man, who " didn't want anyone to talk religion at him," and so he covered his face in the blankets. It was rather discouraging, but she had a message of life for him that morning, and asked why he had started out on OPEN DOORS. 27 I of 5 ler \at on the sea of life without the Captain, without the compass, and without having made any provision for the journey. "You ha\'e never gone over the way before, you don't know where the dangerous places are." " And who does, I'd like to know," he said bluntly, as he drew the blankets down. *' The Lord Jesus Christ," she replied ; " He is the Captain of our salvation, He has been over every knot of the way and He knows where the breakers are, and as surely as you undertake to pilot yourself through life with- out Him, you will make sad shipwreck of your soul." Nothing more was said, but the following Sunday as she entered the ward, her sailor friend was eagerly awaiting her return, and never shall we forget the joy that lit up that weather-beaten face as he said : "I've got good news for you, He's g'oin'to do the steerin' after this." Several weeks later we heard that, while waiting for a train at the C.A.R. depot, he gathered a little crowd about him and told them the story of his conversion, pulling from his pocket a little Bible, a parting gift from her who had led him to Christ, he said : u Yes, boys, He's goin' to do the steerin' after this, and here's the compass. ■-- :■ 5 28 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. This simple, earnest testimony to those poor fellows resulted in one being led to take Christ as his guide through life. Another incident occurred recently while the regular weekly meeting was being held in the woman's ward, one of the patients interrupted the speaker by crying out : " Oh my God, my God, I'm lost and I'm dying, what must I do to be saved ?" Quick as thought she called upon the workers to unite in prayer for that soul, while she went to her bedside and with open Bible pointed out the way of salvation. All her difficulties were met with the Word itself, and soon the light of the glorious gospel shone into that dark soul and she was led to rejoice in the assurance of full salvation. Before the dawn of another Sabbath she had been called to walk through " the valley of the shadow of death," but to her it had no terrors, nor was it a dark valley, for shadows cannot be seen in the dark ; the Light of the world was there — even Jesus. Anot r door soon opened in the Orphans Home, in a wing of which were twenty aged widows to whom " the Sabbath was (not) a delight," but rather a long, tedious, lonely day. Loss of sight and hearing had deprived many of the appreciation of the Church services OPEN DOORS. 29 V and of reading. At the invitation of the Matron a small staff of workers visited the old ladies in their rooms, and after gaining their confidence invited them to the School Room where a short and novel meeting is conducted every Sunday afternoon. Old fashioned hymns and psalms are sung, some of which they repeat from memory without reference to time or tune, after which prayer is offered and it is not an unusual thing for one or two to remam on their knees, through the singing of the following hymn or until aroused by one of their more fortunate sisters whose sense of hearing is more acute, and who sometimes informs them that the prayer was over long ago. The reading and exposition of a portion of Scripture is the prominent feature of the meetings, and a beautiful sight it is, to see one to whom the Lord has committed this work, and whose life has been made beautiful through the refining influences of sorrow, sitting in the midst with open Bible, while in a sweet, clear voice, she reads of One who has gone to prepare a place for them. Old " Bi Bi" who long since has passed her three score and tenth year claps her hands with delight while the tears trickle slowly down her furrowed cheeks. Grandma Reynolds stands with her ear close to the mouth of the speaker, and every now and then pats her gently on the III iii 30 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. shoulder and says: — " It's a bonnie, bonnie vvurd, you'll be shure and come bawck next Sawbbath." It is sweet to hear the dear old saint sing with quiver- ing voice in her broad Scotch tongue : — We see oor fr'ens await us ower yonner at His gate ; Then lat us a' be ready, for ye ken Ws gettin' late : Lat our lamps be brichtly burnin'; lats' raise oor voice and sing, For sune we'll meet to pairt nae mair, i' the palace o' the King. This beautiful Home which is a noble testimony to the generosity of the citizens of Ottawa must be to tffese friend- less ones, some of whom had been left alone in their utter helplessness to die, a fitting type of the "Home over there" where all is love and sunshine and joy and where "they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat." Another fruitful field of service opened in Evangelistic Work amongst children. It was felt that " a moment's work on clay tells more than an hour's work on brick, and work in human hearts should be done before they harden." None are so easily influenced and few so easily won as the little ones. Their simple unquestioning faith enables them to grasp the plan of redemption when many an older ^ ■ : ■!■ * !: OPEN DOORS. one has stumbled over it because of its very simplicity. Strange that so few direct, personal and persistent efforts have been put forth for their immediate conversion in the Church, in the Sunday School and in the home. We cannot be too thankful for the Sunday Schools, which have accomplished a great work among the children, but how many Sunday School teachers have hindered the little ones from coming to Jesus ! They teach Bible history and geography, they tell them that if they will try to be good and do the best they can that they will go to heaven when they die, and they wait until they reach what they consider an age of responsibility before they tell them that they are poor, lost, guilty, helpless sinners needing salvation. Is it not true of a child as of a man that except he be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God ? Dr. D wight, of Yale College, speaking of the desirability of labouring for the early conversion of children, says \ " The conscience is at this period exceedingly tender and susceptible, readily alarmed by the apprehension of guilt. All the affections also are easily moved and are fit to retain permanently and often indelibly whatever im- pressions are made. To every good thing the heart is drawn, comparatively without trouble or resistance and united by bonds which no future art or force can dissolve." m h -.1 32 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. It was laid upon their hearts to gather in the little ones and to speak to them of their need of One to save them from the guilt, the penalty, and the power of sin. The various Schools were visited, and an opportunity given of addressing the children ir. the different class rooms, and inviting them to a meeting in the Coffee House Hall. The novelty of a children's evangelistic meeting drew upwards of 600 to the hall long before the hour intimated, and as the number of workers was quite insufficient to cope with such a crowd, confusion reigned supreme. Repeated attempts were made to gain their interest and attention, but it was of no avail. Suddenly the secretary of the Y. M.C.A. appeared on the scene, and after making his way through the crowd with much difficulty reached the plat- form and began clapping his hands together in a violent manner. It had the desired ett'ect, for in less than two minutes their undivided attention was given. " Now," said he, " proceed : " Holding up a little book our young worker, who was be- ginning to realize that she had, perhaps, more zeal than judgment, said : " Children I have a strange picture book to show you this afternoon, and though there are no words nor letters printed or written in it there is a wonderful story there, I wonder were I to show you the different pages OPEN DOORS 33 if you could read it. Look, the first is black, the next red, then white and gold." The first is a picture of the heart of every boy and girl in this Hall, before they ask the Lord Jesus to wash away there sins. There is nothing in all this earth so black as sin. Once there was a contagious disease that broke out in the old country that they called the black plague ; nearly everybody caught it and there were so many sick people that the Doctors couldn't go and see them all, and hundreds and thousands died and they couldn't get hearses and cofiins enough to bury them ; so they dug a big pit, and they sent black carts through streets to collect the bodies which were thrown into the pit. There was black on almost every door, and the people were all in black ; it was one of the saddest pictures in the pages of English history. But there is a blacker plague than that in the world now. It broke out in the garden of Eden, and it spread over the whole earth, there is not a man, a woman or a child who has it not ; I mean dn. God says : " There is no difference, for a^^ have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and " sin when it is finished bringeth forth death." Ah ! boys and girls it is a blade picture is it not ? Let us leave it and look at the next : — V. 1 34 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. Red.— Do you know what that means? That "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanseth us from all sin." A little boy was dying one day and the Minister called and said : " Freddy you've been a naughty boy ; are you not afraid to die?" "No sir," he said, confidently. "Why," said the Minister "will you not be afraid when the Judge of all the earth shall call you before him and show you the big book in which all your naughty words and deeds are written down ?" " No sir," he replied, " I know I've been naughty and I know it's written down, but when the book is taken out Jesus will draw his pierced hand over it and blot it all out with his own blood so that the Judge can't see." " How do you know He will, my boy ? " Because the Golden Text last Sunday said : " I even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions and will not remember thy sins." Dear boys and girls, Jesus wants you to trust Him just as Freddy did. He wants you to come to Him for forgive- ness of all your sins ; He says, " Suffer the little children to come unto me," A little girl said once : " How can I come to Jesus ? He's a great way up, and I'm a great way down, and I don't know how to come ;" she went to her Papa for help but He could t f % OPEN DOORS. 35 not tell her, nor could her mother, for they had not come themselves. At length, going to her own little room, and kneeling down, she said : " Dear Jesus, I don't know how to come but 1 just DO come." When we come to Him in this way He will give us hearts pure and white and clean like this," (holding up the white page.) Let us take David's prayer and make it our own. " Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." '1 hen shall we be ready to enter with Him into that city which is of pure gold, and which has no need of the sun neither of the moon to shine in it, for the Glory of God does lighten it and there shall in no wise enter in to it anything that defileth, " but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." In this simple way, and by means of object lessons, an effort was made to bring the truths of the Gospel within the comprehension of the little ones and at the same time to retain their interest. The attendance kept up wonderfully during the first year, and until the place of meeting was changed, when there was suddenly a great falling off, and the work has not since been resumed on the same scale. The experience of that year, however, proved that there are few fields of Christian service in which as rich a harvest of souls may be gleaned for the Master as in Ki w 36 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. work among children. Testimonies like the following were received through the mail : — My deer teecher,— i love Jesus Bcause he dide to saave me and i want to B his littel girl but i'm sow notty that I dont no how. Your loving frend, M. A. Dear Miss ,— You will be glad to hear that I have turned a Cristian and God has forgave all my sins and converted me. Pray for me that I may be able to tell the boys at school. R. T. Though the spelling and the grammar were far from perfect the sentiments were beautiful. I A GREAT VENTUHE. Chapter III. (T^FTER twelve months' experience in work amongst ^^^ the female prisoners of the County Jail, it was felt that little permanent good could be effected owing to the fact that when their term of imprisonment expired, did they desire to do better, the bar-room and house of vice stood wide open, while every respectable home and means of earning an honest livelihood were closed and barred against them. Many in response to the oft repeated question, " Why do you not forsake such a life ? " have said : "Where can we go ? " " Who will take us into their homes without a recommendation ? " " Where will we get our next meal ?" Outcasts they were without a true friend or home, treated much as the lepers were in olden times, is it any wonder that many were found who would gladly avail themselves of any help that could be given them in reclaiming their characters ? The need was felt of a Home where a helping hand and shelter could be offered to any sinful, friendless woman m W' I I 38 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. without regard to creed, nationality, age or condition, at any time, nlfeht or day ; the only requisite being a desire to lead a better life. A gentleman hearing of the need immediately offered the liberal sum of $400. towards the opening of such an institution, provided the young women who had been laboring to uplift their fallen sisters in the Jail would un- dertake the management. After much prayer and waiting upon God to know His will, it was decided to accept the offer on condition that they should have the co-operation of an advisory com- mittee of earnest Christian women. No. 412 Wellington street was then rented, possession being granted in November, 1887, but owing to the fever epidemic, it was not opened till January, Of these two long months of waiting, there is an un- written history of evil prophecy, discouragement, and opposition. They were told that the respectable citizens of Ottawa would not support such a hot-bed of vice ; that they could not possibly manage such " vicious creatures as they desired to reach ; that it had been tried and proved that faith would not work in a city like Ottawa, and that they had better not adopt the " faith principle " fllnl m,. Ill A GREAT VENTURE. 39 > 5 for its support ; they were told also that it was a most un- popular work, and most unbecoming for young women to undertake. Hardly a day passed that letters of warning were not received asking them to take the fever as an evidence that it was not God's will that such a work should be undertaken. On the morning before Christmas, however, upwards of fifteen members of the Bible class gathered in the newly- rented house, armed with pails, brushes, brooms, and other indispensable articles, known to the house-keeper, and together they whitewashed, scrubbed and cleaned the old building from attic to cellar. Yes, and furnished it with accommodation for fifteen inmates and a matron at a cost $247. Bureaus and wash-stands combined were made of inverted flour barrels with tops of white marble oil cloth and draped with cretonne, over which hung a small mirror. Evangelist Crossley, on the day of the opening, advised the inventor to get out a patent on it. Some are in existence to-day. At nine o'clock Christmas eve, house cleaning being finished, a weary looking lot of girls met in the dining room., some with faces bespattered with white- wash, others showing traces of black lead, and just as they were they ' and like many efforts of a similar nature it had a very small beginning. While visiting from house to house in a narrow^ n^ 66 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. I muddy lane leading off Chapel street, they found themselves suddenly and unexpectedly admitted into a low tenement in which were ten men, smoking, drinking and gambling. It would be difficult to imagine who felt the embarrassment of the situation most. Their first impulse was to withdraw as quickly as possible, with an apology for the intrusion ; on second consideration, however, they determined to look to the Master for protection, while they might tell as best they could, under the trying circumstances, the object of their visit, viz : — To warn lost men and women to flee from the wrath to come, and trust in Jesus for salvation. The surprise, the amazement in each face could hardly be de- picted ; cards were dropped, tumblers and bottles moved aside, and a solemn hush came upon all as they spoke of the three " R's " Ruin, Redemption, Regeneration. After a few words of prayer, and the singing of a hymn, which by the way, attracted five other rough fellows from a neighboring den, they were invited to come again. As they did not covet another experience of the kind, it was proposed to rent a market hall in the vicinity for a meeting to be held once a week. The proposition met with the approval of all present LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 67 and several signified their intention of not only attending themselves but of bringing their friends. The following Wednesday evening the hall or loft having been secured at a reasonable rent, lanterns, borrowed mostly from the neighbors, were suspended from the beams, while seats were made of scantling laid upon blocks, a load of which had been deposited at the entrance of the hall, an old stove covered with rust and a three legged table being the only other articles of furniture. Snow drifted in from the broken windows which added considerably to the picturesqueness if not to the warmth of the first Mission Hall. True to their promise came the crowd of roughs whose one aim in life seemed to be the finding of some new way of killing time. The first to arrive was a one- armed, one-legged gipsy pedler, who had just served a term in the Central Prison for horse stealing ; then came a low sized Frenchman known to the boys as John L. Sullivan. Upwards of twenty others, all men, had gathered by 8 o'clock, when the meeting commenced. They had evidently come for " a good time, " for when the attempt was made to sing the first hym*^, several tried to drown the strains of music by shouting, " We won't go home till hi 68 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. i 1 * ^^H A ■ 1 ij morning," while prayer was interrupted with loud hall- elujahs. They listened, however,to a short, pointed Gospel address, and after the last hymn was sung, dispersed very quietly. The mission thus started is situated in the midst of the largest collection of snares set by evil men and women to entice into sin and ruin, in the city. Here it is that the lowest and worse elements of humanity are to be found, and that souls are swept along the downward way, night after night. Intemperance is the chief sin, and it is undoubtedly the cause of nearly all the crime, vice and wretchedness, which the workers try in a measure to alleviate. In the midst of it all the mission stands as a beacon light to warn them of danger. The singing of gospel hymns from the balcony generally arrests the attention of passers by, and workers are engaged in urging all who come within its doors to abandon sin, seek the Saviour, and begin a new and better life. The work has been full of interest and incident, though not as fruitful in results as one would wish. When we consider, however, the lives which many of these men and women have lived, nurtured and LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 69 trained as they have been from earliest infancy in the school of ignorance and crime, is it any wonder that the work is a slow one? Good impressions re- ceived at the meetings are often dissipated because of influences of evil to which they are necessarily exposed. Many start out with a sincere desire to be kept from their besetting sins, but fall back again into their old ways. None but those who are constantly engaged in the work can realize how nobly and desperately many of these unfortunate victims of appetite and adverse circumstances struggle for the victory, A fatherless, motherless boy, who lived with his sister in a home of shame, and who had become a confirmed drunkard at the early age of fourteen, staggered into the mission one night to hear the singing, was convicted of sin, and lingering with the inquirers at the close of the meeting, was easily led to decide to trust Jesus to save him from the power of sin. He became a regular attend- ant at the meetings for several weeks, but was found one evening at the open air service, evidently very unwilling to enter the hall. When asked the reason, he replied, " T*aint no use, if a fellow had half a chance might be some hope for him. Last night when I went home found I !r , i I I 70 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. 'em all drunk, and I got mad, 'cause she (sister) called me bad names and I swore at her so I did." " Oh Jack," said his friend, " did you not ask the dear Lord to forgive you and to save you from yielding to that old habit ? " " No, Miss." "Why?" " Cause," said he, almost defiantly, " I'm just waitin' to get her alone and, and " "You will tell her how sorry you are, wont you, my boy." " Indeed I wont, I'll give her the biggest trouncin she ever got in her life, and you bet she'll never call me bad names again — might as well be killed for a sheep as a lamb — might as well wait till I've got a big sin to confess as a little one." Will our readers come with us in their imagination to Jack's home. It i? only a few steps from the hall. We enter a narrow lane or gateway leading off Clarence street and soon find ourselves in a muddy back yard, where stands an old out-building which was evidently meant for a stable or store house. As we enter there is not a trace of any- thing to show that it is inhabited by human beings. Heavy LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 71 festoons of cobwebs are suspended from the ceilings, the few remaining unbroken panes in the windows are frosted with age, the door is ever open day and night and here the neighbour's chickens, dogs and cats find a refuge from the wind and storm. A rickety staircase leads to the second floor which is not much more inviting than the first. This upper chamber serves as parlor, dining-room, bed-room and kitchen, all in one. A pile of rags on the floor in one corner, with two salt sacks for a covering, serves as a bed for three. On the table are a number of unwashed tomato cans and sardine boxes, picked up out of heaps of refuse, which do good service as cups and plates. Here night after night drink- iiig, dancing, card playing, are carried on until morning. Is it not enough to make the angels weep to think of that poor orphan boy striving to lead a Christian life in the midst of such influences. May the Lord hasten the day when the Government shall see the necessity of establishing in Eastern Ontario an Industrial School similar to the one at Mimico, where youths entering a criminal career may be taken out of such surroundings and trained for spheres of usefulness. Such revelations of misery, depravity and degradation T 72 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. ill are not exceptional. Illustrations are furnished daily of the power of strong drink to ruin, to degrade and brutalize both mind, body and soul. A regular attendant at the mission is J. L. He is a Frenchman of mature years though a dwarf in size. His face reminds one of Dore's picture of the inhabitants of Dante's Inferno. A better subject for a representative of Evil Incarnate could hardly be found. Joseph, who is the only child of over indulgent but intemperate parents, learned to drink and smoke at the age of seven. He never attended school and seldom went to Mass. The profession he follows at present is that of night bar-tender in a Lower Town Saloon, his work lasting generally from 10 p.m. till 3 or 4 a.m., in payment for which he receives after each night's work a cheap bottle of whiskey. This he carries home and shares with his aged parents. Drinking is then indulged in until daylight when all three sink into a state of drunk- en stupor, from which they generally recover late in the afternoon or evening. Joseph is then sober and ready for the evening meeting. On one occasion the workers were under the painful necessity of having him removed from the hall for disturbing the meeting, and the following "1 LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 73 evening he took revenge by throwing into their eyes a handful of cayenne pepper. He was then lost sight of for several weeks. When told by a friend, however, that no action would be taken to have him prosecuted, he ventured to return one evening and manifested unusual interest in the meeting. On leaving the hall he was met by one of the young women, whom he had so cruelly treated, with a warm grasp of the hand and a few kind earnest words, that went right to his heart. *' Glad to see you back again Joseph, we have forgiven you and have prayed that the dear Lord Jesus may not only forgive but save you." The Spirit of God seemed to work conviction for a time, but as yet no evidence has been given of a desire to forsake sin. T. M. and J. S. are both fathers of large families Their children attend the mission Sunday School. They were once strong, fine-looking, manly fellows, but have long since lost good situtations as well as their manliness, their prospects, their health, their strength, their all, through strong drink. Both depend upon the meagre earnings of their overworked wives for support, and seize every opportunity of stealing from them the articles of 74 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. ,;t clothing received into their homes to be laundried, that they may pawn them for liquor. The men are not tho only victims of intemperance in this locality. What a sad and terrible sight are the intemperate women ! Some with little babes in their arms, who, as Bishop South truly said, are "not so much born into the world as damned into it," and who from the day of their birth, drink in the vile poison from their mother's breast. Is it any wonder that even the children are found with an insatiable thirst for it ? A poor little fellow, deformed and crippled, is a born slave of the bottle. His mother gives him all he wants whenever she can get it, " Shure, it's his only comfort " she says, "the house is cold and food is scarce, and poor Charlie, it helps to keep him warm and comfortable-like." Charlie's boy friends who make a few cents now and again, in disposing of rags, bones and bottles, put their little earnings together and spend it in liquor obtained from a grocer, who is told that it is for "ma," and together they have "A spree like grown up people." Darker scenes than these are witnessed daily by those who have faith enough in the saving power of God, to go i LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 75 forth in His name to rescue them from sin and shame, for Bacchus is not the only false god who is licensed by the government and worshipped by our home heathen. What shall be said of the votaries of Venus ! Too long have public prejudice and perverted modesty silenced the church, the state, the press, from giving rev- elations which would shake society at the Capital to its very foundation. The time for silence, for timidity, for false modesty for prudishness has long since passed, and those who hear the deep wail of anguish, and see the unutterable woe, which comes up from the abyss of moral corruption in our midst, are in duty bound to speak out. We boast of our Sabbath-keeping, church -going people. We look with pride upon our thirty-two churches, ani our numerous charitable institutions. We congratulate ourselves on the ever increasing amount given each year to foreign missions, while all the time young lives are being sacrificed in our very midst at the shrines of these false gods, as truly as in India where the heathen mother sacrifices her child to her idol. Children have been found as young as fourteen with the awful realities and responsibilities of motherhood upon them. H I :p 76 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. Gay, giddy, thoughtless girls are being ensnared in dens of infamy and shame, which are not only tolerated but patronized by the law-makers of this guilty land, and by whom, alas ! they are being ruined as effectually and irrevocably " as one, who, for caprice might burn a price- less diamond into a chip of carbon, from which condition all the chemists in the world can never recover it." That the deliberate author of a ruin such as this should be entrusted with the responsibility of a legislator — nay worse — should be permitted to come to the Lord's table and be received into the society of the good and the pure, is a sin and a shame. Cases have been placed in the hands of lawyers who have expressed the hope that the grief stricken parents would " see the propriety of dropping the case, for if, brought into court it would involve the putting of good men into the witness box and he would be sorry to tar- nish their reputation." Do these men with greater advantages of education and position, expect when arraigned before Heaven's Court and Heaven's Righteous Judge, that He will acquit them, pronouncing them " good men," while he banishes the poor unfortunate to outer darkness ? " ^^ip LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. n Scores of these dens are known to the police and in asking their co-operation in an effort to break them up, it has been found that however clear the evidence, neither magistrate nor police can interfere, unless parties living in the immediate neighborhood are willing to appear against them in court, and this they are generally unwill- ing to do. From a human standpoint the work of the mission is a hopeless one. No amount of reasoning has any effect upon those who are so completely under the mastery of appetite and passion that they cannot break away from it, although they see the most terrible consequences staring them in the face : but the Master has bidden His servants " gather up the fragments" of ruined lives, the wrecks of hope and love, and bring them to Him whose very touch means healing and salvation. He alone can bring out of a lost manhood or womanhood, a new creation as many a living witness to His saving power can testify. The most hopeful feature of the work in connection with the Mission, has been the Sunday School and the Boys' Brigade, in both of which the effort is made to go before and get the start of sin in the lives of the children by winning them for Christ. m 78 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. On leaving the hall one evening, one of the workers overheard the following conversation between two child- ren who had listened to the " old old story," evidently for the first time. " D'ye hear what he sez 'bout a man with a sioear name what died to save the likes o' us, do you think its true ?" Shrugging her shoulders her little barefooted, bare- headed companion replied : " Guess 'taint — its one of them stories what people reads in books." It led to the formation of an interesting class of boys and girls, some of whom were black, some white, some were Gypsies, some French, all neglected little ones un- reached by the churches. Quite a number have given evidence of true conversion and their prayers and testimonies are an inspiration to many older Christians. " 'Tis sweet to watch the opening flower, but more To view the budding beauties of a soul." The Boy's Brigade was organized with a view to securing the attention and interest of a large number of French youths between the ages of fourteen and twenty, who were a constant source of annoyance and trouble in LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 79 the meetings. They meet once a week during the winter months in the hall, when the following interesting programme is gone through with : The singing of Gospel hymns to martial tunes, march- ing, calisthenic drill with dumb-bells and wands, concluding with a short Gospel address and prayer. The Brigade is very popular amongst the boys, and as there is room for only a limited number, and as regular attendance and perfect order are made conditions of membership, an opportunity is afforded of giving the Gospel message in a well attended, orderly meeting. Missions of a similar nature have been established at Cathcart Square and Hull under very trying circum- stances. The Square is situated in the lo -ver part of the city in what is known as Letter O District, which is densely populated by the working classes, and within a radius of a mile of which .there is not one Evangelical church or Mission. Here, notwithstanding the bitterest opposition, the way of salvation by faith in a crucified Redeemer, has been preached to hundreds of French Roman Catholics, mostly boys and young men, every Friday evening. Four times the door has been torn off its hinges, windows smashed, curtains torn into shreds W Mittf* i^n Wi fT jiBfc M 80 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. I ; and benches overturned. Stones have frequently been hurled through the windows while meetings were in pro- gress, but notwithstanding all, the work goes on, better order is being maintained at length and a deeper interest evinced in the work. The stereopticon was found to be a grand agency in bringing the truths of the Gospel within the comprehen- sion of this class. For instance, a hymn may be sung, such as " Jesus saves," as the last strains die away suddenly the lights are turned out, and a beautiful colored representa- tion of the angel appearing to the shepherds brought out on the canvas, which affords an opportunity for a few earnest words on such passages of scripture as, " Unto us is born in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord," or Mary's song, " My soul hath rejoiced in God my Savhur." Illustrations of the power of the Lord to szve from sin may be furnished from scenes in the life of Peter. A representation of Peter sinking, our Lord standing with outstretched arms ready to save him, illustrates the condition of the sinner, sinking ben^iath the waves of sin, powerless to save himself by any effort of his own, his only hope being in Jesus. A picture represeniin Peter's LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 8i deliverance from prison, serves as a good illustration of how the Lord saves from the power and bondage of sin* The angel, which may be taken to represent the Saviour, finds Peter in darkness, asleep, bound, he lets the light shine in upon him, smites him to rouse] him up, striVes off the fetters,opens the prison and sets him free to serve. The idea can be developed or enlarged upon in such a way as to hold the attention and interest of the most incorrigible attendants at the mission, their reverence for such pictures going a great way in maintaining ord^t even in a dark room. On one occasion, after singing the well-known hymn, — "Why not, why not come to Him now" One of the workers "-.jke from the text, "Whytarricst thou ?" mentionmg among others the following reasons given by many for not coming to decision : " I'm afraid I can't hold out." A picture of the Good Shepherd with the wandering lamb on his bosom illus- trated the text, "Neither shall any pluck them out of mine hand." " Too much to give up." The rich young ruler suddenly appeared on the scene and then Peter and John leaving all to follow Jesus, and it was pointed out that coming to k 1 ; ! HIPS 82 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. Christ does not mean giving up so much as receiving something infinitely better than the world could give. " Too far gone, no hope for me now," says another. A representation of the Saviour at the tomb of Lazarus revealed His power to raise into newness of life even the most hopeless cases. Another gives as an excuse, " I cannot see things as you do, religion is all an enigma, it doesn't appeal to my reason." Blind Bartimeas appeared on the canvas and it was shown that he could not see either, until he came to Jesus, and then he saw things as he never saw them before. In this simple way deep and precious truths are brought within the comprehension of the most illiterate and the Master has set His seal of approval upon the work. The effort to introduce into Hull the light of the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, must ever re- main a memorable event in the minds of those who were called to the work. What Isaiah said of the Gentile world may be truly said of Hull, " Behold darkness covers it and gross darkness its people." A darker state of things could hardly be found in "Greenland's icy mountains," or " India's coral strand," than exists at our own doors. LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 83 Let our readers picture to themselves a death-bed scene witnessed by two Christian workers, which is not an exceptional case, or in the least overdrawn as miny can testify. A poor young French girl of about fifteen years of age was dying. Great was the sorrow in the house. The neighbors gathered in, amongst them several Protestants. As death approaches they fall on their knees and tell their beads a number of times. Every few moments the dying child is sprinkled pro- fusely with holy water so as to quite wet the person who was holding her. Then a ball of some kind, supposed to have some mysterious power, was pressed to her sides. Every now and then a brass crucifix was placed to the young girl's lips and kissed, and when just about gasping the last breath, the brass image was put quite into her mouth and because her teeth closed on the image the friends were well pleased. Into the powerless hand of the poor dying child was placed a lighted candle. The hand being closed over it and held by a friend, and so with beads, balls, candles, crucifix and holy water in abundance the poor child passed away, and still the awful delusion does not end. Another young woman goes to the church and takes the wafer for 84 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. the dead one. The rest of the drama is being concluded by the priest, who is getting all the money he can from her poor relations and friends to pray her soul out of pur- gatory. What a satire it is upon our Christianity and our civilization that the existence of such heathen darkness in our very midst should attract so little attention. No doubt much of the indifference is due to the woeful amount of ignorance that prevails with reference to the teachings of the Roman Church. Christian people have expressed surprise at the persist- ent efforts to evangelize the French, notwithstanding bitter opposition, and have said : — " Why not leave these people alone ? If they are true to their church and live up to the light that they have they will not be lost, for after all it doesn't matter much what they believe, if they are only in earnest." The priests of Baal lived up to the light that they had and were terribly in earnest in crying to their false gods, but they fell under the just condemnation of the only true God. Saul was true to his convictions when * breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord," but who would say that it was pleasing to God. Salvation depends not upon how we believe but upon what we believe. ry\ LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 85 Of their earnestness and devotion there can be no question. They are a standing rebuke to many Protes- tants in this respect. But that they are LOST and under the condemnation of God is evident from the following facts : — God says : " Thou shalt have no gods before me " (Ex. 20: 3); "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve" (Mark 4: 10), Roman Catholicism says : " Mary is the entire ground of our hope " (see Pope's letter to clergy 1832), while a devotional book in common use in our City and vicinity contains the follow- ing prayers to " the Mother of God." " O Queen of the universe and most bountiful sovereign, thou art the advocate of sinners, the sure port of those who suffer shipwreck, the resource of the world, the ransom of captives, the solace of the weak, the comfort of the afflicted, the refuge and salvation of every creature. Hail thou who art the peace, the joy, the consolation of the whole world. Hail Paradise of delight, the sure asylum of all who are in danger, the source of grace, the mediatrix between God and man. Refuge of sinners pity us." Again we read, " Mary is that celestial ark which will surely save us from wreck of eternal damnation if we on ii j i I i i i V.t I M I n I \ t , 86 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. take refuge in time. The ark of Noah would only receive the few men and animals who were saved in it, but Mary receives and mvzs with certainty all who take refuge under her mantle. But, Oh ! my Queen, how many 7Mn are lost ? And why ? B&caiise they will not have recourse to thee." If this io not worship. What is it ? It is an insult to God. It is ignoring the sacrificial, mediatorial work of Jesus the Son of God, of whom Peter said : " Neither is there sal- vation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved," Acts 4. 12. And of whom Paul said : " There is one God and one mediator, between God and man, the man Christ Jesus," (i Tim., 2. 15). The Lord evidently anticipated this apostasy in the Church when in Luke 11., 27, it is re- corded that " a certain woman lifted up her voice and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, &c." But He said, " Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it," and this brings us to another evidence that these poor deluded people are lost, because the church falsifies and withholds from its people the word of God. We read in Rev. 22 : 18. " If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that im^m^'hwrn LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 87 are written in this book and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall tah away his part out of the hooh qflife." Wc have only to refer to the Douay Bible to see the number of books that have been added and we may seek but in vain for the second command in the decalogue " Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images." Rome has obliterated it and divided the tenth so as to retain the correct number. Still another evidence of the lost condition of those who hold the doctrines of the Romish Church can be found in that they ignore the only true way of salvation, faith in the finished work of a crucified Redeemer, and trust to baptisms, masses, confessions, fastings, indul- gences, good works and purgatory. " He came to save His people from their sins," was He not able to do what He c , -le to do without the aid of all these things ? Is it not most dishonoring to the Lord to doubt the efficacy of His atoning cleansing blood and to claim that " venial sins can be expiated only in purgatory ? " The sight of a whole city bowing down to a false god, without the Word of Life, and without a knowledge of the way of salvation, stirred the hearts of several of God's children to undertake its evangelization. Accordingly a I li 88 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. small house in one of the worst localities was rented and fitted up with seating accommodation for about fifty. Circulars were distributed through the streets inviting men and women to a gospel meeting to be conducted in French erery Thursday evening. Long before the hour appointed a large crowd had gathered about the building which was densely packed as soon as the doors were* open, those interested inwardly congratulating themselves upon the success of the effort. It was noticed, however, that the audience was made up exclusively of men, big rough fellows, who did not deign to remove either hats nor pipes when several lady workers entered. It was thought, however, that such uncouth behaviour was more from want of knowledge than lack of courtesy, and so they proceeded with the meeting though the air was stifling. After the singing of several Gospel hymns the French Colporteur addressed the meeting taking for his text, " For God sa loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life." For nearly twenty minutes they listened attentively to a simple earnest Gospel address, when sud- denly a piece of cord wood was hurled with great force at I:'-iJ&*;iJ LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 89 his head, missing it, it smashed to atoms a coal oil lamp. This was evidently the signal for an attack The workers were surrounded and dragged out into the street and kicked about the face and head. A policeman who appeared on the scene was powerless in such a crowd but dispatched messengers for help. Soon five others arrived who surrounded the little band and escort- ed them to the station under a perfect shower of stones, pieces of ice and sticks of hardwood. On arriving at the station, the police charged the mob which soon dispersed. A posse of Ottawa police were then teleplioned for, who conducted the little band to their homes in safety, and so ended the first attempt to evangelize the city of Hull. The question naturally arose — what was to be done ? To abandon the field was to deal a paralysing blow, not only to French Evangelization, but to civil and religious liberty throughout the whole province, to maintain their rights as British subjects to hold a Pro- testant meeting in a Roman Catholic community, meant evidently the sacrifice of precious lives. It was a question which perplexed some of the best minds both in the church and state,for great fears were entertained for a time of open rebellion and civil war. While the question was under ii ■ 1 J It 90 LEAVES FROM A WORKER'S NOTE BOOK. consideration in the House of Commons and in almost every pulpit in the city, God was testing his servants and bringing them to the point of willingness to lay down their lives if need be that Hull might have the glorious light of the Gospel. It was then decided that a meeting should be held as advertised the following Tuesday even- ing. Almost immediately an offer was received of an escort of one thousand armed men. It was declined how- ever, as it was felt that it would be more in keeping with the mind and will of the Master, that everything should be avoided that had any tendency to stir up strife. So it was arranged that two young women who had taken a prominent part on the previous occasion should go alone, protected only by Him who said, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." The promises never seemed so sweet and 'precious as when they crossed the bridge and found the whole city in a state of excitement. Groups of men- were to be seen on almost every street corner, talking excitedly in French, while now and then could be heard such threats as "We'll drive the 'Suisse' (a term first applied to French Protestants LIGHT IN DARK PLACES. 91 converted through Madame Feller, a Swiss lady, who established a mission near Montreal) into the river." " We will blow up the hall." " If they come over to-night they will be carried back," &c. As they turned into the dark, narrow street that led to the Mission Hall, they were met by a fine, stalwart specimen of Christian manhood, who said : — " There is going to be serious trouble to-night, a mob of several thousand surrounds the Hall. What will you do?" " God has sent us," was the reply, " He will protect us or be responsible for the consequences." " You will go, then ?" " Yes." " Then I will go with you." For a moment they hesitated, arguments were used to try and make him break his resolve for the sake of his wife and seven little ones who were dependent upon him, but he too had learned to trust Jesus and if ever his faith was called into exercise it must have been then. Some difficulty was experienced in gaining access to the Hall owing to the great crowd which had assembled. The WTJBHIII^Ha IMSBIBaiHI^MIIHB IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) % „