her breathing, therefore could not attend very often. But she wished for a larger print Bible, and began with a penny per week, and although extremely poor, so eager was she for her book that she would often try to pay a little more. Once when I called with the Bible-woman, she said, 'I'm longing for my Bible.' At length it was her own, she had paid the last penny of the 2s. 6d., but she hoped the Biblewoman would still visit her. One Saturday, about a fortnight after she had her Bible, a friend who lived in the same house went into her room and found her standing against the table leaning on it with her hands, and her head bent. What is the matter?' 'Oh! my head, my head, surely I'm not dying!' She got her to bed, and sent for the doctor. In the mean time she was asked if her mind was stayed on Jesus. 'Yes.' She had loved to talk about her loving Saviour before that day. She lingered until Tuesday, when she died. Her last words were, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'

THE SUDDEN FAREWELL.

"We had a very impressive meeting on Monday, at Brooks' Market. All the poor mothers seemed filled with awe on account of the very sudden death of a poor woman in the neighbourhood, who appeared in perfect health in the morning, having cleaned her stove and part of her room, carried up stairs a pail of clean water, cheerfully speaking to her neighbours as she passed. She knelt down to recommence her cleaning, and her daughter going out for an errand, on her return found her poor mother in the same position, leaning over her pail quite dead. In vain did the daughter call, 'Speak to me, mother.' Her mother's work here was ended, and her voice hushed for ever. I do pray it may be heard as a loud-speaking voice from God to arouse many who are slumbering in sin, many meaning to do better, but so slow, and so unable of themselves to begin a new life. I do not think there was one present who did not feel the power of God's Spirit in the earnest prayer offered in their behalf by dear Mrs. A, lest any of them should be taken by the messenger unprepared. The poor woman did not attend our meetings, but her sister does, and was present with us."

THE LAD RECLAIMED.

"That sister is the mother of the boy 'I wrote of sometime ago, who had lost his place by staying away and spending a shilling of his master's money. After trying him for a few weeks, seeking his soul very often, God was pleased to impress him with a narrative I read to him, of a soldier who was converted from reading the 5th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

"I took him to a friend, told him all about him, and he kindly took him to work for some time, even when he did not need him. This friend then sent for me, said he was a good boy, and he should be glad to recommend him, which he did, and he has been in the same place eighteen months. His kind mother, to whom he was once a continual source of trouble, being with other bad boys the terror of the court in which he lived, now with joy thanks God for the comfort he is to her. She often says, 'Thank God for the day you came and read that to my poor Charlie; for I had just given up all hope of him! He used to abuse and rob his mother, and was then only sixteen years old. She says, 'No one knows how I prayed for him but God; and how I had to beg of his father not to turn him out of doors: but we all live in peace now; and I always feel what a blessing it was that day brought to my dear Charlie.""

"THEM WORDS THAT DID IT."

"In Barbican district, about this time last year, I wrote several times of an old woman, seventy-one years old, who was an infidel when I first visited her; but God, who is rich in mercy, vouchsafed His pardoning mercy to her; and although one of the most able in quoting Scripture amiss, she became as a little child. The Spirit of God revealed Jesus as her Saviour; and when converted herself, she would say (speaking of her daughter-in-law), 'Lay hold of her, talk to her; she drinks, and is a grievous trouble to me.' As her end drew near, she talked to the poor erring one herself, and often said to me, Do not forsake her when I am gone. May be, she will listen some

time; for she has a dreadful cough; and I do not think she is long for this world.'

"That fear is realized; and the poor young woman now lies in the adjoining attic in the last stage of consumption, anxiously drinking in the Word of Life. Many have been my seemingly fruitless visits to her; but when, after many promises, she came one day to the Mothers' Meeting, the lesson was from Eph. vi. 10, and following verses:—

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,' &c.

'Her attention was very marked; but, with all my entreaties, she never came again; often, poor creature, she was too ill. It is about three months since I felt it a duty to tell her very plainly and kindly what I thought of her state of health, and again repeated the message of salvation. Three weeks afterwards she sent for me. On entering the room, she said, 'Oh! Mrs. S-, I have told the Bible-woman all about it; it was that day at the meeting, and them words that did it. Oh! God forgive me, that I never went to hear the other part of the chapter; but, now, do, pray do, tell me every word over again, Put on the whole armour of God,'-you know; tell me all about it, as you did that day; for then for the first time I felt myself a sinner, and did not know what to do to be saved. Ah! how merciful God has been to make me ill, and give me time to think about Jesus, and my poor soul! I thank God now I do know Jesus died for me! And He can save me; and yet how can I feel sure He will, when I think of all the ways I have tried to shut you both out, or get out of your way? Do you remember laying hold of me in the street about three months ago?'

"'Yes.'

"Oh, them words you spoke! how true they have come!' But God will give me the whole armour now, will He not?' "Yes, I hope so, for Jesus' sake.'

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Finding she was too ill to talk any more, I prayed with her, after reading the words at her request; and each visit satisfies me better, as she tells out all she feels of the

love of Jesus, and her desire to know more. She speaks much of the kindness and comfort of the daily visits of the Biblewoman. She said, on my last visit, 'It is not possible I can get better; but, oh! if I did, I would try and work for God! I would lay hold of them, just like you laid hold of me, and make them listen. God bless you and Miss HI know I am a great sinner; but Jesus died for me.'

"E. S."

!

A PLEASANT REVERSE.

In the March number of the "MISSING LINK" was also recorded the case of an old man in the Locks Fields district, who, after a severe disappointment, was found by his daughter bending over the dying embers in his wife's sick room (where she has been a prisoner for three years), "counting up his mercies." He said, "I am 79, He never has forsaken me, and He never will." The insertion of this in the "MISSING LINK MAGAZINE" induced some of God's children to send him small sums. of money, which he always received with deep gratitude, and hoped his thanks would be conveyed to the kind givers. Last month his sister died, and left him some money. He immediately went to the vestry hall and told the Board that he should not want any more relief, for God had been pleased to give him what he expected would last his and his wife's lifetime. He sent his daughter to the Mission-room to tell us "how God had supplied his needs." To his daughter's husband (who had always shared their crust with them) he gave a nice new cab and horse! The best thing is that he accepts the money as a gift from His heavenly Father.

THE OLD MAN'S JOURNEY.

"Now I must give you the case of H. W. Last Christmas we began to visit him. From what I have since learned he was once an infidel. After he came to believe that there was a great First Cause, he had very hard thoughts of God. He could not look upon Him as a God of love; it was some time before he could understand that 'He doth not afflict willingly.'

When first I visited him with the Bible-woman we found him very dark (I should say he had been afflicted for three years). Then he began to say that he thought if some people got to heaven he should, for he was better than they, at least they did things he should scorn to do. The next step was that he began to acknowledge the love of God in sending His Son to die, and the love of the Saviour in coming to be the sacrifice for our sins. Then he felt what a sinner he must be to need this. At one time we were afraid he was saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there was none, and Mrs. S- - asked him, 'And do you really feel that God has for Christ's sake pardoned you?' His answer was, 'No, I cannot say that.' After this I saw him about once a fortnight or three weeks, and the Bible-woman saw him oftener, and I began to notice quick progress and rapid growth in grace. About this time there came a letter from a son in America begging him to come to him and he would be glad to give his father a home. The father entered warmly into the project, arrangements were being made and carried on with great zest. Medical examinations were satisfactory for the most part; but the wife was saddened by the news that her husband had a cancer in his mouth. It was a poor comfort, but I told her that his chest disease would carry him off before the cancer would. One day talking about the voyage, he said, with a beaming countenance, Well, there's one thing, if I do go to America I have found a good Pilot; yes, whatever voyage it is."

"Once before receiving the assurance of faith, he went over to the Bible-woman and told her sin after sin that he had committed; she could not stop him, but she says it was a sad, sad catalogue, and he asked her if that and that could be forgiven, and she had to tax her memory as he went on for texts to encourage him to 'cast all his care upon Him.' 'All manner of sin shall be forgiven.' 'If we with the mouth confess,' &c.

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The last time we were in their room he was very cheerful about the voyage, and we had a sweet time talking about the fatherly care of our God. When we were coming away he burst into tears and tenderly bade us Good-bye.' Monday following I found they had taken him to St. Thomas' Hospital to get his strength up with nourishment, which he could not