caught at it, as at some new idea, and kept repeating it and lifting up his hands in astonishment.

"The next morning when I went in, the wife exclaimed,

"Oh Nurse, your prayer is answered, he has not been to confession, and is not going.'

"I did not see him at that time, as he had obtained work and had gone to it, but he had left a message with his wife that if I could look in in the evening he should like much to talk to me. I went three evenings, and the result was that he could not feel satisfied in having his children any longer taught at the parochial schools where they would be under High Church influence, but put them to another school in the neighbourhood.

"At my next visit to the poor woman, she asked me to lock the door and pray with her, as she knew one of these 'fathers' would soon be up, and did not wish to be disturbed. At another time she asked me as a great favour to stay a little while, as she knew they would soon be coming, and to ask them not to call any more, as it only distressed her, and she was too weak to tell them so, or to argue with them. They had been exceedingly angry with her and her husband, but she said, 'I don't seem to care now, for I begin to feel the blessedness of having my sins washed away in the precious blood of Christ, and I care for nothing else. I could not feel this before, but you and the Bible-woman have explained it so to me that I can never doubt again.

"I was there again on the Friday morning, and had some nice conversation with her, and she seemed very happy. As I was going for my holiday on the following day, she begged me to look in again in the evening. She then told me she could never thank us both enough for our kindness in reading and praying with her, and leading her to Jesus, besides the other kindnesses she had received from the Mission.

"I don't think I shall ever see you again,' she said; but I do hope to meet you in heaven.'

"Are your hopes bright now,' I said, 'in the prospect of death? And what do you rest them on?'

"She said, "I know that my sins are forgiven; for Jesus

Christ came into the world to save sinners; and I believe He has pardoned me. I am going to heaven; for He has washed me in His precious blood, and taken away all my sins.'

"When I had left the room, she called me back, and requested that I would not forget her husband, but occasionally look after him, which I promised to do.

"I never saw her again. She died happily the day after I left.

"The people from the Church were so incessant in their visits, that the occupants of the lower part of the house said it was quite an annoyance. They used to talk to the poor woman much about an intermediate state, and at one time wished to argue the point with me; but I told them I could not argue: I was content to believe what the Apostle Paul believed :-' Absent from the body, present with the Lord.'

“The husband now comes regularly to our little Missionroom to the services, although it is a long way from his home, and seems to be really a converted character."

GRAVEL-LANE DISTRICT.

"DEAR MADAM,

66

A BIBLE-WOMAN'S LETTER.

"I am happy to send you a little account of my district. Some months back I was much discouraged at finding the people so careless when spoken to about their souls' best interests; they generally tried to turn the conversation and dismiss all serious thoughts. I felt utterly helpless, but remembering the promise, 'ye shall reap if ye faint not,' prayed that God would arouse them from their indifference and prepare their hearts to receive the truth; nor did we plead in vain, for we feel that the Lord is working with us and blessing our labours. I find in visiting a marked difference-many are awakened and listen with deep interest to the tidings of salvation.

"The Mothers' Meeting continues to increase. We have at

present fifty Bible and seventy-five clothing subscribers. We feel that the Lord is present with us as we gather around His Word, which Miss C explains so simply that none can fail to understand; the mothers listen most attentively, and appear to enjoy it very much.

"A woman who joined the meeting some time ago has lately been seeking mercy. I called in the other day and found her washing. I asked if I should be hindering her.

66 6

'Oh, no,' she said, 'it is worth while putting anything aside to hear about Jesus, and, as I am so deaf, I can't hear properly when I am busy.'

"We sat down together, and I read part of Hebrews vii., dwelling on that precious text, 'He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.'

"I said, 'Now do you come at once to Jesus, He is the only Mediator between God and the sinner.'

"What,' she exclaimed, 'can I go to Him at once? I always thought that I must go to God first, and I did not know how to get to Him on account of my sins.'

66 I told her that she would never lose the burden of her sins unless she cast it on Jesus, who had borne the punishment; the light seemed to be dawning upon her soul, and after praying with her I left. I saw her a few days afterwards,

and asked her if she could trust Jesus.

666

“O, yes,' she said, 'and sometimes I am so happy that I think if I had all the trouble in the world I could rejoice; but when I am very much tempted, I begin to doubt whether I am really pardoned, so I go and ask to be washed in the blood of Jesus, and if I am not already saved, I know I shall be, because His blood cleanseth from all sin.' After a little more conversation and prayer I left her looking quite cheerful."

"Some time since Mrs. W-joined our Mothers' Meeting. She was at that time a very worldly woman; but shortly after she lost a little boy, of whom she was very fond. She was so crushed by this blow, that all the efforts of her friends to comfort her were vain; she seemed distracted, and her wish seemed to be to destroy herself, and so get out of her misery. Her husband

watched her with the greatest anxiety, fearing to leave her even to go to work.

"On the following Monday, thinking to divert her, he proposed taking her for a walk; but she refused to go with him, intending, as she since told me, to get to Bankside, and put an end to her existence. However, she was at last persuaded to come to the meeting, and it pleased the Lord to meet with her there; both the prayer and the address seemed to be especially for her; and she went home an earnest seeker after salvation.

"All her aim was now to find Jesus, that she might meet the little one in glory. The little shop that used to be open on Sunday is closed; and in many ways she has clearly evidenced that the Lord has given the new heart and the right spirit. The tracts that are given her are read, and then carefully put by to give away the first opportunity. She often tells me how she praises the Lord for the Mothers' Meeting, which has been such a blessing to herself and family; 'for surely,' she says, 'if it had not been for that dear lady's words, my child would have been motherless, and my soul lost for ever.'"

SYMPATHY IN SHOREDITCH.

LETTER FROM A SUPERINTENDENT.

"MY DEAR MRS. R

"Our account of recent work will show that we have had some cares and annoyances connected with it; the burden of this, though, has principally fallen upon the Bible-woman. There have been so many petty jealousies amongst the women, and a feeling with one or two, that new faces have been preferred to the old ones. Of course, this has not been really the case, but circumstances of distress and trouble have compelled us in many cases to pay more attention to these new faces.

"Another trouble has arisen from one of our nicest women, Mrs. W, who seemed to be going on well, but lately has been giving way to drink, and that after she had signed the pledge. She is a tall, pleasant, serious-looking woman, dearly

fond of children, and always a good friend to them at our meetings; never so happy as when she has a little one cuddled up in her lap. Sometimes, with tears in her eyes, she has said, 'I wish I had some of my own. She had one once, a dear little girl; but God has taken her away. When calling upon her she showed me the little likeness, and a few of the child's treaOne Monday I was looking at her Bible, and noticed several passages underlined. I remarked to her, You have some favourite texts, then?'

sures.

"Yes,' she said, 'I used to read the Bible much more once, but until lately, when I came here, I had much neglected it.'

"She is a woman of but very few words, and nothing more was said, for I felt that to say, or to draw out more from her there, before the other women, would be out of place. This is the woman that has broken the pledge. Two others, at the Bible-woman's suggestion, signed with her, and they, I am thankful to say have, as far as I can tell, kept it.

"One of them, Mrs. J, much interests me. It is very seldom that I fail to see her bright, cheerful, earnest face opposite to me at the meetings; and yet, poor woman, with all her brightness, I believe that she sometimes comes half-starved, a strong effort being always made to keep the rent paid up. Just now she is better off, for her husband has a little work again. I have lent her a mangle, upon the condition that she may have it for her own when she has paid me two pounds. She is to pay me by instalments, that is to say ls. per week. At present she has paid regularly to the amount of 3s. I am anxious that she should get the whole sum paid off by the winter time.

"Since my last account to you, three of our mothers have been taken from us by death. Mrs. B- was one of our oldest mothers; her death seemed to be a very peaceful one; she died, simply trusting her all to Christ her Saviour. She earnestly tried to persuade her daughter-in-law to attend the Mothers' Meeting, adding, "I never felt happy if I missed going.'

"The death-bed of the second woman, Mrs. L--, was a very bright one, full of steady trust. She was quite a