like me, I recommend them to you.' I found Eliza in one of the most dirty, deplorable rooms possible; she lies in one corner on a bundle of logs, a table, and two broken chairs; on one of these stands a small washing-tub, which has to be removed every time a visitor enters, and the chair wiped down with a dirty wet cloth, so you prefer standing rather than running the risk of taking away grease and soapsuds; but here, in this wretched home, was one of Christ's lambs, wishing to be taught about Jesus, so anxious, that when we omitted going one day, she cried the whole of the night; she was very pleased if you repeated any part of Scripture that she was acquainted with, 23rd Psalm, first twelve verses of 5th chapter of Matthew, and the 14th chapter of John's Gospel, then some hymns she learned at school, one commencing :

"Around the throne of God in heaven.'

"Another

"I think when I read that sweet story of old.'

"Another

"There is a better land they say.'

"She would repeat the verses after me in a whisper, she was too ill to speak out loud; sometimes her easiest posture was to sit with her knees touching her chin. Her father is a shoemaker, so she had to bear with the noise all day long, still they were kind to her.

“At first, her father used to keep knocking whilst we prayed with her, but after a little while he only rubbed the leather; the next time he was quite still. The Missionary persuaded him to attend the Meeting on Friday evenings, conducted by Mr.The second time I visited her, Miss- went with me and took her some help, since then, my dear Superintendent has repeatedly been to see her and relieved her. Our Bible-woman Nurse has been exceedingly kind, as she always is, when I give her a case; if she is ever so tired a fresh case seems to put new strength into her.

"We held our Mothers' Meeting on Whit-Monday for example's sake, not that we expected many, for most of our Mothers, with their husbands and families, went to Greenwich Park, to breathe a little fresh air. After the Meeting I met

many of them going home, and be it said to their honour, they were sober and well conducted several of them said, 'What has Mrs. W-been reading? We felt sure you were praying for us.'

“I am afraid, dear madam, this long letter will tire you. I pray that God may sustain and comfort you amidst the trial of losing old friends and dismissal of workers; we ask, too, that God will incline the hearts of some to give who never gave before, which they would, if they only saw for one day, the scenes that we live amongst year after year.

"I remain, dear Madam, yours faithfully,

"E. B."

N.B. For the Bible-woman of this district we have recently received kind support from friends at Cheltenham; its good Nurse is entirely paid from the General Fund.

A WORD OF THANKS AND REQUEST.

BEFORE we appropriate the rest of our space to that which points to Bible-work in foreign fields, we desire to acknowledge the kindness of the friends who have remembered our need, and enabled us to present, this month, a comparatively long list of donations, mostly of small sums, but still an evidence of very wide sympathy. The donations for special districts are usually paid in at this time of year, which also helps to swell the columns of donations in the months of January and February.

If a similar amount of help can be continued for another month or two, so that we were enabled to replace 5007. in the "Reserve Fund," and besides, still have one month's supply beforehand, we shall be quite content, and able to go forward with fresh and vigorous agency in the districts that most need our Mission.

We are earnestly praying for a new outpouring of the Spirit of God upon us all, and on LONDON, that He may prepare for the Message "the hearing ear" in all our districts, that He may endue with His heavenly power all present workers and send us others, with the means to employ them.

WILL ALL FRIENDS WHO DESIRE THE GROWTH OF BIBLE MISSIONS IN LONDON, AMONG RICH AND POOR, MEET EACH

OTHER IN SPIRIT AT A QUARTER TO EIGHT P.M. FOR A QUARTER OF AN HOUR OF UNITED PRAYER ON THESE ACCOUNTS?

A BIBLE-WOMAN'S REPORT FROM MADRID. "MY DEAR LADY,

"I beg to thank English friends for the deep interest they take in the spiritual welfare of my dear country, and for the material support and kind encouragement given me, in endeavouring to carry the gospel message to the homes and hearts of my poor ignorant countrywomen. This I have been trying to do since first I felt the power of God's truth in my own heart, though not always with that success which I could have desired.

"I had a large class of young women for a few months, many of whom I taught to read, and to sing some of our gospel hymns, and I always read and explained to them a portion of the Word of God. In this work I spent two hours daily, and sometimes more, but since Mr. M- told me that you had rather I spent my whole time in visiting and reading the Bible in families, and in speaking personally with the mothers, I have been dedicating myself to that work more exclusively.

"A few days ago I had an opportunity of speaking with a young woman, who professed to belong to the class who say that there is no God. I spent a whole afternoon with her. I reasoned with her about God, and told her of His immense love to us, in giving His dear Son to die for our sins, and then asked her if she would like to hear me read more about God from His own Word. She willingly consented, and I read and explained to her a few chapters in the New Testament. She became convinced of the truth, as also did another who was present during our conversation. I took them with me the same night, to hear the preaching of God's Word in our chapel. I would not say she is yet converted, but evidently a great change has come over her, as far as religious views are concerned.

"Another whom I had been the means of convincing of her errors, and of persuading her to attend the preaching of the Gospel, had ceased coming for some time. I went to visit her, and having told her that I missed her from public worship, I asked the reason of her absence. She said she would not go back again because she saw some there who ought not to be in a place of worship, and besides she did not want her neighbours VOL. VIII. NO. 2.

E

to know that she was an Evangelica. I reasoned with her very seriously, and read her a few passages of Scripture, among others the following words of Jesus:- He that is ashamed of Me before men, of him will I be ashamed before my Father and the holy angels.' The following Sunday I saw her in church, and so great was my joy that I could not help embracing her.

"In the same house where I live there is a young woman who has been ill for some time. I have visited her almost daily, and have had long conversations with her about her soul's salvation. As she had gone with me a few times to the Protestant chapel, I believed she was convinced that there is only one mediator between God and man--the man Christ Jesus; but during our conversation she told me she could not forget the Virgin Mary, to whom alone she looked for salvation. I read to her the 46th, 47th, and 48th verses of the first chapter of Luke, from which I showed her that the Virgin Mary confessed that she herself needed salvation, for she said, 'My spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour;' and after two hours' discussion I had the happiness of hearing her declare that now she was convinced, and firmly believed that Jesus was the only and all-sufficient Saviour for her soul.

"Another sick woman, with her family, has just come to live in this house. I visit her frequently, and read to her from God's Word, which from her sick couch she listens to with marked attention, and has declared in the presence of her family that she is convinced, and if spared will endeavour to serve God in spirit and in truth. Previous to my visits she had never even seen a copy of the Holy Scriptures.

"I continue daily to read the Bible to the factory women, to many of whom I have constant access, and I hope with some success. I also visit them in their own homes.

"The atheistical doctrines preached by members of the International to the working classes are producing very bad results, for having seen the hollow farces practised in the Roman Catholic Church they think all systems of religion are alike.

your

Desiring an interest in your prayers, I subscribe myself
faithful and affectionate servant, who kisses your hand,
"ANTONIA M—.”

THE RIGHT MAN IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

THOSE Who took an interest in the affairs of our friend, Mr. Theophilus, will be glad to know that he was confirmed in his post as Superintendent of the Bible Society Colportage in the Madras Presidency. May Bible-men and Bible-women now carry their message from God unto all the villages of India. We append some interesting extracts from the correspondence of Mr. Porter concerning the latter agency :

A HINDOO WOMAN'S INQUIRY.-WHO, THEN,

WILL SAVE ME? WHO?

THE reports from Mary Wesley, a native Christian, labouring at Produtoor (Cuddapa District, S. India), are very encouraging.

She finds that many of the female patients who come to her son for medicine, are most willing to listen to the glad tidings of salvation, so much so, that it leads me to think that among them there are some who are a people prepared of the Lord.' They seem as if they had been long thirsting for the water of life, and have been endeavouring to quench their thirst from the impure streams of heathenism; but their thirst has been unquenched, and their souls unsatisfied.

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Of one woman she writes :-"It is now a few months ago, when a woman from Lingala, a village about five miles distant from Produtoor, came to our house to see a relative who was being treated in the Dispensary established in this place. I soon discovered that she was a poojari (a Hindu devotee), from the string of beads which she wore round her neck. She said she lived a retired life, and spent her time chiefly in praying to the God. When I asked her how she got her daily food, she replied, 'Amma, do you think that God has left this world and gone away to some other place? No, He knows his worshippers, and will never let them starve. As a proof, though I do not work for my daily food, yet I have never been without for a single day. He always disposes the heart of one person or another to supply my daily wants.'

"I replied, that though what she said was true, yet that God did not intend that we should be idle, but that we