with her to the Mothers' Meeting. After a long time I went, to my friend's surprise.' That woman is never absent; she is eagerly drinking in the Word of Life; is so much improved in appearance and manner, that her husband says he would like to go to such a meeting himself.

T

has

"I think it is a most interesting district. Mrs. W written a little account of the way God is using her among the people. Miss D, the Lady who has just left, is very much regretted by the mothers; she was such a sweet, simple Bibleteacher. We hope that our next Lady will be equally plain in her teaching..

NOTES OF A FRESH CANVASS AT GEORGE YARD WITH THE BIBLE PIONEER.

"In speaking about where to commence work, Mrs. Wsaid there was a factory where a great many young women and girls were employed in making jams and marmalade, and she thought there would be no fear of our getting in. We were not, however, admitted. I told her the next best thing was to ascertain what hour the young people came out for dinner and see them then, and learn if they wished for Bibles. Our next attempt was in a street which we were told was not on any of the Bible-women's districts. When we looked along it, it seemed very dark and uninviting, the windows dirty, with tawdry blinds; indeed, had it not been that we were refused admission into the factory, I should have felt inclined to try another street. The people were wonderfully civil, but so very dirty. Some of them came outside their room doors to speak to us, in order to prevent our seeing inside. Others made apologies about it being early, and they had not got the place tidy yet, but I fear many of them are never any better. They seemed rather surprised when we told them what we had come for, and pleaded want of work and therefore want of money, which is true in many cases at this time. As we went from room to room, however, one after another did commence.

"At one door a respectable-looking woman said, 'Oh, we have Bibles here, we are God-fearing people, and we would not be without His Worl; it has been a balm to me in all my

troubles through life.' We said she seemed to be here a witness for God in this dark street. She replied: "It is a dreadful place. When we first came to it, about 18 years ago, it was a nice quiet respectable street, but I believe every family that was then here has left except ourselves.' The reason why they still remain is that they have a large workshop at the top of the house, partly built over the garden. Her husband is an engineer, and his men work there.

"She told us on the side of the street we had been to first were drunkards, thieves, and pickpockets. We felt thankful we did not know it till we had visited them. Nevertheless, we had really secured nine subscribers, and two more promised for the following week. Sometimes, in the most unlikely places, God has work for us to do if only we are more willing to do it; and now that Mrs. W has got entrance among them with the Word of God, we trust many of those who are sitting in darkness may ere long have the true light to shine in their dwellings. "J. B."

"GEMS FOR HIS CROWN."

"MY DEAR FRIEND,

FROM OLD ST. GILES'.

"You and I love the Bible, knowing by a blessed experience that it is indeed a living Word, converting the soul; 'making wise the simple; rejoicing the heart,' and therefore we desire to place it in every hand, to send the bright light of God's truth, the message of a Saviour's love, to every dark home and heart; I know it cheers you, and those who support us, to hear that your labour is not in vain;' that the Bible-women we employ are faithful, prayerful, persevering, and their work blessed from above. The valuable woman you gave us some years ago, still labours on steadily and hopefully in the spirit of the precept, 'In the morning sow thy seed,' &c., Eccles. xi. 6.

"I have just picked out four cases in our district which may interest you, as proving the Word of God 'quick and powerful' as of old to convince of sin; to lead the soul to the feet

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of Jesus, and to comfort in sorrow- often so heavy that it needs Divine strength to bear it. Last spring, a very delicatelooking young woman came into our meeting; and, as we afterwards heard, was much struck by the text taught that afternoon, Rev. iii. 5. She went home to pray for help to overcome.' She had often tried before, but always in the wrong way.' Her room then was dirty and untidy; her husband fond of drink. In November following, she had a serious illness, an abscess burst on the lungs, and she suffered agony; but I found her bright and happy, clean and tidy; a great change had passed over her, she said.

"I thought yesterday that I was dying, but did not fear because I was trusting. I left my husband to God, and hoped perhaps He would send some one to do more for him than I had ever done.'

"She prayed incessantly for him; and felt confident his heart would be changed in God's good time. A Bible at 1s. 10d., for which she had subscribed, delighted her; the few pence weekly had never been missed. She said, 'Poorer, oh! no, we are richer with this precious Book.' And then she rejoiced my heart by adding very modestly—

"I have for some time read the Bible every day as a habit, but now I read and think about it because I love it, and seem to learn something new each time I open it, and that, too, from verses often read before. I mean to give my husband a largeprint Bible as a surprise on his birthday, he will be so pleased, and perhaps I shall be able to persuade him to read a little every day.'

"Another time she said to me, 'I was very wicked on Saturday. John brought me hardly any of his money, and I had the medicine and so many things to pay for. I felt angry and miserable; indeed, my faith quite failed, till I fancied Jesus said to me, "Oh! thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" and I read about Peter looking at the stormy waves instead of at the Lord, and beginning to sink, and I asked for faith to look up to Jesus and away from my care, and my trust in God soon came back, and I determined to make the money go as far as possible and not worry about the rest.'

"This young woman attends the meeting regularly, and her husband goes to church with her most Sunday evenings.

"2. There is a very white, sad face listening eagerly to the Gospel story. That young woman cannot read. She heard the Word, received it with joy, and light entered her hitherto dark soul. The entrance of Thy Word giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple;' 'sharper than any two-edged sword,' it pierced the secret recesses of her heart, and stirred her conscience, making the sense of some years of past sin (long given up) a burden too heavy for her to bear. After weeks of true penitence and earnest prayer, she summoned courage to tell her husband all. No one knows what the effort cost her, so great was her dread at the possible loss of his affection for ever; but God prepared his heart to receive her confidence most kindly and lovingly. She had been a true good wife to him, and he freely forgave the sins of her youth. Her experience was that of the psalmist, 'Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way.' She often says, 'My husband and I are very different to what we used to be. We never have words about anything now, and no concealments. God has made our home so happy. I do bless Him I ever came to the meeting. I take all my troubles to the Lord, and try to fret about nothing. This morning I had a cruel, insulting letter from a neighbour. God helped me to take it patiently, and when I showed it to my husband, he said, "Never mind, Lizzie; take no notice, the best thing we can do is to pray for her." So he made me and the child kneel down whilst he asked God to forgive and bring her to a better mind. When we went to visit his mother in the summer, he set his heart on starting family prayer. Breakfast was ready; but he said, "Please, mother, prayers first ;" and so it was the whole week we were there, and before we came away he took his mother by the hand and begged her never to begin the day without seeking God's blessing.' This young woman longs to be able to read, but alas! she is so nervous, and her memory so treacherous, it seems a hopeless task. The one desire of her heart is expressed in the touching words, 'I want to be a child of God.'

"3. Last week we missed a dear old friend from her accustomed place deep-seated rheumatism has swollen every joint, and gives a stern expression to her weather-beaten countenance, yet she suffers patiently and uncomplainingly; and when I went round after the meeting to inquire the reason of her absence, there I found her in bed, clean and comfortable as hands could make her. She had slipped downstairs and hurt her back, and was being nursed by her two daughters, both deaf and dumb, one also subject to dreadful fits, and quite imbecile. The three live alone together, understanding and loving each other most tenderly. You will not see a tidier room in St. Giles's, and God's Word is there, a light in the hour of trial. The poor girls,' she said, ' don't like to see me in bed, and keep having a good ery, but so long as I am in the room, Anne does everything we want. I have been thinking of some of the precious promises, and the one that comes most home to me is this, "Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain thee." God is true. This is my comfort in mine affliction, for Thy Word has quickened me.'

"4. Now let me speak of one whose delight is in the law of the Lord in His law doth she meditate day and night; the Bible is no strange book to her 'sweeter than honey,' more 'precious than fine gold.' Eight months ago a sudden stroke of paralysis laid her on a bed of suffering; her speech is slightly affected, and she grows gradually weaker in body, stronger in faith, hope, and deep devoted thankful love to her blessed Saviour. Very striking is her testimony to the all-sufficiency of Jesus to soothe a dying bed. Such a smile lightens the emaciated face as she tells of her Saviour's love.

"Yesterday was a weary, restless day. In the evening I looked up to my Father, and said, "Oh, my Father, send me some message to cheer me from the far-off land." I had scarcely breathed the petition, when a voice seemed to whisper, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee." I took my Bible and found the text (Is. xli. 10), and those words did cheer me. My Father did not wait to send His answer by an earthly messenger: it came