she exclaimed, "I wish I could bring forth fruit; but it is too late."

"Oh, no," said Mrs. M--; and after commenting on Christ's readiness to give her full salvation now, she explained how, even in her weakness, if enabled to bear her sufferings. with patience, that would be acceptable "fruit." She has rallied, and with much gladness has received her large print Bible, but still begs the Bible-woman to continue her visits. We canvassed one side of Street. At the first house a clean, comfortable-looking widow said, "I have a Bible, and I cannot come to a meeting. Much too busy. No, I do not go anywhere on Sundays."

We tried to show her we owe a duty to God and our own souls, but she said, "She was not ignorant like some people; she must work; good things do not drop from the clouds."

True, but He who forms them has promised to provide for those who serve and trust Him.

Soon after we met with another widow, quite a contrast to the last-mentioned. "She had a Bible, and knew the value of it; " asked us into her little workroom, where she makes cheap slippers for a warehouse, and from a little nook under her bench. she drew out a wellworn Bible. It made one's heart rejoice to look at it, for it evidently is a "companion." She told us every now and then she took it up and read or learnt a few verses. She could not spare the precious daylight, but got out on Sundays and once or twice of an evening.

A FATHERS' CLASS IN ST. GILES.

"DEAR MRS. LEONARD,

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Having asked for some details of the Fathers' Meeting in Short's Gardens, St. Giles,' I have much pleasure in reporting its rise and progress. Very often it was said, 'There are plenty of meeting for mothers, why are there none for fathers?' The question rose who would have the courage to try the experiment, who had the gifts and graces needed for such a work? but the voice was heard, 'Whom shail I send? and who will go for us?' And the answer came from one

'Here am I,

who knew 'His grace is made perfect in weakness.' send me.' So four winters ago bills were printed announcing that a Fathers' Class' would be held in the Mission Room every Saturday night from 7.30 to 9.30, and an address given by a lady on the HEROES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.'

"I think that first night twenty-nine men were present; now it numbers seventy, with an average attendance of fifty. The growth has been slow and steady; the next two winters the subjects of the addresses were on THE LIFE OF OUR LORD,' and this season has commenced with the LIFE AND TRAVELS OF ST. PAUL."

"The programme of proceedings is as follows:-Any man who likes has a clothing card as at a Mothers' Meeting, and buys at cost price. This summer a' Chrismas Club' was started, at the men's own request, the money saved to be expended in groceries, blankets, boots, or anything else preferred as a surprise to the 'old ladies at home,' who as yet know nothing about these savings. The fathers begin to assemble at 7.30 and at 8 punctually we commence by singing a hymn, followed by a short opening prayer; then comes the address graphically picturing the history of the subject under consideration; another hymn is sung, names called over, announcements of services made, some general conversation follows for about ten minutes, another hymn, and then three lessons drawn from the subject of the address to carry home and lay to heart; all is concluded with prayer. The room is cleared by 9.30.

"Now, the question arises, what are the results? Has any good been done? Are there any practical proofs that the work has been owned and blest by Him for whose glory it is undertaken? Well, I can but speak of that which I have seen, and testify of that which I have heard,' and in the homes and in the workshops there have been marvellous changes. The men look forward and count the days to Saturday night as their happiest evening, and those who value it themselves do their best to bring their mates. One man said, 'I have brought six into that meeting, but Miss C does not know it.' He has been taught by his wife to read that he may be able to read over the passage before and after he has heard it explained on Saturdays.

"A young married man (one of the fathers) says of his father, Why, he is like a man turned inside out since he took to attending that 'ere Meeting.' Another remarked, 'I often go in feeling so cast down and troubled, and I go away so lighthearted, quite a different man; sometimes going home I regular burstes out with the hymns we have been singing.' One good old man, crippled with rheumatism, says with beaming face, 'It is like music to my ear, and like honey to my heart.' I need not multiply instances, but these few may well encourage her who, in weakness and fear and in much trembling, 'comes to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty,' 'to be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, inasmuch as her labour is not in vain in the Lord;' and I am sure her hands would be strengthened and her heart cheered by feeling that the prayers of God's people are going up for her that all her needs may be supplied according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.' The Meetings commence the middle or end of October, and close the last Saturday in June with an excursion to the country, which is greatly enjoyed. Any further information you may wish I will gladly supply.

6

"Yours very sincerely,

WORK PROGRESSING.

"C. G. H."

"WHEN I went into my Mission Room last Monday, I was greeted by the most welcome news that one of 'my mothers, who has been longest listening to God's message, is at last earnestly seeking the Saviour.' She is a very quiet decent woman, and has had much trial in her family. One daughter has gone astray; sickness and death have been busy amongst her little ones; her own health is always delicate. For years she has occupied one particular seat very near to me, the sight of her lovely pale face, with a pale child on her lap, has often moved me to greater earnestness in speaking to the women about the love of God and the abundant mercy for all who come to Jesus. For the last eighteen months I have seen the tears rush into her eyes and her thin face quiver with emotion, but she was quiet, not one of the talking sort;

now the truth has entered in and given peace. Her calm face, with a rest in it I had never before seen, told the truth about her experience. She is earnestly desirous to do right, in proof of which I will just note that when spoken to of the evil of over-crowding in bedrooms, &c., she took the hints given, and when I asked her about it the next week, she said, 'My husband and me sees things different, we have bought another bedstead for the children, and shall manage better I hope." There is so much to say of individual cases, that I find difficulty in condensing, for my people are all totally unlike each other in the way they seek Christ, and no one of these women either act or speak as do the people written of in tracts.

"Most of our poor women are brought through the deep waters of affliction to the Saviour who can build up all the wounded broken hearts; and I feel as I look at the 30 or 35 on Monday, if each of these women were a soldier of the Cross, and fighting manfully on the side of Christ, even dirty wicked Hackney Wick would be made better by degrees. One of these women who has been through great sorrow, is an aged widow, her husband was a rough, hard man. She is gentle and refined; the two sons are not kind to the mother, and when attacks of illness come on she is in a sad fix. The Bible-woman and the Bible-woman Nurse are unwearied in their attentions, and as soon as she can crawl, her place at the Meeting is filled. She sits next to Mrs. R-, and these two are a help to me as their earnest attention inspires me. On the same bench is a most respectable woman, aged and widow; she suffers sadly from rheumatic gout. Next to her I see a little lame woman, who is always ailing, and has six weakly children. these are earnest Christians, and all are learning, a point I make of the utmost importance. Behind this seat sit three women, a mother and two daughters-all good women; they are greatly changed, but still they are not refined. Dearly do they love the Meetings, and in proof of it they are constantly giving me combs, the only thing they have to present, as they are combmakers by trade. I think they have given six in eighteen months; they are very poor, and the combs each cost 13d., no small proof of regard. A drinking husband is the cause of

All

much trouble in their house. Since I last wrote we have had a little tragedy in the district.

66

"A very rough, hard-working man, who had been truly changed at a men's meeting, established a few years ago, was killed on the railway. His wife, who had been delicate for some time, was terribly crushed by the blow, and her health gave way. Her temper was at all times cold and distant, but still the Bible-woman was always welcome, who constantly read and prayed with the poor widow, till by degrees she was enabled to let go this world, trusting her three children to their Heavenly Father, and to lay down the heavy weight of sorrow. She did not soften and warm as so many do, and when a gift from the friend who had been the means of her husband's conversion reached her on her death bed, her heart did not appear to respond in gratitude to the kindness of a stranger; but this poor, cold, unthawed Christian did at last learn lessons of love and tenderness at her Saviour's feet, to which she had been all her life a stranger.

"Her little ones are provided for and doing well. We have lost by death several of our mothers during this year. One was extremely ill at the time of our annual Christmas tea, and many earnest prayers went up for her, that God would smooth the path through the dark valley. She had a glorious, peaceful, death-bed; a message reached me from her dying lips, telling of the help the meetings had been to her, and how happily the quiet hour had been spent with us. This woman had a lovely voice, and, in spite of her lungs being in a bad state, her power of singing never left her till the last. Since then another mother has gone home, she also sending me word of the benefit she had derived from the simple teaching of God's Word, and the prayers offered up. My desire in saying all this is to indicate the influence that exercised, and I trust my desire in preparing for the meeting is fulfilled to make the Scripture interesting and very practical.

We

"The Bible-woman is greatly beloved, her work is quiet and thorough, her life in the midst of her people is a constant lesson, and as such they learn of her ways as well as her words. work in hope, and are not afraid of waiting whilst the seed is growing. We feel it to be a glorious work."

S. A.