Richard Baxter was all his long life physically weak, and for fourteen years had scarcely a waking hour free from pain. He felt himself continually "at the door of eternity." At the close of his life he said, "Weakness and pain helped me to study how to die; I am going now to see that for which I have lived and studied." His death was a fitting end to a life of pain and patience—a fulfilment of his own words: "After the rough and tempestuous day we shall at last have the quiet, silent night—light and rest together; the quietness of the night without its gloom."

The Quiver Pictures.

The six beautiful plates which the readers of The Quiver have the opportunity of acquiring, and the last coupon for which is contained in this number, are representative examples of the work of some of the most notable exponents of sacred art among modern British painters. The names of Leighton and Millais are now familiar in every household, and great interest attaches to the works from their hands included in this series of pictures. "The Star of Bethlehem," by Lord Leighton, was painted in 1862, when the artist was thirty-two years of age, and four years before his election as Associate of the Royal Academy. The main figure represents one of the magi on the terrace of his house, gazing at the miraculous light which led him and his fellows to search out Him, "who was born King of the Jews." "Christ in the House of His Parents" is one of the most wonderful pictures painted by Sir John Millais. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1850, when the artist was but twenty years of age, and, as related in the article on "Pictorial Sermons" in our last number, aroused a storm of discussion among the critics. The work is a veritable parable in paint, and, as its allegories are all fully explained in the article referred to, we need not repeat them here. The picture has great interest, apart from this, as being one of the best specimens of the work of the artist's Pre-Raphaelite period. "Christ Washing Peter's Feet," by Ford Madox Brown, which was presented to the nation by a body of subscribers; and now hangs in the Tate Gallery at Millbank, is a typical painting, and one of the most beautiful examples of this artist's work. Exquisite in colour, it is a perfect specimen of what a picture dealing with a sacred subject should be. Full of reverence and piety, it yet illustrates the subject fully; the rugged figure of the apostle, expressing withal the penitence produced by the rebuking words, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me," contrasts strongly with the humility of the Master kneeling to His self-imposed task. "The Remorse of Judas," by the late Edward Armitage, R.A., is another picture to be seen at Millbank, and is, perhaps, one of the strongest works produced by this artist. The terror of remorse is expressed in every line of the face of the betrayer, while the cold indifference of the priests, now that their work is accomplished, is admirably portrayed. "The Raising of the Widow's Son of Nain," by W. C. T. Dobson, R.A., was shown at the Academy in 1868, and fully explains itself. The joy of the mother and the surprise of the beholders of the miracle are well rendered; but the main interest of the picture, of course, centres in the boy. His gaze is fixed upon Him whose voice has recalled him from the "valley of the shadow." The last picture of the series, by W. Dyce, R.A., was recently added to the national collection, and was removed from Trafalgar Square to Millbank when the new gallery was completed. It represents the Apostle John taking Mary to his own home after the death of their Lord. Mary carries on her arm the crown of thorns, and in the background may be seen Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, who are just leaving the garden which contains the sepulchre. Mary Magdalene and the "other Mary" are seen seated at the mouth of the grave. The picture was painted in 1860.

Public Charity.

According to a recent calculation, the amount given during the previous year by Churchmen towards Christian work of all kinds, such as Church Building, Home Missions, Foreign Missions, Education, etc., was over £5,750,000. The various Presbyterian Churches contributed during the same time for similar work a sum of £1,600,000, and the Wesleyans gave over £500,000; the Calvinistic Methodists about £228,500; the Baptists over £200,000; and the Primitive Methodists over £100,000. Of the Congregationalists and the "Friends" no such statistics are available, and it is estimated that other branches of the Christian Church in England gave an aggregate of not less than £150,000 towards the same work. Generally speaking, all the different bodies contribute in a fairly equal proportion, directly or indirectly, to the different kinds of Christian work—at any rate, sufficiently so for the comparison we wish to make here. So, taking the Church of England's returns as our standard, we find that these proportions are nearly as follows, 1 being our unit:—Church Building and Repairs, 35; Home Missions, 7; Foreign Missions, 10; Educational Work of all kinds, 20; various Charitable Works of other kinds, 6.

DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING PUBLIC CHARITY.

The church(1)representsthemoneyspent in building places of worship.
The mission room(2)"""home mission work.
The native hut(3)"""foreign mission work.
The school(4)"""educational work.
The hall(5)"""other general charitable work.

A New Quiver Heroine.

The latest recipient of the Bronze Medal of The Quiver Heroes Fund is Annie Healand, a servant in the employ of Mr. Frederick Latham, of Sledmere. On the afternoon of January 28th last, two little boys and a girl were suddenly immersed beneath the ice whilst sliding on a pond. On hearing of this, Annie Healand, who is herself but fifteen years of age, immediately rushed to the rescue, and, plunging in, succeeded in bringing the little girl to the bank. She then endeavoured to find the two boys, who were still under the ice, but was at last reluctantly compelled to give up the search, through being overcome by the intense cold. The bodies of the lads were afterwards found, and the coroner congratulated the brave girl for the very plucky manner in which she had rescued one of the party and attempted to save the others.