Before the close of the year Miss Macpherson had returned from Canada, and at the usual monthly meeting for workers was again enabled to tell of the goodness and mercy that had followed her.
One of the great needs of the East End which has already been mentioned, was that of some central spot where Christian workers might meet for prayer and counsel. This need was abundantly met at the Home of Industry, open at all times, with a welcome and words of cheer ready for the servants of the Lord from every part of the world. The workers' meetings, once a month, have given opportunities for hearing tidings of the spread of the gospel in the "regions beyond." Those who had hitherto been standing idle have been aroused, and many who have long borne the burden and heat of the day have been refreshed. It would be difficult to reckon the number of those who have in the Home of Industry first heard the summons from the Lord to "go forth," as "messengers of the glory of Christ," and are now toiling in distant lands.
The difficulty of keeping a number of active restless spirits within the hounds of a house in the position of the Home of Industry, without one inch of yard or playground, and in the midst of streets in which it was unsafe for one of these boys to be seen, can hardly be imagined. It was a subject of the greatest astonishment to a descendant of Immanuel Wichern's that in such circumstances Miss Macpherson was enabled to keep them under control. It was, however, most desirable to find some place where their active energies could be employed in some sort of training for the Canadian out-door life. Miss Macpherson thus refers to her thankfulness that such a spot was found:—
"Those who share with us the burdens of this work will rejoice to hear that we have now a Home in the country, where we can cultivate a few acres, and where the children can become efficiently trained for Canada under the superintendence of Mr. and Mrs. Merry. It is situated near the village of Hampton and is now being furnished. This will enable me to rescue another hundred from street-life at once. What a boon from the Lord Whom we serve!"
It proved to be just what was needed, as is shown by the testimony of another friend:—
"The Training Home at Hampton bids fair to be a most valuable addition to Miss Macpherson's scheme for rescuing these dear children if only for their health's sake; the pure air, the early hours for rising, the outdoor and spade exercise, the plentiful supply of real milk, are all good; and the absence of all noise and excitement gives a much fairer chance of seeing what the boys really are, and the probability of their taking to Canadian life."
The next party was arranged to leave for Canada by the "Prussian" on the 4th of May, and on this occasion one who had the privilege of accompanying them thus wrote:—"I feel it as impossible to convey to friends in England a true idea of the kind welcome accorded to our poor little ones, as it is to give to dear Canadian friends any adequate idea of the crowded misery of our own dens and alleys.
"It has scarcely been credited by some that so many hundreds of little travellers could have crossed the Atlantic in many successive voyages and not have experienced one storm. How we realised the power of Him 'who stilleth the noise of the sea, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people!' for on this voyage, as on every other, it has been remarkable that no discord has arisen among her many young charges. The work begun on land was carried on at sea, and many young hearts were blessed of the Lord ere they left the ship. It was pleasant to hear many testimonies in their favour among the passengers and crew; pleasant also to hear testimonies of thankfulness for Miss Macpherson's presence in the ship; for she laboured unceasingly among the crew and steerage passengers as well as with her own special charges.
"Kind letters of welcome were received off Quebec. For a few hours we were detained at Point Levi, waiting for the emigrants' train, and watching with delight the sun descending and streaming with splendour on the cliffs and magnificent river; some of the heights bare, others clothed with firs, all picturesque and grand. The evening star shone before us as we were carried westward; one of the little orphan girls said it looked as if watching over us to help us; and in the morning we reached Montreal Junction, where one of the warm Canadian friends who have welcomed Miss Macpherson so cordially entered the cars, and spoke very encouraging words to the young travellers, telling them how he had himself been as dependent on his own exertions as any of them could be, and how by perseverance in the situation he had first entered, he had risen from the humblest post to the highest, and had long been in a position to help others. This friend is the superintendent of a large Sunday-school, and his scholars have undertaken the support of an English child.
"A lovely cloudless day was just dawning as we arrived at Belleville, and we were greeted at the station by the kind voice of Mr. Henderson, one of the evangelists, for whose labours in Canada we have had so much reason to praise the Lord. The sun had not risen when we were first taken across the blue rushing river Moira, carrying with it the floating logs, felled far away, and borne by its rapid current to the Bay of Quinte, the beautiful shores of which we caught sight of just 'as the crimson streak in the east was growing into the great sun.'