"On September 10, 1872, I left Toronto at 5.30 A.M., and travelled 113 miles to the east along the Grand Trunk Railway to Belleville, which is 220 miles west of Montreal. I took the Lady Superintendent, Miss Bilbrough, by surprise. Her sister was with her, having lately brought over a hundred boys. These two young but experienced Christians are evidently full of faith and energy and delight in their work and of lore to the children. About a thousand boys and girls brought out, or sent out by Miss Macpherson, had passed through the Home in three years. She has herself placed out 800 boys and girls, 600 of whom are in homes around Belleville. She meets with the kindest reception from the farmers with whom she has placed these children. She could place out a thousand more if they were at once sent out, the demand is so great. All the orphan children under nine years of age are adopted by farmers who have no children, to be treated exactly as if they were their own. Miss Bilbrough, and also the Lady Superintendents at Galt and Knowlton, never place a child in a home unless the farmer brings a testimonial from his minister.
"The burning of the Home very much touched the people of Canada, who had learned to appreciate the efforts for good connected with it; and, unasked for, dollars from kind Canadians poured in. Miss Bilbrough had daily to write thanks to many. More than 3000 dollars (600 pounds) were soon sent in, and instead of renting a house, they were able to buy the first-rate one they now occupy, and which was given to Miss Macpherson, with so much kind feeling, by the Canadians.
"I was equally interested in the work of Miss Reavell in the Home at Galt, to the west of Toronto. This had only been established a few months before I visited it. Here also I was greatly impressed by the patient, painstaking Christian lore of those who had charge of the children. The children looked healthy, and happy, and ready for work.
"The last Home I visited was at Knowlton, an eastern township of the Quebec Province, south of the St. Lawrence. I heard that Miss Barber, the Lady Superintendent, was nursing some of the children who had the smallpox. I went to see her. It was quite clear that the love of Christ constrained her to devote herself with all her heart and strength to the children committed to her care. I spoke with the uninfected children before I saw her. I was interested to see how accustomed they had been whilst in this Home to be treated with love. Soon three little ones climbed upon my knees, whilst I talked of Jesus to them and the elder ones. Miss Barber is a lady of good position, the half-sister of the excellent Judge of that district, lately Minister of Agriculture in the Dominion Government. In early life she had very bad health, but has been raised up frond great weakness to work most diligently for Christ among the children who pass through her Home. Her brother, the Judge, and his wife, who live at Knowlton, zealously do all they can to help the good work.
"Many in England know better than I do the great work for God, carried on in connection with Miss Macpherson's 'Home of Industry,' Commercial Street, Spitalfields, and the similar Homes at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Liverpool. Others may visit these, and have their hearts stirred up to help forward the work by what they see in those Homes; but Canada is a great way off, and, as an independent witness, I desire to bear the strongest testimony to the Christian usefulness of the work, and to the faithful, the wise and careful manner in which it is carried on. A far greater number of children might be thus transplanted with the best results, under God's blessing, if sufficient means were supplied to Miss Macpherson. May I not hope that the great love of Christ will constrain those who read this paper to send help promptly, so that this work may be extended, and that many more children may be rescued. Remember, dear reader, the love of your Saviour for little children. 'Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which, was also in Christ Jesus' (Phil ii. 4, 5). 10 pounds will fit out, and pay the passage of a child. How can 10 pounds be better spent? Try, dear reader, and raise 10 pounds among your friends, if you cannot give it yourself. Or do what you can, however little that may seem to you to be. The matter is urgent, the season is passing away. Pray send help at once, and strive to interest your friends in the work. How many more might be rescued! What a contrast there is between the photographs of the miserable, hopeless children, taken when they are received at the Homes in this country, and the photographs of the same children after they have been a few months in Canada; I have many such contrasts with me. They would move you to help this work of love. But, the love of Christ must be the great motive; yet we should not forget that the Holy Spirit taught St. Paul to write, 'He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give: not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver' (2 Cor. ix. 6, 7)."
In May of this year, Miss Macpherson took out another party of young emigrants, and writes as follows:—
"On board 'Circassian,' Gulf of St. Lawrence, May 5th, 1873.
"MY DEAR FELLOW-WORKERS,—Hitherto our blessed experience has been that 'The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, and the Lord shall cover him all day long;' 'The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.' Our song is one of unmingled praise, and our little band is strengthened and invigorated by the voyage,—no storm permitted to alarm us by day or night We are now entering the mighty Gulf, and passing through fields of ice; but 'He who hath compassed the waters with bounds, and divided the sea with His power,' maketh a right way for us and our little ones."
"Morning and evening, my dear fellow-workers have been enabled to continue sowing precious seed in these young hearts, so soon to bid us farewell. Our steerage has been the rendezvous, when weather permitted, of those who love praise and prayer. In quietness and rest we have sought to renew our strength by waiting upon the Lord; holding up your hands by prayer, dear fellow-labourers, grasping the precious fulness of the promises, for you as well as for ourselves, that every opportunity given you upon Rag-market, in the courts and sorrowful dens around our Home, in every small room prayer-meeting, or-when you gather around the Word, may have been used, and accompanied by the 'demonstration of the Spirit' and signs following."
"We have to-day realised answers to your prayers for us, whilst cutting through miles of ice, going at the rate of two knots an hour, but all has been peace and safety."