"The Lord had put it into the heart of a young married lady to rear an orphan boy, and thus fulfil a long-cherished idea. She had also induced another Christian lady to do the same. It was a sweet reward to His wearied servant, to know that two orphans would be so well cared for."
CHAPTER VII
1877-1879.
"They helped every one his neighbour"—Miss Child, a fellow-labourer
—The work in Ratcliff Highway—Strangers' Rest for Sailors—"Welcome
Home"—"Bridge of Hope"—Miss Macpherson's twenty-first voyage to
Canada—Explosion on board the "Sardinian"—Child life in the Galt
Home—The Galt Home now devoted to children from London, Knowlton to
those from Liverpool, and Marchmont to Scottish Emigrants.
"They helped every one his neighbour, and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage" (margin, be strong). Miss Macpherson writes in February this year, the eighth anniversary:—
"As a band, we need to 'be strong' for any emergency. At this season we are surrounded by hundreds of men out of employment, and in want of food, who say now to us—'We have listened to your Gospel; we are in want; show us thy faith by thy works.' This we are endeavouring to do by providing for them suppers of soup and bread twice a week. The other evening a crowd had gathered outside the door at the specified hour, when only 150 could be admitted. Did we but know the gnawings of real hunger we should not wonder that the unsuccessful applicants attempted to burst in; and one poor man falling in the crush, broke his arm.
"We need your prayers while dealing with this class for another month. Strong hearts quail at the sight of these hopeless looking men. Our evening-school three times a week, taught by ladies, we find to be the most successful plan of dealing with them. The being called by their own names, man by man, wakes up an interest, and causes the public-house life to go into the shade.
"The friends of the match box-makers (our oldest love in this vineyard) will rejoice to hear that we gathered 300 of them straight from their boxes to a New Year's tea, when a kind friend helped to make the evening a pleasant one by exhibiting dissolving views. After this the gifts of clothing, &c., with which we had been supplied by many contributors, were distributed among them.
"Last week we had a very happy evening with our Christian band, many of whom were the matchbox-makers of former days, now grown, into young women, and fellow-workers for Christ in their own homes, and in the courts and alleys where they dwell. Deeply interesting were their testimonies of answers to prayer, the power of the Word, and delivering grace in time of trial in the factories where they labour. Dear helpers by prayer, you now behold what great things the Lord hath wrought for us in giving us this band of young women to go forth on the Sunday afternoons in couples with their tracts, and reach many whom perhaps we might not find. Some of these are also teachers in our Sunday-school, sympathising with us in our East-end trials, teaching to others what they have learned of Jesus through their own experience of His great love.
"The 'elder girls' of the East-end are a continual heavy burden on our heart; much thought and care are being bestowed in devising and perfecting plans for winning their young lives to the Saviour, and fitting them for honourable service for God and man. This great preventive work among those young bread-winners can only be successfully accomplished by those who, through studying their habits, temptations, and surroundings, by constant loving contact with them, and by special training, are able to win their confidence and affection."