"DEAR FELLOW-WORKERS,—Our proposed three days of Christian fellowship and conference at the Galt Home are now over. Numbers were not large, the accommodation here being limited, bat several ministers, evangelists, and devoted brothers and sisters, who have true sympathy in the Master's work for the deaf children, waited on the Lord with us, and it has proved a time of great spiritual blessing, preparing us to go forth in the days that remain, strong to labour for our blessed Lord, just to do His will.
"Leaving matters at Galt going on in their even way, only varied by the occasional return of children, who, from temper, ill-health, or some other cause, have not been able to remain in the situations first found for them, (which shows the value of our Homes on this side the Atlantic), we are again on the wing.
"The Sunday after the conference was spent at Sheffield, a village containing a thousand inhabitants. On arriving we found the sheds around the church full of conveyances, betokening a good congregation. The people, looking bright in their white summer costumes, joined with wonderful heartiness in singing, 'All hail the power of Jesus' name.' Mr. Merry gave a powerful address on Ezek. xxxvii. 1-10. During the afternoon we learned that a time of revival had sprung from a few godly women meeting at each other's houses to pray for a blessing on the village. They felt the need of a definite object for their prayers, and selected a young man who was a great drunkard, and the disturber of every meeting. Soon they were rejoiced to learn that he was truly converted to the Lord without any human agency. Now his face is the brightest of the congregation, and none is more active to win souls than he. On leaving Sheffield we were grateful to know we had secured many hearts to pray for us and our little ones.
"We took a large case of Testaments to the next place we visited; and an evangelist who had been labouring for some weeks there, sold for us; on Henry Moorhouse's plan, in the market-place, 600 Testaments, and gave away 7200 Gospel leaflets.
"Since then we have stayed with the friends at St. Catharine's, exchanging words of cheer with Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, and other brethren. Now we are staying with members of the Society of Friends at Fonthill. How sweet is this fellowship of saints, 'endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!' Here we learn with joy how our brother-in-law was used to the conversion of many in the villages around during the past winter. We have been comparing notes with four of the dear sisters here, contrasting our work at Ratcliff Highway, with its three mission-houses, our elder girls, widows, and lodging-houses, with theirs among navvies on Welland Canal, drunkards, and farmers and their wives living away in solitary nooks. The work is one presenting a full, free, and present salvation by a once crucified and now risen Lord.
"The dear wife of the Lord's honoured servant, Jonathan Grubb, is giving great joy and help to the busy workers on this hill-top, by sending large parcels of tracts purchased from the various societies in England, assorted into packets during her winter hours. From the friends here they go to many a lone corner of the great continent. The postal charges are so small, that surely many a sister might share with us in sending a fresh packet now and again to those who have little reading of any kind; also the many gifts from the Tract Society have been most valuable in these country places.
"Our children settled in the neighbourhood of Font-hill are growing up into manhood, some of them becoming earnest Christians.
"Our stay is necessarily brief; distances are great, and strength small; but we ever realise, 'He leadeth us.'
"Dear fellow-workers, let us watch and pray, and labour on, 'till He come.'"
"Till He come!". It is sweet with these words to close this imperfect record of the labours of the Lord's beloved handmaid; especially when we look back to the time twenty years' before, when the "blessed hope" was first made the source of new strength and power to her soul. May not the words of the letter quoted above be adopted with little alteration by every Christian labourer? Our stay can be but brief,—perhaps not one working hour is yet left to us, and how emphatically do the words now come to us, "Redeeming the time because the days are evil;" so evil, that were it not for the sure word of prophecy, we should lie down in despair. If we looked to present agency to change the scenes of sin and sorrow around us, all hope would vanish. But we have "a hope that maketh not ashamed," and "that blessed hope" is an "anchor of the soul" "The work is great," great it has always been, but how much greater now that doors hitherto closed are open in every part of the world; from every country the cry is, "Come over and help us." Many a solitary pioneer has fallen, oh! that others might come forth to fill up the ranks. "Strength is small;" "Without me ye can do nothing;" "Is there not an appointed warfare (margin) to man upon earth?" He, who has appointed the warfare will not send any at their own charges. The "blessed hope" strengthens the weak hands and confirms the feeble knees. He will give the grace, the wisdom, the strength, all that is needed, day by day. "Till He come." Three little words—no more—but who can tell the comfort, the strength, the sweetness this hope brings to those who are watching for the coming of their King?