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OVER THE WATER.

BY EVELYN R. GARRATT.

CHAPTER V.-A BROKEN PROMISE. WONDER now whether there is anything in it after all, or whether it is as I have thought all along, only a delusion on his part."

So spoke Leith Lancaster on the evening after the events mentioned in the last chapter, as he let the Times drop from his hands, and drawing his chair nearer the fire stirred it into a blaze. Mrs. Lancaster, sitting at the opposite side of the fireplace working, supposing her son to have been all the while deep in his paper, looked up and smiled. She was always ready to enter into an argument, and was only too pleased to discuss the day's news with him, and supposing his words to have reference to what he had been reading, she asked, "What is it you are interested in? I have not read the paper to-day."

"Nor have I," said Leith, laughing. "All the time my eyes have been running through the columns, my mind has been full of something else, and upon my word, little mother, I haven't a notion as to what I have been reading."

"I am often guilty of that, and sometimes find I have read pages without taking in a word. But what or whom have your thoughts been busy about ?"

"Why, I can't get Mr. North out of my mind, poor old fellow!"

"I wanted to know how he is: have you been to see him then this afternoon?"

"Yes, but he is very weak, and hardly able to care for my visit I'm afraid. I only wish I could solve his problem, and find this mysterious 'bit of sunshine' for him."

"Bit of sunshine! What do you mean?"

"What does he mean? that is the question. I have suspected all this time that his imagination was at work, but I am beginning to think that after all there may be something in it, and that his 'bit of sunshine' is made of human flesh and blood; if only I could find it for him, I believe the old fellow would soon be himself again, but as it is, he makes himself worse by worrying and fretting over it, and the doctor thinks seriously of him."

"It sounds very mysterious," said Mrs. Lancaster, who happened just at that moment to be counting the stitches for the heel of the sock she was making her boy, and had only half heard what Leith had been saying. "He seems to have something lying heavily on his conscience," added Leith. I sometimes wish you knew him: the very sight of you would, I believe, do his poor old eyes good; besides, you have a quiet way of finding out people's troubles and helping them."

"If he would care to see me, I would certainly go."

Since that morning when Leith had seen Mr. North for the first time in Mrs. Caston's shop, he had become intimately acquainted with him. The friendship had begun by Leith sending him presents of fish, without, however, the slightest intention of ever knowing him any better.

But Jessie, remembering his lonely words, repeated them to her mistress; accordingly, when Leith Lancaster appeared next time, Mrs. Caston asked him if he would step up and see Mr. North. Leith hesitated. It was a lovely summer's evening, and he felt pretty sure that if he went straight back he would just be in time to see Sasie Ogilvie home, for he happened to know she was going to afternoon tea with his mother that day! If, on the other hand, he went upstairs to see Mr. North, he would miss her. There was no doubt as to which course of action would be most pleasant, but Leith before now had learnt to follow in the footsteps of Him who "pleased not Himself." So after a moment's hesitation he followed Mrs. Caston upstairs; and that was by no means the last visit that Leith Lancaster paid to the lonely old man.

Sometimes he only had time to run in and give him a look, or if he had an hour or two to spare he would have a game of chess with him, or read to him. Even his mother had no idea of the time he spent in Mr. North's room; but Leith had his reward. Lessons he learnt from that old man's trembling lips which he never forgot; he found he was brought nearer to God, and new thoughts and ideas of life and its duties opened up before

him. He was no loser by giving up these hours to enliven and cheer his old friend; and who indeed is ever the loser for obeying God's Commandments and following in the footsteps of his Lord?

There were, however, days when even Leith's footstep on the stairs brought no smile to the old man's lips, or light to his eyes; days when it seemed as if he could not overcome the depression which hung over him; it was at such times as these that he would shade his eyes with his hand, and look vaguely about in search of his "bit of sunshine," and the memory of a sin he apparently had committed in the past seemed connected in some mysterious way with it.

It was late in the afternoon of one of these days, that Leith had come across his old friend lying still and white in the quiet village street. He had seen him in the morning, and had left with a sad heart, little imagining where he would next meet him. At first Leith feared he was dead, and it was indeed some time before he showed signs of life, but gradually he became conscious, and his first words were about his "bit of sunshine." "I was watching for her," he kept on saying, "for she promised to come to me, but in vain-in vain."

Leith Lancaster puzzled over these words, and walking down the village street the day following found himself stopping at the spot where he had come across Mr. North the evening before.

"Just opposite the Vennings' house," he thought to himself. "Could it be possible that old Mr. North could have so surrounded Ella and Beatrice with his own fancy as to describe either of them as his 'bit of sunshine'?" "Light hair and dark eyes, and looking just as if the sun was always shining upon her," he had said again and again. "No, these words could not apply to the Vennings," thought Leith, but as he turned homewards his face became gradually graver. "I am determined to find out," was his inward resolve, as he hung up his hat in the hall, and entered the drawing-room, where he found his mother.

"There is only one in Inglesby who at all comes up to his description," said Leith, breaking the silence into which they had fallen since his mother last spoke.

"What was his description ?" asked Mrs. Lancaster.

"A little bit of sunshine'; mother, there is only one girl I know who can be so described."

Mrs. Lancaster looked up suddenly at Leith. He was leaning forward, his hands clasped round one of his knees, his eyes bent on the fire; was he seeing the "bit of sunshine" there, for his eyes and lips were smiling? A pain shot through his mother's heart as her eyes fell on her work again, but she simply asked, " And who is that girl?"

Leith remained silent; he either did not hear, or did not wish to answer, but suddenly at the sound of a light footstep he sprang to his feet, and looked towards the door; there stood Sasie Ogilvie.

At the sight of her Nona's heart seemed to stand still. Was Sasie the answer to her question? She had never thought or dreamt of such a thing, but something in Leith's face and manner as he went towards her convinced his mother that he had been thinking of none other than Sasie when he had uttered those words a few minutes ago.

"Come in, Sasie," she said kindly, but it must be confessed with a certain effort. "I did not expect you to-day."

'No; but I could not resist coming in as I was passing, and it is only just five o'clock," said Sasie, who was always sure of a welcome from her friend. She little imagined that for the first time in her life Nona wished she had not come. "How nice and cosy you look," she added, taking a cup of tea from Leith's hands. "But I am afraid I have interrupted you," glancing at the Times. "Were you reading to your mother, Leith?" "No, we were only talking, or rather I believe we had lapsed into silence; eh, mother?"

Mrs. Lancaster did not look up from her work, for she was afraid of the tale her face might tell. She had never felt it difficult to meet Sasie's eyes before, and though she knew she was looking at her with the pretty loving expression on her face which had always pleased her till now, she could not answer the smile just yet.

"I thought you were going over to the Stantons' this afternoon?" said Sasie, looking up at Leith.

"Yes, I was, but something kept me. By-the-bye, Sasie, where had you been yesterday afternoon before you came home? "I had been to see the Vennings. Why?"

"How strange," said Leith, the expression of his face altering. 'You must actually have passed him; do you know what I found on my way back through High Street? it was quite dark, you remember, when I left your house."

"I know; indeed it was so before I reached home myself."

"I am glad you did not see him," said Leith, rather absently. The idea he had mooted a few minutes before to his mother seemed to be growing more distinct in his mind.

"How mysterious you are!" said Sasie, laughing. "What does he mean, Nona ?"

Do you know old Mr. North, Mrs. Caston's lodger, Sasie?"

Leith waited somewhat eagerly for the answer to his question.

GOSPEL TROPHIES. Old Asirvatham, of Surandei.

SURANDEI, November 29th, 1882. REGRET to inform you of the death of one Asirvatham, chettiar [i.e., shop-keeper caste], a good Christian. I hope that it will be very interesting to the Christian friends to hear some account of this faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was a hardened Hindu devotee, and even mocked the members of Christ. While living in this bigoted state, he had a special call from God one day. While lying on his bed he had a fearful struggle with some frightful appearance, when the words, "Jesus! save me," proceeded from his mouth; the struggle ended, and he got some relief in himself. Ever since, his

Sasie looked up quickly with a frightened look in her eyes, and a guilty attention was turned from Hinduism, and he tried to know something flush spreading over her face.

"I hope nothing is wrong with him?" she asked quickly, remembering where she had last seen him.

"I remember now. You met him surely last summer in the churchyard, did you not, Sasie?" remarked Mrs. Lancaster.

"Yes, it was last summer; but is he ill, Leith?"

"The doctor gives only slight hopes of his recovery. I found him lying insensible in High Street last night on my way home."

"Oh!" was all Sasie could find to say.

"He was just opposite the Vennings' door, and from his first words when he recovered consciousness I judged that he was waiting for some one."

Sasie sat with her hands clasped on her knees, and her eyes bent on the ground; conscience was busy, and she dare not trust herself to speak.

"But I trust he will recover, dear," said Nona, seeing the girl's distress, and not knowing exactly the cause. "I suppose you have seen him several times since the summer, and have become fond of him."

"I promised to go, but I never went," said Sasie, in a low voice. "And now-oh, Leith," she added, looking up quickly in his face, "is it too late; will he care to see me now?"

"Then you are his 'bit of sunshine,'” said Leith, gravely; and in his look Sasie saw plainly the added thought, "and you have broken your promise."

THE CIRCULATION OF THE "GLEANER."

To the Editor.

EAR MR. EDITOR,-Readers of the GLEANER will not doubt that the regular study of missionary literature tends even more than attending annual meetings to quicken their interest in missionary work abroad. We believe that many will not doubt the further statement, but thank God for it, that the study of the records of missionary enterprise, self-denial, and success, tends to strengthen their faith, increase their hope, and enlarge their hearts.

The problem before us is how to increase the circulation which is attended with such benefits both to the missionary work abroad and to the readers at home. I have tried in this district a plan which others may be able to try with equal success in their own neighbourhoods. I obtained leave from the incumbents to visit their Sunday-schools and show copies of the GLEANER and canvas for orders. I got one person in each Sunday-school to be responsible for receiving a packet monthly, distributing the GLEANERS and receiving the pence in exchange. The curate or superintendent of the school is usually willing to undertake this. This one person is responsible to me for the money, and I order the packet to be sent to each such distributor from W. H. Smith & Sons' railway bookstall. I settle with W. H. Smith & Sons for the whole set each month. In this way over 250 copies are distributed monthly in this district, where a few months ago probably not twenty-five were seen, and many of the present readers were not aware of the existence of this admirable paper. This plan may be carried out in any town in England, and possibly the work may be a new mission of usefulness for some persons who wish to do good, but feel a want of some definite plan of usefulness. Many people will be quite pleased to give a penny monthly for the GLEANER when it is thus brought to them, who would not take the trouble to order it for themselves. Tract distributors might also add the GLEANER to their stock, as no better tract could be found. J. T. K.

ANOTHER SERVANT'S OFFERING.-The following letter was lately received by a clergyman from a domestic servant:-"Dear Sir,-Will you kindly accept thirty shillings towards the fund for sending out missionaries. I was going to buy a cloak, but prefer giving it to this."

about Christ; and in order to obtain the knowledge about Him, he searched the Word of God. Though he was ridiculed and ill-treated by his relatives, he was not shaken.

When the late Rev. D. Fenn, our beloved itinerating missionary, was on a visit to Surandei, this chettiar expressed a desire to be baptized, and after finding him properly fitted for it, Mr. Fenn baptized him, in the year 1861. The Bible was his companion, therefore he adhered to read it regularly and daily. He was blest with a spirit of supplication, therefore he used to pray always, and was very delighted in it. He never absented himself from public services and prayer-meetings. He was not ashamed to speak of Christ to his relatives, his wife, and children, who are still heathens. He preached the Gospel, not only to them, but for the souls of others also he had a great concern. He was a great help to me in visiting small neighbouring congregations, and taking prayers with them on Sundays when neither I nor either of my agents can go to them. He had the practice of remembering in his prayers the children for whom he stood sponsor. He composed many songs in praise of God on the subject of his conversion. Whenever he found any two of the congregation to be ill-disposed with each other, he acted as a reconciler, and would be at rest if he found them well-disposed. He would warn the offender and pacify the offended, and dismiss them with prayer. The names of his Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus our Saviour, and the Spirit our Sanctifier, were very precious to him.

Being very old, he fell sick in his seventieth year, and was confined to his bed for three months. He was ready for the call; his heart was close to the Triune God by prayers and meditations. He preached to his heathen relatives and friends, even when confined to his sick-bed. The members of the Bible and Prayer Union all over the world would be very glad to hear of his happy death. On the day previous to his death, after I had finished my prayer with him, he preached cheerfully to those who sat around him, on the words," The Lord is my God." His wife, knowing he had been suffering from his illness, and had had no sleep during the whole previous night, requested him to be quiet; to which he replied, While I have "My time is short, I will die either to-day or to-morrow.

the power to speak I must not remain a minute without speaking of our
Saviour, who is stretching out His hands to receive me into His mighty
SUVISESHAMUTTU SWAMIDASEN,
Pastor of Surandei, Tinnevelly.

arms."

A "WASTE NOT" SOCIETY.

F the Editor of the GLEANER can give me space I should like to tell the younger readers about a good and easy way of raising money for the Church Missionary Society.

For seven years we have had in this town (Ipswich) a nice large annual meeting for children and young people. The only hall that will hold the numbers who come is an expensive one to hire, while the collection is never large, as children have so little money. Some friends thought the meeting should be given up, others said, "By no means, it is too important!" At length we thought if the children really cared to have a meeting they would perhaps exert themselves to pay for it. But how? Reading in the Green Book, that in one place £40 was obtained by a "Waste Not" Society, we determined to try. A few children came together by invitation, and enrolled themselves as members. They were provided with some printed paper setting forth their object, with a request that grown-up people would help them; thus armed, they set to work. They called on their friends and requested them kindly to take care of old letters, envelopes, circulars, in fact, of all kinds of waste paper, and reserve it for them, allowing them to call for the collection every month.

If printed paper was given, they asked to have it kept separate from the written, as if mixed together the paper merchant only gives half as much money as he does if it is separated. Some of the young collectors asked for a sack into which to empty their spoils at home; others, who had not room for anything so bulky, preferred to bring their paper to a common depository. The first year of our "Waste Not" has just closed with a very satisfactory result of £5 5s. realised by the sale of waste paper collected by the untiring energy and zeal of a few children. We have started our new year full of hope that many more will join the "Waste Not" Society, and that we shall AGNES J. CLOWES. at least double the sum obtained last year.

BAGDAD: BRIDGE OF BOATS OVER THE RIVER TIGRIS.

THE NEW MISSION
AT BAGDAD.

OST of our friends are aware that, in response to the earnest ap. peals of the Rev. Dr. Bruce, of the Persia Mission, when at home last year, the Committee decided to extend the operations of the Society by the occupation of the City of Bagdad. Some account of the place and people may therefore not be uninteresting.

The very name of the historic city seems to conjure up visions of Oriental splendour, and to lead us back to that period of Eastern pomp and magnificence-the brilliant reign of Haroun Alraschid,

or Aaron the Just, whose name will be familiar to all readers of the "Arabian Nights." Bagdad was built eleven centuries ago, or in the 145th year of the Hejira or flight of Mohammed to Medina. Situated in a most convenient position as the imperial city of the Arabian Kaliphs, lying as it did on the banks of the Tigris, and not far from the waters of "the great river, the river Euphrates," it became a large commercial city, and the centre of Mohammedan religion, learn

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ing, and law.

After the death of the Kaliph Haroun Alraschid, Bagdad continued, except for a short time, to be the capital of the Kaliphs of the Abbaside dynasty (so called from its founder, Abbas, an uncle of Mohammed) and it ceased to be the imperial city only on the fall of that dynasty. For about five centuries the Kaliphs of this dynasty had reigned with varying fortunes; but with their downfall, in the middle of the thirteenth century, departed the glory of their imperial city. We find it sometimes occupied by the Tartars, then by the Persians. In 1258 A.D. it was captured and sacked by the Moguls. But it was speedily rebuilt, and, after passing through many changes, was at last captured

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by the Turks under Sultan Murad IV. in 1638, and has since remained a part of the Turkish Empire, being ruled by governors appointed from Constantinople.

Approached by water, its first appearance is singularly picturesque, and gives one the impression of an "enchanted city, rising from the midst of groves of mulberries, oranges and palms," and its "graceful minarets and domes, gleaming with blue and green through the foliage." But every feeling of romance is removed as one enters the city. "It is the very type of the insanitary Oriental town." Heaps of putrefying rubbish meet the eye at every turn; lean and gaunt dogs prowl about, seeking what they may devour; while the hungry vulture swoops over the unwholesome streets.

The most reliable statistics put the population of the city at 60,000. The labouring portion is chiefly Arab, the governing classes are Turks, while the remainder is composed of Jews, Armenians, Persians, and Kurds, and a very motley crowd they look as they swarm day after day in the narrow bazaars.

Besides being the centre of the highway for Shiah pilgrims to Mecca, that ne plus ultra of the Mohammedan's religious desires, Bagdad itself is surrounded by places of pilgrimage, whither resort thousands of Shiah Mohammedans during the year. As in future numbers of the GLEANER we may have to refer to this powerful division of Mohammedans, it may not be out of place to give some account of them here.

Ali

The death of Mohammed caused a split among his followers. Hundreds of thousands believe that he nominated his son-in-law, Ali, to succeed him. It is true Ali did eventually succeed him, but three others came between him and the prophet, and they are looked upon as usurpers by a large section of Moslems. was assassinated after having reigned for only five years as Kaliph. Ali had two sons. Hasan, the elder, abdicated, and perished by poison at Medina. The younger, Husain, fought valiantly for the Kaliphate, but after a gallant stand, was defeated with a few faithful followers and killed. From the moment he was struck down, Mohammedans became divided

into two hostile camps, the Sunnis and the Shiahs. The former pride themselves on their superior orthodoxy, for they accept with implicit allegiance not only the teaching of the Koran, but the whole of the traditions as set forth and expounded by the four great Doctors of Islam. Their name Sunni is derived from Sunnah (tradition), and denotes their religious adherence to the teachings of the traditions. The Shiahs (the term Shiah, implying sect or party, was evidently given to them by their opponents; they call themselves Adliyah, "the rightful society ") accept the Koran and such of the traditions as can be traced back to the prophet, but reject all the rest. The Sunnis recognise the three who came, as before stated, between Mohammed and his son-in-law Ali, as the legitimate successors. The Shiahs, on the other hand, reject these as interlopers, and accept Ali as the first of the true Imams or Kaliphs. For centuries past the Shiah type of Islam has been the national faith of Persia.

There are several mosques both in and around Bagdad, which are the objects of much veneration to the Shiahs. One of them is at Nedjef, on the shore of the sea of that name, 120 miles south of Bagdad. It was erected in memory of Ali. The story runs that finding himself dying he directed that his body should be placed on a camel, and buried wherever the animal stopped. It stopped at Nedjef, and there Ali was buried. Near to Nedjef are shown the traditional tombs of Ezra and Ezekiel, both venerated by Jews and Moslems alike. Another mosque is at Kerbela, some 60 miles south-west of Bagdad, and is built on the spot where Husain, the younger son of Ali, fell fighting. The soil of Kerbela is accredited with wonderful properties, such as stilling a storm at sea if thrown against the wind, and is purchased by the hundreds of thousands who visit the shrine of Husain every year. There are several other shrines of more or less importance, to one of which, incongruous as it may seem, pilgrims are conveyed from the capital by a tram-car for a sum equal to about 24d.; but the chief are those of Ali and Husain. It is estimated that upwards of two hundred thousand Shiah Mohammedan pilgrims visit these shrines every year, most of them passing through, or close to, Bagdad on their way to and fro. It will be seen that the City of the Kaliphs affords exceptional advantages for the making known of the Gospel, and the Rev. Bernhard Maimon, a converted Austrian Jew, who reached Bagdad in January, has gone to work with much zeal and vigour. There is considerable opposition from the Turkish authorities, but full particulars of the difficulties that have arisen have not been received at the time we write. We hope, meanwhile, that all our friends will remember Bagdad and Mr. Maimon in their prayers.

PROGRESS IN EAST AFRICA.

OR a long time we have had nothing in the GLEANER about our East Africa Mission. We are thankful to say that Frere Town and Kisulutini (Rabai) are both going on well. The Rev. H. K. Binns is the missionary at Frere Town, with Mr. H. W. Lane as lay superintendent, and the Rev. W. E. Taylor in charge of the school and the medical department. The Rev. A. D. Shaw is at Kisulutini, and Mr. J. A. Wray has gone out with a view to extension inland.

Mr. Binns reports that at Frere Town there are 264 souls, mostly liberated slaves, of whom 157 are baptized; 21 adults and 24 children having been received into the visible Church during the year. There are 33 communicants, who appear to be all "Bombay Africans "-a class of the community to whom the settlement owes much, as almost all the skilled work has been done by them, and the various offices of trust filled by them. A large class of candidates for confirmation, liberated slaves, await the visit of a Bishop. " Many show by their walk and conversation that they are daily endeavouring, by God's grace, to lead holy lives; but this,” he naturally adds, “cannot be said of all." The people have contributed in the year 57 dollars to the Native Pastorate Fund. Mr.

Taylor reports well of the day-schools, with their 88 children. Of the Sunday-school and prayer-meetings he writes

Mr. Lane has infused new vigour into the Sunday-school, he being a practised superintendent, and it is now in a truly flourishing condition. The school has always been a favourite with the children, but it is now so more than ever. Some of our scholars have lately given us a practical proof of their love for the Sunday-school, in continuing their attendance after their marriage and settlement in life.

A prayer-meeting, open to all boys in the settlement, is held every night in the week at my house, and managed by a committee of the boys and young men. This meeting is perfectly free, and the attendance, registered at seventy-seven meetings, shows an average of almost twelve and a-half. A hymn, a portion of Scripture in English or Swahili, as the president chooses, two prayers, the second open to the meeting, the Lord's Prayer and Benediction, comprise the worship.

On Sunday there is another meeting, when the attendance is usually about twenty, and sometimes approaches forty. It lasts one hour, and is also entirely voluntary. It has hitherto been conducted by myself, Janes Deimler, one of the young teachers, giving his services at the harmonium. We have hymns from Moody and Sankey, and short prayers, sometimes numbering eight or nine. We sometimes have an address from one of the elder boys, which is always listened to with attention. One evening, Isaac Taylor, a helper of Mr. Shaw in his missionary work at Rabai, gave us a spirited and interesting account of his and Cecil's educational work in the large village of Fimboni. His speech infused among his audience quite an eager spirit to go and do likewise, for, not much more than a year before, our visitor had been a fellow-scholar with them. The attendance at these voluntary meetings, when it is considered that all present have been twice to church and twice to Sunday-school in the course of the day, indicates a lively interest in religion, and the prayers and general tone are very encouraging.

Mr. Taylor, though not a fully-qua ified medical man, has considerable medical and surgical practice, not only among the people attached to the Mission, but also among the Suahili, Arabs, and Hindus of Mombasa and i's neighbourhood. "I have had many opportunities," he writes, "of preaching Christ in my medical practice. Of the Arabs resident in Mombasa, there are several said to be well disposed towards Christianity, but afraid to declare their belief."

Mr. Lane reports very favourably of the agricultural and industrial department; and the produce of the Society's land is now valuable. Above a thousand cocoa-nut trees, planted in the last seven years, are bearing fruit.

Of Rabai or Kisulutini, which has grown to be much the larger settlement of the two, having nearly 600 souls connected with it, Mr. Shaw writes in very encouraging terms:

We have now been nearly three months on the station, and have seen much to encourage and cheer us, amongst which are the following:1. The regular attendance of the people at our services, and their evident desire to learn.

2. The general good behaviour of our people. Although we have nearly 600 in our village, it is the exception if I have one case in a week of wrong-doing.

3. The grand opening in the surrounding villages for the extension of Christ's Kingdom: most of the villages have repeatedly asked for a teacher.

4. The friendliness of all our immediate neighbours.

On Nov. 5th I had a pleasing proof of the earnestness of our people to help in the work. I had told them to bring some offerings to help defray the expenses of cleaning our church. They came in such numbers that it was impossible to get them inside. The building was completely filled, having 247 adults and about 60 children inside, and outside were 160 more. Most brought something. In the plate was Rs. 19:55, of which there were 713 pice. The corn, &c., sold next day for Rs. 18:28, making a total of Rs. 38: 23, which is no mean sum for these poor people, who live on about Rs. 4 each a month (about seven shillings, the rupee being 1s. 9d.).

We have four of our young men (who were released from slavery some years ago) working in the school and neighbouring village, and are glad to testify to the thorough Christian character which they possess; were these alone the result of past years' labours, one might say with admiration, "What hath God wrought!" Amongst our villagers are many bright children of God," epistles known and read of all men." There are some things, however, which give us sorrow. One is a lack of real Christ-seeking amongst many of our adherents. Many, we must confess, come and settle for the sake of our protection, and they attend our services as a matter of course; but it does not seem that the seed has taken root. Let us not, however, despair. We rejoice that such people come under the teaching of the Word.

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