AGED MISSIONARIES' FUND. 153 and in direct answer to prayer. So I settled with my new friend, whom I had never seen before, to pay him £ I per week in return for his services, should that money come in ; but that if it failed we should take it as a sign that we were to stop also. He agreed, and we prayed together and parted.” The work of visitation was begun on the following Monday. Twelve months have passed since then. The missionary's salary has never failed, other expenses have been met as well, and we have a small balance in hand with which to begin the new year So our seed has sprung up, and these are some of the buds of promise. During the year, 4,000 visits have been paid to the public-houses, and the Scriptures read and prayer offered up in them nearly every time. Over 100 open air meetings have been held, many of them in front of public-houses at the request of the landlords themselves, who have sent out chairs for our use, their houses for the time being cleared. Twenty-five publicans have given up the trade, one of them saying that now he could no longer continue in a business which he felt was dragging him down soul and body to hell! Two couples found living in sin, one of them for twenty years, have been induced to marry; and upwards of 10,000 gospel tracts have scattered abroad. We would gladly give many interesting facts from the missionary's journal, but one or two must suffice. « January 9th.-Called upon the landlady of the L- , and gave her a tract, Just the Saviour I need.' She burst into tears and said, “This is what I have been seeking for years !' I read Isaiah liii. to her, and pointed to the Saviour. She seems very anxious about her soul's salvation." " January 31st.—This woman met me to-day with a smile on her face, and said she was very happy, and could now trust her all to Him who died upon the cross. I left with my heart full of gratitude to the Father of all mercies for opening this poor woman's eyes to see the truth as it is in Jesus." “ February 25th.—My old friend is still rejoicing in, and finding peace through, a crucified and risen Saviour. She now regularly attends a place of worship." “November 11th.-Our old lady is not well, and does not expect to live the winter through. “But it does not matter to her' she says, "for, like St. Paul, she is persuaded that neither life nor death shall be able to separate her from the love of God, through Christ Jesus.' She mourns at being obliged to stop in this house (it is her son that keeps her there), but told me that perhaps it is best, as it gives her great opportunity of telling her neighbours what a Saviour she had found.” Dear friends, as you read this story of the buried seed, “The friendly letter to barmaids,” and what came of it, will you help the writer to scatter these letters ? There are twenty-seven of them altogether, addressed to different classes, and amongst them one “ To licensed victuallers.” It was after reading this letter that a landlord was found in a place of worship, which he had not attended for twenty years! When surprise was expressed at seeing him there, he replied, “I mean to come now, for I know that there is some one who cares for my soul !" Will you not then care for those in your own neighbourhood, and especially for our poor neglected sisters, the barmaids ? Miss Skinner, 5, St. James's Square, Bath, will gladly send lists on application, and make a reduction in the price for any quantities ordered from her: or they may be procured through any book-sellers, and of the publishers, Jarrold, London and Norwich, price fd. each.- From Woman's Work, January, 1885. AGED MISSIONARIES' FUND. A BOURNEMOUTH friend writes, Dear Mr. Matthews,-I am sending 28. 6d., being subscription for this year's Chart and Compass, also 5s. as a small donation to your Aged Missionaries' Fund, in which I am much interested. LOOK AND LIVE. THE Children of Israel were travelling through the wil. derness, under Moses, their leader, when they murmured against the Lord their God; and the Lord sent fiery serpents a mongst the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died." In the days of mourning and sorrow the people repented and came to Moses, beseeching him to speak to God on their behalf, and the Lord commanded him to make a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live. We observe God provided a remedy, without which the people must surely perish, for there was no cure for the serpent's bite. And again, the look was to be a personal matter, each one for himself was to behold the uplifted serpent of brass on a pole. How simple was the cure LOOK AND LIVE. The brazen serpent is typical of Christ, for He says, “Look unto Ale, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth!” Doubtless many of the Israelites scoffed at the idea of a figure of brass healing and saving them, and thus perished in their unbelief. But it was to be moreover an exercise of faith. If they did not believe that by looking they would be saved they would have treated it no doubt with contempt, but when they knew the Lord had commanded it to be done they looked in faith, and were healed that very moment. God's remedy for this sinful and dying world is the sacrifice of His “ well beloved Son," on the Cross of Calvary, and in return for that love of God we have nothing to do but look and live. Look in faith on Christ who died to put away our sins, dying in our stead—the Just for the unjust-giving unto us life eternal through His death. If we accept Him as our Saviour, and believe He died for us, then we shall live under the smile of His countenance and love. There is no hope of mercy or pardon except through Christ, which is free in its invitation and reconciliation. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. X. 13). As the Israelites looked at the serpent, and were cured and saved from death in the self-same hour, so likewise we can be saved if we look to Christ and realise in faith what he suffered for us on the Cross. 6. I saw one hanging on a tree, A second look he gave, which said In agony and blood ; I freely all forgive; Who fixed His languid eyes on me, This blood was for thy ransom paid, As near the Cross I stood. I die that thou may'st live." GREAT DOINGS AT RAMSGATE. 155 Thus we observe the atonement of Christ was a personal sacrifice, a sin offering for us, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. “ There is life for a look at the Crucified One, There is life at this moment for thee." Maybe there were some in that encampment who, out of sheer bravado, rejected to look, the result being they died from the serpent's bite. How applicable this is to the present time! Take for instance a castaway, floating on a spar in the midst of the ocean ; there is a vessel making for him, and a boat is put off to rescue him, but, strange to say, when he is told to get in, and willing hands are ready to help him in, he struggles hard to resist, preferring to die rather than to be dragged into the boat. What would you think of such a one, mate? But this sad picture, alas! is too true. Men prefer dying in their sins rather than look unto Jesus, Who died that they might live. Thus, in closing, let us beseech of you to remember “ The Wages of Sin is Death, but the Gift of God is Eternal Life.” LOOK AND LIVE. Oh that those three words may ring in your ears, and not give you any rest until you have looked and found Christ, the sinners' Friend, for without that look at the Cross whereon the Saviour died we cannot enter heaven, the port of glory, and without that look we cannot live, and be with Him in the better country where He has gone to prepare a place for His children. If you refuse this offer of mercy you will assuredly perish like those who would not look at the serpent, but who, through their own obstinacy, perished, like many thousands of brave British tars are doing at the present day, because they will not look to Christ as the Redeemer of lost and ruined man. Pardon now, yea, this very moment, is within your reach; to-morrow, if you delay, may seal your fate in everlasting misery. Look at yon drowning man, struggling for his life among the boiling foam-a life-belt is thrown out to him from a vessel, he clings to it and is saved. Suppose instead of caching hold of it he missed it, why undoubtedly he would have been lost. So it is, men are dying daily without Christ or hope in the world ; thus the life-belt of precious promises and invitations from God to man are given and held out to them, but they heed them not, and many are lost for ever. • So did the Hebrew prophet raise Look upward in the dying hour, The brazen serpent high, And live," the prophet cries; The wounded felt immediate ease, But Christ performs a nobler cure The camp forbore to die. When faith lifts up her eyes. High in the heaven He reigns ; C. GRAHAM DEWSBURY. GREAT DOINGS AT RAMSGATE. Our editorial desk has enough about the great doings at Ramsgate to more than fill one issue of our little Magazine! Here are awards to Ramsgate fishermen for saving life at sea from the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, of which our esteemed friend, Mr. Buck, is the secretary. Then we have “ Christmas among our fisher lads," which must have been a great treat to them ; “Reminiscences of my first Curacy,” by the vicar, very racy. Here are columns from the newspapers, not a lipe too many, on the presentations to the much esteemed sailors' missionary, Mr. Whitmore, of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, on the completion of his 25 years of service. If we had space, and I could give the whole, it would make 156 GREAT DOINGS AT RAMSGATE. all our mouths water! We can only give the bare facts : 170 friends to tea; Guests received by the town band! Halls decorated with flags, flowers, plants. The vicar presided, and was supported by the Rev. G. Simmers, Capt. L. W Vaile, Capt. Jones (harbour master), and E. L. Penfold, Esq. (collector of customs), Capt. Burstal, and Mr. Lonsdale (of London) were also present. The testimonial consisted of a purse of 70 guineas, two beautifully illuminated addresses in oak and gilt frames, and a bust of Mr. Whitmore, modelled and presented by Mr. Alfred Baily, of Enderby Villas. Most warm and cordial speeches were given by Capt. Vaile, Mr. Penfold, and Capt. Jones, while the Rev. J. E. Brenan, the vicar, gave a very interesting historic account of the many sided missions at Ramsgate, and how Mr. Whitmore had been associated with every side. He then read the following address :-“To William Whitmore, Ramsgate Harbour Missionary.-We, the undersigned, in behalf of many friends and well wishers, desire very heartily to congratulate you upon the completion of twenty-five years of faithful and efficient service among the seamen of Ramsgate and their families. During that period we have had abundant opportunities of observing your conduct, and we gladly bear testimony to your pious, consistent Christian life, to the earnest and loving manner in which you have discharged your solemn and responsible duties as Harbour Missionary. We rejoice to feel that you have always identified yourself with loving efforts by which the wellbeing of the sailors might be promoted. You have been honourably connected with the old Bethel, the Sailors' Home, the Smack Boys' Home, and the Sailors' Church from their commencement; you have acted as honorary agent for the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, carefully investigating all cases of distress and wisely distributing the relief provided by that valuable Institution; you have patiently and lovingly administered to the temporal and spiritual need of the many shipwrecked crews rescued by our notable lifeboat service. You have laboriously visited and worked amongst our seamen, both afloat and in their homes, and your efforts in the promotion of the great Temperance Movement have been especially happy and successful. By your lips and by your life you have constantly borne witness to the Master you love to serve. We thank God for your useful life, and we very heartily wish you every possible blessing. We also beg your acceptance of the accompanying purse as a small token of our esteem and regard, and we earnestly pray that the God who has graciously kept and blessed you in the years that are past may abundantly bless you to the end.-Signed on behalf of the friends and subscribers.-J. Eustace Brenan (Vicar), H. B. Hammond, J.P., L. W. Vaile, J.P.; John Pilcher, hon. sec.” “ Turning to Mr. Whitmore, the Chairman said he was sure he felt it to be at all events a happy moment in his life, and that himself and his family would value this as a kind token of the esteem which had been well and honourably won in his struggle for his Divine Master. He was also asked to present him with a purse, containing £70 IIs. (Cheers.) He trusted this little pecuniary token of regard would tend to brighten his home in the approaching Christmastide. He then proceeded to unveil the bust of Mr. Whitmore, and said that it came from a gentleman who executed it as a labour of love, and who was not ashamed to confess that their missionary had been the means of deep spiritual blessing to him during his stay in Ramsgate. He was perfectly certain that his family and friends would value this as a heirloom, coming under such circumstances as it did, and that in their memories they would ever look back on Mr. Whitmore and place him on a proper pedestal in their esteem. Then there was a gift from the Smack Boys' Home, contributed quite spontaneously and without the least pressure from without. The address from them read as follows:- They that go down to the sea in ships see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.-To Mr. William Whitmore. Respected Sir,-We, the smack boys of the Ramsgate Home, desire to offer you our warmest and most sincere congratulations on the completion of the twenty-fifth year of your arduous labours in this port on behalf of the fishermen and fisher-lads of Ramsgate and the seamen in general. We pray that the Almighty may spare you many years to continue your labours in our midst. We beg to offer you this expression of gratitude for the kindness you have always shown to us, and as a tribute of our heartfelt esteem.-We are, &c.” This was signed by about thirty lads, and was accompanied by an inkstand mounted on the model of a boat with a pen and pencil in the shape of oars. Last of all came the book containing the names of the subscribers, everyone of whom, Mr. Brenan said, wished Mr. Whitmore every possible happiness, both here and hereafter. Hay DURING the months of December, January, February, and March last seventyone libraries have been issued, thirty in boxes. These contained 1,017 bound books, 2,542 tracts, and 1,488 periodicals. LIBRARIES IN BOXES. DESTINATION. Mauritius Fiji Tasmania Sydney Natal Demerara Cape Madras Algoa Bay St. Kitts Sydney Melbourne W. Indies Adelaide Demerara Halifax Otago W. Indies Brazil Natal Hong Kong Melbourne Rio Janiero Barcelona Sydney Melbourne Vancouver's Island Valparaiso Fitzwalter Samuel Plimsoll Henderson Sydney Lion Legg Plover |