On October 11 we landed at Chefoo, having overtaken the Bishop, who had preceded us by two mails, at Shanghai. We were not long in settling down, and at once made the little chapel, close to, but detached from the house, a Domus Dei, which has grown more precious to us day by day. The Bishop remained with us for six weeks, and left us in November for Pekin, where he proposes to winter, but he remained here for the double purpose of seeing us comfortably settled and teaching us enough Chinese to enable us to get on by ourselves. Six weeks seems a short time to acquire much of so difficult a language, but we are alone in the house now, with only three Chinese servants, who cannot speak a word of English. Shortly before the Bishop left, he made me take the Chinese prayers which he always has in the chapel every morning for the household; the servants being catechumens, but not yet Christians. I find the strain somewhat less now, but it is a hazardous thing to do, and I feel glad (for the first time) that my congregation is so small. We live in a very simple way, as indeed we are bound to do, for all superfluous expenses are cut down, the money for our ort being only just sufficient for food and raiment. We rise at 5.30, and find ourselves in chapel for Lauds and Prime at 6. Holy Communion follows, and meditation and matins. We breakfast at 8 or 8. 30, according to the season. After breakfast we say Terce, and from 9 30 to 10.30 read Divinity. From 10.30. to I we study Chinese. Then follows Sext, dinner, and Nones. After this comes the Intercessory Prayer-meeting of which I spoke, and in which all who have assisted us or have begged our prayers are remembered by name. Then recreation till 4, when we fall to Chinese again. Evensong comes at 6, tea afterwards, and from 7 to 8 we have more Divinity. Compline ends the day at 9.30. You will observe that we give a great part of the day to Chinese. This is only to give us a start. Shortly we shall have but two hours a day, and devote the rest to matters which will want our attention as much as, if not more than, Chinese. The ages of the young men with me are eighteen, nineteen, and twenty. Would that some in S. Augustine's parish might be led to offer themselves. I do not think that we shall cost more than 60%. a year each, and when we get into the interior I expect it will be much less than this. Above all, we want men who can support themselves, and who, for the love of GOD, will spend less than half of what they spend on themselves in England, and show the Chinese the power of a self-sacrificing life. I should like, if I may, to ask any doctor who may read Our Work if GOD has not a task for him to do out here. We want a doctor sadly, not for ourselves, but to begin the work of practical benevolence among the Chinese. The experiences of the late famine show us the value of a doctor attached to a mission. Send us a doctor, and by the next mail we would ask for Sisters to come out who would find a hospital ready to their hand, with plenty of patients! We have no funds to offer, but we make no doubt that if GOD provides the man or the men, He will also provide the funds. Should this meet the eye of any who want to become missionaries in a good climate, or to take up, even for a time, medical missionary work, let them know that they will receive a hearty welcome and full Church privileges in our house. The Rev. Canon G. H. Wilkinson, of S. Peter's, Eaton Square, will give all information, and will, I know, welcome heartily anyone who wishes to join the mission, since he has its welfare much at heart. Some one sends me Our Work. I am very grateful for it, but am too poor to subscribe to promote its circulation. It is eagerly read by all of us. Please remember us specially in your prayers. Yours faithfully, C. J. CORFE. Another correspondent from the West Indies writes: This is the first time I have been able to pay the congregation at S. Bartt's a visit since your gift of the altar-cloth for your church. I thought you would like to know how much it is enjoyed and valued, and how well it looks. One lady I heard say 'I cannot take my eyes off it,' and this no doubt expresses the general view. By your making the altar-cloth a gift, I was enabled to spend what had been collected upon a cross, vases, and carpet, and now the altar is well furnished; the plate is good, and so is the linen, and if I could only put in a word for a burse and veil, it would render the fittings complete. Perhaps the time when, notwithstanding the large demands made upon you, you may render us this further service, will come. The Sunday School keeps all the young folk of all complexions together, and we have just been forming a guild for girls and single young women. But the place is miserably poor, and we wonder how some live. Yet all strive to make a good appearance at the Church service. The chief employment-I may say the sole industry-is the making of coarse straw hats. The duties of my own cure, and the difficulty in getting to and fro, make my visits precarious, and they will never be able to raise the means for a resident priest. The grant of catechisms, &c., which you made, with the altar-cloth, has been of good service. They are in use at the Sunday Schools; and Mrs. Hernaman's Story of the Resurrection' was sung all last Easter at the children's service. I trust you will feel a satisfaction in hearing of the usefulness of your gifts here, as in so many other places to which your kind efforts extend. Our Work is taken by one person here, and we lend our copy also. I imagine you will be a 'household word' in many remote places where worship is helped by your gifts. Yours faithfully, A. CULPEPER. The following is welcome, as showing the interest taken in our charities by various tribes of Indians in Cabacaturia, British Guiana. The Rev. W. Heard, their missionary, is a most zealous worker, and has enclosed us an offering of six dollars collected at a special celebration for our Association by his people, though they are really very poor and have very little money. He writes : We are so far removed from civilisation that almost everything is done by bartering. At my new Mission in the Waiini I have persuaded the people to bring any little article of value. I knew that they were very shy, and afraid of being laughed at; but, anyhow, I tried the experiment, and this was the result : two large goblets, two small ones, two little buck' pots, two paddles, one fan, six cakes of cassava bread, and a small piece of balata gum; worth altogether about 64 cents (2s. 8d.). In the Demerara and Essequibo rivers the Indians have some chance of making a little money, as there are wood-cutting establishments in certain parts. The Indians make excellent woodcutters, and can command good wages. Mr. Gwyther has charge of the Mission there now (in the Demerara river), as well as the Potaro river. I daresay you heard of the sad accident that happened to Mr. Pierce and his family as they were returning from the latter river. over in shooting one of the falls, and three children were drowned. lost a good earnest man. The boat turned and he, his wife, The Church has Thank you very much for your kind letter, and the gifts that you have sent to us. You will be sorry to hear that the box has miscarried somehow. Mr. Castell says he saw it put on board at Southampton, therefore we still have some hopes of getting it. I will write and let you know when it reaches us. Our Work comes to us quite regularly, and you cannot think how we all look forward to it. It is very cheering to know that one is not forgotten. I hope and pray that GOD may bless all your works. We shared out the picture cards first to my orphans (137), and then we gave the rest to the children who are able to read in the Bible. I need not say how delighted they all were. Wishing you all a Happy New Year, WALTER HEARD. These are some among the many kind letters we receive by every mail. May GOD give us all more of the spirit of intercession, that we may pray for missionaries to be made bright examples to their flock in the holiness of their lives. Annual Report of the Orphanage of Mercy. T is but seven years since the Orphanage of Mercy was founded. During the evening hours of Shrove Tuesday, 1875, its doors were first opened to two little maidens just arrived from Chester Workhouse. Since this, year by year, it has grown and prospered, and its numbers have steadily increased, until we can now count one hundred and sixty orphans. It is but two years ago that the new Home was opened. With joy we see almost every available bed occupied, every room filled; but with grief we are compelled to close our doors against new comers. As months slip by, one or two of our elder girls may pass out into service, one or two more of our delicate children may be accommodated in our extra house at Broadstairs, and so we may be able to receive a very urgent case now and then-but that at the most. Since last year 25 destitute children have been admitted, but if we were to add a nought to that number it would represent only a small proportion of the applicants for admission. With great gratitude and deep thankfulness, we acknowledge the help we have received. During no part of the last twelve months have we had the slightest cause for uneasiness that our large family would be left unprovided for, or the support of our generous friends fail us. Such a fear would be faithless and ungrateful indeed in the face of the facts we have to record. Many of our little ones have been 'adopted.' That is, those friends who wish. to help especially with the annual expenses of the Orphanage like to pay for the maintenance of one orphan, and this is calculated at 127. per annum. It often happens that those who desire to choose out an orphan for their particular charge pay us a visit on a Saturday afternoon, and, selecting the child. who pleases them best, make her happy and proud in the possession of a lady patroness of her own. Others of our friends have become annual subscribers of from 5s. to 51. 5s. We have also had welcome and encouraging help from some of the clergy, who have given us offertories. Clothes of all kinds have been sent, some ready for the orphans' use, some for sale, that the sum realised by their disposal might purchase suitable things for the children's wear. Hampers of groceries, baskets of fruit and vegetables, sacks of potatoes, flour, and oatmeal, reach us from time to time, and give us most material help. Several of the elder girls who have now gone out into domestic service are doing well, and we receive excellent accounts of them from their mistresses. This, however, is still their home-to which they look for kindly sympathy and help, whenever they need it, a welcome during their holidays, and a shelter if ever they want one; in fact, for all that a real home can give. Many of the orphans wait at one or other of our four Workmen's Restaurants; and it is a great encouragement to us to hear the often-repeated remarks on their manner of waiting, and the attention they bestow on the customers. The visitors at the Orphanage, too, are filled with wonder and astonishment to find that all the work of the house, cooking (under superintendence), waiting at table, &c., is done by these young girls. We are thankful to be able to report that the general health has been good, sickness having been confined to childish and constitutional ailments. Taking all in all, we may say that never has a year been crowned with greater mercies to our Orphanage than the last, and we have a good hope-certainly a very earnest onethat we shall go forward still prospering. We have a strong desire to extend our work, and would fain see some of its well-wishers come forward to build another wing to our Orphanage, so that we might receive another hundred of England's orphan girls. The Convalescent Home is as much as we ourselves can undertake in the way of building for the next two years, and our Orphanage work must be at a standstill, unless some benefactors will furnish the funds to build an extension. Surely no work could commend itself more to GOD and man, than this of receiving some of the most destitute, most uncared for, and unloved of the lambs of CHRIST'S fold. And we pray that GOD will put it into the hearts of some of His people to further it. Contributions for the maintenance of the Orphanage or for the new wing will be gladly received and acknowledged by Miss A. M. THOMAS, editations from Genesis. Joseph Tempted. OME, HOLY GHOST, our souls inspire, &c. First Prelude.-Picture: A white lily, tall and strong. Second Prelude.-Prayer: '0 LORD! I beseech Thee to enlighten my mind and to inflame my will, that I may learn from this meditation to know my temptations and to fly from them.’ CONSIDERATION. After success comes temptation. The very success causes temptation. The temptation is near, intimate, hidden, under the same roof. The tempter is unsuspected, wily, persevering, tempting day by day. To sin is safe, to refuse to sin dangerous. But there is no hesitation on Joseph's part. There is no dallying with sin. Nothing but unhesitating refusal. When refusal is of no avail there is sudden flight. And remark, the sin against a human being is not so much thought about as the sin against GOD. Many think that they may sin safely if they neither betray a trust nor bring others into trouble. They forget the sin against God, but this was the sin in Joseph's mind. APPLICATION. Do I ever listen to the tempters of this world? Do I ever encourage idolatry of the world or of self, which is spiritual impurity? When asked to do anything which lowers the Christian standard, do I dally with it? Do I make excuses? Do I find out reasons of expediency? I must boldly refuse to sin against GOD. If pressed I must depart. Never mind appearances. God knows the truth. AFFECTION. O LORD! I pray Thee not to allow me to be tempted more than I am able to bear, but when I am tempted make a way for me to escape: let me not be taken captive by the world with its promises, but enable me by Thy grace to keep undefiled my body and my soul. RESOLUTION. To fly at once from those who would decoy me from my duty. THOUGHT. 'Escape for thy life. Look not behin thee.' Joseph Falsely Accused. First Prelude.-Picture: Joseph before his angry master. Second Prelude.-Prayer: O LORD! I beseech thee to enlighten my mind and to in flame my will that I may learn from this meditation meekness, silence, and trust in Thee.' CONSIDERATION. The trusted steward is accused of acting the part of the basest traitor. How great his grief at the accusation How fearful to be thought the betrayer of the master who had trusted and honoured him! But he answers not. He does not defend himself. He accuses no one. How different from the spirit of the world! The spirit of the world would have counselled a noisy defence: the spirit of CHRIST Counsels silence. CHRIST before Pilate answered not a word. Those who have committed their cause to GOD are not anxious clamorously to assert their innocence before men. CONSIDERATION. Joseph is in prison, but still waiting upon GOD. Diligent persevering service is still his aim. The diligence that followed his brethren to Dothan, the diligence that ruled Potiphar's house so well, is now employed in the service of GOD in the prison. There is no disgust at a lowlier lot. There is no dislike of the prison duties. And yet we know he suffered, for we are told that the iron entered into his soul.' The secret of his diligence and his cheerfulness was his constant communion with GOD. All he did was 'not with eye-service as men pleasers,' but 'fervent in spirit, serving the LORD.' APPLICATION. If trouble befalls me, do I keep my trust in GOD? Am I content to work on in a lower place? Or, do I mourn over my degradation, my isolation? Do I remember that all my work is God's work, and that it ought to be entirely immaterial to me where He sends me, or what He gives me to do, so long as I am doing His Holy Will? A menial in a prison may be as great in God's sight as the steward of a nobleman's palace— far greater if in that prison he be doing GOD's work. May I do what I have to do well, and never mind how lowly the task may be. AFFECTION. O dear LORD JESUS! instead of murmuring that my work is not grand enough, may I strive to realise what a privilege it is to be allowed to work for Thee at all. I thank Thee for each little lowly task Thou hast given me, and I pray Thee to give me grace that I may perform it well. RESOLUTION. Wherever I am, to look round and see what I can do for GOD. THOUGHT. In all labour there is profit.' Joseph as Enterpreter. First Prelude.-Picture: Joseph serving the chief butler and chief baker. Second Prelude.-Prayer: 'O LORD! I beseech Thee to enlighten my mind and to Joseph cannot be kept down. He is made the servant of servants; he has to wait upon two of Pharaoh's chief officers, and yet his gifts cause him to rise up far beyond the level of anyone in the prison. And what is the secret of this? Doing his best. He is full of observation; he is full of kindliness. 'Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day?' he says to the prisoners he has charge of. He does not do his office merely as a matter of routine. He puts his heart into it; he observes and is sorry for the sufferings of others. And when he hears their trouble, he says, 'Do not interpretations belong to GOD?' Here is love to man and trust in GOD, and this is the secret of spiritual insight. APPLICATION. GOD will not let me learn much about spiritual things if I take no delight in conversing with Him, to know His hidden things requires a heart right with God and man. A self-occupied, morbid, morose disposition will never open my mind to heavenly things; if I wish to learn about them, I must have great power of sympathy and great communings with GOD. Is it nothing to me when my fellow-travellers look sad? Do I point them to their Heavenly Father in their sadness? If I look up to Him, if I look round upon them, I shall have no time to consider my own sorrows. Do I realise this? And what shall I do in the future? AFFECTION. O Mighty Saviour! Give me Thy heavenly power of sympathy that I may divine. the sorrows of others and direct them to the true Comforter. Give me spiritual insight that I may help them to understand the dangers and the deliverances which are near them. RESOLUTION. To think of GOD and my neighbour in preference to self. THOUGHT. 'In Thy light shall we see light.' |