The Reconciliation.

First Prelude.-Picture: Joseph in his glory surrounded by his brethren.

Second Prelude.-Pray for a glimpse of the King in His beauty.

CONSIDERATION.

The offer of Judah has brought deliverance to his brethren and himself. All their doubts and fears are at an end. The lad they sold to the travelling merchants is the ruler of Egypt-the trusted minister of Pharaoh. The sheaves of the brethren bow down to Joseph's sheaf. The sun and the moon and the eleven stars pale before Joseph's star; and thus it will be when the Crucifix is beheld by the eye of faith. The Servant of servants, the Despised and Rejected, is at the right hand of His Father calling His brethren to come to Him. We behold Him on the Cross, we see Him in His glory. The Lamb persecuted and slain is surrounded by worshipping angels and the spirits of just men made perfect. 'Come near to me, I pray you,' is His cry now; 'Depart from me,' will be His sentence hereafter on all those who reject His gracious invitation.

APPLICATION.

Do I recognise my brother? Do I love to talk with Him? If not, why not? I am blinded by my own self-love, my own frivolity. I have seen Him on the Cross, for I helped to put Him there; have I seen Him in His glory at the right hand of the Father? Come near to me, I pray you,' He says to my soul. Do I answer Him, and draw near to Him, and feed upon Him, as He abides on the Altar ready to give Himself again and again to me? Is it the greatest delight of my heart to hear this loving call? If not, why not? What is the hindrance? Too much pleasure, or too much business? Too little love, or too little knowledge?

He is waiting to forgive me all my sins, He is willing to forget all my forgetfulness of Him. He only longs for my complete selfsurrender, my co-operation with His grace; why do I not give it?

AFFECTION.

My glorified LORD, I thank Thee for Thy goodness in showing Thyself to me; I magnify Thee for Thy great mercy towards me in calling me to such great privileges; I pray Thee to make me know Thee better and love Thee more.

RESOLUTION.

To turn remorse for my sins into gratitude for CHRIST'S benefits.

THOUGHT.

'They shall look on Him whom they pierced.'

The King's Gifts.

First Prelude. - Picture: The caravan starting to bring Israel into Egypt. Second Prelude.-Pray for grace to make a right use of all GOD's gifts.

CONSIDERATION.

Five years of famine were yet to come. Joseph feared for his father and his brethren. He wished to have the care of them: he longed to see them under his own eyes. The poor exile, who had been sold for twenty pieces of silver, now gives his youngest brother three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment, besides presents to all the others. The King who made him able to do this sends ten asses laden with goods, and ten she-asses laden with provisions for the way, besides waggons to bring Jacob and all his house. All is made ready, if he will only take advantage of his privilege. The King of Egypt is profuse in his gifts. He makes it easy for Israel to come to him ; but the King of Heaven is more generous still, for He gives us spiritual gifts. He sends His good things-Faith, Hope, Charity, and the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost; and provisions for the way-the Bread of Life, the Blood of Christ, the True Faith, the Holy Law, the Heavenly Promises, the Holy Scriptures, Meditation, Prayer, Instruction, and Spiritual Reading. The waggons, too, have come for us-the Pleadings of Preachers, the Grace of Compunction, Contrition, Confession, and Absolution.

APPLICATION.

My Joseph has sent for me, and the King has sent His gifts. The journey is easy, and there is a warm welcome at the end of it; but perchance after all I am too slothful to take it. I prefer remaining quiet, and running the risk of five years of famine. Let me rouse myself, and see what wonderful powers and gifts GOD has sent me. Have I asked Him to infuse into me Faith, Hope, and Charity? Have I prayed for a still larger measure of the seven gifts that have once been given me? Have I sought the Holy Eucharist? Have I studied the Faith? Have I tried to keep in the Law? Have I rejoiced in the Promises? Have I fed on the Scriptures? How have I used Meditation, Prayer, Instruction, and Reading? And have I complained of the length and difficulty of the journey, and yet refused to take advantage of the waggons, and rejected the aid of the Church?

AFFECTION.

I thank Thee, O Holy JESUS, that Thou hast sent me such gifts, and provided me with so many helps! Open mine eyes that I may see and my mind that I may understand, so that I may use the gifts best fitted for me, and adore Thy bounty for ever!

RESOLUTION.

To receive gratefully and enjoy diligently all the spiritual helps sent to me.

THOUGHT.

'The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O GOD, and Thou givest them their meat in due

season.'

Monthly Botes.

P to this date-as our 'copy' is going to press-we have received but one answer to the appeal made for forty-nine tenpound notes to build a large salt-water swimming bath for the little patients of our new Home.

This welcome first donation comes anonymously from 'One to whom God has given his heart's desire,' and who prays that 'GOD will bless the noble work of the Church Extension Association.' And coming thus -winged with two Christian and hopeful messages-it seems to carry with it a happy augury of success. It seems to say—' Take courage! This is sent by one who has hoped, and prayed, and laboured, even as you do now. Doubtless in His own good time GOD will grant the fulfilment of your desires to succour the orphans and suffering little ones of England, even as He has looked in love and mercy upon me His servant, and given what will brighten my whole life for me.'

We know not even the nature of the blessing bestowed upon our unknown friend, but this generous act of his shows that he is not of the number of those thankless ones who cry loudly to GOD when in any distress or trouble, but, having obtained relief, straightway forget His mercies towards them.

And must there not be many who might show their gratitude for signal favours received, in a similar manner? Gladly would we see our Building composed mainly of such expressions of thankfulness. Thus would a fair and firm foundation be laid for our future work amongst the children of this Home.

And with respect to the particular part of it for which we now plead, we earnestly entreat our readers not to allow this scheme for providing salt-water bathing all the year round for little ones who so greatly need it, to fall to the ground.

A lady who never loses an opportunity of showing her deep interest in every branch of the Society's work wrote only last month :'I have just been over a very large Convalescent Home, and greatly admired most of the arrangements. It does not, however, possess a swimming-bath, and I saw at once how wise you are to plan such baths for the Broadstairs Home. It is an irreparable loss to the patients to be deprived of the bracing and strengthening effects of sea-bathing, as they must of necessity be when no such arrangement has been made for them.

Many, many, who read these 'Monthly Notes' have experienced in their own persons the refreshment and enjoyment of a daily dip during a portion at least of the warm weeks of the summer that is just over, and it is not presumptuous to hope that some amongst them may exert themselves to secure the necessary luxury for their poorer brethren, so that, ere our October issue, at least half the sum to be devoted to this object may be paid in.

It is no small encouragement to us to note the hearty manner in which each plan we propose for the good of others is met and taken up by our friends, and we trust this present project may form no exception to the rule. Miss A. M. Thomas, or Miss Helen Wetherell, 27 Kilburn Park Road, London, N.W., will gladly receive and acknowledge donations.

Letters received by the Secretaries of the Society often contain some such words as the following:-'I return the card you have just sent me, as I had already received one, and should not know what to do with a second.'

May we suggest that a satisfactory way of disposing of such extra cards is to pass them on to the servants of the household, or the tradesmen who supply the necessaries of life. No charitable enterprise that we have yet taken in hand has aroused half the sympathy that has been excited by this Convalescent Home. Daily are letters delivered at our Home from the heads of families, schools, &c., asking for collecting-cards on

behalf of cooks, housemaids, nurses, menservants, butchers, bakers, &c., &c.

Only this very day-even as we write-a letter arrives with the entreaty: 'Please send me a 30s. card for myself, and a 10s. card for my man-servant, who is most anxious to assist your undertaking.'

And again :-'I gave your card to my cook yesterday, and suggested that she should ask each tradesman that came to the house for a penny or more. She tells me that she raised 25. the first day.'

A bookseller says:-'I live in only a small country place, but if you will send me a card, I am sure that I shall easily fill it among my customers.'

A butcher very readily filled a 30s. card.

We could multiply such instances by hundreds, but we trust the examples we have given may suffice to open out to our friends some new ways of helping us to raise the very large sum needed to complete the Convalescent Home.

A very pleasant task has devolved upon us, for we have been asked to draw public attention to a little sketch entitled 'The Story of St. Saviour's Priory.'* Very graphic, very touching, is the picture here drawn of daily life in a London Sisterhood, and of efforts to ameliorate the condition of a population sunk in poverty and degradation of no ordinary type.

We have not the privilege of being associated in any way with the Sisters who call The Priory their home; but their work is one in which, for years past, we have taken a deep personal interest. It is work done apart from the world and hidden from the eye of men, amid surroundings of exceptional difficulty; and it has been pursued, month by month and year by year, with such patience, devotion, and energy, as could only have been inspired by God Himself.

It is almost needless to say that one of the principal hindrances the good Sisters have

The Story of St. Saviour's Priory and its Sixteen Years in Haggerston.' London: J. G. Palmer, 32 Little Queen Street. Price 6d.

had to contend with has been the want of the 'sinews of war' to help them in carrying out their ceaseless battle against vice, ignorance, and misery. In other words, they experience more difficulty than most people in collecting sufficient funds to keep up the astonishing number of charitable agencies which they have managed to set in motion.

The districts they work are practically isolated, and deprived of much of the external help which flows readily in the direction of Soho and Westminster, Poplar and Wapping. Their work has nothing that is brilliant or sensational to recommend it. Even the few visitors who find their way to the humble, dilapidated-looking houses that form The Priory' find little outwardly to excite their sympathy, for here is no grand institution to show, no perfect machinery of charity to point to.

No; the labours of the Sisters lie amid the poor, the sick, and the dying of the neighbourhood, and in the numberless classes they hold each evening. Out of the 24,000 souls to whom they minister, no age or sex appears to have been forgotten. From the tiny babe of a few weeks to the aged man or woman tottering on the brink of the grave, the sick and the whole, the decent and the vicious, the little errand boy and the grown man, the rough factory girl and the worn-out mother of a brood of little ones-all seem to have their own peculiar place in the good Sisters' hearts. The record of their sixteen years' sojourn is interspersed with many amusing and characteristic anecdotes, and the district visitor or mission worker may well pick up many a practical hint from the perusal of this 'Story of S. Saviour's Priory.'

We can therefore cordially recommend our readers to expend sixpence in the purchase of this little book, and we trust many may be moved by its perusal to send a donation in aid of the work it advocates.

*

Many of the visitors who helped to make August 8 so bright and hopeful a day for those who are building the Broadstairs Home will no doubt have noticed a wooden erection

to the right which, as a notice-board informed all who cared to know, is the 'Workmen's Coffee, Dining, and Reading Rooms.' A little close inspection, too, would have revealed to many that it was an old friend under a new face, for, though painted and done up 'to look like new,' it is no other than the old 'Wooden Hut' which did such good service among the Brondesbury navvies three years ago. And many and many a time had some of our kind friends who had come down by the special that day, stood behind the little counter in that hut, ladling out soup, carving joints, and otherwise helping the Sisters to serve their sturdy customers.

This wooden coffee-house was a good one to begin with, and so it can stand tolerably well, being rooted up out of one place and transported to another. At the same time there is more expense connected with the operation than many persons might suppose -heavy railway fees to pay, gas and water connection to be carried out, fresh rain-proof roofing to be added, and the wear and tear of time to be made good. All these things will make up a bill which we shall find it difficult to settle, unless some of those many kind hearts that feel special sympathy with working-men come to the rescue. There are many such now, thank GOD! and if they will transport themselves in spirit to dark November, and try to imagine what it would be to have to work in rain, and storm, and sea-fog, upon a bleak exposed cliff, we are sure they will help us in putting up this hut, and providing a shelter where meals at least can be taken in comfort, and chilled limbs warmed, and soaked clothing dried.

We were very thankful to receive 57. last month towards this workmen's coffee-hut, and a few more such kind contributions would clear us, and enable us to provide a stove and other comforts, buy cups and saucers, kitchen utensils, &c., &c., and open our coffee-room with glad hearts.

We have already had one word of welcome from a working-man, which has pleased us greatly. The notice-board had not long been nailed into its place when a passer-by strolled

up to it, and, with a look of joyful recognition. in his eyes, exclaimed, 'Why, bless me if that ain't the old hut as the Sisters used to keep at Brondesbury. Well, many's the good dinner I've had in that hut, and many's the good one I hope to have again.'

We hope so too; and the Sisters are quite ready to do their part, and to cook meals and serve them as busily as ever. All we ask for is a little help to pay off the opening expenses. Perhaps, too, we might beg that a few illustrated papers may be regularly sent, a few pictures and texts given to brighten up the walls of this new 'Workmen's shelter.'

Contributions may be sent to Miss Eleanor Paget, 5 Wrotham Crescent, Broadstairs, or to The Secretary, 29 Kilburn Park Road, London, N.W.

串

When, following the sound advice of a friend, we first started the idea of a ward in the Convalescent Home to be built through the exertions of children only, we were not, we fear, quite explicit as to what we meant by this.

The idea has been most warmly taken up. Some hundreds of child-collectors have enrolled their names on our list, and are now hard at work trying to do their share in providing this sorely needed shelter for their suffering brothers and sisters. But we are asked over and over again by these young correspondents Are the cards to be filled up by children only, or is it permitted to us. to collect what we can from older persons?'

To this we think it better to reply publicly. Children only are to be responsible for these particular cards; they alone are to give the time and trouble that will be needed to fill them. But the contributions they gather may be collected from whom and how they please. As a matter of fact, we suspect the money itself will be mostly given by goodnatured grown-up relatives and friends anxious to reward the unselfish zeal of the little people; and there is no reason whatever that this should not be so.

Miss Daniell, who gives herself so much trouble to sell photographs on behalf of the Society, in sending us a cheque for 77, the profits of the last quarter, laments that the amount is not more. 'This is the smallest sum I have yet made,' she remarks, and I much regret that so few people have applied to me of late for photographs. I dare say few are aware what a pretty selection I have, and how useful they are for prizes and illuminations. I do hope my trade will not go down, and that I shall receive a large increase of orders between this and Christmas.' Miss Daniell would also be very glad to hear from any member who would take packets of pictures on sale or return,' and will gladly furnish all particulars, or send specimens, to any who may be willing to help in this Her address is-Little Berkhamp

manner.

stead, Herts.

If there is a moment when the Editor feels amply repaid for his constantly recurring, though perhaps pleasant, labours of revising copy and correcting proofs, it is when he is assured by the promoter of some excellent but little-known work for GOD and His Church, that since the appearance of a descriptive paper in this magazine help and sympathy have flowed towards it, and an enterprise which appeared about to languish, or perhaps die, has lifted up its head, taken firmer root, and promises to bear more plenteous fruit for the future.

This is a good place to repeat what has been said before-that telling descriptions of almost every sort of charitable work will be always welcome to a place in this serial. They should be readable-that is, they should not consist only of dry lists of statistics, nor be worded like a mere beggingletter, although it is quite admissible that they should be written with the primary object of eliciting support, and should allow this to be clearly seen.

Papers enlivened with a little anecdote and apt illustration-giving true pictures of English life among the lowly; which tell of patient, earnest effort to overcome some