'It was heavenly, it was glorious,' she would say, speaking of the sounds which floated up to her, poor enough in reality, but doubtless bringing with them echoes of the glad new song of which all music is the blessed foretaste.

Another old Welsh woman of ninety-three, with a ground floor bedroom and fire to herself, very deaf, told us contentedly that Miss C. quite understood her complaint. Both she and the fourth bed-ridden inmatesuffering with an internal complaint and a tumour in the hand-who occupied a comfortable single-bedded down-stairs room, with a fire, were far too deaf to hear anything we said, but seemed able to comprehend perfectly every word of their dear lady's, gathering the meaning even from the motion of her lips.

Of the other inmates, it will readily be believed, there is not one who has not, in addition to the feebleness of age, some complaint more or less trying, 'the sentence of death in themselves,' which is a tax both upon their own patience and that of their friends. All that thoughtful affection can do to brighten their days, and keep them from dwelling on and brooding over their troubles, is here done. They have a nice sitting room, truly cosy and homelike, a harmonium, flowers, easy chairs, pictures, books, and materials for their favourite patch-work-at which several, even one old woman with crippled fingers, were busily working, when we went in. They are treated, as the very old should be, like aged pilgrims, who have borne the burden and heat of the day, and are nearing the Land of Rest Everlasting. No rigid rule of early rising is enforced, but breakfast-except when they intend to communicate-is taken in bed; then cans of hot water are brought to every room, and by slow degrees the day's toilette is completed.

As soon as they come down-stairs prayers are said in the sitting-room, and they have luncheon. Dinner is at one, after which all who please go to their rooms for an afternoon sleep. In Passiontide, and on other special occasions, a metrical litany is said in the little oratory after dinner and a meditation

given by the Lady Superintendent. Tea is at four, after which those of the old women who are able attend the bright choral evensong in the parish church. Various ladies come in for an hour or two on the different afternoons to read, sing, or otherwise amuse the old people; variety being very important in their quiet lives to keep them from fretting or brooding over their aches and pains. Every week the parish priest, the founder and chaplain of the Home, gives them service and meditation in the oratory, besides giving constant attention to the spiritual needs of all. They retire early after an eight o'clock supper, and then the Lady visits each bedside and soothes her charges with sweet words of prayer and meditation.

It will readily be believed that the comforts, medical attendance, and night nursing afforded in such a Home as this are not paid for by the 10s. a week which is the charge made for each inmate; and when, as has lately been the case, several deaths have followed long illnesses the funds are severely strained to meet the extra drain upon them.

Will not some who know the trials of sickness or of old age, even where all that love and money can procure are applied for their relief, come forward to aid in this good work? And will not those also who have to thank God for having hitherto spared them from such affliction make of their substance a thankoffering to Him for His goodness, and so help His suffering members?

With these aged ones it is indeed 'eventide, and the day is far spent.' They have borne the burden and heat of the day; but the sun is now near his setting, and shadows gather around their earthly path. Sad indeed would be their lot were it not for the love and care with which they are here surrounded; and, above all, the sweet, holy influence which seems as it were to enfold them, drawing them more and more into the cloud-not of that sadness and depression so natural to the aged, but into the Cloud of Transfiguration, where in the deepening realisation of their Blessed Lord's Presence they are being fitted for the time

when all clouds shall pass away, and they shall see (as the Apostles of old) their 'JESUS only,' the 'King in all His beauty, and the Land that is very far off.'

C. F. HERNAMAN.

A Sale of Work in aid of this Home will be held in the Home on October 18. Miss COOPLAND, 10 Little Park Street, Dorset Square, will thankfully receive contributions; and all well-wishers are earnestly begged to attend the sale.

No. II.

S. MICHAEL'S HOME,
BLOEMFONTEIN.

GOOD deal has been said and written about the Bloemfontein Mission, and I am often told that it now needs no support, as it has plenty of money, and enough, or more than enough, workers. This misapprehension, if it deprive the Mission of help, will do so much harm that perhaps a little account of only one branch of the work may be of use in showing what is the true state of the case.

S. Michael's Sisterhood School, Bloemfontein, in which I have worked for three and a half years, was begun in 1874 for the daughters of colonists-the future ladies' of S. Africa. They are all of European origin -English, Dutch, and German-and come from various grades of society. Some are sent from very wretched homes or from rough farm life, where they have been far removed from religious influences or from educational privileges of any sort. Others. come from the Diamond Fields, where nothing is thought of but getting money.

There are about eighty boarders now in the Home, and from thirty to forty day scholars. They receive a thorough English education, similar to that of a High School in England. A Sister or lady worker is always with them, in and out of school hours.

Daily life at the Home begins at a quarter to six, when a bell rings to awaken the inmates. Another bell at 6.20 summons the

girls to the Chapel to say their prayers. A short service in the Chapel follows, after which they have three-quarters of an hour to prepare their lessons for the day. They breakfast at 7.30. Two Sisters or ladies are always with them at this time. The rest of the workers generally go to the celebration of Holy Communion in the Cathedral.

After breakfast the girls, having made their beds, go into the recreation-ground till a quarter to nine, when school opens. Classes go on from nine till two, with half an hour's break at 11.30 for luncheon of bread and butter and coffee, and a little time in the recreation-ground for the children.

Dinner is at 2.30, and in the afternoon the girls have work and music classes, and go for a walk. Preparation for the next day's lessons occupies them till 7, when they have supper. During this time those of the Sisters and workers not 'in charge' find plenty to do in preparing lessons, correcting exercises, &c.

After supper the girls go into Chapel again to say their prayers. Evensong is at 8, and all lights are out by 10.

We strive to remember that we are educating these girls for life, not merely teaching them. One of them said to me lately: 'We think when we come here that we are just going to do lessons, but we get ever so much more than that.' She was just going to be confirmed. We have Jewesses and Roman Catholics, as well as Dutch girls. Several of these last have been confirmed in the English Church, and others are waiting their parents' consent to receive the same holy rite.

We have always one confirmation each year in the Home Chapel; sometimes two, if there is a sufficient number of candidates.

Upon leaving school the girls may join a Guild which has been formed for our 'old girls.' They keep up a correspondence with the Home, where they are always welcome, and they may borrow books from the Guild Library. By this means we hope to do much to spread Church teaching in South Africa.

It is also necessary to teach the children

how to spend their spare time. Though very clever with their fingers, we often find, when they first come, that they have no idea how to employ a holiday. Music, fancy work, and illuminating are now very popular, and a sort of club has been formed among the elder girls for getting up a little acting, or some evening amusement, once a month. Readings from Shakespeare were also much liked by some who have left school, and are acting as pupil-teachers. Several girls who were educated in the Home are now helping us in this way, and prove very efficient. This is most encouraging, as it holds out a hope that we shall not always be entirely dependent upon the mother country for our teaching power, though we shall always be glad of new ideas from the 'fatherland,' and that indescribable influence which an English lady has over these girls.

One of our former pupils is now teaching very happily and well in the School of the Good Shepherd-for Half-castes. This we are especially thankful for, because, as a rule, the colonists utterly despise the class of halfbreeds.

The homes of many of the settlers are already much improved and brightened under the influence of our scholars, as well as by their musical talents and books.

It is very sad to have to refuse to take those who cannot pay, and harder still to be obliged to send away some who cannot afford to go on paying. Money is very scarce in the Free State, and also in Kimberley, on account of the many companies that have failed lately. The other two schools in Bloemfontein-belonging to the Roman Catholics and the Dutch-are both richer establishments than S. Michael's, and their terms are very low; and since parents, as a rule, are indifferent as to the doctrines inculcated in the school they choose, we should, of course, get no pupils if we charged more than others.

The completion of the Cathedral is a subject of much interest to us at present. The portion already built is not nearly large enough for those who wish to worship there,

and therefore only a limited number of our girls are allowed to go in turns to Matins on Sunday, which is a great pity. We have Evensong in our own Chapel.

Though Bloemfontein is not a rich place, a large sum was raised there for the Cathedral, but a great deal more is wanted, and the Bishop is very anxious to get the roof on before the rains come on about Christmas. The building is as simple as possible, very unlike an English Cathedral, and it is the only English Church in the town. The natives have their own Chapel, but there is literally no room for the half-castes, nor for many others professing to be Church people. I might say much, did space permit, of the terrible need of clergy to visit the people in their own homes and carry on the work amongst the natives, and of ladies to teach in the schools and nurse in the hospitals. So many break down from over-work that it is very hard to keep up all the agencies that have been started, and there is a large field yet untouched for want of money and workers.

Any contributions for the Home or for the Cathedral will be most thankfully received and questions answered by

Miss DANIELL,

Little Berkhampstead House, Hertford.

Our Work Abroad.

'Desire of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.'-Psalm ii. 8.

The following letters are among the most interesting of those which we have lately received.

This is from one of the islands in the West Indies:

Dear Sister, I have very much pleasure in acknowledging the safe arrival of your muchvalued and welcome box, by last mail.

May I be permitted to ask you to express to your Association the obligation I feel under to

them for their very liberal grant of things for my church and school.

Your help is most opportune, and all the presents so acceptable. I trust that henceforth a greater interest will be stirred up among my congregation, and that we shall support you more liberally in your good and able work than we have hitherto done.

I have lately formed a Young Men's Association, the object of which is explained by enclosed paper, and since forming it my mind has been often perplexed for books to give the young men to read; but those that you have sent, and which will now form the basis of a desired library, have so relieved my mind that I can set my plans in full operation.

From your box, I am able to give a few presents to our Sunday School in S. Barths, which no doubt you will be glad to hear of.

I am now every moment expecting to sail for my ministerial visit to the congregation there, and after my return (D.V.) I trust you will hear from me.

I can say that you are daily remembered by me in my humble prayers before the Throne of Grace, and may I ask you to have my name enrolled in your Members' list.

Again assuring you of my heartfelt gratitude for your kindness, especially for the gifts of altar linen and the beautiful pictures; and praying that the blessing of the Great Head of the Church may continue to rest upon your work,— I remain, &c.,

The next is from Burmah, East Indies :Your parcel has just arrived, and we have been busy unpacking it. Accept our very hearty thanks for such a useful box containing so many handsome things. The super-frontal just fits our altar, and looks very well; the fringes and embroidery are exactly what I wanted to give our Karen clergy to put on their village altar cloths. They find the cloth, and I give fringe, &c., to ornament it.

The English tracts, &c., we were very much wanting for the soldiers.

We can easily get the two handsome oleographs of the Crucifixion framed.

I shall hope to let you know more of our progress after a time.

From a lay reader and catechist at Muskoka, Canada, we received the following :Dear Madam,-I beg thankfully to acknowledge the receipt of a box of Sunday-school

requisites; they were overhauled again and again, amid exclamations of delight from both old and young at the sight of the pictures, texts, &c.

'Our unfortunate little church is not yet finished, owing to the exhausted state of the exchequer, and although our people gladly supply the necessary labour, they are entirely unable to contribute money. Being in the heart of the backwoods, everything is very expensive, and I am sorry to say the Mother-Church ignores us altogether. The sects, on the contrary, are following close in the wake of the settler, and offer every attraction to him to leave his own Church.

There are two clergymen and four or five lay readers within a radius of over 150 miles. The country is rapidly settling, and to our shame and sorrow be it said that we are unable to build a little church costing only Icol. I feel deeply on this subject, and if I were not so poor a man I could push it ahead myself, but unfortunately I am unable.

If you could send me any literature or tracts on the life of John Wesley you would greatly assist me to combat Methodism. They-the Methodists-claim him as their great founder, but I tell them that he counselled his followers on his death-bed to stick to the old Church.

How I wish we had some helpers for our Sunday-schools. My heart is with you all in your noble work in the slums of London, with which I am well acquainted.

We have few of the physical infirmities so prevalent there, thank GOD! but our spiritual wants are equally bad.

Hoping GOD may bless and prosper you in your heavenly work,-I remain, &c.

Among our many communications from Nova Scotia here is one giving a sketch of a few adventures of missionary life in the backwoods of Canada. The writer commences with thanks for a grant lately made which travelled to him from Liverpool for the small sum of 15. 3d.—free of duty; and, in passing, we take this opportunity of thanking the friend who continually forwards boxes for us to Canada free of expense :

Rosette, where I live, is a beautiful fertile country situate in the valley of Acadia (the home of Evangeline), in the county of Annapolis, in which is the oldest parish in Nova Scotia.

My time is spent chiefly in missionary work among the outlying districts-of which Rosette is one-and I preach in four churches and seven missionary stations, the farthest being about a forty-mile drive from here.

The winter has been very trying, the summer up to this date, June 20, having only fairly begun. One lovely day in January my wife and I left home on a Saturday morning to attend service on the coming Sunday. The snow lay thick, and shone brilliantly in the sunshine. Our way led us through a long and dreary forest, with no sign of life for miles, except the tracks of bears, wild cats, foxes, &c., and after a drive of ten miles we came within sight of a few houses. Of course we are never expected to pass by any of them, and it is hard to describe the home-life of some of the inmatesfather, mother, and children, all huddled together in one small hut, knowing little and caring little for what we term the pleasures of this life, and living and dying in almost heathen ignorance.

After making a number of calls we drove to a clean little farmhouse, quite an oasis in the desert, where we were very kindly received and lodged for the night. The next morning we drove to the little church two miles off, and found fifteen people assembled for worship. After service we resumed our journey to hold another service in the evening twenty-two miles distant. Our journey this time was destined not to be so pleasant. We had to pass over snow-banks-ten, twelve, and twenty feet high. When about half-way home, one of our horses, stepping off the beaten track, plunged, and threw us all into a deep bed of snow, out of which we could only extricate ourselves by rolling over and over until we reached the track. The horses by this time were quiet enough; so wrapping my wife up in the bearskin and buffalo robe, I set to work with my spade, and after an hour's work released the horses from their position, and, again making them fast to the sleigh, we resumed our journey home, which we reached just in time to escape a storm.

Not many days after I had an engagement on the opposite side of the river.

We left home about two o'clock in the afternoon. As we drew near the ferry, we saw the river completely blocked up with floating ice, and were met with the information that there was no possible chance of reaching the other side. At six o'clock a friend kindly offered to

force a way through the ice in his little steam yacht. After vainly endeavouring to get into the current, at the end of two hours we reached with difficulty the point we started from, nearly perished with the cold. By this time the tide had gone down, and the wharf, high above our heads, was rather awkward for landing. It rained so fast that we were unable to go home that night, so went to a friend's house and made ourselves as comfortable as we could in other people's clothes.

In the morning we started for home. The rain having melted the snow, caused the horses to sink down dreadfully. They came at last to a place where they refused to move until their load was lightened, after which we reached home safely and without any ill effects.

The next is an appeal from Jamaica for books, &c., for schools belonging to the station at Moore Town, Port Antonio. It is a really poor mission. The inhabitants are chiefly Maroons or their descendants, who will rarely associate with other natives, but they proved themselves most loyal people at the time of the rebellion in 1865. They live chiefly on the crops which they grow, and seldom go down to the town to sell their produce, so have very little money to give away, though they are liberal with their labour, and have built a school, a parsonage, and church, with very little outside help.

We are told that any help we can give will be well bestowed and gratefully appreciated, and are especially begged to send a large stock of books to supply three Sunday schools, both for children and adults, besides six day schools. We hope we may get some contributions from kind friends which we can add to our stock in hand.

Next comes a letter from a native Indian clergyman, from a place called Rajasingamangalam--a name which will rather surprise some of our readers!

One of the altar-cloths which we sent out to Ramnad was allotted to this station, and the letter of thanks runs thus :

Reverend and dear Sir,-Our Christians at Wickam Kurichy requested me to write and thank you and the gentleman or lady in England who has kindly given the altar-cloth to their church. They are highly pleased to