In the October number of Monthly Gleanings are two valuable little papers—one is on 'Home Workers for Foreign Missions,' being an account of a parochial missionary association, and would be a great help to anyone wishing to start something of the kind in their own parish.

The other paper is on 'Directions for making. Altar Linen,' showing how to prepare it for working.

We would strongly advise anyone desirous of profiting by the instruction given to write. for a copy, price 2d, to

The Editor,

The Frythe,
Welwyn,
Herts.

suffer something in obedience to the voice of GOD-is sure not to be mistaken.

** *

The daily trials of life are called 'little': those small vexations caused by stupid, disobedient servants, or children-from one's own defects, from disappointments in the weather, in food, in dress, and the like. But these things are not really small, but go each and all to form our character and seal our eternal destiny.

If you have a friend who believes in error, and whom you want to convince of the truth -for his sake, and for the truth's sake, deal positively and not negatively with him. Do not content yourself with trying merely to disprove his error, but make your truth a living truth. Through every avenue force its life home on his life. Let him hear it in your voice, see it in your face, feel it in your whole being. Make it claim its true kinship with the truth that is lying hidden in him somewhere, in the midst of all his error.

Who would go a hundred miles to make a Mohammedan only disbelieve in Mahomet? Who would not go half round the world to make him believe in CHRIST and know the fulness of the Saviour !

Stray Thoughts on Raith, Life, and Work.

HOU canst not expect to have peace at the first and at the last also. Thou canst not have the peace which is from GOD above, save at the price of

contest with Satan below.

To do is much easier than to suffer, yet God's work in the world is often more furthered by suffering than by action. We cannot always feel sure of the call to some new work, but the call to self-sacrifice-to

THE

HE CHRISTMAS STORY.-Uniform with the Story of the Resurrection.' Five HYMNS by C. F. Hernamon (author of 'The Child's Book of Praise,' &c.), with Tunes by C. A. Barry. Price 3d. Words only, 25. per 100. London: J. T. Hayes; J. Masters; Novello, Ewer, and Co.; and at the Church Extension Depôt, Paternoster Row.

'Sweet and simple, they are likely to prove very effective in teaching the wondrous story to the little ones.'-New and Old.

Dotices.

THE workers of the Shoreditch Needlework Society have made a quantity of flannel and serge petticoats, also underclothing of all sizes in unbleached and white calico, trusting that friends when purchasing for Christmas charities will kindly patronise them. All articles at very moderate prices. Please address orders toMrs. MARTIN, 81 Foulden Road, Stoke Newington;

instead of previous address

4 Farleigh Road,

A RETREAT will be held at the Home of the Sisters of the Church by the Rev. George Bayfield Roberts, beginning November 14, and ending November 18. Those desirous of joining should apply to

The Mother Superior,

Home of the Sisters of the Church,
Randolph Gardens,
Kilburn, N.W.

As has been already announced in these columns, the Philothespian Club is kindly giving an amateur dramatic performance at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, on December 9, in aid of the funds of the Convalescent Home at Broadstairs.

The pieces chosen for representation are 'The Ladies' Battle,' by the late J. W. Robertson, and Creatures of Impulse,' by W. S. Gilbert, both authors' names being guarantees for a delightful evening's amusement.

The Philothespian Club is one of the oldest and best of the London histrionic societies; its acting members are far above the average of such amateurs. But beyond this, another peculiarity of the Club deserves prominent mention; it is essentially businesslike, and there is no fear that the money our readers may expend on their tickets will be frittered away in unnecessary stage requirements, and so reduce the margin left for the pressing needs of our Convalescent Home. At the same time there are legitimate expenses inseparably connected with such entertainments, and all who desire to see a large balance handed over for the benefit of the sick children are entreated to do what they can in the way of mentioning the oncoming performance to friends-inducing them to purchase tickets and to advertise the matter in yet other circles.

The Club has on previous occasions handed over to charitable institutions such sums as 777., 100%., and 135., but then an appreciative public has worked with them in a vigorous effort to secure a full house, and this effort will we feel sure not be wanting in so good

a cause as ours.

The prices of places will be-Stalls, 5s. and 35. (numbered and reserved); Balcony, 2s. 6d.; Gallery, Is. Tickets may be obtained from Mrs. Maberly, 35 Randolph Crescent, Maida Hill, W.; Mrs. Nesham, Claremont House, Surbiton; Mrs. N. Rattray, 70 Gloucester Terrace, Hyde Park, W.; and from the Hon. Secretary to the Club, E. W. Jaquet, Esq., 11 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, who will also be glad to send circulars of the performance to those who will kindly undertake to distribute them among their friends.

No. 12.-VOL. V.

A Christmas Greeting from S. Mary's Convalescent Home, Broadstairs.

HE walls of the Convalescent Home at Broadstairs are now making goodly and substantial show; and, from those half

finished walls, we must send a few words of Christmas greeting to our friends. What if it be two or three weeks before the time? Is not the greeting ever welcomeas a well of water springing up in a dry and thirsty land?

What is the great Christmas message?
It is :-

'Glory to God.'

'Peace on Earth.'

'Goodwill towards Men.'

And is it not in dependence on the power of Almighty GOD, and in order to promote His glory, that we have begun this Home for very poor and very suffering children?

It must be to the glory of GoD to imitate the example of Him who came to heal the broken-hearted, to give health to the sick, sight to the blind, feet to the lame, and new life to the dead.

Miracles of healing belong, it is true, to Him alone; but to follow in His steps, to bind up with oil and wine the wounds of

*

PRICE 2d.

those who lie helpless on the sad High-road of life, to hold the cup of cold water to the parched lips of the sufferer-this belongs

to us.

'Peace on earth; Goodwill towards men. Shall we not be blessed peace-makers, between class and class, if we remember in practice that GOD is no respecter of persons; if we teach by word and deed that

All must be precious in our sight,
Since CHRIST on all hath shined.

The poor, it is true, are never to cease out of the land. So it is ordered by GOD. But it is likewise His command, that those to whom He gives wealth shall regard themselves simply as His stewards, and shall one day give an account of their stewardship. He gives, to such, great opportunities of manifesting goodwill to the brethren, of proving that what they appear to have of this world's goods, they do but hold in trust for the benefit of any members of the great Christian family that have need.'

Who, we may ask again, have more need than suffering little ones, totally unable to help themselves, and with parents too poor to provide even the commonest necessaries!

It is for these that we confidently beg the good will of all who read Our Work; and, to convince them of the urgent need that exists for the Hospital we are building, we will give a few details of some of the cases received at our temporary Broadstairs house, during the last few weeks.

N

No. 1.-A little sad-looking lad of six, suffering from an abscess in the head. He hardly ever spoke or played, but seemed to enjoy himself after a very quiet fashion, and his parents were overjoyed at the improvement in his appearance when he returned to his home.

No. 2.-A weak, rickety, little boy of two. His parents, very poor people living in Westminster, put him into the train at Victoria Station, and the poor baby performed the journey to Broadstairs alone. Dreading a scene, the mother did not take leave of her little son, but told him she was going to a shop to buy him an apple. The consequence was that every time the train stopped the little fellow asked earnestly for his apple, and repeated the request to the Sister who met him on the Broadstairs platform!

No. 3.-One of the saddest cases we have ever had at our seaside home-a girl of twelve, totally blind and dumb, and partly idiotic. Her mother's account of the calamity is, that, being under treatment at some hospital for disease of the eyes, the surgeons thought well to 'take her eyes out,' and then found it was not possible to replace them. The faculty of speech is not really lost, but the shock of the fearful operation she underwent (whatever may have been its precise nature) so affected her nerves that she has never spoken since. It is thought that a sojourn at the seaside may restore the power of speech, and we gladly gave a month's free ticket to the poor afflicted creature. Perhaps some reader of this may be willing to give her another ticket, or the price of one, to enable her to prolong her stay. In her own way she shows much delight at the change, and especially enjoys being drawn about by the donkey, so kindly presented to the Home. It is a piteous sight to see her continually swaying her uplifted head backwards and forwards as if trying to catch a ray of that light which is lost for ever.

Some of our patients can best speak for themselves, as

No. 4-a delicate, over-grown girl—says: 'My name is Mary H- I was born

He was ill a

three days after father died. long while, but he's in heaven now. His trade was saw-piercing (?)—making them stars what the soldiers wear in front of their hats. Mother used to do the saw-piercing too, but she's too weak now. Of a Saturday she cleans out an office and gets half-acrown. That's all we've got to live on, but the Sisters in Golden Square lets us go there every night for soup. We eats the soup last thing before we goes to bed. Sometimes we wants our supper bad enough before we gets it, 'cause we ain't had no dinner. It was Sister as got me a ticket to come here. I hadn't no clothes hardly, but she lent me a hat and give me a pair of boots. Just before I come away, our landlady turned us out of doors 'cause we couldn't pay our rent. I was like a sheet to look at when I came down here, and such dreadful pains in my side I didn't know how to bear 'em. I didn't tell mother, it would have upset her so.' No. 5.-Mary Anne D says: 'Father's blind and paralysed. Mother supports the family of eight children by a mangle. Father used to help to turn it, but standing so long made him have fits. He was a soldier once. Yes-he do have a little pension, but mother don't like that talked about.

'I've always been weakly, but about two months ago I was took very bad indeed with pleurisy, and the pain in my left side still catches me when I breathe.

'Poor father says he'd sooner work than anything, but he can't, you see, being so afflicted. He sits there, and every now and then he burses out a-sobbin', and it do make us feel miserable. Sometimes he'll try and wash up the tea-things, but he can't do that much now, his hand shakes so.

'Mother's got to work hard, and so have I. She mangles at three-halfpence a dozen, and I helps. I do like being here, and I feel ever so much better; but I keep fretting, wondering whatever poor mother'll do without me.'

No. 6.-Emma B- tells us that she is one of a family of six children. Till lately we all lived in one small room in R- Street. "The baddest of all bad streets" we children

calls it, and so it is. I come here on account of my eyes; they've been bad ever since I had the measles, and I've had to lay in bed days and days. My face was white when I came here, but it ain't now.'

No. 7.-'We're eight in family, and we lives in the Models at Pimlico. Mother's a dressmaker. She has shocking bad legs, and nearly always lays abed in great pain; but she sews all the time-she's got to.

'Father had an accident, and that's been a great expense to us. He was knocked down and crushed by a cart, and it injured his head. He talks quite funny now-not sense, and sometimes he says such dreadful things.

'The morning I came away poor mother was sitting on the floor a-crying; for, if you'll believe me, there wasn't a bite of bread in the house. No, nor a halfpenny to buy it with. Mother'd got to finish off a dress before she could buy the little children anything for dinner.

'I'm twelve, and there's five younger than me. I do hope she got that dress finished, but how ever she'd manage for the machine part I can't think; it's me as always does this, and I cleans the room, and dresses the children, and cooks the dinner. How ever she'll get along without me I don't know. (Here the narrator began to sob bitterly, but the promise of some wool which she could knit up into a shawl for her mother soon consoled her, and she went on)—

'I've been ill about four months. It's debility and rheumatics, the doctor says.'

No. 8.-'I do like being here in the country. I like the flowers, and the shells, and all the toys in the Home. We have such a lot here, and we can't get anything to make ourselves happy with at home. I'm ill after measles, but I'll soon be better now. It is nice to have breakfast, and lunch, and dinner, and tea, and these nice things Sister's lent me to wear. Perhaps she'll let me take some of them home with me--I don't know!'

No. 9.-Little Edith W looks six, but says she is eleven. Very weak and sickly, with glandular swellings. Never had

any father that she knows of. Her mother went into the workhouse, with her, about four months ago and died soon after. We have kept her now ten weeks, as her neck is not cured, and she begs not to be sent back to the workhouse 'because they beats the children they've never hit me yet, but I'm always afraid they will.'

Do these cases touch your heart? Do they make you say, 'I, too, will try to do something to promote God's glory, and peace and goodwill among my fellow-men, so long as I live upon this earth; and, to begin with, I will put my hand to this great work for the tender lambs of the fold, which is now brought before me, and for which the human pity, GOD has implanted in my heart, tells me there is such sore need.

May this indeed be one result of the words of Christmas greeting which we send from our partly built Home.

It may seem but little that each well-wisher is able to do or to give in aid of so great a project; but

'One brick upon another and the highest wall is made;

One flake upon another and the thickest snow is laid.'

Be content to add your brick to those needed to build a wall; to increase with your flake the snow, which the earth wants to give it warmth and make it fruitful in due season.

'Glory to GOD! goodwill to men.' So long as the principle of these heart-inspiriting words is the motive power of those who are giving themselves to this great work, so long will they be encouraged and supported by a sense of God's approving love and sustaining grace.

'Glory to GOD; peace and goodwill on earth!'

Therefore help to

'Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times.
Ring in the valiant man and free;
The larger heart, the kindlier hand.
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.'