Examined and certified by me, as duly entered in the books of the Mission, JAMES WADDELL (of J. WADDELL & CO.),

Fellow of the Institute of Accountants,

Mansion House Chambers, 11, Queen Victoria Street, E.C.

Received for the Mission and B.ble-women Nurses, with thanks :-Parcels of clothing, old linen, pillows, &c., from Miss Barns; Miss Bruce; Miss Lack; Miss Perry; Anonymous; H. E. S.; Mrs. Hayes; Miss E. White; Mrs. Bower; Mrs. Cramer Roberts; Mrs. Wilson; Miss Manning; Miss Peache; T. W. C.; Miss Kitching; Miss Earle; E. V.; the Misses Cottam; Miss Le Fort; Mrs. Robertson; Mrs. Thos. Baker; Mrs. Orchard, and Miss Evans; boots for St. Giles from Mrs. Campbell Colquhoun; blankets from A. E. R., for Whitechapel; text-quilt from "A Reader of the Missing Link '"; text-cards, lavender bags, elbow cushions, &c., from Mrs. Brightwen; tracts and papers from Miss Bruce; Mrs. Cramer Roberts, and Mrs. Larkins; envelopes from G. A. Calder, Esq.; hospital letters from Mrs. Arthur Hall; Mrs. Pedley; Lady Peto; Mrs. Thos. Ness; Mrs. Walbanke Childers; Hugh H. Seymour, Esq.; Miss Gilby; Mrs. Bower, and G. A. Calder, Esq.; and a wardrobe from Mrs. Larkins.

Contributions to the LONDON BIBLE AND DOMESTIC FEMALE MISSIONS can be received by Mrs. Selfe Leonard (niece of the late Mrs. Ranyard), 2, Adelphi-terrace, Strand, London, W.C.; by Lord Kinnaird, addressed to the Bank of Messrs. Ransom and Co., No. 1, Pall-mall East; also by Messrs. Barclay, Bevan, and Co., 54, Lombard-street; and by Messrs. Nisbet and Co., Berners-street. Money Orders should be made payable at the Post-office, Charing-cross, W.C., in the name of E. Selfe Leonard, and cheques crossed Ransom and Co. Should any sums be unacknowledged in the above list, friends are requested to write at once to Mrs. Leonard.

OUR FIRST THREE MONTHS IN SOMERS TOWN.

"DEAR FRIEND,

"You ask to hear of the poor in a densely-populated district, and I have more to tell you than I can possibly write.

"It is scarcely three months since the Master called us to work in this part of His vineyard; and, although He has allowed me to be much amongst His loved ones-the poor-in other parts of London, I am much struck with two thingsthe extreme poverty, and the ready response to invitations to come and hear the Old, old story.'

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"Every week new ones join our Mothers' Meeting, and within twelve weeks we have entered fifty names, making the number on the books more than 100. The room lent us will hold 200, and if they continue to come as they have done since we were first introduced to them, we shall soon have it full. But the majority of these are not seen in the house of God on Sundays; and if we are to continue to seek to save the lost, those that are gathered out of their misery, and sin, and degradation should be fed with the living bread on God's day.

"Our great need is a Mission Service on Sunday evening. There is a hope that some day a Mission Chapel and needful alterations in Schools shall be accomplished. In a parish where there are no rich and 10,000 poor, you can see where that hope must be anchored-Our hope is in God;' but He who claims all our property, and says, 'The silver is mine, and the gold also is mine, saith the Lord,' will put it in the heart of some of His own children to give of their stores, whether they are large or small, and He Himself will give good measure, pressed down and running over, for all that is given to Him, and will recognise it as done to Himself. For ye have the poor always with you; inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.' 'Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where

H

neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.'

"Some may think they should go to church; so they should, but such poor ones as these will not expose their shabbiness to the gaze of others under a bright gas. So they stay at home.

"One poor cripple in the depth of this cold winter was visited one day and had just been wondering how to divide her last sixpence between firing and food. Another case visited, man very ill for two months past, could only whisper how ill he felt, wife in bed with a baby a week old, and three other children, the eldest of weak intellect, quite helpless, the other two about seven and two and a half.

"Another poor old woman in back attic gives 2s. weekly for rent and has ls. weekly to live on. She never complains, but says it is God's will and she must take it patiently. Another old woman in a back kitchen, living on 3s. a week, rent being 1s. 6d., leaves 21d. a day for fire, food, and clothes.

"But to turn to the more important part of all work, these poor hungry ones are hungry and thirsty for the living Bread and living Water. I am amazed at the eager way they all welcome every word about Jesus and His love.

"Fourteen years ago next September dear Mrs. Ranyard asked me to take her pet Mission, the oldest of all and parent of all, for one month, which was extended to eight years, and the first afternoon the story of the Prodigal Son was read, and became the means of saving a soul. The poor woman had to leave the room before the meeting was over, and it was found she was seized with cholera. We visited her in a back attic as a dying woman. Her mouth and tongue were black, and she had been given up by the doctor; but I shall never forget the time. She had arisen and come to her Father through Christ, and she was full of joy.

"Contrary to all expectation, she was restored to her family, and for the eight years we were there led a bright, consistent life of faith and prayer.

"I name this incident because the first reading of the same story awakened a mother here, who poured out her heart in prayer and cried to the Lord, and now her bright, happy

face tells of joy and peace in believing; so that He seemed at once to set His seal of approval to the work begun here in much sorrow and weakness.

"How much we should like our country contributors to witness for themselves the earnestness and attention with which the Word of God is listened to, and the response already made to an evening hour for prayer once a week.

"May we hope that each true disciple will at least offer up one prayer for God's blessing on His work amongst us?

"We must do our utmost always, and pray for what is beyond our power to do. God never does our work. When the poor man was brought by his friends to seek the presence and help of Jesus, every way of access to Him was barred up by a dense crowd. Were they daunted in their purpose? No. They overcame their hindrances, and, at the cost of toil and trouble, let him down through the roof. So let us follow their example. Undaunted by difficulties, in Him who is our strength the citadel of Satan shall fall, for though we be as weak as one of old, we shall in Him be more than conquerors. 'Fear not, thou worm Jacob, I will help thee; thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff."

"May our dear Master call out more labourers in His vineyard, and press home on all hearts who profess to serve Him that to be idle is to be against Him. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.' To do nothing for Jesus is to act against Him by His own teaching.

"Some of our dearest and holiest friends are laid aside to suffer with hearts burning to do instead of to bear, and are sometimes tempted to say, they are 'idle cumberers of the ground.' Not so; can we not, dear friend, testify how much they strengthen our hands by prayer, and glorify God by patient suffering?

"When a usurper was on the throne of Judah, the people determined to rally round the rightful king and place him on the throne. It took two-thirds of the loyal brave hearts to stand by the king and keep watch on the house of the Lord, and the one-third were to be occupied in expelling the usurper. "How helpful to all the sick ones whom Jesus loves.'

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Whatever be our talent, whether it be to praise and pray and suffer, or to give the money which is lent to us by the Owner of all things, or whether it be to give time, strength, opportunity, whatever it be, may each be willing to consecrate all to the One who gave all for us, for He gave His only begotten Son, and with Him He freely gives us all things. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.'

"Will you, dear friend, join us in prayer that we may ourselves prize this unspeakable gift more and more every day, and use every possible opportunity of offering and presenting this gift to the poor ones whom He died to save and lives to win ? "ANNA."

EXTRACTS FROM THE PIONEER'S REPORTS. THE Bible-woman at Holloway has a good deal to contend with, as the people are so much given to drink, especially the women; and at times she feels very much cast down. They have no feeling of shame connected with it: openly, and in the early part of the day, they are flocking in and out the public-houses, as if they were doing their marketing. The last morning I was with her, we found two in their home quite intoxicated; one with the bottle in her pocket, and hardly able to speak, came to the door while we were talking to another woman, and began to praise the tracts I had in my hand, said she thought them very nice indeed, and Jiked them so much. Many of them are so ignorant, and sunk in crime almost beyond description. The work of the Bible-woman and Nurse is like the lad in the Gospels with the five barley loaves and the fishes; what are they among so many? And yet we cannot doubt the work there has been blessed, and we believe will continue to be so more and more; but among that class it takes a time to get them civilized, and a good work has been done when they are taught to behave themselves in an orderly

manner.

The Bible-woman has commenced a class for girls which is very much needed, and a great number attend; one night a week they have a sewing class, and the next a Bible lesson.