tention by their clean and tidy appearance, from the fact that we recollect them when they first came, godless, slovenly, dirty women. Now, as they appear to drink in the milk of the Word, we are encouraged to hope it is as babes in Christ.

Take one case for example-look at that respectable aged woman who is quietly moving about the meeting, gathering up the cards and money from the women and bringing them to the table. We made our first acquaintance with her by seeing her a prominent figure in a street quarrel, pouring out a torrent of fury and profanity, and for a long time afterwards we knew her only as an intemperate woman and a bitter opponent to the Gospel. On a warm summer afternoon she might frequently be seen sitting upon the kerbstone, joining in the shouts and scoffs at the Bible-woman, as she passed on her errand of mercy. This woman is now leading a decent and consistent life.

Not a few have in the last ten years passed away to the "other side" of the "river." Some of our tenderest memories

are associated with death-bed scenes.

A short time ago we were sitting by the death-bed of one who had for several years attended the Meetings, and who we had reason to believe was a follower of the Lord Jesus. In the course of our conversation she referred to the circumstances which led her back into the way of life (she had been a backslider). It was at one of our meetings, when the prodigal son was the theme of the address, she said, "Oh! ma'am, I thought there were a great many prodigals in the world; I felt I was one, and that I might once more return and be received." During her illness we always found her in a peaceful frame of mind, although a great sufferer, yet patient and submissive, willing to wait the Lord's will. Thus she continued until the hour arrived when she welcomed Him, who has said, "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am ye may be also."

One of the oldest members of the meeting has recently died. When she first came, our attention was drawn to her by the sweetness of her voice in the singing, the more particularly as we stood in special need of help in that part of our service. Not long after that we missed her from the meeting, and upon enquiry learnt she was ill, and paying her a visit found her in a poorly

furnished room not much larger than a closet, and in the most abject state of poverty. She had been striving to maintain herself and child by plain needlework; but work had been scarce, and through lack of food her strength had failed, and now she lay helpless on her bed. We elicited from her that they had existed for a fortnight upon a half-penny worth each per week of tripe cuttings and lights boiled down to a soup with a little bread. She apologized for not having pawned her gown, which lay upon her bed, by saying that then she would have had nothing to go to church in when she got up again. By a little help she was soon raised up, then employment was found for her, and for several years we had the pleasure of witnessing her quiet and humble walk in the "old paths," and were frequently gratified and strengthened by the friends who employed her expressing their admiration of her character. In her last illness she was greatly sustained by a consciousness of the Lord's nearness to her. She said she felt "Jesus was with her," and thus she continued until the Father called her home.

As we glance at our ten years' work we are constantly reminded of our Bible-woman who has been with us from the commencement, and also of our sick Nurse. We feel that of their labours we cannot speak too highly, yet they would each join with us in saying, "Not unto us, Oh! Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory for thy mercy and Thy truth's sake."

OUR BIBLE AND DOMESTIC FEMALE MISSION.

OUR December number for 1874 contained so many statistics and general statements of progress needful at the end of the year, that our old friends do not need their repetition, and our new readers-if we are so happy as to address any-will probably be best led to appreciate our object by successive short narratives of our work.

The "MISSING LINK MAGAZINE " divides its records into BIBLE-WORK at Home and Abroad. In general its home domestic work by Bible-women and Bible-women Nurses come first in the month's notices, but in January this year a note of

preparation floats on the ear, concerning our sons and daughters trained at home for foreign service.

We have always looked out on Five Fields of Observation. The Roman Catholic world and the Mohammedan world are attracting much fresh attention, and the wide world of Heathendom cannot be forgotten. In all those three centres the Sacred Scriptures are yet comparatively hidden, superseded, or unknown. It is for the ancient Churches, and the Protesting nations of Europe, to which they have given rise, to carry the message of salvation by Christ alone, with renewed zeal, to the ears that are now being manifestly prepared by the Spirit of God to receive it all round the world.

PREPARATION.

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NOTES OF A LESSON GIVEN TO A MOTHERS' CLASS. WE read a great deal in the Bible about preparation and "things prepared." It may be a help to us to search out today something of what God has prepared for us, and another Monday to find how we should prepare for Him.

Let us read together 1 Cor. ii. 7-16. Verse 9 tells us of wonderful things which "God hath prepared for them that love Him." The eye, and ear, and heart of the natural man cannot understand (v. 14). They are "foolishness unto him," but the Holy Ghost can make us understand (v. 10). "God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit" (v. 15). "He that is spiritual judgeth (or discerneth) all things." Let us ask for that Holy Spirit to teach us, while we think about the things which God has prepared for us in the past, the present, and the future.

1. In the past. Long before you were born, long before even the world was created, God prepared salvation. If you look in Luke ii. 30, 31, at the song of the aged Simeon, as he held the child Jesus in his arms, you will find that the work our Saviour came upon earth to accomplish is called a "prepared " salvation. In Prov. viii., under the name of wisdom, we hear Christ speaking, and in v. 23 He says, "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was." V. 27, "When

He prepared the heavens, I was there," and v. 31, "My delights were with the sons of men." This is the same voice which (in v. 17) speaks those sweet words which are so familiar to us, "I love them that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me." Again, in Rev. xiii. 8, we read of "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." How wonderful is the thought that even before man sinned, God, who knew all things from the beginning, and whose heart is so full of pity and love to all His creatures, had provided the way by which they should be saved. And in what form did the Lord Jesus come? Like one of us, a "partaker of flesh and blood." So we find in Heb. x. 5, "A body hast thou prepared me." Before Christ began His ministry John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way by preaching repentance. This was prophesied of 700 years before the Saviour came. "The voice of Him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord" (Isaiah xl. 3). And when John the Baptist was born, his father remembered the words, and said, "Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways" (Luke i. 76). Let us stop and ask, Have I accepted this salvation which the Lord has prepared for me? for only those who have accepted this can have any interest in what we are going to speak of next.

2. What the Lord has prepared in the present. If, indeed, this world is not our rest, and if we are journeying towards that "better country," and are content to be as pilgrims and strangers here, it will comfort us to know what the Lord has prepared for the journey. Ps. lxxiv. 16, "Thou hast prepared the light and the sun." Ps. cxlvii. 8, "Who prepareth rain for the earth." Ps. lxviii. 10, "Thou, O God, hast prepared of Thy goodness for the poor." So we see that light, warmth, and refreshment are all provided by God for the wilderness journey. Did not He do this for Israel? Does He not do it for us? What did David say in Ps. xxiii. 5? "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Does not this image convey the idea of complete security and abundant provision in the midst of danger and of need? In Eph. ii. 10 we find the Lord has, as it were, prepared the foot-print for

us to walk in, and the work for us to do. "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained (meaning prepared) that we should walk in them." The whole life of the Lord Jesus upon earth is a pattern which we are bidden to follow. "Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us." "I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you." 1 Peter ii. 21, "Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps." Again, God has prepared trials. He sees and knows just the discipline we each need, and suits it to our case. In the history of Jonah, you remember (iv. 7), "God prepared a worm" which smote the gourd of which Jonah had been so glad. A very small thing a worm is, yet it did not come by chance to feed on that gourd. God "prepared" it. Have we some little daily worry that mars our peace? Instead of being fretted and dispirited by it, we should be made strong to bear, if only we could remember that God has permitted it, perhaps to try our patience, perhaps to make us more earnest in prayer, at all events in some way' for our highest good. And if a lesser trial does not do its work in disciplining and softening, sometimes a greater is sent. We read in the next verse (8), "God prepared a vehement east wind.”

But then the Lord also prepares deliverances. When Jonah was fleeing from the presence of God and rushing into great danger, God still in mercy remembered him, and (Jonah i. 17) “had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah." May we not learn that God often prepares deliverance in the most unlookedfor way?

3. Let us see what God has prepared in the future. We have a very solemn verse in Ps. ix. 7, "He hath prepared His throne for judgment." Where will our place be in that great day? On the right hand or the left hand of the Judge? To those on the left He will say, " Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Thank God that terrible doom was prepared not for you, but for Satan and his angels. Not for you! not even for the very worst among you! God willeth not the death of one sinner. O listen to His loving voice now, while yet there is time. "Come unto