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FINANCIAL APPEAL.

IN the month when all other Societies have their Public Meetings, we have found that our own is apt to come short of its usual supply; and we have this year received less by nearly 2007. than in MAY, 1874. Let us hope that JUNE will make up for it. It also seems that it will be needful, ere long, to enlarge the room for our Monthly Meetings, for it is eminently desirable that the Bible Nurses-a most valuable and popular outgrowth from the original Bible Mission--should continue to assemble with the Bible-women month by month for pastoral instruction and prayer; and our number of workers, between two and three hundred, would often now be increased by the presence of Lady Superintendents, if we did not suffer from want of space and ventilation. We have no desire for a decorated building, but we must specially collect four or five hundred pounds before we can effect the needful change; and, as the summer is advancing, there is no time to be lost.

There are now also to be considered an increasing number each year of superannuated workers; we are supplying their places with younger women, but we must not forget our old ones who have spent their strength for many years in the service. Our very moderate pension-list of 6d. a-day—3s. 6d. a-week, or 97. a-year-is likewise mounting up to over 2007. expenditure, and in some particular cases it has to be supplemented by a little more.

Our Dormitories also need a fresh supply.

We lay these needful memoranda before our long-tried friends, in faith that amid all foreign claims-and they are many-our practical Home and Domestic Missions will not plead in vain.

BIBLE WORK.

WE feel that our eighteen years' daily work among the London poor has quietly but largely prepared them, and caused them to call in their neighbours, to listen to the fervent appeals now made to them to resolve to be "on the Lord's side." A steady VOL. IX.-No. 6.

M

and immense preparation work through this and countless other agencies was needful to precede the present gracious influence from on High, and we have faith that the same happy activities will be used of God to gather up many of the fruits when the favoured Evangelists shall have left our city, not shaking off the dust from their feet, but rejoicing and praising God who hath given them to call in so many souls..

Like our own, theirs has been prominently BIBLE WORK, which is the truest work of all the Churches, and we are sure they will leave many fresh lovers and students of their Bibles who never cared to search the precious Book before-many among both rich and poor who left it unread because they knew so little about it, and who have now to make up for their previous lost time.

Many, too, the children of pious parents, with heads full of knowledge, but hearts (before untouched) now softened and led to Jesus-will be fresh recruits in the army of God's workers; and, in entering on a new era of blessing, it is possible that many of the old Societies or Associations for special Missionary work will have to widen their doors and admit affiliations of private effort which they cannot precisely regulate according to old rules, but may wisely guide and help in the name of the Lord. There is virtue in old experience, and there is virtue in young enthusiasm, and each is needful to the other. There will doubtless come out of this Revival much fresh devotion of heart, and mind, and purse, into new Christian service, somewhat jealous for its liberty of action, and that ought not to be too minutely controlled by the many-sided views of Committees; and, as the Lord seems now to work by all kinds of agents and agencies, who, are really one in Christ, we must be willing to recognise that He does, and listen to the voice of Paul to him of Philippi, "I beseech thee, true yoke-fellow, help those women (and men) who laboured with me in the Lord" (and, it might be added, do not strive to govern them too much). Well regulated CENTRES are indispensably necessary to organization of Christian work, but their influence should radiate in friendly aid to many a private and co-existent effort beyond the circle that their funds support, who are yet one with them in

principle and aim; and the more the love of God is shed abroad

in our hearts, the more this will be seen

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"For we make God's love too narrow

By false limits of our own,
And we magnify His strictness
With a zeal He will not own.

"But the love of God is broader
Than the measures of man's mind,
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind."

BIBLE PIONEER'S REPORT.

"CANVASSED near Pall Mall with Mrs. G, who, during the few weeks she has been on the district, has gained twenty-four subscribers. Her lady said she would like us to go to some of the courts in the vicinity, so went to St. M's, but did not expect to get into many houses as they were too respectable for us. In the first we found an aged Jew, who told us he had a Bible; but he supposed we went about making Jews Gentiles, and Gentiles Jews. We asked, 'Are you a Jew?' "He said, 'I am.'

and had travelled in

He told us he could speak seven languages, many different countries; but when we spoke of Christ to him, he said, 'No one knew when He would come; perhaps He might come to-morrow, and He might not come for a hundred years.'

"I said, "He will come; and to them that look for Him He will appear the second time without sin unto salvation.' He then said, 'I am rather busy this morning,' and left us.

"In coming downstairs we saw a woman at the back door, and went to speak to her; she said her husband was a Jew, and he would not have our Bible, so she was obliged to study him. We asked if there were many houses into which we could get admittance, as most of them seemed to be places of business. She told us we might succeed in getting in next door.

"We made the attempt, and the door was opened by one of the workers. After telling her what we had come for, she

We told her

went in, and the person in charge came to us. our object, to sell Bibles by instalments; at first she did not seem clear about admitting us, and said it was not that she objected, but she did not know how her employers might feel about strangers going over the house.

"I said if she could not allow us to come in, perhaps she would show the young people the Bibles herself. She took them, and soon returned, saying:

"I think you had better come in yourselves.'

"We found them busy at envelope-making in every room; she was very kind, and went with us all round, telling what we had come for, and asking them all to begin to subscribe. Two began for family Bibles, and several subscribers were obtained in every room.

"After we had been to the top of the house, she took us down to the kitchen, where we got three more. By this time the whole of our cards were gone, and nineteen had begun to subscribe, and we had taken four shillings in money. The person in charge of the work said, 'the Bible woman might come every week and see the subscribers.' She also told us there was another manufactory in the court, and said we might try to get in there too. We left very pleased with our success. I have no doubt that Mrs. G-will get more subscribers, as she goes from week to week among them; she is well able to speak to them of what the Book contains. I promised to go and try what we could do at the other factory the first opportunity. We have together obtained forty-three subscribers in

one month.

"I remain, yours faithfully,

MISSION DETAILS.

"J. B."

We make no apology for giving, this month, some of the under details of work which has so largely occupied the attention of so many in our great city. We have received the following from a Bible Pioneer :

66 6 ARE YOU MOODY-STRUCK?'

"MY DEAR MADAM,

"As month after month of the present year comes and

goes, and we contrast the spirit of expectancy with which we began the year with what our eyes really now witness of the ever-increasing work of God, we feel confident that our most sanguine hopes have been far surpassed, and that of a truth God is in our midst. We cannot fail to discern also how truly the words of the Saviour Himself apply to us when He said, 'Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.' We recognise, in it also a louder call to faithfulness, for such times of privilege carry along with them deep responsibility.

"When the Bible-woman, as usual, was making her weekly call in the E---road district, she asked a Bible subscriber if she had been to the Agricultural Hall, to which she replied,

"No, I don't require to go there; I am decent and respectable, although, perhaps, I don't attend a place of worship so regularly as I ought; still, I should not think of going to hear these men. Why, the very children are singing about them in the streets."

"The Bible-woman said, 'And children sang about Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem long ago, so you see it is with them as with the Master.' She then asked her not to condemn them, but go and hear for herself, and if she did not like going again, she need not repeat her visit. Both she and her husband had occasion to be in the neighbourhood of the Agricultural Hall the same afternoon, and attended the evening meeting.

"As Mr. Sankey began singing that beautiful hymn, ‘Tell me the old, old story,' she was scarcely able to suppress her feelings, and before he finished it she was quite overcome; laying her head on the rail of the chair in front of her and sobbing, her husband now and again giving her a push and saying, 'Sit up, and don't make a fool of yourself in a large. meeting like this.' At the close of the address she wanted to go to the inquiry room, but the husband objected, so they went home, but neither of them slept all night.

"Next morning she thought if only she knew where the. Bible-woman lived who had asked her to go to the meeting, quite forgetting she had the address on her Bíble-card. For

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