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A UTHOR : 
 
 MARSH, CATHERINE 
 
 TITLE: 
 
 ENGLISH HEARTS AND 
 ENGLISH HANDS, OR,.. 
 
 PLACE: 
 
 LONDON 
 
 DA TE : 
 
 1869 
 
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 Madison Ave. and 49th Street. New York. 
 Beside the main topic, this book aha treats of 
 
 SvhjectNo. On page 
 
 Sitifjectyo, Onpa^e 
 
 
ENGLISH HEARTS 
 
 AND ENGLISH HANDS. 
 
V 
 
 C 
 
 t 
 
 « 
 
 s 
 
 € 
 
 s 
 
 I 
 
 ENGLISH HEARTS 
 AND ENGLISH HANDS: 
 
 ORj 
 
 i THE RAILWAY AND THE TKENCHES. 
 
 Br THE AUTHOR OF THE 
 
 *' MEMORIALS OF CAPTAIN HEDLEY VICARS.' 
 
 Love fotmd mo in the wilderness, at cost 
 Of painful quests, when I myself had lost 
 
 Love on its shouiders joyfullv did lay 
 Me, weary with the greatness of my way. 
 
 Love lit the lamp, and swept the house aU round, 
 lill the lost money in the end was found. 
 
 Love the khig's image there would stamp again. 
 JiJtaced la part, and soil'd with rust and stain. 
 
 Twjis Love whose quick and ever-watchful eye 
 liie waiid'rer's fii-st step hi.meward did espy. 
 
 From its own wardrobe Love gave word to brine 
 What things I needed— shoes, and robe, and ring. 
 
 Trevck. 
 
 LONDON : 
 JAMES NISBET AND CO., 21 BERNER STREET. 
 
 ICDCCCLXIX. 
 
 il 
 
 "••W 
 
 ^^ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 5106G 
 
 7 
 
 r 
 
 t 
 
 It is but a few summers since the sun shone upon the 
 woody heights of the Sydenham and Norwood hills, 
 and now his rays may be seen gleaming from the 
 crystal roof of that vast temple to the arts of peace, 
 which has suddenly displaced the oaks and elms of the 
 green woodland. 
 
 Whose were the hands that reared that colossal 
 building? Its massive iron pillars, its huge girders, 
 the ponderous supports of its complicated roofing, all 
 tell us that it was the work of some of the hardiest 
 and strongest of Britain's sons. But while those who 
 survey the stores with which the wide structure is 
 enriched, may perchance give a passing thought to the 
 strength of frame and mechanical skill of the workmen 
 who so speedily accomplished the setting up of such a 
 fabric, it was the privilege of a few, whose dwelling 
 had, in the providence of God, been fixed near its site, 
 at the time of its construction, to become acquainted 
 with a large proportion of the labourers, and to form 
 and cultivate a friendship with them based upon the 
 
I 
 
 VI 
 
 PEEFACE. 
 
 firm foundation of " the hidden man of the heart in 
 that which is not corruptible." 
 
 When the author of these pages first began to speak 
 to the earliest groups of stragglers who came to seek a 
 labouring man's lodging in Beckenham, it was little 
 thought whereunto this would grow. It was little 
 expected that two or three hundred navvies could take 
 up their abode in a country village for two winters, 
 and, instead of spreadmg moral contagion, set a good 
 example to many of its inhabitants. It was little sup- 
 posed tliat memory would be crowded, as it is, with 
 incidents and recollections of deep and hallowed, as 
 well as of warm and manly friendship on the part of 
 some of tliem, wlio, having witnessed a good confession, 
 have finished their course with joy. 
 
 By what instrumentality so much has been effected 
 — so much at least beyond the author s own anticipa- 
 tions—the narrative itself will explain. It is compiled 
 from a diary which was at first intended only for pri- 
 vate use; and the object of its publication is to interest 
 our countrymen and countrywomen in a class of men 
 possessing not only many noble and generous quahties, 
 but even many latent feelings of gentleness and tender- 
 ness, pent up perhaps for years, and only waiting for 
 the helping hand of cordial Christian sympathy, to flow 
 forth in rich abundance. 
 
 - i 
 
 
 I 
 
 ! 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 VU 
 
 The circumstance should not be unnoticed, that the 
 interest attaching to some of the details is attributable 
 to the providence of God having so ordered the times 
 and seasons, that scarcely had the finishing stroke been 
 put to a fabric specially dedicated to the pursuits of 
 peace, before the whole nation was aroused by the 
 alarm of war, and many of the hands which had lifted 
 the burden, wielded the hammer, or otherwise wrought 
 in the work at Sydenham, were suddenly called, if not 
 "to hold the weapon,'* yet to labour in the mighty 
 appliances for the siege before the terrible fortress of 
 SebastopoL 
 
 As might have been expected, some who thus left 
 their countiy never returned: but both among those 
 who have been gathered to their last resting-place in a 
 foreign land, and among those who have been brought 
 back and still survive, it is humbly hoped there are not 
 a few, of whom, through the grace of God, it shall one 
 day be said, ''With joy and gladness shall they be 
 brought, they shall enter into The King's Palace " — 
 the heavenly Jerusalem, " having the glory of God, and 
 her light clear as crystal." 
 
 FREDERICK CHALMERS, 
 
 Rector of Beckenham, Kent 
 
M 
 
 AUTHOR'S POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 This little book is not written for those who are usually 
 called the Working Classes. Its purport, as has been 
 said, is to shew men and women who are placed by 
 the providence of God in another position of life, how 
 much of high and delicate feeling is to be found 
 amongst that great mass of their countrymen who eat 
 their bread under the heavier portion of the primoeval 
 curse. Its object, also, is to suggest how much of that 
 trial may be softened, and of that labour lightened, by 
 the manifestation of a kindly interest in their daily toil 
 and rare pleasures ; of a ready appreciation of their 
 better feelings, and of a true sympathy with all that 
 they know of earthly sorrow or of heavenly hope. 
 
 After the publication of this diary had been urged 
 by several persons in whose judgment I have confi- 
 dence, I stm hesitated long from a fear lest its publica- 
 tion might lessen the freedom of future intercourse 
 with its subjects. During the interim, nearly aU the 
 
X author's postscript. 
 
 men personally named have been removed from any 
 risk of being affected by it, either by emigration or by 
 death. 
 
 With respect to the dead, this book is simply on the 
 saiiie standing as that of any other biography. 
 
 No surname of a living man is mentioned. With 
 regard to the possibility of the very few who may be 
 left to recognise their own initials, counsel was taken 
 with two men of sound sense and humble piety who 
 had been navvies themselves, and have since been em- 
 ployed as Scripture readers. 
 
 The first replied to the question, Would the navvies 
 be pained by the publication of these conversations 
 and letters ? " As far as I can say, they woidd feel 
 a pleasure in your care that they should be put 
 straighter with other people/' 
 
 To the query, Would it be likely to promote vanity 
 in any of them ? the other answered with characteristic 
 honesty and simplicity — 
 
 " Dear Madam,-— You ask me what I think would 
 be the effect of pubHshing an account of your inter- 
 course with the navvies, whether it would be likely to 
 promote vanity ? I cannot see how it could in any one 
 but yourself; and I hope and believe, not that." 
 
 The originals of the letters which have been intro- 
 duced were sent to the press, in the first instance, un- 
 
 ^ 
 
 author's POSTSCEIPT. 3ti 
 
 touched ; but, on further consideration, it seemed due 
 to the surviving writers to correct those words which 
 were mis-spelt, leaving all else intact. It was just 
 possible that those errors in orthography might have 
 been so pointed out to some one of the writers as to 
 occasion pain; and dearly bought, indeed, would 
 have been the preservation of the charm of the truly 
 phonetic spelling chieHy in use, if it had caused the 
 least vexation to one of those honest manly hearts, for 
 the truer or more general appreciation of which this 
 book i,? sent forth to plead. 
 
 i 
 
I 
 
 
 .1 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 I 
 
 h 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 Making Friends 
 
 CHAPTER lY. 
 
 Hafpy Dying 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 Fears and Hopes 
 
 PACK 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Confirmation and First Communion . 21 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 Honest Hearts . 
 
 35 
 
 00 
 
 03 
 
 CHAPTER Yt 
 Wanderers Reclaimed ... 79 
 
XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 
 Self-Conquest . 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The Bible in the Camp 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The Armour of Light 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 More Hearts to Win 
 
 CHAPTER XI L 
 Hard Fighting with Old Foes 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 The Fight 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Human Brotherhood 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 Brotherly Love 
 
 PACK 
 
 91 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 Last Meetings and Last Partings . 101 
 
 113 
 
 137 
 
 U7 
 
 167 
 
 177 
 
 187 
 
 205 
 
 l» 
 
 \ 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XVL 
 
 XV 
 
 Safe at Home 
 
 tAQB 
 
 219 
 
 CHAPTER XVIL 
 
 True and Trusty 
 
 237 
 
 CHAPTER XVIIL 
 
 Prison-Doors Opened 
 
 < • 
 
 267 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 The Welcome Home 
 
 • • 
 
 279 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 Gladness and Singleness op Heart 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 313 
 
 Work to do for God and our Brother 345 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 -^ep hidden, a fount of swppf or,^ i- ■ 
 
 That needs but the gof/r . '"""^ ^'^^^^' 
 
 '^0 call it gush n. forth '7 '?'"^ ""^^ ^^«-«^ 
 fauouing lortli ;— thus, too, the hearf 
 
 01 manj- » „„,„h, neglected child o latour 
 When gently touch'd by the mUd ^yoT^Zl- , 
 Is found to be a source whence lHu f V^"'""' 
 Tmt, gratefulness, and truth and*^ P'enteously 
 That make man Io;ed and ll^"^ '"""^ "^^' ^^'^P^tti- 
 
Eaely in the year 1853, a large number of Railway ex- 
 cavators, amounting at length to neai-ly three thousand 
 were gathered from different parts of the kingdom U, 
 work at the grounds of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham 
 Many a pleasant meeting took place. Fathers and sons 
 who had hardly expected to grasp each others' hands 
 agam, met there ; and brothers who had parted in boy- 
 hood, to follow their wandering course of life apart, 
 found they were working side by side. 
 
 Nearly two hundred of these men lodged in the 
 village of Beckenham ; so that, in visiting the cottages, 
 we heard of them, but seldom met them, as they were' 
 generally employed till late in the evening It was on 
 Sunday, the 13th of March, that I firet attempted to 
 seek them out. About seven in the evening I went 
 to a cottage where several were lodging, and asked 
 for one of the family (whom I had formerly visited in 
 his iUness), as an easy introduction to the strangers. 
 A tall, strong man. in a fustian jacket, opened" the 
 door scarcely wide enough to shew his face. " Harry 
 ain't here just now." 
 
4 MAKING FEIENDS. 
 
 '* But I suppose I shall see him if I wait, shall I 
 not ? I will walk in, if you will allow me." 
 
 " Well, you can, if you like ; but we're a lot of rough 
 uns." 
 
 " Oh, thank you, I do not mind that ; you will be 
 very civil to me, I am sure. Would you get me a 
 chair?" 
 
 An intelligent-looking youth darted forward, dusted 
 a chair with the tail of another man's coat, and placed 
 it for me near the table. 
 
 I inquired if any of them had been at church ; but 
 not one had thought of it. They listened with 
 attentive interest to an account of Mr Chahners' 
 morning sermon, on the occasion of the death of a 
 medical man who had been residing in Beckenham, 
 with a sketch of his history.* Several of them ex- 
 pressed strong admiration of Dr K 's kindness 
 
 and generosity to the poor, whilst himself working 
 hard, mentally, for his own support ; and the young 
 man, whose name was Edward Perry, said, " I know 
 that brain-labour is harder than hand-labour." 
 
 Wien the narrative was ended, he said, "Well, 
 ma'am, it 's a beautiful story, but in a measure it passes 
 by me, because I don't believe the Bible." 
 
 I dreaded an argument, yet felt it necessary to 
 reply, so prayed silently for wisdom ; and then inquired 
 the reason of his unbelief. 
 
 ♦ The subject of " The Victory Won." 
 
 MAKING FEIENDS. 5 
 
 "Because I read in the Bible that God is a God of 
 love, and yet that He has prepared from aU eternity a 
 . Piace of torment for us poor pitiful creatures" 
 
 ;ln m^ Bible/' I repHed, "I have never read any- 
 Iimg of the sort. I read that God is love ; and that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ wiU say, at the judgment day, to those 
 who have believed and obeyed Him, 'Come, ye blessed 
 of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for vote 
 from the foundation of the world.' But to those who 
 have rejected His salvation, and despised His laws 
 He will say, 'Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire' 
 prepared for the devil and his angels/ If man chooses 
 to reject God s offer of mercy through a Saviour, and 
 to prepare himself for that place of punishment he 
 .has no right to charge God with the result of his own 
 sm and wilful madness." 
 
 "Well,- he repUed, ''I do see that is a different 
 case from what I thought before. But now, look 
 here. I am a poor feUow-don't pretend nor profess • 
 yet I have a quarrel with a mate-feel to hate him- 
 will drub him weU next time we light on one another. 
 Thmk better of it-ofi^er him half my bread and 
 cheese, when we chance of meeting-and we're friends 
 Now, why can't God do a generous action like that 
 and forgive us outright V 
 
 " Well, my friend, we must try and look at the 
 case upon both sides. Suppose a father of a well- 
 tramed family -very obedient to his orders -an 
 

 ! 
 
 € 
 
 MAKING FRIENDS. 
 
 oraament to the neighbourhood — a blessing to him 
 and to each other. Suddenly he discovers one of 
 them has fallen into disobedience to him, and is 
 indulging in lying, swearing, or stealing. AVhat is 
 the father to do ? His tender heart says, * I can't bear 
 to inflict punishment on my son ; ' his wise head says, 
 ' But if I do not, disorder, sin, and misery will soon 
 run riot in my family. The rest will say, Father does 
 not mind our disobeying him— he makes no difference 
 between the good and the bad ; there can't be much 
 harm in sin, then, after all. I also will follow my ot\ti 
 inclinations, if nothing is to come of it.' " 
 
 "WeD, I see what you mean, and it is sense, too. 
 But how do you know that God has any other family 
 besides men ? " 
 
 •'I know it from His word. I read of 'angels' 
 and ' hosts of heaven.' And * that unto principalities 
 and powers in heavenly places might be known by 
 the Church the manifold wisdom of God.' But tell 
 me, when you are at work beneath the dark blue 
 midnight sky, and look up from your shovelful of 
 earth to the thousand stars that are glittering there, 
 most of them worlds much larger than this, do you 
 think they are only hung there for lanterns? Do 
 you not rather think that God, who wastes notliin(r 
 in His creation, as we see more the deeper we look 
 into it, has probably peopled many of them with 
 beings as intelligent as man? And what if the 
 
 
 MAKING FRIENDS. 7 
 
 news should be carried throughout God's creation, 
 that a world had rebeUed against Him, and that 
 He had taken no notice of it — would not other 
 worlds be liable to take the infection; and sin 
 and its sister misery spread throughout God's beau- 
 tiful universe— and blacken the whole ? But He has 
 taken notice of it. He has punished sin with death. 
 'Death hath passed upon all men, for that all have 
 sinned.' And He threatens eternal death to unrepent- 
 ing sinners. Yet, ' GoD so loved the world, that 
 He gave His only Begotten Son, that whoso- 
 ever BELIEVETH ON HiM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT 
 
 have everlasting LIFE.' That Son of God became 
 man ; He was born into this world for one purpose. 
 To bear the punishment due to our sins. To make 
 an infinite sacrifice with infinite suffering — all for 
 one purpose. This is that purpose. 'The Son of 
 man is come to seek and to save that which 
 WAS lost.' He is drawing nigh — He is come to you, 
 now. He is speaking these words of His own by my 
 feeble lips. Are you willing to let Him save you ?" 
 
 "I am, I am," he said, with fervour, drawing his 
 chair nearer to me as he spoke. "I never thought 
 of Him before but as an angry God. You make Him 
 out a Friend." 
 
 " And so will you, when you read His Word. But 
 I want you to kneel down and join with me in pray- 
 ing that God would give you His Holy Spirit from 
 
8 
 
 MAKING FRIENDS. 
 
 this hour — that these better thoughts and feelings 
 may not pass away. Shall I pray with you ?" 
 
 "I should like it. But this man," pointing to 
 one behind him, "never opens his mouth bul to 
 swear." 
 
 " But he will open it to pray now. Will you not 
 my friend ?" 
 
 "Yes!" 
 
 And as we aU knelt together, their voices followed 
 mme, and two or three sobs burst from those stron- 
 men. As we rose up, I told them how much I should 
 have liked to stay to read with them ; but as it was 
 growmg late, would they therefore read the Bible to- 
 gether when I had left ? 
 
 "I wiU read to the rest," said Edward; and took 
 down the landlady's Bible. I opened it on John iii 
 for him ; and lingered at the door to hear the full 
 tones of his earnest voice, and to thank God, and take 
 courage. 
 
 He sat up reading on, in that Gospel of St John 
 tili ten o'clock that night. I was told afterwards 
 that when speaking of our conversation, he said " It 
 was all true that she said to me. I felt it in' my 
 heart." •' 
 
 We have never met again. I fear now that we 
 never shall meet untH the day when we shall hear 
 those two sentences passed, the solemn words of 
 which began our friendly discussion. He left before 
 
 MAKING FEIENDS. 
 
 9 
 
 J 
 
 the Bible which I sent him reached his lodging 
 Bitterly have I regretted, ever since, a few days' de- 
 ky in sending it. Eveiy effort to trace him since 
 has failed. But He who stood at the door of that 
 honest heart then, and knocked, and said, "If any 
 man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in 
 to lum, and sup with him and he with me," will I 
 hope and beHeve, give him the victory that overcometli 
 the world-even faith-and say to him, at the last, 
 .10 him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with m^ 
 on my throne, even as I also overcame and have sat 
 down with my Father on his throne." 
 
 Encouraged by the cordial reception given to my 
 friendly advances by these strangers, I felt anxious 
 to meet them for the purpose of giving religious 
 mstruetion on the Sabbath evenings, and twice in 
 the week ; especially ^ I found on inquiry that 
 few, if any, of them, at that time, ever seemed to 
 think of entering any place of worship. Some visits 
 to cottages where they lodged brought several volun- 
 teers for these Bible classes; and two rooms, with an 
 open doorway between them, were offered for the 
 purpose. From that time Testaments were given 
 to those who attended. One evening as I passed a 
 
 cottage door, I heard a man caUed Jacob K 
 
 reading from his Testament to an Irish Eoman Ca. 
 tholic, who would not before that day come to the 
 " readings," but dropped in from time to time after- 
 
10 
 
 MAKING FRIENDS. 
 
 wards. Another, named Isaac E , was laying the 
 
 pipes at the Exhibition, when the earth fell in upon 
 him. He said, that as he lost sight of the sun, he 
 thought of the words read at the last cottage meeting, 
 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shah 
 be saved." The earth was cleared away, and he and 
 tliree others were drawn out alive, but sadly bruised. 
 At the time he seemed much impressed, but the im- 
 pression, alas, wore away, although his gratitude and 
 friendly feeling always remained. 
 
 William G was one of my earliest friends 
 
 amongst the navvies. Three weeks before he came 
 here, a serious accident had happened to him. He and 
 another man were taken out aHve from under a land 
 sHp, and went to a public-house to recruit themselves 
 His companion drank hard, and two hours afterward^^ 
 fell down dead. William was deeply shocked, and 
 began to pray that God would lead him to some place 
 where his soul would be cared for. He had been 
 well brought up by a good mother, who taught him 
 early to reverence the house of God. But a wander- 
 ing Hfe had in some degree broken the habit, and 
 
 II 
 
 MAKING FRIENDS. ji 
 
 rendered him careless. William intended to emi- 
 grate to Australia in the course of the summer which 
 he spent at Beckenham On the last Sunday in July 
 1.6 said to me. "I have attended all the readings 
 maam since the day you first picked me up for one' 
 and I bless God for them. I should have liked one 
 more before I sail. You are going to be away next 
 bunday, are you not ? " 
 
 also^*"'' ^'"'''"'' ''"'^ ^'''"'^' ^^^ following Sunday 
 
 "Well, ma'am, I am going to Cheshire, to bid mv 
 mother good-bye ; and if you would come back for the 
 second Sunday, I would, too, and have another Sunday 
 evemng here before I go to Australia." 
 
 This, of course, was settled at once. 
 
 William returned to his lodging on Saturday ni.ht. 
 Early on Smiday morning, I went down to see him. 
 He was looking out of spirits. 
 
 "You have been feeling your parting with your 
 mother, WiUiam ? " <=■ y 
 
 " Why, the worst is, I have not parted. I have 
 promised her not to go. Mother had fretted herself 
 lU. I am her only son ; and she never stopped frettintr 
 until I gave over goino-." ° 
 
 "Cheer up, then, William; for God has said 
 'Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days 
 may be long in the land.' God has a blessing in store 
 for you, for giving up your great wish for the sake of 
 
fi 
 
 12 
 
 MAKING FEIENDS. 
 
 MAKING FEIEXDS. 
 
 comforting your mother. I believe He has a great 
 reason for letting you be detained in England. And I 
 cannot help being glad when such men as you do not 
 go out of the country." 
 
 The next day he found he had lost his work at the 
 Exhibition by his absence, and went off to Windsor 
 for work. I went down to invite him to a projected 
 tea-party ; but found he had left, to my great disap- 
 pointment. 
 
 His landlady said, William had been trying to 
 persuade her husband to go to church with him on 
 Sunday; but that the landlord answered, "It is all 
 very well for you, William, with your good clothe.^ 
 and spruce boots ; but look at my old shoes with the 
 holes in them. I won't go till I can go like other 
 people/' At once William took off his new boots, 
 
 saying, "Take them, P , and I'll wear your old 
 
 shoes, sooner than you should not go to the house of 
 God," 
 
 His tranquil, generous nature seemed now always 
 awake to be doing good. The same morning that he 
 told me he had given up going to Australia, a friend 
 of his, who was to have been his "mate" thither, 
 came in, and mentioned that he had no Bible. Wil- 
 liam said, after a moment's pause, " You won't think, 
 ma'am, that I don't love the little Bible you gave me ; 
 but hadn't he better have it ? He may not be able to 
 get one out there." 
 
 About the time of first meeting William G- 
 
 13 
 , I 
 
 addressed a youth of nineteen or twenty, on my way to 
 the cottage where we assembled on Sunday evening, and 
 
 asked him his name, &c. His name was John H . 
 
 His fair face, straight features, and almost white hair, 
 were eminently Saxon, and he himself the wildest piece 
 of nature I had then seen. 
 
 "Will you come to church next Sunday?" 
 " Church I No ; I never goes to such places ! " 
 " Will you come to a cottage where we have a Scrip- 
 ture-reading for Crystal Palace workmen ?" 
 " No ; I goes to nothing of that sort." 
 " Perhaps you would like a little Testament to carry 
 in your waistcoat pocket ? " 
 " I shouldn't mind that.'' 
 
 Crossing the road, I spoke to another young man, 
 who looked two or three years older, and received the 
 same refusals ; but met with fixed attention, when I 
 told him of my father's first sermon, and the story of 
 a man, who was called "Swearing Tom" before he 
 heard it, and "Praying Tom" ever after. Turning 
 
 round, I saw John H had followed me, and was 
 
 listening earnestly. 
 
 "I'll come now to that 'ere reading you spoke of. 
 Where is it ? " 
 
 " And so will I," said the other, a ruddy, fresh-faced 
 youth. " I 'm Henry, elder brother to he." 
 
 They came, and attended regularly from that day. 
 
12 
 
 MAKING FEIEKDS. 
 
 MAKING FEIEXDS. 
 
 13 
 
 comforting your mother. I believe He lias a great 
 reason for letting you be detained in England. And I 
 cannot help being glad when such men as you do not 
 go out of the country." 
 
 The next day he found he had lost his work at the 
 Exhibition by his absence, and went off to Windsor 
 for work. I went down to invite him to a projected 
 tea-party ; but found he had left, to my great disap- 
 pointment. 
 
 His landlady said, William had been trying to 
 persuade her husband to go to church with him on 
 JSunday; but that the landlord answered, "It is all 
 very well for you, William, with your good clothe;^ 
 and spruce boots ; but look at my old shoes with the 
 holes in them. I won't go till I can go like other 
 people." At once William took off his new boots, 
 
 saying, "Take them, P , and I'll wear your old 
 
 shoes, sooner than you should not go to the house of 
 God." 
 
 His tranquil, generous nature seemed now always 
 awake to be doing good. The same morning that he 
 told me he had given up going to Australia, a friend 
 of his, who was to have been liis "mate" thither, 
 came in, and mentioned that he had no Bible. Wil- 
 liam said, after a moment's pause, " You won't think, 
 ma'am, that I don't love the little Bible you gave me ; 
 but hadn't he better have it ? He may not be able to 
 get one out there." 
 
 i 
 
 About the time of first meeting William G , I 
 
 addressed a youth of nmeteen or twenty, on my way to 
 the cottage where we assembled on Sunday evening, and 
 
 asked him his name, &c. His name was John H . 
 
 His fair face, straight features, and almost white hair, 
 were eminently Saxon, and he himself the wildest piece 
 of nature I had then seen. 
 
 "Will you come to church next Sunday?" 
 *• Church ! No ; I never goes to such places ! " 
 " Will you come to a cottage where we have a Scrip- 
 ture-reading for Crystal Palace workmen ?" 
 " No ; I goes to nothing of that sort." 
 " Perhaps you would like a little Testament to carry 
 in your waistcoat pocket ? " ' 
 "I shouldn't mind that." 
 
 Crossing the road, I spoke to another young man, 
 who looked two or three years older, and received the 
 same refusals ; but met with fixed attention, when I 
 told him of my father's first sermon, and the story of 
 a man, who was called "Swearing Tom" before he 
 heard it, and "Praying Tom" ever after. Turning 
 
 round, I saw John H had followed me, and was 
 
 listening earnestly. 
 
 "I'll come now to that 'ere reading you spoke of. 
 Where is it ? " 
 
 "And so will I," said the other, a ruddy, fresh-faced 
 youtL " I 'm Henry, elder brother to he." 
 
 They came, and attended regularly from that day. 
 
14 
 
 MAKING FEIENDS. 
 
 Soon afterwards, I carried the Httle Testament to 
 John's lodgings ; lie was not at home. A man and a 
 boy sat on the door stone, and answered by mono- 
 syllables. Presently some street music was heard, and 
 a party of young men rushed down a by-lane, dancing 
 
 to the measure, with John H at their head. 
 
 "Holloa, John," shouted the boy from the door- 
 stone, ''yere's our lady." 
 
 John came back, and eagerly seized his Testament ; 
 then sitting down on the door-step, twirled it round 
 between his finger and thumb. 
 
 " Now, ain't it a rare beauty ? I '11 cover it witJi a 
 slice ofi*my best red choker?" 
 
 The first time that many of the navvies came 
 to the school-room service, was when my father lec- 
 tured—the evening after his seventy-eighth birth- 
 day. I went about the village inviting our new 
 friends, and found between thirty and forty who were 
 really pleased to come. John brought some friends 
 
 •ill" •*-i*^o 
 
 with Mm. 
 
 On leaving Beckenham for a few days, I wrote 
 notes in printing characters to several of these men 
 to request them to attend the house of God regularly' 
 Upwaj-ds of thirty responded to the appeal, on the 
 next Sunday morning, filling the middle aisle in 
 their clean stiff white slops. News of this was 
 sent to me ; so I wrote letters to thank them, and to 
 mention, that on the following Thursday evenin.r a 
 
 \ 
 
 MAKING FRIENDS. 
 
 15 
 
 i 
 
 missionary meeting would be held in the school-room. 
 More than forty came. After it was over, I asked 
 John H if he had received my letter ? 
 
 " A letter for me ! — all the way from where you 
 went!" And he shouted for joy. "Well, the post- 
 man did bring one, and I said, ' T ain't for me. No- 
 body cares to write to me ; so I sent it back. But 
 I '11 go and pull the post-office about their ears if they 
 don't give it me back again." 
 
 A few days later, I met John with a noisy, singing 
 party of young men. On the next Thursday evening, 
 when I spoke to him, whilct the school-room bell 
 was ringing for the lecture, he looked very much 
 ashamed, and said in a low tone, " You ain't agoing 
 to ask me to come to the lecture after the way you 
 heard me shouting the other evening? I had been to 
 the'pubHc.'" 
 
 " I was sure of it, John. But still, I want you to 
 come this eveninor." 
 
 " No, never again.'* 
 
 '* Why not?" 
 
 " Because it don't do to live two lives" 
 
 " I know it, John ; and that 's the reason I want you 
 to come to-night, and to begin all over again. The 
 Saviour of the world invites you to come and be 
 pardoned. Come and hear about Him now. Don't 
 put it off. You may never have another Thursday 
 
 evenmg. 
 
 Il 
 
16 
 
 MAKING FEIENDa 
 
 * 
 
 " 111 come, then. And I '11 brines six '" 
 True to his word, he came, marshaUing six comrades 
 with a leader's pride. From that time, he regularly 
 attended the services and reading^?. 
 
 Soon after this, it occurred to us that it would be 
 a pleasant little plan to have a tea-party for our new 
 friends, who, from their wandering life, seem so much 
 cut off from innocent social enjoyments. We also 
 felt it would be an expression of approbation of their 
 attendance upon pubHc worship, and at school-room 
 and cottage-readings. As it was the height of sum- 
 mer, the late hour at which they returned from their 
 work was no hindrance to their accepting invitations 
 to a tea-party, which were duly sent to each man, 
 and were received with a kind of subdued excite- 
 ment. Orders were given for shirts and smockfrocks 
 (technically termed "slops") to be washed and starch- 
 ed with double care, and a large supply of soap was 
 bought up for the occasion. 
 
 The school-room was decorated with festoons of 
 flowers, and a button-hole bouquet of geranium and 
 jessamine was tied up with blue ribbon, and laid upon 
 each plate. 
 
 Long afterwards, I saw some of these flowers care- 
 fully preserved in books 1 
 
 Whilst we were arranging these important matters, 
 
 with no smaU joy we saw William G 's calm' 
 
 liappy face at the gate. A letter from one of hii 
 
 I 
 
 MAKING FEIENDS. 
 
 17 
 
 friends had advised him of the coming event and 
 he had returned from Windsor to take his seat at the 
 tea-table. 
 
 To a minute, at the appointed time, our friends 
 arrived ; each man looking as clean as a baby on 
 Its christening day. Faces and hands had been 
 scrubbed till they shone again. They quietly and 
 quickly seated themselves ; and no gentlemen in the 
 United Kingdom could have conducted themselves 
 more admirably. 
 
 There was no constraint of manner ; on the contraiy 
 perfect ease. There was no loud talking, but many 
 a cheerful remark. Not an expression was used which 
 we could have wished had been otherwise ; but the 
 frank and hearty enjoyment of the evening was de- 
 lighful to see. 
 
 Some good pictures, and a missionary transparency 
 were shewn them; and "God Save the Queen "was 
 sung early in the evening Towards its close my 
 father addressed them ; and concluded with prayer, 
 and the hymn, beginning — 
 
 " Come, let us join oar cheerful songs. 
 With angels round the throne," 
 
 in which they aU joined with great zest. 
 
 As the clock struck ten, the chief speaker amongst 
 them, after a short conference with the leaders of the 
 party, said, "We have taken up a great deaJ of the 
 ladies' time, and had better go now." Several said. 
 
 B 
 
18 
 
 MAKING FEIENDS. 
 
 MAKING FRIENDS. 
 
 19 
 
 as they went out, "Never spent a happier ftvening 
 — never, nohow ! " 
 
 As they walked through the village, it was ar- 
 ranged, by universal consent, that not one should be 
 absent from the school-room lecture the ensuing even- 
 ing. " It would look so ! as if they only came for tea 
 and cake." 
 
 William G was " set on" again at the Crystal 
 
 Palace work the next day, and returned to his former 
 lodging in the village, to our true content. 
 
 On Saturday evening, August 13th, William M 
 
 came " to speak about his difficulties," he said, "if it 
 was not giving too much trouble." 
 
 " My mate and I were working in a pit ; and, says 
 he, 'I wonder. Bill, whether it is true what they say 
 of heaven being so happy — whether, now, it can be hap- 
 pier than sitting in the public, over a good jug of ale, 
 with a fiddle gomg ? I don't know a pleasm-e as comes 
 up to that.' " 
 
 I thought of their homeless lives, and wishing to 
 sympathise as far as I could, said, " Well, I dare say 
 you do find a pleasure in it." 
 
 " A pleasure t " he inten-upted me to exclaim, "you 
 can't think the pleasure of it ! " with an earnestness 
 that was truly afiecting, as the thought arose, "Is 
 this the highest pleasure within the grasp of these 
 noble fellows ? " 
 
 " But that pleasure must pass away, William, and 
 
 I 
 
 you must die. Would that pleasure help you to ' die 
 happy,' and to live in happiness beyond death ? " 
 
 " No ! If you come to that, I Ve seen the two ways 
 of dying. I had an uncle. You couldn't come into his 
 room for horrors when hewas dying— saw terrible things. 
 And I had a grandfather— he loved liis Bible— died 
 a most too full of peace. Couldn't speak for joy, like." 
 
 " And which way of dying are you bound for Wil- 
 liam ? " 
 
 "Well" (with a navv/s usual slow enunciation 
 and pauses in the course of giving utterance to any 
 reHgious sentiment), " I think— I 'd rather— set ofi"— 
 to live so as to die like grandfather." 
 
 This same William M came up to the Eectory 
 
 the night before the tea-party, to say that seven men 
 who had not sent in their names, so as to receive notes 
 of invitation, were waiting outside the gate, " too shy 
 to come in." 
 
 I went out to speak to the shy seven, and as they 
 received their notes, WHliam said, " It wiU be so 
 pleasant to us to talk of the tea-party when we meet 
 one another by chance hundreds of miles away." 
 
 On Sunday night, after the services of the day were 
 over, they assembled on the Eectory lawn to take 
 leave of us, before we left home for some weeks, and 
 to receive prayer-books, as an encouragement to con- 
 tinue attending Divine service, and to assist them in 
 attention and devotion. 
 
20 
 
 MAKING FEEENDS. 
 
 When each man stepped up to the hall door, to 
 have his name written in his book, after having 
 listened to farewell words, there were not many dry 
 eyes; and we parted with a solemn impression that 
 we should never meet all together again in this world. 
 
 The next day a fearful accident befel a large num- 
 ber of the Crystal Palace workmen. A scaffolding 
 gave way, and in its fall crushed out the strong young 
 life from somj of those manly forms in a moment. 
 Without a warning, they passed into eternity. 
 
 Oh ! were they eeady ? Or was even their last 
 breath a cry for mercy to Him whose ear is ever open, 
 and who stipulates not for time nor for repetition 
 when He says, " Whosoever shall call upon the name 
 of the Lord shall be saved,'' 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CDufirinatimt ani |irst Cfiiimmim 
 
 " A sacred burden is the life ye bear; 
 Look on it, lift it, bear it solemnly; 
 Stand up and walk beneath it steadfastly; 
 Fail not for sorrow, falter not for sin; 
 But onward, upward, till the goal ye win. 
 God guard ye, and God guide ye on your way. 
 Young pilgrim-warriors who set forth to-day." 
 
 f 
 

 It was a great relief to hear that none of the men 
 whom we had known best, had suffered from the fatal 
 accident of the loth of August. 
 
 During the time of our absence, in Ireland, the 
 navvies continued to attend the school-room lectures 
 in large numbers ; and some came, for the sake of fur- 
 ther instruction, to Mr Chalmers' and his curate's cate- 
 chetical lectures to the candidates for confirmation. 
 Five navvies persevered in their wish to be confirmed.* 
 One of these young men, named James Hewson, was 
 only able to remain in Beckenham for about three 
 weeks after his confirmation, as just at that time 
 fewer workmen were required in the Crystal Palace 
 grounds. His manner of devout attention at church 
 and at the cottage readings, and his earnest desire to 
 find work anywhere in the neighbourhood, so as to 
 enable him to remain in Beckenham, interested me 
 not a little. After all his efforts to find work within 
 daily walking distance had failed, he called to say 
 
 * The Archbishop of Canterbury, who confirmed them, afterwards 
 expressed both interest and satisfaction in their solemn and devout 
 manner, as they knelt, alone, the last of the candidates to receive 
 the rite. 
 
24 
 
 CONFIRMATION AND FIRST COMMUNION. 
 
 good-bye. He was very young and sailor-like in his 
 appearance, with an open, true face, and broad, strong 
 shoulders. As he stood in the doorway of my sitting- 
 room, after a parting prayer, with a choking voice he 
 said, "You Ve been a mother to me. As long as I 
 live I shall never forget you. And God grant I may 
 practise what you Ve taught me." 
 
 Shortly afterwards the following letter was re- 
 ceived :— 
 
 "November 11, 1853. 
 
 "Dear Madam,— I now take the pleasure of 
 writing to you. I do hope you are in good health, 
 as it leaves me at this time, thank God for it. I 
 often wish I had stopped at Beckenham. I went to 
 Birmingham to work, but did not like to stop there, 
 for there was nothing to do me any good. It was a 
 wild and drunken set about me. It did not suit me 
 at all. I want to be somewhere where it is more 
 still, so that I can do what is right in living for God. 
 
 " I always think of the words and good advice you 
 gave me when I left. It never leaves me. I am 
 sorry to say that I have been far from being right, 
 but I hope that the Lord will help me, and give me 
 a new heart, and teach me to do better than I have 
 done before. I want to be nearer and dearer to Him 
 who gave Himself for me. Your prayers, I believe, 
 has reached me, I feel such a pressure on me. 
 
 *' I hope the Lord will have mercy on me, a poor 
 
 
 CONFIRMATION AND FIRST COJVIMTJNION. 25 
 
 sinner, and bring me in the right way for heaven. 
 Oh that I may never turn away from Him no more, 
 but ever live to Him who sent His only-begotten Son 
 to die for me, and all to redeem us from sin. 
 
 "May He watch and keep a guard over us, and 
 bring us all to heaven, to sit at His right hand, for 
 the Redeemer's sake. Lord, do thou help us, and 
 bring us to thy heavenly throne of grace ! 
 
 " From Birmingham I went to Liverpool, but there 
 was very little work there, and a great many hands 
 oiit of employ, so I came into Staffordshire, to my 
 brothers. I think, if I stop about here, of working in 
 a coal-pit, near to my brothers. If there was plenty 
 of work at the Crystal Palace, I would come to Beck- 
 enham again. I long to be near you again.— I remain 
 your humble scholar, James Hewson." 
 
 Then came another letter, written in great distress 
 at having received no reply. He had forgotten to 
 give me any address. Before I could obtain it by 
 inquiring amongst his friends, he had sailed for 
 America. 
 
 One more letter has been received from him, en- 
 treating some advice for his soul, which he said was 
 in great danger. But as "Kansas Territory" was its 
 only date, I have little hope that my answer ever 
 reached him. It is painful to be unable to assure 
 him that his manly, grateful young spirit has never 
 
26 
 
 CONFIEMATION AND FIRST COMMUNION. 
 
 been forgotten, and that his name is remembered in 
 prayer to this day, that he may "be faithful unto 
 death,'' and " receive a crown of life." 
 
 It may be that we shall meet next in the presence of 
 Him who has said, "If ye shall ask anything in my 
 name, I will do it." " And this is the confidence that 
 we have in him, that if we ask anything according to 
 his will, he heareth us." * 
 
 William G had been confirmed in his boyhood ; 
 
 and as his life was bearing testimony to the reality of 
 the change in him, it was pressed upon him that he 
 should come and partake of the Lord's Supper, with his 
 five mates, on the Sunday following the confirmation. 
 
 A book had been lent him, named " Thoughts on 
 the Lord's Supper," by Thomas Doolittle. It had 
 been diligently studied; and William's quiet, con- 
 sistent walk and conversation was remarked by all 
 his companions. 
 
 On the previous Saturday night, he called to see me. 
 " I have given up coming to the Lord's Table." His 
 countenance was sad as he spoke. 
 
 * If this book should fall into the hands of any relative or friend 
 of James Hewson, the writer would be greatly obliged for any in- 
 formation concerning him. 
 
 « 
 
 me. 
 
 CONFIEMATION AND FIEST COM]\nJNION. 27 
 
 Oh, WiUiam, this is a grievous disappointment to 
 
 "I knew it would be. And it is worse to me 
 Beckenham has been, I believe, my birthplace for 
 heaven. So here I would have liked, of all places to 
 come for the first time for the Lord's Supper. But 
 you see, I live in the world, and there is a tempting 
 devil, and I have an evil heart. And if I make a slip 
 after that, they'll say, 'There goes your Sacrament 
 man.' And it will bring a shame on the name of my 
 Lord. And that I could not bear." 
 
 All this was spoken, as is usual with WiUiam, slowly 
 and reverently. 
 
 "Well, dear friend, I too live in the world, and have 
 an e^il heart, and there is a tempting devil for me. 
 But just for aU this, I find the deeper need of obedience' 
 to my Lord's last command, 'Do this in remembrance 
 of me.' My feeble faith needs the strengthening ; my 
 shallow humiHty, the deepening; my cold love,' the 
 warrning, which I find by the Holy Spirit's blessing 
 upon the sacrament of our Lord's Supper. Never does 
 sin seem so hateful to me as when I receive the remem- 
 brancers of the death it cost Him." 
 
 He listened with fast filling eyes. 
 
 "Your faith does not waver, does it, William ? You 
 believe in God as your Father?" 
 
 *'Yes." 
 
 *'In Jesus Christ as your Saviour?" 
 
 
28 COKFIEIVIATION AND FIEST COMMUNION. 
 
 <( 
 
 Yes." 
 
 I 
 
 "And in the Holy Spirit, as God wiUing to dwell 
 with man?" 
 
 "Yes; and I have asked Him to dwell with me. 
 And what's more. He has come. Only I want more of 
 Him." 
 
 I then led him to Mr Chalmers' study, and asked 
 him to converse with William about his present doubt 
 and difficulty. Mr Chalmers said, "William, can 
 you tell me to whom our Lord administered Hi's last 
 Supper ? " 
 
 "To His twelve apostles, sir." 
 " And what did Peter do, within a few hours later ? "^ 
 " Denied Him, with oaths and curses." 
 " Did our Lord foreknow this ? " 
 "Yes, sir; He must." 
 
 " Then, why did He aUow him to partake of it ? " 
 After a few moments^ thought, - 1 suppose, sir. He 
 knew that lie had grace enough left to bring him back 
 again, and set it all straight." 
 
 "Right, William. And has He not restoring grace, 
 and preserving grace, too, enough for you ? " 
 
 " Thank you, sir ; I see. I beHeve. I am satisfied. 
 By God's help, I shall come." 
 
 He came. And it was a thing to thank God for, to 
 see his serenely peaceful face as he left the housJ of 
 God, after his first communion. 
 J^rom that time, aU who were much with him. 
 
 CONFIRMATION AND FIEST COMMUNION. 29 
 
 "took knowledge of him that he had been with 
 Jesus." 
 
 Soon after that Sacrament Sunday, William went 
 to Deptford to work at the docks. But the first Sun- 
 day in every month was spent in Beckenham. The 
 two services in the church, and the Sacrament, seemed 
 to be a deep and sacred delight to him ; and he never 
 returned at night until after meeting for prayer and 
 reading the Bible at the cottage, which, he said, 
 always seemed - like his cradle in the new life 1" 
 
 On the first Sunday, he dined mth the servants at 
 the Rectory ; but afterwards ate his own dinner on a 
 stile in one of the meadows. On being pressed to say 
 ^v^hy he would not come in to dine every Sunday when 
 he had walked over to Beckenham, he replied, " Why. 
 you see, ma'am, the world talks -1 And if they said' 
 'Here's your Sacrament man coming for his good 
 diimer ! ' don 't you see the harm it would do to the 
 Kame by which I am called ?" 
 
 One evening he visited with me a man with whom 
 he had worked at the Crystal Palace grounds ; and 
 finding he was in distress, slipped back, unperceived by 
 me, to put a sovereign quietly into his hand. 
 
 This must have been an effort of faith, as well as a 
 mark of generosity and kindness ; for he believed he 
 had then just discovered the loss of thirty shillings, 
 and did not remember that he had left them in 
 the pocket of his working clothes, until after his 
 
so 
 
 CONFIEMATION AND FIEST COMMUNION. 
 
 r^ 
 
 return to Deptford. This he mentioned to me when I 
 
 told him that James W wished to return part 
 
 of the money, and inquired whether he really could 
 afford so large a sum. " Oh, fairly, thank you, ma'am, 
 and find myself thirty shillings richer than I thouo-ht I 
 was." 
 
 A day or two afterwards I received the followint^ 
 letter : — 
 
 "January 6, 1851 
 
 "Deae Madam, — I now take the liberty to write 
 these few lines to you. I received your letter with 
 great pleasure, and thank you for it. I am afraid I 
 am giving you a deal of trouble. The tract you sent 
 in your letter is a very instructive and pretty one. 
 I can only recompense your kindness to me by my 
 prayers, that your own intercourse with God may be 
 abundantly blessed to you and to all with whom you 
 
 speak. I saw Jacob K last Sunday, and I had 
 
 a little talk with him, but I think he seems quite 
 altered ; he would not come to any point, but appeared 
 to want to talk of different trifling things, so that I 
 cannot ^yq you any satisfactory account; but we 
 must pray for liim, and hope that he thinks more 
 than he appears to do. I often think of those words 
 that the Lord said to Elijah, when Elijah complained 
 of being the only prophet left of the Lord : • Yet,^ He 
 said, ' have I prepared me seven thousand in Israel' 
 I think this should give us great encouragement: 
 
 pp. 
 
 CONFIEMATION AND FIRST COMMTNION. 
 
 31 
 
 though he may seem careless, let us not give up pray- 
 ing that little prayer of yours — Till him with the 
 Holy Ghost.' 
 
 "I felt much last Sunday morning under Mr 
 Chalmers' sermon. I think he was in great earnest. 
 Let us pray it may make others in great earnest about 
 their souls. 
 
 " Dear Madam, the three half-sovereigns I found all 
 right ; I had left them in other trousers pockets, for- 
 getting to take them out. Your letter stated I must 
 send you word wliich of the Beckenham lodgers I 
 should see, and you would send by him a purse for me. 
 I am much obliged to you, it is very kind of you ; but 
 as I shall come to Beckenham, if God will and nothing 
 turns out more than I expect, next Sacrament Sunday, 
 I will not trouble you to send it. So now I must con- 
 clude, dear friend. — Prom your affectionate son in the 
 Lord, WiLLiAJVi G , 
 
 " If I err in boldness, pray pardon me. 
 
 " I consider the Saviour saying to you as he did to 
 Peter, * Lovest thou me ? ' and may your heartfelt ex- 
 perience say, 'Lord, thou knowest all things; thou 
 knowest that I love thee.' " 
 
 Henry Hunns also, who had just been confirmed, 
 was deeply affected by his first communion. It was 
 

 CONFIEMATION AND FIRST COMiynTNION. 
 
 some weeks afterwards that lie said to me, "Them 
 tears that Sabbath day were pleasanter than tie best 
 smiles I ever had on." He was a much more de- 
 monstrative character than William, and had none of 
 his peculiar composure and self-possession. The warm 
 heart was in his glowing face and ready speech, and, 
 that day, in his fast-flowing tears. He seemed only 
 just able to clieclc a sob, under the remembrance of the 
 quiet solemnity of the service and the place. 
 
 During a few weeks' absence from Beckenham, he 
 wrote the followinix letter : — 
 
 "November IG 1853. 
 
 •*MADA^r.-~i received your Kind Letter and was 
 very glad for your kind advice and i tell you the truth 
 i am a tetotaler and by the Grace of God and health 
 and strength i shall continue my six weeks of it and i 
 hope by blesings of God i shall never drink the 
 same again as i have done for i have been very wicked 
 all my life and i hope and trust that the Saviour of 
 sinners will help me to fight manfully under Christs 
 banner agiiinst the world the flesh and the Devil 
 and above all let me say teach me to do thy will 
 Lord and keep thy commandments and may 
 the Saviour of simiers help me to do so for i have 
 been a Great friend of the devil for 20 years and i 
 am often sorrcy when I think about it but praised be 
 the liord he had compassion on me and spared my 
 
 CONFIEMATION AND FIRST COMMUNION. 
 
 83 
 
 f 
 
 H 
 
 Life from being in hell for i could not have expected 
 nothing else had he cut me down in my sins but 
 thank God their is a Saviour daily pleading for me 
 may i not Greive his holy Spirit but watch and pray 
 that i may not enter into temtation and in the hour of 
 temtation may the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 
 help me to Look up and say God be merciful to me a 
 sinner and teach me to be on my watch at the hour of 
 temtation for that very often is the time when Satan 
 lead me by the hand where he like to Get me in the 
 publick house and make a beast of MyseK but may 
 God help me by his Grace to say Get thee behind 
 me Satan for i have been thy servant two long already 
 Lord may I cling to the Crucified may his death be 
 life to me life for eternity so now kind friend i con- 
 clude with my best wishes to you and hope you will 
 enjoy a state of Good health as I have at present I 
 remain a tetotaler and by the Grace of God I shall 
 continue so. Heney Hunns." 
 
 During the winter, the attendance of the navvies at 
 church continued to be large and regular: and the 
 cottages, where "readings" were given, were thronged. 
 
 On the last day of 1853, the sergeant of the police, 
 stationed at Beckenham, called to return thanks for 
 the interest that had been taken in these noble fellows. 
 He said that his duty had never been so easy before 
 in Beckenham, for their example had restrained the 
 
 i 
 
34 
 
 CONFIEMATION AND FIEST C0M3IUNI0K. 
 
 wilder young men of the place, and had even shamed 
 a few into attendance at public worship. 
 
 So, we wrote at the close of our first year's inter- 
 course with the navvies — "Hitherto hath the Lord 
 helped us." 
 
 tt 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 f*m; 
 
 Tia a rich, rough gem-deny it who can. 
 The heart of a trae-born Englishman." 
 
 «' " I I WTurr 
 
On New Year's Day, 1854, when I was on my way to 
 
 visit James W , I met Heniy Hunns, and gave 
 
 him the Bible which had been promised him in re- 
 membrance of his first day of partaking of the Lord's 
 Supper. He told me that he "had felt more peace- 
 able-Hke" in his mind, since our conversation and 
 prayer the evening before ; and, with an expression of 
 deep and earnest feehng in his honest face, he added 
 that he "did so hope he should not be permitted tJ 
 fall away/' 
 
 Poor James W had been suffering severely dur- 
 ing the night, and was obliged to give up his cherished 
 liope of coming mth his "mates'' to the morning 
 service and sacrament. Two or three of his friends 
 were by his side, and had been uniting in prayer. I 
 took the opportunity of 'giving them their Bibles, 
 with which they were delighted ; and especiaQy with 
 the texts written in them on the subject of the sacra- 
 ment. 
 
 William G was in church, and remained for 
 
 the communion with Charles F , Edward G 
 
 ■ ■■llMhiiiifcillfaiinl Tn ■ 
 
S8 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 William C , and Henry Hiiims. They were all 
 
 very serious and earnest in their deportment, and 
 seemed to realise the solemnity of the service in which 
 they had been engaged. 
 
 William G walked up with me in the evening 
 
 to the cottage reading. On our way, we called at Gib- 
 bons' lodging-house, to inquire why George P , bet- 
 ter knowTi amongst his companions as "tall George," 
 was jibsent from the last week's readings. He was 
 there, cap in hand, but unwilling to come. "Paoet 
 had been so rude to him of late— he'd as good as deter- 
 mined never to set foot inside his house again." 
 
 "Oh, George, then you mind more about Paget 
 
 than you do about me. I care for your soul, and 
 
 • want to ask you to-night to set out in earnest on the 
 
 road to heaven ; and it will vex me if you do not 
 
 come." 
 
 "Well, now! I care more for you, ma'am, than 
 for Paget, a thousand times. So, 111 not mind about 
 him being rude. I tliink 111 <ro " 
 
 Just before I had left the Eectoiy, a basket had 
 been brought me, famished with writing and work- 
 ing materials, and intended to carry Testaments and 
 
 tracts. A letter was inside it, from Isaac E , 
 
 Thomas Dibley, Thomas Paget, William M ' 
 
 Frederick E , and John D , begging my 
 
 acceptance of it, " to remind me of them when they 
 are many miles awny" I found Isaac, Frederick 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 39 
 
 and Paget, at Mrs Elliott's. They seemed deKghted 
 to see my pleasure in their gift ; and Isaac said, " They 
 hoped the books in that basket would do a power of 
 good to a many souls ; though it might be, the books 
 I had given them had not yet done them so much 
 good as they should, by this time." 
 
 After a pause, and re-examination of the contents 
 of the basket, Paget said, "I am sorry to say any- 
 thing to vex you ; but I'd best speak it out. If tall 
 George comes to-night to the reading, I shall order 
 him out." 
 
 "Oh, Paget, why so?" 
 
 " Because he said at the works, as I stole a medal 
 off your Christmas-tree, that last tea-party you gave 
 us." 
 
 " How very wrong of him ! But if I were you, I 
 would not take any notice ; even if he said that you 
 stole a hundred. No judge or jury, looking at your 
 honest face, could ever say anything but 'Not 
 Guilty!'" 
 
 Paget listened with a broad, hearty smile, which 
 grew into a short laugh of satisfaction; but Isaac 
 could not so easily pass over the affront offered to his 
 friend ; so he said, 
 
 " It is very kind of you to have such a good opinion 
 of us ; but it is not pleasant to be pointed at all over 
 the works, as him as stole a medal off the Ladies' 
 Christmas-tree." 
 
40 
 
 HONEST HEAETS. 
 
 "No," added Paget, stoutly; "I'll order George 
 out/' 
 
 "Oh no, Paget! you will not, I am sure. You 
 lend me your room for a church ! Now, if anybody 
 were to say, Mr Chalmers was a thief, he would not 
 order that man out of church, but would let him 
 stay to learn not to bear false witness against his 
 neighbour." 
 
 " WeU, I see ! Tliat 's very good. Tall George may 
 stay." 
 
 George, however, was invisible, having taken his 
 place in the inner room. After the little congregation 
 had dispersed, I asked Paget whether he did not 
 think a Sunday and a New Year s Day in one, would 
 be a dehghtful day for making up a quarrel ; and 
 therefore whether he would forgive George, if he 
 should come and tell him he felt sorry for what he 
 had said ? 
 
 " Well, it would be a goodish thing, I think." 
 
 On the strength of this I walked back to George's 
 
 lodging, with William G , who was waiting with 
 
 my lantern in his hand, to see me safe within the 
 Piectory gate before he returned to Deptford. 
 
 "IVIay I not go back with you and George, 
 ma'am ?" 
 
 "No, thank you, William. It would make Paget 
 and George think I was afraid of a fight coming on, 
 and wanted you to take care of me. That would 
 
 HONEST HEAETS. 
 
 41 
 
 never do. It would be aU over with my hope of 
 making peace." 
 
 " That s true ! And God will go with you." 
 
 George was at supper with four fellow-lodgers. He 
 came out of the house to speak to me -^standing 
 up like a church-tower, in his massive height and 
 strength. - George, I am sorry about this" matter 
 between you and Paget." 
 
 "Well, I daresay you are; but I am not. What 
 business had he to say that I di^ank ten cups of tea, 
 and ate seven bits of cake at your tea-meeting ?" 
 
 " Indeed, that was bad manners, George ; and I am 
 surprised to hear it of Paget. But if l\ad been you, 
 I would have answered, if I had eaten a dozen sHces 
 of cake, and drank twenty cups of tea, she would 
 only have been the better pleased." 
 
 " Well ! that would have been a good 'un ! I wish 
 I'd thought on V 
 
 " So do I. But if you did not think of a ready 
 answer, you had no right to say that Paget stole a 
 medal. He never said that you stole the seven bits of 
 cake." 
 
 "I didn't say he stole it. I said, I seed two 
 medals in his hand, and never seed him put down 
 neither.'' 
 
 " Oh ! George, that was almost worse. It was so 
 mean. I could not have thought it of you. And 
 then the next person said he had stolen it>— and so 
 
42 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 ! 
 
 (( 
 
 u 
 
 the story went round. How sorry you ought to have 
 felt when you heard it." 
 
 No, I wasn't ; I was very glad." 
 That was very wrong. But you are growing sorry 
 now ? Come with me and tell him so." 
 "No, 1 can't — no, never." 
 " Then I shall go home sorry." 
 After a short pause, and with a strong effort, he 
 rejoined, "No, no, you shan't do that, for my doino-s. 
 Ill go to Paget." 
 
 Wlicn we reached the cottage door, I knocked 
 quiclvly, for George looked half-disposed to walk 
 away again. Paget opened it, and I said, " George 
 is come to say he is sorry," and trusted that Paglt 
 would at once shake hands with him, and so that 
 all would be right between them. Paget, however, 
 wished to speak liis mind before he gave his hand; 
 and then there came such loud speaking of mutual 
 reproaches, that I feared a fight would° follow, and 
 began bitterly to repent my folly and temerity in 
 bringing the combatants together. Fists were raised 
 and shaken so near each other's faces, that I thought 
 best to glide between, and warn the disputants'" to 
 stand further off as they spoke. The clamour grew 
 louder and louder, until a pause for breath gave'' me 
 opportunity for speech. Then I said, " Oh ! Paget, 
 Oh 1 George, this is terrible. On New Year's night,' 
 on Simday night, and under the roof where half^'an 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 43 
 
 i 
 
 hour ago we were worshipping God, to have such 
 a^gry words said ! It will not do. It is very sinful 
 We must have no more. Let us kneel down and pray 
 that the God of peace and love would prove Himself 
 here, to be stronger than the father of sti-ife and hatred 
 that is the devil." 
 
 At first I knelt alone, but soon heard the two men 
 suddenly fall on their knees ; and when we rose up the 
 tears were rolling down Paget's cheeks. "I'll never 
 say another word about it, after that prayer," he said 
 " I 'II forgive him from my heart, out." 
 
 George, however, stood with his hand on the latch 
 and said, "No, no! Ill never cross my hand on a 
 man s as says he 11 put me in the lock-up for a word 
 I never seed the inside of a gaol in my life, and now to 
 be put in for a few careless words !" 
 
 " George, how can you be so siUy ? Paget has 
 just said he wiU forgive you from his heart. He"" would 
 never dream, now, of getting you into prison. You 
 knoia he would not. You have both been hot, and have 
 spoken sinful words ; but both are soriy for them I 
 am not going home untH I have seen you friends bv 
 God's help." ' ^ 
 
 He stood irresolute, but sullen. 
 
 "Give me your hand." 
 
 "That I will." 
 
 "And now, Paget, give me yours." 
 
 Two huge, rough hands met in mine, and then. 
 
^4, 
 
 HONEST HEAETS. 
 
 independently, shook each other as heartily as if the 
 men had been friends from the cradle, and would be to 
 the grave. 
 
 "Thank God! It is all right now. Good nioht, 
 Paget ; you have behaved like a king. God bless you/' 
 As we went back, George confessed that " his heart 
 felt more lightsome like/' and there was a choking 
 sound about his voice as he said, "God bless yoii^ 
 ma'am," at parting. 
 
 Faithful William G was waiting for me, a few 
 
 doors further on. I told him how sorry I was that he 
 should have waited so long a time, and asked liim wliy 
 he had not gone back to Deptford at once, as I had 
 begged he would. 
 
 '' Why, ma'am, you see w^e arc a rough lot before we 
 get the grace of God in us, and I was afraid you 
 might see a bit of figliting, and be frightened. Yet I 
 thought God would give you the power to make it all 
 
 straight." 
 
 "And so you stood here praying that He would, and 
 waited to hear that He had answered you." 
 
 "Yes, ma'am. I knew you were right to go alone, 
 and shew your trust in them. So all I could do was to' 
 pray, and I believe there 's nothing like it.'' 
 
 When we came to the Rectory gate, John Mynott 
 was standing by it. He had waited an hour for a fare- 
 well. "Blessed Beckenham!" he said; "I wish I 
 could spend all my days here." 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 45 
 
 I never saw him again. He was killed by the fnllino- 
 of some timber about a year afterwards. 
 
 On Monday evening, tlu-ee hundred villairers and 
 nawies assembled in the schoolroom, to see the dis- 
 solving views of scenes connected with the Jewish mis- 
 sions, for which my father had sent, to provide them 
 with an evening's amusement. The navvies' exclama- 
 tions of approbation were very cheerful to hear. I 
 
 took the opportunity of privately thanking John D , 
 
 William M , and Thomas Dibley for their share 
 
 in the gift of my basket ; and it was better than all 
 the dissolving views in the world, to see the sparkle of 
 their honest faces — one broad smile, as I held it up for 
 
 their admiration— and M said, "We are so pleased 
 
 you like it." 
 
 Another man said to me, in a low, confidential tone, 
 "You'll be glad to hear that when Paget and George 
 met this morning at the works, they shakes hands, and 
 speaks as friends each time they passes." 
 
 It was, indeed, a cause of thankfulness to God, that 
 He made the generous impulse of those two noble 
 natures a lasting principle. From that day they were 
 friends. 
 
 In the course of the same week, I heard that some 
 of the navvies were almost starving, the heavy snow 
 having prevented them from carrying on their work 
 smce Christmas Eve. I found great difficulty in mak- 
 
46 
 
 HONEST HEAETS. 
 
 inor tbem acknowledge their distress. Henry Hnnns 
 said, - Wliat 's the good of telling you ? you Ve done 
 too much already/' A soup ticket was sent to tall 
 George, amongst others. Meeting him afterwards, I 
 inquired if he had received it. ^' Yes, thank ye "—and 
 he wa^ passing on. " And did you get your soup ? '' 
 "No ma'am ; there was none left when I got to the 
 kitchen." " What food have you had to-day ?" "None.'' 
 " What had you yesterday ?" « Bits, BOl and Tol gave 
 me. I must have starved but for them." 
 
 I wrote an order for some beef-steak and a loaf for 
 him. A hearty "thank ye" foUowed; but weak to 
 the waxmth of his reply when I said, " George, I was 
 so much pleased to hear that you and Paget met a^rain 
 as friends on Monday. I was praying that you might, 
 as I awoke on Monday morning ; and above and be- 
 yond aU, that you might be friends with your God and 
 Saviour. That is what I lono- for " 
 
 "I know you do"— and the tears filled his eyes ; "I 
 know ye care for our souls." 
 
 On the following Sunday morning, Henry Hunns 
 met me, with his face more than usually bright. '' Well 
 Heniy, I hope you are going to have alioly, happy 
 Sunday." 
 
 " I hope I am. I think I went the right way to 
 work for it, please God. I began it comfortable."' 
 " How did you begin it ?" 
 "I got up at a quarter past five, and came down 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 47 
 
 It 
 
 and sat by the candle to read my new Bible, and <.ot 
 a good long bit alone with my God. and felt peaceable- 
 like." 
 
 The distress amongst the Eailway men continued 
 through the week, and rather increased, althou<.h a 
 change in the weather had enabled them to resume 
 their work. But the wages were not due until Satur- 
 day afternoon, and at very few of the shops could any- 
 thmg be obtained on trust by comparative strangers 
 I had understood that the wages would be paid daily 
 for a few days, in consequence of the distress from 
 the long frost. But on calling at Gibbons' lod^in^- 
 house, I found that George had gone to bed suppwleL 
 the night before, and to work without a breakfast ; so 
 we had a grand soup-making immediately arranged 
 for the whole set of unfed workers during the remain- 
 der of that week, by means of the kind help of the Mr 
 Wilkinsons ; with additional meals supplied for those 
 who had been prevented by illness or other accidents 
 from laying by anything for a time of need. They 
 seemed more than half-pained by having to accept it. 
 "It do seem so!" said Heniy Hunns, "to live on 
 gentlefolks in this way." 
 
 One cold dark evening, as I was walking down the 
 hill into the village, a man who was going in the 
 opposite direction, turned round, and walked in the 
 road on a line with my position in the path. Just 
 as I was going to cross to the other side, he said, 
 
11 
 
 48 
 
 HONEST HEAETS. 
 
 m 
 
 "Not there, ma'am ; you'll be up to your knees iu the 
 snow-drift." It was Henry Hunns, who knew my 
 step, and 'thought he had better take care of me. He 
 went with me to the sick people whom I was on my 
 way to vis]^ and then begged to be permitted to carry 
 a lantern tc light me back to the Eectory. He was 
 walking sih c-tly up the hill, when suddenly his thoughts 
 burst forth :n the exclamation, " It 's the happiest life 
 for a man U live — to live for God— even if there were 
 no heaven." 
 
 Thus had this young reckless one, by the teaeliino- 
 of the Holy Spirit, leaded to say. with David, " I had 
 rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than 
 to dwell in the tents of wickedness." 
 
 From the day when the treaty of peace was con- 
 cluded between Paget and taU George, I had noticed 
 an increased earnestness in Paget's manner at the read- 
 ings. One evening he came to the Rectory to tell me 
 of the cure of his rheumatism which Mr Williams' 
 remedies had effected. After duly discussing this sub- 
 ject, we went on to other matters ; and, whilst speak- 
 ing earnestly to him, I saw his head sink down so low 
 behind the hat he held in Ids hand, that I fancied he 
 had fallen asleep. But when at last he raised it, I 
 could see why he had hidden it, and had not answered 
 two or three questions as to his faith in the Saviour's 
 love to his soul, and the response in his own heart. 
 Mis face was wet with tears. 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 49 
 
 A few days after this, Mary E told me that 
 
 another man, who was slightly intoxicated, had wo; 
 ternbly at Paget; but that Paget had held his pH 
 
 aTdrif ^^^^.t ^^^™^^' "^ -'t swear no:; 
 and It makes me sick to hear it." 
 
 During the dangerous illness of my beloved sister 
 
 fd tir^J °' '1 "^"^^^ ^" '-^'-'y ^^1^-- 
 
 a kmd of deputatxon, every evening, to inquire about 
 
 u. J/f r' f P''""" •^°"''^^'^'"= ^'''' ^^^- I was 
 unable to leave her room. One day I had a visit from 
 
 a young man, named Edward G— , whom my sister 
 had met at some distance from Beckenham, wanderin. 
 -he knew not whither, with two fingers of his ri^l^t 
 hand crushed and whom she had brought back, to pro- 
 vide hxm wuh board and lodging until he was able to 
 go to work again. I told him that I had felt rather 
 suq^nsed that he had not sooner been amongst those 
 who came personally to inquire after her. Tears start- 
 ea to nis eyes. 
 
 " It wasn't that I didn't mind. I waited and watched 
 or them as came, to ask how she were; but I didn't 
 hke to come to the house. I have been going on 
 pretty middling badly of hte, tiU just lately." 
 " What made you change just lately ? " 
 
 , 'lyL^^ """ ^^' '° ^' Soing on so, whilst she 
 lay III There was wonderful feeling in his voice and 
 eyes as he said it 
 
m 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 *' What is your besetting snare, Edward ? " 
 "Evil companions, and going along with them. 
 You see I 'm lively ; and when they come alongside of 
 me and jeer, I jeer back ; and my spirits carry me 
 oiV 
 
 " But Henry Hunns is lively enough, isn't he ? And 
 yet he is trying to live like a Christian." 
 
 " Henry Hunns is quiet-lively now. I a most think 
 I like it better. He 's a changed man. I think I '11 go 
 along with him more than I have done." 
 
 Two or three weeks afterwards, a lecture on che- 
 mistry, with entertaining expeiiments, was delivered 
 in the schoolroom. 1 gave Edward a shilling to pay 
 for tickets for himself and Henry Hunns. He could 
 not find Henry in time for the lecture, so he made use 
 of the second sixpence for tobacco — having no money 
 of his own till the week's wages were due. Meanwhile, 
 I had met Heniy, and fearing that he might be too 
 late, had given him another ticket. Two or three days 
 afterwards, when Heniy inquired what had become 
 of the sixpence, Edward told him he should settle 
 about it with me. Accorduigiy, one evening in the 
 following week, he came to the Eectory to speak to 
 me about it. I said, "I should have been better 
 pleased, Edward, if you had asked my leave to borrow 
 it. You know how gladly I would have lent or 
 given it to you." 
 
 "Yes, I do; and that's what makes me sorrv 
 
 i 
 
 HONEST HEARTS. 
 
 51 
 
 I spent it without your leave. But I meant to return 
 it." 
 
 "Still, to borrow without leave is first cousin to 
 stealing, is it not ? " 
 
 "Well, I think it's closer than that. But I've 
 brought it with me now. Here it is." 
 
 It went to my heart to have to take it ; yet I felt 
 that the lesson of rigid honesty must be taught. It 
 would have burnt a hole in my purse ; so I broui^ht 
 the Coimemara Orphan box, and told him about little 
 orphans being fed, clothed, and taught, for two pounds 
 a-year each ; and asked if he would like to have a 
 fortieth share of the pleasure of supporting one. He 
 smiled, and said, "Yes, indeed! but the sixpence is 
 not mine. I haven't a right to the pleasure of drop- 
 ping it in." 
 
 " But I give it you, to do as you like with it." He 
 then put it in, with cordial delight. 
 
 About the same time, I was much distressed to 
 hear that a young married man, of whom I had hoped 
 better things, had gone away in a state of intoxica- 
 tion. It was a subject of grief, and of prayer also, 
 at the cottage reading. A stout young navvy, 
 named Samuel Bush, said, "Don't you remember, 
 ma'am, when you first saw me, I was just like he. 
 
52 
 
 HONEST HEAETa 
 
 reading I thought I wasn't fit. but you persuaded 
 but only by praymg hard whenever I see a public " 
 
 nalv wf f ~~ "'' "'"^ °f t^'^ ^"■^n^er" tea- 
 
 party whom we had not seen since that time. He had 
 lea whilst we were in Ireland, to work as a briTklatr 
 
 TouZ'oTr '1 "*"" ^ '""^ -ighbourh::d r; 
 
 bZher W n /'" "^" '''^''- ^-- ^^ elder 
 brother, WilLam, he had heard that I had expressed 
 
 a wzsh to see him again, and walked over in cZe 
 
 TtT r: r"^'- ^^ ^^^ touched V heaZ 
 that he had been remembered by name, in pLer Tor 
 30 long a time; and as we rose from our is Z 
 
 ni'hf " . . """' *° *^^ ^^'^di^g to-morrow 
 night, said he at last, "let it be ever so TT 
 thought whpn T T„»^(. V, 1 . ^ -1 "ever 
 
 asked for al-i' ^'"^"^ ^'""^ '^'^ I should be 
 home . ' ^ "" '''''' ^°'' '*^ - cl^W from 
 The next evemno- WfiiinTr. n^u j x 
 
 ^ vxuas tree offer of salvation thrmicrh Tn. 
 Christ ; and toM him f J, * -r ^^rougH Jesus 
 
 it whn. r V ^* "^ ^ "^^^ ^'^ not close with 
 
 It when his heart was softener^ if ,^. i^ 
 
 than ever soon .f. 7 ' ''''^^ ^^^ ^^^^^r 
 au ever soon afterwards. He said wifi. • . 
 
 iJp^, " I desire to do so.'^ ^'^^''"^- 
 
 HONEST HEAETS. 
 
 oS 
 
 He seemed, as William G— used to express it, 
 
 m great earnest about his souL" He said he "had 
 
 been a pretty regular church-goer before he came to 
 
 Beckenham-but never had a pleasure in it before •> 
 
 me love my church and my Bible better, and under- 
 stand more about them both," 
 
 n 
 
 'i 
 
^» 
 
 'i 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ^1 
 
 ■^ Q^" -^ 
 
 The pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber, whose window 
 opened towards the sun-rising. The name of the chamber was 
 I eace; where he slept till break of day, and then he awoke and 
 
 SiUlg — 
 
 ' ^Vhere am I now ? Is this the love and care 
 Of Jesus, for the men that pilgrims are, 
 Thus to provide ! That I should be forgiven, 
 And dwell already the next door to heaven.*'' 
 
Early in the year 1854. one of the Crystal Palace 
 men, who lodged at Norwood, came to Beckenham 
 to ask for an hospital ticket, as he believed he had an 
 affection of the chest. We provided him with board 
 and lod^ging at one of the cottages for a week, that 
 he might have the kind and skilful medical attendance 
 of Mr Williams of Bromley. He was then sent to 
 one of the hospitals in London. Six weeks after- 
 wards, he called to say that he was well enough to 
 go to work again. He added that he had thought 
 a good deal, whilst in hospital, of what he had heard 
 at the readings he had attended during his short stay 
 in Beckenham, and had talked to the other men in his 
 ward about it, especially to one who was dying. This 
 man had aroused him, one night, by suddenly exclaim- 
 ing, "Oh! I am dying — I am dying — where am I 
 going?" 
 
 John N rose, and went to the side of the sick 
 
 man's bed, and asked, - Wliat is your hope, for getting 
 to heaven ?" 
 
 "Well, I have done no murder, nor wronged my 
 neighbour." 
 
58 
 
 HAPPY DYING 
 
 "But that is not enough," said John. "I used to 
 think so ; but just of late, I've learned different. IVe 
 got a bit of a printed letter to us Exhibition workmen, 
 which tells the whole story, and I '11 tell it to you. It 
 
 says, *I AM A LOST SINNER,— I HAVE A GRACIOUS 
 
 Saviour.' And a card of prayer which came with it 
 siiys, ' :My sins are very many, and only Christ's blood 
 can wash them away.' " * 
 
 The poor man begged him to repeat the whole of 
 the short prayer to him again and again, until he had 
 learned it. 
 
 *TO THE WORKMEN UF TUE CRYSTAL PALACE. 
 
 Fbiends and Neighbouiis,— -You are building a wonderful etlifice, 
 and we hope that it will be for the welfare, and not for the injury, 
 of the people of Great Britain. You have witnessed a fearful 
 accident Oh! let it lead you to two thoughts, 
 
 I AM A LOST SIXNER, — 
 I HAVE A GRACIOUS SAVIOUR; 
 
 And let every one of you lift up your hearts and say, — 
 
 LORD JESOS, SAVE ME,— 
 CrVE ME THY HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Let us beg of you to read the Word of God daily; and never let 
 a day pass in which you look at the Crystal Palace without praying 
 God to give you a "house not made with hands, eternal in the 
 heavens." 
 
 M- 
 C- 
 
 C- 
 31- 
 
 "i 
 
 Almighty God I pardon all my past sins; they are very many, 
 and only Christ's blood can wash them away. Turn me, by the 
 power of Thy Holy Spirit, from all my evil ways. Give m'e a new 
 heart, guide and direct me in the right way, and help me to live a 
 new and holy life. I ask these things in the name and for the sake 
 of Jesus Christ Amen. 
 
 IB I 
 
 HAPPY DYING. 
 
 59 
 
 Two or three times the next day he begged John to 
 
 read to him out of his New Testament ; and in the 
 
 night he died— repeating almost with his last breath, 
 
 " My sins are very many, and only Christ's blood can 
 
 . wash them away." 
 
 A stranger, named Heniy Eandall, called one day 
 to ask for an hospital ticket He said the ladies at the 
 Rectory had sent him a letter and a card of prayer ; 
 and so he thought he might come to them in his 
 trouble. He then shewed the printed letter and 
 prayer sent to each of the 3000 workmen at the 
 Crystal Palace, as his credentials. We sent him to 
 
 board at James W 's, whilst we waited for a 
 
 ticket from a subscriber to one of the London hospi- 
 tals. When it was all arranged, James brought him 
 to the Rectory to say good-bye. After giving him a 
 Testament and some little books and other small pre- 
 sents, with a few words of advice, I was parting with 
 him, when James stepped back and said, " I hope it 's 
 not a liberty, ma'am, but would you have a bit of a 
 prayer with him ? I don't much think you or I wiU 
 ever see him again alive." 
 
 It touched my heart to be kept up to my duty by a 
 navvy— six months before, a drunkard ! 
 
 A year afterwards, my sister and I received a letter 
 by post from a poor woman, requesting us to visit her 
 dying husband at Norwood. The signature and addi-ess 
 were indistinctly written, so that we had some difficulty 
 
I i' 
 
 60 
 
 HAPPY DYING. 
 
 in tracing them. When at last we entered their 
 cottage, it was Henry Randall who stretched out both 
 his emaciated hands, with the words, "Oh, I am so 
 happy ! I wanted to see you, to tell you that I am so 
 happy in Jesus Christ." 
 
 In the course of the visit, he told us that during the 
 time he was in the hospital, he had remembered the 
 words said to him as he left the Eectory, " You have 
 heard of a Saviour now ; tell the sick and dying around 
 you of that Saviour. Remember His own words, in 
 the last chapter in the Bible, * Let him that heareth 
 say, Come.'" At once he offered to read the Bible 
 every evening to the ward, which was willingly accepted. 
 He believed that God had blessed this reading of His 
 Word to two men who had died there. " Yet," he said, 
 " I had not found Christ when I asked them to come 
 to Him. I was only seeking Him. Now I have found 
 Him, and He is my own Saviour. He has washed 
 away my sins in His own blood. He has given me 
 life by His death. He has opened heaven to me. My 
 nights of pain and coughing used to seem so long ; now 
 they are too short for praising my Saviour, and enjoy- 
 ing His presence." 
 
 During two months of lingering sufferings, he con- 
 tinued *' rejoicing in hope," and then quietly fell asleep 
 in Jesus, " the life of them that believe, and the resur- 
 rection of the dead.'' 
 
 He was buried in the cemetery at Norwood ; and by 
 
 HAPPY DYING. 
 
 61 
 
 his dying request to his wife, the first letter he had 
 received, telling him of a Saviour's love, was buried 
 with him. He said he should like to awake up with it 
 in his hand at the morning of the Resurrection. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Footprints, that perhaps another, 
 Sailing o'er life's solemn main, 
 
 Some forlorn and shipwreck'd brothe; 
 Seeing, shall take heart ai?ain." 
 
 • 
 
•i i 
 
 ''4 
 
 ( 
 
 About this time I remarked that Thomas Dibley, a 
 navvy of about eight-ancl-twenty years of age, had 
 become regular in his attendance at church and at 
 the cottage readings ; and from his earnest comi- 
 tenance, it was easy to see that his heart was awaken- 
 ing to the solemn importance of beginning a new life. 
 
 Desirous of knowing what was passing in his 
 mind, I asked him to carry my lantern for me one 
 even in jT after a cottaoe readinoj. As he was walkinor 
 by my side, he suddenly exclaimed, " I thank God I 
 ever came here ! " 
 
 "Do you believe, Thomas, that God has really 
 changed your heart, and has given you His Holy 
 Spirit, so as to make you believe in your Saviour's love 
 to you, and to enable you to wish to love and to live to 
 llim wholly ?" 
 
 "I do believe He has changed me. I do beHeve 
 in the Lord Jesus Christ's willingness to save me, 
 and I wish to live to Him." He could not add 
 another word, and walked away from the Rectory 
 gate, without saying, "Good-night" — but ran back 
 
66 
 
 FEAES AND HOPES. 
 
 FEARS AND HOPES. 
 
 C7 
 
 before I had reached the house, to say, " God bless you, 
 ma'am." 
 
 The next evening, he came for an hour's earnest 
 conversation. He mentioned that the first serious 
 thought he had ever had about his eternal salvation 
 was when I had ventured to enter the supper-room of 
 a beer-shop in the village, to invite the lodgers to come 
 to an evening lecture of Mr Chalmers' in the school- 
 room, and to attend the services in church on Sunday. 
 A short prayer was then written in a Testament, and 
 given to him; the words of which he pleaded that 
 night :— " GOD, WASH me feom all my sins in my 
 SAVIOUR'S blood, and I shall be whiter than 
 SNOW. Fill me with the HOLY GHOST, for 
 JESUS CHRIST'S sake. Amen." 
 
 From that time he continued to kneel down, night 
 and morning, to pray its brief words, and then he read 
 a few verses of his Testament. The next Sunday he 
 came to church, and afterwards attended the services 
 and the cottage readings regularly. 
 
 " In three weeks," he added, with a thankful smile, 
 "my little prayer had pulled me up so far that I could 
 not bear lodging at a beer-shop, nor to miss going to 
 the house of God twice of a Sunday. But now, I do 
 hope it is agoing to strike at my heart as well as my 
 life. I think it has. 1 think God is hearing my 
 prayer, and pardoning my sins, and making me msh 
 to belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and His people.'* 
 
 '( 
 
 I 
 
 He added that, before he had removed to a quiet cot- 
 tage, from the time he had begun to pray, the con- 
 versation he heard around him at supper-time had 
 become so painful to him, that he used to take his bit 
 of supper and eat it out of doors, and stay there until 
 it was time to go to bed. 
 
 I asked liim if he had not had a good mother ; for I 
 thought all this must be the answer to a pious mother's 
 prayers. He hid his face in his hands, and said, " She 
 was a tender-hearted woman, and taught me a prayer 
 when I was little, and sent me to school, Sundays and 
 week-days. She died four years ago, when I was four- 
 and- twenty. She was a good mother." 
 
 James W returned to his work in the month of 
 
 February, after a long illness, accompanied with much 
 suffering. At the close of his first day's work, he 
 looked so worn and faint, that I insisted on his restinir 
 a week or ten days longer, and, with the help of a 
 friend, enabled him to do so. He came to the Rectory 
 one morning for conversation. Seldom have I more 
 enjoyed half an hour's communion of spirit. He said 
 that, whilst he was laid by with great suffering in his 
 knee and leg, his soul was lifted up with joy in believ- 
 ing. " I felt that Christ was my own, and that we two 
 should never part — for he bought me with a price. 
 But now I have got back into life and the world again, 
 I feel so fainty-like in my body, as if I should go right 
 off, and it is nigh as bad with my souL I fear I may 
 
68 
 
 FEAES AND HOPEa 
 
 go riglit off from Jesus. I find my love to my good 
 Saviour is so little, it almost daunts me/' 
 
 " But would you give up that little for anything in 
 this world ? " 
 
 " Not to be a king I And oh, I do love Him dearly ! 
 
 only it is such pitiful love by the side of His great love 
 
 to me. Pray God give me better and more in my heart." 
 
 He thought he ought to go to his home (in a village 
 
 in Berkshire), if he did not get strong enough for work 
 
 goon. "Parish and old friends might do a little for 
 
 me. But I did so wish to live and die at Beckenham. 
 
 Anyhow, if the Lord would give me strength for a bit, 
 
 it would be a great tiling. I owe a debt or two ; and 
 
 now I am a Christian, I should not like to leave in 
 
 debt. I pray about it, and I believe the Lord will 
 
 raise me up for it.*' 
 
 Ten days afterwards, he was enabled to resume his 
 work. 
 
 Shortly after this conversation, James W called 
 
 again, ami seemed unwilling to communicate the object 
 of his visit. At length he said, he would be so very 
 sorry to vex me — did I think I could bear it? I asked 
 anxiously what he meant. 
 
 **Well; it's about Henry Hunns." 
 
 " If it is anything bad of him, I do not think I can 
 bear it, James. I have so rejoiced over him. But 
 you liad better tell me at once ; for I do not believe 
 there can be much to say against him." 
 
 FEAES AND HOPES. 
 
 69 
 
 
 " He bid me come and break it to you. He 's been 
 to a public-house." 
 
 "But he has not given way to drinking, has 
 
 "Not been insensible-like, but bad enough; and 
 yet it wasn't his fault, over and above going in at all. 
 Perliaps you don't know that he used to go^'veiy often 
 
 to a public house at , before he got changed ; and 
 
 the landlord of it said the other day he 'd make him 
 drunk, as sure as he was alive, because Henry had left 
 off drinking, and grown religious. So, as he passes by, 
 two young men stands there— one of them calls out] 
 ' Henry, treat us to a mug. You 're grown rather near 
 of late.' And you know, ma'am, to us navvies to be 
 called near is as bad as murder a most. So Henry 
 stops still. And then the landlord says, * I've a kind 
 of ale that 's very good, I 'd like you to taste it, Eed 
 Neck ' (that 's the name he goes by, because of that long 
 red comforter he always wears, cold and hot). So 
 landlord goes in and brings a mug, and Henry goes in 
 and tosses it oflP. And all in a minute he feels i^in his 
 liead, and knows landlord has drugged it to make him 
 drunk. And Henry said it was a judgment on Mm for 
 going into temptation again, and that he deserved the 
 trick and the disgrace it has brought. And he wanted 
 to come and tell you on it ; but he said he had not 
 cheek enough. So I said, she won't scold you, Heniy ; 
 'taint her way with us. And he said, ' No ; I 'm not 
 
70 
 
 FEARS AND HOPES. 
 
 FEAES AND HOPES. 
 
 71 
 
 afraid of that. But it s them two tears I can't abear. 
 They came in her eyes when I told her I had got drunk 
 when I was with the militia last autumn, and she told 
 me she was afeared of my falling away out of tlie right 
 path. And I said to myself, I 'd never make them tears 
 come a^raiiL But it will be worse now that I Ve fj-one 
 on straight so long, and received the sacrament, and 
 shall bring a scandal on it all now.' And it made the 
 poor boy so miserable, he couldn't go to his work." 
 
 I told James that I must see Henry, so that he had 
 better send him that evening. He came accordingly, 
 looking wretched — his eyes swollen with crying. " It's 
 a bad business," he said at once. " I had better not 
 think of going to the sacrament to-morrow ; but I did 
 so wish it;" and then came a fresh burst of tears. 
 After a few words of mine, he replied, " Yes, ye see, 
 that's just what I mind so bad It brings a disgrace 
 on the name of the blessed Saviour, now I'm caUed 
 after Him — a Christian." He stayed for the meeting 
 of those who intended to partake of the Lord's Supper 
 next day, and seemed fuU of heaviness. 
 
 On Sunday morning, he called again, before the 
 morning service ; and said, " I think He would forgive 
 me, and even let me come to His table to-day. But it 
 would do hurt to others' souls — so I won't do it. I '11 
 not go back to my dinner, though. I '11 walk about in 
 a quiet way after church, and read my Bible ; and T\ish 
 I was along of them that go up." 
 
 
 We shewed him the quiet shrubbery walk, where he 
 might take his Bible and read, undisturbed, for which 
 he was thankful ; and he seemed more composed after- 
 wards. On Monday evening, we had the 51st Psalm 
 at the cottage reading. I was disappointed by not see- 
 ing Henry there, at first ; but a few minutes afterwards, 
 the door opened with a peculiar suddenness, and some- 
 body came in with a kind of fling. I was sure it was 
 Henry, and that he was feeling very awkward and un- 
 happy about what had passed. After the concluding 
 prayer, I turned round, and saw that he had been stand- 
 ing the whole time (for the room was full), and that 
 tears were in his eyes. 
 
 On the next Saturday night, he came to the Rectory, 
 and told me he thought he should never be happy again. 
 *' Ye see the fellows have at me so, about it — and chaff 
 so about religion ; and what is worse, I feel away from 
 my God." 
 
 " Read the 51st Psalm to-night, on your knees, Heniy, 
 and turn it into prayer." 
 
 " I Ve done it every night since you read it on Mon- 
 day at the cottage ; but I '11 try it again. I won't give 
 np my hope, please God, without a pull for it." 
 
 On Sunday, he had his joyous face again ; only it 
 ,ras more seriously and humbly joyful in its expression 
 than before. He said he had spent nearly two hours 
 alone with his God and his Bible, before the other in- 
 habitants of the house where he lodges had awaked 
 
72 
 
 FEARS AND HOPES. 
 
 FEARS AND HOPES. 
 
 73 
 
 that morning. " And peace has come back to me," be 
 said ; " only with it a fear lest I should drive it away 
 again. So I have asked God to keep it for me." 
 
 I had heard a higli character in the village of young 
 
 Richard B , and had noticed his attention at the 
 
 cottage readings. When I remarked this to him, he 
 said he might well listen — those readings had made 
 him go to church and read his Bible, and try to live a 
 new life. I asked him if he had yet found peace in 
 believing that his sins were forgiven him, for the blessed 
 Saviour's name's sake ? He said, " I believe they are. 
 He 's so willing to do it, if we ask heartily." 
 
 I found he had laid by a considerable sum of money, 
 and yet had contrived to send a handsome present to 
 his parents. 
 
 Another young man, whom I met returning from 
 his work, early in the spring of that year, told me that 
 he had never entered a place of worship ! I could not 
 persuade him to go to church at first, but he came to a 
 " reading," and after it was over, said he should like to 
 come again, and bring his "mate," which he did regu- 
 larly from that time. 
 
 During the weeks that had elapsed from the peace 
 made between Paget and George, the latter had.. been 
 constant in his attendance at the readings. But one 
 
 I • 
 
 Sunday night, towards the end of February, he was 
 missing. I heard that he had gone to Croydon, and 
 had my fears as to the manner in which he would 
 spend his Sabbath evening there. On Monday evening, 
 I sent to his lodgings, to ask if he would like to come 
 to the Rectory, and to carry my lantern to the cottage. 
 As this was a little gratification much thought of 
 amongst these Idnd-hearted and truly courteous men, I 
 was surprised that he did not appear. On my way, I 
 called at the lodging-house. George did not look up 
 from the supper-table, where he was sitting, but said, 
 in a low voice, that he had not long come back. "Then," 
 said I, " you must not leave your supper to come to the 
 reading. Those who work ought to eat." 
 
 "I will come, though — it's better than supper ;" and 
 he rose up, with two others, to accompany me. 
 
 The next day, I called at the same house, to see a 
 sick child. The landlady said, " George was sadly put 
 about by your message, ma'am. He was led away to 
 drink a little too much when he went to spend Sunday 
 evening with his cousin at Croydon, and it troubled 
 his mind all yesterday. And when the message came, 
 he said, ' No, no, I can't go. To be walking by her 
 side, as if this hadn't happened ; I couldn't do it, and 
 I don't deserve to be treated so kindly again.' And 
 what vexes him worse still, is, you see he had become 
 so changed of late— never swearing now, and asking 
 the others to leave it off; and one throws it at him 
 
74 
 
 FEAKS AND HOPES. 
 
 that he 's a saint ; and he says, ' No, I 'm not. But I 
 wish I were. It may come to you, Joe, some day, to 
 feel wliat I feel now ; and I wish it would/ And now, 
 all this grieves him so, lest he should have done a harm 
 to their souls ; and last night, after he came home from 
 the rcadinjx, he told them how ashamed he was of him- 
 self, and said he prayed God it might not so fall out 
 airain." 
 
 The little boy in the house had been seized with 
 croup in the night, and thought that he should die. 
 " Oh, mother," he said, " I 'm frightened to go before 
 such a good God ! " Then suddenly he added, " But 
 I have prayed to Him to make me a better boy ; and 
 mother, there 's the navvies' prayer that they pray beside 
 their beds in the next room.'' And then the little chile, 
 knelt up in his bed, and, amidst paroxysms of coughing, 
 prayed, "0 God, wash me from all my sins in my 
 Saviour's blood, and I shall be whiter than snow." 
 Almost directly afterwards, with the simplicity of child- 
 hood's eager faith, he said, " Now, mother, I need not 
 mind dying, because I am washed, you see, in that 
 blood of Jesus Christ." 
 
 Information having reached me, that some new 
 
 lodgers had come to 's beershop, I ventured to 
 
 visit the strangers' supper-room again, to invite them 
 to Mr Chalmers* school-room service. After a little 
 conversation, four men promised to go, and kept their 
 word, Charles S , who had begun to attend the 
 
 i 
 
 FEAES AND HOPES. 
 
 70 
 
 readings a short time before, was standing near the 
 lane which led to a small inn, with the sign of " The 
 Coach and Horses," kept by his father. He came for- 
 ward to tell me that there was a large party of lodgers 
 in their great kitchen, and that his mother and he 
 would go into the circle with me, if I would like to 
 speak to them. Under this escort I went with great 
 comfort. The strangers listened respectfully ; but not 
 one promised to attend. However, about ten minutes 
 after the service had commenced, a trampling of heavy 
 shoes upon the newly-shingled path announced the 
 arrival of " The Coach and Horses.'' Our new friends 
 had " thought better of it," and had followed us. 
 
 William and James came to the Rectory after- 
 wards, for conversation and advice. James shewed me 
 his well-worn card of prayer, which he said had never 
 left his pocket since the day he had received it, except- 
 ing when he took it out each night and morning, to 
 remind himself to use it. William said that he kept 
 his Testament and card of prayer on a little table by his 
 bed, that he might remember to read and pray, the last 
 thing at night, and the first in the morning. I begged 
 them to be firm in not missing the Sunday morning 
 service, because it was best to begin the day with God ; 
 and a morning at home was seldom so spent as to be 
 a good preparation for the afternoon service. William 
 said, "he had found that out, and wished to come 
 regularly of a morning." He begged me to write down 
 
76 
 
 FEARS AND HOPES. 
 
 on a card the passage of Scripture quoted to him, *' If 
 thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing 
 tliy pleasure on my holy day ; and caU the Sabbath a 
 delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable ; and shalt 
 honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding 
 thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words° 
 then slialt thou delight thyself in the LoED ; and I ^ill 
 cause thee to ride upon the higli places of the earth— 
 for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." 
 
 One Sunday morning, I met Henry Hunns, gaily 
 dressed in a blue jacket, blue cap. red tie, and white 
 trousers, as a sort of anticipation of summer on a 
 bitterly cold day in February. Without waiting to 
 speak to me, he rushed into a cottage, and brought out 
 a fine little boy of three years old, the child of his sister, 
 who had just arrived with her husband from Norfolk! 
 "I am going to take him to church now," said Henry. 
 " He is young for that," I replied. « Yes ; I like hini 
 to learn his duty betimes." As they walked by my 
 side to the church, he remarked, "I suppose we militia 
 men will soon be called out now to defend the country^ 
 as the regulars are off. I don't mind about going, so 
 much, now that I hope I've learnt Who I can^'look to, 
 to teach and strengthen me." 
 
 Some strangers were lingering about the village 
 street, who had succeeded the previous day in obtain- 
 ing the promise of work at the Crystal Palace. They 
 were glad to hear of the evening reading, havincr no 
 
 ' m '< 
 
 FEARS AND HOPES. 77 
 
 Sunday clothes wherewith to make their appearance 
 in church to their own satisfaction. The navvy has a 
 peculiar enjoyment in being cleanly and weU-dressed 
 on Sunday. These strangers expressed great delight 
 when Testaments were given, after the "reading" was 
 over, to all who had not yet received them. All the 
 men from " The Coach and Horses " were present. 
 One of them, a lad of eighteen, gladly promised to 
 teacli the short prayer to those who could not read ; 
 
 and Charies S said that this youth had borrowed 
 
 a Bible belonging to his mother, the landlady, to read 
 to the rest, after supper, the last few evenino-s 
 
 On the way home, I saw a young man sitting at the 
 door of a lodging-house ; and, after a few remarks to 
 him about the place, inquired whether he had attended 
 either service in church that day ? 
 "No. I never go to such a place." 
 " Will you tell me why you do not ? * 
 ' Because it would do me no good." 
 ' Do you read your Bible ? " 
 "No. That would do me no good neither." 
 " Shall I tell you what would do you good ? " He 
 looked up. " If you and I pray every day that God 
 would fill you with His Holy Spirit. I will pray it 
 for you, by God's help, if you will promise to pray it 
 for yourself." 
 
 His lip trembled, as he slowly and earnestly replied, 
 " I wiU." 
 
 t( 
 
 (( 
 
i 
 
 I 
 
 lit 
 
 ,i ; 
 
 CHAPTEK Vr. 
 
 " And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and 
 to purge and to make them white, even to the time of the end, bo- 
 cause it is yet for a time appointed." 
 
 •'itdJMI 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 It was towards the close of the month of March that 
 a dark shadow fell upon the heart-cheerin? work which 
 had hitherto, by the grace of God, been made to pros- 
 per in our hands. 
 
 One Monday morning, Mary E came to teU me 
 
 a miserable story, which made my whole heart cold with 
 disappointment and distress. On Sunday afternoon 
 
 Martha W had asked her husband not to go U> 
 
 church, but to take a walk mth her, instead. He told 
 her that he would go with the greatest pleasure after 
 service, but could not "miss his church." She became 
 irritated, and spoke bitterly of his "church-going 
 ways." Tills was renewed at tea-time, until at length 
 his spirit was stung ; and he said in his anger, " Then 
 I 'U throw away my religion altogether, and you shall 
 have a drunkard again for your husband." 
 
 His fearful word was kept, that night. The next 
 day his misery and shame were so great, that he draafc 
 again, to drown remembrance and remorse. News of 
 this, also, reached me on my way to the reading. I 
 went to his cottage, and found his wife alone with her 
 
 ,,111111, 
 
82 
 
 WANDEREES EECLAIMED. 
 
 baby, in an agony of remorse and fear. She had heard 
 that he had been seen last on his way to a reservoir, 
 a few miles distant, and believed he might be tempted 
 to drown himself, to avoid the shame of returning to 
 Beckenham— the scene of his new life and holy happi- 
 ness, and then of his grievous fall She saw so clearly 
 her sin and folly, and the wreck thus made of the happy 
 home with which God had blessed her for many a 
 month past, that there was Httle need for me to add 
 to her misery by pointing it out 
 
 The cottage rooms that night were more than usually 
 crowded But the loss of that happy face of James 
 
 W from his accustomed place, with a haunting feai 
 
 lest I should never see him here again, or see him happy 
 hereafter, and a whisper that Henry Hunns had been 
 likewise led astray, overwhelmed me, and at the close 
 of the thirteenth verse of the eighth of Romans, my 
 voice faOed. 
 
 They aU looked up in consternation, and then I told 
 them that two men amongst them, whom I had known 
 longest, and of whom I had ahnost the best hope had 
 gone astray Hke lost sheep, having been taken captive 
 by the devil, at his will 
 
 There were very fervent voices joining in prayer 
 that mght. On my way from the cottage, I found 
 them waiting in groups to say <'God bless you," or 
 "please take heart again," in low, kind tones, as I 
 parsed. Near James W 's cottage door, I saw 
 
 t 
 
 m A 
 
 WAOT)EEEES EECLAHfED. 53 
 
 Hen^ Hums leaning against a waU, looking heavy 
 and unhappy I spoke to him strongly of his sin; and 
 
 then asked hun if he had seen James W He 
 
 said, "Yes-in a tavern at Penge, half an hour ago" 
 Mrs W-_- said she would go and fetch him home 
 Knowing that it would not be safe for her to meet him 
 aione, m a state of intoxication, a. they had parted 
 
 with a quarrel, I told her to accept Maiy E 's kind 
 
 proposal of accompajiying her, with Isaac E for 
 
 an escort, as he had become so steady as to be safely 
 intrusted with such an enterprise. 
 
 They found him where Hemy said he had seen bm 
 surrounded by about thirty or forty of the navvies who 
 were lodging in that neighbourhood, and succeeded in 
 leading him home. At half-past seven the next mom- 
 mg, I walked to his cottage. Pive minutes more, and 
 he would have left Beckenham, never to retum He 
 was just looking his last at his little boy But even 
 that did Sot soften his heart His face was so changed 
 that It was difficult to recognise him. A possess^,, 
 spirit had altered the expression of every feature ° 
 My heart sunk so low that I could not speak at first 
 When I did, he would neither look up, nor answer a 
 single question. No appeal to past experience had 
 any effect. At last he said, "I have given it all up I 
 have sold my soul for drink-and all through rage and 
 revenge. There remains no more pardon for me-nor 
 would I seek it if there was." 
 
84 
 
 WANDEEEES EECLAIMED. 
 
 Nearly an hour passed There was no softening. 
 Never before had I so leamt my own utter powerless- 
 ness to influence the soul of another. AR the powers 
 of darkness seemed leagued against n>y feebleness 
 There was but one hope left. I knelt down and poured 
 out my heart in prayer that God the Holy Spirit would 
 drive out the EvU Spirit, and take possession of that 
 soul again. He would not kneel, but seemed some- 
 what touched. " You have been like a mother to me " 
 he said. " If anybody could persuade another out of 
 sm, you would persuade me. But it is done-past 
 hope. I am going now, for ever, from my wife and 
 Beckenliam, and from you, and from my God " 
 
 Hei-osetogo. I took his wife by the hand, and led 
 her to him, and told him of her grief and penitence for 
 her great sin, whereby she had stimd up his. And 
 then Martha wept, and said, "Oh. James, I wiU .0 to 
 church with you eve>y Sunday henceforth and be 
 obedient and kind-God helping me-if you iiU come 
 back to your God, and forgive me." 
 
 He sat sullenly. I knew then it was "nowornever" 
 and with the silent prayer, " God, help now !" I said 
 James, give your hand to your wife now; or you' 
 hrow back her soul to Sat^." He stretched out his 
 hand to her, turned Ws head aside, and wept 
 
 nallVTff '""''' "'' "^ "^y '"' ' «'-« of 
 navves who had met to read on the subject of the 
 
 Ws Supper, I called again. James met me with 
 
 h 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 WANDEEEES EECLAIMED. 35 
 
 tears and blessings. "You saved me, then, by the help 
 of God. But my sm has been grievous." Of course 
 he did not attend the class that night. Heniy Hunns 
 was lodging in the house where it was held. He hid 
 himself m the back room. I spoke soi^owfuUy to him 
 for a short time afterwards. Thomas Dibley carried 
 my lantem home. I asked him if, as he retLedt 
 
 could spare time to see James W and read him the 
 
 chapter we had just been reading-Ephesians v He 
 did so. On Saturday night I found those two readin. 
 t agaia James pointed out the words "nor foolish 
 talking nor jesting, which are not convenient "-add 
 jng, "all that condemns me. It has always been the 
 begmnmg of evil with me." 
 
 Just before I left the Eectory that evening, Hemy 
 Hunns caUed to see ma He hid his face in his hands 
 and sobbed, "It has been down kill almost ever since 1 
 
 was ticed into that public house at , ni^h six 
 
 weeks ago. I have gradually grown colder to thelhings 
 
 tl fall" '"'' *''°"^''' '° ^''' °' '^ ' ^"-^ '^<^° «'>•- 
 
 " Who led you into it ? " 
 
 "My own evU heart. I've no cause to mention 
 o hers ; only it wasn't James W— , and needn't have 
 been anybody, if I hadn't been sinful enough to yield " 
 
 His grief was great, and there seemed a clearer view 
 of the injury to the cause of God, and the real per- 
 sonal wrong he had done to his Saviour, than even in 
 
86 
 
 WANDEfiERS EECLAIMED. 
 
 James's mind •' I Lave wept bitterly every uight since 
 It happened," he saii 
 
 The genuine and deep repentance of that poor younff 
 man-brought up. as he had been, without a single 
 rehgious advantage-taught me a lesson ! When the 
 balance shall be struck between smaU sins (so called) 
 with great privileges, in the one scale ;-and cmnc. sins 
 with few responsibilities, in the other scale-who^shall 
 say that Infinite Justice may not see deeper guilt in the 
 unkmd word, the uncharitable suspicion, the selfish act 
 and other manifestations of an un-Christ-Iike spirit in 
 wk.ch Chnstians are too often tempted to indulge, than 
 m the more glanng departures from the law of God of 
 hose who have but just begun to hear of a Saviour's 
 
 love, and to know anythino- of if^s mnQfr-o,-,,- 
 -iTTi T j'^^i^c) "^ its constraininnr power? 
 
 oy my side down the villao-p hi^ nn,,«+ 
 
 ^o^' ^^^ countenance expressed 
 
 le me 1 At the door of the cottage where the men 
 who gave me the basket on New Year's Day were t^ 
 
 able, I bade Heniy "good night." "May I not wa"t 
 for you, ma'am ?- "It is Saturday night Henrv T, 
 you have some shopping to do." "I can geU ^ 
 
 and come back again," He was " in w. •.• . ' 
 
 «!, T -tAc was m waitmor'' go noma! 
 
 when I came out of the cottage • so I w.lt T T 
 with iha ^oj. . ^"tui^u , so 1 walked Lome 
 
 ^1 „ T' "'"'"^^ ""^^y ''^^- tbaiJcingGod 
 -than ove:flowmg heart, for this fresh f„lfilm:nt «; 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 WANDEEEES EECLAIMED. o~- 
 
 His own promise, "I will heal their backsUding I will 
 love them freely : for nune anger is turned awly from 
 
 In the evening, something of his old brightness shone 
 
 Inded'r ",'^^"'^-•^ *^« -««ge< after having 
 attended the school-room service. But on the wav 
 
 t me ; 'f "''r °°' ^ "'' '^^PP-' "^y-d for I 
 t.me^ when I can forget it all I 'm veiy miserable." 
 
 But do you not believe in these words, " If we con 
 fess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our" 
 sms, aad to c eanse us from aJI unrighteousness ;" and 
 The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth ul from 
 ail sm s 
 
 "I believe in my head, but not in my heart " 
 I saw the conviction of sin was veiy deep,' and felt 
 was well not to disturb it; only to suggest the 
 remedy, and to trust to the Holy Spirit to apply it 
 with power, in His own time. ^ ' 
 
 The next evening. James W began again to 
 
 a tend the readings. He did not venture into his old 
 place, but took a seat at the furthest comer of the 
 room. His whole countenance and manner were re- 
 markably subdued. Thomas Dibley said to me after- 
 wards. "James feels his sin wonderful." 
 
 Shortly afterwards, during a few days' absence from 
 Beckenlmm, I received the foUowing letter in Heniy 
 Hunns handwriting : 
 
 * Hosea xir, 4. 
 
88 
 
 WAI^DEEEES RECLAIMED. 
 
 WANDEEEES EECLAIMED. 
 
 89 
 
 " AptH 23, lS5i. 
 
 "Deae Feiend, — With sorrow I write these few 
 lines to you for dissgracing myself and setting a bad 
 example to the other young beginers but I hope it 
 will pleas God to forgive me all past sins, and blot out 
 all my iniquities, and give me firmer faith to stand 
 against the sin that so easily besetts me ; but I will 
 pray to God with my whole heart to strengthen me, 
 
 and James W too. I know it will be a ffreat 
 
 temtation for me when I am in the militia for I expect 
 we shall all have to be in different public-houses but I 
 must not doubt, but trust in the Lord, for I know He 
 can keep me from it but I must pray more earnestly 
 than I have done these few weeks past. I have gave 
 way a great deal to the devil ; but the Scripture says 
 to him, ' So far slialt thou go, and no farther ' and may 
 
 the Holy Spirit of God keep me and James W ■ in 
 
 the knowledge and fear of God and our Saviour Jesus 
 Christ, and all tliat ever come to your kind lectures and 
 readings and I hope none of them will fall into temta- 
 tion the same as me and James W . But I hope 
 
 the Lord will not give me over to the devil any more. 
 I have better faith that He will keep me from sin now. 
 Me and James have had a comfortable Sunday morn- 
 ing. The text was, "Then were the disciples glad 
 when they saw the Lord." 
 
 I 
 
 vl. 
 
 f 
 
 "So I conclude, with better faith through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. 
 
 " Heney Hunns. 
 " James W ." 
 
 About the same time Jacob K , who had so long 
 
 wandered from the good way which he seemed to have 
 chosen at the first, desired an interview. " I wished 
 to tell you, ma'am, how very unhappy I have been. 
 There 's no happiness for me in this world, if I can't 
 come back to my God.'' 
 
 " What has revived this desire, Jacob ? " 
 " I went to see a friend at the villa f^e of Beddino-ton 
 and went to church with him. There I heard a beau- 
 tiful sermon on a verse of the psalm that first spake 
 home to me when I was at sea a few years ago — the 
 Pifty-first Psahn, and the verse was — ' A broken and a 
 contrite heart, God, thou wilt not despise/ Then it 
 kept troubHng my heart how to get mi/ spirit broken. 
 But that might have passed away if it had not been 
 
 for what James W did. I never thought James 
 
 would have gone back like that. And I said to my- 
 self, if the devil gets such power over him again— him 
 as has walked with his God so many months, close-like 
 — what will he not do with me when he gets into me 
 strong ? I haven't touched a drop of beer since, and 
 IVe been praying night and morning." 
 
^ 
 
 WANDEEEES EECLAIMED. 
 
 " And do you also pray for James ? " 
 "Yes, I do; and he prays for himself, and is sore 
 sorry." 
 
 Wonderful is the overruling power of that grace 
 which can bring back a wandering sheep even by a 
 brother's fall, and then raise up the fallen one afrain 
 " To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he 
 hath made us accepted in the Beloved ; in whom we 
 have redemption through his blood, even the forgive- 
 ness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, 
 wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom 
 and prudence." 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 i#€0IW|tttSt. 
 
 '■■■ \ 
 
 " He also had a brave victory over his enemy : let Hm grant that 
 dwclleth above that we fare no worse, when we come to be tried, 
 than he."— Pilgbim's PEOGSBsa. 
 
 t\ 
 
 I; 
 
 ■i 
 
I 
 
 ' \ 
 
 Whilst waiting for a train at Sydenham Station one 
 day in the spring of that year, I gave some small 
 books to two young railway men who were standing 
 on tlie platform, and asked if they had either a Bible 
 or a Testament. One replied, " I Ve a little pocket 
 Testament, and I wouldn't sell it for ever so much- 
 no, never 1 " 
 
 "I am glad you prize it so highly." 
 
 " Well, I do ; and the kind friend as gave it me." 
 
 "Who gave it to you?" 
 
 " You ! Nigh a year ago, I lodged at Mrs D 's 
 
 in Beckenhani ; and you came in twice of Sunday 
 evenings, and read and talked to us. I have read my 
 Testament most nights since, and thought a deal of 
 what you said, and wished I was back again to hear 
 more. I'm at work in Essex, and only came down 
 to fetch a mate of mine, as I didn't know how to 
 direct to. And little did I think I should light on 
 you, ma'am. It is a pleasure indeed." 
 
 That short interview was like a wave bringing back, 
 after many days, the bread " cast upon the waters." 
 
94. 
 
 SELF-CONQUEST. 
 
 SELF-CONQUEST. 
 
 95 
 
 The sensitiveness of these fine natures to every word 
 of praise or blame from a friend whom they valued 
 
 was almost affecting in some cases. Mary E 
 
 came to the rectory one evening to tell me that " Martin 
 had been taJcing on terribly, because one of them had 
 told him at the works that I had said he was false." 
 On the previous Sunday evening, after the " reading," 
 it so happened that I had remarked — 
 
 " I thought Martin would have been here. He said 
 he should come, and I thought he was sure to keep 
 his word.'' 
 
 He had been sent for to visit a sick sister-in-law at 
 Sydenham, to whom his kindness was most brotherly 
 and tender until her death, some weeks later. Mary 
 
 E said^ « He ^as broken-hearted when he heard 
 
 the men say that you had called him ' false,' ma'am. 
 He has such a tender spirit. Whenever a man of his 
 gang falls sick, he sends for Martin to put his pillow 
 right and say a kind word ; and many a nice bit of 
 fish or something delicate he buys for his sister-in-law, 
 now she is ilL" 
 
 Of course, I lost not a moment in writing him a 
 letter in printing hand, to tell him the precise words 
 I had used, and how sorry I felt that even so small a 
 foundation should have been laid by me for the charge 
 brought against him— adding, that I would take his 
 word as trustfully as any man's bond. 
 He stopped after the school-room service was con- 
 
 cluded on Thursday evening to thank me, with tears 
 in his honest eyes. " It was so good of ye, and made 
 me feel so happy and satisfied — a'most proud-like." 
 
 Early in the spring, John J came to bid me 
 
 good-bye, employment having been offered him in 
 the neighbourhood of Paddington. He said he had 
 brought on a terrible disease in his chest by hard 
 drinking, a year or two before he came to this neigh- 
 bourhood; yet when, after much severe sufiering, he 
 had left a London hospital cured, he had gone back to 
 the evil habit, and never had known how to stop, until 
 he came to Beckenham, and went to the readings, and 
 then to church. I said, " If you do not find your 
 soul cared for, at the place to which you are going, as 
 much as it has been here, will you come back again, 
 
 John ? " 
 
 "Well, that I don't look for, go where I may. But 
 if I can't stand temptation away from here, I '11 come 
 
 back" 
 
 He had kept his little Testament carefully, yet 
 bearing signs of having been read ; so I gave him a 
 small Bible, to his great joy. " I was just thinking of 
 buying one, but shall love to have this as a parting 
 gift. Please, ma'am, look at Revelation il 10, the end 
 of the verse." 
 
 I read — "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will 
 
 give thee a crown of life." 
 
 **A few days after you gave me the Testament, I 
 
 I 
 
96 
 
 SELF-CONQUEST. 
 
 happened to open it on those words. What they have 
 been to me ever since ! God send I may never forget 
 them ! " 
 
 He promised to go to church regularly, and added, 
 " I shall sometimes run over and spend my Sundays 
 here. It will be a pleasant ten-mile walk to take at 
 ^ve in the morning to get a Beckenham Sunday again, 
 I have so loved my Sundays here." 
 He, too, had a praying mother. 
 A few weeks after he had left Beckenham, he wrote 
 to tell me that lie went to church twice every Sunday 
 —adding, " and in the evening I walk in the cemetery 
 for quiet, and read the words on some of the grave- 
 stones, being, as there is, no lectures here on Sunday 
 nights." 
 
 He came to Beckenham for Easter Sunday, and, 
 three months later, wrote the following letter :— 
 
 " Deae Friend,— I received your letter on Sunday 
 morning, and was very glad to hear from you, and a 
 very comfortable litter it was to me. It gave me 
 great pleasure on reading it. I will come over next 
 Simday, if I can get aiij-ways. I have been veiy 
 ill. I have not done any work these last seven weeks 
 but thank God I am getting better now. I intend 
 going to work this week if I can. I should hke to see 
 you once more again. I will be sure and come over 
 next Sunday, if God spares my Hfe. I go to West- 
 
 SELF-CONQUEST. 
 
 97 
 
 bourne Grove School Monday and Wednesday niaht, 
 and I go to St John s Church, JSTottinghill, on Sunday. 
 I have never neglected going to church since I left 
 your place ncr I hope I never shall I have had 
 several friends to see me since I have been ilL I gave 
 them a tract a-piece— what you gave me when I left. 
 I have not got one left now ; but my Bible, Prayer- 
 book, and Testament I still keep, and always' will. I 
 would sooner part from anything I have than them. I 
 shall bring them with me when I come. I have not 
 seen any one but Httle Charles that was at Beckenham, 
 and he is listed for a soldier in the Rifle Brigade. 
 When I met him I had a Httle conversation with liim, 
 and told him not to forget his Saviour, wlio died for 
 him. He told me he would not. I told him to be 
 steady. He said he would. I asked him whether he 
 saw you. He told me he had not since he left. I 
 told Mm to go to church when he could : what would 
 it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and 
 lose his own soul, or what would he give in exchange 
 for it? Let him seek the Lord wbHe He may be 
 found, and call upon him, while he is near. ' Let the 
 wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his 
 thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he 
 will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will 
 abundantly pardon.' I had a few more words with 
 him. He said, ' I wish I was like you,' and the tears 
 flowed in his eyes. I put my hand in my pocket, and 
 
98 
 
 SELF-CONQUEST. 
 
 gave him a shilling. He thanked me for it and for my 
 advice to liim, and we both parted, perhaps never to 
 meet again. I shall be over on Sunday morning by 
 church-time. I have no more to write this time. So 
 no more from 
 
 " John J ." 
 
 One Sunday evening, Thomas Dibit y asked for 
 special prayer for a dying friend at Sydenham, whom 
 he visited daily throughout his illness (of brain fever), 
 in the hope of being able to speak to him about tlie 
 things concerning his peace. " I had such an answer 
 to prayer, to-day, ' he said. " The delirium ceased for 
 full ten minutes, and I repeated by him the prayer 
 that I love so dearly, and made a bit more, and he 
 caught at it so ! " 
 
 The next day I found the poor man was quite clear 
 in his mind, and eager for prayer, and the reading of 
 liod s Word. He had been in the habit of drinkin^'- to 
 excess whilst working in Sweden ; but on the day he 
 landed in England, lie determined to break it off by a 
 desperate effort. Perhaps he did it too suddenly ; but 
 there was something to be honoured in that effort to 
 reform at any sacrifice. He continued to thirst for 
 the Word of God and prayer to his last conscious 
 moment. Captain Vicars' prayer by his side was 
 almost the last he heard, but his own fevered lips 
 murmured the words which Thomas Dibley had 
 
 SELF-CONQUEST. 
 
 99 
 
 taught him, almost from hour to hour, until his death. 
 His "mates" took it in turn to sit up with him at 
 night, mindless of their hard work by day ; and trea- 
 sured u]) every word which encouraged their hopes 
 that he had found peace with God upon his dying 
 bed. 
 
 About the time that Henry Hunns left for two 
 months' service in a militia regiment in the spring, a 
 brother-in-law of his, who had been much opposed to 
 religion, and had been in the habit of makin<r bitter 
 jests at him, came to a cottage-reading, and asked 
 leave to bring a letter of Henry's to the Eectory for 
 me to read. When he brought it to me, he said, " I 
 never knew such a changed man as Henry has been 
 the last half-year. Just look at his clothes ! " It is 
 an indisputable sign of steadiness when a navvy re- 
 ])lenishes his wardrobe ! 
 
 William C then spoke of his lovely little baby, 
 
 whom I was visiting in its dangerous illness. "As 
 white as alabaster," he said, "isn't he? and eyes like 
 violets. I believe he won't live — he's too clever — 
 knows everything — never sees anything that's nice 
 but he cries for it — too clever and too pretty to live, 
 but I dont like he should die/' 
 
 " God grant he may be spared to grow up a good 
 and happy man. And oh ! William, do you think 
 that God liked to see His own Son die upon a cross ; 
 and yet He let Him do it for the sake of saving us — 
 
100 
 
 SELF-CONQUEST. 
 
 you and me, and every other poor sinner that will take 
 Him at His word, and let Him save us. Do let Him 
 save you." 
 
 His heart was softened, and he could scarcely reply 
 "God bless you," as I gave him Walter Cradock's 
 beautifnl, brief words, called. " Good news from heaven 
 to the worst of sinners on earth." 
 
 It is pleasant to be able to add that, notwithstand- 
 ing its " cleverness," the pretty baby was restored to 
 health by the kind care of Mr Carless, a medical man 
 residing in Beckenham, to whose skill, under the bless- 
 ing of God, not a few of the navvies have owed their 
 lives. 
 
 CHAPTEK VIII. 
 
 fast Priings n)i t^ |ar«ngs. 
 
 €t 
 
 Farewell ! ' But not for ever,' Hope replies ; 
 * Trace but his steps, and meet him in the skies V 
 
The warmest interest was taken by the nav\ies in 
 eveiything touching the welfare of our army, from that 
 day in the month of February 1854, when the order 
 for the Guards to hold themselves in readiness for 
 active service in the East, startled England into the 
 sudden conviction that the peace of forty years was 
 broken. 
 
 Some ten weeks earlier, a private of the Grenadier 
 Guard-:, named Henry Bonfield, was passing througu 
 the village, when I was on my way for a Sunday even- 
 ing " reading/' He accepted a Testament gratefuUy, 
 and asked me to write his name on it, with the short 
 prayer which I had mentioned to him. For this pur- 
 pose, we entered a cottage, and its owners gladly united 
 with us in praying that the Word of God might be 
 made the means of his being brought from darlmess 
 to light. The day before the regiment saUed for the 
 East, he wrote to say that his Testament and his little 
 prayer were his chief comforts. He begged that the 
 souls of his wife and child might be cared for ; and 
 asked for further advice to be written to meet him at 
 
104 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PAETINGS. 
 
 Malta. From thence, he wrote to say that he had 
 copied the prayer for a great many men in his own 
 regiment, and in others ; because it had brought grace 
 and peace to his own soul. He did not live to return 
 home. 
 
 This man was one of fifteen soldiers and officers 
 whose names were specially pleaded in prayer at all 
 our cottage meetings from the time of their being sent 
 out on active service. Very earnest was the interest 
 of the navvies in uniting in prayer that God would 
 teach us what could be done for the spiritual welfare 
 of our soldiers. And when the plan was suggested 
 for an immediate subscription to be raised to purchase 
 Testaments for each man in the regiments then under 
 orders for the East (before the Bible Societies came 
 foi-ward with their liberal grant), it was by the navvies 
 combining with a few villagers who attended that 
 cottage reading, that the first donation, of fifteen 
 shillings, was offered for this supply. Their anxiety 
 was great to hear that the Testaments were in time to 
 reach the regiment on the point of sailing (the Scots 
 Fusilier Guards). A letter from a missionary of the 
 Soldiers' Friend Society, to whom we entrusted the 
 work of carrying them to the ship, was listened to 
 witli two or three scarcely repressed shouts of joy; 
 and his details of the facilities afforded him for their 
 distribution, by the commanding officer, at the request 
 of Captain A of that regiment, called forth, at 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PARTINGS. 
 
 105 
 
 the conclusion, an irrepressible cheer, which ended in 
 an earnest "Thank God !" 
 
 The warm attachment, amounting almost to venera- 
 tion, formed by these men for Captain Vicars of the 
 97th Regiment, during his visits to us in the preceding 
 autumn and winter, together with the strong ties of 
 relationship which bound many of them to our soldiers, 
 gave the character of prayer meetings for the army to 
 our little gatherings, from that time. 
 
 Letters from the seat of war were listened to with 
 thrilling interest, especially those which were written 
 by Captain Vicars, during the ten months which 
 followed his embarkation for the East, before he entered 
 into his rest. In the course of those months, three of 
 the railway men who had known him in Beckenham, 
 enlisted in regiments recruiting for the war, chiefly for 
 the sake of going to the Crimea, to be within reach of 
 Captain Vicars. Only one of the three saw his face 
 
 agam. 
 
 It was on the 29th of March that he gave them, 
 as we then thought, his farewell address and prayer. 
 About one hundred and twenty were present. Many 
 of them were deeply affected. Several lingered near 
 the door afterwards, to catch his hand, as he left, for 
 a parting grasp ; and there agreed amongst themselves 
 to have a little gathering of their own, every Sunday 
 morning, at James W 's house, to pray for him . 
 
 But the delay of seven weeks before the 97th Regi- 
 
106 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PARTINGS. 
 
 ment actually sailed, gave them several more opportu- 
 nities of hearing the words of life from the lips of 
 one whose manly simplicity and power of character, 
 combined with the most fijenial warmth of heart, pecu- 
 liarly qualified him to obtain an influence over these 
 noble children of nature. 
 
 On the 10th of ]May, he addressed upwards of a 
 hundred of them, for the last time, on the 5tli chapter 
 of the 2d of Corinthians, especially dwelling on the 
 words, '• We must all appear before the judgment-seat 
 of Christ," and " The love of Christ constraineth us." 
 
 We were obliged to be absent from home, at that 
 time, and many regrets were expressed to me by letter, 
 that I had missed hearing " the good, kind, beautiful 
 things " that were said in that farewell address. 
 
 William G walked over from Deptford to hear 
 
 it; and fearing to make Captain Vicars too late for 
 the train, if he added to the thicket of hands surround- 
 ing him for a parting shake, he ran after the carriage 
 which conveyed him to Sydenham station, but missed 
 him in the dark. He then wrote to ask me if he could 
 see Captain Vicars any where again. I mentioned that 
 at the railway station, London Bridge, he miglit be 
 able to see him for a few minutes about eight o'clock 
 the followino; eveninc:. 
 
 An hour before the time appointed William G 
 
 was at the station ; and then was well repaid by an 
 hour's walk and talk with this so loved and honoured 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PARTINGS. 107 
 
 friend, who wrote of it to me thus—" Never Jiave I 
 more heartily enjoyed an hour's communion with a 
 brother in the Lord Jesus." 
 
 Henry Hunns had received orders to join his regi- 
 ment, then the Westminster Militia, on the mornino- of 
 the 10th. But, with the independence of the navvy 
 not yet merged into the obedience of the soldier, he 
 wrote me word that he " should give himself leave to 
 wait and see Captain Vicars.'^ In a reply, by return 
 of post, I said " Captain Vicars will not notice you if 
 you neglect your duty as a soldier." So he went at 
 the time appointed. But it laid heavily on my heart 
 that I had cut him off from his last chance of an in- 
 teiTiew with one whose words and example had so 
 powerful an influence for good over him, and that I 
 could not calculate the amount of benefit of which I 
 had thus deprived the poor young man. 
 
 He had promised to wiite to me with his address in 
 London, and I had planned to send him to Kensington 
 barracks for a parting word with his valued friend ; 
 but Captain Vicars' last day in England had come, 
 and yet there was no letter from Henry. So by the 
 early post I sent off a despatch, directed only " West- 
 minster ]VIilitia, London," to tell him, if he could get 
 leave, to go at seven o'clock that evening to Mr Good- 
 hart's church at Chelsea, and to wait for Captain 
 Vicars at the vestry door, after the service was over, 
 for a shake of the hand and a parting blessing. 
 
 m 
 
108 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PAETINGS. 
 
 The letter found him that afternoon. He went at 
 once for leave, and then ran from Shepherd's Bush to 
 Chelsea in time to hear the sermon. At the appointed 
 place he met Captain Vicars, who, with a night of 
 work before him, and a farewell in prospect for the 
 next morning, which a voice within his heart foretold 
 was final, cheerfully spared an hour to walk with the 
 militia-nawy, speaking words of wise and kindly 
 counsel which were never to be forgotten. 
 
 On the evening of the 1st of June, a lecture was to 
 be delivered at the school-room with reference to the 
 keeping of the Sabbath, by Mr Baylee, the Secretary 
 of the Society for promoting the Observance of the 
 Lord's-day. I ventured to go, with a friend who was 
 staying with us, to the doors of the public-houses, to 
 request the strangers who had recently arrived to at- 
 tend. They came in large numbers, so as to fill the 
 school-room. As I knocked at the door of a beer- 
 shop, a notorious drunkard in the supper-room saw 
 me, and said, " Here 's the lady come that spoils our 
 peace with the beer-jugs!" 
 
 " Bar her out, then," said a fine young man, without 
 deigning to turn round. I turned to invite the land- 
 lady ; and then stood still for a minute, waitino- for 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PAETINGS. 
 
 109 
 
 courage to speak to the men in the supper-room,. The 
 landlady said, " Would you like to invite them, ma'am?" 
 I then asked the youth who had proposed the "barring 
 out." He said he could not go, as he was a stranger, 
 and must leave in a few minutes. His dog-cart stood 
 at the door, with beer-bottles in the " well" " Have 
 you a Bible of your own at home ? " 
 
 " Quantities ! but they have never done me any 
 good. They do for women and cowards." 
 
 " Very good for them, without a doubt," I replied, 
 "and for brave men, too. I happen to have in my 
 pocket a letter from a young friend of mine, who 
 mites from the Guards' camp at Varna. Listen to 
 what he says about the comfort of the Word of God 
 and prayer for the Holy Spirit." 
 
 The young man listened to it with melting eyes; 
 and then said, "There's both power and beauty in 
 that." He was moved to tears by the story of Hedley 
 Vicars' conversion ; and when it was pressed upon him 
 that the words, " the blood of Jesus Christ His Son 
 cleanseth us from all sin," were just as true for him ; 
 and would he not Hkewise say, " Then, henceforth, by 
 the grace of God, I will live as a washed man should," 
 he was entirely overcome, and rushed out of the house. 
 When I went out, he was waiting for me, to say, " I 
 thought, ma'am, you would let me speak to you alone. 
 Will you let me buy one of your little Testaments, and 
 will you write my name in it, and that text, to remind 
 
no 
 
 I VI Mi':r:Ti\(;; axd last partings. 
 
 i 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PARTIKGS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 ■t what voM h.ivc Ixcn s;iylni( to me, and to shew 
 IV (uo \"utii; M.id.. ' Jlis lip tremljlfMl ; and he 
 ^^ihi 1 ail. I a-aiii, "God l>l.s> yuii," as I left him, 
 
 uirh tlu' pnimise of sending him a Testament as a 
 rvmembrance, and a letter with it, to reeall to him, 
 when ar a distance, the subject of our conversation. 
 
 On Whitsunday, the 4fth of June, William G and 
 
 Thomas Dibley walked from Deptford to spend their 
 conuuunion Sabbath in Beckenham. I met them 
 
 j; to church with James W and Richard 
 
 Vr ;ano^lier whose steady walk and dilig-ent atten- 
 
 * ail the services and readings gave me great 
 
 ii that year). They referred, in the evening, 
 
 ionatfi warmth, to their deepened interest iu 
 
 ■ *' '•'* .tniiy .since the preceding sacra- 
 
 : ' ipfiiii \'icars having sailed for the 
 
 . ^ri til- lf;»l, (,r May. William G spoke of 
 
 f'i': h'lur I, : jxiit with him on the phitibrm of the 
 I/</t I wi liri'l; ^*! Slalioii, ;is one iif the best doh'ghts he 
 (lA/I 'V'l known. Aim! Ncveral of the men alhuled ^vith 
 '' l» f" li'i" hi hi. tai.ucll aiKlix -> io thoni in the 
 
 1 ii "1 .if Jimr 1 K'ft homo for thn?e or 
 
 ^•••» v;*(l. ! lb 111 \ iiiiiiii.>t was the hi^: w!io Huirert-d 
 "' 'h lo l.hl ,: ! uvwrll. " I somecimes ftt-d," he 
 
 * " ' 'ill hi. I b.tfrr dit^ tluui ii'riove t'le Lonl bv 
 
 I .... I.. I .II MN ^s^ (j'l I have t!-*-- ■*' •- ^* will 
 
 '"'■ "' ■ Im*U'|.j ■'. uw , Mid iUl I sav to ilim is 
 
 I 
 
 I'm very weak, and easily led away. If I can't stand, 
 hadn't I better go Home pretty soon ?" 
 
 That was the last time I ever heard the frank con- 
 fessions of his simple, true, young heart. He enlisted 
 in the army the following week, and wrote me word 
 that his best hope in so doing was to get ordered out 
 to where Captain Vicars was, that his blessed example 
 might strengthen him to walk with God. "I am a 
 poor sinner," he added, "but I pray twenty times a 
 day to be washed from it all in my Saviour's blood, 
 and to be filled witli His Spirit, and sooner or later 
 God will answer me, will He not ? " 
 
 That He did answer him, who can doubt? AVhen 
 did He ever say to a pleading soul, '* Seek ye my face 
 in vain ! " " What soul ever perished with his face 
 toward Jesus Christ ? " He died of cholera soon after 
 landing in the Crimea. Perhaps in gracious accordance 
 with his own suggestion, " Hadn't I better go Home 
 pretty soon." 
 
110 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PARTINGS. 
 
 me of wliat you Lave been saying to me, and to shew 
 to my two young sisters." His lip trembled ; and he 
 said agMiu and again, "God bless you," as I left liiin, 
 with the promise of sending him a Testament as a 
 remembrance, and a letter with it, to recall to him, 
 when at a distance, the subject of our conversation. 
 
 On Whitsunday, the 4th of June, William G and 
 
 Thomas Dibley walked from Deptford to spend their 
 communion Sabbath in Beckenham. I met them 
 
 walking to church with James W and Kichard 
 
 AV (another whose steady walk and diligent atten- 
 dance at all the services and readinos gave me ^reat 
 satisfaction that year). They referred, in the evenin*^ 
 with affectionate warmth, to their deepened interest in 
 the prayers for the army since the preceding sacra- 
 ment Sunday, Captain Vicars having sailed for the 
 
 East on the 19 th of May. William G spoke of 
 
 the hour he spent with him on the iilatform of the 
 London Bridge Station, as one of the best delights he 
 had ever known. And several of the men alluded with 
 deep feeling to his farewell address to them in the 
 month of ^lay. 
 
 Towards the end of June I left home for three or 
 four weeks. Henry Hunns was the last who lingered 
 at the gate to bid me farewell. " I sometimes feel," he 
 said, " as if I had better die than grieve the Lord by 
 living on to fall away, as I have done. But He will 
 take His choice about me ; and all I say to Him is, 
 
 LAST MEETINGS AND LAST PARTINGS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 I'm very weak, and easily led away. If I can't stand, 
 hadn't I better go Home pretty soon ?" 
 
 That was the last time I ever heard the frank con- 
 fessions of his simple, true, young heart. He enlisted 
 in the army the following week, and wrote me word 
 that his best hope in so doing was to get ordered out 
 to where Captain Vicars was, that his blessed example 
 might strengthen him to walk with God. " I am a 
 poor sinner," he added, "but I pray twenty times a 
 day to be washed from it all in my Saviour's blood, 
 and to be lilled with His Spirit, and sooner or later 
 God will answer me, will lie not ? " 
 
 That He did answer him, who can doubt? When 
 did He ever say to a pleading soul, " Seek ye my face 
 in vain ! " " What soul ever perished with his face 
 toward Jesus Christ ? " He died of cholera soon after 
 landing in the Crimea. Perhaps in gracious accordance 
 with his own suggestion, " Hadn't I better go Home 
 pietty soon." 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 iljc §il)Ic.iii t\t Canip. 
 
 (( 
 
 Lord, it is not life to live, 
 If Thy presence Thou deny; 
 Lord, if Thou Thy presence givQ. 
 'Tis no longer death to die. 
 
 Source and Giver of repose, 
 Only from Thy love it flows : 
 Peace and happiness are Thine ; 
 Mine they are, if Thou art mine." 
 
 H 
 
/ 
 
 1 1 
 
 Few features in the character of the navvies liave 
 attracted my admiration, and interested me so warmly, 
 as their power of strong brotherly friendship for each 
 other. Separated, as so often they are in mere boyhood, 
 from the sweet influences of home— as beautiful and 
 binding in the cottage as in the castle— the yearning 
 of the young heart for human affection often finds its 
 response in a friendship formed after the fashion of the 
 unrivalled love which glorified the lives of Jonathan 
 and David. An unselfish regard, and even generous 
 preference for each other's benefit, is no uncommon 
 trait ; and many a man have I seen, in time of sickness, 
 supported by his " mate " with a brother's kindness,' 
 and nursed with a mother's gentle care. 
 
 The friendship between Samuel Bush and Joseph 
 
 AY was an instance of this. They had wandered 
 
 about the country together, and had worked side by 
 side, mutually sharing their gains, and nursing each 
 other through illness and accident. Together they had 
 too often joined in the reckless revelry of the public- 
 
116 
 
 THE BIELE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 house ; together they had striven against its tempta- 
 tions ; had fallen back into them ac^ain ; and tooether 
 they had made fresh efforts to live a new life. 
 
 It was in the month of February 1854, that Joseph 
 
 \Y first became personally known to me, althouiih 
 
 Samuel had been in the habit of bringing him to the 
 readings for some time previously. 
 
 One morning Joseph came to the Rectory in breath- 
 less liaste, with a request that I would come and see 
 his landlord, whom he believed to be dying from a 
 sudden attack of inflammation. I promised to o-o im- 
 mediately after breakfast ; but he would not hear of 
 any delay, urging that it might be too late. 
 
 When we reached the cottage, we found that tlie 
 poor man was quite sensible, and anxious for prayer. 
 As I rose from my knees, I heard Joseph going down 
 stairs, sobbing ; and as I passed through the kitchen 
 on my way out, he was sitting with his arms on the 
 table and his face hidden. I said, "Josepli, I hope 
 Clarke's sudden illness speaks to you to be ready." 
 
 " It do, it do," he said, without looking up ; ''and I 
 lioj^e it will s^teak to Sammy, too. Sam is a good boy, 
 if it weren't for the drink ; but that has been the ruin 
 of us both." 
 
 " I'ut you and Samuel are both trying to live lietter 
 lives now? Be earnest in asking tlie Holy Spirit of 
 God to help you to make the change at once, for 'the 
 time is short " " 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 11 
 
 
 "Yes; is it not?" (with his face still hidden.) 
 " Look at Clarke ! Oh, I hope he '11 be saved! " 
 
 " I think you must have had a good mother, Joseph, 
 who taught you something of the value of an undvinc! 
 soul. 
 
 "A good mother! Oh, hadn^t I!" (looking up 
 brightly through his tears.) " She taught me to pray, 
 and aU sorts of good ways "—then, suddenly droppini^ 
 his head again—" but I broke her heart nine vears 
 
 ago. 
 
 "Oh, Joseph! how sad for you to lose so good a 
 mother!" 
 
 " Oh, but she 's not dead though ! only she broke 
 her heart about my taking to the drink, and going 
 away from her on navvy work." 
 
 " Have you been to see her lately?" 
 
 " No, not for nine years." 
 
 " You write to her, of course ?" 
 
 " Well, no, I don't." 
 
 " Why, how is that ? You can write, can you not ?" 
 
 " Oh yes ; but you see there 's so many things to 
 think of in writing — too many for a navvy. There 'a 
 the cover, and the stamp, and the paper, and the seal, 
 and the pen and ink; that's six." 
 
 " Well, if you will come with me, I will give you a 
 ' self-seaHng ' cover with a stamp on it, and the pen 
 and paper; and the ink you can borrow from your 
 landlady." 
 
118 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAJIP. 
 
 ** Well, I will give you half-a-crown for tliem." 
 
 " No, Joseph ; that would be a great deal more 
 than they are worth, and you shall have them as a 
 present. But go to the post-office, and spend your 
 half-crown in stamps, and put them in your letter to 
 your mother, to buy a new cap as a gift from her son." 
 
 " Well, that is a good thought." 
 
 He was off like an arrow, and arrived at the Rectory 
 shortly afterwards, in great glee, to receive his trea- 
 sures ; and especially appreciated a steel-pen with a 
 brilliant blue pen-holder. 
 
 On the next Sunday evening, I asked him if he had 
 received an answer. He said, " No ; and so I '11 never 
 write again as long as I live." 
 
 " Oh, Joseph, think better of it, and write ao-ain • 
 if you have taken nine years to wiite your letter, you 
 may allow your mother more than three days for 
 answering it." 
 
 After the next cottage-reading, he said, "Well, I 
 wiote again, and have got no answer. Mother has 
 thrown me over anyhow ; so 1 11 never write no more, 
 to the end of my days." 
 
 "But your mother may be ill— too ill to write. 
 What do you think of writing to your sister to inquire 
 about her?" 
 
 " Mother ill! Ah! to be sure. I never thought of 
 that, poor dear old soul! WeU, 1 11 tiy it once again, 
 and see what it'll fetch/' 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 119 
 
 On the next Sunday evening Joseph was early at 
 the cottage, and before the rest had assembled he 
 handed an open letter to me. "There now, please 
 read that, ma'am, and tell me what you think of 
 mother. She was ill, bless her!" 
 
 The letter was so beautiful, that I read it, with 
 Joseph's proud permission, to the little assembly, at 
 the close of our Scripture reading ; and the hearts of 
 other sons responded to that Christian mother s tender 
 and solemn appeal. It had so happened, in the awful 
 providence of God, that the drunkard who had first led 
 Joseph, when a boy of sixteen, to a public-house, had 
 left a beer-shop in a state of intoxication, and had 
 fallen into a reservoir, and was drowned. This took 
 place the same day that Joseph's letter had caused his 
 mother to say, in the gladness of her heart, " This my 
 son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, and is 
 found." 
 
 On returning the letter, I asked Joseph to copy it 
 for me. Accordingly, the next evening a copy, beauti- 
 fully written on thick, gUt-edged paper, was left at the 
 Rectory. 
 
 The fate of his first tempter had a gxeat effect upon 
 his mind ; and he became extremely steady from that 
 time, and diligent in his attendance at church and at 
 the lectures. Two months afterwards he left Becken- 
 ham to work in London. The day after the opening 
 of the Crystal Palace he called to see me. A pleasant 
 
120 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAJMP. 
 
 121 
 
 smile flaslied across liis dark face at first meeting ; but 
 then he sat down and cried. 
 
 " Nothing has happened to your dear, excellent old 
 mother, I hope, Joseph ?" 
 
 •' Well, that 's it— about the. worst thing that could 
 I 've u.aie and enlisted in the IncUa Company's service' 
 ami mother's heart will break. And I shan't be in 
 England to close her dear eyes ; no, nor to i^o to any 
 more of the readings after to-niglit's last one."^ 
 
 " Oh, Joseph, what made you do it?" 
 Why, a new mate of mine (ah, if Sammy had been 
 with me, he'd have had sense) says to me, 'Mate, 
 would you like to see foreign countries ? We could do 
 it for nothing in the India Company's service. Let's 
 ^o and enlist!' So says I, 'With aU my heart r and 
 utf we went." 
 
 " Well, Joseph, if I had been by, I should have said 
 ' Think it over first, and count the cost.' But there is 
 no help for it now ; so cheer up, and go to your new 
 duties with a hearty good will God can bless you as 
 a soldier as well as He has blessed you as a workman 
 if you do your duty as unto Him. Wliat if God the 
 Holy Spirit should make you, amongst your brother- 
 soldiers, something like Captain Vicars is in his regi- 
 ment—a light to shew others the way to heaven." 
 
 This thought greatly cheered him. A short time 
 afterwards, the following letters expressed the warm 
 feelings of his grateful heart :— 
 
 J 
 
 " Warley Barracks, June 19, 1854. 
 
 "Dear Friend,— I received your kind letter and 
 presents, and I thank you kindly for them ; and may 
 the Lord reward you kindly for the trouble you have 
 taken on my behalf since I first saw you at Becken- 
 ham. And oh, ma'am, I have a very kind letter from 
 your aged, honoured father, and he gave me a good 
 advice; and oh! may the Lord bless him and you, 
 both, and if I should not see you to thank you in 
 this world, may I meet you at the right hand of God, 
 when He shall summon all nations to His bar. And 
 I should like not to go to India till you come back to 
 Beckenham. Oh, ma'am! I should like to come to 
 Beckenham once more before I go, for it is as dear 
 to me as my native place ; and I should like to be 
 at one of your lectures once more before I go, for 
 very likely I shall not meet with such a friend as I 
 did when I saw you. 
 
 " And there are two or three young men there that 
 I should like to warn against that evil of drinking. 
 Oh, ma'am, I can see the evil of it, and that makes 
 me in earnest about others ; but if I should not see 
 them I will write a few lines, so that you may say it 
 came from my own lips. My dear mother is sore 
 troubled about my going, and so is my sister ; but I 
 tell them that God will be my guide through life, and 
 safely bring me to glory if I put my trust in Him ; 
 and I shall be as safe in the field of battle as I am in 
 
 -* '^"" ^ ^ 
 
 -■'"''■'''^ ■■"'--'''""" 
 
122 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 England. I shall write to you again in a few days, for 
 I shall never forget your kindness as long as I live, for 
 you are as dear to me as my own mother for the in- 
 structions and advice you have given me. Oh, re- 
 member me in your prayers, for they are worth more 
 than thousands of gold and silver. So I remain your 
 most humble servant* 
 
 " Joseph W ." 
 
 '* Warley Barracks, July 3, 1854. 
 
 " Dear Christian Friend,— I now take the liberty 
 of writing a few lines to you, hoping that you will not 
 be offended with me for taking so much liberty, for I 
 know that I am troubling you very much ; but I shall 
 value your letters as if they were gold. And if I 
 should never see you again before I go, I shall take 
 them with me ; and if God should spare my life to 
 return, and if you are living, you shall see them 
 again, for I will never part with them as long as I 
 live, for they will pass many a dull hour away. And 
 I must inform you that I have had a letter from my 
 dear, good, kind mother, and she is nearly broken- 
 hearted about me, for there are some family affairs to 
 be settled next October, and they cannot be settled 
 unless I am present. Without my being present it 
 will be a great disadvantage both to her and myself ; 
 and she wishes me to ask you if you would write a 
 few lines to the Colonel to ask him if he would allow 
 
 the bible in the camp. 
 
 123 
 
 
 me to stop at the depot till October, so that I might 
 have an opportunity of going to see her and settle 
 this affair. You may tell him that I have no wish 
 to be bought off, or to be discharged ; and if he will 
 grant my mother that request I will endeavour to 
 obey all orders in a soldier-like manner as long as I 
 remain in the service. This would be doing°both 
 my mother and myself a great kindness, if it'' would 
 not be troubling you too much. And oh, ma'am, 
 may God reward you for the kindness that you havJ 
 done for me, for it will never be in my power to repay 
 your kindness ; but there is one thing I can do, I can 
 remember you in my prayers, for I shaU never'forget 
 your instructions as long as I Hve ; for if you had been 
 my own mother you could not have been in more earnest 
 about my never-dying soul than you have been since I 
 first saw you at Beckenham. And if I should never 
 see you again, may the Lord bless you and reward you 
 for aU your trouble ; and may your prayers be answered, 
 and may I meet you in heaven. Oh, ma'am, if there is 
 as nmch wickedness carried on in India as there is here, 
 I shall go out of my mind, for I thought before I en- 
 listed that I should not have so much temptation here, 
 but I find that I have ten times as much. Oh, ma am,' 
 it is a blessed thing that I came to Beckenham, or else. 
 I think, I should have been lost for ever. Oh, how 
 thankful ought I to be to the Lord for not cutting me 
 down in the midst of my wickedness, for great would 
 
1 <»*# 
 
 THE BIBLE Df THE CAJIP. 
 
 have been my condemnation, after the advice that I have 
 had from time to time. And there is one thing I want 
 to ask of you, that is, to remember me in your prayers 
 that the Lord may give me strength ai^ainst all tempta- 
 tions, and fill me ,rith His holy Spirit, and give me 
 the power of winning many souls to the Lord Jesus 
 Chnst ; for the Scripture says that one man's soul is 
 worth more than the whole world. Oh, ma'am, if every 
 one tliat knew the love of God in his omi heart were to 
 endeavour to gain one soul, what a happy change we 
 should see in a short time. And may God granl that 
 the tmie may soon come wlien we shall see it so 
 
 " I must conclude, hoping that, if I never see you in 
 th.s world to thank you for your kindness, I shall meet 
 you in glory; so I remain your most humble servant 
 trusting in God for aU help through this life for ever, ' 
 
 "Joseph W ," 
 
 " Wablet Barracks, A vgiist 4. Uui. 
 
 "Kind Feiend,_I received your letter tliis day 
 and was very glad to hear from you ; but I am vej 
 soriy that I did not answer your letter that you sent 
 before with the one enclosed that you received from 
 
 Colonel , but I wrote a letter home to my mother 
 
 and sister, and I was waiting to get an answer from 
 them so tl>at I might be able to tell you what she said 
 but I have not had one yet ; but I can answer for her 
 and myself, and I thank you kindly for your kindness 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 ]25 
 
 and may God bless you for the trouble that you have 
 taken in my welfare. 
 
 " This is the day that I should have had to embark 
 for India. There are just about three hundred "-one 
 to-day to a distant land, perhaps never to return again; 
 and I fear many of them are gone in a dreadful state 
 of wickedness, and that death may overtake many of 
 tlieni before they repent of their sins. Oh, ma'am, 
 what an awful thing it will be if, after living in this 
 Christian country, they should be lost for ever. Oh, 
 ma'am, God forbid that it should be my lot, after 
 having the instructions and the good examples that I 
 have had shewn me. 
 
 "And, ma'am, I was very much pleased with what 
 you said in your letter about Captain Vicars going into 
 the cave to read his Bible, for I am just the same my- 
 self ; I often take my Bible and go into the woods 
 where I can open my heart to the Lord, and tell Him 
 my wants without being molested by any one. Oh, 
 ma'am, I shall n(?v^cr forget Beckenham, for it was there 
 where I first felt the love of God shed abroad in my 
 lieart; and, oh, may it never part from me again. 
 Although at times I do not feel so much of the love of 
 God as I would wish, still I will never give over pray- 
 ing till I get a blessing, for I often think of a little 
 hymn that I learned when a Sunday-school scholar, 
 where it says : — 
 
126 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAJVIP. 
 
 ' 'Tis religion tliat can give 
 Sweetest pleasures while we live; 
 Tis religion must supply- 
 Happy comforts when we die.* 
 
 " I tliink, ma'am, now that I am goinct to stay till 
 October, that I shall have an opportunity of seeing you 
 before I go away, perhaps never to see your face again 
 in this woria ; but if I should not, may I meet you in 
 heaven at the right hand of God, where those that love 
 the Lord will never part again for ever, but live in 
 glory with the angels of God. So I remain your most 
 humble servant, 
 
 " Joseph W ." . 
 
 " Warlet Barracks, January 2, IS55. 
 
 " Kind Feiend, — I received your letter this morn- 
 ing, and I was very glad to hear from you, for it is 
 quite a pleasure to me to read your letters, for it often 
 gives ease to my troubled mind. When alone, I fre- 
 quently get and read all of them ; for they speak so 
 much of that dear Saviour, who took upon Himself the 
 sin of mankind, when nothing but the death of the 
 Cross could make atonement for the whole world. Oh, 
 ma am, I often think what encouragement this is for 
 mankind to give their whole hearts to the Lord ; for 
 surely He who died for the sin of man will not be 
 against him if he call on Him while He may be found. 
 But delays are dangerous ; for He has said in His holy 
 Word, that His Spirit shall not always strive with man. 
 But may the Lord give me grace and faith sufficient 
 
 THE bible in the CAMP. 
 
 127 
 
 for my day, that I may go on continually seeking Him. 
 And, oh, may I not be satisfied by the saving of my 
 own soul, but may I be in earnest about the^souls of 
 others ; and may I be the means of bringing many to 
 seek that Saviour, who had compassion on me when I 
 was on the very brink of heU. And how very thankful 
 I ought to be to Providence, who guided my feet to 
 Beckenham ; for if I had not met with you, and went 
 to your lectures, I believe I should have been lost for 
 ever. But thanks be to Him who died for my sins, 
 that I am still where hope and mercy may be found! 
 The Scriptures tell us that ' God is not a man that he 
 should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent ; ' 
 then how can He refuse us that everlasting happiness 
 which He has promised to all who caU upon Him ? And 
 oh ! may that day soon come, when we need not say to 
 each other, ' Know the Lord, but aU shall know Him, 
 from the least to the greatest.' 
 
 " If I should never see you again in this world, may 
 I meet you in glory, where you may see the fruit of 
 your labours, and the answers to your prayers, kind 
 madam. 
 
 " So I remain your most humble servant, trusting in 
 God for all help through this life, 
 
 "Joseph W /' 
 
 Joseph W remained in England untU the autumn 
 
 of 1856. His conduct in the regiment was excellent ; 
 
128 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAIUP. 
 
 and before the close of his first year of service he rose 
 to be a sergeant. Shortly afterwards, he became desir- 
 ous of entering the company of Sappers and ]\Iincrs, 
 and passed the necessary examination with credit. 
 
 Twice, by the leave which was kindly accorded by 
 his colonel, he was enabled to spend some days with his 
 excellent mother, and married, with her blessin^r an 
 amiable and pious young woman, who sailed with him 
 for India shortly after their wedding had taken place. 
 He brought her to Beckenham, on his farewell visit. 
 Both seemed desirous of " following the Lord fully." 
 
 Samuel Bush left Beckenham at the same time with 
 
 Joseph W , to sliare his fortunes as usual. But, 
 
 failing to find work under the same master, he left his 
 mate, with the full intention of joining company with 
 him again, when Joseph's temporary employment should 
 have ceased. But, impressed with the idea that he 
 could never become a .steadily reli,oi(jus character, unless 
 assisted by the ad\ice and examine of such a man as 
 Captain Vicars, he enlisted in a di'aft for the 77th Eegi- 
 ment, in the ho].e of ])cing sent to the seat of war, and 
 of finding that regiment, as he expressed it, " alongside 
 the 97th ! " 
 
 He came to Beckenham, in the summer, to bid us 
 good-bye, and to fetch his books. I was absent from 
 home, but I heard that he had said " his Bible and he 
 should never part company again." It was under his 
 pillow when he died. 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 129 
 
 ^h 
 
 The next time I heard of his welfare was through a 
 letter of his own, written in the autumn of the same year, 
 by the hand of a Roman Catholic soldier in the same regi- 
 ment, to whom Samuel Bush's Bible, and the brief words 
 of the prayer written on its fly-leaf, brought the mes- 
 sage of pardon and peace through the blood of the cross. 
 
 " Isle of Wight, September 25, 1854. 
 
 " My Dear IVIada^i,— You will no doubt feel sur- 
 prised when you find who sends you this, and that I 
 am now a soldier. But though I am removed thus far 
 from you, I now feel the full extent of my obligations 
 to you. Yes, madam, you were the first to teach me 
 that which now I feel is better by far than any woridly 
 things. Indeed, words cannot convey the gratitude I 
 would express to you for teaching me a knowledge of 
 Jesus. I feel quite happy, as I have hope in the 
 mercies and all-atoning blood of a Saviour. 
 
 " I have time in my present calling to read the Testa- 
 ment which your goodness supplied me with; and I find 
 in it, that if the sinner turn from his evil ways, He will 
 not cast him out ; and mine, you know, madam, has 
 been one continued series of wickedness till I came to 
 Beckenham. I attend church every Sunday to hear the 
 Word of God ; and I am getting better at school, for I 
 can now read my Bible pretty well 
 
 " And now I have no more to say, but to ask your 
 prayers. 
 
m 
 
 130 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 f 
 
 " My much respected friend, accept the feeble thanks 
 of my repentant, grateful heart, and join with me in 
 <jxtolling the mercies of my God, in whose hands you 
 were an instrument of snatching me from the brink of 
 that bottomless pit, over which I was hanging. Was 
 it not for this, I might still be wallowing in the mire 
 of my iniquity, or, having incensed my merciful Saviour, 
 be buried in Hell. 
 
 "Believe me to be, yours in gratitude and sin- 
 ^^^'^^7' Samuel Bush." 
 
 "Direct to Samuel Bush, private, 77th Depot, I Co., 
 No. 69, Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of Widit " 
 
 "KB. — I sent you a letter long since, but the direc- 
 tions were wrong, and it came back again." 
 
 "October 25, 185 i. 
 
 " My Dear Madam,— I felt very thankful for your 
 kind gifts. I continually read, or repeat, some of one 
 of your little prayers. I find great comfort in repeat- 
 ing them. Oh ! what pleasure do they not find who 
 seek the Lord ! Hitherto I sought to satisfy my thirst 
 with muddy water, and my hunger with husks, like 
 swine ; but I hear those consoling words, 'Come to me, 
 all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give 
 you rest.' Oh ! that I had sooner known faith in His 
 blood. Oh ! wliy do so many drink of those muddy 
 waters, which will not, nor cannot satisfy them. Is 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 131 
 
 there no balm in Gilead, or is there no physician there? 
 Is there no compassion in the heart which is tender- 
 ness itself? Why do not aU fly to the atoning blood 
 of Him, who said, 'If you ask the Father anything in 
 my name, He will give it you.' 
 
 " I got a letter from our friend Joseph W , and 
 
 have good reason to hope in the Lord that He has 
 opened the treasures of His grace to him. I expect to 
 go out in a draft soon, but your letters will follow me. 
 I am not in the India service, but in tlie 77th regiment 
 of infantiy. It is to the present seat of war I am to go ; 
 but my Jesus wiU be with me. In the army it is very 
 difiicult to find a Christian friend ; but yet I have a 
 Christian friend, though a sinful one. He who writes 
 this, and my other letters, claims that title, not through 
 his own merits, but through the conquering blood of 
 his Divine Master, and who now begs leave to recom- 
 mend himself to you, and your friends' prayers. If it 
 would not be too much trouble, me and my friend would 
 wish to receive more of these soldiers' prayers at your 
 hands, humbly hoping that our use of them will corres- 
 pond with your wishes. 
 
 "And now, my dear madam, I conclude with grate- 
 ful prayers that God, in whom you trust, will bless you 
 in this life ; and when you leave this earth, may He 
 take you to the place where no care, nor sorrow can 
 appear— where the sorro^vful shall cease mourning, and 
 the weary shall be at rest. I remain, S. Bush.'' 
 
132 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 "Parkhtjrst Barracks, October 30, 1854. 
 
 " My Deae Madam, — We would be very happy in 
 getting some tracts, they would be of much use ; and 
 any other prayers that you have, please send them to 
 us. Nearly all have got Bibles now. We strive to dis- 
 perse the tracts, and we often borrow from others. The 
 
 schoolmaster lends all his books to L , and we read 
 
 them together. He is just reading to me part of the 
 * Anxious Inquirer/ by John Angell James. 
 
 " My dear madam, you pray that we may meet with 
 . Jesus. Of that I have a good hope, through His grace ; 
 for, though I never deserved to rejoice with Him, yet 
 it is not through my own works that I hope to earn 
 heaven, but through the merits of His blood ; and 
 those who come to Him He will in nowise cast out. 
 Oh, yes ! there is in His Word that which makes me 
 happy. 
 
 " And now, my dear friend in Jesus, pray for me. 
 
 "There is a hundred men going to Russia one of 
 these days ; but me nor my friend are not going yet. 
 
 " My love, through Jesus, to you ; through Him 
 henceforth all my wishes be conveyed ; and in Him rest 
 all my cares, even the important affair of my salvation. 
 
 ' Thougli heaven and earth may pass away 
 And sinners tremble for that day ; 
 Yet 1 11 secure and happy be, 
 For Jesus' blood was shed for me.' 
 
 *' Your humble friend, 
 
 S. Bush." 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAJIP. 
 
 133 
 
 He continued to correspond with me occasionally 
 from that time. Early in the month of January 1855 
 he landed in the Crimea, where the wish of his heart 
 was gratified. The 77th was " alongside the 97th," and 
 he and his friend had unrestricted leave to visit Captain 
 Vicars for his advice, and for the reading of the Word 
 of God, and prayer, until the 22d of March, when Hedley 
 Vicars ended his brief, but bright career of love towards 
 God and man, and of heroic discharge of his duty as a 
 soldier, on the ground before SebastopoL 
 
 In the month of June, Samuel Bush was visited by 
 Mr Duncan Matheson, whose apostolic self-denial and 
 exertion, as a soldiers' missionary in the Crimea, enabled 
 him to sow the seed of eternal life broadcast, in faith of 
 seeing the harvest in heaven. 
 
 He passed through a crowd of men, most of whom 
 were cursing and swearing. In the midst sat a young 
 man, who had just come back from night service in the 
 trenches, refreshing himself by reading his Bible. There 
 he sat, on the roots of a tree which had been cut down, 
 reading almost as peacefully as if he had been in heaven. 
 The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, was 
 keeping his heart and mind through Christ Jesus. 
 
 Mr Matheson sat down by his side, and the two held 
 communion together with Him whom their souls loved 
 
 " What do you think of Samuel Bush ? " asked Mr 
 Matheson, as he made his way back through the crowd 
 an hour afterwards. 
 
134 
 
 THE BIBLE IN THE CAaiP. 
 
 "He is a solid Christian, and a good soldier/' was tne 
 answer. 
 
 In the following September he received his mortal 
 wound, and died three or four weeks afterwards. 
 
 Meeting some wounded soldiers, about two months 
 later in that year, who had the number " 77th " on their 
 caps, I asked if they knew Samuel Bush of their regi- 
 ment, and how, and where he was. 
 
 " He died of his wounds some weeks ago," was the 
 reply. 
 
 " Was he happy when he was dying ? " 
 " Happy ! " said one man, starting foi-ward, " if ever a 
 man died happy, he did. There was a Httle Bible he road 
 till his eyes were dim, and then kept it under his piUow 
 till he died. He was a happy man, living and dying." 
 The manner of his death, and of his entrance into 
 Life, was written to his aged parents ; and the follow- 
 ing letter was received in reply : 
 
 " February 10, 1856. 
 
 " Madam,— I have taken my pen in hand to write 
 these few lines to you. hoping to find you in good 
 health, as they leave us at present, bless God for it, but 
 not very well in spirits ; but we are happy, by the 
 grace of God, to hear that my son Samuel died with the 
 grace of God in his heart, and hope, by what you say, he 
 has gone to rest, and is far better off than we that he 
 has left behind ; but we hope to meet him in heaven. 
 
 
 I 
 
 Ihere I... s,.t. >.,. D.e r...,t. .„ ,. tree which h..,l Ihv.i .-tn down, reatUug .ui.u.s, :^* ,,cu.e.ully 
 a« if he had been in hf.-vvi'n.'—p.ige 134. 
 
THE BIBLE IN THE CAMP. 
 
 135 
 
 ^ ' / 
 
 i I 
 
 "And I must say, that I feel very much obliged 
 to you for all your favours towards my son Samuel 
 Bush ; and as it does not lay in my power to repay 
 you again, I hope there is One above that will repay 
 you for all. Now I must conclude, with our best 
 respects to you, 
 
 " Mark and Mary Bush. 
 
 " SCREMBT. 
 
 " And on the other side I have sent you a few lines 
 that he sent in his last letter that he wrote me : — 
 
 * I was a wandering sheep, 
 
 ». did not love the fold ; 
 I did not love my Shepherd's voice— 
 I would not be controU'd. 
 
 * I was a wayward child, 
 
 I did not love my home ; 
 I did not love my Father's voice — 
 I loved afar to roam. 
 
 * I was a wandering sheep, 
 
 I would not be controU'd; 
 But now I love my Shepherd's voice — 
 I love, I love His fold. 
 
 * I was a wayward child, 
 
 I once preferr'd to roam ; 
 But now I love my Father's voice — 
 I love, I love His home.' " 
 
 " And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoio* 
 ing. And when he cometh home, he calleth his friends and neigh- 
 bours, saying unto them. Rejoice with me; for I have found my 
 sheep which was lost." 
 
CHAPTEK X 
 
 'sfmmmmsimmw 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 %\i ^Mur Df f ig^t. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ** There is a path that leads to God, 
 All others go astray ; 
 Narrow, but pleasant, is the road, 
 And Christians love the way. 
 
 " It leads straight through this world of sin. 
 And dangers must be past; 
 But those who boldly walk therein. 
 Will come to heaven at last." 
 
"^'^^f^^^w^**'*'' 
 
 
 r ^ 
 
 The last of the three Crystal Palace workmen who 
 enlisted in regiments recruiting for service in the 
 Crimea, chiefly for the sake of being within reach of 
 Captain Vicars, was a young Scotchman, named James 
 
 K , the son of pious parents, whom he had not 
 
 seen for several years. When I saw iiim first, early in 
 the year 1854, he was standing at the door of his lodg- 
 ings one Sunday morning in liis working clothes. On 
 my requesting him to come to church, he replied, "I 
 do not like the churches in this country. I cannot 
 accommodate myself to your bits of prayers." 
 
 "I can quite understand your preference for the 
 Church of your fathers. But when I am in Scotland I 
 can be thankful to God for the privilege of attending 
 your Church, in which I have found much profit and 
 blessing to my soul, though I love the manner of my 
 own Church the most dearly." 
 
 "I think that's sensible,'' he said; "and perhaps 1 
 would go up if I knew where to sit. But it's all 
 strange to me, you see." 
 
 I promised to call for liim in good time, and to shew 
 
140 
 
 THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT. 
 
 \ 
 
 him a seat in tlie church. From that day forward he 
 became a regular attendant at the house of God, and 
 availed himself of all the opportunities for instruction; 
 and he dated from that time the commencement of the 
 change which soon became apparent to all who knew 
 him. There was a peculiar thoughtfulness and manly 
 simplicity about him which interested me from the first 
 time I saw him ; and his progress in the new path was 
 even and steady. 
 
 In the course of the next winter he enlisted in the 
 Coldstream Guards, and wrote to announce it thus : — 
 
 '* Kind Lady, — I am a soldier ; and I have enlisted 
 for the hope of doing my duty to my Queen and 
 country, and especially of being near that blessed man 
 of God, and good soldier and officer, Captain Vicars, 
 whom I hope to be sent out near to pretty soon, and 
 to gain the profit of his advice, and his prayers and 
 example." 
 
 THE AEMOUE OF LIGHT. 
 
 141 
 
 think that our dear friend Captain Vicars is so well, 
 and has gone through so many hardships and dangers ; 
 but he bears it bravely ; but Jesus shields his people 
 from all dangers ; for if they should fall on earth, they 
 rise in heaven — so that death to one of Christ's soldiers 
 is just to raise him into glory ; for the Lord is our 
 shepherd, He will not let the sheep of His hand fail 
 I read Captain Vicars' letter over to my comrades. 
 They were all happy to hear it, as it was from the seat 
 of war. And we can do no more for him but pray 
 that it may please Jesus to guide him through this war, 
 and bring him home to his native land and friends. I 
 had not much opportunity of prayer ; but I had a few 
 words by myself, like the sailor boy, alone in the crown 
 of my cap. I have not time for more, for I have to 
 get ready for the Bank picquet. The drum calls me 
 to my arms. No more at present, but good-bye ; and 
 God bless you, kind lady. Ja:mes K , 
 
 " Coldstream Guards." 
 
 ^ly answer to this communication missed him ; and 
 it was sometime before he wrote again. To the letter 
 which at last reached him from Beckenham he thus 
 alludes : — • 
 
 « PoRTMAN Street Barracks, January 7, 1855. 
 
 "Dear Lady, — I received your kind letter this 
 morning, just before Divine service. I am happy to 
 
 " Portman Street Barracks, January 4, 1855. 
 
 " Kind Lady, — I received your kind letter on 
 Monday night when I was on the Queen's guard, just 
 as I was going on sentry, so I could not stop to read it 
 till I came off sentiy. I never spent two hours so un- 
 happy all my life till I came off sentry, and then I read 
 it ; and I got your kind present that you sent me 
 yesterday. I cannot return your kindness, but by 
 
142 
 
 THE AEMOUR OF LIGHT. 
 
 offering up a prayer to Jesus for you. I have read it 
 over and over again, and those little books that I got 
 from you when I was at Beckenhara. I take great 
 delight in reading them. When I am off duty, and 
 sitting reading them, some of my comrades will say to 
 
 me, 'Come man K , into the canteen and have a pint ; 
 
 you will be so religious that you can't do nothing.' I 
 make no return, but call on Jesus to give me strength 
 to stand against these temptations. When I caU on 
 God he never forsakes me. Tliat Httle prayer that you 
 gave me, I have it always in my mind. \Mien I am 
 on guard I always have one of your little books with 
 me. I have a good many temptations to bear ; but the 
 Lamb of God, when I call on Him, he puts a double 
 strength in me, so I can stand them all. I have read 
 that copy of a prayer that you sent me in your letter, 
 and shewed it to some of the rest. They laughed at 
 it, and said that there would not be much time for 
 reading when they went out to Eussia ; but others said 
 that it would just be a good thing to have, and they 
 would like to have one; for the th<.ught of going out 
 to the East, it gives many one of them a thought of 
 their souls ; and they will come to, and say to me^'Are 
 you not afraid to go to the war?' and I teU them no; 
 for I tell them that Jesus will save my soul if I should 
 get killed ; and He will in no wise cast them out if 
 they will but call on Him in time. I would like very 
 weU, if you please to send me the letter that came 
 
 i 
 
 THE AEMOUR OF LIGHT. 
 
 US 
 
 from Captain Vicars. No more at present ; but God 
 bless you. James K , 
 
 " Coldstream Guards." 
 " St George's Barracks, April Gth. 
 
 " Dear Lady, — When I opened the paper it made 
 the tears come into my eyes, for to hear that my be- 
 loved friend had left this world. He is gone to sleep 
 in Jesus. I wish I had been by his side, and seen him 
 fall asleep. But I know that he is in greater glory than 
 is to be had in this world. \\Tien last I saw him in 
 Beckenham amongst us, little did I think that it was 
 the last. But he fell in duty and glory. 
 
 " I expect we shall leave for the East in a day or so. 
 We are all at a minute's notice. I have all the little 
 books you gave me packed up in my kit. 
 
 " I was always living in the hopes of seeing that 
 beloved, respected Captain, and honoured brother in 
 the Lord, out there, when I got a chance of going out 
 to him ; now I am disappointed, but I will put^no trust 
 in princes to get me to heaven, but I look on the blood 
 of Jesus on the Cross. I will trust in Him, and He 
 will never forsake me. For Jesus says — 
 
 'All ye that thirst approach the stream 
 Where living waters How,' 
 
 "Our beloved friend is drinking of those living 
 waters now. 
 
Ui 
 
 THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT. 
 
 I 
 
 "So no more at present from yonr humble and 
 grateful friend, James K , 
 
 " Coldstream Guards." 
 "St Geobge's Bareacks, April 8, 1855. 
 
 " Deae Lady,— I take the boldness of writing these 
 few lines, to let you know that I leave London to- 
 morrow morning. We are aU in heavy marching order 
 at six o'clock to-morrow morning. I put my trust in 
 Jesus, and He will lead me safe through all the dangers 
 of this world ; and I hope that I shall meet my d°ar, 
 kind friend Captain Vicars in heaven. 
 
 ' .\nil, oh, that will bo joyful, 
 When wc meet to part no more." 
 
 " I have not much time— we are all getting things 
 ready to start to-morrow morning. We take tie train 
 at Waterloo Station for Portsmouth. I must bid you 
 farewell ; and God bless you ; and pray for us when we 
 are on the field of battle. Your grateful, humble friend, 
 
 " James K ." 
 
 Of the letters received from him whilst he was in tlie 
 Crimea, the following, perhaps, best expresses his 
 thoughts and feelings : — 
 
 " Camp before Sebastopol, Atujust 6, 1855. 
 " Deae Lady,— I take the opportunity of writin.n- 
 to you to let you know that 1 am in good health, and 
 
 THE AEMOUE OF LIGHT. ] 45 
 
 thanks be to God for the same-who is the Giver of 
 all good. I would have answered your kind letter 
 before this time, but our duty has been so hard that I 
 have not had time. We are in the trenches almost 
 every night, and I am for them to-night again; but 
 them I never think about. Many a one says that they 
 dont hke the trenches, for they are afraid of the shot 
 and shell that is always flying about us; but them I 
 don t fear, for I know that Jesus' right hand can take 
 care of me in the hour of danger as weU there as if I 
 waainmyt^nt So I put my trust in Him. I fear 
 no danger, for His right hand guides my way. I 
 a ways take my little friend in my pocket, that is my 
 httle Testament that you gave ma I have had many 
 narrow escapes for my life in these trenches, but mv 
 lovmg Saviour guards me through all dangers and 
 hardships ; and I must say our regiment has been 
 the most fortunate in the trenches of any I know of 
 The most we have had wounded in one night yet was 
 seven ; one lost his leg and another his arm I was 
 close by when the sheU burst that took them both for 
 the Eussians are not bad marksmen. They murder our 
 poor comrades the French most terrible with shot and 
 shell ; but they stand their gromid, and are gaining 
 upon the Russians' advanced works, as we are But I 
 must draw to a close, as it is getting near time to be 
 ready for the trenches again. I have seen some of the 
 men of our dear Captain Vicars' Eeglment; and they 
 
14G 
 
 THE AEMOUR OF LIGHT. 
 
 all moum the loss of him very much. I have read to 
 iiigh all my comrades that little book about him ; and 
 they like it. 
 
 " Give my love to James W and all my old 
 
 mates in Beckenham ; and if the great King of kings 
 gives me health and strength, I hope that I will see 
 them all again at that place where I learned to know 
 and love my Saviour ; and you who taught me, by His 
 
 grace. 
 
 (( 
 
 So no more, dear Lady, but remain, 
 
 " James K- 
 
 » 
 
 The prayer of faith was answered ; and the soldier 
 returned home " in health and strength," by the good 
 providence of God. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Wm l^arts to Mm. 
 
 '9 
 
 "Hearts are not steel, and steel is bent; 
 Hearts are not stone, and stone is rent" 
 
 -T 
 
/. 
 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 m ! 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 SCAECELY had the latest lingerers amongst the Crystal 
 Palace workmen disappeared from Beckenham, in the 
 spring of 1855, before a new interest had sprung up 
 for us in the gathering of the Army Works Corps. 
 
 It was formed by the suggestion, and under the 
 arrangement of Sir Joseph Paxton; for whose cour- 
 teous and cordial readiness to afford us facilities of 
 intercourse with the men, as for that of every gentle- 
 man connected with the service, and in particular Mr 
 Milner, the chief officer at the Crystal Palace department, 
 we shall always feel truly grateful 
 
 The Corps amounted, from first to last, to nearly four 
 thousand men. The first detachment consisted only of 
 railway labourers, sent out to make themselves gene- 
 rally useful in all works connected with the army and 
 its position in the Crimea, which could be performed 
 by manual labour. But in the succeeding draughts, the 
 numbers of artisans of various kinds, smiths, stone- 
 masons, bricklayers, &c., &c., preponderated above the 
 labourers. The first ship sailed early in July, and the 
 last about the middle of December, 1855. The men 
 
loO 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 assembled to be chosen at tlie Crystal Palace Office, and 
 remained in the neighbourhood until their several em- 
 l)arkations. 
 
 Ne\\ s was brought to the Eectory, on the evening of 
 the 1 9th of May, that several strangers had arrived to 
 look for lodgings in the village; so we went out to 
 meet them, to begin acquaintance with them at once, 
 knowing that the time would be short for the work be- 
 fore us. 
 
 It Iiad Ixen a sorrowful day ; the anniversary of our 
 last parting with Hedley Vicars occurring whilst we 
 were yet in the first freshness of a sorrow which can 
 iiovcv grow old. One of his sisters went with me ; and 
 we had agreed to plead, for that evening's work, the 
 l)romise which seemed one of peculiar beauty to us ju.st 
 then, "They that sow in tears shidl reap in joy/' 
 
 As we walked through the village we saw a group of 
 young men, who were described to us as "the rouo-hest 
 lot as ever come to Beckenham." At the first words 
 addressed to them they looked surprised, and somewhat 
 <ii>posed to walkaway; but they soon began to shew 
 signs of pleasure in the cordial interest taken in their 
 prospects, and in hearing better information concernincr 
 the country they were bound for, than it had been in 
 their power to obtain before. At the first few words 
 about-" another country," the smile of one bright, youn<>" 
 face spread into a broad laugh ; but before we parted an 
 expression of grave and serious feeling was there instead. 
 
 t 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 151 
 
 I briefly told the story of grace touching him whom 
 we had seen for the last time on earth that day year. 
 For a moment one or two seemed disposed to doubt its 
 truth ; so I said, " The young lady by my side is his 
 sister." They almost started ; and sympathy, as gently 
 respectful as any man in England could manifest, was 
 expressed in their countenances and manners. An 
 Irishman, called Tom Hagan, said, after a few moments' 
 silence, "I'm not a gentleman like he, but I'm a 
 brother, and have a little sister that I love, so I can 
 feel for her." 
 
 We had their hearts and confidence, then, for we 
 stood upon equal ground. We had met them with 
 friendly interest ; they had returned it with genjerous 
 sympathy. So it was easy to ask and obtain the pro- 
 mise of their attendance in chfirch next day — a promise 
 kept by all ; and in the evening we met again for a cot- 
 tage-reading. 
 
 By Monday night they had added to their numbers for 
 another " reading/' and listened with earnest attention. 
 
 -o> 
 
 We went to some of their lodging-houses the next 
 evening to leave some little books. At one of these 
 houses the landlady remarked, "I have three of the 
 tallest, darkest, wildest men lodging here that I ever 
 set eyes on. But one of them cried like a child for an 
 hour or so after he came back from last night's reading, 
 and said he wished he might have listened to it all night. 
 His name is Richard J " 
 
152 
 
 MOEE HEAETS TO WIX. 
 
 We promised to wait till he came in ; and just then 
 the doorway was filled by a figure of magnificent strength 
 and beauty, whose very royal bearing contrasted rather 
 amusingly with his speech, " I can't abear to walk into 
 the room where the ladies are sitting ; I am so horrible 
 dirty/' He was a man in the meridian of life, named 
 
 William W , who had been a private in the 88th 
 
 Eegiment ; but was now dressed in the dusty fustian 
 of a working man. He had married a wife in a posi- 
 tion of Hfe which he thought somewhat superior to his 
 own, and had purchased his discharge, to obtain, instead, 
 " waterside work " at his native place, Sunderland. hJ 
 confided to me that he was sadly troubled in his mind 
 about having left his wife without a word of kindness 
 tor a fareweU. They had quarreUed ; he went out to 
 drink, as too often was^his wont, and had been led 
 into the railway carriage by his friends in a state of 
 unconsciousness. 
 
 "Had he written to her since, and expressed his re- 
 
 gret ? " 
 
 "He could not write himself, but a mate had done it 
 for him, and she would not answer.'' 
 
 " Should I write at his dictation ? " 
 
 His countenance brightened, and the evening and 
 hour were fixed for the purpose. 
 
 When I said a word or two about the misery which 
 sin always brought, he interrupted me by exclaiming, 
 " Now, don't ye say any more about that. You pressed 
 
 MOEE HEAETS TO WIN. 
 
 153 
 
 \ 
 
 me so hard about it at the reading that I could have 
 cried out, and I did when I got back." 
 
 "And did you cry to God?" 
 
 "I did; and have prayed that pretty prayer you 
 taught us, every night since." 
 
 Just then the other men came in, and we all knelt 
 down for prayer. 
 
 Ten minutes after I had left these fine, impulsive, 
 full-grown children with tears upon their cheeks, they 
 were fighting with knives ! 
 
 Two letters were lying on the table for the men who 
 came in last. They were from their wives ; and these 
 men began to taunt WilHam about the silence of his 
 wife. He could not stand it, and seized his supper ■ 
 knife. Just as they were attacking each other, the 
 landlady nobly rushed between them, exclaiming, 
 "Stop, for the lady's sake, stop. It wiU break her 
 heart to hear of your fight, and after that prayer, too." 
 The men desisted, and sat down ashamed She then 
 
 told WiUiam W to seek lodgings elsewhere. He 
 
 was received at a public-house— a dangerous home for 
 a man with his propensity to intemperance. 
 
 The evening he had appointed came, but no William 
 
 W appeared; nor did 1 see him again for some days. 
 
 Several of these strangers walked to Ehner's End— a 
 hamlet at one extremity of the parish— for the cottage- 
 reading, which is always held there on Friday evening. 
 One, after conferring with his friends, remarked to me, 
 
154 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 100 
 
 i 
 
 ** I wish tlie whole lot could hear these things. We 're 
 all together outside the Crystal Palace at seven of a 
 morning ; and the paymaster says we 're the finest lot 
 he ever saw, and the wildest — just like four hundred 
 roarinsj lions." 
 
 The hint was taken, and by seven o'clock the next 
 
 morning, L and I drove to the ground appointed, 
 
 where we found about fifty men assembled. We sent 
 the carriage away for a time, and occupied ourselves at 
 first in distributing little books and cards of prayer. 
 Conversation easily followed ; and by the time the 
 remainder of the four hundred began to make their 
 appearance, the first fifty had become our firm friends. 
 Not one uncivil word was said ; not one unwilliuir hand 
 received the prayer. As they gathered round in in- 
 creasing circles, I was struck with the earnestness of 
 their Ustening countenances. They were the most 
 peculiar body of men whom I have ever met. Adver- 
 tised for, in this first instance, for strength alone — men, 
 whose muscle and sinew constituted their character, 
 and w^hose working power, therefore, stood for their 
 morale, were thus gathered together on that ground 
 from all parts of the country. The north of England 
 had sent most — from Lancashire, Durham, and Nor- 
 thumberland. But we had our Cornish men, too, and 
 our Kentish, and a sprinkling from nearly all the 
 coast ; and a knot of " kindly Scots," and some warm- 
 hearted Irish Roman Catholics. 
 
 #! 
 
 Wild they might be ; and absolutely undisciplined, 
 doubtless, they were ; but it is difficult to judge hardly 
 of those who received every friendly advance with a 
 cordial but ever-respectful confidence ; who combined 
 their manly courtesy with the trust of childhood ; and 
 who valued the kindly regard shewn them, during a few 
 weeks of intercourse, so warmly, as to be unable to 
 speak of it, many months afterwards, without emotion. 
 And here I may mention, that in all my acquaintance 
 with working men, never have they let me hear a single 
 oath, nor one expression which could, in the remotest 
 degree, shock or pain me. 
 
 In the background of the furthest circle, on the 
 
 morning just referred to, stood William W , vainly 
 
 trying to conceal himself, remarkable for height and 
 strength even amongst that remarkable four hundred. 
 When he saw that I had perceived him, he bowed 
 gravely and respectfully ; and, as we drove away from 
 the crowd, I appointed him to call at the Rectoiy the 
 same evening, that I might fulfil my promise of writing 
 to his wife for him. We left with many a kindly "God 
 bless ye," to cheer us on our homeward way. 
 
 At one o'clock a woman came to the Eectoiy, askin^^ 
 to " see the lady who had spoken to the navvy men ; 
 because her husband had sent her to have the same 
 things said to her." She said he had been a hard 
 drinker, and very unkind to her ; and " that he had 
 refused to allow her any part of his wages during his 
 
156 
 
 MOEE HEAIiTS TO WIN. 
 
 absence in the Crimea. But when she came down to 
 Sydenham that morning, he had said that he had just 
 been hearing things which made him wish to live differ- 
 ent ; and that he would allow her twenty shillings a- 
 week out of his thirty shillings' wages, and wished they 
 could both turn good, and be friends. After what he 
 had heard about the good Saviour's love, he did not 
 wish to live in hate, leastways with his own wife." 
 Here the woman wept, and added, " I never heard the 
 like from him, nor half such kind words since he became 
 a London navvy five years ago." 
 
 On the Sunday week, both husband and wife walked 
 from London, for the afternoon service at Beckenham 
 Church, and were invited into the Rectory afterwards, 
 for refreshment. I asked him what were the words 
 which God had made a message to his heart on the 
 day they had first met ? He replied, " The story of the 
 young officer, who had read in another man^s Bible that 
 the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin, and 
 had made up his mind at once to live as a washed man 
 should— and then you said as we had better begin that 
 morning, and so I did ; and have been goin^ on the 
 same ever since, by God's help." 
 
 Punctual to his appointment, William W came 
 
 at seven o'clock that Saturday evening. He was shewn 
 into the dining-room on his arrival, where I found him 
 taking a Hvely interest in the portraits on the waU, and 
 the size of the folio volumes in the book-cases. ' He 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 157 
 
 said afterwards to Mary E , " She had me into a 
 
 sitting-room, and it was just like heaven : such a sight 
 of books, and such a large dinner- table." A luxury 
 which, I suppose, we can hardly appreciate, without 
 attempting to dine at a cottage dinner-table, some two 
 feet in diameter, encircled by seven or eight children, and 
 at last to find we must retreat to take refuge in a chim- 
 ney corner, reduced to resting our plate upon our knees. 
 
 When I had brought in my portfolio, and asked 
 William W to dictate his letter, his look of ani- 
 mated observation was subdued at once into grave 
 thoughtfulness. 
 
 Tnat letter was a sacred confidence between two 
 hearts, of which I was in all honour bound to consider 
 myself but as the mere pen to communicata But to 
 the high tone, which it conveyed, of that man's moral 
 feeling, to his sensitiveness of conscience, to his noble 
 and manly frankness in the confession of that which 
 pressed upon his heart, to a wife who was then un- 
 softened towards him — no description could do justice. 
 
 When I had written three or four pages, he paused, 
 and I inquired what else he would like me to say. 
 
 " Nothing more, ma'am, thank you." 
 
 " Then how would you like to conclude ? " 
 
 " Not to conclude yet, if you please." 
 
 I looked perplexed. After a moment's hesitation he 
 added earnestly^ "Please, ma'am, would you work up 
 her feelings a bit ? " 
 
158 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 "If your letter fails to do so," I silently thought, 
 " my postscript will be to little purpose indeed" 
 
 However, I saw that his heart was set upon this, and 
 ciccordingly I added a vivid description of the probable 
 dangers of his life in the Crimea, and suggested that 
 she would not be altogether happy if she should hear of 
 liis death there, without having written him one word 
 of forgiving love. 
 
 The combination of letter and postscript did its work 
 well; for she left Northumberland for Beckenham 
 within twenty-four hours after she had received it. 
 
 When Wilham had heard the whole letter read, and 
 had pronounced it " as just what it should be," he con- 
 fessed frankly, but with an expression of deep remorse 
 and shame, that he had been very unkind to his wife 
 when he was under the influence of intoxicating liquors. 
 "Never otherwise, I am sure, William! You are 
 not the sort of man who could be unkind to a woman, 
 except when you are not yourself. " 
 
 The tears stood in his eyes ; " I don't think I could 
 be, least of all to my good wife. I married when I 
 was a boy, as ye may say, twenty-three years ago ; and 
 IMargaret is as good a wife as any man was ever tied 
 to." 
 
 This led to my urging him to give up drinking — to 
 make a resolution at once about it, in the strength of 
 the Lord of Hosts. 
 I told him that I could not bear to see men with fine 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 159 
 
 intellects, and noble generous natures, degrading them- 
 selves lower than the beasts that perish ; and then I 
 spoke of the dignity of man before the Fall, when he 
 lived in the likeness of Him who had created him ; and 
 not alone his restoration, but his elevation to a still 
 higher dignity by the life and death of the God-man, 
 Jesus Christ our Lord — ^who had redeemed us unto God 
 by His blood, and had made us " kings and priests unto 
 our God." 
 
 There was something wonderfully interesting in 
 watching the latent intellect and fine feeling in that re- 
 markable man burst forth, as he listened to truths that 
 were new to him then ; and which opened the way to a 
 higher and holier life for him thenceforth. The tears 
 glittered in his eyes, and his whole countenance grew 
 radiant. Little did he think that before another year 
 had passed, he should have entered into eternity ; to 
 realise in full, as I humbly hope and trust, through the 
 merits of his Redeemer, that high and holy life, the 
 first glimpse of which had wrought upon his soul so 
 powerfully. 
 
 After the concluding prayer at the cottage, the next 
 evening, he knelt on, with his face covered, after the 
 others had risen up. A day or two later I took occa- 
 sion to speak with the landlord of the public-house 
 where he lodged. I rejoiced to hear him remark — 
 " We have a man here, madam, who will thank God, I 
 believe, that he ever came to Beckenham. He sat up 
 
160 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 MOEE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 161 
 
 with me for an hour and a half on Sunday night, and 
 said he had felt as he had never felt before, at that 
 reading and prayer, and seemed ready to cry any 
 minute ; I never saw a man more in earnest. He told 
 me that he had had terrible fits of drinking, but that 
 he wanted to give it all up now. And, says he, * Land- 
 lord, don't ask me to take a glass, because I 'm weak 
 still, ye see, like a new-bom baby.' " 
 
 Just then William W walked in, and requested 
 
 to be allowed to speak with me alone for a moment. 
 A letter from his wife had crossed his own. He had 
 carefully wrapped it in various papers, and for further 
 safety all were bound up in a crimson pocket hand- 
 kerchief. Its contents were not very remarkable ; but 
 he said "it was kinder than he deserved," and his heart 
 was gladdened. He said " he had got a friend to write 
 a line for her to come to Beckenham, if she liked. It 
 could be paid for out of his wages. He should like to 
 see her once again, and hear her say a kind good-bye." 
 
 These " country gentlemen " of the working classes 
 — men of free, warm hearts and open hands — ^never 
 harass themselves on the question of " What will it 
 cost?" And least of all where their affections are 
 concerned. 
 
 At this time Thomas Dibley and some others, whom 
 we had formerly known, returned to lodge in Becken- 
 ham previously to going out to the Crimea, and joined 
 with the strangers, with whom we were just makin^r 
 
 •' 
 
 acquaintance, in attendins; the cottage-readings, which 
 were held almost every evening, as the time was shorty 
 and many more wished to be present than could be ac- 
 commodated at one time. 
 
 We now drove regularly to the place appointed for 
 their " roll-call " each morning ; and always met with 
 a cordial and respectful reception. On Whit-Tuesday 
 a general inVitation was given for those who would like 
 "a cottage reading" under the trees on the Kectory 
 lawn, to assemble for that purpose at ten in the morn- 
 ing. As rain came on, the coach-house was cleared, 
 and seventy or eighty took shelter there, and listened 
 with lively interest to the 9th chapter of Acts, and 
 other portions of St Paul's wonderful biography. Then 
 my father came, and addressed them, and prayed with 
 them. Many were in tears as they rose up, and thanked 
 us heartily. 
 
 On the next Sunday morning, John R , a navvy 
 
 of considerable education and natural talent, who had 
 great influence with his companions, called to say that 
 a large number of the men, who were within walking 
 distance, had agreed to come from their various quarters 
 to attend Beckenham Church in the afternoon, and then 
 to assemble on the Kectory lawn, if permitted, for a 
 farewell address and prayer for themselves, belie\ing it 
 would be their last Sunday before leaving England. 
 
 Every aisle and every corner of the church were 
 crowded with these men, who listened with profound 
 
li 
 
 162 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 attention, and especially when my father earnestly 
 addressed them at the close of his sermon. 
 
 For some little time after the service was over, they 
 walked about the Rectory gromids in companies, taking 
 scrupulous care of the borders of beds in the flower 
 garden. About a hundred were there. Each man 
 received a Testament, with his name written in it, and 
 a Cottage Hymn-book. Then they formed a half circle 
 before the hall door, and united in singing Cowper's 
 hymn, beginning, 
 
 " There is a fountain fiU'd with blood.'* 
 
 Mr Chalmers then addressed them, and afterwards 
 Captain Vandeleur. 
 
 Those who had walked from a distance were invited 
 to remain and have some tea ; but it grieved us that 
 any should go away without it. So the next day we 
 consoled ourselves by writing an invitation to all who 
 had come for any of these gatherings for religious pur- 
 poses to meet at the Eectory that afternoon for tea, 
 coffee, and cake. A deputation of four arrived to refuse 
 it ! " They had rather not." 
 
 I felt pained; and probably they saw this, for a noble 
 fellow, named Job Hesketh, said, " Don't ye think we 
 shouldn't like it ; but it goes against us, after that sight 
 of beautiful books you have given us, to take anything 
 more out of ladies' pockets. Why, we 've cost you a 
 fortune already." 
 
 \ Urge iiii.ui. 1 , , Mil.. ii.>aii5.'r>.,a I.. Mm,, fnnn tiicir variuiu- <iM.,!Ki>, tu :atiiid Beckenlmi. 
 
 fhlirch ill Tin* .iftt-lllodll.'' — P;iJfC ]()J. 
 
 ( 
 
MOKE HEAETS TO WIN. 
 
 1G3 
 
 We explained that the pleasure was beyond the ex- 
 pense of tea, coffee, and cake, and that we could not 
 bear to be disappointed ; but that, as it was growing 
 late, the tea-party should be changed into a breakfast- 
 party for the following morning. 
 
 Job Hesketh said, *' I shall want you to put by a 
 pound a-week for me, and to spend the interest of it on 
 your scholars, like us, that you want books for." 
 
 " Thank you, Job ; but I would rather put by the 
 interest for you, and you shall give it to God yourself, 
 when you come back by His kind care.'' 
 
 " Well, you 'd do it best, anyhow. And we 're all 
 saying we 'd feel our money safer in a lady's hands than 
 in our own, any day." 
 
 Job was afterwards discharged by the surgeon, as 
 unfit to go to the Crimea, owing to an injury to his 
 chest, from the blow of a cricket-balL He looked the 
 picture of health and strength. 
 
 In the afternoon we drove to the Palace, and found 
 several new faces. They wished their names to be 
 written down for the gift of Testaments, and begged 
 that the list might be preserved to insure their being 
 
 remembered afterwards. L overheard one of them 
 
 saying, " She will have we to become religious." 
 
 An overflowing number came to the cottage-reading 
 that evening. I heard men sobbing outside the open 
 door. On my way back a respectable and nice-looking 
 young woman stopped me, exclaiming, in a voice half 
 
164 
 
 MORE HEAETS TO WIN. 
 
 choked by tears, " I Ve come from Sunderland to see 
 my husband a changed man ; and, oh, ma'am— God for 
 ever bless you— it would be worth going to the world's 
 
 end to see him so." It was Kichard J 's wife. 
 
 WilHam W had brought his wife to the Rectory 
 
 two or three evenings before. She was a very respect- 
 able-looking person, who spoke her mother tongue 
 without any vernacular, and had very good manners. 
 He was decidedly proud of her, as "upper crust," 
 according to his own expression. There was something 
 truly great in the way in which he listened to her ex- 
 position of his faults— great in its manly, yet humble 
 acquiescence. A sort of manner which said, "She can't 
 say too much, for I know too well that I deserve a great 
 deal more." 
 
 At length I ventured to suggest that bygones should 
 be bygones, and that we should all strive, by the grace 
 of God, to follow the example of the father in our 
 Saviour's wondrously beautiful parable of the prodigal 
 son, who welcomed his penitent back to his bosom, 
 without one word of reproach, and caUed for all the 
 treasures and honours of his house to lavish upon the 
 beloved one. 
 
 To my satisfaction she replied, " yes, ma'am ; and 
 it is only to make you see how great the change is that 
 I have been telling you of what went before it.'* 
 
 Half-past ten was the hour appointed the next morn- 
 ing for the breakfast-party. The gates were thrown 
 
 MORE HEAETS TO WIN. 
 
 165 
 
 open; and we felt rather surprised when the hour 
 came and none entered. But on walking to the chief 
 entrance, my sister found the three roads which met 
 there literally lined with men, " waiting for one of the 
 family to bid them welcome before they could take the 
 liberty of coming in." They walked to the lawn four 
 abreast, and sat down under the shade of the old trees. 
 It was a most picturesque scene. Those magnificent 
 men, who might have been coveted for the Queen's 
 company in the Grenadier Guards, dressed in their 
 easy and becoming costume of white " slops," here and 
 there diversified by a blouse, with rose-red neck-ties. 
 They were very quiet, but very cheerful — ready for any 
 little joke from those who waited upon them. Captain 
 Vandeleur was in peculiar favour in this point of view, 
 and also for the sake of his fresh information from the 
 Crimea, whence he had just arrived. As we were to 
 leave home that day, and the men expected to sail for 
 the Crimea within two days later, I shook hands with 
 them all after breakfast, and bade them farewell. Then 
 Mr Chalmers prayed, and all their voices joined with 
 his, audibly, as they knelt on the turf; and then they 
 rose to sing "The Parting Hymn" in the Cottage 
 Hymn-book. 
 
 An hour afterwards we left Beckenham to go into 
 Essex. They were all " lining the roads " again by the 
 Rectory gates, waiting for another fareweU. Some of 
 the younger men had proposed to cheer us as we passed. 
 
 i 
 
166 
 
 MORE HEARTS TO WIN. 
 
 but the elder ones had said "it was too solemn for 
 that/' So there they stood, with hats held high above 
 their heads, voice after voice murmuring " God bles3 
 ye!" 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 |ari lighting toit^ @IJr |oes. 
 
 " Deal gently with the erring ! 
 Ye know not of the power 
 With which the dark temptation came. 
 
 In some unguarded hour. 
 Ye may not know how earnestly 
 
 He struggled, or how well. 
 Until the hour of darkness came, 
 And sadly thus he fell. 
 • * • * 
 
 ** Heir of the self-same heritage, 
 Child of the self-same God, 
 He hath but stumbled in the path 
 Thou hast in weakness trod." 
 
 I 
 
 / 
 
The expedition of the first detachment of the Army 
 Works Corps met with a considerable delay in its em- 
 barkation for the Crimea; and the men were conse- 
 quently remanded to the neighbourhood of the Crystal 
 Palace. 
 
 Until ten days after the date of the farewell break- 
 fast-party, Mr Chalmers was able to remain at Becken- 
 ham, and to meet the men for a short service, twice a- 
 day, under a railway bridge in his parish, very near the 
 Crystal Palace grounds. He found them uniformly at- 
 tentive and grateful They attached themselves to him 
 heartily, calling him " our parson," and always inquir- 
 ing for him afterwards with unqualified afieetion and 
 regard. 
 
 A few days afterwards, Mr Chalmers having been 
 obliged to leave home for a time, a sort of " round- 
 robin " reached me, containing a pressing request from 
 the navvies for my immediate return, "to give them 
 some more good advice before they should go away 
 from their own country, perhaps never to return." 
 
 This appeal at once recalled me ; and as we drove 
 
J70 
 
 KARD FIGHTIKG WITH OLD FOES. 
 
 HARD FIGHTING WITH OLD FOES. 
 
 171 
 
 from the Sydenham station I passed several of their 
 friendly faces, and received many a hearty welcome. 
 On my way to the cottage for a gathering of as many 
 as could be called together at so short a notice, I saw 
 
 William W standing at the door of the small inn 
 
 where he lodged. He turned his head away, and I felt 
 too sure that all was not right with him. His wife stood 
 by his side, and said, " Oh, ma'am, whilst the Eector 
 was here, and had him up to family prayers every day 
 at the Kectory, he went on as well as ever you saw him, 
 but he has fallen back since terribly." 
 
 It saddened me so much that I could hardly speak 
 just then, so I only said, " Come with me to hear God's 
 Word, and to pray to Him, whatever may have hap- 
 pened." 
 
 They came; and William wept as he heard of St 
 Peter's fall and recovery, and of his great love for his 
 Master ever after, and how his heart warmed as he 
 wrote of having been not "redeemed by corruptible 
 things," but "by the precious blood of Christ." 
 
 On Sunday afternoon a large number came to church, 
 and into the Kectory grounds afterwards. The weather 
 was threatening, so they were invited into the house, 
 and filled the inner and outer hall, and the rooms open- 
 ing into them. They seemed much in earnest, and 
 nearly every voice united in prayer, after we had read 
 the first chapter of St Peter's First Epistle. 
 
 William W was not there ; neither had he been 
 
 I 
 
 seen at church, morning or afternoon. It was clear 
 that he was determined now to take the downward 
 path, and to avoid whatever would remind him of his 
 better hopes and purposes. The only thing left was to 
 go and seek him out, like the woman, who, when she 
 had lost her piece of silver, swept diligently until she 
 had found it.* 
 
 At the door of the inn where William lodged stood 
 the landlord's niece. She entered heartily into the 
 wish to see him reclaimed ; and led me into a quiet 
 
 sitting-room, whither she sent for Mrs W . The 
 
 poor wife told me, that the day after Mr Chalmers had 
 left Beckenham, some old friends of William's had 
 come to see him, near the Palace grounds, and had 
 reproached him for being too religious now to ''treat" 
 them, and had called him " near" (the fatal word which 
 drives so many of these poor fellows back into sin). 
 He was stung to the quick, and then sold his clothes, 
 in order to feast his friends with the money thus made. 
 Mrs W seemed much distressed, and joined fer- 
 vently with me in prayer for her husband, and for grace 
 and wisdom for herself to enable her to win him gently 
 back again. Then she went to see if she could per- 
 suade him to come and see me, but she said "he had 
 almost vowed that he never would again." "Where 
 was the good," he argued, " of being pulled up to bo 
 
 * Lake xv. 8. 
 
172 
 
 HARD FIGHTING WITH OLD FOES. 
 
 hour «f ih. .? ^ "^^^ '^'"^^ "Pon the 
 
 W of the cottage-reading. At length a slow, un- 
 jalhng step was on the stair. It was Wmiam'a The 
 
 she shpp d away. He sat down with a sullen, despond^ 
 
 but determmed voice, •■ It is no use at aU ; I have sold 
 my soul to the devil." "'" 
 
 " But he shall not have it. William ■ it ;» „^* 
 to seU! Jesus Christ has LoufbHt' ^^ h H s""" 
 ChbL.' ' ' '""^"-^ ^' ''-^ " for JESUS 
 
 I could not say more, for my voice failed ; but his 
 whole countenance altered, like the face of a ma. from 
 
 bi r T r' '^'^ ^^"^ ""^ ^« strong man 
 bowed his head and wept. " What shall I do °wTat 
 can I do ?" "^ ^ uo e wnat 
 
 " You can pray. Let us pray now " 
 
 He laid his head on the table as he knelt an,! • a 
 like a child Ha h«A u 7 ^ ""^ "^^^ 
 
 "> the sense of our Saviour's words, "Except veil 
 converted, and become as little chilkn 1 1 J 
 enter into the kingdom of heaven " ^ " °°' 
 
 As he rose up, I asked, " Did you pray, too i" 
 
 HARD FIGHTING WITH OLD FOES. 
 
 173 
 
 " A little," he replied, with characteristic truthful- 
 ness. 
 
 He and his wife were at the cottage-reading almost 
 immediately afterwards. When we sang the hymn, 
 beginning, 
 
 " Come, thou fount of every blessing," 
 
 he was much affected; and he could only "make 
 melody in his heart to the Lord" with Hps that 
 trembled too much to sing, as we came to the last 
 verses — 
 
 " Jesus sought me, when a stranger, 
 Wandering from the fold of God, 
 He, to save my soul from danger. 
 Interposed His precious blood. 
 
 " Oh, to grace how great a debtor 
 Daily I 'm constrain'd to be; 
 May that grace, Lord, like a fetter. 
 Bind my wandering heart to Thee. 
 
 " Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. 
 Prone to leave the God I love; 
 Here *s my heart— Lord, take and seal it. 
 Seal it from Thy courts above ! " 
 
 The 1 8th of June was a day of intense interest. A 
 report had reached me that the men would leave the 
 neighbourhood to go on board the following morning. 
 
 In consequence of this, M , L , and I drove to 
 
 the Crystal Palace grounds by eight in the morning to 
 take leave of them, and to give Testaments, &c., to all 
 who had not yet received them. The men were 
 
174 HAED HGHraNG WITH OLD FOES. 
 
 gathered in groups in front of their tents. An officer 
 of the corps kindly arranged them in companies of fifty 
 -comprising two "gangs" in each, with the "gangere" 
 at their head— to be addressed separately. They were 
 aU grave and grateful; and many expressed thanMul- 
 ness to God for having led them to this neighbour- 
 hood. 
 
 Pi-eviously to this interview, I had offered to take 
 charge of any portion of their large wages which they 
 chose to empower me to receive for them durincr their 
 engagement in the Crimea, to deposit them L the 
 Savings' Bank, in the form of a Priendly Club and to 
 keep a private account for each man. A large number 
 of men gladly accepted this proposition. Many of them 
 requested us to forward to needy relatives a portion of 
 the money thus saved, which varied from ten to twenty 
 shillmgs weekly. Not only wives and children were 
 thus provided for, but amongst the majority, who had 
 no such ties, an aged mother, an infirm father a 
 widowed sister, a sicldy brother, or orphan neices, were 
 remembered, with a generous care for their comfort in 
 this "time of their wealth" by those who toiled for it 
 night and day in the service of their country and in 
 many cases paid for it by laying down theii^ strong 
 young lives on that unhealthy shore. 
 
 Strangers, as the majority of those who daily arrived 
 to sweU the ranks necessarily were to us, and the rest 
 0% friends of a few weeks' standing, I thought it but 
 
 HAED FIGHTING WITH OLD FOES. 
 
 175 
 
 right to give a stamped receipt to each man for the 
 money-order which had been drawn out in my name, 
 and carried these receipts to the Crystal Palace grounds 
 on the afternoon of the 18th. It must have been a 
 noble trustfulness in those manly natures which made 
 them fling back those receipts into the carriage, by com- 
 mon consent, with something like a shout of disdain at 
 the supposition that they could possibly require such a 
 pledge of honesty from a friend and a lady. 
 
 On the back of those money-orders we wrote their 
 "wills "—the disposition of the property thus entrusted 
 to us, in case they should not be spared to return to 
 claim it. Tliis afforded us an opportunity of quiet con- 
 versation and prayer with each man, as they visited the 
 Kectory at all hours on their pecuniary matters. 
 
 Numbers whom I cannot name here interested us 
 
 deeply. James C ^y, a youth of about nineteen or 
 
 twenty years of age, told me that he was an orphan, and 
 had a young sister whom he should like me to watch 
 over. He said, " Mother's dying words are always on 
 my mind, and I think God has helped me to trust in 
 Him, live steady, and take care of my sister, as she bid 
 me with almost her last breatL" His countenance, re- 
 markable for its pure and peaceful simplicity, bore wit- 
 ness to his words. 
 
 On the evening of the 18th of June, I walked through 
 
 the village for the cottage-reading William W 
 
 and his wife were waiting for me on the slope near the 
 
176 HARD FIGHTING WITH OLD FOES. 
 
 church ; she was looking hopeful and happy, and he, 
 full of earnest feelin*?. 
 
 At the cottage we read the fifth chapter of the Second 
 EpistJe to the Corinthians, and illustrated the words, 
 " We must aU appear before the judgment-seat of Christ " 
 by the wonderful parable of Matthew xxv. 31-46 We 
 humbly beUeved that the Holy Spirits life-rrivincr 
 presence was there, making the words, which the 
 Lord Jesus Himself had spoken,' "spiiit and Hfe" to 
 our souls. We felt it to be our little Waterloo-and 
 called it so. Battles were fought and won ; souls were 
 trampUng down their old enemies, sin and Satan by 
 the mighty help of the Great Captain of their Salva- 
 tion. 
 
 Kichard J and William W , two of the men 
 
 who had lately fouglit with knives, were sitting near 
 each other, with overflowing eyes, and with brotherly 
 love in their countenances. The hands that wrun<r 
 mine at parting had been lifted up in prayer to the 
 King eternal, as they pledged themselves, by His grace, 
 to be His faithful soldiers and servants to their lives' 
 end. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ®6« iW' 
 
 " It is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many or with 
 them that have no power." 
 
 If 
 
Tuesday came, but brought with it no order for the 
 men to embark ; so we met again, morning and even- 
 ing. At night their wages were paid in full. 
 
 Was it wonderful that, out of six or seven hundred 
 men, who had received full wages, with no work for 
 some weeks, with no oflScers on the spot to superintend 
 them, and no restriction save the morning and evenin*'- 
 roll-call — a number, somewhat under a hundred, should 
 spend that night in drinking, taking it for granted that 
 it was their last in England? It is only just to state 
 that none of the regular attendants at the " cottage- 
 readings " joined in that revelry ; but some there were 
 beneath whose wild spirits I had discerned a deeper 
 tone, and of whom I had before — and have again, thank 
 God ! — a better hope. 
 
 On Wednesday afternoon we drove to the Crystal 
 Palace gates to inquire when the embarkation was likely 
 to take place. Two of the men of business of the Corps 
 were standing there, and came to the carriage to en- 
 treat me to drive to Penge without a moment's loss of 
 time. " There is a fight going on between the police 
 
( 
 
 180 
 
 THE FIGHT. 
 
 and some of our men," they said ; *' and if you ask them, 
 they will go away quietly, drunk or sober." 
 
 The duty was plain — so we did as we were bidden. 
 On reaching Penge, I saw two policemen who were ter- 
 ribly hurt ; but the mob had dispersed, and seven men 
 had been taken prisoners. After we had done what we 
 could for the wounded police, they told me that about 
 fifty navvies, who were all more or less intoxicated, had 
 formed a ring, and a few began boxing. Two women 
 became frightened, and insisted upon a policeman en- 
 tering the ring to stop the fight. The poUceman, a 
 brave but prudent man, argued, very discreetly, that " if 
 they were let alone they would soon be tired of fighting 
 under a burning sun, and would fall asleep and wake 
 up ashamed ; but that if a stag" were laid about them, 
 they would be roused into tigers." But the women 
 were not to be persuaded by logic, and insisted on his 
 encountering the crowd of combatants. At first they 
 deferred to authority so far as to remove their ground 
 to some distance ; but upon the policeman's second at- 
 tack, truncheon in hand, with which vigorous blows 
 were dispensed right and left, the natural result oc- 
 curred—the boxing men made common cause agains* 
 an armed foe. A second policeman came up, and 
 fought desperately, but both were compelled by the 
 numbers to retreat to the house of the first. The crowd 
 followed, and its leaders broke in. Women and chHd- 
 ren were caref uUy put aside, even in that moment of 
 
 I 
 
 THE FIGHT. 
 
 181 
 
 
 fury, maddened as they were by intoxication ; but their 
 rage with men who had struck them with bludgeons 
 knew no bounds. It was a matter of thankful asto- 
 nishment that the two policemen escaped with their 
 lives on that unhappy day. In the thick of the fight, 
 two or three gentlemen came up with a fresh force of 
 police ; and to the gentlemen the principal men con- 
 cerned in the fight surrendered themselves, whilst the 
 rest dispersed to their various quarters. 
 
 About an hour later, the men of the Corps came from 
 the difierent villages where they lodged for their usual 
 afternoon roll-call at the Crystal Palace Office. Hear- 
 ing rumours of the recent fight, they stopped to inquire 
 particulars ; and at this moment a fresh detachment of 
 police arrived. These had heard that two of their 
 fraternity had been murdered ; and supposing that the 
 men around them were the guilty combatants, began 
 knocking down and taking prisoners promiscuously. 
 
 Our coachman begged me to aUow him to drive 
 amidst the crowd to the Crystal Palace, as a restraint 
 
 to violence on both sides. Richard J 's wife was 
 
 nearly fainting. I bade him place her in the back of 
 the phaeton and walk by the side, for which he received 
 three heavy blows between his shoulders from an official 
 truncheon, probably under its owner's notion that 
 Richard was taking an imwarrantable liberty. I saw 
 the northern navvy's dark eyes flash fire, and his arm 
 uplifted to return the blow. One entreaty made it drop 
 
182 
 
 THE FIGHT. 
 
 quietly by his side. Kemp stopped the ponies for me 
 to shake that hand heartily with a "Thank you, 
 Eichacd! I honour you from my soul. If Lord Raglan 
 has got Sebastopol by now, I hold you the greater 
 man at this moment; for God's Word says, ' He that 
 raleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city.' " 
 "I'd have borne a dozen blows for this," said he, 
 heartily. 
 
 A sort of captain amongst the men, named John 
 Thomdale, who, from his bright, cheerful spirits, 
 strength, and manliness, had a leader's place always 
 accorded him, at this moment dragged the policeman 
 who was collaring him to the side of the carriage, and 
 appealed, " You know me : speak for me 1 You know 
 I never drink or fiffht." 
 
 " I know it, John, and will answer for you in every 
 court in England ; but for pity's sake go quietly now 
 with the policeman, if he will not take my word for 
 
 your character. The worst will be a night in prison. 
 
 I will have you freed to-morrow ; and if you begin a 
 
 fight now, there will be bloodshed.'' 
 
 Just then a great accession of navvies poured down 
 
 from the top of the hill, and from the Crystal Palace 
 
 gates, with cries of " Down with the poHce !— rescue 
 
 the piisoners !— punish the police well !" 
 
 The police stood to their arms gallantly enough, for 
 
 the numbers against them were overwhelming, and the 
 
 men not unjustly enraged. The moment was coma 
 
 THE FIGHT. 
 
 183 
 
 We drove between; and, like Nehemiah, in that 
 moment's pause "I prayed to the God of heaven." 
 Then, turning to the crowd of some five hundred men 
 with already upraised missiles, I said, " The first man 
 who throws a stone is my enemy. We will have no 
 more fighting to-day, by God's help ! Haven't we had 
 enough of it already— two policemen nearly killed, and 
 seven of our poor fellows perhaps to be transported for 
 life, or hanged, if the wounded men die. Go back and 
 give over, for my sake— for the sake of that God of 
 peace of whom I have so loved to speak with you." 
 
 A brief silence followed, and then some remonstrated: 
 " Do you go away, ma'am. We wouldn't hurt you for 
 
 anything ; but it is not fair to hinder us paying off the 
 
 pleece." 
 
 " I shall not go away till you are gone, if I stay here 
 
 till midnight. You will not murder men before my 
 
 eyes, I know." 
 
 "We don't want to vex you," said two or three 
 
 spokesmen ; " but we will set our mates free." 
 
 " They shall be free," I said — " these innocent men 
 
 whom we have seen taken prisoners before our eyes. 
 
 If there be justice in England, they shall be free to go 
 
 with you to the Crimea. I pledge myself not to rest 
 
 till it is done. Will you trust me ? " 
 There was a pause; and then a short conference 
 
 between leading spirits was followed by loud shouts of 
 
 " Trust ye to the world's end !" 
 
184 
 
 THE FIGHT. 
 
 THE FIGHT. 
 
 185 
 
 "Then prove it by going back within the Crystal 
 Palace gates." 
 
 In five minutes I was left alone with the police and 
 with the prisoners. 
 
 The police were very grateful, sajdng, "You've 
 saved a deal of bloodshed" They promised me to deal 
 gently with the prisoners, and willingly then gave me 
 back John Thomdale, for whose good character I could 
 answer. It was "worth a king's ransom" to see his 
 fine yoimg face brilliant with smiles of joyful gratitude 
 at finding himself free again, and to hear the shouts of 
 the crowd as we restored to them their favourite. We 
 met the superintendent at the foot of the hill, collect- 
 ing fresh forces, but assured him that the precaution 
 was unnecessary. He expressed his surprise and grati- 
 
 An hour after, Mr Chalmers, who had just then re- 
 turned from Essex, drove back with me to see that all 
 was still peaceful They welcomed him with warm 
 affection, and told the story of the afternoon with great 
 point; adding, "A lady's gentle voice do more with us 
 than forty thousand p'leece." They were all in high 
 good-humour, shouting, " God bless the peace-maker 1" 
 till their kindly voices must have been tired ; and then 
 they were ready to listen seriously to Mr Chalmers' 
 service. 
 
 We thanked God heartily for the peaceful close of 
 that day ; nor could we htlp saying likewise — Honour 
 
 to the noble natures, who, with the passion of revenge 
 at its height, and with overwhehning numbers to in- 
 sure for the moment its fearful success, ebbed back, 
 like a quiet tide, at the earnest entreaty of a woman 
 whom they held their friend, and fulfilled the Divine 
 command, " In malice be ye childreiL" 
 
 'I 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 fuman §r0{^erb0o&. 
 
 ** The manliest man that you saw going in a ragged coat, did yon 
 reverence him ? Did you 80 much as know that he was a manly 
 man at all, till his coat grew better ?" 
 
In the midst of the general enthusiasm which wrought 
 up the feelings of this crowd of men, on the occasion 
 described, into an unusual state of excitement, efferves- 
 cing in great good-humour, as just before it had been 
 on the point of exploding in indignant wrath and rage, 
 there was no lessening, but rather an increase of their 
 respectful courtesy of demeanour. Universal was their 
 condemnation of one poor man, from whom I heard 
 the only word which ever reached my ears from the 
 lips of a working man which could possibly be con- 
 strued into an expression of disrespect. A half-intoxi- 
 cated navvy, amidst the general overflow of kindly 
 feeling, committed himself by saying three or four 
 times over, " She 's my sister ! " 
 
 "What do you mean," cried the indignant by- 
 standers, "by daring to call the lady your sister? 
 Say it again, and we'll teach you! Take care you 
 don't get torn in pieces!" And strong arms were 
 seizing the unfortunate culprit to bear him outside 
 the ring. Fearing a measure of "Lynch law," I 
 entreated to be allowed to settle the question for 
 
190 
 
 HUMAN BEOTHEBHOOD, 
 
 myself, and requested that the man should be per- 
 imtted to come near the carriage for this purpose. 
 When he stood by my side, I said to him "Every 
 sober, honest EngHshman is my brother, and I am 
 proud to call him so. But I have never had a drunk- 
 ard for my brother— and I never will" 
 
 The poor man had sense enough left to be ashamed 
 and he slunk quietly away, amidst a mumur of satis-' 
 faction and approval of the verdict from the crowd, 
 ^e next day he made a respectful apology, adding, 
 mth genume frankness, "From this day forward I'll 
 try to be one of the ' sober EngHshmen ; ' I think' I'm 
 an honest one already." 
 
 It may be well to state here, that by the time the 
 hrst ship saHed for the Crimea we had been able to 
 prove to the satisfaction of the magistrate of the 
 pohce court, to whose kindness and consideration we 
 felt much indebted, that the men who were taken 
 prisoners under our eyes were innocent of the pre- 
 vious fight, and accordingly they were all set free to 
 resume their position in their Corps. 
 
 On the morning of the 2Ist of June, a message 
 reached me at the early hour of half-past five, to say 
 that the men were to embark at BlackwaU that day 
 
 By seven o'clock, M L or.^ t * j /* 
 
 p ' * ^ > and I entered the 
 
 i^rystal Palace grounds, and remained till nine, takin.. 
 
 eave of the men. I thanked them from my heart fol- 
 
 their forbearance the previous day, and for their gene- 
 
 HUMAN BEOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 191 
 
 rous courtesy and kindness in yielding to my entreaty 
 for peace ; adding, that I beHeved it to be a distinct 
 answer to my prayer to Almighty God in that moment 
 of terrible suspense. 
 
 After shaking hands with each man, I took my 
 leave, but was requested by an official to return, to 
 hear the subject of a communication which had been 
 passing from the men to the foremen of the Corps. 
 It was to express the united wish of these warm and 
 grateful hearts that I " should go out with them to the 
 Crimea, to keep them straight, and to be with any of 
 them who should die out there, in their last hours. 
 And they humbly begged to know if they might take 
 the best place on board for me, and pay for it amongst 
 themselves." 
 
 It went to my heart to refuse to do for them what 
 God might enable me, on that distant shore of danger 
 and death. But when I explained to them the sacred 
 home duties which withheld me from leaving England, 
 they recognised them at once as paramount claims, and 
 satisfied themselves by asking for a promise of one more 
 farewell visit, on board their ships,— a promise, I need 
 scarcely say, cheerfully given and fulfilled. 
 
 Meantime, many letters from them followed me into 
 Essex, a few extracts from which are now given : 
 
 " Greenhive, June 2Z, 
 " Deae Feiend,— I hope you wiU excuse the Hberty 
 I have taken in writing to you ; but my name is John 
 
192 
 
 W- 
 
 HUMAN BEOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 / 
 
 — . We should be most happy to see you on 
 board with us once more before we do sail. The same 
 God that protected Daniel in the lion's den, and Jonah 
 inside of the whale, can save me if I put my trust in 
 Him ; and I hope, if we should not meet again in this 
 world, I hope we shall meet in that upper and better 
 region, where troubles will be unknown. I must con- 
 clude ; and may God guard you is the hourly prayers 
 of Jolm \y until death." . 
 
 " Monday, June 24, 1855. 
 
 " Mr Dear Friend,— I write to tell you that John 
 
 S and me James C , went on board ship on 
 
 Saturday last, and we saw that good gentleman and 
 that young lady on our ship, and we were both happy 
 to see them ; and we should be happiest to see you, 
 my dear friend, for there is much talk of you on our 
 ship amongst us men. Those little books that you 
 gave to us we find very acceptable in passing many an 
 idle hour away, but not in idleness or mocking God, 
 but in sincerity and truth. And I hope it will please 
 the Abnighty God to bring us back safe to our dear 
 friends again, and fill us with the Holy Ghost for 
 Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. We will write again as 
 soon as we get to the Crimea, and tell you the truth of 
 the country, if it please God to spare us.— So no more 
 at present from your ever well-wishing friends, 
 
 « John S . 
 
 " James C ." 
 
 \ 
 
 I 
 
 HOIAN BROTHERHOOD. 
 
 193 
 
 "GiiKENHiTHE, June 25, 1855. 
 
 "Dear Madam,— I have just received your kind 
 letter, and am very thankful for your kindness. I will 
 endeavour to foUow your directions, and keep from 
 drinking and swearing ; and I do not forget the Httle 
 prayer, but use it every night and morning. Dear 
 Madam, I hope you will not be offended with me that 
 I have enclosed the stamp, but when I consider the 
 expense and trouble you have already been at, I think 
 that it is very wrong to put you to any more expense, 
 or cause you any more trouble than we can possibly 
 help. I will now conclude with the best wishes of all, 
 and the sincere gratitude of yours, &c., 
 
 " Thomas B — w— e." 
 
 "June 25, 1^55 
 
 "Kind Lady,— It is with the greatest pleasure, 
 mixed with sorrow, that I write these few lines to you, 
 trusting your are well both in body and soul, as it 
 leaves me in body— but I cannot say I am happy ; but 
 I am determined not to rest till I am happy in Christ 
 my Saviour. But this I am not able to do of myself; 
 but I trust in the Lord for help, and I am convinced 
 I shall not trust in vain. I am sorry to tell you that I 
 am afraid we have not many praying men at present 
 in my gang ; but I think we have a few. But if I 
 have to travel the road alone, by God's help I will do 
 so. But I will try to do all I can to form a few to- 
 
 N 
 
194 
 
 HUMAN BKOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 gether to serve God. May God help us , and let your 
 kind prayers intercede for us. 
 
 " Kind Friend,— It is my desire that you will be so 
 kind as to take five shillings every month towards any- 
 thing that may be sent out to promote religion among 
 Tis sinful navvies. May the Lord bless you and me ; 
 and if we never more meet in this world, may we meet 
 at the right hand of God, there to praise Him for ever 
 and ever. I shall feel thankful for a few lines from 
 your kind hand. I remain your humble servant, 
 
 " John L ." 
 
 " Simoom Ship, June 27, 1855. 
 
 *' Dear Feiend,— I was very glad to hear that letter 
 read that you sent for all the men who were on board. 
 We gave three cheers for you, and three cheers for Mr 
 Wakefield as read it to us; and I was very much 
 
 pleased to hear it, and so was John K and Jacob 
 
 K , so were we all very much pleased to hear it. 
 
 They said that it was the best letter they ever heard in 
 their lives. They all send their best respects to you, 
 and that pleased me most that ever I have been since 
 I have been in the Corps. I felt more rejoiced than 
 for some time before with them all ; for I am sure you 
 would have liked to have been there to have seen them. 
 I know that I should have liked to have seen you 
 there. So I must conclude with all our kind loves to 
 you for that letter you sent for us alL The writer is 
 
 "Thomas DiBLEY." 
 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 
' ' I 
 
 1- 
 
 wi'I'-Hiiif,! us with he.irty 
 
 HUMAN BEOTHEKHOOD. 
 
 195 
 
 On the 27tli of June, my sister, G. V., and I left 
 Essex early in the morning for BlackwaU, where we 
 imagined the ships would be anchored which were to 
 carry the " first battaHon " (as it was now caUed) of the 
 Army Works Corps to the Crimea. But on arriving at 
 BlackwaU we found that the ships had dropped down 
 the river to Greenhithe ; and accordingly we followed 
 them as quickly as we could. The only ship within 
 sight from Greenhithe was the Langdale, where a large 
 number of the men were simply kept in floating bar- 
 racks, until the Simoom was made ready for sailing. 
 Cheery was the welcome which pealed in hurrahs from 
 the side by which our little boat approached the ship. 
 But a large number had gone on shore, as they did not 
 expect us that day. "And how are we to tell them 
 they've missed you?" said one and another ; "Couldn't 
 ye come again to-morrow ? " 
 
 We promised to telegraph to the friends with whom 
 we were staying in Essex that we should not return to 
 them till the next day ; and then the men proposed our 
 having "a cottage-reading" between the decks before 
 parting. One of the men of business connected with 
 the Corps came on shore with us, and watched with 
 evident interest every fresh meeting we had with the 
 men, who were returning in small companies. Look- 
 ing into a public-house, he said, "There are thirty of 
 our men in a large sitting-room here ; will you be afraid 
 of going in ? — they seem pretty sober.' 
 
196 
 
 HUMAN BROTHERHOOD. 
 
 This was true ; the poor fellows rose up to welcome 
 us, and joined earnestly in a short prayer. Every man 
 of the thirty went back to the ship, sober, almost im- 
 mediately afterwards. When we passed through the 
 outer room the landlord and landlady thanked us re- 
 spectfully. 
 
 Just as we had seated ourselves in the train at Green- 
 hithe, a " down train " arrived with a large number of 
 the men who had been to London on leave. It made 
 my heart glow to see their faces brighten with sudden 
 surprise and joy, and to hear the exclamations of " Why, 
 Joe, yere's our kind lady — and there be her sister — 
 bless 'em !— Why, where ever did they fall from ? " 
 The open window of our carriage was suddenly darkened 
 with a shoal of hands stretched out for a farewell shake, 
 to the evident astonishment of two young gentlemen 
 who sat opposite to us, enjoying the satisfaction of their 
 very delicate primrose-coloured gloves, which certainly 
 were never intended to come in contact with such 
 brawny hands as those of our honest working men. 
 
 The next morning we went again to Greenhithe, 
 and had a solemn and yet delightful hour on board 
 the Langdale. We visited the Barrackpore, off 
 Blackwall, on our way back. The navvies manned 
 the rigging like sailors, and welcomed us with hearty 
 
 cheers. John K 's and Thomas Dibley's were 
 
 the first faces I recognised. It was the last time 
 I ever saw poor Dibley's grateful, beaming smile. 
 
 
 HITMAN BROTHERHOOD. 
 
 197 
 
 He and John had bought a charming little travel- 
 ling hand-bag for me, chosen by Thomas himself. 
 It was recognised by a shopman, with whom we 
 were in the habit of dealing, as I held it in my hand 
 a few days afterwards; and he told me that he had 
 never had greater difficulty in "giving satisfaction;" 
 " the navvy was so particular about the pattern of the 
 snap and steel chain ! " That bag has a sacred value 
 about it now. 
 
 Thomas H , a Eoman Catholic, whom we saw 
 
 the first evening that a party of the Corps had come 
 to Beckenham for lodgings, shewed me that his Testa- 
 ment was safe in his waistcoat-pocket. One of the 
 
 numerous " John W s " was there, and said, " I 
 
 was glad to have joined the Corps before that day you 
 shook hands with them in the Crystal Palace grounds 
 — I should have been proud for a year past to know 
 as I was coming in for it." 
 
 "Why, are you one of my old friends, John? I 
 had looked upon you as a stranger just arrived." 
 
 " Not quite a stranger, ma'am. In the hard frost 
 at the beginning of last year, you stopped me in the 
 road leading through Beckenham, and asked if I was 
 ill or hungry. I suppose I looked bad enough, for I 
 had slept on the snow the night before, and hadn't 
 broke my fast for twenty-four hours. So you took me 
 to a shop or two for something to eat, and gave me a 
 shilling. It set me up like a fortune. I never wanted 
 
198 
 
 HUMA^ BEOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 from that day. Don't know but I should have been 
 lost without it. But what I cared most for was your 
 speaking to me first, ye see, and saying you knew 
 navvies didn't like to beg-— they only wanted to work, 
 and then to eat. I didn't know your name, but I 
 piayed God I might see your face again,— and I knew 
 it in a minute up at the Crystal Palace." 
 
 James C again asked me to be kind to his 
 
 good, young, orphan sister; and two or three left 
 their chHdren under our care, making an allowance 
 for their maintenance to respectable persons in Becken- 
 ham. 
 
 Many pleasant, hopeful words were said, and then the 
 sound of tlieir parting cheers rang till we reached the 
 shore. 
 
 The next morning s post brought a letter from the 
 cliief officer of the Corps, conveying an earnest request 
 from the men that I would join them in their first 
 Sabbath service on board ship, as they were not to sail 
 till the next day. The officer urged that it might 
 have a permanently advantageous effect upon the mln, 
 by teaching them to set a value upon their newly 
 ai)pointed chaplain's services. 
 
 Accordingly, on Saturday evening, L and I 
 
 went to London. We felt some difficulty about going 
 to and from the ship on the Sabbath-day. To go by 
 the railroad we felt was impossible : it might be set- 
 ting an example of Sabbath excursions to those who 
 
 HUMAN BEOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 199 
 
 might possibly recognise us, without any opportunity 
 being afforded of explaining our object and errand. 
 The steamboat had similar disadvantages. We then 
 determined to engage a cab for the day ; and to tell 
 the cabman to put up his horse, and then to accom- 
 pany us on board for Divine service. I may as well 
 mention now, that when we returned to London, this 
 cabman expressed himself as so much pleased with his 
 Sabbath that he begged to be allowed to return half 
 the fare, and seemed almost uneasy at being made to 
 pocket it. 
 
 The chief officer of the Corps and two others cour- 
 teously came on shore to receive us, and row us back 
 to the ship. Mr Hallward, the chaplain, arrived a 
 little later, and manifested, then and ever afterwards, 
 the most cordial sympathy and benevolent satisfaction 
 with the strong tie of friendship between the men com- 
 mitted to his spiritual care and those who had first 
 sought their immortal welfare. 
 
 He read the Morning Prayers impressively, conclud- 
 ing with an earnest and excellent address. " Never," 
 said he, after it was over, " have I preached to such a 
 congregation— so attentive— so evidently absorbed in 
 the subject." 
 
 The men stood the whole time; William W 
 
 and Henry H p scarcely withdrew their eyes from 
 
 him for a moment. 
 
 Soon after the service was over, Mr Hallward retired 
 
200 
 
 HUBUN BEOTHERHOOD. 
 
 HUMAN BEOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 201 
 
 to liis cabin, leaving us for an hour of last words with 
 the men. Then we left them, followed by their quiet 
 blessings from the ship-side. 
 
 " On board of the ship Langdale, 
 June 28, 1855. 
 
 " Deae Feiend,— I am striving to take your advica 
 Every day your words have taken a great impression 
 on my mind. With the help of God, I shaU write to 
 you when I get to the Crimea, if ever I get there, and 
 you will send a word of instruction to me, and I will 
 promise you that I will persevere in reading God's holy 
 Word. As for drinking and swearing I have left off 
 that. — ^From your true and obedient friend, 
 
 " Thoivias B— w— e." 
 
 " On board the Simoom, June 30. 
 
 " Deae MADAM,--We are full now— aboard of the 
 ^moom— and ready to be off. We think a great deal 
 of Beckenham and you ; I have long cause. I pray 
 God bless all your teaching to us. I saw some of 
 those little prayers that you gave to the men that last 
 Sunday we were there, and I was glad to see some of 
 them reading them ; and I am glad to see some are 
 anxious to read them. I will write and tell you of 
 our journey, and hope it will please God that we may 
 land safe in the foreign land. We shall keep a little 
 company together, for we have akeady got together 
 
 / 
 
 about twenty of our companions to sing, pray, and 
 read ; and I hope that from to-night we shall be quiet- 
 like to ourselves, at a corner of the deck. With my 
 kind love to you and to Mr Charmer, good bye, and 
 God bless you all. — Your sincere friend, 
 
 " THOaiAS DiBLEY. 
 
 " Jacob K joins in aU with John and me." 
 
 " Deae Feiend, — I received your kind letter, and I 
 am glad to see you have got my order to lay by in the 
 savings bank for me ; and I find the little books you 
 gave me very handy. We sang the 189 th hymn before 
 dinner, and after that we read a chapter — iMark ix. ; 
 and a great many of our fellow mates came and joined 
 in with us; but I am sorry to say, yesterday they 
 would not join in with me ; so I sat down and read my 
 book by myself ; but I don't think it will be hard to 
 get them now, as I have got them once. They say 
 they would sooner join in hymns than swearing. So no 
 more at present from your sincere friend, 
 
 « Chaeles E — r 
 
 " Gravesend, June 29, 1855. 
 
 " Deae Feiend, — Pardon me for addressing you so 
 freely ; but your kindness to me has convinced me you 
 are a true friend, and I most humbly thank you for 
 granting my request. You may depend I will attend 
 to the prayer with which you so kindly presented me. 
 
202 
 
 HUMAN BEOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 I am most liappy that I should have the honour of 
 receiving a letter from you. I will write to you, 
 and teU you if I arrive in safety at my jouniey's 
 end Untn then, believe me to be your obedient 
 ^^^^^^ JOH.V B r 
 
 "Jahj 2, 1855. 
 
 "My Deae Feiend,-! did hear that letter read to 
 us, as you wished it to be, on Sunday before prayers • 
 and we enjoyed ourselves quite well in singing of hymns 
 and reading our Bibles and books, on Sunday; and I 
 heard many of our men say, 'I wish that our kind lady 
 was with us to-day; she would keep us aU together 
 and peaceable more than any officers could.' So no 
 more at present from your dear friends, 
 
 " James C and John S . 
 
 " God bless us all, my dear Friend." 
 
 "At Sea, July 1, 1855. 
 
 "Deae Feieto,-! send these few Hues to you, 
 with my sincere thanks for the trouble you are takinc^ 
 for us poor, sinful men. Dear Friend, this is the first 
 Lord's Day we have had at sea. May the Lord enable 
 me and all of us to give our hearts unto Him, and give 
 us His holy Spirit, to lead us in the way of all truth 
 and to teach us the meaning of His holy Word, so that 
 we may come to the Lord Jesus Christ and find pardon 
 for all our sins, so that we may be received by Him 
 
 4 '^1^. 
 
 
 human BEOTHEEHOOD. 
 
 OA« 
 
 03 
 
 into glory. May God bless you, and may we meet in 
 
 heaven ! John L . 
 
 " If I can, I will send you a few lines from Gib- 
 raltar." 
 
 Allusion is made in one of these letters to Mr 
 Chalmers' visit to the Barrackpore. That ship con- 
 tained many of the men whom he had been accustomed 
 to meet under a railway arch for an " open-air service." 
 With the ready assent of the officer of the watch, and 
 the officers of the corps on duty, he assembled the men 
 on the after part of the deck, to address to them a few 
 farewell words. At the conclusion, they all knelt 
 down, and followed him, as had been their custom in 
 former meetings, sentence by sentence, in a parting 
 prayer 
 
C«Ji^»>Wi^"*«*(^si,^^to«ifi^J.r.^ 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 §ro%rlB f flbe. 
 
 One standeth not as on a hill, beckoning to another to follow ; 
 But ye toil up hand in hand, and carry each other's burdens." 
 
t 
 
 During the remainder of the time of my absence from 
 home, my sister daily visited the new candidates for 
 admission to the Corps, who arrived in considerable 
 numbers each morning at the Cry-stal Palace, from 
 
 divers parts of the country. On our way home, L 
 
 and I drove to the Crystal Palace, and found my sister 
 seated in a sort of a chair of stones which the navvies 
 had built up for her, on a little green hiUock within 
 the Crystal Palace grounds. About two hundred men 
 were standing around, receiving Testaments from her, 
 and listening to her gentle words of instruction and 
 counsel with rapt attention. 
 
 On the previous day she had been pained by that 
 which never reached her ears on any other occasion of 
 intercourse with these working men— the sound of an 
 oath. The man who used it was sKghtly intoxicated. 
 Murmurs arose of " Shame, shame ! to let a lady hear 
 vou swear ! and so kind as she is, to come amongst us 
 like this;" and then followed threats of condign 
 punishment, and the man was forcibly borne outside 
 the ring for the purpose. My sister was obliged to 
 insist upon takmg the offender under her protection ; 
 
208 
 
 BROTHERLY LOVE. 
 
 and then solemnly and earnestly spoke to him, and to 
 the by-standers, upon the sin against God of taking 
 His holy name in vain ; and of making a prayer the 
 channel for a curse instead of a blessint^. 
 
 On Sunday night we heard that the Langdale was 
 to sail, either on Monday or Tuesday, with the re- 
 mainder of the " battalion/' M and I went early 
 
 on Monday morning to Greenhithe, and visited the 
 
 ship. William W 's face was the first to welcome 
 
 us. He had been transferred to the last ship, why, we 
 knew not, unless it were that the kind providence of 
 God had so ordered it, to enable us to see him once 
 again, and to have the joy of hearing from his own lips 
 that he had begun in earnest to " seek Jesus, and to 
 hate sin." Whilst my sister spoke to the men about 
 those wonderful words in the 17th verse of the 22nd of 
 Eevelation, " The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And 
 let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is 
 athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the 
 water of life freely,'' I noticed, amongst the earnest eyes 
 
 around, none more earnest than William W 's. 
 
 When M said, "I wish you all to carry to the 
 
 Crimea two thoughts from those words— Come, and 
 saij, Come/' he rejoined in a low voice, " I tried to say 
 'Come,' a little, yesterday. I got together a bunch of 
 the men, as we 'd no parson aboard this ship, and read 
 my Bible and good books with them, and then lots more 
 came round us, and enjoyed themselves in listening." 
 
 BROTHERLY LOVE. 
 
 209 
 
 The next time I heard of William was by a letter 
 
 from Mr Hallward. He wrote that William W 
 
 desired him to communicate from himself, with great 
 grief, that he had once been overcome in drinking the 
 Crimean brandy, in the great heat of their arrival at 
 Ualaklava and march to the camp ; and had bitterly 
 rued the consequences. He could not be easy, he said, 
 till I knew of this fall ; but that, since then, he had 
 been enabled, by God's grace, to walk more like a Chris- 
 tian, and believed that God would help him to do so 
 more and more. He had a long illness shortly after- 
 wards, during which time Mr HaUward's unremitting 
 labours in the hospital were of great value and comfort 
 to our poor friend. His constitution never recovered 
 the shock. He went to Scutari a few months later. 
 Whether he died there, or on his way home, I have 
 never succeeded in tracing. But it is all one to him, 
 now, whether his body lies amongst thousands of his 
 countrymen, in their distant burial-ground upon the 
 Turldsh shore; or was dropped alone into Xhe ocean 
 caves. We have an earnest trust that he " held on his 
 way." I know that he spoke truth when he said to me, 
 "I believe in Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners." 
 
 " When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death. 
 Thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all be- 
 lievers." 
 
 The four men who had been acquitted at the police 
 
 o 
 
210 
 
 BEOTHERLY LOVE. 
 
 BROTHERLY LOVE. 
 
 211 
 
 court of all concern in the Penge fight, were on board 
 the Langdaie ; and they expressed hearty gratitude for 
 the efforts which had been made in their favour. 
 
 All the Ai^my Works Corps men on board listened 
 with earnest interest to the story of Zaccheus, in the 
 19th chapter of St Luke's Gospel ; and when the words 
 had been dwelt upon, " He is gone to be guest with a 
 man that is a sinner," and the question was urged, 
 *' Will not you ask him to be uoiir guest — now — this 
 very day — and for ever ? " many a fervent " Yes " was 
 uttered with a choking voice. 
 
 Just before taking leave, we discovered that all the 
 books which we had sent for the use of the three ships 
 had been divided by mistake between the Simoom and 
 the Barrack'2)ore. The men frankly confessed that 
 they gambled all day long for want of any other occu- 
 pation. 
 
 AVe tried to point out the evils and consequent mis- 
 eries of gambling, and then asked, "If we send yuu 
 down some games for your amusement, would you 
 pledge yoiu'selves that there should be no betting con- 
 nected with them in any way ? " This pledge was ear- 
 nestly given, and rigidly kept duiing the whole voyage. 
 Of this fact one of the officers kindly informed us, by 
 letter, on the arrival of the Langdaie at Balaklava, add- 
 ing an excellent account of the conduct of the men. 
 
 On uur way home from the ship we made a little 
 detour to the London Bridge Station, and, at the 
 
 1 
 
 ft 
 
 Arcade Bazaar, purchased boxes and boards for chess 
 and backgammon, games of "railways and coaclies,"' 
 Chinese puzzles, puzzles made of " Scripture pictures " 
 and historic scenes, and last, but greatest in favour, as 
 we afterwards learned, a huge Noah's ark. 
 
 In the course of the evening a still larger supply o-. 
 similar treasures was sent down by the benevolent 
 members of the firm of :\read and Powell, who had 
 been informed of the object of the purchase at their 
 bazaar, and generously added this handsome present 
 for the men of the Army Works Cor])S on board the 
 Langdaie, with a letter expressive of their kind wishes 
 for the welfare of the men, and the success of the 
 Corps. 
 
 Early the next morning Mr Chalmers' coachman took 
 the packages to the ship just before she sailed. He 
 arranged with the men that the Scripture puzzles should 
 be kept for the Sundays' amusement, when they were 
 tired of reading ; but that the other games should be 
 put away on Saturday night, and not broucrht out ao-ain 
 until ^londay morning. A universal assent was given ; 
 and this word of honour was never broken. 
 
 On the Uth of July I visited the men who had been 
 taken prisoners at the fight at Penge. They were then 
 under confinement in Horsemonger Lane gaoL As I 
 entered the court where they were standing, the first 
 
212 
 
 BEOTHEELY LOVE. 
 
 momentary expression of surprise and pleasure which 
 lighted up their countenances gave place to a look of 
 shame and distress, and five out of the seven sobbed like 
 children. Those were the five guilty men. They all 
 
 told me that Thomas H had taken no part in the 
 
 fight, and was a steady man ; and that young William 
 
 R ^ ^lio had been taken up, at eight o'clock the 
 
 evening after the fight, upon suspicion, was absent 
 from Penge at the time it took place, and could call 
 upon the tentmaker who was employing him that day 
 to prove an alibi. No sort of request was made to me 
 to help them in their great strait ; but when I promised 
 to retain an able counsel on their behalf, their surprise 
 and gratitude were truly afiecting. It is only right to 
 mention here the generous conduct of Mr Yokes, the 
 landlord of a public-house at Sydenham, with whom 
 
 Thomas II and his wife and child had lodged for 
 
 some weeks. Three times he gave half a sovereign for 
 a pleader for him in the police court, and supported 
 the helpless wife and child until he could obtain per- 
 mission to stand bail for H , and thus set him 
 
 at liberty to retui-n to his work Thomas H was 
 
 acquitted at the trial. 
 
 I visited them constantly at this time, and met with 
 the most polite consideration from the benevolent and 
 sensible governor of the gaol, and from his like-minded 
 son. They both said the men behaved admirably, and 
 were evidently honest, straightforward working men, 
 
 BEOTHEELY LOVE. 
 
 213 
 
 very unlike the majority of their prisoners. They added 
 that every night and morning the poor feUows took 
 out their cards of prayer, and knelt down to pray the 
 words together, and then read their books. 
 
 One day the poor men expressed deep regret for 
 having brought me into so much trouble : '' To think 
 now of your name being talked over as coming to see 
 prisoners, and they your own men, who had° Testa- 
 ments and all given 'em. And how it 11 be said, this 
 comes of them Bible-readings— ending of such a way 
 — drinkings, fightings, and prison !— and no account 
 taken of the lots as kep' steady." 
 
 I told them that this last thought had also occurred 
 to me, and had troubled me ; and that I had been 
 thinking of the triumph which Satan liad got on the 
 20th of June, until it had made me quite miserable. 
 But then it had come uito my mind, that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ might yet bring a greater triumph out of 
 it aU to Himself, by giving them his Holy Spirit, to 
 change their hearts and make them children of God in 
 that gaol ; and then, whether they left it for liberty or 
 for another prison, they would walk out of it Christ^s 
 freed-men ! Then I stopped, and said, " Which would 
 you like to get the triumph— the devO, who wants to 
 get you into his power, to torment you; or Jesus 
 Christ, who loved you, and died for you, and lives 
 again to love you and make you happy for evermore ?" 
 From the most hardened man amongst them, the 
 
211 
 
 EEOTHEELY LOVE. 
 
 mnn said by tl.e police and tlie witnesses to Iiave been 
 the loader and the fiercest i,i the fight-from the lips 
 
 of M ,ll,an. burst forth, with a sob and a o-n.i 
 
 o( tears, the words, "Jesus, Jesus-only Jesus "-!„ a 
 tone which I can never recall witliout believing tl,at 
 then and there, that man made his choice " whom he 
 would serve." Xor has he ever given me cause to 
 doubt It since. 
 
 "Then will I ,,raise my Lord a:id S:iviour, 
 That aii;.-els shall 
 A<lmire man's fall, 
 Vhen they shall see Go,rs greatest ;l„rv -row 
 Where S^.taii t!,<,:,_ht to rout out all."" " 
 
 TlKTe was in the manners and e.Kpres.sion.s of eacli a 
 hwmble penitence; and they were all deeply con- 
 -cious that it was the curse of drunkenness which had 
 brought them into this great evil and trouble. These 
 men simddered, in their sobriety, at the remembrance 
 of the terocity of their drunkenness, more than at the 
 prospect of years of penal labour aj.d imprisonment ■ 
 l>eav,ly as that, too, pressed upon their freedom-lovin-r' 
 
 li,|-i!i'es, = 
 
 Oh : what can be done to rid Britain of this beset 
 ting sin of hev working classes ? Will no great soul 
 ,§.ye to this subject serious thought and perseverinc. 
 etlort ? Is there no " wise man " who ^-ill stretch 
 forth ks hand to "save a city" or a nation by his 
 wisdom in suggesting, and his energy in carrying 
 
 BROTHERLY LOVE 
 
 215 
 
 through, a moral or legislative cure for this corrodino- 
 disease ? AVill the day never come when we shall be 
 able to give our working brothers their holiday, their 
 one little green isle here and there upon a sea of toil, 
 without its ending by numbers of them drinking 
 themselves into ferocity or idiotcy ? 
 
 It cannot be that our working men are incapable of 
 higher pleasures. Men who have such great hearts — 
 and the heart of an Englishman is the home of every 
 generous and noble feeling, when that " house is set 
 in order " by the grace of God — must also have a capa- 
 city for refined enjoyment. Gentlemen of England, 
 these working men are " the raw material " from which 
 you have been moulded. They are bone of your bone, 
 and flesh of your flesh. The same sea-girt land has 
 given them, as their birthright, the independence of 
 your own island spirit. The same breezes of ocean 
 from every side have brought them their like bodily 
 and mental health and freshness. The same time- 
 honoured institutions have given them your own 
 steadfastness of character, your chivalrous loyalty, your 
 even-handed justice, and your love of liberty without 
 license. 
 
 The same open Bibles have spread an atmosphere 
 of light before eyes that could not, as before those 
 amongst you that would not, study its sun-bright 
 letters, nourishing a higher sense of honour, a purer 
 standard of morality, a larger generosity of heart, and 
 
216 
 
 BEOTHEELY LOVE. 
 
 BROTHERLY LOVE. 
 
 217 
 
 a grander nobility of soul, than can b^> found in any 
 other nation in civilised Europe. 
 
 Such men are worth an effort— the effort of a life- 
 time—to deliver them from the enthralment of one 
 fatal habit, which deprives them, for the period of its 
 power, of every good gift of God to heart and inteUect. 
 Save such men from crowding our prisons and over- 
 flowing our penal settlements. True it is, while the 
 world standeth, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the 
 one and only remedy for the disease of sin in any 
 form. In the peace of a free pardon through the 
 blood of His cross ; in the gladness of a free sanation 
 won by His merits ; the heart of man is set at liberty 
 from its toil after vain or sinful excitement, to con- 
 secrate every power to the service and glory of that 
 Saviour who has redeemed him ; and has made him 
 "unto his God a king and a priest." But the loving 
 wisdom of the Eternal Eather has ordained that 
 through the channel of human affection these waters 
 of life should mainly flow. Eew souls liave ever been 
 threatened into a Christian life. How many have 
 been loved into it will never be known until the 
 secrets of all hearts shall be revealed. 
 
 Kemember these men are your brothers. " Love as 
 brethren : be pitiful, be courteous." The working man 
 values your courtesy above your Hberality, and'' your 
 friendship most of all. Let him feel that, whatever 
 may be the difference between you, occasioned by the 
 
 \ 
 
 accidents of birth, education, and fortune, you and he 
 are friends. Shew him your interest in his welfare, 
 your desire for his improvement, your care for his 
 happiness, and, above all, your trust in his honour. 
 But let him feel he can give back as much as he gains. 
 Tell him your trials. Let him share your hopes. Let 
 him give you his sympathy. You will find it as gene- 
 rous and delicate as your own. Allow him the 
 glorious equality of being able to repay friendsliip 
 vdi\\ friendship. God gives it to you, and will you 
 not give it to your brother ? 
 
 It was a noble sentiment and a great truth which 
 Judge Talfourd died in uttering — "That which is 
 wanted, to hold together the bursting bonds of the 
 different classes of this country, is not kindness, but 
 
 SYMPATHY." 
 
I 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 <Safc at |mR 
 
 '* Xo more away we'll ^-o. 
 No more from Him we'll sever: 
 From our wand'rin- woe, in the vale below, 
 We re.<t with Him for ever. 
 In His world of light, and His kin-dom bri-ht, 
 We 've a home and a hearty welcome." 
 
Amongst the varied sources of interest and pleasure 
 occasioned by the gathering of the Army Works Corps, 
 by no means the lightest was the return of some of our 
 old friends who had formerly worked at the Crystal 
 Palace, with news of many more whom they had 
 chanced to meet again in their wanderings. Of some, 
 indeed, we heard things that deepened our anxieties, 
 and painfully quickened our prayers for them. But 
 of others there were tidings which gladdened our hearts. 
 There was one, especially, to whom the words could 
 truly be said, " I thank my God upon every remem- 
 brance of you, for your fellowship in the gospel from 
 the first day until now." There was a time when we 
 
 all believed that William G was dead. And truly 
 
 was he then mourned by all who had known him in 
 Beckenham. He had been seized with cholera in 
 Deptford, in the autumn of 1854 ; and, on partially 
 recovering, had left the place. This I had heard on 
 my return from a visit in the north of England ; and 
 every effort to trace him failed. We did not know 
 where his mother lived, so as to be able to inquire of 
 
o.-yi) 
 
 SAFE AT UOME. 
 
 her what his fate ha.l been. Great was our j,.y there- 
 fore, some months afterwanls, when a letter from that 
 excellent woman announced that her son was still livin- 
 althongli he had been long and seriously ill. After Ids' 
 recovery he worked as a farm-servant for some time and 
 was in the habit of gatliering together his fallow men- 
 servants, in an evening, t,) read theWord of God. His 
 master said he was a most faithful and diligent seiTant 
 When he was able to write again, his letters were a 
 real refreshment to us. In one he wrote -"There 
 are many changes in tl>is life. I pray that eve,y 
 change may lind us better, more hun.ble, more love to 
 our neighbour, to our own soul, and, above all to our 
 God ; that when old age come upon us. we may not 
 have to look back upon a misspent life. I often thinl- 
 whcn I come to look back upon only a few days even' 
 there are many things which I might have done that 
 ^von d have been more to the good of my soul, or to 
 the honour of my God ; but when I look back overmv 
 whole life, I co«l,l oftentimes cry, and I think some- 
 times I could lay do^^l with Elijah, and say 'It is 
 '"""gh ; now, Lord, take away my life, for I am 
 not better than my fathers.' 
 "Dear ma'am, please to send me a few lines to say 
 
 how your dear sister i.s, and how James i. 
 
 Perhaps you n>ay think it curious of me offerin,. you 
 half a sovereign for James ; so I will tell you my 
 reasons ; because I know you have done a great deal 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 223 
 
 for him, and I thought you would lay it out better for 
 him than he would for himself, as I have thought him 
 rather thoughtless that way. I hope by me so saying 
 I shall not hurt your feelings towards him, for I have 
 no very particular reasons for so saying ; and even if I 
 had, we all have faults. I know I have many. So 
 now I must conclude with sapng you must continue 
 to pray for me, that I may daily increase in grace and 
 wisdom ; and God ever bless and prosper you in all 
 you lay your hand to." 
 
 Again, in February 1855, he writes,— "I was very 
 glad that dear Captain Vicars is still alive, and in good 
 health and s])iiits, amid all the war and pestilence to 
 which he has been exposed ; and I pray God he may 
 stiU be spared to the glory of God and the good of 
 souls. Dear ma'am, I very often pray for him, I loved 
 him so well. And I pray God to bless aU your labours 
 of love for the Lord Jesus, and for poor souls, and to 
 bless you and all that belong to you abundantly. I am 
 sorry to hear that good Mrs EUiott died of tlie cholera 
 last summer. She was an excellent kind woman, and 
 I know you thought a great deal of her ; and her poor 
 family must miss lier very muck But I am glad you say 
 she died so full of love, and trust, and peace in Jesus. 
 
 " I often think how great a blessing it was to me that 
 I came to Beckenham. They were happy days indeed- 
 But I shall have their like again and better still in 
 heaven." 
 
224 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 "^02^11,1855. 
 
 " Deae MADA3r,— I received your kind, interestinor 
 though sorrowful letter— and I do as it were share "I 
 part of the sorrow. Although I knew Httle of Capt. 
 Vicars, he was a man that I loved very greatly— and I 
 hope he is now with his Saviour whom he so loved. It 
 seems quite a pity that such a young man, and one that 
 promised to be so usefid for the comfort and eternal 
 welfare of mankind, should be cut off in the very prime 
 of life— but we must resign to the will of God. He 
 alone knows what is best for us. It must indeed be 
 very trying to those who loved him so much. And 
 who can tell (if he lived any time after he received his 
 deadly wound) what thoughts, prayers, and troubles 
 would cross his mind about them ; not but that I be- 
 Heve he would resign himself to the will of God. I 
 have oftentimes thought of hun and prayed for him and 
 I hope I shaU meet him and you and your aged and 
 honoured father and the young lady-nieces andlvir and 
 Mrs Chalmers, and many more for whom I would pray 
 particular (nay indeed all the world) in heaven at last 
 where sorrow, parting and death shall be no more— 
 where we shaU praise God to all eternity. So no more 
 at present from your humble, affectionate son in our 
 Lord Jesus Christ and your most humble servant, 
 
 " Wm. G — 1." 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 225 
 
 
 One evening, in the spring of 1855, I went into 
 
 Mary E 's cottage. HaJf hidden behind the door 
 
 sat two travellers, who had just come to Beckenham to 
 seek for lodgings, as I gathered by a gUmpse at their 
 dusty clothes and baggage. On turning to look at them 
 agam, admonished by the expression of Mary's eye I 
 recognised Thomas Paget's broad, bright face, and 
 hearty smUe ; and welcomed him and his good wife back 
 to Beckenham right gladly. •' She knowed me again," 
 said he, half aside to Mary, "and I thought she 'd for- 
 gotten me ; " and for a few minutes his face was hidden 
 on his arms, as he leant them on the table. Then came 
 out, in broken sentences, his recollections of his life in 
 Beckenham ; and how " God had kept Yam from drink- 
 %ng tiuim away after he had left, and made him and his 
 wife keep up praying, and reading their Bible, ana 
 church-going." 
 
 Very shortly after this he became seriously ill ; and 
 although we had able medical advice for him, all reme- 
 dies failed to arrest the disease. He slowly feU away 
 from his great size and strength, and, at last, gave 
 back his spirit to his God. 
 
 He was like a little child in that iUness, so grateful 
 and simple. He knew our steps as we drew near the 
 cottage, and would often spend hours by the window 
 watching for the mere sight of any of us in the viHage 
 street His failing appetite was only gratified by little 
 dinners cooked at the Eectory, and flowers from our 
 
226 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 garden were his peculiar joy. He would arrange them 
 carefully in a little jar, and have them placed on a 
 table where he could constantly see them. A pillow 
 which was given him to raise his aching head from the 
 hard mattress, "made him feel almost in heaven," he 
 said, "so easy and comfortable-like." 
 
 One day his wife sent me word that he was much 
 worse, and was not likely to live many hours. As I 
 took leave of him that night, not expecting to see him 
 again in this world, I wa^ quite overcome. There was 
 something ever to be remembered in the mingled ex- 
 pressions of his countenance at that moment. Sorrow 
 to see another's sorrow, it was not in his nature to avoid 
 feeling ; but this was almost swallowed up by his ex- 
 treme surprise and pleasure at finding the value set 
 upon his simple, honest friendship. Kindness he had 
 looked for, but not to have his death mourned ; and it 
 was plainly an exquisite enjoyment to him, which I 
 thank God he had, although he was going so soon after- 
 wards to inherit fulness of joy for ever. 
 
 It was surprising to see how his spiritual understand- 
 ing grew and was strengthened as his physical power 
 failed. The Bible was his great delight ; " and Mr 
 Chalmers," he said, "made it all as clear as glass to him." 
 He bore his great sufferings with unmurmuring 
 patience, and prayed his favourite Httle prayer (the 
 Soldier's Prayer) oftentimes a day. The last evening 
 that I saw him he was speechless ; but when I said. 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 227 
 
 I 
 
 
 " Paget, dear friend, if you know that the Lord Jesus 
 IS with you, so that you fear no evil, raise your hand 
 for a sign," he raised it at once, and waved it joyfully 
 
 In the course of the night he recovered his speech 
 enough to say to Us wife, as she cooled his hot head 
 with fresh water, " Who will wash me next, Lyddy ?" 
 
 " Who do you mean, Tom ?" 
 
 "God!" he replied; "quite clean, in the blood of 
 Jesus." 
 
 Soon after that he went to join the company of 
 those who wear white robes, "made white in the blood 
 of the Lamb." 
 
 Shortly aft«r the Langdale had sailed, and with her 
 the last men left of the First BattaHon of the Army 
 Works Corps, I left home for some weeks, understand- 
 ing that the numbers of the Corps would not be in- 
 creased untU the experiment of sending the first 
 detachment was found to be successfuL 
 
 Early in August, however, fresh advertisements ap- 
 peared for working men of various trades, and railway 
 men amongst them, to form a second battalion. 
 
 My sister drove to the Crystal Palace grounds every 
 mornmg to converse with the men, to distribute 
 books, and to take down their names for Testaments 
 She found all were obliging and respectful, and many 
 of them full of warm and grateful feeling. 
 
228 
 
 8AFE AT HOME. 
 
 As we were obliged to spend that autumn by the 
 sea-side, we fixed upon Brighton, as the coast which 
 was the most easy of access to and from Beckenham 
 and the Crystal Palace ; and twice a-week we visited 
 the new candidates for the Corps in the Crystal Palace 
 grounds. Through the kindness of Sir Joseph Pax- 
 ton's chief agent in London, Mr Wragge, a telegraphic 
 message summoned us to the Thames whenever another 
 ship received its complement of men for the Crimea, so 
 that my sister and I had the satisfaction of exchanging 
 parting-words with each man, and of giving to all a 
 Testament as a last remembrance, accompanied gene- 
 rally by a Cottage Hymn-book- A large number of 
 prayer-books were supplied by Government to the 
 chaplains, for distribution amongst the men. Both 
 the Bible and Keligious Tract Societies were most 
 liberal in making several grants of Testaments and 
 hymn-books to us for the same purpose, and in allow- 
 ing us to purchase many more at half price. 
 
 A large number of the men applied to me to receive 
 their money-orders, as had been done for those who went 
 out in the first detachment. This arrangement now 
 became rather a formidable matter, the receipts averag- 
 ing about £500 a-month. I should have found myself 
 very unequal to the calculation, but for the able help 
 
 of L , who undertook " to keep the book " for me, 
 
 and, assisted by her sister, to correspond with those 
 relatives of the wen to whom allowances were made. 
 
 SAFE AT HOMR 
 
 229 
 
 The correspondence with the men themselves about 
 this time began to average about fifty letters a-week 
 from the Crimea. 
 
 In the early part of the month of September, two 
 young men of the name of B wrote from Wands- 
 worth gaol to request me to pay a fine of <^10 for 
 them, to set them free to go to the Crimea. They 
 were in gaol for having been found in a riotous state of 
 intoxication. 
 
 Before answering this appHcation, I wrote to inquire 
 particulars of the governor, to whose firmness, dis- 
 crimination, and benevolence -- those high qualities 
 which alone can fit a man for such a post—it is un - 
 necessary for me to attempt to do justice. Mr Onslow 
 replied that, from what he had seen and heard of the 
 young men, he beheved they were deserving of the 
 efibrt, although they had been guHty of an excess 
 which had brought upon them their present punish- 
 ment. Of course the money was sent forthwith, and 
 few things gratified me more than the anxiety mani- 
 fested by these young men to justify the confidence 
 which had been reposed in them, both in their steady 
 conduct from that time, and in securing to me the re- 
 payment of the sum lent, by having their money-orders 
 drawn out in my name, so that* I should receive the 
 c^'lO owing to me before laying by any money for them 
 in the Savings Bank In consequence of the pressure 
 of business at the office, a delay of some days occurred 
 
230 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 before this could be done. Meantime one or other of 
 the brothers wrote almost daily to assure me that 
 " they had not forgotten the arrangement, nor never 
 would forget the kindness." 
 
 A navvy named John F., for whom my .sister had 
 advanced a sum of money under similar circumstances 
 shewed equal anxiety untU she was repaid, and intro- 
 duced her on board ship as " this here 's the lady that 
 paid two pounds ten shillings to get me out of prison " 
 There were many artisans, in this battalion of 
 superior education and character, whose conversations 
 greatly interested us ; but as no notes of these inter 
 views were written down at that time, owing to the pres- 
 sure of the work amongst them, nor in the still busier 
 winter months, we are afraid of trusting our memories 
 now, lest the details should not be verbally accurate 
 On our return home, we formed an acquaintance with 
 Mr Hudson, the chaplain who went out with the Third 
 BattaUon of this Corps, whose manly simplicity of 
 character-not forgetting the physical powers which 
 had led him up Mont Blanc by the direct ascent- 
 combined with his earnest desire to promote the best 
 welfare of the men committed to his charge, qualified 
 him well to be a chaplain to the navvies. 
 
 It waa about this time that we heard of several 
 deaths which deeply affected us, amongst men whom 
 we had known in the First Battalion. Our old friend 
 Ihomas Dibley was amongst the earUest who. in his 
 
 SATE AT HOME. 
 
 231 
 
 l^. 
 
 I 
 
 own simple language, "took a short cut to heaven, 
 without going round by old England." 
 
 He and several others had met regularly for prayer 
 and the reading of God's Word ; and in navvy phrase, 
 
 " he had lived according." His friend, John K , 
 
 told us the remainder of his earthly history. 
 
 "August 30, the Year of our Lord 1855. 
 
 " From John R, , 
 
 " Frenchman's Hill, Balaklava. 
 
 " Dear Friend in the Lord— I now write to in- 
 form you of my bodily health, and spiritly wellfare, tho 
 I am very poorly to day, but I thank God that I am 
 spared to write to you, hoping this will find you all in 
 good health as it leaves most of our company ; tho we 
 have lost some men very sudden, one was drowned on 
 the 15 of August by coming on board drunk, when we 
 lay in the water, and Kobson was took ill at six oclock 
 in the morning and died at one, and we have six more 
 very ill at the presant, and I hope that God will re- 
 move the heavy hand of death from us, if it be his will, 
 and if not, I hope that the Lord Jesus will receive their 
 souls to glory and I have not been landed a week un 
 til the 24th and we have 3 more men dead in the same 
 way, it is the cholera. Beloved Friend in the Lord. 
 Thessalonians ii 3 : finally. Brethren pray for us, that 
 the word of the Lord may have free course and be 
 glorified, even as it is with you, and that we may be 
 delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for all 
 

 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 SAFE AT HOIVIE. 
 
 233 
 
 men have not faith : I remember last time I wrote to 
 you it was in heaviness of spirit, but I thank God, 
 through the faith and love of Jesus Christ, and the 
 assistance of the holy Spirit, I am able to say this — 
 
 ** Peace, doubting heart : my God's I am ; 
 
 Who form'd me man, forbids me fear; 
 The Lord hath call'd me by my name. 
 
 The Lord protects, for ever near ; 
 His Blood for me did once atone, 
 And still he loves and guards his own.** 
 
 my dear friend, I will tell you how I have persevered 
 on my passage over. Thomas Dibley and I formed A 
 reading class for all them that would attend it we used 
 our little testaments and hymn Books, every day, and I 
 exhorted a text every night and prayed with them and 
 sung a hymn or two, and these is the two h3mans we 
 often sang, 136. — 138, and I have felt the Lord to be 
 very precious to my soul, and we had a many members 
 and I trust that the Lord will add hundreds more to 
 his fold. The disease is raging, and death devouring 
 us daily, and the grave is swallowing us up ; there is 
 four men died of it today, and the same almost every 
 day. Oh, may the Lord have mercy on their souls, 
 and I am still determined to persevere in the love of 
 Christ, to find my way to heaven. The Lord giveth 
 and the Lord taketh away ; for it has pleased the Lord 
 to take my dear companion, Thomas Dibley, he died on 
 the 28 of August, his illness was very severe ; he was 
 only fifteen hours ill I visited him every opportunity 
 
 
 he said he was in good spirits for heaven. I begged 
 him to look to Christ, and for the holy Spirit to com- 
 fort him, in the valley and shadow of Death, and this 
 is his dying words, I am only going to Him a little bit 
 before you ; as he grasped my hand fast in his ; and 
 William Mason is dead, we have lost 28 men, from the 
 seventeenth of August; this is on my Dear friend 
 Thomas Dibley 's death : 
 
 Here are afflictions, and trials severe. 
 
 Here is no rest — here is no rest; 
 Here I must part with the friend I own dear, 
 
 Yet I am Blest ! I am Blest. 
 
 How sweet is the promise I read in his word. 
 Blessed are they who have died in the Lord, 
 For they shall be called to receive their reward. 
 There is rest, there is rest. 
 
 so God Bless you all at the present and J. K is 
 
 well, and I will write as soon as I can to you another 
 letter so I hope and trust dear honored Lady to meet 
 you all in heaven if not on earth Amen." 
 
 Young George Willis was one who had especially 
 interested me in the summer. He was always ready to 
 open the carriage door, to pull ofi'his neckcloth as quick 
 as lightning to dust a book or parasol, if it fell to the 
 ground, or to render any other of those delicate little 
 attentions by which these strong men shew their sense 
 
234 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 of a lady's friendly interest in them. One day I had 
 noticed the earnestness of his fine countenance, as he 
 listened; so I said to him afterwards, "George, you 
 have a good mother, I am pretty sure ?" 
 
 " Safe enough ! Now, who could have told ye ?" 
 "And I think you are a good son." 
 " Well ! you are out there ! But I should like to be, 
 uncommon." 
 
 "How do you mean to begin?" 
 " Why, by leaving my money order with you, to allow 
 mother something handsome out of it ; and if I don't 
 live to come back, you '11 please give it all to her." 
 
 The excellent Rector of the parish where George's 
 widowed mother lived, wrote, in the course of the 
 autumn, to express the poor woman's joy in the duti- 
 ful consideration of her son, and the hope it raised 
 within her that it might result from a real chano-e of 
 heart and principle, as he had, previously, been some- 
 what wild in conduct and neglectful of her wishes. 
 
 A sorrowful task was it, indeed, to have to say, in 
 answer to that letter, that her son was dead. " The 
 only son of his mother, and she was a widow." 
 
 Little as there was to tell her of what had passed be- 
 tween us, there was enough for Hope. I could not even 
 write his name without remembering that those youno- 
 eyes use to fill with tears and light at every description 
 of a Saviour's dying love. I besought her to reckon on 
 seeing those tears exchanged for smiles of joy in Para- 
 
 SAFE AT HOME. 
 
 235 
 
 dise ; for surely no single spark of love to Jesus ever 
 went down to be quenched in everlasting darkness. 
 
 On our return home at the close of the autumn 
 amidst a large heap of letters there, we found one from 
 George, written whilst he was in the full vigour of 
 health, some weeks before his death. God only knows 
 the depth of thankful joy with which it was sent to 
 that widowed mother, with the words written upon it 
 without one haunting doubt, "This your son was dead' 
 and is ALIVE AGAIN ; he was lost, and is found.'' 
 
 " From George Willis, Army Works Corps, 
 "gone to the Crimea." 
 
 " Dear MADAM—i received your kind letter, and 
 was happy to hear from you. WiU you be so kind as 
 to keep my order and to let my Mother Maiy Willis 
 have 5s. a week until i do return, if it do please God 
 that 1 may. if i never do return again, it wiU be for 
 mother Mary WiUis, at Queen's Camel. Madam you 
 can let my Mother have it as you please, and I thank 
 you kindly for your Prayer and Hymn-book and your 
 Blessing that was in your kind letter, and God's Bless- 
 ing as weU Which i am sure of if i do put my trust in 
 Him, and i hope i shall for evermore, i hope to keep 
 your Litel prayer constantly with me for your sake, 
 and own Saviour's that shed His Blood for us. 
 " & I do remain your obedient servt. 
 
 " Geoege Willis." 
 
CHAPTEE XVII 
 
 •"The honest man, though e'er so pooij 
 Is king o' men for a' that." 
 
.( 
 
 Many more individual instances of holy Uving and 
 dying, like George WilHs^ and Thomas Dibley\ re- 
 joiced our hearts, and fiUed us with fresh confidence in 
 Him who loves to hear and answer prayer. But the 
 statement of the conduct of a large portion of the Corps, 
 after they had landed in the Crimea, made us anxious 
 and disappointed Perhaps it was too much to expect 
 of men, who had grown up to the prime of their lil'e in 
 the enjoyment of entire liberty and independence, the 
 freest hearted men in the land, that they should submit 
 to the rigid discipline of martial law as weU as if they 
 had been trained to it, like soldiers, from their youth 
 up. 
 
 One of their stumblingblocks was the order given to 
 touch their caps to every officer who passed. They said 
 "they had gone out to work, and couldn't awhHe to do 
 manners." Eor this many got into trouble. More than 
 one wrote to me, " The men as is flogged say they 've 
 one comfort ; and that is that you are not here to see 
 how they 're served ; for you 'd wear your heart out 
 with fretting about them." A devoted missionaiy to 
 
240 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 the soldiers, who had heard something of our interest 
 in the Corps, told me, that after being disappointed by 
 the general character for wildness which was given him 
 of the men after their landing in the Crimea, he could 
 not but be moved, when he went amongst them during 
 a sort of extempore emeute, and said, "Is this the 
 lesson you leamt at Beckenham ? what would she say 
 if she heard of it?" to see many amongst them shew 
 strong emotion, and the majority, for that day at least, 
 return to order. 
 
 The last detachment of the Third Battalion was se- 
 lected during the month of November. A scarcity of 
 work at that time, brought candidates for the Corps 
 from all parts of th3 country, including mechanics from 
 the manufacturing towns, at the rate, according to the 
 Times newspaper, of one thousand a-day. For the 
 most part, these men brought very small means for 
 their support during the time of waiting on the chance 
 of being chosen ; numbers were unable to afford lodo-- 
 rngs, and therefore slept without a roof over their heads 
 in the damp, cold November nights; many were al- 
 most starving. My sister and I, in our daily visits 
 to them, were in the habit of buying from a pieman, 
 who came down from London on speculation, from one 
 to two hundred "hot penny pies," containing a marvel- 
 lous supply of nourishment for the cost, or coffee and 
 
 TETTE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 241 
 
 bread and butter, for those who had had no meal in the 
 course of the day. 
 
 It was a fine thing to see several hundi-ed men fall 
 back, leaving a ring around us of only the absolutely 
 famished men, not to trespass on the little kindness, 
 although many of those who retired had had but one 
 meal in the course of the day. 
 
 The first day that we discovered this terrible state of 
 destitution, I had only a few shillings with me, and with 
 a keen sense of "what are they amongst so many?" I 
 turned to one of the men by my side, and said, " Will 
 you take the money and lay it out to the best advan- 
 tage ? I do not know who you are ; but I am sure you 
 will deal fairly by the rest. I have never yet found 
 cause to doubt the honour of a working-man." 
 
 " Then you shan't learn mistrust from me," he said. 
 And many told me next day, how good and faithful a 
 steward lie ]iad been. 
 
 At this time, characters were required of the men 
 before the appointments could be made. And the men 
 found that it greatly added to their chances of success, 
 if we wrote for them to tlicir former masters, and when 
 satisfactory testimonials were thus received direct, we 
 fonvarded them to the chief officer engaged in select- 
 ing the candidates. And here again, I must bear my 
 testimony to Mr Mihier's unwearied patience and 
 courtesy, not to us only, but to every appHcant who 
 obtained an interview with him. 
 
242 
 
 TRUE A^^'D TEUSTY. 
 
 The Rectory was now transformed into an office for 
 writing for and receiving characters of artisans of all 
 deserii.tinii., and of railway labourers. The men came 
 daily from half-past nine till half-past three. This 
 affordtd us opportunities of speaking \nth each man 
 separately, upon his interest in a world the fashion of 
 which wiU not pass away. There were many whose 
 names I should mention witli ploasui^e and interest, 
 were it not, that from their present position and cir- 
 cumstances, it is probable this record may faU into 
 their hands, in whieli ease, it will be enough for them 
 to learn that they are all remembered constantly in 
 prayer to God, that we may meet again to praise 
 Him throughout a blessed eternity. 
 
 To provide more adequately than the pitiful allow- 
 ance of the penny-pies, for a few of the most distressed 
 and yet superior men amongst the candidates-men 
 who would rather have starved than begged~we now 
 boarded about a score of them at a time^t cottaoes in 
 Beckenham, until their appointments could be obtained. 
 
 Two of these men, James P , and John M I 
 
 shall have occasion to mention further. It was durino^ 
 this winter -of 1855 -that we first beeame fully 
 acquainted with the character of the sergeant of police 
 at Beckenham-a man who, with spirit and courage 
 equal to any emergency, lias never, in any mob or ficrht 
 either received or struck a blow, though firm and strict 
 m aU the duties of his caUing. In him. every honest 
 
 TEUE AXD TEUSTY. 
 
 243 
 
 woiking man who comes within his reach, finds a 
 friend ; and from his gentle and benevolent wife, eveiy 
 starving man, with almost equal certainty, receives a 
 slice of bread and cheese, or a basin of soup. 
 
 Encouraged by his admirable Superintendent * in 
 every plan for the moral improvement of the men 
 under his charge, and influenced, like that superior 
 officer, by the highest of all motives in seeking the wel- 
 fare of his fellow-creatures. Sergeant M , with his 
 
 staff of police, has been invaluable in preserving the 
 peace and good order of Beckenham, when fiUed°with 
 strangers from all parts of the comitry. No collision 
 in Beckenham is ever dreamt of between the wildest of 
 the navvies and oui- policemen. Even in such a case as 
 that of a man having to be imprisoned for misconduct, 
 a pat on the shoulder, and " You 'd better come quietly 
 with me, my man,'^ is found to be " the utmost rigour 
 of the law" which is required to be exercised by "this 
 noble-hearted and remarkable man. 
 
 During this time, also, we experienced constant civility 
 and courtesy fi'om the policemen employed about the 
 Crystal Palace and its neighbourhood ; who all took a 
 cordial interest in our friendship with the men ; and 
 latterly, in all threatenings of disorderliness, seemed to 
 look upon us as a sort of " available contingent.'' " Oh ! 
 ladies," was theii- salutation, when we had missed a day 
 in coming, and a slight disturbance had occurred, "if 
 
 * F. M. Mallalieu, Esq. 
 
244 
 
 TRUE AND TRUSTY. 
 
 TRUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 245 
 
 you had been here last evening, the men would all have 
 gone away without giving us any trouble/' 
 
 Shortly before the last five hundred of the Corps who 
 composed the Commissariat branch, sailed in the Jura, 
 from off Deptford, they gave me a Bible and Prayer- 
 book, bound together in a very beautiful "antique 
 fashion," as a parting remembrance of our jileasant 
 intercourse — an intercourse which had left not a single 
 painful remembrance. In all our afternoon visits to 
 them, including the large crowds of unchosen, and 
 therefore disappointed men, not one rough word was 
 ever spoken to us. Darkness often came on, as we 
 stood under an old oak, with these men around, read- 
 ing and talking with them about the things which be- 
 longed to their peace ; and when a torch was sent out 
 from the Crystal Palace office, to light us back to the 
 carriage which had brought us thither, it flashed on 
 faces so full of feeling, that we understood by it the 
 reason of the hush which had pre\ailed. 
 
 At last came the day in December when the Jura 
 was to receive her complement, and to sail for the East. 
 It was the sharpest day of a short, but intense frost. 
 My sister and I, witli a beloved young friend, who has 
 since entered into the "joy of her Lord,'' drove over to 
 Deptford, and spent six hours on board the Jura, in 
 taking leave of the five hundred. Amongst them were 
 
 two men whom I have named, John M , and James 
 
 P f whose honest faces had attracted us a few 
 
 J 
 
 weeks before, in the crowd of men endeavouring to 
 gain admission at the Crystal Palace gates. 
 
 We had then found it unnecessary to write for 
 further testimony to their characters. The documents 
 which they had brought with them had been signed 
 not only by their employers, but also by the rector and 
 curate of the parish, and the two churchwardens. 
 Their countenances alone would have been amply sufli- 
 cient recommendations, — they literally shone with honest 
 and simple worth. At the time we first noticed them 
 they were almost starving ; so we told them to come to 
 the Eectory for supper that evening ; and then, finding 
 they had nothing left to pay for a night's shelter, we 
 lodged and boarded them in the village. As soon as 
 they were appointed to the Corps, they commenced lay- 
 ing by the larger portion of their wages to repay us ; 
 and had time enough to do so, fully. A few days before 
 the Jura sailed, they asked to see me, and with some 
 hesitation and fear, " lest it should be thought taking 
 advantage of kindness," requested the loan of half a 
 sovereign to each, to enable them to go down into 
 shire, to take leave of their wives and children. 
 
 The night before the vessel sailed, both came to the 
 Eectory, to repay the loan. " Are you sure, my friends, 
 that you can afford to give it back ? " 
 
 " Quite sure, and thank you, ma'am, a thousand times." 
 
 " But what have you left for your lodging to-night 
 and breakfast to-morrow ? " 
 
246 
 
 TRUE AND TEIJSTr. 
 
 " Oh, we Ve i)aid our lodging, all 's square." 
 
 "But for breakfast?" 
 
 A moment's i)ause ensued ; then came the cheerful 
 answer, "With the good supper we Ve just made here ; 
 and the good dinner we shall get aboard ship, we don't 
 want no breakfast." 
 
 Of course, that arrangement was not permitted to 
 stand. But when we met on board ship, we found 
 that whilst other men had been laying out from ten 
 to twenty shillings a-piece in warm ;T.ts, John and 
 James had been obliged to do without them to enable 
 them to repay their debts. So there they stood on 
 deck in that biting cold, with nothing warmer than a 
 slop over their .'^lioulders, and with small chance of 
 having the warm clothing provided by Government 
 given out for some days. It was not to be borne. So,' 
 early in tlie day we despatched a messenger for four 
 warm knitted vests from London. Pive o'clock came • 
 the darkness of a December night was deepening. Our 
 last farewell words were said ; and the last man's hand 
 had been shaken ; there was no longer any reason for re- 
 maining ; yet our messenger had not returned. There 
 was, plainly, some mistake, and the ship would pro- 
 bably sail before the parcel could now reach our friends. 
 The colder blew the. night breezes about us, as we 
 drove through Deptford, the more unbearable was the 
 thought of these two men suffering for their high and 
 delicate sense of honour towards us. We drove from 
 
 f 
 
 L I 
 
 i 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 247 
 
 shop to shop before anything like the articles of clothing 
 which we wanted could be found. At last at the fifth 
 shop searched, they were obtained. But who was to take 
 them back to the ship? No shopman could be spared. 
 Beneath a lamp in the street stood a group of boys. 
 Its light fell on a face which seemed to introduce the 
 sort of messenger I desired. The story was told him. 
 " Now, my boy, we are strangers, and I do not want to 
 know your name or where you live, nor any clue to 
 either. You might take these vests and make twenty 
 shillings upon them, or give them away to your father 
 and brothers, if you choose. I should never send the 
 police after you. But my confidence in the honour of 
 English boys, which stands so high now, would be 
 broken dovm. And those two nobly honest men 
 would suficr, and might take cold and go into a con- 
 sumption, and die ; and their wives and children break 
 their hearts about them.'' 
 
 The boy's eyes flashed under the lamp-light, and 
 snatching the parcel, he said, "Trust me. I'm the 
 boy for it." 
 
 Eighteenpence happened to be the worldly all we 
 had with us, after paying for the vests. I told him 
 how sorry I was for this; but that it would pay his 
 boat each way, and he would have sixpence and a 
 happy heart to lie down with at night. 
 
 " It 's a plenty. Father 's a waterman. I shall get 
 his boat for nothing. All 's right !" and off he ran. 
 
 f 
 
248 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 A note had been enclosed in the parcel to one of the 
 officers with whom I had had some conversation, re- 
 questing him to send me one line by post that night 
 or next morning- to say that the parcel had reached its 
 destined owners. 
 
 The next day passed, and the next, but no letter 
 
 came from the Jura. We read in the Times that 
 
 she had sailed on Thui'sday morning. The day posts 
 
 of Saturday arrived, but brought no news of the 
 
 parcel 
 
 My trust failed. " My boy is dishonest," I said ; 
 " and my confidence in human honour can never be 
 the same again," 
 
 But by the last pubt on Saturday evening came a 
 note from tlie officer aUiulcd to, to say that about 
 seven o'clock on Wednesday evening, a boy had 
 brought a parcel on board, and had requested permis- 
 sion to deliver it to two men, named James P , 
 
 and John M , in tlie presence of the captain of the 
 
 ship, the chief officer of tlie Corps, and the medical 
 officer. 
 
 Having discharged his duty, the last somid heard 
 amidbt tlie splashing of his oars, as he left the ship's 
 .M'ie, was the shout, "Tell that ere lady I kept my 
 word, and the jackets was in time." 
 
 All honour to the English buy, who sustained my 
 right to trust my brothers, young or old. The world 
 is not so wide but we shall meet again, I hope ; and 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 249 
 
 r 
 
 r. 
 
 \ 
 
 meet when we may, the trusty and the trusting will 
 be friends. 
 
 The following letters have been selected, with no 
 slight difficulty, from amongst very many of nearly, if 
 not quite equal value, in point of truth, simplicity, and 
 freshness : — 
 
 *' February, 2nd 1856. 
 
 Deae Lady and Dear Feiend,— I now take the 
 pleasure of writing to you, as well as I am able, hop- 
 ing that you are quite well, as I am, thank God for it- 
 Since I took the last sight of you at Deptford, I have 
 many times thought of you. We had a very fine voy- 
 age ; on the Bay of Biscay, I was half afraid we should 
 have been all lost, but God took care of us, and guided 
 us safe to Balaclava. We were three ^^eeks on the 
 water— we made it our practice, a few of us, to have a 
 prayer-meeting with ]Mr Young, and bless God, for He 
 was there too. We should have been in the harbour 
 one day sooner, but it was full, so we was forced to fo 
 back to sea again ; but we got in quite safe at last ; 
 then we went to work at Balaclava two days, and then 
 we volunteered to go in front of Sebastopol ; working 
 
 at the commissary of the Fourth Division, me, P , 
 
 and W , and we have got a very good place. I 
 
 have not seen L since I left the Jura, but he is 
 
 W 
 
 i 
 
2.50 
 
 TEFE AST) TEUSTY. 
 
 quite well I have heard. Me and James P- 
 
 - re- 
 
 ceived the four tiannel shirrs, and was so thankful for 
 them. I ] (";o.i v^-m bless jou for aU your kindness. 
 
 I wi*h Tou was here, that I could hen- -- "» -are. fir 
 
 T-r. 
 
 •SiV li 
 
 ■ I can 
 
 •od from but 
 
 '' ::. your Bible: I value that as much in the 
 
 Crimea as you dn vour n at home : I can sit in my 
 
 lit lie hut i^T^.-^ 1-- 
 I hav-" 
 
 lit' t i, <_'*,.' 1'.' ~~ 
 
 at ] ■ 
 
 ~i ~ 
 
 ■f. .'-•■'•■. 
 
 V III.. 
 
 L.ii.4ll.ik 
 
 .h :.'■"" 
 
 TO Are 3! TT'' 
 
 i... 
 
 ^.■" I 
 
 •-i v)li.I... 
 
 ■writ-' 
 
 I nm as hapj ^ I can be, for 
 
 heart can wish for a^ : _ards 
 
 - : .-" I am livfr! rr f'~'r tli^ 
 ve a leiter from you ii it be 
 ' - countr}- suits me ■ well 
 - how lonff I shall be here but 
 P^^-^ t.o dire: to me. at the 
 iin.^,^r\ at the front of Sebastopol 
 "^ have no clergyman up with 
 •' Give mr ^r^^ --. Airs .Hew*- 
 ■■^ ■".* ]jc-i-ikciiiiam. "' r I hav-;- ■ 
 le the: - I should never 
 : nforv^u. I c^Bunt sav anv 
 
 .rt'T^ 1 
 
 X T 
 
 if n.v-1 
 
 -::i ; i JiotKr i 
 
 yours, 
 
 \ . :e me to come 
 . meet in heaven, 
 
 JoKN' ;m 
 
 SI.:: 
 
 Af .- K. xrrrD Lapt.-I feel in duty bound to 
 
 » and ar: 
 
 -..-■ - me £5!^? .It T'^'-^-ire to r- '" 
 
 TTi,'T T "1 
 
 m 
 
 a iener irom 
 
 %if 
 
 TEUE AXD TEUSTY. 
 
 251 
 
 you. I hope this may find you and the rest of your 
 family in the enjoraent of good health, as that is the 
 greatest blessing we can expect in this sinful world- 
 poor unworthy creatures ; I am happy to infonn you, 
 this leaves me much better, than the last time i wrotJ 
 to your ladyship ; but this is a very mihealthy part of 
 the country, where we are lining. There is nearly 6 
 hundred more navvies landed here this Day from Eng- 
 land, and there is a great many mc : i out 
 li; : V. The Chief of our employment, : a new 
 Road from Balaklava, to the front ri-ht up to .Seba.s- 
 - . ; side of the rail road: bur - '- - "ht or 
 morning, i never forget the .soldiers prayer, you was so 
 kind to give me, and I pray to God to give me strength 
 to uphold it. I am happy to inform you, that ./ui lent 
 is Conven. ...: to the CTiurch, and a veiy kind minister 
 we I: - but his work has been veiy laborious. I am 
 Sony to inform you, they do nc ^ird the .sabbath in 
 this country, for they keep open the shops the .same as 
 anv other dav. 
 
 " •' but a sab?:iatli w-:]] cp* 
 
 and bealtii ' -' - -f t.> morroir; 
 bnt sk sabbath pro^iitiiea, wh&t e'er il 
 15 a certai- -' r -fmmtw: 
 
 ^ « I should feel very thankful if you would be so 
 kind, as to answer those ft™ lin; . and give me all the 
 information you can Concerning the affairs of old Eng- 
 land : and you wiE Confer a great obligation on your 
 humble servant Hen'EY S " 
 
 ^ riars a week of ooatent, 
 .raiaed. 
 
252 
 
 TEUE AXD TEUSTY. 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 253 
 
 " Balaklava, January the 21. 
 "Deae Feiend, — i now embrace this fcavourable 
 opportunity of answering your most kind and serious 
 letter, wiiicli gave me great comfort to hear from yon, 
 and likewise to hear you was in the enjoyment of 
 health, as that is the greatest blessing we can expect 
 in tliis sinful world. I am happy to inform you this 
 lu-.. : me in perfect health, thank the Lord for his 
 Ivindness to me. I am happy to inform you we have 
 left the tents, and gone into wooden huts, and we find 
 ourselves much more comfortable, for we have got a 
 very nice little Stove, but I am sorry to inform you I 
 cannot devote my time so much to religious ordinance 
 as i should like to do, for I can assure you there is 
 giTat swearing, and so many temptations, that I really 
 abhor it, and I wish I was back in old England again. 
 
 ^Ic and John W Sleep Next bed to each other, 
 
 and there is never a night pass over our heads but we 
 offer up a j^rayer fur your welfare, we are given to 
 understand that peace is about to be proclaimed; and 
 God grant it may be so, and then I shall be able to live 
 in a much better way, and live more in the fear of the 
 Lord; but while the lamp holds out to burn, the vilest 
 sinner may return. I hope, my Dear friend, you will 
 be kind enough to answer this letter, as it will be a 
 great relief to my drooping spirits, for it gives me 
 great pleasure always to hear from you at any time. 
 I must conclude with prayer for your future happi- 
 
 ( 
 
 ness, and may God guard you, as is the constant 
 prayer of jj g ,> 
 
 {From one of the men who was hurnt in the confla- 
 gration of twelve huts in the middle of the night) 
 
 "Feb. 7, 1856. 
 " ' Out of sight out of mind.' 
 
 "Deae Madajvi,— I hope you will excuse me in 
 taking the liberty to send these few lines to you, hop- 
 ing they will find you in a good state of health. I 
 have the pleasure to inform you that we have a public 
 worship on Sunday mornings and evenings, in one of 
 our huts, but I should be very glad to see many more 
 of the men belonging to the Army Works Corps going 
 to worship God and keep his Day. The old proverb is 
 as I said above, 'Out of sight out of mind'— that may 
 be true. But I must acknowledge this, that Becken- 
 ham, and the lecture one Tuesday night in Beckenham, 
 is not out of my mind ; those Excellent remarks on the 
 words, 'Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy 
 laden, and I will give you rest ;' your solemn remarks 
 come often to my mind, especially when I observe 
 many of the working men in the Army Works Corps 
 neglect the happiness of their immortal souls, and 
 spend their time in nonsense and corruption, and 
 through that neglect their own salvation : may God 
 bring all to light, and convert their ignorance. If the 
 soldiers are fighting against their Enemies, So the little 
 
251 
 
 TECE AUB TEUSTY. 
 
 militant Church of God here in the wilderness a<rai„st 
 a strong army. If our brave soldiers are M^" to 
 Conquer, So the fe^y Christians are kbourin" to Con- 
 quer Satan, and to save souls. May the blesled time 
 eorue soon that the Christians war be over, and peace 
 reign for ever, a sanctuary in every country, and the 
 Lord be revered in every city, in every town, in every 
 House, and every family, from pole to pole. May God 
 soon grant the blessed time. ! what a word of Com- 
 fort is the following, 'God so loved the world That He 
 gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever behcveth ' 
 &c. ! what a consolation. ! what a fact 1 
 blessed fact, that Jesus took upon Him aU our sins 
 Bore the punishment in our stead. The chastisement of 
 our peace, and by His stripes we are healed Here's 
 another word of Comfort to the wandering sirmer ' The 
 Son of man is Come to seek and to save that which is 
 lost.' Also 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
 unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto 
 the Lord, and He ^viU have mercy upon him, and to God 
 for he will ahundantly pardon.' May God enli.diten 
 the mmd of them in the Cnmea to seek the way of 
 salvation, and trust in God and serve him all the days 
 of their Lives. I have no need to desire one favor 
 from you, to Eemcmber the Httle Church in the 
 Crimea, and every Sinner here, Because I Believe that 
 you think often of the men of the A. W. C. here 
 "May the God of aU Bless you in aU your Prayers 
 
 i 
 
 TEUE AXD TEFSTY. 9xr 
 
 . and Labours, and kindness to the poor, and all work- 
 ing Classes of all kind, and Bless you in all your efforts 
 to Save Souls, that is my Prayer.-I am your humble 
 
 '"Ti R. W— ." 
 
 N.B.-Please to excuse me send the above to you 
 My Best respect to Mrs Chalmers, may God bless her 
 Body and Soul. 
 
 "I am rather short of Books to Read here, there is 
 no Book selling in tlie Crimea. 
 
 "The Rev. C. Hudson is weU, and foUow his Divine 
 Mmistry. jj -^ 
 
 "Sd Division, Balaklava, Crimea." 
 
 "Kadikoi, neak Balacuta. 
 " HOKOEED Miss,-;yith pleasure I take this oppor- 
 tunity of letting you know that God has so far been 
 gracious to me in preserving me from all dangers since 
 I left England. This is a very wild and desolate coun- 
 try, and I am sorry to have to inform you that the 
 Sabbath rs almost entirely disregarded out here • in- 
 temperance is so prevalent, that it is ruining both the 
 bodies and souls of the majority of our Corps, but 
 now, as there is every appearance of peace, I suppose 
 we shall all be sent home soon : but, whether I return 
 sooner or later, I hope to return thanking God for his 
 many mercies to me, both in temporal and spiritual 
 concerns. Hoping God, in His tender mercy will 
 long spare you to assist others in the way they should 
 
256 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 go, and thanking you for all your past kindness to me, 
 --I remain, your Ever Obedient and humble Servt, 
 
 "Edwin G ." 
 
 "Skbastopol, March the 20. 1856. 
 " Madam,— I Duly Keceived your very kind letter 
 and tract, for which I send you [My Sincere thanks, as 
 I often Derive a great Deal of Comfort, from that and 
 the testament that you was so kind as to oive Me 
 before we came Aw^iy. I thank you verv much for 
 the kind Advice, and the good Wishes that vou sent 
 me in the Letter, And the kind Advice that ym o-ave 
 us all befoie we came A^vay, which is all for our good, 
 what you said to us About the Driidv out here is^Try 
 true, for tlicrc is A ixi'cat Many of our Men is in tho 
 hospital tla-ough the Drink, but I thank God for givin- 
 me strength to witlistand against the many temptations 
 that are here to Drink, but thank God I have taken 
 your Advice Since I have been out here, for I Do Not 
 use the Drink, And I sincerely wish that my Comrades 
 Would Do the same, for it is a sad thing to see them 
 Drove to Madness, and killing themselves for the sake 
 of Drink, and, after enduring the Crimea hardships to 
 come home to england, if it should please God to spare 
 us. in AVorse poverty then what they came out in. I 
 am .sure they Will think then What A good thino- it 
 W\iuld ha;e been for them if they had took your k^nd 
 Advice. We have shifted our quarters since I sent 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 257 
 
 My last letter to you, We are quartered in Sebastopol 
 Now, But I hear that We Are soon coming back to 
 England again, for We hear that the War is at last 
 over, thank God I hope, Madam, these few Lines 
 Will find you and your sister in good health As 
 thank God, this Leaves me At present,-^! remain' 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 "Williams ." 
 
 *' Sebastopol, April l8t,—56. 
 
 "Respected Feiend and Ladt,-I received your 
 kind and most Welcome letter this afternoon, and us 
 Was most Happy to hear that you Was aU quite weU 
 also to Hear that you Was receivipg both of our 
 moneys quite safe. The 10s. lent, which you men- 
 tioned m yom- letter, Was also quite right, and we hope 
 you will Thank Mrs Chalmers kindly from both of us 
 for being So kind as to lend it to us When in need. I 
 
 and my Comrade J. L are quite weU, and in good 
 
 ^ints, Thank God for it, I read the Little testament 
 When I Can make time, and Last Smiday I read the 
 Little book Called, 'Walking With God Before Sebas- 
 topol,' to 3 or 4 of my Comrades, and they liked it 
 Very much Indeed. We Veiy often goes by the grave 
 yard Where Captain Vicajs was buried, and many 
 more of his FeUow-officere. We are Hving about one 
 mile from the North Side Where the Kussians are 
 We can See them quite plain, and they can See ns. 
 
258 
 
 TRtJE AND TRUSTY. 
 
 TRUE AND TRUSTY. 
 
 259 
 
 but they dont fire now, they did When us first came 
 down into the town, — But now We can go for a Walk 
 on a Sunday down on the Tcherneya and shake hands 
 with plenty of them. I dont know as I have any 
 thing more to Say at present, only Wishing you All 
 quite well — We both Eemain, your Well Wishers, 
 
 " Thos. L and John L -." 
 
 " Balackava, April 7, 1856. 
 
 "My Dear Friend, — I received your most kind 
 letter on friday last, and was glad To hear from you, 
 as I promised to write to you The day we came on 
 board. I am one of the musicians That was playing 
 on board. I was very sick all my Voyage over, but 
 thank God I have been very well All the time I have 
 been here, and With Grod's Blessed will I trust I Shall 
 while I am here. Thank God we are as well provided 
 for as we Can expect out here. I am Happy and com- 
 fortable in My place, but I miss my little home and 
 fireside, my Dear Wife and little children which I left 
 
 behind. They live at No. 7 place, Brixton. U 
 
 you Should wish to call or write at any time if You 
 are that way, they would be glad to see you. I am 
 Happy to tell you that "Mr Hudson is with us Still, I 
 was With him in Chapel last evening, And he is quite 
 weU I am happy to say. 
 
 "My Dear Friend, you say You think of us, and 
 pray for us, and beg of us to pray for ourselves, our 
 
 blessed souls we have .vithin ns. I pray daily for 
 mine And others ; thank God My prayers are an- 
 swered hourly on myself. I see My fellow creatures 
 sick And afflicted aU around me Daily, but I am spared 
 untouched, thank God for it I hope with God's Blessed 
 wiU this will find You quite well and comfortable - 
 With my best wishes. I am your ever obedient Servant, 
 
 " Aethtje M .'■ 
 
 " Cajip Betobe Sebastpool, March 7 tit ~5u 
 
 "Honored Feiend.-I take the Opportunity Of an- 
 swering your Kind and Welcome Letter, In hope, of 
 finding you all weU, as it leaves me. I have had a 
 Severe cold, But thanks Be to the Lord I am a .^eit 
 deal better, the Climate is so Changeable, perhaj's for 
 2 or 3 days we have fine Weather, and then we have 
 Severe Wmds, frost and snow we have at the present 
 Severe Frost, and Snow 18 Inches Deep, but perhaps 
 in two or three days we Get South or South West 
 Winds, it will Sweep it aU away in a few horn-, and 
 We Get a field of Mud very near up to our knees', but 
 I hope we shall Soon Get through the Worst of the 
 bad Weather. Dear Friend, I must tell you I have 
 been to Sebastopol twice, and I found a Youn-r Gentle- 
 man, Mr J D , I did one time Uve°with his 
 
 Uncle as Gardener, he was very pleased to see me, he 
 with Great kindness asked me in to his house, and I 
 taken a Glass of Sherry and a cigar with him. his 
 
260 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTT. 
 
 house is in front of the Dry Dock, as they Our fellow 
 Countrymen have Blown up, and the following Thurs- 
 day I went to dine with him, I very much enjoyed my 
 treat, he has invited me to call on him at any time, he 
 had a very large Shot Came through the roof of his 
 house, but thanks be to the Lord he wajs not at home 
 at the time it happened. May the Lord Bless him 
 and Protect him. Sebastopol has been no doubt a 
 beautiful place, a great deal is Levelled to the ground, 
 there was 10 Thousand Houses, with 50 Thousand in- 
 habitants ; how dreadful it must have been for the 
 poor creatures to have had to depart in One Nio-ht, 
 Leaving everything Behind them, they had splendid 
 Dock yards, and every thing Comfortable for their use. 
 We are very Glad it is peace. I think we shall not be 
 Long Before we are all Home. Give My kindest love 
 to my Dear Children. Glad to hear they are all weU ; 
 tell them I have got a little Medal for each of them. 
 May the Lord Bless them. — ^From your humble ser- 
 vant. William A ." 
 
 " Cbihea, April 10. 
 
 Dear Feiend,— I am very comfortable in the Crimea. 
 I am living with our Paymaster as his servant ; but I 
 should like to see home again, as we do not get half 
 the comforts as we get at home. We have beautiful 
 weather out here, though it is very changeable. We 
 have plenty of crocuses and snowdrops grow out hera 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 261 
 
 I hope I shall soon see you again, and thank you for 
 your kindness to me. I have seen a great deal of 
 Turkish religion ; they are as bad as heathens. Some 
 Turkish ladies left their homes because the telegraph 
 wires run over the tops of their houses ; they imagined 
 that the wires could tell all their secrets. I do not 
 think I have any more to say. I will conclude. — From 
 
 " Jajvies L .' 
 
 (( 
 
 " Balaklava, April ISth, 1856. 
 
 Missus , and sisters, I was very glad to hear 
 
 from you. Also I feel glad to hear that our savings are 
 all right, as several of our men have had a great deal 
 of trouble to get their money, we all shall soon be at 
 home. On Saturday 12th, there was 560 started from 
 Balaklava, on Cleopatra a screw steam ship, please God 
 all will arrive safe to England. 
 
 " Madam, I remember you speaking of Captain Vicars 
 who was killed at the storming of the Kedan, no sooner 
 did I see his grave stone then it reminded me of you 
 speaking about him, he has a beautiful stone at the 
 head of his grave, and the grave yard is walled all round 
 with stone. 
 
 " As I read through your letter, I find you urge me 
 and all to attend to the chaplain's instructions, I am 
 glad to inform you he does all that Lays in his power, 
 I go to have Lessons in writing, we have pens ink and 
 paper and all instructions, we have papers and a good 
 
262 
 
 TEUE AKD TEUSTY. 
 
 TEUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 263 
 
 variety of books, I must say Mr Hudson Las done all 
 that lie can do. I must Conclude. — your Dear friend, 
 
 " Ja^ies M. S , 
 
 third Divison No. 3571." 
 
 " I received a letter from home to say that you sent 
 home that money which I spake to you about, I am 
 very very much obliged to you, Missus , and 
 
 bisters. 
 
 ft 
 
 " Sebastapol, Crimea, May 5th, 1856. 
 
 " Deae !Madam, — I am happy to inform you that 
 we are now under orders for home, and we expect to 
 Sail to Morrow, in a Vessel named the Clyde, and I 
 hope with the Blessings of God, we may all arrive 
 home safe, for I know that the same Lord that has 
 protected on Land, is also able to preserve us on the 
 sea ; and I think when I get home, I shall never have 
 cause to regret leaving my native home. IMy Dear 
 Madam, I am happy to tell you that since peace has 
 been proclaimed, the Russians have been over here and 
 I have been over their side ; but it is very painful to 
 see the ignorance the poor creatures are living in, by all 
 appearance I take them to be of the Catholic religion, 
 for in every house, let it be ever so humble, they have 
 a picture or figure of the blessed Virgin, and they keep 
 a candle or Lamp constantly burning, for I enquired of 
 m Russian that could speak English, and he informed 
 me that they keep it burning night and day. They 
 
 w 
 
 \ 
 
 never partake of any thing without asking a blessing 
 before and after eating it, but they do it in a manner 
 quite unusual to the English, for they cross themselves 
 several times about the chest and forehead, but I think 
 that most of them are very religious in their way. And 
 now, dear Madam, I think I have told you all, so now 
 I must conclude with my best respects and wishes to 
 you, remaining, Your Humble Servant, 
 
 " William S *' 
 
 "Abmt Wobks Corps, 
 "Camp Before Sebastopol, June Zd, — 56. 
 
 " HoNOEED Lady, — I beg to inform you that I sent 
 you an Oil-Painting* that was taken from the large 
 Church in Sebastopol at the time the Town fell into 
 the Hands of the Allies, and which I beg to offer for 
 your acceptance, as a small return, on my part, for the 
 many Kindness, and for the great Literest you have 
 allways shown to the ]\Ien of our Corps. I shall be 
 very glad to hear of its safe arrival at Beckenham 
 Rectory. I am very happy to say that we are Expect- 
 ing very soon to return to England, Thank God for it, 
 as the Climate does not Seem to suit the Constitution 
 of our men. The weather is Beginning to get very 
 hot, But I am happy to say that we have But very 
 little Sickness, thank God. We have but 13 men in 
 Hospital at present, — and God grant that it may 
 
 * It never reached ita destination. 
 
264i 
 
 TRUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 remain so ; for it was a shocking sight to See the Way 
 our men Suffered, and the number who Died at the 
 time of our arrival in the Crimea,— God Forbid that I 
 should ever witness such Sights again. We have had 
 as many as one Hundred and twenty nine at one time 
 in Hospital. I am happy to inform you that I have 
 had the Satisfaction to hear a Book read Last week, 
 Entitled, 'the Memoirs of Captain Hedley Vicars, of 
 the 97th Eegiment,' and you will no doubt be glad to 
 hear that it was very carefully Read, and attentively 
 Listened to by aU the Patients in the Hospital, which 
 gave great Pleasure to aU present. I knew Captain 
 Vicars, said two of the Patients, and a true Christian 
 he was, if ever there was one,— and God send that he 
 is at rest in Heaven, where we all hope to meet again, 
 to part no more. I have to Humbly thank you, dear 
 Lady, on my own part, Likewise on the Part of aU the 
 Patients in Hospital, for the great interest you have 
 shown for us all in sending us so many Little Books and 
 Tracts, for, BeHeVe me, they have been the means of 
 many tears being shed in the Camp, for it tells us, that, 
 although so many Hundred miles away, that the Army 
 Works Corps are not forgotten by you. I must tell 
 you that the Book I have been speaking about was sent 
 by our Kind Chaplain, the Rev. Mr HaUward, who is 
 always ready to do any of us aU the good he can. I 
 have myself seen the spot where Capt. Vicars is in- 
 terred,— and I am happy to say that the Grave yards 
 
 TRUE AND TEUSTY. 
 
 265 
 
 are all neatly attended to, — there is several of our men 
 that have got a Miniature Stone as a Remembrance 
 of that good man — and I must bX, the same time men- 
 tion that the grave yard where so many of our Poor 
 Pellows Lie is very nicely Laid out, and a very neat 
 Stone erected to their Memory, as a last sad Remem- 
 brance to the Departed. 
 
 " I must now beg to close this note with my Duty to 
 yourself, likewise your Honored Father, and Sister, Mrs 
 Chalmers, — hoping you will Excuse my Boldness, I beg 
 to Remain, Your Humble Servaiit, 
 
 "Geoege M — " 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Irisra ^oors ©pnci. 
 
 " Stone walls do not a prison make, 
 Xor iron bars a cage ; 
 iAIinds innocent and quiet take 
 That for a hermitage. 
 
 " For though men keep my outM-ard man 
 Within their locks and bars, 
 Yet in the faith of Christ I can 
 Blount higher than the stars." 
 
Jy the month of February 1856, permission was 
 granted my sister and myself to visit the six prisoners 
 who had been convicted of having taken part in the 
 Penge fight. Four were confined in Wandsworth 
 House of Correction for a year and a half ; two in the 
 Pentonville Penitentiary, under sentence of four years' 
 penal servitude. The governors of the respective gaols 
 gave all the men excellent characters. 
 
 The men at Wandsworth were first nsited. The 
 governor kindly permitted us to see them in his study. 
 The interview was an affecting one. Young William 
 R ^ ^ho was brought in first, said :— " I am inno- 
 cent of the fight ; but I deserved trouble at the hand 
 of my God, if not of man. I have been wild, and 
 drinking, and thoughtless. If I had not been drunk 
 the night after the fighling at Penge, they wouldn't 
 have taken me up and said I had been along of them 
 as did fight But I thank God I ever came here ; I 
 never might have stopped to think, but for this. But 
 when I had to part from my mates, and go alone for 
 the first time into a ceU aH by myself, and felt gcme 
 
 iiiiiii 
 
270 
 
 PRISON DOOES OPENED. 
 
 PEISON DOORS OPENED. 
 
 down in my heart, I remembered the story you had 
 told us of the young lady of five year old, who spoke 
 up out of her cradle one night and said, I think any- 
 body wants but three things in this life — ' The grace of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ' to make him holy; and ' the love 
 of God ' to make him happy ; and ' the fellowship of 
 the Holy Ghost,' that he may always be in good com- 
 pany. And, said I, then I '11 ask for all that in this 
 little narrow place, and I shan't feel lonely. And I 
 did ask ; and hoiv I 've loved my Bible and praying ! 
 And we go twice of a day to chapel, and it 's beautiful 
 to hear our clergyman. He tells us such fine things 
 about the blessed Saviour, antl makes such prayers ! 
 and I go down of my knees when I get back to my 
 cell, and bless God for sending me here to learn of 
 such a good man." 
 
 All this was said with unusual eagerness and fervour. 
 He had treasured up these thoughts for three months, 
 and it was his first opportunity of pouring them out 
 into the ear of his friends. For the time beincr, it 
 changed the character of the strong, independent 
 English navvy, slow to express his feehngs, and far 
 behind the mark of their real warmth and depth in his 
 utterance of them, into the nature of a child, yearning 
 for sympathy, and desirous of communicating that 
 which was occupying his heart and mind. 
 
 Our conversations with the other men were scarcely 
 less interesting; but the impression of William E 's 
 
 271 
 
 I 
 
 .< 
 
 innocence, which we found was shared by those in 
 authority over him, was an idea which necessarily filled 
 our minds. After receiving an indefinite account of 
 the neighbourhood in London where the one man, who 
 could prove an alibi for him with regard to the place and 
 hour of the fight, might possibly be found, or at least 
 traced, we left the prison, asking God to enable us to pro- 
 cure freedom for an innocent man, if innocent he were. 
 
 The search was successful ; the tentmaker who had 
 employed him and worked with him in the Crystal 
 Palace Gardens at the very hour of the fight, made an 
 affidavit before the Lord Mayor on a deposition taken 
 down by a lawyer. The same day it was presented at 
 the Home Oflice ; and justice was done promptly. 
 
 In a few days William E was with us at 
 
 Beckenham, and boarded at a cottage until he could 
 find work. He arrived one Friday evening. On Sun- 
 day night, after being twice at church, he disappeared. 
 My anxiety about him was great. On Tuesday even- 
 ing, the Serjeant of police brought me word that "on 
 Monday evening William had been to see his old 
 friend, Mr Yokes, at the Dolphin, Sydenham ; had re- 
 fused to drink a single glass of beer, because * drinking 
 had begun his troubles ;' and had told the story of the 
 blessing he had found during the time of his imprison- 
 ment, so powerfully as to take ofi* all the men who 
 were there from drinking, for that evening at least— 
 so that they went away as sober as himself.'* 
 
272 
 
 PRISON DOOES OPENED. 
 
 This account cheered me not a little ; and the next 
 evening William re-appeared 
 
 "Oh, William! how could you go away without 
 telling me ? I have been grieving about you, fearing 
 you had got into mischief and trouble." 
 
 "There now! I said so to ganger; I know her'U 
 fret, I said. And ganger said, 'Don't think her '11 
 trouble herself about you. Her mayhap got ye out 
 of prison, because yer innocent; but her '11 be glad 
 enow yer gone off to provide for yerself.' Yer don't 
 know her, I said. I '11 give up a quarter-day's work 
 and wages, and just run over this afternoon, and let 
 her see I 'm all right." 
 
 "But what took you away, William, so suddenly?" 
 
 " I met my old ganger on Sunday evening, and he 
 said, 'Come along o' me and lodge at my house, three 
 mile away, and at four to-morrow morning you shall 
 be at work again, to keep yourself, like a man.' " 
 
 "And you never thought of sending a note or a 
 messacje?" 
 
 "I should think I didn't. Twould have seemed a 
 Hberty, like." 
 
 From that time William, the ganger, and the 
 ganger's little brother, came over to Beckenham every 
 Sunday to attend the Church services and the evening 
 reading, bringing their dinner in their pockets, and 
 having tea at a friend's lodging. The ganger told me 
 that it was a pleasure to have William lodginff with 
 
 PRISON DOOES OPENED. 
 
 273 
 
 Mm, ^'heis so steady, and cheerful too; and we read 
 our Bible together of nights, and he makes a bit of a 
 prayer, quite comfortable like." 
 
 On the day of our visiting the Wandsworth House 
 
 of Correction, to tell William K of his freedom, the 
 
 governor considered it unadvisable to ^llow us to see 
 the three other prisoners so soon again. 
 
 Little did we think that one of them was watching 
 us, and went sorrowfully back to his cell, all the more 
 lonely because his friends had seemed to forsake him. 
 
 "the 6 of March 1856. 
 
 "Kind Lady and Friends, — I write these few Hues 
 to you to thank you for the Good books that you have 
 sent me, I thank you very much for them, i read them 
 with Great care, i shall keep them till i come out of 
 this prison, and there is a long time yet for me to stop 
 here. I saw you on the first of March in the prison, 
 and when i went to my cell and found that you was 
 not coming to speak to me i sheded many a tear that 
 night, but thank God I feals happier now than ever I 
 did in my life before. I wish that I had took more 
 notice what you told me on the Sunday when i was 
 haven tea on your lawn in the front of your house. 
 So I must conclude now for my time is up, so I must 
 go to my work, 
 
 "Henry K- ." 
 
 s 
 
274* 
 
 PRISON DOOES OPENED. 
 
 The governor, with his wonted genuine kindness, 
 had added the following postscript:— 
 
 "My Dear Madam,— I did not know till this 
 
 moment that Henry K had seen you and Mrs 
 
 Chahners the other day. I shall explain to him that 
 you came on some other particular business, and that 
 it was my fault, and not yours, that you did not go to 
 
 see him. -^ ^• 
 
 " If you please to write to him he shall have the 
 
 letter/' 
 
 It need scarcely be added that Henry received a let- 
 ter by return of post, and a visit shortly afterwards. 
 
 Some time before this, I had endeavoured to see the 
 two prisoners at Pentonville ; but had been informed 
 that no interview with them could be permitted with- 
 out an order from the Home Office. The excellent 
 chaplain, Mr KingsmiU, offered to convey a message 
 for me, and left the door ajar as he entered each cell 
 Thus I heard his kind words, and William 's an- 
 swer, " Tell her, I read my Bible and pray the prayer 
 she taujo-ht me— that's what she'll care most to hear." 
 The deep depression of the tone, and the languid utter- 
 ance, struck me painfully ; and when permission to 
 visit them was most kindly offered me by the chief 
 authority, shortly afterwards, I discovered how heavily 
 solitary confinement weighs down the navvy. The 
 
 PPJSON DOOES OPENED. 
 
 27o 
 
 il 
 
 # 
 
 punishment to him is one of double severity, owing to 
 his being accustomed to spend his life in the open air. 
 The excessive monotony of the employment supplied 
 to the men — weaving a Penelope's web of coarse can- 
 vass for "wrappering," with no variation in it, yard 
 after yard, for day after day, and month after month* 
 — is surely an unnecessary aggravation of the terrible 
 mental trial of the separate system ; a system of un- 
 questionable merit in its effect upon the moral condi- 
 tion of the prisoner, where some liberty is accorded to 
 the Executive to relax its conditions with judicious ana 
 discriminating humanity. 
 
 I am, of course, taking it for granted that the gover- 
 nor has these qualities in no common measure. And I 
 believe, in almost all the appointments made of late 
 years, the most earnest pains have been taken by 
 Colonel Jebb, Chairman of the Directors of Prisons, to 
 secure such men. 
 
 At Preston Gaol, where a chaplain of singularly in flu- 
 
 * As this work is substituted for oakum-picking, by way of a re- 
 ward for good conduct, it may be allowable to suggest, that in the 
 centre of every seventh yard of canvass should be woven, in red, a 
 large V. R I believe that the brightness of the bit of colour would 
 act like the charm of a cheerful voice in the lonely cell, and that 
 on the " red letter day " many a man would break his sullen silence, 
 to shout, " God save the Queen ! " He would be a better man and 
 a more loyal subject from that day forth, for the relief granted to 
 the dreary sameness of each hour's work in his oppressive solitude, 
 by being permitted, at intervals, to adorn his canvass with the ini- 
 tials of his gracious Sovereign. 
 
 
 < 
 
276 
 
 f EISON DOOES OPENED. 
 
 ential heart and character is nobly supported by the go- 
 vernor, all those miserable partitions in the chapel, which 
 render each man invisible to his neighbour, are pulled 
 down ; and a generous confidence, that the prisoners will 
 not tamper with each other during the time set apart 
 for the worship of God, has never been abused. There, 
 also, those prisoners who have conducted themselves 
 particularly well, are allowed to meet together for a 
 certain number of hours in the work-room; and 
 although communication is strictly forbidden, by word, 
 touch, or look, the very sense of being assembled to- 
 gether has the effect of preserving them from an inju- 
 rious despondency. That these modifications of the 
 system have been found tnily beneficial in their results, 
 I was informed when visiting that gaol in the autumn 
 of 1856 ; and could well believe it from the humble 
 and softened expression of many of the prisoners' coun- 
 tenances. 
 
 ' Both the nav\ies were seriously altered in appearance, 
 and were so weakened, bodily and mentally, that they 
 could only welcome my sister and myself with tears. 
 One had a sort of goitre growing in his throat, the re- 
 sult of the general depression of his system. We ven- 
 tured to ask the governor — who treated us with the 
 most cordial courtesy — to put him on the sick list, in 
 the hope that he might be ordered a nourishing diet for 
 some little time to come. This request was most kindly 
 complied with ; and thus the poor fellow's constitution 
 
 H 
 
 PRISON BOOKS OPENED. 
 
 277 
 
 I 
 
 did not quite give way before the order was consider- 
 ately given for them to be sent to Portland Island, for 
 penal servitude more suited to their nature and habits 
 of life. A few months more in that dark prison, and 
 those men themselves believe their health would have 
 been lost for ever. Owing to their good conduct 
 throughout, the term of their imprisonment was 
 shortened to half the time of their sentence ; and they 
 visited us the day after their liberation, with humble, 
 thankful hearts.* The same favour was accorded to 
 the remainder of the men, according to the measure of 
 their sentences. 
 
 * They spoke with much gratitude of the kindness and zeal of 
 the Rev. T. Dobie, chaplain to the convicts at Portland Island. 
 
 
1. 
 
 r 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 %\t Wtkmt |0ine: 
 
 ** The feast is spread through England 
 
 For rich and poor to-day ; 
 Greetings and laughter may be there. 
 
 But thoughts are far away, 
 Over the stormy ocean. 
 
 Over the dreary track, 
 Where some are left whom England 
 
 Will never welcome back." 
 
 . 'ill 
 
 I 
 
On the 8th of May 1856, the Cleopatra anchored off 
 Portsmouth, and six hundred of the men of the Ai'my 
 Works Corps, with exuberant joy, stood again on English 
 
 ground. 
 
 From that time, until the last detachment of working 
 men landed from the Crimea, we were in the habit of 
 keeping open house for their visits. They came, usually 
 in companies from three to a dozen in number, from 
 London or other places, at once for a welcome back to 
 England, and for a farewell before proceeding to remote 
 parts of the United Kingdom— to the Continent, for 
 the formation of foreign railways— or to America. 
 Canada, or Australia, to remain there for life. 
 
 There was something both surprising and touching 
 in the discovery that months of hardship, toil, and 
 privation, amidst scenes of war in a foreign land, had 
 not lessened the glow of grateful friendship formed, 
 during so brief an intercourse, before they had left 
 
 their own country. 
 
 Generally speaking, we had conversation with each 
 man separately, and heard much to give us hope, and 
 
282 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 sometimes full satisfaction — though too often, also, 
 thinprs which grieved us. 
 
 J. L 's confession was one of the saddest. For 
 
 three months after landing in the Crimea, he had 
 found the peace and the pleasantness of seeking to 
 walk with God. But the long and grievous departure 
 which had followed, he traced to his first wilful breach 
 of the Lord's commandment, "Eemember the Sabbath- 
 day to keep it holy." In the afternoon of an autumn 
 Sabbath, he had walked to the French camp for amuse- 
 ment. Hot and weary, he drank a glass of brandy, 
 " and then I forgot my happiness — I forgot my God — 
 and have gone down deeper and deeper from that day.'' 
 "And have been miserable?" 
 "Yes;" (in a firm but sullen tone) "miserable!" 
 " iind have you ever thought of the dishonour you 
 were bringing on your Saviour's name ; or of the souls 
 you were dragging down with you to Satan, instead of 
 leading up to Jesus?" 
 
 He had been standing till then with something of 
 the defiant air of a Eed Indian chief, his tall, powerful 
 form wrapped round in a Crimean cloak. But after 
 pondering that question for a moment, he dropped into 
 a chair, turned aside his head with a gush of tears, and 
 went on weeping till every Hmb shook with his great 
 distress. 
 
 Surely, I thought, the Spirit of God is still striving 
 here, and striving mightily. After seeking to render 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 283 
 
 him help by silently praying for him, I said a few plain 
 words about the Saviour's goodness to the backsHding 
 ones, and then besought him not to go on putting this 
 forbearing, gracious Saviour « to an open shame."'^ 
 
 " I want to get back to Him,'' he said at last ; " and 
 I believe I should, hut for this drink It is drink that 
 keeps me from Him, and from hoper 
 
 " I know it. And from this day forward, you must 
 give it all up. You must make a tremendous efi'ort, in 
 the strength of God. This 'drink' is the great wave 
 which is washing your soul down to the mouth of helL 
 It must be manfully resisted, by the help of God. 
 Promise me you will give it up from this day." 
 
 He paused for some moments, then promised to 
 make the efibrt, and joined earnestly in prayer for 
 grace to keep his word. 
 
 It was some time before we heard of him again. 
 When he ^vrote at last, he informed us that " he was 
 engaged in a very serious bit of work, going to be 
 married to a very comfortable person, and he hoped it 
 would prove a blessing to aU the parties concerned." 
 From the tone of two subsequent letters, we trust and 
 hope that he had escaped from the snare of drinking, 
 and was seeking his God with an earnest heart. 
 
 As many of our friends came from some distance to 
 see us, we provided cofi*ee and cake for them— a little 
 attention which seemed to give much gratification. Few 
 came to us empty-handed. Some small remembrance. 
 
 J 
 
284 
 
 THE vajLCOME HOME. 
 
 brought from the Criaiea with anxious care, bore its 
 little testimony to the thoughtfukess of their generous 
 hearts. Coins of various descriptions; Eussian charms; 
 a Jewish phylactery box, dug up at Sebastopol; brooches' 
 and seals, cut and polished by their own hands from the 
 rocks at Sebastopol and Balaklava ; a pair of pigeons • 
 coloured engravings from Malta ; and, far more touch- 
 mg than aU, stones, dust, blades of grass and flowers 
 from one grave in the Crimea, to which all seemed to 
 bend their steps. Many had attempted sketches of it. 
 Others had spoken with the men of the 97th, and had 
 treasured up their words of love and respect' for Cap- 
 tain Vicars' memory. 
 
 Pleasant was it to hear their short, strong statements 
 of not having forgotten us in the Crimea. " Once we 
 heard as you was dead, and nigh two thousand of us 
 ran together and prayed God it wasn't true!" And 
 again: "Whenever any more comed over, we said, first 
 thing, 'Been to Beckenham, mates ? How was they?'" 
 
 Henry B told us of the death of his mate 
 
 William Hawkesworth. "He never was the same man 
 after he came to Beckenham lawn, for the breakfast 
 and prayer; never swore from that morning; took to 
 his Bible, and seemed quiet and happy. We used to 
 sing our hymns together. He never fell off out of that 
 way, but went straight on towards his Saviour, till the 
 day he was blowed up by gunpowder-and I believe he 
 went straight up to heaven." 
 
 THE -n-ELCOME HOJIE. 
 
 285 
 
 I 
 
 ** And how are you going on, Henry ?'* 
 
 " I 'm trying to go on as he did I never drank a 
 pint of nothing in the Crimea, that I might keep me 
 out of harm's way." 
 
 Henry was gravely glad to see the large sum of 
 money to which his savings had amounted, and then 
 inquired, " Pray, ma'am, what do I owe you V 
 
 *' Nothing, Henry."' 
 
 " Oh yes, ma'am, if you please ; I should like to pay 
 something handsome for the trouble. It's but fair." 
 
 " Not fair to us, Henry ; for that would spoil our 
 pleasure in having done it for friendship." 
 
 "Well, then, you can't refuse to take a pound to 
 put to getting Bibles for them as has none." 
 
 I saw his heart was set on giving a thank-offering, 
 so I let him give a portion of the sum he named to the 
 Bible Society. 
 
 Young Robert S came the same day. He was 
 
 a fine specimen of a Highlander, with a broad, open 
 brow, an honest, noble countenance, and a true, strong, 
 Scottish heart. He did not say much, but all that 
 dropped from his lips was to the point ; and he was 
 full of gratitude, both for the goodness of God, and 
 for the little kindnesses of friends. 
 
 A few days later he came again for his savings, and 
 to take leave. He was delighted, with a child-like 
 simplicity, to find that we had once spent a day or two 
 in a house in the Hiorhlands where his father had lived 
 
286 
 
 THE AVELCOME HOME. 
 
 THE WELCOME H05IE. 
 
 287 
 
 as butler. He chose only to take a third of his pro- 
 peHy home, deciding to write for the rest when he 
 should have need for it 
 
 After putting the gold into his purse, I saw him 
 open and shut it two or three times, with something 
 of nervous anxiety, unlike his usual calm, forceful 
 manner ; then, colouring up to the roots of his hair, he 
 tlrew out two sovereigns. " I hope you won't be of- 
 fended, ma'am ; here are two pounds for you and the 
 young lady, if you'll just be pleased to take them for 
 the trouble you have both had." 
 
 " Thank you, Robert, all the same as if we could 
 take it from you. But you must put it back into your 
 own pocket. If you had done any thing to serve a 
 friend, to the best of your ability, out of hearty good- 
 will, would you be half as happy about it if you 
 accepted a reward for it?" 
 
 He thought the question weU through before he 
 repHed, " Ko, I think iiot ; and if it would spoil your 
 pleasure, I '11 say no more about it.'' 
 
 There was character in all this. It was not the 
 open-handed fling of a recklessly-generous heart— like 
 that of a navvy who was throwing half-crowTis and 
 shillings to a knot of women and children in the road 
 
 But it was clear that Robert S felt it was the 
 
 just thing to do, and he would do the just thing hand- 
 somely, with a full knowledge of the value of his 
 two pounds, and of the use he had for them himself. 
 
 
 H 
 
 He put them back, slowly too — not greedily, nor even 
 readily, but with a conviction that it was as manly and 
 generous to accept the free service of friendship, as it 
 was to offer, in the first instance, to pay for it. 
 
 After some conversation touching deeper interests 
 than even his well-earned little " capital," in the course 
 of which he gave me reason to hope that his heart and 
 his treasure were laid up in heaven, he stood with 
 glistening eyes by the door, and said, " I had brought 
 you, and all them at home, some nice presents ; but 
 my kit was stolen at Portsmouth. What I minded the 
 worst was that your Testament was in it, that I had 
 taken such care of in the Crimea." 
 
 We were glad indeed to replace it. After he had 
 left the room, he looked back to say, " Father has to 
 do with the salmon-fishing. If a salmon comes from 
 Inverness some day, you'll not be hurt about it?" 
 
 I need scarcely say we assured him that it would be 
 the best salmon we could ever eat. 
 
 On the 18th of May we went to meet the whole 
 body of the men then returned, on our old ground by 
 the Crystal Palace Pay Office. Their welcome was very 
 cordial and pleasant. Whilst speaking to them, with 
 the certainty of its being the last time on earth, except- 
 ing in isolated instances, about the things that belong 
 to our peace, a man who called himself " an artisan/' a 
 stranger to me and to most of the men, interrupted me 
 with an attack upon the character of our blessed 
 
288 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 THE WELCOME HOMK 
 
 289 
 
 Eedeemer. Praying silently for wisdom, I answered 
 him briefly, and then continued to address the rest. 
 Just as he was about to speak again, another mechanic, 
 
 with a pale, intellectual face, drew him aside, and L 
 
 heard him say : "The lady has oflPered to discuss these 
 points with you, if you will go to Beckenham for the 
 purpose. When she comes here, it is to speak to us 
 all of what is in her heart ; and the hearts of nearly all 
 the men go with it while they listen. I am a Catholic, 
 but I can listen to it all, and agree with the main 
 things." 
 
 " But I can't and won't," replied the infidel ; " and 
 I don't want to set her right alone, but all of yoi^ I 
 want all to hear me." 
 
 "Then get up on that heap of stones," said our 
 friend, "and talk to all as likes to hear ye ; nobody 
 hinders. Only don't expect the hearts of us to go with 
 you, as they do with a lady that cares for us as if we 
 were her own brothers." 
 
 This colloquy was not repeated to me until after we 
 had left the ground. I went back to seek out the pale 
 thoughtful face, and to thank its owner for his timely 
 support. He stepped aside from the crowd. "You 
 and I have a strong bond of sympathy," I said ; "the 
 love of that Saviour whose name we could not bear to 
 hear spoken against." 
 
 "We have, madam," he replied. "We have one 
 Pather, and one Saviour." 
 
 J^ I 
 
 K 
 
 " And one Holy Ghost, the Comforter," I added. 
 
 "Yes," he replied solemnly ; "but I have not heard 
 or thought much of Him. He is not much spoken of 
 in our chapel." 
 
 He listened earnestly to the words, "And I will 
 pray the Father, and he shall give you another Com- 
 forter, that he may abide with you for ever ; 
 
 "Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot 
 receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth 
 him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, 
 and shall be in you. 
 
 "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom 
 the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you 
 all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, 
 whatsoever I have said unto you. 
 
 "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will 
 guide you into all truth." 
 
 " Is He not worth seeking — asking to dwell in your 
 heart ? Oh, would you begin from this day to entreat 
 His presence, and never leave off asking to be 'filled 
 with the Holy Ghost ' (like the disciples of old) until 
 you are enjoying the presence of your Saviour face to 
 face in glory ? " 
 
 With earnestness he promised to pray that prayer, 
 and to accept a Bible, which was sent by post that day. 
 Our last words were a mutual agreement to pray for 
 the conversion of the poor scoffing unbeliever. 
 
 Charles R , a bricklayer, took back the whole 
 
290 
 
 THE WELCOME ROME. 
 
 of his capital at once to bmld a cottage at , " And 
 
 you shall be the first to step across its floor, if you 
 please, ladies." He began to have "family prayers" 
 with his wife on his return from the Crimea. 
 
 A young navvy, with a bright, honest face, and sailor- 
 like manner, returned to shew us how he had invested 
 the first instalment of his savings. " I knew you 'd be 
 glad to see I had not wasted the ^12." 
 
 "Not wasted," indeed ! The investment included a 
 silver hunting watch and gold chain ; a blue pilot coat; 
 neat plaid trousers; and as the crowning glories, a 
 green velvet waistcoat and a blue Glengarry bonnet, 
 with a red band. Within this holiday attiie dwelt a 
 sober and steady little soul, who was returning to the 
 home of his elder brother, a schoolmaster in the west 
 of England, probably to provoke no small amount 
 of excitement and admiration in the "circle of his 
 acquaintance." 
 
 Another of the men, who had returned at an earlier 
 date in bad health, came from his widowed sister's 
 house, in Staffordshire, to visit us about this time. 
 He brought with him the present of a handsome China 
 jug, which he had ordered according to his fancy, with 
 an inscription in gold letters upon it. He tried to pro- 
 cure work in the neighbourhood ; and said, " Ye see I 
 wish to live and die here, for my soul's sake." But, 
 alas ! the temptation of meeting with some of his 
 wilder mates, on their return from the Crimea, was too 
 
 THE WELCOLIE HOME. 
 
 291 
 
 < 
 
 much for him, and he was led away to intemperance. 
 He did not return to his lodging at Beckenham after 
 this, nor should I have met him again, had I not gone 
 to see a fresh detachment of the corps which had come 
 for payment to the Crystal Palace upon their arrival in 
 
 England. Poor T B was lingering about, 
 
 but retreated outside the crowd when he saw I had 
 
 noticed him. I followed. " Oh, T , I have been 
 
 in great trouble about you. Are you not coming back 
 to Beckenham ?" 
 
 " No ! I came there for my soul's sake, and then 
 up here for its ruin. The devil has got hold of me at 
 them lot of gin-shops down yon, and now I 'm going 
 away as far ofi* as I can." 
 
 With some difficulty he was persuaded into a pro- 
 mise to spend the next day, Sunday, in Beckenham, 
 and to come to the Rectory before church. His peni- 
 tence was very affecting. But was this to be the end 
 of his wish "to live and die in Beckenham?" We 
 could hardly bear it. 
 
 Young AVilliam Pt stood outside the Rectory 
 
 gate, w^aiting for a recognition and a word from us on 
 our way to church. I called him aside, and told him 
 
 my trouble. T had been a mate of his when the 
 
 Army Works Corps was assembling for the Crimea. 
 They used to drink together then ! After church, 
 William came to me, his countenance radiant with 
 an idea. "I couldn't help thinking on't in church. 
 
292 
 
 THE WELCOJIE HOifE. 
 
 THE WELCOME HOIVIK 
 
 293 
 
 and praying, too. I'll take him to my ganger, and 
 get liim to give liim work alongside of me. He wants 
 a helping haniL And he shall lodge along o' me. 
 And he '11 be at our prayers of nights ; and at them 
 readings of yoiirn, whenever work 's over sharp enou^^h 
 for lis to iret in time for them from Penore." 
 " Ob, William, God bless you !" 
 From that time, for a fortnifrht, all went on deliirht- 
 fidly. Then I missed both for four days. After one 
 
 of the readings, I saw William R 's bright young 
 
 face overclouded. He wanted to see me alone, but 
 
 could not speak " What of T , William?" 
 
 He turned his head away, with a burst of tears. 
 In a minute or two, recovering himself, he said, " We 
 had been so happy, and he seemed to love readino- the 
 Bible and praying along of me. But last Friday he 
 met some of the old mates, and they treated him, 
 and he never came back. I've been all about the 
 country these three days, looking for him ; but he 's 
 gone right off; and you'll be so disappointed; and, 
 what's worse, he 's away from his God agam." 
 
 This came out, sentence by sentence, with a sob be- 
 tween each. 1 never saw that fine young man shew 
 half so much feeling for himself, when he was unjust^- 
 
 imprisoned. Some time afterwards he heard of T 
 
 on a distant line, and went off to work there, in the 
 hope of being again a helper to him God gave him 
 his heart's desire. T has become a sober and 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 ) 
 
 steady man, and, I trust, a real Christian, by the grace 
 of God. 
 
 Many of the men, after receiving their savings, or 
 whatever portion they chose to have at first, came 
 again from some distance for one of the cottage read- 
 ings. George E , an honest, simple, noble spe- 
 cimen of an English labourer, came from Stratford, in 
 Essex, on a Monday, with this intent, and finding the 
 reading was not till Tuesday, went back again, and re- 
 turned the next day. He seemed to be " following the 
 Lord fully." A few days afterwards he sailed for 
 Australia. He begged to be allowed to leave a portion 
 of the interest of his savings for the Bible Society, as 
 did many others. 
 
 Alfred H said that he had been ill for many 
 
 months after he landed in the Ciimea. "^\Tien I 
 went into hospital, and was laid on my bed, day after 
 day, thinking each would be my last, God reminded 
 me of all I had heard in Beckenham. I believe I did 
 come to Jesus then, and that He has kept me hard by 
 Him ever since." 
 
 ** And do you pray much for grace to live as a 
 Christian ?" 
 
 '' I do pray ; and God does help me. He has made 
 me give up drinking. I dont believe IVe spent 
 one penny in diink since I stepped ashore in the 
 Crimea." 
 
 Qeorge S gave much the same sort of account of 
 
294 
 
 THE IVELCOME HOiME. 
 
 han.self excepting the iJlness. He said that on the 
 day hearing the farewell words on board the Ber- 
 «ncX- he had pledged hiniself to his God, and that his 
 God had kept him ever since, and prospered him, too, 
 on every side. His savings were partially expended on 
 the purchase of a green-grocery business. 
 
 James G was one of the few men out of the 
 
 whole number who caused us distress, by coming in a 
 state of drunkenness. Five times in one we* he 
 came m the same condition ; silly, yet always respect- 
 ful and obhgmg. Each time I refused to give him his 
 money until he could come for it perfectly Lbcr. The 
 
 r; '"";'' "T ''"*'^- ^^^^ ^ ^Pol^^ ^ him ear- 
 nestly. He said, after a little while, •■ Don't .0 on 
 Missus ; you '11 make me cry." ° 
 
 This alarm was not sufl5cient to deter me Rnall 
 he did cry and promised, by God's help, to give up 
 drinking I believed he would, because he joLd in 
 prayer so solemnly and earnestly. A week aftenvard^ 
 he came again, looking veiy much more of a man 
 but pale almost to illness. He had not tasted beer or' 
 
 respectable man, who came with him, said, " I lod.e i^' 
 ^same house, and have seen his mates persuadi^: f 
 him. But It 's no use. He won't touch a drop He 
 
 hTrk:e^;or'^^^^«^-^«.o.an: 
 
 He went down to his father's house, in Norfolk, the 
 
 THE WELCOME HOMK 
 
 2^95 
 
 next day, and we have never seen him since. God 
 grant him grace to " hold on his way." 
 
 An Irish Eoman Catholic, named Dennis M , 
 
 had long won our esteem by liis generosity to a con- 
 sumptive brother-in-law, to whom he transmitted the 
 larger portion of his savings. He called for the re- 
 mainder, which proved to be only the sum of £8, 15s. 
 
 With less hesitation and shyness than it had cost 
 our fine young Highlander to make a similar request, 
 he earnestly besought us to " accept of a sovereign." 
 
 " What ! Dennis, do you think we would lessen your 
 store, and after all your generous kindness to your 
 poor brother-in-law?" 
 
 "Ah, then, lady dear, but I should be so happy if 
 you and the young lady that has done so much would 
 take the pound for your throuble." 
 
 It was with difficulty we could convince him that 
 the thing was impossible. But with a love of giving 
 which would not be overcome, and a delicacy that fore- 
 bore to press a matter painfully, that man, with a 
 royal heart under a ragged coat, sent back a crown 
 piece, for "getting Bibles for poor souls like him, 
 because his own Bible that was given him at Becken- 
 ham, had spoken many a beautiful word to him when 
 he was far away ; and he would never give it up, no, 
 never!" 
 
 Jack B brought his brother-in-law and his 
 
 niece for the remainder of his money, which was to be 
 
^•/O 
 
 THE WELCOME HOaiE. 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 settled upon the young girL "Now I've got rid of it 
 aU, and I'm going to sea again. I was born and bred 
 a sailor, and don^t Hke digging the earth so well a^ 
 ploughing the sea, by half." 
 
 The only part of his property which he retained was 
 his Testament with the "Soldier's Prayer/' "That 
 shaU go with me over the world, and I'll pray that 
 little prayer when I'm aloft." 
 
 As we walked up the village an hour afterwards we 
 caught a view of " Jack," his brother, and the little 
 niece, in a grocer's shop. Jack shouted from it, " Oh ! 
 ma'am, here we are! eating bread and cheese. I 
 would not have you catch me in a public-house for 
 a7ii/ money." 
 
 We found afterwards that they had do. lined the 
 coffee and cake provided at the coachman's house by 
 the Eectory gate, for aU the Army Works Corps men 
 who came from a distance, considering that, as two of 
 the three were not belonging to the Corps, it would be 
 "imposing" to accept it. 
 
 The coachman's wife remarked to me, that the thino- 
 which touched her heart the most, about the majority 
 of those whom she thus entertained, was their dehght 
 in seeing little children again, after having only seen 
 "grown men" for so many months. They watched the 
 gambols of her o.vn little boy, and of my sister's little 
 son, upon the lawn, and said, " They looks Hke anaek 
 to us, after camp life in the Crimea." *" 
 
 297 
 
 )» 
 
 ijy 
 
 Alexander S and Andrew M gave us great 
 
 satisfaction. They were two of the Scotchmen who 
 had written a letter nobly characteristic of their Bible- 
 honouring country, in that its purport was to thank me 
 for " having taught them nothing without appealing to 
 the Word of God to prove it." 
 
 These men were strong, intelligent, and affectionate- 
 hearted. Alexander had ^40 in our hands, and said 
 "he was going home, and would send for it." 
 
 "And where is your home?' 
 
 " Scotland." 
 
 " Whereabouts in Scotland?' 
 
 "Nowhere ! I have no other home than the country ^ 
 
 "We are going to Scotland this autumn, God willing. 
 If either of you should chance to see me, and I should 
 not have seen you, you will come and shake hands with 
 me." 
 
 "Would we not?" with a short, quiet laugh of sur- 
 prise, at the request being supposed to be necessary. 
 "We would walk twenty miles to see ye. None of the 
 men of the Corps thanked God for ye mair than the 
 Scotch." 
 
 " Oh, Alexander! did you read your Bibles, and tiy 
 to live as the Word of God told you?" 
 
 " We did try, and often thought of the words you 
 used to say; and read, and prayed, and sang psalms 
 amongst ourselves." 
 
 This man begged to leave the interest of his savings 
 
298 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 for the Bible Society. Andrew had no money to receive 
 
 from us, hsLving left his allotment paper with his relatives. 
 
 On the following Monday morning six men, all more 
 
 or less intoxicated, came to the Eectoiy. Only one of 
 
 them, poor John W , had laid by money with us ; 
 
 but the chief speaker, Edward W r, a " rough and 
 
 ready' Lancashire man, was vehement in insisting that 
 
 I should immediately give i?10 to John W , which 
 
 it was clear they all intended to share. I said it was 
 my rule to give no man his money without first seeing 
 his Army Works Corps' Engagement Paper; nor would 
 I, even then, give him his money unless he came sober. 
 After some little time, seeing that I was determined, 
 
 they gave up the point, John \V raying, " Take 
 
 care what you say to she — her 's been very kind to me." 
 The poor fellow remembered, even in his half-senseless 
 state, that I had paid his fine of 10s. when he was im- 
 prisoned for drinking, that he might be set free in time 
 to go to the Crimea. He gave himself no rest till he 
 had repaid the money. Before they went away, I said 
 to them, " It would have been well if you had all laid 
 by money, instead of lavishing it on drink in the 
 Crimea ; but, what is worse than wasting your money, 
 you are selling an eternal inheritance for a few miser- 
 able mugs of beer. And even if you sold it for a life 
 of honours and pleasures, 'What shall it profit a man if 
 he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what 
 shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"* 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 299 
 
 I spoke thus solemnly to them for a few moments, 
 and one by one they turned half round on the bench 
 on which they were sitting, and laid their heads on 
 
 the hall table, and wept. Edward W ' made an 
 
 inefiectual efibrt to get at the table, but it was too full, 
 so he turned and walked away to hide his tears. 
 
 On Tuesday they all came again, sober, but without 
 
 the Engagement Paper. Edward W had resumed 
 
 his resolute bearing, eyed me firmly, and said they 
 would not stir without the c£10. I felt it absolutely 
 necessary to be firm, for although I well remembered 
 
 poor John W , it was essential strictly to observe 
 
 the rule made of never giving up any money committed 
 to my keeping, without the proof of identity afibrded 
 by the Engagement Paper. I therefore answered 
 quietly, but in terms w-hich I knew they would under- 
 stand, that "if the 3800 men of the Army Works 
 Corps were to come and to insist on my breaking a 
 rule which was made for the real interest of the men 
 who laid by their wages with me, I would not give 
 them one farthing if they waited till Christmas for it." 
 I then left them, and from an adjoining room heard 
 Edward say, "D'ye 'ear, she's made up 'ur mind- 
 there 'U be no turning she." 
 
 They were now anxious to go and fetch the paper, 
 which had been left in London ; so, finding they had 
 no money left, I lent them a couple of shillings, and, 
 after giving them some bread and meat, sent them 
 
;oo 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 away. About four o'clock they returned. Poor John 
 consented to leave £20 of his money in my hands for 
 a time, and carefully reminded me of ever}- shilling 
 which had been lent him, that it might be withdrawn 
 from the sum which was to be paid to him at once * 
 Whilst his companions surveyed his treasure, I said 
 to them, ** You see what a good thing it is to lay by 
 yom* money instead of spending it recklessly" 
 
 •' Yes, ■ ^aid Edward, "if I had laid by I might have 
 had enough to have bought a wife with." 
 
 •• If a woman is to be bought, Edward, she is not 
 
 worth havinir." 
 
 *— • 
 
 •' Ah : that s true ; and Solomon says they are all 
 vanity and vexation of spirit." 
 
 " That was said of all the things of this world, not 
 of wives only." 
 
 " Oh : so it were, and I learnt a proverb at school 
 which said a gocd wife is from the Lord." 
 
 *' Well, then, you must sen*e the Lord, Edward, if 
 you want His good gifts." 
 
 I then said a few eainest words to them all As 
 we prayed, Edward was again overcome, and rising 
 from his knees, went towards the door, but whilst 
 endeavouring to open it, in his agitation he bolted 
 it, and so knelt down again, leaning his head against 
 the panel, and sobbing like a child. They were all 
 
 • We h^x^ heard of him again ; & steady man, tenderly nursing a 
 djing father. 
 
 I 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 301 
 
 J 
 
 as humble and grateful as children when they went 
 away. 
 
 I must add that this was the only instance in which 
 I have met with any failure in the utmost civility and 
 gentleness of demeanour. 
 
 One Sunday, Kichard T , the hero who was 
 
 "gi-eater than he that taketh a city," on the occasion 
 of the Penge fight, appeared at Beckenham Church 
 in a fine suit of black cloth and a flaming red velvet 
 waistcoat. In the afternoon he came to the Kector)-, 
 and we found him as strong, and simple, and warm of 
 heart as ever. By God s grace he had stood his ground, 
 and had brought back a high character for steadiness 
 and excellence of conduct He shewed me a charming 
 letter from his wife which was worn about Ms heart. 
 
 His mate, James H , had returned with him, and 
 
 was speaking on Saturday night with great joy of 
 
 being up with the lark on Sunday to go down to 
 
 Beckenham; he didn't "know a plea^anter place," he 
 
 said, " or a better friend" A little while afterwards 
 
 he fell back upon his chair in a fit, and never spoke 
 
 again. Every book and letter which he had received 
 
 from Beckenham were found about his person after 
 
 his death. Kichard said he had been a steady man, 
 
 and loved his books ; more than that he could not tell 
 
 me. But I hope he went on that Sabbath momino' to 
 
 a "pleasanter place" than Beckenham, to find "a 
 
 Better Friend " indeed than any poor mortal one. 
 
Ji02 
 
 THE WELCOME HOIIE. 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 A clay or two afterwards tliere stood in the hall, head 
 and shoulders above the crowd, a huge Irishman. 
 There was no forgetting the kindly heartiness of his 
 smile. " Welcome home, Peter F ."" 
 
 " Och now, she remimbers me, bless her sowL" 
 
 "You are come for your savings, Peter, and I think 
 we have nearly £50 for you." 
 
 " Not a bit for the money to-day, but for the pleasure 
 of seeing ye 're alive. Then, lady dear, I 'm going to 
 lodge in the village a day or so." 
 
 The next evening I called at his lodgings to give 
 notice of a " reading " next door. He was just sitting 
 down to a smoking hot supper. " You must not come 
 till you have done justice to that hot pie, Peter." 
 
 But in two minutes he was on one of the benches 
 before me. "Oh, Peter, you have left your suppei 
 unfinished." 
 
 "And wasn't it fitting I should when you were 
 going to speak for our sowls, lady?'* 
 
 The next day he called for a small portion of his 
 money, requesting us to send the rest after him to 
 Ireland. He had worn out the binding of his Testa- 
 ment, so I gave him a pocket Bible. It so happened 
 that I had never asked him if he were a Pi'otestant or 
 a Eoman Catliolic ; in fact, a single question on the 
 subject would, I believe, have frightened away some of 
 my Irish friends. But whilst speaking of the com- 
 mandments, in this conversation, I quoted the second, 
 
 303 
 
 of which he had never heard. After he had shewn me 
 his Catechism, in which it was omitted, with another 
 commandment divided into two to make the number 
 correct, I just said, " When you are in Ireland, perhaps 
 you will see graven images of the Lord Jesus. Do not 
 worship them. Look above them~up to the Living 
 Man in heaven, the Godman, Jesus Christ our Saviour." 
 "I've thought more of Eim and less of them/' he 
 said, " since I read that little Testament you gave me. 
 Often I 've blessed it, and you too. I brought ye some 
 beautiful pictures home, but they were stolen with my 
 kit as we landed. But I've one pretty thing left, I 
 bought it at Malta," and he slowly drew out of his 
 pocket a little silver crucifix ; " you must have that." 
 " Oh no, Peter, I could not take it ; it is too costly.'' 
 " No, lady, I did not pay much for it, and you had 
 better take it — yo7i had better" 
 "Why had I better take it, Peter?" 
 "It is safer with you. You will not worship it 
 Perhaps I should." 
 
 I marked the effort of a struggHng conviction, and 
 thought of the words, " Ye have turned to God from 
 idols." I took it, with tears in my eyes, from the great 
 trembling hand: "Peter, each time I see this, I shall 
 look up to heaven and pray, ' Lord Jesus, nelp Peter 
 F to worship Thee, Thine own blessed self, and 
 
 } }} 
 
 f 
 I 
 
 not a graven image. 
 A little more conversation followed, and then I told 
 
 I \\^ 
 
304 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 him of Cardinal Bellarmine's dying words, when prayers 
 to the Virgin had been said for him, " It is safest to 
 
 trust in Jesus.'' 
 
 After he had gone away, his little crucifix weighed 
 heavily on my heart. It was " not safe " for him to 
 keep it, he had said. But what had he left that could 
 refine his taste, or be associated with softened feeling ? 
 Somethmg he must have to make a little treasure of. 
 A silver pencil, with an onyx-stone seal, was on my 
 desk, and a carved ivory box for its case. It was the 
 sort of thing to remind him of our conversation, and 
 of the marked texts in the Bible. So I hastened through 
 the village in the hope of finding him still at his lodg- 
 ings. He stood at the door, and I put the pencil-case 
 into his hand. It was delightful to see his look of 
 astonishment and pleasure. 
 
 " Did you walk so fast and come here out of breath 
 to bring this for me?" 
 
 Then he held up the pencil-case delicately with the 
 tip of his great finger and thumb, as if fearful of crush- 
 ing it; and after a pause added, "It shaU be buried 
 
 with me." 
 
 I knelt down in the cottage, and prayed that God 
 would give him a living faith in a living Saviour, and 
 keep him worshipping, serving, and trusting in Him 
 only. As we parted, he said, " I have never forgotten 
 my kind dead father, and I'U never forget you to my 
 dying day." 
 
 305 
 
 ( 
 
 i 
 
 " Nor my last words to you at the Eectory, Peter ? 
 Those are what I want you to remember." 
 
 " How can I think of you, lady, and not remember 
 them ? It is safest to trust in Jesus." 
 
 He wrote afterwards for his money that he might be 
 able to go to America; since then we have never heard 
 of him. God grant we may see him again, at the right 
 hand of the King ! 
 
 A Prussian, who had left his money-order with us in 
 the previous autumn, after hearing some of the men of 
 the Corps speak of us, came for his savings, and to in- 
 quire for a German Bible which Mr Chalmers had pro- 
 cured for him then, but which had failed to reach him. 
 He was greatly pleased with it. After receiving his 
 draft, he said in broken English, " You have taken great 
 trouble about my moneys, and I cannot recompense you, 
 ladies, and you would not receive a recompense. But 
 will you grant me the favour to spend a sovereign for 
 me on the poorest old person you know in your village?" 
 
 I said, "Not a sovereign. It is too much out of 
 your small capital. But if you like to give five shill- 
 ings to the poor, as a thank-ofiering to God for your 
 preservation, I will do with it as you direct." 
 
 "Ah, madam, take ten shillings." 
 
 " No, not ten. Five." 
 
 He laid them down ; and then quietly slipped a third 
 half-crown under the two, as he walked away, blessing 
 us in broken EnorHsL 
 
 \i 
 
306 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 It was to the kind thoughtfulness of Mr Parrott, the 
 chief agent at the office for the Army Works Corps in 
 London, that we owed our being enabled to see almost 
 all the men who returned, whether they came to the 
 Rectory or not Notice was given us of the hour of 
 their rendezvous at the old spot, in the Crystal Palace 
 grounds ; and very pleasant were those short meetings. 
 Once, and once only, the notice did not reach us in 
 time. We were told afterwards that the three hundred 
 men who came that day lingered for some hours, watch- 
 ing each carriage which came to the Crystal Palace, and 
 often shouting as one came in sight, "There they be, at 
 last." It was a grievous thing, never to be able to tell 
 them how it was that they were unconsciously neglected ; 
 nor how often they have been prayed for since — perhaps 
 with double earnestness, because no little farewell charge 
 was given to them as to the others. 
 
 The men who had returned in the Tynemouth were 
 charmed to hear the delightful testimony to their good 
 conduct borne by Captain Stew^art's letter to the TimeSf 
 which I read aloud to them, suggesting, if it was so 
 pkasant to know that all England was reading this 
 testimony in their favour, how overwhelming would 
 be their gratitude and joy when they heard the King 
 of glory own them, before an assembled universe, as 
 those who had " confessed Him before men." There 
 was an earnest Amen from many voices, as I said, " God, 
 of His grace, grant it to be said of every one of you." 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 S07 
 
 The next day was the pay-day for the carpenters of 
 the Corps. We had a good deal of conversation to- 
 gether. They were, for the most part, "radical refor- 
 mers ; " and alluded to the want of sympathy between 
 the different classes of society, with some bitterness. 
 
 I admitted that there was an absence of it too gene- 
 rally, simply because they did not know one another; 
 adding that if they were to meet more frequently, and 
 with more confidence in each other, they would 'soon 
 find what cordial friendships could be formed without 
 losing their position on either side— positions made by 
 the providence of God, and wliich, in their very vari- 
 ations, made the strength and exceUence of Great 
 Britain. After talking this over together, quietly and 
 amicably, I said, " Let us never forget that there was 
 One of Royal Birth, who for sympathy's sake became 
 a working man, in the days when working men had 
 their wages reduced by fraud or seized by violence, 
 and dwelt with his foster-father, a carpenter, and waJ 
 ' subject mito him.' " A few more words touching His 
 sorrows, and His sufferings unto death, were listened to 
 with feeling earnestness,— and then those words of 
 living power, "Now then, as ambassadors for Christ, 
 as though God did beseech you by us ; we pray you in. 
 Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God," seemed almost 
 to startle them into a resolution to live with a new 
 aim. Many a hand was stretched out to mine from 
 every side, with the simple words, or others of like im- 
 
SOS 
 
 THE WELCOME HOMK 
 
 port, " I '11 try to do it, and to get others along with me, 
 if God will help me." 
 
 Amongst all the men who had left their money- 
 orders with us, there were not more than six to whom 
 we gave up their savings with the fear that they would 
 be imprudently or improperly spent. Nearly all the 
 others took time to consider in what manner they should 
 invest their fortunes ; and most of them consulted us 
 about the mode of investment, in the most confidin*'- 
 manner. In one and all we met with cordial gratitude, 
 vanously expressed. Many seemed to take delight in 
 reciilling each little act of kindness she^n them before 
 they went out. Frequent allusion was made to the 
 sums of money which had been advanced to all wlio 
 required it, for the purchase of a few comforts for their 
 wardrobe, beyond the outfit provided by Government. 
 The repayment of these loans was secured by their leav- 
 ing their money-orders with us, involving only the risk 
 of desertion or of death before their wages were due. 
 Two deaths occurred, but no desertion, before these debts 
 were repaid.* 
 
 • Later in the period of the engagement, one of these men deserted. 
 He was the only real navvy whom I have ever known to be a syste- 
 matic begi,'ar. lie has since traded with an old letter of mine, from 
 which he had torn off a reproof for drunkenness, retaining only the 
 part which contained good advice. On the strength of this letter, 
 he has " borrowed," far and wide, " money for a shovel to go to work 
 with next day," to an amount sufficient to stock all the honest navvies 
 on an average length of line. He is an athletic, gigantic man, pos- 
 sessed of great readiness of speech. 
 
 ; 
 
 1^ 
 
 THE WELCOME HOME. 
 
 309 
 
 We were enabled to carry out on a liberal scale the 
 plan of advancing these loans upon the money-orders, 
 by the thoughtful benevolence of one whose sun has 
 gone down while it was yet day, the lamented Sir 
 Henry Lawrence. 
 
 Of the public character of this great and good man, 
 it is not for me to speak. The highest in authority 
 have borne testimony to the energy and wisdom with 
 which he ruled a vast province. Those who served 
 under him and knew him best, describe him as a 
 chivalrous soldier, a dignified commander, a steadfast 
 friend, a generous and forgiving foe— in a word, the 
 Bayard of the camp, " Sans peur et sans reproche.'' 
 
 My record is of the warm heart and open hand that, 
 amidst all the cares of his high station, and his own 
 extensive schemes of benevolence, could yet lend aid 
 to these distant and humble labours of ours. No 
 sooner had he heard of the plan of inducing the men 
 of the first detachment of the Army Works Corps to 
 lay by a portion of their wages, than he sent over a 
 hundred pounds to make a temporary loan-fund for 
 the rest. A portion of this, when repaid, was to be 
 expended upon any cases of peculiar distress amon^rst 
 the sick, the widows, and the orphans; whilst the 
 remainder was to be added to the large contribution 
 he had already sent for the relief of wounded Crimean 
 soldiers. 
 
 A few words of his own will reveal the spring of 
 
 I 
 
iifek 
 
 .110 
 
 THE ^VELCOME HOME. 
 
 this world-wide benevolence. They are quoted from a 
 letter written by him on his way to Oude, when, at the 
 earnest entreaty of the Governor-General, he had un- 
 dertaken to restore that province to order; urgently 
 though his failing health demanded a return to Eno-- 
 land for a season : — 
 
 " The texts you have chosen, as prayers for the year, 
 are most applicable to myself ; for, indeed, I need to 
 have my iniquities blotted out ; to have a clean heart 
 and a renewed spirit. I want, also, both thankfulness 
 and trust. Above aD, I want the Holy Ghost, and 
 more faith in Jesus. And I want to lay aside every 
 weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset me, and 
 to run with patience the race which is set before me, 
 looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my 
 
 faith. 
 
 I 
 
 " Most gladly do I share your prayer for the year 
 and for life ; and much, very much, do I need your 
 own and your dear and honoured father's prayers ; 
 and especially at this time, when I have a new and 
 arduous field before me— a Sebastopol of civil life— 
 an Augean stable of strife and contention to cleanse ; 
 and, I trust, a reign of tranquillity and good-will to 
 substitute. 
 
 " I go," he adds, in the true spirit of an English- 
 man, "simply and entirely because it is my duty to 
 go. The province of Oude contains the homes of a 
 hundred thousand of our native soldiers, and much of 
 
 THE WELCOME HOIVIE. 
 
 311 
 
 the future morale of the Bengal army may depend 
 upon the government of that province. I go thither 
 as a peace-maker. And as I succeeded in the Pun- 
 jab, I feel sure that, with the blessing of God, I shall 
 succeed there." 
 
 "Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall dp 
 cdled the children of God." 
 
 Of such was Henry Lawrence, whose bright example 
 will long animate the earnest and the brave. Shall 
 we speak of the fame he had won, of the honours 
 which, with prolonged life, would have awaited him ? 
 It is a light thing that he stood before kings on earth ; 
 for now he has seen " The King in His beauty," and 
 realised another promise, "Blessed are the Pure in 
 heart, for they shall see Gk)D." 
 
VKSt I 
 
 III 
 
 f 1 L 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 ilakrss anij Singlmcss of f)cart. 
 
 « Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry 
 heart, He hath given me rest by His sorrow, and life by His death." 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
3s9c 
 
 I 
 
 il 
 
 { 
 
 Whilst the new line of railway was in process of 
 making through the East of Kent, a few gentlemen 
 residing in its locality felt desirous of promoting the 
 spiritual benefit of the men who came from different 
 quarters of the country to work there. Mr Munn of 
 Throwley House, near Feversham, was one of the most 
 zealous promoters of the plan of employing a Scrip- 
 ture reader, besides himself giving, in conjunction 
 with other gentlemen amongst both clergy and laity, 
 several lectures upon scientific and improving topics, 
 blended with religious instruction. He wrote to re- 
 quest us to recommend to him a Scripture reader, who 
 thoroughly knew navvy life and character, besides 
 being well qualified for so holy a calling. It occurred 
 to us to mention one of our first friends amongst the 
 navvies, known to us from the early Crystal Palace 
 days, of whose steadfast course we had continued to 
 hoar from time to time with thankful joy When Mr 
 Munn had heard of his character and qualifications, he 
 requested me to write to this young man and offer the 
 
31 G GLADNESS AKD SINGLEKESS OF HEART. 
 
 situation. His reply was to the effect that, "after 
 taking three days prayerfuDy to consider the proposal, 
 he thought it his duty to decline it, as there must be 
 so many men," he said, « better quaHfied than he for 
 such an office. But that a^ the providence of God 
 seemed to call him, by this offer, to labour for souls in 
 that neighbourhood, he would throw up his work near 
 Liverpool, and go across the country to the East Kent 
 line, in order to help the Scripture reader gratis, after 
 the hours of work each day, and between the hours for 
 Divine service on Sunday." 
 
 On reading this letter, Mr Munn commissioned me 
 to press upon this disinterested young man his first 
 proposal Again he delayed untH he had taken time 
 for consulting his God in prayer. And then he went 
 to his work in a spirit thus described by Mr Munn 
 five or six months later :^« Dear William continues' 
 steadily and earnestly working for God His humble 
 cheerful, earnest piety refreshes my own soul each time 
 I commune with him ; and his simple faith seems to 
 overcome all difficulties." 
 
 Perhaps it was to engage in this blessed work that 
 he was kept from going to Australia in 1853. 
 
 The following letter is chosen from several of equal 
 interest, because it enters into the details of his mode 
 of working amongst the men :— 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAET. 317 
 
 "Jan. 12th, 1857. 
 
 "Dear Madaivi, — I received your kind letter, & was 
 very thankful to hear your revered & dear Father was 
 recovering, & I join you in thanks to God for so great 
 a blessing, & I pray God, if it shall be His blessed will, 
 he may be long given you & the people of Becken- 
 ham. I had a beautiful tract from Mr Munn on 
 Invitation to United Prayer, written by Dr Marsh, 
 Jan. 1st, 1857, & I pray God it may be a means of 
 doing much good for the honour & glory of God & the 
 good of souls. Dear ]\Iadam, I beg the favour of your 
 prayers for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon me, 
 that I may be able to teach according to His holy will 
 and word — a skilful workman, rightly dividing the 
 word of truth — & also that I may be a means of bring- 
 ing many to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. 
 I thank God for the success I so far have had — though 
 I have not had any meetings in any house any further 
 than the people that live & lodge in an house. I 
 generally go to the houses where there are men lodging 
 at nights, & stay with them reading & talking to them, 
 & sometimes make a prayer. I cannot do much in the 
 day time, as the fore-men do not like the men to be 
 any way hindered. I manage, however, at dinner- 
 times to get a few together to read & talk to them — 
 otherwise than that, it is altogether private, with one & 
 another, as I can get opportunity ; but I pray God to 
 enable me to be daily growing in wisdom, that I may 
 
318 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 be more fully qualified for the setting forth of His holy 
 will & word. I have been very well received generally 
 amongst my fellow men. I was very much pleased 
 this morning, as I was going along the line one of the 
 men called for me to stop, so I asked what he wanted 
 — he said, you never come to my lodge at night. I 
 asked him where & how many lodged with him — so 
 he told me 4. I promised to go to-morrow night, as I 
 could not go to-night, & I pray God to enable me to set 
 forth the goodness & love of God to them. 
 
 *We have had two lectures in the school-room, & 
 they are to continue for some time weekly. Mr j\Iunu 
 is to give one next Friday or the Friday after. So 
 now, dear Lady, I conclude, begging the favour of your 
 prayers. I do not forget daily to olTer up a prayer for 
 you & your dear Father, and all the people of BeeJien- 
 ham. from Your ever affectionate Son in the Lord, 
 
 it 
 
 Wm. G- 
 
 The following letter was from a man, whose honest, 
 friendly countenance we had well remembered, even 
 amidst the numbers of honest, friendly faces amongst 
 the men of the Army Works Corps : — 
 
 "Garrison Hospitai^ Portsea.; 
 Fehf/. 2Sth, 1856. 
 
 " Dear Feiend, — I take the present opportunity of 
 addressing A few lines to you, to let you know tLit I 
 
 t 
 
 K 
 
 gladness and singleness of heakt. 
 
 319 
 
 have been Invalided from the Crimea. But thanks to 
 my Great Creator, I am recovering very fast. I have 
 sufferred A great deal ever since the 20th of October, 
 but through the mercy of God I have been able to 
 suiTive it, But not without having my eyes opened to 
 the awful state I was living in ; if it had pleased God 
 to call me into eternity I knew that I was a great 
 sinner, and that I had a great deal to answer for. I 
 prayed my little prayer and read my little testament. 
 But I have never found that peace of mind, yet more I 
 pray and more I read the word of God, and more I am 
 convinced that I am a sinner, But I have faith in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him Cometh all good. 
 I shall be able to leave the Hospital very soon, and I 
 would like you to send one pound of mine if it will not 
 put you to much trouble, as I have no money. I have 
 had no pay this 3 months, and I will get none till I get 
 to London. I hope these few lines will find you 
 enjoying good Health, and I still remain your humble 
 servant, Thomas B — w — k." 
 
 Some time after this Thomas came to Beckenham, 
 slowly regaining health and strength. He could scarcely 
 speak for the fulness of his heart, when first he entered 
 the house and was welcomed back. When I had left 
 
 the room, he said to L , " She has cured me of two 
 
 things, drinking and swearing." After this, we had 
 further conversation and prayer with him, and could 
 
320 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAET. 
 
 not doubt that there was a real work of the grace of 
 God going on in his souL 
 
 A Bible and a "Pilgrim's Progress" were given him 
 at parting ; and shortly after his return home, in allu- 
 sion to the latter, he m-ote, " I am still going backwards 
 and for^^ards between the Slough of Despond and 
 Giant Despair." 
 
 The next letter was written more hopefully: "I think 
 I am coming up near the Cross, and my burden is 
 loosening from my shoulders, and will fall into the 
 Sepulchre of my Saviour. It is not quite gone yet ; 
 but I am in the way, and you was Evangelist as led 
 me in at the Wicket Gate." 
 
 "July nth, 1856. 
 
 " Dear Feiexd, — I think it my Duty to wTite a few 
 Lines to you to inform you that I am in good health 
 and good spirits, at Present, thank God. I have got to 
 work, and I am doing well at present I am at home 
 with my mother, and the happiest Days in my Life is 
 now. I am a total abstainer from all intoxicatintr 
 Liquors and Tobacco. When I Look back at the Life 
 I liave Led it makes me tremble to tliink that I was 
 ever permitted to Live ; but, Dear friend, I have 
 faith in Christ now, and do believe that the Lord Jesus 
 Christ Died to save me from my sins, and Dear friend, 
 you have been a messenger sent to snatch me from the 
 jaws of Death ; if you could only think with what plea- 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 321 
 
 il 
 
 
 % 
 
 .A 
 
 sure I go to the house of God twice every Sunday, you 
 would say that the good work has begun in my heart ; 
 you would say, Thomas, Do You believe that Christ 
 Died to save you from your sins, and I will say that I 
 am a Christian, and that I am able to say. Lord, Thou 
 hast opened my lips, and my mouth shews forth thy 
 praise. Dear friend, I have got the 51st psalm off by 
 heart, and I say it in my prayers every night and morn- 
 ing, and if you will tell the navvies to get it off, and 
 pray it, they will get a great Deal of good from it. 
 Dear friend, I hope you are all in good health, and you 
 must accept my heartfelt thanks for the kind instruc- 
 tions I have received from you — and Believe me to be 
 yours faithfully, Thomas B — w — e." 
 
 In the month of August, I wrote to tell him that we 
 should, God willing, go to Scotland in a short time, 
 and pass a Railway Station in the north of England, 
 near which, I believed, he was living. I mentioned the 
 pleasure it would give us to see him there, if he were 
 near enough to come without inconvenience. He re- 
 sponded to this with great joy ; and carefully omitted 
 to mention that it was a distance of five and twenty 
 miles from his village home. 
 
 On our arrival at the station, there was some hurry 
 and confusion, as it was a junction, and several trains 
 met We looked about for Thomas, but failing to see 
 him, occupied ourselves concerning some lost luggage, 
 
 t 
 
i^ji 
 
 322 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 GIADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 S23 
 
 and in parting with a friend who had travelled with us 
 to see the English Lakes ; and then our train went off. 
 Little did we think that Thomas was watching us all 
 the time ; too unobtrusive to disturb us, although, as 
 he afterwards wrote, " I went back with tears in my 
 eyes, which would not have been there if I could have 
 heard you and those good young ladies speak again, 
 and you had said, Thomas, live for God, and keep close 
 to Jesus Christ" I need not say this contretemps, 
 and the simple story of his disappointment, brought 
 tears into other eyes besides Thomas's. 
 
 We sent him a copy of the large edition of the 
 Memorials of Captain Vicars, and had a serious contest 
 as to his accepting a sovereign to cover the expenses of 
 his journey and loss of time at his work— a contest 
 which would not have ended in our favour, had not a 
 severe illness laid him low, and he then felt that God 
 had directed a Httle help to be pressed upon him, to 
 prevent him from being any burden upon his a^ed 
 mother. 
 
 "Janmry 12, 1857. 
 
 "Dear Friend,— I take up my pen to return my 
 grateful thanks to you for your kind remembrance of 
 me, and I trust in God. that these few lines will find 
 your father much improved in Health. We are all in 
 good Health here at present, thank God, and I am 
 working for a farmer here, for 14s. a week, and out of 
 that I can save six. and I am happy and content. Do 
 
 you think that I ever forget you in my prayers or Do 
 you think that I ever forget to repeat the soldier's 
 prayer many a time in the day. No, Dear Eriend, nor 
 do I ever neglect going to hear the Word of God 
 preached on a Sunday, but I go amongst my neigh- 
 bours and read them all my tracts and my beautiful 
 book when I have any spare time. I have found it to 
 be profitable in the sight of God and to myself. You 
 were indeed the instrument in God's hand that wrought 
 th^ good work in my heart I Look back with Disgust 
 when I scarcely had clothes to Cover myself with, but 
 the truth of the scripture is verified in me — first seek 
 the Kingdom of God and all its righteousness, and all 
 other things shall be added. I can say, as St Paul 
 said, there is But one God and one mediator' between 
 God and men, the man Jesus Christ I have a lively 
 faith in Christ that through Him I shall be saved, can 
 you not see a change in my writing, will you be so 
 kind as to write back to me and Let me know whether 
 your Holy father is got better. 
 
 " May the Dew of the divine Benediction descend on 
 all your House, that the wisdom of God may adorn 
 you with every good and perfect Gift is the daily prayer 
 of your Humble Priend 
 
 " Good Night T B— w— b.'' 
 
 *'Fehy.\1th,Uh7. 
 
 " Dear Friend,— It is with pleasure that I sit Down 
 
324 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAET. 
 
 to thank you for the Little Book that you sent me, 
 and above all Bo I thank you for that good Book the 
 memorials of Captain Vicars. You have been so good 
 and kind to me, that I think it my Duty to inform you 
 that I am about to get married to a very pious youno- 
 woman, on the 28th of this month, if it please God and 
 health permit. Dear Friend, I never told you that I 
 got £6 gratuity-money from Sir Joseph Paxton's office, 
 for being invalided home with a good character from 
 the Crimea. I do return my sincere thanks to God 
 and to you : first to God for making you a instrument 
 to spread his holy scripture abroad among the working 
 men of England, and to you Do I return my Gratefu^l 
 thanks for the friendship you have shewn towards me, 
 for oh you could not think of the pleasure that I felt in 
 receiving that Little Book of friendship. I make it my 
 rule to repeat the soldier's prayer the first thing on 
 entering the Church and on leaving it The Lord opens 
 my lips and my mouth shews forth His praise. I trust 
 in God you are all well as we are at present. Praise 
 the Lord ; my God to praise, my soul its utmost powers 
 shaU raise. God bless you and keep you in health and 
 strength long to liva Prom yours, 
 
 " T B— w— R." 
 
 "June 22nd, 1857. 
 
 "Bear Peiend,--! thank God that I am spared to 
 write a few lines to you. I hope by this time, with 
 
 gladness and singleness of heaet. 
 
 325 
 
 God's Blessing, you are all in the full enjojmient of 
 health as we are at present. You will think I have 
 been long in answering your kind letter. Oh if you 
 but knew the pleasure I have in receiving a letter from 
 you, you would be sure that I would write on the first 
 opportunity. 
 
 " But you will excuse me. I have been from home 
 
 a month. I am coachman to J G , Esq. of 
 
 H . I have had this situation 10 weeks. I came 
 
 here on Easter Monday. I find it rather tedious, but 
 with perseverance and God's Blessing I am getting on 
 very well. I am well situated in my own cottage. I 
 was married the Last day of February. Who have I 
 to thank for this change — God and you — I feel that 
 Jesus loves me. My faith is strong in Christ. Dear 
 friend, if the navvies would only be induced to read all 
 those good Books you gave them they might not find 
 time to go to the beer-house, for since I saw you and 
 you shewed me the road to ever-Lasting Life, I have 
 been prosperous. Dear Friend, I received that Little 
 Book, and I have read it many a time over since then; 
 receive my grateful thanks; may God be pleased to 
 restore your blessed Father and your Dear and Kind 
 Sister to Health is the earnest prayer every Night and 
 Morning of your humble Friends, 
 
 " T and E B— W— E." 
 
326 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAET. 
 
 Amongst the men who have been working on the 
 new Hnes of railway in the neighbourhood ofBecken- 
 ham, there are not a few who have caused us to thank 
 our God for the change He has wrought in them. 
 
 These honest working men live just as near our 
 hearts as our earlier friends, although no record has 
 been kept of our intercourse together. 
 
 Four letters are selected, written by men who left 
 the neighbourhood in January 1857. The first two are 
 from a carpenter, employed for a few months about the 
 Station, &c, at Beckenham, the others are from a Eail- 
 road man, whose business was chiefly in "plate-laying'^ 
 on the lines. 
 
 "Jany. 15th, 1857. 
 
 " Madam,— I have taken the liberty of writing to 
 you to tell you how greatly soriy I am that I was^'not 
 able to see you again before I left Beckenham, more 
 especially a^ I had promised to do so ; the reason why 
 I did not caU was, because I had been promised an- 
 other week's work by Mr Chesterton, my foreman, and 
 he only received orders to discharge me and several 
 others about half-past three on Saturday, so that I had 
 not time to come. 
 
 " I beg to offer my most sincere thanks to you and 
 to Mr Chalmers for the great blessings I derived from 
 attending your meetings, and, the greatest of all, the 
 importance of prayer; it is true I used to pray before, 
 
 I" i R' 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 327 
 
 but they were cold and formal, it was one thing over 
 and over again ; I trust you have learnt me a great 
 lesson, to be earnest in prayer. Mr Hampton, Incum- 
 bent of St Luke's district, is president of the Working 
 man's Institute in Barnsbury park, which I intend to 
 join, where I can go nearly every evening in the week, 
 and where I shall receive good instruction, where I 
 hope I shall learn to love my Saviour and serve him 
 better. It is my earnest wish to know more of the 
 gospel truths, and of that glorious being who died on 
 the cross for me. I hope to come to see you again 
 soon, if I am spared. I should have so liked to have 
 stopped another week to have heard the lecture on 
 chemistry, and likewise to have heard Mr Chalmers 
 finish his story about that good man, Mr William 
 Tindall; it always gave me great pleasure in hearing 
 Mr Chalmers speak of those great reformers. I have 
 great pleasure in telling you that part of my most 
 earnest prayer eveiy night and morning is, that the 
 Lord will bless you and all your friends, and I am sure 
 you will not forget me in your prayers. — beHeve me to 
 be your most obedient Servant, 
 
 "William H " 
 
 " Tuesday, 20tli, 1857. 
 
 " Deae Lady, — I know not how to express my 
 thanks to you for such a handsome present as that 
 beautiful book of Captain Vicars, but I believe in 
 
S28 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 returning thanks I cannot give you better satisfaction 
 than a promise that I will often read the book, and, 
 with God's blessing, will try to live like him ; there is 
 so much, I think, to encourage the man to become 
 religious, when he reads Captain Vicars' beautiful 
 letters, that he cannot help wishing he might be as 
 good a christian ; my most sincere thanks, kind lady, 
 for your kind wishes and earnest prayers, for I stand 
 in need of many prayers, for I am A great sinner; 
 how much valuable time have I wasted in sin and 
 folly ! Oh ! I earnestly pray to my blessed Saviour 
 to give me grace to cast away the works of darkness, 
 and to put on the Armour of Light, and I believe he 
 will answer my prayers, because he has said, whatso- 
 ever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive, 
 and these blessed words give me confidence. I have 
 joined the working man's Institute, open every evenint^, 
 Bible class, Tuesday and Sunday, and which I intend 
 to join, so I hope, with God's blessing, to go on and 
 prosper.— Believe me your most grateful and obedient 
 Servant, William H ." 
 
 " South America, March the 15, 1857. 
 
 " Dear Uncle,— I take the pleasure of writing to 
 you hoping to find you well as it leaves me at "this 
 time, thank God for it. we arrived here on the 5 of 
 March all safe ; but there is not one that come out 
 but wishes he was back in England again. I know 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 329 
 
 I do, it is SO hot now that we are obliged to carry a 
 umbrella with you to keep the sun from you ; it seems 
 very curious to carry a umbrella to work with you to 
 shade you. I have made a start at work with James 
 
 C he knows you ; he says it is curious work here 
 
 to work with black men and dont know how to speak 
 to them in a word, but I shall soon pick some of their 
 language up if God spares me to stop here long. If I 
 live to come back again to see you again I shaU tell 
 you some thing, how glad I are that no more come 
 with us out here. I will tell you the truth about what 
 I think about it ; I would sooner work in England for 
 12 shUlings per week than here for 4 times twelve 
 shillings per week ; it dont suit a Englishman here, 
 and if it is so hot in the winter time, what wiU it be in 
 the summer time. There is plenty of cocoanuts here, 
 you can see them growing here, the trees run very 
 high here, the pahn trees I mean, plenty of them 
 here; you may buy a cocoanut here for a Id. with a 
 pint of milk in them, it is so nice to drink when you 
 are dry. If this country would suit a Englishman 
 he could do weU here, but a Englishman never feels 
 weU the same as in England ; the air seems different 
 from English air : if I thought that you could stand 
 the climate you could do weU but I am sure it would 
 not suit you, so dont you come here, stop in England 
 on a bit of bread rather than come out here to live on 
 bread and meat. I wish I was back again in Becken- 
 
330 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEABT. 
 
 ham with aU my heart, give my love to Evans and aU 
 my brothers, and send my love to Tom, and when you 
 write to Tom, give my love to aU inquiring friends at 
 home. Dear uncle, I think I am agoing to be foreman 
 over a Brickfield after awhile, where I shaU have a 
 man to cook for me and to fetch victuals, a native I 
 mean ; there will be no EngUshman with me at all 
 (but Mr Price, now and then, the master over the 
 work and he is a nice man), but I think I shaU be 
 happy there if I go, there will be no one there that 
 I can speak to, but I know who will be there with 
 me, my Saviour will be there with me, and He is all 
 I want in this world, this world is nothing to what 
 the next world is-that bright worid above ; and uncle 
 if we never meet again on earth, we shall meet a-rain 
 at that great day when our Saviour come in the ctouds 
 of heaven to Judge the world and Eveiythin.r wiU be 
 brought forward then before the Angels of Godlhen and 
 if we never read our Saviour's word and believe in His 
 word we shall be found wanting then, and then it will 
 be too late, then seek the Lord while He may be found. 
 caU upon Him while He is near. Uncle, I will tell you 
 the truth about myself ; since I began to seek the Lord 
 I never was so happy in aU my Ufe as I am now, thank 
 God ; and what is this happiness to heaven ! nothin<r • 
 this IS only the taste, by the grace of God I meL' 
 to go to heaven to be with Jesus for ever • and if I 
 
 ;i 
 
 i 
 
 ! 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAET. 331 
 
 never meet again in Earth o may we meet in heaven there 
 to part no more, the longest time in this world is but 
 short, give my love to gentlemen who are the Adult 
 school masters, and tell them I will write to them by 
 the next mail that go out, but tell them I often think 
 about them and you as well. And one more I think of 
 very often, and I should love to hear her readings asrain 
 of Sunday and week evenings, they are all Roman 
 Catholic church here, and if I did go to a Roman 
 Catholic church I could not understand them, and I 
 could not hold with them. I will tell you how they 
 go on after service ; they dance, and the band of music 
 plays, and the shops are open the same as on another 
 day ; you would think it was a curious place if you 
 could see them they are like heathen here. I live in 
 hope of coming back again ; if God spares me to live 
 to come back to England once more, I shall never leave 
 no more for South America. But we are here, and we 
 must put up with it. They are small horses here to 
 what they are in England, but they can travel over the 
 ground fast with a good load upon their backs ; there 
 is hundreds of horses comes by here every day with 
 their load of sugar upon their back, some with fruit, 
 and some with treacle ; the horses will not drink the 
 water without some of the treacle in it, and it helps 
 them feed, you cant walk far in a day in this country, 
 for it is so sandy and dusty here ; we had a very 
 
 i 
 

 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAKT. 
 
 I 
 
 nice voyage from England, it was rather rough, but 
 we came all safe, thank God I am your aftec- 
 tionate nephew, "vy » 
 
 "South America, September lith, 1857. 
 "Deae Eriend. — I take my pen in hand to write to 
 you once more while I am in this country, and I hope 
 it will find you quite well, and your Sister too, and all 
 at home. I often think about your meetings on a 
 Monday and Sunday night, and wish I was there with 
 you and all the others too. I have never heard a 
 Sermon since I left the ship, but I don't forget the 
 words you told me, nor never shall forget them I know 
 —by the grace of God, and the love of our Saviour 
 Jesus Christ--it is more than words can tell ; no one 
 don't know till they have found it out by prayino-. I 
 can say that I never was so happy in all my life. I 
 can say it with a clear conscience before my God and 
 Saviour Jesus Christ. I mean happy in my mind, and 
 seem all different—no swearing now, thank God,— no 
 wicked oaths. My life seems different, and it is diffe- 
 rent too, thank God for it Dear friend, I must tell 
 you that I have seen some ups and downs since I have 
 been in this country, but thank God, He guides me by 
 His counsel, and Afterwards He will receive me to 
 glory, to be with Him for ever in the bright world 
 above. I often read a verse in the testament^ in the 5 
 
 .1 \ 
 
 •II 
 
 i 
 
 >■ 
 
 I 
 
 gladness and singleness of HEArwT. 333 
 
 chapter of Eevelation, where there is so many thousands 
 of augels ; and I often read another in the 7 chapter of Re- 
 velation, where there is that great Multitude, which no 
 man can number, of all nations, people, and kindred, 
 standing before the throne of God — all was in white, and 
 palms in their hands. I look at it some times, and 
 my thoughts are more than I can telL I wish I could 
 always have them thoughts. Dear Priend, I go to 
 Dinner, and when I go, and when I come back again, 
 it makes me think of that world above ; and when the 
 sun is out on a clear day, it shines so bright, and it is 
 so hot, you are obliged to wipe your eyes — it fetches 
 the tears into them. I look round, and I see hills on 
 one side, and hills on the other, and it's beautiful to 
 look at : but what will that be to Heaven, where we 
 shall shine as the Sun in glory — not for a few days, 
 not for a few weeks or months or years, but for ever. 
 It is Delightful to me to think about it, no one can tell 
 but me and the Lord, which knows all things. I thank 
 His blessed name for ever for giving me health and 
 strength while I am in this country, and all the others 
 have been ill with some thing, but I am well, thank 
 God a thousand times ten thousand. There is one and 
 another being called away from us in a few days, our 
 turn may be the next to go, we don't know, but the 
 Lord's will be done in Earth as in Heaven. The Lord 
 sends us warnings to bring us closer to Him. !Mr 
 
334. 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 Slaney and Mr Wilks was well, and dead and buried 
 in less than a fortnight — and Mr Wilks has left a wife 
 at home, and 8 children. We may soon be called away 
 to stand before our God and Saviour — if 1 never see you 
 again in this world, I trust we shall meet in heaven at 
 last; there we shall sing His praises for ever — and hear 
 those harps of Gold — and to see those prophets which 
 foretold of our Saviour ! And we shall see our Saviour 
 there, and to sit down by his side in heaven, it is De- 
 liffhtfuL I think sometimes that I shall not know how 
 to contain myseK before my Saviour, because, see what 
 poor creatures we are as soon as we are ill, we are done 
 for — we have not got strength of ourselves to help our- 
 selves — but glory be to God for ever, I know He loves 
 me, and I feel He loves me, to a inward love which I 
 cannot tell to no man. 
 
 " Dear Friend, I must tell you a little bit about my 
 poor mother, she lived a Christian, and died a Chris- 
 tian; and now she is with our Saviour in heaven. 
 When my Mother was ill she sent for me to tell me 
 things what concern this world, but she did not forget 
 things of that heavenly world — she told me things 
 which I never shall forget ; but I have forgot them — 
 but these words come fresh to my mind now. Bless 
 God for that last night of the old year, when you begged 
 of us to give ourselves to Jesus Christ our Saviour, 
 who had a right to us, for see He had bought us with 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 335 
 
 f 
 
 His own blood. And I did give myself away to Him, 
 
 thank God. 
 
 " Well I will tell you what my poor mother said to 
 me the morning before she died, that our Saviour was 
 with her all the time, and' she said that our Saviour 
 died for her ; she believed that our Saviour died for 
 her when she was well, but when she was ill she knew 
 He was with her, our blessed Saviour who died for all 
 the world. It was true, I know, for when I was at 
 home I never knew her tell me a untruth in my life ; 
 and she was a good mother, used to love prayer, and 
 so do I too. That little book which you gave to me 
 is come right, it is the same as it says, if you begin to 
 speak to God, He will soon give you plenty to say to 
 Him. I have prayer in my bed-room night and morn- 
 ing ; I don't mind who hears me ; I feel when I am 
 praying that God hears me. There is some of our 
 men which live with me, they give me a sneer some- 
 times ; but I love them all the same for that. I pray for" 
 them and for my little brothers which are in England ; 
 when you see my brothers, give my love to them, and 
 I hope they go to church regular, and to your meet- 
 ings. I should love to go myself. I do think about 
 you, and most about the time of the meetings ; the 
 time here is about 2 hours and 20 minutes later than 
 in England. On a sunday I read, and then go in my 
 room, and read and pray, and seems as if I was in 
 
336 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 337 
 
 England. Please to write to me as soon as you can, 
 and remember me in your prayers ; at all times I think 
 of you in my prayers, and all of them which attend 
 your meetings. We shall soon have a minister up here 
 now, and I shall be glad when he comes up. I can't 
 go to these churches here for to hear them, for they are 
 all Koman CathoHcs here, so I can't tell you half what 
 I am seen since I am been here. One day I was doing 
 a small job, and when I had been at work 2 hours there 
 came a gang of these poor slaves, and a whipper with 
 them, with a long whip with him; they was fencing 
 the line out with rough wood ; there was 20 or 30 of 
 them; most of them was women: I can't abear that 
 Well, there came a man along with a kind of a doll in 
 a basket, and these poor slaves went and kissed this 
 doll, and them which had a vintem in their pocket 
 gave it to this man for kissing this doll, and then this 
 man would go and spend it in liquor, and got fresh. 
 Oh ! if I could but have told them to have made them 
 uudei'stand me, but I told them as well as I could, but not 
 so well as I should like to have done, and about Jesus 
 Christ the sinner's Saviour ; but I left it to the Lord which 
 knows all hearts. I often think what a day that will be 
 when all must appear before our Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 and all things will be brought forward. I must conclude 
 now, with my love and duty to all at the Eectory, and 
 receive the same your self from Wm. G H, 
 
 " Brazils, South America." 
 
 From another. 
 
 •' April the 24. 
 
 "Dear Madam, — I take the opportunity of writing 
 these Few lines to you. I have no doubt but you thinks 
 it very unkind of me in not writing sooner. I shall be 
 glad to hear from you, if it is not troubling you too 
 much. I thank for your invitation to your tea meeting, 
 I enjoyed it very much indeed. Dear Madam, I wish 
 to speak a word or two by the help of God's Holy 
 Spirit, of my own experience of His love. I do feel 
 Jesus to be precious to my soul, I can say with the 
 Psalmist, in His Favour is life. His loving kindness 
 is better than life, in His Presence is fulness of joy, 
 and believe that at His Eight hand there are pleasures 
 For ever more. I do Feel to be growing in grace, and 
 in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the 
 Lord pour of His Spirit upon us more abundantly, that 
 we may live a life of Faith in the Lord Jesus who loved 
 us and gave Himself For us. Rease to remember me 
 in your prayers, and I will remember you, so good bye 
 for the present. God bless you For Jesus Christ's sake 
 Amen. I am still your humble servant, 
 
 " Thomas N " 
 
3:J6 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAET. 
 
 I 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 337 
 
 England. Please to write to me as soon as you can, 
 and remember me in your prayers ; at all times I think 
 of you in my prayers, and all of them which attend 
 your meetings. We shall soon have a minister up here 
 now, and I shall be glad when he comes up. I can't 
 go to these churches here for to hear them, for they are 
 all Koman Catholics here, so I can't tell you half what 
 I am seen since I am been here. One day I was doing 
 a small job, and when I had been at work 2 hours there 
 came a gang of these poor slaves, and a whipper with 
 them, with a long whip with him; they was fencing 
 the line out with rough wood; there was 20 or 30 of 
 them; most of them was women: I can't abear that. 
 WeU, there came a man along with a kind of a doll in 
 a basket, and these poor slaves went and kissed this 
 doll, and them which had a vintem in their pocket 
 gave it to this man for kissing this doll, and then this 
 man would go and spend it in liquor, and got fresh. 
 Oh ! if I could but have told them to have made them 
 undei'stand me, but I told them as well as I could, but not 
 so well as I should like to have done, and about Jesus 
 Christ the sinner's Saviour ; but I left it to the Lord which 
 knows all hearts. I often think what a day that will be 
 when all must appear before our Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 and all things will be brought forward. I must conclude 
 now, with my love and duty to all at the Eectory, and 
 receive the same your self from Wm. G H, 
 
 " Brazils, South America." 
 
 From another. 
 
 " April the 24. 
 
 " Dear Madam, — I take the opportunity of writing 
 these Few lines to you. I have no doubt but you thinks 
 it very unkind of me in not writing sooner. I shall be 
 glad to hear from you, if it is not troubling you too 
 much. I thank for your invitation to your tea meeting, 
 I enjoyed it very much indeed. Dear Madam, I wish 
 to speak a word or two by the help of God's Holy 
 Spirit, of my own experience of His love. I do feel 
 Jesus to be precious to my soul, I can say with the 
 Psalmist, in His Favour is life, His loving kindness 
 is better than life, in His Presence is fulness of joy, 
 and believe that at His Eight hand there are pleasures 
 For ever more. I do Feel to be growing in grace, and 
 in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the 
 Lord pour of His Spirit upon us more abundantly, that 
 we may live a life of Faith in the Lord Jesus who loved 
 us and gave Himself For us. Hease to remember me 
 in your prayers, and I will remember you, so good bye 
 for the present. God bless you For Jesus Christ's sake 
 Amen. I am still your humble servant, 
 
 " Thomas N " 
 
338 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 The following letters tell their own story, and mag- 
 nify the grace of God. Once more the soldier wrote a 
 few hurried lines, to say he was under orders for active 
 service. The Regiment sailed for India early in the 
 month of August 1857 :- 
 
 " CuRBAGH Camp, Novr. 17 th 1856. 
 "Madam, — Pardon me for taking the veiy great 
 liberties of writing these few imperfect lines to you 
 with heartfelt thankfulness to you for your kind and 
 pious Instructions that I received from you while I was 
 at Beckenham, which is about 3 years ago, and I trust 
 that although I am living amidst sin and wickedness 
 around, they have not been given in vain. Many a time 
 have I thought of you of a cold winter's night, when 
 lying before the Enemy in the Crimea, and often would 
 attempt to write to you but again thought myself un- 
 worthy of writing to such a kind Lady, & often did 
 my heart beat with joy when I saw your name in a 
 small book or tract of any kind, particular in one, * The 
 Victoiy won/ & in the account of the Death of noble 
 Captn. Vicars of the 97th who was killed one night in 
 a sortie before Sebastopol. I expect to come home on 
 Furlough shortly, & then perhaps I may make it my 
 Duty to come to Beckenham & hear once more the 
 words of Salvation under the roof of the old parish 
 Church. Madam, it is useless for me to mention my 
 
 gladness and singleness of heart. 
 
 339 
 
 name, as I am a perfect stranger to you, although I at- 
 tended your Lectures at the Cottages, but I hope that 
 one day I shall shine as a star in your crown for ever 
 in Glory, A British Crimean Soldier." 
 
 "Cdrragh Camp, Ireland, July lith 18^/. 
 " Madam, — Please to pardon the very great liberties 
 I take in addressing these few lines to you, which is a 
 thing I am sure you would do if you was aware of the 
 gratitude I feel I owe to you for what you have done 
 for me, in being the cause of biinging me to that know- 
 ledge and sense as made me feel that I was a sinner & 
 stood in need of a Saviour & that unless I repented I 
 must perish, and blessed be God I have found a Saviour 
 and I feel him increasingly precious to my soul, but 
 Dear Madam I may attribute this great change to no 
 one but you & Dear Captn. Vicars, for never shall I 
 forget the few months that I spent in the happy village 
 of Beckenham during the time that I was at work at 
 the Crystal Palace & in that neighbourhood in the 
 Summer of 1853. Oh ! the happy Evenings that I 
 spent in going to the Cottage or School Room to hear 
 You or blessed Captn. Vicars (Oh that I may have the 
 grace of God to walk in his footsteps and die a death 
 like his) proclaim the word of pardon and Salvation to 
 sinners & to me the vilest of sinners. I shudder when 
 I think of the sinful state that I was living in before ^ 
 
rite 
 
 340 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 \ 
 
 when I first went to Beckenham, but ever since I have 
 felt that I was a sinner & had a soul to save, and 
 although surrounded by all kind of sin and temptation 
 I have strived to live to God & I trust I am walking in 
 the road to Heaven & can say, let others do as they 
 will, as for me I will serve the Lord. 
 
 "We have a very nice chaplain here, his name is 
 Hayward, & he is I believe a sincere & devout servant 
 of God, and all his aim is to win souls for Glory, be 
 holds a Bible class every Wednesday Evening, & Divine 
 Service on Friday Evenings & I am never so happy as 
 when there. Kind Madam, you will I hope pardon my 
 presumption when I tell you that it was me who wrote 
 to you a few months ago, but did not sign my name as 
 I thought you did not know me, I am well known in 
 Beckenham, I used to lodge at Mr Milwards, Brick- 
 layers Arms. Pray for me Dear Madam that I may 
 still press forward for the prize of the high calling, & 
 at last meet you in eternal Glory. — I am Madam Your 
 Humble Servant, Jajies S. B . 
 
 " P.S. — Kind Madam, — I went on Furlough & went 
 to Beckenham with the hopes of seeing you to declare 
 to you what you had done for my soul; I went to 
 Church but I could not see you there, & as I was a 
 stranger I did not like to take the liberties to go to the 
 Eectory, as I could not meet you coming From Church, 
 
 If i 
 
 gladness and singleness of heart. 341 
 
 you might have been there & I not see you, I dare say, 
 but you will remember perhaps if I tell you that my 
 uniform was a white coat & red cap. God bless you, 
 Madam." 
 
 "CuRRAGH Camp, 2Ut July 1857. 
 
 "Dearest Madam, — 1 am almost at a loss how to 
 find words to express my gratitude to you for your very 
 great kindness in condescending to acknowledge the 
 receipt of my letter. I am happy to say I received 
 your kind answer to my letter on Saturday last, & like 
 wise the large memoir of Capt. Vicars, with that joy 
 that I am unable to express. 
 
 " Dear Madam, I have read the book once through, 
 and commenced it again, & oh ! what a blessed en- 
 sample is there therein for a Christian soldier. I do 
 sincerely hope that I have enlisted under the same ban- 
 ner that he did, & fought & died a Christian. Life is 
 one time of continual warfare, as dear Captain Vicars 
 found it, ' & so will every Christian,' but by the grace 
 of God he came off conqueror. Oh ! that I may do 
 likewise. Dear Madam, the first account that I read 
 of his death was in a little book while I was in the 
 Crimea, but little did think then that he was buried in 
 the same ravine wherein I helped to bury so many of 
 my poor comrades; if I had known he was buried 
 there beside the Woronzoff Road, often would I have 
 
 I 
 
3t2 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART. 
 
 visited his grave, and shed a tear of affection over it, 
 and offered up an humble prayer. It 's a splendid like- 
 ness of his grave in his memoir. I am reading Taylor's 
 Golden Grove, & I find it a great help to me in my 
 daOy devotion. 
 
 " Dear Madam, last Sabath-day, for the first time in 
 my life, I partook of the blessed & holy sacrament, but, 
 Dear Madam, I did not presume to go to the table of 
 the Lord trusting in my own righteousness, but in the 
 manifold and great mercies of my God and Saviour, be- 
 wailing my sins and wickedness which I have from time 
 to time most grievously committed by thought, word, 
 and deed, against his Divine majesty, and I do hope 
 that God answered my prayers and supplications. My 
 wicked heart, which has ever before been like adamant, 
 was ready to break with grief when I thought of Him 
 who suffered and pleaded for me in Gethsemena, & at 
 last died an ignominious death on the cross, that I 
 might be saved from damnation. May the body & blood 
 of Christ, which was given and shed for you and me, 
 preserve us body and soul unto life everlasting. Amen. 
 — I remain your humble servant, 
 
 "James B . 
 
 "P.S. — Oh ! Dear Madam, do pray for me that I 
 may not fall back upon the world again, ' for my flesh 
 is weak, and temptations strong and great,' but that 
 
 GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEAKT. 343 
 
 thro' all the changes and chances of this mortal life, 
 my heart may ever be fixed on that world above where 
 true joys are found. And, Dear Madam, it is impos- 
 sible for me to describe the value I have set on the life 
 of dear Capt. Vicars and your letter ; and it will matter 
 not how heavy my knapsack may feel to me, my heart 
 will be cheered when I think of two things that I have 
 in it, and what a companion it will be to me in the 
 hour of sickness, or stretched in bed with a wound by 
 an enemy, &, above all the same faith in Jesus Christ 
 our Saviour will give me dauntless courage to face death 
 as Captain Vicars did. J B /* 
 
I ll 
 
 il 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 orh t0 to for 6oiJ m^ mx |r0t|^r. 
 
 ' d 
 
 Bear ye one another's burlens, and so fulfil the law of Christ*'* 
 
 I 
 
One of tlie subjects of regret which has occupied my 
 mind since I have become acquainted with "Life on 
 the Line," has been the want of sympathy, generally 
 speaking, between the contractors and the men whom 
 they employ. The usual manner in which contractors 
 are spoken of by the men is as " them as don't care 
 what happens to we, so their work gets done;" or, less 
 mildly, "All they think of is how much they can squeeze 
 out of the bones and life of the navvy!"* 
 
 Yet these contractors are Englishmen ; and doubts 
 less have the genial, generous hearts of their country- 
 men, only needing to be rightly touched to rouse them 
 
 • These remarks, 1 need scarcely say, do not apply to those con- 
 tractors on a large scale who, like Messrs Peto, Brassey, & Bette, 
 make a liberal provision for the temporal and spiritual wants of the 
 men in their employ, and disallow all Sabbath and night labour, 
 having found it to be injurious to the men, and unprofitable to them- 
 selves. When the Great Northern Railway was in process of forma- 
 tion, the firm alluded to— having heard of the exertions made by 
 Captain Trotter, Dyrham Park, Herts, for the benefit of the navvies 
 
 gave a thousand pounds, to meet a similar offer of the directors, 
 
 for the expenses of chapels, chaplains, and Scripture readers on that 
 line. Individual kindnesses I have also known to be done in this 
 neighbourhood. A junior in the firm of Messrs Knight & Smith 
 
S 1-S WOr.K TO DO FOB GOD AND CUE EEOTHEE. 
 
 into active kindness. Here and there, too, one of them 
 has been a navvy himself at the outset of life and 
 must therefore have a fellow-feeling for those who still 
 toU with the shovel and pick, whereby he has made his 
 own fortune. 
 
 It cannot be that these men in power are so bent 
 upon gold-getting, as wilfully to sacrifice their fellow- 
 creatures' health and life, and more precious things 
 still, to heap up riches a little the faster-strikin.r the 
 foundations of their lines, and bridges, and tunnels in 
 the flesh and blood of their brothers. But, 
 
 " Evil 18 wrought 
 By want of thought, 
 As well as w»nt of heart." 
 
 The contract has been entered into-en<raoin<r for 
 the railway to be completed by a fixed date °The 
 common error seems to be, that too short a time is 
 
 (who kindly lent and furnished for me a room «„ tv,.- • . 
 
 the "readings" with their men) hrnot nil. ^^ "''""'^ '" 
 
 ten to twelve shillings a-week. in:n7L:tl^ZZlrr 
 
 men whom he has employed on other lines who hi e w^lteTlnv' 
 
 a m.le from theplaee of their last piece of work w t^^ut a n ^ 
 
 m their poekets, and, hut for kindly help sueh as this lo H ""^ 
 
 starving through a haM day's or cold^nigh'sw rk." llalmuZ 
 
 are numbers who do so. -anu sun there 
 
 If those who find their good breakfasts readv and w,rm 
 morning, to strengthen them for a day of ligWer to"l if „„? f h7 
 
 work, perhaps kept waiting for it for days or A;=.r.r^- . , , 
 gether, and would give them a good mrorbr a/rnd mea't^ 
 would save a v.«t amount of distre., and positivein^ury to hltl'ti' 
 
 I 
 
 1^ 
 
 WORK TO DO FOR GOD AND OUR BROTHER. S49 
 
 named, at all events inclusive of allowance for un- 
 favourable contingencies. At the commencement, but 
 a few men are employed By and by some unforeseen 
 obstacle impedes progress — more hands are called for 
 — ^winter approaches, with its short days. Now comes 
 the grievance of but half-an-hour allowed for dinner- 
 time. Every Englishman reckons on a whole hour as 
 his undeniable right; weie this abridgement of his 
 day's chief comfort universally made by masters in 
 town and country, it would be enough to risk a revolu- 
 tion ! Several of the navvies are in the habit of going 
 for dinner to their lodgings, if within a moderate dis- 
 tance of the line ; so that half the time is occupied in 
 the walk to and fro. 
 
 Then follows the night-work, often accompanied by 
 danger, not unfrequently by serious accidents. If the 
 time is drawing on towards the close of the contract, 
 the work now becomes extremely severe. In the 
 winter of 1856, some of the men told me that they 
 had not had above four nights' rest in three weeks, 
 working day and night. 
 
 Then follows the worst grievance of all. The Sab- 
 bath can be spared to them no longer. The working 
 man's one day of rest, after six of weary toil, is taken 
 from him. True, no slave-driver stands over him with 
 a whip, to lash him to the unwelcome task, but, if he 
 refuse, he is dismissed ; and he may have a hundred 
 miles or more to walk, without a penny in his pocket, 
 
S50 WO£K TO DO FOR GOD AND OUR BROTHER. 
 
 to find fresh work on another line; where, on the 
 next Sabbath, the same thing may come over again. 
 
 Many a man complains bitterly of the loss of his 
 British birthright — his one day of peace and quiet in 
 the seven— who has not yet learned the higher value 
 of the Christian's privilege to spend it in the worship 
 of his God. But the saddest thing of all is to see 
 some of them going to work with consciences en- 
 lightened to feel the sin of it, whilst faith is not yet 
 strong enough to run the risk of dismissal and its 
 penalties, by a refusal Before you and I judge them, 
 let us try a week's starvation, and a few nights of 
 sleeping in a ditch under a November fog, or amidst 
 the snows of January. It goes to one's heart when 
 navvy boys leave word at the Sunday-school, "They 
 can't stay, more 's the pity ; because they Ve got to go 
 to work for the best part of the day. But they do 
 wish their lady would see to it, and not let it be so 
 anymore;" making one feel one's utter helplessness 
 to move in the matter the more painfully by their 
 childlike confidence. 
 
 If each proprietor of land through whose ground 
 the railway passes, would not sell it without makino- a 
 stipulation that the working man should have his 
 seventh day's rest secured, he would bring down a 
 blessing on both souls and bodies, and would find that 
 the Lord of the Sabbath would repay him sevenfold 
 into his own bosom. And if this became an inteoral 
 
 I 
 
 WORK TO DO FOR GOD AND OUR BROTHER. 351 
 
 part of railway contracts, the contractors would bestir 
 themselves at first to secure a larger number of men, 
 and so " take time by the forelock" 
 
 Is it right in the sight of God, to let His rational 
 creatures be driven harder than stage-coach horses 
 were, in the days before railroads were made, when it 
 was found not to answer to their owners to deprive 
 them of God's appointed rest for beast as well as man ? 
 What with Sabbath-work and night-work, I have 
 seen strong, fine young men aged in a few months, as 
 if by years of wear and tear. And where are the old 
 navvies ? Are they to be found in villages or work- 
 houses ? Some few may be ; but I have never yet seen 
 or heard of them in either place. Here and there I 
 find one on the line ; but the vast majority, I believe;, 
 die in what ought to be their prime. There was a 
 gray-haired man in Beckenham, who was honoured by 
 the sobriquet of " Old Edward." We believed him to 
 be at least on the shady side of sixty. On inquiry, to 
 our astonishment, we found he was but eio^ht-and- 
 thirty. He had seen a quarter of a century pass by 
 him on the line. 
 
 Another boon which humanity seems to demand for 
 these poor men, is the construction of a shed close to 
 their work, in which they could sit down to eat their 
 dinner when the rain has soaked the ground into a bog. 
 In my daily visits to the men at their dinner-time, 
 whilst gladdened to see them run up the side of the 
 
S52 WORK TO DO FOR GOD AKD OUR BROTHER. 
 
 "cutting" at sight of a friend, like bees swarming up 
 a hive, often does my heart ache to have no planks 
 to offer them to rest their tired limbs upon, as^hey 
 seat themselves in rows, three deep, of twenty or thirty 
 in a line, in grass almost as wet as a pond ; and when 
 concern is expressed, the usual reply is, " Well, if it s 
 good enow for you to stand in, it 's good enow for we 
 to sit in, and better than the mud in the cutting, any- 
 how. But a bit of a shed over our heads for when 
 it 's a pouring of rain would save many a poor fellow 
 from catching of the rheumatis, while he 's a sitting 
 still." 
 
 That "shed" is our vision of comfort, our chateau en 
 Espagne; and I hope we shall have it, in reality, before 
 another winter sets in. 
 
 And here I may just mention that the nav\^es never 
 seem to be disturbed by these dinner-time visits, or to 
 eat their meal less heartily; on the contrary, polite 
 inquiries are made, if the plan has been interrupted 
 for a few days, " S'pose you Ve been to the gangs at 
 the other end of the line, ma'am, as we haven't seen^ou 
 here for a bit ?'* 
 
 Indian news, in a digest of the Times ; now and then 
 one of those noble and beautiful, yet heart-wringing 
 letters which have glorified those annals of horror, as 
 the faith of their writers hallowed even scenes of blood- 
 shed and torture ; or a fine, thrilling passage from some 
 leading article— make the usual commencement of con- 
 
 WORK TO DO FOR GOD AND OUR BROTHER. ^y^ 
 
 versation at each daily rendezvous. This is always 
 concluded by some passage from the Word of God- 
 most frequently a parable, and usually it is repeated, 
 not read, to sustain attention and interest at an hour 
 of the day when anything like a service would seem ill- 
 timed. 
 
 In this manner many can be reached who lodge too 
 far away to attend cottage-readings, excepting now and 
 then on a fine Sunday night. The intelligent and 
 sympathising interest they have expressed, both by 
 word and look, in the present terrible history of British 
 India, would have amply repaid, for the effort to impart 
 it to them, any man or woman in England* 
 
 In a word, what I now plead for with those who are 
 called, and not without reason, "the privileged classes" 
 of this country, is :— When navvies, or° any other 
 labourers either in fields or factories, are mthin your 
 reach, meet them with a frank and genial friendliness. 
 
 * Whilst these pages were in the press, an unexpected result of 
 those readings was communicated to me. An officer in the Royal 
 Artillery mentioned that a deserter from his company, who had 
 been working as a navvy on the new line of railway here, delivered 
 himself up towards the end of the month of October "to suffer " as 
 he requested, "any punishment short and sharp enough not to 
 hinder him from going with the next draft to India, to fight for 
 all them women and children that he had heard readings about in 
 Beckenham." 
 
 His request was granted. He has sailed for India. But was it 
 necessary, to preserve the discipline of the army, that such a man 
 should carry for ever into the front of his foes the branded "D" 
 upon that generous breast? 
 
354 WORK TO DO FOE GOD AND OUE BROTHER 
 
 Alleviate their discomforts as far as lies in your power. 
 Provide some little imiocent pleasure— a tea-party, for 
 instance *— from time to time, for their hard-worked 
 existence. Above all, seek to secure to them their 
 Sabbaths ; and hold forth to them the Word of Life. 
 Give them Bibles or Testaments ; and if the navvy's 
 name be written therein, with a few words of friendly 
 dedication, he will starve rather than part with it at 
 any price. 
 
 If the hearts of my countrymen and countiywomen 
 have warmed towards their working brothers, whilst 
 reading these brief records of a few years' intercourse 
 with them, let not the generous fire die out with the 
 close of the book. If individual efforts, so light and 
 easy, have resulted, by the blessing of God, in so much 
 that is cheering and hopeful, what might not be effected 
 if the educated and refined class of this country deter- 
 mined, in dependence upon Divine help, to draw out 
 the higher and nobler feelings of the less favoured 
 
 • Amongst a series of tea-parties given at Beckenham, whUst the 
 first edition of this book was in the press, about four hundred rail- 
 way men were entertained in succession. Their quiet enjoyment 
 was scarcely more pleasant to witness than the hearty and cheerful 
 iatisfacUon which it afforded to their foreman, time-keepers, store- 
 keeper, and a resident contractor, to whose friendly and able assis- 
 tance, with that of o/r kind-hearted police, and a few other willing 
 hands, the success of the entertainments was chiefly owing Good 
 specimens of art, such as Roberts' Views of Palestine, are unfailing 
 Bources of pleasure on these occasions. Not a few of the men shew 
 real taste in their choice of picturea 
 
 WORK TO DO FOR GOD AND OUR BROTHER. 355 
 
 classes ; setting themselves gently, patiently, steadfastly 
 to work, to eradicate the notions of distrust, suspicion, 
 and envy, too generally entertained by the poor towards 
 the rich ; until both should practically realise the sen- 
 timent well and wisely expressed by a gifted writer of 
 the present day, " ye rich, respect the poor. ye 
 poor, have charity for the rich." 
 
 Above all, favoured ones, who have the knowledge 
 of the glad tidings of the redemption of the world by 
 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, bringing gloiy to 
 God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to- 
 wards men, God forbid that you should shut up in 
 your own hearts this message of life and peace, instead 
 of giving it in its fulness to every fellow-creature with- 
 in your reach. If you have hut once heard of it for 
 yourselves, you are bound to bid others welcome to 
 drink of t\\Q river of the water of life. " Let him that 
 heareth say. Come." 
 
 If you have long ago learned to love the gospel of 
 Jesus Christ, but the fervour of that first love has fled, 
 speak to others of your half-forgotten Sa\aour, and you 
 shall find that there is a life-giving power in the name 
 of Jesus to restore vitality to your own chilled soul. 
 
 A traveller was crossing mountain heights alone, 
 over almost untrodden snows. Warning had been 
 given him that if slumber pressed down his weaiy eye- 
 lids, they would inevitably be sealed in death. For a 
 time he went bravely along his dreary path. But with 
 
856 WORK TO DO FOE GOD AND OUR BROTHER. 
 
 the deepening shade and freezing blast of night, there 
 fell a weight upon his brain and eyes which seemed to 
 be irresistible. In vain he tried to reason with him- 
 self ; in vain he strained his utmost energies to shake 
 off that fatal heaviness. At this crisis of his fate, his 
 foot struck against a heap that lay across his path. 
 No stone was that ; although no stone could be colder 
 or more lifeless. He stooped to touch it, and found a 
 human body half buried beneath a fresh drift of snow. 
 The next moment the traveller had taken a brother in 
 his arms, and was chafing his chest, and hands, and 
 brow; breathing upon the stiff cold lips the warm 
 breath of his living soul ; pressing the silent heart to 
 the beating pulses of his own generous bosom. The 
 effort to save another had brought back to himself 
 life, warmth, and energy. He was a man again ; in- 
 stead of a weak creature succumbing to a despairing 
 helplessness, dropping down in a dreamless sleep, to die. 
 
 He saved his brother, and was saved himself. 
 
 " Go thou," in the strength of the Lord and Giver of 
 Life, " and do likewise." 
 
 Bjj tU sam^ ^nthat. 
 
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COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 
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