to guess, that of the many Sisterhoods at work in London these words refer to the admirable" Sisters of the Church."

But there remain some things to be said. The intention of the book,-may it be largely answered,-evidently is to win a considerable increase of workers and of money for East London. By Mr. Lowder's example we learn how the work may be thoroughly and permanently done, and the money well spent. The mere erection of churches, even uncumbered by pews, will not suffice. From time to time much money has been spent in this way, and much of it has been wasted by being employed in starting a feeble inefficient agency struggling for bare existence, availing perhaps to keep a few persons from growing worse, but powerless to reclaim the large remainder.

The contagion of evil, it has been truly said, is greater than, what, for want of a better word, we must call the contagion of good. How can a Priest with perhaps one constantly changing curate, a lay-reader, and a Bible-woman produce any impression on a population of 7,000 souls? add to this a scanty endowment, a necessity for constant begging, the terrible oppression of a work that cannot be accomplished, what wonder is it that many a man loses faith and courage, and either subsides into a dreary round of ineffectual labour, or else breaks down utterly after a gallant struggle, and has to leave the field with broken health and spirits?

...

We have been lately told1 that in East London "the people do not worship,... a large congregation may assemble in a church or chapel, but in each case it is rather to hear a preacher than to worship GOD." And "experiments,”—surely a curious expression when applied to worship—are made with a special service of "prayer, singing both of hymns and of selections from Oratorios, music and readings from the Bible and modern poetry!" (the italics are our own.) With the record before us how Mr. Lowder " raised up from most unhopeful materials this staunch and noble army of Communicants, five hundred strong, rescued from slavery, and restored to their lost heritage," (p. 166;) with the description, on the next page, of a Sunday Service at S. Peter's, which we venture greatly to prefer to Mr. Barnett's very "law-breaking" experiment; we refuse to believe that other means than those which the Church provides are needful in order to win even the lowest of the population to a Christian life. Only the full liberty must be accorded, and the work should be 1 See the Rev. S. Barnett's letter in the "Spectator" of Feb. 4, 1882.

fostered and encouraged by the ecclesiastical superiors, not treated with cold suspicion, and, at best, bare sufferance.

If some of Mr. Lowder's plans seem injudicious, if some practices or some doctrines appear exaggerated, yet the work done must command admiration, and at least is a strong presumption in favour of his method of working.

Mr. Lowder began his work in the East of London in 1856, he died in 1880; he laboured there with scanty holidays during all those twenty-four years. It has been a matter of wonder to us in reading his life to see that no offer was made to him of any church preferment whatsoever. Probably he would have refused it,-but how incredible that no such offer should have been made! It would seem that the Church of England was supposed to be full of devoted clergy, ready to spend themselves and their fortunes in her service, ready to be harassed, to be persecuted, to be imprisoned perhaps, whilst other men had honours and preferments showered upon them. It is this unequal justice which undoubtedly has much to say to the often lamented dearth of Ordination candidates, and to the greatly diminished number of gentlemen who present themselves to receive it.

It is with a feeling of shame that we see how greatly money cares, and the necessity of constantly asking for subscriptions weighed on Mr. Lowder's mind. These were cares from which he should have been set free, the money should have been abundantly forthcoming. But, we ask ourselves, will it ever be so? For answer we have but to look, not at the many works of charity, not at the money spent in luxury or in gambling, probably that would have been wasted anyhow, but at the prosecutions which have rendered a Defence Fund and a Sustentation Fund a necessity for the Church. The money which loyal churchmen are forced to spend in this manner, is the money which would otherwise have been spent, how gladly, on missions such as these at home and abroad.

It is the members of the Church Association and their supporters outside who have contrived to hamper all the more successful and strenuous efforts which have lately been made to reclaim the hundreds of thousands in our great towns who are steeped in vice and misery, and who form in themselves the smouldering elements for such an eruption as that of the Commune in Paris.

L. PH.

438

"ONLY NOT A WRECK."

CHAPTER I.

"Sweet is the smile of home; the mutual look

When hearts are of each other sure;

Sweet all the joys that crowd the household nook,

The haunt of all affections pure."

Christian Year.

It was the afternoon of a clear frosty day in the middle of January. A little boy of four years old was perched on the wide seat of the bowwindow in the drawing-room at Brynton Leigh Vicarage, his fair rosy face full of expectation as the blue eyes scanned the gravel drive, while his clear little voice kept up a constant chatter, full of appeals to the lady who sat with her work at a low table near the fire.

"Do you think she'll soon be here, mother?" he asked for the fifth time in the space of ten minutes.

"Very soon now, Humphrey, if the train was punctual."

"Oh, there she is, there she is!" cried the little fellow, scrambling down from his perch as fast as his fat legs would allow. “Come, mother, come quick and open the door. Quick, quick, mother!"

In a minute the two were in the porch ready to welcome the new comer, a slight, fair girl, clad in warm brown, who advanced with a brisk light step, which quickened into a run when she saw them. The next moment Humphrey was in her arms, clinging with legs and arms and almost throttling her with his rapturous embrace.

"Why, Humphie boy," she said, brightly, as soon as she was allowed to speak, "I do believe you're glad to see me ?"

"Course I am," he replied, patting her cheek. " such a long, long time!"

You've been away

"So I have, two whole weeks. And I do really think at the bottom of my heart-the very bottom-I'm a little tiny bit glad to see you." "A great big monstrous bit, you naughty aunty," he responded, with another hug. "I've been watching for you ever so long."

Have you?" said the girl, carrying him into the drawing-room and seating herself by the fire. "And how's baby, and why didn't he come and watch for me too ?"

"He's asleep, and nurse wouldn't wake him up. And he's got another tooth, and he can almost creep, and when I told him you were coming home he laughed."

"Did he? Then I hope he was pleased."

"But where's Edward ?" asked the mother. k Didn't he meet you at the station ?"

Oh, yes, he met me all right; but did you ever expect me to steer him safe round Shinner's Corner? There were at least two people lying in wait for him to-day, and I don't know how many more in the rear, so he told me to come on and tell you not to wait tea for him."

"Tea is all ready, I will ring and have it in. Come, Humphrey, you must trot off to the nursery. Aunt Flossy isn't going to run away again."

"Carry me up, Aunt Flossy," said the rogue, coaxingly. “I've only had Father's rides since you went away," he added, as, mounted on her back, he rode up stairs. "He's my horse, 'cause he's so big, but you're my own dear little donkey."

This doubtful compliment, spoken in perfect good faith, so tickled the fancy of its subject that she burst into a merry peal of laughter, and then began to prance and caper in an alarming manner. Margaret Kendal, pouring out the tea downstairs, heard shrieks of merriment from her little son, mingled with the braying of his restive steed.

"What spirits the girl has," she said, smiling to herself. "It is nice to have her at home again. How quiet we have been without her!" Presently Flossy came running down out of breath, her jacket and hat left behind, and her bright face glowing with exercise. It was not a beautiful face, but very pleasing, with its animated expression, gray eyes, and light sunny hair.

"That dear baby is a greater duck than ever," she said, taking her cup and sitting down by the fire opposite to her sister-in-law. "He

was just waking up, and knew me directly, and was not a bit cross." Humphrey is charmed to have his play-fellow back," said Margaret. "He has been quite lost without you. Your letter was such an event! He had it read to him so often that he knew it by heart, and went about the house reading it himself to every one he met. And how did you leave all the cousins ?"

"All very well. They sent heaps of love and all kinds of messages. But, Margaret, Humphrey has just confided to me that Uncle Archie is coming to-night. Is it a fact ?"

Yes, didn't Edward tell you ?"

No, he never said a word about it. Is it your brother Archie ?"

"Yes. You know I haven't seen him, and scarcely heard of him for