her as a girl in Luke Street. She felt so happy about little Annie, having given her into the keeping of the Good Shepherd. The air of an hospital did not seem the best for a consumptive patient, and we got her removed to the little Cottage Home on the strand. Here she was very happy, and a bright, useful influence in the Home. Her arm-chair was placed by the kitchen fire, and the little children loved to cluster around her, when she could talk to them, and wait upon her when she needed it. Two of the Luke Street girls were there as patients. She felt towards them as sisters; and many were the talks about the Mission friends and the Home as it was and as it is now. She loved to hear over and over again the old hymns, and often spoke of the joy of having got amongst Mission people to die. She said she owed very much to Mission teaching. In the hospital, before she felt the truth in her own heart, she was often enabled to tell dying patients the way of salvation. She found it such an advantage to be able to repeat texts correctly, and to know where to find them. As winter approached, Julia was removed to the Hospital for Incurables. Here she found fresh mercies to be thankful for. She grew literally" careful for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, made her requests known unto God," and the peace of God kept her heart. Little Annie was often taken to see her; and the mother's heart rejoiced in the bright ways and sweet sayings of her child. She was quite a little pet in the hospital. Three weeks before her death she bade her farewell. Having had great experience of disease, she knew how painful her own illness might become. She did not wish the little one to connect her mother's death with suffering. So she said good-bye, telling her she was going to live with Jesus in His happy home, and Annie would come and see her there. To me she said, "When I am gone, don't tell Annie I am dead, and don't let her see me buried, but just say, 'Mother is gone to be so happy with Jesus.' As the end approached, weakness became painful. She could scarcely speak, yet would whisper snatches of hymns. One, which seemed constantly in her mind, was And joyfully she went home. Her body was laid in the cemetery at Mount Jerome among the Mission people; but when we ask little Annie, “Where is mother?" she says, "Gone home to Jesus, and I'll go, too, some day." When we think of Julia's happy death, we cannot but feel encouraged to go on with the work we have put our hands to. God grant us patience with the froward, and give us grace to persevere, trusting in Him! For it may be that many whom we think lost ones will be amongst those whom the Good Shepherd will bring SAFE HOME. REPORT FROM BALLINAKILL. SINCE sending in my last Report another of our converts has been called away. He was a young man of about twenty-five years old. He had been a regular attendant at our services at Cleggan, and gave every token of being a consistent and enlightened convert from the Church of Rome. He was suddenly taken ill. The first cry of his Roman Catholic friends was, "Send for the priest ! " but he said, "I want none of your priests, Jesus is my Priest!" and, in a few hours, he died. Scarlatina has been making fearful ravages in this part of the country. Our little band could not hope to escape altogether. However, though many of the children of our converts had the disease, so far only one has been taken away. This was a fine little boy of about four years old. He was so smart at learning that we used to call him "The Professor." He used often to sing for me some verses of that beautiful hymn commencing, "When He cometh, when He cometh to make up his jewels." Dear child, he is now one of those precious jewels! It is my painful duty to record a circumstance that took place here the other day, and which is enough to instil feelings of indignation into every breast. Three little children of Roman Catholic parents commenced to attend our school at Cleggan. The poor little things had scarcely a particle of clothing on them. A kind Christian lady gave them nice warm clothes; and each morning they might be seen coming over the mountain-side to school, looking so bright and clean and happy. The priest heard of it: he came to the house. The parents happened to be from home. He asked the children where they got the clothes ? They told him. He then ordered them to take them off. At first they were unwilling. He then threatened them and made them so much afraid that they reluctantly obeyed. He next ordered them to throw them into the fire. They naturally hesitated, but he threatened them, so that the poor little creatures from downright terror had to put their nice warm clothes into the flames-the priest stamping his foot on them to take care that they should be consumed. One can better fancy than describe the feelings of these poor children. They had not, like other children in better circumstances, a suit of clothes to replace them. Their all was gone. But perhaps you will suppose that the priest at once promised other clothing, or, at least, gave money to do so. Not a bit of it. He did neither the one or the other, but marched off no doubt proud of his work, leaving these little ones destitute of almost every particle of clothing to shelter them from the pitiless blasts. Here is a man who calls himself a minister of Christ. How differently would the Master have acted who said, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not." This will give some idea of what our school children have sometimes to contend with. However, I believe that God has over-ruled it all for good. Many of the Roman Catholics are indignant at this act of their priest, and say so plainly. We accept it as a token for good, as it shows that our work is progressing, else the priest would not be so angry. The priests, having found that bitter denunciations are powerless, appear now to be determined to try another course, but they will find that this will only recoil on themselves. We need much grace, much strength, and much prayer. A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN THE WEST. "The half was not told me."-1 Kings x. 7. THERE is fresh air on the mountains of Connemara, and fresh air also in the spiritual atmosphere there. The following letter just received from a friend, who is for the first time visiting the Mission scenes, is so bright and graphics that it cannot fail to interest even those who have frequently seen them and heard of them : "I trust God will put it into the hearts of His people to come forward promptly and liberally to save the reduction that was feared to be needful. One thing I am quite sure of, viz.-that if Protestants in England (ay! and in Ireland too, and there is less excuse for the Irish), could only see with their own eyes what Popery is, and what this Society is doing to counteract it,-if they could see the loving zeal of the Missionaries, and Agents, Scripture-readers, and male and female teachers,-if they could take a peep into our schools, and homes, and orphanages, and see the bright, happy, intelligent faces of the children-the ragged children vying with the more respectable-those in the far west, even on desolate Omey, vying with those in Dublin, if they could grasp in their minds what machinery is employed, and the results it accomplishes, they would not be 'backward in coming forward' with a helping hand. I can't tell you how delighted I have been with all I have seen-'the half was not told me,'—and I have only, as yet, seen a very small portion of the work. I got here in time for a most interesting and delightful meeting on Thursday evening in connection with the 'Young Men's Christian Association,' at which there were recitations and glees most ably rendered and a few speeches made. There were about 100 present, and there would have been many more had it not been purposely limited. The room was most tastefully decorated, and there was a bright cheerful tone about the whole proceedings, combined with that earnestness which became the occasion under such auspices as the 'Young Men's Christian Association.' There can be no doubt that such a gathering is calculated to unite the Protestants in this part. There were some present who came all the way from Patches and Sellerna, and it must have a beneficial effect on the Missionary cause in Connemara. tr On Friday we went to the Island of Omey, where, much to my surprise, we found between fifty and sixty children in the school. There were no children in the school at Patches, for it was such a lovely day that they took advantage of it both to fish and to plant potatoes. The master of Patches undertook to conduct Mr. Cory and me on foot to Sellerna. There was not a vestige of a road, but we made the best of our way by a series of leaps and springs right across the bog, and what with wading through the sea (where the natives were spearing soles and picking up shell fish), and sinking in a bog and going at a pace somewhat between a run and a walk, you may imagine the state we were in when we arrived at Sellerna. "Mr. Cory put the children through their facings, but he did not keep them very long, as it was 3 o'clock when we got there. At 6.30 we had such a meeting as no one could imagine who did not see it. No previous notice had been given of it, excepting in school, the day before, and yet the room was nearly full. We sang a hymn, then I offered a short prayer, and Mr. Conerney made a few appropriate remarks, and then Mr. Cory gave an address on the Ethiopian eunuch, which was listened to with the utmost interest by all; but the front bench of girls I shall never forget, with their bright, intelligent upturned faces, drinking in every word that was spoken, their picturesque Galway cloaks, and their bare heads and feet. The whole effect was most striking; the situation of the school, the attentive audience, and the simple, earnest, loving address, I shall not soon forget." |