assistance rendered by so many donors, the Committee trust that during the coming year the General Fund, which has to supplement almost all District Subscriptions, will be liberally supported. The thanks of the Committee are also due to the Religious Tract Society for liberal grants of Tracts and Books at a reduced rate, and to the British and Foreign Bible Society for the favorable terms upon which the Association has been supplied by them.
Sometimes those who distribute them will come and listen to me preaching, and, although I fear they come only to scoff and ridicule, I pray God the Word may be applied with power to their souls.”
AN INFIDEL CONVERTED BY READING A BOOK. — The Colporteur at Horley also reports meeting with infidelity in his district: —
“I came in contact with an infidel; his wife lay dead in the house. He first refused me admission, but I got an entrance. I then told him of the realities of death and the future world, to which he must shortly pass. I spoke to him about his wife, and the words touched him, and tears came in his eyes.
He said he would give the matter careful consideration. I left him a tract, gave him a book called ‘ The Child of Jesus,’ trusting to the Lord to save his soul, and to reveal himself to him as the fairest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.
“I sold a book called ‘Saving Faith,’ and the reader was led to see his error, and let all his trust in good works fall to the ground, and trusted in the blood of Christ for the pardon of his sins.
“In the case that I mentioned, where! went to the infidel, the book that! left with him he read; and that little book called ‘ The Child of Jesus’ led him to See that there was something beyond the grave, and when I revisited him he wished me to explain to him concerning another world, and by my weak efforts I tried to do, and he was led to see his error, and haw he has burnt all his infidel boo/s, and bought some from me; he is now rejoicing in a real Savior. The truth that I tell is winning its way to the hearts of those that read it, and at the Mission Church that I go to every Sunday evening to preach the word there are anxious inquirers who
have been impressed under the sound of the blessed gospel.” From Thornbury, Gloucestershire, the agent reports:-NEED OF COLPORTEURS
EVERYWHERE. — “I am more than ever convinced that a regular visitor is needed to visit the cottages of our poor; for I find a large number of very old people living in my district little cared for by anyone, and still in darkness as regards the future. Some of them have had to confess to me that ‘No one ever calls but you, sir,’ to tell them of Jesu’s love, and of a heaven to gain. I will illustrate by telling of one, an aged woman, thirteen years past the allotted time of life (viz. three score years and ten), living almost alone, her son coming home evenings. She cannot read or write, and owns herself to be still without an interest in the Blood of Christ. I
read, talked, sang, and prayed with her several times, which seemed to make a favorable impression, as the tears that ran down her thin face would indicate. Our only prayer is, that the Lord will have mercy upon her and save her soul. I could mention plenty of such cases that have come under my own notice.
“But you have done me good, sir,” said another old lady I had visited from month to month, with whom I had talked and prayed, all of which seemed to me to be to no purpose, but I was very glad to find that it was
otherwise, and it just proved the word of the Lord to be true, “My word shall not return unto Me void.” My stay was not quite so long as usual, and the old lady wondered at my hasty departure. On taking leave of her, I said, “I don’t know that I can do you any good if I stay,” and, with tears in her eyes, she said. “But you have done me good, sir.” I asked her, in what way? And she told me that she had found consolation and peace through my visits, and that she was happier by far than she had ever been before. I went back into her house and thanked God.”
Cottage Services are largely conducted by the Colporteurs, and Mr. Meats, in ]3rentford District, has had much blessing. He says: — “I am thankful to tell you the Lord is increasingly blessing me in my labors for Him, most especially in visiting the sick. I called on a poor old woman one day at Heston, 85 years old, and another one attending her 83. After speaking to them of the love of Jesus and His mighty power to save all who come to Him, I knelt down by the bedside, and each of them caught hold of one of my hands, and while I was pleading with God for them their tears were fast falling on my hands; it was a sight I shall never forget; they said they should look for my next visit. The Lord, too, is blessing me richly in the cottage meetings for prayer. Praise the Lord, I have had the joy of seeing one poor sinner brought to our precious Savior, and a poor backslider reclaimed, and they are both now rejoicing in the knowledge of sin forgiven, they have now peace with God. The Lord has opened three houses in the road where I live, for prayer; we feel we live · in a different atmosphere; it rejoices my soul to see the happy faces of the people as they come to the houses for prayer. I have been engaged in this work for many years, but never as now have I felt the power of prayer, and out of a full heart I can say Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and ALL that is within me, bless His HOLY name.’“
Mr. J. SMITH, who has been very successful with a bookstall in the Market at nottingham, sends cheering tidings: — “This quarter I have to bless God for His goodness; I have, with His Grace, been instrumental in winning three souls for the Savior. One of these came to me in the market, and said he had been brought to the knowledge of the truth; the other upon a bed of affliction; and another through the preaching of the gospel. Also, this quarter, I have visited the Union; in each ward I read, expounded the word, and prayed with them; many expressed that they were blessed through the reading, and asked me to come again.
“I have also been instrumental in taking over 200 pledges this quarter.
Some who signed the pledge have been habitual drunkards; one man told me he felt quite a new creature since he had been an abstainer; he seemed as if he could not express how grateful he was to me for inducing him to become an abstainer. This is encouragement to go on, and with His Grace try to accomplish more for the Savior.
“‘ I have met with two this last month who told me they first attended nottingham Tabernacle through an invitation given them by me; they are both members of the Church, and very earnest Christians. I gave an address at one of the Tabernacle Mission Stations, when the word was blessed to one who had been a backslider a long time. She was brought back to the Lord with the power of His Spirit; she exclaimed, she knew that the Lord had again forgiven her backslidings, and with His Grace she was restored.
As far as I can ascertain, she walks as a Christian should walk day by day. I have not heard of any book this last quarter that has been the means of the conversion of any, but, in speaking and selling, one does not instantly see the result of the work done.”
Mr. SKINNER, of Alcester, writes: — “I am thankful to say I find a willing ear for the gospel, and a desire for good books if poor people had more work. I am often overwhelmed with kindness, and, thankful to say, well received, and I find there is a healthier tone among the people in my district. I do not complain in the least, neither am 1 discouraged. I do not belong to that class that looks upon everything as failure. I know it is the Lord’s work, and cannot be lost, though the work is very hard and :the responsibility very great. In my mind the object is grand, and the divine promises sure. ‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy; the bearer of precious seed shalt doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing His sheaves with Him.’“
Where a Colporteur has been working in a District for some time he always has to report an increased desire for good literature, and a corresponding decrease in the bad. Mr. Paine, at Hadleigh, reports: — “I have to thank God for His goodness and.mercy through another quarter. Sales have been good, considering the depression in the agricultural districts. I am often told by the people that they have no money, and that they would buy if they had the money, which I believe to be quite true.! am thankful to say the desire for reading in my District has grown rapidly this last six months.
Persons that I know had no desire for reading now take monthlies regularly of me, and, what is still more pleasing, the Bible is now taken down from the shelf and carefully read; this I have heard in several instances. I am thankful to inform you that a woman has decided for Jesus by reading Mr.
Spurgeon’s sermon in the “Baptist Messenger” for January, text: ‘ Oh that I knew where I could find Him!’ I knew she was convinced of her sins, and was longing to find God. I had read this sermon myself, and thought it was just the thing for her. I lent it to her, and then prayed that God would reveal Himself to her, and one night, soon after, she met me in the chapel yard, to thank me for the sermon, and told me how, by reading it, she had realized the pardon of her sins. She is now making herself very useful with us. A schoolmaster of the Board School asked when I called,’ Have you anything of Mr. Spurgeon’s? because I cannot get anything at Church to satisfy me.’ A great change has come over this man since I have traveled in this District. ‘ Seven Wonders of Grace’ is still working wonders. Another man recently has made another ‘Wonder of Grace.’ Hope Mr. Spurgeon will soon write again. People begin to ask if Mr. Spurgeon hasn’t published another shilling series; I suppose they think these shilling series came within their reach. ‘ Christie’s Old Organ’ is doing a good work. A man died here yesterday morning; this case I have referred to in a previous report. He imbibed infidel principles, never went to any place of worship;
but during my visit quite a change has taken place. I was with him last Sunday evening and yesterday morning, just before he died. We have a hope of him. Another case, a young man, who had been in the army, died a fortnight ago. Some time ago he would not hear anything about his soul; I was asked to call and see him, which I did, and read and prayed with him, which did not seem to make much impression; called again next week, asked him the state of his mind, to which he replied, ‘ It is very dark,’ then directed him to the Light of the World. Prayed with him, which then seemed to make a deep impression; had to leave him in the hands of God.
Before he died he was quite a changed man, and said it was through my
visits. I know my visits have been made a blessing to the people here. I am still holding cottage services in the villages with good results. I return home ;frequently with weary legs by reason of Suffolk mud, but I can praise the Lord, I am very happy in the work.”
A new District has been occupied for a few months around Tewkesbury, about which the Colporteur reports as follows: — “Although I may not be able to send such glowing Reports as some of my fellow-workers, yet it gives a healthy tone when we ,consider the increase in number of
Periodicals in the first year of labor here, as it is ofttimes only after a deal of persuasion that we can induce the people to take a monthly publication.
One instance worthy of notice — a woman whom I called upon in order to induce her to take a periodical, said she should like to if I could get her a copy of a few; I at once showed her ‘ Sunday at Home;’ in a few weeks I called again; the woman consulted her husband, telling him that instead of taking a weekly newspaper, which cost them 1 1/2d., she could save the money and purchase the ‘ Sunday at Home ‘ monthly, and, therefore, gave me the order. Another instance where I was asked to get ‘The Argosy’ I induced the man to take ‘ The Quiver’ instead, and am now supplying him with the same.
“In my journeys by the wayside many opportunities offer of speaking to individuals. “Also visits to the sick and aged and dying have been very numerous; many of these looking forward to the monthly visits with a great degree of pleasure. I visited a poor woman a few days since, in the last stage of consumption, who had been visited by Roman Catholic friends, but I began to tell her about Jesus as the only Savior able to forgive sins, when she at once told me that was just what she wanted to hear about, and then in as simple a manner as possible, I gave her the gospel, illustrating the story of the Cross by the history of the Brazen Serpent. I pray that the message. may be blessed to her soul’s salvation. I have said nothing about services in which! am continually engaged, but feel assured they are being blessed; also temperance work in which I am engaged, but feel assured eternity alone will unfold all the real good that has resulted from the work here as in other districts.”
Mr. LLOYD continues his useful work at Poole. This agent visits the villages and hamlets covering a radius of nearly ten miles. In his report he states: —