leading him. The influence was unconscious, but none the less real. So was it in relation to this Bible Flower Mission. The kindly deed of this lone man was the X, the unknown quantity, which to some extent must have determined the result, though the origin of the Mission is ascribed to an event much more recent. Thus it was-" In the early spring of 1874, a snowdrop, primrose, and two or three violets, which had been casually enclosed in a letter to an East End worker, were passed round her sewing-class of two hundred poor old widows for each to have a smell, and then divided and given to three dying Christians, one of whom breathed her last fondly clasping them." From that time flowers began to be collected, and the Home of Industry became a centre for receiving and distributing them.

In the short space of two years the work has grown immensely. The bouquets are sent out by thousands in a single week from this one depôt, to say nothing of what is done at the Conference Hall, Mildmay Park, and at other places in London, in the country, and in many parts of Scotland. Among the places to which flowers have been sent from the Home of Industry are forty hospitals, thirteen workhouses, and eight mission rooms. These last operate as smaller centres from which the flowers are taken to the sick and dying in their immediate neighbourhood.

The Flower Mission has become quite a business. As much so as that of any florist in Covent Garden Market. Regularly as Wednesday and Thursday come round (for those are the working days), the railway vans call with their load of baskets, and call again to take back the empties. Go upstairs into the spacious room devoted to this work, and you will see piles of hampers that have come freighted with fragrance and brimful of beauty. Some of the baskets are made expressly for this work, and fitted with trays so as to keep the flowers from being crushed. Here is a desk at which the necessary book-keeping is done, and there, ranged on either side of a long table, a number of ladies are busy all the morning making up the bouquets, and attaching thereto the ornamental cards containing scripture texts, which loving hands have written for the purpose. As soon as they are prepared, the ladies sally forth in all directions with their muslin-covered baskets, fulfilling, as they go to the wilderness places and desolate homes of this great city, that old prophetic word, "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose."

The flowers are sent from all parts of the United Kingdom. We saw baskets from Kent, Cornwall, Devonshire, the Isle of Wight, and even from Wales. Sunday school children gather them in the lanes and hedgerows; governesses speak of "the bright, happy object given for country walks, and the sympathy thus awakened for the sick and suffering." And others, both boys and girls, are devoting their own little gardens entirely to the purposes of this Mission, and even studying how best to keep up a constant succession and variety of flowers for as many months in the year as possible. We mention these that others may be provoked to do in like manner.

Then as to the texts. Volunteers are very much wanted to join in this part of the work. Any imaginable sort of card will do, if only it

CHRISTIAN WORK IN THE EAST OF LONDON. 429

be large enough to contain some suitable text written in a good, bold, clear style, with the chapter and verse at the foot of it. There is room for the display of any amount of taste in preparing these cards. They may be cut into all sorts of shapes, as of butterflies, cups, fans, lighthouses, harps, open books, stars, scrolls, leaves, etc., etc. It is usual to give them a coloured border, and this again leaves room for the display of taste and skill, while not the least important part is the selection of suitable texts-texts which tell of Jesus, or which contain a promise, or give a gleam of hope, or a word of comfort to the poor, the sinful, the weak, the benighted, the suffering, and the dying. These texts give to the Mission its deepest significance, its holiest charm. They are always read whenever the flowers are given, and they are ever the basis of Christian teaching. In this way every text is (in a good sense, of course) a pretext for introducing the gospel and telling of him who is "the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys."

What more delightful work could many young ladies have on the coming winter nights, than the preparation of these cards? Such work would be at once agreeable to the mind, healthful to the soul, and acceptable to Christ; for of a work simple as this He will one day say, "Ye did it unto me."

Nor will the work cease in the winter. The flowers will all fade, but the Mission will not die. Love is ingenious, and when the flowers are over muslin bags filled with lavender will be distributed, each bearing, like the flowers, the scripture seed. It would take a long space to tell how these gifts are received. Rough men in low lodging-houses have accepted them, and in doing so have sometimes expressed their conviction of the genuineness of a religion that, seeking for no reward, led ladies to go and offer them gifts like these. The sick, of course, welcome them gladly. When the messengers enter the long wards of the various hospitals, the effect is that of a gleam of sunshine stealing from couch to couch, lighting up the wan faces with grateful smiles. One poor woman was heard telling her fellow-passengers in an omnibus that she had been in the hospital for eight months, and, she added, "it would have been a long weary time but that some kind ladies came and brought such sweet flowers-and more than that, there was such a beautiful text with each nosegay." In workhouses, too, the flowers are very much prized. The poor inmates are so secluded from the outer world, that messages, like these, which call up memories of country lanes, and remind them of their early cottage homes, are peculiarly welcome. Indeed, wherever they go, these

"Tiny gifts of fragrant flowers,

Each with holy words around,
On the suffering poor bestowed,
Speak with no uncertain sound,
But in cadence soft and clear,
Help the weary heart to cheer.

Some may hear an echo sweet
Of a long-forgotten strain,
Chords long hushed may thus vibrate,
And the truth an entrance gain;
So His works in various ways
Witness our Redeemer's praise."

J. FLETCHER.

GENERAL BAPTIST HOME MISSIONS.

Jesus said "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all the nations, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM."

Jesus said, "Ye shall be My witnesses both in JERUSALEM AND IN ALL JUDÆA, AND IN SAMARIA, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Paul said, "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ, on behalf of MY BRETHREN, MY KINSMEN ACCORDING TO THE FLESH."

THE following circular has been issued by the General Baptist Home Mission Committee to the Churches :—

You will have seen from the current Year Book, and also from a paper in the Magazine for October, that our Denominational Home Missionary work is entering upon a new career. It has long been deplored that this department of our united labours has lacked comprehensiveness, thoroughness, and the highest possible efficiency. Separate churches here and there have done nobly. Some have made the neighbouring villages their first solicitude, and have generously striven to saturate the inhabitants of those villages with the gospel of the grace of God: others have chivalrously ventured upon schemes of extension of considerable magnitude and difficulty. But as a "body" of Christians we have "left undone" more things we ought to have done" in this branch of our service than in any other.

Two churches out of every three have not collected for Home Missions all the year round; i.e., more than ONE HUNDRED of our churches have not had the subject before them in any shape whatever: for it is a fact that the churches that are doing local Home Mission work are also the best helpers of the denominational Mission. Again, our subscribers are counted by scores where they ought to be numbered by thousands. "Home Missionary Meetings" have been banished to the quarterly or half-yearly Conferences; and have not so much as been heard of in connection with the working arrangements of each church. Indeed, speaking broadly, if we had wished the Home Mission spirit to die out, we could scarcely have taken more appropriate measures.

Because a man looks well after his family, educates them fairly, teaches his sons a trade, and drills his daughters in the "domesticities," he is not therefore excused paying his parochial rates and Queen's taxes. Fidelity to his duties as a father does not absolve him from his responsibilities as a citizen. That a man loves his wife is no reason why he should neglect his country. So, albeit some of us are doing Home Mission work at our own doors, we are not thereby released from the obligation of making our DENOMINATIONAL contribution to England's evangelization as large in quantity, and pure in quality as possible. Every one of the 24,000 of our Israel, from the youngest to the oldest, and from the poorest to the richest, should have a share in this Divine, patriotic, and saving enterprise.

Our denominational credit, too, requires it. We have effectually organized, and are enthusiastically toiling, to save the Oriyas and the Italians. The Foreign Mission is rich in money, machinery, and motive. The College is full of men and of means. The Hymn Book is about to be

made the best in all Saxondom. The Magazine (spare our blushes !) is useful, "lively," and popular. Only the HOME MISSION lags behind! But it is the firmly-fixed resolve of your Committee to bring it abreast with our other institutions; and your officers will spare neither pains nor gifts till it is done. And, though we are sufficiently busy men, we will "stump" the denomination from end to end, if necessary, rather than leave this blot on our fair fame.

Three things we want just now; and we want them without any delay.

I. A DAY FIXED FOR COLLECTIONS FOR OUR FUNDS. Let this be arranged at the next church meeting if possible, so that the end of June may not arrive before your gifts are laid on the Lord's altar. Already some churches have prepared for collections. But it needs to be done in EVERY church throughout the Association.

II. THE APPOINTMENT OF A HOME MISSIONARY COLLECTOR, OR COLLECTORS, TO GATHER IN SUBSCRIPTIONS.-There are young men and women in the churches who will readily do this if asked and appointed. Let not the collectors hesitate to take small subscriptions, and let them take care that no one is injured by not being asked to contribute.

III. THE HOLDING OF MEETINGS expressly designed to increase the interest of the members of our churches in the spiritual welfare of our countrymen.

Be so good as to let me know, on a post card, as soon as possible, certainly before the year closes, the day fixed for your collections, and the names and addresses of your collectors. JOHN CLIFFORD.

THE FORTHCOMING SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.

BEFORE another month comes round the question of National Education will have moved another stage, but whether forward or backward, will depend upon the votes given in London and in most of the great towns at the close of November. It is the third time of electing School Boards; and, according to an old proverb, it seems to be expected by two parties, at least, that "it will pay for all." The first at the goal in 1876 will be likely to hold their prize for some time, and to determine the course taken by National Education for the next generation.

It is therefore a grave crisis. Two parties are in severe, foot-to-foot conflict. On the one hand are the clericals, who advocate the denominational system, insist on "distinctive" teaching, and are bent on getting State money for schools that are under private management: and on the other, there are those who oppose sectarianism, and desire to keep up the really national character of education, and give controlling power to those who find the money.

The so-called "logic of events " has recently, so far as Parliament is concerned, been in favour of the clericals. Lord SANDON's Act is saturated with theological and ecclesiastical bias, and is sure to be worked in every conceivable way to the prejudice of Board Schools, and in favour of the State-established sect. Privately managed schools are to be maintained out of public funds. Parents are to be compelled to send their children to schools in whose management they cannot have any direct or indirect voice. Indeed, the dissenter, patient creature that he is! is expected to see his children whipped into a school, paid for by public money, but managed by an individual who holds that he is ordained to show the said dissenter, two Sundays out of four, that his religion is wilful sin and schism, deserving the doom of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

And in this war all the clergy are in the same camp. They move as one man to take possession of National Education, and use it for their sectarian purposes. Evangelicals are not a whit better in this respect than full-blown Ritualists. In Paddington, for example, where the education was wholly voluntary and denominational, a school in Ranelagh Road was offered to the School Board of London. But the school is close to the church of St. Mary Magdalene, and the Rev. Temple West, whose fully pronounced Ritualism is well enough known, strongly objected, and sought to prevent the school from coming under the management of the London Board. This was not strange on his part. But that Evangelical clergymen, like the Rev. Daniel Moore, Archdeacon Hunter, and others considered to be the "lowest" of "Low" Churchmen, should endorse and promote the transfer of these children to the anti-Protestant and Roman Catholic teaching of St. Mary Magdalene's passes at once all comprehension and all endurance! However, the parents of the children were awake, and resolved not to be handed over to the tender mercies of Mr. West without a protest, and therefore presented a petition to the Board begging to come under their superintendence. On that occasion a working-man dressed in the livery of the Great Western Railway was asked whether he should object to his children going to Mr. West's, and he said, "Gentlemen, some time ago I did not care where my children went; but my eyes have been opened,