for GOD; and prayer
was often the only resource by which the burdened heart could gain any
relief.

As a long absence from China appeared inevitable, the next question was
how best to serve China while in England, and this led to my engaging
for several years, with the late Rev. F. F. Gough of the C. M. S., in
the revision of a version of the New Testament in the colloquial of
Ningpo for the British and Foreign Bible Society. In undertaking this
work, in my short-sightedness I saw nothing beyond the use that the
Book, and the marginal references, would be to the native Christians;
but I have often seen since that, without those months of feeding and
feasting on the Word of GOD, I should have been quite unprepared to
form, on its present basis, a mission like the CHINA INLAND MISSION.

In the study of that Divine Word I learned that, to obtain successful
labourers, not elaborate appeals for help, but, _first_, earnest _prayer
to GOD to thrust forth labourers_, and, _second_, the deepening of the
spiritual life of the church, so that _men should be unable to stay at
home_, were what was needed. I saw that the Apostolic plan was not to
raise ways and means, but _to go and do the work_, trusting in His sure
Word who has said, "Seek ye _first_ the Kingdom of GOD and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

In the meantime the prayer for workers for CHEH-KIANG was being
answered. The first, Mr. Meadows, sailed for China with his young wife
in January 1862, through the kind co-operation and aid of our friend Mr.
Berger. The second left England in 1864, having her passage provided by
the Foreign Evangelisation Society. The third and fourth reached Ningpo
on July 24th, 1865. A fifth soon followed them, reaching Ningpo in
September 1865. Thus the prayer for the five workers was fully answered;
and we were encouraged to look to GOD for still greater things.

Months of earnest prayer and not a few abortive efforts had resulted in
a deep conviction that _a special agency was essential_ for the
evangelisation of Inland China. At this time I had not only the daily
help of prayer and conference with my beloved friend and fellow-worker
the late Rev. F. F. Gough, but also invaluable aid and counsel from Mr.
and Mrs. Berger, with whom I and my dear wife (whose judgment and piety
were of priceless value at this juncture) spent many days in prayerful
deliberation. The grave difficulty of possibly interfering wit