my Victorian
Commission and my Glasgow address, a condensed epitome of the results of
the New Hebrides Mission and of the reasons for asking a new Steam
Auxiliary Ship. To this chiefly is due the fact, as well as to my
refusing to call for subscriptions, that the far greater portion of all
the money came to me by letter. On one day, though no doubt a little
exceptional, as many as seventy communications reached me by post; and
every one of these contained something for our fund-ranging from "a few
stamps," and "the widow's mite," through every variety of figure up to
the wealthy man's fifty or hundred pounds. I was particularly struck
with the number of times that I received L1, with such a note as, "From
a servant-girl that loves the Lord Jesus;" or "From a servant-girl that
prays for the conversion of the Heathen." Again and again I received
sums of five and ten shillings, with notes such as--"From a working-man
who loves his Bible;" or "From a working-man who prays for God's
blessing on you and work like yours every day in Family Worship." I
sometimes regret that the graphic, varied, and intensely interesting
notes and letters were not preserved; for by the close of my tour they
would have formed a wonderful volume of leaves from the human heart.

I also addressed every Religious Convention to which I was invited, or
to which I could secure access. The Perth Conference was made memorable
to me by my receiving the first large subscription for our Ship, and by
my making the acquaintance of a beautiful type of Christian merchant. At
the close of the meeting, at which I had the privilege of speaking, an
American gentleman introduced himself to me. We at once entered into
each other's confidence, as brothers in the Lord's service. I afterwards
learned that he had made a competency for himself and his family, though
only in the prime of life; and he still carried on a large and
flourishing business--but why? to devote _the whole profits_, year after
year, to the direct service of God and His cause among men? He gave me a
cheque for the largest single contribution with which the Lord had yet
cheered me. God, who knows me, sees that I have never coveted money for
myself or my family; but I did envy that Christian merchant the joy that
he had in having money, and having the heart to use it as a steward of
the Lord Jesus!

Thereafter I was invited to the annual Christian Conference at Dundee. A
most peculiar experience befell