t time after his confession of faith in the SAVIOUR
there was a meeting of the sect over which he had formerly presided. I
accompanied him to that meeting, and there, to his former
co-religionists, he testified of the peace he had obtained in believing.
Soon after, one of his former companions was converted and baptized.
Both now sleep in JESUS. The first of these two long continued to preach
to his countrymen the glad tidings of great joy. A few nights after his
conversion he asked how long this Gospel had been known in England. He
was told that we had known it for some hundreds of years.

"What!" said he, amazed; "is it possible that for hundreds of years you
have had the knowledge of these glad tidings in your possession, and yet
have only now come to preach it to us? My father sought after the Truth
for more than twenty years, and died without finding it. Oh, why did you
not come sooner?"

A whole generation has passed away since that mournful inquiry was made;
but how many, alas! might repeat the same question to-day? More than two
hundred millions in the meanwhile have been swept into eternity, without
an offer of salvation. How long shall this continue, and the MASTER'S
words, "To every creature," remain unheeded?

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CHAPTER XVI

TIMELY SUPPLIES

NOT infrequently our GOD brings His people into difficulties on purpose
that they may come to know Him as they could not otherwise do. Then He
reveals Himself as "a very present help in trouble," and makes the heart
glad indeed at each fresh revelation of a FATHER'S faithfulness. We who
only see so small a part of the sweet issues of trial often feel that we
would not for anything have missed them; how much more shall we bless
and magnify His Name when all the hidden things are brought to light!

In the autumn of 1857, just one year after I came to settle in Ningpo, a
little incident occurred that did much to strengthen our faith in the
loving-kindness and ever-watchful care of GOD.

A brother in the LORD, the Rev. John Quarterman, of the American
Presbyterian Mission North, was taken with virulent small-pox, and it
was my mournful privilege to nurse him through his suffering illness to
its fatal close. When all was over, it became necessary to lay aside the
garments worn while nursing, for fear of conveying the infection to
others. Not having sufficient money in hand to purchase what was needful
in order to make this chan