stituting a work among destitute girls,
which issued in the Luke Street Girls' Home where hundreds of poor girls
were taught to live respectable and Christian lives. These various forms
of Christian service gave her tact and experience in dealing with the
poor, which proved invaluable in her subsequent work in Egypt. As her
sister says, "The Irish Church Mission work was the preparatory training
to which she always especially looked back with thankfulness. The
admirable manner of teaching and explaining Scripture employed in their
schools she felt to have been the most valuable education for her
subsequent life-work." [l]

[Footnote 1: _Life of Mary L. Whately_, by E.J. Whately, p. 15.]

In 1856, as she was in ill health, it was recommended that she should
spend the winter in a warmer climate. Egypt was chosen, and, accompanied
by a friend, she landed at Alexandria and proceeded to Cairo, where she
remained several months. This was her first acquaintance with what was
to be the land of her adoption. Before returning home in the spring of
1857 she made a prolonged tour in Syria and Palestine. She took much
note of the mission work carried on in various places, and so greatly
interested was she in the work among Jewesses then carried on in
Jerusalem that she had some thoughts of giving it for a time her
personal assistance.

III.

FIRST EFFORTS IN CAIRO.

The year 1860 was one of sorrow and bereavement to Mary Whately. She
lost first her youngest sister, then her mother. Under the strain of
nursing and sorrow her own health was seriously affected, and she was
ordered by the doctors to spend the winter in a warmer climate. Her
thoughts recurred to Egypt and her former pleasant sojourn there;
accordingly she selected Cairo as her residence, purposing in her heart
to make an attempt to bring the Gospel within reach of the Moslem women
and girls. Egypt was then very different from what it is now. Railways
were but just beginning to make their appearance, the Suez Canal was not
yet cut, European customs, now so prevalent, had scarcely begun to
invade the age-long usages of the upper classes. English residents in
Cairo and tourists up the river were alike few in number. Few outside
influences had been brought to bear on the Mohammedan population to
moderate their extreme bigotry and hatred of anything called
_Christian_--a word which they invariably associated with the picture
and image worship of the members of the