best I
could. Few in the other Denominations of Victoria gave any help, but the
Presbyterians rose to our appeal as with one heart. God moved them by
one impulse; and Ministers, Superintendents, Teachers, and Children,
heartily embraced the scheme as their own. I addressed three or four
meetings every Sabbath, and one or more every week-day; and thus
traveled over the length and breadth of Victoria, Tasmania, and South
Australia. Wheresoever a few of the Lord's people could be gathered
together, thither I gladly went, and told the story of our Mission,
setting forth its needs and claims.

The contributions and collections were nearly all in very small sums, I
recall only one exception,--a gift of L250 from the late Hon. G. F.
Angus, South Australia, whose heart the Lord had touched. Yet gently and
steadily the required money began to come pouring in; and my personal
outlays were reduced to a minimum by the hospitality of Christian
friends and their kindly conveying of me from place to place. For all
this I felt deeply grateful; it saved money for the Lord's work.

The work was unceasingly prosecuted. Meetings were urged upon me now
from every quarter. Money flowed in so freely that, at the close of my
tour, the fund had risen to L5000, including special Donations of L300
for the support of Native Teachers. Many Sabbath Schools, and many
ladies and gentlemen, had individually promised the sum of L5 yearly to
keep a Native Teacher on one or other of the New Hebrides Islands. This
happy custom prevails still, and is largely developed; the sum required
being now L6 per annum at least--for which you may have your own
personal representative toiling among the Heathen and telling them of
Jesus.

Returning to Melbourne, the whole matter was laid before my Committee. I
reported how God had blessed the undertaking, and what sums were now in
the hands of the several Treasurers, indicating also larger hopes and
plans which had been put into my soul. Dear Dr. Cairns rose and said,
"Sir, it is of the Lord. This whole enterprise is of God, and not of us.
Go home, and He will give you more Missionaries for the Islands."

Of the money which I had raised, L3000 were sent to Nova Scotia, to pay
for the building of our new Mission Ship, the _Dayspring._ The Church
which began the Mission on the New Hebrides was granted the honor of
building our new Mission Ship. The remainder was set apart to pay for
the outfit and passage of additiona