y visited the little congregations of
Friends which lie to the westward of that city, and had to record that
the presence of their Divine Master went with them, giving them his word
to declare, and inclining the hearts of the hearers to receive it.

A letter from John Rowntree, which reached them towards the end of the
year, contains some observations on the work they had found to do in their
journey, with an interesting notice of what was passing in England.

Scarborough, 11 mo. 14, 1842.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

.... The plan of your meetings for Scripture instruction seems to me
particularly good; you will, through them, have numerous opportunities for
impressing on the minds of your hearers the inestimable value of the Holy
Scriptures, when properly received, and made available by the enlightening
influence of the Holy Spirit, and the worthlessness--nay, the danger--of
resting satisfied with a mere knowledge of their words. The words of our
Lord were "spirit and life" to those who would receive them as such; yet
how many who heard them were to be judged by them at the that day, because
they believed not.

We still hear sad accounts of distress in the manufacturing districts of
the country. Some of your friends have probably informed you that at our
last Quarterly Meeting much sympathy was expressed for the destitute
artizans, and a liberal subscription was commenced, and was to be carried
forward in all our meetings for their relief: a few days ago it amounted
to L800--I hope it will exceed L1000: but what is that, it may be said,
among so many? yet I hope much good may be done by it, and Friends in
other parts of the nation seem to be considering whether they ought not to
make some efforts for similar purposes. At Liverpool we hear that upwards
of L200 has been raised.

You will probably have heard of the very sudden death of Jonathan
Backhouse, whilst his wife was laboring under a religious engagement in
the north of our county. His change seemed a translation from that state
of strong but imperfect love which a member of the militant Church might
feel here below, to that fullness of love which his Saviour had purchased
for him above.

In the Third Month, 1843, they quitted Nismes, taking their young friend
Jules Paradon as their companion.

The parting, says J.Y., from the dear family at the school was sorrowful.
Before taking leave, we had a religious opportunity with the children, in
which all hearts w