ford to give up
our meetings for the next few months; but while the monster Intemperance
is ceaselessly devastating homes and blighting lives in all classes and
communities, let us not dream of giving our endeavours to meet and
vanquish the strong man armed a summer holiday."

The speaker wiped his brow and sat down, and significant glances went
round the room. When a minute later the votes were taken, there were
found to be only two members who did not cordially agree with the
proposal that the meetings of the Band of Hope should be continued all
through the year.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE RIGHT HAND THAT OFFENDED.

"EH, lass, but thou'rt a bad un ter be talkin' o' turnin' a new leaf;
with t' cursin', swearin' toongue, and t' drinkin' waays, dost think
it's gooin' ter be so foine and eaasy ter gi'e t' all o'er in sich a
moighty hoory?"

The question was addressed by a stalwart labouring man to his wife, as
he stood in the doorway of his little cottage, one of a few that nestled
at the foot of one of the Yorkshire hills, and from which could be seen
stretching yet further below, the smoky chimneys of a large
manufacturing town, in such as which England's wealth and commercial
prosperity are so largely centred.

"Lad, thee moight well woonder at a wicked wench loike thy lass talkin'
o' gettin' saaved; ay, and thee may sneer as mooch as thee loikes; aw
mun reeap as aw ha' sowed, and aw deserve thy haard woords, and
thee'll't not foind me makkin' ony raash booast; but aw mun saay ter
thee 'at, He who saaved t' thief on t' cross caanst saave a big sinner
loike me; ay, and keep me from t' swearin' and t' drinkin'," answered
his wife, who was busily engaged in sweeping a filthy floor, preparatory
to bestowing upon the blackened stones a hearty scrubbing.

"Weel, aw'll not heender thee, loike some 'ud do, if thee'll't see ter
my comforts as thou hast t' mornin'," replied John Ibbetson, thinking
with satisfaction of the unaccustomed luxury of a well-prepared
breakfast, which had been awaiting him on his arrival from his work
close by, at an early hour, that same morning. Pursuing his way thither
again, he thought of the strange events that had been crowded into a
short space of time. The invitation to the preaching of an evangelist in
the Mission Room on the hill-side, that had been given to his wife
yesterday morning; the call of a kindly-disposed neighbour, who herself
regularly attended th