Though now laid aside by
ill health, he sends tracts and writes letters to many, and so continues
to be, in the hand of the Lord, the means of winning souls; and in
addition to this, sets an example of a holy and godly life.

Another little incident I must notice here. While I was still working in
this place, I received a letter from home, telling me that they were all
well, and very happy in the country, but that they wanted me back again,
and thought I had been away quite long enough. Besides this, it was time
to be getting summer things, for which they would want at least ten
pounds. I had no money to send; and though I might have asked many kind
friends, I felt a difficulty about it. I do not think it was pride. I
had put myself and all my affairs into God's hands; and though I was not
ashamed to tell our circumstances to any one who asked me, I made it a
rule not to mention my troubles or wants to any but the Lord. I read the
cheerful parts of my letter at breakfast, and kept the other till I went
upstairs. There I spread the letter on the bed at which I knelt, and
read to the Lord the part that troubled me. I was praying about it, when
there came a knock at the door, and before I had time to say "Come in,"
my friend F--- entered. Seeing me on my knees, he apologized for
intruding, and in his shy way put a ten-pound note into my hand, saying,
"I am ashamed it is not more; but will you accept that?" With this, he
made for the door; but I detained him, in order to show him the part of
my letter I had not read in the morning. I said, "I was just reading it
to the Lord; and look, while I was still on my knees, He has sent you
with the answer. It is the exact sum I want, so do not apologize for it.
I thank God and thank you. I will send this off at once."

CHAPTER 29

Tregoney, 1855.

It was time now to be returning southward and homeward; which I did by
several stages, stopping to preach in various places on the way. At
length I reached the village in Cornwall, where my family were lodging
in the farmhouse I have already mentioned.

Here, the two clergymen were rather afraid of me, and avoided asking me
to preach in the church. They had both been converted (or, at least, so
they said) more than a year; but instead of working for God, they were
bent on Romanizing. One of them said that there was no salvation in the
Church of England; and the other showed me a sealed letter he had in his
desk, which, he said, he