here there are a fair
number of British ships in the course of the year. The establishment
consists of two flats side by side, one of which supplies the chaplain
and his wife with a comfortable home; and the other, which communicates
with it, provides an institute, with papers and a billiard-table, etc.,
for the sailors, and a beautiful little chapel opening out of it. When
last there we had a reception, or social, in the institute, followed by
a service; after which we came back into the institute, and I had a talk
with the seamen and apprentices and one or two young fellows in the
business houses. I need not ask the reader if he thinks that little
church ought to be there or not.

Riga is a great port, also on the Baltic, and its beautiful church, with
a great spire, is close to the banks of the river. It has a splendid
position and is tremendously appreciated and well supported by a fairly
large and prosperous community. The service to mention here was my
Confirmation on the Russian Whitsun Day last year but one. Every one
comes to a Confirmation abroad, and it was to us at Riga a real
anniversary of the great gift of the HOLY SPIRIT. It was in the
afternoon, and we had had the Holy Communion at eight and Morning
Service at eleven as at home--but the Confirmation was at three, and was
_the_ service of the day.

It makes a great difference when a large congregation can really be
brought to pray during the short space of silence usually kept for the
purpose. They most certainly prayed that afternoon at Riga, and many
told me in touching language what an experience it had been to them.
These are _great_ opportunities abroad. A man in middle life told me
once, also abroad, what the confirmation of his daughter had been to him
that day after he had been led specially to pray in the service; and he
added, "I've never been at a Confirmation before this since my own at
Charterhouse, and I can only wish that it had meant more to me at the
time."

There is one other place to mention, the port which is historic for us
in more senses than one just now--Archangel. It is not actually upon the
White Sea, but a little distance up the Dvina, and is frequented by a
good number of British ships in the summer when the sea there is free
from ice. There is a church and a rectory, but no community at all, and
so the Russia Company send a chaplain there for the summer months to
visit the men aboard ship and hold services for them ashore.