ifying and become sanctified by grace, made the
sufferers as an angel in the house, do what otherwise they never
would have done, by the example of her becoming the foundress of
this institution--but she was present, and I could not trust myself
to say all I felt. May God's blessing rest abundantly on this good
work.--I am ever, most sincerely yours,
S. OXON.

Mrs. Gilbert.

We have now the result of Bessie's three years of arduous labour. Her
institution was fairly afloat. The Bishop of London had consented to act
as president, and the Rev. Thomas Dale, Canon of St. Paul's, was the
vice-president. Notices of the meeting appeared in the London papers,
and were copied in provincial papers. Donations, inquiries, and orders
increased, and so did applications for employment from blind men and
women. The Bishop of Chichester had written a prayer to be read before
Committee meetings, and this prayer was used by Bessie until the last
day of her life. She looked upon it as a solemn sign of her father's
approval, and as sanctifying all her efforts on behalf of the blind.[6]

No period of her life was so rich and full as the few years that
followed the first development of her scheme. She was surrounded by
friends who were enthusiastic in the cause, ready to serve her, and
willing that she should guide and control the work which she had
initiated. Some of those who gathered round her in 1857 are still
working for the institution. Captain, afterwards Colonel Fyers, who for
a time filled the part of honorary secretary, was a faithful and
generous friend to the blind from 1857 until his death in July 1886. Mr.
Summers still sits on the Committee.

One of the first things done by the Committee was to take a lease of the
house occupied by Levy, then known as 21 South Row, and subsequently as
127 Euston Road. It was prepared as a factory for the blind. Rooms were
set apart for the various trades, and the requisite fittings and tools
were supplied. A large front room on the first floor was assigned to
women.

Many informalities and irregularities which had sprung up insensibly
whilst the undertaking was small and private had now to be abolished.
The Committee directed that subscriptions and donations should no longer
pass through the trade cash book, and we may assume that a strict method
of book-keeping was adopted.

An initial difficulty there was, and