re, that I visited a family by request a few evenings
since in the upper part of New York City. During our religious
conversation I asked the mother of the family how she was led to Christ.
Her husband, daughters, and sons were all seated around her at the time,
a happy family circle. "Well," she replied, "about twenty-three years
ago, when my children were little, Mrs. Knowles met me on the street,
coming from the store. She said, 'Excuse me, lady, will you accept a
tract?' I answered yes. 'Will you read it,' she inquired, 'if I give you
one?' I promised I would. She further asked me, 'Have you any children?'
'Yes.' 'Do they go to Sabbath-school?' 'No.' 'Will you send them if I
call for them next Lord's Day morning?' 'Yes.' She called the following
Sabbath, and asked if the children were ready. 'They are all ready,' I
said, 'but one, and her shoes are not good enough; but wait and I will
go out and buy a new pair.' 'Oh,' said Mrs. Knowles, 'never mind buying
shoes to-day, I will call next Sabbath for them.' I did not know the
reason _then_ why she would not allow me to get the shoes, but I know
_now_. She did not wish me to break the holy Sabbath day. Then she
persuaded me to attend church, until I found Jesus as my Saviour. I was
in the habit of going to her with all my trouble, and she would say,
'Oh, well, never mind, don't tell anyone but your Heavenly Father about
it.'"

CHAPTER XXXIV.

CONVERSION OF CHILDREN.

We are so helpless, Lord,
Thou art all power and might;
Our path is often drear,
Be thou our light.
We have no hope but thee;
Oh, leave us not alone,
Till life's brief day is o'er,
Still guard thine own.

Her joy in bringing children to the Sabbath-school was great, but when
she led them to Christ it was sublime. Why should she not be interested
in their early conversion, when Jesus said, "Suffer the little children
to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of
Heaven." I desire to state here, that when I was a boy, about nine
years of age, I attended a prayer-meeting between the morning and
afternoon services, led by an elder of the Relief U.P. Church,
Greenock, and was so deeply impressed with Divine truth that I gathered
my playmates together, and invited them to a meeting of my own across
the burn at the foot of grandfather's garden, near Dr. McCulloch's
established church, where we boys read God's Word in turn sang the
sweet