1872.
The need of a Home further West--Burning of the Marchmont Home--Home
restored by Canadian gifts--Miss Macpherson and Miss Reavell arrive
in Canada--First visit to Knowlton in the East--Belleville Home
restored by Canadian friends--Help for the Galt Home--Miss Macpherson
returns to England--Miss Reavell remains at Galt.
In her first letter on returning to England Miss Macpherson writes:--
"BELOVED FELLOW-WORKERS,--Once more at home among the old familiar
scenes in the East of London, the sadness and the sin shadows our joy
and thanksgiving. My first visit in the immediate vicinity of the
Refuge I shall not soon forget.
"Taking good news of Andrew in Canada to his mother, I found his
father lying dead drunk in one corner, and his little brother lying
dead waiting to be carried off to the grave by the parish in the
other.
"In the first low women's lodging-house, I found a poor misguided
girl asking me, 'How's my little sister?'
"Passing on to Mr. Holland in George Yard, I cheered him with
answers to his many inquiries as to the placing out of his rescued
ones.
"Many a warm shake of the hand I had from poor costermongers and
grey-headed men, for what had been done for their belongings in
taking them from the sin and want around.
"My way is now open to go forward, as means permit, to rescue girls
and train them for Canada or for service in England."
Miss Macpherson goes on to tell of the purchase of the Galt Home,
300 miles westward, and states the need in these words:--
"We found that to educate our Canadian family, and thoroughly fit
them to be of value to the farmer, a few fields to work upon would be
an advantage, that they might see the effects of new soil and
climate, in the growth of vegetables, shrubs, and farm produce."
"Thou hast tried us as silver is tried. We went through fire and
through water, but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." This
was the experience of the beginning of the year 1872. Miss
Bilbrough's letter brings to mind Deut. xxxiii. 12.
"BELLEVILLE, _January 29_, 1872.
"DEAREST ANNIE,--It is indeed difficult to begin a letter to you,
when I know you always open our letters feeling sure of good news.
And yet this one brings you the best you ever had. Lives spared, I
trust, to work more than ever for Him who hath done such great things
for us. Our song is one of continual thankfulness and praise, and I
know you will join us in giving thanks. Our beautiful Home lies in
ruins, only the walls standing, and there is one little grave dug by
Benjamin Stanley's, containing the ashes of little Robbie Gray.
"I hardly know how to begin, it still seems so terrible and real.
"We had had a happy Sabbath. We were to have an early breakfast next
morning, and I awoke in the night thinking it was daylight. Miss
Baylis came to my door, which was shut, saying, 'Miss Bilbrough,
there's smoke!'
"I jumped up, and oh, the feeling, when I saw the house full of
dense white smoke! I knew well what it must be. I rushed to Mr.
Thorn's room, he was sleeping heavily, but I roused him, saying the
house was on fire; then I went down to the boys, Philips and Keen,
who were in the schoolroom, called them up and told them to save the
children, and rushed upstairs, nearly choked, calling 'Fire!'
"Mrs. Wade, Miss Baylis, Miss Moore, all came out. Downstairs I ran
again and unfastened the front door, and went to the corner of the
verandah. Philips was getting out the children, and the flames were
coming on with frightful rapidity; it was blowing a perfect
hurricane, and the whole building was enveloped in smoke and ashes; I
ran back half-way upstairs to see if I could get a dress, or my
cash-box, or watch, but I was too much suffocated, and had to get back
to the front door. Mrs. Wade, Miss Baylis, and the children, were
making for the fence. I saw Mr. Thorn, and called to him to search
again with Philips for the children.
"The intense cold in the snow seemed almost worse to bear than fire.
We all climbed the fence and ran to the nearest house. Poor Mrs. Wade
had got her hands frozen, even in that short time, as the thermometer
was about twelve or fifteen degrees below zero.
"Here we called over the names of the children; some were here, some
in another house, sitting over the stove with bare legs and only
their little shirts on. Soon little Robbie was found missing, but
Philips had lifted him out, and he had been seen running with the
others; we suppose that the poor child, blinded with smoke, ran to
the front door, and then went through into the schoolroom, the place
he knew best, where he must soon have been suffocated. It was all
over in a few minutes, all around was fearfully bright and lurid. The
engine came, but was of course too late, the fire spread with such
terrible rapidity.
"We sat almost stunned with fright and cold. Soon the Shearings and
Elliotts came, bringing clothes, &c., and we went to dear Mrs.
Elliott's house in a sleigh. It was not four A.M., and the fire was
almost out, burning round the verandah and the window-sills.
"Oh, how our hearts went up in thankfulness to God for sparing
mercies! A few moments more, and we dread to think of what might have
been. Miss Baylis' door being ajar, the smoke got in; mine was shut,
my room was free, but I saw the light on the window. Miss Moore was
in Miss Lowe's bedroom; she could not realise it, and, after being
first roused, was going to bed again.
"As soon as it was daylight I went with Mr. Thorn to see the ruins.
All around the melted snow had frozen like iron; the thermometer,
which was hung on the verandah, was found uninjured; nothing was
found but a table and one stove; all gone. Books, papers, clothes,
everything; but there in the blackened ruin lay distinctly the
charred frame of little Robbie. Mr. Thorn went for Dr. Holden and a
coffin, and the remains were brought to Mr. Elliott. Dear little
fellow, he was the most prepared of any of the little ones to go.
This is such a comfort to me now.
"I had gathered the little ones round me in the evening before the
fire, when the others were at church, and we had sung some sweet
hymns. I made Robbie especially stand beside me, and made him sing
alone. 'I will sing for Jesus,' was the hymn he chose. He sang it
sweetly. How little did I think in a few hours he would be singing
the 'new song' before the throne! His history in our book is very
touching. 'Robert Gray, aged six; a happy little man, who can say
little or nothing about himself.' The rest of the page is blank, as
he had never been away from Marchmont. An inquest was held over the
body. We wished it especially, so that we might have an investigation
as to the cause of the fire.
"Dearest Annie, when I think what it might have been, and the grief
of all at home, and the intense sorrow, oh, it makes one so thankful!
I felt Jesus very precious through it all, recognising His hand in so
many ways. I had had much blessed communion with Him that Sunday, and
several seasons of sweet prayer. I can fully realise that for me it
would have been all right, if the Lord had ordered it otherwise; but
for the sake of those at home I bless God for life spared, and trust
earnestly the Lord may give us all increased power and spiritual
life. Having passed through 'the fire,' may we also receive the
baptism of the Holy Ghost. And oh, may our lives be more and more
devoted to His service! Not our own, but bought with a price, may we
live more and more unto Him who hath loved us!
"Miss Moore was out at nine o'clock in the woodshed; all was safe
then. Mrs. Wade locked the doors at ten with stable lantern in the
wood-shed (the boys' summer dining-room), and then all was safe; the
fire in the kitchen stove was out. She came shivering in to-prayers a
little after ten. The parlour fire was nearly out, and Miss Baylis
and I were quite cold. The fire upstairs was not lit, nor had any
ashes been taken up on Sunday morning. If any had been removed on
Saturday, they were placed in iron vessels in the first kitchen. The
fire broke out in the further corner of the wood-shed. The cause is
so far quite unknown, and will, I suppose, ever remain so.
"I send you the account of the inquest, and other papers, as I know
well it is better to see and know all particulars. I cannot, however,
tell of all the kindness and sympathy we have met with--a telegram
from Mr. Claxton, offering money, &c., Hon. George Alien wishing to
take the children; Mr. Eason: 'I am praying for you, can I help by
coming?' numbers of friends coming with clothes of every kind;
subscriptions got up to start a new Home immediately; sewing
societies at work and ladies canvassing the town in every direction
for help to furnish another Home at once. I could not even begin to
particularise our friends. Mr. Flint came up at eight, begging me to
come to his house.
"This afternoon we have buried little Robin. The service was held in
Mr. Elliott's church.
"How often we have thought of home friends during the last few days,
and longed that you might not hear the news in any way till this
reaches you, which will be nearly three weeks! and now you must fancy
us happy at our work again, and as much under the loving care and
protection of our God as ever, trusting only to Him for everything,
that whether absent from the body, or still in the flesh, we may be
more and more filled with faith and love for the Lord's work.
"Wednesday. We seem each day to realise only more fully our
marvellous escape. The firemen say they never remember such a night,
nor saw a house burn so rapidly. Now every one is so kind; things
keep pouring in for the new Home;--it is to be Canadian this time,
not English. Mr. Flint says he has written to you, telling you all,
but he could not tell you one quarter of the kindness we have met
with on every hand.
"Oh, that verse in Isa. lxiv. II, is so expressive:
"'Our beautiful house where we praised Thee is burnt up with fire,
and all our pleasant things are laid waste.' What a ruin Marchmont is
now! the blackened ashes all around--nothing but the walls standing.
I feel such mingled feelings as I look at it--all the happy days we
have spent there--the holy associations never to return again.
"'We have no continuing city here,' was the text which filled Mr.
Thorn's mind, and it is one we hope more than ever to keep before us.
This trial seems to have given the four of us deeper sympathy and
interest together. So nearly entering eternity together, and yet
saved, we trust, to render more devoted service to the Master, for
having passed through this fiery trial.
"I can hardly bear to think of all the sorrow you are feeling for
us; but oh! let thanksgiving and praise be uppermost. It is the one
thought that fills our minds. We are wonderful in health, no cold,
and are as occupied as possible, looking after the children, and
preparing for the new Home. Happily, Charlie the horse, the sleigh,
and the buffalo robes are safe, and most useful we find them now.
"I am so thankful that it will be nearly three weeks ere you know,
and you must think of it as past and gone, and, if possible, just at
first see the beginning of great good in making the work more known,
and rousing the sympathies of others."
What, Marchmont gone!
That pleasant Home nought but a memory now;
And yet, in humble thankfulness we bow,--
Father, Thy will be done.
It was but lent:
Thou wilt not that Thy children fix their heart
On aught below: theirs is a better part--
A treasury unspent.
Still are its memories dear!
The maple shadows that around it lay,
Stirred by the breezes from the silvery bay,
Or bathed in moonlight clear--
How fair were they!
Lovely when decked with earliest buds of spring,
Loveliest when radiant autumn came to fling
A glory on each spray.
Oh home of praise and prayer!
Where glad sweet voices raised the morning hymn,
Pleaded for blessing in the twilight dim,
Or thrilled the midnight air.
Can we forget
The meetings and the partings we have known?
The welcome glad, the farewell's sadder tone--
Ah, we remember yet.
We were not there
When thro' its halls the fierce destroyer swept;
But God was watching, while our dear ones slept--
Safe were they in His care.
All safe with Him;
Yes, for our Robbie "sings for Jesus" now
In sweeter tones, with far more sunny brow,
And eyes no tear's can dim.
They wait His word--
Stanley and Robbie side by side--and we
Caught up together with them soon shall be
For ever with the Lord.
S. R. GELDARD.
All former kindness was as nothing compared to that now received, as
will be seen by the following from Miss Bilbrough:--
"BELLEVILLE, _February 2, 1872_.
"I know that many many prayers are now being offered for us, and
that the Lord is answering them every minute, giving us sustaining
grace and wisdom, and help as to the future. I knew it would be five
weeks before I could hear from you, and I could trust that all we
might arrange here would meet your approval, as it has generally done.
"However, the Belleville people, with Mr. Flint at their head, quite
took the matter out of my hand, being determined that they would
provide and furnish themselves a still better house than Marchmont.
The sympathy awakened is great, and the pleasure of friends at
hearing that we could have a large substantial house on the Kingston
Road for our orphan children was equally so. Mr. Flint has secured it
for three years, the Council paying the rent and taxes, and
sufficient is already gathered to furnish it. So that when the first
arrivals come in May, all will be ready for them.
"How good the Lord is! even out of apparent trial He brings the
good. We had been praying for special blessing, and in this way,
(strange as it seems to us), we do recognise the answer."
In March, Miss Macpherson writes:--
"BELOVED FRIENDS,--While you are reading this, my pathway will again
be upon the mighty deep. The Lord willing, I look to leave Liverpool
by steam-ship 'Scandinavian,' March 7th. Miss Reavell, who has for
two years been our scribe in the Refuge, accompanies me. Your prayers
have gone up that blessing may be ours, as a little band of feeble
workers for our Lord, and if He has been pleased to try our faith by
the trial of fire, shall we not praise Him for anything His loving
hand doth send us? And as one has beautifully said, 'What God takes
it is always gain to lose.' Heaven is nearer now our little Robbie is
there; Jesus is dearer, and has quickened us all by His constraining
love.
"My object in going now to Canada without children is twofold.
Strength being given, my desire is to visit the new districts, where
I hope in the coming summer to place out the hundreds now under
excellent training and holy influence here and in Scotland, and to
find out Christian families who may be willing to receive them on
arrival. Plead that the Holy Spirit may fill with power those who are
daily seeking to win these wanderers back to the fold.
"Secondly, I wish to make use of the late sad calamity, and God's
wonderful interposition in saving life, so that the teaching may not
be lost upon the hundreds of immortal souls connected with our
mission."
It is impossible to describe the eagerness with which the arrival of
these dear friends was looked for, and day after day, those in
service in and around Belleville would come with the hope of seeing
them. And among these were former match-box makers, who had been
rescued from such depths of sorrow; one of whom had already saved
from her wages sufficient to pay her brother's passage out, besides
bringing offerings of her own work towards the furnishing of Miss
Macpherson's room in the new House. Through many dangers they were
brought safely, in answer to many prayers, but Miss Reavell had
suffered much on the voyage, and one special instance of the Lord's
care I cannot help here recording, "They shall abundantly utter the
memory of Thy great goodness." Miss Reavell had been a most diligent
and necessary labourer at the Home of Industry night and day. At sea
her strength seemed to fail; she only existed on oranges, and the
last orange was gone. In the midst of a fearful storm, signals were
made by another vessel that they were without food, and the life-boat
was put off from the steamer, carrying to the distressed vessel a
barrel of flour and pork In return, a thank-offering came in the
shape of two boxes of the best oranges, the ship being from Palermo,
bound for New York with a cargo of fruit. "Even the very hairs of
your head are all numbered."
The visit of Miss Barber, a Canadian lady of influence, to the Home
of Industry, was the means of interesting friends in the Eastern
Townships' Province of Quebec, and of leading them to open a Home at
Knowlton.
The following letter is from Miss Macpherson:--
"The year's experiment in this new district will enable us to test it
as to whether it will be a suitable one for our children; if so, it
will not cost many pounds of English money. The old house we have
taken was formerly a tavern, and its ball-room will make us an
excellent dormitory; the rent is only 20 pounds, and is paid entirely
by a Canadian. Should the children thrive under the fostering care of
our dear friend Miss Barber (now doubly dear to us all after the
winter of help she has given us in the East of London), there will be
no difficulty in establishing a permanent Home, built of brick, half
of the necessary sum having already been subscribed in and around
Sheffield, Leeds, and Nottingham; and the other half our friends in
the province of Quebec have freely offered to collect. Thus will those
both on this side and at home share the benefits; the old country
seeing hundreds educated that might otherwise in a few years become
expensive criminals, and the new country, receiving, ere habits are
fixed, young life which, in future, will call Canada 'the home of its
adoption.'
"Though, according to all accounts, this is an uncommonly heavy
snow-season, I have no fears for the children, the air is so dry and
clear, and well fitted to invigorate their frames. This morning I
started about five o'clock, and soon forgot the fear which had crept
over me but a week ago, when I took my first winter journey among
these snowy hills. 'Knowledge is power,' and the experience of dangers
met and passed gives quietness and confidence.
"You will be imagining that owing to these prolonged snow-storms all
work is stayed. Not so; everything goes on most vigorously--lumbering,
carting, cutting wood for summer's need. Ladies seem
always busy; yet as it is often seen, those who have most to do can
best arrange to be at leisure. There is an education of forethought
caused by having to watch against the heat and cold; this has deeply
interested me in the practical manner in which they are going to work
in furnishing this Eastern Townships' Home. In return for the
kindness shown to this Mission, may the whole district be spiritually
blessed, and may our loving Lord be the joy and strength of each
faithful labourer!
"The heavy calamity that it pleased our Father to send by fire, has
accomplished in a few weeks that which would otherwise, humanly
speaking, have taken many years to make known. Our motives and
principles of service were all new, and even our simple faith and
trust in prayer were often misunderstood. Though we had travelled
several thousands of miles in Canada, seeking to stir up Christians
to aid us in finding and watching over the right home for our
children, we had no medium on this side like 'The Christian,' by
which we could communicate with those like-minded, and tell them of
our burdens.
"The Hon. B. Flint tells us how the hearts of his fellow-townsmen
were moved with compassion on hearing of the destruction of the
Children's Home, on that terrible night, and that some of them
attempted to ascend the hill and offer aid, but had to turn back,
unable to face the hurricane and tempest.
"The citizens of Belleville have contributed freely towards
replacing the Home, and the Lord's dear children all over the land
have sent their love-offerings. The County Council received
testimonies from many of the homesteads concerning the six hundred
children placed out round Belleville, and generously contributed 500
dollars to show their esteem for the work. The funds in hand led Mr.
Flint, after the withdrawal of the rented house at first proposed, to
purchase a freehold of three and a quarter acres, possessing a good
house and out-buildings, which were adapted to our use by the
addition of dormitories, and furnished by the aid of the ladies of
Belleville. This Home is now given to us for so long as it shall be
used by our mission band in connection with the emigration of
children to this district."
In April, a detachment of thirty elder boys arrived, to be followed
quickly by others.
In June 1872, when 150 emigrants arrived, 50 children were sent to
each of the three Homes now opened to receive them, and for several
years this order was observed, until other arrangements were made to
meet the growing character of the work.
The following tells of the progress of the Galt Home:--
"Many will wish to know how this Home at Galt shapes itself, and
would be amused at the varied occupations of the past week.
"A Canadian springtime is very brief, so we have had to buy a span
of horses and a plough, and, with the aid of other neighbours'
ploughs, the corn and clover seed will soon be all sown. The ladies
of several churches have met in the council-chamber, and worked at
all household gear, others superintending the house arrangements, and
purchasing necessary things.
"My part has been that of a faithful recipient, giving praise from
hour to hour to Him who hath laid my every burden here on His own
children's hearts. The past little season has been to me a precious
rest-time, seeing others work. We expect to be all in order by the
arrival of our next party. The threshing-floor we have transformed
into a dining-room; one of the barns is fitted up as a dormitory. The
chaff-house makes a lavatory; and, from the interest around, we do
not expect to keep our little men very long out of the homes waiting
for them.
"The love-tokens here, as at home, are varied in their character.
Our farmer's wife has set us up with poultry, another with eggs; a
little boy brought us his pet hen as an offering; indeed, wherever we
turn, some kind thought is shown, and our hearts are gladdened, and
our faith is able to rejoice at the prospect of returning home, and
gathering up another thousand precious young immortals from the
depths of our sin-stricken cities, and placing them out in homes
where Jesus is loved."
In June, Miss Macpherson was welcomed back with warm thanksgivings,
having left the Home at Galt under the wise and loving care of her
faithful companion, Miss Reavell. In after years Mr. and Mrs. Merry
devoted themselves chiefly to this branch of the work, and have been
the watchful and tender foster parents of this ever-varying family.
It would be hard to say whether Mrs. Merry's presence was more valued
here, or among the sorrowful widowed mothers in Spitalfields.