1877-1879.
"They helped every one his neighbour"--Miss Child, a fellow-labourer
--The work in Ratcliff Highway--Strangers' Rest for Sailors--"Welcome
Home"--"Bridge of Hope"--Miss Macpherson's twenty-first voyage to
Canada--Explosion on board the "Sardinian"--Child life in the Galt
Home--The Galt Home now devoted to children from London, Knowlton to
those from Liverpool, and Marchmont to Scottish Emigrants.
"They helped every one his neighbour, and every one said to his
brother, Be of good courage" (margin, be strong). Miss Macpherson
writes in February this year, the eighth anniversary:--
"As a band, we need to '_be strong_' for any emergency. At this
season we are surrounded by hundreds of men out of employment, and in
want of food, who say now to us--'We have listened to your Gospel;
we are in want; show us thy faith by thy works.' This we are
endeavouring to do by providing for them suppers of soup and bread
twice a week. The other evening a crowd had gathered outside the door
at the specified hour, when only 150 could be admitted. Did we but
know the gnawings of real hunger we should not wonder that the
unsuccessful applicants attempted to burst in; and one poor man
falling in the crush, broke his arm.
"We need your prayers while dealing with this class for another
month. Strong hearts quail at the sight of these hopeless looking
men. Our evening-school three times a week, taught by ladies, we find
to be the most successful plan of dealing with them. The being called
by their _own names_, man by man, wakes up an interest, and
causes the public-house life to go into the shade.
"The friends of the match box-makers (our oldest love in this
vineyard) will rejoice to hear that we gathered 300 of them straight
from their boxes to a New Year's tea, when a kind friend helped to
make the evening a pleasant one by exhibiting dissolving views. After
this the gifts of clothing, &c., with which we had been supplied by
many contributors, were distributed among them.
"Last week we had a very happy evening with our Christian band, many
of whom were the matchbox-makers of former days, now grown, into
young women, and fellow-workers for Christ in their own homes, and in
the courts and alleys where they dwell. Deeply interesting were their
testimonies of answers to prayer, the power of the Word, and
delivering grace in time of trial in the factories where they labour.
Dear helpers by prayer, you now behold what great things the Lord
hath wrought for us in giving us this band of young women to go forth
on the Sunday afternoons in couples with their tracts, and reach many
whom perhaps we might not find. Some of these are also teachers in
our Sunday-school, sympathising with us in our East-end trials,
teaching to others what they have learned of Jesus through their own
experience of His great love.
"The 'elder girls' of the East-end are a continual heavy burden on
our heart; much thought and care are being bestowed in devising and
perfecting plans for winning their young lives to the Saviour, and
fitting them for honourable service for God and man. This great
preventive work among those young bread-winners can only be
successfully accomplished by those who, through studying their
habits, temptations, and surroundings, by constant loving contact
with them, and by special training, are able to win their confidence
and affection."
In this year a new and most important work was begun, one which has
eminently received the blessing of "Him who is the confidence of all
the ends of the earth, and of those who are afar off upon the sea."
Miss Child, one like-minded with Miss Macpherson inter zeal for
souls, and her longing to save them from the curse of drink; had been
residing in the Home of Industry, and visiting public-houses in
Ratcliff Highway. To those who have never seen the open parade of sin
in that part, (long notorious for every evil), it is hard to
describe the scene, where even in broad daylight the unhappy captives
of Satan seem to glory in their shame. Miss Child's heart yearned
over the sailors who crowd the public-houses, escaped from the perils
of the sea only to fall into worse dangers. She longed for some means
of helping them. Miss Macpherson appealed to him whose burning words
in the City of London Theatre in 1861 had so stirred her own heart
Mr. Reginald Radcliffe had lately opened a Strangers' Rest in
Liverpool, and only longed to see the same established in every port
in the world. In answer to the call, he came up to London and
addressed Christian workers assembled at the Home of Industry,
stirring them up to undertake a new form of attack on the strongholds
of the enemy. Mr. James E. Matheson took the deepest interest in this
work, and a house was secured in Ratcliff Highway, the appearance of
which was made to contrast very strongly with all around. Gospel
texts in many languages appeared in all the windows, and invitations
to sailors to enter and write their letters, materials provided free
of cost. This work needed many helpers. Preachers were required for
the different nationalities. Such were found, and willing listeners,
so that soon a larger house was necessary. Notwithstanding the many
calls on her time and strength, Miss Macpherson was frequently to be
found here, delighting in seeking to save among a class hitherto
difficult to reach. Many other sisters in the Lord were, called on to
help--some to play the harmoniums provided in each room, and lead the
singing in varied languages--others in writing letters for those who
could not use a pen themselves, and whose hearts were softened by
kindness shown in this way--others in filling, bags with books and
tracts. The blessing which has followed these cannot be reckoned;
none can tell what these silent messengers, so often despised on
shore, have been to sailors when read far away from home and friends.
Many of these bags have been made by Christian invalids, and are
followed by their prayers that the contents may ever be blessed.
As yet, however, nothing had been done for the women in Katcliff
Highway, and Miss Macpherson, when visiting that neighbourhood where
Satan reigns so openly, longed to save some of her poor lost sisters.
On one occasion a young woman said most piteously to her: "Why don't
you speak to us as you do to the sailors, and we would be converted
and be happy too?" This led to the first decided effort being made,
and the following year a small mission room for their use alone was
opened. Tea-meetings and Gospel addresses-were given here. Miss
Macpherson's long-tried helper, Miss May, added this work to her many
other burdens for the Lord, and other kind friends joined her in
visiting and seeking out the lost.
Although, in Miss May's words, "humanly speaking all things were
against us,"--for in this neighbourhood the wages of iniquity are
high, yet encouragement was met with, and it was felt that the
mission room was not sufficient, but some shelter must be taken
wherein to receive' poor applicants until they could be removed to a
safer locality. A tiny three-roomed house was secured and opened
with, much prayer, and has fulfilled the promise of the name given to
it, "The Bridge of Hope." The Lord blessed Miss Macpherson in the
choice of a helper, Miss Underdown, the brave pioneer who volunteered
to remain here alone, ready to welcome the poor wanderer at any hour
of the day or night. She is now working among sailors at Cape Town;
but the Lord has proved in this instance, as in many others, that
when His summons to a distant land is obeyed, the work at home will
not be suffered to languish. Another devoted sister in the Lord, Miss
Steer, has given up home ties and home comforts, counting it all joy
to rescue those most deeply sunk in guilt and misery. The work has
doubled and trebled in importance, more than a hundred having been
drawn out of this whirlpool of sin and infamy, and brought under the
sound of the Gospel within the walls of the larger Refuge, since
opened for them. More than once we have had to praise God for the
help given by Christian sailors; their watchful eyes have noticed in
the "Highway" some who were evidently strangers to the haunts of
vice, and have brought them here for safety, and even borne part of
the expense of their journey homewards. The house originally taken
for the Strangers' Rest having been found inadequate for the
accommodation of the crowds who frequented it, a larger house was
taken, but it was felt that after the many hallowed associations of
the first house opened, where Miss Macpherson and Miss Child had
often rejoiced with the angels of God over repenting sinners, it was
impossible to relinquish it for ordinary uses,--it might be in that
neighbourhood for some direct work of Satan. To Miss Macpherson's
great joy her faithful, co-worker, Miss Child, determined on opening
it as a Temperance Coffee House, or "Welcome Home" for the sailors,
and thenceforth made this place her abode, and the work of God has
never ceased.
In the spring of this year Miss Macpherson had contemplated starting
with a party for Canada, but as the time drew near she was so much
worn out by the continued strain of "holding the fort" at
Spitalfields for the last two years, that some of her friends almost
feared she would be unable to take the charge. She would not suffer
her bodily weakness to hinder her, and on May the 8th started on her
twenty-first voyage in the "Sardinian," accompanied by her
brother-in-law, Mr. Merry, with a party of fifty children, and two young
men who had gone out with her in 1870, and had returned to see their
friends, and were on their way back with her to the land of their adoption.
So many thousand miles had been traversed by land and sea, and hitherto
thanksgivings had gone up for preservation from even alarm of danger.
Now a deeper thanksgiving was to be called forth, for the Lord's
preserving care in a scene which brought all face to face with
eternity. On the Monday before she left Miss Macpherson remarked to
some friends, "The Word is full of _Deliverance_, both individual
deliverance and otherwise," little dreaming how soon she would be
called to realise this truth.
The following letter, which appeared in the "Times," tells of the
strength given in time of need:--
"_May_ 14, 1878.
"Captain Grills, of the Liverpool Mercantile Marine Service
Association, going to Derry upon a pleasure trip, was upon the bridge
of the 'Sardinian' when the accident occurred, and speaks in high
terms of the discipline of officers and crew under the trying
circumstances. He says:--'I was on the bridge with Captain Dutton,
looking for the approach of the tender, when in a moment an explosion
occurred down in the fore-hold, where a quantity of coal was stored,
and blew into the air thousands of fragments of wood. Immediately
afterwards people came shrieking up the companion ways, many, of them
cut, bruised, and blackened. The scene was indescribable. A great
deal of confusion was caused by the separation of children from
parents and husbands from wives. One poor woman begged me to go and
find her baby, which was torn from her arms. The Captain, on hearing
the explosion and seeing the smoke, sprang from the bridge, ordered
the hose to be instantly applied, and by dint of extraordinary
exertions on the part of himself, the officers, and crew, succeeded
in saving several people who were in the midst of the debris. The
hold was flooded with water from the hose, but the smoke continued to
pour out in dense volumes, and ultimately they had to abandon all
hope of saving the ship except by opening the sluices and letting the
water in. Before doing this the vessel was taken into five fathoms
of water, so that when she settled down her decks would be above
water, and she might the more easily be pumped out and raised. While
these orders were being executed, the whole of the saloon passengers,
assisted by many of the crew, were engaged in transferring the
emigrants to the mail tender which had just come alongside. About 300
or 400 soon crowded her decks, and she landed them at Moville pier,
after which she returned for orders. Subsequently the second tender
took off most of the saloon passengers, many wounded, and a large
quantity of baggage. The boats were lowered in order to save the
baggage. The mail tender returned and took the rest of the people,
and I went with them, and we reached Derry about nine o'clock that
night. I cannot refrain from referring to the heroic conduct of one
lady, [Footnote: Miss Catherine Ellis of Tryon House] a saloon
passenger, who, while partially dressed, rescued a baby that was
fearfully burnt, at considerable risk to herself; the mother had
proceeded to Derry, thinking she had lost her child for ever. The
promptitude and energy displayed by Captain Button was in every way
admirable, and his orders were executed with great decision. Miss
Macpherson and her little band of Canadian emigrants showed no small
amount of true fortitude and heroism. Most of the children behaved
nobly under the trying circumstances, and exhibited much of the fruit
of their careful training. They kept repeating to one another many of
the sayings they had heard from Miss Macpherson about being patient,
and brave, and good; I visited the infirmary before leaving on
Saturday, and spoke to each of the nine patients, who are all
suffering seriously, but I am hopeful of the recovery of some.'"
Miss Macpherson's own account follows:--
"Sunday morning.
"Since we parted from you and those beloved Christian friends at St.
Pancras last Wednesday, we seem to have lived years, and learnt more
of the reality of the delivering power of our loving Father than in
all our lives before.
"Wondrous to relate, and as marvellous as the deliverance of the
three children from the fiery furnace, is the fact that all our
precious little ones are in safety, and now gone to a place of
worship.
"Behold the loving-kindness of our God! Had the explosion taken
place a little while later, our vessel would have been on her way
instead of standing still waiting off Moville for the mails.
"Most of the children" were on deck, basking in the lovely sunshine
of that afternoon. We were all busy finishing our letters, and I
intended to write one more, and then go and spend an hour in the
children's steerage, when presently there was a terrible sound, as of
a cannon, followed by a deathly stillness for two minutes; I rushed
on deck and beheld a man jet black with soot, his halt burnt off,
issuing from a gangway near; then one of my own boys came,
exclaiming, 'Oh, Miss! I prayed to Jesus, and He saved me.' Then the
deck became a fearful scene of confusion, poor foreigners weeping,
and oh! the mutilated men and women, ghastly with fright, some of
their faces entirely skinned.
"My first care was for the little ones. They clustered round me, as
the two young men, (former boys of 1870, who had been home to see
their friends), gathered them out of the crowd. Mr. Merry gave me the
list, and they dried their tears, and answered to their names when
called. We soon found all accounted for, and were hushed with praise
Picture us all standing near the wheelhouse, awaiting orders, or to
see, it might be flames, or another explosion of a still more serious
character.
_"Oh! could every Sunday school teacher in the land realise my
feelings at that moment, they would never rest until every child in
their class was' washed in the Blood of the Lamb. I saw nothing but
imperfection in all my work, and want of burning reality for
souls._
"The scene of the disaster was very near to the children's sleeping
berths; a very few yards off two women sat upon a box together, one
was blown up into the air, the other driven she knew not whither; but
late that night I came across her seeking a bed in Moville, and she
told me that in those first terrible moments _every sin she had
ever committed came before, her,_ and the one most awful was her
having rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, what our God can do in
tire twinkling of an eye! by unbalancing a little breath of His own
created air, then the stoutest-hearted sinners quail."
Another witness wrote:--
_Sunday._
"It is terrible to have been in the midst of such a calamity! and
the sight of the poor, blackened, and scorched faces of the sufferers
I shall never forget. There was such a nice, family on board; the
father, mother, and four children. The mother was blown up; her body
was found yesterday, scarcely recognisable, but the husband had to go
and identify it. Poor man! he was here, and in such an agony of
distress. The last order I heard the Captain give, was thundered out,
'Send all the women and children up from below,' and Miss Macpherson
came herself, and dragged me up. Captain Button says there have been
the most wonderful providences.
"It was wonderful how calm every one seemed at the time of that
terrible crash. There was no panic, but the peculiar wailing of the
poor Sardinians rings in my ears still, and the groans of those
sufferers. Silence must be cast over the scenes of that sad day.
"If I thought of anything at the time of the accident, it was of
Miss Macpherson's _Bible,_ and I know her thought was for me and
the children. It was most sweet at the time to see the way people
thought of others more than of themselves; there were many little
acts of kindness done then which will never be forgotten.
"Miss Macpherson said to me as we were starting on Thursday, 'I
think this is going to be a most unusual voyage. I have never had
such sweet dismissals before.'
"I did so feel as I stood round those poor sufferers. Why was I
spared? All in the same ship, all exposed to the same peril, and yet
we are _untouched,_ and what are we better than they? We can
only bow low before our loving Father with 'What can I render unto
the Lord for all His benefits towards me?'.. I managed to get to the
infirmary, where I paid a very interesting visit.... The third
officer is so terribly hurt, quite unrecognisable."
On her return from Derry, whither she had hastened to give help to
the sufferers, Mrs. Merry gave a thrilling account of how the waters
had not been suffered to pass over them, nor the flame permitted to
kindle upon them; and told how nobly that brave seaman and man of
God, Captain Dutton, had acted; how he had instantly summoned all
hands to his help in seeing to the safety of the children, so that in
less than three minutes by the watch, after the shock, the whole of
the forty _little_ tones were around Miss Macpherson, having no
more hurt upon them (with one exception) than a little singed hair
and a few blisters.
Not only were their lives spared--they were not even called upon to
"take joyfully the spoiling if their goods," for not one box or
parcel either of clothing or gospel, tracts and books was lost or
injured. The "Peruvian" was sent from Liverpool to take, the place of
the "Sardinian," and the rest of the voyage was accomplished in
safety.
When nearing Cape Race Miss Macpherson writes:--
"Many a touching scene have we witnessed. A company of between
twenty and thirty Swiss Christians, with their evangelist, guided by
a lady, to form a little colony in Canada, when passing through
Liverpool, had spent all their evenings at the 'Sailors Rest,' so we,
being I one in the eternal bond, sang together the same hymns, though
in different languages, the first evening we sailed out. To see them
drying their Bibles and hymn-books, all the covers gone, oh! it made
me weep. How very _precious those mutilated books were to them
now!_ One dear German Christian showed me his Bible, and I was
told the two front blotted pages were written by a dying mother's
hand. Another young German, when he found his Bible was safe, forgot
all else, and danced about with the most touching joy, but then he
knew not where to put his treasure for safety and to get it pressed.
Although I understood not his language, and no one was at hand to
interpret, I put out my hand to help him; he took one long look into
my face, and with a smile gave me his precious book. Five days after
we met again, and he held out his hands, exclaiming 'Bibel!'
"You heard how very promptly the Deny Christians acted for the poor
emigrants. Every minister intimated the need in his church, and the
response was made before nine o'clock on the Monday morning.
Cartloads of clothing were sent in and distributed among the
emigrants, so that as far as covering for the present goes, all have
been liberally helped to go on their way.
"Sunday.--A day of lovely sunshine, all on deck enjoying the warmth.
The foreigners quietly reading their mutilated books; but--oh, how
sad to see!--with the English emigrants it is beer--beer--beer--taking
with them to the new land habits that will tell ill for them
wherever they go.
"The children and I spent the morning singing together, and thanking
our God for all His wondrous love. Often during the-past week I felt
like breaking down, and letting the pent-up tears flow; but while Bob
(eleven years old) prayed, I could hold out no longer, and the strong
sailors leaning over the mid hatchway joined me too, as the dear lad
asked God, for Jesus' sake, to care for the blind mother he had left
in the workhouse, and that his runaway brother might be brought to
Jesus; that his brother with the bad leg might be found of the Lord;
that his sister in service might please her master and mistress; and
that he himself might follow Jesus, and be a good boy, and obedient
to those placed over him."
The following is dated from Galt:--
"Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy
wings will I rejoice." (Ps. lxiii. 7).
"MY DEAR FELLOW-HELPERS,--On arriving at this sweet spot our
journeyings ended for the present. You can well imagine the complete
enjoyment of repose as with my family I wander round the Cottage Home
when school hours are over. During a week in which I had been
separated from them, they had made the acquaintance of horses, cows,
ducks, hens, sheep, &c.--all so new to our poor London children. They
never tire of inviting me to come and see _our_ this and that,
or some new-found pleasure. How quickly this country life develops
character, touching chords which are left unawakened in many a
nature! It is such a contrast to the artificial tastes and habits of
city life, which arouse passions not easily kept in subjection.
"Mrs. Merry will be glad to know that I am delighted with all in and
around the Home. The new wing, with its lavatory and simple
arrangements for the health and comfort of the children, would, we
believe, be highly approved of by the relatives of our departed
friends, Miss Wilson and Mr. Marshall, who so kindly left us the
means to make this addition. One of our former' boys works on the
farm; his life was consecrated nearly two years ago for China. He is
a manly, consistent young Christian, and tells me it was an address
given here by George W. Clarke (the first of our missionary sons from
Spitalfields), before he went out to China, that gave him the first
burning longings to become a missionary. It is my duty to see that a
suitable education be given him to strengthen these desires;
therefore when field-work is over, we have hours for study, Mr. Merry
teaching in the morning, and I in the evening.
"The last mail from China brings a letter from G. W. Clarke, in
which he writes:--"The Lord has blessed me with good health, whilst
many of our brethren engaged in the hard work of pioneering are in
some way feeling the strain upon their strength." I am very thankful
for the _roughing_ I had in Canada, and for whatever trials I
have had in China, which have enabled me in any way to "endure
hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
"We need much prayer for this branch of the work, that it may be the
natural outcome of family life, and grow gradually as our heavenly
Father leads.
"Several of the elder boys are at the Home now from different
causes; their work on the farm pays for their board, and they again
come under blessed Gospel influence, while we watch and pray for"
their conversion. The dear sisters who work out the details value an
interest in your prayers, as they so realise 'from day to day the
need of patience.' All your desires that I should _rest_ are
being fulfilled. If you could but see me sitting on a bank with three
or four little heads leaning on my lap, the others buzzing round,
bringing flowers and weaving wreaths for our hats! Then a hand
opens to show _'such a dear' young frog!_ Another brings an
endless variety of caterpillars, &c. Then there come shrieks of
delight from a group of boys who have almost caught a squirrel A
rowing boat glides down the river, and the children strike up an
impromptu strain--'Row, brothers, row!'
"A little fellow has a burden on his mind, ending with, 'Could I not
stop here always?' Alas! he had to be told 'impossible,' for there
were many more poor boys far away in London, crying to be loved, and
he would soon find a 'pa and ma' to love him. How this thirst for
sympathy grows in these tiny hearts! May more dear mission-workers
have _anointed eyes_, to seek out the orphans in the dens of our
great city. May more jewelled fingers yield their offerings, ere the
opportunity be past, for rescuing immortal souls that may become
witnesses of Jesus Christ, and shine for ever and ever in His crown.
"Too many seek to square the cases up to their rules, but the
opposite I believe is more according to God's mind. Oh, if every town
in Old England would arise and build its own Orphan Home! Surely the
Church of Christ in every denomination can unite in love over the
children. Witness the burst of love in a few hours after the
ministers of every sect in Deny told the need of the emigrants, and
the children cast naked upon their shores! They gave until the
receivers said, 'It is enough!'
"In this quiet resting-place, I have time to listen to the Master's
own voice, and hear Him say, 'Go forward!' This is the twenty-first
voyage--the _majority_! I would celebrate it by desiring still
greater things for God's glory, devising, yet leaving the direction
to the Lord. Already it has proved a time of trial and rich blessing.
My heart is with you all in, your joyous privileges of making known a
Saviour's love. My spirit flits to the _needy children_. A
thousand board schools will never supply the loving, tender care we
women can give to the fatherless and motherless, or sow the seed and
lead the precious little souls to Jesus. Therefore follow me in these
enlarged desires the Lord hath given, and oh! keep your eyes and ears
open to the cry of the children. Hot summer days will lessen some of
the Refuge work, but I follow you to Bird Fair, Ratcliff Highway, and
many a court around. Don't forget that terrible corner by the lamp-post
in the next street.
"Then for your own souls I send this word--'They thirsted not when
He led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of
the rock for them.' As to your work, Do it. Should He be pleased to
remove any of us, to stir our nest, or lay sickness upon us, shall we
not hear Him say, 'Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with
mine own?' Beloved friends, 'Hold that fast which thou hast, that no
man take thy crown.'--Yours affectionately,
"ANNIE MACPHERSON."
The work had now so increased, that it was thought well to divide
the three Canadian Homes. Hiss Macpherson found the Gait Home
sufficient for the needs of the children transferred from the Home of
Industry. Miss Bilbrough retained possession of the Marchmont Home,
now devoted exclusively to children from Scotland; and the Knowlton
Home, in the province of Quebec, was placed under the management of
Mrs. Birt for the reception of little emigrants from Liverpool.
It was at the workers' meeting in August that Miss Macpherson was
welcomed home; and Miss Ellis of Tryon House said she had been in
Canada with Miss Macpherson, and the thought most on her mind in
recollection of the scene on the "Sardinian" was "_given back_."
As delivered from death, they had returned, each to their loved
spheres of work, and felt increasingly how consecrated such lives
should be, and for what great blessing they might look out.
As one quite unconnected with the work, Miss Ellis said she must
remark how much she had been struck with the arrangements of the Gait
Home--the children were thoroughly well fed and well cared for (not
like little princes though, nor above their station), and not an
unnecessary shilling was expended.