but what is this amongst the hundreds of thousands for whom there are no places of worship.

Who can help rejoicing in the labours of the City Mission, and of all and of any efforts by which poor sinners may hear of Jesus, the only way, the truth, and the life. The Lord bless and prosper all whose hearts he hath stirred up to pity and befriend the wretched outcasts and wanderers in the Metropolis!

W.

THE AMERICAN CHURCH.

St. George's Vicarage, April 2nd, 1840.

SIR,-Hoping the perusal of these letters may warm some hearts in the cause of the suffering American Church, I take the liberty of sending them for insertion in the "Friendly Visitor."

FROM BISHOP CHASE, TO MISS J. C.

"August 24th, 1839.

"My dear Friend,-How does my heart warm with pious wishes for the safety of the Church of England in her present perils. If she fall, what will become of the Protestant world? Romanism will once more spread her blighting influence over the heritage of the Lord. She is already doing it here. No sooner had the priests of the Romish Church heard that I had fixed on a place to build a Protestant institution, than they began to build à Papal chapel within sight of it, even here in the wilderness. Yes, they are now boasting of their influence, and of the rising state of their communion. From Europe they receive funds to meet all deficiences of money in this western land. Prince Metternich, of Austria, is their patron, and the sums which are collected in that country, and throughout the papal dominions, and sent to western America are immense. What am I to do, God only knows. I have already expended far more than I have collected from my own country, and dear Old England put together; what is now doing, comes from the little God hath given me to support my family, and to discharge the great debt I incurred by moving into Illinois without a salary. How this affects the peace of my mind it is impossible to describe. Shall I have none to sustain me? Yea, the Lord will, but who will be his instrument? Let him choose. I leave all to his wisdom, who knoweth what is best for us. Jehovah Jireh is my motto. If it be his will that there be a Protestant college in this far western diocese, to stand as a bulwark of true religion, to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, he will accomplish it in his own way, and therefore it becometh me, while doing every thing in my power, to wait patiently his own time. May God open the hearts of his true servants both in England and America, to do me some further good in this last best work of my whole life.

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"The bishop of South Carolina has come out nobly in my favour, and calls upon the Church to sustain the feeble hands of one who has devoted his whole life to extend and increase her influencemay be that his voice will be heard before it is too late, before I am in my grave, an event which is not far distant.

"May the good God prepare us in his mercy to do his will, and save our souls, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So prays your faithful and affectionate friend,

"PHILANDER CHASE.

"N. B.-If we had the means to pay another teacher, our prospects would be brighter."

FROM BISHOP CHASE, TO MRS. C. M.

"November 5th, 1839.

"My kind and dear Friend,-To enable me to go on with the work which God hath given me to do, my dear wife, though only recovering from a long and distressing illness, has just discharged all her hired help, and with Mary, our only daughter, does all the household work: now and then a solitary offering comes from a lonely and afflicted heart, and brings a blessing with it; but few who roll in their carriages, think of one so far off, labouring in the wilderness. I have no stated salary, all the offerings that have been voluntarily made me in Illinois, for more than four years' labour, scarcely exceed one hundred dollars, or £25 sterling. Yet my journeyings are of many hundred miles at a time. I travel alone in my covered vehicle, and bear my own travelling expenses. But I do not murmur at the will of Providence. God makes better provision for me in my cabin, than he did for his blessed and adored Son, for he had not where to lay his head. This one single thought makes me the happiest of men. I rejoice with joy unspeakable, that he accounts me worthy to labour in his service, though no earthly reward awaits me.

"I came home from my last journey of between five and six hundred miles, in which I had preached almost every day, baptized and confirmed a number, and consecrated one Church, with a heart full of gratitude, and yesterday, I administered the holy communion to my little flock, in my own dwelling. Many of these were born in dear Old England. Is there not then reason for my applying to their native land for means to keep them and their children in the path of life?"

None who read these letters can be so poor as to be unable to save one penny a week, or at least a penny a month, to aid their poorer brethren in America; and at the end of the year the sum so saved might be put into the hands of the clergyman of the parish. The Editor will be glad to forward any sums to this good bishop.

ENCOURAGING FACT.

The Rev. P. Schaffter, of the Friendly Mission, says, "I must not omit to mention, that two years ago a society was formed, consisting not only of some of our catechists and people, but also of some of the catechists and people of the Society for, Propagating the Gospel, and of the Church Missionary Society, for the purpose of evangelizing the north of this province. In thus uniting, these people shewed more love and zeal than we all. This society was formed without any missionary knowing any thing about it, and it has been kept up without any missionary's assistance. During these two years, they have sent every month two evangelists to the north, where the greatest ignorance prevails; who have gone about distributing tracts, and preaching the Gospel. They call themselves the Pilgrim Society. Surely this looks well." It does indeed; and what glorious things may we not look for in India, when its own people become imbued with a missionary spirit from on high!

FRIENDLY VISITOR.

No. 262.]

JULY, 1840.

[VOL. 22.

THE PROVIDENTIAL CARE OF GOD.

"Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me."-JER. xlix. 11.

"Will you come to meet me, Hannah ?" said the poor widow E--n, as she was about to leave her home for a day's washing in the next town. "Yes, mother," replied the child; " for mistress will give me something to eat."

So about five o'clock in the evening, Hannah set off to go to her mother. Her way was on the high road; and before she had gone far, a gentleman was passing along in a gig. Hannah, as is too often the habit with children, took hold of the back part of the carriage, by which she thought, perhaps, to be helped up the hill. The traveller soon noticed the girl; and on his doing so, she let go her hold; but he was very kind to her, and asked her if she would not like better to ride inside. Hannah said she should: and the kind hearted stranger took her in. He then asked her about her father and mother. "My father is dead, sir." And "how long since?" was the next inquiry. Little Hannah told him, as well as she could, the time it was when she lost her father. "I am sorry you have lost your father," said the good man; and asked how far she was going. Hannah said, "as far as the marketplace." "Are you the youngest at home?" "No; there is a younger than me: I have a little brother." "Do you get plenty to eat?" was a question of which the gentleman perhaps more than expected the answer. "No," said the child, "we often have not enough.' "Then is your mother good to you?" "Yes, she clams herself, to let us have enough." The good man drove on with her by his side; and when they came to the market-place, he desired her to hold the reins, while he stood to get to his pocket; and, to her no little

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pleasure, took out a shilling, and gave it to her. He then set her down, and went on his way.

Hannah quickly proceeded to her mother, whom she found still at her wash-tub, and looking very sad, for she had been very sorrowful that day. "Well, child," she said, "I have been full of trouble, to think if mistress stops my pay, how we shall carry on." The fact was, the poor widow had been supplied with food by her employer, and she justly thought that the day's wages might be stopped for payment; and then, "What can we do?" was a very natural fear. “Oh! mother, don't tremble so," said the child; "see what I've got," holding out in her hand a sixpence. No doubt, the sight of but a sixpence soon turned the poor widow's tears to smiles. "But how did you come by it ?" Then Hannah told her story. "And see, mother, here is another," taking a sixpence out of her mouth; "I took the gentleman's shilling to a shop to change, that I might please you twice." "Bless you, my dear," said the fond mother, and kissed her child; and mother and child burst into tears together-no wonder; for a widow's heart is soon melted, either with grief or joy; and a child, when fatherless, has a double flow of feelings towards her often weeping mother!

'And, mother, now I know there is a Lord; for he has answered your prayer-for I heard you, mother, when I was in bed, pray that he would be a Husband to the widow, and a Father to the fatherless; and we should not have had this, if you had not prayed; and now He's answered your prayer. And when the gentleman gave me the shilling, I said, 'Now I know there is a Lord,' only I did not let him hear me say so."

For that widow and her children many prayers had been laid up by the departed father; Thomas En lived on the promises of God to his people, and laid up many a prayer for his family. He greatly valued the preached Gospel, and sometimes walked many miles to enjoy it. He laboured hard for his family; perhaps eighteen hours measured the last day's work he did. And now he enjoys the rest of heaven.