STORIES OF "THE QUIVER COT." 749 with the Papacy. Can there be a doubt in the the changed lives and homes of many of its review of all these changes of the overruling most hardened reprobates, who have simply hand of God, and of "his Word not returning to listened to the Message from God. Every him void ?" such man and woman in a poor court or lane is worth more than any volume of evidences of Christianity, and Bible Missions can point to them by thousands. The last device of the great enemy is to attack the Book itself. He cannot, as in the age of Mahomet, impose afresh a False book on the belief of nations at the point of the sword, but he can easily infuse into the minds of those ignorant of and indifferent to the True Book satirical doubts as to its value and authenticity. It is the old temptation that served for Eve, "Hath God said?" that seems to be accomplishing much present mischief. Satan can find lecturers who can attract large audiences of the uninformed, and of those who love to live as they list, who will hear with complacency that "it is the time to undermine, assault, and destroy all religious beliefs that reason and science deem false that the fall of man and the curse of God against his disobedience can be denied, and therefore the atonement proved unnecessary -that the light of nature suffices to show up the absurdities of a so-called Revelation, which it will now be well to cast to the moles and to the bats!" and, indeed, no more to teach even to our children. Alas for England, if her sons of science and her sons of toil are seduced to listen to these sophisms! She has borne to all nations in this last century the message of the Book; she has been its grand storehouse-she is so still; she has seen the Word of the Lord strike its roots like the banyantree into every soil over which spreads the shadow of its "leaves for the healing of the nations." On her own shores she has received testimonies to the truth of its histories and prophecies, disinterred from a grave of 3,000 years, as if reserved until now to draw the attention of her archæologists, in an age of doubt, to the old Book, which else they might never have studied, but which alone can explain what they find on the tablets and cylinders of ancient Nineveh, and on their more recent treasure, the Moabite stone. Let those who doubt the Bible study it further. "The finger of God and the lips of God are never at variance." Would it have been worthy of the Author of all truth to give and to preserve for over 3,000 years mere myths and fables for the delusion of all past generations only to be confuted by the acuteness and wisdom of this? We must not neglect the mention of modern Home Missions. Lord Shaftesbury, who has spent his life in their service, and his thousand coadjutors in the school of philanthropy, have perpetually endeavoured to meet the wants as well as to cultivate the self-help of the needy by improvements in their dwellings, by the rescue and training of their lost and ragged children, by all kinds of protection for the overworked and oppressed. If the Bible has evangelised and civilised foreign nations, what has not been the result and reaction of united bodies of Christians like that of the Bible Society at home? We need name only the City Mission and its Bible-men, and the lowly handmaid of both great societies, the London Bible and Domestic Female Mission, and its Biblewomen. The two latter number between them 800 devoted agents; and the reaction of their very real work has been the calling forth beyond itself of more zealous effort in all our various Christian churches, among those who prefer to work more precisely within their own pale. The Church of England, with its national prestige and connected forces, the Methodist, the Baptist, Congregational, and Presbyterian bodies, also that of the Society of Friends, have all turned their attention to the state of our home poor, and are endeavouring to mend it on Bible principles; whilst all that had been practically good likewise in the service of Sisters of Charity attached to the Roman Church has been welcomed still more by poor fathers and mothers, when associated and springing out of the message from God, as contained in his Word. They have welcomed this message as indeed a "missing link" between them and those who wished to help them to help themselves—the only help worth their having. "The The foundation of God standeth sure. Book of God renews its youth as years roll on," and has it boldest, noblest message for these last days, whose faithlessness it foretells. Meanwhile the last loving invitation is uttered before the day of vengeance upon scoffers, when He who gave the Word will come again to prove its truth -"compel them to come in, that my house may L. N. R. If the inquirer into truth is an Englishman, let him only look down into low London, and mark | be filled." STORIES OF "THE QUIVER COT." HE next time I went into the ward I was greeted by the little patient of whom I last wrote, with, "Come along, I've laid still all the time since you comed, but it aint got no better yet." Four is an early age at which to learn patience on your back, but what a nature to work upon. How soon those little spirits find their way into one's heart. Giving their love so freely, they take yours quite unknown to yourself. There are many particularly nice little boys in the hospital just now. One was made perfectly happy for a long time by being allowed to hold his nurse's watch, forgetting his pain in the pride of the temporary honour and glory of such a possession. Among the little girls there is a dainty maiden of three, or possibly a trifle less-a midge, a fairy, so very, very pretty. I don't know her name. The first time I saw her she had just come in, and been laid in her tiny white nest. I stood for a moment at the foot of her cot, and she looked up at me with the most touching little smile, saying so plainly, "I'm so little, and you're all so big, but I'm not afraid-not much at least." Involuntarily I said, "You pretty thing, no one will hurt you, ever," and out came the tiny hand so graciously, and the wee, wee mouth opened to give a little order-showing how much at home the baby felt, even without "mother." 66 Tover me over." Being "tovered over," she and dolly were quite cosy and content. A more gracious little lady would be hard to find. The next morning, when the physician who has the management of her case, arrived by her bed, and was about to examine the little chest-so sadly, painfully, delicate the atom again gave a pretty little command in the gentlest possible tone, “Nurse, set the gentleman a chair." Another time, after a rather long examination, which, made by strangers to her-very gently and tenderly, I need not say-must have been a little trying to so sensitive a little maiden, she looked up into the big faces, and remarked in her polite baby fashion, "Are you doin' to do it adain? you may if you 'ike." This will seem very wonderful to some of us, who know what spoilt children can be in sickness, but it is quite true, and I can give no idea of the wonderfully sweet, pathetic little face and voice. A lady said to me of this child, "To think of that pretty little innocent creature bearing so much." What it must be to her mother to have her out of her sight I cannot imagine; only the real kind of love could so forget itself for the little one's good. How God teaches us by his youngest and best. Seeing such little trusting creatures, one's heart yearns to help them, for His sake who suffers them still to come to Him. I told dear Willy about this little girl, and he seemed not in the least surprised. "Yes," he merely said, "everybody likes being here, 'cos everybody's kind to 'em." One day, in the end of April, our Willy had a wonderful thing happen to him. Rather early in the morning he was taken out of his little cot, dressed as far as such an operation was possible for a little boy who cannot bend his poor, stiff body, and then, with a hood over his face, or rather round his face, which made some people, who had not heard that a "Willy" was now in the “ Quiver Cot," think him a little girl, into a cab went Willy with his nurse and one of the ladies, off and away, through the busy every-day streets, so noisy and novel to a little man who had looked at the ward ceiling for many an hour each day and night, for seven or eight months, rattling over the stones, carried so carefully by his clever nurses, that the jolting was only a pleasure;-off and away to a photographer in Cheapside, where, under many difficulties, Willy's picture was taken, to Willy's great surprise and delight. And on the wonderful card is our thin, pale Willy. smiling or serious, just our dear, wise, loving boy. Perhaps some of his friends may care to have a copy to put side by side with other little pictures, scarcely more dear than Willy would be to them if as well known. Certainly the sight of his little face so soon to be taken, for a time at least, out of our sight, will help to remind them that he, in his weary, but peaceful and happy hours of weakness, prayed God to bless them all, all his "good friends in the book," for so he thinks of them, "who pity and love the sick children." With his little hand in mine he promised me one, "whichever you likes best, but I likes the not-smiling one best for you, 'cos you sees me when I don't laugh, and when we talk them things;' and then, when I'm gone up in heaven, you can say, 'That was my little Willy, what I knowed a long time, and when it was the right time, God took him up to heaven;' and you needn't be sorry, because I shan't be ill then; and I don't mind being ill now, 'cos God loves me, and everybody loves me, and now mother has got work in the hospital I see her every day, and that's nice, that is; and Henry comes, my great, big brother Henry, on Sundays; but poor father can't come now, he's so ill, but I send my love to him, and he sends his love to me." When the time came for my final good-bye to him, I knew he would say something I should always like to remember, some tender little legacy of sweet childlove and kindness. I had scarcely hoped to have seen him for a farewell at all, as I did not fancy he would linger month after month as he has done; and it is impossible, as far as human judgment can decide, for me to see my darling again. He had said kind, "THE QUIVER" BIBLE CLASS. 751 sweet words to me, such as friends do say when they creature who will do nothing, take nothing, from the are parting for ever. God teaches them the words; mother. Once, when a little girl whom we all loved and then I knew I must go. very dearly indeed was entering the dark valley, when "Darling Willy, I shall hear about you, and write sight and hearing were failing, and she called out, "I to you," I said. "Yes, you will write to me, and I will write to you, as long as I can," he answered; "and when will you come again ?" "My pet, I shall not see you again, here." I could hardly say the words, for he is dear to me, that little shadow. Most sweetly he spoke, with his dear brown eyes full of tears. "Not here; no, I shall be gone before the winter; but you will come to heaven and see me there." can't see, come with me, nurse, speak out loud to me," her nurse just took hold of the pretty hand and kept it, and the little one was satisfied, and so parted lovingly from her good friend, taking to the very last, in sweet and most touching obedience, whatever nourishment the nurse put to her lips. But the old garden. It is a garden no more, and I am very sorry. There is something wonderfully cheering in a London garden, and the cats even had an interest for some of us, especially the boys, who have learned how to laugh, some of them, after serious days of weakness and pain, by seeing the astonishment of a "My darling, I hope so; indeed I hope so." "You will," he said solemnly; "for I ask God cat who found—as well as himself—that he could throw always in my prayers to let you.” And so I left him, after promising once more to give his love and best thanks to all his kind friends who write to him, and send him such nice presents. I need hardly say of such a child, that all his belongings are free to all around him. God grant we may be the better for knowing Willy. I think we shall. Since I left London I have had a nice little letter from him, telling me of a treat of oranges given to him, and by him to the whole of the front ward; also sending Bobby's love, who doesn't intend to be forgotten again. The flowers sent lately have been highly appreciated. Willy loves flowers dearly, and the sight of their beauty cheers his little life; and, indeed, the wards look different rooms without the brightness of the flowers. So the kind senders may know their gifts are appreciated and wondered over, causing little eyes who have never seen such fair sights in waking moments to brighten, for "the country where the flowers grow" is, in the ideas of many tiny Londoners, something between heaven and Victoria Park." This is really true, and only taken from little funny, but by no means irreverent, speeches made to me over tosties," i.e., cowslip balls. Now that the ground is laid ready for deep digging of the foundation of the new hospital, there is no garden -a great loss to nurses and patients. Really it was hard to judge which was happier, the poor child who had lain weeks, or even months, between life and death, just sufficiently recovered to be carried gently by skilful hands out among those dear old smutty trees (sure to mend if once able to "go out"), or the nurse, proud and smiling, having "brought the case through." Not a case when in the old garden. Never; "a pet," "a beauty," any sweet name that is. The more the child has needed care and attention, the more a pet to the kind creature. Only "a case" when painful remedies are to be applied or the medicines given and taken. Then, of course, a case is a case, and must be so, and it is astonishing what the firm, kind voice of a nurse will effect with a poor little " a stone again. Many hundreds, aye, thousands of little cockneys will remember the dear old hospital garden as their very happiest playground as long as they live. I shall always cherish tender memories of it, seeing as in a sacred picture certain faces and forms who are now among all beautiful things, in the green pastures of the Good Shepherd, whose name they first learned to love in the Children's Hospital; and in learning a little themselves, they taught their teachers very much. There will be a Children's Chapel in the new building, and I hope it will be very beautiful. I can imagine how they will love it, and their nice bright little services there. It is to be a "Children's Chapel" altogether, and a kind friend has undertaken the expense of building it. M. S. "THE QUIVER" BIBLE CLASS. 280. Give in St. John's words the cause of the Saviour's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. 281. Give the occasions on which Christ addressed the words "Fear not," or words similar to them, to the trembling hearts of his servants. 282. The concluding words of three of the prophets are quoted in the New Testament. Where? 283. Where is the term "Forerunner" applied to Christ? 284. We read of the ministry of angels on five distinct occasions in the earthly history of our Lord. Give them. 285. The first promise God made to Abraham consisted of two parts. Give them. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON PAGE 719. 273. "We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely" (Numb. xi. 5). 274. One in the case of Saul and his sons (1 Sam. xxxi. 12); the other mentioned by Amos (Amos vi. 10). 275. They could not marry out of their own tribe (Numb. xxxvi. 6, 7). BIBLE NOTES. HEALING THE IMPOTENT MAN AT BETHESDA (John v. 1–9). HERE is at Jerusalem by the sheep market and for such a time, attracted the great Healer's a pool, which is called in the Hebrew attention. Christ needed not that the sufferer should tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In pour forth to him his complaint of the many and sad these lay a great multitude of impotent disappointments he had met with. The Lord in folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for his omniscience knew all, and therefore, without the moving of the water." The circumstances con- dwelling on these and such like topics, he asked him, nected with this miracle have been the subject of “Wilt thou be made whole ?" Such a question, we dispute the position of the pool, and the cccasion may rest assured, was not asked without a purpose. He on which Christ wrought it. It is difficult, if not had been long trying to get into the pool first after impossible, now to determine the precise position of the troubling of the waters, and as yet had not suc the pool. Nor surely does it very much matter; if ceeded. Despair may have begun to settle down we acknowledge the truth of the miracle, we need not upon him, and the hope may have begun to desert trouble ourselves very seriously as to the exact spot him, that he should ever be healed, therefore the where it took place. Christ was at Jerusalem, whither object of the question may have been to stir up a he had gone to be present at one of the Jewish feasts. hope once more, and to awaken a desire in his heart But which feast? It is most probable that it was for the benefit which he was so soon to receive. His the feast of the passover. We should be justified in answer, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is rendering the first verse of the chapter which con- troubled, to put me into the pool," is no direct reply tains the account of this miracle thus: "After this to the question. He may have heard of the fame there was the feast of the Jews," that feast which is of Jesus, but he certainly did not know his appearthe mother of all the rest-the passover. ance. He who questioned him seemed to him probably one who took a passing interest in his case, and his answer would seem to bespeak his pity. He had no one to come to his aid, and yet time after time (what interval there was between each visit we know not) he came there, and was always prevented by others from gaining his desire. What a reproof is contained here for our languor and despondency and weariness in prayer! Our natural inclination is, when we do not get what we wish for, and as speedily as we think we ought, to desist from asking. What encouragement for us to persevere, for in the end we shall reap if we faint not! Without further trying his faith, the right hand of power was ertended in his behalf. He heard words that must have been quite unexpected by him, but at the same time very welcome. The meaning of the word Bethesda is "house of mercy," a very appropriate name for a place where Christ was now about to display his almighty power, in showing mercy upon a poor impotent man, who could get no one to show pity upon him, and give him a chance of deriving benefit from the healing waters to which he was so near, and from which he had seen so many go away healed of whatsoever disease they had. We are told why this multitude of sick people was here-they were waiting for the "troubling of the water." What this was we have no accurate means of knowing; we can throw no more light upon it than has been vouchsafed by the Holy Spirit writing by St. John-"An angel went down at a certain season, and troubled the water." Of this we may be sure, the Evangelist would not have spoken of this place in the way he has done if the circumstances connected with it were not in reality miraculous, or if its virtues were ascribed to it merely by credulity or superstition. We know that water of itself has no power of healing either the body or soul; but this pool, stirred by an angel, possessed curative power. Some have fancifully ascribed a part of the healing properties possessed by this pool to the flesh of the victims used in the Temple sacrifices having been washed in it; and as this would chiefly occur during great festivals, its efficacy would, according to such a notion, be more powerful at "a certain season." But there does not seem any reason, as far as we can judge, to suppose that any of the circumstances related in connection with its healing powers were not in the strictest sense miraculous. “A certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years." This man, so afflicted in body, Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” The man instantly obeyed the command; he did not delay to ask, "How can I, who am so weak as not to be able to get soon enough to plunge into the troubled waters of the pool, do as thou biddest me?" No, be did what he was told to do, thus showing faith, and in the execution of the command healing was imparted to his whole frame. This miracle was wrought on the Sabbath. The day of rest was specially chosen by Christ as the fittest season for Divine acts of mercy. He thus shows his oneness with the Father. God rested on that day from all his works of creation; but on that day of rest he specially works, in doing acts of mercy to the souls of his creatures in the public services of his Church. The ground that Christ took up as a justification for his working miracles on the Sabbath was this-"My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." 66 BY WILLIAM GILBERT, AUTHOR OF "DE PROFUNDIS," SHIRLEY HALL ASYLUM," ETC. CHAPTER XLIII.-THE DIAMOND BROOCH. YHOULD any doubt linger in the mind of the reader as to the answer I gave Sir Thomas Morpeth, it may easily be removed by my stating that three days afterwards he called upon me. VOL. VII. Although I had received no further letter from him, in some instinctive manner I knew perfectly well not only the day but almost the hour of his arrival. It strikes me also that my mother knew 363 |