God's Answers: A Record of Miss Annie Macpherson's Work at the Home of Industry, Spitalfields, London, and in CanadaLowe, Clara M. S.
Religion
God's Answers: A Record of Miss Annie Macpherson's Work at the Home of Industry, Spitalfields, London, and in Canada
Lowe, Clara M. S.
Canada -- Emigration and immigration; Church work with children; Home missions; Macpherson, Annie
"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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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