No mention of home-going appears in Dr. House’s journal or correspondence till a letter from his mother, in 1852, shows her sternly-repressed desire to see her son: “The Lord has a work for you to do in Siam, and much as I long to see you I would not call you home from it. But if health or benefit of mission require it, I would say ‘Come at once—come home that we may embrace you once more; and then return with new vigour to help forward that glorious work which is yet to be accomplished in Siam.’” More than a year later a joint letter from the parents enlarges upon the subject. First the father writes: “When your health should make necessary that you should have the invigourating influence of a sea voyage and our climate, you may tax me for the expense, if I should be spared. If not, I hope to leave sufficient at your disposal to relieve your mind from any anxiety on the subject. I am anxious only for you to be wise and to adopt the course most likely to prolong your life and to serve your Master as a missionary. Whether we shall be permitted to meet again on earth is a small matter (although there is nothing here that would offer me more happiness) when compared with the magnitude of the work in which you are engaged. Therefore I can say with your dear mother that I cheerfully submit to the disposal of Him who has crowned our lives with loving-kindness and who will order all that concerns our children and ourselves for His own glory.” His mother then adds: “I hope that you will not think because I do not ask you to come home that we do not desire to see you—we do indeed long for your return that we may see you in the flesh. But we cannot, dare not ask you to desert your post which we feel is one of great honour and responsibility; and we trust you may be made an instrument in the hand of God for doing much for the interest of the Redeemer’s kingdom.” Just at this juncture occurred the beclouding of friendship on the part of King Mongkut. As the mission work came to a standstill, the missionaries held a conference to determine their course of procedure. Dr. House was ready to carry out his long-cherished plan to transfer his labours to Lao, but the decree forbidding travel rendered this impossible. The letter of his parents had insinuated into his mind the alternative of a visit to America. When he casually mentioned this to his fellow missionaries they gave cordial and earnest approval. The expectation of the early arrival of a recruit to their force removed the objection of leaving the Mattoons alone. Then came the visit of Sir John Bowring, with his eventual offer of a free passage to Singapore. Availing himself of this offer, Dr. House left Siam in April, 1855, and sailed for America _via_ England, reaching home in midsummer. WELCOME HOME