The Express.
London, England, 1859-10-26 00:00:00

LITERATUBZ

The Miming Link : or Bible-women in the Homes
of the London Poor. By L. N. R., Author of the
" Book and its Story." Nisbet..
The connexion between the material and the moral
and spiritual improvement of mankind is one of thole;
truths which society is perpetually losing and redie-
covering. Just now there is, as tU reports of the
recent congress at Bradford have shown us, a dispo-
sition to recognise this important fact, and the
volume before us supplies a striking illustra-
tion of its reality. The movement or misriou,
which has found so fitting and earnest an historian
in the author of this work, has received the various
names of " Marian's Mission," the "Female Bible
Minims," and the "Chapel of the Scrubbing Brush."
Weibull briefly sketch its remarkable and romantic,
hat most gratifying beginnings and program, and
Log may it be before we or any others may have to
shronicle its end !

Wien on—so we prefer to call it—ccen-
lasated scarcely two years ago. It was suggested
by a lady, who, walking through the streets of St.
Giles's one midsummer afternoon thought itmipht be
possible, by means of tamale agency of a description
hitherto untried, to evangelise even the worst districts
of this centre of the world's heathenism. The lady
afdr inquiry found a suitable person to carry out
her views—a respectable, plain, earnest, married
woman of the poorest clue, herself a denizen for
man than thirty pan of the purlieus of St. Giles's,
anxious for such work, and whose common sense
roved to be se strong as her piety. She had become
in middle age, only five years before, under rather
singular circumstances, a religious woman, and, like
Loyola, had not to grow after her conversion. Her
natural powers were already matured, and she began
her work with all her strength.
Marian commenced in the dens where policemen
seldom can to penetrate, where the City Missionary
scarcely ever steps, and where the ordinary " lady
visits" would shudder to enter. But she appears
to have had confidence in three things ; in her
faith, in herself, and in her sex. Houses where
sixteen persons would be found sleeping in one room,
bands of costerniongers, thieves, " smashers," and
of the utterly " fallen," she called at. Her sole in-
troduction was the Bible. Neither she nor her friend
had the moral cowardice or the dishonesty to con-
anal that their first object was to get the people to
bay and to read the Scriptures. No mere " tactics "
were adopted to secure this first aim. It was kept
distinct, pure, and simple, but after it was secured,
other means of moral and physical elevation were
suggested, without which it was rightly argued these
people might perhaps buy the Bibles, but would not
be likely to continua to read them. Christianity
first, cookery mooed, and scrubbing-brushes cer-
tainly third, if not before cookery, but everywhere
the thr“ together.
It is doe to human nature to say that Marian was
almost invariably received with respect. Some would
say, " What use is it to come with the Bible here ?
It is not for each as we are;" bat others would say,
" Ab, let her come, I wish we were like her;" and,
" Well, this cannot be for gain." Once she received
very vile; usage, bat it resulted in securing her some
se her best friends. Her dauntless and zealous spirit
same to have been unconscious of physical fear. We
will quote • pimp from this book which admirably
Iftentss bar method of proceeding, her temper,
sail bar sasses :

*Da arse ay that ear," said s City missionary, who
trt br as bar way fa Church-lane ; " the woman who lives
there Is not a wawa. &s in • fired ; ft tars four men to
awry her bar area sba is drone."
" It at to soak r her I go," said the visitor, and pared

—When she arrived et the stair bed she heard the voice of
a fury, and, tapping st the door, immediately entered. The
Bores wawa, a thever's wife, standing 'ix feet bight wes
accustomed to keep her neitehbonre at a distant*, and stared
is amessmag at Hernia. A boy of nine years old stood in
the earner naked • hie mother hod just beim beating him,
dor tatting his old trousers to ribbons, in smolt of a sus-
pense white she add he had stolen, having modeled it for
soona erasing.
" Do not beat him say more," maid Harlan, " I daresay be
will remember this; but what will you do with his trousers?
He cannot put them on spin ;" and, turning to the child,
she added, "a lady gam me a pair of trousers this morning,
but they were for • good boy, ill toned him; could you pro-
mise keep back the money any more Gorr your
mo her, if I brought them to you ? "
The offer wt* so timely, find the voice of kindness so un-
mask in that apartment, that it melted the child, and even
leeched the mother. An influence began from that day alike
over mother and children. This woman had been very violent
to Marian in the first week of her new vocation, threatening
"to tremolo her to pieces if she came ranting into her court."
She now, however, began to suacribe for a Bible, to dress
herself &coolly, and with her two children to be found in
the gallery of the church of old St. Oileres—the church In
which she wee married, bet bad never since set foot. . . .
fibs became one of the "Bible woman's" protectors in the
notaiour Church•lans.

So, chiefly by penny subscriptions, Marian sold her
Bibles, and, in the first fourteen weeks, amongst the
lowest outcasts of society, bad sold 174 copies.
Subscribers being secured and acquaintances
made, it was determined "to do something to place
these people in a condition to profit by the book
which they were willing to buy," so Marian asked
permission to invite some of her new friends to a
tea party. Bight women came, and, considering
from whence they came, we don't wonder at their
declaring that"they had never spent such a pleasant
evening in their lives," although three of them were
obliged to bring .• their babies." They were drawn
from the hare and rabbit akin, watercress, fruit,
fish, and flower-selling clime of society.
Another step was taken. The small capital for
stock was at first invested entirely in Bibles; a pur-
chase of saucepans and dishes was now decided upon,
and at the end of about twenty weeks from first
commencing her miseion, Marian reports that the
saucepans and dishes, which had been lent to sixteen
persons, were serving forty families, who had all
bought (price a halfpenny) the printed receipt for
six quarts of soup for el:pence. This soup was in-
tended to supersede gin, for, mays Marion's friend,
whom it is not difficult to identify with the writer of
this book, " I believe that soup-making for them-
wives would alone came a reformation in St. Giles'.,
because the nourishment it would give would prevent
the constant craving for stimulants, at which one
scarcely wooden, amid the foul smells abounding
and the perpetual weakening of digestion by the hot
cup of tea ; and you cannot hope to raise them to
think over the message from God which you have
carried to them till some check is placed on their
consumption of that which ruins both body and
soul." The idea proved to be a right one, and
from one of their own station, who bad herself
known the lowest depths of poverty, the advice and
smistance were gladly received. " I am sure I never
thought of this before," said one. " We are willing
to be taught if you will teach us." was the common
expression. And they were willing, in other ways.
They were encouraged in a desire for decent cloth-
ing. and, by being allowed to pay for it in small
sums, and shown the way to work, were glad to east
off the rags in which they had hitherto lived. The
brush followed the needle. Floors that had not been
scrubbed for a quarter of a century Marian washed,
and told the wondering lookers-on to observe the
change. If a poor woman was ill. Marian would
"make her bed and right her room" for the night,
wash her children for her, end "show how bright
their clean faces might he made," and would take
advantage of such a golden opportunity to interest
her to "get clothes for them fit to go to school."
Tbe result, with a feeling the farthest removed from
pride, she herself reports as follows:—" I have quite
enough already to e moorage me to persevere, and there
is many a room where at first I found no furniture but
an old table, with the tin beer cans upon it. and
perhaps a pack of cards, with two or three old bm-
bets turned upside down for beats, and naked chil-
dren sprawling round, that now begins to look very
different. It bass mime something good about them
that, when they are told I have a manage from God
to them, so many are not unwilling to hear it. As
I read a few verses to them sometimes the words
seem to drop like healing balm upon their sorrows,
poor things! Ira they alma all say that their

ECCLUTASTICAL Colutiottosriut. Yesterday's
Odaiott. motels, • repteseeteilse se her MOM, N Connell
by the ittelsolsoini Comtism, no to slut issigameat of
• diarist slepary Is the esseerreted church of Resat Paul,
sitesee is the Web of Mtge, ha tits away d Ole•osese,
and le She Melees si elsoessier eed Bristol, the se.. being
by tor 1114roty. Mow an else r opooodod by
reweltbeithean fie no Wow cm of wade la embus dia.
trier. wtash is Mile.y ler LO N,.
Tilt Pori AMID USNANNESST, or MILLDOUItri.
—W have mesh piessate is seioszerisir that the Holy
Father has plead le the Lads .5 the Right Row. Dr.
(hold, who logy vloboi the Eternal C.ty, a gt.ld medal
hese hie Hellas% le to protootod to the late prime minieter
sf Vidoelo. 01111noomoy, of Tipperary, as a token of
the pleseeal nowt of oho Holy Father, and in recognition
of his distleaaishea suswires es the Gidwitz Church in Ass-
freeteasa'a Jesmail.

GREYNmicII sommittee, consisting
Ott» folkartau gestirmes. bambini bum appatatad by Om
Duke of Stmanst sod brand at Admiralty to emir Mb,
Me mattaimmuit of Um Wan of Onaravich Horbital, dell
W Milltary, Mu :—lir YAW.. Hutt, M.P. log Gabbard,
Captmit J. C. Dallymple Hay. R.N., lately returmil hem
?Gels Antrim, sad Mr. R.bert Ingham, M.P for South
Shirlds.

Bourn Kelm:meow Mrszem.—Doring the week
maim pet. 22 the visitors have lime as ddlows —Oa
Mamisy, Turley, mad hatantsy, fn. days, 11.493 ; on Mon-
div sod T—_d.,, b evade" 5,442. Oa .ho three
stedisalet days (edentulous to the public fid.). 905 ; an.
.behold ineaMir, Wimisird., 121 Total, 9,964. From
thetsemales al the massara. 1.103.642.

1101-CiNTEISHIIIt COI*NTY CottßV; —The
able Jodie of theme our* Boeisto/o Parham, Erg , !Avis;
wet is tielereatiab la ece,wpsonace el coetieued ill health.
the Lord Cheaper hr epeoloied Rupert Kettle. Reg , of
the Mined Chweit, Se the roomed juleaehlp. The Lord
Cheeceller, It is Atli, bee rownoseedrd to the Tr.seury that
the fell reties( —Wee tettoth.r,la of the salary—
dwell be to Mr. Perham. The appointment of
ere esfilleined, will cite gnat wetideetiou to the
MAI prelwelea pmeeelly sad Wow:host the Morrie; which
ea. deer er Worcester. Keiderwieetee, Dudley,
Pamir% Breehare, Lodes'', Teuttery. Bras-
mil, and Opeerepeeretwere. Mr. Katie bee hese Sour-
is:lz et He her, baring twee relied I. the Middle
T Jun, 1146, sod boo durieg that petd travelled
the Meek, ee which... 4 ...tuff pow., h. h.. for
ATM enjoyed • coseidermble Feedlot.— Worcester

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 26, 1869.

husbands treat them badly and beat this. One
learns to do so from another, and I believe it depends
very much upon the women to alter it. They are
certainly most thankful for a little kindness."

The reader will observe that there is no reference
to beds in the first orntesos. Bede, indeed, there
were few, se there are few now is Bt. Giles's.
Happy the man or WOO= who can commend six feet
of soft board, or failing that, an undisturbed seat on
a doorstep ! Beds, however, it was determined to
introduce. The luxury does not seem to have entered
even into Harian's imagination : it wee the sugges-
tion of a medical gentleman, who had been accus-
tomed to visit amongst the poor and bad observed
their great suffering from cold. Beds, therefore, at
six shillings each, were at once bought. Hers are
Marian'. own reflections on the result:

Timm is hope for the hopeless, if their attention should be
ant wound by BOON one they knew coatis( to dim with
God's book. I should never &emir of soy people after
what I have sum is Bt. Odes's. The lowest pose have come
to be what they en by the mistake of stapposieg that Wei
Mgt toe bad .to be rosarisd. They drink to
diary, and their mosey will come out of the MAP-WKs ops if
other things are sot only talked about but pat before them.
I matted at the indium= of the lout senimposs, and at the
wiliness= of toasty persons to bight to purchase clothing,
with which numbers is toy district an becoming comfortably
provided ; hat now the obese elven beds use.. as if they will
Me:meryiking elm is the thought@ which they will
end the habits they will eller. I hive brought
U. 16s. this reetung, en b encemes, paid for bole only. I
might have had more them ea much men, bet Intro already
takes 180 same, and am now come to ask if indeed mother
fifty beds ma be promised before more names are taken. One
women said, as the money was babe paid, " Nineteen out of
twenty of them =miser would have gene is gia;" to
which many around responded, "Ay, that they would."

Greater cleanliness followed beds. "We cannot
find it in oar hearts to pat oar children to sleep co
the rage we had before,'' said the women, and half •
dozen out of the first hundred bed purchasers wen
even ambitious enough to think of buying bedsteads.
Bible selling oontinned all this time, and at the end of
the first twelve months Marian had sold 1,004 copies
of the Scriptures by peony subscriptions, "each
penny called for once, twice, end sometimes thrice,
by the patient and earnest native agent, chosen from
amongst themselves."
finch was this brays, poor woman's work, and each
is it still—teaching, purifying, sad elevating to
divinest sympathies hundreds who, before her friend
walked on that summer afternoon through Bt.
Giles's, had as little prospect of being raised to such
a position u the " brutes that perish."
It may be imagined that such ;moms as Marian's
has induced those who have guided this remarkable
movement to extend the number of the new order of
female missionaries. With peat wisdom, very slowly
and cautiously they have done so. We say with
wisdom, because it is obvious that the income of such
a mission, depending entirely as it does upon the
Steams of the female chosen to this peculiar
work, would be entirely missed if • wrong agent
were selected. All pious women will not succeed;
all strong-minded, common-sense, and hardworking
women will not succeed; nor will all uneducated
women (the missionary in this field must be, to a
certain extent, uneducated), but a few have been
found whocombine in right proportions these various
qualities, and they are now at work in all parts of
London for three, four, and sometimes six and eight
hours a day, selling Bibles, making soup, washing
clothes, and ministering in all things unto the life
that now is and to the life that is to come. They
and

are to be found in the dietricts of Paddington
Spitelfields, in Cray's-ion-lane and Rate-liff-high-
way, in Dru7-lame and the New Cut, in Smith-
field, Shoreditob, and many similar localities.
The history of their labours is another history
of Marian's mission. Some tell them that they
want "bread, not Bibles," and some Cane both
then sad their books; bat the majority express
great thankfulness for the help that is offered.
" Martha," of Paddington, ws are told, said some-
thing to one woman, in a deplorable court, about the
plan of collecting their pence for any garment they
requfred ; and the woman immediately answered,
" What a good thing that will be for us." Where-
upon Martha, fancying that she might be anticipating
some bonus, said, " But you know, mistress, you'll
have to pay for what you receive, and to help to
make it, too ;" to which the woman answered, "Ah,
that will be better still, for 'twill be teaching us to
help ourselves."

We meet with a Mill more characteristic incident
than this in the labours of the Bible-woman in
Clerkanwell:
An old men, who became a Bible subscriber from the coo-
mencement of the mis•ion, explained, as he procured Bret one
shiUlag Bible and then &molter, that he wished to give away
with hie own hand. S,metimes he paid a halfpenny, some-
times spray, sometimes more, till he had purchased no less
than three sad was subeoribing for • fourth ; when, one
day, being very ill with severe rheumatism' he was
compelled to bid the Bible-woman enter his room,
for the trot time, end to her surprise she found only tokens
of extreme penury and personal want. He had always pet
his card and mousy out at the door, and had paid so regularly,
that she Mile thought to see a room se =kept, and with
nothing for • bed but some seek in the corner. BIN asked
him how be had been able to give to ethos, if himself so bate
of neoessaries. He said "he liked to give to God, and the
small sum he had spared would not have made much differ-
sue to him."

A touching and delicate incident, very true to
human nature, and one which must have been ex-
quisitely gratifying to those who have the charge
of these missions, occurred recently in St. Gile►'s.
A midsummerpts was given to some of Marian's
new friends and subscribers. Many flower-girls
were of the number, who, as a voluntary contribution,
brought of their flowers to decorate the feast. With
this offering, we are told, as a product of the spon-
taneous gratitude of the Seven-dials, were presented
half-a-dozen bouquets which might have been the
envy of Covent-garden, and which were " for the
ladies who had been so kind." " When," says
the writer of this book, "one thought of Chun:b-
lame, and Marian told us these had been made there,
and that no one would say who had made them—
" it was the offering of all "—" our hearts were
indeed touched." This " touch of nature " links the
hearts of the women of St. Giles's to every beating
and throbbing heart of the world.

The " Missing Link" supplies a new chapter in
the history not only of Christianity, but of civilisa-
tion. It has an interest to the philanthropist as well
as to the believer. Reaching farther down in the
social strata than wash-houses or ragged schools, this
woman's mission promises to prove far more success-
ful than either of those in promoting the spiritual
and physical regeneration of lost humanity. It has
sunk a shaft into the lowest stratum, and has brought
from it waters pure and deer as crystal, which,
directed into their lost channels, are now flowing and
sparkling up to their supreme and natural source.
The secret of the success of this singular mission
lies in its COW/Cit:le or unconscious adherence to the
law of human affinities. It is not every loadstone
that will draw, and there are many chemicals
that are powerless exeept when in combination
with certain other,. There are laws in the
spiritual world as inflexible as any to be
found in the physical. By a happy adherence
to one of these, Marian's mission has succeeded
where all the alchemy of Poseyism and all the mere
perfunctoriness of many other isms had utterly
failed. We only hope that it will be allowed to
continue to work in its own way ; that it will not,
now that it is being made public, be interfered with ;
that it will not become fashionable—and, above all,
that it will not become wealthy. The last two rooks
have been the Scylla and Charybdis on which missy
a true mission—such se the Ragged School miasices—
has been wrecked. We think this will be the hope
of every healthy minded religious person who may
read of the discovery of the " Missing Link." The
book treats of the heathen of St. Giles's, instead of the
heathen of Madagascar and Mokololo, or it would
receive a wider circulation, and create a more vivid
interest, than the travels even of an Ellis and a
Livingstone.

CETOTAL PALACE. OPE BIIiLLIIIO
T011D67, oar. 26.-114mbaker ea preheat, 3,413;
Mb by nom loblis. 1,197; leial villas, 4,610,