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joy and comfort in knowing that our life and work 

 are not lost. To have a place in people's affection 

 is no small gain. I had a nice meal with Mr. Bilby 

 in our own house. What a treat too after six 

 weeks life on board. We carried the Mission (in 

 prayer) to God, and our brother Sampson, now away 

 at Signia, was not forgotten." 



Soon after this Mr. Sampson went home to 

 England when the Alert sailed on her return voyage. 



And what, we ask, were the signs of progress 

 that Mr. Bilby had been able to report and with 

 which he had encouraged Mr. Peck on meeting 

 him ? First of all the congregations were large 

 and attentive, but at the same time there was some 

 disappointment about the small proportion of men 

 who attended the meetings. But this was not 

 without its encouraging side, for it was to a great 

 extent to be attributed to the influence of the 

 conjurors. As we have seen before, there is always 

 satisfaction in the opposition of the enemy. 



Now, however, there was a difference. It was 

 not as in former years, when the men were led 

 by the conjurors and unhappily reverted to their 

 heathen ways. They did not yield to practising 

 their superstitious arts and immoralities. But 

 the conjurors seemed to retain enough influence 

 to prevent the men coming to Christian gatherings. 



Whatever encouragement there may be in this, 

 it is probably in another direction that Mr. Peck 



