68 BOWDOItf BOYS Itf LABfcADOft 



Hopedale to come and visit us, and some are too poor ; or at 

 least the dogs' food is too expensive. My dear husband made 

 this journey last winter for the fifth time, that is only towards 

 the south. To the north he has also been different times. In 

 such a journey the Sacraments are spent, marriage performed, 

 and meetings are kept as many as possible. The poor children 

 who grow up without having any school are examined as to 

 how much they have improved since the last year. We felt 

 this year very much again the need of having a station among 

 them. There are children among them from 16 to 17 years 

 of age who cannot read at all. We have now asked our society 

 in London and Berthelsdorf, if possible, to build a station for 

 them that they may have their own minister and teacher. We 

 hope it may be done, then we would not have to travel any 

 longer only in cases of need. Every one who has to travel 

 ruins his health if he has to do it for a long time. The set- 

 tlers could then easily reach the Mission Station or the mis- 

 sionary could in one day get to the place where he is wanted. 

 May I, dear madam, give you some instances? First about a 

 family having ten children of ages ranging from two to eighteen 

 years. We came to that place in the afternoon about 5 o'clock 

 accompanied by four other persons belonging to their rela- 

 tionship who joined when we left their homes. As soon as we 

 opened the door of the house we were in the dwelling room. 

 At the first sight we saw that great poverty governed here, 

 even the children looked consumed and clothed in rags. The 

 house was so bad that the wind made its way through the 

 many gaps. After I had wrapped myself in a large shawl and 

 placed myself beside the big stove I was still freezing. Some 

 windows were broken, the opening filled with rags. My dear 

 husband asked why they had not nailed a board on the place 

 instead of rags ; they answered, "We have got none." But my 

 husband said "You could easily have made a nail of wood," 

 which they promised to do. We could only get a very little 

 bread, because they had only one small piece. I gave the tea. 

 My dear husband spent the Sacrament, communion and bap- 



