1 844-54. LECTURES TO RAGGED SCHOOLS. 183 



illustrations for these lectures compelled the thought that 

 this was work specially done for the unseen Master. The 

 last of these appearances in the summer of 1859, is now 

 thought of with the interest that clings to such unconscious 

 farewells. To Dr. Cairns he sent the following report of 

 it : " A few nights ago the young women at it [a Bible 

 class] were invited to a festival, where tea, strawberries, and 

 a lecture on light, got up, ' regardless of expense,' with spe- 

 cimens, balloons, blue lights, and what not, were furnished. 

 A well-known ' Prestidigitateur' took charge of the ( spec- 

 tacle,' and the whole affair was a great success. Some 

 liked the tea, and some the pictures : some the strawberries, 

 and some the balloon. A few ' general hearers ' liked every- 

 thing I took more trouble with the fete than I have 



done with almost anything, and rejoiced much in its success- 

 fulness. May the omen be blessed ! May He, for whose 

 sake the work was done to interest the little ones of His 

 flock, feed me and lead me as one of His sheep once far 

 astray, but now admitted by the door into the true fold ! " 



In 1852 he speaks of a similar occasion to his friend Mr. 

 Charles Tomlinson. " I am much interested in your Vaux- 

 hall doings. 1 I know how pleasant such work is. I had 

 more pleasure in two lectures (on the Chemistry of a Can- 

 dle), to two ragged schools this winter than in most of my 

 other lectures. At one of them a very excellent dissenting 

 minister, 2 who is the mainspring of a most beneficent 

 system, came up to me before the lecture commenced, and 

 said apologetically, ' We generally begin with prayer ; have 



1 The reference here is to a lecture given by Mr. Tomlinson, to sup- 

 plement the benevolent labours of the Messrs. Wilson, in the Belmont 

 Candle Works, on behalf of those employed by them. 



2 The Rev. James Trench. See Cairns's " Memoir of John Brown, 

 D.D." p. 262. 



