56 History of the “ Dayspring.” 
the enjoyment of society. Such a place is sure to be more open to re- 
ligious influences than mere money-making towns, and Geelong is, in 
fact, better supplied with churches than any other town in Australia. 
On the morning of Friday, the 4th of February, the Presbyterian mis- 
sion vessel ‘Dayspring’ cast anchor in Geelong harbour. The ‘Dayspring’ 
is one of the institutions of the Presbyterian church, and her name is fa- 
mous throughout all our congregations and Sabbath schools. The vessel 
is supported by other Presbyterian churches as well as ours; but Mel- 
bourne is her head-quarters, and she is well known, by sight or by report, 
to all our people. Her visits to the colonies have done very much in 
awakening a missionary spirit throughout our borders ; and it is now felt 
that, as time will permit, she should visit all the seaports of Australasia. 
Last year she visited the chief towns of New Zealand, and this year it 
had been resolved to run her up to Geelong. This was known before 
her arrival, and arrangements had been made to have meetings and 
services appropriate to the occasion. The local ministers entered very 
heartily into the arrangements, and they, together with Dr. Geddie (who 
had come from the mission field with the ‘ Dayspring,’) and the convener 
of the New Hebrides Mission Committee, were able in a few days to 
address all the Presbyterian congregations in the town and neighbour- 
hood. These services culminated in an afternoon gathering of Sabbath- 
school children in the hall of the Mechanics’ Institute on Sabbath, the 
13th. The assemblage of children was really immense, and their bright 
appearance augured well for the future of the church and colony of Vic- 
toria. During the same week the ‘ Dayspring’ was taken alongside the 
wharf, and for several days her decks and cabin were crowded with 
visitors, Altogether, the missionary impression produced on the town 
was very strong, and will, no doubt, also be lasting. 
Services like those held in Geelong on the previous week, were con- 
ducted in Ballarat and the surrounding country on the week beginning 
Sabbath, the 2oth. It is well known that Ballarat is the metropolis of 
the gold-fields of Victoria, and the town itself is indeed one of the won- 
ders of the world. It is so new a place that rats have not found their 
way thither yet; but still it has its 50,000 inhabitants, with no end of 
stores, churches, hotels, public buildings, and gold mines. It will be 
readily understood how missionary financiers would have an eye to 
operations on such a place; though, as Ballarat is an inland town, fifty 
miles from Geelong, the fact that the ‘ Dayspring ’ could not be taken up 
to the diggings, and exhibited at ‘The Corner,” or on Lake Wendouree, 
was a sad damper to our expectations of telling on the mind and pocket 
