9o 



MINISTRY AT STAND. [Chap. III. 



scholars, and which would remind me of them, and of my 

 evenings spent in the same way. I believe, though an 

 extremely painful one, it will be a valuable lesson to both 

 parties. . . . They would have given me a microscope, only 

 they thought I had it long ago (it was William's, which he had 

 lent me). William was at the tea last Sunday, and spoke very 

 nicely, and materially assisted to make things comfortable. 

 I happened to hear about the teetotalers before they had taken 

 any steps ; and I asked them to give it up, for this reason : 

 it would have been a public thing, with praise, etc., all which 

 I thought wrong, and to be avoided. Moreover, they were 

 obliged to confess that they would not have done it to the 

 poor advocates, who have worked much harder and done 

 more." He afterwards said, " The affair of the microscope 

 has, I think, ended well. They all seem quite delighted with 

 it. During the last week I had several levees, and the people 

 clearly saw that it would be a fund of constant interest and 

 instruction . . . the most delightful memorial I could have 

 of them. ... I have a very strong faith that even things 

 wrong in judgment, when performed not for our own glory, 

 but from a sense of duty, will be sooner or later overruled for 

 good." 



The school anniversary, in May, was a very bright and happy 

 day. The Rev. J. H. Thorn preached, and Philip addressed 

 the schools. He and his sister had made them a present 

 of a harmonium : this he played for the first time in the chapel. 

 The singing fully rewarded the great pains they had so long 

 taken with it, and everything " gave satisfaction." 



Before he left, he felt that he must once more warn the 

 young against a besetting sin. Mr. W. H. Herford has men- 

 tioned how high Philip's standard of purity was at college. It 

 was further raised, as his faith became more intense in Christ, 

 who taught that sins cherished in the heart injured it as much 

 as outward offences. The shame and guilt revealed to him 

 when he sought out the lost and depraved, led him to look 

 with greater horror on his own infirmities or (as he felt them) 

 sins. He wrote very faithfully to some who had disgraced 



