234 



LIFE IN MONTREAL. [Chap. VII. 



occasion he went to the Gesu ; for while the Anglican Church 

 receives that creed as part of its inheritance from Rome, the 

 Church of Rome does not require it to be repeated in public 

 worship. 



Travers Madge, who had been a beloved brother to him 

 from College days (p. 34, etc.), wrote to " Philip and Minna and 

 Robbie," March 2, 1866, hoping that " useful works will open 

 by degrees, and that God will guide and guard all your ways. 

 . . . The Lord fills my cup of blessing, even to overflowing. All 

 praise be to His infinite mercy and tender compassion.' 7 He 

 knew that his long struggle was drawing to its close, though he 

 thought he might perhaps breathe the fresh air again, when 

 warmer weather came. Three weeks after, a letter from his 

 adopted mother, Mrs. Dowson, told of his departure (March 

 23). On the last night "he spoke chiefly of the infinite 

 blessedness of going where there is no sin, going to be i For 

 ever with the Lord. For ever — for ever, with the Lord/ It 

 was all said in a sort of rapture, his eyes gazing up into the 

 unseen world, from whence a light seemed to shine down upon 

 him. He had been so unable to speak audibly for many days, 

 that it was awe-striking : a higher power than human was in 

 him. After he had spoken in this way for a long time, quoting 

 Scripture and verses of hymns, and again and again ascribing 

 all his hopes to Jesus, he gradually subsided into a deep sleep 

 . . . till the early dawn stole through the blinds, and as imper- 

 ceptibly our dearest one passed to his home on high." 



Philip had many a hard battle yet to fight before he 

 received his summons, and a most " useful work " had opened 

 for him. He wrote to me (March 6):* " The people are 

 sufficiently alarmed about the cholera, and the Council have 

 issued cleansing orders, and appointed an Officer of Health ; 



* In this letter he attributes the principal part of his working power to 

 his deliberate mastication of his food. The habit "no doubt has its dis- 

 advantages, as I have often come back from company hungry. " He added, 

 " I think changes of diet, etc., are often beneficial ; and I accordingly, on 

 leaving England, had my name taken off the Vegetarian books [see p. 161], 

 in order that I might be free to act as I saw occasion. I have no intention 

 of eating flesh ; but shall not make a conscience against it, if I feel any 

 craving that way." But he never did feel that craving ! 



