34 
THOMAS J. COMBER. 
“ I feel sure, May, that you can answer ‘yes ’ to all 
these questions, and that you are one of the Saviour’s 
lambs ; and I do hope that you will love Him more 
and more every day, and find out more and more 
what a precious, dear Saviour He is. 
“ Give my love to Emmie and to Gertrude. I hope 
to see them soon, and that they are trying to follow 
Jesus. I meant to have written to you all three 
while you were at Bournemouth, but I was so busy. 
I should like to know what you did there, and 
whether you met together for prayer. I should be so 
very glad to have letters from you all three ; I have 
so much to do that I cannot write to you all. 
“ Do not forget to pray for our meetings, and also, 
will you ask the Saviour to greatly bless some 
meetings we are going to hold at Southend to-morrow 
and Friday? — Your affectionate friend, 
“ T. J. Comber.” 
It was at Camden Road that Mr. Comber was 
brought into association with John Hartland, in 
whom he indeed found a kindred spirit, one who like 
himself had strong desires for a missionary life. A 
friendship rapidly sprang up between the two young 
men, — a friendship hereafter to deepen into the 
affection of a Christian brotherhood as tender as it 
was strong. Succeeding pages will show the strength 
of the fraternal tie which bound the two together in 
mutual esteem and love. In John Hartland, Tom 
Comber found a willing helper at the children’s 
services ; and when the time came for the latter to 
depart for Africa, it was to John Hartland he 
intrusted his precious work. It is fitting that here, in 
this connection, we should refer to the services which 
were held when he bade farewell to his youthful 
charges, as well as present our readers with specimens 
of the letters in which he assured them of his 
continued and unflagging interest, though by so doing 
we somewhat anticipate our narrative. 
