"But,

hearers was saying how much he had enjoyed the sermon. he added, "I lost all at the prayer meeting. I went into the gallery, and the scene of confusion beneath was such that it drove away all the good I had received."

"Ah! I see," replied Mr. Dawson. And then came the rebuke recorded above.

Mr. Dawson was often very quaint in his method of administering rebukes. A man who had been a most notorious character was led to join the Wesleyan body. One day he was telling, with seeming relish, what a great sinner he had been. "But," he added, a change came, and I sold off the old stock."

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Did you?" asked Mr. Dawson.

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"Who bought them? Not the Lord, for they are the abominable thing which He hateth; not man, for every one has enough; and not the devil, for they were his without buying. No, bury them, man-bury them! Don't sell them." "What do you think of So-and-so's preaching?" said a friend, one day. "There is not much in it to take home for meditation."

"I eat what I can," replied Mr. Dawson; "but I pocket nothing." As a platform speaker, Mr. Dawson possessed extraordinary power. He never seemed more at home than when advocating the mission cause. He had no time to indulge in those loose general remarks which constitute the staple of so many platform addresses. Every speech had its distinctive name, and addressed itself to some particular phase of Christian work. In what was known as his "watch speech," every part of the watch was made to illustrate some feature of missionary labour-the hands, which were dealt with last, pointing to the previous collection! In the "sowing speech" and the "harvest-home speech" he was peculiarly happy. In one of his addresses he would roll the paper on which was written the resolution he had to propose, so as to form a narrow tube. Placing this tube to his eye, he would exclaim, "What, sir-what do I see?" And then, with wonderful power, he would graphically describe the future of Christ's kingdom, as if all was present to his eye. That was the "telescope speech." For his "railway speech," in which the world was the track; the Gospel, the train; and Jesus Christ the chief director, he was severely handled by one of the leading morning journals.

At a meeting in the West of England, Mr. Dawson, on one occasion, created a sensation unusual even for him. It was the year 1831. There had been serious disturbances in the town concerning the Reform Bill, and party feeling ran very high. A missionary

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meeting was held, at which Mr. Dawson was present; and at the commencement he suggested to the chairman and speakers that it would be wise to avoid all political allusions. A ready assent was of course given. The chairman delivered his opening address-no politics! The first speaker followed: still no political references. Other speakers came in their order, and all with the greatest care avoided the dangerous topic. Presently Mr. Dawson was called upon. Ah," thought the chairman, we are safe here from politics." Mr. Dawson began: "I'm for the bill—the whole bill—and nothing but the bill!" Instantly there was a tremendous commotion. The chairman and those on the platform with him were amazed dumfounded. Mr. Dawson had recommended no politics, and here he had wilfully run into the very thick of them. But no man knew better how to play with a dangerous topic. He waited for a minute, until the.commotion had somewhat subsided, and then he proceeded with wonderful tact to apply every section of the bill to the work of God, never once diverging into matters political. The effect was tremendous. Mr. Dawson had taken his hearers to the edge of a dangerous precipice, and when everybody expected a catastrophe, he cleverly turned aside and led them into "fresh fields and pastures new.'

It was, however, as a preacher that Mr. Dawson was most widely known. Family circumstances prevented his entering as he wished tɔ enter the regular ministry. He consequently became, as he facetiously described himself, “a travelling local preacher."

Great was the demand for his services, especially in the North and West of England. Unwearied was he in his efforts, performing wellnigh one hundred journeys every year; and disinterested was he in his labours, never, even when pressed by adversity, accepting for his services anything beyond travelling expenses. The secret of Mr. Dawson's power as a preacher lay in his bold imagery and in his graphic pictorial descriptions. Whenever he failed, as he occasionally did, it was because he allowed his vivid imagination to carry him beyond the sublime. As a rule, however, he held his congregation as by magic. They would listen in breathless suspense, whilst his appeals wrung tears and cries from the most hardened.

On one occasion, at Leeds, a humorous incident occurred. A pedlar, well known in the district, professed a great admiration for Mr. Dawson, and followed him, when he could, to hear him preach. Concerning the honesty of this pedlar, sundry rumours were afloat, and the nickname of "Mr. Short-measure" had been given him.

CONGREGATIONAL

HURCH, RIPPONDEN.

THE village of Ripponden is situated in the beautiful valley of

the Rybourne, six miles from the town of Halifax. Within a circle of a mile and a half radius from the parish church, in the centre of the village, is a population of about 7000 souls, for whose accommodation no place of worship in connection with the Congregational body existed up to 1870, though the need for one had long been felt,

The origin of the present Church was somewhat peculiar. In 1868 a number of Christian people felt it their duty to withdraw from a Church in the district. During the first summer after their withdrawal they worshipped in the open air, in winter they held their meetings in cottages. Their services were so successful, that the people began to entertain hopes and form plans for a new chapel. One was commenced which would have seated about 1200 persons. While soliciting subscriptions, they were brought into contact with Mr. R. R. Lee, of Rebroyd Bridge. He at once with much spirit took up the scheme. Through his influence and promised help, the people were induced to pull down the building which was in course of erection, new plans were procured, and the present beautiful chapel and schools were at once commenced. A Church was formed by the Rev. Dr. Frazer, of Airedale College. The new place of worship was opened in September, 1870. At the close of the opening services there was still a debt of £1600. A bazaar was at once set on foot to realise this sum, and all hands became busy in preparation.

At this point, however, sorrow came upon them in a way they little expected. It pleased God to take away from them their dear friend and helper, Mr. Lee. He had won his way to the hearts of the people as few men could, and though some time has elapsed since the Master called him to Himself, the name of Robert Rilsall Lee is still felt to be a great power for good in the valley of Ripponden.

In the chapel may be seen a very handsome marble tablet, with a medallion of Mr. Lee, placed there by his devoted wife; also a beautiful organ given by Mr. Henry Lee, in memory of his brother. The bazaar was held at Halifax, in June, 1872, and through generous help of friends there, and from Manchester, it was announced at the close that the chapel and schools, which had cost £4252, were free from debt.

"COMING DOWN FOR THE RAILWAY.”

BY AN EX-MISSIONARY.

THE above was the head line of a large placard which announced the sale by auction of eight houses in Little Paradise Street; which houses were-within a given time afterwards-to be pulled down and removed by the purchaser, or purchasers, in order to the construction of the Metropolitan Railway.

Of these eight houses no two of them were alike, either in height, frontage, or architecture. The largest and loftiest, and evidently the oldest of them, had been in its earlier days the pride of the neighbourhood. It was of aristocratic bearing and dimensions, was four stories high, had large windows, and to those on the ground floor massive shutters hung, whose weight had almost pulled them from their fittings. The front door was approached by an ascent of five steps, and the carved door-posts and wainscoted panellings of the passage or hall, indicated, in faded appearance, the glory of bygone days. But now for years, perhaps generations, the whole house had been a stranger to any renovating power, so that its present aspect was that of neglect and dilapidation. And as every room contained a tenant or family, and as the passages and staircase formed the highway and right of thoroughfare to each habitation, the front door was never fastened, nor even closed, by day or night; consequently, whoever was found loitering therein would never be questioned either as to his business or his right to be there. Hence this house formed a shelter from the rain or the sunshine, for the idle and unemployed who dwelt in that locality, and was therefore often frequented by a very loose and disorderly group. But it is not so much with the house, as with one of its tenants, that our present business lies. Thomas Harper, more generally known as "Crooked Tom," occupied the ground-floor front

room.

He was a tall, gaunt, bony man, who owned a temper as rough and ungenial as a northern blast or a thunderstorm; a fact well understood and thoroughly recognised by all who knew him; hence the appellation of Crooked Tom."

Now, as the idlers who congregated in the passage often did so congregate, to the great annoyance of "Crooked Tom," and sometimes by knocking at his door, and sundry other things, did con