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CHAPTER VI.

BEFORE this history proceeds, it may be well to inform the reader, that Mr. W. had always twenty acres of land in cultivation (changing them every two or three years), which he called his missionary fields; and the produce of which he devoted entirely to the Bible and Church Missionary Societies. He had, also, a large garden, set apart for the same purpose.

The cultivation of these fields, and this garden was effected, chiefly by the men and women who took up their temporary abode at the poor travellers' house. The nature of their labour was decided on, and its operations regulated, by an overseer, who never left the labourers, and who had himself formerly been one of their body.

Mr W. had, also, built a very large room which he called the work-shop. Here he kept two carpenters constantly employed, often in making wood-work for such houses or out-buildings of his tenants as were out of repair. The construction of these, together with the making of gates, &c., &c., for the different farms, afforded the carpenters sufficient employment for a great part of the year; and, when their labours were not required in this way, one of them occupied his time, by Mr W.'s direction, in making bedsteads, &c., for the neighbouring industrious poor; repairing their broken furniture, &c.; and the other, who was a very clever workman, was then employed in the manufacture of whatever might be thought likely to sell well. Little boxes, of all

shapes and sizes; inkstands; fire-screen handles, &c., &c., &c., were disposed of to the best advantage, in a neighbouring town; and the money, thus raised, sent to the missionary fund.

As making the various kinds of iron-work required by the carpenters, took up nearly the whole time of a blacksmith, Mr W. had engaged one, whom he paid so much a-week, and, in some way, or other, kept constantly employed.

Having, in a short digression, explained these things, we proceed to lay before the reader Mr W.'s mode of employing the time and talents of his several visitors at the poor travellers' house.

The steward, having ascertained the nature of that work to which the different individuals now before him, had been accustomed, first separated all the agricultural labourers from the others. These were immediately consigned, either to the overseer, or the gardener; and, if the weather permitted, taken, at once, to the missionary fields, or the garden. Those, in the fields, were, in the proper season, employed in weeding, hoeing, &c., the potato-crop (for all the fields were set with potatoes), or working at it in any other way, just as the state of the crop required, or as the season made expedient. Those men who were taken to the garden, were occupied as the gardener thought fit, some in one way, and some in another, but all kept close to their work.

As the fields were cultivated with extraordinary care, they required a deal of labour, and the more, because Mr W. commonly had them thrown up into ridges in the autumn. Altogether, the soil was so well worked, that immense crops were produced.

Mr W. never staid to inquire what proportion the price of the crop bore to the amount of the sum laid out in raising it, because his object was to combine the support of the missionary cause with the present

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eventually joined him in every thing in which he was most anxions that she should take a part. He learnt that she had been much impressed by the address which he had made to his former friends, on the memorable day, whose history has been given. Her pride made a long, and vigorous stand against her convictions. By Divine Grace, however, the latter ultimately prevailed; and the happy, and now more. than-ever-united couple have, for many years, been of the same mind, and spoken the same thing.*

1 Cor. i, 10.

CHAPTER V.

THE events recorded in the preceding chapter may have sufficed to show, that Mr Wyberg's spiritual convictions were deep, and his renunciation of the world decided.

A detailed view of those various plans for doing good, in the superintendence, and direction of which, his life was thenceforward spent, shall presently be brought before the reader. In the meantime, it may, perhaps, be not unacceptable to him to be furnished with the particulars of a conversation, in which be will, probably, discover some of those strong traits of resemblance already affirmed to exist between the character of Mr W. and that of his friend Eugenius. The conversation in question took place at the house of a Mr Lewis, on whom Mr W. had called, and who was just returned from taking his two sons to a large public-school.

Mr L. was a serious, well-disposed man, who had realized a handsome fortune, in some commercial employment, and was now living very much secluded from the world. He had formerly mixed extensively with it, and, in this intercourse, had experienced repeated mortifications from the defective nature of his education. Resolved that his sons should not suffer in the same way, he had placed them in a situation, where, he was told, every facility would be afforded them for making classical attainments.

Mr Lewis very naturally informed his visitor what he had done; and the conversation turned on what is

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bodily relief, and spiritual instruction of the individuals he employed. These ends he saw answered, and he was satisfied;-he was thankful.

Mr W., also, kept, in his own hands, a large farm, and on this some of the travellers were employed, in conjunction with his own labourers. In harvest, many, and sometimes the whole of them, were thus occupied, either for their benevolent patron, or some of his neighbours, who were glad of assistance at such a time.

At other times, those men who had been accustomed to handicraft-work, were sent into the workshop. If they were skilled in the use of carpenters' tools, they were employed in making whatever, at the time, happened to be wanted. If smiths'-work were more familiar to them, they were employed in that way. If they did not understand either of these trades, they were employed in their own trade, whatever it might be, if the materials necessary for them to work with, could easily be procured. With respect to tailors and shoemakers, there was no difficulty on this ground. Mr W. kept by him a stock of cloth, and leather, which was always produced on such

occasions.

In short, in some way or other,-in draining, ploughing, gardening, haymaking, reaping, helping masons, working in the shops, or in the house, or elsewhere, all the men found employment.

In the meantime, some of the women and children were employed in weeding, &c.; others, who were more clever with their needles, were required to mend their own clothes, in the day-time, and those of the other women, as well as of the children, when they came home from their work. At this employment, they were closely kept, with the exception of half-an-hour allowed for supper, till bed-time. Where it was perceived, that new cloth might be introduced to advantage, this was given; as it was, also, in some cases,

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