It was in 1865 that Miss Macpherson was guided of the Lord to leave
scenes endeared to her by many hallowed associations, and to
encounter the trials and seek the blessings of Christian work in the
East of London. Her first efforts were in answer to an invitation
from the Society of Friends to hold classes for young men, both on
the Lord's Day and on week evenings, at the Bedford Institute, a
building lately erected by that Society, and which stood out
conspicuously as a monument of Christian love. On the week evenings,
instruction in reading and writing was the inducement held out to
attend. The first fruits may be seen in G. C., once a violent
opposer, afterwards a valuable helper in Canada, and now a preacher
of the Gospel in China. The work at the Bedford attracted so much
interest, that many helpers were drawn to it from other parts. The
Sunday Bible-classes became an object of remarkable interest. Perhaps
such an assemblage has seldom been seen. Many tables were filled in
one hall with men, in another with women, many of whom were very
aged, all with large-print Bibles before them, and each table headed
by some earnest teacher, all at the close being gathered together for
the final address.

Other Gospel meetings were also held at the Bedford, but Miss
Macpherson's labours could not be confined to this spot. In several
little rooms poor Christian women were gathered for prayer, and
depots for tracts were established, and Scripture texts placed in the
windows, in streets which were never so lighted before. But these and
all other efforts for the poor East End were interrupted in the
autumn of 1866. She felt the Lord called her to accompany her sister
and brother-in-law, Mr. Merry, with their young family across the
Atlantic. Mr. Merry's object was to settle his four sons in the