John commenced with an earnest prayer for a
blessing on the evening; asking, in his simplicity, that "the people
might run after the word like sheep after salt"--a strange
expression to us, but most appropriate and striking there. Fixed
attention was given to Mr. Stocking's discourse: then John, who feared
that those around the door had not been fed, spoke to them of Zaccheus.
"The crowd about him," said he, "did not know his feelings; but Jesus
knew them, and loved him; and so, mothers and sisters"--they, as an
inferior class, had to take the lowest places while the men were
within--"if you have come here to-night with a broken heart, though we
have not seen you, Jesus has." He then, with Miss Fiske's pupils, sung a
hymn, and the meeting closed. Still, many women lingered; some sitting
down by Miss Fiske, and others in little groups, talking over what they
had heard; very different from previous visits, when dress and such
things were the most interesting themes of conversation. This was
the first meeting in the village in which the missionaries noticed
much religious interest.
Early in the morning, Miss Fiske's pupils were gathered together for
a Bible class.
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