After spending about three months in America, devoted chiefly to labors in the interest of the South African field, Mr. Agnew prepared for his return journey. Being in a poor state of health, however, he went to the sanitarium at Battle Creek, Michigan, for a short period of rest and recuperation. There he received the kindest and costliest treatment free of all charge. The Seventh Day Adventists, who. carry on this institution, are examples to others, in some directions at least. Believing as they do that "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh," they are liberal with their funds, and spend thousands of dollars in scattering their literature over the earth. Nearly all the workers and physicians connected with the sanitarium being vegetarians, and but two meals a day being served to patients (although if necessary in individual cases they give food at different times), this régimé was a decided change for our brother. "One need not endorse the soul-sleeping and annihilation doctrines of these people," said Mr. Agnew, "in order to recognize that they are conscientious and in the front of reforms on many lines. My stay at their sanitarium did me good, and I was thankful to God for the rest I obtained there."

On his way to New York, after leaving the sanitarium, he held meetings at Spring Arbor Seminary, Spring Arbor, Michigan, and in the A. M. Chesbrough Seminary, at North Chili, N. Y. Of these meetings, he says: "We had an especially good meeting at North Chili, and over forty-seven dollars was given to help on the work in Africa. A number of students in both seminaries were much interested in the missionary cause, and gave liberally of their means to help it along."

In December, 1894, Mr. Agnew sailed from New York on the steamer Majestic, of the White Star Line, arriving in Liverpool a week later. Going thence to Scarborough, in England, he again visited his mother and sister for a season, after which he proceeded to Southampton, from whence he sailed for Africa on the "Grantully Castle." After a month's journeying, in which nothing of particular interest happened, he arrived in Natal, January 12, 1895.

About three weeks after his return to Africa, February 3, 1895, Mr. Agnew was united in marriage to Miss Susie Sherman, daughter of the Rev. C. W. Sherman, of Saint Louis, Missouri (U. S. A.), who had for some years proven herself a heroine in the South African missionary work. The marriage ceremony was performed at Fair View Mission station by the Rev. A. D. Noyes, then in charge of that work. Their union was a peculiarly happy one, though soon terminated by Mrs. Agnew's death.

Two weeks after their marriage, leaving Mrs. Agnew at Fair View, Mr. Agnew proceeded to Inhambane to put matters in order for their settling there. Having secured a comfortable house at Macheche, just across the bay from Inhambane, he returned for Mrs. Agnew, and about May 6th they sailed from Durban for their Inhambane home. They were accompanied by a young man named Bernhart Dammeyer, who thought the Lord had specially called him to labor in the vicinity of Inhambane. Regarding this devoted young man, Mr. Agnew writes:

He had come out as a faith missionary; that is, he was connected with and under no missionary board. Whether he made a mistake in going to Inhambane or not I cannot say. It would be very easy to say that he did, but he was

satisfied up to the last that he made no mistake in going there, although he was disappointed in regard to the amount of money sent him by his friends at home. Before his death he saw clearly that it is not necessary to be cut loose from everybody in order to become a successful missionary.

Bernhart is said to have been a godly young man, one who lived in eternity, and who was an example to all around him. He finally died of fever at the mission station of the Church of England, across the bay from Inhambane, and was there buried.

Shortly after settling down at Macheche Mr. and Mrs. Agnew were reinforced by the arrival of the Rev. J. J. and Mrs. Emma Hillmon Haviland, with their little daughter, Violet. They all lived together in the house Mr. Agnew had rented until Mr. Haviland had erected a large hut at a place called Mavili, about four and a half miles from Macheche, and Mr. Agnew had put up a

temporary building on an elevated position at Macheche. They then moved into their respective buildings, and for a time all went well. Mrs. Agnew had, comparatively speaking, but little fever, and what attacks she had were quite light, so that they anticipated nothing serious, but imagined that all would be well.

But alas, writes Mr. Agnew, referring to a dark chapter in his experience now to be introduced, God's ways and plans are past finding out. At times when we think that all is well we are startled to find that death is even at the door. On Saturday evening, December 14th, wife complained of feeling unwell. She had been working hard through the day, as we generally prepared our Sunday dinner on Saturday. She had a slight chill, but a wet pack soon broke it up. The next day, Sunday, she seemed much better, sat up a little and took some food. In the evening we sang together the hymn commencing—

"O thou in whose presence my soul takes delight."

As we sang

"His voice as the sound of the dulcimer sweet,
Is heard through the valley of death,"

we little thought how near that valley was, but Jesus did, and doubtless he led us to sing this hymn that the memory of the occasion might be comforting at a time when only things of a heavenly nature could have any effect.

Shortly after singing she took a chill which, through the application of hot water bottles, was soon broken up; but shortly afterwards she had another, all unexpectedly, and began vomiting bile. The vomiting continued more or less through the night and all I did to stop it was of no avail.

On Monday Mr. Agnew sent for Mrs. Haviland, who went over in the afternoon and helped what she could. By this time hematuria had set in, and the precious sufferer was becoming dull and uncommunicative. What followed is recorded in the following letter, sent to Mrs. Agnew's parents:

"Dear Father and Mother Sherman:-I know you love our blessed Jesus and this thought enables me to write in a way I otherwise could not. Sometimes the Lord gives to those of his children who live near him an intimation of something that is going to happen, or has happened, even before they learn of it through human sources. I have been in hopes that it has been so in this case.

"This letter will not reach you for two months, but it may be that God has already in some way given you an intimation that our precious Susie has taken her flight to the Paradise of God. She was taken away with bilious fever on Tuesday, the 17th of December, about noon, and was buried the next day at Mavili, the mission station where brother Haviland is, four miles from here. Oh, how strange it all seems, and so like a dream! but the thing is all too real. Her happy smile and comforting words of advice, her sweet voice singing hymns of salvation, will now be heard here no more forever. The thought seems too much for me, and I can only weep it out at Jesus' feet, who can do nothing but what is wise and right.

"When I realized that Susie was dying I asked God in my heart of hearts to give me something special to comfort me. At about noon the end came, and oh, how God came

to my soul! That passage, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth' (Job 19:25), came to me, and how God helped me to apply it to her, and, looking into her precious face, that text came bursting out of me finishing with, 'whom [she] shall see for herself,' and I was constrained to shout, 'Glory to God,' amid blinding tears and with almost bursting heart.

"And so our beloved passed away, one of God's most faithful ones. Our hearts were knit together perfectly by Jesus; and we loved each other away beyond any earthly consideration. She was as true to me as could be, telling me my faults at all times, and helping me on all lines wherein Jesus could be more glorified. After she had passed away the look of pain on her face also vanished, and a smile, sweet as heaven, was on her countenance, which seemed to say, 'I am at rest at last in the bosom of Jesus.'

"She spent much time in prayer. She would be up pray