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stands a neat-looking parsonage-house, and not far off is a fine village school-house, where the children of the mills are educated, and where every attention is paid to their moral and religious culture. The Rev. Mr. INCE, the incumbent of Meltham Mills, is one of the most thoroughly Christian pastors it has ever been my privilege to converse with. One day in each week he pays a visit to the mills and delivers an address to such of the people as like to hear him. There is no compulsion in the matter. Mr. Charles Brook (the leading proprietor) had just erected a number of pretty, new cottages for the work people, and now he is laying out a park for their benefit. The responsibilities involved by those who (humanly speaking) hold the destinies of so many of their fellow-beings in their hands, are, doubtless, very great; yet, when we see great wealth commanded, rightly employed, and widely diffused, as it is by such truly benevolent and Christian men as the Brooks, the Crosleys, and Mr. Edward Akroyd, we feel that they are at once a blessing to their people, their country, and themselves, and we pray that they may long be spared to pursue their labors of love, and to carry out the many projects they are devising for the temporal comfort and eternal welfare of the thousands committed to their care.
I shall ever think of my several visits to my kind friends at Thick Hollins, with intense interest, and ever wish great prosperity to Meltham Mills, and its large and cheerful community.
This is but November; yet, as I suppose my letter will not appear before the January number of your Monthly makes its advent, I must thus early send the New Year's greeting to my trans-Atlantic friends, expressing at the same time, my gratification that they take a continuous interest in my "Pencillings by the Way," and giving them my promise to do my best, during the year opening before us—that is, if health and strength be vouchsafed to me by the all wise Disposer of events.
As ever, yours most truly,
JULIA GRIFFITHS.