An actuary of another branch says he has seen fathers and mothers, who have been drunkards, send their children with money to the bank, He says:  “My heart was made to rejoice when I saw a boy, who never had a suit of new clothes in his life, draw out his money, and in less than two hours return well clad, to take his place in the school to practise singing for Good Friday.  At the meeting of the Band of Hope on Good Friday, he asked the parents and children to signify by holding up their hands whether or not the bank had been beneficial to them; when many hands were instantly raised,—­one poor mother exclaiming, ’I will put up both my hands for my two bairns!’”

“A miner, the father of a family, reclaimed from drunkenness, saved his money in the bank until, with the aid of a loan from a building society, he built two houses at a cost of four hundred pounds.  The bank has been to many people what the hive is to the bee—­a kind of repository; and when the wintry days of sickness or adversity befall them, they have then the bank to flee to for succour.”

A missionary says:  “I met a man and his wife about two years ago—­both drunk.  I got them to sign the pledge, and since then to invest their money in our bank.  The pawnbroker had got the greater part of their goods; but I am happy to say that they have got all the articles out of pawn, and can bring a little money almost every week to the bank; and when putting in the money, the man says that it is better than taking it to the public-house.  Their home is now a very comfortable one.”

A drunkard one night came to the bank, and flinging down a shilling for a start, said, “There! that is the price of six pints of beer; but I promise the landlords that they shan’t have as much of my money as they have had.”  This man has become sober; and continues a regular depositor.

In another bank, a man who had been a reckless and desperate fellow was induced by his wife to deposit a few coppers in the bank.  He did so, and his weekly deposits increased; while at the same time his visits to the public-house decreased.  In the course of a short time he had a respectable balance to his credit; and this induced him to take a share in a building society, and then a second share.  After continuing to pay upon these shares for some time, he purchased a piece of land, upon which he built two houses.  One of these he occupies himself, and the other he lets.  Besides this, he is now a respectable tradesman, having two or three journeymen and an apprentice working for him.  He is sober and steady, and much respected by his friends and neighbours.

Many other cases of the same kind might be mentioned.  In one case a boy saved sufficient money to buy a suit of clothes for his father, who had spent all his earnings in drink, and reduced himself and his family to poverty; in other cases, sons and daughters maintain their infirm parents without resorting to the parochial Board for assistance.  Some save for one thing; some for another.  Some save to emigrate; some to buy clothes; some to buy a watch; but in all cases frugality is trained, until saving becomes habitual.