’"Yes,” they say, “we see man does not know that his room is dirty and full of cobwebs while it is all dark; and another man, whose room is not half so dirty, because the sun shines into it and shows the dirt, thinks his room much worse than the other.  That is like our hearts.  It is worse now to be angry than it was to shoot a man a long time ago.  But the more the sun shines in, the more we shall find cobwebs and dirt, long after we thought the room was clean.  Yes, we know what that means.  We asked you what would help us to go on straight in the path, now that we are entering at the gate.  We said prayer, love, helping our countrymen.  Now we see besides watchfulness, self-examination; and then you say we must at once look forward to being confirmed, as the people you confirmed at Norfolk Island.  Then there is the very great thing, the holy and the great, the Supper of the Lord.”  So, evening by evening and day by day, we talk, this being of course not called school, being, indeed, my great relaxation, for this is the time when they are like children with a father.

’I know I feel it so.  Don’t take the above as a fair sample of our talk, for the more solemn words we say about God’s Love, Christ’s Intercession, and the Indwelling of the Spirit, I can hardly write down now.

’Your loving Brother,

’J.  C. P.

’P.S.—­Feast of the Epiphany.  Those dear children were baptized on Thursday.  A most solemn interesting scene it was!’

Thoroughly happy indeed was the Bishop at this time.  In a note of February 3 to the Bishop of Wellington, he speaks of the orderly state of the College:—­

’Mr. Pritt has made a complete change in the Melanesian school, very properly through me; not putting himself forward, but talking with me, suggesting, accepting suggestions, giving the benefit of his great knowledge of boys and the ways to educate them.  All the punctuality, order, method, &c., are owing to him; and he is so bright and hearty, thoroughly at ease with the boys, and they with him.’

The same note announces two more recruits—­Mr. John Palmer, a theological student at St. John’s, and Joseph Atkin, the only son of a settler in the neighbourhood, who had also held a scholarship there.  He had gained it in 1860, after being educated at the Taranaki Scotch School and the Church of England Grammar School at Parnell, and his abilities were highly thought of.  The Bishop says:—­

’Joe Atkin, you will be glad to hear, has joined us on probation till next Christmas, but he is very unlikely to change his mind.  He and his father have behaved in a very straightforward manner.  I am not at all anxious to get fellows here in a hurry.  The Norfolk Islanders, e.g., are in need of training much more than our best Melanesians, less useful as teachers, cooks, even as examples.  This will surprise you, but it is so.

’I have long suspected that Joe thought about joining us.  He tells me, “You never would give me a chance to speak to you, Sir.”