“Part of the Temperance work this year consisted in having a week's mission in the town. Mr. Lovely (the Battersea Navvy) came to Hitchin as CETS Missioner, and worked hard from Oct. 31st till Nov. 7th. Twelve meetings were held, and a large amount of visiting was done by Mr. Lovely. One of these meetings stands out as particularily successfull. A free tea brought together 120 people (labourers and their families), and these were so wrought upon by the speaker that 28 here and then joined the Society. Young men attended well at the two meetings specially set appart for them. Of course, disappointments occured during the week, but it is not necessary to describe them, as they were of the usual sort. We may say that, from observation other than our own, it will be a long time before any other Temperance worker has it all his own way in Hitchin, for public-houses are legion, and the housing of the poor in many cases is abominable. Missions at regular intervals to supplement local effort would be of the greatest service, but the tremendeus expense in which even a week's mission such as this one involves a Branch is enough to exhaust it for many a day. This form of doing God's work requires money, but because money is not forthcoming it must be left undone. Six days of 'The Navvy', with a lantern lecture on two, will soon run up a bill for ₤5. It cannot be made less without seriously hampering the work, and it might easily be made more with great advantage to all concerned, but this is nearly as much as we would pay for a whole season's deputations. Such missions, therfore, are expensive, and so must be rare. However it is a pleasure to testify to the self-denying efforts of Mr. Lovely, and we heartily wish him health and strength for his arduous work. If he ever comes to Hitchin again he will be sure of a warm welcome from all. His genuine sympathy with all sorty and conditions of men soon wins him an entrance amongst them.”