The letter was unanswered for over a year; but coming at a time when the man of twenty-five was beginning to find that there were better things to be done in life than cliff-climbing in the country, or giving pleasant parties at Oxford, it wrought its purpose, and formed the first step towards the new life.

Having spent some time in study, Hannington went up for his ordination examination.  He did very well the first day; the second he was ill and could do nothing; the third the same; and when he was dismissed by the bishop he was in a state akin to despair.

The next examination was better, but he was nervous, and found his mind at times a hopeless blank.  He passed, but not in such a way as he desired.  At the examination for priest’s orders he came out at the top of the list.

The first portion of his life as a curate did not seem to point to his making any mark upon his Devonshire flock.  His audiences were sleepy, and paid little attention to his sermons.

One day he got lost on Exmoor in trying to make a short cut to a place where he was to conduct service.  He was consequently late in arriving, and found the congregation waiting.  On explaining why he was late to the clerk:—­

“Iss,” said that official, “we reckoned you was lost, but now you are here go and put on your surples and be short, for we all want to get back to dinner”.  Truly he was no Wesley in those days!

But to him, as to every true-hearted seeker, light came at last.  Not long afterwards he could write, “I know now that Jesus Christ died for me, and that He is mine and I am His”.

After little more than a year in Devonshire, Hannington was appointed curate in charge of St. George’s, Hurstpierpoint, near Brighton.  By his earnestness he roused the people to a fuller faith and to better works.  Finding much drunkenness in the place he turned teetotaler, and persuaded many to sign the pledge.  He started Bible classes, prayer meetings, and mothers’ meetings.  Not only was he a shining light in his own parish, but he also went about the country and assisted at revival missions, showing himself everywhere a bright and helpful minister of the Gospel.

In the year 1878 Hannington heard of the violent deaths which had befallen Lieut.  Shergold Smith and Mr. O’Neil in Central Africa.  From this time he became drawn towards mission work in that district.

It was not, however, till the year 1882 that he finally entered into arrangements with the Church Missionary Society to go to Africa.

Their high estimation of his capacities may be gathered from the fact that he was appointed as leader of the expedition which was being sent out.

It was a horrible wrench at last to leave wife and children.  “My most bitter trial,” he writes—­“an agony that still cleaves to me—­was saying good-bye to the little ones.  Thank God the pain was all on one side.  ‘Come back soon, papa!’ they cried.”  His wife had resolutely made up her mind to give him to God, and was brave to the last.