The subject could not be pursued, for the Bishop was public property among the friends and neighbours, and the rest of the day was bestowed upon them.  He preached on the Sunday at Alfington, where the people thronged to hear him, little thinking of the consequences of his visit.

Not till afterwards were the Bishop and the father alone together, when Sir John brought the subject forward.  The Bishop has since said that what struck him most was the calm balancing of arguments, like a true Christian Judge.  Sir John spoke of the great comfort he had in this son, cut off as he was by his infirmity from so much of society, and enjoying the young man’s coming in to talk about his work.  He dwelt on all with entire absence of excitement, and added:  ’But there, what right have I to stand in his way?  How do I know that I may live another year?’

And as the conversation ended, ‘Mind!’ he said; ’I give him wholly, not with any thought of seeing him again.  I will not have him thinking he must come home again to see me.’

That resolution was the cause of much peace of mind to both father and son.  After family prayers that Sunday night, when all the rest had gone upstairs, the Bishop detained the young man, and told him the result of the conversation, then added:  ’Now, my dear Coley, having ascertained your own state of mind and having spoken at length to your father and your family, I can no longer hesitate, as far as you recognise any power to call on my part, to invite you most distinctly to the work.’

The reply was full acceptance.

Then taking his hand, the Bishop said, ’God bless you, my dear Coley! 
It is a great comfort to me to have you for a friend and companion.’

Such was the outward and such the inward vocation to the Deacon now within a month of the Priesthood.  Was it not an evident call from Him by whom the whole Church is governed and sanctified?  And surely the noble old man, who forced himself not to withhold ’his son, his firstborn son,’ received his crown from Him who said:  ’With blessing I will bless thee.’

And he wrote to his brother:—­

’August 21.

’My dear old Jem,—­I have news for you of an unexpected and startling kind; about myself:  and I am afraid that it will cause you some pain to hear what I am to tell you.  You must know that for years I have felt a strong leaning toward missionary work, and though my proceedings at Alfington and even the fact of going thither might seem to militate against such a notion, yet the feeling has been continually present to me, and constantly exercising an increasing influence over me.  I trust I have not taken an enthusiastic or romantic view of things; my own firm hope and trust is that I have decided upon calm deliberate conviction, and it is some proof of this, that Fanny and Joan have already guessed my state of mind, and months ago anticipated what has now taken place....