Christian Three Character Classic,' in which she can read a few of the characters, and tries to teach those children a sentence or two. She is so eager to learn the last-named book herself that she will stop after meeting and get some of the schoolgirls to help her, if the rest of us are busy."

Miss Morrill reports a trip made to Nang-tu, about thirty miles from Paoting-fu, which she regards as one of the most promising of their out-stations. The helper's wife was doing a good work and the people were eager to hear. Miss Morrill says:

"On this trip I visited five villages and was received by nine families. They were all on hospitable thoughts and would have feasted me on Chinese fare had I not pleaded the dangers of indigestion. In two places I could not escape, because the meal was already prepared for us. Their interest in the truth seemed to be genuine from the fact that in this their busiest season they would take time to entertain us.

"One of the pitiful things which confronts the missionary everywhere is the old people. We met some women, who could not understand a connected sentence which the Bible-woman or myself said. The daughter in one household said, 'We understand, and are glad to hear, but it has come too late for my mother to understand.' Every season that goes by without bringing the hoped-for increase in our ranks increases the number of those whose ears are deaf, by reason of physical infirmities or indifference, to the gospel call. When we came away we wanted to leave some money with the old man who entertained us. He was very reluctant to take it, saying, 'If you trouble your hearts to come and teach us, the least we can do is to entertain you.' Finally he accepted it, but only to put it in the contribution box. They are saving their money, hoping to build or rent a small building expressly for worship. The Girls' School falls to me this year, as Mrs. Merritt's family cares are greatly increased by the little newcomer. I enjoy my ten little folks more than I can say. I think

quite as much of them as I did of my American children. The Boys' School still come to me twice a week. Of course when there are more gentlemen in the station the boys will fall to one of them."

Shansi Mission.

OFFICIAL RECOGNITION.

MR. THOMPSON, of Tai-ku, sends an interesting account of a visit from the district magistrate :—

"It is said to be an ill wind that blows nobody any good, and we have just had a new evidence that the saying is true.

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Owing to the troubles in the south of China the emperor has issued a proclamation for the protection of missionaries, and government officials have been warned to see that the proclamation is rigidly observed. We were accordingly notified that the magistrate of this district intended to make us an official visit on September 8, at five o'clock A.M., but as His Honor went first to the Confucian temple to worship, it proved to be eight o'clock A.M. before he reached our compound. Mr. Goldsbury and I and our noble Chinese Christian friend, Mr. Liu, who seems to have come to the kingdom for such a time as this, met the magistrate outside the great gate and escorted him to the reception-room. On taking his seat he informed us that he had come in compliance with the imperial proclamation and in order to assure us of his protection in the prosecution of our missionary duties.

"We gave him Mr. Clapp's card, and informed him that Mr. Clapp was waiting at the coast to accompany Mr. and Mrs. Williams into Shansi. The visit lasted about a half-hour, and it must be regarded as the most propitious event that has happened to us, as it gives the mission such official recognition as we have hitherto lacked. This puts us in a new and better light before the law-abiding people among whom we reside. We had nothing to fear before, but we are grateful that our legal standing has been thus publicly recognized. According to the

democratic custom which obtains in China the people thronged the court during the visit, and an immense crowd remained outside on the street, where they waited until they saw His Honor reënter his chair and take his departure.

He

"The magistrate is about thirty years of age. He has an honest face, and is a fine example of a Chinese gentleman. Mr. Liu, of his own accord, explained to him that this was a Protestant church, and pointed out a few of the essential differences between the two bodies. said he did so because the Roman Catholic Church is looked upon as a political organization, and he considered it important that the magistrate should understand that Protestants are free from foreign control.

Mr. Liu also explained

to him that we had rented a place at Jên Ts'un and asked him to rebuke a few persons there who had been trying to stir up opposition. His Honor promised to do so. It means a good deal in China to have the active protection of a man who governs a population of perhaps 1,000,000 people."

Dr. Atwood, of Fen-chow-fu, reports the progress in the building for a dispensary and for other medical purposes, and adds:

"The work of preaching has not been neglected. On Sunday we have held meetings in the court out-of-doors, the women and children sitting inside the house. In this way 150 persons have heard the gospel at a time. Mr. Liu was with us a month and preached the truth with great earnestness and has produced a good impression. He also preached at the summer resort one Sunday to over 200 people, who seemed much pleased with his preaching. The majority no. doubt came from curiosity, still they listened attentively.

"It is through this Mr. Liu's influence that Mr. Thompson has rented premises at the village of Jên Ts'un. This is a very prosperous region of country into which providence seems to have been leading us."

Japan Mission.

A BIBLE-WOMAN'S WORK.

WE give here some letters written prior to the earthquake, reference to which is made on another page. Dr. Learned writes that the number of students in the Doshisha, on October 27, was 536, in the following Departments: Preparatory, 168; Collegiate, 243; Theological, 84; Scientific, 29; Economics and Politics, 12. This is a most encouraging statement. Mr. Cary writes from Osaka:

"There is nothing specially new to report about the condition of the work in Osaka. In the main it is apparently in a good condition. Those who were led away by the Plymouth Brethren show no signs of returning. They are very active in trying to get others to leave the churches; but I do not learn of their doing much mischief yet.

The work at Kōriyama was for a long time in a discouraging condition. As I have before written, the town is far from prosperous, the young people leaving and coming to the city. Several of the church members removed, while others died. There was a debt of about eighty yen upon the church building, and the people had become so discouraged that they even talked of selling the property, paying the debt, and renting a small house for their meetings. At the beginning of the summer a student from the Bible-women's School in Kōbe went there. She had received invitations to much pleasanter fields, but having spent the former summer in Kōriyama and knowing the needs of the place, she felt it her duty to go there. After much prayer for divine guidance she proposed to the women who were under her instruction that they make a beginning toward the payment of the debt. They thought that in their poverty little could be done; but by practice of various forms of self-denial they found themselves able to gather a sum far beyond what had at first seemed possible. The zeal of the women made it impossible for the men to remain inac

tive; and so the debt was paid off. This gave courage to think that more could be done. Though they had before thought it impossible to raise the sum that was necessary in order for them to have an evangelist, the money was now pledged, and a graduate of the last class of the Kyoto Theological School commenced work in July. I spent last Sunday in Koriyama, and one man and five women were baptized. We hope that the evangelist will be able to keep up the work so favorably begun. If he has anything like the devotion and zeal of the Bible-woman, we may hope that, through divine blessing, the little church will continue to grow, notwithstanding the obstacles with which it must contend."

THE PROVINCES OF TANGO AND TAMBA.

Mr. Albrecht, writing October 26, of a tour he had made in these two provinces, says:

"It was a most pleasant trip in every respect beautiful weather, magnificent scenery, and rich spiritual blessings: but it was by no means a pleasure trip, fourteen sermons and public addresses being crowded into these ten days, besides consultations, etc., with the evangelists. I visited our stations in Kameoka, Fukuchiyama, Sonobe, and Ayabe, which all are parts of our Tamba church; also, our churches in Miyazu and Mineyama and our out-station in Maizuru, in the province of Tango. Everywhere i I found earnest spiritual life and activity. In Miyazu, where Mr. Takenouchi began work about a year ago, and where Dr. Gordon, this last spring, baptized twentyfive converts, I had the privilege of baptizing thirteen adult converts and two children of about seven years of age. Among these thirteen, eight were women, led to Christ by Miss Hoshino, our woman evangelist there. This is her first field of labor, but she has shown most praiseworthy zeal and wisdom in her work. These women evangelists are treasures for our work, and we can only wish we had one in every church and out-station. Among the men baptized in Miyazu

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was one who, together with his wife, had, until the beginning of the year, kept a disreputable house, but who now earns an honest living as overseer of a troop of prisoners, while his wife, who received baptism last spring, aids him by doing needlework. Their daughter of about eighteen, and their little girl of seven, likewise received baptism, and the whole family are happy in their new life, to which the Divine Redeemer called them. On one evening we had a lecture meeting at the summer villa of a leading physician, to which admission was by tickets, and which was attended by about 150 people of the upper classes.

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In Mineyama I welcomed five adults, all women, into the church of Christ, by administering to them the sacrament of baptism and of the Lord's Supper. Seven children were also brought by their believing parents, and were dedicated to the Lord in baptism.

"In Miyazu, where we began work this summer, we held two theatre meetings, three Japanese and myself each time being the speakers. On the afternoon of the 21st I baptized the first converts from among the people of this city, five men and two women, and administered the first sacraments ever administered in that town. Here also a woman evangelist would find a large field of labor. The city has recently risen in importance, being selected by the government as the station for a naval yard on the west coast of the main island. Although smaller than Miyazu, it is far in advance, both in trade and in educational matters, having 1,000 children in its schools, of whom 200 are in the kindergarten.

"In Ayabe eight converts were baptized, among whom five were women. These are largely the fruit of the summer's work of a pupil of the Kōbe Training School.

"Next Sabbath, November 1, I am to be in Schushi, in Tamba, where three converts are awaiting baptism, making a total of thirty-six. To these we can add the eleven who were baptized in Fukuchiyama the last Sunday in August, and the five

converts who united with the church in Kameoka on the first Sunday in September, and we can thus rejoice in fifty-two conversions since the beginning of the summer in these two provinces alone. Here in the city our Shijō (Fourth Street) Church has manfully risen up, determined to free itself from a long-standing debt, and the prospects are that they will succeed. In our out-stations in the south part of the province we have garnered in the firstfruits of the sowing begun last year."

OKAYAMA AND OUT-STATIONS.

Mr. Pettee, writing from Okayama, ne last of September, says: —

"There were four additions to this church last Sabbath, one a member of our Boys' School, one a medical student, one a lawyer, and one a politician. The schools are small but full of an excellent spirit. The Orphan Asylum is always full, and now is running over. Superintendent Ishii says they are too crowded for comfort and good morals, and must have a few new cottages. It is proposed to put up buildings accommodating twenty children each as fast as extra gifts are received. Each cottage will cost about $70. Enough money for at least two has already been raised in Japan. The various industries are all prosperous. A nicely furnished barber's shop is the latest addition. An American who had just arrived in the country patronized the establishment and nearly went into convulsions laughing over the barber's attempt to shave the inside of his ears.

"Out-station work, so far as heard from, is fairly prosperous. In one town the leading Christian died last spring and the little band of believers had become thoroughly demoralized. They even closed their chapel and took down their signboard. We sent a Doshisha student to work there during the summer. Christian students returning from the capital drank wine and were careless about the observance of the Sabbath. They reported this as the way that was done in Tōkyō. Thus the burden of the young evangelist was made all the heavier.

the Christians to new life and hope, secured a pledge that there should be no more wine-drinking, hung out the old sign once more, and secured a few new attendants. He assures me that, if work can be continued there, a number of inquirers will appear forthwith. Quite a similar work in two other towns, one of which is notoriously an immoral place. Opportunities for fruitful work, both in the city and country, are countless, but where are the reapers?"

Mr. S. S. White, under date of October 24, reports a meeting he had attended with Mr. Pettee at Takahashi :

"The meeting began with a sermon, followed by the communion service. In the afternoon of the same day there was speaking by one of the orphans from Mr. Ishii's asylum, and also by a member of the Boys' School, for a delegation of about thirty from the former, and ten from the latter, went over to the celebration. They walked the entire distance, leaving here about 2 A.M. Monday, and arriving there about 5 P.M. They created quite a sensation there, as they march lately somewhat after the manner of the Salvation Army, headed by six trumpeters, and carrying three flags, black, red, and white, which signify, respectively, sin, salvation, and purity, I believe.

“Thursday evening they conducted meetings there, remaining over for that purpose by special request, though the regular meeting closed Wednesday night. The boys from our school did good work in speaking upon Christianity in eight places in the city.

"One gains much encouragement from attending such a meeting, even if every thing that is said is not understood, for you cannot be present upon such an occasion without feeling that Christianity is making progress and daily becoming more of a power in Japan."

Mexican Mission.

LAS CUEVAS.

MR. CASE, writing November 3, speaks

approaching completion, so that services have already been held in the building. He says:

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"Although some conveniences and improvements, such as two or three humble chandeliers, a pulpit, a civilized board floor instead of beaten earth, are still lacking, the church at dedication will possess a respectable tower, which we did not at first expect to add this year, and will have cost not less than $1,300. The native brethren have taken hold of the enterprise in quite a remarkable way, especially considering their poverty. The work was carried forward last spring as far as the means then in hand would allow, and in the anticipation of a usual harvest some funds belonging to the Parral church, amounting to nearly $300, were borrowed; the head of families of the Cuevas church all pledging to contribute one tenth of the proceeds of this year's crop, thus paying off at once the debt. But the crops have proved an almost complete failure. No season so sterile has been known here since the famine year,' 1851. Instead of having corn and beans to sell as usual, our Las Cuevas farmers will mostly be obliged to buy, and at prices double and even fourfold what are customary. The situation is rather desperate; yet our people, those who are able to secure the seed, are hard at work sowing wheat, and are quite cheerful in the hope that next year will be a plenteous one. They are, however, disappointed that they are unable to return the borrowed money this fall, as expected. Not a dollar's help has ever been solicited by them or for them, although several missionaries and one Parral company have given aid; but I am sure that a little help coming just at this time would be gratefully received, and tend much to encourage those who have shown considerable pluck.

HOPEFUL OUTLOOK AT FUERTE.

Mr. Bissell reports in regard to recent work within the district of which he has charge as follows:

"During the last week in July I took another trip down to our port, Agiabampo. The same kind reception was found all along, as in former journeys. Some $5 worth of Bibles and Testaments were sold. The next week I went to a ranch some twelve miles away. The heat had now become excessive and the rains liable to occur with violence at any time. I therefore suspended the journeying for a time. July was our hottest month this year, but June, August, and September continued at nearly the same temperatures. It is at length sensibly cooler. Am now slowly making a canvass of the town with a fine display of books, Bibles, Testaments, portions, tracts, etc., in a handcase which is well adapted to the purpose. A very general willingness is shown to examine the display and at least hear something of the invitation. Sales are not infrequent. A sale of tracts has been effected that is quite different from all our former experience.

“Sabbath_hearers just about as when I last wrote you. Friends from the ranches and pueblos that have been visited occasionally drop in. In a little while I expect to resume the frequent touring."