Morning Calm v.23 no.134(1912 Oct.)

The Bishop's Letter.

(To the Readers of MORNING CALM.) MY DEAR FRIENDS, -- I little thought when I wrote last month describing my visit to Japan that my return to Corea would be followed almost immediately by the death of the Japanese Emperor. We are all, of course, in deep mourning, and the Coreans are trying to feel as sorry as they can, the police taking good care that they display all the regulation signs of national sorrow. Sometimes they are a little over officious, as when they arrested a little boy for practising hymn tunes (probably with one finger) in our church at Su Won, on the ground that all "music and dancing" are forbidden during the period of mourning! You will be glad to hear that he was speedily let off by the magistrate with a warning! So much is sure to have been said in the English papers about the extraordinary transforma-tion of Japan during the long reign of the late Mikado, that I shall not stop to say more of that now. It is curious to think, however, that there must be still thousands of people alive in Japan who remember the days when death was the penalty for any foreigner veaturing to set foot in the country, or for any Japanese leaving it ; when the profession of Christianity was absolutely forbidden ; when the only ships and men-of-war were wooden junks, and the chief weapons of war swords, and bows and arrows. It is barely fifty years ago that all this was found, and now the country is as replete with the con-veniences (to say nothing of the disfigurements and drawbacks) of “modern civilization” as any European country, while its up-to-date army and navy have within the last twenty years humbled two of the proudest powers in the world. Whether the country is any the happier or the better for this rapid progress, time will show. There is ground for hope in the fact that there are now from 100,000 to 150,000 Christians in Japan, of whom, I suppose, about one-third or more are Roman Catholics, the Russian Orthodox Mission coming next with about 25.000 converts, while our own Church (known as the Nippon Sei Ko Kwai) boasts about 15.000, though these last are outnumbered by the adherents of the American Missions (Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational, &c.). This leads me to say a few words about missionary statistics and "denominations” in Corea. Such exaggerated statements and wild prophecies on the subject appear from time to time in print that it seems worth while to try to get at the real facts. Of course, to start with, you have to recognise the unpleasant fact of the divisions of Christendom and the presence here (as everywhere else) of several "denominations,” and you must also here, as elsewhere, be prepared to find that the Church of England Missions come fairly low down on the list in point of numbers. In our own India (for instance) I think I am right in saying that quite one-half of the total Christian population is Roman Catholic, while the figures for the missions of the English Church there do not, all told, work out at much more than one-sixth of the remainder, or about as many as the Baptists! And a further difficulty arises from the fact that no two missions use the same method of enumeration : some including, some excluding, children; some including, others excluding, catechumens and probationers for baptism, who in certain missions outnumber those actually baptised by as many as three to one. Corea is just about the same size as Great Britain, and is peopled by rather over thirteen million souls. How many of these may be reckoned as Christians? I have seen one wild statement that the Christians in Corea number a million. Dr. H. Jones, in his article in the International Review of Missions (July), more modestly puts the “total community in connection with the Presbyterian and Methodist Missions in the neighbourhood at 300,000 souls" (including cate-chumens). He adds that “there are in addition about 6000 Christians belonging to the Church of England. The Roman Catholics claim 73.517 baptised Christians.” What are the facts? I think that figures given by Dr. Jones for our own Mission are roughly correct, though they err on the side of excess. As to the Roman Catholics, who stand, and deserve to stand, easily first, I doubt whether Mgr. Mafel claims so large a number as that given above. The last published figures I have seen (1910) give less than 45.000 baptised, but I have not the “propaganda" returns at hand for last year. We D 2   come then to the 300,000 Christians in connection with the Presby-terian Methodist Mission. What are the facts about these? It so happens that the agent of the Bible Society in Seoul makes it his business each year to collect and publish the official statistics for each mission. The return for 1911 has just been issued, and shows that the total for all Protestant missions amounts to just over 120,000, of whom about 60,000 only are baptised! These, then, are the facts. So far from there being a million, or anything like a million, Christians in Corea, the total number of baptised folk is somewhere about 125.000: Of these, probably about 60,000 belong to the Roman Catholic Mission, rather more than 45,000 to the Presbyterians (who have over 200 missionaries in the field), and 15.000 to the Methodists (with over 100 missionaries), our own total (with a staff of a little over 30) being something under 5000. The Russian Orthodox Mission, which Mr. Longford in his new book on Corea strangely places second only to the Roman Catholics, has, as a matter of fact, only been recently started and barely counts 250 Christians ! Why do I bother you with all these dry figures ? Partly because I think it is time that the facts were known, and a stop put to a good deal of the gaseous prophecies about Corea being a Christian nation in the next ten years, and partly because I want you to understand the real facts about our own Mission. If you ask, "Is it worth while our going on, if we can't make a better show than this?" I reply that it is as well worth while here as in India, China, Japan, Central Africa, or anywhere else. Moreover, as even its most unfriendly critics admit, the English Church Mission here (as probably elsewhere) exercises an influence, and an influence which makes lor future unity, quite out of proportion to its numerical strength. And I am convinced that when years hence, the natives, having got rid of all us foreigners, come to organise their own national Church in Corea (and elsewhere), the presence of a body of Christians, trained under the auspices of missionaries of the Church of England, will prove to be a really valuable factor. I am writing this from that charming place Su Won, which lies about as far south of Seoul as Kanghwa does to the north-west, and where I hope to spend a good part of this and next month, so that here, too, I may familiarise myself with the work and circumstances of the Church. It is Fr. Bridle's parish, and I need hardly say how his people look forward to his return. Yours very truly in Christ , Su Won, MARK, August 17, 1912. Bishop in Corea.

P.S. -I wish you would all read and act on Fr. Waggett's sermon preached at St. Peter's, London Docks, last St. Peter's Day (Church Times, July).

 

Income.

It is necessary to say something at once about OUR INCOME. In the July issue of MORNING CALM the hope was expressed that the decrease on the half-year of £645 8s. 7d. would not only not be increased but even possibly con-siderably reduced. So far from this being the case we have to report a further decrease of £323 18s. 1d. for the quarter, making a total decrease for the year of £969 6s. 8d. This is a very serious drop which we must do something to rectify before the end of the year. It is true that last year we reached our high-water mark of income, and were enabled to carry over a balance of £1200 : but we have to realise that we must always carry over a considerable balance in order to meet the drafts made in Corea early in each year before our income for the year has had time to grow. This decrease in income has eaten a large hole in that balance. The position briefly is this--WE MUST RAISE ANOTHER £1100 BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR in order to meet our liabilities and keep our balance intact : and we must raise £1600 if we are not to fall below our total for 1911. For the last four years our income has in-creased each year by large amounts, and it would be more than disappointing if, in the first year of his episcopate, the Bishop found himself faced with a dwindling income. For the work still grows and will grow, and we are pledged to “keep our end up” here so that be may meet increasing demands. The call then now in these months that remain of 1912 is for Work, Self-denial, and Prayer.

Working Returning.

Soon we shall be saying "good-bye" to those who have been home on furlough. The Rev. W. N. Gurney leaves early in October and makes his way back to Corea via Canada and the Sandwich Islands, calling at Hawaii to pay a visit to the 3000 Coreans who are there working on the sugar plantations. It would be quite a hopeless task to attempt to enumerate the places which Mr. Gumey has visited and the number of meetings he has addressed. He has been indefatigable, and we are very grateful to him. The Organising Secretary has much to be grateful to him for : for whenever he attempted to pay a visit to any centre of interest he found the ground already occupied by " the man from the front"--much to the advantage of those who wanted to learn about the work. The Rev. G. A. Bridle, whose mother we regret to learn is very seriously ill, leaves early in December, as does also Miss Grosjean : the Sisters on leave following them after Christmas. Mr. Bridle has been under the care of the doctors, and has not therefore been able to do quite as much as he would otherwise have done, but even so he has given the home workers much help. Miss Grosjean, too, has always been ready to go where help was needed. We wish them "God-speed and a safe return." "Nurse Dodd started on the Eve of the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels for Chemulpo, via Warsaw and Moscow.  

The Treasurer.

A successor to Mr. Radcliffe has been found in Mr. Harvey, who has consented to act as Hon. Treasurer of the Mission funds. Mr. Harvey is resident at the Bank of England, and his great experience and ready help--which is always available for the Organising Secretary--will be an enor-mous gain to us at home. He has already got a grip of the position of affairs and his clear statements of the financial position are of the greatest value to the Committee.

Miss Atkins.

We regret to have to announce the resignation of Miss. B. Atkins as Magazine Secretary. Miss Atkins has for twelve years done yeoman service in distributing MORNING CALM. The appearance of "The Letter Leaflet," which added enormously to her labours, and increasing home responsibilities have made it necessary for her to ask to be relieved of her post. We are more than grateful to her for all her work, and much regret that it has been necessary for her to give up what has been a labour of love. At the same time we are glad to be in a position to record the appointment of a successor. Miss Maud Rice (whom all our readers will remember as having only recently left her work at St. Luke's Hospital, Chemulpo) has undertaken to send out the magazines and leaflets for the future. We offer her our best thanks. Will subscribers bear in mind the change and send their subscriptions to her at the New Wing. Middlesex Hospital? (N.B. Sub-scriptions are now due; and the work of the Magazine Secretary is considerably lightened if they are sent in promptly.--Ed. M.C.)

Collecting Boxes.

The new collecting boxes continue to be in great demand. The amounts received from this source have been most encouraging. A word or two on their use. One is not infrequently told, “I am afraid that I have exhausted my circle of relatives and friends, and shall not be able to send as much as this next time." But is the dunning of one's friends really the best use to make of one's box? How we got to hate the sight of the missionary box as children! It hovered near us on the mantelpiece at meals, and the jam-spoon wobbled ominously in our deadly terror of the spill which meant a fine! But surely we have got beyond that base use of the collecting box. It was wrong in principle. The missionary box should represent the money-box into which we put our savings. It should be the receptacle for what we can spare, weekly or monthly, from our incomes to help the work for which we pray, and for what our friends may wish to add to it from their spare money.

A Real Need.

We appealed in our last issue for a large chalice and paten for St. Stephen's, Su Won. This has not yet been received. On inquiry we learn from Mr. Bridle that he would prefer two chalices of ordinary size, and we still hope that he may be able to take these back with him. It is just possible that some church may have one that could be spared.  

St. Nicholas' Day.

Once more we ask all our workers to observe December 6 (St. Nicholas' Day) as a day of solemn Intercession for the Bishop and his diocese. It would be a great thing to be able to add to our thanksgivings our gratitude that the income so badly needed has been found. The Special Intercession Paper, thitherto sent out for use on that day, will not be issued in view of the fact that a monthly edition is now prepared. Extra copies, however, will be printed, and for these we hope that Miss Merriman will receive many orders. Please order them early, so that we may know approximately the number required. And please note Miss Merriman's new address. (See outside page of the Intercession Paper.)

The Combined Sale. The Annual Combined Sale for Foreign Missions will be again held in Kensington Town Hall on November 6 and 7. It will be opened by the Duchess of Somerset on the first day, and by the Bishop of Chichester on the second. There will be many stalls, including one for the St. Peter's Com-munity Foreign Mission Association. We owe so much to the Sisters that we hope many will make a special effort to be present on either one or both days. There will be, in addition to the stalls, realistic scenes in native costume illustrating missionary life. Please also remember the Sale at Portman Rooms, Nov, 5 and 6.

The Organising Secretary is prepared to give addresses and to preach for the work of the Mission during the autumn, and has still some spare dates.

Association of Prayer and work for Corea.

THE report for the past quarter must be a short one, though the fact that there is not much to chronicle does not, one is thankful to know, imply that A.P.W. has been in any sense inactive during that time. We have a new centre at Hanworth, Middlesex, which, like many of our branches, has a special link with Corea, the Local Secretary being sister to the Rev. F. Weston, who has been working for some time in the Kanghwa district. Miss Weston has our best wishes in beginning her work for A.P.W. There is news of several other branches which are in the making, and which we hope will be inaugurated in the course of the autumn. Brighton, Malvern, and Wilmington are only some of the many Jócalities in which meetings have been held this summer, and we feel sure that the intense zeal of those who are home on furlongh will have inspired very many to more earnest prayer and work for Corea.   The months that now lie before us must be marked by some special effort in every centre if the support which our Association gives to the Mission General Fund is to reach the level of last year, and we cannot rest content with anything less than this when we know that our numbers have grown very considerably during 1912. St. Nicholas' Day (Dec. 6) will be with us again before long, and it is hoped that either on that day or during the octave there will be special intercessions for Corea at the Holy Eucharist in each of our A.P.W. centres. MAUD I FALWASSER, General Secretary.

NEEDLEWORK REPORT. OUR best thanks are due to all those who have worked so well for Corea during the last year. Two hundred and twenty garments, &c., have been sent out this autumn. The contributors are :--Mrs. Tolley, Miss Gilman, Miss Bettinson, Miss E. Grinley, Miss L. E. Barnes, Miss Gillam, Miss Cox. Working Parties per :- Mrs. Napier Trollope, Mrs. Petrie, Mrs. Reeson, Miss Downall, Miss Drake, Siss Casswell, Miss Hellyer, Miss Gurney-Smith. M. C. NEWMAN .

Children's branch.

DEAR CHILDREN,-- Sister Nora writes that so far she likes the new school I told you about in my last letter, and that the children also like it very much--the ten girls who are now attending from the Orphanage. They took good places owing to their knowledge of Chinese ideographs, and already they are chattering away in Japanese. Really these children seem far ahead of us with their talking and writing in three languages--their native Corean, the written Chinese, and now talking in Japanese ! They start the day with a short service in church at 7, breakfast 7.30, and at 8 they start on their walk to school. Each of them carries a light aluminium box for rice with a small drawer inside the box for "panchau," and they eat their midday meal at school. They all wear black cotton skirts with white jackets in summer, and those over fourteen years old carry an umbrella; this marks them as students, and no notice is taken of them in the streets. These are umbrellas like ours; the younger ones carry a Japanese one made of coloured oil paper and costing 8 1/2d. each, which they use when it is raining, and it is as good as a tent. With their high woollen shoes they go to and fro and keep quite dry. Between each lesson   every hour they go out for ten minutes, and this, Sister Nora writes, seems to do them good physically, as their appetites have very much increased; and as the price of rice has gone up lately very much, this is an important item. At school they are taught geography, history. physio-graphy, and also embroidery, and how to cut out and make their own blouses. They also do crochet in wool and cotton, and they are very grateful for any odds and ends of worsted given them, which they knit up into socks and wear under their cotton ones in winter.

A SEOUL BABY IN WINTER DRESS.

If this school proves satis-factory, it is hoped that women and girls will come in from the country and live in hostels so that they can learn and then go back and help teach in the villages; up till now there have been no schools, so no girls have learnt anything. Do you remember about the two girls who were rescued from slavery ? Eva is proving a very good girl, but not being clever enough to go to school as Rebecca does, she stays at home, where she is learning

DRAWING WATER AT A WELL. D 3 

to be very useful in helping with the house work and looking after the younger children. The photo you had in the last letter showed the girls in their school dress; usually they have red or pink skirts and a coloured jacket, keeping the black only for school, and it is very nice to hear that they avoid "foreign" fashions. The Chinese and Coreans, of course, call us "foreign." The children have their own little bit of garden at the Orphanage, and the balsam is a very favourite plant for them to grow. And why, do you think? Can you guess? Well, I was told that, before going to bed, they pick some leaves and a flower and wrap them round their finger-tips so as to make the nails and tips pink. The bigger girls, thinking it looks pretty, tie up the babies' fingers, but they have to do this on the quiet, as Sister Barbara tells them they are vain, and she does not quite like their doing it. A beautiful big doll was sent from the children of St. Saviour's, Clapham, to be sent out to Corea, which I think will be a great delight to the children. Some nice warm cuffs were also sent by Mrs. and Misses Wells. It was very nice to receive the ￡5 from the children of St. Saviour's, Clapham, for the orphan they are supporting. BEAVOR LODGE, HATCH END, MABEL SEATON. September, 1912. Remed w ana-P iss Secunde, ES: Glls Home, Galine per Miss Mis ). B. Tods. Ne M ehan Jenny Calm, Alert Cut Pro Newastle Mie Nils Tech , L. Doch, M. W. Robo, Lily Thompson, t. Stwy. . Carr, M. Stuart, Robin, E. Ben New Brighton Mis Styl e Pa l , Dotte Hun, Elisabeth Leste hospital Naval fund. The Eighty-ninth Meeting of the Executive Committee was held at the R.U.S. Institution at 3 P.M. on Wednesday, July 10. Present: Rev. Charles Moore (in the chair), J. R. Clark, Esq., Rev. S. J. Childs Clarke, and Mr. C. E. Baxter. Letters of regret were read from the Chaplain of the Fleet and Capt. J. H. Corfe. It was decided to ask the Rev. A. A. Carter to act as Local Secretary at Gibraltar, and he has since consented to do so. Attention was drawn to the excellent report from Dr. Weir in the Annual Report. C. E. BAXTER. Hon. Sec. Ex. Com. H.N.F. .  

St. Peter's Community foreign Mission Association.

MEMBERS are particularly requested to notice that both Corean stalls at London sales are to be held this year much earlier than usual; therefore all contributions should be sent to St. Peter's Home by November I. The sale at Portman Rooms will be on November 5 and 6, and the combined sale for Foreign Missions at Kensington Town Hall on November 6 and 7. A double set of curios has been provided, and there is every hope of a large sale. A great deal more help is needed to provide the sum of £350 required by the estimates for 1912 ; at present only £150 has been remitted this year. The Day of Intercession and Thanksgiving will be held at St. Peter's Home on the first Tuesday in Adveat, December 3. SISTER HELEN CONSTANCE, Secretary, S.P.F.M.A. JUNE, JULY, AUGUST--RECEIPTS. Sol i s H .: The Hon. Str. Hat t : The Iris. St . Neill, Miss Keb a s de Miss Time, ta selley, 15; M Roden, , M yan, si. To Das Geld, .; Nom ad, L; Mi Cockr, Total, 4. . A . Branch Sabinos, Sa. No Branco For the day 15. Lulu's b l . Total for three oths, TN Stre Total 1

St. Luke's hospital, Chemulpo.

SECOND QUARTER, 1912. WEATHER, always an interesting subject of conversation, tends to become one of absorbing importance among an agricultural population, and its effect may be great in departments which are not rightly its concern at all. True, medicine has close connections with weather, or more strictly speaking disease has such, but one of the striking features of hospital work in Corea is the abnormal and most undue effect upon the work of weather conditions. There are certain times of the year when the patients coming to hospital are the direct result of the weather or its products, as, for instance, cholera when it occurs or dysentery, or children, and also adults too, in the melon season; but apart from this the weather affects the attendance and the numbers of in-patients far more greatly through the question of cultivation. One living in a town and unlearned in matters of farming cannot always explain exactly how it all works, but that it is cause and effect cannot be doubted. The spring of this year has been an unusually wet one, with the result that there has been much rejoicing and apparently some changes in the usual distribution of field work, so that, both in out-patient and in-patient practice, the numbers   in the month of May were larger than they have ever been, but dropped to nearly half in June. In spite of the drop the whole quarter has been a pretty heavy one, and at one time the hospital had to squeeze in several more patients than it is supposed to hold, and it was with the greatest difficulty that room could be found for all those who ought to come in. The writing of quarterly reports is a matter worthy of the abuse to which it is treated by Inspector-General Muller of the Woods and Forests, but if they continually harp on one or two strings only and seem monotonous in the composition, it may yet perhaps be hoped that they do not read quite so dull ; and, after all, in one kind of work there cannot be a vast variety of things to relate. The main dish this time is another pathetic story, which incidentally illustrates another difficulty of a country which has not got the same manners and customs as the West. A girl came to hospital with disease of both feet of some standing, it would be technically more correct to call her a young woman, but though a mother, she was so young, and looked so much younger, that every-one who saw her took her for a child, though in reality twenty-five years old. The one foot was not very bad, but the other was such that the question of amputation had to be considered. This, however is a serious question. No one likes to lose a foot ; per-haps an Oriental has a greater desire to keep himself intact than most people, but in the case of a poor Corean it is a very grave matter to become a "sitting roomer," as their term for a cripple may perhaps be translated, for it means being useless and dependent, and no one can well afford to be that. If the patient be a young woman, however, her condition is still worse, in fact it is probably not much exaggeration to say that you might as well cut off her lead as her foot ; were she old she might still find a dutiful child to care for her and not make much fuss about it, but the young woman exists to work, and if she is crippled she stands a very good chance of being "thrown away " when she can but die. It was, therefore, decided to take the risk, great though it was known to be, and try to save both feet for her. Of course this meant a very long job, and that made it the more difficult, but at first there seemed to be a good deal of improvement. At the first operation the right foot, which was only a little diseased, was thoroughly dealt with, and a greal deal of disease was removed from the bar left one; it was then treated by rest and the application of various methods generally of great use in these cases, and there was some improvement, but it soon became evident that more would have to be done, so that another operation had to be performed. This seemed to be still more successful, and there was some hope that a cure might result in time. Then came the first shock. News reached the hospital one day that the baby boy had fallen into a well and been drowned. Had she been at home at the time it is more than likely that the poor girl would have sent herself after him at once, and as it was she entirely refused food for a while,   and it was only with great difficulty that she could be persuaded to try to live. The child had been all along the great reason for her desire to get well, and she had been most anxious about him and longing to be able to go and see him; now, besides the loss and her natural grief, was the added fear that her husband would get tired of waiting for a wife who had no son, and who might well be feeble even when cured, and take to himself someone more useful for the time being, with the result that when she was able to go home there would be no home to go to. Fortunately, this fear proved untrue, the husband visiting her from time to time, though there was a long interval, when fear increased greatly. From about this time, however, the improvement which had been going on stopped, and though she did not get worse for a long time she was making no progress; and then gradually, little by little, the condition of the foot deteriorated, and with it weakness increased until, after being in hospital for over three months, she died. There is practically no doubt that had the foot been removed at first she would have recovered, and even without that there seemed good reason to hope for the best at one time; and, as it turned out, her husband showed more signs of caring for her than she herself expected: but what could be done? H. H. WEIR.

Ap-in hospital, Chin-Chun, Corea.

THE past half-year just ended has been one of increased attend-ances compared with previous periods in former years, and corre-spondingly full of increased opportunities for presenting Christianity in accord with the dual command "Preach the Good News-Heal the sick in My Name." One is responsible for the doing of one's work--the results, if any, belong to God. What is being done in this out-of-the-way hospital in accordance with our Lord's command ? The in-patients are dealt with individually by the catechist attached for that purpose. They hear from one of their own people the Good News while in the hospital and are followed to their houses later on. The out-patients turn up casually in driblets and anything in the way of a service is out of the question. On market days the cate-chist sits on the verandah and talks to people while they wait their turn. Patients are seen at all hours. In a large city or treaty port one can get them all together, say at 9 A.m., and hold a "prayer meeting" and a "preaching." Chin-chun has 200 houses, but is a large meeting-place for many miles round. It is full on market days and empty the following four days.   Nearly all S.P.G. and C.M.S. Hospitals are located in large centres of population. This hospital is in quite a small village ; yet a glance at the attendance figures will show that it ministers to a very wide area, and the catechist follows up cases to their own homes, preaching the Gospel, spending it may be a whole evening in one house. To the question “What is being done in accordance with the commission to Heal the sick in My Name'?" the appended statistics and figures must supply the answer. While I cannot put my finger on half a dozen amongst the 1887 fresh cases dealt with in the six months who have definitely become Christian converts, yet the influence for good exerted by the Hospital is felt far and wide. It is when converts fall ill, and their heathen neighbours and

AN EX-PATIENT OF AY IN HOSPITAL, CHIN-CHUN.

relations exert pressure in order that propitiatory sacrifices may be offered to the evil spirits causing the sickness, that the convert is tried--very often giving way out of sheer weariness and for the "sake of peace," resulting sometimes in relapses into heathenism. The brightest boy in our day and Sunday school, the only Christian in a heathen family of which he was the head, was over-taken during an epidemic of relapsing fever, was treated Corean fashion (drugs, potions, and sacrifices), and died before even word reached us of his illness. He was a clever boy of nineteen, and walked five miles to and fro to go to school each day. The elder boys of the school with the teachers and priest went off at once to give him Christian burial rites. Not a thing had been done ; and everything was done by the boys--making grave-clothes, extemporising a bier, digging the grave. None of the villagers would lead the village bier nor turn a hand on account of the dreaded disease. The rest of the household were treated by the Hospital, and all recovered, as did the twenty other cases dealt with in that village.   There is every likelihood of the mother and widow accepting Christianity now that they have had the doctrine of the future life explained and have attended the memorial service. The first two years' work saw many cases of hare-lip treated. Since then very few have turned up, although all did well. This last six months we had eight cases of cataract, which all did well with one exception. The benefit conferred is out of all proportion to the smallness of the operation. These patients are a permanent witness; but on the other hand they are the means of sending numbers of hopelessly inoperable blind folk here. One man came walking seventy miles at the rate of a few miles a day, falling at dusk into a pond, and afraid to move lest he should get into deeper water, remaining there till daybreak, when his cries attracted a passer by, who took him to an inn where he was fed and his clothes dried for nothing, seeing he was penniless. He made a good recovery and went home seeing. The patients pay what they can—though there is always the desire in all Orientals to get “something for nothing." The payment is often quite out of proportion to the trouble they have caused, c.g. a woman sent home to-day after an abdominal operation presented the hospital with one small pullet and ten eggs, all she could raise. She made a good recovery in seventeen days, which goes to prove that Coreans are a sturdy race. In a few days the catechist will follow up the teaching given in the hospital by visits to the home, of the patient. The large amount given in the way of fees needs explanation, being due to fees received from the mining company fifteen miles away on account of serious fracture and explosion cases--this source of income expires, as the company have their own American doctor on the spot now. Another gold-mining "prospect " is located twenty miles away, and is a British concession--cases may come in from there. It shows some increased trust in the foreign doctor that he has been called to several obstetrical cases--an indignity no Corean woman would endure in the old days--she would rather die. One case I walked to attend fifteen miles away, with the glass at 96° in the shade, only to find the mother-in-law had performed eceliotomy with the kitchen-knife. Gynaecological cases show an increase, due largely to the fact of my being a married man and to my wife being present at the time with the patient. Cases of occlusion of the œsophagus following attempted suicide by swallowing caustic potash are frequent amongst women. There is still a debt on this Hospital, which has cost only ￡400 in all. ARTHUR F. LAWS, M.D.  

Japanese work.

AGAIN we have had a quiet quarter, but not, I think, an unfruit-ful one. The united services of the baptism and confirmation of the new Christians took place at Chemulpo on May 5 ; at Seoul on May 12; in each case being followed by a celebration of the Holy Eucharist. At Chemulpo eight were baptised, and the same number confirmed, though the individuals were slightly different. It was an impressive service, as twenty Corean Christians were confirmed also; and at the Holy Eucharist Corean, Japanese, and English all communicated together. At Seoul the service was for Japanese only, four candidates being baptised, and five confirmed. The corgre-gation being smaller, and there being yet no organist, the service seemed to suffer a little in comparison with that at Chemulpo. Since then the preparation of these candidates for their first Communion has been going on steadily. Difficulties at once began to appear among the new Christians at Chemulpo, one having a sad fall, and another announcing his intention to offend against the discipline of the Church; but it says something for the spiritual state of the Church there, that all at once made it a matter of prayer and work, by which means the one has been restored and the other is now showing every sign of recognising the authority of the society to which he now belongs. The attendance at Sunday school here (Chemulpo) has much fallen off. But as there are several reasons for this which are beyond our control, it does not disturb me so much as it otherwise would. Miss Kurose has now settled down to her work among the women, and is giving every promise of fulfilling the high hopes we   have of her. Miss Pooley has just taken her second and final examina-tion in Japanese, the examiner being the Consul-General at Seoul. It is a great satisfaction to her, and to us all, that her steady “grinding” has been successful, and she is now qualified to take her place as a regular worker among the Japanese. I am trying to infuse a little more life into the body of Christians in Seoul, and hope soon to be able to report more hopefully of the

A GROUP OF NEWLY BAPTISED GIRLS OUTSIDE ST. MICHAEL'S, CHENULPO.

Church here. Meanwhile, the earnest faith and seal of some counter-balances the lethargy of the others. Miss Elrington reports from Fusan :-- Fusan.--"During the last quarter there is no special change to record. Our Christians are constantly moving about, and just now there have been several removals from Taikyū to other places, so the numbers at Taikyū are rather diminished for a time. "In April Miss Sakai, from Shizuoka (Japan), came to Corea on   a visit, and spent some time in Fusan and Seoul, besides a night or two at Taikyū. She was kind enough to give an address to the Fujin Kwai (women's meeting) in each place. On July 7 the four candidates who were baptised on Easter Eve were confirmed, and received their first Communion directly after the Confirmation. “One of these was a man whose wife had led him to Christianity ;

THE JAPANESE MISSION HOUSE, CHEMULPO.

1a, the Cutest Nr. Mil an Miri Note the standa there are the board at the back The Chanch

another, a teacher in the Girls' High School in Fusan. A recent catechumen is a young hospital nurse, who is going immediately to Tokyo, to work in St. Luke's Hospital in Tsukiji, where she will have every possible Christian help. "During June I had my first trip up the East Coast to Gensan (or Wonsan, as it is also called). It is about a day and a half’s journey from Fusan, and there are some quite good boats on that line now,   as far as comfort is concerned. Mr. Shiozaki, after a day at Gensan, went farther up the coast to Seishin, &c., and I stayed in one of the Christian's houses till he returned ; so I had the opportunity of getting to know the place and what Christians we have there, and could realise to the full what it must be to live all the year round in a place so far removed from every spiritual help. "I stayed with the Christian wife of a man engaged in the Agri-cultural Bank in Gensan, who himself was intending to become a Christian ; and they were both rejoicing in the near prospect of moving to Masampo, where they would be within reach of less infrequent though still very scanty ministrations. But less than a fortnight after we returned to Fusan, a telegram came telling us of the woman's death. She had been for several years quite out of reach of Church services, and Sir. Shiozaki's visit was opportunity of Holy Communion for certainly three years! I describe this at length, because these places are so far from our present centres that one realises more and more that our great need is another centre where regular organised work could be set on foot, and the neighbouring places efficiently looked after. There were other Christians, recently come to Gensan, who had been far longer than this away from any help. With the assistance of a young man from the post office, who volunteered to take us round, Mr. Shiozaki and I made a thorough exploration of the place in search of building sites, the Canadian Church having generously sent money which it has been decided to lay out in the purchase of land at Gensan. The Japanese settlement at Gensan is growing rapidly. and in rather more than two years' time the railway to Seoul will probably be open, when it will be a five hours' journey from Seoul instead of a very uncertain sea trip from Fusan, on boats which are primarily cargo boats. It is easy to see how quickly the place will develop as soon as it gets a little more accessible. "The Japanese Methodists have already got a pastor there, who also visits up the coast--and we ought to be there, too, as soon as possible. "I forgot to mention at the beginning of these notes that the sum of 500 yen (￡50) has been promised to the church building in Fusan by one of the congregation, Mr. Yasutake." I accompanied the Bishop to Fusan for the Confirmation to which Miss Elrington refers, and, on his leaving for Japan, I returned by sea in order to visit the Christians on the west coast, chiefly at Moppo. We ought certainly to have a station there ; and I am in hopes of getting a very suitable piece of land, probably very cheap, and possibly for nothing. My next move, all well, is to go as soon as possible to Gensan to complete the purchase of a plot of land there, the money for which has been generously given to us by the Church of Canada. I enclose two photographs, which are interesting. A. L. SHARPE.  

Correspondence.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,-- The Bishop has put me in temporary charge of the Chun-An district, and in the last fortnight I have been able to see some of the work in it. The district falls into three groups of villages, which centre on Toon Po, An Nai, and Poo To Ri. At each of these places is a catechist, and at the two last-named are boys' schools. Two Bible-women help Sister Isabel with the work amongst women. Chun-An itself is a largish town on the railway and fairly central for the district in general. We have no work yet in Chun-An, but a handful of folk are inquirers and ask for a prayer-room. The country folk are outrageously busy now with the crops, and their attendance everywhere at services has been good. As I have moved from place to place there has been daily Evensong in the region of 10 P.M. and Holy Communion about 6 A.M. A four days' stay at An Nai gave opportunity for getting a very fair idea of how the church stands there. It has a real hold on the little market-town and on some villages close by. The baptised number 150, of whom 100 are communicants and catechumens: and inquirers number 90. The boys' school is really good in tone and discipline, and the reverence and intelligence of the boys in church and at catechising is striking. There is a clamour there now for a girls' school, but the ￡10 which would salary a woman-teacher for a year is not an expense I can see how to meet. There is a nice deep pool for bathing and the boys revel in it. Our com-pound there stands rather higher than the townlet with church, school, men's room, and a 2-kan priest's room, and women's rooms all grouped together. The church is thatched, the other buildings new and tiled. A first sight of the place shows you that the church is a big power in the place. The Toon Po work has gone through troublous days, but seems well on the way to thriving now. The place itself is of some size and stands on an arm of the sea, as does Paik Sok Po some ten miles south. These two places with San Chin Mal, a pretty inland village, are under a new catechist now, and as there is no one to give him any really capable help in these villages, his bed is not an easy one and be especially needs our prayers: his name is Michael Ten. The Pao To Ri work I have not yet seen ; I could only spend one night there. However I left via Sei Kol, a village seven miles off, with some forty inquirers doing their best to pray and study in a 1- or 2-kan private room. After seeing them I made tracks for some gold mines, five miles off, saw the chief man, an American, and received from him the gift of a house and a good-sized piece of land, well situated in Sei kol-Deo gratias—and now, with proper oversight, the church should get a big hold on the village. This interview over, I had a rush for the last train at the station some eight miles off and a dusty road. Certain points of interest arise from a first trip such as this. (1) It is unpleasant to run out of   bread, Coreans know not its use; but if you can fetch up near Chun-An, it can be bought at a price in a Japanese shop. (2) Keating's Powder is not over-advertised. (3) The occidental back is poorly suited for squatting on the floor. Mem: to add a deck-chair to one's baggage. (4) Rice is good enough for a bit as a staple food, and some Corean pickles are quite edible. (5) To manage chop-sticks is quite easy, even for handling boiled eggs. (6) A kettle is not a good thing for boiling a chicken in, supposing you are lucky enough to get a chicken. (7) Catechists are very clever at under-standing your flow (or otherwise) of language--the ordinary man is not. (8) How can you politely get rid of visitors, with whom you cannot converse with brilliance, but who are bored to death if left by themselves and so consider you would be also ? (9) A surpris-ing proportion of the country-folk can neither read nor write, (10) Corean farmers are like the English, in that, be the harvest lever so prosperous, they swear that famine is stating them in the face. I am, Yours very truly, CECIL H. X. HODGES. ENGLISH CHURCH MISSION, Sui Gen, July 4, 1912.

To the Editor, MORNING CALM.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,-- I am afraid you have found me very slack in writing letters for MORNING CALM, but perhaps, if your space is not too crowded this quarter, room may be found for my initial effort-not for its literary merits, but only because the subject may prove interesting to some of your readers. Anyone visiting the South of Kanghwa and attending service in any of our chapels there is immediately struck with the fact that two-thirds of the congrega-tion is made up of women. In the church at Onsoutong the curtain running down the middle and dividing the sexes has gradually been pushed farther and farther over until now the men only have about one-third of the seating accommodation, and this is typical of the smaller chapels. On Ascension Day, out of 163 communicants, 118 were women, and on this occasion so tightly was the women's side of the church packed that a few late-comers were unable to get inside at all, and had to be content with a seat in the porch among the shoes of their more fortunate sisters. One very poor, infirm old lady from a place called Kwangsong was so anxious to "once more receive the Blessed Sacrament in church," as she said, that she left home immediately after breakfast in order to walk the four miles to church before Evensong at 4 P.M. So feeble and infirm was she that the journey took practically all day, and it was only just before Evensong that, assisted by some of the other women, she   arrived tired and worn out but rejoicing. If one were only allowed more often to see the joy and thankfulness which this woman's face reflected after the celebration next morning, our many dis-appointments and discouragements would soon be forgotten, and we should see there the answer to the question, "Is missionary work worth while ?" This enthusiasm is not confined to the mother Church in Kanghwa. The Christians at Seiro, a small island about half-way between here and Chemulpo, were building themselves a church this spring, but, before the building was half finished, all the men were obliged to leave for their fishing grounds. Nothing discouraged, the women went to work, and now the church is prac-tically finished. Those who know what hard work house-building is, to say nothing of throwing up mud for the roof, &c., will realise how much their enthusiasm enabled them to do. There are other points I should like to mention, but already this letter is quite long enough. Allow me to say, in conclusion, that such a promising piece of work is not allowed to go unmolested, and we are having a hard and continuous fight with the Devil for the souls of these women. Our workers, both foreign and Corean, need your prayers-in their name I ask for them. Yours sincerely, FRANK WESTON.

Local Notes.

Seoul.--In June we welcomed the arrival of the Rev. C. Chambers who has come out to be chaplain to the Bishop. On St. Peter's Day the Sisters held their usual Sale of Work in aid of the Orphanage. Chemulpo.--On the first Sunday in May a mixed Japanese and Corean Service was held in the little church of St. Michael and All Angels. The Service began at 7 A.M. with eight Japanese baptisms, and immediately following the Bishop confirmed eight Japanese and twenty Corean Christians. The Rev. A. L. Sharpe celebrated in Japanese, the responses and hymns being said and sung in the two languages. The Bishop gave the Absolution and Blessing first in Japanese and then in Corean, and he and the Rev. G. E. Hewlett, who was acting as Bishop's chaplain, communicated the Coreans in their own language. The newly confirmed Corean Christians made their first Com-munion on Whit Sunday. Dr. Borrow left Chemulpo on May 6th to start work at Paik Chun. Kanghwa.--On the and of May the Bishop left Kanghwa for Seoul, via Seiro and Chemulpo, having spent over two months in this district. After the Conference of Clergy held in Seoul in May the Rev.   J.S. Badcock came here for a six weeks' stay, and during that time visited most of the places where the Holy Eucharist is celebrated. All the catechists in the district came into the City for his last week and attended a course of lectures given by him on "The Kingdom of Heaven." Besides this they did other study, and it was alto-gether a great success. At Evensong each day one of them gave an address on a set subject, such as "What are the hindrances to the spread of Christianity in Corea?" &c.; opportunities were also given for discussion among themselves of difficulties arising from the work. The Ascension and Whitsuntide celebrations were well attended, both in the City, where there were about two hundred communi-cants, and at On Sou Tong, where there were more than two hundred and fifty.

A sum of money sufficient to finish the chapel and priests' room in the island of Seiro has been collected among the Christians in Kanghwa, chiefly from the On Sou Tong district, and it is hoped that the building will be ready for the Bishop to open next autumn. The Seiro Christians have shown worderful enthusiasm under great difficulties, and their zeal has been the means of arousing other places to the need of self-help. Su Won.--Since last quarter's report was written the feasts of the Ascension and of the Holy Spirit have come and gone. On Whit Sunday about a hundred and fifty made their com-munion in this church. On Whit Monday the annual sports took place, representatives from two of the country schools coming up, and carrying away all the second prizes, though Su Won produced all the champions, one boy winning five first prizes.

In June Fr. Drake, S.S.M., left here, and the Chun An district was handed over to Fr. Hodges' pastoral care. There has been great anxiety owing to the lateness of the rain, but as this is written it is pouring hard, and has been for two days. A splendid effort has been made here during the past month to look up a good many Christians who have grown slack, or given up coming to church for some reason. The temptations to grow careless are tremendous just now. For instance, among the men we visited last month one was in a printing office, and he only gets the thirtieth day of each month off; another was in some paper works, and never has a holiday ; one or two worked for Japanese; three or four have moved twenty or more miles away one, who worked for an anti-Christian brother, was told he "would get the sack" if he came to church; while several were in the depths of poverty. In only about four cases was some special sin known to be the cause of their lapsing. Your prayers are specially needed for the continued zeal and perseverance of the baptised Christians. Chin-Chun.--The Rev. Stanley Smith has arrived, and is now hard at work on the language, in spite of the heat.   We have closed our boys' school, as there is an excellent Gov-ernment school in the place, and the time table has been so arranged that any boys who wish to receive Christian teaching shall be able to do so. The girls' school is increasing in numbers; the parents of the girls are subscribing in a small way towards its upkeep, and there is every prospect of its being a success. We badly want two lady workers here, one to look after the school, and, more important still, one to take charge of our women's work. Will anyone the means for this most important work? Much depends on bringing in the women, much depends on educating the girls. The hospital becomes daily more and more useful, and Dr. Laws more and more busy. Mrs. Laws also takes a by no means small share in the hospital work, washing being a large item, and this in addition to other help that she gives. Paik-Chun.--This has been a most eventful quarter in Paik-Chun, the chief events having been the arrival of Dr. Borrow and Fr. Drake, and the departure of Mr. Wilson. Dr. Borrow arrived on May 6, and although the hospital was not ready to be opened she was at once besieged by patients. Large numbers have become the rule, and one has only to see her acting in turn as doctor, dispenser and dresser to realise the imperative necessity for obtaining the services of a resident professional nurse as soon as possible. Early in May the first full Christian wedding was solemnised when the marriage service proper was followed by the Holy Eucharist. The congregation in general was much impressed. On May 22 the Bishop paid a short visit to Paik-Chun in order to confirm those who had been baptised on Easter Eve. On St. Peter's Day twenty-two more candidates were baptised, and soon after the Bishop paid another visit for their Confirmation. An encouraging feature of the June work was the splendid attendance at a four days' special Bible Study which was held for women. This class was much appreciated, each village in the district being represented.

Evidence of the zeal and goodwill of the Paik-Chun Christians is seen in their practical work. In the city a stole and maniple have been embroidered by the girls as part of the set of which they have already made the cope. Besides this, a chapel and priest's room have been built by the people at Pomori, and were opened on June 30, many city Christians being so interested that they walked out the seven miles to attend the opening service. Fr. Drake, who is now in charge of the Paik-Chun district, arrived at mid-day on Sunday, July 7, having been delayed by a thunder-storm. This was also Mr. Wilson's last Sunday at Paik-Clun, and many were the expressions of Sorrow among the Christians. These signs of regret culminated on the following Tuesday, which was actually the day of his departure. It is only those who have seen   him at his work here who can at all realise how Mr. Wilson has won his way into the hearts of these people. Not one communicant who was able to be present failed to join with him in the Eucharist on that Tuesday morning. It was amongst much weeping and heart-felt grief that, later in the day, he left them; men, women, and children accompanying him out of the City, and through a gate put up in his honour. This gate was made by his Coreans of green branches, and on the lintel were three Chinese characters meaning "The gate of hope and remembrance." Even Japanese gendarmes as well as many of his own people walled some, distance out of the City with him to take a further farewell. Mr. Wilson is now in charge of the Kanghwa district, where the Christians feel that what is loss to Paik-Chun is gain to them.

Acknowledgments.

CHIN-CHUN.--For an altar cloth given by Miss Jessie Simpson. For a set of kneelers worked by the ladies' working party at Dorchester (Oxon), per Lady Key. PALK-CHUN.--A parcel of embroidery silks from Temple Fortune, por W. N. Gurney. Center and Sanctus bell from Aspley Guise. Six coloured slides from Hartfield. Altar linen from Leamington. Sacred vessels (clinical) from Bath. 300 crucifixes from Clydach Vale. Stations of the Cross from St. Michael and All Angels, Bromlery-by-Bow. Chalice veil from Exeter. Altar linen from Thurning.

Wants.

CHIN-CHUN.--Coloured pictures, representing scenes from the life of our Lord, or Saints of the Old and New Testament, Martyn, &c. Crucifixes, small and large, for hanging on watch chain. PAIK-CHUN.--Corporals and palls for the City Church. (Address, Miss Bourne, Paik-Chum, Haku-sen) A pair of hospital blankets. (Address, Dr. N. Borrow, All Saints Hospital, Paik-Chun, Haku-sen.) Japanese Work.--Second-hand copies of the following will be gratefully received :-- Psalms, and St. John (Cambridge Bible): Harry's “Teacher's Prayer Book"; S.P.C.K. "Commentary on the Gospels, Acts, and Epistles" ; Oxford “Helps to the Study of the Bible” (2s. 6d.) (Address, Rev. A.N. Shiozaki, Sei Kō-kwai Fusan.) A set of Nelson's pictures for use in the Sunday school at Fusan. (Address, Miss Elrington, Sei Kö-kwai, Fusan.)  

The Spirit of Missions.

"If those lands" (said St. Francis Xavier, when warned of the risk of going to a certain country) “had scented woods and mines of gold, Christians would find courage to go there ; nor would all the perils of the world prevent them. They are daunted and alarmed, because there is nothing to be gained there but the souls of men. And shall love be less hardy and less generous than avarice? ‘They will destroy me,' you say. It is an honour to   which such a sinner as I am may not aspire ; but this I dare to say, that whatever of torture or of death awaits me, I am ready to suffer it ten thousand times for the salvation of a single soul."

"Our wonderful Empire speaks loudly from God, calling us to make His truth known, and to carry out the means of grace to the multitudes with whom we are in close contact, even if not actually responsible for them by the necessities of government. Missionary institutions have grown up, although they need to be greatly multiplied and developed in every way. No nation has the same calls as those by which God speaks to us. The mission spirit is at work, but it needs to be cherished. Those who have wealth have a great call to help in the maintenance of missionary candidates. A former generation endowed our parishes, which in many cases need to have fresh gifts, as their endowments have dwindled away. But, if a former generation did this work, our present generation can surely with great ease both supply much that is lacking at home and provide the means in our various colleges for our abundant youth to receive the training which they require." --Rev. R. M. Benson, S.S.J.E.

Of the contributions of missionaries to geographical inquiry, Col. Sir Thomas Holdich, a Vice-President of the Royal Geographical Society, author of "The Gates of India," paid the following tribute : "I would ask you to recognise the enormous amount of assistance to geographical inquiry which is due to the whole of the great fraternity of missionaries. Right from the very beginning of history, these are the men who have taken their lives in their hands and gone to the dark places of the world, full at first, no doubt, of the energy of their great mission, but still reserving time to observe the natural features of the country, and to bring them home to us in the form of our first and earliest maps. Such maps were a little sketchy, perhaps, but such knowledge as we had for many years of Central Asian topography was entirely derived from these missionary efforts. . . . In the present day we are still indebted to missionaries for much of the best work we assimilate into our geographical records."-C.M.S. Gazette.

In an account of a "Christian village in the making," the Rev. C. B. Clarke, of Bollobhpur, writes: "About a mile from Bollobhpur there is a large Mohammedan village called Bagwan--'the place of the tiger,' as the name signifies. Nor does it belie its name, for leopards are not infre-quently seen in the jungles that surround it. " About three years ago, during a Mission held at Bollobhpur, three Christian workers met for prayer in Bagwan jungle to pray that the Church of Christ might spread and increase, and were led to pray and believe that there, where they prayed, a church   might some day be planted, and marked the spot by cutting a cross in a tree close by. The answer to their prayer came when, two years ago, it was suggested that a new Christian community should be started in that very place. The name Sionpur, that is, ‘City of Sion,' was given to it, and three or four Christian families settled there. "At first they had trouble, as the Mohammedans objected to their presence. Their houses were pulled down and destroyed. They persevered, however, and now there is a small but growing hamlet of some eight or nine families there. Then came the question of a school, and the Mohammedans, who appreciate our education is not our faith, offered help, and a small mud-building was raised. "So it was that in March last, one afternoon as the sun sank below the palm-trees, there might have been seen some fifty people picking their way towards Sionpur in single file along the narrow paths that divide the rice-fields which stretch unbroken to the horizon. About a quarter of a mile from the village we waited for the stragglers to come up, and then, with native drums going before, we struck up our hymns of praise as pilgrims of old did as they climbed the hill of Sion. “As we reached the new village, the Sionpur Christians joined us, and it was a goodly congregation that clambered up the high verandah that led to the church. The clergy, eight in all, sat upon a sort of mud-platform that will serve in future as the chancel. Below were the congregation on the floor, the women behind in a place by themselves. We began with a hymn of praise, followed by a few words and prayer. Then followed the presenting of a Bible for the use of the church from the Bible Society, then prayer and another hymn; and so with prayer and praise we dedicated the house to the service of the Lord. “So a new church has been planted ; and we ask for the prayers of all interested in Nadiya that it may be a church fruitful in converts from among the Mohammedans who live around it."--C.M.S. Gazette.

"SOME years ago an old Burmese Catechist disappeared from our Mission in Mandalay. Inquiries were made for him in every direction, but after several months he was given up as lost. Last year, 1909, on a certain day during the ‘rains,' two Burmans arrived at the house of the Winchester Brotherhood and asked to speak to Mr. Fyffe (now Bishop). They said that they came from Botalet, a village about 100 miles north of Mandalay, and that they represented a large number of agricultural people in that village and neighbourhood, who had learnt the elements of the Christian faith from an old Catechist who had settled and died among them. They further stated that these villagers were not satisfied with what they had already been taught, but wished for a teacher who would come and give them fuller instruction.   These two men desired to remain at the Mission themselves for some time and to be taught the religion of Christ. A few weeks later Fyffe and Edmonds made the journey to Botalet, and found that the account given by the two messengers was a true one. The two men had omitted to mention, however, that they had been obliged to sell their only bullocks in order to undertake the journey to Mandalay. The Bishop is now anxious that one of our Mission Priests should go and spend a dry season in the district, with a view to establishing a permanent station. It is absolutely deplor-able that not one of the staff is available, at present, for this most promising opening."--Mission Field.

In his twenty-first year Gladstone was set on entering the ministry, and, we should judge from his words, was intent on going out to the mission-field. He wrote at that time to his father a long letter expressing his sense of a call, and very impressively setting forth his view of the dignity of the ministerial office. In that letter the following sentences occur : "When I look to the standard of habit and principle adopted in the world at large, and then divert my eyes for a moment from that spectacle to the standard fixed and the picture deli-neated in the Book of Revelation, then, my beloved father, the conviction flashes on my soul with a moral force that I cannot resist, and would not if I could, that the vineyard still wants labourers, that ‘the kingdoms of this world are not yet become kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ,' and that till they are become such, till the frail race of Adam is restored to the knowledge and the likeness of his Maker, till universally and throughout the wide world the will of God is become our delight, and its accom-plishment our first and last desire, there can be no claim so solemn and imperative as that which even now seems to call to us with the voice of God from heaven, and to say, 'I have given Mine own Son for this rebellious and apostate world, the sacrifice is offered and accepted, but you, you who are basking in the sunbeams of Chris-tianity, you who are blessed beyond measure, and oh, how beyond desert, in parents, in friends, in every circumstance and adjunct that can sweeten your pilgrimage, why will you not bear to fellow-creatures sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death the tidings of this universal and incomprehensible love?"--C.M.S. Instelligencer, March 1904. Will those who have most admiration for Mr. Gladstone as a man, will even those who generally approve the policy he promoted as a statesman, deny that even his pre-eminent gifts would have found most worthy employment if he had followed the lofty and unselfish aspirations that breathe in every sentence of that beautiful letter?