Morning Calm v.4 no.39(1893 Sep.)

THE MORNING CALM. No. 39, VOL. IV.] SEPTEMBER 1893. [PRICE id.

The Bishop's Letter. CHEMULPÓ: May 1893. DEAR FRIENDS, The question of translation, on which I touched last month, has been again before me, but in a larger and more important connection. Then, you remember, I was telling you of our plans for providing ourselves and our future catechumens with simple treatises in Chinese and Corean on such subjects as the leading events of our blessed Lord's life, the fundamentals of Christian doctrine, and portions of the Church Catechism. By taking a Chinese version of the Bible and Prayer Book in classical style, we hope, with the aid of our teachers, to translate into Corean what we require, and issue the result from our press, printed in parallel columns of Chinese and Corean. Thus, you see, we have not, as yet, thought of translating into Corean - still less into Chinese -from the original English, or, in the case of the New Testament, from the original Greek. During this month, however, we have had a visit from Mr. Kenmure and Mr. Furley, agents of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Shanghai and Niu Chwang respectively. Mr. Kenmure having no acquaintances in Corea, we were very glad to offer hiin hospitality at Nak Tong, which he gladly accepted. He had come over on business connected with his Society and the American missionaries in Seoul, who are desirous of bringing out another edition of Mr. Ross's translation of the New Testament, or a new translation altogether. The Joint Committee of these Missionary Societies has asked Mr. Trollope to accept a place on their Translation Board. For various reasons it was impossible for me to allow him to accept the invitation. I need Only trouble you with one of these reasons here. Although Mr. Trollope is our best scholar, I do not consider that any one of us is yet fit to take a responsible place in such important deliberations. There are a quantity of delicate questions on which we are too ignorant and inexperienced to form an opinion. If Mr. Trollope were a member of the Committee, we should, in a manner, be pledged to accept the conclusions at which the Committee arrive, and, by so doing find ourselves in positions from which, when we understand better the conditions of our future work, we might desire to retreat. It is safer for us to keep from the possibility of making mistakes on so all-important a subject as the translation of Holy Scripture as long as we can. But, being myself exceedingly anxious to co-operate in all possible ways with those who love the Word of God, I have expressed a hope that the Committee will avail itself of Mr. Trollope's services as a Greek scholar and a theologian by allowing him a place at the Board as an honorary member. If, therefore, their invitation is repeated in this form, it will be gladly accepted by him to the great advantage (I cannot doubt) of the cause which we all have at heart. Pray for us in this matter. It is more important to Corea than I can explain to you within the limits of a short letter. On May 1st Mr. Warner started on his long river journey, accompanied by Mr. Hodge. Through the kindness of Lieat. Com. Ingram of H.M.S. Peacock, and Lieut. Gillett of H.M.S. Severn, I was able to obtain for him tracings from the chart of the principal river which he has to explore, the Tai Kong, which falls into the Gulf of Pe Chili, about 90 miles from P'yeng Yang, the capital of the province, which he is to make the northern limit of his present journey. I had a letter from him two days after his start, in which he spoke enthusiastically of the apparent openings for future work in the large island of Kang Hoa, at the mouth of the Han, about 30 miles from Chemulpo. And we know he has arrived safely at P'yeng Yang, for we received a telegram from him inquiring after our safety in Seoul. Evidently the rumours which have been agitating many here have reached him in an exaggerated form. And this leads ine to speak very briefly of these rumours, which, I am sure, must have found their way long since, in telegraphic form, into your newspapers at home. I am sorry you should have been alarmed, but you will be glad to learn that your fears have been groundless to this extent-that not one of us has suffered the slightest inconvenience from the rumors which have been so plentiful of late. With so many external interests “pulling” at this country in different directions, it is surprising that the people have not long ago risen in angry protest. But it seems to have been taken for granted, both by foreigners and by native officials, that the people will put up with anything. But there must be a limit to shameless " squeezing" and extravagant expenditure. Some of us think that the limit is now being reached. And when we heard rumors in Seoul of a rising in the south, we thought them very likely to be true. But whether these rumors had their origin in the capital itself, or were founded on fact, it is almost impossible to say. I have no doubt you will have heard about the Tong Haks, the Japanese ultimatum, the alarm of the Chinese, and the settlement of the whole question of the Japanese claims on Corea. I am not going to enter into any of these details. A whole number of the Magazine might be taken up with them, and then the greater part might be false. Of two things there appears to be no doubt-that most of these unpleasant rumors are manufactured for political or commercial purposes, and that on a given day, about the 20th of this month, they collapsed altogether, with a suddenness which suggested that the majority of them had no foundation in fact. But you may depend upon it that, whilst there is no more contentment now than there was a month ago, organised opposition to the Government, if it ever existed, exists no longer. You will be imagining that the people are in a thousand different ways showing us how they detest us and want to get rid of us. There is not a trace of any such feeling. In Seoul, at Mapo, at Chelmupo, everyone is as kind and obliging and agreeable as ever. We have never had any ground for real anxiety, and things have gone on as usual. Dr. Wiles was to have left in the middle of the month, but, in characteristic fashion, delayed his departure for England as long as there was any chance of a row. He has now decided to sail next month. I, too, see no reason for delaying any longer my visit to Niu Chwang, where Mr. Pownall has been expecting me to hold confirmations, and, if possible, to put our affairs there on a more permanent footing. I was on the eve of starting when H.M.S. Leander arrived with His Excellency Mr. O'Conor, our minister at Peking. This official visit caused a great commotion amongst us few Englishmen, and Seoul for the greater part of a week was in holiday dress - especially on the Queen's birthday. He was accompanied by Mrs. O'Conor and Mr. Grant Duff of the Chinese Legation. Many of the Leander's officers went up to Seoul with them, and those who could not find accommodation at the Consulate-General we gladly found room for at Nak Tong. It was delightful having so large a naval contingent in the mission-house. The summer dining-room seemed to be transformed into the ward-room of H.M. Store Frigate Nak Tong. And when the time came for them to leave I fell a victim, Captain Castle is an old messmate of mine, and nothing would Please him but I must take a passage in the Leander to Taku and thence find my way (it is on the way) to Niu Chwang.

Nothing loth, I accepted the invitation, and, Ieaving Chemulpo early on the 27th, at 1 P.M. the next day reached Taku, from which place this letter is posted to you, with the love and blessing of Yours affectionately, C. J. CORFE.

Note. We have been asked to bring before the notice of our readers that the “Dorchester Missionary Parcel Society will be very "glad to receive books (theological, &c.), magazines, illustrated "papers (the last two regularly), stoles, altar linen, &c., to send "to former students of the College now working in the Mission "field abroad. A considerable number of Church papers are, "and for some time past have been, sent out weekly by the “ Society, the funds of which are supplied almost entirely by "subscriptions from the College. Other literature, &c., is needed "to make our Society a really useful one, but it must be "remembered that Missionary reports, parish magazines, old "papers, and books that are not of real use, are mere waste "paper, and treated accordingly. It will be of great use to the "Secretary, Norman H. Logan, Esq., The Missionary College, “Dorchester, Wallingford (to whom parcels and communications "should be sent), if the name and address of the donor are "placed on all parcels sent to the College."

Association of Prayer and Work for Corea. MEMBERS and friends living in Hertfordshire are asked to notice that the name of the Rev. Canon Liddell at St. Albans no longer appears in our lists as County Secretary for that county, the cause of his resignation being the demand which is made upon his time by his new work as General Secretary of the “ Association for Prayer and Work in Union with the Church in Qu'Appelle." We are most glad, however, to say that we have not, therefore, to regret his loss as one of our most valued fellow-workers. Canon Liddell very kindly promises to continue his work for Corea in St. Albans, and the General Secretary feels quite sure that she may still turn to him for the advice and help which she has ever received from him as a County Secretary. And, as the rule of his Association is, in its primary clause of daily prayer for all the Foreign Missions of the Church, identical with that of our own, we must welcome his new work as one with our own, and do not doubt that many opportunities will arise for the one to help and forward the other. We are glad also to add that Miss Wilshere, who, although living in Herts, has hitherto acted as County Secretary for Bedfordshire, has kindly consented to take Canon Liddell's place, and she will be very glad to hear from any friends of the Mission who will be willing to act as Local Secretaries in Herts. The General Secretary will be at home and ready to receive and welcome Corean correspondence by September 12. Reports of the summer sales and meetings for the Mission will appear in the October number of Morning Calm. M. M. CHAMBERS HODGETTS. Scotland : August 7, 1893.

Visit of H.M.S. “Leander” to Corea. H.M.S. LEANDER has lately visited the Corean coast, and her captain-William McC. F. Castle-has forwarded, through the Chairman of the Executive Committee H.N.F., the following interesting letter, giving a comprehensive view of the progress of the Mission, its present condition and prospects, together with some illustrative photographs. The Bishop took a passage in the Leander, where he found himself among old friends, and, in the words of the captain, “there is no denying the fact that a trip aboard pulls the Bishop together, and the kindly feeling evinced towards him cheers him up…. He is certainly thin, which is attributable principally to the good training he is in.” On this occasion he had for a fellow-passenger Mr. O'Conor, the British minister at Pekin, who was so struck with the Mission's work in Corea that, in appreciation of it, he has sent a generous contribution to the H.N.F. The captain and ward-room officers of the Leander also subscribed a liberal amount of dollars for the medical work. "H.M.S. Leander at Sea: "June 2, 1893. "Japan Sea. "Dear Sir, - I have just returned from a visit to the capital of Corea, where I had the pleasure of meeting my old shipmate bishop Corfe and his fellow-workers; and I have great pleasure in recording the progress that they have made in establishing themselves preparatory to expanding their good work into other districts. “Bishop Corfe and his clergy, doctors, and sisters were all in good health, and studying hard at the language of the country. The dispensaries and hospitals supported by the H.N.F. (Hospital Naval Fund) were progressing satisfactorily, and some of the prejudices against foreign aid to the sick were being happily overcome. “Before commenting on the more general work, I desire to mention a compound of some considerable importance, viz., the doctor's compound. "A Mission Church-St. Andrew's-erected by the Bishop's chaplain, the Rev. M. N. Trollope, is open for daily and weekly services. Canon Doxat usually takes these services. The church is attended by the Consul-General and his family, by the sisters and the Protestants living in Seoul. In the same compound is a small parsonage; also the residence of Miss Cooke, M.D., the dispensary and hospital for women, and lastly the doctor's house, which consists of a room large enough for a camp bed, a few books and instruments, and a dispensary. "This compound is in the neighborhood of the British Legation and Custom House. “NAK TONG Mission-house is some distance away, situated in the centre of the city on a piece of property acquired for that purpose; the principal building contains under one roof a chapel, printing-office, library, dining-room, sleeping apartments for the clergy and medical man. “The hospital and dispensary for the male patients are in an adjoining compound, and more property is about to be acquired. "Corean rooms are very small, and the rooms at the hospital are no exception. Dr. Wiles attends at the dispensary daily, also at the hospital; he treats both Coreans and Chinese-with the latter he is very popular. At the time of my visit some six or eight patients were under his surgical care; they looked happy, if not clean, and appeared contented at being under foreign supervision. "Dr. Wiles has been superseded by Dr. Baldock, to whom he has handed over everything, including a large stock of medicine, in splendid order. The small chapel on these premises is used for daily service and school : the printing-press, given to Bishop Corfe by his brother naval chaplains, is in full swing. The year before last Mr. Scott's English Corean Dictionary was printed-this year his Corean Grammar, both large works of over 300 pages; the printer is a member of the Mission staff, assisted by three Corcans whom he has trained. "The library is a comfortable room, containing books belong to the Bishop and his staff. It appeared well stocked with periodicals of the day. The dining-room-simple and clean ; no luxury is deemed necessary either by the Bishop or his followers. The bedrooms very small-simply a swinging cot, bookshelf, washing apparatus and desk, sufficient for self-abne-gated studious men; all the rooms are heated during the winter with a fire under the floors; the space inside the compounds was planted with a few flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees sufficient to meet the requirements of the Mission and hospital. There is a general tone of self-abnegation to the visitor ; on the other hand the Mission, one and all, are bright and cheerful, and splendid types of those who go to the highways without shoe or staff or scrip. “Dr. Baldock, besides presiding at the H.N.F. dispensary, in Seoul, also periodically visits the Mission-house on the river at Mapo, where numerous Coreans come to see him, some of whom are taken to Seoul to be treated. "TYENG TONG.-- The women's hospital and dispensary, also built under the auspices of Dr. Wiles, and worked since the opening (1892) by Miss Cooke, M.D. This work cannot be inspected by men, the Coreans' idea of secluding the women having been observed from the first. Many women, however, at Seoul are beginning to use the services of men-doctors, Dr. Wiles having several patients; these women are, however, of the poorer class. Corean ladies, who could only be seen in their own homes, have not as yet often seen Miss Cooke or Dr. Wiles, the latter of whom they would not be allowed to see under any circumstances, so complete is the seclusion in which they live. This seclusion and contentment, with existing methods of charms, &c., are the principal obstacles to the doctors' work amongst women and girls. "I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Cooke and her devoted assistant, Miss Heathcote, and was shown all I was allowed to see of the arrangements of the Women's Hospital. Miss Cooke pointed out a poor Corean woman suffering from cataract in both eyes. It was cheery to hear her say, 'I shall operate the day after to-morrow. Dr. Wiles will do one eye, and I the other.’ I feel sure the doctor will give her the honor of precedence in the operation. And again, with justifiable pride, she pointed out her pony, saying, ‘I hope soon to be able to ride into the interior, and do outside practice. Such are the stamp of helpers that Bishop Corfe has to work on his behalf. Miss Cooke's report of last year enumerates 1,000 attendants at the dispensary; she sees her out-patients at 10 A.M., and the men who present themselves she sends to Dr. Baldock at Nak Tong. "We must now move from the capital, Seoul, to the Treaty Port of Chemulpó, 55 miles by sea, 25 miles by land. Oftener than otherwise the Bishop and his Mission take the road rather than the steamboat. St. Luke's Hospital and Dispensary at Chemulpó, the first hospital of the Mission, built two years ago, chiefly by the H.N.F., and worked from the day It was opened by Dr. Landis, is a Corean building with Corean surroundings. It can contain 21 patients; but, the rooms being small, as is the Corean practice, it is counted full when there are 13 or 14 patients. "Dr. Landis is a very fluent Corean speaker, and a good Chinese scholar. He is highly popular with the Coreans of all Classes at Chemulpo. His dispensary is daily crowded with patients, and the reluctance to submit to hospital treatment seems to be gradually disappearing. All his patients are poor and do not pay fees. “ Close to the hospital is the Mission Church of St. Michael, a brick building, built somewhat in the Corean style. It was the first church built in Corea, put up by Bishop Corfe, 1891, on a hill, and very conspicuous from the anchorage. I regret I did not obtain a photograph. “ Below it a parsonage; a three-roomed house for the Bishop and resident chaplain. Next to the church is a school-room, where Chinese and Japanese adults are taught English. This school-room was built two years ago, at the request of the Chinese and Japanese in the settlement, in order that they might learn English from one of the members of the Mission. The school is open daily under Mr. Smart. "In a native house next to the hospital a small school has been opened, in which instruction is given by Corean masters similar to that given at Corean schools. No English is taught. There are seven small boys in the school. They are children of former patients of Dr. Landis. No information was obtained of the school. It has been open three months. "At the end of this year Bishop Corfe hopes that two of his English assistants will be sufficiently conversant with the Corean language to commence teaching at the school. “Bishop Corfe is at present engaged in translating a portion of the Church Catechism as a school book (assisted by his Corean teacher); in fact, the Bishop's one object appears to be to forget his mother tongue-to dream, to sleep, to think, and speak in Corean. "Of course I have been only a casual observer of all this work, but I have seen Mission work throughout the South Pacific- Melanesian, London Church, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, and the Roman Catholic Missions. Due honor to all of them. These works are of long standing, and are progressing in a most satisfactory manner—all, of course, anxious for further funds to enable them to extend their work. “Bishop Corfe's Mission is second to none of these Missions. He is beginning in Corea the same as Dr. Fulstaff did on the coast of China, in 1835. He is now sowing the seed from which will spring the harvest of religious light; its growth will be slow, but haste is not the method of presenting God's needs in Corea. One of the strongest points of this special Mission to Corea is the deliberate way it is securing a sound footing. It is the intention of the zealous, devout and philanthropic men and women engaged under Bishop Corfe to lay such sure foundation that the edifice they erect thereon will be sound and lasting. But I must not close this brief outline of Bishop Corse's Mission to Corea without mentioning that he will lose this month his mainstay, adviser, and great help since this Mission was inaugurated : Dr. Wiles, retired surgeon-general, has placed himself in the Bishop's hands. "Dr. Wiles is a man of most distinguished military service. His loss will be keenly felt, not only by the Mission, but by the community at Seoul. The Bishop will greatly miss his practical manly advice and medical aid, which were both freely placed at the service of the Mission. I only trust that all those who are associated with this Mission in Corea may have health and strength to encourage them to act up to their convictions in support of their Bishop and the great work he has at heart. “I remain, Sir, yours faithfully, "W. McC. F. CASTLE."

Some Notes of a River Journey in Corea. (Continued from page 104.) WE left our kind host at O-kang in the early morning of September 17th, going on board at 5.15 A.M., accompanied by his eldest son, who came to see us embark and wish us a safe return. In the course of the morning we came rather near having a disturbance with a stranger, who shouted to us from the bank that we were to “heave to," and as soon as we came near enough he surprised me very much by catching hold of the boat, and shouting out that we had stolen a fish off a night line that he had set. I knew that we had only one fish, and that we had bought it three days previously, and were keeping it fresh by towing it in the water alongside the boat, where he must have caught sight of it, and so I showed it him, and told him where We had bought it. He persisted, however, that it was just the kind of fish which his lines were set for, and that we must give it up. I must confess I was rather angry by this time, and as the man began to call out to some friends not far off to come to his assistance, I thought it was about time the matter was ended, or we might have been let in for a free fight, which would not have been exactly desirable or becoming ; so I went to him and told him that if he touched our fish or held on any longer to the boat we should be obliged to take him with us to the next town, in order to have the matter settled before the magistrate. The boatmen were quite anxious to assist in taking him on as a passenger should he have proved unwilling, and the man thought better of his attempt to get the fish and went off. I could not understand his attitude at all, for it was entirely unlike anything we had experienced from Coreans before; but I thought we were well out of a row, and without having given way to him. The next day we arrived at Chyeng-hpoung, which is a small prefectural town governed by a magistrate called a pousa. It is charmingly situated among the trees on the bank of the river, and though possessed of a magistracy, is in reality a very small village, consisting of about one hundred houses. The official here has a very fine residence, however, and there are two handsome pleasure houses built on rocks overhanging the river, of which the people are very proud, for they were very anxious for me to say that the paintings on the roof and the Chinese characters were more handsome than those on the roof of the South Gate at Seoul; but as in duty bound as a Seoul man, I tried to tell them in my best Corean that they were all very well for a country town, but of course could not be compared with any of those to be seen at the capital. September 20th finds us 125 miles by road from Seoul, which would make us 150 miles away by river at the very least, so that we have travelled pretty quickly considering the great obstacles of the current, the shallows, and the rapids. We are hoping to reach the town of Tan-yang to-day, where we shall leave the boat and try to get across the mountains into Kyeng-sang-to, with the object of finding out where the River Nak Tong, which flows through the province to Fusan, becomes navigable. The scenery here is finer, perhaps, than any we have yet seen, but we make very slow progress, for rapid follows rapid very quickly, and we have no sooner got through one and left the noise of its roaring behind, than we hear the sound of another in the distance, which is rather provoking when one wishes to push on quickly. The hills on either side of the river are finely wooded, and reach right down to the water's edge. These hills abound in all kinds of game, and we saw the tracks of deer several times by the water side, where they had come down in the night to drink. This morning we passed a party of Corean huntsmen in their “war paint," with their match-locks slung over their backs. These men are splendid mountaineers, and brave a great many dangers in the pursuit of deer, tigers, and bears. They are very agile, and follow their game into the most inaccessible parts of the mountains. After great exertions we arrived at the town of Tan-yang at 2.30 P.M. The town is a small one, consisting of about 300 houses, and the district is under the command of a koun-syou. In the evening I made what preparations were necessary for leaving the boat and starting on the journey into Kyeng-sang-to the next morning. We engaged a coolie to carry some baggage, and also to show us the way across the mountains, and soon after daybreak started for the town of An Tong, accompanied also by the servant who had come with me from Seoul, thus making a party of three. We ascertained that the distance to An Tong was 180 li, or sixty miles, so we hoped to be there the next evening. Our boatmen, whom we left at Tan-yang, had instructions to push on up the stream, and wait for us at the town of Yeng-choun (a distance of about twenty-five miles), where we would rejoin them on our return in about four days' time. The first part of the way lay along a very stony mountain path, and we passed through but few villages when once we got clear of Tan-yang and the few outlying hamlets. After travelling for about ten miles we reached the top of a mountain ridge at a place called Chuk-yeng, which is the boundary between the provinces of Tchyoung-tchyeng-to and Kyeng-sang to. Here we found a small wayside inn, and also several small temples, and an unusual number of sacred trees with their branches almost covered with pieces of rag tied on by people as votive offerings, I suppose. Here we got a really magnificent view of the province of Kyeng-sang-to, the mountains in the neighbourhood of Fusan being pointed out to me as visible in the far distance, the day being an exceedingly clear one. Some distance further on, after descending the hill, we passed a Government posting-station, where horses are kept for the use of officials when travelling about on the Government service ; these stations are to be found at set distances all over the country, and are in charge of a Government officer, whose duty it is to render all assistance to magistrates and others when travelling. Some two miles more of easy walking brought us to the town of Pungui, quite a small place, containing, in fact, only about forty houses, but proud in the possession of a magistrate of its own. We reached the end of our first day's Journey at six o'clock, arriving at the town of Yeng-chen, to enter which we had to wade across a broad but shallow stream, Which is the Nak Tong River at an early stage of its existence. The next morning we rose at daybreak after a fair night, though we were rather hot, as we had seven Corean companions sleeping in the same small room; not to mention a goodly number of less welcome comrades who did anything but sleep during the whole night, in the shape of the nameless insects which swarm in so many Corean inns. (To be continued.)

The Spirit of Missions. We take the following letter from Bishop Gray of SOUTHERN FLORIDA, giving an account of his missionary jurisdiction, from New York Spirit of Missions for May : - "I desire to present a few thoughts which may enable you to do some good work through the excellent medium of The Spirit of Missions. "1. As to extent of territory. “ The Missionary Jurisdiction of Southern Florida embraces about two-thirds of the state, being nearly 40,000 square miles, or but little less than the entire State of Tennessee. There are only five self-supporting parishes in the entire field, while there are sixty or more Missions and a large number of places and country neighbourhoods, where work ought to be begun at once, if possible. Beginning at Key West, I have travelled and preached almost every day and night, spent three nights, during three months, in my own home, and must still go on until the last of May before one entire visitation of the whole field shall have been completed. "2. As to the various classes to be reached. "I doubt if any field in the country can show as great a variety in the work to be done. First, I reckon the native Floridians. These go under the general name, sometimes used jocularly, and sometimes slightingly, of ‘crackers.’ Secondly, there are about 30,000 Cubans, who are still, for the most part, a Spanish-speaking people. Thirdly, there are, as variously estimated, from 500 to 2,500 Indians in the region of the ever glades, difficult of access, as yet almost untouched by Christianity, and demanding prompt attention. Fourthly, there is a very large proportion of colored people, among whom, I am thankful to say, the Church has one large, self-supporting parish, and an increasing number of promising Missions. This field is a very inviting one, and, at the same time, one which needs the most liberal and unstinted appropriations. Fifthly, there are considerable numbers of English people. At some places entire colonies or settlements almost exclusively English, and at others a very considerable and influential portion of the community being of that stock, while, scattered over the whole jurisdiction, are isolated families and individuals, like scattered sheep, exiles alike from their native country and from their mother Church. Sixthly, there is what might be called the visiting contingent - people from the North and the East, who make some portion of Florida their home from two to six months of the year. This

class has done a great deal for the Church in this state; but there is great danger of an unequal and spasmodic life in the Church in such places, unless a persistent and unflinching effort be made all the year round for the benefit of the permanent population, so as to preserve the proper equilibrium. Seventhly, there is what may be styled the cosmopolitan population. It is the powerful and permanent factor of all this region. It is made up of persons from nearly all the states and territories, and, indeed, from other countries as well, who, drawn to this favored spot at first perhaps for climatic reasons, have been pleased to make it their permanent and beloved home. The city of Orlando is a fair sample of this class. At a meeting of citizens which was recently convened for the purpose of promoting the interests of the place, it was concluded to ascertain how many states and territories were represented by the assembly thus convened. There were found to be no less than twenty-six states and territories, East, West, North and South, represented there. Now in all these we have good work going on, except in that of the Indians, and among them, if it please God, work will be begun within a few months. “The very conditions existing here seem to transport one back to Apostolic days-travel by land and by water, with horses, mules or on foot; services in school-houses, dwelling-houses in the woods and by the sea shore, people coming miles overland to worship, or, as I have seen, all the families and individuals of a certain community reaching the church by the riverside in little boats, rowed, some by men, some by women, and some even by children. "I have held service and preached in a private house where planks were laid on chairs so as to make benches, and when I went into an adjoining room to put on my robes, found a halfdozen or more mothers with their babies, some in their laps, and Some asleep and laid upon the beds there. This was on a week night, but persons had come from two to ten miles to be present. More than once I have put my robes on in the woods near the school-house, and then made my way as well as I could through the crowd to the little table or stand at the opposite end from the door. I have been thrilled through and through by an inward vision of Pentecost when I stood and preached, for the first time in my life, through an interpreter, and realised, as never before, the catholic and comprehensive character of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have stood in the reader's stand in A large cigar factory and addressed 300 men through an interpreter while at their work forming, rolling, and finishing cigars. I have laid my hands on the head of a lone woman, who, with her own slender arms and all unaccompanied, rowed her frail little skiff a distance amounting to sixteen miles in order to receive the holy Apostolic rite. "The missionaries of Southern Florida are a band of self-denying, laborious and determined men, who have the martyr spirit in them, but many vacant places are calling for more of them, and I must have them and also the means to support them. God has given us a grand opportunity here, and if the Church at large will only see it and determine to embrace it, we can go in and possess the land." “ One of the most striking things about the people of Japan is their passionate love of beauty, especially in the form of flowers and of flowering shrubs and trees. The chrysanthemum and camellia, the plum blossom and cherry blossom, the peony, iris, and lotus are very especial favourites. When these, and other flowers, too, are at the height of their beauty, the people set apart a day for admiring them. One day they turn out to ‘behold’ the chrysanthemums. This is, of course, in the autumn : but the cherry blossom ‘beholding’ falls in the pleasant month of April, which is so suitable for long picnic parties that this is perhaps the most popular of all these outings, even though the maple ‘beholding’, from the gorgeous coloring of the trees, has earned the name of ‘The Long Looking,’ or ‘The Gazing Intently At.’ The arranging of flowers is studied as an art by the Japanese. Where we have great bouquets, they put one lovely flower alone in a vase, and when its beauty has been sufficiently enjoyed they exchange it for another." New York Church Mission News.