Morning Calm v.15 no.99(1904 Feb.)

THE MORNING CALM. No. 99, VOL. XV.] FEBRUARY 1904 [PRICE 3d.

The Bishop's Letters.Ⅰ.

LONDON : November 1903. DEAR FRIENDS, Towards the end of last month I accepted an invitation to preach for S.P.G. at St Mark's, Swindon, and in the afternoon and evening at St. Saviour's - the little church which fourteen years ago was built by the voluntary labor of the parishioners. In the afternoon the church was filled with the children, of whom a large number have already become members of the A.P.W., thanks to the zeal of Mrs. Thompson, the Local Secretary. All the good people in this church are very Sympathetic and helpful. After evensong a service of intercession for foreign missions was held in the church. On Trafalgar Day I went to revive the interest on behalf of the Mission amongst the children of the Royal Seamen and Marines Orphan Home in Portsmouth, where on that day there is always a large number of old girls to share in the triumphs and festivities of those who then receive their prizes. I found myself at once among friends, old and new. Thence I went to St. Augustine's College, Canterbury, to address the students and to receive a warm welcome from my old friend the present warden, the subwarden, and others who remembered me. On two occasions I have taken Confirmation for the Bishop of Rochester in Chatham, and once for the Bishop of London in Kilburn. I have also preached for S.P.G. in Chatham Dockyard Church and in Eastney before the R.M.A.; in Chilworth and Shalford, where Mr. Gurney's brother is curate; in Wem, where we have friends of long standing, and in Leamington and Kenilworth, where the services at the Parish Church and St. Mark's on the Sunday and the public meeting on the Monday were very inspiring. The month concluded with an evening meeting at Mark Beech, whose rector always vies with his people in giving me a hearty welcome, and on the following day with a sermon on behalf of S.P.G. at St. Michael's, Beckenham. This sermon was preceded by a meeting in Mr. Armstrong's house, when, through the kindness of the vicar and Mrs. Armstrong, I was given the opportunity of meeting some of our most valued secretaries and helpers in the neighborhood. But I must not close without a brief reference to the service in Lambeth Palace Chapel on the Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, at which, after so many delays, the first missionary Bishop of the Church of England in Shantung was consecrated. I had the honor of being one of Mr. Iliff's presenting bishops, and was very glad to find myself in England, and so to be able to accept his invitation. I wish that all the English in the Far East could have heard Bishop Montgomery's statesmanlike sermon before the consecration. In a previous letter I spoke of the possibility of my having to go to America and Canada in my search for clergy. I have been quite ready to go, but the letters which I have received from Corea have made it quite impossible. It is indeed hard to strike a balance between the various conflicting duties which now present themselves to me. It is a comfort to me to know that I am helped by your prayers, for which I am always grateful, and am, Yours affectionately, C. J. CORFE.

II.

LONDON : December 1903. DEAR FRIENDS, I had the privilege of opening the intercession services on behalf of foreign missions which are annually held at the beginning of this month at St. Peter's Mission House, Kilburn, having been asked to celebrate for the Sisters and the Associates of St. Peter's community in their chapel. I was unable to remain for the rest of the day, having a meeting to attend at Oxford on behalf of H.N.F., which was most kindly and successfully organised by Bishop Mitchinson in the Master’s Lodge at Pembroke College. Thence I went to Lincoln to meet Miss L. Nevile, who arrived from Corea on the 3rd with Nurse Hudson. Miss Nevile looked very well, but I was sorry to hear from her that Nurse Hudson had had another hemorrhage during the homeward voyage. She was, however, much better, and was met by her friends, who at once took charge of her. I have preached and spoken at a meeting for S.P.G. at Leek, where the vicar received me with a kindness which was characteristic of a friendship nearly fifty years old. But my time this month has been chiefly taken up in seeing people—especially the heads of departments—with whom there has been much to discuss in view of my approaching departure for Corea-a departure which will become necessary should war be declared between Russia and Japan. These meetings with local secretaries and others who have such just claims on me are very affecting. They know what I have come home for, and they know, therefore, that I have been unable to do what they have wished. They have been very good in making allowance for all this and in sympathising with me in my disappointments, which I need scarcely say have been many and great as, in my search for clergy, I have approached, or even passed through, the various centres of the Association. With the record of a brief visit to Cuddesdon, where I received much kindness from the Bishop and the Principal, I bring this letter to an end, and am, my dear friends, Yours affectionately, C. J. CORFE.

III.

LONDON : January 1904. DEAR FRIENDS, I write a few lines at the beginning of the month to wish you all a Happy New Year, and to tell you how the opening of the year finds us employed. I have seen Dr. Weir, who leaves on the 8th for Penang, where he stops off for three weeks and then hopes to continue his journey with Mrs. Weir to Corea if Corea is then accessible. The doctor will be followed - I hope in February--by Miss Jephson and an experienced nurse, both of whom will assist Dr. and Mrs. Weir in raising the fallen fortunes of St. Luke's Hospital, Chemulpó. But I have been obliged by the situation in the Far East to beg the ladies to defer their departure until they get a telegram from me. We cannot permit them to start with the certain knowledge that they will never arrive. If the Weirs get through there must be Some delay - inevitable, however regrettable -in the case of the nurses. As to myself, I have taken my passage by the P. & O. steamship Australia, and hope by the second week in this month to have left England. I go back to Corea now because I must-not because I have accomplished what I came home to do. The internal affairs of the Mission have for some time been indicating to me that I ought to return; and now the external condition of the country makes an immediate return necessary. Of the external condition of Corea I can say but little. It is possible that on my arrival at Shanghai there may be no way of getting into Corea except by a man-of-war; also, if war breaks out, you will please to remember that all regular postal communication will cease. The only ships which now carry mails between Corea and the rest of the world are Japanese and Russsian. If Corea is the theatre of warlike operations these ships will of necessity cease to run. Letters will then have to find their way in and out by the kindness of men-of-war. I tell you this that you may be prepared for, and not be alarmed at, silence broken only at irregular intervals. I see that Legation guards, of different nationalities, are going to Seoul. They will give confidence to Mr. Turner, whose anxiety as the head of the Mission in my absence will naturally be great; but I do not anticipate any danger either to ourselves or to the Coreans. The English have always the protection of the British Government to rely upon, whilst the Coreans are not concerned in the quarrel, which apparently is confined to the two powerful empires who have been watching each other so intently for the last seven years. But assuming that I do get through, and find- as I expect to find - that all our affairs in the various Mission stations are going on as usual, I fear that I shall not be welcomed, for shall have returned almost as empty-handed as I left nearly a year ago. For nearly two years previous to that we had been suffering from this loss of clergy, which tried, and has been trying ever since, the few who remain, and my arrival will be the signal for two more departures. Having failed to fulfil my condition with the Director of the S.S.M., I have to send back to him the two members of the Society who are all that remain of the original eight. But do not think that I am complaining. The fault of all this is, of course, mine. A wiser man would, I feel sure, have acted differently when some eight or nine years ago it was proposed to substitute the S.S.M. for the Corean Missionary Brotherhood in Corea. The Diocese has evidently never been able to make a proper use of the Society. The fault I say is mine. But now with courage and resolution we have to face things as they are. We have four Corean parishes, and we have - or shall have, if we are all spared at the end this year—four clergy, Mr. Gurney and myself being, for all practical purposes, quantities which may for some time be dis regarded. Of these four clergy, one, Mr. Turner, as you know, is far from strong, Mr. Badcock is obliged to return to England on short furlough to avert a breakdown, and Mr. Bridle, I am informed, will have to leave soon, also on short furlough, for the same reason. The work has been too much for them. Nor am I surprised, for three years ago there were two where there is now only one. Unless the clergy are to be quite worn out there must be some change, some retrenchment, some concentration by which the clergy will be able to assist each other. What this will involve you will not expect me now to say. I do not indeed know, but things being as they are, and there being no hope of getting clergy from England, one of the first things which must engage my attention on my arrival will be some rearrangement of the work, by which the health of my clergy-on whom the burden of work is to be yet heavier-may be preserved. You do not forget, my dear friends, that all my clergy are unpaid. They deserve-if any deserve-a generous treatment; and, now that I know what we have to face, they will get it from me. You need not be afraid of my losing heart. All these losses and trials are good for us. In bearing them patiently and in meeting them bravely and cheerfully we shall learn to avoid in the future, perhaps, what has doubtless had its share in causing them in the past. The medical work of the Mission, too, will this year suffer a great loss. For want of funds the hospital of St. Matthew, in Seoul, which is as old as the Mission itself, has to be closed in May on the retirement of Dr. Baldock, whose more than ten years' hard and successful work has been the means of restoring to health nearly 200,000 of the poorest of the people. Mrs. Baldock's agreement with the Sisters of St. Peter also terminates in May, but the Sister-in-charge is looking for a successor, for whose support as well as for the maintenance of the women's hospital sufficient funds are in hand for the current year, whilst the members of St. Peter's F.M. Association encourage us to hope that in future years they will be able to keep this good work going. I am told, however, that it is in contemplation by the Corean Government to build barracks for soldiers close to the hospital, which may make the continuance of a hospital for women difficult, if not impossible, in that quarter of the city. But just now no one can say what the Corean Government will be able to do. For St. Luke's Hospital, Chemulpó, I have secured enough money to pay for all expenses—at a very moderate estimate – during the current year. Mr. Turner, however, writes to tell me that considerable repairs will be required if the hospital is to serve the purpose of adequately accommodating a staff of four. I have forwarded a request from him that the balance of the S.P.G. Block Grant for 1903 may be utilised in paying for these repairs, and I am pleased to tell you that the Society has approved of this expenditure. With the departure of S.S.M. from Corea we must be prepared to close the Mission Printing Press, at all events for a time, since I have no successor to do the work of the indefatigable and altogether valuable Brother Hugh. Happily there are other printing presses in the country which will undertake to print our translations. I very much hope, however, that the S.S.M. will allow the psalms, hymns, and Old Testament selections for which the "copy" was provided last year to be completed before Brother Hugh is withdrawn. Externally and internally, therefore, the Mission of the Church of England to Corea has its share of anxieties just now and more than its share of encouragements. Aided by your prayers in the future as in the past, we shall go on in hope to strengthen the things that remain, and to do with all our might that which our hands find to be done. I am, always your affectionate and grateful, C. J. CORFE.

Association of Prayer and work for Corea.

THERE are several changes to notice in the list of Secretaries. We welcome Mrs. Gurney as Secretary for a new branch at Leamington, and Miss Dixon has consented to carry on Canon Strange's work at Birmingham; and Miss May will succeed Mrs. Tolley at Balham. But against that we have to set the fact that both Devon and Hants have each lost three branches, and our County Secretary in Yorkshire is still much in want of help. The lantern slides are now being revised, and will, we hope, be much used during the spring. They have been in use a several meetings this quarter; Mr. Goffe in Lincolnshire and Mr. Gibbon in Devon have again been speaking for Corea. We have reprinted Bishop Corfe's letter explaining the principles of the Association, as there seemed a great need to some literature of that sort. Copies of that, as of the last annual report, the leaflet on the Mission, and the large pamphlet on Corea, may be had from the General Secretary. There seems an unusually large fly-leaf of accounts this quarter, but that by no means represents all the work that is done; for instance, from Swindon, in addition to the list of moneys collected, we have a list too long to print of those who have helped by needlework and whose gifts are as valued as the money. In response to numerous inquiries the General Secretary regrets to say she has no more Corean picture post-cards left, but if any photographer members are willing to help she can provide negatives to make more copies, for which there is a good sale, the profits going to the Mission. The General Secretary has a pretty large supply of Corean stamps for sale. CONSTANCE A. N. TROLLOPE. It seems desirable to call attention at the present time to the relations between the Junior and Senior Members of the Association of Prayer and Work for Corca. Apparently the idea that members will obviously look for other members first in their own household is no longer considered to apply to children. This must surely be because our adult members are ignorant of the existence of the Children's Branch. No children members have been enlisted during 1903 by any senior member with the exception of some Sunday-school scholars. Instead of being a support to one another the two branches have evidently drifted apart. Parents, Sunday-school teachers, and others should endeavor to enlist their children as members of the Junior Branch. These children members in their turn will automatically act as feeders of the Senior Branch when they cease to be children. We hope that this reminder will encourage the senior members to make a fresh start in this direction with the new year. In the Junior as in the Senior Branch the one rule is daily prayer for Missions, especially Corea, and in the Junior as in the Senior the money or other gifts should follow the prayer. We get a good deal of help now from Sunday-schools who are willing to adopt a boy or do some definite work, but in many of these cases not one of the scholars is enrolled as a member of the Children's Branch. We shall be very glad, therefore, if for the future it is possible to lay more stress on the prayer side of the Association, without necessarily neglecting the work side, and if our senior members, who are trying to interest and enlist the sympathies of children, will assist us in making the Children's Branch a more real and important part of the Association.

C. A. N. TROLLOPE, Gen. Sec. A.P.W.C. M. I. FALWASSER,

Sec. Children's Branch.

CHILDREN'S BRANCH, ASSOCIATION OF PRAYER AND WORK FOR COREA. NEW MEMBERS. Thoresway John Naylor. Lena Robinson. Thorganby Florence Hurst. Betsy Killick. Mary Boulton. Jean Gothorp. Edwin Boulton. Frances Mary Gothorp. To the County Secretaries, the Local Secretaries, and the Members of the Association of Prayer and Work for Corea. VICARAGE, VASSALL ROAD, BRIXTON, S.W.: St. Andrew's Day, 1903. DEAR FRIENDS, The Association of Prayer and Work for Corea rests on the principle of daily prayer for the missionary work of the Church. We specify Corea, and there is no reason why we should not specify other Missions, as most of us do, but we pray daily for all Missions, and to belong to this Association no subscription is required, for the Association is open to the poor as to the rich. But as prayer leads necessarily to work, so this Association of prayer is also an Association of work, and every form of Christian work which can be thought of as helping the Missions of the Church has been specified as the work which we look to be the outcome of the prayers of our Members from the work of the General Secretary, who has to give hours every day to the organisation of the Association, to the work of a poor invalid woman or child in hospital, who, besides praying herself, can do no more than interest her neighbor in the next bed ;- from the work of the busy parish priest, who finds this Association the shortest and simplest method of bringing before his Confirmation candidates the duty of all Christians to be missionaries in “prayer and work," to the work of the schoolboy, the sailor, the man of business—all of whom have at least one to whom they can freely speak on so intimate a subject as daily prayer. This, then, is our object, and this is our method. The Association does not exist for the purpose of "robbing other Churches "-of diverting money and work from other Missions into the collecting boxes for Corea. We say that if people will only pray for Foreign Missions as they ought God will teach them what work to do, and to what Missions they ought to give such time, money, help as they have at their disposal ; and, believing this, we believe that in answer to such prayers God will give Corea neither more nor less than she needs to do His work with, and that if those whose immediate duties or interests lie in the direction of other Missions would pray equally (as many of them do) for all Missions the work they do for their own would be done better, would be healthier and more lasting. A CORRESPONDING MEMBER is the person who gets members. LOCAL SECRETARIES, therefore, unless they wish also to become Corresponding Members, have nothing to do but to compile lists and keep accounts. Let me now describe a Corresponding Member more particularly. He (or she) is one in any position of life, who, being a Member himself, is willing to get others to become Members. He may get them from any quarter he likes-any town, any country, any continent-but he is not to get any of whom he cannot give an account whenever he is asked to do so by the Secretary. He is recommended to look for such Members in his family, his household, amongst those who are his intimate friends-people, in a word, whose addresses he is likely always to know, and to whom he can speak without reserve on such a sacred subject as daily prayer. But, to save him from attempting more than he can undertake, and to make it plain that it is not "quantity" but "quality" that is expected from him, he is to be provided with a paper which contains spaces for ten names. His responsibility, therefore, is limited. He may obtain one Member-he cannot obtain more than ten—who may be adults or children, or both. But the Corresponding Member may be one whose position or whose inclination gives him the opportunity of getting more than ten. In this case he applies for a second paper and goes up to twenty, or for a third, and so on, but each fresh paper needs a fresh application. It is intended that these papers shall be issued by the Local Secretaries, to whom also the Corresponding Members are asked to send once a year a complete list of their Members, and once a quarter the names of any new Members, together with any money or other information which they have received. These returns will be made in any shape which may be convenient to the Corresponding Member. The Local Secretary will then enter these names on a form supplied, and will give proper receipts for money, which will be sent to the Corresponding Member, who will give them to his Members. These forms, tabulated and arranged by Local Secretaries, will be printed together, and sent every quarter to the County Secretary, or, if there be none, to the General Secretary For the accuracy of names and addresses, therefore, the General Secretary, the County Secretaries, and the Local Secretaries depend upon the Corresponding Member, and the Corresponding Member in his turn has no encouragement to get either more Members than he can account for or Members of a class whose whereabouts he is unlikely to know, and if one of his Members change his abode, the Corresponding Member will not notify it to anyone. He does but put the new address on the list which he sends in at the end of the year. If Members are transferred from the list of one Corresponding Member to that of another, it can only be by the mutual desire and consent of the Member and the new Corresponding Member.

Let me now turn to the Corresponding Member in his relation to his Members. He will be supplied with ten cards for adult and ten cards for children Members, which, with his paper ruled with spaces for the entry of names, will constitute his whole "stock-in-trade." On obtaining anyone who wishes to become a Member, and who declares his intention of observing the rule of daily prayer and of work, the Corresponding Member writes his name and his own name on the card and gives it to the Member. Should the Member ever wish to leave the Association, he informs his Corresponding Member, and returns the card, which, when the resignation has been notified to the Local Secretary, will be destroyed. 

You will say that the Association, which like a snowball gathers from all quarters and becomes big by the addition of small increments, will need more Local Secretaries. Let us thank God if it does. The more Local Secretaries and the more Corresponding Members there are the better. Arrangements have been made whereby they may be created wherever they are wanted and whenever people are found who are willing to be appointed. I am assuming that each Local Secretary may be willing to become a Corresponding Member, but please bear in mind that there is no necessary identity between a Local Secretary and one who gets people to join the Association. If a Local Secretary wants to get people to join he must make himself a Corresponding Member and supply himself with one, two, or three papers, according to the time he has at his disposal for work of this sort, in addition to his duties as a Local Secretary. The machinery of the Association is very simple. The work of the General Secretary, however, is arduous. I look to you to lighten it by every means in your power. How can we lighten it? By our intelligence, our devotion, and our zeal ; by being quite sure that we understand the principle of the Association ourselves; by making that principle a greater reality in our daily prayers; and by setting ourselves the task of getting at least one from those whom we know best to join us in this apostolate of prayer. Praying that God will bless the Association in the future as He has blessed it in the past—that He will bless it to every portion of His Church, I am always, Yours with grateful affection, C. J. CORFE, President.

Children's Branch.

MY DEAR CHILDREN, This is my first letter to you in 1904, so I will begin it by wishing you all a very Happy New Year. I want you all to join with me this year in trying to do more for Foreign Missions than you have ever done before. Even if we have said a Prayer for Corea every day, and have given money to the Children's Fund as well, I am sure we can still do more-by praying those prayers more earnestly and by doing all that we do "with our might." I am afraid this year is likely to be a sad one for the Coreans. There may be war in their country at any time, perhaps even when you read this letter the fighting will have begun, and we know how sad that will be for the Mission work as well as for all the Corean people. It is because of this war that we may be prevented from sending parcels to Corea for some time. I want to thank several of you for the pretty dolls you are giving the orphans; there is the very nice doll that Rhoda has sent me, another from Lily and Elsie, and a doll and a cot from two children at Swindon, whose names I do not know, as they are not yet Members of the Association, but I hope they will read this letter. Then, too, a little boy in Swindon has sent some Christmas cards for the orphans, which I am sure they will be very pleased with. All these things shall be taken care of till they can be safely sent to Corea. I must see one day if I can get patterns for dressing dolls in Corean clothes, and if I can I will send them to any of you who would like to have them. I believe the orphans would like dolls dressed in Corean fashion better than in English, because they are so unaccustomed to our way of dressing. Here is a picture of some little Corean girls which will show you how very different their clothes are from ours. I have been very glad to receive the money that so many of you have sent for the Children's Fund ; you will like to know that we collected rather more money for the Hospital Cot last year than we did the year before. Let us try and do still better in 1904. Next time any of you write to me please send your letters to Winchester, and not to Liss, where you have generally sent them before. My letter to you is not going to be a very long one this time, but I have one more thing to ask you: will you all remember to pray, not only for the Coreans, but also for Bishop Corfe (whom many of you know so well) and for all the Members of the Mission in Corea, that God will bless all that they do to the glory of His name? I am, Always your affectionate friend, MAUD I. FALWASSER. Ashurst Winchester : January, 1904. NEW MEMBERS. St. Saviour's, Swindon.

Robert Finney. Walter Howkins. Dorothy Booth. Kenneth Harrod Muriel Lloyd. Miriam Newman.

CHILDREN'S FUND.

Children at Harvington, 8s. 6d. : Children of St. Saviour's, Swindon, ₤2. 2s. 11½d. : St. Saviour's Senior Band of Hope from their Sale of Work, Swindon, ₤2. 3s. 10d.: Dora York, ₤1; Joan and Peter Crofts, 5s. 6d.: Pearl Bracher, 6d. ; Rhoda Wells, 2d.; Kenneth Wilson, 5s. ; Nessa Tawke, 2s. 6d.-Total, ₤6. 8s. 11½d .

St. Peter's Community Foreign Mission Association.

BEFORE the issue of this number the notes of the Day of Inter cession and Thanksgiving on December I will have been distributed amongst the Members, but there are still a few copies remaining, which will be sent to any applicant on receipt of a stamped envelope. There was a larger attendance than usual, especially at the afternoon meeting. Much disappointment was felt at Bishop Corfe's enforced absence, but a kind letter was read from him explaining that he was obliged to attend a meeting at Oxford on that day. He celebrated at 8 A.M. in the Chapel of St. Peter's House, having on the previous evening confirmed three patients in the wards. Canon Brooke was once more in the chair, and after the reading of a short report of the year's work, and a letter from Bishop Montgomery expressing his sympathy with the work of the Association, and regret at his inability to be present at the meeting, Mrs. Scharlieb gave a most excellent and practical address on the duty incumbent on all women to work in or for Missions, which could not fail to act as a spur to the flagging and an incentive to further effort for all.

The Rev. M. M. Trollope drew a striking picture of the sharp contrast between work in the Far and Near East, showing that in many ways the Coreans are more responsive and true to the teaching they receive than their more fortunate fellow Christians in England. The Bishop of Zululand spoke warmly of the value of such days of Intercession, not only to the individual, but as a support to the Church in the Mission Field, illustrating this with a personal experience of an occasion of great difficulty and loneliness in which he was helped and encouraged by the remembrance that it was St. Andrew's Day, and doubtless many Intercessions were being offered for him at that moment. At the Intercessory service at noon the Rev. Ernest Field, Chaplain of St. Peter's Memorial House, Woking, gave a most helpful address on Dives and Lazarus, taking the former as an example of Churchpeople with all their privileges grudging the “ few crumbs” to the Lazarus at their gate.

At Evensong, Canon Allen dwelt on the necessity of a deep strong personal love as the foundation of all work. The offertories amounted to £8, and a sum of £8 13s. was also received from St. Peter's Grange, St. Leonards-on-Sea, where the day was similarly observed, and perpetual intercession was offered from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. While referring to finance, it is encouraging to be able to state that the income of the Association has in no way decreased in the last twelve months ; in fact, there is a slight increase both in the Hospital receipts and also in the fund for the Orphanage. This is greatly due to the splendid result of the Bazaar Stall, which, with a Christmas sale of curios at St. Peter's Grange, reached the large sum of £107. The warmest thanks are due to the many kind contributors to the stall, and also to those who so ably managed it, especially the Misses Trollope. Two kind offers of gifts are gratefully acknowledged. The Secretary for Woking is sending out quarterly to the workers in Corea a copy of The East and the West, and a beautiful lace chalice veil has been given anonymously for use in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at Kang Hoa. SISTER HELEN CONSTANCE, Secretary, S.P.F.M.A.

Notes from Corea.

We must begin our Notes this quarter by saying how thankful we are that the Bishop by his visit to England has been able to procure one priest and a doctor for Chemulpó. Which was most wanted it is difficult to say. From many points of view of course a priest is what we wanted most urgently, or two, or three ; but certainly Chemulpó has been crying out for a doctor so long and so loud that we are almost as thankful to hear one is coming. Dr. Weir will receive a very warm welcome from all classes of society. The Europeans have for a long time had to depend on a Japanese doctor, who, though a very capable man, has more work on his hands than he can get through among his own people, or else they have had to call in a doctor from Seoul, which, thanks to the railway, is now possible, though far from convenient. And if the Europeans will be glad to see him, what can we say of the Coreans, who ever since Dr. Carden's departure have been continually crying out “When is the doctor coming ?" If anyone goes to live at the Hospital they have frequent visits of enquiry from Coreans. There is no chance of medical attention for them, except from their own absolutely incompetent doctors, or by going to Seoul, which is impossible except in the very worst cases and among the better-to-do classes. We hope Dr. Weir may have many years of happy and successful work in Chemulpó. We have had a telegram from Mr. Gurney to tell us that he has come as far as Japan, and we are expecting him on December 7. In connection with his coming and Mr. Badcock's return home on furlough some changes will have to be made in the stations, and either Mr. Drake or Mr. Turner will take Mr. Badcock's place in Kanghoa city, and Mr. Gurney will be with One or other of them, at any rate till the Bishop's return. The fewer changes we can have here the better; but under the circumstances there must be a change of some sort, and when it is a question of one of the staff taking his well-earned furlough, there can be no doubt of the necessity and advisability of a change. During the last quarter there has been little of interest to record in Seoul of Mission work. Mr. Turner took over the charge of the Corean work from Mr. Drake, and the latter removed from Nak Tong to take up his quarters at the Bishop's house at Chong Dong. If Mr. Turner goes to Kanghoa, a further change will be necessary, as in that case Mr. Drake will go back to Nak Tong to keep Mr. Charlesworth company. One event of importance has been the marriage of Mr. J. W. Hodge, who for several years was in charge of our Mission press, and is now in charge of a press of his own, to Miss Laura Mills, who came to us from Japan four years ago to work in our hospital. They were married in the Church of the Advent, Chong Dong, on October 19, and, thanks to the efforts of many friends, everything passed off quietly and happily. Miss Beckley (Nurse Helena) was bridesmaid, and Mr. G. Russell Frampton, Master of the Government English School in Seoul, acted as best man. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. A. B. Turner, assisted by the Revs. H. J. Drake, S.S.M., and G. A. Bridle. The wedding party was entertained at breakfast by Dr. and Mrs. Baldock, and then the bride and bridegroom went off for a week's honeymoon to Mr. McLeavy Brown's bungalow at Mapo, overlooking the river. We wish them every happiness, a long residence in Seoul, for our sakes, and every success in life. We ought to mention that Mr. Hodge has for long been organist for our English services at the Church of the Advent, and Mrs. Hodge has often taken his place in his absence. We should have missed them both very much if they had gone away from us, and we are very glad to have them settled down in our midst. In connection with the marriage we might put on record the alterations carried out in the church at Chong Dong previous to the event. Up to this time the church has been divided into two parts, the eastern end forming a chapel for the Sisters. They have now provided themselves with a small oratory for their Offices in the house, and the whole church has been thrown into one. The effect is on the whole very satisfactory, and besides being more dignified in appearance, the church will afford better accommodation for any larger congregations we may have on special occasions, whereas before, even on ordinary Sundays, one felt crowded together, though there was really plenty of room, while on occasions we have been quite unable to take in those who wished to attend. We hope soon to be able to send a photograph of the interior as it appears after the alterations; we wish we had had one taken after the wedding, when the decorations looked very pretty. CHEMULPÓ.-In Chemulpó too Mr. Bridle has been carrying out some alterations, which will greatly improve the appearance of the church. It has been a long time since any money has been spent on the church, and it has long required cleaning and painting. Mr. Bridle made a collection among the members of the congregation and others, which amounted in all to some 375 yen or about £37, and with this money the tiles of the chancel roof have been relaid, the walls and roof inside painted, the woodwork inside and out repainted, and the floor covered with a floorcloth, which will enable the caretaker to keep the floor clean, a thing which has been almost impossible with the old wooden floor. These alterations have not yet been completed, but they are well on their way, and the result will be, we hope, in every way satisfactory ; but it is not easy to get Chinese painters to use just the tint of paint that you require, or to do their work with that carefulness of detail that one expects of our western workmen. During the alterations the services were held in the new school building, which was put up in the spring, and which Mr. Bridle finds very useful. It contains four rooms, one of which is the women's room, for meeting in before or after services, or for classes, when Sister Alma pays her periodical visits to Chemulpó. One is frequently used as a guest-room, but can be used for any other purpose, and one is a schoolroom, while the remaining small room is used for several purposes, such as special classes and instruction, and for any other work that may be necessary. All the rooms can be thrown into one for services or meetings as required. One of our great needs here has been for a long time a native helper and a Biblewoman. We hope both these needs may soon be supplied. Mr. Bridle has been able to institute, among other things, a small Sunday School for the children of foreign residents, and most of them are availing themselves of the opportunity. The parents find it a great boon now that the children are growing up, and we hope sincerely that it may prove thoroughly successful. Mr. Steenbuch has written you a long letter, but chiefly about the needs of Fusan. These are very real, especially in view of the fact that Fusan will be the most important port in Corea in a few years. What it will be possible to do there it is difficult at present to say, but undoubtedly it has strong claims on us and on the parent Church in Japan. Probably when the Bishop returns fresh arrangements for the Japanese work will have to be made if we are to carry it on successfully. The Seoul-Fusan railway has been opened for a distance of some twenty miles from Seoul, to a place called Soo-wōn, and it will probably be completed in two or three years from now. There is seemingly more than a possibility that the liners from America may call there on their way across to Shanghai, as it will not be very much out of their way. This will be an immense convenience to us, and we shall feel ourselves almost in the world. The railway to the north, which will, we may suppose, eventually join the Trans-Siberian Railway, is making very slow progress under the management of French engineers, chiefly owing, we believe, to lack of funds. If that is ever completed and connected with Moukden, we shall be able to reach England in about twenty days from Seoul ; even now, when the steamer connects with Port Arthur, we can get through in some twenty-four days or under. We shall soon be able to have some of our friends coming out for their summer holiday, if they like railway travelling. KANGHOA.-There is not very much to record from Kanghoa, but they are holding a kind of Mission in the city in the second week in Advent to try to stir up the Christians to a truer realisation of their duties and responsibilities. It will be held in the city, but the people from On Sou Tong will come and join in, and Mr. Hillary will help Mr. Badcock. We hope it may be very successful. Otherwise the work goes on steadily, and, though some fall away, there seem to be signs of a fair prospect for work in the future.

The school holds on its way under Mr. Kim, the teacher, another of the huge tribe of Kims in Corea. We have been sorry to hear of the death of one of the little boys who went down from the orphanage in the spring. He was always very delicate, and could never have grown up to be a healthy strong man. One feels that it is perhaps the happiest end for him, as it is for many of the weaklings of a country like Corea, and when such go from among our own flock one can only feel thankful that they have been made members of the flock before they go. In the printing office Brother Pearson has been very busy getting out a hymn book, with a selection of the Psalms bound up in it. It has taken a long time with our small plant and unskilled labor, but he takes infinite pains, and the work he turns out does him infinite credit. In any intervals of semiidleness he has been able also to print some of the smaller things we need. During Mr. Hodge's honeymoon Mr. Badcock kindly spared him to come to Seoul to relieve Mr. Hodge in the charge of his establishment, and he quite enjoyed a short time in a larger and better-equipped printing office.

ON SOU TONG.-The winter work is in full swing in this station. The farmers have finished their year's work, and are now ready for instruction, and come very regularly to classes and services. Indeed during the busy months the services have been very well attended, but nearly all classes have had to be given up. Night-school is in full swing, and is very popular among the elder boys, who spend most of their day on the hill sides scraping the ground for the dead grass for their Kong fires (“which to-day is and to-morrow is cast into the oven"; these words always recur to one when one sees the boys returning home with their bundle of dried grass on their backs to cook the evening meal and warm the floor for the night), and they are often very sleepy, naturally, at night, but they do certainly imbibe a certain amount of learning in spite of their yawns.

One new venture has been begun by the Coreans themselves -namely, a guild among the Christians in the whole island, by which they bind themselves to help any of their distressed brethren, but of this an account will probably come from Mr. Hillary, in consultation with whom they are preparing to carry out the scheme.

Here, as elsewhere, the women's work is very difficult to undertake satisfactorily. The women respond very readily whenever the Sisters can come down from Kanghoa city, but the distance is great, and they cannot come very frequently or stay long. And then there are out-stations where the people want visiting regularly as in Chemulpó. A Biblewoman is a thing that is very greatly needed, but there is no member of the congregation yet who is quite fit for the work or ready to undertake it. We hope sincerely someone may be found, for even if we had a resident European lady there, there is a very large amount of work that only one of themselves can do. The general news of the country is of little importance. There seems very little prospect of improvement in the condition of the people physically until several reforms are seriously taken in hand, and there does not seem to be any immediate prospect of their being carried out. One sometimes almost fears there may be serious trouble this year in the country; for though the rice crop was an exceptionally good one, the other crops were far from good, and, partly owing to the rotten condition of the currency of the country, the prices are abnormally high, and show no signs of going down. Especially is this the case with firewood and rice, which are the two things absolutely necessary for the comfort of the people. In Seoul it is felt even more than in the country in some ways, especially among the leisured classes, to whom work is a degradation ; for whereas formerly the taxes were largely, if not entirely, paid in kind and brought to Seoul, where they were sold by the Government at a cheap rate, now they are paid in money, and all the rice for the city has to pay freight when it comes up like any other merchandise.

We have had enquiries made by friends at home about this extraordinary fable which has got into the Daily Mail about Miss Emily Brown who has married the Emperor of Corea.

The whole thing is an invention coming through America, from what source it is impossible to say. Lady Om, the mother of the Emperor's youngest son, is a Corean woman of no very high rank, who has gained considerable influence in the palace, and who has several times tried to get herself made Empress. So far as we know, she has as yet failed in her purpose, and she probably will fail, for all the more conservative families are very much against such a thing, as the wife of the ruler of Corea has always up to the present been drawn from one of the noble families of the country, and Lady Om belongs to none of them. The whole story bears on the face of it an improbability which makes one wonder how it can ever have been accepted as in any degree likely to be true. It is the sort of story we might perhaps expect to find in a Corean newspaper about one of the Western nations, but that any English paper could accept and print it seems beyond the powers of belief, and the details of the story are even more impossible than the story itself.

Correspondence.

ST. MICHAEL'S PARSONAGE, CHEMULPÓ: October, 1903. DEAR MR. EDITOR, In August I was finally enabled to pay the visit to Fusan so long delayed owing to my wife's serious illness, from which she now seems to have entirely recovered. I make it a rule to go at least once a quarter, but this year I wanted to wait till immediately after Easter, as I had several people to prepare for baptism here ; then, however, as you know, my wife's illness prevented me from going there the second quarter, and it was not till August that I felt I could leave Chemulpó to go to Fusan, so sadly neglected this year. As usual, the good people there gave me a hearty welcome, and-what was still more cheering to me-their Christian zeal and devotion do not seem to have abated in the least during my long absence. The service registers were brought to me for inspection as usual, and I noticed with great joy that the attendance at the services is gradually increasing, now averaging about twenty; and this not only Sunday morning and evening, but also Wednesday evening, on which Evensong has been kept up regularly ever since Mr. Smart left. The collections made Sunday mornings were also satisfactory, especially considering that the Christians in Fusan subscribed a very good sum towards the relief of the famine-stricken people in Aomori, Japan. Three or four Christians from Japan have settled down in Fusan, and a couple of the Christians formerly in Fusan have gone back to Japan; but all the Christians in Fusan, both old and new, remain faithful and loyal. They are ardent missionaries, and not only that, but they are very careful not to present any for baptism, or even for admission to the catechumenate, unless they are really convinced that such candidates are worthy. I admitted six catechumens and baptized four persons (three adults and one infant). Twelve Christians made their Communion. The numbers are now : Communicants, 13; children and unconfirmed adults, 16; catechumens, 8. So that I find in Fusan a congregation of thirty-seven persons, all faithful and loyal. But now comes the dark spot in this otherwise so bright and cheering picture : these good people have nobody to look after them. I endeavor to visit them, say, once a quarter, to give them the Sacraments, but though this is an inestimable blessing to these people who never before had a priest of their own, yet it is not enough; they must have a resident pastor of their own, whether it be priest, or deacon, or even a catechist. I think that if any congregation deserves a priest (resident) of their own it is surely these faithful and zealous people in Fusan. Then we might think of building a church, though it is now extremely difficult to get a suitable site ; but still, if we had a man residing there, I am sure a way would be found out of this difficulty. The services are now held in a large Japanese house, and this suffices for the present. In another couple of years the Seoul-Fusan railway will be finished. As this will mean that I shall be able to go backwards and forwards at short notice (without as now being dependent upon steamers) and quickly, we may perhaps wait for a resident priest, but the people should not be without at least a catechist. A mistake is made both in the S.P.G. Annual Report and in the Morning Calm by saying that there is a catechist in Fusan. I hope this mistake may be corrected as soon as possible, for people seeing this will be misguided, thinking that with a resident catechist and a visiting priest the people are well looked after. But, as I said, this is a grave mistake, there is no catechist in Fusan, and never has been since Mr. Smart left. The fact is that a merchant there named Hayashi lives in the house rented by the Mission, and is paid, I think, 5 yen a month to read the services on Sundays and Wednesdays, but beyond that he is unable to do anything at all, he being one of the busiest men in Fusan; nor has he got a catechist's training, but is just an ordinary well-educated layman and faithful Christian. I think he himself would be the first to resent the title of catechist, and I know that he is foremost in appealing for a catechist for Fusan, or even a “ Biblewoman." I am weary of these constant appeals for help, and it neither comforts me nor my people in Fusan to read in the Morning Calm and S.P.G. Annual Report that there is a catechist for Fusan. I don't know him. I am sure that -especially when the railway comes-a good catechist might do for the present, though I am equally sure that they deserve a resident priest. But why do I not go and live there myself? Because :-: (1) I am just as much-even more perhaps-needed amongst my sheep in the north (Chemulpó, Yongsan, Seoul, Chinampo), scattered and not yet what one would call faithful and loyal. (2) I could not live in Fusan on the salary I get here, but should want at least £100 more a year; and why not then stay where I am, and spend those £100 on a catechist in Fusan? (3) I have nowhere to live in Fusan, whereas an unmarried English priest or a married Japanese catechist could live very comfortably in the Japanese house rented by the Mission. I am afraid, Mr. Editor, I have already trespassed too much on your space, but I just wanted to lay the actual state of our centre at Fusan before your readers as carefully as possible, so that they may see how matters really stand. I shall then leave the mention of the rest of my work to my next report Yours truly, C. STEENBUCH

The Spirit of Missions.

1. “THE two disciples who knew Christ best, St. Paul and St. John, are they who show the closest interest in the fortunes of His Kingdom. ... Their letters carry us so far in their descriptions of the purposes and fortunes of the Kingdom that we find it difficult to follow them. The very loftiest imagery is employed to inspire us with the interest they themselves felt. A knowledge, then, of what we may call missionary work can only fail to be attractive when it is looked upon as a geographical or philanthropic enterprise, when it is dissociated from Him. But when, on the contrary, we look upon it as giving some account of the open doors “ He has secured, of the outposts He is planting here and there, of the colonies He is developing that they may become states of His Empire,” it becomes to us what the present growth of our own Empire is, strangely interesting. We feel that a study of it will give us some knowledge of His plans, words that He spoke will gain a new meaning, and it will not be strange if we find in His Sovereignty some principles that touch ourselves very nearly.” -(From " Vital Religion,” by G. S. Walpole, D.D., Principal of Bede College, Durham.) 2. DIFFICULTY OF MISSIONARY STUDY.-" The difficulty that first meets us is where to find such an account of His present work in the world as may enable us to gauge the progress of His Kingdom. Owing to causes which we need not now discuss, the army at present in the field is to some extent divided, and we have bodies of regular forces not only acting independently of one another, but also acting apart from large bodies of active and energetic irregular forces. The attack is confused, and its results not very readily perceived. Our attention is naturally drawn to that part of the force which we ourselves have sent out, and we are apt to draw conclusions which are probably as erroneous as generalisations of the British army would be if, ignoring all that has been done by Colonial contingents-e.g., the yeomanry, the artillery, in Africa-we were to base them on a few facts known about one of the regiments in which we were specially interested. We are therefore obliged to give up trying to gain from the field itself such a knowledge of our Lord's foreign policy, if we may use such an expression, as would give us fresh insight into His principles. The field we watch is too small.”—(Ibid.) 3. MORE THAN WE CAN ASK OR THINK.—“We have heard a great deal about the C.M.S. deficit, and many of us have perhaps vaguely wondered whether this would involve serious retrenchment; but when we hear what has been the cause of the deficit on the authority of Mr. Eugene Stock, a completely new light is thrown on the situation. It seems that in 1887 very earnest prayer was offered up that God would send more laborers into the Mission Field, and the Society resolved to accept and send out any who seemed to be called and fitted for the work. ‘Men came in unprecedented numbers; women were pressing into a Society which up to that time had refused them. The men and women were exceptional. No committee in the world could have lightly declined their services. In 1894 a deficit was announced, and although the Treasurer, Mr. Wigram, was able to raise £16,000 in a fortnight to cover it, a motion was made in committee suggesting that the policy of 1887 should be abandoned. When the discovery was made that the financial position of the Society, if all its available funds were included, was actually better than it had been at the beginning of those seven years, although the number of missionaries in the field had been doubled, the motion was naturally withdrawn. One of their secretaries, the Rev. Henry Wright, had long ago said that 'answers to prayer are calls to sacrifice.' Mr. Stock adds that they are also 'tests of faith.' The Committee feel very strongly that though they will never willingly get into debt which they cannot pay eventually, and it is possible that in the future they may have to avoid increasing their work, they deprecate the unbelieving spirit which would be afraid to pray because the answer might be too great. We are strongly reminded of another older story when the draught of fishes was so great as to make holes in the net, and ‘they beckoned to their partners in the other ship to come and help them.’ The secretaries of the two great societies have lately been trying in every way to promote that unity of effort which they believe to be according to the mind of Christ, and can we doubt that intercessions will go up to God in this crisis from many besides C.M.S. supporters, that the Society, which is in temporary difficulties owing to an abundant answer to prayer, may be abundantly blessed in the coming year?” 4. THE PROBLEM OF INDIA.-" Bishop Montgomery, in his lectures on Foreign Missions called India that perpetual mystery to the Western mind.' He reminded his hearers that there is no question whether the religions of India shall or shall not be disturbed. They are already breaking up through sheer force of contact with the West. The alternatives before us are whether Mohammedanism, or the total rejection of God, or Christianity shall take their place. He dwelt on the necessity of distinguishing between what is Christian and what is merely Western in the teaching and customs of our Church. It was curious to hear that English reticence is particularly uncongenial to Oriental minds. In the matter of worship, especially, the Mohammedan's public acts of prayer impress the Hindoo as genuine, while the British preference for praying in private seems to him a mark of insincerity. On the other hand, there are some aspects of the Faith of Christ into which the Oriental mind can enter more deeply than is possible to Western thought. He quoted Bishop Westcott's idea, that the Gospel of St. John will never be understood in all its fulness until India turns to Christ. India's vocation does not seem to be that of a great aggressive power ; but Christian India might become a storehouse of religious thought for all the world.”-(Guardian.) 5. THE RE-UNION OF CHRISTENDOM.—"A writer in the Punjaub Mission News suggests that the Baring High School at Batala (near Amritsur) may be a help in this direction. ‘While,' he says, 'we number over sixty Indian lads, we include three Coptic Christians from Abyssinia, and three Chaldean boys from Bussorah, and between us we can speak languages which would carry us over all the continents, except South America. ... As we look at the happy Christian faces gathered in the old Hindoo shrine which forms the dining-room at the Baring High School, a thought rises in our minds, which is this: “ What a seed-time for the re-union of Christendom!” Punjaubi, Coptic, Anglican, and Chaldean meeting in one school and in one daily common worship, in a chapel whose very architecture suggests a union of East and West. Would it not have gladdened the heart of Archbishop Benson to have seen Such a sight and to feel that here is the material, only waiting for a call from God by which the Church of India, helped by her Western sister, the Church of England, may in her turn be a means of helping those ancient churches-Assyria and Africa !'”—(C.M. Intelligencer.) 6. THE PRESSING CLAIMS OF BURMAH.—“On the day of Intercession the S.P.G. took the unusual step of pressing the the claims of Burmah above all other parts of the Mission Field. The Committee even went so far as to say that, if they could, they would send the first six men who offered themselves in answer to the prayers of the Church to Burmah. The Mission Field publishes a letter of the Bishop of Rangoon, and says that no more urgent call for additional workers has ever appeared in its pages. First of all the Bishop presses the claims of the many English whose duties call them to Rangoon. He quotes the words of a young Englishman, who said, as he concluded his visit to him, ‘You see, I have never had any clergyman looking me up. I know that it ought not to have made any difference. But it does make a great deal with us. . . . Well, I'll make a new start. And, thank you, I'll come round on Sunday afternoon and bring my friend.’ If any clergyman would come out for five years, and work among the English, the Bishop can say from the bottom of his heart, and with the approval of his coolest judgment, that he would always thank God for the privilege.... The man who comes for work out here will be as keenly welcomed as the relievers of Lucknow. Again he says, 'Let it be taken to heart that our Empire has sent its sons into every corner of this land .... and is teaching the Burmese our law and government, trade and learning, our sports and games—and vices—in a word, all things English except our English faith in Christ and God.' “Then he pleads the cause of the enormous heathen populalation. ... The sad thing is that, whereas Churches and Mission Stations have had to be closed for lack of workers, an aggressive movement in Buddhism has begun. It is supported by people in England and is literally racing us for the possession of these people-a great war is going on and the Army of God is being withdrawn. “There is no more inspiring field of work in the world than the Karen Mission, but that is also needing men. We know that Missions to the heathen do not appeal to everybody, so we end this short sketch with the words of another of the Bishop's English visitors, ‘You see, it is we young men who want looking after.'"-(Mission Field and Guardian.) 7. MISSIONARY WORK OF THE CHURCH IN JAPAN.- "The Bishop of South Tokyo says that S.P.G. besides liberal grants to the new Hostel of St. Andrew's for Divinity students, and for the extension of St. Hilda's School, has also voted a sum of money to help the Japanese Missionary Society to strengthen its work in Formosa, feeling that the missionary spirit shown in that venture was a thing to rejoice in and encourage. This large island off the coast of South China was ceded to Japan at the close of the Chino-Japanese war. It is peopled by about three millions of Chinese and by several tribes of savages, some of whom are head-hunters, the braves making it their business to cut off the heads of all strangers, however inoffensive, whom they may come across. The Government gives free passes on the railways to all Missionaries, whether Buddhist, Shintooist, or Christian, so much are they impressed with the need of religion, and of voluntary effort to spread religion, while they hold that it is the duty of Government to do all they can in respect of social and secular progress.... It is interesting to learn that the Church was led to begin Mission work there, at the request of a young Christian officer, who represented that the Japanese who went there, whether soldiers, officials, or merchants, were surrounded by special temptations, without the restrictions of the homeland, and he promised to do all he could to help, as far as the soldiers were concerned.”-(Mission Field.) ASIA-THE FAR EAST. 8. WHO WILL HEAR THE CALL?—“We have been entrusted with a deeply interesting private letter by the friends of Miss Florence Lamb, who, as they say, received her home call quite lately, owing to a boating accident. We long to print the whole letter, which now comes as a message from the dead, but can only find space for the following extracts. The letter is dated Lo-ngong City, Foochow, China, August 22. After mentioning some of the trials of missionary life, she says: ‘Please do not pity us. . . . There are ample compensations, nay, rich rewards in working for such a Master as ours, not to speak of the joy of being able to help these people bodily and spiritually. I have mentioned all these things that you may know what our needs are, and so be able to pray for us more intelligently. We do need your prayers very much. ... A very great need of the work just now is more workers, men, especially clergy, ... they are badly needed to superintend and train the catechists, and heaps of other work which cannot be done by women. Women are also badly needed, and just now the greatest need is for a trained nurse. Two ladies of the C.E.Z.M.S. are responsible for the nursing in the large Community Hospital, Foochow. It is not a Mission hospital, but a grand field for Mission work. There are fifty or more beds for Chinese women.... One of the two nurses who has worked there for two years is going home on furlough, and is not able to return, and the Society has no one to take her. place. Is there no nurse who reads this whom God is calling, to nurse and witness for Him in China ? ... If no new worker is sent by December it will mean that some other district has to be robbed to fill that gap, which is a most important one. ... Will all who cannot come themselves pray earnestly that it may be met, and also make the need known among others who might come?... Do not let anyone shrink from missionary work in China on account of the language. God does help one most wonderfully in learning it, so that really it is not such a fearful difficulty as people imagine.'" 9. THE SOUTH AFRICAN RAILWAY MISSION.—"The Rev. Douglas Ellison says that every day brings fresh evidence that he was abundantly right in describing the Church's immediate opportunity along the South African railways as quite unique. He believes that he would be under the mark were he to attempt to say what the expansion of work during the next four years is likely to be. The one essential is the steady stream of the right sort of men from home, and the means to free them from financial worry. ... Mr. Ellison finds that a couple of new Mission-houses are essential, one at Bulawayo and the other bigger one at Johannesburg. He is told that the Rhodesian contingent will cost the better of £500 per annum, and that most likely £1,000 will be wanted for Pretoria. Also the authorities of the Central South African Railways have sanctioned the appointment of three trained nurses for the service of isolated people along the line. Although they will have no direct connection with the Mission, the clergy will see a great deal of them, as they will work over the same ground. The experiment will be no easy one, and may well find a special remembrance in our prayers. It must be a great encouragement to those who are beginning such important and untried work in South Africa to read the following words in the Editorial of their Magazine : 'Meanwhile, let us at home make this new venture the occasion of a fresh effort on our part to give practical wings—wings of prayer, wings of men, wings of money, to the enthusiasm which speaks all through Mr. Ellison's letters ; an enthusiasm which can perhaps only be adequately appreciated when we think of those eleven years of self-sacrificing work which have gone before, years during which the work has been quietly striking its roots into the very heart of the railway life of Cape Colony. ... We venture on behalf of our readers to assure Mr. Ellison and all who are working with him that they may go forward, feeling that we in the old country mean our sympathy to be a very practical holding up of their hands.' "-(South African Church Railway Mission Quarterly.) 10. CONQUEST THROUGH FAILURE.—UNIVERSITIES' MISSION TO CENTRAL AFRICA.-" The history of this Mission should teach us to believe that what are seemingly earth's worst failures are often heaven's truest successes. When we read early Church History, we find that every martyrdom was the signal for fresh conversions, and that men conquered by dying. The only symbol that would aptly stand for the Central African Mission would be that of the ‘Lamb as it had been slain.' It had its first crisis in 1862 with the death of Mackenzie and others of that heroic band, and the practical abandonment of the mainland for the island of Zanzibar-a step which to many of the friends of the Mission seemed a death-blow. The second in 1872, when the great hurricane brought disaster to the stations and gave the final blow which brought home Bishop Tozer, and led to his resignation when men at home were asking with impatience, ‘What is Dr. Steere doing all this time—why do we never hear from him ?’ “When at one time Arthur West was the only priest left on the island to carry on the work, and when once more the very life of the Mission seemed hanging on a single thread.. The third crisis happened in the year 1882, when mail after mail brought tidings of fresh disasters—the death of Charles Janson, by the shores of Lake Nyasa, reached for the first time only a few days before ; the disastrous raid upon Masasi, and the crowning blow of all in the death of Bishop Steere, when month after month passed and none could be found by the Home Committee to take his place. ... We look back now, and from the vantage ground of history we can understand that in each case Te Deums should have been sung and hymns of victory raised on high. Who could have foreseen the first fruits which should spring from the corn of wheat cast into the ground in the lonely grave dug by the banks of the Shiré? or the results of Bishop Tozer's wise statesmanship in withdrawing to Zanzibar ? or all that the Providence of God had in store, in the Episcopate of Edward Steere, as the result of the long silent preparation which he had made? ... But we think again of two other years of special trial, when George Atlay, Arthur Fraser Sim, and Chauncy Maples died—the latter just called to succeed to the Episcopate, and before ever he could take up the work entrusted to him, sent out, as it were, to the middle of the lake, that he might consecrate it by his death. So through trials and difficulties, through disasters and disappointments, the Mission has gone forward. . . . Even now we can see that each loss only adds to the number of those behind the veil, who are with us still, and still help forward by their prayers the cause of the Mission on earth." - (Sermon by Rev. Prebendary Gibson, from " Central Africa.") II. CHRISTIAN OR MOSLEM?—“After so many centuries of neglect to evangelise the Moslems, signalised here and there by the splendid efforts of noble pioneers and skirmishers, the attempt is at last being made-however unworthy of the vast resources of Christendom—to set the battle in array against Mohammedanism in the loving Spirit of the Master. A large band of Missionaries are at work in nearly all Moslem lands, in daily personal touch with Mohammedans of all classes, teaching in schools, paying and receiving friendly visits, instructing inquirers, preaching, itinerating in country districts, and last, but by no means least, healing the sick in hospitals and dispensaries and proclaiming the good news of the Savior of the soul. In these and other ways a great deal of experience has been gained, prejudices removed, closed doors opened, and friendly relations established.”—(C.M. Intelligencer.) 12. JAMAICA AND ITS NEEDS.- "The Church of Jamaica is now in great distress in consequence of the effects of the cyclone. A letter from Belmont Orphanage says :-“The sympathy of our kind friends in England has helped us greatly, and the generous gifts will tide us over this time of distress and keep us out of debt. ... In four or five months this state of things should be greatly relieved, but the distress of the poor is pitiable. Things are naturally now a great deal worse than they were after the hurricane....I cannot think what the poor will do if the October rains find them still shelterless. Such terrible distress in our usually happy little island I hope never to see again."-(Jamaica-Winter Number.) 13. AMONG THE GOLDFIELDS OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA.— "The Rev. G. H. Smith has been sent out by the Colonial and Continental Society to work under the Bishop of Carpentaria, who is able to report a very distinct improvement in Church life and interest as the result of his labors. We are very glad to hear that he has a helper at last, for a clergyman with a population of 3,000 scattered over many miles, whose curate works a district 110 miles away, cannot be said to be overstaffed. The Bishop says it is very difficult to do much among the older people, who for years have been without any religious ministrations, and in too many cases love to have it so. An effort is being made to get religious education reintroduced into State schools. Last year the parents were canvassed, with the result that 20,000 were in favor of religious instruction, 1,400 against, and 3,000 indifferent. On the other hand, there is something to be thankful for. Religion is not identified with the well-to-do classes. Many of the labor leaders are sincerely religious men, and Church work is supported by the general offerings of the working classes." 14. THE MELANESIAN MISSION.-“ Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont, K.C.M.G., speaking at the Melanesian meeting, gave a very striking instance of the need of keeping in touch with Missionaries sent out to lonely stations. His ship had visited the island of Erromango, belonging to the sphere of influence of the Presbyterian Mission, and he made acquaintance with one of their staff. 'Anything more desolate or despondent,' he says, I never saw. For three years he had been there, without seeing a white man; he had never held intercourse in his native tongue for all that time, and he had been on the island for nine years. We cheered this poor man up as well as we could before we left, but he died within three months-died, they said, of a broken heart-died from the fact that all those English faces had produced a shock, a sort of revulsion, and that after they had left he simply lay down and died from a feeling of utter desolation and misery.' This pathetic story needs no comment. It points out in unmistakable language the necessity of such work as that of the Southern Cross if the Mission is to: keep up the heart of the teachers and clergy left in the: islands."

In Memoriam.

HENRY EDMUND CHARLESWORTH. CALLED TO HIS REST, JANUARY 1904. It was my privilege to know Henry Charlesworth for close upon thirty years. We went to school at Lancing at about the same time (1874-5), and we must have left school within a few months of one another (1880-81). Never very strong in health, he spent a good part of the succeeding years in travelling and lived for some consider able time in Fiji, among other places. Later, for a short period, he joined his father in business on the Stock Exchange. And then in 1895 (nearly twenty years after we had first met), when I was home on my first furlough from Corea, he offered his services as a voluntary lay worker to Bishop Corfe's Mission. From 1896 onwards the Mission had the unspeakable advantage of his companionship and unselfish devotion, which were in themselves an inspiration. A perfect Christian gentleman, humble and unselfish, utterly devout and conscientious to a fault, Henry Charlesworth set an example and leaves a memory which it seems almost a profanation to praise. We know nothing yet of the circumstances of his death, but we know enough of our own loss to sympathise most deeply with his family. And we pray God to grant him a place of refreshment, light, and peace, a speedy purification, and everlasting rest. M. N. T.