Morning Calm v.5 no.50(1894 Aug.)

THE MORNING CALM. No. 50, VOL. V.] AUGUST 1894. [PRICE 1d.

The Bishop's Letter.

SEOUL: April 1894. DEAR FRIENDS,

Having spent Easter Day in Chemulpó with Mr. Davies and Dr. Landis, I arrived in Seoul in time to enjoy a good portion of the Festival with our friends at Nak Tong and Tyeng Tong. Mrs. Bishop, the famous traveller, who had arrived here last month, was now staying with Miss Cooke, and making preparations for her departure. At one time it seemed as if she would not be able to accomplish her object, so difficult was it for her to secure a competent interpreter. The few Coreans who can speak English shrank from the dangers involved in so long a journey, and in such unusual company. Mrs. Bishop will be the first woman to attempt an investigation of the unbeaten tracks of this country, and though I do not expect that she will encounter open hostility, the novelty of the expedition would present extraordinary obstacles to her obtaining Corean companions as interpreters, so abhorrent to the native mind is the notion of ladies being seen abroad.

I had brought Andrew with me from Chefoo, and need not say how very heartily he was welcomed by every member of the Mission. He had not, indeed, been a runaway slave like Onesimus. But after his absence and his recent baptism and confirmation, we certainly regarded him as something "above a servant, a brother beloved." I had offered him to Mrs. Bishop as a trustworthy companion and general servant; as such she gladly accepted him. His English and Corean, however, proved to be too inadequate to enable him to be also her interpreter, and her difficulties were at last removed by an offer from one of the American Presbyterian missionaries to accompany her. They left—a party of four—in the middle of the month by boat, intending to travel up the Han River as far as they could, and then, I fancy, to be guided by circumstances. On the morning before they began their journey both Mrs. Bishop and Andrew attended our usual daily service at the Advent, and made their communion side by side.

Another important social event this month has been the marriage of Miss Gardner, the daughter of our acting Consul-General, to Lieutenant Laird, R.N., who, after paying off in H.M.S. Swift at Hong Kong, came here to carry away his bride to England. As I had in 1891 the privilege of baptizing the first English child born in Corea, so on this occasion I had the happiness of uniting the first English couple who have been married in the country.

Passing to Mission affairs, I must record, as the most important item, the purchase of a native house adjoining St. Matthew's Hospital in Nak Tong. For some time Dr. Baldock has been urging me to give him increased accommodation for the patients who now are coming to him in such large numbers. But, alas! the state of the Hospital Naval Fund does not admit of any fresh expenditure. And yet I wanted much to enlarge the ward (of six beds only) which, under the supervision of the Sisters, has answered so well the purposes for which good Dr. Wiles built it. The two rooms—scarcely more than large cupboards—in which the Sisters live will be uninhabitable in summer, and I was thinking what to do with them during the rainy season, so that they might continue their work and preserve their health, when Sister Nora surprised and delighted me by offering to buy the house next door and presenting it to the Mission. It would give a false impression of the good Sisters if I did not say more of this offer.

They are not wealthy people, as might be inferred from this readiness to come to our assistance. The money they have given me has been provided for their maintenance by friends at home. Having more of this than she needed for their present wants, she took upon herself the responsibility of bestowing the balance in this way, that the friends of the Community in England might have the privilege not only of supporting the Sisters, but of contributing directly to the medical work in which they are engaged. But, once more, you are not to suppose that their friends supply them with unlimited funds for their maintenance. If they spent on themselves all that is sent them you would wonder how they managed to do with so little. But good management has enabled them, for the last six months at least, to do with less. I have dwelt on this at length that you may bless God for our Sisters and pray for their Community, and that you may be reminded of a truth, sometimes forgotten, that missionaries give as well as receive.

The next item of importance is the arrival of the second fount of Corean type, which has removed the remaining obstacle to the printing of the Tract. It was needed for the notes, which could not well have been printed in our large fount. The work will now, I hope, go on uninterruptedly. Mr. Trollope is very busy, making his headquarters at the riverhouse for quiet and study, and coming into Seoul from time to time as he is wanted. Just now he is wanted there a good deal, because the Translation Committee of the American Presbyterian Methodist bodies is in Session, and he is able to be of great assistance to them in their deliberations. Mr. Davies, after his return from Chyen Na To, has been away again—this time to the North—for a fortnight. I am giving him all the liberty I can just now, for the time is approaching when, with Mr. Trollope's departure, we shall all be kept closely within bounds. Mr. Warner, who had been extremely useful to me during Passion tide and Easter week in making himself responsible for the Advent services, has returned to Kang Hoa, though for his Sundays he has been taking care of Chemulpó. At the end of the month I found that the ground was sufficiently cleared to enable me to respond at last to Mr. Doxat's entreaty that I would pay Niu Chwang a visit in the early spring. As there is no prospect of my being able to send anyone else to Niu Chwang, I have to ask him and Mrs. Doxat to remain there. But if so, I must let them come back to pack up their things in Seoul, for you will remember that they had to leave last autumn at very short notice, in order to catch the last steamer before the port closed for the winter. Accordingly I left Chemulpó for Niu Chwang on the 26th, which brings me nearly to the end of the month and quite to the end of my letter. In my next I hope to tell you of our friends in Niu Chwang. With every good wish and earnest prayer,

I am, yours affectionately, C. J. CORFE.

Association of Prayer and Work for Corea.

As will be seen by the accompanying flyleaf, a not very large number of July reports has been received, and a rather less sum of money than in the same quarter of last year, July being always the least productive quarter in the matter of reports. The number of new members is, however, very encouraging, and we are specially grateful to the Secretaries who have enlisted them.

We are very sorry to say that there has been no answer at all to the appeal in the June Morning Calm for someone to undertake to get up a Central Sale of Work. The Secretary for Tavistock, who states that, the weather being very unfavourable, the results of the children's sale were less satisfactory than was hoped (though, indeed, Corea has only reason to be very grateful to the children for the sum sent in), adds that “many readers of Morning Calm most kindly sent contributions, and those articles which are not sold we propose forwarding to other sales for Corea." But there seems to be nowhere to send them! Great Yarmouth has also had its sale, and has sent in the very welcome “Corean share of the proceeds," and St. Michael's, Southsea, has had a sale of its own work. Miss Wilson, Ackworth House, Salisbury, will be delighted to hear from anyone who can and will undertake to help us in this matter of sales. The General Secretary's correspondents are asked kindly to address all communications regarding the Association to Miss Wilson till September 1st. M. M. CHAMBERS-HODGETTS, Gen. Sec. Rowancroft, Exeter: July 9th, 1894.

Hospital Naval Fund.

THE quarterly meeting of the Committee of the Hospital Naval Fund was held on 11th July at the United Service Institution. Letters received during the past three months from the Bishop were read, and the doctors' reports up to the end of the year 1893. The following extracts will be of interest to all readers of Morning Calm, especially to subscribers of the H.N.F.

Under date 16th April the Bishop writes:— “Dr. Baldock has for some time past been urging upon me the necessity of providing larger ward accommodation in order to meet the growing demands of the people. During the last six months there has been a very great increase in these demands. Miss Cooke's work amongst the women, which has for so long seemed to stagnate, has received great and continued impetus. Not only have her in-patients increased in number, but (what is more important) women of a higher social standing have come to consult her, and even to be operated upon by her. It is still the day of small things, but she and the two Sisters who nurse in her hospital have their hands full. . . . I need not say that she would like to have a new hospital and opportunities afforded her of meeting these increased demands with corresponding facilities. But there is no question of enlarging her work. I shall be glad if it can be maintained. . . .   “The number of applicants to Dr. Baldock has so increased of late that we may take it for granted that the experiment of having women to nurse men—an experiment due to Dr. Wiles' prescient wisdom—is answering. There has, indeed, never been a hitch in the working of this experiment. The two nurses live on the premises in what must be called two rather large cupboards. During the winter this has been all very well. It will be impossible, however, to allow them to pass the summer in such confined quarters. They could not do the very heavy work which devolves on them and keep their health. This has been seen by others as well as by me. Sister Nora, our sister-in-charge, is anxious at once to develop the hospital work in this quarter, and, to preserve the health and efficiency of her Sisters, has greatly touched us by offering to buy an adjoining house for the use of the nurses, and to extend the work of the hospital. . . . The house has been bought for something under £50, but much more than this will be needful before it can be made fit for hospital use. The Consul-General (C. T. Gardner, C.M.G.) has generously given me $100, with permission to spend the sum as I please. I shall devote it to this new house, and shall therefore be glad if you will notify this donation from him in your next subscription list. . . . Kindly acknowledge also in the same manner a present of £5 to the H.N.F., made me by Lieutenant J. K. Laird, R.N. This gift will also be used for the same purpose. . . . We enter upon the possession of the house in about a fortnight, and hope to be well settled in it and to have the wall which now separates it from St. Matthew's Hospital removed before the rainy season sets in. . . .

"In a few days I hope to send you, through Dr. Baldock, three annual reports: from Dr. Baldock, Dr. Landis, and Miss Cooke. . . . They are made primarily for the H.N.F., to which they are sent. I need add no remarks, except that all three doctors are working hard and very much to my satisfaction." The reports referred to have been received. That of Dr. Baldock is very full, and has been printed at the Mission press. Dr. Landis sends returns for the last three months of the year, those for the previous months having already been forwarded. Our old and valued friend sent us a most interesting report of his work at Chemulpo up to 30th September, 1893, which was printed in the Third Annual Report of the Mission, and to this we must refer our readers. In the same Third Annual Report will be found also the details of Dr. Louisa Cooke's work at the dispensary for women and children and Hospital of the Advent up to February last year. She now supplements this information, and sends classified lists both of the dispensary and hospital patients. She writes:— “During the year 1893 there have been 304 new patients at the dispensary, with a total attendance of 1,188. To these may be added between twenty and thirty visits paid to patients in their own homes, persons living either in Seoul or within four or five miles of the city. These out-visits show a marked improvement on those of last year. “There have also been 22 patients under treatment in the hospital. Taking into consideration the position held by Corean women, the difficulties which arise from their subjection to relatives and home duties, it may be looked upon as a hopeful sign that so many—small as the number appears to Western eyes—should have entered the hospital for treatment. . . . “The language is still a difficulty. The whole of the work of the dispensary and hospital is carried on without any assistance from English-speaking Coreans. From this an idea may be formed of some of the trials and obstacles met with in this branch of the medical work." Dr. Baldock's report speaks of his native interpreter, Mr. Ni. The description of the building where he carries on his work has already appeared, either in the annual reports of the Mission or in the pages of Morning Calm, and need not be here repeated. Also tabulated returns of the diseases common to the country have been published. Of their comparative prevalence Dr. Baldock gives a summary in the present report. There is one disease which seems peculiar to Corea which has not been seen in other countries; it goes by the name of Yem-Pyeng, and is very fatal among the people. In the treatment of this the nursing of the Sisters has been most beneficial. The cases treated during the year 1893 by Dr. Baldock have been: "New cases, 2,457; old cases, 2,467. Total attendance, 4,924." J. B. HARBORD, Hon. Sec. (H.N.F.)

The Day of Small Things.

ST. PETER'S (KILBURN) FOREIGN MISSION ASSOCIATION. THOSE who are interested in this Mission must sometimes remind themselves how very short a time has passed since Corea was a sealed land, its people shut up within their ramparts, preying on themselves and ignoring the world beyond, and this, as they say, for a space of 3,000 years—yes, and proud of their own seclusion, still boasting that they have no need of outer barbarians. Had they not done very well without them in the good old days of the past? Even now their exists a strong party who, politically as well as socially, would bar all progress if they could, and keep Corea as it was, for themselves alone. Their ringleader is dead, and this party is deposed from power, and in God's Providence the sealed ports have been opened, and foreigners have poured into the country. Now there are people of many countries to be found there. The Chinese, who go everywhere; the brisk and bright Japanese, in such numbers as to form almost a little colony of their own; Russians, Germans, Americans, and French and English missionaries. They come for trade, business, work, duty; but only those who come for Christ's sake to spread His Kingdom, and make glad the hearts that even here are waiting for Him, and to comfort and heal the sick, who without them have no proper care, have much love for the land of the Morning, or for those who live there. Love grows by its exercise, and very warm is the affection which the same quiet people have inspired in the hearts of the Bishop and his fellow-workers. As yet the Missionaries know only a few of the natives (who but for their necessities would live apart), and they are very gradually acquiring the means of reaching them, through their own language. This language is in itself a terrible difficulty. To a European its grammar and construction are so completely unlike those of any of the Aryan languages, that in learning it one difficulty seems only to open the way to another. Some words have an endless variety of terminations, altering and modifying the sense indescribably. These difficulties bristle round the scholar, making progress very slow, and perfect proficiency, even with years of labour, hardly to be looked for. It is four years now since this problem was first faced by the Bishop and the work of learning begun, and even yet their speech is faltering, and the Bishop waits God's time, knowing well the harm that ignorance of words can do in setting forth the Word of Truth before correct speech has been acquired. But the printing press has not been idle. A Corean grammar and dictionary, imperfect as yet, but most helpful to the learner, are ready; also portions of the Psalms and other Scriptures, the Creed, and a longer explanation of the Christian faith, all in Corean.

The Festival of All Saints seemed to the Sisters a blessed day on which to touch Corean soil for the first time. They were told that years must pass before any active work could be undertaken for the people. By God's mercy it has not been so. He has opened the way for work for the bodies of many. Before they had been in Seoul many weeks, a Chinese lady living at their gates sent for them to nurse her in her confinement. She had already two dear little children of two and three years old, who speak three languages to their Amas—Chinese, Japanese, and Corean—and never mix them up or use the wrong tongue to the wrong person. The baby, a girl, was named "Little Pearl" after the Sister. Since then they have had many cases among the Chinese and Japanese, and also some Corean ladies. At the dispensary for women and children opened by Miss Cooke, the lady doctor, there is much work done, and it is in itself a school for colloquial Corean and an introduction to active work. To this dispensary has been added a small hospital for women and children, where two of the Sisters work. There are no beds; a mat is spread on the warmed floor (the hospital is warmed by a kong under the floor) and rugs serve for bed-clothes. Everything must be done as the patients lie, and the Sisters kneel to dress the wounds. The dirt is indescribable. Suits of clean Corean garments, made of unbleached calico by the Sisters, are supplied to each patient while in the hospital. Every mat has a tiny table by its side, on which is the food of the patient, sometimes brought in by the friends, at other times supplied by the hospital. Milk and beef-tea is given, but when native food will do, they prefer that. It consists chiefly of rice and a little vegetable, with small portions of dried raw fish for a relish. This is a satisfactory diet for the weekly bills, or rather the daily ones, everything being paid for each day. Here is a specimen. Six patients' meals for the day cost 1,240 cash, which, after all, amounts to about one shilling. Six persons could not be kept on that in England. There is little variation in their food, and it seems strange they do not tire of it, but that never seems the case. Even after being on sick diet for some time they go back to their own meals with much satisfaction. It seems a great work of skill to eat with chopsticks. If anyone unused to it attempted the feat, they would come off badly enough, and get hardly a grain of rice, the staple comestible.

There have been many satisfactory surgical cases among the women. The present of some rugs for the patients from Mrs. Bishop, the well-known traveller, has given much pleasure. Whilst the supply of rugs was very short, it was impossible quite to banish those brought by the patients, though they did not look antiseptic. Now things are better, but more rugs and more calico clothing are still wanted. The patients are very gentle and trustful, and generally do well, but, poor things, before they have been long in the hospital they say, "No, we cannot stay longer. It is all very good, but our husbands want us; if we stay away they will get new wives," and there is no answer to that argument. One woman with diseased bone came to the hospital as out-patient, and then disappeared for some days. When she came again she was accompanied by her husband, to whom she had just been married. It was needful that a portion of diseased bone should be removed, and she was quite willing to be an in-patient. Her husband, asking if the operation would make her able to sew, cook, and wash, gave his permission. But he wished to watch her himself; be sat up with her, brought her food, and tended her most kindly. When children are received, the mother, or a little brother or sister, will often come too for the first days, but this close attendance does not usually go on long, and they are more satisfied to leave them to the Sisters' care. The bride's husband returned to his work after a few days, and she made a good recovery, and was able to do the household work that was required of her. A poor old woman came to the hospital to die, for she knew that she would not be turned out, and that she would escape the hard fate of many Coreans, who are left to be frozen to death in the streets, or outside the city wall. She had no friends or relations, so the Sisters could not refuse her request; but it is expensive taking such a case, for the burial costs what would keep a patient in the hospital for two months, and it means more than it sounds.

It is a strange thing to nurse a dying heathen, to watch them hour by hour as the things of this life pass from them, feeling one can do so little, only pray. It throws one back on the Fatherhood of God to reflect that each one of these poor souls is made by Him, and for His glory, and has been redeemed by the infinite love which gave His Son to be the Saviour of the world. To that love we Christians trust them, while longing and praying for the time when each soul shall be united in the sure bond of the Blessed Spirit into the knowledge and love of the truth as He has revealed it. Then there are the tiny children, who often remain with the Sisters for many weeks and months, and after they have been under their care for a time, and have been washed and tended, their little faces are lovely.

How these little children love to be nursed by the fire and cuddled up! They are very clinging and confiding, and it is helpful to have a boy eight years of age correcting one in speaking Corean. Dr. Baldock is very clever and kind, and he loves and indulges all children. Dying babes are often brought to the Sisters, and then, with the parents' permission, they are baptized. Of course they do not know what it means, but think that it is one of our customs and will be well for the child; and so even now in Paradise there is growing a little band of infant Christian souls, learning there to love and adore Him, who has taken them in His arms and blessed them.

There is much going on at St. Matthew's Hospital for men, opened on St. Matthew's Day, 1893. It was predicted that it must be a failure. Those who knew Corea and North China best thought that it would be impossible for women to nurse men, that they would simply not come, and all the more because the building is European, the windows plate-glass, and as many hospital conveniences as could be supplied by the liberality of Dr. Wiles would be in use. The first idea was to have bedsteads, and some were ordered from Japan; but as the bedsteads did not arrive in time for the opening of the hospital, mats have been substituted, and are much more to the purpose in the ward. The hospital once opened, it was soon found that there was no fear of its standing empty. The patients arrived, and were so much satisfied with their quarters that the difficulty is to get them to go out when well enough to return to their own homes. One man came ill with typhoid fever, and had also fracture of the side of the forehead above the eye (he got this hurt in a fight). The eye had to be removed, for the bone was badly splintered. He was asked if he would like to have a glass eye, and after much reflection he asked if he should be able to see with it! The patients are very gentle and manageable, and as a rule very silent.

The cases are chiefly surgical, and often there is quite as much night-work as day-work. We believe this hospital is now being enlarged so as to make it cooler for the patients, and for those who nurse them, and also to enable more to benefit by it.

Another part of the work is increasing rapidly, and that is the out-patients' department and district work. In the women's hospital, over 250 cases are treated in a month, and a still larger number at St. Matthew's. The hospital gives the needful additions to native food, and supplies medicines, dressings, &c. A poor family's home in Corea often consists of one room 8 feet square, into which five or six crowd at night, sleeping on the floor, with a few dirty rags over them, and all the day the children are playing in the gutter. In the summer, if you go out after sunset you will see outside each house the father with the children lying on a bit of matting, with a large pan of weeds mouldering beside them to keep off insects, and in most of the streets a filthy drain-stream running at their feet. The wife is always indoors. In these small houses the cooking is done outside the house in a tiny copper-like arrangement, rice in one vessel and other food in another. There is also a large pan of water standing outside each door, filled daily from the nearest well. The furniture of the house consists of a few basins to eat out of, chopsticks and spoons. A line across the room, on which to hang the unwashed clothes that the family are not wearing, complete the ménage. These are the poor, where our work chiefly lies; the richer and more educated have rather larger rooms and more of them, and some furniture of the Corean kind. They are always very pressing in offering refreshment, chiefly wine, fruit, and eggs. If you do partake of eggs, you are expected to eat at least six. You are also offered cigarettes to smoke. It is considered a great courtesy to ask you the first time of meeting, “How old are you?" The first greeting in the wards each morning is, “Have you eaten your food?" "Have you slept well?" and the last at night "Sleep well," answering to our good-morning and good-night. The work is increasing so fast that they have trained a native woman to help in manual work, and she has shown such aptitude that she is able to be of great use, though it is still a little difficult to make her particular enough about what she thinks are trifles, but what we know to be vital necessities. So the day of small things is a very busy one, and if as yet no actual teaching may be given, and the workers are but learners in the language and thoughts of the people, still there is cause for deep thankfulness for the opening thus made, and for the success which, so far, has attended their efforts.

The Spirit of Missions.

“I STILL want to ask your prayers for the long-divided diocese of Natal; I feel sure that you will be able to do a great deal there because the people are now stirred by the excellent action of the Church of South Africa. The Bishop of Capetown is here, and by the turning of the hearts of the children to the fathers in the Church Council of what is called the Church of England in Natal, placing the delegation, as they did, in our hands, we have been able to send out one Bishop who, I am sure, by his wisdom, his conciliatory character, his anxiety, and the sweetness of his disposition, will accomplish the reunion of the Church if mortal man can do it. I think that it is going on as well as we could possibly expect. He is winning hearts in all directions. The laity are valuing him exceedingly, and I do believe that if we are faithfully praying to God to pour down His special blessing upon an effort which is of a very special nature, we shall have the unity of our Church established, and a great cause for grievance removed, for I could not but feel that every effort, however good, towards reunion was painful while there remained that open sore in the English Church. By God's blessing I hope that it will be healed. I believe that on every side people are anxious to do their duty.”—The Archbishop of Canterbury. The revered Bishop of New Westminster has just finished his course. It had been known for some time that his health had suffered severely from the severity of the climate, and the trying journeys which he had to make: and now he has died of pneumonia. Dr. Sillitoe was consecrated first Bishop of New Westminster on All Saints' Day, 1879. “When the diocese was formed out of that of Columbia it had but three clergymen; now there are nineteen. Mines and various industries have attracted English settlers, for whose spiritual needs the Church under Bishop Sillitoe's rule has made great efforts to provide. Work among the Indians has developed, and that among the Chinese begun." “Several of the missionaries engaged in educational work in India remark in their annual letters on the superiority of Christian boys over their heathen competitors in all athletic sports. The Rev. E. T. Butler, Principal of the Krishnagar Training Institution, states that in the Nadia athletic sports held at the beginning of the year, and open to the students of all colleges and schools in the Zillah, one-third of the prizes were carried off by Christian youths, although they are numerically an almost insignificant minority."—From the C.M. Intelligencer. Here is a very interesting letter from the Rev. F. H. Sprent, giving an account of a recent case of persecution in North China:— "Tai An Tu, “Province of Shantung, North China, "February 12, 1894. “Towards the end of January the few neophytes in Kou-Tou (a large village twenty miles to the east of Tai An) were called upon to bear a severe trial. "From the day I visited them, for the purpose of baptizing a whole family of believers, some three weeks previously, absurd and horrid rumours had been floating in the air, and gradually gaining credence, until at last the whole village believed that the few 'faithful,' and their priest in particular, had been guilty of performing and taking part in the most soul and unholy ‘rites' that it is possible for man to conceive. The early Christians in the days of the catacombs could have been charged with no more heinous crimes. When the storm burst, Li-Ching-Ho, the quietest and most harmless of young men, yet perhaps the one amongst the converts who had made the boldest profession of Christianity, was the first called upon to suffer pain for his Master's sake.

[사진] CHURCH OF THE ADVENT, IN COURSE OP BUILDING.

“Late at night he was dragged from his house into the street and severely beaten by a reviling and merciless crowd. His old mother, who rushed out to plead with these men, was also attacked and most cruelly wounded in the face and head. His father, though, escaped, for he at first fled to the back yard and hid away for three days in a stack of straw; afterwards retiring to an adjoining village, he hid himself even more securely. "Three nights later the son was again dragged forth and questioned as to his obstinacy in refusing to renounce his religion. When he declared his willingness rather to die than do this, his persecutors played (as it would seem to us) a most childish trick, for no sooner had they pulled him about a bit, than one of their number cried out and pretended that Li-Ching-Ho had stabbed him in the side with a knife. To make appearance tally with their words, a red liquid, something after the colour of blood, was sprinkled around and smeared on the clothes of the supposed wounded man, and also on their innocent victim's hands and coat. Ere the next day had scarcely dawned, the wife, children, and uncle of this half-slaughtered (?) man put in an appearance, and loudly demanded satisfaction. “This, according to their idea, not being given, they boldly—the whole family of them—took up their residence in Li Ching-Ho's house, helped themselves to whatever food and firing they could lay hands on, compelled the terrified inmates and rightful occupants to wait on them, and even to give them 400 cash a day with which to purchase opium. This state of things went on for a week, when the intruders were prevailed upon to leave, not without, though, first receiving heavy bribes of grain (100 catties), cash (1,000), and fuel (20 bundles). "We are now daily expecting to hear of the committal of further outrages, for we fear that the storm that Satan has raised is not nearly over. However, the ‘faithful' have been called upon to intercede for their brethren in affliction, and they are, of course, specially remembered at the daily Eucharist. Letters, too, have been written to the chief official here in Tai-An praying for protection and justice. We may very likely find, though, that either he is too supine to move in the matter, or that he is unwilling, seeing that nearly the whole village is against us, to interfere. “In which case we must pray all the more earnestly for these converts, that in this their time of trial and sore need they may be abundantly comforted by Him who was so often reviled and even suffered death for our sake. "FRANCIS H. SPRENT.” Those even who know something of Church work in Newfoundland may well be surprised to hear how large a part of it is done by means of the Church ship, the Lavrock. It will be remembered that she was originally the property of a gentleman who gave both himself and his yacht to the work. The Bishop writes as follows to the Mission Field: — "The Church ship had suffered severely by the fire, for though her hull was uninjured, the whole of her ‘gear' was destroyed. Part of it was in the store of my agent on the night of the fire, and part of it in my own house, and, as both of these buildings were swept away with all that they contained, it became necessary to entirely refit the ship before she could make another voyage. This occupied, of course, a considerable time, and entailed much additional expense. Early in July, however, the Lavrock was once more ready for sea. She is now upwards of 40 years old, and cannot conceal the traces of the hard work she has gone through. But everything is done that can be done to keep her in good repair, and I trust she may yet be spared to render good service in the cause of the Church in Newfoundland. I have spent two years out of the fifteen and a half of my episcopate on board that little vessel, having made eight visitation voyages of three months' duration in her, and, as I hardly ever sleep ashore, she becomes my home for the time. The voyage of 1893 was the most stormy and trying that I have experienced, but, by God's mercy, both the ship and her company came safely through it, and the only injury to any of us was the fracture of a rib sustained by one of my crew, who was thrown down the hatch in a sudden squall."

During the year the Bishop confirmed no less than 3,201 persons, the largest number on record for any one year; but this was largely owing to the fact that the great fire at St. John's had prevented one of his voyages in the preceding year. He also consecrated twelve churches and sixteen graveyards, and ordained one priest and three deacons. All four were St. Augustine's men, but three were natives of the colony, and the fourth, though born in London, has spent nearly the whole of his life in Newfoundland. The following account of a baptism in Nyasaland is very interesting:— “We are quite the ‘early Christians' here in every way. Those who become Christians have heathen customs and heathen public opinion to fight against as of old. And, as of old, baptism is a most important step, and has a most solemn separate service. Generally we baptize at Easter only, but there being many ready now at Pachia, we held a baptism at Epiphany. The night before we had to prepare a font. We wanted rather to baptize straight in the lake by total immersion, according to primitive custom, which so clearly brings out the meaning of 'being buried with Him in baptism and rising to the new life,' but the water is so shallow for some way out here, and the breakers over the sand-banks so inconvenient, that we had to devise something else. “At last a brilliant idea struck me—fix up the ship's sail. So we did, and in this way. We dug a pit just at the west end of the church (which is an open porch), sloping deeper away from the church: we lined the pit with the Charles Janson after-awning, and there was the font! “All around the three sides (the fourth was the porch of the church) we hung native mats and ship's sails, so screening us from the ‘outside people,’ as the heathen are called. Thus we made a most approved baptistery, and the boys early that morning gathered lots of white flowers and a beautiful sort of palm-like grass, with which the whole place and the sides of the water were decorated. Mr. Johnson knelt at the west side, and the candidates—sixteen men and eight women —were dipped three times, kneeling in front of him in the water. The service was most impressive. We sang “Onward, Christian Soldiers" in Chinyanja in procession back, and concluded with ‘Thine for Ever.' I had had choir practice, i.e. congregational practice, the night before." With it may be compared the account of a similar service at Mamboia, Eastern Equatorial Africa, on Easter Day. The Rev. A. N. Wood writes:— “The Christians were arranged on one bank of the river and the Heathen on the other. The candidates for baptism were on the brink of the river on the side of the Heathen. Each candidate was asked to call two witnesses from among the Christians. I then asked the witnesses certain questions with regard to the candidate, and they promised faithfully to look after him or her. Turning to the candidates I put the usual questions, with one or two others relating to their superstitions and heathen customs. These being answered satisfactorily, the candidates stepped into river and were baptized (not by immersion, the river being too shallow), and then taken by the hand by their witnesses to the group of Christians on the other side. When all the seventeen were baptized we sang ‘O happy day that fixed my choice.’ I then gave an address, dividing it into three parts, to the Heathen, to the Christians, and to the newly baptized; we then had prayer and thus closed what was, I trust, a very memorable service."