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Two Sunday Schools in Peking.

REV. GEORGE HEBER JONES writes from Seoul, Korea, July 22, 1893: "I have during the past year been laboring in the Metropolitan port, twenty-eight miles distant. We had nothing last year, but now a work is firmly established, and a company of men and women who are savingly converted have been gathered into the Church. Last Sunday I baptized the family (mother, wife, and two children) of our first convert there. It was at the evening service, which is given up to the women, and as the laws forbid a meeting of men and women together the father had to remain in another room and make his responses through the wall. The children in being baptized were given the names of 'Hak Sun,' Seeker after Peace, and 'Hak In,' Seeker after Righteousness."

A MISSIONARY who has labored on the borders of Thibet writes as follows of the religion of the people: "Lamaism still holds the people in bondage without a rival. But what is Lamaism? The name is composed of two words-La (soul) and ma (mother). In this religion the Dalai, or Great Lama, is honored

as the highest god, and is represented as the divinity

on earth. He is at the head of both ecclesiastical and secular affairs in Thibet, and is greatly reverenced by all the Mongol tribes in Russia and by the Tartars. The religion of Lama originated in Thibet about one thousand years before Christ. It then knew no eternal self-existent being, but is now a kind of reformed Buddhism, with many of the rites of Rome introduced by converts to Romanism at an early date."

BISHOP MALLALIEU writes this stirring appeal to the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church: "If business is depressed, if incomes are cut off, if resources are diminished, we must not economize by reducing our contributions to the Church and its enterprises. The right place to economize is where it will cost something of self-denial. We must certainly reduce our expenditures for luxuries; we must have fewer comforts rather than withhold our usual gifts to the cause of Christ; and, if need be, we must economize in the necessities of life rather than diminish our contributions to the benevolences of the Church. It may take, in some cases, much self-denial and much heroism; but in this way we shall certainly come nearer to Christ, we shall come to know something of fellowship with him in his deep desires for the salvation of the souls of men. Now as never before should every member of the Methodist Episcopal Church resolve that there shall be no empty treasury, no accumulating debt, to hamper and hinder our onward march for the conquest of this world for Christ. This is an hour when the Master expects every follower of his to perform all the duty of giving to its fullest extent. The responsibility must be assumed and the duty discharged, and prayers and money without stint be laid upon the altar of God."

Two Sunday Schools in Peking.

BY REV. LACLEDE BARROW.

I HAVE been visiting the two Sunday schools connected with our Asbury chapel in Peking, China. These schools have a total of over seven hundred pupils. The morning school, which is composed of Christian men, women, and children, is one of the best Sunday schools I have ever seen. The school in the afternoon, however, is the one of greatest interest. It is composed of heathen children; and such a herd of them! These ragged, dirty little souls do not compare very well with the morning school, but they are just the kind of material China gives us to make Christians of. The morning school is the same kind of material revised and improved; that is, converted. Go anywhere on the streets near the chapel and the little urchins will be heard asking, "How long is it until Sunday?" "How long is it until Sunday?" When is Sunday?" When Sunday comes they

come, and they fill the church full.

The school is conducted in many respects like any Sunday school in the United States. It is opened with prayer, Bible reading, and singing; and such singing! They made the walls ring. It did me good to hear their not very musical voices all join in singing "Jesus loves me." There is a native teacher on an average to every four pupils. After singing-for songs were interspersed all through the service-it was interesting to see the pupils cluster around their teachers, while they taught them to repeat Scripture texts from some book used in the school. The school seemed to be in good training. When the bell tapped, all stopped; when the signal was given, all went to work; and when they went to work, there was a mighty noise. I have always thought a Sunday school that makes no noise is rather a poor affair. If we may estimate a school by its noise the Peking Asbury afternoon Sunday school is a "whopper." It reminded me very much of going into a woolen mill when all the looms are running, or a nail factory. Three hundred and fifty or four hundred Chinese boys and girls all in one room, and all talking, can make a tremendous noise. This is said to be the best Sunday school in China.

If one may judge from the interest shown by the pupils the school is a very great enterprise, and is doing much good. If you ever go to Peking don't fail to see the ragged Sunday school, even if you have to miss seeing everything else to do so. This and the morning school are fine samples of "before and after taking." If anyone doubts the truths of our religion and its power to do good let him go to Peking, where one of the grandest systems of pagan philosophy after two thousand years' trial has proven itself to be a colossal failure, and let him see the results of our work there for less than twentyfive years. If that does not convince him give him up.

TIDINGS FROM OUR MISSIONS.

DR. SITES writes from Foo-Chow, China: "The 'shaking among the dry bones' of the literati in China is very perceptible. Two years ago we had a rustling among them in Ming Chiang, sixty miles westward from Foo-Chow, and at Hing-Hua, seventy-five miles south. Less than one year ago it was very audible in Hok Chiang city, thirty miles southeast, where now we have enrolled over twenty names of students and literary men; and more than half of these have applied for and received baptism. Brother Miner reports the case of Dr. Sing Seng Ngwong, an A.B., the head of a large family-a family whose influence will be second to none in our Church when they shall have received the 'baptism of the Holy Ghost; and let us pray that not many days hence' the promise of the Father shall be given unto them."

REV. D. S. SPENCER writes from Tokio, Japan: "The recent tendency of the native Christians to emulate the emphatically spiritual side of Christianity is a sign pregnant with the brightest hopes. The proportion of intelligent, devoted, and really spiritual-minded native Christians is constantly on the increase, and some of the brightest and most useful come from our mission schools. The preaching of the Japanese brethren is more spiritual, the study of the word more systematic, and the desire to imitate the life of the Master more prominent as the months go by. No judgment could be more unjust than to suppose that the Japanese Christians are merely baptized pagans. The supreme need of the hour in Japan is a great baptism of the Holy Spirit upon pastors and people, native and foreign. The victory is coming. The leaders have caught the inspiration, and the Church begins to respond in greater faith and works and greater dependence upon the Holy Spirit."

"The

DR. A. B. LEONARD writes from Japan: Hakodate District, of which Rev. Julius Soper, D.D., is the presiding elder, embraces the entire island, and will doubtless some day constitute an Annual Conference. Four missionary societies are opening work in this island, ours being equal to the strongest. The Buddhists are here exhibiting remarkable activity. While the country was sparsely settled they gave it but little attention, and consequently temples and shrines were comparatively few. Now, however, they are striving to gain a footing, and are expending large sums of money and erecting temples, some of which are ou a large and grand scale. In Hakodate we have a comfortable frame church and two good dwellings. The church will accommodate two hundred and fifty people, and there is a membership of one hundred and seventy-five who are and have been for several years self-supporting. Here the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society has a flourishing school

for young ladies well equipped and well housed. The ladies connected with this school have organized and carried on six Sunday schools, some of which in the not distant future will develop into church organizations."

on

REV. W. N. BREWSTER Writes from China: "I have just returned from a quarterly meeting at Bing-hai, the seashore, thirty miles from Hing-hua City. It is an important town, where many years ago we had a church, but through a series of misfortunes it died out. A society was formed about two miles out of the walled town. Little progress has been made for a long time until this year. Last fall the young pastor received a genuine baptism of the Spirit during Bishop Mallalieu's brief visit. He went to work with new life and power. He got several confirmed opium smokers saved, and these rallied around him, exhorted their old companions, and the work spread into the town. A house was rented there, and a girls' day school opened and a deaconess appointed; and now, in this town, where we had not one believer less than one year ago, a congregation of sixty or seventy, of all ages and both sexes, assembles regularly each Sabbath. These men lead in prayer; they testify simply and intelligently. Several gave evidence of being truly converted, and many, if not all, are earnestly seeking. Yesterday, after a very plain, searching sermon, not less than seventy arose for prayers that they may be truly converted. In the afternoon twelve adults were baptized, and after the service eight others, four men and four women, all of whom had been regular attendants for some months, but heretofore had not fully yielded all to follow Christ, decided to break every fetter, and asked to be baptized. It was a very impressive service."

Appointments of Finland and St. Petersburg Mission Conference.

Superintendent and Secretary, N. J. Rosen, Helsingfors, Finland.

NORTH DISTRICT, A. Gronblad, P. E.-Gamlakarleby, H. Bergquist. Kristinestad and Nerpes, to be supplied. Nikolaistad, A. Gronblad,

SOUTH DISTRICT, N. J. Rosen, P. E.-Abo, A. S. Hultqvist. Bjorneborg, G. A. Hiden. Ekenas, H. Rabe. Helsingfors, N. J. Rosen. Helsingfors Circuit, to be supplied. Tammerfors, to be supplied. Wiborg and St. Petersburg, H. Fagerlund, one to be supplied.

N. J. Rosen, Editor of Nya Budbararen.

J. Roth takes appointment in Sweden Conference.

Switzerland Conference.

THE Rev. H. Kienast writes from Zurich:

"The seventh Annual Conference of our Church in Switzerland was held at La Chaux-de-Fonds June 8-12, under the careful presidency of Bishop John H. Vincent, D.D.

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Our Methodist College in India.

"La Chaux-de-Fonds is the largest and highest situated village in the land of mountains, with twenty-eight thousand inhabitants, and over one thousand meters above the sea. The industry of the people is chiefly watch fabrication, and the most part of them speak French. Of the above number only about five thousand attend divine service; the others are very indifferent.

"The Conference days were in every regard very pleasant and blessed. The sessions and meetings were pervaded by a good spirit, and the addresses of the bishop were in the demonstration of the Spirit and in power. All the effective pastors were present but one, who can never come again, namely, Brother H. T. Breiter, who died unexpectedly a few months before the Conference. This venerable member was twice delegate to the General Conference. We feel the loss caused by his death; also, the wife of the Rev. Adolph Hunziker, of Biel, and the bride of the Rev. G. Krauss, of Schaffhausen, are gone home.

"Several members of Germany Conference, Dr. Burt, from Italy Conference, and the Rev. H. Grentzenberg, Editor of Weweiser zur Heiligung in America, rejoiced us with their visits and addresses. We were also favored with written addresses from the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in France, and from Dr. L. Nippert, Dr. H. Nuelsen, and other old friends in America.

"The report of the presiding elders-T. W. Wuhrmann, T. Sporri, and the writer of these lines-also of the director of the Book Concern in Zurich, the Rev. E. K. Schmidtman, and of the Director of the Mission House in Frankfort-on-the-Main, the Rev. H. Mann, were in general favorable. Two hopeful young men were received on probation, two ordained as deacons, and three as elders.

"On all the circuits souls were awakened and converted. We have now 981 probationers and 5,805 members in full connection-a net increase of 294; 93 members have died; 140 children have been baptized; 207 Sunday schools are reported, with 18,552 scholars an increase of 445. Two chapels have been dedicated in Herisau and Frauenfeld. The total sum of the gifts of our poor membership is about 197,000 francs. If we deduct from the amount given last year 12,000 francs as legacies we have had this year an increase of about 10,000 francs. On old indebtedness on church property we have paid off about 27,000 francs.

"The Book Concern in Zurich has had the last fiscal year (1892) sales to the amount of 67,576 francs (inclusive of the papers of the Church, 20,300 francs), and a net profit of about 12,000 francs. The bishop has made changes this year only on three circuits. Two resolutions adopted by the Conference are very important to the future progress of the work in Switzerland. First, that the bookbindery and printery in Bremen, now the common property of both the Germany and Switzerland Conferences,

shall be divided; and second, that Switzerland Conference shall have its own papers, the Evangelist and Kinderfreund, after January, 1894.”

Our Methodist College in India.

BY REV. W. A. MANSELL.

THE Lucknow Christian College has had a successful year. Our new building is completed and stands without a dollar of debt, an honor and an ornament to the Church to which it belongs. There is not in India a better or more attractive building for educational purposes. It has been wisely planned and well constructed. The attendance shows a healthy increase. The college is becoming well and widely known in missionary and educational circles as an important and growing school.

It is an enterprise intended not only to impart a standard classical education to our youth as required by the government, but also to inculcate vital and experimental Christianity by preaching and direct influence. That such a college is a present and pressing necessity in our Church no one can doubt. Its direct and evangelical tone as a Christian college is the strongest argument for giving it a liberal and ready support.

To enable the institution to proceed in the widest sphere of usefulness it needs to be fully endowed, that it may be entirely independent of government aid, and also free from the necessity of requiring help from missionary appropriations.

to come.

An endowment of at least $60,000 is needed to set the college on a self-supporting basis for many years This amount will, if wisely invested-and every safeguard for its investment will be provided by the Missionary Board and Finance Committeeprovide for three European and three Indian profess. orships, leaving the fee income to be devoted to current expenses and additional tutors as needed. Thus the college would be at once established on a firm and permanent basis; and while the most important work of educating and lifting up the Church, already begun, would be more successfully and rapidly carried forward, it would at the same time set free large sums of money for the direct evangelization of the heathen.

Such an endowment would repay a hundred fold the money invested in direct and important results for the Christianization of India; and we feel confident that our friends at home and in India will respond to this appeal and the full amount be realized. While such munificent gifts are being bestowed every year upon home educational institutions, may we not expect that some of the blessings of such consecrated wealth may also flow to India? Twelve thousand dollars will found a European professorship, and $6,000 an Indian professorship; and smaller sums designated to be intended for this purpose will be set aside and applied to the fund as directed.

Peking University Commencement.

Dr. Parker writes thus concerning the needs of the college in the last Missionary Report:

"In order to make this college successful we must have aid for the running expenses of the institution. We must have an endowment. In this we can do a great deal with a little money. In other countries such a college and high school would require $300,000 or more to meet needed expenses, but we could make our college a success could we secure $60,000. Will not everyone who may read this consider himself or herself an agent to help secure this $60,000? Think of our sixty millions of people for whom we have this one college. One Methodist college for a population nearly equal to the United States! Think of the fifteen thousand Christian children in our Methodist schools and our rapidly growing Christian community (twenty thousand a year) who need this school, and lend a hand. If the reader cannot help himself will he not take this important interest to some friend to whom God has given money? Some can join in raising $100; some can give $100 each; some $1,000; some larger sums. If all would lift a little our young men would have a chance. Inquire of Dr. Peck, at the Mission Rooms, 150 Fifth Avenue, New York; or India's older friends, Dr. Reid or Dr. Butler, will gladly give information. We are not anxious to have the money sent to India. We would like it well invested under the direction of our mission authorities at home, only the annual income being sent to us."

Circulars of information and reports of the college will be gladly sent to any who wish them, if such interested friends will address the Principal, W. A. Mansell, Lucknow, India.

Peking University Commencement.

(From The North China Herald of June 30, 1893.) COMMENCEMENT week at the Peking University has been observed here. On June 2 there was the meeting of the board of managers. On Sunday, June 4, the baccalaureate sermon was preached by the president, and on Tuesday evening, June 6, there was what was styled the commencement, but which to all appearance would have been more properly styled the departure of the students, or closing of the session, as a diploma of B.A. was conferred upon a student of promise, Li Tê-jên, who had graduated after pursuing a twelve years' course of study. Besides, six prizes were presented for successful penmanship, and one for excellence in geography. Some two hundred students were next day to take their departure for their homes-north, south, east, and west.

There was a large turnout of Chinese, both men and women, old and young, and scholars of both sexes. There was a goodly representation of foreign missionaries, and outsiders besides, among whom we noticed Drs. MacGowan, Stuhlmann, Weudt, and Dudgeon, Mr. Macdonald, and others.

475

Sir Robert Hart's brass band, under their able conductor, Mr. da Costa, was present, and played a capital selection of music, which was highly appreciated. This instrumental band must undoubtedly have a highly educational tendency, and teach the Chinese to abhor their own wretched and horrid noise, which passes for music, much to the disgust and annoyance of foreigners. The Chinese auditory apparatus must have some defect, in spite of the tones in their language.

The Methodist chapel is a handsome building inside, and was tastefully decorated. Around the tops of the Gothic windows were suitable and neat Scripture texts in red characters.

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The treat of the evening was certainly the address in Chinese on the Value of Literature," by Dr. D. Z. Sheffield, President of the Tungcho College. He spoke very plainly, forcibly, and distinctly, impressing upon the students the necessity of diffusing the knowledge which they had obtained. This differentiated Christianity and the learning from the West from Confucianism and the literature of China. He showed what a knowledge of geology had done in the diamond fields of South Africa, of electricity in the transmission of messages over the world, of astronomy in navigation, besides adducing many other wellknown examples. In conclusion, he addressed a few appropriate words in English to the foreign audience, emphasizing the union of evangelization and education, characteristic of Methodist mission operations. He admitted that education might be a sword which cut two ways, but so long as the handle was in the hands of religious men there was nothing to fear.

Dr. L. W. Pilcher, President of Peking University, officiated, and spoke both in English and Chinese on the points which fell to him as chairman. In his English address to Mr. Li in presenting the diploma he was very felicitous.

Altogether a most pleasant and instructive evening was spent. We wish the Methodist brethren every success in the grand undertaking, of which we, at the end of the nineteenth century, are permitted to see such hopeful and promising beginnings.

A Glorious Revival in China.

REV. W. N. BREWSTER Writes to Secretary McCabe from Hing-hua, China, June 19, 1893:

"Last Wednesday night we closed a ten days' home camp meeting in Hing-hua City. It was a Pentecostal time. We had been waiting, preparing, praying, working for it a long time. Sunday night, May 14, was Epworth anniversary day. The subject was 'Prayer for the Holy Spirit.' At the League meeting Sunday night the spirit of prayer fell upon us. When the time came to close we dismissed the little children and those who did not care to stay. The theological school and the woman's school stayed in a body. We knelt in prayer, and everybody seemed to forget the

474

Our Methodist College in India.

"La Chaux-de-Fonds is the largest and highest situated village in the land of mountains, with twenty-eight thousand inhabitants, and over one thousand meters above the sea. The industry of the people is chiefly watch fabrication, and the most part of them speak French. Of the above number only about five thousand attend divine service; the others are very indifferent.

"The Conference days were in every regard very pleasant and blessed. The sessions and meetings were pervaded by a good spirit, and the addresses of the bishop were in the demonstration of the Spirit and in power. All the effective pastors were present but one, who can never come again, namely, Brother H. T. Breiter, who died unexpectedly a few months before the Conference. This venerable member was twice delegate to the General Conference. We feel the loss caused by his death; also, the wife of the Rev. Adolph Hunziker, of Biel, and the bride of the Rev. G. Krauss, of Schaffhausen, are gone home.

"Several members of Germany Conference, Dr. Burt, from Italy Conference, and the Rev. H. Grentzenberg, Editor of Weweiser zur Heiligung in America, rejoiced us with their visits and addresses. We were also favored with written addresses from the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in France, and from Dr. L. Nippert, Dr. H. Nuelsen, and other old friends in America.

"The report of the presiding elders-T. W. Wuhrmann, T. Sporri, and the writer of these lines-also of the director of the Book Concern in Zurich, the Rev. E. K. Schmidtman, and of the Director of the Mission House in Frankfort-on-the-Main, the Rev. H. Mann, were in general favorable. Two hopeful young men were received on probation, two ordained as deacons, and three as elders.

"On all the circuits souls were awakened and converted. We have now 981 probationers and 5,805 members in full connection-a net increase of 294; 93 members have died; 140 children have been baptized; 207 Sunday schools are reported, with 18,552 scholars an increase of 445. Two chapels have been dedicated in Herisau and Frauenfeld. The total sum of the gifts of our poor membership is about 197,000 francs. If we deduct from the amount given last year 12,000 francs as legacies we have had this year an increase of about 10,000 francs. On old indebtedness on church property we have paid off about 27,000 francs.

"The Book Concern in Zurich has had the last fiscal year (1892) sales to the amount of 67,576 francs (inclusive of the papers of the Church, 20,300 francs), and a net profit of about 12,000 francs. The bishop has made changes this year only on three circuits. Two resolutions adopted by the Conference are very important to the future progress of the work in Switzerland. First, that the bookbindery and printery in Bremen, now the common property of both the Germany and Switzerland Conferences,

shall be divided; and second, that Switzerland Conference shall have its own papers, the Evangelist and Kinderfreund, after January, 1894."

Our Methodist College in India.

BY REV. W. A. MANSELL.

THE Lucknow Christian College has had a successful year. Our new building is completed and stands without a dollar of debt, an honor and an ornament to the Church to which it belongs. There is not in India a better or more attractive building for educational purposes. It has been wisely planned and well constructed. The attendance shows a healthy increase. The college is becoming well and widely known in missionary and educational circles as an important and growing school.

It is an enterprise intended not only to impart a standard classical education to our youth as required by the government, but also to inculcate vital and experimental Christianity by preaching and direct influence. That such a college is a present and pressing necessity in our Church no one can doubt. Its direct and evangelical tone as a Christian college is the strongest argument for giving it a liberal and ready support.

To enable the institution to proceed in the widest sphere of usefulness it needs to be fully endowed, that it may be entirely independent of government aid, and also free from the necessity of requiring help from missionary appropriations.

to come.

An endowment of at least $60,000 is needed to set the college on a self-supporting basis for many years This amount will, if wisely invested-and every safeguard for its investment will be provided by the Missionary Board and Finance Committeeprovide for three European and three Indian profess orships, leaving the fee income to be devoted to current expenses and additional tutors as needed. Thus the college would be at once established on a firm and permanent basis; and while the most important work of educating and lifting up the Church, already begun, would be more successfully and rapidly carried forward, it would at the same time set free large sums of money for the direct evangelization of the heathen.

Such an endowment would repay a hundred fold the money invested in direct and important results for the Christianization of India; and we feel confident that our friends at home and in India will respond to this appeal and the full amount be realized. While such munificent gifts are being bestowed every year upon home educational institutions, may we not expect that some of the blessings of such consecrated wealth may also flow to India? Twelve thousand dollars will found a European professorship, and $6,000 an Indian professorship; and smaller sums designated to be intended for this purpose will be set aside and applied to the fund as directed.

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