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NEW VILLAGES.

Madura Mission.

MR. VAUGHAN, of Manamadura, writes under date of August 27:

"Since writing last I have had the privilege of admitting Hindus in two villages to the relation of adherents and members of our congregations. In one village eleven souls came to us and in another about the same number. In the first it is the final decision of a number of families who were awakened in one of the itineracies but who did not wish to take the step at once. This makes a new congregation, but one which was expected and provided for in the settlement of the work which I made a couple of months ago. In the other village it is an addition to an existing congregation, the first fruits of the labors of Santhiagu in his new field, and the seal of God's approval of this use of the means he sent.

"Both places will need meeting houses, costing not over $15 each, but even this extra expenditure is out of the question. In both places it is most difficult to see the people alone. The presence of a stranger in a Hindu village is always sufficient attraction to call together a good-sized crowd of the ever present

loafers," and with such a crowd it is impossible to get near the converts or to draw them out in the least. You are not in a position to go into a village and order the inhabitants away, even if you would like to have them go, so the only way to overcome the difficulty is to go yourself to some place where you can exercise such power and admit those that are wanted and turn the rest away until they are wanted. It may seem strange to talk of turning heathens away from a meeting house, but if you can imagine an inquiry meeting with every available space not filled by penitents taken up by a crowd of curious sight-seers who keep up a continual diversion of some sort,

even when they do not intend to, you will be able to appreciate our position in these new fields.

"The last time I was out, visited a village where, years ago, we had a large congregation, but now one solitary family is left. The chief man was a man of some wealth, and this gave him more influence than the head man of the village thought he ought to have as a low caste man, so he set about to humble him. From that day forward there has been all but constant legal warfare between the two, and the persecution of the head man drove all the congregation back to heathenism except this one. I went out on Thursday to his village, and having stopped under a tree about a quarter of a mile from it, sent, asking him to come out that we might have a few words together alone before the village hangers-on had collected. In a few moments he came, but with such a sad face I could not imagine what had happened. He handed me a bit of charred something-or-other, I could not make out just what. I asked what it He replied it was his food. More questions followed, and I found that a few days before a fire had started in one end of the village, and had been carried by a high wind right to the other, wiping out about two-thirds of the whole, and the Christian's house with his store of

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grain and all his property in it among the rest. After a little talk I went over to the village, and it is seldom one sees such a scene as was there. On every hand the walls of the former houses baked and blackened by the heat. I looked over the place a little and then went inside the little shed which he had put up on the old house walls and had prayer with the Christian. It was a sad time, a time when I longed to be able to leave some message of comfort for the afflicted family. This I tried to do, but

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the one great fear was expressed in the cry, How shall we live until the harvest?' I pointed to some of the promises and he finally said, 'Yes, He will provide, He will provide,' but not in a way that satisfied me. May the Lord comfort him and teach him what are the true riches.

"At the next village I was greatly troubled by the hanger-on nuisance, so finally, crowded into a building about five by seven feet and hardly high enough to stand up in, I there spoke of the house in heaven, the building of God, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.'

"The Industrial School building is

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PAGODA ANCHORAGE.

Foocbow Mission.

MR. HUBBARD, who, since the coming of Dr. Whitney to the United States, has full charge of the station at Pagoda Anchorage, writes:

"The work of administering the communion has been shared with the three pastors at twenty different places, and a number have been received to the church. There have been schools at thirty-five places, and the total number of pupils enrolled is 663, of whom 182 are girls and women. Twenty-five

women

were in the woman's school and classes, and twenty-six girls in the boarding schools at Iang-seng and Hong-uo.

"One new place has been opened, Liang-de, a little village up on the mountain side half-way between Mingang and Tang-tau. Some inquirers at Pu-gie, not being able to find a suitable rent at home, succeeded in doing so at this hamlet, and quite a number are interested. A lame man, Sing-le, well acquainted with his Bible and a true Christian, but not a literary man, was sent to give them instruction in the truths that make men truly wise. The

first night or two a large number of people came together from this and neighboring villages to hear the Word, and Satan came also among them. The talks continued until nearly midnight and the helper and his host slept soundly afterwards, leaving the doors, as usual, but slightly barred. In the morning it was discovered that a thief had visited the place and some $15 worth of stuff was missing. Two and one-half months later he made another visit, but this time was caught and tied up. He confessed that he made the former theft and named the receiver of the stolen goods, but before a settlement was made the second night he escaped.

"The term of office of the Diong-loh District magistrate, Hwang Lo-tia, has recently expired. He had issued several proclamations for our work, but settled no cases for us during his term of office. He was in heart anti-foreign, and tried to give us a parting kick and did a lot of lying against us, which was so evident that the higher officials, for very shame, have been obliged to send a special deputy to try the cases that affected the Christians of the district. This deputy

has accomplished something for us, and the Christians feel that their rights will

be respected; at least, history is now making in that direction.”

Nortb Cbina Mission.

AN INDEFATIGABLE PREACHER.

MR. C. E. EWING, of Peking, writes of an outstation, Ping Ching, and of the faithful work of the native laborer:

"The helper located there is Li Chung Ho, and he is an earnest and indefatigable worker, so much so that I wonder that his physical strength is equal to the burden put upon it by his zeal; but he says that the Lord has given him special strength for the work. He opens the doors at nine or ten in the morning and keeps them open until dark, and during most of that time there are hearers on hand; and such is the zeal of the helper that as long as there is anyone on hand he preaches and insists on their listening. This summer one of the Tung-cho students is helping, and I am quite pleased at the ability and earnestness apparent in his work. His name is Kuo Fêng Kuan, and he has one year more in the college.

"It is a cause for rejoicing, as well as for wonder, that the preachers show such patience and perseverance in their work. They will preach to one man for two or three hours, apparently holding his interest and winning his assent; then, on asking him what he thinks of it all, he replies: "Good, certainly, very good." But if he is asked what he has heard, it appears that while he has been listening to the words he has not understood a single thing and cannot even repeat anything that has been said. Surely their minds are darkened, and it is only after the Holy Spirit begins to convict and teach that the enlightening gradually comes. The progress that Christian truth has made already in China must be due to the Spirit himself; but it is quite remarkable that the preachers do not give up in despair."

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The people seemed to be very willing to listen to Christian preaching, and thronged into the chapel. But, most pleasant surprise! I found that already, in less than a month after the opening of the new chapel, two persons, a man and his wife, had been received on probation. It seems that this man had heard Pastor Jên preach some years ago, when he was located at Pu An Tun, and that from that time he has really believed, but has lacked opportunity for making open profession and joining the church because there was no church there where he lived.

"When Helper Li went to Tou Tien, early in June, he was at first unable to find a suitable place for a chapel. He was quite discouraged, and one afternoon rested for a long time under a large tree, meditating and praying. He said he had good evidence that God heard his prayers, for the very next morning the beginning of the answer came. As he was on the street buying his breakfast a man accosted him, saying:

"You don't recognize me, do you?' "No, I can't say that I do.'

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that twenty years or more ago this Mr. Lin was a playmate of his own sons, and that he himself had even been his teacher. Well, this Mr. Lin, when he found what Helper Li's business was, offered to help him in looking for a suitable chapel; and the result was that after a few days they found and rented the chapel here. And it is this Mr. Lin and his wife who are the first to be admitted as probationers."

A PREACHERS' CONFERENCE.

Mr. Sprague, of Kalgan, reports a very interesting conference held in July at Kalgan, where twelve were assembled preachers, teachers, and missionaries spending ten days together, and having as their great aim, How we can be more used of God in saving souls." writes:

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"We had prepared a list of topics, and had appointed a leader for each topic. All came hungry to the feast, as appeared from the interest, attention, and prayers for blessing. We had sunrise prayer meetings and forenoon and evening sessions. The afternoons were occupied in preaching at the street chapels. The first two days we looked at Christ as our example, and considered his teachings as of the first importance.

"Then came the Sabbath, with the Lord's Supper. All felt the solemn responsibility of moving forward in more intimate communion with our Lord, as co-laborers with him. Monday we studied the Bible teachings concerning the Holy Spirit, and Tuesday we sought to make this great blessing of being filled with the Holy Spirit our own. Several obtained new and clearer views of this subject, and all determined to go forward by faith in reliance on the Spirit's presence and power. On Wednesday we

turned to consider what we could more

do toward a wider preaching of the gospel, and on Thursday, How can we nourish and train the feeble believers?' On Friday the topic was How to bear the trials of life and become better soldiers of Christ.'

"The most special interest gathered about an extra meeting of the active preachers, called for Friday at 2 P.M., to consider a distribution of the forces and the relocation of the preachers. We had already decided we had men and money enough to open two new places, by the location of a helper and his family in each. The Y. P. S. C. E. furnish the money for one place and a friend in America furnishes money for the other.

"We knew several wanted to go to the larger of the new places, and no one wished to go to the most important place, Ching Ka Ta. Hence our determination to consult with them. There were many difficult and delicate personal elements in the problem, beside the peculiar difficulties of each place. While each expressed a willingness in general to go anywhere, still there were a good many ifs' and 'buts.' So the more we talked the more difficult it seemed for us to make the appointments. At length some one had the happy thought — which we now believe was an inspiration — that we cast lots. We thought over it carefully and prayerfully. And at last every one had come to agree to the lot, with this proviso, that whoever drew Yu Cho should exchange with teacher Tsai till circumstances would enable him to leave home. After prayer by each of the four who were to draw, they each drew their lot. Each was satisfied with his own place (though only two were such as he would have chosen for himself), for each felt it to be God's choice for him. We arose and sung the doxology, Praise God,' etc. We all felt greatly relieved."

NOTES FROM THE WIDE FIELD.

AFRICA.

"LIVINGSTONIA. A Pentecostal Communion." Under this title Dr. Laws tells, in the Missionary Record for September, a most remarkable story of religious awakening among the Ngoni, formerly so fierce and untractable. The story is so interesting that we give extracts here both from the letter of Dr. Laws and Rev. Donald Fraser. Dr. Laws writes:

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"The Ngoniland service was held on Sabbath, May 8; while there had been preparatory and baptismal services during the previous week. At Ekwendeni (Ngoniland) 203 adults and 94 children were baptized. From the Tuesday streams of people came in from Njuju, Elemgeni, etc., till at the Sabbath services there was a congregation of over 4,000 people. When some of these bands of worshipers were passing a heathen village the people turned out to inquire whose 'impi' (army) they were running away from. The answer was they were running from no enemy, but going to the indaba (business) of God,' whereupon the heathen thought they would pack and go too. I trust many got a blessing. Some of the grizzled old warriors of old days are puzzled at this state of things, and puzzled they will be till they yield to the Saviour. Need I say my heart is full of thanks to God as I think of such a scene within a few miles of the place where the Ngoni wanted to murder Mr. James Stewart and myself twenty years ago. Surely God hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. To him be all the praise and glory." A further account of this extraordinary series of services is from the pen of Mr. Fraser: :

"We have just concluded a communion season after the old Highland fashion. The people gathered in from all the outstations and spent five days together, humbling themselves before God, and waiting on him. For weeks beforehand prayer had been daily offered at all the stations for the presence of the Lord among us, and a spirit of expectation had been created.

"On Monday, 2d May, the strangers began to arrive. The first to come were from Mperembe's, the great warrior chief. Mateyu, the teacher, marched at their head, and behind him in a long line followed nearly seventy people. They brought with them a sheep and a goat, which Mperembe had sent as his contribution to Sabbath's collection.

"Next day, towards evening, the Njuju people arrived. We could see them winding their way down the hillside in a straggling line, which stretched back for nearly a mile. Through all the forenoon of Wednesday bands of people continued to arrive, sometimes marching up the road in solid phalanx, with a swinging step, and sometimes in long drawn-out Indian file.

"The paths to the south were alive with people; and men sat on the ant-hills as the companies passed, and cried out, What mean these things? Has an army come in among you? Are you going to a new country?' And the people cried back, We are going to the baptisms. Come and see.'

"As the strangers arrived at the school here they were received by Johane and Amon, the chiefs, and a number of the Christians, and conducted to the villages where they were to stay. More than 1,000 people came, but accommodation was found for them all.

"On Wednesday afternoon the services proper began. We met within a large grass screen, which served admirably as a church. A covered-over platform had

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