to be a man of very clear views in regard to Christian experience. The examination will be remembered, I think, as one of the most interesting scenes of my life. I could understand but little of what was said, but there was a novelty as well as a solemnity about the whole scene which served to impress it deeply upon my mind. "In the afternoon two children were baptized, and a marriage ceremony was performed by Brother Bond. The chapel was crowded, more than a hundred and fifty being present, I think. Among them were, doubtless, many who are opposed to us, yet there was no demonstration made, and quiet, respectful attention was given by most. Of course there was not such quiet as there usually is in a Sabbath congregation at home.

"In the evening three more were examined, and the Lord's Supper was administered in the chapel. The candidates all seemed to pass very satisfactory examinations. The seven were admitted to the communion, and now there are eight com. municants where before there was but one. One of the seven was the wife of Demere, the others were young men, or men in the vigor of life. One of them had once turned our helper from his house, so that he had to leave the village for want of a place to stay; and this, I believe, not more than a year ago.

"The progress of the truth seems wonderful when we remember that less than a year ago the house in which Mrs. Haskell was staying in the village was stoned. Now the people have a chapel of their own, the first Protestant chapel among the Bulgarians, and reared by their own earnest exertions. They did indeed receive some help from outside, but most of it, I believe, was from native Protestants in other places, and they spent upon the chapel themselves about fifteen liras ($75) in money, and about a hundred days of labor. And not only have they a chapel, but we were permitted to hold large public meetings in it without molestation. Surely we may take courage from what we have seen in Merichleri, and go forward with renewed earnestness and zeal to the work to which God has called us in this land."

Eastern Turkey Mission.

FROM BOSTON TO VAN.

To most readers of the "Herald," who have never been themselves on missionary ground, letters from new missionaries, presenting first experiences and first impressions, often have a special charm. The following from Mr. Scott, the new missionary to Van (about 300 miles southeast of Trebizond), respecting the journey to that place, the people, the beginnings of the work there, etc., will be read with interest. It was written in November last: :

"Our journey was somewhat protracted but not tedious. Across the Atlantic we had prospering breezes and not much sickness. Over the continent we had good weather and good company. The waters about the 'Isles of Greece' treated us a little roughly, but their roughness only made more grateful our entrance into the Golden Horn. The two weeks spent at Constantinople were busy and delightful.

"The Black Sea gave us a fair passage, and at Trebizond we found our goods, and an efficient escort in Mr. Pierce and Miss Van Duzee; our first taste of genuine Turkish life, and the beginning of a well engineered and well graded carriage-road, extending to Erzroom. Mrs. Scott found the carriage a great relief from the wear and tedium of that part of the journey, and instead of being overcome, as it was likely she would be by any other available mode of conveyance, she grew strong every day. We passed six weeks pleasantly at Erzroom, during which time I had the privilege of making my first tour' with Brother Parmelee, and of attending the annual meeting.

"From Erzroom to Bitlis we experienced unadulterated Turkish traveling and hotel accommodations. The road not admitting of carriages like ours, we left that source of comfort to be brought by cart, and betook ourselves, one and all, to the saddle. The first night out we passed in a Koordish village, in an underground 'house' by name, but mud-built, cavernous stable, in fact. Our baggage-master' not thinking it desirable, on his part, to go

as far as we did (six hours only), halted for the night four hours out of Erzroom, thus leaving us, as to bedding and eating, in a state of bare expectancy; which state continued till noon of the next day, except that we procured some native bread and buffalo's milk for the eating.

"Straight slumber' will hardly describe our night experiences, with our animals occupying the larger part of our bed-room. We deposed and disposed of ourselves as best we could, on the raised portion of the room. Pillowing our heads on 'downy' saddles we sought repose, but instead of sleep, fleas active, skillful, sharp, and in number as the sands of the sea-shorecame upon us. For a long time no one spoke, but each listened to the rustling of the rest, as all turned and rubbed and brushed, in vain attempts to dislodge the invading hosts. These subdued rubbing Lounds were interrupted by one of the horses taking a taste of Miss Ely, who had made her bed in close proximity to the quadrupeds. In a mild but decided tone she remonstrated with the animal; and thus introduced a general conversation which lasted till morning, and in which a rooster, perched near by, took distinct and frequent part. As soon as daylight began to come down through a ten-inch hole in the roof, which serves the office at once of window and chimney, we made our way out into the open air, and by the side of a running brook sought to wash away the wan features which the night's accommodations had induced. To veterans such experiences are too common to be remembered, but we were new then, and naturally were impressed with the unique character of Koordish hotels. But the Lord gave more sun than shadow to our way. We had, day by day, the most delightful scenery around and above us, while beneath our feet was a continuous profusion of flowers, many rich in hue, and rare."

LAKE VAN.

"For days we traveled towards Mount Stepan, with lofty, snow-crowned summit. Nearing the mountain, we came suddenly in sight of beautifully blue Lake Vana gem of lakes, grandly set among the hills. The waters are clear as crystal;

quite strongly impregnated with salt and alkaline substances, but not entirely uninhabited, water-fowls, and a kind of fish like sardines, being found in abundance. For two days our way was along the shoredays full of charming pictures. No combination which earth, air, water, and sky can give, was lacking. Besides its beauty, the lake had for us a kind of home-like interest. Here was that spot on the map named Lake Van, with which we had been so long familiar, become a visible reality. Here was the lake to the shore of which we had sent forward our expectations of a home, and around which had gathered hopes of much fruitful work for Christ. It seemed like an old friend, and I was glad to be near it.

"Sending us to Bitlis, for a time, was one of the Lord's good directions. I don't mean to say he has any other than good. If we had been obliged to spend our first summer in a place less healthful, it is probable we should have experienced evil results; but under the influence of pure mountain air and water, and Mrs. Knapp's rare commissary demonstrations, we were enabled, at the end of three months, to report commendable progress, physically."

VAN AND ITS PEOPLE.

"With Van and its people we are agreeably disappointed. The city and gardens are much more attractive to the eye than any other we have seen in this land, having tolerably wide streets, abundance of trees, and respectable houses. The surroundings, too, are pleasant. Picturesque mountains attract the eye in the near background, while in front, the shore of the lake — curved like the Bay of Naples, the blue waters, islands, jutting points, and snow-crowned summits beyond, make a picture that would adorn any land. We only regret that, owing to the low level on which the city and gardens stand, the dampness of the soil and the abundance of water and shade, it seems probable that we cannot live immediately among the people with safety. Mr. Barnum wrote you about buildings to be located on a mountain side, an hour or more from our present situation. Since reaching here, however, we have explored more thor

"The people are, on the average, more intelligent and civilized than in most Turkish cities. Men who cannot read are the exceptions, and within the past two or three years, one or two girls' schools have been established, and are quite largely attended by the younger girls- an advance due, without doubt, to the spreading influence of missionary labors in other places and other years. All classes - Armenians, Turks, and Koords, bishops, priests, and laymen-have, thus far, treated us with almost uniform civility. Some of the priests have warned their people to keep away from us; and an attempt was made to secure an anathema against us from the 'High Priest,' but he, so far as we can learn, has read the New Testament understandingly, and thought it not best to issue the fearful curse.

"In some respects the intelligence of the people is favorable to our work, They are less easily controlled by their ecclesiastics, less inclined to be satisfied with the mummeries of the church, and better able to understand the errors of their faith. But in some respects it is unfavorable. A little learning' here operates very much as it does in America. They are puffed up, self-satisfied, proud of their wisdom, and 'know not that they are poor and blind.' A man with whom some conversation was had in reference to his giving us lessons in the language, recommending himself, said he was superior to any man in the city, in writing and religion.'

"We shall not be disappointed if opposition comes; but if Satan rises up against us, it will be a tardy move on his part, for the Lord has already brought large numbers to our Sabbath services who have heard the Word, and a good number of Bibles and parts of Bibles have been sold, so that the truth has been widely scat

"I fear he worked too hard while we were in the villages; but he saw so much to be done, and the people were so ready to hear, that he was urged on to do more than he otherwise would have attempted. Upon going into one village, he would learn of those in other villages who were anxious to hear, and were calling him to them. One afternoon I said to him, 'Now do you not think you had better rest a little, and go only to Meera?' (a near village.) 'Yes,' he said, 'I am going to Meera, but I feel as if I must go to two other villages first.'

"There was a village far away from our place of camping, up among the mountains that was where he must go. Two villages, four miles apart, had been visited in the morning, and I felt not a little anxious when three more were spoken of. After he returned, however, bringing a very interesting account of the reception of the Word, I almost chided myself for what seemed selfishness that I sought, perhaps too much, to save my husband's strength, and thus hinder the Word.

"There was that old man, the Patil (chief man) of that mountain town, who on that day heard about Jesus for the first time. He said, 'Eighty years have I lived in this village; why didn't you come before? Your words are all true, true!' And with tears streaming down his furrowed cheeks, he again said, 'I will try to

believe.' How would this man, and the two hundred in another village, have been reached, if the wearied missionary and his tired helpers had not climbed the rough, uneven paths of the mountains that day, to tell about Jesus and his salvation? Other days might have come, but they might have been too late; for one, who heard and tried to believe, might have passed away, with hundreds who are today dying among these mountains, with no one to show them the light and love of Jesus.

"Never was our life happier than in this touring; never were we more eager to work. We are, therefore, much disappointed that we must leave this particular work for a little season. In our absence [from Satara], Sukeram, the schoolteacher, has preached, as we had the two preachers with us. Everything has moved on well. All the prayer-meetings have been sustained, and I am especially pleased that the women have sustained their little meeting. V, our preacher, is so good and kind! He comes and talks to me of his interest in Mr. Winsor, with the tears in his eyes, and says, 'We are all praying for him and his speedy recovery.'”

North China Mission.

A TOUR IN THE COUNTRY - BAPTISMS.

MR. BLODGET wrote from Peking, November 13th, soon after returning from a visit to out-stations and other places in the country. He says: :

"My recent journey into the country occupied thirty-three days. Mr. Smith joined me at Tientsin, and we were absent from that city twenty-three days, traveling by carts, and stopping for the most part at Chinese inns. The distance traveled in going and returning was five hundred miles from Peking six hundred and sixty miles. Six adults were baptized and five children. Four of the adults, and the children, are connected with the Tientsin station. Three of the persons baptized live in villages where hitherto we have had no church-members. One of them is a young man, formerly a member

of my school in Peking. Another was the widow of the school-teacher. Her husband died in Peking last summer. He was a graduate and a man of some property. His wife was baptized in the presence of her three sons, young men, who also now desire baptism, and of a large number of relatives and of the village people, who were attracted by the presence of a foreigner. Besides those baptized, there are fourteen others who may be regarded as under instruction with a view to baptism. These all desire to become members of the church.

"We have now church-members in twelve or more hamlets, or villages, in different localities to the south and southwest of this city. The journey through Pacheu, Shêncheu, Ning-tsin, then turning eastward, through Têhcheu, would bring one into the vicinity of most of these places. The work is only beginning, and will require much faithful labor, and much prayer, in order to its successful prosecution.

"We have dispatched a woman, who has been taught to read by Miss Porter, to spend the winter in a country village "No. 7," near Têhcheu, with the churchmembers there, teaching them to read, and instructing them in the gospel. These members are mostly women, and greatly desire her presence. She is a country woman, and will fall in easily with their habits.

"In the course of our journey we put into circulation 5,000 or more tracts, or portions of the sacred Scriptures.

"Mohammedans are scattered everywhere throughout this region, and their mosques are found in many places.

Romanism, and Protestant Christianity. Here is the contest of the future.

"At Tientsin I noticed three gunboats, constructed after the most recent models of Western naval architecture, and of the most costly materials, armed with the most approved weapons of modern naval warfare, and manned entirely by Chinese. One day's journey south of Tientsin I fell in with an encampment of foreign drilled and foreign armed Chinese soldiers. The number could not have been less than ten or twenty thousand.

Japan Mission.

A BOARDING-SCHOOL AT KOBE.

A LETTER from Mr. Greene, dated "Kobe, Dec. 16th," mentions several matters of interest in connection with the work in Japan, the first of which is the opening of a school at Kobe. He states: "I wrote you, some little time since, of our intention to open a school, for the sake of gaining access to a larger number of the people than have hitherto belonged to the circle of our acquaintance. The school has been in operation about two weeks, in a building hired for the purpose. It is not a mission enterprise, that is, the mission as such is not in any way responsible for it; but it is a private affair of Mr. Davis and myself. It is a boardingschool, but aside from the teaching and a general supervision of the whole, we are relieved from all care by a self-constituted body of officers, who seem to be doing very well. The number of boarding and day scholars is about forty. We give an hour and a half each, every afternoon. My principal exercise is a lesson from the Old Testament, which occupies about an hour. It is from the English Bible, to be sure, but we must choose between that and the Chinese, and there is not much doubt as to which is the best of the two for the class of scholars who come to me. There are about eight or ten who read, and more than as many others who sit by and listen; and all manifest a good degree of interest in the exercise, and keep me pretty busy answering their questions. "Sundays I have a Bible-class of about

twelve at the school-house. Yesterday we read the last half of the 19th chapter of Matthew, which furnished the suggestions for a talk of an hour and a half. I could not ask for a more attentive or appreciative audience.

"I think that, very soon, I shall be able to form a class for the daily study of the New Testament, besides the regular reading in the school, and if it were not for the work of translating, I should be inclined to commence on it at once; but as it is I am in some doubt. For nearly two years, with very little intermission, we have read daily to a small class of Japanese, but I have never before had an audience like the one this school brings together, and we trust great good may result from the enterprise."

DEATH OF YEINOSKI.

The arrest and imprisonment of Yeinoski, a teacher of the missionaries at Kobe, who had become much interested in Christianity, in the summer of 1871, the efforts to secure his release, subsequent rumors of his death in prison, etc., will not have been forgotten by readers of the "Herald." Mr. Greene now writes (December 16):

"Some little time ago, a letter was received from the wife of Yeinosuki [Yei. noski], by some of her old neighbors, to the effect that she had been suffering much during her confinement, but was somewhat better off at the time of writing. She asked them to tell us of the letter, and to solicit from us money with which she might alleviate the misery of her prison life; but she neglected to give any directions as to the sending of the money, and the only clew to her whereabouts was the post-mark on the letter, which showed that it had been mailed from a city some four or five miles southeast of Kioto According to the best information we could get, the letter (which we never saw) was manifestly genuine. There was, we understood, no mention of her husband's name in it, which was not strange, for the husband and wife have not probably met since they were captured. I almost immediately wrote to the Governor of Kobe, who had previously