have been Treat, and "The Ministration of the Spirit," by Secretary Clark, printed in the form of tracts, 12 pages each, and will be sold at the Missionary House at cost, $1.00 per hundred, or sent by mail, postage paid, for $1.25 per hundred. Would not many who have not had opportunity to read these papers be profited by the perusal; and would it not be a good work to distribute them extensively through churches and congregations? They excited great interest when read in the meeting. MISSIONS OF THE BOARD. Micronesia Mission. A LETTER from Mr. Sturges, of Ponape, dated May 3, 1872, and sent by a whale ship, appeared in the "Herald" for January. That letter confirmed the statements of earlier communications, that Mr. and Mrs. Doane must leave the island as as possible, by the Morning Star, on account of Mrs. Doane's health. It was therefore supposed, when the January "Herald" went to press, that they had left, and that Mr. Sturges was alone. But letters since received, brought to Honolulu by the Morning Star, show that, in view of the necessities of the missionary work in Micronesia, and in the exercise of a most devoted and self-sacrificing spirit, on the part of both, Mr. Doane remains, while Mrs. Doane seeks, alone, a climate for her more healthful. Extracts of much interest will be given here from letters of various dates from both the missionaries on Ponape, which will bring to view the motives that have influenced this brother and sister, plans formed with reference to a native pastorate over the churches, plans for missionary effort upon islands west of Ponape, which could not be carried out at once because the Morning Star could not go west, and the present condition and prospects of the work on Ponape. DEATH OF A PATRIARCH. of our work his life was not unfrequently in danger, because he had abandoned Ponapean gods and turned to the one true God and Jesus the blessed Redeemer. Often has he been jeered at, and fired at, and that by the king and his attendants, and other high chiefs. But through all he has stood firmly; and from the first his course has been onward and upward. We praise the Lord for such a work of grace among this people. He took this poor benighted soul, in all its gloom of heathenism, in all its filth of sin and degradation, a poor crippled man, whom a child's strength might overthrow,— washed him, clothed him, strengthened him, lifted him up out of the mire of Ponapean depravity, and has made him fit for the company of angels, the peer of many a ransomed soul-far the superior of many who are yet below, and feeling that civilization is good enough for them. This case of Simeon cheers us, showing that the Lord is with us. And we feel our own hearts drawn blessed land because our Ponapean Christian brother is there." SLAVERS. nearer to the "April 8. Sad news reaches us, from sister islands east, of the piracy of natives by some vessels from Fiji and other southern islands. The brig Carl, Capt. Armstrong, has obtained a notoriously bad character. On the 21st of March, 1872, Mr. Doane She approaches an island, and by various wrote: means entices natives aboard, and when they have mingled among the sailors the command is given -‘Grab,' and soon the poor natives are shoved below and locked fast. Some on deck of course flee, jumping overboard, and taking to their canoes try to escape. But on these guns are ranged and fired, and then boats are lowered and chase made. Some are thus taken, but some jump into the sea and try to swim out of danger. These are fired on, some killed and some wounded, and then left to perish. Men and women are taken. At Maiana, the Carl took twenty-. five persons, six women and nineteen men, and shot twelve in the water, who jumped from their canoes. Passing from this island she came across a canoe, and took six natives and shot two. At Mille, one of the Marshall Islands, some canoes reached her, which were sent back for cocoa-nuts and more natives, under false promises. On reaching the vessel again, all were enticed aboard, seized, and fastened below, two only escaping. Reaching Strong's Island, she entered the harbor and got wood and water; but finding the people talked English so well, she took no one, lest they should inform. The vessel reached Ponape and entered Ponatic harbor. The captain at first pretended to be hiring natives, but in a drunken spree he let the whole matter out as to how he proceeded, and gloried over it. "He left Ponape for the west, as we hear, bound to get a full cargo to take to the Fiji Islands, selling them there to planters. "The vessel fits out with papers to hire natives. But this is all a ruse. She means to steal what she gets, and sell them, and all is clear gain. O, the horrible, devilish business! How satanic, that in this age of light such deeds should be done done when almost all nations are abolishing slavery, and the slave-trade is contraband! O that there were armed vessels all about these islands, to protect the inhabitants! O that the United States and England would unite to crush this trade! How I tremble for the islands west of us, where the natives see but little of ships! Those islands may be all depopulated by this piracy ere we can reach them with the gospel." A PROMISING MOVEMENT-RELIGIOUS INTER EST. "April 22. Yesterday, the Sabbath, was a day of more than usual importance with us. A chief of high rank and large influence, though heretofore exerted on the wrong side, permitted his wives- a part of them rather, he has nine to attend church. The man had long been ill, and recovering a little, he moved up close to the mission premises, built a small house, and with these five favorites took possession, and yesterday startled us all the natives especially by sending his wives to meeting. He is too ill to come himself. This move has much importance. It is not simply that this polygamous chief has suffered these women to attend meeting, but it is the breaking up of an evil system It is which has much retarded our work. a very strict taboo with some chiefs, and on some parts of the island, in certain tribes, that the wives of those chiefs must not, on pain of death almost, be seen by members of certain clans. These women can neither go out among the people to be thus exposed, nor can individuals of the clans approach the house where the women are. It is a high offense to do so. Consequently when it began to be noised abroad yesterday- as indeed it had been for some days before- that the women would go to church, half the neighborhood were horrified. Some chiefs were commissioned to tell the people not to run away from the meeting; it was the chief's wish that they should remain, as he desired to break away from the foolish traditions and taboos of the past. This quieted the people in a measure, though a Christian chief so dreaded the movement that he tried to persuade his brother chief to the contrary; but to no purpose. The women came with a long train of followers, and, poor things, as they entered the house, trembled terribly. One became so weak through fear, — turning as white as a native could, that she had to be helped to her seat. And quite a number of men yielded to their fears, slipping out of the door and running as if for life, while some shoved aside the loose boards of the floor and slipped down through, and so stole away. We rejoice over this victory of faith and prayer. And we hear now that the king will come next Sabbath, and bring his wives. If this shall be so, or if this evi is thus melting and breaking up, we shall greatly rejoice. It will let free many a captive, to attend meetings; and we trust it will be the beginning of the end of polygamy." "June 18. The chief of those women called to-day to get married. He is willing now to take this further step. But what, he asks, shall be done with the unmarried ones? I replied that he should let other native men marry them. But that, he said, was a criminal offense. He could not go so far as that just yet. Will he ever do so, or in any way put them away, so that they will not be a snare to him? This will be a trial to him, and he feels it. He left to-day, after much talking about the matter, saying he must think of it more. May he be led to see and follow the truth. "Just now the Spirit of the Lord is with us. This morning I married two couples, preparatory to their uniting with us some time. Another couple came in this evening; and two couples came forward to prepare for church-membership who had long been married. We have with us also, just married, a high chief who has broken away from four wives, having married the fifth. So the Lord is again reviving his work. O the joy of this work-and of this honor, as we trust, to the Master." CHURCH BUILDING-A NATIVE PASTORATE. On the 30th of August, when fully expecting to leave the island, Mr. Doane wrote: of the work and met the expenses cheerfully. The church at Anak, I hear, are also moving to put up a good framed building. I mention these facts to show that there is progress. "And here is another fact still more cheering. This church at Renan, seeing they were about to lose their foreign teacher, sent a call to a native brother - though the calling may seem strange, since he had not yet been, in any sense, set apart to the office of the ministry to take my place; the church agreeing to support him and build him a house. We have much confidence in the brother; he would serve the church well, should he stay with them. "And this is the beginning of a more regular work. Each church must support its own minister. No stated salary will be mentioned as yet, but the man must not be expected to work as other natives do, feasting his chief or helping therein, fishing, and farming a station. He will be expected to be free from all these labors, but will teach all he can through the week and on the Sabbath. Could we establish this system with all our churches, it would be one important step towards making them self-supporting and working churches. This church at Renan is a large one, and needs a strong man; and we think we have such a one in our deacon Taitoj (Titus). This willingness of the church quite delights me, for, as I leave, I shall feel that the Lord has cared for his sheep here. I can go feeling that they have a shepherd; at least one that will serve them quite well. "Were I to leave the church with no one over it, to be cared for only by its deacons or elders, I should fear that the light we have kindled here might soon grow dim and fail. But as it is, I am quite relieved of all such sad feelings; and I almost rejoice the rather, that we are going, that this experiment may be tried." "You will, I know, rejoice with me over the progress of the good work on Ponape; and I refer especially now to my own field. We have nearly completed our church, 40 by 60 feet, which we began some two years ago. It is a large, well made, strong building, and if cared for will last the church at Renan for years. It has a large upper room for meetings on the Sabbath, and a basement for prayer-meetings and schools. The church has met nearly all the expense of the building-natives doing what work they could, and the monthly contributions being appropriated for the rest. The building as it stands, at a rough estimate, will cost the people $500, and on the whole I may say they have taken hold with the calling deacon Taitoj (Titus) by "September 20. The arrangement with our church, as I have stated above, was in the expectation that I should either go west, or east with my wife. I do neither, but remain. This of course will interfere the church, and the members are very glad of it. Though they sorrow with me, in let ting my wife go off alone, which they say they could not do, yet in my stay they greatly rejoice. But I do not take up my new position till they first agree to give me all the native food they can during the year, and to give me Titus for an assistant, if I want him— building him a house and supplying him with food. "On the ninth of this month we had a day of prayer. It did the church good. Some evils are breaking out among us which the blessed Spirit only can arrest. On the 15th we admitted twelve to churchmembership; but we are pained to say we had to excommunicate one and put three others under discipline." NEW PLANS DEVOTED SELF-SACRIFICE. In another letter, the first date of which is September 3d, Mr. Doane tells the story of consultations and plannings to avoid the painful necessity of leaving the loved work in Micronesia and coming home, and of the conclusion reached that he shall stay, while his wife, in her feebleness, comes away alone! It is a tale which ought to move the hearts of many-of some who should go abroad, and of others who feel little readiness to make sacrifices for the work to which they may not, themselves, be called. The letter must be somewhat abridged, but our brother will be permitted to speak for himself: "Never has the coming of the Morning Star been so sadly looked for by me as now. Myself and wife have looked forward to it as to the closing up our missionary work in Micronesia, and on Ponape in particular. I need not say that this, to both of us, was a trying providence. She longed to remain and work for the Master here, but this was impossible. And painful as it was for her to relinquish her own work, after so few years in it, and having done so little, it was still more so to feel that she was taking me away too. She felt deeply the breaking up of all my plans, and taking me from work for which some twenty years had fitted me as I had in a measure the language of Ponape, and much experience in working the natives. Then, too, it would leave Mr. Sturges alone, for a while at least, and increase his labors. Neither of us could get any light. Our work among these islands seemed to be drawing to an end, and we felt sad over it. Our sun was setting at noonday. "But now, as we believe in answer to prayer, the Master seems to be opening the future a little, and we hope that all we have gained by experience, in the knowledge of the language especially, may not be lost. We think we have a plan, if we can carry it out, that may make us good yet for Micronesia, for some twenty years to come. "We have thought that if, on the coming of the Morning Star, she goes west, as we confidently expect she will, I can take some Ponape Christians, and strike out with them for a new mission, Mrs. Doane in the mean time returning to Honolulufeeble as she is. I could spend the year with those natives, getting hold of the language as much as possible, then return to my family at Honolulu and have a small book or books prepared, in the mean time letting the Ponapeans work on as they could. Then, on the return trip of the Star go back to my new field, spend there say two or three years more, bending all my energies to acquire the language, and starting the natives in the work of school teaching; then again visit my family, and get more books printed and more material for the natives to work with. Thus working off and on for a few years, I could so master the language as to translate portions of the Bible, and could thus lay out work for myself for years to come. During the first few years wife and I would be much separated, - a great trial to us both, - but she could be with Christian friends, have a proper home, and be in a proper climate for her; and this sacrifice we will cheerfully make, if I can yet work myself in Micronesia. For these islands we live and die. We do not wish, if we can help it, to work anywhere else; and to keep our hold here we will make almost any sacrifice. O, to leave one's missionary work, especially among these islands, to which so few Christian teachers from home are willing to come is there any trial like it? Going home, to all the beauty and love there, seems like going down rather than up; away from joy rather than to it; into darkness and trial rather than light! So this plan gives us both great joy. 'Tis our dream at night and our song by day." "September 18. The Morning Star reached us a few days since; and she comes under circumstances which make a visit west impossible this year. She will, however, go west next year; and we shall hope the forces we had ready to go will hold over till then, fitting themselves the more for their work. And I hope we shall have additional force ready. "This course prevents my going west now. Shall I go east and home, with dear wife, so much needing a husband's care? No! She cheerfully, heroically says, 'Hold on for two or three years. It is too bad to take you away now, with so much to do, the field so white for the harvest, and Mr. Sturges alone. Work on, husband. I can, with the help of friends, reach Honolulu, and then ere long be in a cool climate, and soon be strong again.' And so I shall let the dear one fly away from me. You see how she feels and I too as to her regaining health in a colder climate. We both think she mainly needs the bracing air of the cold north. My stay will prevent, perhaps, that 'collapse' you feared in our mission, just now. But do not let this prevent the help from coming. Here, and west, there is enough to do. "It is only for Christ's sake that Mrs. Doane does this. She longs to live on here; her heart is in the work; she wedded it for life when she first took it up, hoping that life would be a long one; she would most gladly remain and work on; but it is impossible, the climate will not allow it, and so she returns; but she cannot think of taking her husband from his work. Under what new and deeper impressions of the blessedness of the work shall I now toil on — her heart sacrificing so much for the Master!" LETTER FROM MR. STURGES. Mr. Sturges sends a letter written at different times, from March 6th to September 25th. A few extracts only can be given. In March he had been very busy at Kiti, his former station on Ponape, doing the "foreign work" on a "parsonage" that the church there had built, in place of the old house, which was "nearly ready to tumble down." He was much pleased with the readiness of the people to assist in this work, and says: "The house was built by the church, and when done, I put it and the land into their keeping, and they have agreed to take care of them for God." On the first Sabbath in March four persons were admitted to the church at Kiti. In May he mentions another visit to Kiti, where he found everything prosperous. During his absence a foreigner, who left a slave-ship some time before, broke into his house and took many of his most valuable things; but the neighbors hearing the noise, gathered and captured him, after some fighting. In July Mr. Sturges again visited Kiti and other places, and baptized eight persons at Japalap. NATIVES READY FOR MISSION WORK. "August 19. We are very happy to report ourselves so nearly ready for the Morning Star, which we are daily looking for. Teachers are in readiness to go west, and our churches will support them there. Opataia and Opatinia, good king Ejekaias's daughter and son, with an adopted daughter, Loij (Lois), and her husband, Barnabas, are very busy with their outfit; and their friends are showing a deep interest in this work. It is a costly sacrifice this church makes in sending away these choice ones. It was long before I could make up my mind to part with such efficient and needed helpers as the first couple; but they responded to my repeated call for volunteers, the parents consented, and I could not say no. These all are from the 'theological class' I have had in training during most of the year. Opataia and Opatinia are the best educated of our Christians, and both have long been invaluable to me as helpers. It is hardly possible for a pastor at home to feel so much the loss of his lay help. "We hear good reports of our teachers |