Last Tuesday, the 15th instant, a very interesting event occurred at Peifungpo, just outside Chungking, where the members of the Friends' Foreign Missionary Association have secured a hill estate, and have also erected a pretty and commodious house with accessories suitable for a school for foreign children. The building haa been in course of erection for saveral_ months, and in its completed state reflects the greatest credit upon those who planned it. It ie a square-built house, with capacious verandahs up and down stairs, and excollent rooms within. The situation is also very good, commanding, as it does, extonsive and beautiful views of the country and river on almost every side. Nearly "all Chungking " turned out to the opening ceremony, which took place in perfect weather. It was quite a gala day," and those present very thoroughly enjoyed every item of the programme that had been arranged for the occasion. At LI a.m, visitors were received at the main door of the school building by members of the F.F.M.A., after which H.B.M,'s consul, Mr. J. N. 'T'ratman, performed the initial ceremony of opening the dour. Inner doors were afterwards opened by other visitors, and when the louse had been inspected by everybody, an adjournment was mado to the schoolroom, where a short meeting in honour of the event was held. In the absence of the Rev. Spencer Lewis, who had been detained in the city, the Rev.
A. Myers of the M. E. M. was called to the chair. An opening. hymn was sung, and the Rev. A.. Claston of the LIN 8. onyaged in prayer. At the request of the shaitwan, Rie, BR. J, Davidaon, the senior member of the Friends' Mission, then addressed the gathering to the following Lavies axp Genruemes,—I have great plensuro, on behalf of the members of the Friends' Mission, in offering to all our friends who have so kindly favoured ug with their presence to-day, a very hearty welcome, with our sincere thanks for the interest they have shown in our efforts to provide a suitable educational ostablishment for the rising generation of foreigners scattered in the Western Provinces of China. And in thus welcoming you, T may perhaps be allowed to say that in the first instance the thought of having a school here arose in the mind of my wife, and became, as we Quakers say, a "concern which she must endeavour to carry out, and it is due to hor efforts that we have this present building. Some years since she took counsel with missionary friends in Western China and south their opinion us to the need for such an establishnent as this; she also consulted the physicians in this city as to the healthiness of the present locality, and H.B.M. Consul as to the possibility of obtaining site on these hills. The consensus of opinion was decidedly in favour of proceeding with the project. Then on our return to England these opinions thus gathered were laid before our Mission Board, who with much sympathy sanctioned
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.