American Presbyterian Mission There is still in East and West a good deal of misapprehension regarding the aim, sphere and methods of woman's work. Although the days of Sarah Gamp have long gone, and the generally recognised and eagerly claimed "rights of women," are the rights of watching, weeping, working, praying, comforting and brightening, still the superior man," who may even at times quote from Thonms Otway "Oh Woman lovely woman! nature made thee To temper man: we had been brutes without you," often with genial patronising platitudes, hides the covert expectancy of finding in records of women's work the stamp of weakness and strong flavouring of garrulity. Woman's Work in the Far East is free from all such anticipated weakness. Like Woman, it is Nobly planned To warn, to comfort, to command."
The May number cannot be included in Oscar Wilde's criticism of Hall Came, who © writes at the top of his voice," for in all the contributions is heard the voice of the true woman, of whom King Lear might say again "Her voice was ever soft, Gentle and low—an excellent thing in woman."
In the various articles we learn what the true scope of woman's work in China is; how whilst the fathers, husbands, and brothers, in their superintendence of large evangelistic and educational enterprises, are trying to storm the citadel of heathenism, the women with quiet, patient labour in the homes of the people are winning the hearts of the wives and mothers, teaching and enlisting the sympathies of the children, and in many ways giving substantial help and odds und ends of good advice and wise suggestion; for the missionary lady is "expected to be a compendium of all sorts of small but important infor-motion."
All who are desirous of getting definite details of different methods of work will read with pleasure the paper by. Miss Ricketts, of Swatow, on Dorcas Society work; will welcome the insight into women's work in the hospital in Mrs. Main's contribution, From a Temple to the hospital and will peruse with thankfulness Mrs. Grave's notes on th: success of Boarding Schools, as an educational institution and as an evangelising agency. Mrs. Timothy Richard's remarks on " Uni: Freah end practical'; Mrs, Anna K. Scott's versity extension ap] to China" are
experiences of country medical work are encouraging, Lut we confess to disappointment on reading Miss Robinson's "Best methods of training Chinese Girls." Her article bristles with interrogation marks, and to the hinté given we are left to supply others from the manner in which she words her queries. mission work in shantung, presents an Mrs. Nevius, in giving some phases of
interesting retrospect of gospel-seed-sowing in that province. We are glad to read that there are now in Shantung, in connection with the Presbyterian Church, 6 mission stations, 52 foreign missionaries, 600 pupils in boarding schools, 1,004 in day-schools, 3,622 communicants, and a vast number of persons who, while not yet Church members, cannot be considered heathens. In another paper farther on Mrs. Nevius introduces the query, without attempting at present a full reply: How much of a missionary's time should be devoted to recreation and culture?" We trust that the discussion will be carried on in the spirit with which Mrs. Nevius has introduced it, and that there will be no censorious dogmatism arising from insufficient knowledge of facts. Lawn tennis can hardly be called a great consumer of time, as it is well known how the speedy recuperative effects fit a person in-enervating weather for good work and more of it.
Women's Work: contains some interesting and touching In Memoriam notices, ed. Mrs. Amnold Foster's 'Light at Eventide:" Mrs. E. T. Judd's "Garnered Grain," and Mrs. Stuart's account of the life and' death of Ah-Mun. In harmony with the sug-festive titles of the first two, the third Paper might be entitled: Sunset at noon." Julia Bonatield, Foochow, gives "Some observations on foot-binding," and further remarks on the same subject will be found in Mrs. J. L. Innocent's account of woman's work in Chu-chia, Mrs. W. T. McKee's article, " After many days" shows that the labours of the early: missionaries were not in vain, and are an encowragement to young missionaries, not to weary in well-doing.
For the benefit of those who live at home at ease," we quote from Miss Emma Tnveen's news from the Far West, wish it were possible to give our sister. workers farther East a vivid conception of what it is to live and begin work in an inland city. The change from foreign to native dress, from a light, comfortable, healthful foreign house to a darker, damper, more closely confined Chinese house, frown the freedom of intercourse with the people, to restraint and subjection to native prejudices, from the faithful native helper to absolutely no help,—all, this and much more must be imagined, Yet in all these differences there are many advantages; the native dress and house save untold annoyance (it is needless to say we make the inside of our houses as comfortable and healthful as possible), the temporary partial idding to customs, inconvenient it mi e, yet harmless in themselves, avoids the native sense of propriety and helps us sooner to win their confidence the absence of paid native helpers leads us more fully to trust in the Power Divine and gives rich opportunity of cultivating unpaid and spontaneous service in those who are coming out on the Lord's side."
Tu " Voices of a Deserted Homestead," Mis. G. 'T. Candlin, in poetic prose, gives a sadly realistic description of a homespun: tragedy. The loom is made to tell the story (spin a yarn, we were about to write, but ax
abusing the English tongue, we refrain). that would x us open to the indictment of The description of the homestead, the light touches in the skilful delineation of: character, all bear witness to delicate workmanship, whilst the true ring of pathos in telling how the light was lighted in the dreary homestead and how it was prematurely extinguished, shows the sympathetic mind of a true worker.
In Glimpses over the wide field new departinent—there are interesting jottings of medical, evangelistic, educational, Christian endeavour, and other work all over China. It may not be generally known that spontaneous, sincere, and successful evangelistic work has been carried on among the ricsha coolies in Shanghai, by a native member of the London Mission Church.
As there are more than twenty contributors to this periodical, not to speak of the interesting material provided by the editors, much more might be noticed, but space forbids. We cordially congratulate the readers and editors on having such contributers, and every one interested in woman's work in the East, in'having such an interesting and well-conducted periodical.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.