It is probably as true in China as in the West that authors who write books to meet the popular taste at the moment make money more easily than those who set out to cul.ivate a desire for more permanent literary food. The literary works of China are famous, but the modern tendency is to cas: these aside for novels of absorbing interest and, too often, of a harmful nature. The Christian Licerature Society has done much to foster wholesome and instructive reading, and now Dr. Timothy Richard, detiring greatly to help meet the great need for more Chinese authors to-write books that will commend Christianity io their fellow-countrymen, has offered two prizes, one of $300 and of $200, for the best essays: with this purpose and aim. Writers may choose their own way of presenting the theme, but the general topic must be as stated. Essays should not be less than 60,000 and not more than 80,000 characters. The prize essays will become the property of, and be published by the Chris ian Literature Society. Manuscripts should be sent to the office of the Society, No. 143 North Szechuen Road, no: later than the end of December. The Heads of the theological departments of the following institutions will be invited to adjudicate, viz., St. John' University, Shanghai, Nanking Uni. versity, Sham ung Protestant University, West China University, Canton Christian College, and the North China Educa ional Union.
March 19.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.