We have had an avalanche of functions of one kind and another, a fall description of which would practically be impossible for the time and strength of one person to compass and attend to other pressing duties. As someone remarked, it appeared if some person had lain awake at nights devising ways by which to fill in all the spare time and prevent the object for which most perseas come hers, viz: rest, from being accomplished. Both the Ameri can Board and the Presbyterian Missions held their Annusl Me here. within the last (we weeks. With the'first Society. Wi it was the first experiment, the thought The doing that coming here for rest, and with no occasion for rashing things, only a part of the day would be given to business which would go on quietly and without weariness. The result has not. been satisfactory, because of the many other things interjected nearly every day; most of which were of such a nature that. it would have been extremely discourteous to pass them by without any recognition; and attendance upon even the greater part of them meant overwearrness, The special object for which this place was opened was that those who have given ten or eleven months to hard, wearying labour should have a period of rest in which to recuperate wasted energies and: prepare for the following months of labour. It is a distinct loss-when this-is prevented in.any way.
The Prozress of: the Work.
The reports from the. different stations of these missions for the past year indicate. a very decided growth, and great encouragement in every department of labour. Cpportunities far beyond their ability to compass are opening on every hand.. Not thie least encouraging feature of the work is the way in which homes-are being open-ie ed. and. the women being reached by the women workers, and the growing desire among all classes for. the education of their children. There is a willingness to listen to the truth never met; with formerly in this northern country, "All are éecking information, knowledge, and education, and look upon the missionary, the Church, and the native Christian in a different light from that ofa few years ago. The
and preaching halls in many. villages, and Jabourers are being asked to open schools frequently with offers of pecuniary assistance of some sort—requests with which It is impossible for them to comply. There are not workers enough, either foreign or native, nor funds enotigh'to accomplish all ought to lone with work now in hand, not to speak of reaching out into these new opportunities. Perhaps it was never more true—certainly not in China—than now, that "the fields are white unto the harvest, but the labourers are few." Could the men and the means be forthcoming to moot the demand, the results of- Christian effort in this the largest, field in the world would mount up by leaps and bounds.
The North China Tract Society held its annual meeting on the 8th, when an interesting address was delivered by the Rev. G. T.. Candlin, in, which the old. and the new condit contrasted, and some of requirements and op The Society: is only fairly on-its for since the upheaval of the Boxer year, but its report and. catalogue show decided it sear. It plans for peals to its patrons and all recipients of benefit and those interested in its work for assistance to im: rove its opportunities and occupy its large leid of Nort A Series of Addresses was also arranged to be delivered during the time these societies were in session, We can do little more than note the speakers and their themes. 'The first address was ly Bixhop Bashford: on "The Outlook in the Orient." It hus already been larvely reported in your columns, ani we need only' say that it was appreciated by- those who heard it, The 3 address was by Dr. Y.J. Allen of Shan; hai,-in which he contrasted the five relations of Confucianism, with what he called the three relations of Christianity. These are, the relation of man to God, of man to man, and of man to nature, or to created things. The first gives us the idea of fatherhood; the second that of brother-.,.. hood; and the third, that of lordship.
Chinese have: no- knowledge of God, hence fall far short of apprehend-1g these comprehensive ideas. Complete in themselves, they become a. strong
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.