In the midst of my preparations 1 was forcibly reminded of the many China, especially at the present time, for whom there was no "Mappy Christmas." Three separate panies of refugees from the th came, armed with oficial ments, to implore our inaneiai Ip to save them from starvation majority of these people were allowed inside the city, but ited a few i away. The men who came carrying their evedentials as bona fide refugees, were all respectable, though travel-stained in The first batch were a flooded area in Shantungs other two, from the north of this province, had "been forced to. thie extremity by the depredations of soldiers and. brigands, Judging by their subscription sts. they are not likely to amass health during their wanderings. Altogether the three companies mast have numbered over 400 ud children, At the 1 it was very cold but Now we are having our first smw storm and already the jeround well covered, with the severest cold still ahead," 'Their only shelter from its inclemency are the temple idl ancestral halls about the coun-tay side, Tt is inexpressibly sad to' think of these homeless wandering. People and so little one can do to relieve their sufferings.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.