"There were 439 colporteurs employed, 41 less. than in the previous year. In some parts of the country conditions have been favourable, and increased sales are reported, but on the whole it was a hard year and the selling of books was very uphill work." In many places the scarcity of money made it more dificult to sell one than it had been to sell ten in more prosperous times. 'Then, too, the clouds of war, the ravages of robbers, and the devastation caused by retreating armies, have restricted the colporteurs' freedom."
"In Shanghai the call to participate Bible Society work is on the hearts of a large number of Chinese pastors and laymen. They called a meeting for prayer in February, 1932, and an outcome a committee was ap-Pointed to prepare for an East China Bible Society. This committee has held several meetings, drafted a constitution, and carried through a membership campaign, resulting in contributions of over $1,000 as memers? subscriptions. The first mem-
The Acting Provincial Secretary has found the aeroplane service of the Manchoukuo Air Transport. Ca. to be fast and efficient in reaching widely separated points. He has flown for the Society from Hsinking to Harbin, Mukden to Changchun, and Tsitsihar to Harbin, "An emer gency arose in September when a fetter came from Tsitsihar to say that Colporteur Kung Hsin-min was in gaol. Knowing what gaol treat ment can mean in the Orient, Mr. Goforth few at once to "Changchun and visited the Departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs. Arrestmn, Colporit, when the Manchoukuo searched his house and Baggage, they found an old Chinese flag. "Mr. Kung's release was not in any way due to Mr. Goforth's efforts, but the Chinese Christian community at Taitsihar showed deep appreciation of his visit at that time.
Miss Rose Huston, of the American Reformed Presbyterian Mission Teitsihar, spent" several weeks in Mukden to assist in keeping the records of the Society. Her timely help was needed to free the Acting Provincial Secretary for the work of meeting the unprecedented demand throughout Manchuria, especially for Bibles and Testaments. Delays, mishaps, and misunderstandings were not allowed to stop the flowing Word: although, in one case, a Russian correspondent wrote to complain "Why. linger the order for the books'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.