the Kingdom to be established; His the power by which it is to be done; His the glory of its accomplishment. True we are called to be workers together with him; but only as He works in us, and through us, do we accomplish anything. "Apart from me, ye can do nothing." "He that abideth in me, and I in Him, the same beareth much fruit." "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit."

REPORT OF SECRETARY.

Our American nation recently had occasion to test its power to resist a threatened disease. From the moment it was known it had been brought to the entrance-way of one of our ports, we were, each and all, on the alert for information as to the extent of the danger, and how to meet it. No half and half business would satisfy us. We must know the nature of the disease, its cause, its prevention, its cure. Our personal interests were at stake. We rejoiced in all federal and municipal measures to guard against this enemy. We found that these measures would be robbed of half their effectiveness if there could not be individual co-operation; having purified our own premises we must see to it that our neighbor did not undo what our own intelligence and vigilance had wrought for ourselves.

The work of a missionary society is a masterly coping with disease, and the year just closed is no exception in the field of the American Missionary Association. Here are to be met and overcome the paganism of our Indian Americans, and of our imported Chinese, the woeful illiteracy of a vast population of Anglo-Americans, and most difficult of all the slavery evils set centuries deep in the nature of our Afro-Americans. If any one thinks the danger not imminent, let him cast in his lot with those who are in the hand to hand fight for the moral and spiritual life of these people, and then give his own testimony. A true picture of this field must admit the odious fact— dread disease. It is among our very near neighbors whose condition must affect our homes. Yet we have the remedy. The Great Physician Himself has placed it within our power, as His followers, to proclaim good tidings to these poor, release to these captives, sight to these blind, healing to these bruised.

We, as women, have been doing something to help; whether little or much is known only to the Master, who sees and knows whether the money cast into His treasury is from our surplus or from our want. We have thirtyseven Women's State Missionary organizations, with 2,304 auxiliaries, of which 228 have been added within the year. Through these organizations, and from other woman's and young people's societies not yet connected with the State Unions, we gratefully acknowledge cash contributions for the work of the American Missionary Association within the year ending Sept. 30th, to the amount of $22,184.24. (This does not include Christian Endeavor

Societies, which separate and distinct organization has contributed $2,184.24 additional.)

Not all these thirty-seven State Unions have as yet a monetary interest in this field, but we most heartily testify to their assurance of sympathy and their hope soon to manifest it in a more substantial form than words. The number of State Unions represented by contributions through their State Treasurers is twenty-eight; twelve of these have taken pledged work, making themselves responsible to raise a fixed amount for the support of missionaries as their special representatives. In this way, and by our system of " shares," thirty-five missionaries have been sustained.

As illustrating the beneficent influence of the life and teachings of Christian women sent from the North as missionary teachers, we call attention to the signs we are able to note of the quickening of missionary desire in those who have been under instruction in our schools and churches. Surely the poor, the bound, the blind, the bruised are beginning to receive and acknowledge the health-giving power of divine love. In looking at the evidence of this, we should bear in mind their poverty in material things, their limited opportunity for knowledge of others' needs, and the great odds against them in their endeavor to rise above the conditions surrounding them. From the many encouraging records of this year, we make the following selections:

Converted Chinese in our A. M. A. missions are taking the entire responsibility and expense of returning their Christian brethren to China as misionaries of the gospel of Christ.

Christian Indians are supporting native missionaries in out-stations, but they are also lengthening their cords to reach help to other races in like need. At Santee Agency, the Woman's Society gave $54 to home and foreign missions, and the young women and girls contributed $19 additional At Oahe, the Indians Women's Missionary Society raised and sent out $105 for missions. The Indian Church at Fort Berthold contributed $65, remembering every one of the seven National Societies besides their out-station work. The school boys and girls were given allowances which they were permitted to earn by doing some regular work, and their contributions were thus freewill offerings of their earnings.

Our Mountain White schools, established comparatively recently, are yet beginning to feel the power of missionary influence. The little Christian Endeavor Society in Blowing Rock, N. C., raised $5 for Indian work. Only those who have been in the homes of these people can understand from what deep poverty this was given. At Grand View, Tenn., money contributions were made, but the most encouraging contribution was of personal work of which there were many instances. One girl living eight miles from the school went home last summer, visited different families, and asked that the children be allowed to come to her on Sunday. In this way she started a Sundayschool which has grown to over fifty members. Almost without exception students become missionaries in their own families; one at the close of school

went home and had all the family say a Scripture verse at the table at night, and then repeat the Lord's prayer.

Our colored people also are tasting the blessings of giving. In North Carolina, at Wilmington, the Woman's Missionary Society and children contributed $14 for mission purposes. One woman gave up milk that she might save money for missions; another saved paper sacks and sold them back to the grocer, and another pledged herself to give half what she could earn by doing little jobs. At Melville, the Junior Missionary Society after hearing an article read to them from the American Missionary about the Alaskan Indians became eager to help. They set about picking wild strawberries, and in this way earned $1.53. One little girl who could not pick berries said, “I can do without something; I will do without milk for my supper." As bread and milk was all she had for supper, it was a real sacrifice. She added fifty cents more to the fund. The Woman's Missionary Society at Oaks gave $12 to three of the National Societies, this from country colored people beside whose poverty our Northern poor would seem rich. Two little boys given each an orange, a great treat to them, sold them to get money for their missionary box.

The spirit of self denial is often manifested in such ways as the following: At Chapel Hill, a father, mother and four children were struggling along on $10.00 a month earned by the father, and what could be raised on five acres of land by the mother and children. They managed to send their oldest girl to our A. M. A. school and pay her board, as they lived twelve miles away. This summer a neighboring father and mother died leaving five orphan children, and these kind people felt it to be their duty to take all those children. home. They are young and can in no way help toward their own support. In the struggle to care for five additional children we note that their own oldest daughter is missing from among our pupils.

In Alabama, the Woman's Missionary Union, of Athens, contributed. $8.25, of which $5.00 went to help furnish a room in the theological building at Fisk University. Those who were a little better off than others furnished sweet milk and buttermilk to the needy, gave clothes and personal care to the poor sick people, and many an over-burdened mother added another washing to her list that she might pay the school tuition of some child not her own, or that she might divide her scanty food with the motherless little one. One woman in this missionary society became much interested in Life and Light, and would borrow the teacher's number and when she returned it, repeat story after story of mission work in Japan, China or Africa. She then came with sixty cents for subscription, saying she must have the book if she didn't have anything to eat. Next she got a mite box, and being asked how she could get anything to put in it said that once a month she had been in the habit of spending a few cents for candy, of which she was exceedingly fond. It must have been a few cents, indeed, from her scanty earnings, but she decided it wasn't right right to spend "even a bit" for candy when the

heathen were dying without Christ. So the little mite box is slowly filling. In Marion, the Woman's Missionary Society raised $17.00. They met every week and sewed for three hours, yet all were hard-working women, in some cases the bread-winners for the family, and to give so much time was a great sacrifice.

In Georgia, the King's Daughters at the Industrial School at Thomasville raised $17.00 toward the support of their missionary minister, purchased lamps and a Bible for the church, and sent $5.00 to Mrs. Logan, in Micronesia. In Marshallville, the school children out of their poverty contributed $6.00 for the aid of other poor children. They all made some sacrifice or other to do this. They were especially interested in one little orphan boy, John. The first of every month some girl or boy would come to the teacher saying, "Have you enough money to get John a ticket? If you have not, I will help this month." So, through the kindness of the pupils, John was kept in school the whole term.

The Woman's Auxiliary of the University Church at New Orleans, La., contributed to missions during the last year $43.79, and students gave about $20.00 to missions additional, when collections were made in the church.

At Tougaloo, Miss., the benevolent contributions of the Sabbath-school of the University, during the past year, were over $100. Part of this amount was sent to the Indians, part to Africa and part for the planting of Sabbathschools in the Northwest. Some of the young women who graduated from the Normal School at Tougaloo, had had quite thorough training for the nursing. of the sick, in the trained nurse department. From a Northern city a proposition came that they attend a nurse training school in that city for a year, and then good places at large pay were guaranteed them. It was a fine opening, but after carefully considering it they said, "No; we have had much done for us at Tougaloo, our people are needy and we will work as teachers and missionaries among them, giving them some of the benefits that we have received;" and that work they are doing to-day. The spirit of missionary service thus indicated is by no means uncommon among the best of the students in this school.

We have in the Le Moyne School at Memphis, Tennessee, a Y. P. S. C. E., a temperance organization and two circles of King's Daughters. During the past year these organizations and the school itself raised and expended for the poor and unfortunate about them $92.00. Of this the King's Daughters gave $25.00, and the members of all these organizations did much personal benevolent work, taking turns in going evenings to get meals for the sick, tidy up their rooms and sing and read to them.

In Washington, D. C., Mrs. Moore, the pastor's wife, who received her training in Fisk University, has been indefatigable in organizing and directing various branches of benevolent and missionary work. They have contributed about $60.00 for home missions and $75.00 for Africa. Through their temperance society they have circulated hundreds of pages of temper-

ance and Christian literature. Their benevolent society collected and distributed over five hundred articles of good clothing to the poor, to aid in keeping children in school, besides sewing for needy families. A committee of their church assisted in the Alley Missions; their Christian Endeavor Society organized similar societies in the city and neighboring towns; and their Sunday-school teachers have been working in neighboring churches and missions. The second church in Washington, although under the cloud of a church debt, which they are endeavoring to work off, has, with the help of their Woman's Missionary Society and Christian Endeavor Society, contributed $118.00, of which $63.00 was for the Seven Congregational Causes.

In an appeal made by one of our colored teachers in Virginia, he says to his own people: "Less should be said about hard times and more said in praising the Lord for what He has done for us, and planning how we can do more for Him."

Thus the growing spirit of giving, of thoughtful kindness for the unfortunate and of personal sacrifice reveal the power of the remedy when applied; education to open the prison doors of the mind, Christianity to revivify the soul.

Yet it is only where there has been long uninterrupted work that we are able to report such good results. There are many places, especially in the South, where the A. M. A. is doing what it can, but with too limited means to provide what is necessary. At such places there are women accustomed only to the cotton field, not knowing whether Africa, Japan and India are counties of the adjoining States or wards in some city; not knowing how to read or write or sew, with only the crudest, most superstitious ideas of Christianity. Introduce a plan of Woman's Work among such as these and the result, as reported by those who have tried, is that the officers of the society quarrel violently at the meetings, the treasurer refuses to pay out the money, the president refuses to preside, the secretary cannot write. Alas for these! O how we need larger giving that there may be more liberal dispensing of good to this vast field. Besides the need of re-enforcement of funds and missionaries for better work where we have already started, there are vast sections of darkness which we have not so much as approached with gospel light, nor can we approach them with the present rate of contributions.

Ought not we women to arouse ourselves and bring that $22,000 up to $50,000 within this year? If these poor Chinese, Indians and Negroes, brought to a knowledge of the love of God, are moved to such offerings of gratitude out of their deep poverty, surely we cannot allow ourselves to be satisfied with less response. Shall our offering this year be only from our surplus, or shall our Lord see that we have given of that which cost us selfdenial? A sacrifice offering from every member of every Woman's Missionary Society in every church, and twelve months hence we can bring the joyful record, $50,000, for the work of the American Missionary Association.