going fishing, do rest on the Sabbath day and come to Sunday-school. Thus they are taught to read the word of God and receive instruction of Bible. I always try to persuade the children to attend Sunday-school regularly. It is very interesting to see them sit with eager hearts to receive instruction.

Again at three o'clock there is a meeting of young men who are not Christians, presided over by three Christian young men. We hope to take hold of all these young men, that they will be influenced by the power of God's holy word.

The Wednesday meeting is regularly kept up, attended by all the members and sinners, always crowded, conducted by myself. On Thursday I have an interesting meeting at Waterfall to encourage the Christians there, and that by any means I might draw some to the feet of Christ our Saviour. On Friday, in the house of Elder Etikiteke, among Bakupu people, I conduct an encouraging meeting. Saturday evening the meeting of inquiring class. The whole number of inquirers is ninety-seven. In this meeting they are carefully instructed in our Westminster Shorter Catechism, that they may grow in knowledge and in grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and be strong soldiers of the cross.

Some of our eminent members do itinerate unto very far distance, preaching from house to house, from town to town, through their own zeal and love for their Redeemer. So the church of Batanga may be called the Christian Missionary Society.

Every Sunday the two elders, after their own arrangement, one visits Christians at Waterfall to spend Sabbath with them, holding meetings with them. The other visits another place three miles from here, southward, preaching to them the word of life. During the week they itinerate in every direction, encouraging the Christians and talking to the people the word of God.

Our communion was a time of solemn and holy interest, people coming from far distance who are not Christians, who come as spectators to attend this interesting meeting. The number of people who attended on communion Sabbath was 1692. The house was not able to contain this big multitude of people, so the audience was kept in open air. At three o'clock we had our communion in the house. Only Christians and inquirers were allowed to come in, because there was no room for other people. The spectators seated outside around the house. Seven o'clock in evening we had a missionary meeting.

He reports thirteen infants baptized during the year; sixteen pairs united in marriage; three ruling elders chosen; number of catechumens ninety-seven, of whom eleven were baptized at the last communion. after careful examination as to their knowl

edge, and a probation of a year or more, during which "their outward actions exhibit the principles of the religion which they wish to profess."

Of this interesting institution at Sidon, Syria, Rev. W. K. Eddy, of that mission, writes:

The past year has been in many respects the best academical year we have had. No serious cases of discipline, nothing to jar the steady work, and then a spirit of diligent search after truth on the part of the pupils of mature growth.

As I sat during the closing exercises of the academy, with the Jewish rabbi by my

side, and saw near me the white turbans of Druzes, Moslems and Metawali and Christians of all denominations, I thanked God for the opportunity of influencing the children of those whom we cannot at present bring within the church, and of being connected with an instrumentality which will, I hope, help to blend these opposite and antagonistic beliefs into a love of Christ.

The closing exercises were held in our house, and about three hundred in all were

present. We divided them into two partsan afternoon session of examination interspersed with singing and Bible recitations, and an evening session, with only singing, addresses, speeches and dialogues. We had three languages represented-Arabic, English and French.

It is pleasant to be able to state that Dr. Jessup's mention of the Sidon Academy in our July number, p. 96, as needing $300 to finish its building, was promptly responded to by a lady in western New York, who sent a draft on London for that amount.

DEAR DR. NELSON:-I am not very strong, but on my back I have been reading the item on page 229 of September number of THE CHURCH AT HOME AND ABROAD, entitled "Non-contributing Sunday-schools." The thoughts strike home. I soliloquized as follows: You are an elder in the Presbyterian church here. You are the corresponding secretary of this county Sundayschool association, and consequently have a heavy oar to handle in its work. Can you or can you not, at our next annual convention, secure a contribution from every Sunday

The convener of the Presbyterian mission to the Jews has recently made a very interesting report with regard to the work in Damascus, from which it appears that never before were the labors of the missionaries in that place so successful. The Sabbath-school is attended by 350 children, and the dayschools by 730; 405 natives attended the Sunday services, 131 of them being communicants. Another missionary being required, the eldest son of Dr. Crawford, himself a missionary, has offered himself and been accepted, and as he is perfectly familiar with Arabic, he can take up work at Damascus at once.-Christian Intelligencer.

The Women's Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, embracing the New England states, most of New York and Kentucky, sets apart the month of November as a time of thanksgiving and praise. It asks mothers to bring their children and let them present their offerings, that in their youth they may be impressed with the duty and privilege of acknowledging the goodness

school in the county for home missions, the money to go to that object in the several churches with which each school is connected? I stopped. I pondered. I lifted my heart to God and replied, By his grace helping I will try. As yet I have no definite plan, but have faith to believe that something at least may be done. To enable me to present the matter intelligently before the convention, will you send me a copy of General Assembly's report?

Most truly yours, interested in home missions, S. F. B.

Is the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America "debtor" to Jews as well as to Gentiles? None more strenuously than we claim to be children of Abraham, the father of all them that believe. But as a church we seem not to have undertaken any considerable amount of mission work for the children of Abraham according to the flesh.

If the providence of God thus orders the division of the work between us and our sister denominations, we should keep our eyes open to the work done by others, and give it our sympathy and our prayers.

of God to them. (Matt. 21:16.) An account of the blessings which have attended our mission work during the past year or years is suggested as an inspiring theme; also grateful mention of the direct answer to the prayers for our missions and our treasury on the 7th day of last November, from which time our work was sustained and the means to pay the debt secured.

We learn from the stated clerk of the Synod of Iowa that that synod should have been included among those which consist of delegates from their presbyteries. It was among the earliest to adopt this plan. Its ratio is one minister and one elder for every four ministers. The Presbytery of Rio de Janeiro, of the Synod of Baltimore, should have been included in the list of foreign mission presbyteries.

We hope that no parent or teacher or pastor among our readers will fail to read with care and prayer the article entitled "Suffer the Little Children," on page 503.

Mothers will find something to talk about with our little Presbyterians, in Miss Patton's letter from India, on page 512. Perhaps they will need to explain to them what it is to "make merit," and why the people call the missionary doctor "his excellency." The children will surely be amused by that funny way of curing a rat's bite.

Pastors and elders, and all Christian men and women who read this magazine, will find their hearts touched by the graphic and truthful picturing of "Our Missionaries" (page 445). Can we forget them in our prayers? Can we forget them when we lay by us in store as God hath prospered us? Will we let our Board of Home Missions lack means of securing that those who thus labor in the gospel shall live of the gospel?

The general tenor of our Home Mission work, as shown by this number, is encouraging. The work goes on, and God is over all. Some have reported whole presbyteries as in a revived state. The missionaries seem to have gone home from their presbyteries in an expectant mood, which seems to betoken a prosperous winter's work. Let us pray that it be may So.

What do the people in Michigan think of having their beautiful "Kalamazoo" afloat on the Gulf of Siam? Miss Cattell tells them about it on page 510.

Our little Presbyterians will surely be delighted with the opportunity of which Dr. Allen tells them on page 479 about a way of giving dolls and toys to Jesus.

Our readers will enjoy the ride from Atlanta to Chattanooga with Rev. H. N. Payne (page 477), and will listen with pleasure to his interesting talk about the country, the war memories, and the people.

Then, what do our readers think of those two brave young women of whom Mr. Payne tells (page 478), willing to hoe cotton or do other field work in order to get money with which to go to school?

"Who sweeps a room as for God's laws

Makes it and the action fine."

And

So says quaint George Herbert. may we not say as truly, Who hoes a cottonfield or digs potatoes in such a noble, godly spirit, is doing noble and godly work? In such hands the hoe is as honorable as the pen.

A missionary team-a pair of horses and a wagon-costing $200, "will save sending one or two extra men." See pages 435-6. Is not that a good investment? Who speaks for it? If more than one speak, there is another good chance on page 464.

In our September number (page 210) we ventured to give strong assurance that there would be prompt and sufficient provision made for the needy and suffering ministers and ministers' families now dependent on the Board of Relief:-no cruel neglect of them in their present need, in our effort to make large provision (in the $1,000,000 endowment) for future generations. Something which Dr. Cattell mentions on page 470 gives us some reason to fear about this. We beg

our readers and all the churches to give heed to this, not only lest we be ashamed in our confidence of boasting for them, but lest our Lord be grieved and angry. When we offer him next year the invested million let us not oblige him to say, "This ought ye to have done, but not to leave the other undone."

In our September number (page 228) we mentioned two ladies who had been reported to us as willing to "send books from their libraries" to "home missionaries desiring to start reading-rooms and libraries in mining and other frontier towns." We invited those needing such gifts, and those willing to send them, to send us their names.

We have received ten applications for books, but only one offer to send them. We have not the address of the two who were mentioned to us. Will they and others kindly notice our embarrassment?

N. B. The jugs and barrels for Sabbathschool contributions, mentioned in our September number, are sent by the Board of Foreign Missions from their rooms in New York, not from the office of THE CHURCH AT HOME AND ABROAD.

Applications should be addressed to William Rankin, Treasurer, 23 Centre Street, New York.

For the leaflets mentioned in the October number (page 333), apply to O. D. Eaton, Treasurer, 280 Broadway, New York.

In our February number we commended to the generous consideration of our readers the Christian College in China, for which Rev. Dr. Happer was then beginning to obtain endowments.

It is now announced that he has secured $100,000, which assures the opening of the college in 1888; but this is by no means all that is needed to set forward the enterprise with suitable vigor.

There seems to be evidence that if properly opened it will have at once as many students as it can accommodate.

Dr. Happer has been elected president of the college.

This number of THE CHURCH AT HOME AND ABROAD goes to press while some of the synods are in session; when a few of them have finished their deliberations and while some are yet to convene. It will reach the homes of the members of these synods shortly after their return. They have deliberated, planned and prayed for the conversion of the impenitent; the edification and progressive sanctification of Christians; the Christian nurture of children in Sabbathschools and in homes; the organized charities of the church; the promotion of temper ance, Sabbath keeping and right living; the Christianization of schools, of business and of citizenship; the steady progress of Christ's kingdom within their own bounds, throughout our wide land and in all the world.

It is to be presumed that not all decisions have been unanimous. It is always to be conceded that "all synods and councils may err," and that any of these recently convened may have erred. vened may have erred. Yet it is equally important to remember that those who dissent from the decisions are not less fallible. In so far then as those decisions do not attempt to "bind the conscience," and compliance with them will not violate the conscience of those dissenting, it may be the duty of minorities to accept them, and to work the agencies and methods appointed as earnestly as they would have done those which they advocated.

In such cordial yoke-fellowship let us fill our centennial year with cheerful, earnest, prayerful work. We shall not all be here at the end of it. "Blessed is he whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing."

$800,000.

Not less than $800,000 will be needed to meet the most urgent demands of this work for the coming year. We repeat, therefore, our urgent admonition to pastors and ministers generally, as those charged by the Head of the church with submitting his claims to the people, to do their share to secure this increase of funds and to meet these golden opportunities. — The Assembly of 1887.

The committee of thirteen elders appointed by the General Assembly to stir the eldership and the people in behalf of the needed and desired $800,000 is doubtless by this time fairly at its great work. It has before it a noble possibility of rich results, in arousing and directing the energies of that strong and solid army corps of the "sacramental host," the 21,831 elders of the Presbyterian Church. We believe that there might be found in every presbytery some one elder— such as we know of in some presbyteries— who could and would give such impulse and impetus to this cause within his presbytery's bounds that before March, or, better still, before New Year, every non-giving church would have contributed and every contributing church would have increased its gift.

We have no doubt that there is in every congregation and every Sunday-school some layman, elder or not, who, if he would, could get from each of these its full share of the year's income. If the committee can succeed in reaching and touching all these springs of effort and influence, the year's end will see the work accomplished.

Much has been said, and much more might be said, about the 21,831 elders of the Presbyterian Church, and the "promise and potency" of their activity in this Board's behalf. There is another class of church officers of whom we have noticed no mention in this connection—we mean the 7085

deacons. We do not forget that their special function is the care of Christ's poor. But the original seven did not wholly confine themselves to this. As a matter of fact our deacons do much and valuable church work outside of their specialty. They are ordained men, and their office should be magnified by all well-doing. Why may not the Board of Home Missions ask the deacons for their active sympathy and help in arousing interest and increasing contributions from their congregations and Sunday-schools?

Surely every Christian can join heartily in the prayers which will be made at the monthly concert meetings for our missionaries and missionary teachers. No one can doubt their need of the prayers of God's people, and who can tell what results will follow such united supplication?

We call attention to the article on "Be

ginning at Jerusalem." The writer, as he both in this land and others, and in various says, has had twenty years of experience, parts of each. His conclusions are not those of a theorist, but of a practical, observing Christian minister, whose desire can

only be the best good to the most people.

MORE OUTSIDE HELP WANTED. The last number of this magazine acknowledged the receipt of money for harness and buggy for a missionary in Washington Territory in response to an appeal in his behalf by General Milroy.

Here is a similar appeal. Our Texas synodical missionary, Rev. Henry S. Little, D.D., after describing the great influx of immigrants to northwestern Texas, called the "Pan-handle," says of our missionary, Rev. Mr. Scott, of Mobeetie, "He is a good man for the work. He will for this winter, and longer if need be, care for a number of