in most cases they can be won, and in all cases the effort to win them should be made.

In almost every neighborhood there are poor people who imagine that the church of Christ and the Sabbath-school are luxuries not for them; in plain English, that the church does not care for people who have little to pay or to give, and who cannot dress attractively. These persons are often intelligent, proud and morbidly sensitive to any appearance of slight.

The above-described and many more classes of non-attendants at church or Sabbath-school can be reached only by Christians going to their homes, removing their prejudices, winning their confidence, and, by the might of Christian love, compelling them to come to the church services and to bring or send their children and young people to the Sabbath-school. Systematic house-tohouse visitation alone can reach them. This was needed in Paul's day; he describes himself, Acts 20: 20, as "teaching publicly, and from house to house." The good shepherd must go after the lost sheep "until he find it." Of course such visitation includes searching out and conversing with these people wherever they may be found, at home or on the street, or in their stores, shops, places of work, etc. Nothing can be substituted for this actual personal visitation.

To accomplish this work the special influence of the Holy Spirit is needed to arouse Christian workers to renewed consecration to Christ. Canvassing for scholars and house-to-house visitation demand not merely self-denial, but a love for souls which will bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things, and never fail. It is not necessary to add that this can be obtained only by prayer.

Usually Christian ladies, by their gentleness, tact and perseverance, are best fitted for this difficult and delicate labor. Every Sabbath-school has in it ladies thus qualified, whose loyalty to Christ will, if properly appealed to, lead them into this toil, which often requires as much faith, hope and love as zenana work in India or missionary campaigning in Africa.

Others there are who, for a variety of rea

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sons, cannot teach on the Sabbath, but who, if allowed to work at their own times and in their own way, would consent to act on the canvassing or visiting committee.

The work being resolved upon, there should be a conference of the visiting committee. At this meeting a sketch-map of the entire field of work should be shown. In almost every school can be found some young man or woman who could prepare such a map. Localities of special interest and need should be pointed out and described.

If possible, this general field should be divided into sub-districts, one of which might be given to each member of the committee. To the canvasser of each sub-district a map of her district might be given.

The canvassers should be directed to collect information concerning the people residing in each sub-district.

The precise principles and methods of work should be explained. There should be no attempt at proselyting from other churches. The former connection and denominational preferences of the families visited should be sacredly regarded. If any are found preferring any other church or Sabbath-school than that of the canvasser, their names, address and circumstances should be reported to the pastor of the church or the superintendent of the school preferred. If no preferences are expressed, or if the canvasser's church and school are preferred, the family should be cordially invited to attend.

A careful record should be kept of all families visited, not only giving the names of all the members of the family, but their religious condition as far as possible. Blankbooks carefully ruled for this purpose should be provided for the canvassers.

Before starting they should pray that they may be endued by the Holy Spirit with wisdom, love and zeal. On entering each house a silent prayer may be breathed for Christ's presence and help.

The utmost gentleness and skill should be used in conversing with each member of the family. The visitor's dress and address should recommend her religion. All should be done without ostentation, those who

oppose themselves being in meekness instructed.

The visitor should carry with her printed cards of invitation to her church and Sabbath-school, having on them the name and address of the pastor, superintendent, etc.

A selection of the best tracts should accompany these cards, and the tracts should be carefully read by the visitor, that she may know how to adapt the distribution of them to each family.

And, finally, the spiritual needs of the family or individual visited should be borne upon the visitor's heart and urged by her at the throne of grace.

EXTENT OF THE FIELD.

In previous numbers, letters were printed from those who have been aided by the Missionary Department of the Board in India, Africa, Brazil and Mexico. The following from Rev. Henry Loomis, a minister of our church and agent of the Bible Society in Japan, adds another testimony to the worldwide extent of our field.

It gives me pleasure to acknowledge the generous gift of books for use in our work. There is special need of evangelical literature in this field, which is opening so rapidly to the gospel.

As in nature the seeds of injurious and worthless plants are scattered without the aid of man, while a valuable harvest must be preceded by the sower and the good seed, so it is in this land; evil and error seem to spread spontaneously, and the good and true are only introduced by labor. The gospel truth which you have supplied will do good and help us much in our efforts to plant the standard of the cross in this region, now waking up to see the glorious things in the religion of our blessed Lord. We have no agency for the supply of religious books, while D. M. Bennett (who was imprisoned for selling and publishing bad books in New York) has been to India and Japan, and arranged for the sale of his vile and poisonous stuff. We need help, therefore, to counteract these baneful influences and also to impart the

true light to those who are now seeking after something better than Japan has yet known.

Another interesting letter from Dr. Loomis, for which we lack space in this, will appear in the January number.

REDUCTION OF PRICES.

prices of its smaller publications to meet the A few years ago the Board reduced the demand for cheaper literature. We have now taken another step and have reduced the prices of the following 8vo publications to $1.25 each per volume. This will be the net price. Add postage when sent by mail.

At the low rate at which these books are now offered, it is hoped every minister and congregation will avail themselves of the opportunity of replenishing their libraries

with these excellent works.

For sale by all representatives of the Board:

CHURCH

SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Writers upon political economy inform us that in commercial circles the supply always responds to the demand. What a blessing if the same law would hold good in the circles of active benevolence, so that we could be assured that wherever there is an honest, legitimate demand for help, the supply to meet the demand would not be wanting. To a very large degree this, by the grace of God, is true. We have entire confidence that whenever there is a clear understanding of the needs of their brethren, the hearts of Christian men and women, whom God has blessed with means, will be touched and the response be abundant. The difficulty, however, is in the want of appreciation of the demand or of the responsibility as being personal.

We have been lately pondering upon the increased demands that are made upon our Board, and questioning whence is to come the increased supply.

As the church extends farther and farther it is manifest that if the percentage of increase remains only the same, the actual increase must each year surpass that of previous years. Unless the work is to stand still in the eastern and middle states, new churches will still be forming and demanding houses of worship in them as well as in the younger states of the West. It is evident, then, that if the area of demand is constantly widening, so ought also the area of supply.

This can be provided only by a growing appreciation upon the part of our central and western synods that they are growing out of youth into full maturity; that the hour has come when no longer do they need to turn to older synods for help, but on the contrary are able to support the work of church erection within their own bounds, and extend a measure of aid to those beyond.

Not that the time will ever come, probably, if the church is living and aggressive, when there will be no need to aid individual

churches in our oldest synods. New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania still make application to the Board, and usually with strict propriety; but if these same synods did not contribute far more than they draw, the Board would be hopelessly crippled. The surplus is the measure of what, over and above caring for their own, they are doing for the cause of church erection. This surplus last year was about $26,000.

Upon the other hand, such young synods as Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Columbia may justly expect that the stronger hands of their eastern sisters will supplement what they necessarily lack. It is right and just, and a most hopeful presage of future spiritual power, that in the synods mentioned the Board last year guaranteed the completion of ninety-eight church edifices, and disbursed $33,500 more than it received from them. This is as was to be expected. But between these western synods and the eastern lies the debatable ground; the synods that are no longer very young, and whose bounds cover states of surpassing richness, dotted all over with towns and cities that rejoice in their magnificent progress and their fast-gathering wealth. Have these synods awakened to the fact that the balance in our treasury ought to be no longer against them, but in their favor, and every year in more and more marked degree?

There are two of them and two only that in the department of church erection have attained to self-support.

Brethren of these great central synods, in which are gathered half the working force of the church, will you not seriously face the question of larger gifts to the treasury of the Board, and a grander share, such as befits your numbers, your wealth and your noble aspirations, in the privilege of ensuring to our beloved church its due part in holding this great land for our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ?

Tranp

In this number we give the elevations and ground plans of a small but most convenient parsonage. This house was planned by the Rev. Theodore F. Burnham, of Amenia Union, N. Y., who gives the following description of the design:

This house has all its rooms on the ground floor, save an attic room to be used by a serv

ant. Carpets one yard wide will just fit in the chamber, study and dining-room. One chimney answers all purposes. A kitchen range and a furnace in the cellar supply all needful heating apparatus. The cistern in the cellar can be filtered, and render the digging of a well unnecessary. A folding bed in the study will transform that apartment into a

spare room," where a brother missionary can