thought it a fixed fact; but in China there are many slips 'twixt cup and lip. To guard against a possible change of base on the part of any one, he proposed to give a feast to which all the eighteen managers of the temple, with the Master of Virtue among them, should be summoned. Eating in Oriental lands is no such trifling matter as it becomes in railway restaurants in America. The Chinese have a saying that having eaten a man's food, one's mouth is stopped, and having used his property, one's hand is stayed. On this principle Mr. Chu, the temple keeper, thought it prudent to plug all the eighteen mouths securely, and being in narrow circumstances himself, he borrowed about ten dollars to enable him to give the feast. He came to invite us to his feast on the 28th. We went long after the appointed time; everything in China occurs long after the appointed time

- except eclipses; the eighteen managers assembled, and among them came the Master of Virtue, a weazen-faced old man, in an ineffably ragged coat. It was by no means a feast of sea-slugs and sharks' fins, pickled bamboo sprouts and bird's-nest soup; on the contrary, it was a homely farmer's dinner of only one course and a plenty of it. After din ner and sundry pipes of tobacco, came business. A draft of a proposed document, amounting to a kind of quitclaim deed, was read and submitted for approval. Then ensued a scene worthy of a New England town meeting. One or two were afraid that the temple keeper was in some remote danger of losing his living, and much furious gesticulation and unintelligible roaring — eight or ten generally bawling at once -was exchanged over the question how to forefend this injustice. The helpers and a few obstreperous managers retired to concoct a clause to meet the exigency, and the paper, as amended,' was put on its 'final reading,' and passed amid general yells of‘Cha, cha, cha,'' Puls'o,' and 'Chiu shih' ('aye, aye, aye,' 'all right,'' that's the thing').

"Here was an absolutely heathen

gathering in a heathen town, voting away their temple and its lands to a foreign religion, of which most of them never heard six months ago, and none of them until within a few years. They did it of their own motion, without solicitation on our part, for although I took occasion two weeks ago to preach with reference to the matter, it was after the matter had been broached by them, not before. During the meeting I took occasion to explain our objects in coming to China, and to Shih Chia Tang, and that we sought not theirs, but them; that they gave not to us, but to themselves, the difference being that what the village formerly managed, was now, as soon as practicable, to be controlled by the native church, in which we hoped to see all of them. Thus we left this unique assembly, bringing the deed in my pocket, of which I append a translation."

THE DEED.

"The authors of this Document, to wit, the whole body of Managers (of the Temple), together with the whole body of villagers, deliberating in a public capacity, voluntarily agree to make over the Temple buildings to the Church of Christ, for the purpose of fitting up a meeting-house, in order to the public preaching of the sacred doctrine, and for the purpose of establishing a public school, that the youth of the village may become virtuous, a benefit to future generations. The whole is to belong to the church, and subject to its control, for a possession forever, and the land belonging to the temple is made over to the chapel keeper, Chu Sien k'o, and his descendants, to be cultivated as his own, and the church is not at liberty to sell the same.

"In the fourth year of Kuang Hsü, the tenth month, the third day (October 28, 1878).

"Signed, on behalf of the Master of Virtue, Shih Kung, and twenty others.' "Here, then, is this singular document, as fast, as the Chinese phrase it, as a nail in a board. Was anything like this ever known in China? If so, it has

been successfully concealed hitherto. Next Sunday I have promised to go down there, and we hope to organize the beginning of a church, out of the twenty applicants on the list."

THE IDOLS UTTERLY ABOLISHED.

"The destruction of the idols was to be begun to-day, and after preaching at a neighboring fair I went over there to attend the funeral, for they had decided to bury them. The Chinese have a saying that money can move the gods, but here were about threescore gods moved most effectually — more so than ever before-without the expenditure of a cash. For when I reached there about noon, I found the work finished and both temples empty. They began work at dark, and finished about midnight. Like the comrades of Sir John Moore,

"They buried them darkly at dead of night.' "But there were no 'sods' to turn. For it fell out that a long cavity was

found washed out by the water, into which they were plunged headlong, and thus, dust as they were, they returned to dust. The idols often cost enormous sums, because the clay is of a peculiar kind, the materials expensive, - such as oil, etc., especially the gilding. Moreover, it is usual to subscribe a certain amount of silver, which is in

corporated in the body of the image, and becomes, perhaps, his heart. demolishing the gods their hearts were

In

not found right, for in place of the lungs of silver was found a chunk of pewter. Thus the delusions of idol worship were fitly typified in the frauds of the idol makers. They that make them are like

unto them. It was suitable that such divinities should end their career by sepulture in a gutter!

"A large amount of lumber remains, which, once the platforms for the idols, will now become benches for our congregation. There are drums, candlesticks, incense-holders, etc., and several good bells, the largest of which is to be hung up and can be heard they say at a distance of miles. While gazing on the ruins, I saw the deaf Master of

-

Rev. W. P. Sprague, who accompanied Mr. Smith on this tour in Shantung, gives other interesting particulars concerning the changed sentiments of the people. He writes from Yu-cho, November 26:

"All the way from Kalgan to Têcho, in Shantung, I overheard myself constantly called, as usual, 'Devil.' On leaving our boat and passing through C'hia Chuang, every one we met saluted the villages to our headquarters, P'ang us kindly, often familiarly and lovingly, saying, Ah, you pastors have returned day is the Sabbath, and where do you to us; that is very good;' or, 'What preach? We want to hear more of this Jesus doctrine.' One who has not experienced it cannot conceive what a re

lief and pleasure such a sudden change in the attitude of the people toward us gives us. How good it is to be taken

up

and hatred, where for four or five years out of the frosts of scorn, contempt,

we had cherished our inward heat as

best we could, and set down in the warm sunshine of respect, appreciation, and love! It was touching to see with what tenderness and gratitude to God many of the Christian friends saluted Bro. Smith. They never expected to see his face again when he went from them in July with that terrible fever."

PREACHING AT FAIRS.

"Almost every evening at family prayers, some neighbors or inquirers from a distance came in. We went to

market fairs fifteen out of the twentythree days I was on the ground, and each time we preached to large numbers. These were not, as in street chapel work in all cities, accidental hearers, for once only, but they were farmers, tradesmen, etc., who lived with their families near by, and who often attended these fairs. In this way all could frequently hear us. And what is still better, all are within reach of our native helpers, and near to Sabbath services, so that it becomes an easy matter for all to learn the truth.

"As we interpret to them God's teaching in their late famine, the sin of idolatry, the duty of gratitude to, and service of, the one only true God, many give assent, often taking up and going on with our preaching, giving their experience of the uselessness of worshiping dumb images made of wood and stone. Verily the Lord has done at a single blow what man could never do, knocking out from under them the foundations of their superstitious idolatry. And now they are ready to receive whatever truth is presented to them which commends itself to their

reason.

There is no revival among them, in the ordinary meaning of that term, though I believe there is truly a revival there, through the grace of God, – a revived sense of what is reasonable and true and right."

THE WORK YET TO BE DONE.

Having done his great work by the famine, God now leaves the results largely in the hand of man. These results will be just in proportion to the amount of truth that can be poured in upon them just now, while nearly every one is mourning the death of one or more dear friends. We cannot help being reminded of the death of the first-born of every family in Egypt when the hearts of the people would not be melted in any other way.

"And now, oh, for sowers and reap ers, all in one, and that immediately! I could not stay a day longer. Bro.

Smith would not leave the work. The many applying to unite with the church need much teaching, — need the Holy Spirit to move in their hearts a true spirit of repentance and faith in Christ. They are sincere believers, but many have had as yet little opportunity of getting an appreciation of this life of communion with God they are now entering. Would that all Christians might know the condition of these multitudes, not in this little corner of ours only, but also throughout all the places where famine-relief and the preaching of the gospel went together. Would that all Christians might with one heart plead for the outpouring of the Spirit on such as are convinced of the falseness of idolatry, and who are learning the blessed grace of our loving Father."

THE EFFECT UPON NATIVE CHRISTIANS.

"It is very encouraging to observe the effect of this good news on our native Christians. It warms their hearts

and arouses them to new life.

"It was my privilege, in returning from the tour, to pass through Tientsin, Tung-cho, Peking, Kalgan, and all our out-stations here in our Yu-cho region, and in every place to tell the story of the Lord's work in Shantung.

The young men in Tung-cho were specially interested. I visited one old man, almost bed-ridden and very down hearted, because he saw no one coming to Jesus I quietly told him of the coming of the kingdom of God in Shantung. Before I had finished my story he roused himself as if to start, interrupting me with, 'Oh that I were a little younger and stronger. I want to go right there and preach to them this blessed gospel.' It has much this effect on us all, and I hope it will incite us all, wherever God calls us to work for him, to preach the gospel with more earnestness and faith that God will in his own time and in his own

way, in each and every place, make his word effective in saving souls to life eternal."

Japan Mission.

THE OPENING AT OKAYAMA. REFERENCE has heretofore been made to the proposal to open a new station somewhere to the westward of the present field of operations in Japan. After visiting Fukuoka, on the island of Kiusiu, Hiroshima, and Okayama, Dr. Berry made a written report to the mission, the conclusion of which was that, while other places presented many attractions, the prospects for successful missionary labor in Okayama were extraordinary. In his report Dr. Berry speaks of the following points as indicating that Okayama should be at once occupied :

"We have already secured "1. The good will and hearty coöperation of the highest members of the government, as shown by their assurances of active interest in our plans and willingness to grant liberal concessions.

"2. The privilege of placing two of our missionaries in a private school of about seventy pupils (founded by the ex-Daimio Ikeda), to teach but one hour a day each, with the promise of its friends that, at the earliest practicable date, it shall be placed upon a Christian basis; or, if objections to placing it upon a Christian basis are raised, then to organize an independent school, in the hope of the ultimate union of the two.

"3. A promise on the part of the government to observe, within three years, all the regulations for the management of the hospital, which were submitted early in the course of my negotiations with them, and which are essentially the rules observed in the management of Christian hospitals in the United States.

"4. The appointment of myself as adviser for the medical interests of the ken, with full and free powers of action as to my relations to the hospital, the medical school, and to any out-station work that I may see fit to organize.

"5. The placing at our disposal, for

our exclusive use for house lots, the small public garden on the east of the city, with the assurance from the governor that he will insure us against loss of money used in building houses, in case our early removal from Okayama should be rendered necessary from any

cause.

"6. Our ability to make a contract at once for five years, with the full understanding that our work looks to perma

nency.

"7. Invitations from Kurashiki and Kojima, places visited, to commence at once dispensary services among them at their own expense.

"All these points contribute to make the opening of Okayama, with its population of a million and three hundred

thousand souls within a radius of a day's journey from the city, exceptional in the history of missionary effort in Japan."

THE PURPOSE TO TAKE POSSESSION.

The plan to enter upon work at Okayama seems to be practically settled, so far as the missionaries are concerned. If the government interposes no obstacle, and if the churches at home respond to the call, it is expected that Messrs. Berry, Cary, and Pettee, with Miss Wilson, will be assigned to the new station. Two weeks after making his report to the mission Dr. Berry writes to the foreign secretary:

"The contracts of Messrs. Cary and Pettee have been signed, and my own has been prepared for the approval of the government, and the indications are that we shall receive permission to go in ten or twelve days hence. The contracts run for five years, commencing from January 20, 1879, and the understanding is that our occupation looks to permanency. Every point requested. has been granted. Indeed, so anxious were they to secure our services that they offered to put us all three in the hospital (I had made my going contingent upon their allowing Messrs. Cary and Pettee to accompany me). The present indications are that, with pa

tience and tact, our work can be made entirely self-supporting from the very first.

"A strong invitation comes to Miss Wilson from the director of a girls' school of seventy pupils, for her to labor in the school, with freedom of action as to her relations with the students, hours of study, use of the Bible, and so forth. There has not been such an opening for effective missionary work in all the history of missionary effort in Japan, as that afforded to-day in Okayama. We cannot afford NOT to occupy it, and that without delay. May God grant that this opening may contribute to the deepening of missionary zeal in the churches, rendering its occupation one of help to our treasury rather than

a burden to it!"

"I was present at the examination of the students in the Training School at Kioto, at the close of the last term, and must speak one word in praise of the manner in which Captain Janes's boys sustained themselves in their examinations in church history, and especially in mental philosophy. In the latter, their examination, conducted in English, would compare, to the credit of these young men, with similar examinations in many American colleges. Indeed, I was delighted with the whole spirit of the school.

"That idea of Mr. Neesima's which 'slipped out without his intending,' at the meeting of the Board at Rutland, in 1874, was an idea implanted at that time in his mind and heart by God. God knew exactly Japan's great need, and gave utterance to it by the mouth of his humble servant in that noble company of his people. They wisely responded. I hope they have not forgotten to add earnest prayers to their former good works, and that they will continue to mingle good works (for the school now needs books, English books,

and will soon need additional buildings) and faithful prayers, which are ever needful in behalf of a school of which so much is expected as this."

THE OPENINGS IN JAPAN.

After speaking of the probable occupation of Okayama by our missionaries, Mr. Davis alludes to other points which should soon be occupied. He says:

"Kanazawa, a large city on the north side of this island, the largest, I believe, on that coast, situated beyond Lake Biwa, is also more or less stirred, and could be brought into a condition suitable for our entering it in a year or two if we knew where the men were coming from to do the work there. Also Hiroshima, on the inland sea, about 225 miles west of us, is a good center. There are also important places on Shikoku. Take your map of this Empire, and draw a line from Nagoya on the south coast to Kanazawa on the north, and remember that, at the very least calculation, you would have within the field west of this line about one half of Japan's thirty-three millions, and you will see what a grand field lies around us and open to us, or soon to be fully opened to us. I say to us, because we are the only important mission on this field. We are stronger than all the others together twice counted.

"Nor is there much, if anything, standing in the way of our early taking possession of all the important strategic points in this large field, and holding the forts for our Great Captain, save the want of men and women, and a small outlay of money beyond salaries and rents, or buildings. Kobe, Osaka, and Kioto are already well manned and well supplied. But, O Nagoya, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and all Shikoku! where are your helpers, and the men who shall gather your millions unto the Lord who hath bought you? I do not mean that we can enter, or ought to enter, all these places at once. But we ought to enter at least all of them within five years; one each year ought to be taken by a strong hand.