REV. J. SPEICHER

KIT YANG, March 22, 1897. God has continued to bless us. Sunday morning, March 14, I baptized 15 out of 25 applicants into the name of the triune God. In the afternoon we celebrated the Lord's Supper. It was a day full of blessing. How one does learn to love these poor brethren in Christ!

Sunday, March 21, the worshippers at our new station Lau Kug, opened their new chapel. The chapel is worth over $600. They have raised all of it except about $125.

Since writing my last

report we have opened another new station at a place called Chim Khne, about 30 miles southwest of Kit Yang. I have stationed a good preacher there who has already opened a school for boys and young men. Besides this he preaches the gospel every evening to the new worshippers. The attendance on Sunday is more than 100. About 20 or 30 men have put away their idols and now worship the true God in spirit and truth. May the Word of God continue to prosper and spread among these people.

THE HAKKA MISSION

Kayin. The last quarter has certainly been the busiest and happiest, and apparently the most successful of any similar period in my missionary life. Feb. 7 we had our first baptisms,— a man and a woman,- the latter probably the first Kayin woman to follow the Lord in baptism. We have some inquirers, and in a week or two I shall begin a class for the instruction of those who are seeking admission to the church. I think there will be five or six in the class, and doubtless before the end of the quarter some will be ready for baptism.

MR. THOMAS HILL

We have held sixty-six public meetings during the quarter, with an average attendance of fifty. Our Christian boys are a great help in the singing, and take part in the meeting too. We are getting hold of the people and building up a steadier congregation.

A change is coming over the temper of the people. Many say that Christianity is the coming religion, and that they will embrace it when the cause is stronger, and some are about ready to come out now. In the city of Hinnen, a day's journey westward, a round hundred baptisms have taken place already this year. The tidal wave is coming this way, and with God's blessing on hard work we hope to see many almost persuaded ones cast in their lot with us.

REV. GEORGE CAMPBEll.

H. J. OPENSHAW

YACHOW, March 7, 1897.

I have frequent calls to opium-poisoning cases. Last week had two, both of whom we saved. One, a young fellow twenty-one, of good family, had lost heavily at gambling, the other a mother with two children. She had quarrelled with her husband, and thus sought to end all. Thus we find opportunities to carry the ligh into these darkened homes, and to tell of One who is able to save the soul, even as our "Yoh " medicines can save the body.

We go to these cases at any or all times and never ask a cent. "The foreign teacher is very different from our teachers" is an expression we not infrequently hear, and then, again, we hope that the life lived among them, and these acts of service may help to deliver them from the bondage in which they live.

NTUMBA, March 24, 1897.

On the journey to Lukunga we pass through many villages thickly populated that need to be taught the way of life. Truly "the harvest is great, and the laborers are few."

At Tumba we have services with the natives every Sunday morning; sometimes from eighty to one hundred men and boys crowd into the little grass built chapel; in the afternoon the

coast men who are working for the railroad gather to listen to the gospel, while in the evening a service is held, especially for the missionaries. On Wednesday evenings a class for Scripture teaching is opened for the native Christian boys working on the various stations. In our service with the boys in the morning, we sometimes have eighteen or twenty carriers seated on the floor of our room listening to the Gospel. In this way we can sow the seed beside all

waters.

AN APPEAL.

TENALI, Feb. 28, 1897. To the Honored Secretary of the American Baptist Missionary Union, Boston:

DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned, Christians and members of the American Baptist Mission at Bapatla, but residing in Rapalli Taluq (now called Tenali Taluq), beg to present the following petitionary letter:

A few years ago there were no Christians either in Bapatla or in Rapalli Taluqs. But when traders came from Ongole to our villages, about forty to eighty miles' distance, we heard about Christ and about the church in Ongole. One of our number, the first on the following list of names, became interested, and went with some of those traders as far as Ongole to learn more about Christ. This was in 1871. A few years later the same person took a number of others from the villages near his home with him to Ongole, and they were baptized. So, from time to time, Christians were added to our number in both the above-named Taluqs, until the year 1882, when there were so many of us that we petitioned Rev. Dr. Clough, of Ongole, to ask that a missionary be sent to us. In the following year Rev. E. Bullard was sent to open a mission station at Bapatla. The inhabitants of Rapalli Taluq, feeling that the people of Rapalli could not be reached well from Bapatla, continued to desire that another station should be opened in their own Taluq. To this Rev. Mr. Bullard assured them that the subject would receive attention, and that in due time a missionary would be sent there also. Up to this time we are still hoping for such a missionary, though since Rev. Mr. Bullard left us no one has come, but Rev. Mr. Owen, of Bapatla, continues to care for the work in both Rapalli and Bapatla Taluqs. Rapalli Taluq is in the Krishna delta, and hence largely under irrigation. This makes it exceedingly difficult during most of the year to travel from village to village; much more so to go as far as Bapatla, which is out of the

Taluq, and very inaccessible to most of our villages. Very many of our members, especially the female portion, have never seen the town of Bapatla, and do not think it possible to go there, and so can never be reached or cared for so well from there. The populaulation, moreover, of Rapalli Taluq is very large, much greater than most Taluqs in this country. There are between 300 and 400 towns and villages in this Taluq alone, which is far more than any missionary can fully care for. We therefore believe that it would be very much to the interests of the Christians and to the cause of Christ if a mission station can be opened in some central town within our Taluq. There are considerably more than a thousand Baptist members in Rapalli Taluq. In behalf of these we therefore send this petition to the Society in America. We have presented the same petition several years ago to Rev. Mr. Bullard, and again since then to Rev. Mr. Owen, and we now beg to remind you of our great need, and pray that a missionary may be sent as soon as possible to Rapalli Taluq. We are desirous of doing our duty as Christians, and of taking care of our own churches. But at present our members are not in large numbers in any one town, but are scattered in many villages, a few here, a few there, throughout the Taluq. This makes it difficult for them to work together as churches. Moreover, we are greatly oppressed and despised by the Hindus and Brahmins, who are continually around us, and trying in every way to turn our members from their faith. As far as we are able we are glad to support our preachers, but we are most of us poor people. For these reasons we beg the Society to help us, and to send us a missionary.

We shall be grateful if you will kindly let us know what hope there is of our request being granted.

We beg to remain, dear sir,
Yours respectfully,

SILUVOORY YOHAN,

and others.

REVIVAL AT SAGAING

God is blessing his work on this field as never before. Since we returned, twenty-one baptisms and a number more truly seekingsome that are "convinced," as they say, but have not yet made a public profession. You who have studied the results of the Burmese Mission can understand the hope and joy this gives us.

We have felt the need of more efficient helpers so much, and also the lack of funds to carry on the work, but God has shown us not to depend so much on these agencies, for He can pour out a blessing without either. It is all in answer to the prayers of the devoted workers in our home land and here, I feel.

I must tell you of one of the conversions that don't count (?) of an old Burman living over in Ava, formerly a strong Buddhist, gaining much merit by building priests' houses, etc. He lost his property, and became ill with consumption. Dr. Sutherland and our people visited him from time to time, and he said he believed, and would come forward for baptism when he was better, but instead he grew worse and died - died in Christian faith, so his heathen wife and serving boy testify. There was no Buddhist funeral, with numerous priests and ceremonies, but a simple prayer offered by one of our Christians and giving their people refreshments according to Burmese custom.

MRS. SUTHERLAND.

THE DOSHISHA

Editor the Magazine:

REV. C. L. DAVENPORT

SANDOWAY, March 29, 1897.

Our associational year came to a close March 17-18. The following will show somewhat of where we stand in membership, etc.: ordained ministers (native), 7; other preachers (unorpanied), 25; Bible women, 3; total native workers, 35. Missionaries, 3; medical missionary (not under appointment), 1; total missionaries, 4. Total membership, 461. New churches organized, 1. Total baptisms, 90. Suspended, 9; dismissed, 14; total deaths, 9. Contributed for all purposes, as reported at the association, 231-7-3 rupees. Besides this there was more than the same amount raised in the several villages and expended by them for home work.

One village deserves special mention. Owing to lack of funds I was unable to supply a preacher for them, and they said they would give rice and curry, and what they were able, to one who would go to them and teach school and preach. A young man volunteered, and I sent him on. The Christians numbered nineteen. Of these one was dismissed. There were nine baptisms. A good school was taught well, and the people gave a total of sixty baskets of paddy (unhulled rice) valued at 52-8 rupees. The association gave him 25 rupees, and I supplemented it with 10 rupees more. This will enable him to get necessary clothing and curry stuff for himself and family.

The accompanying communication was courteously sent to me by its eminent missionary author to be first perused and then sent to you for publication.

As regards the point of variation of which Dr. Davis speaks, I do not think we shall be found differing much. May be I did not distribute emphasis properly and I now thank him heartily for the re-adjustment.

It is right to say, however, that I do not, and could not object to the admission of unconverted pupils into Mission Schools. The point I would make is that the secular should never be allowed

to dominate the religious. In this Dr. Davis and myself will doubtless be at one. Had all others been like himself the Doshisha would be to-day what it has been in the past, the glory of Congregational missions in Japan and the educational standpipe for all the denominations laboring for the regeneration of the Sunrise Kingdom.

Some of our Congregational brethren have become disheartened, and are inclined to think it may be just as well to slack their operations. Not so with Dr. Davis. From other sources we learn that he is turning his energies to whatever the Lord has at hand for him to do. He is evangelizing, and is preaching with great efficiency and power.

He laid the

A blessing will go with him. foundation of the first house. It may now be given him to lay the foundation of a second and a better one. The greatest triumphs of our Congregational brethren in Japan may be just about beginning. Let their great men at home, Dr. Storrs, Dr. Behrends, and Dr. Goodwin and hundreds like them, stand behind the men who now push the evangelizing campaign and see if the glory of the latter house does not exceed the glory of the former.

The Baptists cannot be indifferent to the success of our Congregationalist brethren. We need to pray for them as we pray for ourselves. Their sorrow is a sorrow to us all, and their advance will be an advance for us all. Wм. ASHмore.

KYOTO, March 19, 1897.

To the Editor of the Baptist Missionary Maga

zine:

DEAR BROTHER: I was much interested some little time ago in reading in your MAGAZINE an article from the pen of Dr. Ashmore in regard to the Doshisha school here, with which I was connected from its organization, twenty-two years ago, until last summer. His statements are, in the main, surprisingly correct, but on one point he is in error. He attributes the disaster which has come to the school to the broadening of the school and taking in unchristian students. The fact is that from the beginning of the school and during the first fifteen years of its existence, all the students, with the exception of those received from the Kumamoto school in 1875, and some vernacular Theological students, were from unchristian homes, and with very slight exceptions they had never heard of Christianity, only to hate it. Yet, up to five years ago, 110 men had been graduated from the Theological department, and 178 from the Collegiate department, and less than ten men altogether had been graduated who were not professing Christians. Now, however, for the last five years, we have been receiving some Christian young men, and they have been coming to me with tears in their eyes saying that their hearts are becoming cold and they are losing their faith, and the majority of the graduates from the Collegiate department the last two or three years have not been professing Christians. What has caused the dif

ference; and what is the cause of the disaster to this school? During the first twelve or fifteen years of the existence of the school, the members of the faculty, foreign and Japanese, were a unit in their faith and earnest zeal for the conversion of the students; all, or nearly all teaching in the Bible classes on the Sabbath, inviting the students to their homes for social intercourse and religious influence, and the aim and practice of the school was truly and aggressively Christian. From five years, or more ago, this has gradually changed. One prominent trustee of the school, and a man of great influence among the Christian workers, told the students in a Sabbath evening address, that all the foundations which the missionaries had laid for Christianity must be swept away and new ones laid, and he has been working at this destructive process ever since; others have helped him. A foreigner gave three lectures from the platform of the College chapel which were tirades against Christianity and theology, saying for example, "I tell you, young men, that I am commissioned by Jesus Christ to say to you that there is no such thing as a soul, or a future life." His tirades were not stopped by the authorities of the school but by the students, and the fact that the missionaries objected to these lectures, is now brought forward by the President of the school as one of the reasons why the Doshisha refused farther help from the American Board. A prominent Japanese professor of the school told the students in a sermon preached in the chapel on the Sabbath, that the idea of a future life had been a great damage to the race, and declared himself an agnostic on the question of the existence of a personal God. In a later sermon, he held the Bible up to ridicule, quoting Paul against Christ, and Christ against himself; and yet this man was promoted after all this to the head of an important department in the school. It was the change in the environment which has brought disaster to the school. Such influences as the above must affect the young men, and they have powerfully affected them, and the school is under a cloud. Its upper classes are very small and growing smaller.

Only the hand of God can bring the school back to the foundation and spirit of its sainted founder. On Him we wait in hope.

Sincerely yours, J. D. DAVIS.