the dear friends there, has been delightful, but it would be hard to content myself to stay there; and I am so very thankful that my health is so fully restored as to give me hope of spending many more years in China.

NEED OF HELPERS:

Miss Garretson has kept the school in good condition during my absence, but it has been very hard for her to be so closely confined, and I hope it will never again be necessary for one to be left alone so long. It was a sad disappointment to me to come back without a single one of the new ladies we so sorely need, and for whom we have been asking so long. I know if they realized how much we need them, somebody would be constrained to come very soon. Can you not find somebody for us in Chicago? We want a lady physician to assist Dr. Woodhull, and six other ladies for work among the women at different places; and if they were all on the ground, and had the language, we have plenty of work for them at once.

Our annual meeting was held October 13th to 18th, and during this time we had three sessions for women. These woman's meetings are becoming more and more popular, and they are really very interesting and profitable. The native Christian women take part in them quite freely, some of the papers presented by them showing careful preparation and an appreciation of the importance of the subjects discussed.

I hope you had a delightful meeting at Omaha. Am sure I should have enjoyed it; but I told some one not long ago that if I were to be in America, I should be ashamed to attend another meeting of the A. B. C. F. M., lest people should be wondering why I was not on the field at work.

Sincerely yours,

Miss Evans writes from Tung-cho, China:

ELLA J. NEWton.

WE were glad to welcome Mr. Sheffield back to his work, but how hard it must have been for him to leave Mrs. S. and the children behind. But a loving Father knows just what each of us can bear, and never gives us more than, trusting in his strength, these poor hearts of ours can stand. We are having a most delightful autumn, just perfect days; I long for a breath of country air. We are about concluding the purchase of land outside the city for our college buildings. In a few years those who are connected with the college will be able to live in the country all the time. We have a larger number of scholars this year than ever before, and are much crowded, but we live in anticipation of what is coming. Miss Miner is giving more time to work for women this year and I less, as in Mrs. Sheffield's absence Mr. Sheffield wishes me to help him more.

Miss Cozad writes in answer to inquiries about her work under date of September 20, 1891

Up to Christmas of last year I taught in the Boys' School and enjoyed the work there very much, for the Japanese schoolboy is always an interesting and interested pupil. Then there were many boys in my classes who were very much interested in Christianity, so my Bible classes, which were held at our house, were attended by a large number of earnest Bible students; but during the year and a-half since Miss Scudder had left us the woman's work had been waiting, with no one to care for it. We had tried so hard to get some one with experience to come here for that work, but to no avail. I did not feel at all prepared to take it, though I longed to help in it under the leadership of some one better fitted for it than I. However, there seemed to be no other resource than for me to begin and do the best I could; so since the beginning of the year I have been in the woman's work. My work is divided into two parts-the work here in Niigata, and the touring. Except in winter, when the snow is too deep for travel, I intend to make a tour of all the outstations once a month. There are about eight places where we have a work begun. In the older places we have women's meetings, though in the newer ones we have open meeting, men, women and children coming out; a few of them to learn about Christianity, but many more to see the strange lady. However, after the novelty wears off many still come to hear the story we have to tell. Knitting and crocheting form the chief attraction to the newcomers, and it is on the plea that we will teach them some new stitches that the Christian ladies persuade their friends to come to the meetings.

We always plan to stay a day or more in each place, calling at the homes of the Christians or those who are more or less interested in Christianity. In a number of these places there are no other regular meetings, and it is very hard for these young Christians, who have perhaps been to a church only a few times in their lives, to lead an earnest Christian life. For the sake of these we are especially glad to be able to go to these towns and villages. In the intervals between these trips I have to spend a great deal of time in preparing my talks, for the language is still a dreadful obstacle to me. Mrs. J. F. Gulick, who was with us last year, temporarily had charge. of the women's classes in the church, and my work here was simply visiting. from house to house, and teaching the Bible in that way.

The first time I went I thought I could do nothing myself, but I could direct my helper a little as to how to talk to the women; but I found that the

Lord opened my mouth, and words were given me to speak so that I could tell them about Christ as I had not expected to be able to do. I found that there were very many houses where they were glad to have us come and read with them. We went to one home and found a mother and daughter who were in great anxiety over the sickness of the elder married daughter of the family, who seemed to be on her deathbed, and who was so worried as to what should become of her six little children. The mother asked us to go and see the sick woman, and to pray to our God that he would make her well. We, especially Mrs. Gulick, went to see them often, and the daughter became very much interested; but the thought always was that if she became a Christian she would get well, and she prayed earnestly for it. Whether in direct answer to her prayer, or indirectly in giving her new interest in life and a new peace and rest, I will not say, but she has been restored to health; and now, having found that Christ has much more to give than a whole body, she and her husband, who is one of the finest judges in the province, have become Christians, and just now have received baptism. The mother and daughter and the mother-in-law will probably very soon become Christians, also.

We have a most earnest, spiritual-minded pastor here, and the church has been awakened to a new life. Daily prayer meetings have been held almost all the time since January, and a great interest is growing up in the city. It is our great privilege to be able to help even a little in this work. There are many young men or boys who come to us very frequently for Bible study, and many young Christians who have really given themselves to Christ, and who still need much help and instruction.

I feel that we have been blessed in our work very greatly, but oh! how weak, how inefficient I feel myself. It is only by daily and hourly prayer for our hourly need that we can work at all. The prayers of the dear ones at home and of the friends of the missionary uphold us continually.

May God's blessing rest on you all this new year, and may some souls be stirred to give their lives to this work is my prayer.

In Memoriam.

MISS CARRIE S. BELL.

THE cablegram announcing that on the 10th of December, Miss Carrie S. Bell, of Battalagundu, India, entered into rest, recalled vividly the tall, graceful girl with masses of golden hair, and eyes and gown like the

twilight of a summer sky, who came five years ago to win the hearts of her new friends in Chicago, and to bid them good-bye as she set sail for her missionary life. The devoted, skilled nurse for the sick, the self-denying friend, the loving, indefatigable teacher she has been in India,-all this has been told by others. We love to remember how she won little children's hearts. Her smiles, her stories, her kindergarten weavings and clippings, made her the one missionary never to be forgotten by them. One little girl began, when she went away, to fit herself to go to India with Miss Bell. Another, only six years old then, has always loved her, and had written her a letter in November which probably never reached her; and now her grief is great that no letters can ever reach Miss Carrie Bell again.

Miss Bell loved children, and as a child she rested in her Heavenly Father's arms, fearing nothing while he led her footsteps. So she has entered into his green pastures, and walks beside the still waters of the River of Life.

MRS. HENRY PLANT.

How shall we speak in fitting words of the devoted life of her who was for twelve years the Secretary of the Minnesota Branch? Her loving, selfdenying spirit, her methodical, business-like habits, her wise use of her time, were gifts that fitted her to be a leader and an example to others. As a teacher, and as a mother, she had nurtured in Christian faith many who "arise up and call her blessed." Forced by ill health to feel some years ago that she must lay aside the work so dear to her, she submitted without a murmur to the rest that seemed to be her portion after her day of toil; but an afterglow of brightness in health and strength was given to her, and for many months her old, loving activity made many hearts glad.

Her husband, Mr. Henry Plant, of Minneapolis, has opened the Word of God to many inquirers; but to him her sweet, happy translation has opened heaven so wonderfully, that we are told death seems to him now only the coming of a messenger from a loving Father. A word from one who knew Mrs. Plant well will illustrate the glory of her departure: "Sudden death came; but to her death was no 'king of terrors.' 'Never a day or an hour goes past without the consciousness of the presence of my Saviour,' had been her testimony in private conversation a few weeks before. Often had she said, 'I would be as willing any day to die as to live; it is only a change of homes.' The freed spirit has entered the other home.'”

THE STORY OF A TEACHER IN THE MADURA SCHOOL.

For the Bridge Builders.

147

INDJA.

THE STORY OF A TEACHER IN THE MADURA SCHOOL.

BY MISS EVA M. SWIFT.

OUR attention has been turned of late to the schools and colleges of our land, in the observance of the day of prayer set apart for that purpose. Christian parents everywhere feel the importance of placing their children under the very best influences during that formative period of life, so great a part of which is spent under the immediate care of their instructors in school or college. How important it is, then, that instructors in these schools should be only those fitted to lead young men and young women to Christ, and to a consecration of intellect and talents to him.

As an illustration of what a teacher in one of these mission schools may do, I have in mind the consecrated life of a young Tamil woman who taught for several years in the Madura Boarding and Normal School, and who was herself a child of the school. Some years before, after finishing her studies in Madura, Mary took what was then thought to be a very rash step for a young girl, and went to Madras for a higher course of study than the Madura Boarding School could give her. While studying there, in a purely secular institution and surrounded by the worldly influences of a large city, there was some reason to fear that she would lose in spiritual power, and become less useful as a Christian worker. She came to me in 1885, and she had not been with me long when I discovered that with the wisdom which cometh from above, she had made the most of every opportunity for spiritual. attainment, and for growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

She had become a very successful teacher, well known to the Government Educational Department, and highly recommended by its officials. Her services commanded an unusual salary, and I think that without true consecration to Christ she would have been greatly flattered by the praise she often heard of her work, and by the tempting possibility of worldly success.

In a very short time her influence among the pupils became very percept ible, her spirit of devotion and entire consecration leading many to follow her example. Her very real and sweet humility attracted the love of older