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20, Y. L. 50, Little Helpers, 25.60; Strafford, Aux., 12; Stowe, Aux., L. M's Mrs. S. F. Drew, Mrs. M. J. Gibson, 55; Swantou, Aux., 14.25, Whatsoever M. C., 4.60; North Troy, Aux., 5.50; Underhill, Aux., 19.60; Vergennes, Aux., 35, S. S., 34; Waterbury, Aux., Mrs. Pamelia Watts, L. M., 30.92; Lower Waterford, Aux., 8.50; Waterville, Aux., 4; Wells River, Aux., 12.75; Westminster, Aux., 26; Williamstown, Aux., 3.25; Williston, Aux., 16; Wilmington, Aux., 14.75; Windham, Aux., 23; Windsor, Aux., 26.50; Woodstock, Aux., 37.14, Thank Off., L. M's Mrs. Ethel L. Ely, Mrs. Lillian M. Dana, Miss Eva Seaver, 75.58, Wide Awakes, 5; St. Johnsbury, So. Ch., Aux., 39,

Total,

MASSACHUSETTS.

Andover and Woburn Branch.-Mrs. C. E.

Swett, Treas. Melrose Highlands, Aux., 23; Lexington, Aux. 53; Medford, Aux., 96, Barnstable Branch.-Miss A. Snow, Treas. Orleans, Y. P. S. C. E., Berkshire Branch.-Mrs. C. E. West, Treas. Dalton, Sr. Aux., 150, Y. L. Aux., 23; Housatonic, Aux., 12.73, Berkshire Workers, 33; Hinsdale, Aux., 15.51, Thank Off., 30.15; Lee, Aux., 412; Lenox, Golden Rule M. B., 5; Sheffield, Aux., 3; Pittsfield, First Ch., Aux., 5, Beverly-A Friend, Self-denial, Essex South Branch. -Miss S. W. Clark, Treas. Beverly, Dane St. Ch., Aux., A Friend, Self-denial, 50; Salem, So. Ch., Aux., Self-denial, 5, Franklin Co. Branch.-Miss L. A. Sparhawk, Treas. Ashfield, Aux., 40; Greenfield, Aux., 10.60; Northfield, Aux., 28.75; Shelburne, Aux., 11.50, Hampshire Co. Branch.-Miss I. G. Clarke, Treas. Westhampton, Aux., 8.40, Selfdenial, L. M., Mrs. A. C. Townsend, 100, Lanman Band, 30,

Lowell.-A Friend,

Middlesex Branch. -Mrs. E. H. Bigelow,
Treas. South Framingham, Grace Ch.,
Y. P. S. C. E.,
North Middlesex

Branch.-Mrs. A. R.
Wheeler, Treas. Concord, Aux.,
Norfolk and Pilgrim Branch.-Mrs. Wil-
son Tirrell, Treas. Weymouth Heights,
Mrs. E. T. Capen, 1, Mrs. H. Newell, 50
cts.; South Weymouth, Aux., 92.38,
Old Colony Branch. -Miss F. J. Runnels,
Treas. A Friend,

Springfield Branch. -Miss H. T. Bucking-
ham, Treas. Springfield, First Ch.,
Aux., 49 50; Holyoke, Second Ch., Kozen
Soc'y, 10,

Suffolk Branch. Miss M. B. Child,
Treas. Arlington, Ladies' Soc'y, 9.19;
Boston, E.. 20, Mrs. M. E. C. Hayes, 25,
Thank Off., K., 5; Cambridge, Mrs. M.
E. Brown, 5; Dorchester, E. C., 50, Sec-
ond Ch., Y. L. M. C., 31; Hyde Park,
Aux., 18.84; Newton Centre, Aux., 102.31;
Roxbury, Eliot Ch., Y. P. S. C. E., 20,
Immanuel Ch., Helping Hands, 25; Som-
erville, Prospect Hill Ch., Prim. Cl., 5,
Day St. Ch., Aux., 50,
Upton-Cong. Ch., Y. P. S. C. E.,
Windsor.-A Friend,

Worcester Co. Branch.-Mrs. C. S. New

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2,897 18

2,938 68

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139 75

CONNECTICUT. Eastern Conn. Branch.-Miss M. I. Lockwood, Treas. Norwich, Park Ch., C. E. Mission Circle, 35; Griswold, Aux., 1; Taftville, Aux., 15; New London, First Ch., Aux., 88.75, Hartford Branch.-Mrs. G. R. Shepherd, Treas. East Granby, Aux., 1; Hartford, Warburton S. S., Prim. Dept., Birthday Off., 5, Centre Ch., Aux., 7, Fourth Ch., Aux., 5; Plainville, Coral Workers, 20; Somers, Earnest Workers, 7; Suffield, Aux.,50 cts.; Wethersfield, Aux., 173.37, 218 87 West Hartford.-An Unknown Friend, 35, A Friend, 25,

60.00

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88.25

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PHILADELPHIA BRANCH. Miss E. Flavell, Treas. D. C., Washington, Aux., 71.03; N. J., Bound Brook, Aux., 25; Orange Valley, Aux., 55; Westfield, Y. L., 39; Pa., Phila., Aux., 5.75, Snowflakes, 5, Star of Bethlehem Band, 4.27,

205 05

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Union,

Interlachen.-Woman's Home Missionary

10.00

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A Friend,

15.26

lege,

Harpoot.-Miss'y Societies Euphrates Cel

Women of Midyat.

29.00

2.50

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We take great pleasure in presenting to you a picture of our "California Home," or, as we sometimes call it, "Miss Gunnison's Home," or the "Matsuyama Home." In these three names you have the history of this pleasantlooking building in which we have such a delightful and abiding interest. It is "California," as it was built mainly by the legacies of $1,000 each from

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two of our departed sisters, Mrs. Richards and Mrs. Morse, of Oakland. Mrs. Richards was at the time of her death one of the officers of this our Board of the Pacific, and a most loving friend of all our missionaries and their work. It is "Miss Gunnison's Home" in that it was built for her use, and that of any sister missionaries who may be associated with her from time to time.

Do we wish for these dear sisters anything less than a clean, sunny, airy home, to which they may retire after the abundant, we were going to say

wearisome, labors of the day; but as our missionaries seldom in their letters use that word we will not. Miss Gunnison, as many of you know, is a native-born Californian, and very much beloved in Bethany Church, of which she was a member, and by the ladies of our Board. She has been seven years in Japan in continuous work for the dear girls of the "sunrise land." She writes of this new home: "Miss Judson and I are enjoying our new home very much. My bedroom has the sunshine all day." (What a blessed thing that the sunshine gladdens alike both Christian and heathen lands.) "Such a contrast," she says, "to the old one. Our blessings are manifold; but still we are longing for more; not material, but spiritual blessings. Dear friends, let us have your earnest prayers."

And it is the "Matsuyama Home" as it is situated in the city of that name, where, as Miss G. says, "We are face to face with the enemies, not only of woman's education, but also of Christianity." "One of the leaders in educational circles here has set himself to destroy our school, if possible, and with this end in view he has started another school for girls quite near us; and among his pupils are girls who would come to us had he not prejudiced them against Christianity when they were in the school of which he is principal." It was in 1889 that Miss Gunnison first became interested in the struggling little school at Matsuyama. Although she had resumed her work as teacher in the Kobe school for a while, yet she could not forget the needs of Matsuyama. Finally in 1890, accompanied only by a young Japanese girl, she took up her residence there. She was most warmly welcomed by the natives, who brought her presents of rice and fish, and in various ways tried to make her feel at home. But their utmost gratitude could not provide a suitable house for her to live in; the best one to be found was dark and damp, full of discomforts and inconveniences.

And so the way has opened by which we have been enabled to provide for the dear missionaries who now occupy it, and for any who may be connected with it in the future,-this pleasant home.

We have looked to our auxiliaries for the last five hundred dollars. Most of this has come in; there still remains a small sum to be raised.

Our investment in this Home will give us perpetual interest in the work in Matsuyama. Eleven Christian girls are the result thus far of this work. These eleven will mean in the future eleven Christian homes (for all girls must marry in Japan). It will mean eleven Christian mothers, who will train their little ones in the knowledge of the true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. And these Christian homes and these Christian mothers are the salvation of any people, of whatever color or whatever tongue. And this bright, cheerful Home will be a place whither the poor and sorrowful

66
OUR CALIFORNIA HOME."

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will come for comfort and consolation through the blessed gospel of our Saviour and theirs. We are glad for the reflex influence upon ourselves that we have money in these centers of light, and love, and blessing.

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We have $2,000 in the Kobe Home, which has bound us to that "saints' rest by a very tender tie. In the Broosa school building, which is a "home" too, we have $5,000. So Broosa became with us, for many years, a household word. How we prayed and labored for that $5,000, considered by many at the time as almost a presumptuous undertaking! But it was completed at last; and in the photographs of that pleasant school building may be seen the dear old flag, the stars and stripes,-not to be used in disloyalty to the land which is native to these girls, but as showing the tie which binds them to this. That beautiful flag was made in Oakland, in the Plymouth Avenue Church, and much love and many prayers went with it. And so we rejoice that these sums of money, thus invested, will for succeeding generations furnish fountains of "living water, springing up into everlasting life," to many and many a soul.

It should be added in regard to the work in Matsuyama, that, through the private gifts of Mr. A. R. Gunnison (Miss Gunnison's father) and other home friends, also the efforts of the Japanese, a much-needed school building has likewise been erected for Miss Gunnison's use. It now seems as if the mission station at Matsuyama was well equipped for the Master's use. Let us never cease to pray that the baptism of the Holy Spirit may rest upon it, and render efficacious the work of our young sisters among these girls. Although but eleven at this date have been hopefully converted, yet the school numbers twenty-seven. It began with fifty-five, but on account of the opposition shown by the Japanese it was reduced to its present number. And other stations and other missions are reaching out for similar "homes" and school buildings. We would like to help Mrs. Gulick with her building for the school in San Sebastian, in which we invest $500 each year. We would like to place ample means in the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Perkins and of our dear Mary for a like extension of their work. We would like to help build the new little vessel, the "Hiram Bingham," for the Gilbert Islands, that our missionaries may communicate with each other oftener than once a year, or once in six months; and we would like to put some money into our beloved Dr. Root's new dispensary, so much needed in the Madura Mission. With the blessed awakening and religious quickening which has come to California through the efforts of Rev. B. Fay Mills, may we not look for greater consecration of the wealth of California from those who have learned anew the meaning of "Thy kingdom come," and have experienced the joy of seeing its progress in this sin-stricken world of ours?

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Mrs. Andrews, of Mardin, Turkey, writes of the work of a Bible woman in Midyat, as a great blessing to the community. Of her class of women she says:

THE attendance varies from thirty to fifty, according to weather, number of weddings, and other attractions outside, or ability to escape sharp eyes of mothers-in-law, who are opposed to such" nonsense.'

They say nonsense when they are good-natured, and heresy when they are cross. A large number are really Protestants, and each one makes it a point to bring some one with her if possible. On many accounts I consider this class one of the most helpful features of our work; second only, certainly, to the daily effort of the Bible woman from house to house. Our Bible woman's ready tact ir meeting opposition enables her to go almost anywhere; and while she is apparently listening to violent vituperation from some old woman, she is preparing a quiet reply, full of truth, to meet the wants of silent listeners in corners who dare not open their mouths, yet take in greedily all she says. Some who cannot listen in their homes, she watches for as they come out to the well to draw water. She lives in a part of our house just outside the village, and brings them in for a few minutes' earnest talk based on some text in her open Bible. The number of almost persuaded here is very large; bet the world, mothers-in-law, priests and old church rites, hinder their coming out openly. Yet so much tearful sowing must sometime bring joyful reaping

A WONDERFUL DIARY.

A WEALTHY farmer in Japan, named Hozaka, is continuing a diary whic has been handed down to him by his ancestors for three hundred years The man who commenced it was living at the time when the great Lake family, renowned as lords of the province and as chieftains, met with ther downfall three centuries ago. This diary is kept in eight oblong boxes more than two feet wide and high, which are called nagamochi, and are useli storing bedding. In it not only have the writers noted all the family ever and their own reflections on them, but all the changes of the weather. N the Japanese, like all the rest of mankind, love to boast of their long line ancestry, and do not find it an easy task to unravel all the branches family after many intermarriages through generations, and which had t best right to be called the head. Just such a difficulty arose lately, and t families who were closely related declared that each had the right to be firs At last they thought of this wonderful diary, and went to the owner to set the dispute. After a great search through the hundreds of volumes the found a long account of a dinner which was given to a relation, who was th There every dish which was served w founder of a branch family. written out most carefully, and many little circumstances were noted, whi decided at once the very point over which they were quarreling. H many of us would consider such a family possession a priceless treasure. 27 how would we love to pore over the pages of a diary which could tell what our ancestors did through one hundred and ten thousand days!

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