This Institute was founded under a deep and pressing sense of the claims of the eight hundred millions of heathen, still in this nineteenth century utterly unevangelized; and of the need of a practical Training Home, where Christian young men, of any evangelical denomination, gifted for God's service, and sincerely desirous to devote themselves to it, might be received and tested, instructed in the truth, exercised in various branches of evangelistic labour, and when sufficiently prepared, helped to go forth as missionaries to any country or sphere to which God might providentially open their way.

The need for, and the benefit of, such an Institute may be judged from the fact that, during the nine years that have elapsed since its commencement, more than fourteen hundred Christian young men have applied to be received; that above four hundred have been accepted, and that nearly two hundred and fifty are at the present time labouring in the gospel, either in the Home or the Foreign field; while between seventy and eighty are still studying in the Institute.

The students have been of various nationalities; not only English, Scotch, Irish, and American, but French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Russian, Bulgarian, Syrian, Egyptian, Kaffir, Negro, Hindu, Parsee, Koordish, and Jewish. And they have been of various denominations; those of them who have gone forth as missionaries are now connected with about twenty different societies and associations.

The Institute is catholic and entirely undenominational. Young men of every rank, nation, and evangelical denomination are received and trained for every country and every sphere of Mission service; and the training is not only intellectual but practical. There is A Central College and Training Home, HARLEY HOUSE, Bow, E., where about forty men of proved Christian character, volunteers for foreign Mission work, are receiving a course of special instruction and practical preparation for the important and arduous work to which they aspire, either as general or as medical missionaries; and there is

A similar College and Training Home in Derbyshire-HULME CLIFF COLLEGE, Curbar-where forty students are trained, more especially with a view to African missions, and where a knowledge of practical agriculture and other useful arts is imparted. Home Missions are carried on, as a part of their training, by the students of the Institute in the following mission halls and chapels belonging to it :-Cliff Chapel, Derbyshire; George Street Chapel, Bromley; Harley Hall, Devons Road; Saxon Road Hall, Old Ford; and

Help is likewise rendered by the students in very many other missions and evangelistic efforts both in town and country.

The Biblical Instruction is designed to give a clear grasp of the fundamental truths and evidences of Christianity. In addition to the ordinary routine of an English education, the students are instructed in theology, moral science and logic, Biblical exegesis, Christian evidences, sacred, profane, and church history, the Greek of the New Testament, scientific subjects, and, when needful, in modern languages. Those of them who are preparing to become medical missionaries attend the School of Medicine at the London Hospital.

The students received into the Institute are not, as a rule, in a position to contribute towards the expenses of their own support and training; the work is carried on in dependence on the God whose kingdom it seeks to extend, and it has, so far, been sustained by His almighty power, in answer to prayer.

It involves considerable outlay, the ordinary expenses being at the rate of £50 a year for each of the students in training, and a considerable sum besides being expended in the passage and outfit of missionaries entering on spheres of distant service, and directly in mission work.

More than 200 Missionaries-once Students in the Institute-are now scattered throughout England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Armenia, Russia, Norway, China, Japan, India, Egypt, Syria, East Africa, Cape Colony, Natal, The Cape Verde Islands, Canary Islands, The Argentine Republic, Brazil, Jamaica, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Canada, The United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Contributions in aid of the funds of the Institute are much needed, and will be received with thanksgivings to God. They may be sent to the Treasurer, STEVENSON A. BLACKWOOD, Esq., or to the Hon. Director, H. GRATTAN GUINNESS, F.R.G.S., Harley House, Bow, E. Cheques should be crossed to the London and South Western Bank, and P.0.0. made payable at the General Post Office.

Toiling On.

"LET US HOPE AND TRUST, LET US WATCH AND PRAY,

AND LABOUR TILL THE MASTER COMES."

W

E can scarcely believe that we have already entered on the tenth year of the East London Mission Institute! It seems but the other day that we first ventured to gather around us a few dear young brethren desirous to fit themselves for gospel service; yet on eight different occasions already we have had to tell the story of a year's work, and twelve months have now elapsed since we issued the last" special annual number" of our little occasional paper.

Time for writing a formal report fails us! Our work has grown so considerably that it would well afford occupation to three or four secretaries: organizing, corresponding, financial, and editorial. As we strive still to perform the combined duties ourselves, we must be excused if they prevent our giving the full and orderly conventional Report. We do not indeed fear that our friends will much regret our inability so to do, as Reports are proverbially harder to read than even to write.

But in presenting our accounts for the twelve months we must briefly tell "the story of our ninth year," or at any rate briefly review the main features of its work.

The hopeful zest with which a new enterprise is started must needs be modified as time passes, by experience and disappointment, by a deeper comprehension of the difficulties of the task, as well as of the inadequacy of the resources available for its prosecution. To be found " TOILING ON " to the goal when the first energies of the race are spent is the utmost to which the runner can attain. Perhaps the words we have chosen for our title describe our own experience as well as that of many of our dear missionary brethren in China, Africa, and elsewhere. But neither they nor we mean to let any feeling of faintness hinder our pursuing; and, thank God! the race is not to the swift but to the patient, the battle not to the strong but to the steadfast.

Our enterprise began as a "Training Institute," so we put first the

COLLEGE WORK FOR THE YEAR 1881-82.

During the year 1881-82 there were received into the Institute, for training, fifty-one new students, and the following brethren have left us since our last report to enter on their life work, or in two or three cases to pursue further preparatory studies elsewhere.