$3,611.36 $2,267.12 $54,034.45 $1,642.34 $1,805.88 $135,732.10 $293,880.32

and strength to meet the many calls for his services in all parts of his field, except the Southern Atlantic States. In addition to addresses in the churches and before associations and conferences, he has spoken often in colleges and seminaries, at union missionary meetings, ladies' meetings, men's clubs, Congregational Clubs, also at Lake Mohonk and Northfield. Most acceptable and efficient services have been rendered by the following missionaries: Rev. and Mrs. E. G. Tewksbury, Rev. George W. Hinman, Rev. William B. Stelle, and Mrs. Alice M. Williams, of China; Rev. John H. De Forest, D.D., Rev. Horatio B. Newell, D.D., Rev. Hilton Pedley, and Miss Annie H. Bradshaw, of Japan; Rev. John S. Chandler, Rev. John J. Banninga, Rev. Franklin E. Jeffery, Frank Van Allen, M.D., Rev. William W. Wallace, Rev. Justin E. Abbott, D.D., Rev. Henry Fairbank, and Rev. Lorin S. Gates, of India; Rev. and Mrs. Giles G. Brown, of Ceylon; Rev. and Mrs. Robert S. Stapleton, Rev. Royal M. Cole, Rev. Thomas D. Christie, D.D., Rev. Henry S. Barnum, D.D., Thomas S. Carrington, M.D., Mary M. Patrick, PH.D., and Rev. Ernest C. Partridge, of Turkey; Rev. James D. Taylor, Rev. T. W. Woodside, and Rev. Fred R. Bunker, of Africa.

Illustrated Lectures. The eighteen sets of lantern slides illustrating native customs, mission schools and colleges, churches, hospitals, and other lines of work in the foreign field have been in constant use by pastors and others during the year. No fewer than two hundred lectures have been given within the district during the year with the aid of these pictures. The reports indicate that churches and halls are often crowded, and that many who have not hitherto cared for mission work in other lands have become deeply and, let us hope, permanently interested.

The Coöperating Committee, who have for many years rendered most efficient service, is composed of the following gentlemen: Rev. Joseph H. Selden, D.D., Dr. Lucien C. Warner, Charles A. Hull, Esq., Dyer B. Holmes, Esq., Rev. Nehemiah Boynton, D.D., Prof. Harlan P. Beach, D.D., Rev. William Douglas Mackenzie, D.D., Charles A. Baker, Esq., and Hon. John H. Perry.

The officers of the Board in Boston, as in previous years, have often spoken within the bounds of the district during the year, and have always received a most cordial welcome. President Capen, among other tours, has met engagements as far south as Atlanta, where under his inspiring leadership the Central Congregational Church has increased its pledges from $100 to nearly $1,000.

Analysis of Donations

I. The receipts from all sources have been $293,880.32, which is a gain of $70,497.15 over last year. This gain, however, is due to legacies, which amount to $135,732.10, an increase of $95,300.66 over the previous year.

The legacy of $95,000 from the late D. Willis James came into our treasury this year. This is the last gift from a noble man, one of the best friends the Board has ever had. His gifts prior to his death were never less than $5,000 any year during the last thirty years, and some years they amounted to $30,000 and even $50,000. The cause represented by the Board

is in great need of other laymen of large means who will imitate, both in spirit and giving, the example of this Christian merchant.

2. The contributions from Sunday schools show a loss of $423.04 in sums contributed directly to the Board, and a gain of $240.90 in contributions to the Woman's Board, making a net loss of $182.14.

3. The contributions from the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor show a gain of $231.40 from direct contributions to the Board and a loss of $133.55 in gifts to the Woman's Board, making a net gain of $97.85. One cannot but feel a keen sense of disappointment that so little is being done for this cause by the young people of our Christian Endeavor Societies and the thousands of children and youth in our Sunday schools. Our contributions from these sources suffer greatly when compared with the gifts made by other denominations, and this notwithstanding special efforts have been made to instruct our youth along these lines.

4. There has been a loss of $22,254.70 from churches and individuals, a loss of $182.14 from Sunday schools, a loss from the Woman's Board of $2,463.82, making a total loss from living donors of $24,900.66.

No doubt the shrinkage in receipts is largely due to two causes: (a) the presidential year, which is deeply absorbing the thought of our people, making it difficult to interest them in foreign missions; and (b) the financial distress which has come to so many individuals and churches, making it impossible for them to do what they have done in previous years.

5. It should be understood that the amounts raised in New York and New Jersey for the Talas Hospital, Turkey, the American Hospital at Constantinople, and the Mindanao Medical Association are not included in the above tables, since each of these organizations has a separate treasurer.

6. The most conspicuous advance made in any state and by any organization has been made by the New York Branch of the Woman's Board, who report an increase from all sources over the previous year of $2,925.84. If there had been a similar increase on the part of all the churches and missionary societies throughout the country, the Board would have no debt to report, and many of the urgent calls from the field for reënforcements could be met.

For the army of devoted friends who give time and money, sympathy and prayer, that this work may be prosecuted with ever increasing vigor, we are profoundly grateful. Under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, without whom we cannot succeed, may we not hope and expect that when we celebrate the centennial of the Board we shall have the enthusiastic support of all our pastors, and especially of all our laymen, upon whom we must depend for an increase of gifts worthy of such a cause and of a missionary society with such a noble history.

REPORT FROM THE INTERIOR DISTRICT

Outline of Work

Rev. A. N. Hitchcock, D.D., Secretary for the Interior District, reports as follows:—

During the past year more than ordinary emphasis has been laid upon field work among the churches. This has doubtless been stimulated by the fact that a somewhat larger number than usual of able missionaries has been available for such work, and apparently, also, by the recent return of the District Secretary from a tour among our foreign missions. Work from the office as a center has undoubtedly suffered somewhat from almost constant absence during considerable periods. But the value of this field work, though not always calculable in dollars and cents, is generally recognized as useful in giving publicity to our work, promoting favor, and diffusing information by the living voice.

Among the returned missionaries who have given us substantial aid in this district I should name Rev. Fred R. Bunker, of Africa, who spent several months among the churches of Michigan; Rev. John J. Banninga, of India, who also made numerous addresses in Michigan and elsewhere; Rev. F. E. Jeffery, of India, who completed an extended tour arranged for him through Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota; Rev. H. B. Newell, of Japan, who filled a similar series of engagements in other parts of Illinois and Iowa; Rev. E. C. Partridge, of Turkey, who made a large number of addresses in Michigan, Iowa, and Kansas; Rev. Robert S. Stapleton, of Turkey, who, in addition to work in Michigan, led an energetic campaign through Wisconsin; and Rev. Dr. De Forest, who spent some ten days, crowded with engagements, in Chicago and vicinity. In addition to the foregoing, Rev. D. C. Greene, D.D., of Japan, and Rev. J. S. Chandler, of India, have visited this district, and have given a valuable message, publicly and privately, as the way has opened.

The District Secretary has received more invitations than it was possible to accept, but has addressed five state associations, various local conferences, a large number of important churches, several gatherings of men, two summer assemblies-Williams Bay and Frankfort-and probably a dozen assemblies under the auspices of the Woman's Board or its auxiliaries, including state branches and the annual meeting of the Woman's Board of Missions of the Interior. I am thinking of making friendly reprisals during the coming year by asking some of their excellent missionaries to speak for us! There have been not a few indications of a new awakening among the laymen of our churches. One occasion is recalled when, in the parlors of one of our Wisconsin churches on a Tuesday evening, a hundred and fortythree men came together to listen to an address and for friendly conference; another was a meeting of the Federation of Men's Leagues in an Illinois city, at which, on a Sunday afternoon and evening, in the midst of a pouring rain,

several hundreds of people, mostly men, crowded into the Opera House expressly to hear addresses on the spread of the gospel around the world.

This leads me to add a word concerning the Laymen's Missionary Movement as related to this district. Early in December an important conference was held in Chicago, attended by about seventy men. President Capen and Dr. Patton were present and brought a timely and stirring message. Resolutions were passed indorsing the Movement and providing for the appointment of a central committee of laymen, composed of the lay members of the Cooperating Committee and three representatives in each of the states outside of Illinois. This was quickly followed by several meetings and the formation of such a committee, with Mr. E. H. Pitkin as chairman. His well-known energy and efficiency were at once applied, but the necessity of his taking a long vacation early in the spring, for much needed rest, seriously interrupted the work of the committee. But the Wisconsin end of the committee, under the able lead of Senator Whitehead, backed by Hon. O. H. Ingram, pushed the work of correspondence in that state with good results. It is now hoped that certain large interdenominational rallies at leading centers in this district, as planned by the Executive Committee of the Laymen's Movement, will supply inspiration and light for practicable organization within the various denominations.

Considerable use has been made of formal commissioning services in connection with the appointment of new missionaries. These have been occasions of unusual interest, and we are indebted to Rev. Drs. W. E. Barton and E. M. Williams, of Oak Park, Dr. George H. Merrill, of Minneapolis, and Dr. F. A. Noble, together with members of the Woman's Board and the pastors at various places, for their helpful coöperation.

The work at the office has been carried on along accustomed lines. Correspondence, distribution of literature, personal conferences, the sending out of stereopticon slides for which there has been a large demand, and numerous other details have required vigilant attention.

So far as seemed possible, Sunday schools and Christian Endeavor Societies have been urged to coöperate in our foreign missionary work and plans. Earlier plans of calling upon the Christian Endeavor Societies of different states to support their own missionaries have now been entirely discontinued, and the Station Plan urged instead. Not a few pledges have been listed under this plan, but a study of the tables shows that there are as yet no large returns from either Christian Endeavor Societies or Sunday schools. The need of "education" along missionary lines seems not infrequently to be pleaded, in this field and among certain churches, as an excuse for postponing further practical coöperation. It is my own conviction that this is a grievous fallacy, and that actual giving, with such instruction and inspiration as naturally attend it at the time, is itself highly educative. The time seems to have come, if we are to save the church of tomorrow for its high function of bringing the world to Christ, when large and practical plans should be devised for obtaining greatly increased gifts from our young people, particularly from the Sunday schools.