chapel used is not attractive and is hot; those who do come to church are from the marines, or belong to the civil service. The new governor, however, has been cordial, and encourages the people to attend religious service. There are 1,500 enrolled children in the public schools on the island, and there are 200 in the parochial schools and 30 in the mission schools. To maintain properly the mission work, there should be another family located at Guam and a girls' school should be opened, which would doubtless soon secure a good number of pupils.

The Chamorro Bible has been passing through the press, under the care of Rev. Mr. Price, now in California; but the complete Scriptures in the Chamorro language are not expected to be in hand until this autumn.

Our missionary at Guam is certainly entitled to great praise for his steadfastness in holding fast to his work amid manifold discouragements, and in some way aid should be sent to this field, not large in itself, but one for which we as Americans are clearly responsible.

MISSION TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

DAVAO. Robert F. Black, Ordained; Charles T. Sibley, M.p., Physician; Mrs. Gertrude G. Black, Mrs. Annie E. Sibley.

The physician long sought for for this mission has been secured, and in March of this year Dr. Charles T. Sibley and wife joined Mr. and Mrs. Black at Davao. They were sent out to be supported by the Mindanao Medical Association of New York, and their coming has put new life into the mission; and though, of course, it is too early in its history to present any results, the brethren are confident not only that there is an open field, but that the seed sown is already taking root. The island of Mindanao, which is the southernmost of the Philippines, is about the size of the New England states, not including Maine. It has a coast line of about 1,500 miles, and the Gulf of Davao, on the south, is about thirty miles wide at its opening and extends nearly ninety miles into the interior. Near the large island of Samal is the town of Davao, where Mr. and Mrs. Black have lived, and which, after full conference and examination, the missionaries deem to be the place to be held as the center of the mission and the location for the hospital, though other places should be selected for the location of evangelists and teachers. The west shore of the gulf from Davao southward is dotted with plantations, many of them occupied by Americans who have no special love for the missionaries, and no desire to conform their lives to the teachings of the gospel. Nevertheless, they are kindly disposed and listen to the Word as it is preached to them. This is equally true at Santa Cruz. Here, on one of their trips, Dr. Sibley was greatly impressed with the intense interest with which the small congregation listened to Mr. Black's preaching. Santa Cruz and the plantations along the shore could easily and safely be reached with a small launch, and dispensary work could be done in all these

places. Dr. Sibley thinks that a trip thither could be systematically made each week, and that a church could soon be organized. Santa Cruz is the center for Bogoboes, one of the largest and best tribes. Directly back of Santa Cruz there are accessible mountains from four to six thousand feet high, which would furnish a fine location for a sanatorium.

The missionaries have made a long trip of exploration around the great island, reporting that there are not only no railroads, but very few roads of any account, not even from town to town. Working in the interior would be extremely difficult and dangerous at present. Many men attempting to go into the interior never come out again. There are perils from serpents, wild beasts, and not less from men, but life is safe along the coast.

The missionaries in May made an extended tour around the island, stopping at Cottabato, a town of from four to five thousand people on the Cottabato River, up which a boat could steam 150 miles through a valley well watered, which is spoken of as one of the richest in the entire world. The banks of the river are densely covered with verdure, having wonderful ferns and orchids. Ninety-eight per cent of the inhabitants of this valley are Moros (Mohammedans), who want nothing of the white man. The opening for missionary work there is not promising. Dr. Sibley says that a good male nurse could do all that the Moros would allow a white man to do for

them for years to come. This would furnish the best wedge for opening work among that people.

Other places visited were Jolo, Zamboanga, the latter place, having about 10,000 inhabitants, being the port for all Mindanao. The people at Zamboanga would like to have our mission hospital established there, but having a military. hospital under the government, our hospital is more needed elsewhere.

On the north coast, Dapitan, a Roman Catholic town, was visited. Oriequeta is the largest town in Mindanao, having a population of over 17,000; no Protestants are found here. Jiminez is spoken of as a beautiful town, wonderful in its richness, with well-watered rice fields and tropical fruits in abundance. Misamis, a town of 4,000, is like all Visayan townsthe people are Roman Catholics, some of them followers of Aglipay. Across Illigan Bay there lies the town of Illigan, with a population of about 4,000, where the Moros abound. Mention is made of Cagayan, having a population of about 9,000, and a little larger number in the region round about. Surigao is on the northeast point of Mindanao, having a population of 9,000.

Having passed around the island, the missionaries write of a strong impression in regard to the ripeness and vastness of the field from an evangelistic standpoint, and of the general healthful condition of the whole coast. The people bought Bibles and accepted literature like hungry children. The people are not in sympathy with the Roman Catholic Church, but tolerate it. The impression produced was that the followers of Aglipay were returning to the Roman Catholic Church. The opinion is expressed that now is the time to strike the north shore with evangelists, and the result would promptly be a great revival.

From a medical point of view, Dr. Sibley regards the island as the most

healthful place he has ever seen, were it not for the perpetual heat. There is unanimity in the conviction that the place for the hospital is Davao. The people are becoming friendly and the outlook is good.

MEXICAN MISSION

GUADALAJARA.-John Howland, Theodore F. Hahn, Ordained; Mrs. Sarah B. Howland, Mrs. Anna S. Hahn, Miss Octavia W. Mathews.

CHIHUAHUA.-James D. Eaton, D.D., Ordained; Mrs. Gertrude C. Eaton, Miss Mary F. Long.

HERMOSILLO.Horace T. Wagner, Ordained; Mrs. Della McC. Wagner.

PARRAL.-Alfred C. Wright, Ordained; Mrs. Annie C. Wright, Miss Ellen O. Prescott, Miss Mary Dunning.

EL FUERTE.

C. GUERRERO.

On furlough.-Miss Alice Gleason.

Associated with the mission, not under appointment.-Miss Juanita Case, Miss Helen A. Meserve, Mrs. Mary J. Blachly.

Six stations; 51 outstations; 5 ordained missionaries; 5 wives; 5 single women; total American missionaries, 15; 6 ordained native pastors; 2 unordained preachers; 20 teachers; other native worker; total native workers, 29. The 24 organized churches have 1,540 communicants, 60 having been added by confession of faith during the year; the adherents number 4,425; average attendance, 1,216; 3 churches entirely selfsupporting; 27 places of regular meetings. In the 37 Sunday schools 1,557 pupils are enrolled. The mission has 1 theological school, with 10 studying for the ministry; 3 boarding and high schools, with 140 boys and 161 girls enrolled. The 6 other schools have 168 male and 197 female pupils; total number under Christian instruction, 676. The people gave for the support of their own work during the year, $12,494.

Rev. Alden B. Case has been obliged to sever his connection with the mission. He will, however, continue to live in Mexico, and will devote a specified part of his time, such as he may be able to take from his private business, to missionary work without pecuniary recompense. The girls' school at Chihuahua is rejoicing over the return of Miss Long and the addition to its force of Miss Meserve, as an instructor for three years, and Mrs. Blachly, as matron of the school. Miss Gleason has been obliged for health reasons to return again to this country.

EVANGELISTIC WORK

Chihuahua. While the record of the year does not present any startling features, upon the whole it has been a period of encouraging progress, notwithstanding the fact that at no time has the entire force of missionaries been found together at the station. One of the features of the year has been the organizing, provisionally, of a state conference of Congregational churches. This has named Pastors Magdaleno and Ibánez as official delegates to the mission meeting. For religious literature distributed in the station, cash receipts have amounted to $657, exclusive of the value of Scriptures put into

circulation with the aid of the American Bible Society. There was a notable revival at El Paso during the Week of Prayer, some 25 persons indicating their desire to begin a new life. About a dozen joined the church.

Parral. The seemingly backward step which the church has taken of late in calling upon the mission again for financial aid is chiefly due to the crisis. which has closed the larger part of the mines and left many of the members without work. Mr. Wright has devoted himself chiefly to visiting the longneglected outstations and trying to arouse the relaxed members scattered over this vast field to a realization of their duties and possibilities in church work. There are 4 organized churches, 4 places where services of some kind are held each week, and 15 or 20 other places where there are believers or friends who will welcome the visits of the missionary and gather a group for services. In the seven months that Mr. Wright has been on the field he has celebrated the Lord's Supper six times, received II to church membership, baptized 35 infants, traveled 4,122 kilometers-over 3,500 on horsebackand held 153 services. The field is wonderfully open for work.

Soon after Mr. Wright's arrival, he and a resident Baptist missionary arranged to continue a service once a month in English, held in the Parral church, the missionaries alternating in directing it. The attendance has been small, varying from 15 to 25, yet this is the only opportunity for a religious gathering of the English-speaking colony.

Hermosillo. Because this station's field is almost as large as that of the combined states of New York and Pennsylvania, the three Mexican pastors and one missionary family are utterly unable to care properly for the numerous congregations or to follow up the moving members, or to respond to the many invitations coming from the new towns. Yet pretty regular services have been held in almost 50 towns and villages.

The financial crisis has seriously affected many of the people. The Yaqui Indians have made a deal of trouble throughout the greater part of the state. At Hermosillo it has been a rather difficult year for the work, though the church has continued to be self-supporting. For some time it was necessary to have the missionary serve as pastor. At Minas Prietas most of the members have decided in a peaceful way to unite with the Mexican Evangelical Church. However, the missionary always preaches for them when he visits the town. Work has not progressed in the Yaqui Indian towns. There have been large congregations at Cumpas, frequently reaching 200 in attendance. Cumpas is the most important town in northeastern Sonora and is growing rapidly. There are ten regular congregations in the Sahuaripa dictrict, though this district is poor, thinly populated, and not easily reached.

It is an interesting fact that the official representatives of the Pima Indians, eight in number, while on some legal business at Hermosillo became so interested in the church meetings that, after leaving Hermosillo, they sent an urgent invitation to the missionary to visit them for the purpose of preaching and teaching the gospel to the two or three thousand souls in their tribe.

Guadalajara. The state of Jalisco, now numbering considerably over

1,000,000 inhabitants, or about one-twelfth of the population of the republic, was the first one in which our mission opened work in Mexico. At present there are 3 organized churches under this Board, and groups of believers are distributed through different parts of the state. The church at Guadalajara has been small numerically, and consists mostly of the humbler classes. This year a most important and decided step was taken in getting Rev. I. M. Lopez for the pastoral work of the church. The State Convention of Christian Endeavor Societies and Sunday Schools was held here in March. At the close of the convention the Association of Congregational Churches of the state of Jalisco was organized. Six new members were received into the city church, all of whom were students of the Colegio Internacional. The total number of contributions from the church during the year was $358.36. The senior students of the Colegio Internacional have taken turns in visiting every week the brethren at Tlajomulco and San Miguel Zapotitlan. The year at the former place has been one of marked spirituality among the members.

Work in German has been started under the leadership of Mr. Hahn among the large German population in Guadalajara.

CONDENSED STATISTICS FOR YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1907

Chihuahua

El Fuerte

Guadalajara

Hermosillo.

Parral

EDUCATIONAL WORK

Colegio Internacional (Guadalajara).-The past school year was an unusual one. Owing to the decision of the mission to change the time of vacation from November and December to the summer, one of the vacation months to be July, in order to have that month free for the annual meeting, there were really two closings of the school during the last statistical year, the one in October, 1907, and the other in May, 1908. There was also a change in the teaching force; Mr. Wright having moved to Parral, Mr. Hahn took his place at the beginning of the new school year. The burden of the normal department has been largely thrown upon Mr. Howland.