advertisement for the institution. The summer school of 1908, attended by 185 people, of whom one-third were students, was a genuine surprise to the promoters, who had looked for an attendance of 40.

Girls' School, Maebashi.-One hundred and fifty-two pupils, 9 teachers, and 30 graduates are reported. The relations between the school and station have been exceedingly cordial. Miss Griswold gives several hours of direct teaching, besides chapel talks and house to house visits. The boarding pupils, half the number, meet for Bible study every Sunday morning, and a large number of them attend church. There is a girls' society composed of Christian students and those from Christian families. Girls of the highest class have conducted a Sunday school for the children of the neighborhood. The entering class numbers 65.

Baikwa Girls' School, Osaka, reports 130 pupils and 41 graduates. The new school building was entered in September, 1908. The Japan Christian Endeavor Society has honored the new edifice by holding its annual meeting there, and the local churches are finding it exceedingly useful for their social meetings. The number of pupils has temporarily decreased because of removal and financial stringency, but the life of the school has been good. A revival in March, 1909, brought several accessions to the church and a marked change on the part of some pupils. The Ladies' Home is under construction, and will probably be occupied in September, 1909.

SPECIAL

Orphan Asylum, Okayama.-This institution, which now cares for 590 children, has received 1,000 yen from the benevolent fund of the Home Department of the government, thus bringing its total endowment up to 40,000 yen. There is still a debt of 84,000 yen, but Mr. Ishii, the founder, has declared against increasing it by so much as one cent. The asylum was honored during the year by a visit from Prince Kanin, the honorary president of the Japan Red Cross Society.

Hanabatake Social Settlement, Okayama.-During Miss Adams's absence in America the schools, dispensary, and religious services have been continued under the efficient management of Mr. Kodama and his wife, whose marriage this year was the occasion of her leaving the Kobe Bible school. The debt on the plant has been paid off, and 300 yen from the central government's charity funds have been invested as the beginning of an endowment for the Charity Hospital.

Factory Girls' Home, Matsuyama.-Thirty-four girls are enrolled, and 12 more will be admitted as soon as an addition to the boarding house, now under construction, is completed. A small weaving establishment has recently been opened, and both it and the boarding house are self-supporting. With the addition of another building, complete self-support will be well within sight. Hitherto the funds have come largely from private sources, and have been administered under the general direction of Miss Parmelee. Four girls have united with the church, and daily chapel exercises with regular Sunday

services have produced an earnest Christian atmosphere. This institution also was honored by a gift of 200 yen from the Central Charities' Fund.

Medical Work, Osaka.- Hard times account for the diminished number of applications for medical aid, not only at the mission hospital, Choshun, but at those of the city also. Patients at the former average about 50 in all. Surgery has been confined to minor cases, because of inadequate equipment. For more than six months of the year Dr. Taylor took charge of Dr. Laning's work in the St. Barnabas Hospital.

Publication Work.-The Publication Committee reports the publication of Dr. Learned's commentaries on the shorter epistles, a reprint of two books, "Sankoryo" and "Yamaji no Hikari," and the sale of one million pages of printed matter. President Harada's translation of Froebel's "Education of Man" is to appear soon.

Dr. DeForest's pamphlet on "American Ignorance of Oriental Languages" promises a wide circulation, and his manuscript of the "Greatest Learning," John 17: 3, is in the hands of the Keiseisha Publishing Company, in Tokyo.

The Kumi-ai Churches.-Looking over the 100 delegates to the Kumi-ai annual meeting in Kyoto, October, 1908, one would have been struck with the increasing number of gray heads, an indication of long and mature service. The orderly conduct of business, the great public gatherings, the helpful annual sermon, and the solemn hour of communion in the sacrament were all witnesses to the intellectual and spiritual forces that have accumulated during the last forty years. This independent church now comprises 95 churches, 68 of which are self-supporting; 83 workers, of whom 57 are ordained; and a membership of 14,631, whose annual gifts amount in all to more than 80,000 yen, and include 12,000 yen for home missionary work. It works in a territory extending from Kyushu to Yezo, in Japan, and across the sea to Korea, and has sub-organized itself into II local associations in which are working 2 home missionary societies, one of which is controlled by women. It is administered by a standing committee of 5, supported by an advisory committee of 20.

During 1908 it enabled 15 churches to come to self-support, thus completing the work of independence begun more than three years ago, when the mission transferred most of its organized work into Kumi-ai hands; it began new work in one city to the south; it has added 889, or nearly seven per cent, to its membership. During 1909, 2 and perhaps 3 new places are to be opened, and a regular campaign has been planned and is being successfully carried out along three lines: (1) establishing the organizations that have just reached self-support, (2) helping older churches that have become. weak, and (3) aggressive work.

Nine members of the mission have become honorary members of the Home Missionary Society of the Kumi-ai church.

MICRONESIAN MISSION

WORK FOR THE GILBERT ISLANDS

Residing at Kusaie.-Miss Louise E. Wilson.

On the way.-Miss Marion P. Wells.

Residing at Nauru.-Rev. Philip A. Delaporte, Ordained; Mrs. Salome Delaporte. Residing at Ocean Island.-Rev. Irving M. Channon, Ordained; Mrs. Mary L. Channon.

WORK FOR THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

Residing at Mejuro.- Clinton F. Rife, M.D., Ordained; Mrs. Isadora Rife.

Residing at Kusaie.- Miss Jenny Olin, Miss Jessie R. Hoppin.

WORK IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS

PONAPE. In charge of German missionaries.

TRUK.-Miss Elizabeth Baldwin, Miss Jane D. Baldwin.

WORK IN THE MARIANAS

GUAM.-Herbert E. B. Case, Ordained; Mrs. Ada R. Case.

Five stations; 38 outstations; 4 ordained missionaries, one of whom is a physician; 4 wives; 6 single women; 36 churches, with a membership of 5,115, 636 additions last year; 86 schools, with $9,217 contributed by the natives.

The report of the work of the Board in Micronesia is prepared with extreme difficulty, the peculiar conditions existing in the mission having caused incomplete returns. The statement which follows in regard to work in the Gilberts was written without any report from Mr. Walkup. Subsequently tidings have been received of the capsizing of the Hiram Bingham II on May 4, and of the death of Mr. Walkup on May 29 at Ebon. We infer that his report was lost with the vessel. Mr. Walkup's death following so soon after that of Dr. Bingham takes from the roll of the Micronesian missionaries two most notable names. Though Dr. Bingham had not resided within the Gilbert group for many years, he was working for the Gilbertese in a most efficient way, and was known and greatly beloved by these people. Mr. Walkup has also endeared himself to the people of the group, and was rendering a service which was of great value. Miss Hoppin, on account of ill health, has made a prolonged stay in this country, but has now returned to Kusaie, and Miss Marion P. Wells is on her way to reënforce that station. The work of the Board on Ponape having been turned over to the Liebenzeller Mission, Mr. and Mrs. Gray have not been needed within the Carolines, and they have been released from the service of the Board and have entered upon work under the American Missionary Association at Porto Rico. Miss Foss still remains in the United States.

THE GILBERTS

The report of last year referred again to the great desire of Mr. Walkup for another vessel to take the place of the Hiram Bingham to carry on

the work within the Gilbert group. The need seemed so imperative that Mr. Walkup came to Honolulu and San Francisco, and with great persistence pushed his plan for a new craft; so that the Prudential Committee assented to a plan of building a new Hiram Bingham at a cost of not far from $6,000, which the Sunday schools were asked to contribute for this purpose, and have contributed $6,532.97. The vessel was built at San Francisco under Mr. Walkup's supervision. The new vessel is practically the same size as the old one, being 63 feet long, 16-foot beam, with an auxiliary gasoline engine of 45 horse power. The old engine was put in excellent repair by Mr. Walkup and again placed in service. The vessel sailed from San Francisco on November 10, and from Honolulu about a month later. The voyage from the latter point to the Gilberts was accomplished in twelve and a half days, showing the excellent qualities of the vessel, and brought the new craft to Butaritari in season to enjoy Christmas celebration with the Christians of that island. There was a great demand for Dr. Bingham's Gilbertese dictionary. The account of the arrival of the Hiram Bingham at Ocean Island will be found in Mr. Channon's report from that island. It will be seen that the Bingham has rendered most excellent service in the short time she has been in service. We have no detailed report from Mr. Walkup of his visits through the group, but only a simple statement that he finds the work, on the whole, in better condition than he had anticipated.

Ocean Island (Banaba).- Last year report was made that Mr. and Mrs. Channon on returning to Micronesia had established themselves at Ocean Island, and it was felt that here a training school for Gilbert Islanders should be maintained. The results already gained have confirmed the opinion as to the desirability of this location, and give assurance that there is a large work to be done at this station. The year has been a very busy one, and Mr. Channon's plans have been hindered much by the inability to secure needed help. He was therefore obliged to do more than he should have with his own hands, and unfortunately he was laid aside by illness for two months, having an attack of island fever. Nevertheless he could report in March last that his house was about completed, with a printing establishment in the basement, and a native house for boys. He has two large cisterns capable of holding 22,000 gallons of water. The water supply is a matter of great importance; inasmuch as it rains very little, a good supply must be kept on hand.

A schoolhouse is to be built, with stone walls, from the coral which lies all about, and some of which can be burned for lime.

Church Work.-Mr. Channon reports under date of March 15: “During the year we have had something like 300 conversions amongst the natives and laborers here. Scarcely a week passes now without 10 to 12 conversions; 14 confessed Christ last night. In the last two communions we have added 168 to the church roll. There have been about 1,000 laborers here during the year; just lately 300 of them were returned, their time of service having expired. We have about 40 different prayer meetings at the several villages, in order to take care of so many natives from so many different islands.

Some of these meetings are the regular midweek meetings, others for the unconverted are evangelistic in character, and it is at these meetings that the conversions occur. Still other meetings are for the converts, and are more of a training class order. On Saturday evenings, at my home, I have a workers' and teachers' meeting, at which we study the Sunday school lesson and discuss other questions in regard to forwarding the work. At this meeting we have an average attendance of about 30.

"On Sunday morning we have our large native meeting, and our attendance averages about 400. Our Sunday school is somewhat unique, as we have Sunday school classes in many different languages or dialects, including Tahitian, Hawaiian, Fijian, Ellice Islands, as well as many classes in the Gilbertese. Each of these classes at some time in the service sings a hymn in its native language, and the Southern Gilberts, while using Gilbertese words, have original native tunes which have been taught them by the Samoan teachers. We intersperse these hymns amongst the other numbers of the regular service, as Scripture lesson, prayer, Ten Commandments, sermon, Sunday school lesson, etc. Some one or two of these classes number 150, so that their singing is almost like a chorus. Of course it is not of a high order from a musical standpoint, but the variety of dialect and character of the music give something of a unique character to the service."

The Europeans connected with the Phosphate Company are very kindly in their relation to the mission work, and though there can be no church for them, the influence of the mission upon these Europeans is quite apparent. Some members of the white staff coöperate in the training of the natives in music, and they have organized among them an orchestra, with brass and stringed instruments. The Company itself has made a liberal grant toward the salary of Mr. Channon, and has given substantial aid in the procuring of supplies.

When the new Hiram Bingham, with Captain Walkup, arrived in March, carrying as ballast a large number of Bibles, hymn books, and other publications, the excitement of the people was very great, and speedily every book that could be spared was purchased. The supply was wholly inadequate, and after the first day at least 200 persons were round the doors wanting Bibles and hymn books, and there were none to give them. When they could not get Bibles or hymn books they bought reading books, geographies, and arithmetics, until every book was gone. This extraordinary demand came largely from the new converts. As soon as these facts were known at the Mission Rooms, a new edition of the Bible was immediately ordered.

Mr. Channon has been able to maintain a training school, which has had an average attendance of 14. The design of this school is to prepare teachers, who may in due time be sent to instruct and preach in the different islands of the Gilbert group. Mr. Walkup will have his eyes open to find suitable persons for this training school. He has already secured one pupil and expects to get a dozen or more in due time from the laborers in the Phosphate Company. Already some have made application to the training school, desiring to begin study as soon as their term of service with the Phosphate Com