schools that the new Normal Training School at Amanzimtoti is now prepared to give adequate attention and training to young people of both sexes, so that they may be fitted for teachers. The special feature of the year has been the large amount of building for school purposes; the cost of these buildings has been met from the education fund secured from the Reserve taxes. Umzumbe Home has met with a loss the past year, as Miss Frost has gone to be connected with the normal school at Amanzimtoti. Nevertheless the school has prospered in all ways, having 83 girls, all there is room for. A good spirit has been manifested, and much enthusiasm has been shown in their work. Miss Laura Smith and Miss Seibert have been indefatigable in their labors, and there is great need of additional teachers to care for this promising institution. The vacancy caused by Miss Frost's departure should be filled as soon as possible. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT This is in charge as heretofore of Dr. McCord, who is located at Durban. The attendances reported at the dispensary the past year number 600 less than the previous year. This is accounted for by the financial depression in the district, the people not coming to the country because of lack of work. Fees have been charged at the dispensary, varying from 6d. to 10s., and these have helped in the conduct of the medical work. The Mission Nursing Home on Ridge Road has been opened, this without any opposition on the part of those who had heretofore sought to prevent the building of the hospital and the carrying forward of native medical work. Mrs. McCord is doing the nursing, assisted by two natives who have come to take a four years' course in nursing. Mr. Makanya, the pastor, has rendered great aid here by attending prayers every morning and meeting the patients as they may need. The record of the hospital shows 54 patients and the dispensary 2,800 patients, giving 3,561 treatments. EUROPEAN TURKEY MISSION MONASTIR.-William P. Clarke, Ordained; Mrs. Martha G. Clarke, Miss Mary L. Matthews, Miss Mary M. Haskell. PHILIPPOPOLIS.-George D. Marsh, D.D., Henry C. Haskell, D.D., Ordained; Mrs. Margaret B. Haskell. SAMOKOV. Robert Thomson, Leroy F. Ostrander, John W. Baird, Ordained; Mrs. Agnes C. Thomson, Mrs. Mary L. Ostrander, Mrs. Ellen R. Baird, Miss Esther T. Maltbie, Miss Agnes M. Baird, Miss Inez L. Abbott. Residing at Sofia.-James F. Clarke, D.D., Ordained; Miss Elizabeth C. Clarke. SALONICA.-J. Henry House, D.D., Edward B. Haskell, Ordained; Mrs. Addie B. House, Mrs. Elisabeth F. Haskell. KORTCHA. Phineas B. Kennedy, Ordained; Mrs. Violet B. Kennedy. On furlough.-Theodore T. Holway, Ordained; Mrs. Elizabeth H. Holway, Mrs. Ursula C. Marsh, Miss Harriet L. Cole. On the way out.-William C. Cooper, Ordained. Associated with the mission, not under appointment.- Miss Emma Baird. Five stations; 55 outstations; 13 ordained missionaries; 11 wives; 7 single women; total missionary force, 31; 16 ordained native preachers; 18 unordained preachers; 60 teachers; 7 Bible-women; 13 other native helpers; total native helpers, 114. The mission has 19 organized churches, with 1,451 communicants; 64 were added on confession the past year, and the average attendance was 3,288. In the 56 Sunday schools there is a membership of 2,583. There is 1 Theological and Collegiate Institute, with 4 students for the ministry and 82 pupils in collegiate training; 5 boarding and high schools, with 257 students. The 24 other schools have 504 students; total number under instruction, 847. Native contributions for all purposes, $5,808.25. Few changes have taken place in this mission during the year. Miss Cole and Mr. and Mrs. Holway have come to this country on furlough, and Miss Haskell and Mr. and Mrs. Baird have returned to the mission. Mrs. Marsh is still in this country. Mr. Cooper has been appointed to the mission, with probable designation to Salonica. SAMOKOV STATION The work of this station covers a field including not only Samokov and Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, but also 850 villages and towns. The population is 360,000. The evangelical forces of the station and its ten outstations number 13 missionaries, including wives and single women, and 36 native laborers. Among these native laborers are 2 ordained preachers and 23 teachers. There are 3 organized churches and 10 other places with regular services. The communicants number 256 and the schools 4, with a total of 258 scholars. Native contributions for the year amounted to $2,225.17. The aggressive temperance campaign carried on by Dr. Clarke in the winter, and the settling of a new worker in one of the more remote outstations, have been, aside from the jubilee, the features of the field work. One reason for encouragement in the Samokov station is the improved condition of the Sofia church, which assumed self-support for the first time this year. This is the third church in the mission to reach this stage of development. The churches have experienced no little help from evangelistic services conducted by Rev. F. B. Meyer and Rev. J. A. Campbell, of London. Eight were added by confession. The adherents of the church now number 819 and the average attendance is 619. The 7 Sabbath schools have a membership of 470. The Collegiate and Theological Institute.-The school year began with the complete scientific gymnasium course of seven years, though the government recognition as a full "gymnasium" had not been secured. The seventh class numbered at the outset 4 students, and the entire institute enrolled during the year 82 students, of whom 48 were Protestants, 31 Orthodox, and 3 Jews. Religious impetus to the life of the school was given by the visit of Rev. J. A. Campbell. Last year the great problem before the school was that of finding suitable teachers. The needed men were found during the year and satisfactory work has been done by them. The great question now before the school is, Are they going to pay the teachers they have already secured and those whom they shall need in the future? To keep the school up to the gymnasium standard assumed will mean increased expenditure. A fund is imperative so that the school can have at least £T.350 ($1,540) more a year. The hope of the school lies in its being granted full government recognition as a gymnasium. An endowment fund is needed which will meet in part the salaries of the necessary teachers. The need is imperative. The Girls' School.-The Samokov Girls' Boarding School has had enrolled 83 pupils, 52 of whom were boarders and the rest day pupils. Seven graduated from the sixth year class. The kindergarten has enrolled 23 children, making a total in the institution of 106. Of the 83 students in the boarding school, 36 came from Protestant homes and 46 from Pravo-Slav homes. Eighteen pay full tuition. The educational features of the year, beside the regular school work, have been music, temperance work through a temperance society, and the meetings and work of the teachers' club. The religious activities have been those of the Sunday school and of the Christian Endeavor Society, the noon prayer meetings for teachers proving a feature of the year's religious work. There is an imperative need of a new building. Among the efforts put forth by the women of the station, the work of the Society of Associated Charities should be mentioned. This has given work to 58 different women. The Bible work for women in the outstations is unfortunately languishing for lack of capable and consecrated Bulgarian women who can give their time to this important branch of service. Special mention should be made of Miss Clarke's kindergarten work at Sofia, where 76 children have been under instruction. PHILIPPOPOLIS The work of this field (986,000) began in 1858, and there are now connected with the station and its 18 outstations 4 missionaries and 21 native laborers, including 9 ordained preachers and 4 teachers and 2 Bible-women. There are 17 places of regular meeting and 8 organized churches, one of which is entirely self-supporting. The number of communicants last year was 451 and of adherents 1,484. The average attendance at the church service was 1,333. Sixteen were added by confession. The station supports 19 Sabbath schools, with an attendance of 1,045. There are 5 day schools, with a total number of 99 under instruction. The native contributions for church work were $2,784.32, while the contributions of the native Christians for the schools amounted to $183.26. As the first work for the Bulgarians began at Philippopolis in 1858, this station had a unique interest in the jubilee celebration. Dr. Haskell prepared the historical sketch. The work of the station both for men and women has gone on as usual. There is increasing difficulty in securing enough qualified preachers, teachers, and Bible-women. The requirements are constantly rising, and what with the meagerness of salaries and the "American fever" and the pressure from the government, the supply has not kept pace with the demand. Figures seem to indicate, too, a little diminution in the average church attendance. The sales of Bibles and tracts has more than doubled during the last five years. THE JUBILEE The principal item of mission interest during the year was the jubilee which commemorated fifty years of evangelical work among the Bulgarians. It was held at Sofia, August 11-17, 1908, in conjunction with the Triennial Summer School of the American Board and Methodist Missions. Forty pastors, preachers, colporters, Bible-women, and missionaries were present. Praise was in the hearts of all for the "fifty years of divine protection, fifty years of guidance by the Spirit, fifty years of sowing precious seed that never fails of fruitage, fifty years of loving service for the Master, fifty years of praying, fifty years of glorious anticipation.” There were large and sympathetic audiences, and full, clear, and valuable sketches were given of the literary, evangelistic, and educational activities of the two missions. There was, furthermore, the consciousness that the work of the past had begun to bring forth some fruit outside of as well as within the ranks of the missions. This made both native and foreign workers more grateful for the past and hopeful for the future. They are assured that "the gospel has rooted itself among the Bulgarians in heart and mind and imagination"; that it is "believed to be the corner stone of liberty, the main element in true progress." It was pointed out how "God in his providence so timed the introduction of evangelical Christianity among Bulgarians that when they achieved their independence they could not have excluded this (leaven) had they wished to, and probably they would not if they could, for they had learned its value." Gratitude to God for the great change in the Sultan's dominions across the border and the bright prospects for future work there made the occasion all the more joyous. SALONICA The work mentioned above has all been carried on in the limits of Bulgaria. The rest of the mission work is carried on under the Turkish flag, that is, in European Turkey. This station was opened in 1894 on the old missionary ground of St. Paul. It has 25 outstations. There are 7 organized churches. The total missionary force numbers 4, wives included; 4 ordained native preachers, 23 teachers, 3 Bible-women and other workers, making a total of 39. The adherents number 1,741 and the communicants of the churches 632, the average attendance being 1,129; 32 were added on confession during 1908. The 25 Sunday schools have had a membership of 935. Four men have been studying for the ministry in the theological class. They earn their way chiefly by teaching trades in the Agricultural and Industrial Institute. The 14 day schools have had a total under instruction of 315, not counting the 39 in the Industrial Institute. Native contributions amounted to $1,520.68 for religious work and $426.75 for education, or a total of $1,947.43. This loss of $11.75 over the previous year was due to the fact that the Strumnitza church gave an unusual amount for church building in that year. This has been the station's record-breaking year-for the small amount of touring possible. The government did not allow the missionaries to visit points off the railways before July 24, 1908, owing to the unsettled condition of the country. MONASTIR The work in Monastir was established in 1873. The population of the field can be considered 1,200,000. To work this field, in which there are 3 outstations beside the central station, there are 5 missionaries, including the single ladies, and 10 native laborers, including one ordained preacher. Regular meetings are held at five different places. There is one organized church not yet entirely self-supporting. The communicants number 103 and the adherents 133. The average attendance is 173. Seven were added to the church by confession during 1908. The 4 Sabbath schools have a membership of 113. The native contributions for the religious work amounted to $82.86. The Boarding School.-The Girls' Boarding School has enrolled a total of 30 pupils, 26 of whom were boarders. Of this number 28 are Bulgarians. Owing to illness Miss Cole has been obliged to leave the school. At the beginning of the school year 10 of the boarders were members of the church. The girls have contributed according to their ability to the Bulgarian Evangelical Society and to aid the Greek church in Salonica. A new American teacher is imperatively needed. KORTCHA Mr. and Mrs. Erickson, with their children, have reënforced the Kortcha station, though at present they are located at Tirana. During the year a special deputation, consisting of Messrs. Peet, Thomson, and E. B. Haskell, was sent by the mission through Albania to select a location for a central station. They visited all the larger places in both the north and the south. They found the people just emerging from a long night of depression under a despotic government, and, with great national aspirations toward enlightenment and better civilization, open to any efforts educational and otherwise which the American missionary might desire to make. The deputation, while agreeing unanimously that Elbasan occupied a desirable central position both geographically and with respect to the great divisions of the people into Ghegs and Tosks, were still of the opinion that owing partly to the present want of accessibility it would be better for the status quo to be preserved for the time being. Accordingly the mission voted that Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy remain for another year at Kortcha and Mr. and Mrs. Erickson at Tirana. The Kortcha station was established March 26, 1908. The field (Albania) |