STATISTICS OF AFRICA.

228 2,951 58 67 79 124 36 831,430 1 $150 $8,410 $216 $390 $637 41 405 2,614 $53 $38 $1,282 $51 65

SOUTH AMERICA.

English work commenced in 1836. Spanish house-to-house work commenced in 1864. Spanish preaching commenced in 1867.

UNDER SUPERVISION OF BISHOP WARREN.

MISSIONARIES FROM THE UNITED STATES.

Minister of the Waldensian Church employed as Principal of Colonia Institute.

+ Of the persons whose names are given in the list of local preachers and exhorters, only seven receive any part of their support from mission funds. All serve freely and many with great sacrifice of time and money in the various departments of the work.

In the United States.

APPOINTMENTS FOR THE YEAR 1890.

CHARLES W. DREES [Cincinnati]. Superintendent [P.-O., 718 Calle Corrientes, Buenos Ayres].

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

Buenos Ayres, First Church, T. H. Stockton [Newark]. Buenos Ayres Circuit, J. F. Thomson [Central Ohio], W. T. Robinson [New England]. Entre Rios, Juan Robles [New England], one to be supplied [C. Lastrico]. La Plata, Joaquin Domingues [New England]. Mendoza, C. W. Miller [Alabama], one to be supplied [R. Griot]. Mercedes, to be supplied [S. S. Espindolaj. Rosario and Carcarana, J. M. Spangler. Rosario Circuit, Lino Abeledo [New Jersey], one to be supplied. San Carlos Circuit, Robert Weihmuller [New England]. Santa Fe, Central Circuit, Rudolph Gerber [New Jersey].

URUGUAY.

Canelones Circuit, to be supplied [C. Garcia y Pina]. Colonia Circuit, to be supplied [D. A. Ugon]. Montevideo, A. W. Greenman. Montevideo, Aguada Circuit, Antonio Guelfi [New Jersey]. Montevideo, First Charge, G. P. Howard [New Jersey], G. G. Froggatt [New England]. Montevideo, Second Charge, to be supplied. Tacuarembo Circuit, to be supplied. Trinidad Circuit, William Tallon [New England].

PARAGUAY.

Asuncion Circuit, Juan Villanueva [New England].

BRAZIL.

Porto Alegre, J. C. Correa [New England], one to be supplied.

PERU.

Callao, to be supplied [F. Penzotti].

T. B. Wood [North-west Indiana], President of Theological Seminary; member of First Church Quarterly Conference [Buenos Ayres]. A. M. Milne [New England], General Agent American Bible Society for South America; member of Buenos Ayres Circuit Quarterly Conference. Francisco Penzotti [New England], Agent of American Bible Society for West Coast of South America; member of Rosario Circuit Quarterly Conference. Charles W. Drees [Cincinnati], Editor and Agent of Publications.

SCHOOLS OF WOMAN'S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Buenos Ayres, Eleanora Le Huray. Rosario, Jennie M. Chapin, Louisa B. Denning, Mary F. Swaney. Montevideo, Minnie Z. Hyde, Mary E. Bowen.

Without entering into any statement of the circumstances which prevented me from sending forward the report which should have accompanied last year's statistical returns, I wish to express here my satisfaction in view of the fact that my dereliction, which was more apparent than real, gave occasion for the publication of the admirable summary, prepared by Bishop Walden, setting forth the general extent and character of the field occupied by this Mission, its several geographical divisions and forms of activity, the characteristics of its staff of workers, and the then actual condition of the work. It has, no doubt, contributed much to give to the Church a truer view of the importance of this Mission in the relation it bears to the general work of the Missionary Society, and I trust its influence in this direction will not speedily be lost.

Avoiding the repetition of what is there set forth, I shall attempt to give an accurate statement of progress during the year now closing, leading to a view of the present condition and prospects of the Mission.

A PROSPEROUS YEAR.

The general aspect and tone of the Mission as this year of grace draws to its close show that this period in the history of the work has been characterized by great prosperity. Whatever may be the feeling of the Church at home with reference to the South America Mission, we who are on the field and in the midst of the conflict are encouraged by evident tokens of the divine favor. This is true, not merely in spite of, but all the more because of the severe trials and persistent and cruel persecutions to which more particular reference must be made in connection with the reports from Paraguay and Peru. We are encouraged not only when the word has free course and men speak well of us and of our work, but also when Satan's rage and fiery hate prove that some real inroads are being made into his kingdom.

This condition of prosperity is shown, first, by the general tone and the particular statements of the several missionaries in charge in the reports from which in terms or in substance the following account of the work is made up; and, secondly, by the footings of the statistical table some of whose comparative results may be now more particularly noted as follows:

1. The aggregate personnel of the Mission shows a net increase of 39. The list includes all who are specially and formally commissioned to some active work whose fruits accrue to our Mission, not comprising, however, the goodly company of Sunday-school superintendents, teachers, classleaders, and other lay officiaries of the church. A large number of our local preachers receive no part of their support from mission funds, yet make great personal sacrifice of time and ease to supplement the labors of the regular ministerial force.

2. The enrolled membership of the church, including probationers, is larger by 295 names than last year, an increase of about 19 per cent. Conversions are reported to the number of 105, an increase of 16, which item should not, however, be taken as an accurate measure of the spiritual results of the labors of our missionaries. The real number brought into a saving relationship with the divine Master and Redeemer is probably much larger.

3. Sunday-schools show an increase of enrollment or habitual attendance of 385, an advance of 22 per cent. The ease with which large numbers of children can be brought into Sunday-schools in Buenos Ayres and Montevideo is one of the phenomenal characteristics of our work in those cities, and indicates a line of activity which promises most abundant fruit if it can be prosecuted to a greater extent than hitherto.

4. The statistics of self-support, church-building funds, benevolent collections, etc., show in comparison with 1889 most encouraging results. Let attention be given to the following table:

It will be seen that a strict comparison by items is not possible, owing to the somewhat different classification adopted for this year, and the omission from last year's statistics of the returns from sales of the Scriptures. The chief increase for this year is just where it is most encouraging to find it, namely, in connection with pastoral support and expenses of worship, or, in other words, with self-support in the strictest sense.

In connection with this showing it should be borne in mind that the sums given are in United States gold values, while the greater part of the moneys contributed were in Argentine currency. In reducing these values the previous year the Argentine paper dollar was taken at 64 cents, while for the present table it had to be taken at 42 cents. Hence in actual gifts in the money which forms the medium of all their transactions our people have contributed enough to compensate for the immense disparity in values and make the large advance above shown. Yet their means of support have not been increased in any such proportion, and the increase in the price of all the necessaries of life has been greater than the rise in wages and salaries. Surely it will be seen and acknowledged that this Mission is not negligent in the matter of self-support. The financial crisis which is now upon us in all the Plata countries, leaving them in a condition of real, though unconfessed, bankruptcy, is now bearing heavily upon our people, and will make the coming year a very hard one. The sudden contraction of business, and entire suspension of a multitude of enterprises of industrial and other kinds, have thrown large numbers out of employment. Great suffering is seen on every hand. Yet our people are full of faith, and are organizing the campaign with a view to offering the consolations of a true faith to those who may hear and heed the voice of the Lord in adversity. Meanwhile, not too much must be demanded of them in a material sense for the coming year.

EXPLORATION AND EXTENSION.

Mention should be made here of an important journey taken in the early part of the year by the Superintendent of the Mission in company with the Rev. A. M. Milne, General Agent of the American Bible Society for South America.

Setting out from Buenos Ayres on the 20th of February, and visiting on the way our important work in western Argentina, we crossed the great Cordillera and arrived at Valparaiso, March 3, thus crossing the continent along the 35th parallel of south latitude. After a brief stay in Chili,