So soon as possible, then, after opening the Seminary for raising up pastors and preachers, we opened one also for their wives, and required every married student to bring his wife with him to be educated. The wives have frequently been very unwilling to come, and funny scenes sometimes result from efforts to enforce the command, "Let the wives be subject to their own husbands in every thing." (Eph. v. 24.)

But the obedient ones gain the blessing, finding the Seminary wholly different from what they feared; and sometimes those who wept at coming to the dreaded 66 Protestant school," weep even more when, at the end of their course, they must leave their delightful Christian home, the place where they have found and learned to love the Saviour. It is a pleasant fact, that of the 94 pupils who were connected with the Seminary previous to 1867, 41, as we hope, became Christians while in it; and a good number of the 94 are still there, pursuing their studies.

The women, of course, live with their husbands, and only attend the school as day-scholars. Some of them are the mothers of several children, one having a family of twelve, while another, at forty years of age, is a grandmother. So our seminaries have a department not needed in such institutions in this land, a nursery. While the older children are sent to one of the city schools, the younger ones are committed to the care of a woman hired for the purpose, with as many girls as she needs to assist her, while the mothers spend about seven hours a day, on five days of the week, in improving their minds and hearts, and I might add bodies too, for among the graces taught in the Seminary is that scriptural one sometimes forgotten even in Christian lands, and oftener still in Turkey, to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh," as well as of the spirit. (2 Cor. vii. 1.)

In this "nursery," stanchions, or poles, are put up on two sides of a room, and between these and rings in the wall, rope-cradles are suspended, for the smaller children. Just before leaving Harpoot I went to take a look at the "nursery." As I opened the door, one of the babies began to cry, and nearly all of its eighteen companions joined in the chorus, making such a din as will make me long remember the visit.

But we must hurry on to the Seminary, where more than 30 students' wives, and fifteen girls from different cities and villages, who have been received as boarders on the premises, are hard at work, acquiring knowledge.

Only those girls are admitted who, with the consent of their parents, agree not to marry, without our consent, any one who is not a preacher or a teacher. This rule is necessary, because, though a few years ago a woman or girl who learned to read was disgraced, now those who get an "educated" wife consider themselves very fortunate; and as in Turkey no less than in England and America, too many parents seek for their daughters rich rather than worthy husbands, if there were no such rule, we might educate girls for pastors' wives and lose our money and effort, by their marrying rich husbands and leaving the "poor preachers" wifeless.

Among the 94 pupils mentioned above are 22 girls from the city of Harpoot and its immediate vicinity, who were formerly received as day-pupils, on payment of tuition. But, with one exception, none such are now admitted, and all of the about 50 pupils are either wives of students of the Theological Seminary,

or expect to be such. As the girls are required to know more than the women at entering, they remain but three years, studying seven and a half months each year, while the women remain as long as their husbands do.

But let us pass through the outer gate, that to which the missionary, Mr. Allen perhaps, is riding up, and enter the Seminary. We Orientals don't "introduce" people,* so 't is taken for granted that you know Miss West, who has written you so many pleasant letters, and Mrs. Williams, who was Miss Pond, as well as Kohar, ("Jewel,") and Mariam, ("Mary,") the assistant-teachers. Eva, ("Eve,") the other assistant-teacher, instructs those women who speak Arabic and Koordish; for here, as well as in the other Seminary, different languages are used. The Arabic-speaking men and women came with Mr. Williams from Mardin, a city in Mesopotamia, six days' journey to the southeast of Harpoot.

You see two ladies taking a walk in the "garden." They must be Miss Seymour and Miss Warfield, who have just gone to take charge of the Seminary, when Mrs. Williams goes with her husband to Mardin and Miss West comes home to rest and see you. Seated upon the floor, in as many rooms, you see three classes, one, perhaps, in the Bible, which all study daily, from the beginning to the end of their course; another in geography; and the third may be the "weak ones," as they are called, who are making their first feeble attempts to write figures, or perhaps to add them up upon their slates.

66

In a little while there comes a class in a " Child's Book of Astronomy," for even the women must know that the moon is not "made of green cheese,” and must learn something of God's wisdom and power as displayed in the starry heavens.

Then come more advanced classes in arithmetic, and again others in the Bible, the Catechism, moral philosophy, grammar, reading, writing, or some other branch, till we come to one in which all unite, learning to sing those hymns so precious to some of you: "O happy day that fixed my choice, On thee, my Saviour and my God!" "Sweet hour of prayer;" "Must Jesus bear the cross alone?" "Rock of Ages, cleft for me;" "There is a happy land;" and scores of others which have been translated, and which they, as well as the students in the Theological Seminary, love to learn and to teach to those among whom they go to labor.

I assure you, children, that those people, who have so recently heard of a Saviour, don't allow a choir to praise him for them, and much less do they hire "opera singers" to do it; and often the earnest, hearty singing of these sweet hymns by the whole congregation has been a means of leading men to that Saviour of whom they speak. All sing, or try to. Sometimes the harmony is

not the sweetest to the ear, but you know the old hymn says,

"Oh, may my heart in tune be found,
Like David's harp of solemn sound,"

-

and we hope the heart is often in tune when the voice is not. But this letter is growing too long, and I must hasten to tell you of the success which the Seminary has had in "awakening public opinion in favor of female education, and preparing suitable teachers to educate and elevate their sex.”

*This Oriental habit will account for my failure, in the October Herald, to introduce to your older friends Mr. Allen, who is at the head of the Theological Seminary.

So much has public opinion changed, that hundreds, I might say some thousands, of women and girls have learned to read, and the past winter, more than 500 girls attended the schools opened by us. And in schools opened by the Armenian ecclesiastics, to keep pupils away from our teachers, there were more than 600 girls, while some hundreds of women were taught by "little teachers." The feeling has become very common, even among those who do not receive our teachings, that it is a disgrace for a woman not to know how to read; while, among those who attend our "Protestant" meetings, the feeling is so strong in favor of educated pastors' wives, that one of our best preachers recently lost a "call" to be a pastor, because his wife, the "grandmother" spoken of above, is not as learned as the people wish.

And with intelligence, woman, even in Turkey, is gaining her true position of honor and influence: All know that "gospel-men" treat their wives well. One of the bitterest enemies of the Protestants in Harpoot city, a woman who never attends our meetings, has had her daughter taught to read, and has given notice that she will give her in marriage to a "gospel-man," "because Protestants treat their wives well."

The expense of this Seminary for four years, including $500 expended on the "premises," has been $2,140, besides what the parents of the pupils have paid. The average annual expense for each girl is about $20 in coin. How many Sabbath-schools would like to support each a pupil, during the coming year, and to pray for her, that she may be a good scholar, an earnest Christian, and a faithful laborer for Christ?

Quite a number have already become such, and, if time would allow, I could tell you much which they have done to enlighten and save hundreds who, but a short time since, were, with themselves, in the darkness and degradation of ignorance, superstition, and sin.

Your friend,

C. H. WHEELER.

P. S. Many people inquire whether the wall in the picture is the city wall. It is the "garden" wall. Harpoot is not a walled city.

Some of you have not seen in the October Herald the picture of the native pastor's house, the Theological Seminary, the chapel, &c. Those who see both pictures will notice that this is a continuation of the other, Mr. Barnum's house being in both. Mrs. Williams, and ten missionary children, are buried in the little cemetery behind Mr. Barnum's house. Little Alice Allen has been added to the number since October last.

PROGRESS OF THE LAST TEN YEARS.

THE number of native pastors connected with the missions of the American Board has increased, within the last ten years, from 18 to 84, one half of whom are entirely supported by their people, pastors of independent churches. This is work finished. Independent light-centres are thus set up, and though the influence of the missionary is still needed for counsel and encouragement,

his great work is done; and when a sufficient number of such centres are established among any people to serve for its spiritual illumination, he can transfer his labors to another field.

The number of out-stations has increased from 79 to 482. The place where a missionary resides is called a station; a town or city in the neighborhood, where a spirit of inquiry has been awakened, and where evangelizing work is regularly carried on by a native preacher or helper, is called an out-station. Hence the number of out-stations marks the progress of the gospel in the surrounding region. The advance in this respect, within ten years, is very cheering; but it also marks the crushing labors thrown on the feeble band of missionaries, and the rich opportunities for Christian effort they enjoy.

The amount contributed to the support of the gospel by the native Christians. for the year 1866, was over $40,000 in gold—an eighth part as much as was given by all who contribute through the Board to advance the cause of Christ in foreign lands; - and by men and women but a few years out of the darkness of heathenism or the degradation of false worship.

In Western Asia, mostly in the Armenian missions, the advance in ten years is marked by the following figures: native pastors increased from 5 to 34; native churches from 34 to 67; church members from 1,127 to 3,248; contributions from $500 to over $12,000. And this gives but a very inadequate conception of the great change of sentiment among the people. One other item, from Harpoot, reveals the growing interest in the pure word of God, — 11,000 copies of the Scriptures sold within ten years.

Our brethren, in the entire mission field, are overborne by the blessing of God upon their labors, and plead most earnestly for help to gather in the harvest.

LETTERS FROM THE MISSIONS.

Sandwich Islands.

the Sandwich Islands. It may be best that facts should be presented more fully

Letter from Dr. L. H. GULICK, October 7, than they have usually been in missionary

1867.

Moral Condition of the Islands. That there may be intelligent sympathy with, intelligent and appropriate prayer for, the missionaries, in their various fields, it is important that Christians at home should know their griefs as well as joys; their difficulties and disappointments, as well as their successes. Yet it not unfrequently occurs that some of their severest trials are such as cannot well be stated to the world. They often stand connected with the character of rulers, or the conduct of men from Christian lands, when many prudential reasons render it inexpedient to proclaim the facts. Missions to the Pacific Islands have ever been subject to sore trials of this kind, and they are by no means yet passed away at

publications. At least it appears that a recently deceased judge at the Islands strongly advised one of the missionaries "to put the whole matter into the public papers, and keep it there;" and the considerations which influenced him probably influenced the writer in forwarding the letter from which extracts will now be given.

There are other reasons also for publish ing portions of this letter. The varying, if not conflicting and even contradictory statements which appear from time to time, in regard to the present moral and religious condition of the Hawaiian people, and the results of evangelizing labors among them, have probably perplexed many readers; and they have wished to