cart-loads; or some thirty-six bushels of grain, of various kinds, and worth at least forty rupees. A small quantity, I hear, is still to come, and some cotton, or its equivalent in money.

Girls' School. "Most of the pupils of our station-school for girls are from this village, and it was with great interest that they saw these offerings of their parents and relatives. The school is prospering, and is a very great encouragement to me in my work. We have constantly the full number of twenty pupils. Two of these are of heathen parents, but both are now Christians, according to their own unwayering opinion, and both have asked for baptism. One of them prays like a true Christian. The other said to her heathen father, lately, "We must not worship devils any longer. We must all become Christians.

"Half of the school are large girlsfrom fifteen to twenty years of age-hard to manage, and sometimes breaking out into terrific quarrels; but their fierce tempers are becoming tamed, and several are sitting at the feet of Jesus.

A Disappointment. "I met with a great disappointment lately in seeing an intelligent heathen man, who in a time of most dangerous illness was spared, as he himself believed, by an interposition of God in answer to his prayers, turn back again to his idols. I can scarcely conceive of circumstances which should call more loudly to a man to repent and come to Christ, but they do not move him. Since his own severe illness, he has lost successively an infant child and a little daughter, his favorite, by death. But he hears no voice calling him to repentance and salvation."

be presented here. He had attended the annual meeting of the mission at Dindigul, had "kept house" for a short time, in Madura, and then went, with his wife, to the cooler hills, where they expected to spend about two months, as a matter of precaution. He writes: :

"In coming to India I am somewhat surprised. The people, instead of being fierce and savage, are mild and timid; instead of being rude and impudent, are polite and respectful; instead of being riotous and drunken, are quiet and temperate. In fact I have seen no fighting at all, although I hear some terrible scolding. They seldom come to blows. In regard to the use of ardent spirits, perhaps no nation on the globe is more temperate than the Hindoos. Another thing that arrests my attention is the temporal comfort with which we are surrounded. I can tell the dear anxious ones in America that we are comfortable in our India homethat it is cheerful and pleasant.

"There is another thing that is noticeable, and trying. The influences of the Spirit seem to be wanting. While all else is cheering, this sends a pang into the heart. I would suggest (if it be not presumptuous for one so young in the missionary work) that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the India missions be made a special subject of prayer at the monthly concert. that we want the Master with us more than all else. God has blessed many of the churches at home during the past winter. Let them show their gratitude by asking for the same blessing upon us."

Tell the praying ones

ucated natives, which, apparently at least, are candid and sincere, and the fact that the gospel is becoming so generally known, though probably in a very imperfect way, yet sufficiently to give an idea of its excellencies and powers.

"I think much has been done in bringing the churches here to determine to set apart one tenth for the Lord's service. Most of them were originally mahars (outcasts), whose lives are dogs lives. They are not fit to live inside a village-wall, nor to touch a brahmin's hand! They work through the year for the farmers, and then receive (and often have to beg for it) about enough grain to keep them in existence. For clothing, in summer, a rag, as darkcomplexioned as themselves, from three to four inches wide, and long enough to extend from the string tied round the waist in front to the same string behind, and fasten at each end, is in most cases all they have excepting on the head, which is generally a mere rag, and often nothing. Their whole education has been to get, beg, receive. Their offerings often are nothing more than flowers, or perhaps the feeding of some ants with sugar;· a life is a life, Now is it not

whether of man or ant. a great thing to bring such people to give a tenth? They owe every thing to the gospel, to be sure, and we may hope to see cheerful givers. Facts will show. I think great things have been done; and yet, very much remains to be done.

We have been out to Brother Fairbank's and seen something of the village work; and returned with an increased longing to be engaged in it. We feel sure we shall enjoy it, and will be very glad to be at work. I can hardly conceive of a more noble work -or one more important than this of forming a new, young, Christian people. It is moulding new clay; or perhaps I should say moulding a new figure in old clay, lately purified. How much will depend upon the ability and skill of these under-sculptors, and on their following implicitly and unerringly the grand model given by the Master! The whole future bearing and mien of Christianity in India will greatly depend on this. May the Holy Spirit guide the

"We

Joy and Sorrow - Additions. have much of joy, as also of sorrow, in the retrospect of the past year. We rejoice in the great privilege of quiet labors in this dark land, and of a door so open for usefulness, and in so many tokens of God's blessing. We mourn that no more has been accomplished for the Master.

"There have been added to the company of believers one hundred in our whole field, six being in connection with the mountains. The congregations have been better than formerly, more regular, and composed of less transient persons. In seventy-eight places the word of God has been regularly preached, and the average of the congregations has amounted, in the aggregate, to about three thousand. The native preaching force was sixty-two, eighteen of whom are in Koordistan, under the care of Mr. Shedd. Connected with nearly all these congregations are Sabbath-schools and Bible-classes, and, in not a few instances, the entire congregation is connected with them.

"The

Week of Prayer - Geogtapa. week of prayer" is greatly prized by our helpers, who endeavor to make the most of it, but the results following, this year, were not as marked as we hoped; yet in some of the villages there were several cases of apparently deep religious interest. I passed the week in Geogtapa, and was greatly interested in what I saw.... The present number of communicants in that village is one hundred and nine, twentythree having been added within the year. Five are now propounded for admission.

The whole number received to Christian fellowship in that village, from the first, is about one hundred and fifty. Of these, fourteen have died in hope; thirty have gone forth as helpers, and wives of helpers, in other villages and districts; and twelve others have removed to other villages.

"The congregation there, the past winter, has occasionally been as high as six hundred, though the average is but about four hundred. The pastor tells me, and appeals to others for the truth of his statement, that not one sixth as much wine has been drunk in that village the past year as formerly, and that there are not more than eight or ten families that are not either regular or occasional attendants upon the means of grace.

Self-support. Notice is taken of efforts by the missionaries to increase the contributions of the people for the support of their own religious and educational institutions, and of difficulties in the way of rapid progress here, and it is said: :

"The amount contributed, the past year, for their mountain missionary, the poor, incidental expenses of the church, and schools, was about $500; and for the most part was given to the general object of the spread of the gospel, and afterward appropriated to the above objects. It is a great gain that the habit of giving is pretty generally established. The people are becoming gradually educated to the idea of giving to more specific objects, and I doubt not will eventually assume the support of their pastors.

“The helpers in Oroomiah are divided into three assemblies.' There are two in the mountains. The three in Oroomiah form one general assembly, or meeting, and the two in the mountains another. These meet once a year, and the minor ones twice a year. The latter have just held their spring meetings. The question of pastoral support came up in the form of reciprocal duties of pastors and people.' In each meeting the duty of self-support was fully acknowledged. The great kindness of the American churches in giving them the gospel, and planting its institutions among them, was gratefully confessed,

and the desire was strongly expressed of showing their gratitude by assuming the entire support of the gospel among themselves, and of sending it to regions beyond, in imitation of their fathers. In some of the meetings, the difficulties which arise from their deep poverty were more dwelt

upon.

"The following resolutions, on the relations of pastor and people, were passed by the assembly' of the Nazloo River, which was held this week:

"5. It is the duty of every member of the church, as he has received spiritual benefits from his pastor, to aid in the temporal support of the same.

6. It is the duty of every member of the church, as he has ability, to aid in the necessary expenses of the church.

7. We recommend that every pastor preach a discourse to his people on the subject of these resolutions, and that the pastor and lay-delegates, on their return home, use their influence with the brethren and congregations of their respective villages, to bring the people up to their duty in these matters.

"8. We recommend that each church appoint two or three persons to earnestly devise means and ways by which the above resolutions may be carried into effect.'

"It will be our endeavor to aid the pastors in the work of getting their flocks fully alive to the necessity of beginning in earnest in this work.”

Sale of Books. "As reported in our Tabular View for 1867, about $110 had been realized from the sale of books; but a large number were in the hands of colporters, which were sold for about $160. The two colporters sent to the south and east of Persia, and who went as far as Ispahan, have returned, and report the sale of about $110 worth of books, mostly Scriptures in Persian, Armenian, and Hebrew. They found abundant opportunities for preaching Christ wherever they went. Deacon Eshoo, of Tabreez, has also sold the past year about $115 worth ; the whole book-sales amounting to nearly $500. A colporter left us a few days ago with $150 worth, for the western side of the mountains, where there seems to be

quite a demand for them among the rebel Chaldeans."

Moslem Violence in Nochea. The case of Moslem fanaticism and violence in the province of Nochea, reported by Mr. Labarre in the Herald for January last, and the destruction of a large and venerable Nestorian church, will be remembered by many readers. Mr. Coan now states:

"The demolition of the very ancient church in Katroona, Nochea, is complete. A mosque covers a part of the site, and a fort the remaining part. The bishop, Mar Yoseph, is in a village four hours distant, and in fear of his life. We have just learned that the cruel Sheik has, on pain of death, forced from the bishop his seal to a document, purporting that the Nestorians have sold their village and fields to him. The people of Nochea fear a general massacre of the Christians, as the Sheik, growing bold as he sees nothing has been done to arrest his course, throws out dark hints."

Eastern Turkey Mission.

HARPOOT.

(About 175 miles south of Trebizond.)

selves; yet there has been a slow but steady growth during the whole time.

Laborers for Moosh Plain. "We have this week sent a company of laborers to the benighted Moosh region. Our blind preacher goes to labor among the villages on the plain, and for Moosh itself we send a graduate of the last class, who is one of our most faithful preachers. His wife is one of the best of the graduates of the female seminary. One of the girls who graduated last year, and who was allowed to return this year for a time, to continue her studies, was very desirous to go to Moosh and labor. She had some conversation with Pastor Simon, of Bitlis, last year, about going as a missionary into that part of the country. As her motive appeared to be an earnest desire to do good, we could not refuse to let her go. It is a great thing in this country for a girl to go a distance of ten days' journey without her family, to labor for Christ. The pecuniary inducement could not have been very strong, as her salary is a dollar and a half a month, in currency, and her board. The effect of her going, upon the women and girls in the female seminary, will, I think, be very good. To all who have gone to Moosh, the going involved a good deal of self-denial; but the sacrifice was cheerfully made. They all desired to go where

1868.

SOME extracts from this letter may serve not only to exhibit the activity of Christians, and the progress of the good work at places named, but to incite persons in this land to like activity.

The Work in Diarbekir. "The pastor of our city church has recently returned from a visit of four weeks to Diarbekir. The church had got into some difficulty on account of the discipline of some of its members; but the visit of Pastor Mardiros restored every thing to its wonted harmony. The work in Diarbekir is a marvel to me. It is three years since Pastor Thomas left. As there is only one preacher for the two congregations, one half of the meetings must be sustained by the members of the congregations them

blessing of God go with them! They need to be strengthened by the prayers of others.

A Society of Workers. "In the early part of the winter, a society of about a dozen members was formed from the poorer and humble part of the congregation. One of the members is the man who has the care of our stable, and as there seemed to be no suitable place in any of their houses for their weekly meetings, they have been held in the stable, in the part appropriated to the chopped straw which the horses eat. They chose, as a field of labor for themselves, three or four small villages to the north of the city, which had been mostly neglected. In their weekly meetings, each one contributes a small sum of money, chiefly to help