more than one-half. It seems probable that the consumption of both domestic and imported wines is decreasing, there having been a falling off of more than 6,000,000 gallons since 1880. There is a very large amount of adulteration in wines, and the 22,067,220 gallons reported, undoubtedly represent an actual consumption of more than 30,000,000 gallons of so-called wines. It is difficult to fix a valuation on the retail prices of these wines, but $2.00 a gallon is certainly too low, and yet this would give 60,000,000 dollars for the wine bill of the year.

But the item which should cause most alarm, in this table, is the enormous increase in the consump tion of malt liquors, especially those of domestic production.

The importation of foreign ales, porters, and other malt liquors has ranged, during the 16 years, between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 gallons annually: but the malt liquors produced here, have gone steadily upward from 203,000,000 gallons in 1870, to 640,746,288 gallons in 1886, or about 11 gallons for each man, woman, and child in the country. The cost of this vile liquor to the retail dealer is about $130,000,000 -and to the consumer from 3 to 4 times as much. We are warranted therefore in believing that the beer drinkers of the country pay for these malt liquors not less than $400,000,000; and that the liquor bills of the nation are at least $960,000,000 We leave our readers to draw their own conclusions as to this terrible waste.

To put this liquor guzzling in another way, it allows to every inhabitant of the United States 6 bottles of whiskey, two bottles of wine, and 11 gallons of beer, as a year's supply. As less than one half of the people use intoxicating drinks in any way, these amounts must be doubled, and probably should be quadrupled for the actual drinkers.

-The fact that three printing-offices in San Fran. cisco are owned by Chinamen, shows that these enterprising immigrants are about taking up another industry. In China native printers, though ignorant of English, have learned to set type almost as rapidly as white printers who understand the language.

-The shortest bill ever introduced in the Maine Legislature, or in any other, perhaps, was recently presented as follows: "Sec. 1-The dog is hereby declared to be a domestic animal. Sec. 2-This act shall take effect when approved." It is the affirmation of a fact which has been called in question by Maine law courts. It is understood that this bill is introduced to avenge the loss of a cherished dog, because under existing Maine law the thief could not be convicted of larceny.

-The important bill allotting land in severalty to Indians has passed both houses of Congress and has became a law. The Indians in Montana have made a treaty giving up a large part of their Reservation, for which they are to receive $1,500,000 in ten annual installments.

-Philadelphia is a

large city, with upwards of a million inhabitants. 1060 miles of streets, 239 miles of sewers, and 748 miles of gas mains. The carrier delivery of the Post Office covers the greatest territory of any city in the world except London. Philadelphia is rightly called the "City of Homes." The census of 1880 showed that there were 146,512 dwellings, which was 73,828 more than in New York, and there are over 6,000 buildings erected here each year. In New York the average number of persons to each house is 16.37 compared with 5.79 in Philadelphia, which is the lowest average of any in the country. The Municipal building, now nearing completion, has 520 rooms, and the highest point of the tower is 5371⁄2 feet from the court-yard below; when finished, will be the highest artificial structure in the world, as well as the largest single building. The estimated cost is thirteen million dollars.

-The Legislature of British Columbia have passed a bill to protect all the interests of the Chinese at Vancouver Island, and to punish summarily all those taking part in any outrages on the Chinese. ringleaders have been arrested.

The

-The Chinese Government has issued a decree paying $25,000 to American Missionaries for their losses by the riots at Chung-King last year, and the Chinese Viceroys of the Provinces are now calling upon the American Minster at Pekin, asking that the Chinese murders and outrages in Wyoming and Washington Territories and at San Francisco may be investigated, and compensation made for them.

Is our Government to be taught humanity and Are we to be comjustice by these heathen rulers? pelled to confess that we are below them in honor and upright dealing?

-The National debt, less Cash in the Treasury on March 1, 1887, was $1,331,002,027; a reduction from February of about $1,466,782.

-There are in the United States 2,647,157 women who earn their own living, so the reports from Washington say. But we venture the remark that there are some women who earn their own living who never told "Uncle Sam" of it, nor will he ever know of them. Indeed what housewife does not "earn her own living" though no wages are paid her?

-Our attention has been called to some criticisms on these paragraphs of our Continent for March. The first of these is in the 8th paragraph relating to the Post Office Department. The critic has made a mistake. The number of stamps of all denominations issued does slightly exceed 2,000,000,000 stamps a year, and they are furnished at $6.99 a thousand stamps, including everything. His calculation is based on the erroneous supposition that they are furnished at $6.99 per thousand cents worth, which is absurd, and he figures up the amount received as $13,998,000. The actual cost is a little more than $3,000,000. It

costs no more to manufacture a 15 cent stamp than a

2 cent one.

In the 10th paragraph in the sentence about $25,000,000 of these are used, the dollar mark $ was an error. What it was intended to say was that twenty five millions of the letter sheets would be demanded the present year, which is the truth. No statement in regard to the cost of Postal Cards was made.

-The paragraph in regard to the honey crop of California is given as reported to the Agricultural Department. It is probably a misprint there (for which we are not responsible ); the true reading, we conjecture, should be, 4,000 tons larger, which is, we presume, the fact.

WOMAN'S AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY,

14 Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass. President, Mrs. Thomas Nickerson, Newton Cen

tre, Mass.; Vice-President, Mrs. Anna Sargent Hunt, Augusta, Maine; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Mary C. Reynolds, 14 Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass.; Treasurer, Miss Margaret McWhinnie, 14 Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass.

The reports which come to us from our schools this month are very encouraging. Many of the teachers speak of an increasing interest in Bible study. A number of the pupils are looking toward Africa as a mission field. It is encouraging to notice how quickly those who have found the Saviour precious to their own souls, turn towards the unsaved. The aim of nearly all our teachers is to win their pupils for Christ. The letters of our colored teachers fill us with thanksgiving, that through the gifts and prayers of our New England women, such noble teachers have been led to consecrate themselves to Christ's service.

Miss Annie C. Howard, of Wayland Seminary, writes: "We have a large number of students who are quite advanced in age, and who know-well, simply nothing so far as the knowledge of books is concerned, but it is encouraging to notice their progress, though slow; to see how they grasp and drink in the instruction when in their classes; they seem so grateful for all they get.

We are having a very refreshing time in our prayermeetings. The first Sunday in this month four were baptized, and since then five have come to Christ. The Holy Spirit is indeed working with us. It is a real joy to see how they begin at once to work for Jesus. Just as soon as one is brought, he immediately sets to work, trying to lead others. One of the converts was a Catholic, and declared at the beginning of the term that she was all right, and would not give up her religion. As night after night the students

gathered for prayer-meeting, she began to look anxious. Soon she asked us to pray that if she were not in the right path, she might be put in it. Now her heart is filled with a new joy, and she says she is a soldier for Jesus."

Miss Ion E. Wood, a teacher in Louisville, Ky., writes: "My work is indeed pleasant. I find my pupils attentive, earnest, and willing. The average age is twenty. Our meetings have closed, but the Lord gave us eight new souls to rejoice over, and assist in His great work. The importance of working for the Master is fully known here, and each one is trying to do his or her part toward helping on the

An interesting letter from Hartshorn Memorial College tells us about this school. Mr. Tefft writes: "We have enrolled this year 94: Boarders 50-all we had furnished room for; day pupils, 44. Professors of religion on entering, 74. Converted this year, 3. Those in the home not professing Christians, 4. From Virginia, 84; West Virginia, 4; Pennsylvania, 2; Indian Territory, 1; North Carolina, 1; South Carolina, 1; Florida, 1. One of our students, Mrs. J. J. Coles, has just reached the African shore as a missionary. She was a special student with us after she decided to go as a missionary."

Mr. Westrup sends us good tidings of the work done by our Mexican teachers. He calls earnestly for another teacher from our Society at Lampazos, where are signs of good. We cannot this year undertake any new work. Mr. Westrup says, "The characteristic of our field here is slow, sure growth; we might make more noise, and baptize more candidates, but I doubt if we could do much more with our present means than we are doing, to demolish superstition by sound, wholesome truth."

Mrs. Hunting, from Fresno, Cal., sends a deeply interesting letter from this foreign mission field of America. She writes: "Since I last wrote to you the Chinese have celebrated their New Year anniversary. Would you like to know how our Christian Chinese spent it? We may almost be said to have no Christian Chinese in the city. There are few names on the church record, four received by baptism and one by letter from Portland, Oregon. The latter is | absent from the city much of the time. There are several learning the Christian religion, and one of these began this New Year with his first prayer in the presence of others to the living God. Another said: They wanted me to go to the Joss house, but I told them I would not eat a big dinner (of meat offered in sacrifice) and pray to the devil.'

"Before the New Year was quite spent Dr. Hartwell came to hold meetings among them for a week. I wish I could picture the scene, and the sensation I felt, when for the first time in my life I was present, and assisted (in the singing), at a street meeting. Close by the largest Chinese gambling and opium den, Dr. Hartwell and Pastor Jordan alternately standing on a able, myself sitting in the only chair (which at

Chinese kindly loaned me), while we were surrounded by such a congregation as I never before beheld. Chinese of all grades of intelligence and personnel, Americans the same, with a sprinking of young women, old in sin, and unmistakably from the lower ranks of society. While Christ was being lifted up on that corner, to the very dragon himself, as far as human hands can make one-passed by alternately rising and bowing, and halted nearly opposite. The din of their unearthly music mingled with the voice of the preacher for some time, but at length, comparative quiet prevailed, and the people seemed to listen, first to the Doctor in their native tongue, then Rev. J. C. Jordan in English. I hope next year, I can give you an account of how the Chinese Christians spent their New Year in Fresno."

Surely such dark accounts of heathen life in our own America, should stimulate every Christian woman to increased activity in giving the Gospel to the perishing.

The annual meeting of the Woman's American Baptist Home Mission Society will be held upon the first Wednesday in May (May 4), in the First Baptist Church, Providence, R. I. It is hoped that a large number will be able to attend.

time permits, with the readers of the HOME MISSION MONTHLY. On the evening of our arrival at Minneapolis we were permitted to address a goodly number of the members of the First Swedish Baptist Church. This church is under the pastoral care of Rev. Peterson and is the largest Swedish Baptist church in the United States. Our mission in Minnesota was neither to collect money nor organize societies, but these Swedish friends are not sufficiently Americanized to stay at home when there is any reason to anticipate a collection, and are so unsophisticated as regard "giving" as a religious service inseparable from a missionary appeal. As a consequence they, on this occasion, testified to their desire to have the Gospel preached in America, by a generous contribution, a free will offering to the Lord. May they continue to abound in this grace.

་་

The next day but one, we met the sisters of this church in their Mission Circle. The meeting was held at the house of the pastor, who led the service, which was entirely devotional. Scripture reading and exhortation, prayer and praise, richly filling the hour. There were about fifty women present. Their pastor testified to their usefulness as 'helpers" in the Gospel, and emphasized the statement that they believed in prayer and that their prayers had brought them many blessings. These prayers are not empty words, for these women work as well as pray. Coffee and cake were served at the close of the meeting, and a half hour or so was spent in social converse.

On Saturday morning we started out to visit the Mission Band connected with this same church, and conducted by our Swedish Missionary, Miss Anna Sandberg. The morning was cold and stormy; the piercing wind in mad glee filled the air with flying snow. Ignorantly depositing ourselves in the wrong car, we were put off five blocks from the church. We conquered our impulse to return to the car and give up meeting the Band, and screwing our courage up to the sticking point, directed our steps into what seemed to be or to have been a narrow path through

SION SOCIETY.

2338 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Ill.

GENERAL OFFICERS.

President-MRS. J. N. CROUSE, 2231 Prairie Ave., Chicago, 1.

Corresponding Secretary-Miss M. G. BURDETTE, 2338 Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill.

Recording Secretary -MRS. H. THANE MILLER, Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Treasurer-Mrs. R. R. DONNELLEY, 2338 Michigan Ave.,
Chicago, Ill.

Among the Swedes in Minnesota.

During a recent visit to Minnesota, it was our privilege to enjoy several experiences in connection with the work of the denomination among the Swedes, which we shall be glad to share, as far as space and

to sink deeper into the freshly fallen and badly drifted snow, until in exhaustion we halted to consider what we could do. We viewed the situation on all sides, and felt as hedged in as were the Israelites when they faced the Red Sea with the Egyptians in their rear, and mountains on either hand. We had not strength to go back over the path by which we had come, nor courage to press forward in the same way. On our right hand were fences, and on our left the street toward which we cast longing eyes, but between which and ourselves were interposed heaped up banks of snow. Could we get over them? We cautiously pressed the sloping side of these snow hills and persuaded ourself that it might bear our slight weight, and proceeded to climb, one step, two, three, and in we go; had we survived all previous perils to be buried in the snow drifts of Minnesota? The Women's Baptist Home Mission Society always keeps

its head above its troubles, and its eyes open, and never goes back if any good is to be gained by going forward, and we were not going to prove unworthy of the trust reposed in us as its representative. So we struggled through, and leaving the hill difficulty behind, soon found ourselves in the roadway singing softly in our heart.

"We'll stand the storm, it won't be long,

We'll anchor by-and-by."

And anchor we did in the "Fair haven" of a corner room in our Swedish church, where we found Miss Sandberg in the midst of nearly thirty children, most of them girls, and some of whom had come several miles, walking all the way. Wouldn't we have been ashamed

had we gone back? These young people are called "Happy Workers" and deserve the name. We found them busy as bees, and sunshiny as June, and learned the secret of their presence and happiness when we discovered that more than a score of them were truly Christians and were working for and with Jesus. Most of them are already members of the church.

Towards evening of the same day we visited with Miss Sandberg the homes of some of the poor Scandinavian people on her field to whom she has ministered, and still does minister, in things temporal and spirit. ual. I saw those whose bodies had been clothed, and beds of sick ones over which had been thrown warm coverings which had come to Miss Sandberg in boxes and barrels from Mission Branches ard Bands. We saw the Bible opened, and the whole family gathered about the missionary as she read and explained, sang and prayed the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We noted smiles on the faces and tears in the eyes of those who welcomed her coming, and were impressed with her teachings. In a very poor home, where for long years the husband and father has been a drunkard, a burden, and a disgrace, we heard the grateful testimony of the now happy wife, that owing to the faithful labors of our missionary, her husband had not only put away the intoxicating cup, but given himself to Christ, and was now seeking to provide for his family the comforts which he had always denied them. We would be glad to mention details, but must not take the space necessary to do so.

A treat was in store for us in the evening, when again braving the storm which grew more furious, we were permitted to look into the faces of about fifty children belonging to the Industrial School connected with the Swedish Mission on the South side, which Miss Sandberg started about three years ago. You have seen references, from time to time, to the growth of this mission. It has been adopted by the First Swedish Baptist Church, and a very neat chapel is in process of erection and will soon house the Sunday and Industrial schools which have outgrown the old store-room in which they have been held.

The occasion which drew these children together on this stormy evening was an entertainment pro vided by the Scandinavian W. C. T. U., of Minneapolis. The exercises of the evening were pleasant, and the children were evidently very happy. Among them were two little girls to whom the writer has often referred in public addresses, and this is their story:

Somewhat more than a year ago, there came to Castle Garden among many other immigrants, a woman and her four children, two boys and two

girls. Miss Johnson, our missionary at Castle Garden, met her, found her somewhat fearful and her, told her of the friend of the friendless, and gave troubled, said what she could to comfort and help her a New Testament, urging her to read it, and put her trust in Jesus. Afterwards Miss Sandberg met stopped to speak with them, went with them to their the two little girls on the streets in Minneapolis,

home, found their mother heartsick and homesick in this land of strangers, sat down by her side to cheer and help her, invited the children to the Industrial and Sunday schools, and the mother to attend the services of the church. The mother is now a member of the Swedish Baptist Church, and her children are taught and trained for Christian usefulness in these schools. This family is but one of many of whom like sketches could be written, and there would be very many more were there more missionaries doing such work as is done by Misses Johnson and Sandberg, and there would be more such missionaries were there more women in our churches who realized the importance of sending them forth, and were will ing to contribute toward their support.

And now just a word concerning St. Paul and our work there. We spent several hours in the family of Rev. John Ongman, Pastor of the Swedish Baptist Church, and were glad to learn that there had been a precious in-gathering of souls there during the winter, and were refreshed by his sanguine expectations that we are on the eve of a wide spread and glorious revival in our churches. He told us of several hundred men recently from Sweden, who were now living in tents in the neighborhood of the new stock yards, and we were pleased to know that Mr. Ongman and his people were awake to the opportunity, and were already holding Gospel services among them. By and-by these men will bring to them in this land the families they have left in Sweden, and a Swedish settlement will take the place of the camp. Then there will be need among them for the work of Christian women.

On Arlington Hill, St. Paul, the population is almost whole Swedish, there being about four hundred families of this nationality in that locality. Truly the field is large, and the opportunity glorious. Shall we seize it, or let it pass?

We found the people, among whom Miss Venny Schelin has labored, very much attached to her and greatly desiring her return. It may not be known to all the readers of the MONTHLY that impaired health compelled Miss Schelin to leave her work at St. Paul and return to Sweden; but we are happy to learn that she is growing stronger and hopes to return during the summer. In the mean while Chrestin Wenlund, who graduated from the Training school in December, is doing what she can to supply Miss Schelin's place. As she has but just begun her work we can make no report of it at present, but know her to be a true daughter of the king, earnestly desiring to serve Him, and trust that she will prove a minister of mercy to many of her country people who are making homes in our land. May we righly interpret the purpose of God in this flocking of the nations to America.

Cast thy bread upon the waters,
Sow thy seed o'er all the sod;
By the hand of sons and daughters,
Sow this continent for God.

Help us to sow, Oh, Lord, for thee,
From North to South, from sea to sea;
Where'er a heart or home may be,
And reap a continent for Thee.

M. G. B.