most valuable papers were read before this society, and many discussions of current or useful topics held a place. The select papers of this Association were not infrequently published in the journal of the Peking Oriental Society, established for the purpose of archæological and similar studies. Dr. Ament was an enthusiastic leader in the missionary association and prepared papers for it, some of especial value. One of the more important of these appears in the above mentioned journal, Volume III, Number 2, Peking, 1892. The title, of this paper is: "Marco Polo in Cambaluc; a Comparison of Foreign and Native Accounts." The paper itself is an admirable example of careful and extended research of a most interesting subject, presented in a literary style attractive and suggestive. The preparation of such a paper involved reading in Chinese histories and monographs of the period and commentaries by later writers. Dr. Ament's constant interest in historical studies sustained him in this elaborate course of reading. The monuments at Peking and in the adjoining country are themselves a stimulus to antiquarian research. These interests combine in this fine essay to place the actual Marco Polo before us in an active and living form. Since the paper is concealed in the aforementioned journal, it may be well to give a summary to illustrate the literary side of Dr. Ament's pastimes. The literature of his subject is found in three volumes in English, and seven Chinese books. The former are the "Travels of Marco Polo," by Colonel Yule; Howorth's "History of the Mongols"; and Dr. Bretschneider's "Archæological and Historical Researches in Peking and its Environs." The Chinese books referred to are several elaborate histories and the annals of Shun Tien Fu (Peking) and Cho Chou. It is known to the students of Chinese that almost every district and city in China has its officially published book of annals, from which those who are interested may draw the most definite accounts of any district, reaching back to the dim mists of very early times. From such sources Dr. Ament drew his comparative records. The study opens with a careful estimate of the character of Kublai Khan, the Mongol conqueror of China, during whose sway Marco spent his years in China. It was under Kublai and at his direction that one of the lamas prepared a written form for the Mongol language. The Nestorian alphabet and the Syrian script written perpendicularly were adopted and a literature prepared. It was under the direction of the same great Khan that the Grand Canal was constructed, extending from Peking to Hang Chou. It was still further under this active prince that the present site of the city was chosen. The essay of Dr. Ament centres about three principal points. Owing to a careful study of the Chinese histories he is able to explain some of the misunderstandings of even Colonel Yule's great book on Marco. He illustrates the reasons why Kublai failed to secure for his reign many of the great ministers who had served under the last of the Sungs. It would appear to have been a high-minded loyalty to their Chinese emperor that made it impossible for them to accept rewards from another. There is given a high appreciation from Chinese sources of the son of Kublai, who, while chosen as the successor of Kublai, died ere he had been able to succeed in the line. A second point is the fixing historically of the location of the real city founded by Kublai, known to Marco as the city of the great Khan, Khan Baligh-the Cambaluc of the histories. A third point of interest is the correction of some errors in the accounts of Marco's journey south from Pe king as far as Cho Chou, with reference to the noble bridge at Lu Kou Ch'iao ten miles from Peking, as well as the splendid pagoda built in 586 A. D., at the small town of Liang Hsiang, and finally of the city of Cho Chou itself, famous as the birthplace of three great personages, the heroes of the Three Kingdoms. One of the most interesting references is that to the silkworm. The annals of Cho Chou assure the reader that the very ancient dwellers of that region were the original ones who may have seen the silkworm in its native and wild state. The fact that it died away from this region, being replaced in more favorable places at the centre of China, is said to be due to some such disease as has affected even the modern worm, at times destroying them in wide regions. It needed a Pasteur to explain how this came about in a natural way, through an insidious parasite. The Chinese annalist quaintly remarks that he knows no reason why the silk trade should have died out except the fact that the silkworms simply refused to live there. The Chinese have a famous saying, "Under the heavens there is but one market town; there is but one village, but one Chou city." South of the city of Cho Chou the roads of ten provinces unite or bifurcate for their distribution. On one of the city gates there is inscribed, "In all the world there is no place so public as this, Perhaps in the far distant future when Christianity is the widely established religion of the people of China, Cho Chou will again be widely known as the city rescued from its heathenism by the diligent efforts of Dr. Ament and his well-disciplined Chinese pastor and helpers-the final and happy outcome of the great Boxer disturbance in its last fierce struggle. In Marco Polo's day the small city of twenty thousand people had no less than fifty-eight temples making it famous for its old-time religious spirit. If once thus celebrated for its ancient spirit of worship, perhaps it may become so again in a larger and better atmosphere of hope and infinite longing. T The Ideal is that towards which all that is noble in us is forever tending—the anticipation of that existence. -Charbonnell. X SECOND FURLOUGH AND RETURN HE spring time of 1897 found Mr. Ament and his family en route to America, to enjoy a furlough after eight and a half years of efficient labor. Miss Wyett had been in feeble health and waited with desire the return. Her life in Peking had been most helpful in many ways, especially in giving Mrs. Ament more time to devote to the Chinese women and the little memorial school. It is pleasant to think of the return to the old Owosso home, and of the peculiar joy of the aged mother in having her son with her once more. The record of this furlough is sufficiently brief, owing to the happy fact that there was no necessity for the writing of many letters. The first summer was spent quietly at home. Mr. Ament found a place for his outreaching energies in the local Y. M. C. A. He became for a time an almost daily attendant and found here an excellent opportunity for those personal influences in which he was an adept. The story of work in China he also found abundant opportunity to tell, and his message was received with great interest among the churches and the many large associational gatherings which he was able to attend. Among the most noticeable of these was the annual meeting of the American Board, held in 1897 at New Haven, Conn. Mr. Ament's address upon the conditions of China and the hope of progress conditioned on the results of the then recent Japanese victories, and the great lesson which China had learned as to the sources of Japan's wonderful successes, attracted much attention and favorable comment. This led to a wider scope through invi |