MY DEAR JONES:

Peking, June 25, 1908.

It was very good of you to remember me again. I had not forgotten you, though defects in my correspondence might seem to suggest it. Especially did I think of you after I heard of the death of your dear boy who was taken in such an unexpected way. (Dr. Jones' son was crushed in the falling in of a cave near Oberlin, in which he and his companions had been playing. He alone did not escape.) I felt deeply grieved, as I know the sadness of such partings. You have a group of beautiful children who are a joy and comfort to you, while we have only one boy of our quartette. We have still abundant mercies to be thankful for and these events, seemingly so sad, may usher in a better day for us on all sides. Our memorial school, founded in memory of our Emily, is most flourishing. It overflows with girls and has an excellent reputation and is quite a model for native schools in that region of the city. My most recent grief was the passing away of my dear old mother, just ninety years of age. Of course she had measured the full span of her days, but I did long to see her once more and her last request was that I might come home. I had expected that she might round out the century, as she had a fine constitution and few chronic ailments, but her ambition to do something took her to a cold room in the spring and her cold developed into pneumonia. The silver lining is that her release makes it possible for my wife to return to China. I shall look for her just as soon as she is rested up and has made arrangements about the house.

It is really difficult to see beneath the surface in this old empire. It is an art to feel the pulse of the nation. I make no claims to proficiency in that regard and do not write half as much as I did many years ago, as I have learned the ease of making mistakes and perhaps hanging one's head in shame and humiliation almost before the ink is cold. Under ground China is deeper than the ken of a foreigner.

Our work is growing, despite weak oversight. My_colleague is in the United States and I am alone, with the Tract Society, two Bible societies (American and Scotch), twentythree stations, teachers, general and public duties as a "veteran," pastor of a large church and now last of all in this hot weather our "young theological seminary," of about one hundred men from the out-stations of the four missions who

are engaged in union summer work, calls me to do my best.

In imperial affairs the very hopelessness of the situation may drive the best men to think of Christianity as a solution. Even now a few open-minded men say there is no hope for the country except in a new religion. Most people are away at Pei Tai Ho, our seaside resort, and I shall hope to be there in August.

Yours cordially,

W. S. AMENT.

Why dost thou glare so fierce,

O Death, as thou would'st pierce With thy uplifted dart

My sinking heart?

Though men thy pity crave,

Though naught from thee can save,

Thy Master rules above,

Thou servest Love.

-Dodge.

T

XXV

ILLNESS AND DEATH

HE annual meeting of the mission was held at Tung-chow June 6th-14th, preceded by the usual meeting with the native helpers. The closing session of the latter coincided with the first Sunday of the annual meeting. It fell to Dr. Ament to preach the morning sermon in Chinese, from the text, Luke xix. 34, "The Lord hath need of him."

The report of the Peking station for 1908 was also his recording, especially the tour of the month of May, a journey of five hundred miles inclusive. Fourteen outstations had been visited. There were advances in many places encouraging to the heart of a missionary. At Chang Hsin Tien a boys' school with twenty members had been started; at Fang Shan a new street chapel had been secured. The year had been one of expenditure which need not be repeated. All of the stations were now provided with buildings and preachers. The Home Missionary Society had entered upon a third year of hopeful effort. Its annual meeting had been held at Shun Yi, with one hundred delegates present. A beauti. ful spirit of harmony was evidently present.

The growth of the boys' school in Peking was en