a territory as large as Rhode Island, has no minister of our church actively engaged in the work, and is almost entirely without religious influences of any kind.

The Southern R. R. Company contemplate running soon a line of road from Willows, Cal., to Lakeview, in Lake County. This

road will run directly through Klamath County, and thus open for settlement a very rich grazing and agricultural district, which will be rapidly settled. Linkville, the county site, containing a population of seven or eight hundred, has but one church, a Presbyterian, and the only Sunday school which I discovered in the whole county. Josephine County, is almost as destitute of the Gospel as is Klamath County.

The towns of Waldo and Kerbyville, each containing a population of 250, and surrounded by mining and grazing districts, know nothing save dancing, horse-racing, gambling, and drinking. They have no preaching of any kind. Many young people here in these communities

have heard no more than one or two sermons, probably, in their whole lives, and of Sunday schools they know nothing.

In Josephine County there is but one church house, and that is owned by the M. E. church,

and is located at Grant's Pass. In Klamath County there is but one church house, and that is located in Linkville, and is owned by Presbyterians.

Now, the question that comes to me is, "How can you, in view of so much destitution, abandon this field?" And yet, how can I hold the field, give my time to the work, and go in debt, or let my family suffer? What must I do?

Omaha-Marvellous Growth-Missionary

Work Therein.

Rev. F. W. Foster, city missionary for Omaha, furnishes some interesting reading concerning his important field.

During the past quarter I have sent for ten letters of dismission from other Baptist churches, and had the persons join churches in this city.

I have also found twenty-five Baptists in this city, whose names I have given to pastors who were nearest to them. Some of them have joined churches.

In addition to the above number I have found forty Baptists living on my own special fields,

i. e., in the northern part of Omaha, and at South Omaha, who had no church connection in this city. Some have joined at South Omaha, but most live in North Omaha, one and a half to two and a half miles from any Baptist church. These in the north part of city are engaged with me in the North Omaha Baptist

missions.

Brother Secretary, were you ever in a new town, just springing up? where three years before your visit there was nothing but farms, but at the time of your visit a city of six thousand people, with dwellings, stores, manufactories, etc.) Water-works, railways, new school buildings, etc., springing up, as though being dug out of the earth? Such a place is South Omaha, at what is known as the Stock-yards. Such a place, where everything is in a formative state, there is little desirable society, but often come of the best of people. A single illustration of the influence of such society, and the good influence and help a church and pastor will exert. I could give many:

Last August I called at a fairly good little cottage, with some seven rooms in it. The lady was sitting at the door, looking at some cheap It was

pictures a peddler was trying to sell her. afternoon, but the lady was in a most untidy condition, and the house was as untidy as its keeper. I was surprised to see there some pieces of nice furniture and a modern upright piano; but I was more surprised to find the lady was educated, and had been accustomed to refined society in Chicago. But she had reached a place that was like the wilderness, and though she had a servant to do her house work, there was an air of abandon which was truly pitiable. Do not blame the woman too harshly; her neighbors were all coarse. She saw no one but her husband that she could have any respect for, and rough society had made him rough. She expected to see no one who would care how she or her home appeared. She had reached a state of "don't care."

I told her of some pleasant people I had met in the town; invited her out to the school

[*Yes, the Secretary has been through just such events and knows perfectly about the high-tide of worldliness and speculation in circumstances like these. The city of 6,000, however, in which he began his work, was cut out of a forest, and huge stumps were the statuary that adorned the streets in the outer portions of the city. In such a rush of affairs "the King's business requires haste."]

house to attend our preaching services; and the next time I called on her, there were marked evidences of refinement and care in her home. A few weeks after, she came before our church, and related her Christian experience, and I baptized her. Now her home is clean and tidy, and a handsome family Bible lies on the table, and is frequently used. She is a lady and a Christian, and one who will exert her influence in the Christian society of South Omaha.

The church brought together the people there who had self-respect, and has united them as friends and brothers and sisters.

In

that town, where the roughest elements from the "wild and reckless West" often met, there were twenty-six saloons, doing a business of $50 to $100 each, daily, last summer, no church, and only occasional preaching. Do you wonder that a lady, without special strength of character, should become disheartened, careless? If you had seen the place and the society there, you would have wondered that a lady could live for a year in such a place.

But improvements in society are rapid there,

and though it may never be a desirable place to live, yet by the grace, of God there will hereafter be a Christian society, which people of

pure minds and hearts can meet with.

In this city, there was a great deal of suffering during the recent storm, and it often happens that I have calls for help from those who are utterly destitute. Some families were found by some of the brethren last week living, or rather freezing, in tents, without coal or wood or food. The Baptist pastors here, and your missionary, have relieved a large number of suffering people.

The Beth Eden Baptist Church edifice is completed-a model of neatness-and will be dedicated soon, free of debt, and without any appeal for money at the dedication. The earnest, loving pastor, Rev. H. L. House, and a loyal people, are happy.

Some thirty or forty of the Baptists in the northern part of the city, all of them a mile or more away from any Baptist church, will ask advice of the City Missionary Union concerning the organization of a new church. At the next meeting of the Union the church will probably be organized.

By the time my next quarterly report is required, I hope we will be able to report considerable progress in a church building at

South Omaha.

Bohemian Mission, Chicago.

Rev. Dr. Haigh of Chicago writes:

Those who have watched with interest the

beginnings of this important work will be glad to learn that on Friday evening, February 3, six Bohemians were baptized by our missionary, Rev. L. Lanyi, at the First German Church on Huron street.

This church is now enjoying a precious work of grace, in which already a large number have been converted. On Friday evening their house of worship was filled with a solemn and attentive audience, to which the pastor, Rev. J. L. Meier, preached. The six Bohemian candidates, who had been brought from their distant homes in the omnibus kept by this church for the use of its mission schools, related their experience to a committee of the church, Pastor Lanyi translating into German. A part of these experiences was afterwards repeated and further translated out of German into English for the benefit of a number representing the Committee on

Foreign Population. These narratives were full

of interest, and could not fail to impress those who heard them with the intelligence and sincerity of the four men and two women who gave

them.

At the close of the regular service Bro. Lanyi and his wife were received on their letters, and

the six who had related their experience to the Committee were received for baptism. Bro. Lanyi then read in Bohemian the account of the conversion and baptism of the eunuch, and prayed, after which he baptized the six in a manner most solemn and impressive, even to those who did not know a single word of the language.

The whole service was one of marked interest, when, as Dr. Parker anticipated at the Social and gave promise that the time is not far distant Union, letters missive shall be issued, inviting a council to recognize the First Bohemian Baptist Church of Chicago and of the United States. The friends of this mission may well "thank God and take courage."

Polish Mission in Detroit and Vicinity.

It is estimated that there are about 20,000 Poles in Detroit and vicinity, and that the number of Slavs in this country is about 700,000. For several months past Rev. Joseph Antoschevski, from Poland, has been laboring among

his countrymen in Detroit, under the auspices of the Lafayette Avenue Baptist Church. Dr. Henderson writes that he came to this country on the advice of brethren in Poland, and is highly recommended by Brother Alfand Schiewe.

Mr. Alf, the patriarch of the German-Polish work of Baptists, who has baptized about 2,000 converts, of whom Mr. Antoschevski is one, recently visited Detroit in the interests of this work.

Already a hymn-book has been published, and other matters relating to the beginnings of a new work have been accomplished. Though the Poles are Romanists and fanatical, yet the victories already achieved among them by the Gospel encourage us to expect success in this direction. Dr. Henderson says, truly:

"Here is a prolific race, swarming from an oppressed country, ignorant, riotous, dangerous to social peace. They are right at our doors. We must teach them. We must begin some time, and every day we neglect them the harder

it will be to start."

The Woman's Baptist Home Mission Society of Michigan, through the liberality of one of its members, will co-operate in this work.

Indian Territory.

Rev. G. W. Hicks, native missionary at Anadarko, acknowledges the receipt of a barrel of goods and a communion set recently sent him, and says:

"I have also just received a barrel of secondhand clothing for distribution among members of my church. It was sent by the Woman's Baptist Home Mission Society, of Amesbury, Mass.

Such things are very helpful here. The people are gradually adopting civilized dress, with the preparation of which many are unfamiliar; while not a few are unable to buy clothing. I could easily distribute several barrels more of serviceable wearing apparel of that kind.

"The holidays brought joy to our hearts in other ways, more permanent. While they af forded you a short relaxation of hard work, possibly, we were earnestly endeavoring to lead sinners to the acceptance of Him whose birthday inaugurates the holidays. Revival services were held from Thursday, December 22, 1887, to January 2, 1888. The Lord did work among us, to the edification of believers, and the awakening of unbelievers. Five have found Christ precious. I look for others to follow.

Reports from missionaries received the last month show a good religious interest in many of the churches. Those reporting five or more baptisms are as follows:

John T. Farley, Scottsville, Kan., 8; A. W. Clark, Calvary Church, Omaha, Neb., 5; T. K. Tyson, Valparaiso, Neb., 7; N. F. Pierson, Swedes in Creston and Lucas, Iowa, 12; W. D. Elwell, Sedan, Kan., 13; C. B. Allen, Jr., Helena, Mont., 5; Harvey Linsley, Las Animas, Colo., 17; W. C. Shepherd, Clearfield and Tingley, Iowa, 58; J. R. Deckard, Mandan, Dak., 10.

CHURCH EDIFICE DEPT.

Church Edifice Notes.

-Concerning the new town of Wausau, Wisconsin, Dr. Halteman, our general missionary, writes:

66

There is no encumbrance left on the chapel, and the church is left without the indebtedness of a single dollar. The church is a good deal more than joyful. The gift of the Home Mission Society, and the State Convention, inspired the beginning of the building, kept up the courage of the brethren, and enabled them to dedicate without the burden of a debt. Without this aid the building of the chapel would not have been undertaken. The Baptist Church of Wausau is now on as good a footing as any other church in the city, and with its neat and convenient church home its power for effective work for Christ is doubled. The help of the Home Mission Society in accomplishing this important

work is fully appreciated by the church and friends throughout the State. I hope the Lord will abundantly prosper this department of the great work of the Society."

This work could be duplicated continually in the West if we only had the funds to meet the demands.

-A good brother from a church in Nebraska, to which we made a donation to assist them to a house of worship, writes:

"The first of this quarter we were meeting in the court house, but the sawdust and tobacco on the floor prevented us from singing much. As soon as possible we moved into our new church building, where we now have service and Sunday school."

These new churches in the West ought all to have chapels, where the people could sing without having their lungs filled with the dust arising from sawdust and tobacco.

-The Baptist house of worship at Mickasukee, among the Seminole Indians, has been burned down. Rev. Daniel Rogers, our general missionary in the Indian Territory, writes:

"This is a great loss to the church. The crops among the Seminoles have been almost entirely cut off for the past three years, and the people are very poor. I do not suppose they are able to do anything towards rebuilding, except perhaps they might haul the lumber, which would be no small job, it being eighty-five miles to the nearest lumber-yard."

It would take about $350, with what the Indians could do themselves, to rebuild the house. Here is an opportunity for some of our strong churches, which wish to do something for the Indians, to help a poor and worthy people.

-Rev. G. W. Huntley, of North Dakota, says: "We need a dozen chapels built immediately. The cause in North Dakota is suffering because we lack houses of worship and have not the means to build them."

Many of the fields in the West are as needy as North Dakota, and yet many of our pastors think it is hardly worth while to take collections for the Church Edifice Department of the Home Mission Society.

-The colored church at Chanute, Kansas, which was aided a few years ago from our Church Edifice Fund, sends a contribution to aid other churches, and says:

"We are sorry that we are not able to donate

more, and, if you wish, we will send another collection in about three months. You were a friend to us in time of need, and we want to help your fund whenever we can."

-Miss Kittie Chauncey, of Gloverville, N. Y., sends a contribution designated for Church Edifice work, and writes as follows:

"A class of eight boys, from four to seven, which I have the pleasure of teaching in the primary department of our Sunday school, decided the first of September that, as a class, they would send an offering on January 1st of each year to the Church Edifice Fund. They began saving pennies, and now have $4.15, which they wish me to forward to you."

This gift from these little ones is highly appreciated, and will help to start a church in faroff Nevada, where now there is only one Baptist house of worship in the whole State. Soon we shall call on all the Sunday-school children to help build chapels in the West for churches and Sunday schools who now have no place in which to meet.

-There is a spot down in Gloucester County, Virginia, where the colored people are somewhat behind those of many other sections, in progress. Rev. Reuben Berkely went among them as a self-appointed missionary, teaching school during the week for a scant support and preaching to the people on Sundays. In this way he has succeeded in building up a small Baptist church, and commenced to build a chapel suited to their simple style. Of course the people had very little money, and the work soon came to a stop for want of material. A good sister in New Jersey, hearing of their needs, sent us $50, asking our Board to make a gift of $100 to the church. The case was investigated, found worthy, and the donation granted at our last Board meeting. A check was sent on, and the hearts of the pastor and people made to rejoice in seeing their house advancing to completion. How often we could repeat this if we had funds enough in this department.

-Bro. R. R. Sadler, a missionary at Wayne C. H., W. Va., after giving a thrilling account of the trials of the church in meeting from place to place without any fixed home, and then relating how they were able to build by aid of a loan from our fund, says:

"I want to acknowledge our gratitude to the Loan Fund of the Home Mission Society, which enabled us to build. Some say it is a hum

bug; that money can be borrowed anywhere for less per cent., etc., etc. Let such try borrowing money on church property, and they will learn something. I have learned by actual tests, often made, that money-lenders have two objections to lending money on church property: 1. They have an aversion to distressing a church by foreclosing a mortgage. 2. Church property 2. Church property is, as a rule, hard to sell." -Bro. Proper, our General Missionary in Kansas, furnishes the following items:

Thirty of our mission churches in Kansas, where aid is voted to sustain the preaching of the gospel, have no meeting-houses. One church has moved its place of meeting three times since its organization last July; another cannot have morning and evening services. Some churches meet in halls, others in school-houses,

and others in rented churches.

The money invested for preaching does not bring more than half the results it would if we had comfortable houses of worship.

Of the 107 new white churches organized during last two years but very few have meeting

houses yet.

WOMEN'S SOCIETIES.

THE WOMAN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN.

President--MRS. L. B. AUSTIN, 96 Tremont St., Detroit: Corresponding Secrtary-MRS. S. A. GIBSON, 401 Lovell St., Kalamazoo. Treasurer-MRS. WM. A. MOORE, 1015 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Supt. of Mission Bands and Young People's Work-MRS. A. B. STEVENS, Ann Arbor.

QUARTERLY REPORT.

While we come far short of meeting the demands for earnest, consecrated service, yet we are encouraged in the advance made upon the unoccupied fields of our State. As we read of the cheerful self-sacrifice of our missionaries as they travel, in spite of cold, snowstorms, or mud, to meet their separate appoint ments amid alternating encouragements and discourcouragements, we feel that to give sparingly or grudgingly to these laborers would be a sin unwil. lingly tolerated.

One who has been two years on a new field writes: "I am still extending our lines; have opened one new field, where I have preached twice, and two weeks since went out and organized a Sabbath school of forty members, furnishing them with three months' supplies. They have long wanted me to go to them,

but I did not see how I could. I have also promised another regular appointment nine miles out, which looks promising. I am not likely to rest much on this field, with my four regular preaching places outside of the village. Thanks to His name, God gives the needed strength for the pressing work."

Another writes: "Our building, though unfinished, is of great service. Rev. Mr. Davis, pastor of South Boardman Baptist Church, is doing good work. Some of our incredible burden has been removed to his broad shoulders, and none too soon, for my own strength would soon have been exhausted by the hardships that seemed to be necessary to the prosperity of the cause. Now I am hopeful that God will build up this great field, and dot it with New Testament churches all the way from Reed City to Petoskey. We are about to organize a church ten miles from here. It gives us a heart-ache to see the whiteness of this great harvest field and the scarcity of laborers."

Our Society are hoping to take up mission work among the Poles. The missionary is not to confine himself to one place in his labors among this people. At Manistee there are six thousand Poles, and in Detroit there are twenty thousand, beside other

places in the State where he would find work among his people. We feel that we ought to give them the Word of God and throw about them Christian influences.

Our work among the young people was never more promising than at the present time, and none can be more important. The rapidly increasing demand for Christian labor in our country will require earnest, consecrated, intelligent leaders, who have been educated in systematic methods of work.

A letter from Rev G. W. Huntley, dated January 6th, tells what Home Mission work is doing for our "We have abundant reason to country. He says: thank God for the work done in Dakota. The unexpected has taken place. Last November sixty-four counties voted against the sale of intoxicating liquors. Prohibition has swept our country like our prairie fires in autumn. Cass County, the most populous in the Territory, carried it by four hundred majority. This new law has just come into effect this week

the week of prayer. Fargo, with its ten thousand people, rejoices. Sixty saloons that existed here are closed. This is remarkable in a new Territory, where the saloon-keepers were the pioneers and whiskey had pre-empted its supposed rights, where the inhabitants are from every people under heaven, that in the first contest prohibition should be so overwhelmingly victorious. While we thank God and take courage, we expect the work is but just begun. 'Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.' To maintain our freedom from the saloon power and the drink demon will cost yet greater effort. But the idea that it was possible to have such a victory at the polls shows the worth of Home Missions in the West. Missionaries and mission churches have under God