In every town visited, religious instruction is given, and around the teacher gather other members of the household than those who are occupied with the reading-lesson; and while some are listless, others manifest much interest. In the visits of one day alone, we find wide contrasts, not only in ability to acquire knowledge, but in outward condition and circumstances. Among our pupils is an interesting Bengali woman, the mother of two daughters, the younger of whom is in our girls' school. Very patient and gentle is this little mother, and much interested in the Bible lesson. Some of the female members of another family occupying this same house, occasionally come in to listen to the instruction given. Among the number is an old woman who is a leper. "How do you occupy yourself all the long day?" was asked on one occasion. "I help in making macaroni,' was the answer. The macaroni made in this house is sold in the bazaar.

The little daughter of the Bengali woman who is in our school is often ill, and the mother tells us that when suffering she says, "If I pray to Jesus, He will make me well." She finds, too, much comfort in repeating the hymns she has learned in school.

Near the house occupied by this Bengali family, is a family from the Panjab, where we have pupils. There are seven women in this household, and with a single exception, all wear many beautiful gold and silver ornaments, some of the number being literally laden with jewels. The eldest of the company, a widow, is unadorned, but she is well clothed. Two only of the women are learning to read, but all sit in the room during the lesson and occasionally ask questions, and sometimes raise objections, or ask, "How can these things be?" One of the number, as she listens, deftly plies her needle. The little children of the household flit in and out like sparrows, the jewels which they wear making a musical sound as they move about. A pretty child, two years of age, is attracted by the singing, listening with wide-open eyes, and unconsciously keeping time with his bare foot, the silver bells on his tiny ankles tinkling softly with every motion. A pleasant house is this one to visit, but the little Bengali woman, with her sad, wistful face, seems to feel, as these prosperous women do not, that there is a message for her in the words of Holy Writ.

To one house which we visit, has recently come a grandmother, wrinkled and toothless, and with hair of snowy whiteness. There are two little granddaughters in this household, and these were formerly pupils in our school. "Why do your little girls not come now to the school?" we asked the mother on a recent visit, as she sat before us, book in hand. "She will not let them," was the answer, given in a low voice, pointing at the same time to the room where the aged dame was bustling noisily about. "Only get her consent," continued the mother, "and we will gladly send the children to school."

Not deaf was she, nor dumb, for the withered woman, with flashing eyes, soon confronted us. "Send those girls to school," she exclaimed scornfully. "Look at them! They are too old to go to school." The children to whom our attention was thus directed, were two little girls seven or eight years of age. "I cannot send them, nor can their father," continued the mother, when we were again alone, "unless she is willing."

Such opposition will not come from the mothers now under instruction, nor from the children now gathered into our schools.

The wife of a prominent native official is one of our most satisfactory pupils. She always wears a happy face, and is quick at learning, making it a pleasure to teach her. Her caste people are often shocked because of the disposition she manifests to break away from the trammels of superstition, but to their remonstrances she answers that both her husband and herself think alike in reference to such matters, and that she shall continue to do what seems to her right, quite irrespective of the opinions they may entertain in reference to her conduct.

The wife of another native gentleman occupying a prominent position, and himself a man of unusual intelligence, is particularly uninteresting, and finds it difficult to make any progress in learning. No companion is this dull, igno rant woman, for her keen, accomplished husband. Betrothed in childhood,

he has grown and expanded. She is now a woman in years, but a child in knowledge, the occupations and pursuits of her husband being quite outside and beyond the range of her intellect. We have in this same household several other pupils, and all are dull.

An elderly woman who began last year to learn to read, when the younger women of the household, discouraged, gave up the task, is still interested in her lessons. She is now reading the Gospel of John.

In one Bengali house which we visit, are five or six women, and one of these is, perhaps, our very brightest pupil, making rapid strides in learning, and taking a keen delight in her lessons. To come from a dull, listless pupil, to this bright, eager woman, is most refreshing.

In another house we have one pupil, a young girl about fourteen years of age, very pretty and engaging in manners. She does not lead a very merry life, poor child! for her mother is often sullen and full of complaint, because this daughter, the last of the household, is still unmarried. The parents desire to make a suitable marriage for their daughter, but assert that such a bridegroom as would meet their requirements, would, in this degenerate age, demand with the fair bride a dowry quite beyond their means. "More and more difficult do we find it," says the mother, "to make ends meet. Formerly the means at our command were ample to support us in comfort. Now the male members of the household, with the English language they are so fond of using, have adopted so many English customs in dress, furnishing, and even in food, that life is a continual struggle." And this is doubtless true in many

cases.

In one or two instances, a woman has expressed a desire to learn English in order to read for herself the English cook-books which her husband had brought to the house, as she found it extremely trying, in his presence and at his dictation, to attempt to prepare articles of food according to the rules laid down in these books.

As we go from house to house, we find something to awaken our interest, to call forth our deepest sympathy, or to excite our pity, and always to lead us in supplication to the mercy-seat.

The school for girls continues to be a comfort to us, as well as a most important part of our mission work. Several of the larger girls, who were among our most interesting pupils, were, at the close of the year, withdrawn from the school, to be married, though mere children still. Some of these girls we are permitted to visit. The mother of one of these child-wives said recently, When my little girl was in school she was always well, now she is always ill."

We had at the close of the year the usual treat for the children, when they came dressed in holiday attire, and wearing with their gay raiment, faces beaming with delight. The lady friends we had invited to meet with us on this occasion, were entertained with songs and recitations, and very creditably did the pupils acquit themselves. The gifts which we had to bestow, and with which the children were greatly pleased, were generously contributed by English and American friends.

The songs learned in the school, set to native airs, are sung at home, and thus, in instances not a few, Gospel truth is carried where we may not go.

As heretofore, the English, Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu languages are taught in the school. The girls are taught to sew and to knit, and quite a number of jackets have been made during the year by the older girls in the school as gifts to poor children at the holiday-time.

A suitable building is much needed for this school, and God we believe will give us the means for this, by the hands of some of the stewards of His wealth.

At the end of the year 1890, Mr. and Mrs. Griswold, newly arrived in India, were placed by the mission at this station, and were making good progress in the study of one of the native languages. They were warmly welcomed at Jhansi. A dwelling-house for them must be provided as soon as practicable.

Futtchpore.

This station is still without an ordained minister, foreign or native, but is under the general oversight of the Rev. J. M. Alexander, of Allahabad. Two native assistants were here last year. Mr. Alexander made as usual a monthly visit to this city, spending the Sabbath in preaching and other religious meetings, and holding regular communion services. Four new communicants were received, the whole number being seventeen. Several weeks were spent in this district in January and February by Mr. Alexander and his family, accompanied by four native helpers. Of visits thus made among the villages, he speaks with much pleasure, for the friendly remembrances met with and the attention given to the Gospel message. He says:

We worked out from five centres having our camp for a week in each place. Over one hundred villages were reached, the audiences in each place ranging from 25 to 300. We had as usual several night meetings in the villages, which were well attended. At Bindki, one of the chief men of the place (a Hindu) came to our camp, and offered a large room in one of his houses, for our meetings. This was entirely voluntary on his part, and to the good-will thus shown in offering the place he added still further proof of his sincerity by sending out invitations to the residents of the village to attend the services. At Khaga, our last camping place, I had a visit from two interesting inquirers. They were patriarchs in villages in the vicinity, and possessed more than ordinary intelligence. They had read a number of Christian books, and on several occasions had visited the catechists at Futtehpore. As in the case of many others, so with them, the separation from friends and relatives, seemed the only obstacle to a public profession of Christ. Many portions of Scripture and tracts were sold during this itineration, in spite of the efforts on the part of the village school teachers (chiefly Aryas), to keep the people from taking Christian books.

Allahabad.

Missionary work in this large city and in connection with it has been efficiently conducted in preaching services, both at stations and on journeys for this purpose; in schools of different grades; in visits to zenanas, and visits amongst their people by native Christian catechists and Bible-readers; by admirable medical missionary labors at the dispensary and among native families; by superintendence of leper and blind asylums; by the use of the printing-press, especially in the publication of a monthly magazine in Roman-letter Hindustani, for the use of native Christians and others. This city, lying between the Ganges and the Jumna rivers, at and near their junction, embraces districts considerably separated, with two of the stations far apartthe Kutra and the Jumna-while the chief church building and the dispensary are at some distance from them, in the midst of a dense population of Hindus and Mohammedans.

Kutra Station.-In describing his work, Mr. Alexander, after first referring to the changes that have occurred since he went to this station, on his arrival in India twenty-five years ago, writes of last year's work in detail. He assisted the native pastor in the work of the Kutra church, in which five new communicants were received. He held services in the bazaars and suburbs, which were subject at times to disorder caused by Mohammedans and Arya Hindus. Even in the

Kutra church on one occasion a mob of three hundred Mohammedans violently interrupted the service, until the police were called in. In the schools valuable particulars are given. For statistics see tables above. His monthly visits to Futtehpore, and the tour in that district of himself and Mrs. Alexander, accompanied by some of the native brethren, have been referred to already. His charge of the mission treasury accounts has become increasingly onerous, and the supervision of building the dispensary required much attention. Manuscripts for the press, referred to him for examination on behalf of the Tract Society of North India, and numerous papers of scholars in the schools, occupied valuable time.

Interesting accounts are given of natives making earnest inquiries concerning their spiritual interests, one of them a young man from a distant city, who applied for baptism, but was seized by his friends and compelled to go with them. On making his escape from them, they applied to the Civil Court for redress. Public attention was widely given to the case, but the decision left the young man free, and he was baptized. This litigation involved an expense of over $300 by the missionaries, which they hope may be shared by some of their friends in this country.

The missionary has to speak of the sad defects and faults of some of the members of the Kutra church, but he can also speak of the exemplary conduct of others, and of the blessed hope of Heaven in the case of several who had died. The notice of one of the catechists, who was also an elder in the church, will be read with special interest:

Robert J. Breckinridge was with me during our tour in the Futtehpore district last cold season. He was weak in body, but earnest in spirit, and although over seventy years of age, did full service with the younger men, walking daily to distant villages, and preaching the Word with more than usual earnestness. On New-Year's morning he remarked that he had come to his last year. The following April the end came. A sharp attack of pneumonia, following upon the influenza, took away the life of this man of God, beloved and sincerely regretted by all who knew him. He had just finished 50 years of service as catechist in the mission, his fields of labor being Futtehgurh, Mynpurie, Futtehpore, and Allahabad. He held the office of ruling elder for many years.

Notices are here appended of two others who entered into rest :

Ignatius David died in June, after a lingering illness. He was a young man, of earnest Christian purpose, thoroughly in sympathy with the affairs of the Church, and striving constantly to influence by word and example those with whom he came in contact. Just before the attack of influenza, which ended in consumption, he delivered a course of lectures on temperance, holding up Christ as the only source of strength, and the all-sufficient remedy for the weak and helpiess. He is greatly missed in the congregation and Sundayschool. His memory is precious to all.

7. Rendall, who had been a member of our Christian community for several years, united with the Kutra church early in the year. He was a bookbinder by trade, and worked hard to support his large family. His health began to fail several months before his death, which occurred in August. Through all his sufferings, which at times were great, he manifested a truly Christian spirit, being perfectly resigned to the will of God. He was a man of deep piety and constant prayer. Morning and evening prayer ascended from that humble family altar, and we may feel assured that the family, left without any visible means of support, can now look with confidence to Him who is the comfort

and strength of the widow and fatherless. Since his death his eldest daughter, sixteen years of age, who was a pupil in the Jumna Girls' Boarding-School, has also entered into the rest of the people of God.

Jumna Station.-The Rev. J. J. Lucas, D.D., writes of the work in this part of the city as follows:

Here

The report of another year's work may be told in a few words. The preaching of the Gospel in city and village, in church and bazaar, by the riverside and in quiet places, has never seemed a greater privilege. When in Allahabad, I have usually preached four evenings of the week in the city church. usually quiet audiences have listened to the truth, and listened to it at times with such interest and attention that we all felt sure their hearts had been touched. Some remained to talk after the service, and now and then one told us that he had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour, but for some family reason was not prepared to be baptized. This class of unbaptized believers is largely on the increase. Let us pray and hope that speedily they may not only believe in the heart, but confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.

Sunday morning I have conducted the service in the Jumna church, and also frequently the week-day service. I have tried to secure a native pastor for the church, but as yet have not induced the brother best fitted for the work to accept it. This has necessitated my continuing to act as stated supply of the church. Twenty have been added on confession of their faith, ten of them Hindus and Mohammedans, and ten who had been baptized in infancy. The young men and boys of the church organized in July a Philadelphia Society. The pastor's fund, of which I gave an account in my last report, is still flourishing. The people pay their subscription to it quite regularly. It now amounts to Rs. 221.

From January 10th to February 10th I spent among the villages across the Jumna, preaching morning and evening. Many of the poor villagers listened gladly to the Gospel, and were ready to become Christians could we guarantee them against loss of home and livelihood. This is the great problem in village work-viz., how to aid wisely sincere inquirers, so that they may live in their homes and villages after baptism. Some of them said to me: "We are ready to be baptized; but the day we are, the landlord of the village will turn us out of home and land. Then what shall we do?" Ten days were spent in Sirsa, a large town on the banks of the Ganges, 25 miles from Allahabad. The market is crowded twice a week with people from the surrounding villages, and thus many are reached. In May a charge of eating beef and throwing the bones on the street to defile the Hindus was brought against our catechists residing in Sirsa. The owner of the house in which they lived at once raised the rent from Rs.3 to Rs.30 a month, in order to drive them out, and with great difficulty they procured another house. This shows the necessity of our having a house of our own there, if we are to carry on work permanently and successfully. A good house can be had for Rs. 500, the half of which sum I have already secured by contributions from friends. One man, a Hindu fakir, was baptized in Sirsa in July; but as he was not a resident of the place, little impression was made by his baptism.

In the Jumna school my work as principal has been very much the same as last year. I have opened the school with a brief exposition of a few verses and prayer. Every Saturday I have given an evangelistic address to the whole school assembled in the church. Since July I have taught the Bible to the two higher classes three days in the week, giving an hour a day to this. Before the close of the school in May for the summer vacation, I spent parts of six days-eighteen hours altogether-in examining and marking every boy in the middle and primary classes on his knowledge of the Bible. As a result, I can speak most highly of the work of the Christian teachers of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th classes. Nearly every boy of these classes can repeat the Lord's Prayer. Of the 38 boys in the 7th class, 32 can repeat large portions of Matthew, having committed a few verses every day. Many of the boys of these classes are quite familiar with the parables and miracles of our Lord.