where churches ought to be established. To do it we need more means and more missionaries; and while we pray for the evangelization of the great West, let us pray for those feeble churches and the home missionaries that are serving them; and that the Lord of the harvest will raise up and send forth more laborers into the destitute fields, that the whole land may be saved to Christ. The great West! What is it? The phrase is in these latter days used to describe that part of the United States lying west of the Mississippi river. How big is it? The area west of the Mississippi, excluding Alaska, is two and one-half times as large as that lying east of the river. The whole area of the United States, by the census of 1880, is 3,602,990 square miles. The part west of the great river, taking in Alaska, is more than 2,700,000 square miles. In order to make the idea of this vast expanse more real and practical, comparisons with other lands or between state and state have been often made. We will not go into them here; but let the reader remember that California alone is about as large as France, that Missouri and Nebraska are each larger than all New England, and that Texas would make six or seven New Yorks and something like two hundred Rhode Islands, and then apply these and other like off-hand gauges to his map of our national domain, and he will probably get a new "realizing sense" of how great the "great West" is. How is it peopled? Vastly as foreign and inter-state immigration has poured into this area, the population is of course still almost as small relatively as the area is large. There are doubtless twelve millions of people, or one-fifth of our whole population, west of the Mississippi. Nine and onehalf millions are native born-children of immigrants, or sons and daughters of parents from New England, from the middle states, from the central West or the South. Two and one-half millions are foreign born. The Northwest contains one-half of our whole German population. The proportion of Irish is less than in the large cities and the eastern states. On the other hand, Minnesota alone contains one-fourth of all the Swedes and Norwegians in the land. The French and English, much fewer in number, are more generally distributed, except that there is a considerable concentration of French in New Orleans. The surviving remnants of Indian tribes, numbering two or three hundred thousand, are mostly in the Indian Territory, with smaller numbers in Arizona, New Mexico, Dakota, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. The one hundred and fifty thousand Mormons are mainly concentrated in Utah, but have spread into Idaho and Wyoming. What is the state of religion? The members and adherents of all Christian denominations number about two and one-half millions, or less than one-fifth of the whole population. Of these, some three hundred and sixty thousand are members and adherents of our own church. The nine and one-half millions outside of church ties, from the remoteness and insufficiency of the means of grace, are less under the pressure and restraint of religious influences than the godless masses in the older states. Intemperance, gambling, lawlessness and violence are general and unchecked. Roughness and reckless license largely characterize the modes of living. The Sabbath is widely profaned, often almost wholly disregarded. Materialism and infidelity pervade the masses and clog the advance of the gospel and the kingdom. What has the Presbyterian Church done for this region? The Board has 853 missionaries at work there, many of them covering large districts, and ministering each to several churches and out-stations. There are besides these a considerable number of self-supporting churches, most of which were once under the Board's care. There are also maintained by the Women's Executive Committee some eighty schools, with about two hundred teachers, among the Indians, Mexicans and Mormons. The Board expended in this region last year nearly $300,000, or almost one-half of its whole disbursements. disbursements. The Board's receipts from the same field last year were over $42,000— a marked evidence of life and growth and success. The "News from the Field," on succeeding pages, selected mainly from letters from the far West, presents significant specimens and vivid illustrations of the general efficiency and prosperity of the work done by our missionaries and teachers. A vast deal of evangelistic work has been earnestly and wisely done, and the sacred. labor has been largely owned and blessed and crowned with saving results by the good Spirit of God. What should the Presbyterian Church attempt and aim at now and henceforward in pushing onward to a glorious consummation "the evangelization of the great West"? The General Assembly's call for $800,000 of income indicates the church's conviction and desire that the work should be enlarged at least one-fourth by the end of this year. No one will deny that the needs of the case demand fully this much enlargement. No one will deny, further, that coming years should witness a steady, and perhaps an equal, increase of means and labor and laborers. The Board's income of $653,000 last year, large as it sounds and seems, was only 96 cents apiece for our 680,000 communicants. No one will pretend for a moment that this attains or approaches the proper measure of Presbyterian duty and ability for the evangelization of our country. The standard of Christian giving must be speedily and largely raised. The measure of religious and patriotic self-denial must be greatly increased. All over the wide expanse of plain and prairie, and in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, and along the interminable line of the Pacific coast, we must have more missionaries, more teachers, more churches, more schools. It is entirely within our power to urge this work onward at a rate never realized hitherto. If a divine impulse shall prompt us to do this, we may soon see the wilderness rejoice and the desert blossom as the rose. Upon our readers we respectfully press the question, What ought you to do? NEWS FROM THE FIELD. BEECH, N. C. WEEK OF PREACHING AND SCHOOLS. A. M. PENLAND. Your care for us here in the mountains for fifteen years calls forth gratitude to God. But for your fostering care we had been dead and almost forgotten. Whatever may be said of others, the writer and his family will never forget you. Do not forget us, but don't forget this south land whose call for help is loud and long, perishing for lack of knowledge and thinking at the same time that they lack nothing, that they know it all, and thank nobody for trying to better their condition. Hence self-denying, self-sacrificing labor is not appreciated and finds no reward among them. This ought not to be so, but it will continue till the children are trained the youth educated and Presbyterianism instilled into them. Not long since I had an appointment in a good neighborhood not fifteen miles from Asheville, and preached to a full house; but on my approach the leader of the Sunday-school music became alarmed, thinking that some great error was to be propagated, and not only refused to lead the singing, but actually remained out-doors during service. But few in the congregation had ever heard a Presbyterian sermon. Please pardon the reference, but numbers said it was the best they ever heard. I have been back since, and the Lord willing will go again. Yesterday preached twice. At the first service was a man of seventy who had ridden three and a half miles to hear a Presbyterian for the first time. He rode five miles in the afternoon to a second service, after which he said, "If that is Presbyterianism, I want more of it." Left both places with pressing invitations to return and visit them again. I mention these things to show how little is known of Presbyterian faith and practice. The masses must be reached through schools and a searching evangelization. TITUSVILLE, FLA. ANOTHER NEW CHURCH BUILDING-WHISKY VOTED OUT. REV. JOHN FOY. Another quarter's labor closed with the last month. During this period I have filled my appointments here regularly; also superintended our Sabbath-school. The work here is very promising. Every Sabbath morning and evening we have good and attentive audiences. I had not expected this; thought during the warm season, when many would go north, that the attendance would diminish. So it has been with our Sabbathschool. Have over one hundred scholars now. One new member was received during the quarter. Our new church is nearly done. Would have had it done some time ago, but our contractor, having so much on hand, got terribly behind with the work. It is a frame building, 36 by 60 feet, with steeple 68 feet high. About three weeks ago we got our new bell. So far I have done the painting myself, and am lathing it now. This is something I am not accustomed to doing, but I want to finish, if possible, without debt. Ours is the only church building in the town. We have the start of all other denominations; and by pushing the work another year or two, as we are doing now, we will be pretty firmly established. When the church building is completed, I want to try and establish a good academy here. This is something very much needed, and would be of very great advantage to us. On the 14th day of last month our county, under the new local option law, voted out whisky. Last Friday every saloon in the county was closed. This will be another great thing in our favor. HOWARD LAKE, MINN. REV. B. WALL. The outlook for the Howard Lake church is such as to give promise of fair growth under the regular and faithful ministrations of the gospel. A pretty large share of the membership, especially those who joined our ranks during the year, have a good deal of the working spirit, which is helping us much. We have not the scope here that we could desire. In addition to our own, there are six religious bodies in active operation in this town; most of them holding service every Sabbath and, like ourselves, seeking and working for enlargement. This makes our field a hard one, and leads us to value highly any gains, however small, that we secure. I can say very little about Winstead, except that I have endeavored, amid much discouragement, to dispense the word and ordinances there. The membership is on the retrograde, and has been for several years. Romanism is the great ism of the town and community, and will, in all probability, sooner or later take the entire locality. It has just erected there a new house, which for magnitude and costliness has no equal, I presume, outside of St. Paul or Minneapolis. Its policy is to buy out the last Protestant and supply his place with a devout Roman Catholic. Still the feeble band while there ought to have the gospel, and I have endeavored regularly to give them a sermon every other Sabbath afternoon, with a communion season about every quarter and some little pastoral work. Since last spring I have had a preaching station at Smith Lake, the next town west of Howard Lake, some two and a half miles. It is, however, a good deal like ministering in one end of my congregation, as it reaches there and beyond. Still I address persons who seldom or never come to Howard Lake to meeting, and much good may be done for Presbyterianism in that way and the main church be strengthened. GOODWILL MISSION, SISSETON AGENCY, DAK. TER. REV. M. N. ADAMS. The work at Goodwill and in the vicinity, both in the churches and schools, has been of increasing interest and encouragement. It has been my privilege to teach a Bible class regularly at 10 A.M., attend the Dakota service, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Charles Crawford, and, in case of his absence, to fill his pulpit. At 3 o'clock P.M. I have statedly held divine service and preached in English. This service is usually attended by all the teachers and employes, the agency people and the pupils of both the mission and government schools, filling our Goodwill church to its utmost capacity. At 7 P.M. we hold a song service at the Girls' Home, and in connection with that it is my privilege usually to read the Scriptures responsively with those present, explain or lecture briefly, and close with prayer. Almost all present take part in these services. Our mission school has opened this term with more than usual interest and hopefulness. The pupils are cheerful, and appreciate the new and enlarged homes prepared for them. Already there are upwards of eighty pupils enrolled this term, with more to follow. The government school has also opened nicely this term, under the superintendence of Professor Gordon, with upwards of sixty pupils enrolled, and more to come in. I am usually present at the opening of these schools on each alternate morning, and conduct the opening exercises, which consist in reading the Scriptures with the pupils responsively, explaining the same, and imparting such moral and religious instruction as I may, closing with prayer. All this is favorable to our work, especially among the children and youth of this people. Most of the native churches on this reservation are in good working condition. The native pastors are humble and faithful workers for the divine Master. The building operations here must necessarily close soon. The school buildings are so far completed as to be used. They now need to be furnished and enlarged in order to meet the increasing demand of this people for education and training of the children and youth. The boys' shops are up and being covered, but without tools and materials, such as iron, coal, leather and lumber, the best results in this department cannot be expected; and this means more labor and cost. A dozen or fifteen good milch cows might well be added to the two or three now at this mission. While in attendance at the late meeting of the Synod of Dakota, at Scotland, it was my privilege to speak of our work here at Goodwill and among the Dakotas; and at a popular meeting, held in the interests of home missions, the sum of $20.50 was contributed to furnish a room in "The Boys' Home" to be called "The Synod of Dakota's Room;" and I was instructed to apply the funds in that way, which I will do. With the close of this quarter ends the first year of my labors since my return to the Dakotas, the people of my first love and labor for Christ in the gospel ministry, nearly forty years ago. TEKAMAH, NEB. HOPEFUL INDICATIONS-DESTITUTE PLACES. REV. L. D. WELLS. I suppose there are very many places where the people are hungry for the regular preaching of the gospel. I must accept it as true when I read of the pleadings of the people that you send them one who shall "break unto them the bread of life." Yet it seems to me sometimes that I have not thus far found a place where the people were as hungry for the gospel as they seem to be here. That hunger seems to be developing as the Sabbaths succeed each other. My congregations are still increasing, and we are asking what we shall do for a place where the people may be comfortably housed for divine worship. Our little church is often crowded. Some go away for want of room. Better and more serious attention cannot be found than is given by our congregations to the truth. Tears often flow as the messages of truth are brought home. Some of those who weep have church relations, but had apparently lost all interest in Christian life. Others, who have not been even church goers hitherto, have shown an interest which, I trust, indicates that God's truth is taking hold upon them. Then in our Sabbath-school we find a growing interest. When I came here, scarcely a young man could be found in our school, and for a few months none could be coaxed to come. A few are now there, largely through the influence of some young girls. My class, when I became their teacher, numbered only seven or nine; but these began the work of bringing the young men in. My class now numbers twenty-four-one-third of the whole school. A spirit of inquiry is awakened in the class, and I am plied with questions of the kind which point not to controversy, but to an understanding of the lessons. Besides this, my class have organized themselves, at my suggestion, into a young people's circle for social culture, literary entertainment and benevolent work. Money has already begun to flow into their treasury, and they have brought new members into the Sabbath-school. There are places near here where preaching is asked. Seven to ten miles southeast from here there is quite a large settlement, and not one professing Christian in it. The people do not go to church anywhere. With many of them the Sabbath is a hard working day. The only religious service they ever have is a funeral service. I have gone among them twice attending funerals. One was that of an aged lady insane as to everything except faith in Christ. She came from Pennsylvania, brought her faith with her, and kept it to the last. Since she is dead, they say that in all that stretch of rich bottom land on the Missouri river no other Christian is known. I hope, however, this may not be altogether true. There are school-houses which might be used for religious services. Six miles northeast stands a church building, sold a few years ago for debt. A United Brethren church once existed there. At Decatur we have an organization, as you know. The presbytery made me moderator of its session, and instructed me to preach there at least once before the spring meeting of presbytery. There is a nice building there, and there ought to be stated preaching. But what can I do? I have no horse or buggy to reach any of these places, and my time is occupied here at Tekamah. I have no laymen whom I can send out to hold religious services. The question, What can be done? has many, many times come up to the Board from all quarters of our land. What can we do except to "pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers"? KEDRON, IND. TER. W. L. SQUIER. Dwight Mission can have a hundred girls just as soon as there is room for them. I held service last Sunday near "old Fairfield," and before I could mount my horse and ride away there were three applications made to me to take girls, and they are coming too. If the school building with dormitory above is put up at once, that will relieve the pressure, as I can then say "Wait until the cottage is completed" to those coming after the dormitory is full. We have two years in which to lay our foundations before the female seminary will be rebuilt ready for occupancy. I do not think we would want for pupils if it was in operation, if we were prepared to take them. My visits out among the people are repeated proofs of things I did not know before. I see more and more the reason why Dwight was located in the Sallisan valley, and I find that our church returning to the work here has aroused great expectations and meets with universal approval. There are more than we know in this nation who, if it were at all popular, would vote to place the Cherokee seminaries in the hands of the missionaries, that they might be removed from the list of political spoils. As the next best thing, they turn kindly to mission schools, and no church among them ranks at all equal with the Presbyterian as an educator. Of course you know all this; yet it is but natural for me to repeat it, as I hear it repeatedly and often. My first duty lies at home, hence I will not attend presbytery or synod. After my wife and baby-and precious jewels they are my first love and care is Dwight Mission, including all the interests centering here. For twenty miles in every direction the country is morally destitute. TAHLEQUAH, IND. TER. A FULL-BLOOD NEIGHBORHOOD-WHITE RENTERS-MORMON MISSIONARIES. REV. A. G. EVANS. Several requests had come to me at different times to go and preach in a neighborhood about eight miles from here, inhabited principally by full-bloods; so I gave out an appointment, and one Sabbath afternoon in August John Ross and I went over there. Mr. Ross had held some meetings with the people and done much to encourage them. On our arrival we found that there had been some mistake as to the time of the appointment, and most of the people had given us up and gone home, or to visit friends in the neighborhood. One or two of those remaining, however, started off and soon recalled most of them, so that in a little time there was a congregation of about thirty. Most of these were full-bloods, and could understand but little English. I had no interpreter, so had to get a young man in the congregation who understood both languages to try to interpret for me. But he was not used to interpreting, nor I to speaking through an interpreter, so we got on but slowly. The people were patient with our blunders, and very attentive. These poor folks have built themselves a rough enough box house. They had hoped to get a national school, but failed. They have been trying amongst themselves to carry on a Sunday-school. A full-blood woman who speaks both Cherokee and English is superintendent. With no Cherokee literature this is rather hard. We shall see that they have Cherokee Testaments, and hope that ere long Mr. Chamberlain's Cherokee book will be available. Something of the kind is very sorely needed. During the last week Mr. Chamberlain has been holding protracted meetings at this point with very encouraging results. I am now to take it under my care as a regular preaching station, and hope soon to have a church organized there. DESTITUTION AMONG WHITE PEOPLE. In the latter part of August I made a trip down to Dwight. I did not get started till afternoon, and after travelling a few miles found that one of my horse's shoes was loose. I had to go some |