accurate thought and learning. As for himself, he could accept of nothing which was not capable of definite proof. The distinguished professor replied that some things could be seen and their reality demonstrated, while other and no less important facts must be accepted as true without any cognition of the senses. Christianity is a system of religion, and its truth and reality is not to be tested as we ascertain facts in natural science, as it relates to matters quite outside of ordinary observation. But we must consider its claims and its results, and if they are such as to warrant us in its belief we should accept it as a revelation from God and conform our lives to its teachings. This statement made such an impression upon Mr. Miyoshi's mind that after further thought and inquiry he became convinced that Christ was the Son of God and the Saviour of men. He subsequently professed his faith and received baptism while in England. Since his return to Japan he has connected himself with one of the churches in Tokyo, and has shown an interest and zeal in the cause of religion that has been most encouraging and helpful. In his former life he was accustomed to the drinking habits so prevalent among men of his class. He has now given up the use of liquor entirely. Formerly he did not regard the Sabbath as a sacred day, but to be devoted to either business or pleasure. Now he abstains from all business and observes it strictly as a day of rest. Not only does he attend the ordinary religious services, but he is accustomed to gather his associates and friends and instruct them in the doctrines of the Bible. On a recent official tour to the central part of the country he addressed Christian gatherings at various places, and thus gave a new and powerful impulse to the spread of Christianity. In one town, where there were no believers, he aroused quite a spirit of inquiry by his avowal of his own belief and recommendation of the same to others. At Kyoto he invited the native pastors and other prominent Christians to meet him at a public entertainment, and, instead of a simply pleasant and sociable time, the occasion was made most helpful and interesting by devoting the time exclusively to the discussion of religious matters, various Christian addresses and prayer. He especially requested the prayers of those who were present in his behalf. It was his great desire to be kept from all sin and used of the Lord for the extension of his kingdom in this land. Rev. Dr. Verbeck was recently invited by the Vice-Minister of Education to deliver a lecture on Christianity before the teachers of the various government schools in Tokyo. The attendance was large, and the interest such as to make it evident that here is a most hopeful and important field for religious effort. In the city of Yonezawa is a man named Maruyama, who is the head of a large silk factory in which there are five hundred persons employed. He once hated Christianity and all that is connected with it, but now he not only desires to become a Christian, but is anxious to have a Christian teacher in the town. He offers $300 per year for the support of such a person, and thinks that one-half of the persons in his employ would soon embrace the teachings of the gospel. So rapid is the growth of Christianity in Osaka that there are now three new churches in process of erection, as the old buildings have become too small to hold the large and constantly-increasing audiences. In the meantime the hall of the Young Men's Christian Association is being used by one of the churches, as no other suitable place can be found that will hold even the ordinary gatherings. Permission has been obtained by the Christians of Osaka to conduct preaching services in the prisons, and thus it is proposed to carry the gospel to the lowest and most hardened classes. At the recent opening of the fall term of the Doshisha (the Christian school at Kyoto, of which Rev. Mr. Neeshima is the head), there were 360 new applicants for admission. Of this number only 120 could be admitted, owing to want of room and teachers. Would that there were enough such schools and teachers to supply this great demand for Christian instruction! One of the churches in Tokio has formed a library for the purpose of placing Christian books within the reach of all who wish to know more about the doctrines which are so precious to every believing heart. There are many who are not believers who are willing to read and investigate the truth or falsity of the Christian system, and it is hoped in this way to bring some to a knowledge of Christ and his salvation. "HORSE AND BUGGY." The following letter from Mr. Gowlland will be read with general satisfaction. The secretary heartily approves the suggestion that the money still in his hands should Some hesitation was at first felt about publishing that paragraph of the letter which relates to the "fur coats." In the remembrance, however, that under inspiration Paul wrote of the cloak he had left at Troas, all hesitation vanished. Our missionaries need protection from the blizzards that sweep the mountains and the plains of the great Northwest. The extra coat of Mr. Gowlland shall be given to some needy brother; and any other coats that may be placed at the disposal of the secretary shall be sent to missionaries who are striving to walk as they have Paul for an ensample. DEAR DOCTOR CRAVEN:-I take great pleasure in being able to return the check for $70, which you will please find enclosed, so kindly contributed toward my outfit. The "fund" has swollen to such proportions that I do not need it. My equipment is now nearly complete, and I have enough on hand to finish it and also to deposit $20 in bank as a fund for casualties. I return the check with the suggestion, if I may be allowed, that it be again deposited for "specials" with the other moneys you have received for me. I would be very much pleased, if the donors are willing, to have all the money you have on hand for me form the nucleus of a fund to provide another missionary with a "conveyance, horse and all." The Lord has blessed me with two fur coats instead of one. After I had purchased and worn mine, a Christian friend sent me a furlined coat. It is not new, but there is much warmth and wear in it, and I would be glad to forward it to some other Sabbath-school missionary, say one of the "seven," if it is needed. NEWS FOR THE SABBATH- Circulars will shortly be sent to the superintendents of all our schools giving full information concerning the following interesting schemes: BIBLES FOR SABBATH-SCHOOLS. Bibles will be given by the Board to all scholars who shall be certified to it, by their pastors or sessions, as having committed and recited from memory, since January, 1887, the Westminster Shorter Catechism. LETTERS TO CONTRIBUTING SCHOOLS. As soon as the plan can be perfected a quarterly letter will be sent to each Sabbathschool that contributes to the funds of the Sabbath-school and Missionary Work of the Board, from the missionary whom it aids in supporting. A faithful missionary in Minnesota sends us the following: In the course of my labors I came upon an aged couple who knew the truth and had once professed the name of Christ, but by neglect of the means of grace, they had grown cold and indifferent, and were seldom seen at church. I reminded them of their wasted privileges and their neglected duties, and urged them to return from their wanderings, take their place again among God's people, and obey his word. The Lord blessed my efforts, and on my return to them several months later, I found them regularly attending the house of God, and manifesting a new and growing interest in holy things. The spiritual condition of the neighborhood in general was also improving, other early fruit of my labor springing up and greatly encouraging me to go on in the good work God had given me to do. one. In one of my journeys I heard of a couple who had no Bible and were too poor to buy Not being able to visit them at that time, I ascertained their post-office address and sent them one. They received the gift in wondering thankfulness-who the donor could be how was their particular want known, for what they wished for more than anything else was a Bible. The poor woman told a Christian neighbor, who had informed me about them, “that they had sat up hours and hours at night reading it together." The good result was very plain, for the man, who had hitherto been a light, frivolous character, spending most of his spare time, and more too, fiddling and dancing, is now more soberminded and industrious, and consequently is seldom seen at his old haunts. May they be "of them which keep the sayings of this book." And still another from the same state: The attend I have good news from a district that was entirely destitute previous to my organizing a Sabbath-school there last fall. Besides other visits, I spent a week among them, going from house to house during the day, reading the word, praying and conversing with the people, distributing books and tracts among them, and holding meetings in the evening. I had many promises of help from Christians living within a reasonable distance, but, with the exception of the last evening, I stood alone, yet not alone, the Lord was with me. ance was good from the first, and increased as the meetings went on till, at last, the house was crowded, and I had an audience of attentive hearers and truth-seekers. Of course, as there generally is in a neighborhood like that, there were a few "roughs" who came for mischief, but they were soon quelled and became as orderly as the rest. Apparently there were no immediate results beyond the increased and careful study of the word and a more faithful attendance at the Sabbath-school. Becoming more and more alive to their privileges, they resolved to keep up their school through the winter, which they did without missing a Sabbath. ABOUT NEW BOOKS. The Board of Publication and Sabbathschool Work has during the autumn issued a number of excellent books. The following are specially named: WEST BEACH BOYS. A Seaside Story. By Margaret E. Winslow. Price, $1.15.-The West Beach was a plain summer resort by the sea, where a number of bright boys happened to come together in their vacation. The book narrates the experiences of the boys. There is a feeling abroad among boys that religion is childish, or at least womanish, and that a good boy-that is, a praying, God-loving boy -must of necessity be a stupid, moping one; that a young Christian must give up all that makes life desirable and lay aside his manliness, his independence and his youth. Such an impression is based on ignorance of the truth that "the blessing of the Lord maketh rich;" rich in all the beautiful and delightful things which he has given us liberally to enjoy-and that "he addeth" none of the "sorrow" which comes from disappointed hopes, consciousness of sin and unavailing repentance. It is to dispel this false impression, so far as may be, from the minds of our boy-readers that this little story-most of whose incidents are true-has been written. THE BOYS OF RIVERTON. By Emily Gilmore. Price, $1.-This is a story of the way the minister's young wife helped in the church work by gathering the boys whom no one was caring for and who were not anxious to be cared for, and organizing them into a little society of their own for self-improvement. The results of the effort were very satisfactory. Not only were the boys inspired with nobler feelings and led into better life, but they also became Christians. In no part of Christian work is wisdom more needed than in working for and trying to save the boys, and this little book is certainly a valuable contribution in this line. AFTER THE FAILURE. By Annette L. Noble. Price, $1.15.-It was a bad failure, which involved others besides the family of Mr. Barton. It was a dishonest failure, too, which left shame as well as loss. Doris was suddenly thrown out of a home of luxury and compelled to think and act for herself. Many a young girl in such circumstances would have given up in despair, but she did not. Her misfortune was the making of her. She met it calmly, with common sense and with readiness for hard work, and she grew in it into rich beauty and strength. This is the pith of the story, but there are others in it who have misfortunes also, who meet their misfortunes in varying ways, with varying results. The book is well written and is full of life-thoughts which should prove of great value, particularly to young people. SUNDAY EVENINGS AT ELMRIDGE. By Ella R. Church. Price, $1.15.-In this number of the Elmridge Series we turn away from the fields of nature to the Holy Scriptures. We have here the Sunday evening talks of the young governess with her little people. The talks are about the children of the Bible. The stories are well told, in a familiar, conversational way. The book will be an admirable one for mothers to read to their children on the Sabbath evenings. It will instruct them, at the same time kindling interest and inspiring good and true thoughts. THE HEIR OF ATHOLE. By Julia McNair Wright. Price, $1.15.-Really this is the story of a tramp. That is, Barry the tramp is more the hero than Philip the heir of Athole. Barry is not an antic play of fancy. He represents the intense heathenism that marches side by side with the splendid enlightenment of the nineteenth century. Barry arrives at manhood so thoroughly let alone by both church and state that his soul possesses as little as is possible besides its original innate ideas, while his native disposition is harmless. Here he comes in contact with the Bible and with religion, and we see the development of his soul-life. The book has a purpose-to call attention to the problem of the tramp-class. The story is well written. Philip's young life that runs alongside of Barry's has its own interest. WIDENING CIRCLES. By Minnie E. Kinney. Price, $1.-A young girl comes home from school with a purpose in her heart to make her life useful. She begins on about as hopeless a set of objects as one ordinarily finds. There is a family of neighbors who through drink and indolence have gotten down almost as low as possible. Our young friend with the loving purpose in her heart takes hold first of a ragged boy belonging to this household and puts a little inspiration into him. Then through him she reaches his father and mother, both drunkards, and through her influence they were all lifted up and they and their home were completely transformed. The story is full of practical suggestions on ways of individual helpfulness and missionary service. THE SOLDIER'S WARD. Translated by Rev. Daniel Van Pelt. Price, $1.25.-Those who have read Walter Harmsen will be ready at once to welcome this sequel. The story is full of living interest. It paints for us many real pictures of the times of the reformation in Holland. It introduces us to some of the practices and machinations of the Jesuits, and gives us glimpses of the sufferings caused by this order. The interest centres throughout the story in Antoine Moreau, whose character is not wholly fictitious, although the incidents are in some respects changed. In this story, after suffering at the hands of the Inquisition, Antoine is finally released from prison by his friends, but only to die in their hands shortly after. The book is full of valuable information concerning the country and the times to which it belongs. BROKEN PITCHERS. By Mrs. A. K. Dunning. Price, $1.-This pleasant story is intended to show that the failure of our little plans may not be failures in life, because God has a plan for each one of us, and his plan may be carried out when ours are all broken. It is a story of three young lives-young girls. It begins when they are school girls, and we follow them on through various experiences as life's meaning deepens. "I should hardly know you to be the same girl," said Grace's father, “you used to be so thoughtless, so impetuous, so careless of others; now you seem to think of every one else before you think of yourself." "I have learned much during the past year," said Grace; "I have learned that self-indulgence does not bring happiness, that the path of duty is the path of beauty, and I have also learned to appreciate my home." How she had learned these three lessons, in what schools, the story tells. IN THE HOSPITAL AT ELMRIDGE. By Ella R. Church. Price, $1.-In the Elmridge Series the author has given to the public a number of very valuable books about many things in nature. In the present volume the young people and their governess, with whom we have become so well acquainted, meet with an unwelcome interruption in their studies, which, however, leads to scenes of novel interest, and to a study of a fresh subject while they are In the Hospital at Elmridge. RESCUED FROM THE STREETS. By Margaret E. Winslow. Price, $1.-One of the most serious problems of modern Christian work is city evangelization-how to reach the neglected poor. Here we have a book in the line of the solution of this problem. It is the story of some newsboys. We are shown vivid pictures of their life, their hardships, their temptations. Then we see the hand of Christ reached out in the efforts of his people to help and to rescue. We have an illustration of the power of divine grace as it comes through consecrated hearts. The boys are rescued and transformed. Apart from its interest as a story, the book is of value to those who would work in these lines. MRS. WINCHESTER'S KITCHEN; or, The One Talent Improved. By Mrs. Helen E. Brown. Price, $1.-The kitchen was a very plain one, but must have been very beautiful in the sight of God's angels, for Mrs. Winchester made it sacred by holy thoughts and helpful ministries. The book tells how one plain woman, with quite ordinary gifts and advantages, made her life truly and richly helpful to many of her neighbors by faithfully using the small gifts God had bestowed upon her. This is a book Christian mothers may read with real profit, as they will be sure to get from it many suggestions as to homely yet effective ways of doing good. They will see how many opportunities of honoring Christ and blessing others they really have even in the plainest circumstances, and when their hands are fullest of household work and care. CHURCH AT KISMET, FLORIDA. We present in this number the picture of the very pretty and comfortable church edifice lately completed in Kismet, Fla. It has some peculiarities adapting it to the location and the climate. Kismet is one of the many rapidly-growing places frequented in winter by northern visitors. The pastor gives the following description of the building: It is 56 feet long and 30 feet wide, resting upon piers of brick. The tower is 12 feet square at the base and 64 feet in height. The audience-room is 30 feet by 40 feet, with 20 feet height of ceiling; is finished to the main rafters, which are supported by heavy brackets, wainscoted as high as the window sills, and plastered with rough finish for frescoing. There is a chancel in the rear, 10 feet wide and 7 feet deep, with pulpit platform two steps in height. There is a middle aisle, 5 feet wide, and two rows of pews with side aisles, making the seating capacity about 200. The windows are large, for admission of air, and are hung on weights, with screens in place of blinds to keep out gnats and flies. The wood-work, finished inside with hard oil finish and varnished, is all Florida pine, showing grain. The pews are ornamented somewhat with red cedar, oiled and varnished. The choir and organ are on the platform back of the pulpit, and the Sabbath school library-room is in the base of tower. The exterior is shingled in part and sided in part. The roof is of cypress. The roof and shingled portions are painted red; the other portions, siding and bands, light olive and dark olive green. The tower will carry a thousand-pound bell. The whole cost, including lot 90 by 154 feet, valued at $75, is about $1800. When begun the timber was in the standing trees of the forest. Such a building would ordinarily cost, in Florida, from $2000 to $2500. It was built cheaply because personal attention was given to |