culties. Her presence was an inspiration to the workers, and she was thoroughly in accord with all that has been done in that field, and all that is hoped for.

REV. E. T. GRIFFITH, ASHLAND, PA.-"This devoted missionary died on June 25th, after a long and painful illness. He has been an earnest worker under the American Home Missionary Society for eight years. He built a new church at Lansford, which cost over $5,000. He also built a church at Fountain Spring. His whole life was given to founding churches and winning souls to Christ. He always worked hard for small pay, but has now entered into the joy of his Lord, and to-day he is wearing the crown of life as a faithful servant of our Master. The most painful feature of this death is the loss to his widow and seven children, the oldest only fifteen years old, and the youngest eight months. What can be done for this destitute and afflicted family?"-D. D. D.

REV. GUALERALDA N. ANCHETA.-This faithful Mexican missionary died at Rinconada, August 8th. His field has been near Albuquerque. He went away for a brief vacation, hoping to recover from a malarial fever which had been exhausting his vitality for some weeks. He was taken very ill, and died suddenly. Those at his bedside will never forget the scene of his triumphant departure. He saw the open gates of heaven, and his Redeemer, in whom he had trusted with such simple faith, and for whom he had suffered trials and persecution, waiting to receive him. His brother missionary, Rev. Mr. Chavez, who is carrying on the work in New Mexico amid untold difficulties, asks our prayers for that benighted country.

Mr. Ancheta's last written words to the Society are these: “Our congregations are small. We are watched very closely. The people have not liberty to investigate the gospel truth. They are afraid. I have been quietly distributing some Spanish tracts which were sent to me, trusting God to reach some hungry soul with one of them, at least. I have done my utmost to get people together to pray. Sometimes they come, but not one will guide in prayer. I must always do that myself. I tell them that the Christian Church comes together for this purpose, but they think it is the minister's place to do the praying. They are very weak yet in Christianity. It is not right that they should profess faith in Christ, and not pray to him in the meeting. So I teach them. But these Mexican people have so many difficulties that the people at the East cannot dream of. You cannot realize how bad things are in New Mexico. You read about it in books and papers, but you do not know the truth. I know the truth, for I was raised here. If it were not for the prayers and money from the East, and a merciful God, we should have had to yield this field, under the terrible weight of opposition we daily have to wrestle with.'

MRS. SIDNEY CRAWFORD, TAMPA, FLORIDA.-Those who read of the heroism of Rev. Mr. Crawford, who remained at Tampa, Florida, during the yellow fever panic last year-and cared for his people until he became a victim of the disease-will give to this brother their heartfelt sympathy and prayers in the death of his wife, who passed to her rest Oct. 22d. "Suddenly, nearly two weeks ago, Mrs. Crawford was stricken with the dread disease which has so long been in our midst. She combated the fever successfully until its course was run, and for two or three days all friends began to breathe a hope that the destroyer would spare the wife and mother to her family. But such was not to be the mysterious providence of God. Although all traces of fever had disappeared, the consequences of long years of suffering showed themselves. in the want of all recuperative power, a period of hopeful suspense was succeeded by increased exhaustion, the vital organs faltered in their functions, and a life of unselfish devotion to the happiness of others was ended.

"Words fail to express the deep sense of loss felt by those who came into intimate contact with this pure and exemplary, yet unpretending, follower of Christ. Though a constant sufferer, with little strength even at times most free from pain, she was the life and light of the little church in which all looked to her for guidance and wisdom. From out the weak and wasted body shone the ever-living Spirit which seemed almost to afford a glimpse of the Heaven toward which she moved as to a haven of sweet repose."-In Memoriam.

MRS. PHEBE V. PLACE, GLOVERSVILLE, N. Y.-This remarkable woman was born in Perth, N. Y., in 1816. During a period of fiftyeight years she was never unnecessarily absent from a prayer meeting or a Sabbath service. Her interest in mission work was very great, and one of her last calls was to visit a neighbor, with whom she left ten dollars to be sent to the American Home Missionary Society, saying: "I have saved this amount in addition to my former subscription; we cannot do too much for that cause.' During the last moments of her life a friend repeated the promise, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." She was heard to reply,-" Come, dear Savior, and take me." The prayer was answered, and in a few moments she was in the presence of that Savior whom she had long honored on earth.

The quiet virtues of Mrs. Place were effective mainly in the domestic circle and in the church. Few persons can be prominent before their fellow men, but if it were not for a large number of useful and reliable individuals in private life, society could not be held together. While Mrs. Place never hurried, her industry was ceaseless; it advanced, like the hands of a clock, with an invisible motion, and to her might well be applied the motto of Goethe: "Without haste, without rest."-The Standard.

1

AN APPEAL FOR BOOKS.

BALDWIN is the county seat of Lake County, Michigan, but a small place. The church here has had a very chequered history. Never large at any time, and certainly never wealthy so far as this world's wealth goes, it has often been depleted in its membership. Yet still the "faithful few" have clung to the church of their choice in spite of every discouragement. With a mighty effort and a mightier struggle they succeeded in building a neat, commodious church edifice, and with another struggle they are building a parsonage for the pastor and his family. But a great lack exists in the Sunday-school: the want of a library. I shall be glad if any of the readers of this appeal who have any books suitable for young readers, can see their way to send them. I am sure the Lord will abundantly bless every such effort to extend his kingdom.

Every Christian cannot be a preacher or a Home Missionary, and yet any one who can spare a few good books can do just so much for the name of Jesus and the cause of religion. I feel sure that my heavenly Father will move the hearts of some who have it in their power to aid ns in the present emergency.

No one but a Home Missionary, toiling on among the thousand and one discouragements incident to home missionary life, can fully estimate the value of such a gift. Every such donor may rest assured of the fervent prayers for rich spiritual blessing to rest upon him by a grateful church and pastor.-Rev. John Nicoll.

A FOREST BURIAL.

THE winter of '88 will long be remembered in the Northwest for its severity. The season was cold and the snow deep. Children were closely confined to their homes, and the closeness of the houses tended to blood diseases, as diphtheria and scarlet fever. On a cold and stormy afternoon toward the end of February in a small town in Northern Minnesota, I was called on by a young man from the country to go and conduct a funeral. The young man said his brother had died of diphtheria; that no one would come to the house, and that now they would like me to conduct funeral services and help a little at the burial. I went at once; found that a fine boy of fifteen years had succumbed to that malignant disease. The family were loving and sympathetic to each other. All felt deeply grieved for the lost one, but they did not sorrow as those who have no hope. Christian influence had effect in the household, and there was hope of a reunion where partings are unknown. The boy died resigned, and hopeful of the higher life beyond. He had chosen the chapter to be read, and the hymn to be sung, and then slept in Jesus.

The snow was deep and the graveyard distant. So, after the simple

services the sad father and mother, a neighbor or two who were not afraid of the disease, and myself, drove into the solemn and beautiful winter woods, and under a large pine tree interred the dead; and there, in the lonely woods, beside the majestic Mississippi, the body rests awaiting the resurrection of the just.-D.

A SWEDISH LETTER.

I CAN gladly say that the mission field is growing more light than before, because the numbers of those in membership are growing, and souls are regenerated to the eternal life. But the missionary finds in the field many thickets of brambles and thorns, and must hope in God that his Word will not fail.

The Holy Ghost is surely with us in our meetings-in every heart. I stand here alone as a Scandinavian Congregational pastor in Iowa State. In that respect it is very dark, but God is by my side, and his children too, and my dear Congregational brethren.

I remember the Pilgrim Fathers from England, when I look over my Norwegian-Dano Church. The time will come when their voice shall be heard among our people. Our Norwegian-Dano work is like a little stream which pass over the ground where it pass through. Nobody would expect that this little one should pass all over before the water from it be transferred in all direction, but then, we can expect it.

What we need is more workers, especially an evangelist and a newspaper in our language. Such an instrument would spread the waterstream of life over the whole America, and we should see, by and by, Congregational churches from one pole to another. The American Home Missionary Society is an instrument in God's hand to transfer the religious water to Scandinavian people, who now take water from ritualism and uncurable wells.-Rev. L. Chr. Johnson, Britt, Ia.

OUR TITHE. This morning wife and I read these words together. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. Yet ye have robbed me. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room to contain it."

These words reminded us that we must send our ten dollars to the Home Missionary Society. This is the cash tithe of our increase for one year. We are a poor family down here in Southern Missouri, and are not able to do much, but we thank God for giving us a small mite to cast into his treasury. May IIe direct it where it is most needed. I love the Bible Plan of Giving." (See Leaflet, No. 53.) Would to God that all Christians in America would try this plan!

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Woman's Department.

A NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE.

Wait on the Lord;

Be strong, and let thine heart take courage;
Yea, wait thou on the Lord.-Ps. 27: 14.

"You have not wasted those many prayers and those bitter tears. Those feeble efforts, so imperfect that you could scarcely hope them to be successful, are all co-operating to produce a victory, the shouts of which shall be heard all down the ages. You may lay but a single stone of the heavenly temple, but if it be done for Christ it is a stone which will stand the fire. Wait, I say, on the Lord, for the Lord is on our side."

GEORGIA.

LAST month we climbed the dizzy heights of the Rockies to extend the right hand of fellowship to Colorado and Wyoming. This month we are called to the same delightful service of glad welcome and greeting to our sisters at the South. When the news of Colorado and Wyoming came, we exclaimed, "Who next ?" and met a prompt response from GEORGIA! Women are there who love the Master, and his cause lies very near their hearts. The officers of this new society are: President, Mrs. A. F. SHERRILL, Atlanta; Secretary, Mrs. M. P. HIGGINS, Atlanta; Treasurer, Miss VIRGINIA HOLMES, Barnesville.

And again in the widening circle, the Christian women of the North, South, East, and West clasp hands and go forward "In His Name."

MAINE.

THE Eighth Annual Report of the WOMAN'S MAINE MISSIONARY AUXILIARY is at hand. The receipts $1,640.37 show a gain of $208.05 over those of last year. It would seem that this organization is meeting with some success in its untiring efforts to arouse the women of Maine to the crying need of effective missionary work in their own State. Yet again they urge the sons and daughters of this great region to more aggressive effort. The task is not an enviable one. Much more easily