lation and research, but by unselfish service, generous deeds, and heroic endeavor.

Among the ancients the unfortunate were held to be accursed, hateful to the divinities, and consequently without title to the pity of men. In nothing has Christ wrought a more radical change than in the world's attitude toward the weak and heavy-laden. He withstood the superstition and mercilessness to which centuries had given a kind of religious sanction, and taught by word and deed that the more sinful, the more ignorant, the more abandoned our fellows are, the greater their claim on our attention and service. His life and doctrines have produced a mighty and beneficent revolution in their behalf; and yet much of the old hardness and injustice still survives both in society and in innumerable individuals who call themselves followers of the all-loving and all-helpful Saviour. What multitudes are there not who pass by and ignore the misery and suffering they cannot but see, who despise the poverty-stricken, who are hard and bitter toward the erring! How many who imagine they serve God by hating and maligning one another, who are hindrances to the spread of the kingdom for whose coming they pray! As when we look in a mirror we try to see ourselves in a favorable light, so, when by introspection we attempt to get a glimpse of our inner being, we instinctively take the points of view which best reveal our qualities and hide our defects. If we should strive honestly to see ourselves as we are, self-complacency would quickly die within us.

If we were true Christians, we should be able to labor for our fellows with such confidence and enthusiasm that nor baseness, nor ingratitude, nor faithlessness, nor apostasy from light and love of hỏwever many of those we seek to help would have power to cool our ardor or diminish our zeal. Though the world about us should appear to crave for nothing but money and sensation, we would none the less dedicate whatever of ability God has given us to redeem our brothers from themselves; and, if in the end we should have accomplished nothing, we should at least have escaped an ignoble life.

The purest pleasure is to give pleasure; and the highest glory belongs to those who labor earnestly, both by thinking and by doing, to make truth, justice, and love prevail. The universe was made for each one of us, and for each one the world will be fair and pleasant in the degree in which he strives to make it so for others. It is not

possible to respect one's self and to make no sacrifice for one's fellowmen. In coming closer to one another to help those who need help, we shall make ourselves more capable of seeing and confessing the truth which the life and work and words of Christ reveal

What is true of us as individual men and women applies with equal force to our national life. The ends to which as a people we are called to devote ourselves are religion, education, justice, and charity. If we fail in this, wealth and numbers and the conquest of distant lands will have no power to save us from ruin and shame. Nothing but a civilization resting on a basis of righteousness and morality can make popular government permanent. If we are to look, not to the triumphs of the moment, but to lasting results, for which the whole world shall be grateful, we must trust to the largest thought and the purest love; for, so surely as God is, so surely are they destined to prevail. Tyranny is the foe of liberty, greed of justice, brute force of mercy and goodness; and wars, which spring from the barbarous passion for conquest, from covetousness, from the savage's delight in victory won by cunning and physical strength, pervert judgment, destroy right feeling, and foster the vices which weaken, harden, and blind the people and lead the way to destruction. Unless we remain sensitive to moral distinctions, unless we prefer justice and mercy to dominion over the kingdoms of the earth, we shall enter the open ways along which the republics and empires of the past have rushed to shame and destruction. If, then, we love America, if we believe in the brotherhood of mankind, in equal opportunity and freedom for all of God's children, let us turn from dehumanizing greed, from vain-glory and pride, to follow after truth and justice and love.

III.

Reports from States.

ALABAMA.

JULIA S. TUTWILER, LIVINGSTON, STATE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

The legislature of Alabama meets only biennially. Consequently there has been since our last report no law enacted affecting the status of our criminal population. There has been a constitutional convention, and a new constitution has been framed; but, as all measures concerning our criminality are statutory, and not constitutional, the new constitution makes no changes in this respect. So perhaps my report may be likened to that memorable chapter in the History of Ireland, on "Snakes"; "There are no snakes at all on the island."

However, there are many serpents still in our state, although nothing new has been done to banish them during this past year. The same beneficent institutions which we have before reported are still at work. Our Reformatory for White Boys at East Lake has 50 inmates, and continues to accomplish great good. The state institutions for the insane, the deaf-mutes, and the blind, are kept as state institutions should be. Our prison house and county jails are a disgrace to civilization. We have still no reformatory for colored children; and they are, as heretofore, herded with adult criminals. "How long, O Lord, how long?"

An Old Ladies' Home has been recently established in Mobile. It is intended for those who feel most keenly the brunt of poverty, because their past lives have been made comfortable by competence. The building and grounds have been entirely paid for.

ALASKA.

SHELDON JACKSON, WASHINGTON, D.C., CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. Alaska, as in the past, is without organization. We have no legislature, no representative in Congress, no civil divisions such as

townships and counties, are without roads and public conveyances, with the larger settlements oftentimes hundreds of miles from each other.

Criminals confined and sentenced for a longer time than one year are sent to the government prison on McNeil's Island, near Steilacoom, Wash. Those sentenced for a less period are kept in the various district jails, the principal one of which is at Sitka, where there are about 55 prisoners.

The insane (white men) are taken to the Insane Asylum of Oregon by an arrangement between the authorities of that institution and the Secretary of the Interior. 9 persons have been sent there to date, I of whom has died and I discharged as cured.

In the care of destitute orphan children, nothing has been done by the government, but considerable is being done by the following religious denominations: the Swedish Evangelical Union, the Norwegian Lutheran Synod, the Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, and Friends, all of which have established homes where native orphan children are taken, fed, clothed, taught, trained, and cared for.

CALIFORNIA.

MISS KATHERINE C. FELTON, SAN FRANCISCO, STATE CORRESPONDING

SECRETARY.

There has been no session of the legislature this year, and, of course, no new laws enacted. The policy of the governor of the state has been one of rigid economy with regard to all state institutions. Dr. A. E. Osborne, the efficient head of the State Home for the Feeble-minded, was deposed by the governor; and it was the general feeling that the action was governed purely by political reasons. The loss of Dr. Osborne was a serious one to the home, to which his intelligent devotion and energy had been of inestimable benefit.

The second annual session of the State Conference of Charities and Correction was held in San Francisco in February last. Dr. Samuel G. Smith, of Minnesota, and Mrs. Martha P. Falconer, of Chicago, were the guests and principal speakers of the occasion. A very strong legislative committee, representing all sections of the

state, was appointed by the conference; and this committee will have especial charge of the preparation of bills for introduction during the session of the legislature next winter. The most important measure will be one for an advisory state board of charities and one for the establishment of a juvenile court.

In San Francisco there has been inaugurated this spring a movement designed to eliminate fraudulent and ineffective enterprises and organizations soliciting money from the public in the name of charity. The movement had its origin with the Merchants' Association of the city, which had been for some time considering the question of how to control in a measure the distribution of the large sum of money given by them for benevolent purposes. As a result, a representative body has been appointed by the Merchants' Association and the Associated Charities jointly, known as the Charities Indorsement Committee of San Francisco. This committee receives applications from those charitable organizations desiring its indorsement; and if, on investigation, they are found to come up to the standard set, a card bearing the desired indorsement for a specified length of time and for a definite sum of money is issued to the applying society. Some five hundred firms, members of the Merchants' Association, have agreed to the general policy of giving no contributions to solicitors for any organization not bearing this card. The investigations of the societies applying for indorsement are conducted by the office force of the Associated Charities. The committee, after a careful study of the facts and evidence, gives or withholds the indorsement according to its judgment.

COLORADO.

C. L. STONAKER, DENVER, STATE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. The Colorado legislature meets biennially, the next session opening in January, 1903.

ence.

Associated charity organizations have been established during the year in Greeley, Victor, Cañon City, Fort Collins, Boulder, and FlorAs a result of the recent state conference held in Cripple Creek, preliminary steps have been taken to establish an associated charities society to cover the entire district, having a population of about 40,000 people.