The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-04-04

i. been suspended. On Sunday, preaching
morning and afternoon, and Sunday School
also in the afternoon. Miss Saford's class
of women has increased during the year.
The building of street chapel has been
an important feature of the year. The lot
at the south gate, was exchanged for tea
house just opposite the house occupied by the
mission, and a large and convenient chapel
erected on its site but one of the middle-men
has been in prison during the year for leas-
ing land to foreigners. Mr.. DuBose was oc.
cupied for two months in experimenting this
work. However, he preached two or three
times week during this time, and after its
dedication in January he preached almost
daily in it for eight months, to congregations
varying from forty to eighty.
Mr.. Davis has suffered much of the time
from sore throat, but has been able to de-
liver one hundred and -ffty-six sermons and
addresses. They have been without native
assistant most of the year.
MIR. DuBose only took two itinerating trips.
both of which were short. But devoting
much time to work on the streets of the city
be sold four thousand and five hundred
books, and distributed in the chapel several
thousand street tracts. Mr.. Davis visited
thirty-one different places (cties and towns
and sold six thousand and two hundred books.
The money received for these books amount.
ed to about S23. There are three day schools,
TWO of these are under the care of Mrs. Du
Bose, with an average attendance of thirty
six scholars, and one under the care of Miss
Stafford with thirty names on the roll and an
average attendance of eighteen.
VISITING THE WOMEN
has been diligently carried on chiefly by Miss
Stafford, who thus came in contact with al
most two thousand q $500 either at her own
or their homes. She made point to leave
tract wherever she found one in the family
able to read it.
PUBLlCAIlONS.
Miss Stafford has in press an edition of two
hundred copies of "Bible History" in Soo-
chow dialect. She also has ready for the
press an edition of "Precept upon Precept,"
and revised edition of her Catechism, the
first edition being exhausted. Mr.. Davis re-
ports one hundred and five cases aided with
medicine, of which seventy.six were opium
smokers
In closing our report of the dealings of
God with US during the year, our hearts swell
with gratitude to Him for all His goodness.
Though we cannot report many conversions,
We do not feel discouraged nor has the church
reason to be disappointed. You will observe
that marked progress has been made in the
opening Of schools and in visiting from house
20 house. Again, your missionaries have in
creased in their knowledge of the lang guage
and customs of the people, so that in this re-
'pect their efficiency on the whole, is proba-
oily double what il was two years ago.
Again, there is an undoubted improvement
in the disposition of the people towards US.
We have many evidences that they are more
reconciled to our residence among them
We have been disappointed in not receiving
any additions to our number during the year,
and would urge you, as We have done here.
tofore, to send out laborers to help US over
take the destitute regions, but we know you
have not the means.
But We do plead with you and our Church
not to recall any of us from the field, nor re-
quire US to contract any of the work which
We have already begun, relying on support
from you. If our Christian people could
only realize the fact that myriadS of souls
are perishing around US without the least
ldea that there is Saviour both able and
willing to save them, we think they surely
would make greater efforts to send the gos-
pei to every creature"
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN L. STUART.
Chairman Committee on Annual Report