LESSON FOR MAY 6

Sowing the tares.-One of our missionaries among the Bohemians tells of the sad sowing of tares by the atheists. and infidel societies which have schools to teach the children that there is no God and that religion is of no value. The results can already be seen in the children, who have no regard for law and think. only of their own selfish plans. The statistics of crime reveal some of the

harvest. To bring the gospel influences to bear upon these people, young and old, is the only way to prevent a terrible harvest in the future.

LESSON FOR MAY 13

Casting out the demon.-"Many years I have been bad man, very bad: I hear missionary tell of devil, how he get in heart and make men hate and kill and do heap bad. Devil in my heart, keep me bad; hate white man. Bimeby missionary tell of Jesus how he take devil out. Me ask Him, take devil out my heart. Jesus take him out, and now I no hate white man, no hate anybody; now I try to be good and walk in Jesus Road, and it make me happy." That is the testimony of casting out the demon, as it comes from the converted Indian, who has found the joy of salvation and the peace of the man out of whom the evil spirit has been taken.

LESSON FOR MAY 20

Faithful unto death.-John was put to death because he bore witness which Herodias, wicked woman, did not like. The martyr spirit is not dead. If persecution to-day does not mean death very often, it does mean in many cases ostracism from family, and a persecution almost as bitter as death. One of our converts from Catholicism was thrust out of her home by her parents, and left wholly to her own resources for a living. The priest threatened her, and told her

The living Bread.-A young Italian was converted in one of our Missions in New England. He said, in describing his change of heart and life, that he had long felt a spiritual thirst and could not satisfy it, and he had known soul hunger many years, but did not find in his religion any food. But when he came to know Jesus, he found the spring of living water and thirsted no more without satisfaction; and Jesus had given him the living bread, which if a man eat he shall nevermore hunger. Now his soul was fed with the bread of life, and he was happy and contented. That was a beautiful testimony. That is what Jesus does for all who, spiritually hungry, take Him as the living bread.

A missionary pastor in Indian Territory writes: "In our press we have greatly missed the usual box of clothing. We got a small barrel containing only two quilts and a piece of gingham that we could use, but we were thankful for those." We should like to know who sent that barrel, so that we could commend the reading of that mission box story, "The Black Satin Dress." Through the sickness of a child this pastor was burdened with debt. What a blessing a real Christian missionary barrel, such as sent by so many of our good women, would have been to him and his!

JACOB'S

AD a good sermon, Jacob?" my wife asked me last night, when I came home from church. "Complete, Rachel," said I.

Rachel was poorly, and couldn't go to meeting much, SO she always wanted me to tell her about the sermon and the singing and the people.

"Good singing, Jacob?"

"I'm sure I couldn't tell you."
"Many people out to-day?"
"I don't know."

"Why, Jacob, what's the matter? What are you thinking about?" "The sermon."

"What was the text?"

"I don't think there was any. didn't hear it."

I

"I declare, Jacob. I do believe you slept all the time."

"Indeed I didn't. I never was so wide awake."

"What was the subject then?"

"As near as I can remember, it was me."

"You! Jacob Gay!"

"Yes, ma'am. You think it is a poor subject. I'm sure I thought so, too." "Who preached? Our minister?" "No. He didn't preach-not to me, at any rate. 'Twas a woman-a young woman, too."

"Why, Mr. Gay! You don't mean it, surely? Those woman's right folks haven't got into our pulpit?"

"Well, not exactly. The minister preached from the pulpit, but I could not listen. I was thinking about my sermon. I will tell you about it. You know that young woman at the postoffice, Mrs. Hyde's niece. She and I were the first ones at meeting, and we sat by the stove, warming. I have seen her a good deal in the post-office and at her aunt's, when I was there at work. She is pleasant-spoken, and a nice, pretty girl. We were talking about the meetings. You know there's quite a reformation going on. She was

SERMON

speaking of this one, and that one, who was converted. There was quite a silence, and then she said, sort of low, and trembling in her voice, and with a little pink blush on her cheek, and the tears just starting:

"Oh, Mr. Gay, some of us were saying at the prayer-meeting, last night, that we did so want you to be a Christian.'

"Her cheeks flushed redder, and the tears fell. I knew she felt it, and it was a cross to say it. I never was so taken back in all my life.

"Why, bless your soul,' I said, 'my child, I have been a member of the church forty years.'

"My tears came then, and I guess my cheeks would have been redder than hers, if they warn't so tanned.

"Do excuse me, Mr. Gay,' she said. 'Excuse me for hurting your feelings, but I didn't know you were a Christian. I never see you at prayer-meeting or Sabbath-school, and I never noticed you at communion. I'm sorry I've hurt your feelings.'

""Tut, tut, child,' I answered. 'No harm done. I'm glad you thought about an old man. I'm a member, as I said, but I haven't worked at it much, I'll allow. I don't go to prayermeeting or Sunday-school becausewell-I made the excuse to myself and other folks that Rachel was poorly, and needed me to stay with her, but I'm afraid the Lord wouldn't accept it.'

"Just then the people began to come, and I took my seat, but the looks and words of that young woman went to my heart. I couldn't think of anything else. They preached to me all the meeting time. To think that some of the young folks in Wharton didn't know I was a member, and were concerned for the old man. I said to myself, by way of application, 'Jacob Gay, you've been a silent partner long enough. It is time you woke up and worked for the Lord; time to let your light shine so that the young folks can see it.'"

A Chance for a Philanthropist

BY PRINCIPAL M. W. REDDICK

Americus Institute is one of the most needy as well as one of the most deserving secondary institutions in the South. Space forbids my

giving evidence of its worth. We refer any who would like to know of its value to the following persons: Miss H. E. Giles, Spelman Seminary, Atlanta, Ga.; Mrs. M. C. Reynolds, 510 Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass.; Rev. Geo. Sale, Atlanta Baptist College, Atlanta, Ga.; Wallace Buttrick, D. D., 54 William St., New York; and H. L. Morehouse, D. D., 312 Fourth Ave., New York.

The needs of the school are pressing, and keenly felt by trustees and faculty. The amount of money necessary to satisfy these needs is not so large, as money is now counted; but the lack of it causes such a leakage in the machinery that the effect is enormous. Five thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars would place our work in a fairly good condition. And this is sadly needed to save the constant waste of life energy and soul power. We have eight well-prepared teachers who are forced daily to see much of the best energies of their lives lost, just for want of the abovementioned money.

At present, our entire boarding department is taken by our girls, while the boys are forced to board in private families; we have not enough class rooms, there being more teachers than class rooms; our campus is without fencing; and we are forced to use our dining room for ironing.

With the above amount of money, we would erect an eighteen-room dormitory, add four class rooms, put up a small building for a laundry, and fence our campus.

We do not ask that the whole amount be given; we covet the pleasure of raising a part of it among our people. If two friends would offer each one-third of the amount, we should gladly undertake to raise the other third. Or, if two cannot be found, and one should offer one-half of it if we raise the other half, we would try that.

There is not a place or school in the South, as I see it, where a little money would yield so great returns as in Americus Institute.

NOTE. This school has made a splendid record, and the principal does not overstate its worth or needs. A Christian of means who wants a paying investment has here a rare opportunity.-ED.

Another Church Becomes Self-
Supporting

These are the letters that make glad the Society that has planted and fostered, and now sees the fruitage. Our German churches are strong in the spirit of independence, and grateful for assistance given. As soon as they are able to stand alone, they do so. Here is an illustration:

To the American Baptist Home Mission Society:

DEAR BRETHREN: The First German Baptist Church of St. Paul, Minn., in a regular business meeting on February 20, 1906, passed the following resolution: "Since, by the grace of God, we were able to pay off $5,000 of our church debt, we believe that we are strong enough to become self-supporting. We express our heartiest thanks to the American Baptist Home Mission Society, the kind help of which we thankfully acknowledge, and shall always remember the kind support we have had from said Society.

J. F. DESLER, Clerk.

Leaf from an Evangelist's Note Book Rev. C. C. Young, who is a missionary evangelist, has been holding some meetings at Douglass, Ariz., with Pastor T. F. McCourtney. He sends a leaf from his experience which will be of interest. We see through the evangelist's eyes some incidents of his work:

"Some features especially impressed me. Most of the people joined the church in the usual way, but some striking things happened in old-fashioned way.

One man, reared in New York, at a Sunday morning service, as I was about to dismiss the audience, came rushing down the aisle (no singing) saying, "I turn, I turn."

Another man, a German, who had not been in a church for fifteen years, was caught in the flood-tide the second week and kept there.

One woman of high intelligence was rooted out of her night and blight by that song "Only Trust Him," where it says, "Don't reject Him." I was watching her and she dropped her book and came forward.

Another woman in the last service was won in the interval of an invitation song as I exhorted on the fidelity of Daniel's prayer-"his windows open toward Jerusalem."

In the singing we had piano, violin, trombone and cornet-all were helpful. Everything about the meeting was modern except the work of the Holy Spirit, and His strength was old-time and native."

The Church at Stigler

This attractive house of worship is built of white lime brick, the erection of it was made possible by the aid of the Home Mission Society. The Church Edifice Department made

A Brave Band of Church Builders

Who would not like to encourage a little church with such determination to have a church home as that displayed by the Baptist church of Manette, out in Washington. The church organized with 17 members, eight of them males, but only one of them a "full grown man," according to the report of our energetic general missionary, Rev. L. W. Terry. Manette is a new town just across from Bremerton (the Government Navy Yard), and is growing considerably. There is no other meeting house in the place, with its 500 or more people, except this new Baptist house, although the Methodists are holding an appointment in the place. The few Baptists had no sooner organized than they felt that they must have a place to meet in, and with faith and energy they set about it. Contrary to all expectations, except on the part of a few, they have managed to get a building up and nearly completed. This they could not have done had not the one man, who fortunately is a carpenter, refused to take two other contracts for work, and put all of his own time for some seven weeks upon the meeting house. His wages were figured into the subscriptions, and through his sacrificing service the church has a home approaching completion.

At this juncture, when the little band had exhausted its resources, a small gift and small loan were asked from the Church Edifice Department of the Home Mission Society, in order that the work might be finished and the house be furnished for use. The application was made only after "all the money in sight in the place" had been secured, and we believe our readers will agree with the general missionary that "we must recognize such heroic faith and such splendid energy. ́

The Needy Fields

D. E. BAKER, Missionary of the Corvallis Baptist Association, Oregon, has more calls from "school houses" to come over and help them, than he can possibly answer. He says they need more men and more money. Some of the little churches are struggling to build houses of worship; others are trying to pay off indebtedness incurred in recent building; while still others are trying to pay pastors; and destitute places are clamoring for some one to come and teach them.

A Neat Church Property

The church at Weiser, Idaho, is happy in the possession of a. house of worship and parsonage, as shown in the illustration. The pastor, Rev. W. K. Moon, is to be seen against the white background of the meeting house. Such an equipment makes effective and enduring church work possible. We wish it were the custom for all of our churches to have parsonages. Nothing tends more to

CHURCH AT WEISER, IDAHO

prolonged and successful and contented pastorates than a neat parsonage. And, although many do not agree with us in this, we believe the ideal place for the parsonage is next door to the church, so that when one finds the meeting house he finds the parson's house as well.

A Missionary Tour

REV. W. H. BOWLER, laboring in Idaho, writes: "I have just returned from a seven weeks' trip among the mountains and away from the railroad. On the trip I have travelled about 200 miles by regular stage and about 250 miles by private rigs, and with the exception of about twelve miles, I was in a deep snow-country going over snow most of the time from two to four feet deep. On one division of the stage line, which is over a high mountain where the snow gets very deep, the mail carrier has a saddle-horse for himself and the mail and leads another one for the convenience of passengers. I happened to be the only one going over the line that day, so had the use of the saddle horse at fifteen cents a mile. On the west side of the mountain the snow was so soft that the horse broke off the trail almost constantly and I had to walk and drive the horse; but the fifteen cents a mile rate went on just the same. And somehow, as I came over that mountain I thought of the many people I had heard complaining while riding in a comfortable railroad coach at only three cents a mile! I started on the trip as the most stormy season of the winter began; and day after day rode in open sleighs through snow storms and blizzards, and yet, on the whole, the trip has been an enjoyable one. We met with a hearty welcome everywhere, finding many hungry souls who were anxious for the gospel; and in spite of stormy weather and bad roads we had large meetings; at one town, gamblers, drinking men and non-church goers attended in large numbers every night. At Centre we found a few Baptists, and as there had been several conversions during the revival and all wanted a church we organized a little church there before leaving. This gives us two churches in Long Valley. As this valley is sixty miles long and thickly settled, we should have other churches planted there soon. I rejoice in the privilege of making

such missionary journeys, and am glad to have a part in the glorious work of preaching the gospel and planting churches in these distitute but rapidly-growing sections of Idaho."

Pioneering in New Mexico

Rev. H. Q. Morton writes: "I am the only Baptist pastor in Union County, a very large county in the northeast corner of the Terri-· tory. Our two churches, at Clayton in the northern part of the county, and at Logan in the southern part, are located 118 miles apart, requiring 24 hours to go from one to the other on account of poor connections. The expense for the round trip, including railroad fare and hotel bill, is $5. From Logan I usually go on horseback to a country place called Bryantine, twenty miles west over the unbroken prairies; here I preach to the people who gather in some one of the neighboring houses. We hope to build a meeting house here as well as at Logan-where we worship in a school-house. Logan should have a man for all-time service, as should Clayton also, where we are building a house of worship which we hope to dedicate in June. I do as much visiting as possible, but cannot cover the field."

Pioneering in Idaho

Rev. F. M. Burtch says: "This field, Hailey and vicinity, in Idaho, gives one ample opportunity to live 'the strenuous life,' for to fill an appointment at Soldier and return, one must travel by sled seventy miles over a veritable wilderness of snow, and the two services pér month at Bellevue require twelve miles of travel each time, generally on foot. Many a man, however, is toiling infinitely harder as he serves mammon than is required to serve the King in this West. Surely we cannot yet count ourselves heroes."