the vision of the world field. In the years to come more loyal and hearty responses will undoubtedly be given to the Macedonian call.

Aside from the many pastors who have stood loyally by, I take much pleasure in mentioning Hon. E. E. Lewis of Sioux City, who has given largely of his time and means to this great Christlike work. Our beloved missionaries, Ola Hanson of Burma, W. F. Beaman of China, and R. P. Haggard of Assam, have also been very helpful. Their visits among the churches and addresses at conventions have done great good. They have been gladly heard by the people.

The Southwestern District.-Rev. I. N. Clark, D. D., District Secretary.

By a kindly providence we come again to our annual review, preserved from all serious disability and blessed with health and strength to prosecute the work essential to the tillage of the field. A year of abundant labor, with many animating evidences of increasing interest in the mighty enterprise of missions. Miles travelled in secretarial service, 42,000; associations, state conventions and general meetings attended, 38; churches visited, 203; sermons and addresses, 340; letters written, 5,000; postals, 200; written and duplicate statements of receipts from churches, Sunday-schools and associations, 4,500; circulars sent out, single page, 3,000; midyear letter distributed, 5,000; handbooks, 1,500; missionary tracts, 4,000; small leaflets, 7,000; summary of annual report, 4,000; Kansas fifty years in foreign missions, 5,000. Besides all this thousands pages of miscellaneous missionary matter has been distributed, including 1,000 special leaflets to Sunday-schools and 500 to B. Y. P. U. societies. In one way or another every white church in the district has been invited to have some share in the great movement to evangelize all nations. Many of the colored and Indian churches have also been specially solicited to join in supporting this supreme enterprise. The cordial coöperation of the pastors and the valuable services of Revs. W. R. Manley and W. M. Young, returned

of

missionaries, are gratefully and appreciatively mentioned. Indeed in every part of the district the great work of the Missionary Union has intelligent and enthusiastic advocacy. The gain in contributing churches over last year is sixty-two. While the roll of contributing Sunday-schools has increased from seventy-nine to one hundred and twelve. Gain fifty-seven.

The following statistical showing is the financial result of the year's labor:

difference on the part of many pastors and churches concerning foreign missions. In these three great states, centrally located, destined to be the pivotal point of many great interests, there are whole associations which do not give a cent to foreign missions. In Wisconsin there are 110 churches, in Indiana 285, in Illinois 800, which did not give anything to the American Baptist Missionary Union from April 7, 1899, to April 7, 1900. With most of these churches this also is the painful record of former years. It is true that many of these churches are weak in numbers and resources and struggle for self-support, yet it would seem that 'from all of them there might come sums great or small to help on this important work. The problem now is how to educate these churches and to get them into line with the movement toward world-wide evangelization. Line upon line, precept upon precept, has been given, but much of this has been so far unproductive. Let us hope that the near future may find them wheeling into line and keeping step with the great onward march of missions.

The Northwestern District.-Rev. Frank Peterson, District Secretary. Twenty-three thousand forty-two dollars and ten cents is the sum total of the contributions from the Northwest District this year. This is a handsome gain over previous records excepting that made during the centenary effort and 20 per cent above that of last year. Of this amount $14,838.91 is the contribution of the churches, Sunday-schools, and young peoples societies to the Union, while $8,203.19 represents the donations of the women to the Society of the West.

More far reaching results than this, however, have undoubtedly been reached, else the labors of your secretary would have been merely that of a financial agent. The following is the tabulated statement for this year:

I have reason to believe that more missionary sermons have been preached by the pastors this year than ever before.

This will deepen missionary conviction and broaden

Total Churches.

....767

the vision of the world field. In the years to come more loyal and hearty responses will undoubtedly be given to the Macedonian call.

Aside from the many pastors who have stood loyally by, I take much pleasure in mentioning Hon. E. E. Lewis of Sioux City, who has given largely of his time and means to this great Christlike work. Our beloved missionaries, Ola Hanson of Burma, W. F. Beaman of China, and R. P. Haggard of Assam, have also been very helpful. Their visits among the churches and addresses at conventions have done great good. They have been gladly heard by the people.

The Southwestern District.-Rev. I. N. Clark, D. D., District Secretary.

By a kindly providence we come again to our annual review, preserved from all serious disability and blessed with health and strength to prosecute the work essential to the tillage of the field. A year of abundant labor, with many animating evidences of increasing interest in the mighty enterprise of missions. Miles travelled in secretarial service, 42,000; associations, state conventions and general meetings attended, 38; churches visited, 203; sermons and addresses, 340; letters written, 5,000; postals, 200; written and duplicate statements of receipts from churches, Sunday-schools and associations, 4,500; circulars sent out, single page, 3,000; midyear letter distributed, 5,000; handbooks, 1,500; missionary tracts, 4,000; small leaflets, 7,000; summary of annual report, 4,000; Kansas fifty years in foreign missions, 5,000. Besides all this thousands pages of miscellaneous missionary matter has been distributed, including 1,000 special leaflets to Sunday-schools and 500 to B. Y. P. U. societies. In one way or another every white church in the district has been invited to have some share in the great movement to evangelize all nations. Many of the colored and Indian churches have also been specially solicited to join in supporting this supreme enterprise. The cordial coöperation of the pastors and the valuable services of Revs. W. R. Manley and W. M. Young, returned missionaries, are gratefully and appreciatively mentioned. Indeed in every part of the district the great work of the Missionary Union has intelligent and enthusiastic advocacy. The gain in contributing churches over last year is sixty-two. While the roll of contributing Sunday-schools has increased from seventy-nine to one hundred and twelve. Gain fifty-seven.

of

The following statistical showing is the financial result of the year's labor:

FOREIGN DEPARTMENT

BURMA

Like the record of the year as a whole, the record from our oldest mission field awakens conflicting emotions. No part of our work has suffered more seriously from the depletion of our missionary force. Death and physical debility have removed strong workers. The Burmese work in particular has suffered severely in the changes of the year, two most important stations being added to the list of vacancies, while provision must be made for two others within the immediate future. In not less than six stations the Burmese work is now left either uncared for or committed to the hands of women workers, for whom its burdens are too great.

The needs of the Burman Press were strongly emphasized at the last conference of Burman missionaries. The conspicuous efficiency with which this work has been conducted is attested not only by our missionaries but by visitors who have volunteered strong, personal testimony. The work must have new headquarters-a need long emphasized in these reports-and the overtaxed superintendent must be given a helper. A work of so far-reaching influence, affecting all interests of the mission, the Union must adequately sustain.

The reports of the year bring the same story of quiet, persistent fidelity to which readers of the annual letters long since became accustomed. They are marked by that sobriety of feeling and expectation which comes with years of struggling against difficulties, taxing patience and faith, but they bring a story of success, not only in accessions to the membership of the churches but in the deepening and broadening of spiritual life. Indications are multiplying of the development of a maturer self-reliance in Christian disciples, while the growth of love for worship and of Christian giving and readiness to engage personally in evangelistic work are healthful signs. The pages of the reports which follow are brightened by not a few references to notable types of individual Christian character. If the work in Burma is illustrating that the sower must sow upon many varieties of soil, it is illustrating too that in some cases the seed develops swiftly into the full corn of noble Christian manhood. The development of the spirit of missionary activity is particularly noticeable in the record of the year. An increasing number of churches are carrying on work in heathen villages round about them, and interest in missionary effort for remoter fields is more and more manifested.

In the healthful development of the year no form of growth is more apparent than the advance in educational work. The college, in all departments, is crowded by students, and the village and central schools, feeling the influence always diffused by successful higher educational work, are manifesting