inroads upon his constitution. He had but barely entered upon the realization of many hopes and prayers, to work for the Chinese in China, when the summons came to lay down his armor. He worked faithfully to the very last, and his work was not in vain. The first two converts at Amoy, baptized in 1846, ascribed their first impressions to his preaching. In January, 1845, he sailed for New York, "doubtful," as he says, "which home I should reach first." He survived a little over a year, dying at Albany, New York, September 4th, 1846. At the time of Dr. Abeel's death Dr. Anderson, then secretary of the American Board, wrote: "Our brother was not a Paul, nor was he a Peter; he more resembled the beloved John. He was fitted to conciliate, to win. He was a good pioneer in a mission. Men could not help reposing confidence in him. His countenance, voice, manner, all tended to disarm prejudice and predisposed men to listen and assent. It was a good thing for the Amoy mission that he was the one who commenced it, and to this, among many other favoring providences, we owe much of the peculiarly tolerant spirit among the leading Chinese of that place. He illustrated the spirit of his Lord and Master in the view of the heathen and in the view of the Churches at home. His memory will be cherished, not only in the Reformed Dutch Church but by multitudes in other kindred bodies. of Christians associated in the work of foreign missions."

Notes from Japan.

BY REV. H. LOOMIS, YOKOHAMA.

T is said that in Japan it is the unexpected that happens, and such has certainly been the case in regard to several matters of late.

But a few years ago there was a rage for foreign civilization and all that belongs to it. The neat and becoming national costume was laid aside by leading men and ladies, and instruction in English, which included dancing, was all the rage in certain fashionable circles in Tokyo. An editor of one of the most popular papers in the capital, who was not a Christian himself, went so far as to coolly propose the adoption of the Christian religion as the religion of the empire, and it was feared by some that this might be attempted.

Now there is such a change in the public mind that the recent Diet proposed such measures of restricting foreigners and making their residence in the country disagreeable that the emperor first prorogued and then dissolved the Diet after but a few days' session.

It was evident that if the restrictions which were proposed to be placed upon foreigners should be enforced it would very likely lead to retaliation on the part of some of the governments, and thus iustead of securing greater privileges to Japan the reverse of this would be the result.

The statesmen at the head of the nation understood this fully, and so have prevented, for the present at least, the embarrassment that would have resulted from the adoption of such unwise and hasty measures.

The leader of this anti-foreign agitation is a man who was once a prominent member of the Greek Church, but has long since severed his relations with that body and is now a candidate for political favor and ready to advocate any scheme which will secure him a following among the masses. As yet the people of this country are utterly without experience in the arrangement of international questions and are easily deceived by the cry of national rights and privileges.

In connection with this subject is the important question of the conduct of mission work in the interior. Thus far there has been permission given to missionaries to reside outside of the treaty limits for the purpose of teaching, and there has been in general full permission to go about and preach to almost any extent.

But now it is being urged by some that such conduct is contrary to the letter of the law, and therefore it ought not to be sanctioned by Christians or allowed by the government. And thus there is given to such officials as do not favor Christianity an opportunity to limit the work as it has not been done before. Where the antiforeign feeling is particularly strong the missionaries have found their position an uncomfortable one, and new and more stringent terms are being required.

Partly on this account and partly on account of the religious views of the President of the Board of Trustees which held the property occupied by the missionaries at Kumamoto the missionaries of the American Board have been obliged to leave their homes and an important station which has been occupied by them for several years.

One of the papers published in Tokyo has recently published an article advocating rigid enforcement of the present treaty and the restriction of all missionaries to the treaty ports. While it is certain that the present Cabinet will not endorse such a measure it is still uncertain where this agitation is going to end.

In this antagonism to foreigners there has been an effort to enlist the Buddhists on the side of those who now cry out for the preservation of their own institutions and wish to exclude people

from other lands. And there is a difference of opinion as to what attitude the Buddhists have decided to take on this question. One of the papers asserts that they are to keep free from political discussions and leave all such matters to settle themselves. But in another paper it declares that they are to join in the movement for the restriction of the foreigners and thus help to check or keep out the element that has been gaining such a strong foothold and is threatening to destroy their influence and support.

But while there are hindrances and opposition in different quarters it is encouraging to see that the central government remains firm in its position of toleration of the missionaries and their work. In a recent speech before the Diet by the Minister of Foreign Affairs he announced that the policy of the government was opposed to the present anti-foreign crusade, and the same attitude. towards foreigners would be maintained as heretofore.

Should this policy prevail we may expect to see the work extended in the future as in the past, and the sympathy in missionary labors on the part of those in highest positions will have a helpful influence upon all classes and in all parts of the country.

One cheering fact that has just come to light is the removal of all objection to the posession of, or use of, the Scriptures in the higher normal school in Tokyo. It is said that this has hitherto been forbidden, but is now officially permitted.

Another fact of importance is that when one of the missionaries had been rudely treated by some drunken men in Tokyo, and the policemen who stood by did nothing to prevent it, the head authorities not only expressed their disapproval of such neglect of duty but also punished those who were guilty of the same.

We are all hoping that the present troubles are but temporary, and that the relations that have been so long and pleasantly maintained will soon be restored.

Mrs. J. Bird says: "I am a convert to missions through seeing missions and the need for them. Some years ago I took no interest whatever in the condition of the heathen. I had heard much ridicule cast upon Christian missions, and perhaps had imbibed some of the unhallowed spirit. But the missionaries, by their lives and character and by the work they are doing wherever I have seen them, have produced in my mind such a change and such an enthusiasm, as I might almost express it, in favor of Christian missions that I cannot go anywhere without speaking about them and trying to influence others in their favor who may be as indifferent as I was before I went among heathen countries."

By the death of the Rev. Dr. Swanson China has lost one of her staunchest and most devoted friends, and the home administrators of foreign missions one of their best known and most able representatives. For many years Dr. Swanson was personally engaged in mission work in South China, and since his retirement from active service abroad he has nobly worked for the same cause at home as Foreign Missionary Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of England. As an advocate of missions especially of missions in China-he stood in the very front rank, and will be greatly missed.-The Chronicle.

THE

Woman's Medical Missionary Work.

BY ROSETTA SHERWOOD HALL, M.D., SEOUL, KOREA.

HE healing hand preparing the way for the saving Word continues to be an encouraging part of our work in Korea. At our annual meeting in 1892 Bishop Mallalieu re-appointed me in charge of the woman's hospital here in the capital of Korea. It is the first hospital for women in this country, and in it during the past year it has been my privilege to treat 6260 cases; 119 of these were cared for in the hospital wards, 2125 were dispensary patients' first visits, 3495 were their return visits and 531 were calls to patients in their homes. The aggregate number of cases treated during my three years here is over 14,000. The records show a gain the second year over the first in round numbers of 1500, and of the third year over the second of more than 2000. Women and children from all classes of Koreans are included in these numbers, though, of course, as it is not the custom for women of the higher classes to appear upon the streets, the majority are from the lowclass people. However, often quite high ladies come in closed chairs to the hospital and a good proportion of the outcalls are made upon the higher class, including several of the highest official families in the land. All patients hear more or less of the Gospel, and many buy books and study for themselves.

Our daily services before dispensing have been more interesting than usual this year, as Miss Lewis has had more time to devote to them, and Mary Whoang, our new Korean matron, having had a good training in our girl's school, makes an instructive Bible-woman. Next year Mary will keep record of the attendance upon these meetings, as it no doubt varies from that of the dispensary, for often accompanying one patient will be two or three friends, or if the patient be from the official class there may be a half-dozen servants with her. Miss Lewis has had the entire Ross Catechism written in large plain character all around the waiting room, and this proves instructive to those who read. Sometimes one reads to the others who cannot. Upon an average hardly one in five of my women patients can read their own native language.

I opened two new dispensaries this year-one at the East Gate and one near the South Gate of the city. The former is known as the Baldwin Dispensary, so named in honor of her who first gave toward woman's work in Korea. This place will in time prove a great blessing to the East side of the city, but it needs to have a doctor and a teacher living there. It is three miles across the city from

the hospital. I go there in a Korean chair, or palanquin, which has a wooden framework of about 3 × 3 × 3 ft., and is covered with cloth upon the top and sides. A wooden grating forms the floor, upon which I sit. The front can be raised or fastened down as one pleases, and has a little window as has also each side. Extending before and behind from the bottom of the chair are two poles, by means of which two men carry it. They may only take hold of the poles with their hands, but as a rule they wear a sort of rope harness that drops from the shoulders and loops over the poles. It takes an hour to thus travel the three miles, as the chair coolies always set me down while they rest, at least twice upon the way. Sometimes I close my eyes upon the squalid mud huts and the naked children, and imagine I am being borne swiftly along upon an elevated car to my work in a home city, but the odors, ever arising from the filthy streets, soon rudely awaken me from such day-dreams.

I think I have told you before of the sad results that often follow treatment by the native doctor in Korea. This year, for the first time, I saw one of them at his work, and I will try to tell you about it. I was called one day to the house of one of the higher class to see a child who had become very sick two or three days before, after being carried a long distance, strapped to the back of his nurse as is their custom, his bare head and the nape of his neck exposed to the fierce heat of a July sun. I found him in convulsions, and after a careful examination I told the father I feared there was little or no hope of his recovery. Both father and mother bowed before me and begged me to "give life," as they express it here. I told them only God could do that, but we would do all that we could, and I left them medicine and the necessary directions with the promise to return in the morning. Now this child was the only son of these people, and their love for him was just as strong as that of fond American or English parents, and like them they wanted to leave nothing undone that could be done for their darling. They had sent for the Korean doctor before they called me, and when they saw the child surely growing worse they thought they would try the foreign doctor, but now as morning dawned and no improvement was visible they again sent for the Korean doctor, who arrived shortly after I did. The mother and Esther, who accompanied me, had then to leave the room, as no Korean woman may be seen by a man who does not belong to her own family. After examining the little boy I told the father that he was dying. I could do no more for him, that od was surely going to take him very soon to His Heavenly home. Then the father bade the Korean doctor to again try his skill