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enters the court yard and perhaps takes his seat upon the mats and hears for the first time the story of redeeming love.

The missionaries also work in connection with he Church and various Sunday-schools. There have been some twenty additions to the church during the year.

Mrs. Curtis, besides doing Sunday school work, has conducted a Mothers' Meeting with good attendance and interest. The mothers of the congregation seem eager to learn in regard to the care and nurture of their children.

SPIRIT OF INQUIRY.

As to my own individual work, its most encouraging feature has been the large number of inquirers coming to the house. At times we have been almost overwhelmed with these visitors who have evidently come not to see the foreigner or his house, to become his servant or to be taught gratuitously as they did at first, but with a sincere desire to learn the truth. It has been very gratifying to see the general spirit of inquiry and the more conciliatory attitude of the people toward Christianity which has become more apparent during the past year. We have found too, that both believers and unbelivers have seemed glad to welcome us to their homes.

OPENING OF TOYAMA.

REV. J. M. LEONARD, Toyama :- When we arrived here the last week in December, we found a good Japanese house for rent, and took it. It required a number of days for the carpenter to put in windows and fix a kitchen and other conveniences suitable for foreigners. We find the house very comfortable. The greatest drawback yet is the difficulty in keeping it pure and clean.

We found a dozen or fifteen Christians in the place, only three of whom were natives of Toyama. They received us very kindly. We have not the language sufficiently to do very much work. I have preached a few times and

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taught a Sabbath-school class. We have two evangelists and two Bible women as helpers.

BUDDHIST OPPOSITION.

But little violent opposition has been met with. Two weeks ago one of our places was stoned, breaking the "shop" somewhat. But no one was hurt. Apparently this was instigated by a traveling Buddhist priest who had been here a year ago and succeeded then in stirring up more trouble than this year. He was arrested then by the police. This year he came to one of our meetings with his crowd, some of whom were supposed to be hired "Soshi." When the evangelist got up to preach he stood up in front of him and demanded a reason why he had not left Toyama during the last year as he had agreed to do. The latter was fabricated, as no such agreement had been made. He was told that that was not the time for discussion. A policeman being present told him that he must either leave or go with him to the station. This cooled him off and he left. Since these disturbances some three or four weeks ago, the meetings have been pretty quiet, These disturbances do not discourage us. We read that where Christ commanded the devils to go out they first tore the man. We have no confidence in any Chris tianizing agency that does not meet with opposition from unregenerate hearts.

JAPAN STILL NEEDY.

Dear friends who read this, pray for Toyama It is an open field. Pray for all Japan. It is yet a very needy field. With the best of intentions hopeful pens have written too exclusively of the hopeful side of the work here. We on the field must cultivate hopefulness by looking on the hopeful side. But we can never shut out of our view the dark background. Japan is still a heathen land. Her million masses still bow down to unknown gods, and deify the spirits of the departed dead. Japan is not a Jericho already taken by blowing rams' horns. She is yet to be taken in aggressive warfare by means of the Sword of the Spirit.

The Rev. Henry Kendall, D. D., for thirty-one years Corresponding Secretary of the Board of Home Missions, died at his country home in East Bloomfield, N. Y., on Friday, Sept. 9, 1892, in his 78th

year.

The funeral services were held at his late residence on the afternoon of the 12th. They were conducted by the Rev. Chas. C. Johnson, pastor of Dr. Kendall's former charge in the village. The three remaining secretaries, the treasurer and the recording secretary of the Board, were present.

They had come from New York hoping that Dr. Nelson and Dr. Morris, known to be specially intimate and dear friends of Dr. Kendall, would be present, and that one or both of them would officiate in the funeral services. But on arrival, finding that neither of those brethren had been able to come, Secretary Roberts was desired to deliver the address; prayer was offered by Secretary Irvin, and Secretary McMillan pronounced the benediction at the grave.

The following is substantially

SECRETARY ROBERTS' ADDRESS.

I feel that my place on this occasion is among the mourners. It was not my intention to take any part in these solemn exercises. In fact I have asked the family to excuse me in case I refuse even to offer a prayer, on account of fear of breaking down in presence of these remains of my departed friend and colleague.

After the pastor of the church had informed me that he did not expect to bear the whole burden of this funeral, and that he was not prepared to speak on Dr. Kendall's connection with Home Missions,

I could not refuse to say something. But, what can I say, beloved, about such a man on an hour's notice! The subject calls for thought and careful study. No time is afforded me for this, hence I am compelled to speak from general knowledge of him without much opportunity to arrange my thoughts.

Two things are always present in great enterprises, namely circumstances leading to and calling for them, and providential preparation of the instrument to carry them out. Circumstances that need not be named, called for a separate Committee to carry on the Home Mission work of the New School branch of the Presbyterian Church. It was felt that the time had come to inaugurate such an agency, and that it was necessary for the best interests of Christ's Kingdom. A large and competent committee was appointed by the General Assembly, for the purpose, but they had no definite plan for the work, or for raising money to carry out a plan when they had one. The first duty of the committee was to find some one who had the qualifications for the work, and the requisite courage and self-denial to undertake it. The attention of all was turned to the pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh. He had expressed his views on the subject in two newspaper articles which had been most favorably received by the whole Church. All felt that the man who had written so clearly, strongly and sensibly on the subject was the one to conduct Home Mission affairs. He was unanimously elected and persuaded that he had been raised especially of Providence for that work. He saw in it a great opportunity and the hand of God leading him to take advantage of it.

After prayer and consultation with wise and trusted friends, he consented to.become the secretary of the new committee. All who have had aught to do with inaugurating a new enterprise in the Church demanding a large amount of money, will fully appreciate the gigantic task undertaken by our departed friend. With full knowledge of what was before him, he put his hand to the plough and looked not back.

Though some of the wisest men in the denomination were on the committee, yet he was expected to devise a scheme for prosecuting the work, and see that money was raised for its execution. He at once turned his great powers of body and of mind in that direction. With matchless skill he touched the heart and the purse of the Church.

His voice rang like a trumpet from the pulpit and through the press. It was heeded, and God's hosts rallied around him to an extent he never dreamed of. So great was his success within the period of nine years that he raised the funds for Home Missions from nothing to nearly $270,000, yearly, and from no missionaries, or comparatively few, to four or five hundred. His success incited the other branch of the Church to greater efforts, and called out the admiration of all to the skill, push and wisdom of the captain. He showed that he had singular gifts for the work which he had. undertaken.

When the two branches of the Presbyterian Church were re-united, the Board of Domestic Missions of the Old School branch, and the Committee of Home Missions of the New School were consolidated. Dr. Kendall, on account of the masterly way in which he had conducted Home Missions for nine years, was the first one thought of for a Secretary of the present Board of Home Missions. The Rev. Dr. Cyrus Dickson, of Baltimore, was appointed as his associate. These men received their commission directly from the General

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Assembly before the Board was elected, which has since elected the Secretaries. With great ability and long experience Dr. Kendall undertook the Home Mission work of the United Church. The first thought that now impressed him was that the whole country was before him. He determined to master not only its geography from books and atlases, but also to visit personally its every nook and corner. He undertook long trips over the prairies and across the mountains. He passed the old western boundaries, the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers,-crossed the Rockies, traversed the Pacific Coast and extended his visit to far off Alaska. During all these journeys, and in every place he visited he left an impression for good on many people not supposed to be very impressible. In years afterward I heard his praises sounded by Indian Chiefs and pioneers in Alaska, and on Puget Sound. His majestic form, keen eye, ready wit and pleasant words everywhere attracted attention and called forth admiration. Some of his sayings in Home Mission meetings, his prayers at family altars, and his interviews with missionaries are remembered with pleasure and profit until the present. He left in all the paths he trod an aroma of Heaven. With singular fidelity he worked in connection with the Home Board for twenty-two years. Those of us who enjoyed the privilege of being associated with him during all that time, became convinced that he was a master. He saw the funds of the Board grow from about $300,000 to nearly a million, and the laborers increasing from 1,100 to about two thousand. The transformation he witnessed in the States and Territories of our land are truly marvelous. No wonder he was often heard exclaiming in view of what he saw and heard of the work of missions, "What hath God wrought!" The years of his connection with the Home Mission Committee and the present

Board covered the most remarkable and stirring period in our nation's history.

In view of all this, it is safe to say that the work he was the main agent in carrying on, compared favorably with the most important moneyed, social and political enterprises in our country. The banking system inaugurated by Chief Justice Chase has been pronounced the grandest in the world. All know what improvement it has wrought in our commerce and trade, and yet that cannot be compared with the mission system inaugurated by Dr. Kendall for making those who handle money honest and honorable. Mr. Lincoln deserves lasting praise for his act in liberating, by a single stroke of his pen, millions of slaves. But the work of Dr. Kendall in liberating God only knows how many captives of sin, is certainly greater. General Grant will never be forgotten for his efforts in reconstructing the Government and healing the breach caused by the late Civil War; but Dr. Kendall did more than he, by sending the Gospel north and south, east and west, towards uniting the hearts of our people which had been alienated by sectional feuds. Measured by any fair standard our Home Mission work is the sublimest and most far-reaching carried on to-day on this continent.

The question here arises, what made the man who conducted successfully such an enterprise what he was? Many things might be named, but time will not allow me to dwell on more than three or four. The first was his character. He was one of those men who were above his fellows, not physically merely, but morally and spiritually also. It was impossible to remain long in his company without feeling the magic influence of his pure and noble character. He attracted to himself men of the highest standing in the Church and the State, and he seemed to be their rallying centre. They looked to him with

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admiration, and leaned on him for counsel and true friendship.

Though lofty and apparently cold at times, he was one of the most warm hearted of men. No better evidence of this can be adduced than his fondness for children. and their readiness to run into his arms. It is probable that his repeated afflictions in losing one child after another may have rendered more tender a heart that was by nature as loving as a woman's. He would stoop down and address little children on the street, and invite them into his arms. I shall never forget the strong emotion he manifested at 23 Centre Street, when he was told that his fifth and last child had suddenly passed away on board a steamer about to enter the port of New York. That strong frame was literally convulsed, and yet he remarked to me, "Roberts, I have no feeling whatever." His allusions to his children were always tender and touching. Scores, perhaps hundreds, of young men who are to-day in the ministry will remember forever his sweet words of counsel to them. Some of his letters to missionaries in hours of trial breathe of the tenderness that characterized the words of his Divine Master. The Synodical Missionaries will long remember his his kindness when he met them on their fields of labor, or at the meetings of the General Assembly.

He was largely endowed with worldly wisdom. He seldom made a mistake in his conclusions as to what should be done in important crises. If he was not satisfied in his own mind as to the proper course to pursue, he would wait a day or two, and even longer sometimes, until he was sure that he was right. This gave him occasionally the appearance of a hesitating man, but he was far from that. He believed with the Grecian sage that time is the wisest of all things because it reveals all. In his long experience, he found that time frequently rendered action

Some

in a difficult case unnecessary. men became impatient at his delay and what they construed to mean indifference, but the delay was caused by the want of sufficient light and not on account of feeling indifferent towards the matter referred to him for adjustment.

With all his deliberation he would discover now and then that he had made a mistake. But no man was readier than he to acknowledge it when it was pointed out. I have often heard him say, if you will show me that I am wrong I will be glad to apologize. He manifested no foolish pride in his own opinion after he saw that he had committed an error.

He was,

in this respect, one of the frankest and most manly persons I have ever known. It was touching to see him when he bowed his head and said, "I am wrong gentlemen!"

He was a born general. If he had entered the army as a private he would have risen in spite of all hindrance to the position of a commander. He had all the elements necessary to rule. That made him appear brusque to those who had not been admitted into his inner heart. Though he made very little account of drawing out plans on paper, he had in his mind a plan for all the work he intended. to execute. He had taken great pains to map out the Northwest, the Pacific Coast and some of the Prairie States. He knew all the strategic points in those inviting parts of our country. Soon after the opening of Kansas to Home Missions he sent there a band of choice young men, fresh from the Seminary, to do a work, which no men sent in the ordinary way could have done. It was his abiding conviction that if the land was to be taken for Christ the Home Missionary army must be largely made up of bright, consecrated and selfdenying men. He sought in our theological seminaries the best youth he could find for the task. This led many to think

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that he had no patience with ordinary missionaries, but that is a mistake. He felt that they had their field and their work, and gave them full credit for the gifts they possessed. He moved with marvellous skill, the whole missionary army. The condition of our Church today, East and West, is an irrefutable proof of this.

Dr. Kendall had a remarkable memory. This enabled him to attend to all the details of the plans he laid out. A Secretary of the Home Board must not only be a general able to plan, but a superintend ent capable of attending to details. When missionaries returned to New York after many years of labor and hardship, he instantly recognized them. If he could not at once recall their names he would rehearse some circumstance that would convince them that the old captain knew them in spite of time and change. This was gratifying to all who toiled under the care of the Board. He not only remembered the faces of old friends, but the details of a letter read many months before. This enabled him to retain the facts necessary to form a correct judgment as to the disposition that should be made of a given

case.

He was faithful in his attention to duty. He was always at his post. Even down to old age he could be seen daily at his desk in the Mission Rooms. It was with difficulty he could be persuaded that he should not undertake long and laborious trips to present the dear old cause as he was wont to call Home Missions. If he felt that duty demanded he allowed nothing to interfere with its performance. Many a time he went to the office when he was not in a condition to go, and often did he attend a meeting of Presbytery and Synod when he ought to have staid at home. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" He served his age, his church and his God with a fidelity that stands out conspicuously.