Mrs. Davis, delegate. We were privileged in having with us other officers of some of these Unions, Michigan especially being represented by president, secretary and treasurer. All brought words of hope, and some of the crisp sentences from the lips of these devoted home workers for missions will not soon be forgotten by those who heard them.

Following the reports from State Unions, Mrs. Sydney Strong, of Cincinnati, president of the Ohio Union, gave a very interesting and helpful address on woman's work throughout the country. Then came the annual report of the Bureau of Women's Work, and missionary addresses from the field. The sweet Jubilee singing by the young women from Nashville, Tenn., added to the enjoyment of the occasion.

We regret that the limit of the magazine pages will not allow the addresses in full, but we hope to furnish some of them in pamphlet form. The paper by Miss Mitchell, of Blowing Rock, N. C., will be printed thus.

Following the woman's meeting, a children's meeting was conducted, which held the close attention of the little ones for an hour with vivid descriptions of the children of Alaska and China, the Indian boys and girls, and of the mountain and negro children of the South.

REPORT OF SECRETARY.

We come to this Annual Meeting with hearts full of gratitude to the many friends who have stood by this work in its emergency, and with praise to Him who daily beareth our burdens, and who we believe is unto us a God of deliverances. True, every passing month of the year just closed has sounded the ominous word "Debt," and the burdens consequent have been many and heavy; it has been hard to see the missionary work so repressed and cramped when opportunities for development offered on every side. But it has been glorious to watch its wonderful power and accomplishment even in its too restricted limitation. Surely a blessing followed the offerings of those who remembered this A. M. A. field with their gifts especially of "money consecrated to the Lord's work." Some, we have reason to believe, in giving "their slender mite for love of Him," gave much.

Thirty-one of the forty-two State Unions have made cash contributions to the Association's work during the year, but this does not represent in full the aid given. Four hundred and eighty-six barrels have been sent to the various fields, and while all have contained useful articles, some have been packed with valuable supplies of house linen for the boarding-halls and goods for the industrial classes.

The Secretary has presented the work frequently at missionary meetings, and series of meetings were planned for her and for missionaries from the field, in several of the States. In this the officers of the State organizations cooperated cordially, and were most helpful in arranging appointments among the auxiliaries. There is evident need of the work being made known by personal presentation. Missionary literature has been freely distributed, and letters from the field have been sent out in response to contributions wherever desired. The system of missionary letter-writing entails not a little of care and burden upon both missionaries and secretary, but it brings the missionaries and home workers into closer sympathy, and provides interesting information for missionary meetings. We acknowledge thankfully the consideration shown when letters have been unavoidably delayed, and the many expressions of appreciation of the missionary news.

Through the circulation of the letters and printed leaflets you have had many glimpses of the schools, churches, prayer-meetings, Sunday-schools, Endeavor meetings and the homes of the people in the South, on the Indian reservations, the Pacific Coast and Alaska. We trust it has been a joy to you to make the work so much your very own by the share you have had in sustaining it and watching its development.

There is a very precious part of this missionary work, however, that lies beyond the boundaries of our one hundred and seventeen schools. A hint of it may be seen in the following to her teacher from a former colored student, now the wife of a Congregational minister in the A. M. A. church service. It represents hundreds of cases equally gratifying of those who, through the beneficent work of the American Missionary Association, to-day fill positions of influence and usefulness in the various walks of life. The writer says: "The work here I enjoy very much, nevertheless there are many discouraging things in connection with it. But then I know we cannot always have smooth sailing. If everything was all smooth there would be no need of much work. I am only too glad to do something for the Master, though I know I am one that is fitted only to quietly fill in a little chink in the great work that is to be done. When I remember that we are not all given the same number of talents, I am somewhat encouraged to go on with the work, content to do little unnoticed acts in the name of the Master. I remember, too, that what I am, you are the one who was instrumental in making me. The Lord has a great reward for you for your patience and kind dealing with me."

"Little, unnoticed acts in the name of the Master." Think of it—that these colored boys, girls and mountain youth, Indians and Chinese, to the number of thirteen thousand annually, are through this American Missionary Association brought under such Christian training that a large proportion go forth to use their talents, be they great or small, in the name of the Master. What better could we do for either of these races than to support liberally a work that, preparing the youth for the practical duties of life, sends them forth to exert their influence among their people for the love of Christ and In His Name.

It has been a year of advance in contributions from the organizations of Woman's Work, and while this has been a welcome and valuable aid to the A. M. A. treasury, it is also a cheering indication of what these organizations may be able to do the next year and the next with increasing knowledge of the mission field, increasing interest and ability. The cash receipts, through the State organizations, have been $21,213.95, and directly from local societies and mission bands, $4,124.66, a total of $25,338.61. We give a tabulated statement from which it will be seen that nine of the State organizations now measure their dollars for the A. M. A. by the thousand, and some of those in the list immediately following we hope will soon join the thousand-dollar rank.