plan of coming to school, but worked away, got her some clothes, and about the first of November presented herself as wishing to come to school. She brought all the money she had left, ten cents, and said if I would only let her come she was sure she could pay the rest before long. I kept track of her and found from her teacher that the poor girl could not obtain anything further for her tuition, but that she was a very promising girl, so I have let her come, and I have prayed that some one may be led to contribute $8 for her tuition. But what surprised me most was the Christmas offering this child made. Just before school called, she came tugging two large sticks of wood, the combined weight being twenty pounds. This she had got cut into two pieces and had carried it more than a mile in order that some one poorer than she might be blessed at Christmas time. This little incident made me feel that I had never known sacrifice before—for here was one who often goes hungry to bed, without any of the comforts of life, yet to make others happy gave literally "all she had." Truly were the blessed Lord here His words regarding the poor widow must have been repeated. I feel that the wood she brought is almost too sacred to be put to common use. I would that a piece of it were in every Christian home to teach the lesson of true sacrifice.

On Christmas morning a dozen homes will be made happy by these humble gifts. One old lady in our visits we found so destitute that she had tasted nothing from Saturday night till Tuesday, when one of the girls of Gregory school took her in her breakfast. The old lady telling about it said she knew the Lord would not let her starve. The teachers have voluntarily taxed themselves ten cents a month, which provides for her food at least. I need not multiply these cases. Many sacrifices in kind, if not in degree, could be mentioned equal to that of little Mary, and many cases of need as extreme as that of "Aunt Maggie." The scanty purses of the A. M. A. teachers, many of whom, as in my own case, are obliged to economize in every way to keep our own families from actual want, are inadequate to meet the demand, and why should we multiply their cases on our minds when we are powerless to help?

CHILDREN'S CAUSES FOR THANKFULNESS.

Dear Friends: I want to tell you of our Junior Thanksgiving service last Wednesday eve. The meeting was led by a Junior. After prayer by one of the members the leader asked of each one: "What have you to be thankful for?" We had so many blessings given that a large blackboard was covered, with reports of the many "thankfulnesses." The following are a few of the many: "For Christ most of all," "the Holy Bible," "health," "warm sunshine," "blue sky," "I don't know of anything I'm not thankful for," "for plenty of everything, bread and fruit and everything to eat," "for forgiveness," "Junior meetings," "to bring wood and water for our mothers and fathers." One of the several four-year-olds in school was thankful for a "stove, love (for) our brothers, to play, eatin' an' things to cook it in."

And this same little boy, who comes from a home anything but attractive, had this sentence in his prayer, "thankful for home." Another dear Junior was thankful for good times and "for my little sister an' father an' mother." "The privilege to go to school" was another cause of thankfulness, while many times, both in prayer and speaking, was "the dear teacher" mentioned.

The prayers were earnest, simple and sincere, and I felt much nearer heaven after the little ones had gone from their childish meeting. And I felt more than ever before the divine presence with us. The Juniors carry their Christian ideas into everything. In school one day I asked "What is the heart for?" And a little girl (a Junior) replied quickly "To let Jesus come in."

As the hoped-for advancement lies with the children, I feel that the work is very encouraging.

To Help Her Own People.—A minister in a Northern State sends to us a check for $500, which he says is the gift of a colored lady of over seventy years of age, to aid in the education of her people in the South. She has $500 more, which she retained for the present in view of emergencies, but which she intends ultimately to give to the Association for the same purpose. The minister says she is intelligent, a diligent reader, and an interesting person to meet. She has been a tailoress and probably has earned most of her money with her needle. Such a person is an honor to her race and to the church of Christ.

CONTRASTS OF MISSION CHURCH WORK.

Our mission churches of the South reach different classes of people. Some are in the large cities, others in populous towns, others in smaller country villages, and still others in entirely rural districts among the plantations. The methods of these churches vary as widely as their location. Some of them take advantage of institutional methods of church work in all their various forms of Christian service. Many churches which do not undertake so large a distribution of effort still have their circles of King's Sons and Daughters, missionary societies, and, almost everywhere, their Christian Endeavor Societies. Many of the smaller churches have day schools closely associated with the congregation, sometimes under the conduct of the pastor or his wife, or both.

HOWARD CHAPEL AND PARSONAGE.

Among our more prominent churches is the Howard Chapel, of Nashville, Tenn., a picture of which, with the new parsonage, is found on this page. This church is located on the original site of Fisk University, and was formerly the chapel of the University. The building is a commodious brick structure. The church has had many fluctuations in its membership and condition, but under its present pastor, Rev. J. E. Moorland, formerly Y. M. C. A. secretary at Washington, D. C., it has taken on new life and vigor. The membership has rapidly grown. All the various forms of Christian activity are thoroughly organized, and the pastor has commended himself not only to the members of the church and congregation, but to the residents of all that portion of the city. Lately the congregation took up the question of affording their pastor a parsonage, and have built a neat and comfortable structure at the side of the church, which they are now making payment for from their own means.

THE McELDERRY MISSION, ALA.

In strong contrast with this city church work is the McElderry Mission, formed and carried on by Rev. J. M. Roan, of Ironaton, Ala. Mr. Roan, like many other pastors, was anxious that his church should take hold of aggressive Christian work, and formed a mission at some distance from the church, out among the plantations. His young men took hold vigorously with him in the new work and put up the log cabin chapel, which is shown in the accompanying illustration. It is an interesting indication of their Christian consecration that the members of this mission church were so desirous to take hold themselves of mission work among those of their people still less favored than they. Mr. Roan says that they are proud of their little