M

to its furniture, through the kindness of a friendly parish, we were able to add a piano. My daughter is teacher, and there is a full school, wholly ungraded, of course. In order to make the most of the early years of the little children I assist by taking the beginners, one-third of the school, into the kitchen for a daily two hours' work. This gives them a double opportunity, and they progress rapidly in consequence. Thus my daughter is enabled to give individual attention to the score of older children, whose time in school is limited to about four months a year. The children are very attractive, and the mission means a good deal to them. But it is easier to secure parrot-like

work from them than to gain real mental effort. Among the older girls my daughter has a branch of the Junior Auxiliary, nine in number, who are now at work upon a quilt, and who follow the directions of the diocesan Junior secretary. I conduct a branch of the Woman's Auxiliary, numbering about sixteen. At the beginning I was puzzled how to occupy them. My wish is to have some instruction each time they meet, but this has to be very elementary, and there is a farther obstacle, in that nearly everyone comes with a baby in arms, and they are noisy enough always to divide attention and often to absorb it. Again I was resolved to have some work done, and again the babies presented obstacles, but finding quite a lot of stuff in the mission boxes, which could not be sold, I decided to make

carpet rag rugs. One of the women had a hand loom; others dyed some of the rugs with barks and herb juices; I also did some dyeing with diamond dyes, and we have made about twenty rugs.

When spring opened it occurred to me, as the women all make gardens, they could raise a few special hills of "missionary" potatoes; so with quite a ceremony and quite a sermon I presented each woman with seven potatoes from the mission pantry, and each was to plant and water and pray for an increase. Altogether, when the time came to send our part for the United Offering in Richmond, the amount was $13.50 coming from sale of rugs ($1.25 each), potatoes, and the gathering in of occasional coppers. We were all delighted and astonished, and mean to continue our occupations throughout the year. Although they have never studied geography, my women have an interest in China quite disproportioned to their knowledge, for I read them letters from my friend, Deaconess Hart, in Hankow. Again, though they have but faint and dim notions of the greatness of their native land, they watch me drop the pennies coming from an isolated Churchwoman in Nebraska, who, cut off from Church associations by the limitless stretch of ranch prairie, sends her mite to us, and works and prays at the time of our meetings. Again, the reality of Church fellowship is brought to them as I show pictures from The Churchman and read letters from the woman in Western New York, through whose thoughtfulness we receive that periodical.

This is very hopeful work and the meetings are enjoyable. Sometimes I serve tea and cakes, sometimes read from Dean Hodges's "When the King Came." Before our Christmas celebration of the Holy Communion I called a meeting of the Auxiliary, and put a Prayer Book in the hands of each one, open at the Communion Service. In the simplest way possible, I tried to unfold some of the meaning of that service to

305

BUT

UT, "What wont she be asking for next?" I think I hear someone exclaim when I mention my newest desire for the work. Well, it is paper flowers or immortelles. At Easter, when the weather permits, we have a service in the cemetery. For days before, the people are busy making the graves neat, and often marking with pebbles the initials of those lying there, or crosses. Last Easter a few had paper flowers for decorating, and others brought from the town stores artificial flowers. Natural flowers are of course out of the question, and the paper ones give a cheerful aspect to the place, and satisfy the desires of the people to have something decorative. A few years ago yards of bright calico were used, and colored candies and oranges, which of course we had to discourage. I wonder whether some "shut-in" wouldn't enjoy fashioning paper flowers for this purpose? They could be removed after the service and

W

HEN Bishop Partridge was returning to Kyoto he left with us a letter lately received from Miss Bull, President of the Kyoto Branch of the Woman's Auxiliary, suggesting a plan for an Auxiliary meeting, in which not only the women of the American Church Mission in Japan, but those of the English Mission also, shall be represented, together with the women of the Nippon Sei Kokwai, the Church in Japan.

In April there will be a meeting of the Church, held at Osaka, and the wife of the English Bishop of Osaka Diocese is eager to have a general meeting of the women at or near the same time. Miss Bull says: "I, who can never forget the joy of that first meeting, nine years ago, when Mrs. McKim gathered

us together, am seconding Mrs. Foss's motion with all the power I can, in the hope that our American bishops will sanction the project. There are four diocesan branches of the Auxiliary now, for Kyushu, the English diocese under Bishop Evington, has organized and held its first annual meeting. Mrs. Foss has been talking over her project with some of the South Tokyo ladies, and hopes that delegates to a general meeting will come from there; and Mrs. Komiya, the treasurer of our Own branch in Tokyo, wishes to have that represented at such a meeting. We hope that two delegates from each diocese may come, meeting the first afternoon for a discussion of subjects of general interest; on the next morning having the morning service with sermon and Holy Communion and offering for missions; a luncheon at noon, and a general meeting in the afternoon with short addresses. The Osaka and Kyoto branches can hold their business meetings afterward, separately.

"I am acting with Mrs. Foss as a committee to communicate with the different dioceses, and hope that one result may be that the two dioceses which have not yet organized Auxiliaries may be led to do so; that the women of the different dioceses may be drawn nearer even than they were nine years ago at Tokyo, and feel more that the Church is one; and that the Churchwomen here in Kyoto and Osaka may receive the inspiration and joy which such a gathering would bring."

Miss Bull adds: "I feel very happy that the branches in the dioceses under the English bishops are being organized on the model of our American Auxiliary, the adaptability of which I realize, more and more, as I see its principles worked out again here. Mrs. Evington wrote me that the letters which she received from our two dioceses, describing our methods, were of the greatest use to them in organizing in Kyushu."

THE JUNIORS

T

307

HURSDAY, February 20th, was

Junior day at the Church Missions House. It was the occasion of the usual monthly conference, but the conduct of the conference had been handed over to the Juniors, and Miss Lewis, Junior Secretary of the Pennsylvania branch, presided. For the first half-hour the usual routine of the conference went on. The officers reported: From Central Pennsylvania, increased efforts to unite the branches in their work; from Massachusetts, recent meetings for girls who should be interested and trained to be Junior leaders; from Newark, a normal study class, each member pledged to teach; from New Jersey, a devotional circle, each member of which promises to spend fifteen minutes daily during Lent in reading from the Life of Our Lord, thinking over what she has read, deciding upon something to do, after His example. Last year this circle numbered thirty. From New York came an experience of cheer and help given a missionary through friendly correspondence; from Pennsylvania, an account of an overflowing meeting in a large hall in Philadelphia, for an illustrated lecture by Archdeacon Stuck.

At eleven the Junior conference opened. Miss Lewis announced that she had divided the time into four parts, asking different Junior officers to speak for five minutes each on different subjects.

Topic 1: Devotional Services for the Juniors.

Upon this first topic reports were made from New York, where the year's work is always begun by a Corporate Communion for the Junior officers, many of the parish branches. following the custom. In the study classes prayer for the work and workers being studied is constantly used. The chairman calls the leaders together to pray for the Juniors. An intercessory

service is held at the close of the month

ly meeting. In Lent a devotional and educational class, it is hoped, will be conducted. In these ways the Juniors are trained to understand that Junior work is something beside sewing, and Junior leaders learn they can help only by living very near to Christ. The Newark Juniors begin their season with an hour's devotion and instruction, and hope to have a day's retreat during Lent. In Pennsylvania they have had a weekly Bible-class this season, and hope for a Quiet Afternoon some time during Lent. In Massachusetts they hope to introduce an intercessory service.

Topic 2: The Junior Apportionment and the United Offering.

The Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Juniors read a letter sent out by her to the parish branches, explaining the Junior Apportionment, and a letter from West Texas, describing the Junior methods there; while the United Offering Treasurer of the New York Juniors read a paper telling of the methods with regard to that. These papers will be printed in the Open Corner of THE YOUNG CHRISTIAN SOLDIER. In Massachusetts a Christmas thank-offering is suggested to each Junior for the United Offering. In Central Pennsylvania, an appeal asking for pledges is sent out.

Topic 3: How to Get Junior Representatives Together.

In New Jersey four half-day meetings are held each year, the service (generally at 2:30 P.M.) and addresses in the church being followed by a conference in the parish house, with five-minute papers. Offerings at the first three meetings are given to the speaker; at the last meeting some one in the diocese is invited, and the collection pays expenses of the four meetings. There is a central committee of the older girls to prepare packages of missionary literature. The lack-the not getting at the young women. In Newark there are three large meetings each year, with speakers, and conferences of two or three hours. An evening conference is being tried to reach girls employed during the day. In Central Pennsylvania the scattered dio

cese, long distances, expenses of travelling prevent frequent meetings. There is an annual meeting only. There is but one Junior officer, who works in close relation to the officers of the Woman's Auxiliary. The great difficulty is to find competent Junior directresses.

Topic 4: Difficulties and Opportuni

ties.

A new Massachusetts officer said that the first thing in Junior work is the training of workers. The money side should not be emphasized too much. There should be more study, and this would help solve the problem where the new worker is to come from. From New York a first impression was the remarkable possibility and inherent power among the Juniors; the sense that the work begins with the smallest children, so educating them that it may be the natural thing for them to know they themselves are missionaries, impressing this on the older girls, teaching that prayer is the natural service of Missions; not an outside force, but an inner power. From Massachusetts came the suggestion of knowing the colleges and schools within one's diocese, visiting and telling students of the Junior work, and from Newark the story of a college girl who from a Mission Class went to Vassar, and is teaching such a class there. The Secretary closed the conference with remarking upon the generosity of the Junior Department in lending its officers to visit in other dioceses than their own, to establish and strengthen work as needed.

The branches represented were: Connecticut, two officers (one Junior); Central Pennsylvania, one (Junior); Long Island, two; Massachusetts, four (two Juniors); Newark, four (one Junior); New Jersey one (Junior); New York, nine (three Juniors); Pennsylvania, four (two Juniors).

From 2:30 to 3:30 Miss Sturgis, Educational Secretary of the Massachusetts branch and its Junior Department, gave a review of the Acts and the Epistles in their missionary aspect, and SO the Junior day closed.