T

HE first setting apart of a deaconess of the Church in China took place on the 28th of March, in the Church of the Nativity, Wuchang. All the foreign staff in Hankow who were able to leave their work crossed the river, as well as the matron and fifteen women in the Training-school for Bible-women, and the twenty-five students in the Catechetical School. The Boone divinity students formed the choir, and the congregation was composed mainly of women and girls. The chancel was filled with potted marguerites, and on the altar were pear blossoms and white hyacinths. The bishop was the celebrant and preached the sermon, the Rev. Mr. Ridgely presented the candidates, the Rev. Mr. Jackson read the Gospel, and the Rev. Mr. Littell the Epistle. The eighty girls of St. Hilda's, sitting in the body of the church, helped to make the choral part of the service very beautiful and impressive, as Mr. Ridgely, their chaplain, had devoted much time and thought to their training in the special music for the occasion. The bishop in his sermon, preached especially to these girls, speaking of the position of the deaconess in the early Church, and the growth of woman's work in modern times, dwelling on the hope that some of these girls at St. Hilda's might feel called upon to give their lives as Miss Stewart was giving hers on behalf of the women in China.

Miss Stewart, who is from Rutland, Vt., and the first woman of that state to go to the foreign field as a missionary, was trained at the Church Training and Deaconess House in Philadelphia, graduating in the spring of 1906. She came to Hankow the following October, where, for the first few

months, she devoted herself entirely to the study of the language. Then moving to Wuchang she added to her own studies in Chinese the teaching of English at St. Hilda's. So, as she has been in China a year and a half, most of the people were real friends who gathered together after the service was over and lingered on the sunny lawn of the compound-always beautiful, but especially so on that day, when the air was heavy with the fragrance of blossoming treesand, to the deafening accompaniment of the fire-crackers, congratulated the new deaconess on the life she was about to begin.

Miss Stewart is no doubt the only deaconess whose setting apart was heralded to the world by a fusillade of fire-crackers. Strings of crackers, six feet or more in length, had been hung from the branches of a tree in front of the church, and after the final benediction was pronounced went off with a prolonged sputter and fizz and bang, keeping up a continuous cannonading as the congregation came out of church. These were the gift of the Chinese women of the various congregations in Wuchang, and hardly had the din subsided when a second great string was fired, the contribution of the girls of St. Hilda's. These noisy ovations not unusual at Chinese ordinations, fire-crackers being the Chinaman's most fitting expression of joy, so it was the natural way the Chinese women and girls took of showing their appreciation of what this service of setting apart meant to them; and it was that these women and girls might more readily understand the meaning of this consecration of one's life that the bishop and Miss Stewart both desired to have the service in Chinese.

are

T

HE last conference of the season was held on April 30, presided over by Miss Lindley, chairman of the New York Junior

Department.

The roll-call showed: Central New York, one; Chicago, one; Connecticut, five (1 Junior); Long Island, seven (1 Junior); Maryland, one; Massachusetts, one; Newark, six (1 Junior); New Jersey, one (Junior); New York, nine (2 Juniors); Pennsylvania, three; Virginia, one; and two visitors from Michigan, with Miss Mann from Tokyo.

The secretary reported a letter sent out by her to the presidents of the diocesan branches for reading at annual meetings and for the general information of branches where such meetings are not held this spring. She mentioned a conference of the Young Women's Christian Association, held in Capitola, Cal., visited, at Bishop Nichols's request, by Mrs. Lawver, secretary of the California branch, who reported meeting eleven Church students, whose names and addresses were sent to the Missions House. She commended the work done by the new Babies' Branch officer of the Pittsburgh branch, who, in visiting parishes, encourages and strengthens the work of the Woman's Auxiliary and of the Juniors as well as of the Little Helpers; and reported the formation of an intermediate branch for young women who felt themselves beyond the Junior and not quite prepared to enter into the methods and efforts of the Woman's Auxiliary, in the Los Angeles branch.

The diocesan reports being called for, Mrs. Scrymser, of New York, reported $2,724.25 on hand, and the last $500 promised toward the Cornelia Jay Memorial a chapel to be built in connection with the Good Shepherd Hospital at Fort Defiance. Mrs. Lowell, of Massachusetts, told of the annual meeting of

parish officers with the president of the branch to deal with questions of practical interest in the Auxiliary.

At eleven o'clock the conference opened. The subject, "The Personal Offering," the chairman had divided under different headings, namely:

1. The Need for the Personal Offering. 2. How to get the Offering.

3. What to do with it, when made.

These subjects were introduced by a paper on the Pan-Anglican Congress, and the personal offering to be made at its closing service, which was prepared by Miss Wheeler, of Vermont, and read by Miss Tomes, of New York.

The other subjects were treated by Mrs. Warren, of New York, whose paper was read by Mrs. Christian, of Newark, followed by Miss Mann, from Tokyo, and Miss Loomis, a Connecticut Junior officer; a paper on Organizations, by Miss Cranston, of Rhode Island, read by Miss Carryl, of Pennsylvania; a paper on Study Classes, by Miss Edwards, of New Jersey, and on Summer Conferences, by Miss Arnold, of Western New York. The last subject was taken by Mrs. Giraud, of Connecticut, followed by Mrs. Hopkins, of Long Island.

At the close of the conference the secretary spoke of her approaching visits to the Pan-Anglican Congress, in England, and to our foreign mission fields, leaving the interests of the Auxiliary at home in the care of its many devoted officers, who could look for help in their work during her absence to Miss M. T. Emery and Miss Lindley, who will be at headquarters to conduct the work there.

The officers present sent warmest greetings to the branches of the Auxiliary in the mission field, to the missionaries and to the people amongst whom they labor, and gave their affectionate wishes to the secretary for her journey.

$35; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo (of which from Junior Aux., $2), $16.50; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., $2), $16.50; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., $1), $36; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil ( of which from Junior Aux., $1), $21; Sp. for Rev. F. W. Neve, Virginia, $10: Sp. for Chinese annex, St. Luke's Hospital, San Francisco, $10; Junior Aux., Gen., $2. AMSTERDAM-St. Ann's: Gen., $141.95; S. S., Gen., $19.05; Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $2; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $8; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $2; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $2: salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., $3), $11; Junior Aux., Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $1.

ASHLAND Trinity Church S. S.
Gen.
ATHENS

Trinity Church: Dom..
$7.05; Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop
Graves, Shanghai, $2; Sp. for Por-
tuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $1;
Junior Aux., salary of Miss Graves,
Shanghai, $1; salary of Miss
McKim, Tokyo, $1.
BOLTON St. Sacrament's:

Gen..

$60.44; S. S.,* Gen., $13.87. BRUSHTON-St. Peter's S. S.*: Dom.. BURNT HILLS Calvary: Wo. Aux.. salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $1: salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $2; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai. $1; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2. CAIRO-Calvary S. S.: Gen. CAMBRIDGE-St. Luke's S. S.*: Gen., $17.77; Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $5; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1.50; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $1.50; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $5

CATSKILL-St. Luke's: Dom., $20 Frn., $41.53; Gen., $68.50; S. S., Gen.. $53.95.. CHAMPLAIN-St. John's: $10, S. S., $15.38, Gen CHARLTON-St. Paul's S. S.*: Gen.. $10: Wo. Aux.. salary of Miss Thackara. Arizona, $1; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $2: salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $1; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2 CHERRY VALLEY-Grace: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $1; salary of Bishop Graves, Shang-. hai (of which from Junior Aux.. $2), $3; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $2.. COHOES-St. John's: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $10; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $10 Girls' Friendly Society. Sp. for Chinese annex, St. Luke's Hospital, San Francisco, California, $5. COLTON-Zion: Miss E.

Clarkson, $100. Miss F. Clarkson, $100, St. John's University, Shanghai; Frn., $12.32; S. S.,' Dom., $10; Frn., $5.05

COOPERSTOWN-Christ Church S. S.: Gen., $22.38; S. S. of Orphan Home of Holy Saviour's,* Gen.. $16.51 Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $5; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $5;

salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $5; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $5 salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $5..

COPAKE IRON WORKS - St. John's: Gen.

DELHI-St. John's: Frn., $51.08; S.

S.. Gen., $30; Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona. $3; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $10; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $10; Sp. for Bishop Griswold, Salina. $45; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $3. DUANESBURG-Christ Church S. S.*:

Gen. EAST SPRINGFIELD -St. Paul's: Wo. Aux.. salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $3; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $1.. FORT EDWARD St. James's: Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $1; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $3; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1.50; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $1.50; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $3. FORT PLAIN-Chapel of the Holy Cross S. S. Gen. FRANKLIN-St. Paul's S. S.: Gen. GILBERTSVILLE-Christ Church: Wo.

Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona (of which Junior Aux., 50 cts.), $5.50; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $5; Junior Aux., salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, 50 cts.; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, 50 cts.. GLOVERSVILLE Christ Church: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $3; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $3... GRANVILLE-Trinity Church: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2; Gen., $5; Junior Aux., salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, 75 cts. ; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, 75 cts.

GREENVILLE-Christ Church: Gen.. HOOSAC-All Saints': Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $2; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $2; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $2; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., $1), $3; Junior Aux., Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $1. HOOSICK FALLS-St. Mark's S. S.*: Rev. Leo Kroll, Honolulu, $20; Gen., 50 cts.; Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $3; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $5; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $2. HUDSON-Christ Church: Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $5; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $6.50; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2.50; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $2.50; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $2.50. ILION St. Augustine's: Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $5; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $10; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $10; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $7; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $7.. JOHNSTOWN-St. John's: Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $2; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $5; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $2; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai. $2; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $7. KINDERHOOK-St. Paul's: Wo. Aux.. salary of Bishop Restarick, Hono

lulu, $2.50; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $2.75; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $2.75; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2.50.. LAWRENCEVILLE-St. Thomas's S. S.*:

Dom.

LUZERNE-St. Mary's S. S.*: Dom., $5; Frn.. $5.13.. MASSENA-St. John's S. S.*: Gen.. $12.85; Wo. Aux., salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $1. MIDDLEVILLE-Memorial S. S.*: Gen... MORRIS-Zion: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $5; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $3; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $3; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $5.

OGDENSBURG-St. John's: Gen. PALENVILLE-Gloria Dei: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $3; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $3

PHILMONT St. Mark's S. S.: Sp. for
Trinity Orphanage, Tokyo.
PORT HENRY-Christ Church S. S.*:
Gen.

POTSDAM-Trinity Church: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $25; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $10; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $2. RENSSELAER-Church of the Messiah S. S.*: Gen..

ROUSE'S POINT-Christ Church S. S.* Gen.

SALEM-St. Paul's: Wo. Aux., salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $1. SANDY HILL-Zion: Dom., $27.66; Gen., $7.22; S. S., Gen., $12.77.. SCHENECTADY Christ Church: Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick. Honolulu. $2: salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2; Sp. for Bishop Kendrick New Mexico and Arizona. $2; Sp. for Bishop McKim, Tokyo, $2.

St. George's: Dom, and Frn., $412.92;
Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara,
Arizona, $5; salary of Bishop Res-
tarick, Honolulu, $5; salary of Miss
McKim, Tokyo, $5; salary of Miss
Graves, Shanghai, $5; salary of
Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $10..
SCHUYLERVILLE-St. Stephen's:
$5; S. S., Gen., $21.90.

Gen.,

Trinity Church: Dom., $8.20; S. S.,* Gen., $6.48. SIDNEY-St. Paul's: Wo. Aux., salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $1... SPRINGFIELD CENTRE-St. Mary's

S.

S. Gen., $7.70; Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $5.. TROY-Ascension: Wo. Aux.. salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $10; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo. $3.50; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $3.50; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., $2), $12; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $2. Holy Cros8: Gen., $116.25; Wo. Aux., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu (of which from Junior Aux.. $8), $10.50; salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona (of which from Junior Aux., $7.50). $17.50; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., $8), $10.50; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo (of which from Junior Aux., $10), $15; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., $10), $15; Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil,

$1; Babies' Branch, Sp. for children's ward, Chinese annex, St. Luke's Hospital, San Francisco, $8.10; Junior Aux.,. Gen., $3.50. St. Barnabas's: Dom., $13.96; Frn., $13.77 St. John's: Dom., $127; Frn., $223; Wo Aux., Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil, $5; Sp. for Miss Thackara (of which from "Mothers," $12, Junior Aux.. $4), $16; Sp. for Bishop Spalding, Utah, $30; Sp. for Chinese annex, St. Luke's Hospital, San Francisco, California (of which from Junior Aux., $5, Miss Smith's S. S. Class, $2), $7; Junior Aux., salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $1; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $1; S. S., salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $20; Infant Class, salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $25.. St. Luke's S. S.*: Gen.. St. Paul's: Gen., $150; S. S.,* Gen., $40; Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona (of which from Girls' Friendly Society, $2), $7; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu (of which from married branch, Girls' Friendly Society, $3), $13; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo (of which from Girls' Friendly Society, $2), $7; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai (of which from Girls' Friendly Society, $2), $7; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai (of which from married branch, Girls' Friendly Society, $3), $13; Sp. for Chinese annex, St. Luke's Hospital, San Francisco, California, $13.11.. (LANSINGBURG)-Trinity Church: $51, S. S., $43.55, Gen. VALLEY FALLS-WO. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $2; salary of Bishop Restarick. Honolulu, $2; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $2; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $2; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2. WALTON- -Christ Church: Frn., $25; S. S..* Gen., $42.09; Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $10; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $10; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $10; Gen., $10; Junior Aux., salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo, $5; salary of Miss Graves, Shanghai, $5. WARRENSBURG-Holy Cross S.S.*: Gen. WATERFORD Grace: Wo. Aux., salary of Miss Thackara, Arizona, $3; salary of Bishop Restarick, Honolulu, $2; salary of Bishop Graves, Shanghai, $2: salary of Miss Graves. Shanghai (of which from Junior Aux., 50 cts.), $2.50; salary of Miss McKim, Tokyo (of which from Junior Aux., 50 cts.), $2.50...... WATERVLIET - Trinity Church: Wo. Aux., Sp. for Portuguese Prayer Book, Brazil.

Gen.,

$3.25; S. S.,* Gen., $16.06. FORREST CITY- Church of the Good Shepherd: Wo. Aux., Gen.. FORT SMITH-St. John's: Gen., $50.75; S. S., Gen., $30.. HELENA-St. John's: Gen., $162.50; S. S., Gen.. $145.40; Wo. Aux., "Helena" scholarship, St. Hilda's School, Wuchang, Hankow, $50. HOPE-St. Mark's: Gen..