●ver even a small earthquake occurred, to whitewash the inside and paint red the outside, so that we need not represent Christianity as being dirty as well as poor and ugly. But unless help comes from America, there is no hope for a new church. May we not have a few

crumbs from the tables spread so bountifully with beauty and comfort, with which to nourish our little flock of new believers? We have faith that the generosity and sense of proportion of the people at home will not fail us.

A

SMALL but enthusiastic conference, organized and managed by Mr. E. M. Camp, president of

the Seabury Society, met for two weeks in August at St. Faith's School, Poughkeepsie. The fact that all. were sheltered under one roof resulted in a correspondingly close spirit of fellowship, and the fact that the membership represented a greater proportion of students than in previous years, made possible for leaders to use a more thorough course of instruction than has been possible heretofore.

The Rev. Dr. Samuel Hart gave a most interesting and valuable course of lectures upon its structure and growth, of the Book of Common Prayer. The Rev. Pascal Harrower, of the New York Sunday-school Commission, gave an equally interesting series of lectures on Sunday-school work, and the department of "Church Economics" was covered by Mr. Camp.

The "Mission Study Department" consisted of two classes. Miss Elizabeth Houghton taught last year's course on China to those who had not already studied it, and the Educational Secretary of the Board of Missions conducted

a normal study class for those wishing instruction as to the method of teaching the new foreign course recommended for 1908-9. The text book for this course was "The How and Why of Missions," for which special chapters on the administration of the Board of Missions and of the policies of the native churches in our foreign fields are being prepared.

The Rev. Harvey Officer, of the Order of the Holy Cross, had charge of the devotional side of the conference. Under his leadership its religious feeling was deepened as the conference progressed, and the intellectual side of the gathering was given the necessary motive and guidance.

The Woman's Auxiliary was represented by Miss Grace Lindley. Her talk on "Prayer and Missions" was felt by all to be one of the most helpful of the whole conference. There were addresses by returned missionaries at the open-air evening sessions, and in this way the vision of the needs of the mission field rounded out the instruction of the day.

About fifty people attended the conference, from fifteen dioceses, and most of them returned to their homes with definite plans for utilizing the instruction and information gained.

For the first step taken by the Belgium Government toward a great reform in the Congo State.1

For the growing missionary purpose of the Church as evidenced by larger offerings of life and of money.2

For the promise of enlargement and success with which the new fiscal year opens.

INTERCESSIONS

"That it may please Thee❞—

To bless the labors of all who are preaching the Gospel in our western land, especially the Bishop of Idaho, with the clergy and people of Idaho and Wyoming. Page 765.

To prosper the Church in Kanazawa, Japan, that it may be as a light to lead many people to a knowledge of Thy truth. Page 770.

To send helpers to the aid of the mission staff at Ichang, and to put it into the hearts of Thy people to give for the enlargement of the work. Page 788.

I

The

T would have given me great pleasure if many of those who have been so generous in their support of the work in the Far West could have been with me on a tour through Idaho and Wyoming covering more than 5,000 miles, of which perhaps 700 miles had to be taken by stage. Idaho and Wyoming have many characteristics in common. Both are in the heart of the Rockies. Their population is of a heterogeneous character, but mainly American. people are employed in ranching, farming, fruit raising, mining, stock raising and supplying the general needs of the population which forms the nucleus of the business life of the small towns scattered along the railways. The country is picturesque and healthful. Many of the mountains rise to a height of from 10,000 to 14,000 feet and form the great "Continental Divide." Wyoming is largely on the eastern side of this divide; Idaho is on the Pacific slope. The dry

ness of the atmosphere prevents any great suffering from the high temperatures of summer or the cold of winter. The population is scattered so that it is difficult to administer the work from a missionary standpoint. On the other hand, the enormous tracts that are being reclaimed from desert conditions by large governmental and individual irrigation enterprises will furnish homes for numbers of people. Both states are growing very rapidly in population. This furnishes a great inspiration to the Church's work and urges the bishop in charge to do all in his power to keep abreast with the commercial development of the country.

Starting from Boisé I first visited the mining camps in the Owyhee Mountains, sixty miles south, where for many years gold and silver mining has been carried on. After a stage ride of thirty miles across the sage-brush hills one begins to climb these mountains, where are situ

COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE IS TUNNELLING THE HILLS

ated the little towns of Silver City, Dewey and De Lamar. Long years ago Bishop Tuttle visited these places when they were in their youthful vigor. We have at Silver City a nice church which was built and paid for some years ago. In this church I had the pleasure of speaking to a large congregation, and the same evening had services at De Lamar, nine miles distant. It is impossible to keep a clergyman resident in these communities where necessarily the population is constantly changing. Often the bishop's visit is the only touch they have with ordered religious life in the course of the year.

If one

could have been with me on this visit and seen the hearty greeting, I am sure there could have been but one conclusion, and that is that the work of the Church counts for a great deal even under such

disadvantages as arise from irregular services.

Starting from Boisé on our journey to northern Idaho I was accompanied by Mrs. Funsten, who rejoiced with me at the prospect of two months to be spent in visiting small towns and communities and cheering our Church people, unable to enjoy the services of the Church they love so well. There is no railroad running north and south in Idaho. The state is very mountainous. Its general formation makes railroad construction very difficult, especially in the direction indicated. To reach northern Idaho we had to go west 300 miles to Umatilla in Oregon on the Columbia River. We then turned north through Washington to Moscow, in the "panhandle" of Idaho. Moscow is the seat of the University of Idaho. We stayed several days and tried to visit all the people interested in our Church. It was touching to see their gladness at the thought of having the church regularly opened for service once more. I feel a special interest in this place because between three and four hundred young men and women assemble at the university from all parts of Idaho. A clergyman of the right sortthat is, a wideawake, aggressive, sympathetic kind of man-would be able to do an untold amount of good. We have had no clergyman here for over a year; the church has been closed and they have had no services except those given by myself and someone who made an occasional visit at my request. As someone said, "It does seem a pity for the Church to be losing such a great opportunity for the lack of the right kind of man." As I stood on one of the hills near Moscow and looked over at the university buildings and then down at the town of 5,000 people, it made me sad to see the little church that is failing to do the work it might do under the earnest guidance of a consecrated man. There was a good congregation at our service, and Mrs. Funsten, as president of the Woman's Auxiliary, after the service held a meet

ing for the women and remarked that she did not know when she had seen such an earnest set of wideawake women capable of good work for the Master under proper conditions. We must do all we can for this important town.

The journey to Lewiston took us only a few hours, and carried us along one of the most picturesque canyons in all this country. The town is situated at the juncture of the Clearwater and Snake rivers and is destined to be a community of great importance. Just across the river rise the great walls of the canyon and the serpentine road takes one 2,000 feet above the town to the rolling plain known as the "Palouse Country," one of the most productive wheat raising sections in the whole world. The location of Lewiston in the sheltered and fertile valley makes it the centre of a very important fruit raising country, and large irrigation enterprises are resulting in bringing much semi-arid land into cul

767

tivation. There are probably 8,000 people in Lewiston. The Rev. Mr. Somerville is doing excellent work. During his ministry a handsome rectory has been erected on lots secured some years ago when the Rev. Everett P. Smith had charge of the work at this point. The church is located in the valley. As the rectory is upon what is known as a "bench," and as the population is rapidly moving in the latter direction, it is only a matter of time when the church will be located near the rectory.

We had a cordial reception, the people turning out in large numbers at the rectory to meet us, and at the service next day the church was well filled. I confirmed the class which the rector presented. Lewiston must ultimately be one of the most important points. in Idaho and is well worth any attention the Church may give to it. The only pity is that years ago we did not acquire more property in all these towns because