It was at
Los Angeles. The celebration lasts three or four days. The Christian
Chinese observe the festival with Christian ceremonies. In the forenoon,
I was with the Congregational brethren at their rooms in Chinatown.
Their schoolroom was decorated with all the colors and characters of the
native land. A table was spread with fruits and nuts and candies and
cakes and flowers. The Chinese lily was the appropriate New Year's
adornment. The services were prayer, much singing of Moody and Sankey
songs, recitations of Scripture and addresses by their own men and by
visitors. The room was filled with sympathetic touring friends. After
the public service, the goodies of the table were passed around. In the
afternoon, I went to the Presbyterian, and my wife to the United
Presbyterian, service, which was much after the same sort. In the
former, the Rev. Mr. Condit and his wife, who had long ago returned from
China to engage in this work, were the leaders. After the Superintendent
of the Methodist Chinese Sunday-school had spoken, a brother in the
mission, following, called him a good Presbyterian. Although these
foreigners fall into the church order of the people who have led them
into the Jesus way, they recognize these divisions as simply so many
families akin, and so there is a constant visiting and affiliation among
them as Christians. The whole occasion was one to inspire faith in the
Gospel as suited to the needs of our common humanity, and faith in the
beneficent results upon those who have not known of the true God and
Saviour. On the afternoon of the following Sunday, in Dr. Hutchins'
church, I visited the Congregational Chinese Sunday-school,
superintended by a lawyer and taught by members of that parish. Mr.
Dorland, the Superintendent, is giving himself to this work with great
enthusiasm, and his associates share in the same. The thing which
delighted me in Dr. Hutchins' church, and in all this round of our
Chinese Missions, was the fact that the local church is taking these
Chinese of the A.M.A. schools into their fellowship, not only that of
the Sunday-school but of church membership. Whatever views may be held
as to the political economy of exclusion, these Christians seem to
realize that God has brought these pagans to their doors to be cared for
in Christ's name. Mrs. Sheldon and her daughter, the missionaries of the
American Missionary Association, teaching the night-school, serving in
the Sunday-school, and b