fluence of their
presence, to present their message effectively to the people; and thus the
Christians also receive a most useful training in this elementary part of
Christian service.

From time to time special itineracies are conducted by a band of mission
agents who will spend a week or more in traversing a whole region,
preaching in every village and street as they pass along their journey.
These itineracies are conducted in various ways, but are always most
helpful in the evangelization of the district.

Some of the best organized missions are adding emphasis to this work by
devoting missionaries specially to the conduct of it. These men gather
bands of native preachers around them who spend their time and strength in
preaching and in disseminating gospel truth in the neglected regions of
their fields.

Theological seminaries also give a part of their time to this excellent
work. The seminary, with which I am connected, gave, during the year 1900,
five weeks to village work. Teachers and students travelled hundreds of
miles among the villages of the neglected part of the field and carried
the message to more than 50,000 people. This was not only a joyful
service, it was also a most helpful experience to the young students while
undergoing their theological training.

But, as the native Church, in a mission, grows in numbers and in
intelligence, the work of evangelism becomes its special duty. If the
Church does not enter, with added joy and power, into this department of
its work; and if it does not voluntarily assume, with ever increasing
fullness, this form of Christian activity, there is something radically
wrong about it. It should be the prayer and purpose of the missionary that
every church and congregation established by him become a centre of
evangelistic power, whence will radiate divine light and heat into
adjacent hamlets and villages. I am glad to say that, so far as my
observation goes, the native Church is undertaking this work with
increasing zeal and with a growing impulse from within, rather than by
pressure from without. In the Madura Mission, through the Home Missionary
Society and its auxiliaries, and through the organizations of the native
women, at least eighteen men and women are being supported for this
especial work of evangelism. And the number of members of churches, who
engage voluntarily in this work, is every year growing.

The character of this preaching is a matter of importance