just five minutes before the Sunday-school
closed. I was greeted with "Howdy" by the pastor, who is superintendent,
and was requested to speak to the children, while the whole Sunday
school, including twenty-six boys and girls, and seven fathers and
mothers, rose to their feet, indicating their delight to see me.

I was in time to observe one little boy standing on tiptoe to reach up
to the Bible which the minister held open on the table and was teaching
him to read. It was his custom, as he was the only teacher, to call each
one separately, and teach him to read, as well as his ignorance would
allow. This is in advance of their old way of conducting Sunday-school.
Formerly, all the instruction received was from Webster's "blue back,"
and, for the closing exercise, they counted from one to a hundred. The
pastor attended school at Straight University during the past year and
can read a little, but not intelligently. He looks as if he had seen
sixty years or more, and I believe him to be a good man who tries to do
faithful work for the Master so far as he is able. He has built a little
church, mostly with his own hands and out of his own scanty earnings. It
is made of rough boards, but it has a good foundation and the roof is
well shingled. There are no glass windows, but boards like a barn door
hung on hinges serve to let in the light or shut out the cold in winter.

The people are ignorant beyond description. Most of them live in little
huts or cabins on the banks of the canal, getting a scanty living by
working out as they can find places.

Their homes are filthy and uninviting. How much good a missionary could
accomplish by going into their homes and teaching them the true
Christian way of living! The mothers with whom I talked seemed willing,
and even anxious, to know better ways. Any instruction in housekeeping
would be gratefully received, and a sewing class, where cutting and
making plain clothing were taught, would be eagerly accepted. A mothers'
meeting once a week would be more helpful to those barren minds than
words can express. The work is right there, all ready and waiting for
some loving, self-denying Christian woman to take up. Who in the far-off
Northland will say, "Lord, here am I, send me," and who will reach deep
in their pockets and say, "I will give a tenth, yea, even more," for
that which is more is the only true giving? May God open the hearts of
those who have an abundance and to spare, to give