to its
charitable uses and purposes." The Will should be attested by three
witnesses.

* * * * *

THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY.

VOL. XLIII. JUNE, 1889. No. 6.

American Missionary Association.

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FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

_The Figures._

Our receipts for seven months to April 30th are, from donations,
$118,051.25, estates, $20,308.09, incomes, $4,829.21, tuition, etc.,
$22,719.89, United States Government for Indians, $9,540.87; total,
$175,449.31. Our payments to April 30th are $203,777.45. Debt balance,
$28,328.14.

_The Meaning of the Figures._

These figures mean a debt--growing at the rate of $4,000 a month. In
passing "through the dark valley and shadow of"--debt, we walk with a
goodly company. It is said that nearly every missionary society in
Christendom reports a deficit this year. A common cause must underlie so
broad a fact, and no one society deserves special censure.

_How we get into Debt._

A missionary society cannot make its expenditures as a man provides for
his family--from day to day--but must lay out its plans for the year.
The missionaries, the teachers, the matrons and all employes must be
engaged for that length of time. The appropriation must be made on the
general expectation of receipts, with some allowance for added growth.
Every prosperous business firm plans for enlargement. Shall the Lord's
business only lack enterprise and growth? Must it move on a dead level,
or on a declining grade? The churches would not long endure that, and
the word of the Lord is: "Speak unto the children of Israel that they go
forward."

_How our Debts are to be Paid._

This cannot be done near the close of the year by dismissing the
ministers and shutting up the schools. These self-sacrificing workers
are dependent on their salaries, and the teachers, some of whom out of
their small pittance are helping to sustain an invalid mother or sister,
and in not a few cases are aiding needy students, and should not be
deprived of their wages. Repudiation of such debts is not the relief for
a missionary society.

The only way, therefore, that we can see is, to throw ourselves upon the
benevolence of the churches, whose agents we are in doing their work,
and ask them to come to the rescue by increased donations. A little from
each will make it easy for all.

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VOICES FROM