2.  The next item of greatest interest relates to our new mission at Tucson, Arizona.  It closed its operations for this fiscal year with the month of May, not because of any decrease of interest, but for the reason that the extreme heat of the summer months at that place forbids exertion, and compels alike in things religious and things secular, a long vacation.  Here, too, an “Association” has been formed of eleven members, who in joining it, forsake idolatry and profess themselves followers of Christ.  The work has been greatly furthered through the deep interest taken in it by the pastor, Rev. H.H.  Cole, and many members of his church.  Yong Jin, one of our evangelists, has spent nearly two months with this mission, and I give in his own language an account of the closing exercises:  “Last evening we had a pleasant time, and invited all of the Sunday-school teachers and some other friends to come to the school-room with us.  It has over forty Americans and over twenty Chinese, make the room full of people.  Our brethren or scholars recite some Scriptures, and I read a report on what I think.”  Then follows his report, from which I quote a few sentences:  “This school was founded on the 24th of January, 1888, and now has twenty-three scholars, but only fourteen or fifteen usual attend.  Several of these scholars have improved greatly.  I think that Mr. J. Kavanagh is a very good teacher, and hope God will give him good health when he goes to Hot Springs.  And also, they had very good and kind Sunday-school teachers, who taught them how to read and sing.  They sing on Wednesday evening, too.  You help our Chinese very much, for which we thank you, and we never will forget you or your kindness.  I think Mr. Cole is a kind and faithful pastor.  He called our Chinese to come to church to hear him pray and preach, and sometimes he came to the school-room, and talked to them and taught them the words of the Lord Jesus.”  The programme for the evening had no less than twenty-six different exercises, each one, of course, brief, but there was much prayer, much singing both in English and Chinese, one or two brief addresses, much reciting of Scripture and to close with, refreshments abundant and toothsome, provided by the pupils for their guests.  The work will be resumed when the heats of summer are past, and I believe that the next year’s work will be even more fruitful than this.

3.  My items become chapters in spite of me.  I must content myself with one more, a brief extract from a letter from Mrs. Carrington, our devoted and successful teacher at Sacramento.  “I asked you a few months ago to pray for Fong Bing.  Through the blessing of God, he has come into the light, and is one of the earnest ones.  Now I wish you to especially remember Lee Young, who wishes to be a Christian, but thinks he must wait till he returns from China.  I hope he will not wait, but will soon be one with us in Christ.”  Will our readers join us in this prayer?