On Monday morning the council listened to reports from the field, and then adjourned.  We were now soon on our way home.  About sundown we reached the river opposite Oahe, but it was very much swollen and rapid.  While we sat on the bank and ate supper from what remained in our provision boxes, we saw the young man who was to bring a boat across for us, struggling against the current.  As he seemed unable to cross, we began preparations for spending the night there under the clear sky, but at last he succeeded in crossing in a little boat, and by much hard work and skillful rowing, taking two each time, Mr. T.L.  Riggs was able before midnight to land most of us on the other side in safety, though the swift current and much driftwood made this somewhat hazardous.  The rest made themselves as comfortable as possible without tents, and came over in the morning.

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INDIAN MISSION COLLECTIONS.

Not long ago a collection for benevolent purposes was taken among the Indians in the church at Fort Berthold.  Supt.  Hall, of the American Missionary Association, writes the following: 

“The collection amounts to $15.02, and will be increased by out-stations.  There were about twenty Indians in the congregation, and as all were not there a messenger was sent to have another collection taken in the evening at the meeting at Deacon Many Bears’ house.  Our people are always ready to give what they can.  The boys and girls of the school, thirty-eight in number, all took a hand, giving of their allowances or earnings.  Little lame Bertha wrote her name down for eleven cents, which was the ‘widow’s mite’ with her.  The names of some of the Indian contributors are:  Red Fox, Strieby Horn, Little Eagle, Andrew Crow, Fighting Bear, Mrs. Two Bears, Mrs. Rough Horn, Mrs. Jack Rabbit and Louisa Crow Tail.

“The Sunday was a cold one, ten degrees below zero, and some of our leading members were camping out on their way with food supply from Minot, sixty miles north over a trackless waste of snow.  One Monday morning Andrew Crow came in on horseback, with the result of the previous evening’s contribution.  We get little change here, so we put down the amount to be given on paper, and settle the account as we can by exchanges or work.  We do not have many unpaid subscriptions.”

Such facts as these abundantly prove that our Indian Christians are realizing the responsibility upon them to assist with their means in these great missionary movements.  If all the churches in the land would give according to their ability as generously as did this Indian church on the prairie, not one of our benevolent societies would need suffer.

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THE CHINESE.

* * * * *

“THE PRESENT DISTRESS.”

BY REV.  W.C.  POND, D.D.

It is everywhere, and if in our little corner we feel the first impulse to murmur, we hear, forthwith, from the great apostle:  “There hath no trial taken you but such as is common to man.”  And yet the trial is none the less severe, the distress is none the less intense, because it is universal.  It may be that “misery likes company,” though I could never see why, but in this instance I can truly say, would that we suffered alone!