The hard times and the difficulty of the mountain people to get clothing is illustrated in the following, which comes to us in a recent missionary letter from this mountain field: 

“There would have been much more suffering had it not been for the clothing which has gone out from this school.  When seven chickens bring only thirty-five cents the poor mountain people do not have much chance.”

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A pastor of the Association among our American Highlanders writes as follows:  “This has been a most blessed and glorious season of refreshing.  In the bounds of my work this fall and winter I have held and assisted in meetings which have in all resulted in something more than 100 hopeful conversions.  My work now is especially to care for and look after the welfare of these precious souls lately brought to Christ and to give as much time as possible to my studies.”

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INDIAN WORK.—­Our friends will remember the appeal made by Rev. James F. Cross, of Rosebud Agency, S.D., at our annual meeting at Elgin, Ill., for a chapel to be built at Cedar Butte, S.D.  President Gates, moved by the appeal, took it up so enthusiastically that nearly $400 came from him and other generous givers.  The Indians drew the logs and have just erected the chapel under the direction of Superintendent Cross.  A note just received from the field contains the following, which abundantly proves the wisdom of opening this new station at Cedar Butte and helping the Indians in the erection of their church:  “Last week I was up to Cedar Butte church.  It was the first time since it was built that I have been there for service.  I received two young men into the church.  It was a warm day and the thermometer has not been ten degrees away from zero, except to go thirteen below, since.”  This chapel at Cedar Butte is the center of a new work, and this message brings the hopefulness of the field.

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“We received five grown persons to our church fellowship on Sunday, and two children were baptized.  Three Christian Indian families were constituted by Christian marriage at the same time.  Praise God!” So writes Supt.  C.L.  Hall, of Fort Berthold Indian Mission, N.D.

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ARE THEY GRATEFUL?

REV.  CHAS. F. SARGENT, THOMASVILLE, GA.

Very often we are asked if the people among whom we labor are grateful for the work that is done for and among them—­whether there is self-denial on their part in helping themselves in church and school work.

It is very important that we should have some expression on their part in regard to this.  There are many incidents in which grateful acknowledgment is made.  A few incidents will best answer the above question.

A little more than a mile from here there lives in an almost uninhabitable cabin an old lady who is called “Aunt Eliza.”  I saw her first one cold day last winter, when I called and found her in bed sick with pneumonia.  We ministered unto her as we best could, providing medicine, food and clothing.