“We are busily at work in this mountain country, and as we think of wider possibilities for the mountain boys, you cannot imagine our gratitude in view of our hopes that a new industrial department will be opened.  It has been the subject of many a prayer in the closet and in teachers’ meetings, and we feel that all that is needed will be supplied according to His riches who gave himself for us.  He has heard our united petitions for a pastor to gather the straying flock and relieve our overworked missionaries.  We held our weekly teachers’ meeting on Friday.  Last evening as we were sitting together as usual, one spoke of the coming pastor, when lo, he was ushered in.  He has really come.  We rejoice in our work, but we see so much just ahead.  I long for the time to come when this interesting people shall be a ‘peculiar’ people in the better sense.”

From a teacher at Jonesboro, Tenn.: 

“Each week brings new accessions to the school:  there are now nearly a hundred enrolled.  All the seats in the primary room are in use, so that when Miss Smith has a full school she has to seat some of her scholars in chairs.  The seats in Miss Page’s room are also full.  We have eight pupils who room here and board themselves.  Four of them come from Scott Co., Va., coming ninety miles.  They are young men and women, but they have had very little opportunity for education.  They are anxious to learn and try to carefully obey the rules of the school.  We hope they will gain much from church and Sunday-school and the influences thrown around them here, as well as the lessons from the school room.  Yesterday we had applications from four others from the same region for accommodations—­a young married man and his little daughter, seven years old—­a young man and a young woman.  We said, ‘Come and we will do our best for you;’ but if others apply we shall have to tell them we are full.  These are just the kind of people we want; eager to learn and willing to do the best they can.”

From a school in North Carolina: 

“Your letter of the 28th, informing us that we can have assistance from the Hand Fund for a certain number of pupils, is received, and we have had a continual thanksgiving ever since.  If I could tell you how the mothers looked when I told them, and if I could put down the tones of their voices as well as their words, you would be sure that the help is appreciated.”

The pastor of the church and teacher of the Theological Department of Straight University writes us: 

“The religious interest has so deepened that for several weeks I have been preaching three times a week.  Four or five prayer meetings have been started by the students of their own accord in each other’s rooms.  Eleven united with us on profession of faith at our last communion, and as many more have made a start at different meetings, and will unite with us at the next communion.  A remarkable feature about the work is the fact that numbers of the older students who are most deeply interested are Roman Catholics.  One young man who united with us is a Spaniard from Matamoras, Mexico, and has been educated as a Roman Catholic.  I believe he may be counted on to do loyal service in his native city.  In this way the A.M.A. is ever doing ‘foreign work,’ and work which I believe will tell in Mexico, Cuba, and the Central American States.