ing, writing or talking about her loved work in China all the time. Everything she did or said but evidenced and emphasized her deep interest in China's millions. My husband asked her to speak a few words concerning the Boxer uprising. Every one naturally expected to hear the Chinese severely criticized for their inhumanity, but not a word fell from her lips that would in anywise reflect on them, and she even pleaded the cause of the Boxers as a skilled advocate would plead in the interest of his client.

All who listened to her burning words were impressed that she was here on a mission. She ceased not to emphasize the great thought that the Lord had sent her here to arouse the Free Methodist church to the necessity of starting a mission in the heart of China. She had been laboring under the auspices of the China Inland Mission, but during these labors she had always kept her membership in the Free Methodist church, and had stood loyally by the principles and usages of the church. Now, she earnestly desired that the church of her choice should take up the work in China, believing that the set time had fully come.

When she returned from the east, preparatory to her embarking with the Misses Graves and Meyers for China, I saw she was much worn. Many candidates had offered themselves and were ready to go to China with her as a result of her burning exhortations. While these could not all be sent, Miss Laura Millican, who since Miss Leffingwell's death has gone to help fill up the gap in China, was first impressed that she should go to this coun

try by dear Clara's loving pleadings. But such continual speaking and extensive traveling had told upon her, and it seemed to us that she needed rest and must have it before undertaking the journey to China. We entreated her to stay with us at the Seminary and recuperate. When I pleaded with

her to stay and finally urged the danger of her dying if she did not take rest, she said in her sweetest manner, with a smile, "Why, Sister Beers, it would not matter at all if God should take me home. I have done just what He told me to do, the mission in China will be successful anyway. must take these two young ladies to China, locate the station, and I must not stop. I must not tarry." It seemed then, and more so since our dear one was

I

called away, that she had a premonition that she was nearing home. We could not induce her to stay. The nurse was dismissed the day before she sailed, but she was weak and quite helpless when she embarked. Her throat was very sore, and it was with great difficulty that she could swallow anything but liquids. We feared that she would not live to reach her dear China, but God kept her until her work was perfectly accomplished, and then took His tired child to be with Him at rest.

When we kissed her good-by on the boat we felt that we should never see her again in this life. Her parting words were an exhortation for all to pray that China might be redeemed. This was the passion of her soul, and we believe that she is now helping to carry on this work by augmenting the unseen forces for the evangelization of the country for which she gladly sacrificed her life. She is dead, yet her influence was never so great as now.

Clara's dead? "Say the same of the sunshine,
When evening comes over the hill;

Say music is dead when in slumber
The hand of the player is still.
Behold the dim splendor has broken,
In morning eternal and calm,
And listen! the player is sweeping

The chords of an infinite psalm."

MRS. ADELAIDE BEERS.

Seattle, Washington.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

TRIBUTES- -CONCLUDED.

The tributes in this chapter are from missionaries of the China Inland Mission who were more or less associated with Miss Leffingwell.

FROM J. W. STEVENSON.

Miss Leffingwell arrived in China in connection with the China Inland Mission on January 30, 1896, and after a period at our Ladies' Training Home at Yangchow, proceeded to the distant province of Yun-nan, West China, where she gave herself with whole heart to the work of studying the language and preaching the gospel. She remained there until she had to leave on account of the Boxer uprising in 1900. All who knew Miss Leffingwell testified to her consecrated and unselfish life. She stayed for a time in Shanghai during the terrible days of 1900, and then went into the province of Kiang-si, where she labored until she left on furlough.

I was always impressed with Miss Leffingwell's steadfastness of purpose and whole-hearted surrender of all her powers and energies to the building up of the kingdom of God. The field in which

she labored in Yun-nan has always been a very diffi cult and discouraging one as far as results are con· cerned, but our sister, notwithstanding this, kept steadily on and was faithful to the Lord and to the commission which He had given to her to preach the gospel in the regions beyond.

I had a good deal of intercourse with her when she returned to China in connection with the founding of the Free Methodist Mission, and it was always a pleasure to have fellowship with her. One realized what a high ideal she had set before herself as a missionary, and how strenuously she strove to attain that ideal, regardless of what it might cost, in order that she might fulfil her ministry.

Her removal on July 16, 1905, from the work that she loved so much, was indeed a great loss to China; but the Master whom she served so earnestly was satisfied with the work she had done "in His name" on earth, and in His infinite wisdom He called her to higher service in His own immediate presence. I am sure that her prayers for China and for the work which she had the privilege of initiating in connection with your church in Cheng Chow, will be abundantly answered, and that her life will be a stimulus to those who remain, and who will follow her to reap where she has sown. Believe me, with kindest Christian regards, yours in the Master's service,

China Inland Mission, Shanghai,

J. W. STEVENSON,

Deputy Director.