and Bishop McKim, of the American Episcopal Church, was present part of the time and occupied a seat on the platform. Many missionaries from China, who are finding a temporary home in Japan, were also present and made advisory members.

Dr. J. D. Davis, of the American Board Mission, who has done such long and effective service in Japan, was elected chairman of the Conference; and Dr. Imbrie (Presbyterian), Rev. Spencer (Methodist), and Rev. An drews (Episcopal), were elected vice presidents. These officers presided with becoming dignity and fairness, and the business of the convention was dispatched in an orderly man

ner.

IMPORTANT SUBJECTS CONSIDERED. The subjects of discussion were all of paramount importance in mission work, and excited much interest. One of the best things of the whole Conference was the opening paper, a thesis by Dr. Davis on "Our Message". He spoke first of our general message, to the nation at large, and to the Christian Church, reminding us that while Japan has reformed her educational system, her laws and courts, her method of government, and her whole material civilization, she has left untouched the moral basis of her national life. No effort whatever has been made to supply the great moral need. This lack is now recognized by many Japanese educators ard statesmen, but nothing substantial is being done to supply it. A part of our general message is to show the connection between morality and civilization, and to strive to have moral and intellectual culture go hand in hand. Our homes are to give a silent but strong message in regard to monogamy and purity, child culture, divorce, etc. We also have a message in regard to the evils of strong drink, the sacredness of truth, and the importance of fidelity to trust, which is much needed in this land. Our geteral

Y. M. C. A. BUILDING, TOKYO.

message to the native church is to witness for the divinity of Christ, the integrity of the Bible, and the importance of the Sabbath. But the chief part of our message is the direct Gospel Message-Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. We are to preach to the masses of the Japanese peop'e the great doctrines of God, Man, Sin and Savior; and the latter is to be the objective point of all our preaching. We must make everything press towards this one end, to win sou's for Christ, to pluck them as brands from the burning.

Another valuable paper was an historical one, tracing the outward growth and development of mission work in Japan from the last Conference in 1883 down to the present time. This paper, in addition to Dr. Verbeck's admirable historical sketch read at the Osaka Conference, which is to be published with it, will make every valuable material for the future historian of the Christian Church of Japan.

The great questions of Evangelistic and Educational work were duly considered, and each was recognized as having its proper place in the sphere of missionary activity. But I think the Evangelistic work was first in the hearts of the majority, and there was a general feeling that the Educa

tional work must come after and be subsidiary. It was shown that the whole country is open to Evangelistic work more than ever before, and that the masses of the people are favorably disposed towards the missionary and evangelist. Reports on the educational branch of the work showed most of the missionary schools to be in a flourishing condition, and to have a hopeful outlook before them. The reactionary legislation of the educational authorities last year is practically null and void. It called forth such a unanimous protest from press and people that it has gradually been permitted to sink into "innocuous desuetude", and the position of the schools is growing more and more favorable. A few speakers affirmed that the unfriendly legislation has actually worked great good to the cause of Christian education.

There were some interesting discussions of special mission fields within the empire. Rev. Mr. Thompson told of the work in the Loochoo Islands, with which he has been connected for eight years, pointing out the peculiar difficulties of the field, and the whitening harvest. In speaking of the traditions of the people he said that they have in their folklore the story of the Garden of Eden. Rev. Mr. Bachelor told us of the Ainu of the north, with whom he has lived for twenty-two years. They are the aboriginal tribes of Japan, and only a few thousand of them are now left. At first they were very slow to accept Christianity, but now the work is making rapid progress among them. The venerable speaker brought out an interesting fact about this curious people, z. e., they ask a blessing before meals, very much as Christians do but it seems that the prayer is said to the food itself, as to a god.

There was an interesting paper on Biblical Revision, by Bishop Fyson, and this subject called forth much discussion. While the style of the present translation seems to be generally acceptable, there is a feeling that in many places it does not well represent the meaning of the original text. Some speakers thought there should be a revision while the older missionaries now living can assist in the work; but others took the position that the time is not yet ripe for it. It seems that the matter shou'd be delayed until there are sufficient Greek and Hebrew scholars in the native churches

to take a prominent part in the translation themselves.

The general subject of Christian literature was fully discussed, and the importance of this branch of the work duly emphasized. While there are many Christian periodicals published in Japan, and new books and tracts are appearing each year, they were said to be second class, both as to matter and style; and it was urged that the various missions appropriate a certain sum for creating and circulating literature of a better order, and set apart specially qualified men to devote themselves to this particular branch of the work.

There was considerable discussion on the subject of self-support in the native churches. All recognized the importance of self-support, and the desirability of attaining it. A few voices spoke out right radically in favor of "knocking the props out" from under the work, and letting it stand alone, or fall; but the greater part were in favor of caution, and of gradual training and development in this direction. The churches are even now slowly moving towards self-support, and it would be a pity to interfere with their progress and hamper all our work by unduly emphasizing this principle at the present time.

There were many other interesting discussions before the Conference, bringing out helpful facts and ideas, but we cannot write of them here. All who wish to see them can find them in full in the report, soon to be published by the Methodist Publishing House in Tokyo.

OFFICIAL RESOLUTIONS.

Some recommendations passed by the Conference are of particular importance at this time. First, there was a resolution stating it to be the opinion of the body that a strong mission force should be maintained in this field, and that the various boards should earnestly endeavor to send out such new men as their representatives on the ground may ask for. Some were in favor of a much stronger resolution than this, asking the home churches to double their foreign force here; but in view of the great demand for new men which will soon come from China, and the crying need of other fields, it seemed best to the majority simply to assert that the present force should be carefully maintained, and new men be

asked for to occupy a few more strategic points.

Another important official act was the passing of a resolution calling the attention of Christian philanthropists to the need of permanent endowment for some of the leading mission schools in Japan, so that they may be put on a firmer basis, and enabled to add a collegiate course to their present academic courses. There was a general feeling that three or four good Christian colleges, with curricula and equipment equal to those of the government colleges, are greatly needed in Japan.

A strongly worded resolution was passed urging the necessity of united and harmonious action among the different mission bodies. Mission comity already prevails here to a gratifying extent; but to many comity seemed too weak a word, and they

would have been pleased to see steps taken looking toward organic unity. The Conference wisely limited itself to an expression of the desirability of as united and harmonious action as is possible under the circumstances.

A resolution lamenting the present comparative disregard of the Lord's Day by the Japanese churches, and recommending that a Sabbath Observance Union be formed to secure a better observance of this day was unanimously adopted.

It was also recommended that all bodies working in Japan use common statistical blanks, and a committee was appointed to prepare a suitable one.

GENERAL IMPRESSIONS.

All who were present at the Conference were impressed by the deep spiritual tone

of the meetings. The committee in charge sent out a card to all missionaries in Japan some weeks before the time of meeting, requesting daily prayer for God's blessing upon the Conference, which was generally complied with; during the sessions there were three or four early morning prayermeetings in different parts of the city for divine guidance and blessing; and in answer to all these prayers God poured out His Spirit on the meetings in a wonderful manner. One hour of the Conference was given each day to devotional exercises, at which time a leader appointed beforehand read a paper on some phase of the spiritual life, which was followed by general prayer and praise; and to many this devotional hour was the best part of the day. I think one result of the meetings was that all of the missionaries returned to their homes with a deep longing for more spiritual life and power, first for themselves, and then for their little bands of Christians.

I was particularly impressed by the optimistic spirit of the Conference. Hardly one minor chord was struck or a discouraged voice heard. There was a frank recognition of the great difficulties of the field, and of the unsatisfactoriness of present conditions; but all seemed to be living in hope and expectation that God has an abundant harvest in store for them in Japan. They

seemed to have something of the spirit of Carey, in that they asked great things of God, and waited to receive great things from God.

The general spirit of fraternity and harmony which prevailed in the Conference was especially pleasing. Many men were gathered there, representing many societies, and holding very divergent beliefs; but all divisive denominational ideas were kept in the background, and a feeling of brotherly love and harmony prevailed from the first to the last. It was a practical illustration of the large degree of Christian unity that has already been attained in Japan.

A very gratifying feature of the Conference was the fact that it had the interest and sympathy of the leading Japanese Christians of to-day. The Hon. Kenkichi Kataoka, President of the House of Representatives, appeared on the platform and delivered a short address. The Hon. Ando Taro, President of the Temperance Society of Japan, spoke to the missionaries on Temperance, and its relation to Christian work. The former President of the Doshisha, Rev. Kozaki; the present President of the same institution, Rev. Hirotsu; and President Ibuka, of the Meiji Gakuin were present and made addresses, some in Japanese and some in English. Many of the leading pastors of Tokyo a'so attended the meetings.

This Eutychus is the father of all such as fall asleep under sermons. And he well deserves all his fame, for he fell sound asleep under an action sermon of the Apostle Paul. We do not know how much there may have been to be said in exculpation or extenuation of Eutychus and his deep sleep during that sacrament service.

The sacred writer does not in as many ⚫ words take it upon himself to blame the apostle for his too long sermon that night. Though what he does say, so emphatically and so repeatedly, would be unpardonable blame to any other preacher. What blame, indeed, could be more unpardonable to any From The Christian Leader.

of your preachers than what the apo tle was guilty of that night? The like of it has never been seen since that night. To keep his hearers from the time of lighting the cand'es till the sun rose next morning! Matthew Henry would like to have the heads of Paul's sermon that night. But my idea is that Paul had no heads that night. My idea is that as soon as the candles were lighted Paul recited his warrant for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, as we now read that warrant from his pen in First Corinthians, after which he wou'd enter on the nature and the ends of the Supper, which would take some time to explain and exhaust. He wou'd then diverge to tell the

Troas people the never-ending story of how he came to be a catechumen and a communicant himself at first. He would then go on to the mystical union that subsists between Jesus Christ and all true communicants, during the deep things of which Eutychus fell fast asleep. And then, even after the accident to Eutychus, Paul was still so full of matter and of spirit, that he actually went on with his post-communion address till the sun rose on the cups still standing on the table, and on the elders standing beside them, and Paul still pouring out his heart from the pulpit.

Now, notwithstanding Paul's example, all our preachers should, as a rule, be short in their sermons. In Luther's excellent portrait of a good preacher, one of that preacher's nine virtues and qualities is this, that he should know when to stop. So he should. Only, you have no idea how fast the pulpit clock goes when a preacher has anything still on his mind that he wishes to say. It was Dr. Parker who first impressed me with how much good matter could be put into the space of an hour. At the same time every sermon is not to be cut according to the sand glass, nor according to the restless watch of every half-asleep hearer. . .

....

But, another thing. Paul did not have his manuscript before him that night, and that circumstance was partly to blame for the too great length of his sermon. I will take an illustration of that night in Troas from myself. When I am in Paul's circumstances, that is to say, when I have only once the opportunity to preach in any place, I never on such an occasion read my sermon from a paper. I just give out the text that I am myself living upon at that time, and then I speak out of such a heart as is given to me at that moment. But the danger of such preaching is just that which Luther has pointed out-I never know when to stop. Just as Paul did not know when to stop that night. And just as Luther himself, not seldom, exceeded all bounds. Without a paper not one preacher in a hundred knows when to stop. He forgets to look at the clock till it is far too late. With a paper, and with nothing more to say than is down on the paper, you stop at the moment. But without a paper, and with your mind full of matter, and your heart full of feeling, you go on till midnight.

That was Paul's exact case. If this was

not his first and only sermon at Troas, it was certainly his last. The apostle would never see those people again till the day of judgment; and who shall blame him if he completely forgot the sand-glass, and poured out his heart all night upon that entranced congregation? At the same time, and after all is said, Luther is quite right. A good preacher should know when to stop.

But, then, there are two sides to all that also. And your side is this. I never see any of you fall asleep at a municipal or a political election time. No, not though the speaking goes on till midnight. And, yet, I do not know that the oratory of the candidates and their friends is so much better than the oratory of the pulpit. But this is it. Your own passions are all on fire in politics, whereas you are all so many Laodiceans in religion. Yea, what carefulness your politics work in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what revenge. So much so, that the poorest speaker on the party platform will have no difficulty in keeping your blood up to the boiling point. At the same time, I frankly admit, few preachers preach with the passion, and with the issues at stake, that the politicans, or even the playactors, speak. And thus, on the whole, the sum of the matter is this: that, what between too long sermons, and too cold, the blame lies largely at every preacher's door.

And then, even more than our sermons, our prayers should be short; our pulpit prayers, that is. You may be as long as you

like in secret, but not in public. Bishop Andrewes, the best composer of prayers in all the world of prayers, is not short. His prayer on the first day of the week occupies fifteen pages of the edition I make constant use of myself. His prayer for the second day of the week covers eight pages. His three prayers on awaking take up six pages, his horology five, his four acts of deprecation eleven, and so on. But, then, these not short prayers are printed in his "Private Devotions," which his trustees could scarcely read, so kneaded into a pulp were they with Andrewes's sweat and tears. And no wonder, if you knew his history. Law, on the other hand, was short and exact in his secret devotions. But then, to make up for that, he was so incomparably methodical, so regular, so punctual, and so