Extracts from the Tenth Annual Report of the Executive Committee of Friends of Indiana Yearly Meeting, on Foreign Missions.

DUTY FROM A GEOGRAPHICAL STANDPOINT.

Let us place a map of the western hemisphere before us and look at the position of Mexico, and learn from it if we can a lesson of duty and of Christian economy. Mexico borders on our country, the United States, along a boundary line of eighteen hundred miles, and does not touch any other country capable of giving her Christian help. On her east is the Gulf of Mexico, on her west and south the Pacific Ocean, and a comparatively short land boundary on Central America, a country behind Mexico in Christianization. It is thousands of miles away over the ocean to any other considerable seat of the Protestant religion. Whose duty is it, then, to carry the open Bible and a pure Christianity into Mexico? Looking at the subject from a geographical standpoint, does not the finger of Providence seem to point towards the Christian people of the United States? When Nehemiah rebuilded the walls of Jerusalem, each man worked on the part of the wall over against his own house, and in this way all the wall was builded. Shall we not apply this lesson to our relations to Mexico?

We gratefully acknowledge the services of our dear friend, Isaac Sharp, rendered by his visit to Matamoras and our other stations in Mexico.

Feeling the need of exact information, concerning the habits of life in Mexico, and the past and present habits of life of our members, a series of Queries were sent.

Among the replies are the following:

Most of our members are very punctual at meeting, and bring their families, or part of them, each time. The Bible is read in all, or most of their homes, and in about one-third of them with a season of prayer. These families exert a marked influence for good on those around them. At Gomez Farias all is different, as we work there among the Huastic Indians. More weaknesses are 'manifest, as well as more ignorance. At all other points there is much the same state of things as at Matamoras. In general, it is the intelligent, read ing class, who join us.

THE OUTLOOK

Is encouraging. Emigration and commercial depression, which we believe will be but temporary, have for a time lessened our work at Matamoras. National poverty has in some measure cut off the demand for our school books, but on the other hand, our schools are more flourishing than ever before. They are better systematized, and details are more thoroughly looked after. What is possible, is to establish a boarding school at Matamoras, with a suitable complement of teachers, in order to qualify native laborers and teachers, and to es tablish a school wherever we have a mission.

OUR RELIGIOUS WORK.

This year has been a year of rearrangement, and preparing for future labor. We are reaching

both the readers and laborers, and with earnest consecrated Friends from the North, and earnest consecrated Mexican Friends, we look forward to the present year as a time for fresh effort for the direct spread of sound Christian doctrine, and gathering to the Lord, by the power of the Gospel, many who have walked in darkness.

OUR PUBLISHING HOUSE.

A new press has been purchased, at an expense of $500, and is now at work under the care of S. A. Purdie. Remember, "It is the intelligent, reading class (in most places) who join us;" those moral power; the failure of ritualism as a satisfying power, and the failure of human priesthood as a power to elevate a people to a Christian standard, and to furnish a nation with such secular and reli gious instruction as will permit it to take its place and rank among other nations, where the Christian religion in its freedom, and education in its breadth, will permit the healthful development of national

who have witnessed the failure of Romanism as a

characteristics.

Our Publishing House, in its issues of religious books, pamphlets, tracts and papers, in its excellent series of school books, leavened with the truths of divine revelation, is a great success.

Its text books are accepted in the schools of Mexico, and a considerable number of books and tracts are sent to every Spanish Republic except Costa Rica, to some of the countries of South America, and not a few to Spain itself. We have

thoroughly presented this matter in our report of last year, to which we refer Friends.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL AT MATAMORAS. During six months of the present year, as well as the last three months of 1883, the school was in charge of Margarito Toscano, and difficulties which arose between him and our missionaries as well as native members, rendered him far from satisfactory, though his ability as a teacher was an established fact. He refused to release us from the contract, and thus had charge until the close of the term in Sixth month last. Since then it has been in charge of our friend Wm. A. Walls, and has rapidly increased until out-stepping the capacity of our present school building. The following report shows the prospects in this portion of the work :

The school has been in session 39 days. We have now 45 names on the roll, and have had an aggregate of 1008, or an average of 26; the average during the first four weeks being 22, during the second month, 30, and this week 36, so that the increase in numbers has been steady and continuous. We could reach a good many more families if the school accommodations were improved; as it is, there are neither seats for new pupils, who wish to enter, nor a place to put the seats if we had them. We have but one very small black-board, and that almost useless.

The progress has been as great as could have been expected in the time.

We could have sixty scholars in the boys' day

school, and forty or more in the Bible-school, if a suitable school-room were provided.

REPORT OF THE BIBLE-SCHOOL.

The school had dwindled considerably towards the close of last year, owing to the commercial decay of Matamoras, and the removal of a large part of our membership to other points. The average attendance during the autumn and eariy winter months was about thirty; but from the time that Julia Ballinger began teaching in the girls' school the attendance increased, and the gain has been continuous. There were seventy-two children and adults present last First-day, sixty-seven the week before, and sixty-five two weeks ago. The average attendance has been about fifty during the present year, but considerably more since the boys' school re-opened.

There is an increasing interest in Bible study, many of the questions show deep thought; and the leader often finds that he is not the teacher. The Bible is more read at home than ever before, and not only is there an increasing love for the contents of the sacred book, but which is far better, many, if not all of our members, are trying to bring their lives into conformity with its teachings.

THE PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT

Has continued to form the most engrossing department of our work, and notwithstanding the fact that financial difficulties have cut short our sales, and in consequence greatly crippled our work, yet our school books continue to be used where they had been introduced, and sales have during the closing weeks been improving. We have been so short of funds that no pictures have been purchased for "El Ramo de Olivo" during the year; and except a few received by exchange with the "Morning Star" and "Olive Leaf," we have been obliged to reproduce those formerly used. Yet every month shows us more and more conclusively the increasing usefulness of our paper as a means for spreading Gospel truth in all Spanish America. "La Luz del Pueblo," which we issued last fall, has awakened great interest in Central and South America, and the Catholic papers are attempting to answer the strong arguments of Chiriboga, whom they look upon as a new Luther.

Our issues are over one million pages, and the expense incurred has in part been met by donations for special work by the Mosher fund and by Friends of Philadelphia. The sale of books (mostly school books) has been about $350, or less than half what it was last year; but we are certain that this is not by other books having supplemented our own, but the want of school funds throughout the Republic. The closing month has been noted for increased sales, which we hope will continue.

For Friends' Review,

LAW AND CONSCIENCE.

A REMINISCENCE OF THE CIVIL WAR.

A distinguished writer on Political Science has said, "There are no moralists who do not hold that if the last antecedent before action is a conviction that the action ought not to take place, it is wrong. That is, whether, objectively considered, the action be wrong or right, it is wrong to him who proposes it with such a conviction. This is the rule of the

Apostle Paul: To him that esteemeth anything

to be unclean, to him it is unclean.' 'Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' So then individuals must follow their consciences, and States must follow theirs. If the Quaker believes that according to that law of ChristSwear not at all,' he may not take an oath as a witness or juror, he must resist and suffer, if the State in so trifling a matter should carry out its authority."

There is no doubt that at this day a very large number of Christian people are agreed that all wars are opposed to the precepts of our Saviour, and therefore in the abstract, wrong. But comparatively few have accepted the conclusion that for him who thus believes, it is wrong to engage in or by any means to aid or promote them; a truth, however, which has been generally recognized, in theory at least, by the Society of Friends. That all who are thus convinced may be encouraged in maintaining their principles under all circumstances, trusting to the Divine protection in so doing, is my excuse for offering what I should be glad if it were possible to give in some other way than as a personal experience. My objection on personal grounds is further counterbalanced by a knowledge of the interest which now attaches to the character of Abraham Lincoln.

The Act of Congress of March, 1863, for calling out the National forces for the suppression of the Rebellion, exempted certain officers, heads of families, etc., and declared that with these exceptions no person who was fit for military duty should be exempt. It was provided however that any one so drafted might relieve himself from personal service by furnishing a substitute or paying a commutation of three hundred dollars, and any one failing to comply with the order in one or other of the ways prescribed should be treated as a deserter.

Under this Act, in the Autumn of 1863, being then a young man, and residing in a village of Maryland, I was drafted for service in the Federal port for duty at the office of the Provost Marshal Army, to serve for three years, with orders to reof the district, in the city of Baltimore, on or be fore the 8th of February following. Soon after the announcement was made I met an acquaintance who said to me, “Why, M——, I see that you have been drafted." "Yes," I answered, "but of course I shall not serve.' "No, but will you procure a substitute or pay the commutation ?" "Neither," I said. "Ah? but what then will you do?" My reply was "I do

that I did not gain admittance. Unwilling to press before others, or to trouble our Representative further at that time, I left a letter for the President, respectfully repeating the assurance of my determination, and returned to my home.

I will not encumber this paper by detailing what occurred in the two months that followed. The particulars of my subsequent visit to Washington; the kindness of some in aiding me to keep my case before the President and other authorities there; the menacing message of the Provost Marshal; my second appearance before that official; the anxi ety of my friends, or of my own careful preparation for the worst that might happen.

At the end of the time mentioned and three or four days after the period fixed by the Provost Marshal had elapsed I received a printed copy of the following order:

"Behold, one came and said, Good Master, what good thing must I do that I may have eternal lite." Mark's version is that this person was a young man, and that he came running, and kneeling down asked to know what good thing he should do to inherit eternal life." We observe that this person was not an old sinner; that he was seeking the Lord early in life, in the manhood of his days. And again, he was much in earnest; for he came running; feeling that he was to delay not, because of the importance of the matter in hand; that life was uncertain. More than this, he prostrated himself before the Lord Jesus; showing due reverence. It is claimed and not disputed that he had kept the moral law "from his youth up" as it was repeated to him. "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, one thing thou lackest.'" The great question for every person to settle is, what is the Lord's will concerning me? It is fair to conclude that this young man up to this time was in a state of acceptance. He had lived up to all that was made known to him. And this put him in harmony with God's will, hence he is made to feel that service is required of him. Hence the inquiry, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Not in the sense of meriting it or purchasing it, for it is stated that Jesus beholding him loved him. So he gave him another lesson or test, "Go sell

that thou hast and give to the poor. Take up thy cross, come and follow Me." A test of obedience is here required. A crucifixion of self is involved. Up to this time it is fair to believe that his riches had not hindered him, for God had not interdicted them. It was right for Abraham to remain where he was until God commanded him to depart. It was not wrong for Lot to remain in Sodom until God had bidden him hasten away; for if ten such men as he could have been found, they might have remained in Sodom and saved it, The mission of the saved is contact with the unsaved. not riches, but the love of them to the hindering of obedience to God's will and commands at the time of service required, that lost this young man.

It was

In the absence of the prohibitory command there could be no sin in partaking of every tree of the Garden. Where there is no law there is no transgression, and if no transgression there is no sin. God's command is highest law. Whatsoever he sayeth unto thee do, do it. To the sinner, obedience is the way, through Christ, to favor with God. To the saint it is the way of maintaining that favor. There are commands general and there are commands special. If God shall say to one do this, and to another, do that, no interchange can be presumed upon. Abraham may be rich and Lazarus poor and both find a fond embrace in eternal life. N. H. BALLINGER. Spiceland, Ind.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

A CENTENNIAL Conference in commemoration of the organization of American Methodism in 1784 is to be held in Baltimore from December 10 to 17. It will be the first meeting of the various branches of that church in this country and Canada, that together have a membership of 3,718,288.

WHEN the Mikado, after conference with his Cabinet and with the Chamber of Princes and Senators, decided to abolish the department of religion in Japan, and thus do away with the special state privileges of Shintoism and Buddhism, he had to make no small personal sacrifice. He has always been addressed as Tenno Sama, or "Heavenly Lord," because, according to the Shinto tradition, the first emperor, Dzimma Tenno was born of the rays of the sun-Amaterasu— and all his successors were sons of God. He gives up this idea of his divine relationship, and the great honor attaching to it, in disestablishing the old state religion. He was the great head of Shintoism, and, only last year, he officiated in that character in the Temple of the Sun, taking off his European military uniform, and putting on the pontifical vestments and the wreath of deity. Muzuhita is a very enlightened and liberal emperor, and will lead his people in their progress toward a higher civilization. One of the Russian missionaries, Prior Vladamir, thinks that the Orthodox will become the leading religion of Japan. Father Nicholas has caused it to be generally known that