e exacting
than that of any inferior master.

II

As to your question whether we are generally making progress, I think
I can say that, viewing the whole field of activity, and taking into
account every aspect of the work, the Army is undoubtedly on the
up-grade. Naturally progress is not so rapid in one country as
another, nor is it always so marked in one period as in another in
particular countries, nor is it always so evident in some departments
of effort as in others; but speaking of the whole, there is, as indeed
there has been from the very beginnings, steady advance.

In some countries, of course, there is more rapid development of our
purely evangelistic propaganda, while in others our philanthropic
agencies are more active. Progress in human affairs is generally
tidal. It has been so with us. A period of great outward activity is
sometimes followed by one of comparative rest, and in the same way the
spirit of advance in one department sometimes passes from that for a
time to others. A period of great progress in all kinds of pioneer
work, for example in Germany, is just now being followed there by one
of consolidation and organization. A time of enormous advance in all
our departments of charitable effort in the United States is now being
succeeded by a wonderful manifestation of purely spiritual fervour and
awakening.

In this, the old country, our very success has in some ways militated
against our continued advance at the old rate of progress. Not only
has much ground already been occupied, but innumerable agencies,
modelled outwardly, at least, after those we first established, have
sprung into existence, and are working on a field of effort which was
at one time largely left to us. And yet during the last five years the
Army has enormously strengthened its hold on the confidence of all
classes of the people here, increased its numbers, developed in a
remarkable degree its internal organization, greatly added to its
material resources, as well as maintained and extended its offering of
men and money for the support of the work in heathen countries.

But even in places where we have appeared to be stagnant, in the sense
of not undertaking any new aggressive activities, we are constantly
making as a part of our regular warfare new captures from the enemy of
souls, maintaining the care of congregations and people linked with
us, working at full pressure our social machinery, training the
children for f