learn by his example. It is not by preaching and
prayer and revival meetings that the true Christian philanthropist can
hope to accomplish any great good among the people here, but by doing
all in his power to change their sad external condition and raise them
out of their suffering and degradation. Without some degree of external
order and obedience to the laws of natural life, it is, I hold, next to
impossible, to plant in the mind any seeds of spiritual truth. There
is no ground there. The parable of the sower that went forth to sow
illustrates this law. Only the seed that fell on good ground brought
forth fruit. Our true work, then, among this heathen people, of whom the
churches take so little care, is first to get the ground in order for
the planting, of heavenly seed. Failing in this, our hope is small."

"This mission has changed its attitude since the beginning," said Mr.
Dinneford.

"Yes. Good and earnest men wrought for years with the evil elements
around them, trusting in God's Spirit to change the hearts of the vile
and abandoned sinners among whom they preached and prayed. But there was
little preparation of the ground, and few seeds got lodgment except
in stony places, by the wayside and among thorns. Our work now is to
prepare the ground, and in this work, slowly as it is progressing,
we have great encouragement. Every year we can mark the signs of
advancement. Every year we make some head against the enemy. Every year
our hearts take courage and are refreshed by the smell of grasses and
the odor of flowers and the sight of fruit-bearing plants in once barren
and desolate places. The ground is surely being made ready for the
sower."

"I am glad to hear you speak so encouragingly," returned Mr. Dinneford.
"To me the case looked desperate--wellnigh hopeless. Anything worse than
I have witnessed here seemed impossible."

"It is only by comparisons, as I said before, that we can get at the
true measure of change and progress," answered the missionary. "Since
we have been at work in earnest to improve the external life of this
region, we have had much to encourage us. True, what we have done has
made only a small impression on the evil that exists here; but the value
of this impression lies in the fact that it shows what can be done
with larger agencies. Double our effective force, and we can double the
result. Increase it tenfold, and ten times as much can be done."

"What is your idea of this work?" s