and evil
associations through their zealous efforts. Thousands are supplied with
copies of the Testament, the sick and sorrowful are comforted, the
rejected are tenderly ministered to in their distress, and the gospel is
preached in the practical way that makes it a living remembrance. This
is one way in which a true and enduring assimilation is begun.

[Sidenote: The Fruit of Kindness]

Here is a single illustration of the unexpected results of this first
Christian touch in the new world. One of the women missionaries was very
kind to a Bohemian family, helping the father find his destination and
get settled. At parting, the missionary gave him a Testament and asked
him to read it when in trouble. He thanked her for all her kindness to
him and his family, and said he would keep the book for her sake. He
put it away and forgot all about it. One day his little girl got the
book and tore a leaf out. When he learned what she had done he was very
angry, and punished her for tearing the book, saying that the kind lady
at Ellis Island had given it to him, and he had promised to keep it. He
threatened the child with severe punishment if she touched it again.
"What is the book, papa?" she asked. He said he did not know what it
was, but the lady gave it to him, and that was enough.

[Sidenote: The Gospel's Power]

The little girl kept asking about it until at length his curiosity was
aroused, and he took the Testament to find out for himself. As he began
to read the story of Jesus he became interested, and presently had his
wife reading it also. Such wonderful things he had never heard of
before, and he thought he would tell the priest about it, for if the
priest knew about it he would surely tell the people. The priest forbade
him to look into the book again, saying that it was a bad book and would
cost him his soul if he read it. This only ended the influence of the
priest, for the immigrant said such a good person as Jesus could not do
anybody any harm, he was sure of that. He decided to go back to Ellis
Island and ask the kind lady about it. The light came, and he and his
family are earnest members of a Christian church, showing their
gratitude by trying with true missionary spirit to bring others of
their race to the Master.[92]

[Sidenote: Immigrant Headquarters]

This missionary work, coming at the critical time, needs to be extended
and dignified. It should be so enlarged that it would be possible to
reach in som