and
enlarged. A spirit of joy and thankfulness is in the hearts of our
missionaries.

Notwithstanding the hard times, our receipts from the churches and
living donors are larger by several thousand dollars than they were
at this time last year. These facts are the indications of a living
cause and an able constituency. They call upon us to lift our heads
in hope and to inspire one another to still greater activity, and, if
need be, to self-denial. We have no legacies in sight, and we
certainly do not desire our friends to die. Our prayer is that they
may live; that they may live long. Apart from their gifts in money we
desire the strength and the grandeur of their lives to aid us in
carrying forward the great and growing work on hand. We again call
upon them to help us round out this year without a debt.

We take the liberty to point out one way in which they can do this.

Our missionaries are, many of them, returning at this time of year
for a brief rest at the North. They need it. They have earned it. It
may seem wrong to tax these brave workers, but we venture to say that
if they are invited to tell the public the story of their experience
they will not refuse to do it; and we venture to say further, it will
be a story the public will be glad to hear. Let them have a royal
welcome home by the churches. In the language of Rev. Sam Jones, the
noted Southern Evangelist, as he counseled the churches to receive
the new converts, "Let it not be on the tips of your fingers or on
the palms of your hands you receive them, but, on your hearts," and
God will bless the welcome to the churches, to the missionaries and
to the work. Hear their story, heed its lessons, and it will not be
long before the clouds shall roll away and our financial storm-signal
be taken down.

* * * * *

The exercise of benevolence Christ never conditioned on human
recognition. The publicans and heathen furnished examples on that
plane. When Christianity uncovers its roots there is never anything
commercial even hinted at. Sinners need salvation. That is enough.
Divine love moves in the presence of necessity. Its movement is
electric. Even if ingratitude smite it in the face; nay, worse, if
malignancy would summon forces for its crucifixion, without relaxing
an iota it breathes the prayer, "Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do." Unswervingly Christ held along, doing right
because it was right. Passio