Three weeks ago Mrs. Mateer and I returned from a trip of seventeen days to the district of Lai Chow, eighty miles distant. Our friends protested against our taking such a trip in the winter and in our state of health. We acted on our own judgment, however, and went, and are benefited rather than otherwise. The trip was exceedingly profitable. We confined our visit to two stations, holding special services each day—morning, afternoon and night. I received eight to the church. At one station a new church was organized, with twenty-six members, a branch from the older station. At this older station there are many inquirers, and the work is in a very hopeful condition, very largely as the result of the influence of a young man, an undergraduate of the college, who has been there teaching a day school for three years. One of his last journeys of this sort was made not long before his seventieth birthday, and the following is his record concerning it: From Tengchow we came overland to Wei Hsien in shentzas. I made it a point to spend the Sabbath at Lai Chow fu, and went out and preached morning and afternoon to our little church at Ning Kie, which is three miles from the city. Dr. Mills and I were instrumental in founding the station some thirty-six years ago. It has grown very slowly. Mrs. Mateer had visited it frequently in subsequent years, and had taught the women, and there are now a goodly proportion of women in the church. In the earlier years evangelists were sent to labor in the region, and to preach to and teach the people. In those days opposition to the gospel was very great, and progress was very slow. In later years, owing to change of policy, evangelists were not sent, save on an occasional visit, and the church declined, though it still lived. A few years ago special efforts were made, and the church increased somewhat, and finally a native pastor was settled over this church, in connection with another about fifteen miles away. Before the expiration of the first year the Boxer uprising brought the arrest and beating of the pastor and much persecution to the church. The pastor did not return. The church was discouraged, and the pastor was called elsewhere. If we now had an available man, he could be located at Lai Chow fu; but there is no man.