THE CHINESE. * * * * * “CALIFORNIA CHINESE MISSION.” Auxiliary to the American Missionary Association. PRESIDENT: Rev. J. K. McLean, D.D. VICE-PRESIDENTS: Rev. A. L. Stone, D.D., Thomas C. Wedderspoon, Esq., Rev. T. K. Noble, Hon. F. F. Low, Rev. I. E. Dwinell, D.D., Hon. Samuel Cross, Rev. S. H. Willey, D.D., Edward P. Flint, Esq., Rev. J. W. Hough, D.D., Jacob S. Taber, Esq. DIRECTORS: Rev. George Mooar, D.D., Hon. E. D. Sawyer, Rev. E. P. Baker, James M. Haven, Esq., Rev. Joseph Rowell, Rev. John Kimball. SECRETARY: Rev. W. C. Pond. TREASURER: E. Palache, Esq. * * * * * II.—HOW SPEEDS THE WORK? In the February number we gave a brief chapter of replies to this question. We make no apology for giving a second chapter now. It is just what our readers want to know, and what we equally wish to tell. And— 1. _The Finances._—It was at this point our former chapter closed. I announced that we were laying out work with reference to raising, over and above the regular appropriation from the parent society, $5,000 this year, in place of $1,610.70 received last year. I am glad and grateful to be able to announce that of that $5,000, fully $2,600 are already in sight, either in cash or in reliable pledges. It has been made easy to raise this, because all except the hundreds (_i. e._, $2,000) has come in a single donation from the grand English house of Balfour, Gunther & Co., in this city. That is to say, $500 from the senior partner in Liverpool, Alfred Balfour, Esq., $500 from his Liverpool associate, Hon. Stephen Williamson, M. P., and $1,000 from the house as a whole, among the partners in which is a worthy son of Chalmers’ great successor in the Free Church of Scotland—that prince among preachers, Dr. Guthrie. This great gift is proffered in the hope and expectation that the balance of $3,000 will not be found wanting, and, God helping us, it _shall not_ fail. There has been a painful sense, all along these years, that we were reaching only the outer edge of the great necessity touching, so to speak, only the bare fringe of our great opportunity, though we have done the utmost possible for us, with the means at our command. I can with a clear conscience claim that not a dime has gone forth needlessly; that every minutest item of expense has been carefully scrutinized; and, while it would be “too good to be true” if we said that _no_ mistakes had been made, that every experiment had proved a success, or that no fields have been entered from which we were compelled to retire before the harvest came to view, still, I speak the simple truth when I say that I know of nothing that to-day I would extract, or, so far as _our endeavor_ is concerned, essentially change. The constant prayer has been for the Master’s guidance; is it vain or presumptuous to believe that the prayer has been answered, his _promise_ fulfilled, his guidance