Through the influence of individuals belonging to the Executive Committee of the A. M. A., and with the cordial and joyful God-speed of the Committee as a whole, the American Board has determined to listen to this appeal, and—to use the apt expression of Dr. Alden in his letter to me—“to accept this sacred trust.” Our readers may be assured that no time was lost in sending the good news to the brethren. At their assembly at our Central Mission House that evening there was glad thanksgiving, and with it fresh and fervent prayer. To receive what one has long been craving, sometimes almost makes one tremble. Our mission, as a “sacred trust,” seems doubly sacred to me, now. Its possibilities are magnified beyond computation, and the mistakes into which we shall certainly fall, unless we are guided by a wisdom better than our own, look fraught with such loss, such disaster, that I shrink from the responsibility which I knew all along the answer to our prayers would certainly involve. Let all our friends pray for us with new faith and new ardor, that from among the Chinese in California a genuine Salvation Army may be gathered—Bible readers, colporteurs, pastors, teachers, evangelists—that, under the direction of some wise and warm-hearted American missionary, residing at Hong Kong, may advance to the conquest of China for Christ. THE CLOSED GATES. On the 4th day of this month of August, the new law against Chinese immigration went into effect. The hardships and inconveniences it involves, already—in some minor instances—begin to appear. But the main effect has been to stimulate immigration to such an extent that the Chinese population of our Pacific slope is at least 33 per cent. larger to-day that it was seven months ago. The arrivals during the six months ending July 31 were 25,733; the departures, 3,627; the gain, 22,106. This increase will diffuse itself to some extent over the entire country—not all of it remaining on this side the continent—but almost all of it staying in America, a permanent addition to our Chinese element. More and more will the privilege of returning be prized by those who go back to their native land for with a temporary stoppage of the immigration there will come a relative diminution of the supply, and a consequent increase in the compensation of Chinese labor. Let no one imagine then that the passage of this law is likely to bring to a speedy close our missionary opportunity. Thus far it has greatly increased our work, and never before did we look over the rapidly approaching line between the old year and the new and see such hopeful indications as we see to-day. Let me give a few figures from the statistics for July; New pupils, 230; total number enrolled, 971; average attendance, 467. Total number enrolled as pupils in our schools during eleven months of this fiscal year, 2,373. These numbers are greater by almost 35 per cent. than those of the corresponding