I must not close in this minor strain. We have much to be grateful for. The reported enrolment and the aggregate average attendance on our school were larger in May than ever before. Almost 900 pupils are attending the schools, and the average attendance was 433. At Santa Barbara we hear of additions to the Association, and of three or more that seem ready to receive baptism. At Stockton we held last Sunday evening, June 18, our anniversary, which was well-attended and exceedingly interesting. Here are two, and perhaps three, Chinese who have given for many months delightful evidence of Christian character and who desire to be baptized. The Oakland school is growing fast and with promise of greater usefulness than ever it has given hitherto. I conclude with an extract from a recent letter from Wong Ock, our helper in the Petaluma school, “We have had a good school the past month; but for one thing I feel sorry—that the scholars change all time. It seems too bad; they don’t have but little time to learn. We can’t help that, of course. They are all working boys, moving from place to place. Some learn very fast and love to come to school, only some of the hard words are difficult for them to pronounce, but they do not fail to try. Every evening we have some words to spell, writing them on the black-board and spelling alone and in concert. I gave astronomy lessons to them, explaining by my own globe. They were very much astonished because they never heard such a thing as that the world was round, etc. The Bible lessons we have every Saturday and Sunday evenings. I hope you will pray for the school here and the teachers. Mr. Pond, I am hateful to myself ever since I have known the truth, because of the earthly thoughts and fleshly desires which lead me to go ways against my conscience, making me heavy in heart. I feel as if I was two men then fighting all the time. Oh, how great temptations in the spiritual life! Because of them I often get discouraged and cold in my heart. Pray for me, dear brother. Your humble brother, WONG OCK.” * * * * * CHILDREN’S PAGE. * * * * * A TENNESSEE BAND OF HOPE. BY MISS L. A. PARMELEE. We were all glad to hear about Ted and his Temperance society. A great many hundred years ago a father in Africa took his little son, who was just as old as Ted, to the church altar and made him promise to always hate the nation that had oppressed them. The feeling of hate grew as the boy grew, and when he became a man he made the oppressor and his proud armies tremble before him. Now if the boys and girls, who are so fond of hearing about Hannibal’s victories, will promise to hate Rum as he hated Rome, the monster that has destroyed so many homes will be conquered.