This is held at the Central Mission house, in this city—the headquarters of our whole work. The building is admirably located for our purposes, and though always felt to be too small for the most effective service, has nevertheless answered our purpose tolerably well. As long as the attendance on the school did not exceed 125, it was possible to move about easily in the school-room, and by careful attention to ventilation, to keep the atmosphere tolerably pure. But last month the _average_ attendance was 185, and the largest attendance on any one evening was no less than 260! Of course even standing room was at a premium. To move about in such a mass; to attempt anything like classification; to give to each pupil his portion of instruction, taxed the energy, patience and skill of the teachers to the utmost. Jee Gam declares that if we had room enough and teachers enough, we could have 300 pupils in this school every evening. One reason for this throng of pupils, (and I am glad to say that a like cause of prosperity exists in all our schools) is that we have now so excellent a corps of teachers and of Chinese helpers—so faithful, so devoted and enthusiastic—and, generally, so well fitted for the work. About this I trust there may be nothing temporary. Another fact,—which may not always operate so strongly as now—and which tends specially to fill up the Central school, is the great influx of Chinese now going on at this port. When the new law goes into operation, this will be checked, at least, for a time. Hastened, doubtless, by the passage of this law nearly 25,000 Chinese have come in at this port within less than six months,—a number equal to one-fourth of the entire Chinese population in the whole country at the beginning of this year. This multitude will rapidly scatter, moving wherever a demand for their labor attracts them, and then the pressure at this spot will be lessened, but the work will remain to be done; 25,000 more of these blood-bought souls, to be brought to a knowledge of their Redeemer; 25,000 more out of whom to gather messengers of salvation, heralds of the gospel of Christ’s dying love and living power to the myriads ready to perish in their native land.