WORLD-WIDE PRAYER. The June number of the Missionary Herald announced (p. 209) a resolution adopted by the Prudential Committee of the American Board suggesting that a Day of Special Prayer in behalf of foreign missions be observed throughout the Protestant world. The first Lord's day in November of the present year was named. When that action was taken it was not known here that the Church of England had already designated a different day for the same object. When this became known at our Missionary Rooms it was too late to make a change in favor of the later day named, because other missionary boards in this country had accepted the seventh of November as an appropriate time; one or more European bodies had done the same, while not a few missionary stations are too remote to be informed seasonably of a postponement. Difference in the two dates does not, however, interfere with complete harmony of aim, nor does it wholly break the charm of simultaneousness in the concert. It is an animating thought that from the hour of sunrise in the remotest East, on the first holy day of this eleventh month, when missionaries and native Christians will begin their morning praises and supplications, onward through the twenty-four hours thus opened, the petition, "Thy kingdom come," will go up with unwonted earnestness successively from many points in the heathen world, and from unnumbered points in Christian lands. Will not the sun in his course through the heavens," as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoicing as a strong man to run a race," look down with special gladness upon the matins, the midday and the later petitions as they rise from individual closets, from family altars, from assembled congregations on all the continents and many islands of the sea-petitions of common import and of farthest-reaching scope? Will not the ear of the Lord of Sabaoth be pleased as perhaps never before? Is it too much to anticipate that he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it? How many sermons on the need and the power of prayer will be preached! How many thousands, yea millions, it may be, of hearts will be stirred, we will suppose, as never before, with expansiveness and intensity of desires for the advancement of Christ's kingdom among the nations! "I exhort, therefore," saith the apostle Paul, “that first of all, supplications, prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men." "What an impressive and most interesting spectacle would this be," said the missionary Ward, "to see all England, Scotland, and Ireland on their knees, supplicating the Father of mercies in behalf of a-sinful and lost world!" What a spectacle, we would add, would it be were all Christendom to bow thus by common consent! "If the whole or the greater number of the disciples of Christ," said John Foster, "were with an earnest, unalterable resolution of each to combine that heaven should not withhold one' single influence which the very utmost effort of conspiring and persevering supplication could obtain, it would be a sign that a revolution of the world was at hand."

In view of the proposed assumption of imperial authority by the young heir to the throne of China, the Chinese Branch of the Evangelical Alliance has issued a call for special prayer for the young monarch. He is now sixteen years of age, and in accordance with a decree of the Empress Regent he will take the reins of

the government on the first month of the coming Chinese year. It is surely proper that special prayer should be made for one who is to rule over at least one fifth of the human race, that God would prosper his administration and make him a blessing to the people of his country. It is an illustration of the influence under which he is now placed that an edict has been issued directing that proper officials select "an auspicious day" for the crowning of the new Emperor. While the Chinese astrologers are puzzling their brains to forecast "a lucky day," let Christians seek in behalf of the young ruler the favor of Him who is wise in counsels and in whose hands are the hearts of kings.

REPORTS from Japan indicate that the evangelical work is progressing with remarkable vigor. Mr. DeForest writes that although the cholera is preventing all large assemblies in the cities, the weekly report of baptisms has often exceeded one hundred. Mr. Cary reports having baptized during the month of July no less than thirty-eight persons in Okayama and other places. Mr. DeForest also reports that Mrs. Leavitt, representing the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, is now in Japan and, having addressed large and attentive audiences at Tokio, has accepted hearty invitations from Christians in Kioto and Osaka to speak in their cities. Such success has accompanied her efforts that Mrs. Leavitt has modified her original plan of meeting the missionaries only, and purposes to address assemblies of women. There is promise of excellent results from her labors.

OUR new missionaries for West Central Africa on their way inland from Benguela to Bailundu were accompanied by two men from Great Britain who were on their way to join Mr. Arnot at Garenganze. Mr. Sanders reports that he has received a letter from Mr. Arnot, who is delighted with the interior region where he is laboring, and describes it emphatically as a land of food. This means a great deal in Africa, especially in sections which are far away from the base of outside supplies. Mr. Arnot says that the language is closely related to that of the Barotse.

The London Times has referred to the reactionary spirit manifested in Bohemia in connection with the mission halls at Prague. Any attack upon religious liberty in any part of the world now arrests attention not merely in religious, but also in political, circles, and it would seem that if the attention of statesmen as well as Christians could be called to this serious infringement of the rights of conscience in Austria, an influence would be brought to bear on the government that would secure the reversal of its recent action in closing halls of worship. But our reliance must not be on earthly potentates but on the King of kings.

A SUCCESSOR for Bishop Hannington, who was murdered in Eastern Africa, has been found in the person of Rev. Henry P. Parker, who for some years was Secretary of the Church Missionary Society in Calcutta and who has been laboring among the Gonds in Central India. Mr. Parker was known in India as specially interested in the efforts to build up a native Christian community which should be independent of support from the English Society, and he has consented to accept this bishopric on condition that another missionary be sent to the Gonds to carry on the work he has begun.

THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA.

In the year 1867 a Dutch farmer on the Orange River found a diamond with which his children played for a time, not knowing its value, but which he subsequently sold for $2,500. It was the first gem of the kind from South Africa, but in the year 1884 the value of diamonds exported from Cape Colony was over fourteen million dollars, while the total value from 1867 to 1884 was $148,862,880. The great diamond-fields lie between the Vaal and the Orange Rivers, in what was called Griqwa Land West, and in the Orange River Free State, and thither have flocked men from all parts of the world. The natives from different sections in South Central Africa come to labor at the mines, and they are continually passing back and forth between Kimberly and their several countries. This Kimberly, a picture of which is given on the next page, is in the centre of the diamond-fields. It is situated about four hundred miles from Durban, a little north of west. It is a town whose name does not appear on the gazetteers of five years ago, but it is now to South Africa what London is to England. It is connected by rail with the surrounding regions and has become the emporium of trade. It is reported that the number of registered Kaffirs engaged in the mines last year was about 72,000, of whom 30,000 were fresh arrivals.

A missionary of the English Wesleyan Board residing at Kimberly describes these men who come from these sections of Africa and labor in the mines: "Their habits when they first arrive are simple and temperate, and they are very susceptible to influences good or otherwise. The amount of sin and temptation that meets them is appalling. Canteens, or brandy-shops, are at every corner. No effort is spared by unprincipled men to allure them to these dens of iniquity, and it is not too much to say that of the thousands of natives who year by year come to the diamond-fields, at least one half are ruined both in body and soul.”

Our Wesleyan brethren naturally regard Kimberly as a great focus for missionary enterprise, and they hope through labors at this point to reach out into many sections of South Africa. Just now there comes to us from Natal reports of a great excitement over new discoveries of gold in various quarters, notably in the Transvaal. There is promise of a yield which shall equal that in Australia or California, and great changes are anticipated in the immediate future, in reference to the opening of new countries and new avenues of industry. Rev. Mr. Ireland, of Natal, writes that people in that colony are much excited over the recent discoveries, and great hopes are entertained of new wealth. "Railway extension is bound to proceed through Natal to the gold-fields. One hundred and eightynine miles of railroad are already in operation, and the Portuguese are building a line directly inland westward from Delagoa Bay to the gold-fields. I predict that within ten year, that region will have a European population of from 300,000 to 500,000."

Of course such changes as these will greatly affect the missionary work. The native population, if made industrious, will certainly be made restless; if they gain in wealth they will be less docile. If they learn something of the benefits of civilization they will learn also its vices. It is impossible to forecast what may be in the near future for all this region. Let us hope that the new highways opened

will be the means of carrying the gospel to the people who need its treasures more than they do gold or diamonds; and let there be earnest prayer that the outcome shall be the furtherance of the kingdom of Christ in Africa.

ANATOLIA COLLEGE, WESTERN TURKEY.

BY REV. EDWARD RIGGS, OF MARSOVAN.

THE missionary work in Asia Minor may be considered in many respects as typical of such enterprises in general. It has had its full share of advantages and of discouragements, of political interference both for and against it, of persecution and peril, as well as of prosperity and tangible results. Especially has it been a model in the harmonious and uniform pressing forward of the three great departments- direct evangelization, literary effort, and education. In all these lines it shows a record of a steady growth. But far transcending the results that are capable of being put down in columns of statistics is that which every missionary regards as the true and permanent fruit of these efforts, namely, the moral influence which has permeated the mass of the people, stimulating them to intelligent efforts for their own reformation, and rousing an almost universal desire for something higher and better than they had before, in religion, literature, and education. It is the missionary's work for the future to study, stimulate, and guide to true and noble results this mighty native power.

The principal manifestations thus far of these unborn aspirations have been along the line of higher education. Armenians, Greeks, and Jesuits vie with one another in setting before ambitious youth the glittering advantages of their several school systems. Sweeping reforms have been introduced into the national educational organizations, and numerous crude efforts have been made in the line of private schools. But beyond all competition the first place in the scale of excellence and success is assigned, though unwillingly, to the schools established by the American Protestant Missionaries, or under their influence and guidance by natives. This is grudgingly but inevitably acknowledged by even the public officials and jealous ecclesiastics, albeit with sundry grindings of the teeth and muttered imprecations.

The munificence of a New York merchant made secure the results of early efforts by the missionaries in Constantinople, and Robert College stands to-day the sightliest building on the Bosporus, as it is the leading educational institution of the Oriental capital; while its beautiful counterpart on the opposite crest of the strait, "The Home School," does the same service for the rising generation of women that the former does for their brothers. While these institutions were being developed, through much discouragement and opposition, a network of schools of various grades was gradually being constructed throughout the interior of the country. Some of these were maintained with great difficulty, but at other points their success and subsequent growth were secured almost from the start. A plan for another college was started in Southeastern Asia Minor. A friendly competition arose between the towns of Marash and Aintab, as to its location, which was decided in favor of the latter by the larger subscriptions made for the purpose by natives there, and Central Turkey College arose, as a