6
TI-IE LUTHERAN PIONEER
the temple door, and in the murky slrndow under a torn ancl dilapidated piece of matting a pair of bare feet - very dirty and old- and knottedlooking - poked out; they belonged to an old woman, a villager washed out o:f house and home and reduced to dire pover ty. She is now receiving her bot rice each day. Walking thro ugh the creaking door, grinding painfully on the large wooden hinges, incidentally awakening the herds of mangy, scaly pariah dogs round about, we at once set out to imestigate the motley tribe of humanity that has taken up a temporary abode there. There is a feticl odor, nn almost overpowering A Sunday Attendance at Our Colo1·ed Mission in Buffalo, N. Y. one, and that peculiar stertorous or sisters are filing in. An · obsenring bystander breathing of wearied people - a flash-lamp ! What wonders where they will all find room. It is ex- a sigh t! .All around, everywhere, on the ground, plained to him that arrangements have been made under the very feet almost of the huge idols and for one class to meet in the front hall. " But," the images, there lie under t he most filthy rags, families puzzled inquirer continues, "can you sent them all?" herded like cattle ; n o, worse t han cattle; t he very " After a fashion only; but if necessary, the t ots pigs in the stench-laden, filthy mud are ~t least in in the Primary sit three on t wo chairs or double their natural surroundings, but these men and up on single chairs." " And how many chairs women are huddled in promiscuously, men, women, ha,•e YO'IJ ?" '~Seventy-two." " And what is your and children. The first lies just touching the door, a"erage attendance?"· " Our average at tendance has and we touch him gently, and his grimy, naked form been steadily climbing, but last mouth [October] partly appears from uncler the dirty, p·aclded quilt. we reached a new height - seventy-b"o." "That c:oh, yes, gh-e me one, please ; I have a family of was ·splendid. But do you not really need a more six n:1ouths here and one on the old home roof watchadequate place of worship?" "Indeed we do, and ing t hat t he timber is not washed away or _stolen. we have every reason to thank God to-clay because Yes, please give me tickets." "How many persons of the fine Christian spirit shown by our fellow- are there ?" "Three big and three small - myself, . Lutherans of Buffalo and vicinity. Due to their wife, aud my mother'' ( she is eighty years old and · • liberality we shall soon be work;ng under ideal conditions. A new _and inviting-,chapel is now being erected, and we llelieve it . will be ready for use some time before Easter. With a new chapel and God's blessings we hope to reach out to many more ~ouls than . we could possibly reach, or care for, E. P. under the PJ.'~(?nt circumstances."
Flood Relief Work in China. What Others· are Doing. Making our uncertain way along the "duckboards" ( though this is a misnomer, for no decent duck would use these boards, but ,,•ould flounder through the muck beneath, I'm sure), we stopped at
Two Residences of Missionaries in Hankow and Dwelling of Servants. ·
