REVIEW OF THE YEAR.
REV. WM. C. POND.
Our fiscal year closed Aug. 31. I will state in the briefest way the main facts as to our last year’s work. I group them under three heads: the field, the fruit, the finances.
I. The field. This is larger than ever before in the fact that we have one-fourth more Chinese in our country to-day than we had a year ago. And the work—though far from covering the field and far from being equal to the opportunity—has increased at a per cent. equal to more than twice that of the increase of Chinese population. Fifteen schools have been sustained, eleven of them throughout the entire year. Thirty-one workers are employed, eleven of them being Chinese. The total number of months of service is 356, exceeding that of last year by 70 and of any year preceding the last by 110, that is, by more than nine years. During the year no less than 2,567 Chinese were enrolled as pupils, an increase upon the previous year of 935, or more than 57 per cent. Let it not be understood that we had this number at any one time; but for longer or shorter periods in the course of the year, this number have come under the influence of our schools, and have heard something about a Saviour from sin. The average membership month by month was 728, and the average attendance 401. But the membership increased steadily through the year. In August it was 1,022, and the average attendance 459. This represents our opportunity, our special field.
II. The fruits. I am not able yet to state accurately the results in hopeful conversions, but I feel safe in saying that about 30 have given evidence to our Chinese brethren that they have passed from death to life. This would make the total number of whom we have cherished this hope, from the beginning of the mission, about 355. I dare not say that in all cases this hope has proved to be well founded. Some have gone back to idolatry and taken to themselves, I fear, seven devils worse than the one that seemed to be exorcised. Some seem to have left their first love, though maintaining still a reputable exterior. Of many we have lost sight altogether. They are in China, or in the Hawaiian Islands, or on the frontiers in our own country, or in the Eastern or interior cities. It is simply impossible, at least with our present working force, to maintain our hold upon them by correspondence. We leave them to the care of the Great Shepherd, Who is not compassed with our infirmities and Who knows His sheep and is known by them. But, allowing for all these drawbacks, I feel it safe to say that no evangelizing agency in California with which I am acquainted has been fraught, on the whole, with larger or better results than our Chinese mission.
III. The finances. This large increase in the work accomplished has involved inevitably some increase of expenditure. Our total resources—on current expense account—have been $10,043.70, of which $3,623.70 were contributed directly to our work and $6,420 came through drafts on the treasury in New York.