The Indians.
—A small congregation of full-blooded Chickasaw Indians lately gave $400 for the Foreign Missions of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
—The largest tribe of Indians in the United States is the Sioux, or as they call themselves, the Dakota. Since the Sioux were first known, they have occupied a large portion of the center of the American continent, including the head waters of the Mississippi River.
—In the last Annual Report of the educational work of the Friends among the Indians, it is stated that at the Osage agency there are 2,745 Indians. Of these, 205, on the average, are in attendance at the two boarding-schools sustained at that point.
—The American Sunday-school Union has planted 121 Sunday-schools in the Indian territory. Next year they are to have a Sunday-school camp-meeting of ten days in August, at Atoka, in the Cherokee Nation, where a large gathering of full-bloods, who are averse to meeting in houses and among strangers, is anticipated.
—The laws of the Indian Colony at Metlakahtla, British Columbia, under the auspices of the English Church Missionary Society, are fifteen in number, and worthy to be imitated by those laboring for the Indians everywhere. These have been summarized as follows:—1. To give up their Indian magic. 2. To cease calling in conjurers when sick. 3. To cease gambling. 4. To cease squandering their property. 5. To cease painting their faces. 6. To cease using intoxicating drinks. 7. To rest on the Sabbath. 8. To attend to religious instruction. 9. To send their children to school. 10. To be clean. 11. To be industrious. 12. To be peaceable. 13. To be honest. 14. To build neat houses. 15. To pay their village tax.
The Chinese.
—In one district in Japan seventy-one Buddhist temples have been diverted to secular uses since 1873, and over 700 in the whole empire since 1871.
—Mr. D. Smith, of the Presbyterian church of England mission at Formosa, has lately been privileged to baptize nine natives, making in all thirty-two members of the Peh-tsui-Khan Church. There has besides been a considerable amount of inquiry here, so that the congregation of hearers has greatly increased. Other places in this island have also had blessing and additions to the churches.