THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.
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.
I am sorry to say that my faith in the possibility of securing in any way a more commodious building for this school and for a head-quarters for our entire work, is not strong. Perhaps this is the reason why the oft-repeated petitions of our teachers for more room, remain without response. “According to your faith” it is said, “be it unto you.” One lady at the East, self-prompted, or prompted of God, has added to many a previous kindness, a donation of $100, to be used for this enlargement when it shall become possible. One member of the Executive Committee of the A. M. A., who has visited our quarters, and seen something of the need, has hinted that the easiest way to get relief would be to ask for the necessary fund to buy or build. I ventured to infer that if this request should be made, his generous heart and ever-open hand would help the matter on. It would be much that thus we could save to our work $1,200 per annum now paid for rent. This sum would keep five teachers in the field for a full year. And then we should have a building suited to our needs, large enough and light enough, open enough to the pure air of heaven, to speak for itself a welcome and to bear in itself a blessing to these crowds of needy souls. Fifteen thousand dollars would secure this—a place where (if the predictions of our wisest helpers may be trusted) 300 young men, born in the depths of heathenism, could be brought every day of every week throughout each coming year, to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear his word. And a sum much less than that would put my faith concerning it at that mustard-seed point at which our Saviour assures us “nothing shall be impossible to you.”
YAKUT VILLAGERS.