Rev. Abraham Simmons is pastor of the church. At our closing service at Birmingham, the three principals of the public schools, and a number of teachers who graduated at A. M. A. schools, a graduate of Fisk and now a theological student of Oberlin, several business men, and men and women of humble life, all testified to their loyalty to Christ and joy in His service.
A successful revival service was also held at Knoxville, Tenn., in which more than thirty conversions were reported. I was greatly cheered on Thanksgiving Day by the receipt of twenty-five messages from these young disciples of their love to Christ and desire to serve Him.
NEWS FROM ARCTIC ALASKA.
W. T. LOPP.
A letter just received from Mr. W. T. Lopp, who is missionary in Arctic Alaska at Cape Prince of Wales, which was written under date of October 2d, is of very great interest. It brings the latest message from this distant mission-field, and this message is one of great encouragement. Mr. Lopp writes:
"Now that the American Missionary Association is out of debt, we hope you will be able to send us a missionary with a missionary wife to be with us. It is hardly necessary for us to cite reasons for this. He should be a minister, if possible. It would not be right to subject children of school age to the influences of the life here. You wrote us up last year as having 'no time for gold hunting, and yet gold has been discovered within a few miles of the Cape.' This brings upon us new anxiety and greater work. Should these claims turn out well, the American Missionary Association will not be forgotten.
"The Bear has made a wonderful cruise this season. I doubt if she ever made a longer one. She arrived here too late to look after some whaling vessels, but considerable testimony has been secured, and if the present captain commands the Bear again next year I think certain whalers will be seized if they do not change their ways. The present captain has made a very conscientious commander, and has surely exerted himself to perform his duty vigorously and honestly. He has administered the law toward the Eskimo as well as white men, and arrested those who were guilty of crime. He was very kind to the natives, giving them help in coming from Cape Prince of Wales to this point and also across the straits to Siberia. When the sea was too rough for their skin boats he would have them hoisted up on deck. The United States surgeon has also been exceedingly kind to us.
"We now have 437 reindeer, and have sent an order signed by Dr. Jackson to the station on Norton Sound for the 277 which are yet due us. These will be driven up some time this winter. After they come we will make an estimate of the number belonging to the Eskimo boys and mark them. I have taken one new herder as an apprentice, and hope to take another or two next year. We sold reindeer at thirty dollars per head to the Bureau of Education, which furnished money for training other apprentices. Our old apprentices can now pay their own way, and the sale of the reindeer in the future will go toward helping new apprentices till they can help themselves.
"The Woman's Home Missionary Association of Boston have contributed toward the support of native workers. We received word about it and rejoiced in their generous gifts. I will use it in helping support Sokweena at our little mission at Mitle-tok. As I wrote last year, we were enabled to start this mission through a small contribution of about twenty-five dollars from the generous Endeavorers of Westboro, Mass. Then some other friends sent in a little help that went toward the support of Sokweena and his wife. It is not enough, but we will try to make it do for the present. We were unable to visit Sokweena but three times last winter. If we could only visit him oftener and help him more he would be able to accomplish more. But some of the children at his mission learn to spell and write a little and to sing. We had some very good meetings. Lucy and I went up and stayed three days. We took a lantern. Many of the old folks had professed Christ and seemed to be earnest and sincere in their prayers. The position for Sokweena is a hard one at times.