never been satisfied with surface culture. It strikes down to the
roots of character. Not "quantity," but "quality," is manifestly its
motto. As an illustration of intelligent thoroughness in Christian
service, therefore, this Association commends itself to our regard.

A decided advance was marked in missionary work when the church came
to see that not only the conversion of the heathen, but their
establishment in Christian character, was a legitimate object of
missionary endeavor. Francis Xavier in ten years visited fifty
kingdoms and baptized a million converts, but the ten years' labor of
some of our modern missionaries, spent in laying solid foundations and
thoroughly training a few chosen men, may, after all, come to more in
its permanent results upon the world, than all that was done by Rome's
great apostle. Jesus gave the best part of his three years of public
ministry to the training of twelve men. He might have baptised a
million. He preferred to do thorough work with a few. This Association
has acted upon this principle. It has sought to develop manhood and
womanhood after the pattern and by the power that is in Jesus Christ.
It calls to its aid every possible force. It educates the mind, the
heart, the conscience, the hand. It uses the church, the school, the
workshop and the Christian home. Character-building is its vocation,
the foundation Jesus Christ, the superstructure such as should stand
the test of fire. These oppressed races need above all things else
leaders from among themselves. It has been the endeavor of this
Society to furnish them--men and women of such moral and mental
quality as shall be fitted for the responsible position. They have
been taught to think, to work and to live. Because labor is a moral
force in establishing character, industrial education is introduced.
Nothing is too great to be attempted, nothing too trivial to be
omitted, the object always being the substantial development of moral