One has been four years, the other a year and a-half, under instruction.
Christianity softens, subdues, and renders docile the human mind, before
the dark folds of heathenism have deepened and thickened with increasing
years.

One of these pupils, after reading in the New Testament the narrative of
Christ's sufferings, one day asks--"Why did Jesus come and suffer and be
crucified?" I then explained to her as well as I could in her own
tongue. She always seems thoughtful when she reads the Scriptures. Will
some maternal association remember in prayer these Chinese girls?

During the current month a vile placard has been published against
foreigners, and some of the pupils have been railed at by their
acquaintances for being under our instruction. One, on returning from a
visit to her friends, told me the bitter and wicked things that were
said and written; I asked her if she had found them true? she said "No."
I asked her if foreigners, such as she had seen, spoke true or false?
She said "always true." Did they wish to kill and destroy the Chinese as
the placard stated? She replied, "No; but they helped the poor Chinese
when their own people would not." The mothers were somewhat alarmed lest
we were all to be destroyed. We told them there was nothing to fear, and
their confidence remained unshaken.

The school has enjoyed a recess of a week from study, but they do not go
to their own homes, except to return the same day. Our house is just
like a bee-hive, with their activity at their several employments; and
usually some _deprivation_ is a sufficient punishment for a dereliction
from any duty.

Who will pray for these daughters? Who will sympathize with the