Our missions have numbered 17; of these, 11 have been sustained during the entire year, and two others for eleven months. We have no vacation in our schools, unless forced to it by lack of funds, or by other causes which we cannot control.
The number of workers has varied from 23 to 28; the aggregate number of months of service being 309. Of these 91 are to be credited to our Chinese missionary helpers, and 218 to Americans. The total number of pupils enrolled is 1,044. The average enrollment month by month has been 461; the average attendance, 247. These numbers are smaller than those of last year, or of any preceding year for a great while; which comes of a serious diminution in another quarter which it has been out of our power to avert. Our resources for current work have been less than in previous years by more than $3,000—last year, $12,341.80; this year, $8,989.30. This statement is to date; I trust the amount will be increased somewhat before the books are finally closed. It was impossible to maintain the larger work with the smaller sum. I think that we can truly say: We have done what we could. The most serious loss is in the employment of Chinese missionary helpers; we ought to have had twice as many in the field as we were able to employ.
The expenditures on account of current work have been as follows: For salaries of superintendent, teachers and helpers, $6,222.80; for rents of mission houses, $2,103; for incidentals, $634.15; total, $8,959.95. The contributions made directly to the treasury of this Auxiliary amount, at this writing, to $2,989.30, of which about $250 were given expressly for permanent property.
While we note with sadness these diminutions, we record with gladness an increase at the point of largest interest, the point towards which all our endeavors tend. We find in our statistical columns, under the head of “Profess to have ceased from idol worship,” an aggregate of 211; under that of “Giving evidence of Christian character,” 150. These are larger numbers than we have ever before been privileged to place at the foot of these columns; and among those who give evidence of Christian character are many who a year ago either walked in utter darkness, or were refusing to let in on their hearts the dawning light of Christ. I cannot as yet state exactly the number who seem during this year to have accepted Christ, but I think it cannot be much less than fifty. If so, then the total number of whom this hope has been cherished since our work began, cannot be much less than 650.