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!-6 CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.and they might well be groupedinto one class forinstruction.In the neighbourhood of most large cities in Chinaare to be found ancient temples where annual festivalsare held, and to which the people men and womenflockin large numbers. Such festivals are being largelyavailed of in many centres for earnest Christian work.It should usually be a point of honour not to press thesale of books or to attempt to preach within the precinctsof the temple. Private conversation with either priestsor worshippers is seldom resented. The best preachers,foreign or Chinese, should band themselves together forthis work, and probably at about two hundred yardsdistant from the temple they will find their most suitablestand. A strong native table forms a good platform, andif a succession of interesting preachers can be secured, acrowd that slowly changes but does not diminish can beheld together for hours a time.Among the worshippers on such an occasion thereare usually three well defined classes :1. Devotees, chiefly of the vegetarian sects.2. Those who come to pray for special help or to return thanksin accordance with a vo\v made by themselves or their parents.3. Those who are attracted by the excitement and enjoyment the jeh nao that never appeals in vain to the Chinese,who tor the most part live in a very grey or drab environment.It is not an attack upon idol worship that such anoccasion demands, but a call to a higher life and thepressing home of the knowledge of the all-present,ever-living, ever-loving one, who ismighty to save. Ifwisely approached it will be found that each class isvery receptive.While most of the work indicated above mustnecessarily be done by the Chinese staff, the superintending missionary should keep in touch and as far as practicable should at least occasionally engagein each formof work. The Chinese tend to grade off work as moreor less respectable, but this tendency is greatly modified