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178 CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.can arrange to come on certain days to teach her sisterto read. Intelligent young women often jump at theopportunity of learning to read, and while giving valuable help in this way the Bible-woman has her opportunity of giving careful and thorough Christian teaching.The wives of the men converts and mothers of thechildren in mission schools should be especially soughtout. Many churches in China have had congregationscomposed almost entirely of men, but where a wise useof suitable Bible-women has been made the women ssome of the mostbenches rapidlyfillup and provideinterested and earnest listeners.The indoor work of evangelisation in the citiesmay be dealt with more briefly. Street chapel preachinghas been from the early days of Protestant missions inChina the most prominent and the most successful meansof reaching all classes, and while many other agenciesformerly unknown are now in full activity it is probablethat no one other agency is so potent to-day as thisprimitive one. A change, however, seems to be takingplace in two directions. Formerly most of the workwas done in the day time, and strangers from a distancewere most in evidence in the congregations now the;tendency is to put more and more stress upon eveningpreaching, and the effort is made to interest and winthe people of the neighbourhood moreover for this even;ing work it is often found helpful to have hymn singing,reading of Scripture and prayer as well as preaching.In other words less stress is laid upon wide evangelismnow that almost every part of the empire is in touchwith Christian missions and more effort is made to buildup strong local churches. Again, far less is heard inthe addresses about the falsity of idolatry and the follyof superstition all;this is now taken for granted, andthe preacher addresses himself more to the task ofunfolding the teachings of Christianity, its ethical andpractical aspects and more especially enforcing the greatdoctrines of grace. In some missions guest room work