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1 82 CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.will not now enter into any discussion of these : sufficientfor us to know that God, who is Lord over all circumstances and causes, has set before us this open door.We can also report progress as regards the openingof new centres. We cannot tabulate the exact numberopened* during the past three years, but extracts fromone or two letters may give a fair idea of what hasbeen taking place in most parts of China. A letterfrom the far-off province ot Kansuh "Insays: thesouth of the province an out-station has been openedat Hsihohsieu, and another at a market town. In thewest an out-station has been opened at Hochow. Inthe northwest an out-station has been opened thirty// from Iviaugchowfu. In the central part a missionary is at present living in an inn, hoping to openup settled work in Kongchangfu." It is a long distance from Kansuh in the north to Kiangsi in the southcentralpart of China, but from the latter province wehave the news that five places have been opened bythree different missions. These are additional outpostsready to be used, with all other missionary centres,as bases for extended evangelistic work when thechurches at home send forth the needed evangelisticmissionaries.With all that is encouraging in connection with missionary effort in China there is the fact, very much tobe deplored, that several centres have had to be abandoned, not because of riot and opposition but because oflack of funds. These things ought not to be !It is most encouraging to note, and it is a veryreal mark of progress, that not a few of the newlyopenedoutposts have been opened by the Chinese Christians themselves. As the Chinese Christians themselvesare putting forth efforts for the evangelization of theirown people, let not the parent churches be behind inentering the open doors.*Sce :Appendix I^ist of new stations opened since 1907.