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20 CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.Each of the three Bible Societies reports unprecedented sales. The American Bible Societly has recently been the recipient of large gifts ensuring important expansion. Revision of the former translations ofthe Old Testament into the classical and the mandarinAnlanguages has made deliberate but steady progress.excellent concordance of the revised Mandarin versionhas enriched the library for Bible study. In the matterof unifying Christian periodical literature the adviceof the conference has been by no means followed, butthe circulation of the most important journals has beenmaterially increased. The Tract Societies, aided by theindispensable grants from home lands, have been diligently at work, and the combined product is larger andprobably better than ever before, leaving no doubt largeroom for improvement. The Christian Literature Society has occupied new quarters much needed and longawaited. Its publications have perhaps done more toinfluence the educated mind of China in favor of Christianity than any other agency. It may be safely said thatthere is a large and a growing class of China s scholarswho are intellectually convinced that China has somepressing needs, such as a new navy, a new religion,etc., and they are inquiring with interest which typeisin each case the best. This is an immense advance uponthe old days of ignorant insolence, or studied contempt.The Chinese Recorder has entered upon a period ofgreatly enlarged usefulness worthy of the body which itrepresents.Our relations with Roman Catholics leave much tobe desired, seeming to depend more upon the personalqualities of priest and missionary than on any othersingle factor. If ceaseless friction is to be avoided,there must be a better acquaintance which will generallylead to mutual respect. The withdrawal by the Chinese government of the special privileges given to theCatholic church more than twelve years ago has, so