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METHODIST GKOtjP 105number their communicants by thousands rather than byhundreds the Christians being more numerous in proportionto the population and the groups of Christians contiguous,this method will give a solidarity which should allow forindependence and self-support much sooner than if theChristians were in separate groups scattered throughout awide area.A full missionary plant is established as soon as possible after the opening of a station and while in many casesthe Chinese have contributed generously towards these, it isnot our principle to wait for some expression on their partbefore proceeding to erect the necessary buildings.Of ourgta jjpresent foreign force the majorityhave been less than seven years in China,twenty only have been over ten years in our work and butsix previous to 1900, so we feel that we are just beginning,though as a matter of fact the mission work was started in1892.Last year notwithstanding the War our constituencystood behind us in a remarkable manner, furnishing thenecessary funds and eight new workers for our West Chinafield.dThe present is, we feel, the most criticalCriticalperiod in our mission life, when directionsonce determined cannot be altered, and wesurvey with more than ordinary interest the year s workwhich shows marks of steady growth, rather than sporadicdevelopments along new 7lines.The preparation of a Chinese pastorate is just now ourmost pressing problem. Our regular course for Chineseministers takes nine years, five of which must be spent incollege and four on the field. The first class of twelve menwill be ordained in 1917. Last year there was an increaseof eleven in the Chinese evangelistic staff.The church membership increased ten per cent but thestrongest phase of the evangelistic work consisted in anepidemic of Bible schools which has gone through thestations and out-stations of our Mission. Next in importanceto the preachers are the local leaders, whose ideals andA 13