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OTHER MISSIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS 151message was most encouraging, the missionary almost everywhere receiving from the majority of the people a respectfulhearing.R During the .. year the number of convertsbaptized exceeded 4,200. Thus over 54,000have made public confession of their faith in Christ sincethe commencement of the work. Not only in numericalstrength did the Church increase, but also in effective poweras an organization. Though there was cause to mourn lackof spiritual perception on the part of the members in manyinstances, yet there was marked growth, manifesting itselfin greater liberality, a deeper sen.se of responsibility forsharing with others the blessings of the gospel, higherstandards of devotion and increased desire for the knowledgeof God s Word.The number of organized churches at the*end f tllGChurchesy ear was 8 6 alld the comnmni -,cants in fellowship approximately 38,000,whilst an additional 45,000 men and women were reportedas under Christian instruction. The paid Chinese helpersmale and female exceeded 1,250.The Church offerings, apart from contributions foreducational work, approximated 2,650.VohmtarVoluntary evangelistic effort was a cheering1Vorfcfeature in the work at many centres, not a fewof the converts tithing their time for thispurpose. At a conference held at one of our ScandinavianAssociate stations in Shansi the converts not only contributed80,000 cash for church purposes, but promised 840 daysservice without wages for preaching the gospel. At a centrein Western Szechwan an aged couple celebrated their sixtiethbirthday by contributing the support of a preacher to act astheir representative. The Superintendent of the SwedishMission in China reported that a conference of churchleaders held in March last year, when over fifty delegatesfrom Shensi, Shansi, and Honan were present, gave evidencethat the churches were growing in the knowledge of Christand in their sense of responsibility for carrying the gospelto their own countrymen. The importance of encouragingvoluntary work is widely recognized, calling as it does for