but just as we read the last verse, Yong Ack arrived.  This is a brother who was converted about a year ago.  His daily work is that of a cook in a way-side inn, about six (some said eight) miles from Oroville.  He has been accustomed to walk this distance, over a rough and dusty road, to attend, not often the school, but the religious services of our mission.  He can seldom reach the Mission House before nine, but the meetings begin when he arrives and continue till he is ready to start away.  As this brother was to be baptized on the following evening, the Bible reading was suspended with a promise from me that I would speak from these words the next evening, and we all addressed ourselves to a study of the Confession and Covenant of our little Chinese Church at Oroville.  It was taken up clause by clause, read in English, explained, translated into Chinese, and still further explained, till Yong Ack in particular, and in a general way all the rest of them, professed to understand and believe it all.  When this was finished, we were well on towards 11 P.M., and we closed the meeting with song and prayer.

The day following was variously occupied, but in the evening we were all at the Mission House again.  The lessons were given, and then the table was spread for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.  Then came the preaching, with Yong Jin interpreting, sentence by sentence.  The topic—­the Shepherd seeking his lost sheep, followed by the story of the prodigal son.  One could not have asked a more attentive audience.  The presence and work of the Spirit were unmistakable.  At length, a little after nine, Yong Ack appeared.  He had been over that road three times that day, and expected, before morning to go over it again.  But he confessed no weariness either by word or by manner.  He was bright, wakeful, joyous.  He confessed Christ, was baptized, and was welcomed with gladness to the church, after which we gathered round the table of the Lord.

Wednesday and Thursday were spent in and about Marysville.  Both Oroville and Marysville are “hard fields.”  In both of them good work has been done in days past, but the fruits from the seed sown have been widely scattered, so that in each place but few Christians remain.  Our Chinese Church in Marysville, some years ago was reported—­truthfully, I am sure—­as in proportion to its numbers and its means, the Banner Church of the country for its contribution to Foreign Missions.  But now only one member, a deacon, resides in the place.  He is a cook at one of the hotels, and is unable to leave his work till about 8:30 P.M., but he “holds the fort” sturdily, bravely.  He is an athletic man, full of energy and courage, with, doubtless, some of the defects which usually attend these qualities, but honest, earnest, consistent, determined.