proceeded on my way. A recent letter from Brother Warne states we have now an American Church in Manila with fifty members, a Filipino Church with two hundred members, and weekly services attended by about six hundred Filipino adherents. Four ladies represent the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, and active work has been commenced among the Filipino women. We have also a small but hopeful band of Chinese Christians, and in the early future hope to have a vigorous Chinese work among the large Chinese populations of Manila. A few hours before leaving Manila I had the pleasure of crdaining the first Protestant Filipino preacher ever admitted to the Christian ministry. In order to provide for this extraordinary emergency I cabled to Bishop Vincent, through Dr. Leonard, to have the brother admitted on trial by the South Kansas Conference, elected to deacon's orders under the Missionary Rule, and transferred to the Malaysia Mission Conference. A prompt response enabled me to place an intelligent pastor over the Filipino converts, and thereby greatly strengthen the brave company of those who had come out from the house of priestly bondage. In that hour of need I felt devoutly thankful that I served a Church which had a flexible cconomy." CHAPTER XXV. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.-Continued. Ir was more than a year after Bishop Thoburn founded the mission and set its different agencies to work before the arrival of a regular missionary. The first man appointed was Rev. Thomas H. Martin, who arrived in Manila March 26, 1900. He was followed on the 9th of May by the Rev. Jesse L. McLaughlin and wife, and in November, Rev. W. G. Fritz came to join. these first arrivals. The work in the Philippines was made a Presiding Elder's District of the Malaysia Conference, and Mr. McLaughlin was made presiding elder, with the additional burden of caring for the work in Manila, both Filipino and American. In July, Bishop Warne reached the Philippines on his way back to his field in India and Malaysia. He held the first District Conference in August. During the session of this body, no one matter was more plain to the minds of all concerned than the need of experienced leadership in the pastorate of the American Church and in the work of the mission in general. It was felt by the men who came at first that their lack of years and missionary experience was certain to tell against their largest effectiveness, and they, as well as others, felt that something should be done to provide this kind of help. On the 24th of August the members of the District Conference, after much prayer for guidance, and with the approval of Bishop Warne, united in a written petition asking that I leave the pastorate at Mount Vernon, Iowa, and assume the pastorate of the Church for "the unchurched Americans in Manila and the Philippines." Believing that my eight years in India would be of great value to me here, as soon as suitable arrangements could be made for that important college pastorate, I came, doubting not that I followed the Voice. I left my family in Iowa, as conditions were still unsettled, rents high, and the cost of living excessive. Rev. Willard A. Goodell accompanied me, and makes one of our effective vernacular missionaries at the present time. We reached Manila April 19, 1901, and were heartily welcomed, and I entered immediately on my new duties. as pastor of the American Church and presiding elder of the Philippines District. One year has since been spent in the Open Door Emergency campaign in the United States; but, aside from that, I have been in the field to which God so clearly led me. The first week after my arrival all the missions then represented in the Philippines united in forming what is known as the Evangelical Union of the Philippine Islands, under which we agreed to co-operate for the most speedy and thorough evangelization of the entire population. This union is one of the most marked of all the larger movements of recent times toward Church federation or unity, and deserves a word of special mention. It was formed in response to the conviction on the part of the men on the field that it would be a pity to inaugurate the wasteful missionary program in the Philippines which has come into play in older fields. The action of the Boards occupying the field had made it easy for their representatives to get together in such plans as would renler på ssible the most rapid and effective covering of the territory. One of the essential features of this organirater was the division or allotment of the Archipelago among the various missions then at work, so that each became responsible for the evangelization of a Sne, ana, thus enabling a small force to cover a wa 50 webt overlapping or friction. In this tenwhich was to be observed for three years, assiered all the island of Luzon between Lan là and Pagenan from sea to sea, with a free hand in Manila cf Later action extended that field by making it cover a" the Cagayan Valley, and according the russir ceral en rtunities for work in the Hill province of Benguet with all other Boards. The Presbyterians were given all Southern Luzon by the same agreement, and they and the Baptists were to divide the work in Panay and Negros between themselves as might seem to them mutually desirable. The United Brethren were allotted the coast provinces of Northwest Luzon-all Ilokano territory, and one of the most ripe for immediate evangelism, as well as one of the most progressive and prosperous portions of the entire Islands. Other islands were left free for occupation at such time and in such manner as should prove best adapted for the prosecution of the whole work. The Presbyterians had begun a fine work in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces, having one Church organized * Hagonoy, and a following gathered in San Fernando, Manga. We gave them our work in Cavite, and Nyt us in charge of their congregations in the places. and the work of permanent occupation of our NAV ve portions of the Philippines immediately began. whately seen that the occupation of pro se's was a necessity in so far as possible. |