20 



and statistics, having been largely of a preparatory nature. 

 Yet it has been of such a sort that blessed results may be 

 expected before long. Obstacles had to be removed, the 

 ground broken, the seed sown, and then comes the blade, 

 the ear, and the harvest. It takes years to break the ground, 

 to acquire the language, to translate the Scriptures, establish 

 schools, and to get the good seed sown into the minds and 

 hearts of the people. As the Rev. J. Liggins says : "The 

 true method for judging the result of missionary labor is not 

 that which regards it like a prairie fire, that sweeps rapidly 

 over the plains, devouring all within its range, and so swiftly 

 dying out ; but rather as a mighty silent influence, like the 

 quiet, steady forces of nature, which carry the seed and 

 deposit it in the soil, nursing it with sunshine and with rain 

 year after year, until an oak springs up and reaches out its 

 growing arms over the sod, and in time scatters the acorns, 

 until a mighty forest waves its majestic boughs, where once 

 were rocks and thistles." 



The plans of the missionaries are comprehensive and 

 definite, anticipating success. The request of Brother 

 Wolff for 30,000 feet of prepared lumber to build a larger 

 school-house and chapel at Carmel has been granted by the 

 Board ; and this material will be sent from San Francisco 

 this Summer. Brother Kilbuck's suggestion, on the other 

 hand, can scarcely be acted upon before an official visita- 

 tion has been made, to judge of the field. Meantime, 

 however, additional volunteers for Bethel are being asked 

 for, to anticipate and prepare for any move. Besides, it is 

 contemplated, if possible, to send two promising young 

 Eskimos to Pennsylvania, to be there prepared for evan- 

 gelistic work among their own people. The following is 

 the plan of Brother Kilbuck for further operations, just 

 alluded to : 



" The Lord has put it into our hearts, to make the fol- 

 lowing suggestion to our brethren : Start a Mission-Station 

 at Togiak Bay. 



Why ? For the following reasons : 



a. The Togiak valley is a field as distinct as either Nush- 

 agak or Bethel. This field can not be reached easily 

 from either of the two stations. A station at the mouth 



