includes about one-half of the population. More recently, the Spanish-speaking islands have been opened to Protestant missions and in these aggressive and helpful work is in progress.

The report of the Committee, in 1905, elicited much concern respecting these detached portions of our Continent and arrangements were completed whereby Mr. Frank L Brown, of New York, the Reverend E.T. Capel, of Montreal Mr. W. C. Pearce, of Chicago, and Dr. Frank Woodbury, of Halifax were to make a tour of Bermuda, Leeward and Windward Islands, Trinidad and British Guiana (South America). This was accomplished between January 22, and March 8, 1906.

The conditions discovered were briefly as follows: A dense population hardly exceeded per square mile elsewhere on earth. About 5,000,000 in the islands alone, and a puzzling mixture of races. A lax home life among a large proportion of the population, and the consequent moral lapse. The rank and file of the people are poor, while there are in some of the islands well-to-do people.

Missionaries, consecrated, heroic, talented, man the field. Men whom God has called aside from the glamor and dramatic setting of the Oriental mission field to bury themselves in the isolation of these islands, risking the tropical heat, diseases and death, for Christ's sake. Probably about one-sixth of the population of school age is in the Sunday-school. Somewhat larger numbers are in the dayschools which in most islands are under denominational supervision, and in which religion is taught.

With a very few exceptions the organized Sunday-school, as it exists in North America, is unknown. There is no systematic departmental grading; almost no equipment; no cradle roll, while the Primary work may rightly be named primitive work. There are a few teacher-training classes, no Home Department, and literally hundreds of thousands of children and young people available for

training. At every point the fact was repeated in our ears, "The hope for the future of these Islands is in training the childhood." The methods and plans of the International Association were warmly welcomed and a big hope was born for a more vigorous campaign to save that people.

At British Guiana the tour party touched the mainland of South America. At Georgetown, for the first time the World's Convention, by a letter from President E. K. War ren, greeted an audience on the South American continent.

During the summer of 1906, plans were laid to send an International field worker to that needy, populous territory. The Reverend A. Lucas, of New Brunswick, Canada, was selected, and traveled through the islands from November 5, 1906, until April 5, 1907, organizing and strengthening the work. Mr. Lucas also visited Panama, Jamaica, and Cuba.

The need for vigorous missionary Sunday-school work in the Spanish-speaking islands is very great. All that has been said of the others is many fold more true in these.

Central American missions in Panama, British Honduras, Costa Rica, are pleading for the inspiration of a periodical visitation.

South America is "The neglected Continent" with its forty millions of people, fifteen millions of absolutely heathen natives. Statistics show but a handful of Protestants.

The commercial importance of that Continent is becoming better and better known, but the Protestantism of North America has not yet become sufficiently aware of the great needs and opportunities in this dark, dark portion of the world.

By the action of the Executive Committee of the International Sunday School Association in the autumn of 1906, this great Continent was added to their field. It is now proper to say, "The International Association of North and South America and adjacent Islands."

The Committee with this work in charge having opened

up already the great territory of the West Indies, will at once take measures to put the Missions of South America in touch with this movement, for the salvation of the children and youth of the whole Western hemisphere. The International Association is the mightiest force that to-day can enter that land, hand in hand with the Protestant denominational missionaries.

Men are standing ready to devote their lives to the uplift of that people and the organization of the best methods for winning the young. It is right that the Church should have their eyes fixed upon the millions in the Orient, and pour out their wealth for the redemption of the Antipodes, but our nearest neighbor "lieth in the wicked one" and in "a darkness that may be felt." We wonder what stewards of God's bounty will see this report and feel called to assign a substantial and adequate sum to send the gospel, through this agency, to the childhood of our sister Continent. America is not responsible for this trust, who is?

If North

The two visitations to the West Indies, South and Central America have resulted in the organization of the following Sunday School Associations with full staff of officers and departmental superintendents: British Guiana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua, St. Kitts. The Trinidad and Tobago Association recently sent fifty dollars to our International Treasurer as a thank-offering.

General working committees for organizing and controlling the work have been appointed in Montserrat, Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada. Jamaica was visited almost immediately after the Kingston earthquake. No central organization was effected then, but strong District Associations are at work. They are ready to complete the work now.

Cuba received a short visitation from Mr. Lucas. A strong central Committee has the work of organization in hand, which it is hoped will be completed in the winter of 1907 and 1908.

Cen

Not nearly all the islands have been even visited. tral and South America have hardly been touched. Their harvest fields are waiting for the reapers.

Who hears the Divine call? "Whom shall we send, and who will go for us."

Dr. W. Scott Whittier, of Trinidad, said:

It has been a statesmanlike act on the part of the International Executive Committee to send a Commission to South America and the West Indies. The Commission has met difficult and delicate conditions with rare tact and success, and has done much good by gathering information, promoting co-operation, and stimulating zeal, and has secured Secretary Lucas to gather in the fruits.

West India history has had dark days of slavery, marooners, and buccaneers, with volcanic outbursts of international war. There is a greater diversity of race and language than was at Jerusalem on Pentecost. They are not an inferior, but a less favored people, seeking their heritage of light and greatness. The report, like that on Africa, Japan, China, and India, recalled the days when the great proconsuls of Rome returned to report on conditions, needs, and dangers of distant provinces over which they ruled. The vital thing was not the report, but the decisions in yonder Forum, by the Senate and people of Rome. Is there a foe? Then mark the prompt midnight gathering, the trumpet call, and forth through the night, beating the Appian Way with firm, fearless feet, begins ere dawn that march which goes on and on to the rim of the world, to smite down their foe and return to a Roman triumph, or else to leave their bones to mark the boundary behind which Rome will treat with no invader. These reports and your decisions take a wider range, and higher import. Long the few have been at the front with the flag of the Christ. They falter not, though they do grow gray beyond their years. They will return for no triumph that we can

give we are not worthy; that is in the Father's hand. But we can give them the cheer and support of practical help and prevailing prayer.

EDITOR'S NOTE.-The general condition of the work in the West Indies was described by Mr. W. C. Pearce at the Convention. Further facts are here given by Dr. Frank Woodbury, Chairman of the International Executive Committee sub-committee on the West Indies, together with the words of Dr. Whittier, of Trinidad, following Mr. Pearce's address.

The Significance of the Convention

BY THE REV. DR. N. WALLING CLARK, OF ITALY

It is significant that this great gathering is here in the interest of Sunday-schools. This means that the Sundayschool movement is recognized as having in it greater possibilities for the uplifting of humanity than any other movement of modern times. The lever which is destined to raise the world toward Jesus is consecrated childhood. There is no nation and no race on the earth which can resist and overcome the uplifting force of a generation of children who believe in Jesus. With the children of any country argument is of no avail; theories they know nothing about, theological discussion is outside of their sphere, and they have no use for it. But when they are led to see Jesus, they know him, they believe in him, they love him, and when the children are united in the faith and the love of Jesus, there is no power on earth that can successfully resist them. It is, therefore, a fact of deep significance that the religious world, as represented in this great Convention, has come to recognize so universally the marvelous uplifting power of childhood joined to Jesus.

It is significant that this gathering is in Rome. It means I trust, that the Protestant world is beginning to feel a deeper interest in Roman Catholic countries.