"THE PRESENT DISTRESS."

BY REV. W.C. POND, D.D.

It is everywhere, and if in our little corner we feel the first impulse
to murmur, we hear, forthwith, from the great apostle: "There hath no
trial taken _you_ but such as is common to man." And yet the trial is
none the less severe, the distress is none the less intense, because it
is universal. It may be that "misery likes company," though I could
never see why, but in this instance I can truly say, would that we
suffered alone!

I foresaw almost six months ago that the universal stringency would
bring us an empty treasury long before the close of our fiscal year. It
seemed due in justice to our workers to forewarn them of this. I told
them that I would do my best for them, but that for the months of June,
July and August this might amount to nothing; that I was not allowed,
and ought not to be, to use the resources of the new year to meet any
deficits from the old one, and that I was under solemn pledge to one of
our chief benefactors never to let the mission run in debt. Consequently
I could not and would not blame them if they ceased work and closed the
schools. I am proud to say that not one teacher was found to accept my
proposal. One of them wrote: "I am very sorry you are so short of funds.
I feel sure that

'In some way or other,
The Lord will provide.'

At any rate I shall not join the strikers, but keep right on." Another