with us in the spring of 1905, at the annual meeting of the Old Colony Branch, which was held in the Chapel of the Central Church.

She spoke in our morning business meeting about her special work in Harpoot; in the afternoon, a reception was given her by the ladies in the parlors of the church, when many had the privilege of making her acquaintance and of shaking hands with her.

She has now (1905) laid aside her active work and is at home among friends.

A great deal of work in the foreign field has been accomplished in many directions by our society; other missionaries have been helped; the work has spread over much territory; and mission stations have been visited from time to time. Many letters have been received and read in our meetings. In the November meeting of 1883, the record says, "Our hearts warm within us, when we read the names of the long list of foreign missionaries who have spoken at our meetings. Nineteen in all have thus appeared." Probably many more have visited us since.

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As the work of the Woman's Board of Missions increased, and auxiliaries were multiplied, "branches" were ganized, comprising twenty auxiliaries and mission circles with responsible officers. The "Old Colony Branch" was organized in southeastern Massachusetts, with which the Fall River society became associated in 1882. Mrs. Charles J. Holmes of the Central Church, Fall River, was president of this branch for many years, and on resigning this office she was elected "Honorary President," an office which she still holds.

In November, 1894, the " Silver Wedding " of the Fall River society and Miss Seymour was celebrated at the First Congregational Church. One hundred and ten persons were present, among them being some who are now members of the senior society, but who in their younger days belonged

to the " Willing Helpers," and who now brought their children to join in this celebration.

Miss Seymour's photograph was set in a frame, around which were placed silver coins to the amount of sixty-one dollars, which were subsequently sent to her as a silver wedding gift. Mrs. Eli Thurston contributed a fine paper reviewing the events of the past years; Miss Caroline Borden of Boston, spoke of incidents connected with the work of the society in its earlier days; a copy of the letter sent to Miss Seymour twenty-five years before, as well as the last two letters received from her, were read; and a social hour and song fitly closed the exercises and the final meeting of the year.

On May 29, 1895, the semi-annual meeting of the Woman's Board of Missions of Boston was held with the Fall River society in the Central Church.

In 1896, a union meeting of all the Foreign Missionary Societies of the several denominations in Fall River was held with the First Church. Some two hundred persons were present. Miss Caroline Borden prepared a paper, giving a survey of the work of the Congregational churches in foreign lands. Other ladies presented similar papers of their own denominational work. The meeting was a great success, and closed with the oft-repeated expression of hope, that in the future other like gatherings might be held.

The good work still goes on, not perhaps on just the same lines, but the field is large, there are many open doors, and somewhere, at some time in the near future, we hope that our society will again take up some special work and help to gather in the "golden sheaves " under the lead of our divine Master.

Willing Helpers' Society

It had been proposed by some of our ladies, members of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Fall River, that there should be an opportunity for the smaller children to become interested in missionary work. On January 13, 1870, the children of the First Congregational Church and the Central Church were invited to meet in the vestry of the First Church to form a society to be called the "Willing Helpers."

They responded quickly, and at that meeting became willing helpers" indeed. The object named was to raise funds sufficient to support two of Miss Seymour's scholars in Harpoot, Turkey. At a later date, the children of the Fowler Church also came into the organization. At the first meeting, Miss Hattie Andrews was made treasurer, and collectors were appointed from the Central Church, namely, Delia S. Carr (now Mrs. James E. Osborn), and Alice L. Buck; from the First Church, Mary Brayton and Emma Dunning (now Mrs. Albert S. French). It was voted that twenty-five cents should be the membership fee.

During the first year four boys and sixty-eight girls joined. In March of that year (1870), Miss Rice of Persia was invited to meet the members, together with any children of our day schools who might desire to attend. About three hundred and fifty were present.

A letter was written to Miss Seymour, asking her to select two girls for the society to assist in some way, and to send word what was especially needed for them.

The second annual report, in 1871, says that there were fifty-nine members of the society, and that they had raised in different ways the sum of $149.39, which had been placed in the treasury. It is not necessary to give the record from year to year. This little band of workers, as they became

older, gave up their interest in this special junior branch, and many of them have enrolled their names in the mothers' society, and are now active members and officers of the

same.

Different missionaries from all parts of the foreign field have met with them, and they have had a large share in the great work of clothing and brightening the lives of those who live far away in other lands.

They have given entertainments of many kinds to help swell the funds of their treasury. In 1877, when Miss Seymour was in this country for a vacation, she came to Fall River, and met with the children at one of their meetings. She told them about her journey home, and about the children they were helping, Aimie and Decoolie, and that Aimie was especially anxious to come to America with her.

In January, 1898, the twenty-eighth anniversary of the Willing Helpers was held in the vestry of the First Congregational Church. A reception followed the business meeting. A very interesting paper was read by Miss Edith Hawes. Among many other items, it was stated that $2,212.16 had been raised in those years by the Helpers. Miss Sarah S. Brayton wrote a paper, which was read by Helen Brayton, recording the facts connected with the starting of the society.

Miss Caroline Borden came from Boston to be present on this occasion. She invited the members to help her fill a box she was about to send to Miss Seymour in Harpoot.

A collection basket was placed on the table, in which subsequently was found the sum of forty dollars, together with a number of notes of congratulation on their anniversary celebration. Refreshments were served to about one hundred and forty persons who were present. There are many pleasant statements in the annual reports of the Willing Helpers a name happily chosen for them in the days of their first meeting.

In 1881, they journeyed in imagination, by the aid of maps and charts, from Fall River to Harpoot in Turkey.

The organization has given a four years' course of instruction in Harpoot to Aimie, the Kurd girl, and afterwards supported her as a teacher. It also gave a three years' course to Decoolie, Mayloo, Esther, Jubal, and Yeagharper, — in all, six scholars.

It has sent several boxes to Harpoot, and in nearly all the other years, it has made a donation to objects other than for the education of these girls. All this ennobling and beneficent work has been accomplished in the thirty-five years of its existence.

As time goes on, many of the older ones have joined our mothers' society, and are instilling into their children the need of such work, as well as the pleasure they will receive through this life, in helping to lift the burden from those who are so ignorant and needy, especially in their spiritual natures.

Cradle Roll

At one of the quite recent annual meetings of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Fall River, mention is made of a vote to have a "Cradle Roll" in the society. in the society. A committee was appointed to visit the parents and secure the names of the young children of members.

Mrs. Arba N. Lincoln, Mrs. George S. Brigham, and Mrs. Arthur Anthony were appointed from the Central Church.

Efforts were also made to enroll the names of children from the other churches the First Congregational Church, the Fowler Church, and the Broadway Church. A total of fiftythree children joined through their parents, paying the customary fee of twenty-five cents. There was an entertainment given for them in 1904, in the Chapel of the Central Church. Its members are from the age of one year to five years.