WORK IN MEMPHIS.

        On January 16, 1886, I made my first visit to Memphis. After calling on the pastors and talking to several of the schools we planned to have Bible readings every night in some church, and then gave a week to a training school, such as we had in Morgan City, La. I now had my paper, with its daily lessons. We spent much time in showing them how to find references in their Bibles and memorizing texts. It was a joy to see their great interest in the dear old Book. Study as we gave it was all new to them. The men as well as the women came to my Bible readings at night. I spent a month the first time, and returned once in three months that year, so as to keep the work alive. In March we formed a kind of city union which included fifteen churches, and enrolled one hundred and thirty-six women. They held a monthly meeting. V. W. Broughton, who is now one of my secretaries, was chosen president, and Emma King, secretary. She is now the wife of Professor Jones, Arkadelphia, Ark. Most of that band of women have faithfully studied our daily Bible lessons in "Hope" from that date to the present, sixteen years. This proves the negro's gift of perseverance.

        The first year Emma King wrote me the following: "At least a hundred women in our city are now for the first time daily reading the Bible with their children, and committing a text of Scripture, and many of them reading to their neighbors."

        The following year the Society sent missionaries to Memphis establishing the work permanently.

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