Various

“ Now, of course, we want a name for our society. If we are going to do all the good we can, we are worthy to be called followers of Christ, and as he is a King, we call ourselves "King's Daughters." When our society began, we had but eight or ten members, but at almost every meeting there was some one who wanted to join. The meetings were carried on every Sunday evening, and some one of the members was appointed to lead the next meeting. During the week we try in every way to do something definite to please our King ”

“ During the recent illness of one of our teachers in the South, the pastor of the Church called every Sunday for volunteers as watchers during the week. There was always a ready response from the church members. The teacher relates that before leaving him in the morning, these watchers would almost invariably kneel down by his bedside and offer up earnest, fervent prayers for his recovery. He was impressed with the simple faith and trust in God of these colored Christians, their belief in prayer and the contrast between them and an equal number of white brethren under the same circumstances. ”

“ Since I am determined to be a Christian, has very much surprised my elder brother. When he heard about I join the Association he make a great deal of trouble to me. Then I ask our brothers to pray for that matter, till one day I go and entreat him; also, tell him all about the gospel of Christ how good for us and redeem us from our sins. Then he said, 'Do not talk such things to me; we are Chinese; must keep our customs.' I say, 'I cannot keep anything wrong; idol worship is against God. Four thousand years ago our Chinese population have no idol to worship. ”

“ Dear Children:—The first morning I entered my school-room South, such a mass of little dark faces as greeted me! At first it seemed so strange to me, they all looked alike, but in a short time I was able to pick out Simon, and Tommy, and Mollie, and Janie. Most of them want to learn, and are quite tidy in their appearance. One of the exercises they enjoy most is the singing. It would be hard to find a colored boy or girl who does not sing, and many of them have very sweet voices. They are able to sing the alto with very little practice. ”

“ Some persons propose as the solution of the race problem, disfranchisement; and they point to the bad legislation of the blacks in South Carolina and Louisiana a quarter of a century ago, when scarcely any of them could read, and almost none owned property. On the other hand, there are those that are industriously trying to educate the blacks and inspiring them to the acquisition of property, and not in vain. More than two millions of the blacks can now read, and more than two hundred million dollars' worth of property is now owned by them. They are thus being prepared to vote wisely. ”

“ We have got to meet this immense problem, which is not far off, but right at hand; which is not a problem of theory, or of distant history, but of practice and fact; and which concerns not the well-being alone, but the very life of the nation. Noble men and women at the South are engaged in it already, with all their hearts ”

“ Many of the parents are working very hard to give their children an education, and I am glad to say that the children themselves are glad to learn. One little girl said, "I've got on a terrible bad looking shoe, and the big girls out doors were laughing at me yesterday, but I thought I'd rather come to school with the bad shoe, than stay away a day and not come at all. I pray every day that God will help me to do right and be a good girl in school. ”

“ There has been a happy increase in the Sunday-school and the prayer meetings.
From Dudley, North Carolina;—It gives me much pleasure to write you that the Lord has abundantly blessed us in our work at this point.
For three weeks a revival, with much success, has been going on in my church, the Lord has been with us disturbing the slumber of the sleeping Christians and bringing sinners unto repentance. We have ten converts and ten more seeking the Lord. We are all very much encouraged and are now looking forward for a brighter and more encouraging future. ”

“ I want an education more than I want to marry. My folks tell me I have enough education, but I think I know better than they. To be sure, I can read and write a little, but that don't satisfy me, I have a hope yet that I may still get higher, that is if the Lord is willing. We cannot do anything unless the Lord is willing and will help us. Give my love to all the girls. Please write and tell me about the school. ”

“ The great point is whether these people shall be herded together in rude homes, tilling the soil without skill, and rearing their children in ignorance and vice. It is the part of Christian wisdom and the duty of the Christian churches of this land to see that the people in this densely-packed and fertile region shall be promptly met with the means of Christian education. Our school at Tougaloo should be enabled to meet in some degree the opportunity it has to prepare and furnish preachers and teachers for this growing population ”

“ The country people seem to be naturally religious, as they are all church members, are so from childhood, and are great believers in the "sperit," which must be the evil one. They are not denominational in the sense in which enlightened people are. The church which allows the greatest number of privileges, and the minister who will just be preacher and make the most noise and have the greatest number of "big meetings," are the most popular. ”

“ There are three more who, I trust, are born of God, but are not yet brave enough to take a stand for him. One says his brother will kill him if he joins in Christ's name." And here is a word from another teacher: "Five of the brethren unite with the church at the coming communion. I do not feel that this is through my effort, as I have not known how to work individually. It is the Lord that 'giveth the increase.' Two of them have been ready to come into the church for a long time. The others show their conversion by face and manner as well as by testimony and prayer." ”

“ We alluded in a recent number of the MISSIONARY to the attractive advertisements of railroad and immigrant companies in the South, and we expressed the fear that many colored people might find the change to be disappointing. But the process goes on, and the rich bottom-lands in the State of Mississippi are attracting many hundreds and thousands of new settlers. Perhaps there is no better place to which they can go, for there are no better lands in the South. ”

“ Foster, and his assistants and the industrial teacher all being Christians and caring for the moral advancement of their pupils. Nor does the missionary administration come in any way to overlie the governmental. From the herd of cows kept for the service of the boarding school, neither is one set aside for the pastor's family, nor is he allowed to buy their milk. He gets his supply from outside. Nor does the preacher use from Uncle Sam's wood pile. He buys from the Indians.
Some may wonder how a man in such a field can keep from drying up. ”

“ A school for more advanced pupils is needed in this part of Mississippi. We have thirty young people in school who come from the five adjoining counties. They are boarding in good families and I have every reason to believe that they have used their time and opportunities well; most of them are this summer to teach.
From Straight University, N.O.—It has been a golden year for Straight University. Financially it has been our best year. A larger proportion of students able to pay came to us. We want to grow, and have every opportunity to do so save that our quarters are too small. ”

“ We have had to put cots in nearly all the rooms, packing them too full for comfort, as it was very hard to say No! to young people who came hundreds of miles and begged tearfully for admission. The school has grown during the last eight years from two hundred to six hundred, and only is not one thousand because we had no room for them. Our graduates are filling important positions all over the South. Several are Superintendents in Texas, Kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. One holds an important office in Honduras; others are doing good work in Cuba and Mexico. ”

“ In the meetings that were held in the different rooms, and those conducted in the High School, which were attended by some of the pupils from other grades, a large number expressed a desire to become Christians; and there were about sixty who gave their hearts to Christ. We rejoice greatly over the work of the Spirit, and have the assurance that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God."
The study of the Bible is an important feature in the school work. One hour each week is set apart for it. ”

“ There are some people who seem to see only the ignorance and vice of the Negro, and the inveterate race-prejudice against him; or at least they appear to be so occupied in dilating upon these hindrances that they have no time to devote to their removal, and, so far as their influence goes, they discourage others from doing anything. ”

“ The warfare is different, but human nature is the same. The Negroes are no more of equal capacity than white men, and there is just the same call for differences in their attainments in scholarship and in general influence. And if those advanced in scholarship shall have Christian character as well as education, it will render their leadership all the more safe for their people and the nation.
SPRING CONFERENCES AND CHURCH WORK.
Five of our Conferences in the South have held their spring meetings. ”

“ The third Sunday in every month we elect the officers who are to serve during the next month. These consist of President, Vice-President, Secretary, a sick committee, whose business it is to visit and help any who are sick, and a committee on invitation, whose business it is to find out who would like to join our society. They report the names at the next meeting. Sometimes we have a question-box into which we put questions regarding the society. ”

“ It is sometimes said that time will settle these monstrous inequalities that prevail in the South, but time never settles anything. Mischievous forces only increase in power, the longer they are permitted to operate. There must be set in operation beneficent forces, in order to make the element of time useful. Agitation is needed, patriotic, prayerful agitation, and such united effort as was made in these Boston pulpits, helps in this agitation. ”

“ The funny thing about it was, that two gentlemen of the same name, who are both ministers and reside in Boston, were confused in this comment. The one, who had recently been South, but who did not preach the sermon, was read a severe lecture, because after partaking of the hospitality of the Southern people, he had spoken in so severe terms of them. It was an amusing blunder, but illustrates the fact that more and more even the Southern editor is coming to feel the importance of Northern criticism. It is a very hopeful sign. ”

“ It will be seen that, even in that place, a relatively small number are in the higher classes, and yet there is a sufficient number of these to indicate that some of the pupils are seeking what is absolutely essential to the race, to wit, that some should have the best education attainable.
While it is true of this race as of all others, that the masses can receive only primary training in letters and in industry, there must be some [pg 174] of their number who can be leaders in thought and influence. No race can make progress without such leaders, who can command the line of march. ”

“ The recent fanaticism in the county did not get one believer from our church.
REPORT FROM MOUNTAIN SCHOOLS.
Our year's work is rapidly drawing to an end. The older scholars are doing well and are remaining with us through the year. They certainly are gaining in this direction. They become very restless as soon as it is "put in crap time." They sigh for the fields and "shovel plow," and often look from the school-room windows with a longing for the log cabin and the ground surrounding it. ”

“ Friends have kindly sent us donations of work, and much more will be acceptable. Sheets, pillow cases, underclothing or patchwork, basted ready for sewing, will be very thankfully received. The work in the sewing classes includes patchwork, the making of dresses, all kinds of other garments, and quilting.—From the Ballard Record.
A DREARY PICTURE OF PLACE AND PEOPLE. BY AN A.M.A. WORKER.
The country is low and flat, with here and there a small elevation on which is a house or log cabin. For miles and miles the country is dreary and monotonous. ”

“ The eagerness of our colored population for education is strikingly shown in the reports given on another page from our institutions in the South—reports of over-crowded rooms, and students dismissed by scores, and even hundreds, for want of accommodations. ”

“ If, then, the color-line is the result of natural instincts, the commonest daily needs of the merest civilization require that we should ask ourselves, is it better or worse to repress or cherish this instinct, and this color-line? ”

“ Her knowledge of spelling would not exceed that of an average third grade pupil, and she is called one of the best colored teachers in the county from which she came.
In the Industrial Department nearly two hundred and fifty girls sew from a half hour to an hour every day. Excellent work is being done and they are very much interested, some of them begging for the privilege of sewing at other times than those designated for that purpose. The industrial teacher finds difficulty in keeping the supply of work equal to the demand. ”