Secretary Roy, in the Advance, controverts the statement of the Herald and Presbyter, that the Congregationalists have come to consent to separate ecclesiastical bodies on the ground of color. Dr. Roy supposes that this conclusion may have been jumped at because of the formation of a new Congregational Association in Georgia, which is an outcome from the Congregational Methodist churches there. The Interior, evidently with gladness, makes the same assertion. The Christian Union replies to this, saying, "We do not think this is true; but, if it is, so much the worse for the Congregationalists!" We may say with Dr. Roy, that nothing is more certain than that in the New Empire that is growing before our eyes, the Congregational churches of this century will not turn towards the dark ages, and will not put themselves to shame by refusing to fellowship with the disciples of Christ on the ground of caste. Such a proposition would have the scorn of our National Council.

The Christianity of our churches will not fall behind the humanity of Victor Hugo, who said, "I have had in my hand the gloved and white palm of the upper class and the heavy black hand of the lower class, and have recognized that both are the hands of man."

The Congregational churches may not be quoted as countenancing this great wickedness against God and man.

FROM ADDRESS OF REV. E.T. FLEMING OF GEORGIA, IN THE BROADWAY TABERNACLE OF NEW YORK

"I suppose it will be necessary to tell you that I am a Negro, that I was born a slave. We are struggling against difficulties. We meet with a great deal of opposition. A case comes to mind which shows something of this opposition. I went out into what we call the Bottom District. The church there was dirty. I went to work and got a sufficient amount of money to buy a barrel of lime. It took me a week to get enough money to buy a barrel of lime. Another brother and myself got the barrel of lime there on a wheel-barrow. We whitewashed the church inside and out, and finished the job about half-past eleven o'clock. It was too late to return to the city, and we agreed to sleep in the church. The next morning, I was surprised to hear a great noise on the outside, and opening the door, looked out and saw a lean, lank, white woman. She was calling to her daughter, "Louisa, Louisa, come here." Her daughter came to her mother and said, "My – –, they have painted the nigger church white. We must put a stop to that." They said we would have to move the church, on the ground that they were not going to stand anything of that kind. These are the things that meet us in opposition there. I was myself refused admittance to a Gospel Tent where a distinguished evangelist from the North was preaching."

A STRIKING STATEMENT

In one of the hotels in Columbia, South Carolina, among the collections of an excellent library, is a book which bears the seal of the State of South Carolina, giving much statistical information as to the geological character of the State, its agricultural resources, its mineral products and the peculiarities of its population. From its pages, the following extract is taken, which is reproduced here for its suggestiveness. It seems incredible, and yet the authority is wholly Southern and has the imprint of the State. It is as follows:

"No effort adequate to even an approximate determination statistically of the intermixture of the White and Negro races has as yet been undertaken. Mr. Patterson, quoted in an authoritative work upon 'The Resources and Population of South Carolina,' and published by the State Board of Agriculture in 1883, as one who has given much attention to the subject, says, even now there are no longer Negroes. One-third has a large infusion of white blood, another third has less, but still some, and of the other third it would be difficult to find an assured specimen of pure African blood. This, continues the report, is a startling statement; but in the absence of statistics, whoever puts it to the test among his Negro acquaintance will be surprised at the degree in which it conforms to the facts. If the lineage of those Negroes whose color and features seem most unmistakably to mark them as of purely African descent, be traced, indubitable evidence may often be obtained of white parentage more or less remote."

MISAPPLIED BENEFACTIONS

The judicious placing of benefaction is a large part of the good of it. Is it wisely located? Will it be permanent? Will it be reproductive? Will it be in the hands of persons suitably responsible for the administration of it? Will it be under a fitting supervision? The cause appeals to sympathy; does it also carry the mark of good judgment? For lack of this double endorsement, not a little of generous giving is thrown away. It is a fine piece of romance; does it proffer a sufficient security upon the proffered investment of the Lord's money?

A worthy Christian woman brings the scheme. It is laid upon the mountains of East Tennessee, thrust up into notoriety by the writing of Charles Egbert Craddock. A lady of faith and hope and energy, proposes to build up an industrial farm-school of high quality for the neglected girls of that mountain district. She has already been teaching a common-school among them. She comes up to a city of New England. She lays her plan before some of the noble women there. They take it up without further inquiry as to the feasibility of the undertaking. With their first contributions an old worn-out farm is bought in the lady's name, and in the cheap farm-house a small school is opened. The location is in an out-of-the-way neighborhood, three or four miles from the little, old, tumble-down county seat. Now a fine building is to be secured. The lady patrons raise their offerings up to six thousand dollars. Fine architectural plans are devised at the North. Meantime, speculators on the ground, who for a few cents an acre have bought up a great quantity of land adjoining and would be glad to sell it at a dollar an acre, have donated a hundred acres, more or less, to the school. On this tract the building is located and goes forward. The frame is put up and pretty much enclosed. For want of money the enterprise comes to a stand, and now for these four years the stranded structure has been taking damage from the storms.

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