of schools, so that a grade in one institution will mean exactly what it does in another. Prof. Kelly Miller gave an illuminating address, showing how the schools of the A. M. A. were doing the kind of work needed to promote southern civilization. Rev. J. P. O'Brien spoke on the need of technical training for service in the churches, while President N. B. Young extolled the old-fashioned Congregational ideals of education.

In this section Congregationalism is just in its beginning, and it was appropriate that a whole evening should be given to interests of expansion. Hon. J. C. Napier, a leading lawyer of Nashville, came to tell the best way. Rev. M. M. Whitt, who has done a remarkable work in the country districts of Louisiana, made a plea for more churches for the country people. Rev. H. H. Proctor was sure that for the colored people in the cities, shut out from the ordinary civilizing influences by the color line, the institutional church was the way of the distinct call. Prof. William Pickens in a characteristic address told of how the desired expansion may come about through the persistency and patience Lincoln showed.

The temperance movement in the South received adequate treatment, as was proper in this state which has adopted the most thoroughgoing prohibition law of any state in the Union. Congregational churches and schools. led in this work in the South. Aid

ago told Gen. Howard to tell the people of the North that "We are rising." Rev. George Eaves brought greetings from the southern white Congress, and Mr. Manning, a native white Southerner, told of his work for fair play for the black race. Secretary Cooper exploited the apportionment plan.

The New Orleans delegation came with such eagerness to secure the next meeting that they vanquished all rivals and won the convention's hand for two years hence. Rev. A. C. Garner, D. D., of Washington, D. C., was chosen president and Rev. H. II. Proctor, D. D., of Atlanta, corresponding secretary. The local interest in the convention was marked, people of all faiths joining in the work of hospitality. The auditorium was full at each gathering, and sometimes it overflowed. As the delegates came there was an eagerness to get together, and they left with a passion to reach the people. A new spirit fills our workers. The Advance.

This meeting was held in the bailiwick of Talladega College, and not only was it true that the special singers for the occasion came from that institution, but also most of the ministers and laymen in the gathering had studied there. Without Talladega College this gathering could not have been held in Alabama, and without similar institutions scattered here and there in the South like stars in the sky this National Convention could not have been thought of. As it is a new consciousness has come to a new power within the colored race, and a new force for positive and constructive work in Southern civilization is growing.

S

We

OME months ago our attention was called to called to a well written book, entitled, "From Darkness to Light," which was prepared as a study of the Negro-his progress and his possibilities. found very much in it that was excellent and were ready to recommend it for the "Forward Mission Study Course," on the understanding that it was to be revised by the International Committee, and as we supposed, with the purpose of eliminating whatever in it was at variance with historical accuracy or with views which do not have the verdict of history. We certainly were in cordial sympathy with its main purpose, and with the evident desire of the author to be entirely fair and to present as favorably as possible the South side view of the interests which we have at heart.

This work, now revised by the International Committee, comes to us with the changed title, "The Upward Path." We find to our regret that the corrections which we supposed would be made were not made, but on the other hand, certain values which were in the original work have been omitted. We supposed, of course, that in any revision apologies for the existence of slavery should be eliminated.

They are not, and we find ourselves unable to endorse the teaching that on the whole slavery was a grand and successful missionary movement. Yet we read as follows: "There must have been in slavery over two millions of Negroes in the southern states who were either professing Christians or under direct protestant Christian influence and instruction-nearly onehalf of their whole number. Does the

history of missions present any parallel to this?" (Italics ours.) Whatever may be said for slavery, as a system we cannot forget that during slavery more than one-half of the Negro people without marriage had received a large infusion of white blood, and we think it is too late to teach our young people that slavery was not such a very bad thing after all, merely because there were so many kind-hearted masters and mistresses who owned and worked the people they held in involuntary servitude; nor do we think people were wrong when they cried out against slavery; nor do we think that as a "missionary institution" it was right to try to extend it in new states and territories.

We are quite ready to grant that notwithstanding the wrong of human slavery, the absolute denial of human rights and the attendant evils upon both the owners and the owned, there was often also much attendant kindness. The denial of manhood and womanhood nevertheless remains.

Skillful mention is made of the ameliorations of slavery and we think

a

disproportionate one, though in this instance quite natural and honorable to the author. Considerable attention is given to the benevolent training of slavery, asserting that in many cases "it was a better model for an industrial school than some that have been established of late years for white and black girls"; that slavery was good in so far as it made skilled mechanics and "taught industrial habits and obedience to law." But Dr. Curry says "Slavery cursed the South with stupid, ignorant, uninventive labor."

It is not in accord with historical

accuracy to say that the Fifteenth Amendment, which is pronounced "a national blunder," "disfranchised the most intelligent and conservative class of whites in the South," for it certainly disfranchised nobody.

Nor can we rest satisfied with the statements and general impressions made regarding our devoted missionary teachers. We read, "many of the Missionary teachers who went from the North had been very bitterly prejudiced against the exslave holders. They neither understood the conditions, or the negro, and the tares of distrust and resentment (not purposely it is hoped) were sown along with the good seed of the gospel and the primers. These tares bore dangerous fruit in the lives and manners of the impressionable negroes. Was it wonderful that the far famed "Southern hospitality" hospitality" was not extended, and the Northern teacher felt herself, as she was, socially ostracised?"

Again we are told that "the State system of free public schools originated in the South, and was in operation nearly half a century before it was adopted by a member of the Northern States" and that in slavery days, before the war, the South had 27,582 public schools. But we quote from no less an authority than Edgar Gardner Murphy these words, viz.: "It is commonly assumed that the difficulty which opposed the way of the free common school in the period before the civil war was the institution of slavery. Yet this is but half the, truth. There were then no 'constitutional' obstacles to the founding of a public free school system for our unprivileged white population. Yet such a system was left unfounded."

Mr. Murphy calls it "another of the tragic blunders of our development." Even Fleming who as an historian is not kindly towards the North, in his statement of "Reconstruction," says: "Reconstruction gave the Negro a right to education and gave to both races the public school system."

These quotations must suffice for the reason why a book which challenges both the facts and the verdicts of history on many points, and the wisdom of the Fathers who organized the missionary schools and churches for the emancipated people, and the sacrificial service of conscientious teachers, who were not agents of strife or sowers of discord, but "good stewards of the manifold grace of God," should not go to the churches which were responsible for the work and the workers without our insistence that these were not mistaken enthusiasts whose influence was to a large degree pernicious. We have known the same class of teachers and many of the same teachers for more than twenty years. All may not have been equally wise, but we have never met any fire brands. This brings us to say that our chief objection would not be SO much the statements which we think erroneous, as the ommissions to duly credit the influences that have mainly brought about the acknowledged wonderful progress of the Negro within the past forty years. The author tells us that "now the negro race has true leaders who are doing their part nobly toward hepling others; principals of colleges and teachers, physicians, lawyers, ministers, graduates of colleges North and South; also women of refinement and culture who are spending time,

strength and money for the uplift of the women of their race. This is very good and true, but we may ask where did these colleges come from; who established and sustained them; and where did these leaders get their education but almost without exception -in these severely criticised missionary schools scattered throughout the South and taught by these "ostracised teachers?"

We must, however, in justice say that in the original work, a certain credit was given to the Northern Missionary Societies with some brief statements of their work, which have been duly revised out and omitted in the volume now under consideration. We prefer the judgment of

貝

those prophetic and wide visioned men who personally knew the Missionary Schools of the early days, who often visited them and made the acquaintance of the teachers and knew their spirit. Men like Bishop Haygood, and Dr. Curry and Bishop Galloway and many others have testified freely and generously upon Northern platforms and have repeatedly given the work of early days as well as that which was later their heartiest support and sympathies.

Having said this, we think the original work "From Darkness to Light" a sincere and kindly effort of Christian devotion and consecration. quite and superior to the one prepared from it called "The Upward Path."

I

WAS born on the Knife river in

the middle of the three Gros

ventre villages near the mouth of that stream. The chief of this middle village was the Road Maker. His father's name

was 78. That was about 64 or 65 years ago. My father was a little the younger of the two. He died in the winter, and the Road Maker died the summer before, when the cherries were ripe.

was

of the enemy in the dark. My father had heard of the white man's God through a trader but nothing clearly. We sometimes prayed to the white man's God who made us and could