passed the following vote:

At the recent Triennial National Council of Congregational Churches held in Portland, Oregon, reference to the pressing of Christian educational work into Cuba was greeted with enthusiastic applause.

And now there come letters from those who desire to volunteer for service under the American Missionary Association to enter upon this work in Cuba and Porto Rico. This Association has not the power to issue bonds for the expense of such missionary campaign, nor to levy war taxes. The significance, however, of these new fields of work and the especial fitness of the American Missionary Association to enter them must be apparent to all our constituents. The inhabitants of both these islands are largely of a mixed race. The splendid band of young colored people in the South have been trained during the years in the American Missionary Association schools and are excellently well qualified for carrying this Christian work among the peoples of these island regions.

They are acclimated, born and reared in the southern climate. Some even are immunes. Is it not a special providence that this band of young people have been trained for just such work as this opening to our Congregational fellowship in Cuba and Porto Rico?

The volunteers for work in these islands, however, are not confined to any one race. The Oberlin Alumni suggest an "Oberlin Band" to be organized and sent into this field. From the far West and from the far East we receive letters from well-trained, earnest and godly teachers and preachers anxious to volunteer for this service.

The sinews of war for this magnificent Christian campaign are wanting. The responsibility of promptly entering these fields that God is opening to Christian conquest and an intelligent and free gospel rests upon those who can furnish these sinews of war. Shall Cuba and Porto Rico be taken for Christ and an intelligent gospel?

A WHITE MAN'S COUNTRY AND A COLORED MAN'S COUNTRY.

The government of the United States has just issued bonds to secure a loan of $200,000,000 for the costs of war. It may be interesting to our readers to know that every one of those bonds must be signed by Mr. Judson W. Lyons, a colored man, who succeeded ex-Senator Bruce as Register of the Treasury. On the ordinary paper money his name is engraved, but on those bonds it must be written with his own hand, else the bond is invalid. This will make necessary his signing his name 40,000 times, and he is now engaged in doing this.

Before the war began there was in the United States army only one negro commissioned officer; now, as we count them, there are more than one hundred and fifty. If we are correct in our figures there are as the war closes about one hundred and sixty-four colored Americans who bear U. S. commissions. These rank from second lieutenant up to colonel.

In the official report of the battle of Siboney by Gen. Joseph E. Wheeler, who is an ex-Confederate general, special mention is made of the bravery of the Tenth Cavalry (colored). He says:

"I was immediately with the troops of the First and Tenth Regiments Cavalry, dismounted, and I personally noticed their brave and good conduct, which will be specially mentioned by General Young."

"I was standing near Captain Capron and Hamilton Fish," said the corporal to the Associated Press correspondent, "and saw them shot down. They were with the Rough Riders and ran into an ambush, though they had been warned of the danger. Captain Capron and Fish were shot while leading a charge. If it had not been for the negro cavalry the Rough Riders would have been exterminated. I am not a negro lover. My father fought with Mosby's Rangers, and I was born in the South, but the negroes saved that fight, and the day will come when General Shafter will give them credit for their bravery."

The testimony of George Kennan of the Red Cross as to the courage and service of our negro soldiers is in evidence that the white man's country is also the colored man's country. He says, "I do not hesitate to call especial attention to the splendid behavior of our colored troops. It is the testimony of all who saw them under fire that they fought with the utmost coolness and determination. I can testify from my own personal observation that they displayed extraordinary fortitude and self control."

Probably no institution in the East sent as large a percentage of students as soldiers to bear the flag of our common country to victory as did our missionary schools. Our students have not been taught that war is glory. It was conscience with them. They went as deliverers from oppression and saw their opportunity to prove their devotion and gratitude to their country for their own deliverance. They have made their record.

Attorney-General Patterson, of Memphis, Tenn., in July last in an attempt to secure a conviction for the murder of a negro, said:

"We are to-day engaged in a war with a foreign power, and for the cause of humanity this great country is putting forth her splendid power by land and by sea that Spanish cruelty shall no longer be on Cuban soil, ... and if we can afford to interpose the strong arm of the nation and expend blood and treasure to protect them, can we not afford by the orderly methods of the law to stop cruelties at home as barbarous as were enacted in Spanish dungeons? Is it not opportune that we rise above the low level of race prejudice into the upper and purer atmosphere of respect for law and order and the sanctity of human life?"

Within thirty days after the war was declared against Spain thirty-two Americans—colored—were lynched and put to death without trial by law, judge or jury, many of them protesting their innocence of any crime. Let us pray that Spain may not long be able to say to any part of our country, "Physician heal thyself."

A delegate to the National Congregational Council at Portland, Oregon, in a newspaper account of his experiences of good treatment everywhere in the West, thus concludes: "After being entertained at the Brown Palace in Denver, the Knutsford in Salt Lake, the Portland in Portland, the Donnelly in Tacoma, after riding in the palace cars of the trans-continental trains and the chair cars of the Northwestern, I came to Chattanooga and took the 'James Crow' car to Atlanta. Henry Hugh Proctor,
Pastor First Congregational Church, Atlanta, Ga."

FOURTH OF JULY AT S'KOKOMISH—WASHINGTON.

Since the Indians have become largely civilized and citizens, the Fourth of July has taken the place of their old festivals, combining both. The old festivals lasted a week or more usually, and the expense was borne by a very few. The time was occupied with feasting, visiting, gambling, and closed with a distribution of gifts to the invited ones. Neighboring tribes were invited. The distribution of gifts is now omitted, and the time changed. This year the celebration took place on this reservation, and the people began to assemble a week before the Fourth. Nearly all had gathered on the second, when about eight or nine hundred had assembled. The noticeable point in connection with it was the absence of drunkenness while they were on