all sources every possible dollar. The Association closed the year 1897-98 without debt, and the year 1898-99 without debt, and it earnestly desires to close this year, 1899-1900 without debt.

The Fifty-fourth Annual Meeting of the American Missionary Association is to be held in Springfield, Mass., October 23d-25th. The Court Square Theatre has been secured, containing the largest auditorium in the city. A great gathering is anticipated. Rev. Newell Dwight Hillis, D.D., will preach the sermon. Reports from the large and varied fields will be presented by missionaries. The fields now reach from Porto Rico to Alaska, and present various and interesting conditions of life. The great problems of national and missionary importance that are pressing themselves upon the attention of Christian patriots everywhere will be ably discussed. Contributing churches, local conferences and state associations are entitled to send delegates to this convention of the American Missionary Association.

Santee Training School presented a unique and interesting program at the closing exercises, June 15th, 1900. "A New Departure Program for Closing of School" was the title upon the printed page. The program was divided into two parts. Part first was confined to history. The general subject presented in the papers was "The Development of Civilized Ways of Living." One of the Indian pupils read a paper on "First Ways of Getting Food and Clothing." Another on "First Dwellings." The future as well as the past in race development and elevation was considered. "Beginning to Provide for the Future" was the subject of another paper. "Clothing" was discussed in relation to its production and value.

The second part of this "New Departure Program" presented science in a practical and helpful way. The general subject was "Natural Forces are for Human Use." Interesting and valuable papers were presented on such themes as "Wind Mills," "Non-conduction in Electricity," "Plant Breathing," "Food Stored," and other suggestive and important subjects. Throughout abundant illustrations were presented impressing upon these Indian boys and girls important lessons in independence and self-control and self-help essential to development and progress. Santee is to be commended surely for this new departure, which must prove not only interesting but of permanent value in race elevation.

The attention of the whole world has been focalized on China during the past few weeks. Many hearts are deeply anxious for friends who are in the midst of this upheaval and whose lives are threatened. Beginning with mobs instigated by a secret society, apparently without preconcertion, a state bordering upon war now exists. Whether the Empress Dowager is at the head of this movement it seems impossible to decide. The conservative element of the Chinese is certainly in sympathy with the Boxers in their effort to exterminate the "foreign devils." What the outcome of this insane uprising and mad onslaught involving substantial war against the civilized nations of the world will be, no prophet of modern times can foretell. Many of us wait with anxious and sorrowful hearts for messages which we hope and yet fear to receive, lest they confirm our apprehension and alarm.

We hope to present in the next issue of the Missionary an article from Rev. Jee Gam, the missionary of the A. M. A. in San Francisco, giving his views and interpretations of the trouble in China. This Association is closely related to the great work in this Empire through the missions in our own country among the Chinese. How much the civilized nations are responsible for the present condition through their eager and often ill-advised efforts to absorb the territory, or to gain political and commercial advantages, is a serious problem. The need of aggressive and earnest work for the Chinese who come to our own country is emphasized by these alarming conditions. Hundreds should be sent back as missionaries to their own people. We hold the key to the solution of foreign missions in Africa, China and Japan in members of these races in our own country.

Several state and local conferences have passed resolutions in favor of one annual meeting for all our six missionary societies. Such a convention would probably occupy a week. Each society would have representation during such a portion of the time as the magnitude of the work represented demanded. The general sentiment seems to be that the Sabbath should be used as a day of missionary and spiritual arousement, for the general interests of the Kingdom of God, as represented through our denomination. This plan met the cordial approval of the Home Missionary Convention in Detroit recently. It is certainly worthy of the careful consideration of all our societies.

Prof. R. M. Roark, of the Kentucky State College, at the commencement of Chandler Normal School, Lexington, Ky., bore the following testimony to the strength and value of the negroes of the South: "Forty years ago the race had nothing; now property in the hands of the negro has an assessed valuation of nearly five hundred million dollars. Not a few individuals are worth seventy-five thousand to one hundred thousand dollars. Forty years ago it was a violation of the law to teach a negro; now there are thousands of children in good schools; and there are two hundred higher institutes of learning for negroes, with an attendance of two hundred thousand or more. There are many successful teachers, editors, lawyers, doctors and ministers who are negroes. All these professions are fully and ably represented here, in conservative and aristocratic Lexington, and as regards these men and women there is no race problem. Worth, honesty, clear knowledge, self-respect and independent support lie at the foundation of any citizenship, white or black. May these young graduates carry these with them into the life conflict, and be the leaders of their race into the widest opportunities of free American citizenship."

Mr. Rossiter Johnson has recently compiled a list of bequests to benevolent objects during the last year in the United States. This is a remarkable showing. The grand total is nearly sixty-three million dollars. The year previous it reached the good sum of thirty-eight million, and in 1897, forty-five million. In three years, therefore, over one hundred and forty million dollars have been bestowed by generous men and women for charitable and educational objects. There never has been a time in the history of the world when generosity and riches were so often held in possession of the same person as to-day.

Mr. R. H. Learell, of the Class of 1901, at Harvard University, was awarded the first prize in the Harvard Bowdoin Series. His subject was "The Race Problems in the South."

An interesting and valuable lecture was delivered before the students of Western Reserve University, Ohio, by Prof. O. H. Tower, Ph.D. His subject was "The Food of the Alabama Negro and its Relation to His Mental and Moral Development."

LeMoyne Normal Institute, at Memphis, Tenn., has just completed the twenty-ninth year of its history. It was founded by the American Missionary Association in October, 1871. The work of the school has grown into large proportions. The enrollment of