Questions relating to the affairs of the Institutution engrossed the attention of the Trustees in long sessions, running through four days. Though marked differences of opinion appeared at the first, the conclusions reached were harmonious, and of such a character as to more clearly define and settle many matters that had been open questions, so that now, to human view, the Institution is likely to enter on a new era of stability and progress. The whole faculty, and all connected with the internal management of the Institution, seem peculiarly fitted for the positions they occupy, and are deeply interested in their work and in those for whom they labor. Two of the teachers, Mr. Henderson and Miss Morse, are colored, and are deservedly held in high esteem. The Board of Trustees was strengthened by the election of Rev. Fred. T. Gates, Secretary of the American Baptist Education Society, and Mr. C. A. Nelson, of the Howard Library, New Orleans. Mr. Nelson was for years connected with the educational work of the Freedmen's Bureau in North Carolina, and was at one time temporarily in charge of Shaw University during Dr. Tupper's absence, and later was connected with the Astor Library in New York City. The new library building in New Orleans, which bears the name of its donor, is a gem of architecture.

CONCERNING NEW ORLEANS

there is much of interest that might be said that must be omitted for want of space. The city is protected by levees against the waters of the Mississippi; hence there is no system of underground sewerage. The cemeteries in the city are a curiosity. Graves cannot be dug without at once filling with water; hence brick and stone receptacles are constructed above the surface for interment. There are very few fine and imposing public buildings, business blocks, or residences. A few monuments adorn the city. The monument to General Lee forcibly reminded me, in its appearance, of the old tin candlestick with a projecting rim at the top, with the stub of a tallow candle projecting above it, and the black wick to crown it all. The bronze statue of the Confederate general is the wick. When it was dedicated, as an eye-witness told me, at high noon, the heavens became suddenly as black as night, and a terrific storm dispersed the vast assemblage.

There is also a monument, erected before the war, to Henry Clay. The colossal bronze figure

surmounts a heavy granite base, with sunk panels on each side. Drawing near, you read in deeply chiseled letters, some of which are partly effaced, the following surprising inscription, being a quotation from one of the famous orator's speeches :

"If I could be instrumental in eradicating this deepest stain, slavery, from the character of our country, I would not exchange the proud satisfaction which I should enjoy, for the honor of all the triumphs ever decreed to the most successful conqueror."

Of course, the hand of slavery did not chisel this inscription when the monument was erected. How, then, came it there? General N. P. Banks, when commanding the Union forces at New Orleans, had it done. Really, I think the people are becoming reconciled to it and will yet be proud of it, for the general verdict in the South is, that that they would not have slavery restored if they could.

The motley multitude of New Orleans was seen to good advantage on Mardi Gras, which, being interpreted, is "fat Tuesday"—"“ Mardi” meaning Tuesday, and "gras," fat. It is after the order of the Romish carnival the last day before Lent. Fine preparation for the entrance upon forty days of supposed pious living! It is a time devoted to spectacular street displays on a grand scale, by day and by night; but the whole thing, though full of glitter and glare, was a tawdry and in many respects a coarse display. It is one of the inheritances from Romanism, which is very strong in the city. The annual parade of the Fire Department took place on Sunday, and attracted enormous crowds. In the Romish churches white and black communicants mingle. There is but one colored Catholic church in the city, as I was informed.

Baptist interests here are not strong among the whites, who have only three churches, with less than a thousand members all told. Rev. M. C. Cole is pastor of the First Baptist Church, and a most efficient member of the Board of Trustees of Leland University. Rev. G. W. Bussey is pastor of the Coliseum Place Church. The colored Baptists have about fifty churches in the city and its suburbs; in the State they outnumber any other denomination, it is said, five to one; so there is a great need to be met by Leland University in supplying qualified preachers for this people. While the better educated preachers are more and more in demand, yet even these, as in the case of Rev.

Mr. Burrell, of the First Colored Baptist Church, have to indulge the older people to quite an extent in adhering to the old-time forms of service. In this church the leader of the singing is an elderly woman, who believes she is "called" of God to do it, and who is a remarkable character in her way. She sings all over, expression of the features, movements of head, hands and body, being put into the exercise in the most emphatic manner. house rang with the refrain—

"I'm free at last,

I'm free at last!

Thank God A'mighty,
I'm free at last!"

How the

Here, a little north of the city limits, on an eminence and in full view of the railroad about a quarter of a mile distant, is an imposing brick building that cost about twenty-five thousand dollars. Spacious grounds surround it. It is filled to overflowing with students. Many more would come if there were room. Another building is a pressing need. Rev. Charles Ayer is President. For about twelve years he has labored in Mississippi, first at Natchez, then, with the removal of the school, here. He is the busiest man I have found. The care of everything devolves on him, so that from five o'clock in the morning until eight at night there is but little respite. Nobody who has not personally looked into the workings of such an Institution, with a large boarding department for which supplies must be secured, can comprehend what a care and what amount of labor is involved in properly conducting it. Because the Home Mission Society is so limited in its resources for this work, our good brother, like some others, without the necessary assistants, is overworked, and in danger of breaking under the strain.

The industrial work of this school is quite a feature of it. The crowning feature, however, is the religious interest pervading it. In saying this, I do not undervalue the strictly educational work which is so thorough that the pupils are

in great demand as teachers. Many have been converted this year. The students' prayermeeting, in which many took part, was most interesting. The exposition of Scripture and the recitation of Scripture verses are daily exercises. The missionary spirit for the evangelization of Africa burns nowhere more brightly than here. Some have gone forth already. One of the brightest and maturest of the young women feels herself called to labor in Africa and hopes soon to go. The singing of the students, under the lead of Miss Ayer, was very enjoyable. As we looked over the grounds and saw the rifle pits where General Johnson's forces vainly confronted General Grant as he moved down hither from Vicksburg; there seemed a the defense of slavery should now be occupied kind of poetic justice that the place chosen for by a Christian Institution thronged with the children of those then in bondage, even with some who themselves tasted the bitterness of

the former days. What mighty changes and

revolutions hath God wrought!

After a day at Jackson, I went to Selma, Alabama, to visit

SELMA UNIVERSITY.

This was opened in a humble way in January, 1878, by the colored Baptists of Alabama, under the direction of Rev. H. Woodsmall, who was connected with the Institution until 1883. The Home Mission Society adopted the school in 1880, the colored people being unable to maintain it without liberal assistance. It is well located in the western part of Selma, a city of about 20,000 inhabitants, a large proportion of whom are negroes.

The President of the Institution is Rev. Chas. L. Purce, who was a South Carolina slave, who studied at Richmond Institute under Dr. Corey, was a teacher at Selma and was advanced to his present position about three years ago. All the teachers, except one, are colored, the principal male assistant being Professor Fisher, a recent graduate of the Theological Seminary at Morgan Park, Ill. Arriving in time for the chapel exercises in the morning, I had a good opportunity for seeing the school together as well as in the class room work and became fully satisfied that there are few, if any, of our schools in which better work is done. The military drill of about thirty students, young men armed with wooden muskets and young women with brooms, and under the direction of one of the students, was very interesting.

religious assembly in which vital questions of the day are under consideration? Surely we do not want to sit through a week of meetings with the awful solemnity and silence, and stolidity and unresponsiveness of a company of heathen Chinese, or North American Indians, giving only faint indication of approval by a half-suppressed grunt, ora significant side glance at our neighbor, or a nudge of our elbow against his ribs! Cannot applause of some sort be used with moderation and discrimination? Because a half-witted man, who has been promised a pair of boots if he will keep still, unable to contain himself under the preacher's eloquent utterances, exclaims, "Hallelujah! boots or no boots;" or because another impressible and indiscriminating weak-minded brother overleaps the barriers of an injunction, crying out, "Amen! hit or miss;" does it follow that a body of soundminded people, profoundly stirred by burning utterances, must be dumb as oysters, lest some sepulchral rules of decorum be violated?

For ourselves, we believe in suitable and moderate and discriminating expressions of approval of strong, sound, stirring utterances from a public speaker in our general assemblies. It is a relief to the pent-up feelings of the hearers, it is a deserved compliment to the man who rightly moves us. And aside from a formal vote, which is seldom taken, it is only thus that the opinion and the current of feeling of the assembly can be understood.

That the practice has its abuses there is no doubt, but the abuse of a thing should not necessarily bring upon it utter condemnation. The eloquent brother, who evidently feels that in some way, by wit or anecdote, he must "bring down the house," ought to have the icy reception accorded by sensible men to a mountebank. So, much of the lurid, pyrotechnic oratory would be extinguished, and this kind of orator, who makes an anniversary occasion a grand opportunity to glorify himself, would be frozen out, as he ought to be.

Just what form the outward expression of approval should take is not difficult to decide. In the assemblies of the saints in New Testament days the people freely said, "Amen!" In England they exclaim, "Hear, hear!" Stamping or pounding the floor with canes or umbrellas should be frowned down, if for no other reason, because it often stirs up disagreeable dust. But the clapping of hands is the Scriptural thing to do, especially if the "Amen" method is not adopted.

Do you ask: Where is the Scripture for

it? Here it is: "O clap your hands, all ye people." Ps. 47: 1. "Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together." Ps. 98: 8. "All the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isa. 55: 12. All these refer unquestionably to a prevalent practice of clapping the hands in public assemblies. So when Jehoash was crowned and anointed King in the sacred temple of the Lord, the people "clapped their hands and said, God save the King." 2 Kings 11: 12.

Yes, indeed, there is good Scriptural basis for the practice of applauding by the clapping of hands. But, we repeat, let it be done with moderation and with discrimination. There is nothing irreverent about it. There linger those among us who feel that it is almost irreverent to attempt to praise God by machinery in the use of an organ, piano, or violin in the house of God. And this, too, though the metrical Psalms of David, which they sing in a lugubrious way, exhort them to make use of all kinds of instruments, as well as to clap their hands in expression of their approval and joy. The organ has come to stay. The Scriptural practice of clapping the hands has come to stay. Feelings tense and pent wil find vent. Hence, shall we not strive to regulate what is neither intrinsically evil nor irreverent, rather than vainly strive to suppress it altogether? At least, these are some thoughts on the other side of the question.-H. L. M., in The Christian Inquirer.

BENEVOLENCE.

Mr. John Jacob Astor has erected a lasting and serviceable monument to his wife's memory in the Astor Memorial School, in Mott Street, this city. The building, erected at a cost of $60,000, was formally opened last month. The school is controlled by the Children's Aid Society.

The late Mr. John Rylands, a Baptist, of Manchester, Eng., left nearly a million dollars in bequests to various institutions and societies. The will gives $50,000 to Regents Park College, $25,000 each to the Baptist Missionary Society, the Union Annuity Fund and the Union Augumentation Fund, and numerous smaller gifts.