ciations left without any one, where they could look after the interests and preach occasionally at the various points now destitute.

I hope this appeal will reach the eyes and the hearts of a large number of God's dear children and cause them to respond with special liberality during the present critical season, before March 31st.

Yours in His service, N. B. RAIRDEN, Supt. Missouri River District.

A. L. Lacie, Indian Missionary.

BAPTIST, I. T., May 26, 1894. REV. T. J. MORGAN, Cor. Sec., New York. Dear Bro. :-Your favor of April 23d to hand, and will say that, owing to press of work I have failed to write in answer to your request, which it now affords me great pleasure to do.

I was born in Saline District, Cherokee Nation, I. T., on September 27th, 1848, and was reared under very unfavorable circumstances, my parents being full-blooded Cherokees, and being very poor, having no education themselves, in order to give me early training. When I grew up to school age, I was sent to our public schools some, but was not taught the interest that was to be sought in that development; hence, my knowledge of the importance of an education was limited until I reached my majority. When I arrived to manhood, I was impressed then to read God's Holy Word, and sought every opportunity to learn more of "Him," who, I had been told, that had suffered for me.

But I was somewhat detained in my search in the Holy Scriptures, by being called to go to the war, which I did; but feeling and realizing that God was good to me in preserving my life, I resumed the precious thought of reading about Jesus, and in November, 1866, I accepted Him as my Saviour, was received into the church, and on April 10th, 1867, was licensed to preach; was ordained to the work of the Gospel Ministry on October 20th, 1872.

In 1881 I was induced by the American Baptist Home Mission Society, through their General Missionary, Brother Rogers, to attend school as their help. I did so, and will ever feel grateful to the Society for the interest they manifested for me. But my education was not completed. Since my con

version to the knowledge of Christ and my entering upon the work for my Master, I have never had cause to regret my course in the work, but that I could do more.

I have served as a missionary under the Home Mission Society ever since July 1, 1872. I have been made to rejoice many times since then, in seeing the power of the Holy Spirit manifested in the hearts of my people; but in all, I give God the glory. I could tell you a great deal, but space will not admit. Hoping, trusting, praying you great success in your work, I am,

Yours in the Lord, A. L. LACIE.

An Indian Preacher's Autobiography.

I cannot give accurate statement what year I was born, but I remember very well September 27th, 1830, when Choctaws hold council and make treaty at the Dancing Rabbit Creek in Mississippi. I was 10 or II years old then, so I am now 75 or 76 years of my age.

On 3d Sunday in November, 1859, I joined Baptist church, and was baptized by Rev. Wm. Cass.

I loved to talk about Jesus, and in 1868 church make me license preacher.

I go everywhere, and in 1871, January 1st, Brother Murrow and others ordain me full Ministry of the Gospel. During my work among my people, Choctaws 107 join Baptist church, and I baptized him. Brother Murrow appoint me Missionary Georgia Association several years, and I faithfully labor in God's work among my people; 24 years last January first I preaching to my people. Old now and can't travel far, but love Gospel and tell it all I can. O-LAS-SE-CHUB-BY.

Misfits.

One of our missionaries writes:

I received a barrel of clothing from the Ladies' Association. The effort, though well intended, was almost an absolute failure so far as doing my family any good. It seems as though the sisters had vaguely gotten the idea that I had suffered loss by fire, and, supposing that I had little children, sent a lot of little children's second-hand wear. There were three second-hand dress-coats -two were respectably good, but almost twice too large, while the other was badly worn and entirely too small. There was one

little boy's hat which was new, but I have no little boy. There was one badly worn overcoat, but it was almost twice too large. There were two pairs of pants, both immensely too large; one was moderately worn, and the other worn out absolutely. Two shirts, with turn-down collars, both striped, but worn until they were full of holes; and thus, through the whole list, with the exception of two ten-cent handkerchiefs and one

good silk handkerchief, four twenty-five-cent pairs of socks, new, and four twenty-fivecent ladies' hose, new; these last-mentioned goods were all we could use. There were four pairs of second-hand worn ladies' shoes, but they were all too large.

Lynchburg, Virginia.

January 2d, 1895.

Dear Bro.:-I read with pleasure your article in this January number of the MONTHLY headed "Have You a Piano to Spare?" I do hope it may find favor in the hearts of some, as we have been paying rent for nearly two years upon our instrument, and it has been such a burden to the work. It is hard to raise the $10 (ten dollars) every month, and we are sometimes threatened with the removal. Do remember us, if you get a response. Yours,

G. W. HAYES.

Missouri Valley, Iowa.

One day, in my absence, near the close of the last quarter, fire suddenly broke out at my barn, which was a small one. This was afterwards discovered to have been set by cigarettes in the hands of careless boys.

Owing to the rapidity of the work of the flames, horse, buggy, barn and some feed perished in the fire. The loss was one which I could ill afford, as it would hinder me from going to preach at out-stations.

However, the Church and citizens nobly came to the rescue. A goodly sum was pledged, of which $95.00 have been paid. A neat barn, 14x20, was erected, a horse and buggy, both good, were bought at a remarkably low figure. Only $10,00 of the entire expense remain unprovided for. As at one time in the progress of the fire the parsonage and the church were seriously threatened, we greatly thank God for so good an outcome to us of what promised to be a great calamity and was a serious loss.

F. M. SMITH, Pastor.

hand a still larger mill; and the locality is one of the noisiest, dustiest and smokiest localities in the city. It was in this building, among these unfavorable surroundings, that the work of the Atlanta Baptist Seminary was carried on from 1879 till 1890. In those days lung-power was a prime qualification in the teacher, in order that he might be heard above the sound of shunting-engines and whirring machinery. Surroundings less favorable for a school could scarcely be found.

In the old building no provision was made for dormitories. The students, most of whom were from the country, were left to

is the present home of Atlanta Baptist Seminary. This building was erected in 188990 at a cost of $27,000. Here the entire school is at present accommodated. Beneath this one roof the visitor will find chapel, library, eight class-rooms, president's apartments and rooms for six teachers, dormitory accommodation for about a hundred students, besides kitchen, diningroom and store-rooms, laundry, printingoffice, workshop and boiler-room. It is needless to say that we have no room to spare.

Here is a Christian home, where the students are gathered under one roof, and are in daily contact with the teachers and

suing their course further and preparing for Normal or College Course. Here is a College, where young men are preparing for advanced work as teachers, for courses of study in the professional schools at Shaw, or for a course of theology at the Richmond Seminary. Here is a Pastors' Training school, where an enthusiastic class of present and prospective pastors is learning how to study the Bible, how to preach, how to be a pastor. Here is a body of faithful teachers, both white and colored, united in heart, single in purpose, loyal to Christ, loyal to the School, believing in their pupils, and laboring with affectionate zeal and patience to fit them, "not to be ministered unto, but

with each other; where all the influences are pure and uplifting. Hazing or anything like it is unknown; newcomers are received with kindness and courtesy as brothers in the family. Our students do not play tricks. They have not yet reached that stage of advancement where they can see "fun" in cruel and dangerous practical jokes, in annoying their teachers or in willful destruction or defacement of the school property. Here is a Normal school. The classes of the Elementary English course are taught by pupil-teachers under the careful and constant supervision of the Normal teachers. Here is an Academy, where those who have completed their elementary studies are pur

to minister." Here in all classes is as earnest and industrious a body of students as one would meet anywhere; humble in spirit, high in purpose, a joy and an inspiration to their teachers a solution, if there is one, for the dark and perplexing Negro problem.

In the earlier years of the Seminary the intention was to develop it into a Theological School, and it formerly partook largely of that character, the literary work being subservient to the theological. Of late years, however, the tendency has been to develop the literary departments. The course for ministers has been retained, but the attempt to make it exclusively a theological school has been abandoned. While this is true, a

large number of our students have the ministry in view. Of 180 students enrolled last year 41 were preparing for the ministry, and of these a goodly number are looking toward a full course at Richmond Seminary. Of the remainder of the students 27 were preparing to teach. Thus is being carried out the purpose of the Society in establishing the school--" to prepare pastors and teachers for the colored people.

The cost of education to a Georgia Negro student is a surprise to many of our Northern friends. Ten dollars a month pays for room, board, washing, lights and fuel; in short, everything except clothing, books and traveling expenses. And yet, in spite of this low cost of schooling, very many worthy

toil to piece out their own vacation earnings. The self-denials of these young men in matters of clothing and little luxuries dear to the school-boy's heart are often humorously pathetic. The good women who send us supplies of clothing from year to year render valuable aid for our needy ones, and their contributions are most gratefully received. Two-thirds of our students need some help. They deserve it. The only aid they ask is some way to earn a little money. No one is received who has nothing. We build upon the foundations of their own earnings out of school. "To him that hath shall be given." And we are bringing up a lot of manly, self-reliant men.

This school is situated in Atlanta, the cap

and promising young men are in need of help. The problem of aid for needy students is a live one with us, as it is with nearly every college in the land. The best solution is that which affords the student the means of self-support. Here, student help means student labor. No help is hired where students can do the work. They do the housework, caring for rooms, halls, lamps, etc., throughout the building; they do the dining-room work; they work in the laundry, washing and ironing as well as women. On the grounds any fine day out of schoolhours may be seen groups of students grading, trimming walks and flower-beds, mak. ing drives and terraces, repairing fences and outbuildings-laboring at all sorts of honest

ital city of Georgia. There is no better location in all the South for a large college for Negroes. Georgia is central among the Southern States. In population it is the largest. Its Negro population is 858,815larger than that of any other State in the Union; larger by 169,881 than that of South Carolina, which is the next largest. Along its western border lies Alabama, with a Negro population of 678,489; along its eastern border lies South Carolina, with a Negro population of 677,048; along its southern border lies Florida, with a Negro population of 166,180;. its Northern border is touched by Tennessee and North Carolina, with a combined Negro population of 991,696. Thus Atlanta is within reach of a contiguous