is far from doing its part in the great Home Mission work that needs to be done for the thorough evangelization of our country.

One important desideratum for this work, is the establishment of a polyglot institution for the training of ministers for the several nationalities that are gathering here in such abundance. In this respect the Roman Catholics have the advantage over us, in that they import priests with their immigrants, who serve to keep their several nationalities largely foreign. What we want, is a ministry trained in sympathy with us, yet able to mingle freely among the several classes of foreigners. Two institutions for training. such men for the Germans we have already; but none for the others. The question therefore arises, whether it would not be possible and advisable to enlarge the scope of these institutions, so as to have them meet all the requirements of the case. Instead of regarding these as merely intended to supply a temporary want for one nationality only, it seems evident that we should contemplate their permanence and enlargement in proportion to the increasing needs of all our foreign. population. These are so crowding into our towns and cities that in some of them they are exceeding our home-born in numbers.

And if we are to assimilate them and preserve our Sabbath and maintain a sound public sentiment, that shall work for the suppression of vice and crime, to preserve law and order, we must awake as we have not done and provide them with a pure gospel in their own tongues. And for this we must have the men who can impart it with true Christian earnestness and zeal.

What may be done in this direction may be seen in the instance of Herman Warszawiak, a converted Jew, speaking several languages and of the right spirit, who has been preaching to his people in New York with such remarkable success that he is to have a

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temple built for their use costing $100,000 to be called Christ's synagogue. Most of the money we are told is already raised.

In this connection we are glad to see it stated that two young gentlemen, one a German who speaks Russian and the other a Bohemian, have made application to be taken under the Omaha Presbytery for the ministry. The latter will enter the Omaha Seminary in September. But this must not be taken, as indicating that it will do. to educate all our laborers among the immigrants in English-speaking seminaries. They need to be taught the truths which they are to proclaim, in their own tongues, to facilitate their utterance. There is danger also lest they become so habituated to our language that in the end they will prefer to preach in it altogether. Several cases of this sort are known to us. In this statement above referred to, it is added that "there is great need of Bohemian pastors in Nebraska, and there will be a growing demand for Russianspeaking preachers." The like is true all over the country. The question is, what shall we do to meet this need?

Another thing that requires to be done, is to press home the claims of Christ, upon the Christian young men of our congregations by their pastors, and upon those of our collegiate institutions by their teachers, so as to arouse them to a just consideration of the religious wants of the country and of the world, and of their possible duty to help in supplying these wants. There is a responsibility resting upon both pastors and teachers in this respect which they ought to be earnest in discharging. No one can perform this work so easily and effectively as they can. Their near and constant access to the young men under their care, and their knowledge of the capacities and adaptations of these young men, put them in a position most favorable for influencing such as are fit, in the desired direction.

Such opportunity creates a responsibility that cannot be set aside with impunity. This is no time to cry "too many ministers," when such conditions, as have been described above, are staring us in the face.

Another great requirement is means adequate to help worthy young men who offer themselves to become qualified for the ministry. We are told that in several of our institutions particularly in our new ones at the West, there are more applicants of this sort, than can be received, because of the lack of funds. Over seventy of this class were declined assistance by the Board last year; and this in times like the present, is a crippling of our evangelistic agencies which it is sad to contemplate. Two hundred graduates per annum from our seminaries of all kinds, will not suffice to fill the gaps made by death and dismissal, and also to supply our vacant pulpits. We could easily utilize double the number if they were of the right sort. In close connection with this whole matter, as thus far presented, is the importance of enabling the Home Mission Board to provide the means, for supporting evangelists among our immigrant population, as soon as they can be provided, as well as to sustain ministers in our mission churches. The interests of our two Boards are closely connected. The crippling of the one, serves to repress the other. They work in mutual furtherance. If we are to evangelize this nation, and help to assimilate its various populations into one homogeneous, nationality truly American in character, we must enlarge the scope of our operations, economize our expenditures for the most needy fields, increase our supply of laborers of every kind, and support them sufficiently to sustain them against all the difficulties and trials which they may have to undergo. There is no excuse for failure in doing our full share toward making this a free Christian nation, an

[October.

example to the world of what the gospel can do towards making a people self-governing and orderly, prosperous in their industries here, and hopeful for the future.

Freedmen.

Nothing having been sent us from the office of the Board of Missions for Freedmen, we insert here the following extracts from The New South, a wisely edited Negro paper:

It is as impossible to manage the affairs and guide the destiny of our people at the South in any intelligent way from a Northern city, as it would have been to direct the armies during the war of the rebellion from the same point. The diffculties that are constantly arising, need the cool judgment and patient management of the cool-heads on the ground, who are fully acquainted with the situation and understand how to deal with each case in an intelligent manner.

The conditions here are anything but normal, an essential fact always to be considered in the application of any remedy that may be applied, and those who undertake to deal with Southern questions should exercise the greatest prudence, patience and forbearance possible. In all race collisions the weaker is sure to get the worst of the evils that arise from the conflict-a fact that is constantly emphasized at the South. There is a very large field for indiscretion, therefore, to do its deadly work.

There is a class of people North of Mason and Dixon's Line, who seem to take delight in making it appear, that the Negro of the South is so badly oppressed that he is not allowed to say his soul is his own. From the stuff that appears in many of the newspapers, one would suppose that the average southern Negro lives daily in mortal dread of his life and at night loses much of his rest because of a like feeling.

The facts of the situation show the contrary to be true. The bravest and most manly specimens of Negroes in this country to day, live South of that historic line-indeed, were bred and born here, any such insinuations to the contrary notwithstanding. Grapes cannot be gathered of thorns nor figs of thistles, neither can that class of men be reared in a country like that that these enthusiasts would have people believe the south to be. The South has faults enough without trying to manufacture any that have no real existence in fact,

THE NEW RULE."

note:

"BOARD OF AID FOR COLLEGES.

"It is claimed with much plausibility that the rule of the Board of Aid for Colleges and Academies restricting the institutions under its assistance from direct appeal to individuals for endowments and bequests and other financial aid, is practically a protectorate in favor of the wealthy men of the East and rich institutions independent of the Board. The Board's institutions are shut out of the field which is left open to the independent institutions, and the starving institutions of the Board, which has only a pittance to divide, are stunted if not ruined. Already these institutions are crying out against the rule of the Board, as an unjust hindrance and oppression.-B."

We are heartily grateful to "B," as we are to all who take interest in the College Board and the institutions which it aids. He seems to have large views of the Board's province: for a protectorate is "Government by a protector; or the authority assumed by a superior power over an inferior or dependent one, whereby the former protects the latter from invasion and shares in the management of its affairs." Unfortunately the College Board does not govern "the wealthy men of the East and rich institutions independent of the Board;" it is not superior to them; they are not dependent on it; it does not share in the management of their affairs. Had the Board authority and power to establish a protectorate over rich men and institutions, it would indeed protect them from invasion in behalf of schools and colleges (except by itself,) and in sharing the

ising Presbyterian educational institutions, thus greatly blessing the givers, home missions, our church, and the country.

"B" says: "Already these institutions are crying out against the rule of the Board, as an unjust hindrance and oppression." Some institutions object to the rule; but not a few see the wisdom of the Board's policy and cordially acquiesce in it; and this is the Board's first information that, while some schools count the New Rule a hindrance, any of them consider it "unjust" and "an oppression." These be strong words; the Board, if it deserve them, has certainly erred, with good intention, but, just as certainly, should be promptly disciplined. Perhaps “B” and the institutions which he reports have not studied the reasons for the rule, (published in all our church papers and now readable at page 11 of the Board's Annual Report,) and he and they and others may care to know them.

"A protectorate in favor of the wealthy men of the east!" The Board is just hungry for money for its schools. Its continual conferences, the sleeping and waking thoughts of its officers, and its constant endeavors have this determined aim. Ten years' intense study of the problem, observation of similar agencies, and experience has steadily forced the Board toward the inevitable conclusion embodied in the new rule. It is "new" only in its form and its enforcement. Its substance was adopted and published two and a half years ago. At that time providing no penalty for its violation it was disregarded by some schools; it will now be evenly enforced. Its sole purpose is to

secure money from "the wealthy men of the east" and others.

"B" says the rule restricts "the institutions * * * from direct appeal to individuals." This is inaccurate. The rule begins: "Colleges aided by the Board may solicit personal gifts in their respective synods, academies in their presbyteries, or both from personal friends anywhere." Now note the following figures. The reports of our institutions for one year, up to the time when the rule began to be enforced, show that some sent solicitors east for funds, some working six months and some three, and securing a total of $12,285.72 (besides perhaps $1,000 used for solicitor's expenses.) But of this amount at least $7,700.99 were obtained from personal friends, therefore permitted by the rule. Not more than $4,584.73 were secured in violation of the rule. Meantime institutions which made earnest personal canvass in their own synods and presbyteries, permitted by the rule, obtained therefrom $20,195.38 of individual gifts. Their presentation of their institutions to the people nearest them further resulted in getting no small part of the $10,532.54 which the churches in their synods and presbyteries sent directly to them; and in addition both aroused intelligent interest which will show financial results in coming years, and secured large numbers of students. But it is notable that institutions which sent solicitors east neglected their own neighborhoods, receiving little from them. and sowing little seed for future harvests. Our schools must depend chiefly for future prosperity upon those home fields which must now be thoroughly worked year by year. The rule thus turns schools from that eastern field which yields little to solicitors, to the home field which yields and will yield large crops to patient cultivation, and goes far to secure their futures.

[October,

"B"says that "The Board's institutions are shut out of the (eastern) field." On the contrary they are continuously in the eastern field through the pens and voices of the Board's President and Secretary, and that to good purpose. Most of the money going from the east to Western schools since the Board's organization, even when institutions had free access to the field and were continually there by canvassers, has been secured by the Board. Figures for exact statement are not this moment at hand; but it is quite within. bounds to say that in one year the Board secures more by personal solicitation than the institutions have in ten. Year by year the receipts of canvassers have been less and less. Once difficult, it is now almost impossible for them to secure money. Their expenses eat up an increasing proportion of their success. They return from their work chagrined and discouraged, and usually express the emphatic wish that they had not gone. Meantime the Board, always in the field, studying it intently, widely and minutely, is securing funds and has good hope of securing more.

The writer recently visited the chief eastern cities to study this problem, conversing with all leading pastors and generous givers who were accessible. Nearly all said substantially, some more emphatically, what was expressed by the genial pastor of one of New York's largest and wealthiest churches: "I am loyal to your Board; I believe in its work; and we make an annual offering for it. But it is this way: We make offerings for all the boards, and perhaps once in two or three years the Home and Foreign Boards, in some special stress, appeal to individuals in the church. But look at your Board: you ask an annual offering, which we give; then solicitors from western schools are here all the time, never a week without one or two of them, badgering my rich men at their offices and their homes,

going out to dinner with them, and sometimes getting a contribution, but disgusting them with the whole business. Then you want to preach on the work in my pulpit and to be introduced to some of my rich men! It will not do; givers are resolved not to listen to such pleas any more; and they give less at the annual offering. If you can keep western canvassers away, you may speak in my pulpit, and to my rich men, and get all you can!" Upon the adoption and publication of the New Rule most of the leading Presbyterian pulpits of eastern cities-a majority of them heretofore closed to the Board's representative were kindly opened, as pastors and sessions had promised they should be.

Listen to a conversation between the Board's Secretary and a wealthy and generous giver in the east, accurately reported:

The Secretary: "I call because I understand that you are interested in the College Board."

Wealthy and Generous Giver: "Well, I do not know much about it, but I always put something into our church collection for the Board."

Sec. "But I understood that you had contributed to one of our colleges."

W. G. G.: " No, I guess not."

Sec. "Did you not give to

:

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This gentleman kindly talked with his interlocutor about the College Board work for an hour, inviting him to call whenever he was in the city. Is it unreasonable to hope that he may in time make a special gift for the work, which shall enrich some western institution?

Representatives of institutions not aided by the Board may, of course, solicit when and where they please, even representatives of new schools which the Board does not aid because it is convinced that they are not wisely placed, adequately founded, rightly inspired, or worthy of aid; but it is believed that pastors and givers are growing to recognize the Board as our Church's agency for such work, to have confidence in its judgment, and to open their hearts and pocket-books to its appeals, and the New Rule is a chief contributor to this end.

WHAT PRESBYTERIAN PAPERS SAY.

The New York Observer:-Dr. Benj. Parsons, writing from the new State of Washington, closes his letter thus:

"Material resources and mechanical industries, though important, are not the chief factors for solving the great problems of our advancing civilization. Hence great interest is universally manifested in regard to education and religion. All evangelical denominations are making strenuous efforts to base the pillars, so to speak, of civilization, upon the solid foundation of intelligence and piety. It is enough to say, therefore, in this connection, that while the physical needs of the community are carefully looked after, its intellectual and moral elicit universal concern and care."

An editorial note in the same paper shows how, in a state not so new, Presbyterians are laying such foundations as the newer West needs: (Alma College is aided by the College Board):

"One of the largest business concerns in the Saginaw valley is that of the Wells