These institutions, these missionary colleges in the South, have carried the torch of liberty, these have upheld it, these have taught American citizenship, these have given to the Southern States 16,000 colored teachers, when nobody else would teach the poor black boy—­nay, or the poor white boy either.  Seven millions of people concerned in the matter, and the National Bureau of Public Education reporting year after year that {90} the reason why there are 600,000 colored youth out of the public schools, is not because they don’t want to go, but because there are not school-houses and school teachers.

Here is the mightiest, the widest, the most fruitful, the most abundant, the most prolific, missionary field that was ever opened to any Christian people.  It is right here at your doors.  It is not across the Pacific Ocean and it is not down yonder around the Cape of Good Hope.  Right here at our doors is the greediest people for education and the gospel there is on the face of this earth, not counted among our white race.  I suppose that ninety-nine one-hundredths of those who generously give to this cause believe to-day that it is being given to in generous proportion.  Ah! you never figured on it.  Why, if you knew the national value of this work, to say nothing of its gospel value, you would quadruplicate it before the year is out.  You would not submit to it for a moment, as citizens, not merely as members of Christ’s Church.

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The American Missionary Association is called again to mourn the decease of one of its officers.  Hon. Alfred S. Barnes, a member of its Executive Committee, after an illness extending over five months, at his residence in Brooklyn, finished his earthly life on Friday, February 17th, at the age of seventy-one years.  Mr. Barnes was elected on the Executive Board of the A.M.A. nineteen years ago, and had served in that capacity continuously up to the day of his death.  He was a wise counsellor, large-minded in his views and honorable in his spirit, known throughout the land as one of the foremost publishers in the country, largely interested in educational work, and yet he found time for an earnest devotion to various enterprises in the Christian church.  His fidelity and helpfulness in the service of the A.M.A. are fully known only to those who were associated with him.  Many organizations of missionary and Christian work will miss his presence and the help of his generous stewardship, but none will feel his departure more truly than the American Missionary Association, which has lost its President, one of its Secretaries, and this long-honored member of its Executive Board within the last half-year.  The greatness of his work in our service will be remembered and cherished.