But we wish to make a distinct announcement in connection with this appeal.  We wish only to “get the best.”  The needy people for whom we labor have suffered such privations, and such absolute destitution of all adequate religious instruction, that we feel they are now entitled to as good as can be given them.  We send no teachers to the field that are incompetent and without adequate experience.  We do not believe that everybody is qualified to teach the Negroes, at least it is not fair to them, that we should employ those who cannot find occupation anywhere else.  Good health, good training, good powers of discipline, a missionary spirit and a membership in some evangelical church, are the absolute essentials for all persons that we employ.  We call for recruits, but we ask for only those that are well equipped, courageous and ready to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ.

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The treasurer of a church in the West, who had been an officer in a colored regiment during the war, in remitting the contribution of the church to which he belongs, thus expresses his reason for his interest in the welfare of the colored people: 

“I was an officer in the 5th United States Colored Troops, the first colored regiment raised west of the Alleghenies, just before the massacre of colored troops at Fort Pillow, and knowing so much of the fidelity and valor and good service of those troops in the war to the Nation, to which they then owed so little, I have special interest in the enlightenment and uplifting of the colored race in the South.”

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In the last month’s Missionary, we published some statements showing that persons declined to contribute to our treasury because we had been so enriched by the Daniel Hand Fund.  It gives us pleasure to know that all our patrons do not take this view of the matter, as will be seen from the following extract from the letter of a practical business man: 

“If A.M.A. means A Million Accepted, I hope you will be able to write it once a year till you can build churches, school-houses and colleges all through the South, but not enough to take away from the churches of the North and East the privilege of helping the poor and needy till they are able to take care of themselves.”

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Rev. Chas. H. McIntosh has for some months assisted Dr. Roy in collecting funds for the Association, using a stereopticon as a means of illustrating his lectures on the varied phases of our work.

Pastor Leeper of Red Oak, Iowa, writes:  “We were much pleased with Brother McIntosh’s lecture and exhibit.  He does well, and makes in every way a good impression.  The lantern works promptly and makes clear pictures.  That mode of presenting the work is the best I have seen.  The people will not soon forget what they saw and heard.  They were surprised to know that the A.M.A. is doing so extensive a work.  I had often preached on the subject, but pictures make the facts stand out so much more vividly.  We had crowded houses.”