Providence, however, seems to indicate clearly that its work at present be within the United States.  While in this sense it does home missionary work, the peculiar conditions of the people among whom it mostly labors require largely the methods of foreign missions.  It must supply the school, as well as the church; industrial training as well as that which is intellectual and moral.  It must create a native ministry and develop native workers of all kinds.  In fact, it would be hard to find on foreign mission fields a single kind of activity which is not duplicated in the fields of the American Missionary Association.

Home missions aid foreign missions by creating the conditions of more income and more missionaries for foreign fields.  The work of this Association has done this already to some extent; without doubt it is to do it to a far greater extent in the future.

In taking people from the ignorance and poverty of slavery and savagery, it could not be expected to form them at once into large givers or efficient workers for foreign fields; but who can say, after the marvels of the past twenty-four years, what the future shall show, when the coming millions shall arise and, out of gratitude for what they have received, give of their increasing means and send forth their sons and daughters to tell the glad story of freedom, truth and love.

It has been a favorite idea of many that the Negroes of America should evangelize Africa.  Perhaps some have been disappointed that so few of them have gone to Africa as missionaries; but such, I am sure, have failed fully to consider the facts.  A people who had received only the degrading tuition of slavery could not produce at once many who should have the reliable qualities and the intellectual and moral training needed for the responsible and, to a large extent, the unsuperintended work of a foreign missionary.  Then, every capable preacher, teacher and leader has been needed in a hundred places at home.  They could scarcely be justified in leaving their own brothers and sisters in heathenism and without the truth within their reach, to go to the heathen abroad.

Yet a few have gone forth and proved themselves capable, faithful and successful.  A former slave of Jefferson Davis is not only a successful missionary in Africa, but has proved himself such a level-headed man that he has been chosen treasurer of one of the missions of the American Board.  Such as he are an earnest of what shall be, when the colored people shall be more fully evangelized and the appeal for Africa can be made strong to their hearts and consciences.  Then there will be such a going forth as will astonish the Christian Church.

The bearing of the work for the one hundred thousand Chinese in this country on foreign missions can be clearly seen.  Christian work for them is missionary work for China—­it sends them back to become missionaries to their native land.  The fruitfulness of this work for foreign missions has been fully demonstrated.