We have to deal once more, in the history of this nation, with the precious interests of the poor and neglected, and we must guard against past mistakes.  The issue before us is a square one, and no dodging and no compromise will meet the case.  We plead now for eight millions of freemen as we once plead for four millions of slaves.  God is their Father, Christ is their Redeemer and the Church must recognize their equal manhood.  We hold with the Christian Union that:  “It were better far that the Northern Church should not go with its missionary work into the South at all, than that it should go with a mission which strengthens the infidelity that denies that God made of one blood all the nations of the earth for to dwell together.”

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The Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian churches North resist all overtures for separating the colored and white people in churches and ecclesiastical bodies in the South.  The Episcopal Church, in Virginia and South Carolina at least, have consented to the separation on the color-line.  The Congregationalists will soon decide the position they will take.  Will they range themselves with the Episcopalians now standing alone?

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INDIAN CONTRACT SCHOOLS.

The public has been made aware through the press recently that the United States Government aids the Roman Catholics to support 2,098 Indian pupils and assists all Protestant denominations in the support of only 1,146 pupils.  Why is this discrimination, and who is to blame for it?  If the Roman Catholics give for plant, teachers’ salaries, etc., an amount proportionately greater than that given by the Protestants, then the Protestants have themselves only to blame, and the difficulty can be remedied by their giving an equal amount.  But if, on the other hand, the Government gives in proportion more to the Roman Catholics than it does to the Protestants, then the Government is showing a wholly unjustifiable partiality.  Figures are in order on this subject.  Who will furnish them?

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A MINISTER’S TESTIMONY.

“I have just been reading the AMERICAN MISSIONARY for August with profound interest.  I rejoice with you that the ’figures are still improving’.

“Your ‘practical thoughtful friend’ is a suggestive example for us all, I am not surprised that this year he ’has doubled his special contribution.’  ‘Nothing succeeds like success,’ is true also of achievement in bringing ourselves to give to the Lord of what he is constantly giving to us.

“I thank God for the simple, but singular and noble justice done by that judge and jury in Chicago who maintained the civil rights of brother Smith.

“Mrs. Regal’s paper on ‘The Local Society,’ seemed to me full of excellent suggestions.  One in particular, that of a birthday offering containing a cent for every year of age, is eminently practical, and conducive to surprising results.  How better can we set up our Ebenezer than by thus saying from our purses as well as from our hearts, ‘Hitherto hath the Lord helped us’?