After announcements of committees and programme for the afternoon, President Taylor pronounced the benediction, and recess was taken until 2 o’clock P.M.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

The Association was called to order by Vice-President Noble.  “Saviour, visit thy plantation,” was sung, after which Dr. Noble conducted the devotional exercises for a half hour.

A paper on “The Future of the Negro in our Country,” was read by Rev. C.H.  Richards, D.D., of Wisconsin, and referred to the Executive Committee with power to publish.

Rev. C.F.  Thwing, D.D., unable to be present as announced, forwarded his address for the use of the Secretaries of the Association.

Rev. A.P.  Foster, D.D., presented the report of the Committee on the Indian Work.

Addresses were then made by Rev. T.L.  Riggs, of Oahe, and Rev. C.W.  Shelton, Financial Secretary for Indian Missions.

After singing, “Sow in the morn thy seed,” the Association was addressed by Rev. W.B.  Wright, D.D., on the Educational Work, presenting the report of the committee and speaking in its behalf.  Rev. F.P.  Woodbury, D.D., spoke also on the same topic.

After announcements, Dr. Noble pronounced the benediction, and the Association took a recess until 7:30 P.M.

WEDNESDAY EVENING.

The Association was called to order by Secretary Strieby, who invited E.W.  Blatchford, Esq., of Illinois, to preside during the evening in the absence of President Taylor.  Professor G.B.  Willcox led the Association in prayer.

On being introduced by Secretary Strieby as representing the American Board, Mr. Blatchford said: 

“I have no authority from the American Board to convey to you any special message; and yet I know that they will be glad to have me express to you their sentiments of sympathy with you in your work.  The work is one.  In carrying forward the work of the American Board and the American Missionary Association we are obeying the same command of our Lord:  Go ye into all the world and disciple all.  We are inspired by the same prophetic promises, that the time will come when this world shall obey the command of God as it is obeyed in heaven.  In fact, this gathering is in itself a type of the unity of this work; for as I look around me I see brethren and sisters representing the different societies in which we are all interested.  I see them here from the New West Commission; I see the workers and representatives of our Home Missionary Society; I see, of course, many representatives of the American Missionary Association, and those deeply interested in the work of our American Board.  So that we have here in this very meeting an illustration of these words of the Apostle:  ’One Lord, one faith, one baptism.’”

Mrs. J.J.M.  Angear, in charge of a Chinese Sunday-school in the First Congregational Church, Chicago, spoke of her work, her Chinese choir singing “Stand up for Jesus,” and later a verse of “Sweet By and By,” in both English and Chinese.