“I called on a few of the old ex-slaves for some experiences of bygone days.  Among others here is one:  ’When I was a boy about twelve years of age there were several boys together telling what we would do when we became men.  I said, “I am going to be free and keep a store, and perhaps employ some of you boys as my clerks.”  Among these boys standing there was a white boy, who, when he went home, told his father what I had been saying.  Shortly after a lady, when I was passing her house one day called me in and said, “Steve, is that you?” “Yes, marm.”  “I want to see you; I hear you have been talking some bad talk with other boys.”  I said, “What is it, marm?” “You said that you were going to be free some day.  Now let me tell you, if you do not stop talking such talk you will be hung and nobody can possibly save you.  Let me tell you, you were ordained from the foundation of the world to be a slave; that is your destiny."’ He continued, ’Although I never employed any of those boys as clerks, yet from that white boy, who reported my conversation, I have bought thousands of dollars’ worth of goods since.  I began by selling cakes on the railway cars.  I remember down in Tennessee about the year 1852 a man came and preached, and was said to have abolition ideas.  The white people took him and hung him.  Oh! children, if I only had had the privileges you now have!  I thank God for the American Missionary Association.  It took my children and made men of them.  When I was a boy a good Christian man taught me to read a little.  The white people discovered it and said, “You stop teaching niggers,” and cut off his forefinger for teaching us to write.’”

THE LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION.

BY REV.  G. W. MOORE, FIELD MISSIONARY.

The Louisiana State Association held its twenty-sixth annual meeting with the church at Thibodeaux, February 1-4.  It was one of the best meetings in interest and attendance in the history of the association.

The reports from the churches showed a steady growth and hopeful outlook, in spite of the hard times.  These churches of Southern Louisiana are in the black belt of the State on plantations and in towns adjacent to the large sugar plantations.  Many of the planters have become bankrupt by the changed conditions of giving up the sugar bounty, while the poor colored laborers have been the greatest sufferers.

The stories of their hardships and struggles in their efforts to live and carry forward their church work are full of pathos, heroism and self-sacrifice.  Laborers have had to take fifty cents a day and board themselves, to keep the wolf of starvation from their door, and many of them are unable to get work at any price.

It was a revelation to the brethren to hear the report of Rev. James Herod, of the American Missionary Association meeting at Lowell, Mass., and of Mr. E. H. Phillips, of the Cleveland Christian Endeavor meeting.  It was the first time these colored men had been North or East, and had come in contact with Northern civilization.  First-class trains, hotels and Christian hospitality from “our brother in white” were all new to them.