The Forty-seventh Annual Meeting of the American Missionary Association will be held this year in Elgin, Ill., October 24th, 25th, 26th. The annual sermon will be preached by Rev. Nehemiah Boynton, of Boston, Mass. Full reports will be presented of the different parts of the work, and instructive and stirring addresses will be delivered by able speakers.

We anticipate a warm welcome from the friends in Elgin. The church in which we are invited to meet was early imbued with the anti-slavery spirit. One year before the organization of the Association, this church passed strong resolutions against slavery, and deprecating the sanctioning of slavery by missionary bodies. Throughout the anti-slavery struggle, its voice was warmly for the oppressed slave. Perhaps many of these early members have passed away, but their spirit remains in their descendants and successors, as we are assured by the cordial invitation given to the Association.

For the first time in many years, we have the prospect of carrying to our annual meeting a balance sheet showing a debt of about $45,000. We have, however, the gratification of knowing that this debt is not due to the loss of interest on the part of our constituents, for our donations at the close of the eleven months of the year are $8,129.53 more than for the corresponding months of the previous year. Nor is the debt due to the excess of expenditure, for this is less than last year. The debt comes from a great falling off in legacies. The obligations imposed upon us by declining to receive the aid of the Government for our Indian schools will seriously increase our burden unless the churches will rally to our aid by making up the deficit. If it were not for the extreme pressure in the finan

cial world, we should confidently expect this, and even as it is, we hope that a special effort on the part of our friends will secure it.

Further particulars respecting membership, railroad facilities and entertainment, will be found on the last page of cover.

OUR ALASKA MISSION.

We are rejoiced to lay before our readers a full account of our Alaska mission up to June 5th. We are gratified to find that the health of our missionaries has been excellent, that their work has prospered, and that they look forward hopefully to the future. According to previous arrangements Mr. and Mrs. Lopp will enter the service of the Government, having charge of a reindeer station at Port Clarence. Mr. and Mrs. Thornton are thus left alone, but from the letter published and from other advices, we are assured that they are not cast down nor discouraged at the prospect of being thus alone.

We are glad to learn from our missionaries as well as from Dr. Sheldon Jackson, who has just returned, that the reindeer experiment has thus far proved a success, and promises ultimately to give to these needy Eskimos an adequate food supply and competent facilities for transportation.

THE AFRICAN CONGRESS.

Among the various Congresses that have given dignity and importance to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, none has been more useful and interesting than the African Congress. The plan for it was broad, and in carrying it out an unusual array of varied talent was brought into requisition. The programme presents the names of more than a hundred individuals who appeared either by an address in person or by an essay. They represented the various nations of Europe, America and Africa, nearly all denominations of Christians, and the ranges of literary, scientific and professional vocations. Some of these have acquired widespread reputations for investigation. We may verify this remark by naming as among them such men as Major Pinto, Col. De Chaillé Long and Dr. Cust. There are others whose positions give weight to their opinions, as the Hon. Alfred Lee Ghait, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from Belgium to the United States, and who was specially appointed by King Leopold to attend this Congress; Hon. James Johnson, Member of the Legislature of Lagos, Africa; Hon. John A. Kasson, LL.D., Member of the Berlin Conference of 1884; Rev. Josiah Tyler, author of "Forty Years among the Zulus," and Momulo Massaquoi, Prince of Jabacca, Liberia. The colored race of America was well and honorably represented. We

may name without disparagement to others, Frederick Douglass, the venerable Dr. Crummell and Bishops Arnett, Turner and Tanner. We are glad to state that of those who took active and useful part in the Congress, at least a dozen persons were, or are, connected with the American Missionary Association-indeed the remark was frequently made that the Congress seemed like a prolonged session of the Association. This article would be imperfect if it did not mention with warm commendation the Jubilee Singers, whose stirring songs enlivened the sessions of the Congress.

The credit of devising this large and well-arranged plan, and of carrying on the vast correspondence falls largely on Rev. J. E. Roy, D.D., the Chairman of the Congress, and Mr. Frederick Perry Noble, its Secretary. None but those who have had some experience in getting up similar though smaller conventions can appreciate the labor and the anxiety involved in bringing this African Congress to its ultimate and complete success.

PROGRESS IN AFRICA AND AMERICA.

The range of topics was wide. In geography, discovery and colonization, every part of the continent of Africa, its history, language, literature and sociology, from Egypt to the Cape, was canvassed. So, also, was the history and condition of the race in North America, and the Hon. J. M. Langston gave a picture of the Negro race in Latin America.

Gathering together the varied views and facts presented, the result is encouraging. Prince Massaquoi and others spoke hopefully of Liberia, and the carefully prepared paper of Mr. C. C. Adams gave assurance that in spite of some drawbacks, mistakes and crimes, the efforts of recent colonization in Africa by the European nations is a growing success. The status of the Negro in America was fully considered-his hindrances, his wants and his great advancement. Dr. Ward, of The Independent, read a vigorous paper on "What Reparation can America make to her Negroes?" demanding their full rights and immunities.

THE NEGRO PROBLEM.

Frederick Douglass made a good point in saying, "There is no Negro problem." He claims that the only problem is in the race prejudice of the whites. This is all true, and is a just vindication of the Negro, and yet when we consider that this prejudice must be overcome before he can live peacefully and prosperously beside his white neighbors, we can see that he and his friends have after all a "problem" to solve. That prejudice cannot be overcome by arms or argument, for prejudice is invincible against both. It can only be done by the black man's lifting himself up to the level of his white neighbors in property, intelligence and character. The solution will require time and patience, and the Negro and his friends are now working wisely and successfully to that end. Let them not be

deterred by chimerical schemes, but toil on trusting in God and in the ultimate good sense and justice of mankind.

AFRICA OR AMERICA.

The discussion that evolved more feeling than any other was on the question Shall the Negro remain here or go to Africa? The point was ably argued on both sides, but the unmistakable sense of the Congress was against African deportation. If anyone is disposed to revive the exploded scheme for transporting these people to Africa, he will not only have to consider the difficulty almost insuperable of carrying them thither, but the still more insuperable one of gaining their consent to go.

The whole thing lies in a nutshell: These Negroes cannot and will not all go to Africa; many of them can and will go as missionaries, teachers and colonists, and will prove themselves to be the heaven-appointed bearers of the Gospel to the land of their fathers. This can be done with violence to none and by joyful consecration in many.

HOW MUCH SHALL THE NEGRO BE EDUCATED?

Three answers are given to this question in the South. The first is that he should not be educated at all, for it would lift him above his station. The second is, that he should have education enough to make him a better servant, laborer or mechanic. The third, held by the few more liberal-minded Southern people, is that he should be educated as the white man is, for he is a man and must be prepared for all his duties and responsibilities to his country, the world and to God.

In the North, this latter view receives well-nigh universal consent theoretically, but much difference exists as to its practical application. Just now the strong drift is toward industrial education. This feature is incorporated in the schools of the American Missionary Association, and in other schools.

Normal training is also recognized as essential in preparing the great army of teachers needed for the training of this people, and the necessity of great improvement in the educational and moral character of the Negro ministers is obvious, and schools for this purpose are universally approved. This is attained in part by inviting colored ministers now in charge of parishes to attend classes for Bible instruction in the schools; this, together with the training of young colored students in the English Bible, is thought by some of the friends of the Negro to meet the wants of the people in this respect. In general the higher education of the Negro is not earnestly advocated-the industries, the normal school and the English Bible are thought to be sufficient.

Here we enter our protest. Yes, the industries, the normal school and the English Bible by all means. The masses of this race, as of all other