ety were appointed. The constituencies of the general benevolent organizations, north and south, so far as they may be present at Washington, are to compose the meeting. For the consideration of a subject of such profound and vital interest as this, there should be a large representation from all portions of the country.

The big “blizzard" of March 12th will be a memorable event in the annals of New York city, Brooklyn, and vicinity. Locomo- | tion and business of all kinds were nearly or quite suspended. The blizzard" put its icy veto in tempest tones on the regular Board meeting of that day. The blockade continued so long, and communications were so interrupted, that the earliest practicable date for the special meeting, in lieu of the regular meeting, was Saturday, March 17th. In consequence of the derangement to business, and of the postponement, this issue of the MONTHLY is somewhat later than usual.

For the purpose of comparison we may say at the outset, that Baptists have three general benevolent organizations which make their annual appeals to the churches. These are the Missionary Union, with two Secretaries; the Publication Society, with two Secretaries; the Home Mission Society, with one Secretary.

The Presbyterian church has nine incorporated organizations whose claims are annually presented to the churches. In these nine organizations there are eleven Secretaries. The names of these organizations and the receipts reported by each the past year are as follows: 1. Board of Trustees of the General Assembly,

$62,330.

2. Board of Home Missions: New York City. Two Corresponding Secretaries; receipts. $784,157 (of which $248,649 was from Woman's Boards).

3. Board of Foreign Missions: New York City. Three corresponding Secretaries; receipts, $653,456.

4. Board of Church Erection: New York City. One Corresponding Secretary; receipts, $90.314.

5. Board of (ministerial) Education: Philadelphia. One Corresponding Secretary; receipts, $117,900.

6. Board of Publication and Sabbath School Work: Philadelphia. One Secretary; receipts, $49,751.

7. Board of Ministerial Relief: Philadelphia. One Corresponding Secretary; receipts, $136,323.

8. Board of Missions for Freedmen: Pittsburgh, Pa. One Corresponding Secretary; receipts, $126,228.

9. Board of Aid for Colleges and Academies: Chicago. One Corresponding Secretary; receipts, $38,206.

In addition to the foregoing, the sum of $860,720 is reported for miscellaneous objects, such as local missions, hospitals, homes, etc.,

etc.

If, now, we add to the three general Baptist organizations, the District Societies for Ministerial Education and for Ministers' Homes, both

of which receive little or no attention from a

large proportion of our churches, even then we find that Presbyterian churches have on their annual list four more general benevolent organ izations than Baptists have, while as a usual thing they have five more.

With the Congregationalists the case is similar.

1. First in order comes the American Board

of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Boston, Mass., with three Corresponding Secretaries. Receipts, $657,828.

2. The American Home Missionary Society New York City, with two Corresponding Secretaries. Receipts, $524,544.

3. The American Missionary Association : New York City, with three Corresponding Secretaries. Receipts, $335,704.

4. The American Congregational Union, for Church Edifice Work: New York City, with one Corresponding Secretary. Receipts about $60,000.

5. Congregational Sunday School and Publishing Society: Boston. One Secretary. Receipts not stated, but $100,000 called for.

6. The New West Education Commission: Chicago. One Secretary. Receipts, $60,012. 7. The American College and Education Society: Boston. One Secretary. Receipts, $57,994.

Summary: Seven general Congregational benevolent organizations with twelve Secretaries. The Presbyterians with nine organizations, and the Congregationalists with seven, raise, each, more than double the amount raised by Baptists for benevolence, though in the field of the three general Baptist organizations the Presbyterians are not so numerous as the Baptists,

while the Congregationalists are but about three-fifths as numerous as the Baptists. After this, let us have done with the idle talk of too many Baptist societies and with too many objects for contributions, and especially with inflated notions about our great liberality. It is a good thing sometimes to be sobered by hard facts and then seriously to set about doing as much more and as much better as we can.

REV. H. WOODSMALL.

One of the most devoted friends of the colored

people in the United States has finished his earthly work. On Monday evening, February 27th, at Memphis, Tenn., Rev. H. Woodsmall passed peacefully away. For years he had evidently made a heroic struggle against marked consumptive tendencies. He would not surrender, so long as will power could prevent. At last, after a brief cessation of activity, his worn and wasted nature yielded to the inevitable.

Mr. Woodsmall was born in Owen Co., Indiana, June 9, 1841. Abandoning his studies, he entered the army, during the Civil War, becoming a captain and then a major. While in the service he was converted and united with a church in Indiana, while home on a furlough. After the War he resumed his studies, and then for six years practiced law in his native State, and for a time in St. Paul, Minn. He had been very active in church and Sunday school matters, and finally decided to give himself to the work of preaching the gospel. He studied one year at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, at Greenville, S. C., after which he entered upon his work for the colored people, continuing therein with self-consuming zeal until his death. From November 1876 to January 1877 he held Minister's Institutes, under appointment of the Home Mission Society, in Alabama and adjacent States. In 1877 the Colored State Convention of Alabama decided to open a school at Selma, and invited Brother Woodsmall to take the charge of it. This he did in 1878, remaining in connection with the Institution about five and a half years, during which he organized the benevolence of the State in the interests of the Institution to an unusual degree of efficiency. Since 1880 the school has been aided by the Society. In 1883 he deemed it best to retire from the Institution to give

himself again to field work as general missionary of the Society, mainly in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. He was deeply interested in establishing a school at Little Rock, Ark., and also at Memphis, Tenn. Toward the latter enterprise a friend in Illinois recently offered $10,000. A site had been secured and plans were in progress for the erection of a building, at the time of his death. During the past winter he had devoted most of his time to the instruction of ministers gathered at Memphis.

Toward the various enterprises in which he was from time to time engaged, he gave so liberally of his own means, that he nearly exhausted them. Of time, thought, heart and physical energy he gave unstintedly. His whole being was consecrated to the work of helping those who so much needed help. He was willing to be almost as one of them, if thus he could the better serve them. His self-denial, privations, sacrifices, arduous labors in weakness and

Bro. Woodsmall came to us just two weeks before his death, in a very worn and weak condition, begging us to take him into our family, as in his state of health he could not get food or care such as he needed. We were very glad to have him come to us, and secured him a room in a house directly across the street from us, our own room being fully occupied. He took his meals with us, and spent most of his leisure time with our family, thinking that he was gaining in strength in his more congenial surroundings.

He would not hear to dropping his work until the close of his term with his present class, hop ing in the meantime to see the school under his care fully organized, so far as its Board of Trustees and plans of building were concerned.

This determination kept him up until Tuesday, the 27th, when he complained of unusual weakness and lassitude, though he attended service at our mission chapel near by.

by those of very few missionaries of the cross in modern times, in the home or the foreign field. He had great tenacity of purpose, was fertile in expedients in the prosecution of his work, was almost unbrokenly earnest and serious, as if op. pressed with the feeling that his time of service was not to be long and he must work the works of Him who sent him, while it was yet day. He was faithful unto death.

He will be widely lamented by multitudes of the colored Baptists in the South, who have been made so much the better by his years of toil in their behalf. For them, in the Spirit of Christ, he emptied himself of honor, prospects and even reputation, that he might do them good.

His wife, whom he married in Macon, Ga., with three children, survive him; their res idence for some time having been at Franklin, Ind., where he was buried.

Brother Woodsmall's Last Days.

Prof. A. J. Steele, of Le Moyne Institute, at Memphis, whose Christian kindness to Bro. Woodsmall during his last sickness is highly appreciated, furnishes us the following account of his last days:

I am in receipt of yours of February 29, asking for some particulars of the last days of Rev. H. Woodsmall, who died at the Teachers' Home of this school on the 28th of February.

Monday morning he came across to breakfast, but was extremely weak. He spent the forenoon on the lounge and in a reclining-chair in our sitting-room. Spoke of wishing to see his family and of his determination to start by boat for Cincinnati the next day. I sent for Prof. Van, one of his associates, with whom he closed up his school work at about 3 P. M. He talked freely all this time, though with some effort and troubled at times with faint spells, though not realizing his condition. Soon after 4 P. M I called a physician, at his request, as he wished to know what the fainting spells meant, and if he might hope to start home the next day. He had Prof. Van go to his room, pack his trunk, etc., and bring his valise across the street, as I thought he should not leave our home.

The Doctor told him frankly that he might revive and live some days, or that only a few hours might be left him. I removed him soon after 5 o'clock to my own room, dressed as he was and in the reclining-chair, as he could not well lie down. On being settled in my room, he said, "O, how comfortable this is!" And then: "Only the Good Father can do me good now. I rest in Him." I conversed for a few moments with him on the comfort and blessedness of such a trust, he assenting to all that was said as I stood by his chair. At a little before 6 o'clock he inquired if the room were not growing dark, and consciousness immediately left him, and in a few minutes, resting on

He was not expecting this, and so soon. He literally died in his work, arranging, less than an hour before he went, to send some books and

aids to a destitute pastor in Mississippi, from whom he had received a letter but that morning. His associates held a service in the Tabernacle Church the next day, and his remains I sent to Franklin, Ind., at the request of his wife.

All his effects were also sent to her there.

I have known Brother W., but not intimately, for some years. His two weeks with us made us all love him for his patient and gentle spirit, and even his cheerfulness, in the midst of extreme weakness and suffering.

He was singularly like his beloved Master in spirit and purpose. He has been the means of great good to the colored people, to whom he gave his life and his all more completely than any other man I have ever known.

PERSONAL.

Rev. W. H. Sloan, of the City of Mexico, feels compelled, from a sense of duty to provide for the proper education of his children, to resign his work there and return to the United States.

When he went to his field it was in the hope that a select school for American children might be opened in the City of Mexico. Finding this impracticable, he sought in vain to obtain the services of an American teacher, and so at last with great reluctance and regret decided to leave the work to which he had hoped to devote his life. He writes, that to no one is the abandonment of his mission to Mexico so great a disappointment as to himself. He expects to

return in April.

He has wrought an excellent work and has given to our Baptist churches in the Republic a monthly paper and special literature of great value. For a year to come he will continue his connection with LA LUZ. We hope soon to hear that some one of our strong churches has secured his services as pastor, though at present we understand he has nothing definite in view.

Rev. A. J. Steelman will remain in charge of the work in the City of Mexico after Mr. Sloan's departure. Mrs. Steelman is devoting her mu.

OUR COUNTRY; WHAT IS OUR DUTY IN REGARD TO IT?

MISS ELLA M. COLE, SOUTHBRIDGE, MASS.

We assume that this question has to do with the moral and spiritual interests of those who call this land their home. And we answer:

I. We must study the moral condition and learn the spiritual needs of our people.

We must study the statistics of immigration, and see how, from China in the West, but in greater masses from the countries of Europe on the East, the thousands of immigrants are pourbeside? What is to be the result of their comAnd what ing in to find homes and work here. ing, morally to them and to us?

We must study the Indian question, in the light of justice, of humanity, of Christianityknow what is being done, what should be done, for those whose home this broad land once was.

Yet in

We must study the condition and needs of the colored people. Some show the effects of generations of oppression and neglect, until they seem to have no sense of morality. such cases the good results of patient effort and faithful teaching are soon apparent. Others are like a woman whom we met in Atlanta. She said. "I was like a person shut up in a darkened

We should consider the spiritual needs of those in the mining camps, far from the privileges and restraints of home; of those on the frontier who may have homes indeed, but whose families are growing up without the Sabbath | opportunities, or any of the sacred influences we enjoy.

We need to study the power and policy of the Romish Church, to see how ready that is to work among all the classes we have named, but without offering the open Bible, and the pure, full gospel.

We need to note carefully the evil influences that are doing their work all over our land-infidelity, intemperance, social impurity-to mark the intense and untiring activity of the tempter, until, perchance, we shall be ready to take up the sentiment quaintly expressed in an old rhyme, and say,

"Sin worketh,

Let me work too;

Sin undoeth,

Let me do;

Busy as sin my work I'll ply

Till I rest in the rest of eternity."

Our means of information will be varied. The secular press, if read thoughtfully, will give us very much that is suggestive. We shall see in this the drift of public opinion on the great moral questions of the day.

Sometimes we shall find occasion for encouragement; often we shall note tendencies which will awaken anxiety, and should stir us to renewed effort in behalf of purity and truth.

What we give for the support of church work and Christian association work in our Own town, is given for our country's good.

What we can do for the promotion of temperance or other moral reforms, may well be prompted by love of country. What we can do to promote the circulation of pure literature, and especially of God's Word, is truly a work of Christian patriotism.

In no way can we so well show our desire for the best welfare of this land as by helping on the work of Christian education and evangelization; for, were love of country our only motive for this service, we might confidently expect that an intelligent, a God-fearing and Bible-loving, nation would be one where good order and prosperity would abound.

Finally, we serve our country when we do our home work faithfully, for we do not know where the influences set at work here will stop. A few years ago, two young men from our church and Sunday school were driven by failing health to seek the mountain air of Colorado. Some time later, a party from this place were travelling through that region, and met them. We stepped into their salesroom (in the little building which was also their home), one Sabbath afternoon, on the way to attend service with them in the school-house near by. Some one strolled in from the street, and looking at some of the curiosities asked, "What is the price of this?" The quiet answer was, "We do not sell goods on Sunday." This may seem like a little thing, but we read in it the underlying fact of Christian principle. When sudden sickness, which proved fatal, came to one of these young men, the survivor, speaking of it, said, "It was a dark time, but God was with us." The second of these young men went home not very long ago, leaving behind him, not the result of large wordly success, but the

II. While we keep ourselves informed as to the progress of the work which is being done in Christ's name, for the good of those He died to save, let us determine to have a share in that

school and church work can help to build up such characters as these, our country will be the better and purer. Whether they are spent here, or in some other part of the land or world, we will not count as vain any effort we may have made to give direction to them.

Other instances will occur to us. Some of our number have gone out as teachers-some to positions of influence at a distance. One of