But there is a greater peril to us than the mere presence of ignorance and vice in its _power_. By the chances of war, and for the sake of its success, 1,000,000 slaves were made citizens. They were armed with the rifle and the ballot. With the rifle they turned the day of strife to the day of settlement; but with the ballot, if left slaves as to their intelligence and manliness, they may make of peace fatal disaster. Till they can exercise this solemn trust with wise discretion, and with conscientious fidelity, it is a perilous trust in their hands. One million more votes added to the vast number which are swayed by demagogues of either party, increase by a fearful percentage the dangers of the land. In their Christian education is our only surety for the future. Education for their intelligence, and Christianity for their morals, and as a foundation on which both intelligence and virtue may rest secure. The same danger would be swelled by the numbers of the Indians and the Chinese if they were citizens. As it is, the Indian can only become so by forswearing all the relations which are most sacred to him, and which mean to him family and religion. And the Chinaman, it has just been decided, cannot vote, at least in California, because he is neither white enough nor black enough. But it is the part of every wise man to see the danger, and to do what he can to avert it. The Federal Government cannot do what is needful. The States will not do it. Christian charity, with far-sighted wisdom and self-denying philanthropy, can alone be relied on for the work required—the training of these races. It is an illustration of the truth, that all self-interests are met, not by a narrowly planned seeking of them, but by that broader conformity to the great law of love which, loving God first, has love for each one in his place, and seeks the highest good of all. In that is wrapped up, concealed sometimes, but surely there, our own gain and good. * * * * * PLEASE PERUSE, AND PONDER. Our friends will pardon us for reminding them that the fiscal year of the Association will close with the month of September. What is done to swell the receipts, either for diminution of debt or to meet current expenses, must be done quickly. Let no one imagine, however, that we are not duly grateful to God and to His people, for the gifts which have made possible the work on the field, and lightened so much the drag on our treasury. Still, we feel constrained to ask these givers for a larger giving, in order that we may free ourselves from an incumbrance which has sadly embarrassed us for years, and keep pace with the openings before us. Two things we ask: