Then—its constituents were individuals, and churches of the more pronounced abolition sort. Now—since the National Council at Boston—the Association has been recognized as the agency of the Congregational churches for doing their work among “the three despised races.” The old adherents, developed into generous giving by the necessities of their enterprise, abide with the enthusiasm of veterans; while now the mass of our people acknowledge themselves under just as much obligation as they to use this organization in its peculiar sphere of Christianization at home and abroad. They find it by Providence marvelously developed and fitted to its work—tested, toughened and trusted. They hear it said from without, that our body of churches is doing more and better work among the freedmen than any other. They find that the old anti-slavery education in our families had prepared a multitude of our cultured and consecrated young people to enter this work as soon as the way was open, even at a salary little above the nominal rate. And so they find this charge laid upon them and readily accept the obligation, grateful for the opportunity. In coming back to this service, I feel that I am only shifting from the right to the left wing of the home missionary army. No man can go beyond me in appreciation of the sublime movement represented by the American Home Missionary Society. But in this other department I find that most of the same arguments are to be used. Do we call for the Christianizing of the people of our country? Here are millions of them at the South in need of that process. Do we plead for the saving of our country from the spiritual despotism of Rome? The Jesuits, using hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly, are scheming to Romanize the congenial material found in the ex-slaves. Do we appeal in behalf of the political interests of our country? Here are 1,000,000 black voters who cannot read. Then by their side, only lower down in the social scale, are 1,100,000 white voters who also cannot read the ballots they are to cast; and the conviction is now gaining ground that the most effectual, if not the only way, to lift up that class is to put under them the leverage of the educated negro. Do we use that grandest argument—the salvation of our country for the sake of the salvation of the world? Here in our own land is looming up the most potent agency for the evangelization of Africa. That despoiled continent may yet say to her despoilers, “Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good.”