When, at the opening of the war, the life of the infant Berea College was sought, the Angel of Providence said: “Arise, and take the young child and flee into the Egypt of Safety, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for the Herod of Slavery will seek the young child, to destroy him.” But, when Herod was dead, behold, the angel appeared, saying: “Arise, and take the young child and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.” And they arose and took the young child Berea, and went back into their own land. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit. And other children were born to this household of faith—Howard and Hampton, and Fisk and Atlanta, and Talladega and Straight and Tougaloo, and several more. These do not have to flee for their life; but they need to be nourished into maturity, that they may do the mighty work assigned them in this and in coming generations, here and in other lands. * * * * * _Apropos_—A judge from a Western city told us, the other day, that, having had a black man to testify in his court, he turned and complimented him from the bench as the most intelligent witness he had ever had in that box. * * * * * He had been a colonel in the war. Since the coming of peace he had remained in the South, to engage in the process of the social and political reconstruction. He felt the desperateness of the case, and yet was hopeful. In our office, he was setting forth the Southern status, and arguing for patient endurance and vigorous endeavor when, in his military phrase, he broke forth: “It is only one shot in five hundred that hits.” Fire away, then, ye soldiers of the Cross! Some of the shots will hit. * * * * * It was the Christmas of the year 1865. It was in a Southern city. The preacher, though black, had the frosts of seventy winters on his head. His text was the parable of the vine and the branches. In the sermon of singular unction, he said: “My brethren, we has the advantage of the vine and the branches. They get the sap only in the spring and thro’ the season, _but the Christian has the sap all the year ’round_.” * * * * *