“We talk of ‘sacrifices’ until we fear the word is nauseous to God. We have no English female missionary biography worth reading, because it is all polluted by the black man’s idea of sacrifice. It ought not so to be. Jesus became a missionary and gave His life for us. Hundreds of young men annually leave our shores as cadets. When any dangerous expedition is planned by Government, more volunteers apply than are necessary to man it. On the proposal to send a band of brave men in search of Sir John Franklin, a full complement for the ships could have been procured of officers alone, without any common sailors. And what thousands rushed to California from different parts of America on the discovery of gold! How many husbands left their wives and families! How many Christian men tore themselves away from all home endearments to suffer and toil and perish by cold and starvation on the overland route! How many sank from fever and exhaustion on the banks of the Sacramento! Yet no word of sacrifices there! Our talk of sacrifices is ungenerous and heathenish.” * * * * * THE NEGRO HEGIRA. It is not many months since we had to record the Liberian exodus fever. The movement which excited so great hopes among the deluded blacks has passed out of sight, and the holders of ten-dollar shares in the barque Azor are no nearer the tropical shores of Africa than they were a year ago. From those who went out in so ill-advised a manner, for a long time almost nothing came back to us but their wail of suffering as they reached their journey’s end. And now another impulse has seized upon thousands apparently of the negro population of Mississippi and Louisiana, to leave the places where they were born and reared and seek new homes. As early as the middle of March probably fifteen hundred had found their way to St. Louis under the impression, it is said, that they would be supported in that city and provided with free transportation to Kansas, where, on arrival, they would receive from the Government, lands, mules, money and agricultural implements. A small proportion of them appeared to be in comfortable circumstances, and proceeded by steamer or rail to Kansas City or Topeka. Others were entirely destitute and dependent from the first on charitable aid. Thousands more were reported as only deterred from coming by lack of means to pay their way up the river. The mayor and citizens of St. Louis were in quite a panic over their visitors. What should they do with them, or how keep them away? But the feeling of kinship led the colored people of the city to give them such welcome as they might. The basements of three colored churches were opened to them, and food and shelter were generously given by their brethren according to the flesh, and they were helped toward their destination as far as might be.