If the heart of Africa is ever reached by civilizing influences, Colonel Long thinks the work must be done by intelligent colored people from the United States. They, if anybody, could keep communications open, introduce trade, and gradually train the natives in habits of systematic industry. Last spring, when public attention was attracted to the exodus of negroes from the Southern States, Colonel Long wrote a letter to the King of Belgium, who is President of the principal European society for exploring and civilizing Africa. In that letter he proposed that the King should stimulate, through the medium of his society, a movement to take a large body of the discontented blacks from our Southern States and settle them in Central Africa, opening with them a line of trading and missionary posts from the West Coast to the lake country. Colonel Long believed that thousands of the most industrious and best educated colored men in the Gulf States could be induced to go. Their presence in Africa would, he wrote, create no surprise or hostility among the natives, and they would soon acquire influence over the native tribes and start the work of civilization. In this way the experiment of opening the dark continent would be tried under the only conditions that afford the least promise of success. King Leopold wrote in reply that the project deeply interested him, and that he should give it his careful investigation, but nothing further has been heard from him. Colonel Long says it would cost a great deal of money to carry out the scheme, but the African exploring societies in Europe could raise it if they tried. He is not enthusiastic about the success of his plan, but is confident that it is the only one not foredoomed to failure. Equatorial Africa, he insists, will never be civilized by white men. * * * * * ITEMS FROM THE FIELD. MACON, GA.—Pastor S. E. Lathrop is getting under way his Circulating Library for the colored people. He sends out a circular, printed on his own “Gospel Press,” that was given him as a home missionary in Wisconsin, appealing for the gift of new or second-hand books for this purpose. Gov. Colquitt and Senators Gordon and Hill have furnished some. Pres. A. L. Chapin, of Beloit, Wis., is putting up a trunk full. Sup’t Roy sent in a “carpet-bag” full. Who’ll follow up?