It was natural that the spirit of independence which found full scope among the Freedmen should seek for a church organization and connection with an ecclesiastical body whose history was not tainted with oppression. This disposition, however, has sometimes asked for more license for fleshly indulgences than pure Congregationalism permits. In this city it is impossible for your Superintendent to find a provision store having any considerable variety of goods that does not include among its principal commodities _wines_ and _liquors_. Members and officers of churches are engaged in the trade, and scruple not to advertise conspicuously that branch of their business, which we regard as exceedingly immoral. Yet there are some churches, both white and colored, whose rules and discipline would delight the heart of a Puritan. Congregationalism is an exotic in this soil; and its Northern friends have reason to be pleased if it grows even slowly. Among the adverse circumstances against which our church has had to struggle may be mentioned a frequent change of pastors. In its three and one-half years it has suffered the perturbations incident to two summer supplies, and now the fourth pastor. These changes have tended to prevent some from making their church home with us. More permanence is a necessity. We have no such opportunity for reaching those under our educational care as is offered by a boarding-school. The parents of most of our pupils are connected with some church, and the children themselves with Sunday-schools. The kind of instruction they receive is one of the necessities of our continuance. The growing intelligence of the colored preachers, and the attractiveness of the large congregations which gather about them, make our beginning less attractive to the young, who otherwise might prefer our place of worship. Your missionary has preached to the largest colored church in a revival meeting, and exchanged pulpits with the other leading pastor; but we cannot expect any special help from other churches in building up a new denomination in the midst of them. J. H. Roberts, now in the Senior Theological Class at Talladega, supplied the church very acceptably through the summer, and just before his departure witnessed the reception of four persons to fellowship. Since then the attendance has increased some. The interest in the Sunday-school has likewise received the impetus given it by the return of our schoolteachers; yet our hopes of an increase in members have not thus far been realized. As accessory helps we need Sunday school papers and a library. Our problem is that of reaching the young with Christian influences in the form of direct religious instruction. For this purpose we have some advantages, and hope for more. We wish to keep this missionary work upon the prayerful hearts of our Northern friends. * * * * * A Revival. REV. J. D. SMITH, SHELBY IRON WORKS.