But we have deeply felt the need of more direct and personal influence over the women. The work of the school needs to be supplemented by that of the missionary: mother and daughter must work together for the best result. But the teacher had little time after the school duties were performed, and the lady missionaries so sorely longed for, were very few in number. Why not, then, work through our tried colored helpers? The description of the way this has been done in other States I leave to those whose experience is wider than my own. In Alabama, we have a “Woman’s Missionary Association,” holding annual meetings in connection with the State conference of churches, and having auxiliary societies in these several churches. The colored women who compose these societies have heartily and faithfully assumed the duties devolving upon them, and helping others have themselves been helped. The work done is varied, no rigid plan being laid down. Sewing classes for the women and girls, prayer-meetings for the mothers, Bible-readings, visiting from house to house, bearing food and medicine for the sick, clothing for the destitute, and comfort and sympathy for all, health talks—than which nothing can be more needed,—literary societies to develop their untrained minds, foreign missionary meetings to broaden their sympathies; all these and other ways of working for the Lord are reported at their last meeting. In April, for the first time, this annual meeting was visited by several white Southern ladies. Our surprise at their coming was only equalled by their amazement at the revelations. “You put our ladies to the blush,” said one. “You are far ahead of us in Christian work.” “Only to think,” exclaimed another as she listened to the carefully prepared papers and systematic reports,—“Only to think that we have kept such women as these in slavery!” There are bright, promising girls all over the South, who, to make just such women as these, need only your help. You cannot leave your home duties to go yourself to them, but you can provide the means by which they may be fitted to act as your substitutes among their people. “Ten times one is ten,” you know, and the girl to whom you lend a hand may win many more souls into the kingdom. They stand to-day on the border: your arm lifting, they will come into power and usefulness: your heart closed to them, they will sink back into the old life. There must be many in this room to-day who have aided this work by gifts dearer to them than their own lives. Does not the scene come back to you, when through blinding tears you looked for the last time on brother or husband or son, as for love of God and country the dear ones marched away to find a grave beneath the Southern skies? They rest from their labors. It remains for us, for their dear sake, to see that this work they so nobly begun shall be as honorably carried on.