In the MISSIONARY for October, 1880, an item appeared, copied mainly from an Atlanta paper, giving some statistics in regard to the colored people of that city. It named the amount of their taxable property, their industrial pursuits, and benevolent and charitable institutions--the Odd Fellows and Masonic lodges being mentioned among the number. Of all these institutions the article quoted said that they have encouraged the people “to form habits of sobriety and economy, and imbued them with feelings of charity and benevolence.” It has been thought by some of our friends that quoting this remark was an endorsement by us of Masonry and Odd Fellowship. We wish explicitly to deny the correctness of such an inference. The executive officers of this Association have no sympathy with secret oath-bound Societies, and the MISSIONARY, on fitting occasions, has spoken plainly on the subject. Thus in 1873, the present Secretary of the Association wrote, and, with the hearty concurrence of his fellow-officers, published, in the August number of that year, the following article: “Attention has been called anew to this subject, by the refusal of an ecclesiastical council at the West to ordain a young man to the ministry, for what was regarded as a too tenacious adhesion to the Lodge. Of the merits of that case we are not well enough informed to pronounce a judgment, but it is clear to us that the growth and power of Masonry is no light matter. The principle of secret organization is unsuitable to a Republican government, and contrary to the open spirit of Christianity. Among the colored people the prevalence of Masonry would be a great evil--involving a waste of time and an expenditure of money they are little able to bear, as well as exposing them to undue political influences, and diverting their attention from an intelligent and pure Christianity--their only hope. Our teachers and ministers at the South already see these effects beginning to appear, and deprecate them.” Nothing has occurred since that time to modify, except to intensify, these convictions, and the attitude and influence of our schools and churches in the South have been wholly and decidedly opposed to these secret societies, as many facts, if necessary, would testify. * * * * * NATIONAL EDUCATION--PREPARATION FOR IT.