John R. Buchtel has sold $200,000 worth of stock in the Buckeye Works to Lewis Miller and his three sons, in order to make an additional gift of $100,000 to Buchtel College. James McLaren, a brother of Professor McLaren, of Toronto, Canada, has subscribed $50,000 to endow a chair of Systematic Theology in Knox College, Toronto. Mrs. L. A. Messenger has given $25,000 in addition to her previous large gifts to Buchtel College, Akron, Ohio. Williams College is to receive $50,000 from the estate of J. B. Jermain, as a memorial to his son, Barclay Jermain. The gift of $10,000 from the late Tracy R. Edson, which his trustees are now ready to pay, to the General Theological Seminary for “The Tracy R. Edson Foundation,” makes over $160,000 received by the Seminary in the last three years. The interest of Mr. Edson’s gift is to be used in instructing students in the church service. _The number of persons over ten years of age among the colored people who could not write, in the sixteen old slave states, according to the census report of November, 1882, was upwards of three millions; the number of native-born whites who were equally illiterate was upwards of one and a half millions. We believe there is no more imperative necessity than endowments for educational institutions sustained for the purpose of ridding the country of this illiteracy._ * * * * * ITEMS FROM THE FIELD. PARIS, Texas.—Rev. Byron Gunner is about to make his paper “The Informer” a weekly. FLORENCE, Ala.—Rev. S. G. Norcross, of North Conway, N.H., desiring to spend five months in the South, is to take the place of the lamented pastor, Rev. W. H. Ash, and Mrs. Norcross will have charge of the school. NEW ORLEANS, La.—In the Central Church, (Dr. Alexander’s) a series of meetings held by the pastor, has resulted in some thirty hopeful conversions. A friend from the North, who fell in upon them, reports a quiet and deeply impressive service. HELENA, Texas.—Pastor Mitchell Thompson rejoices with his people in a revival of unusual seriousness and spirituality. Eight or ten persons were joined to the company of believers. That the people should attend through freezing weather was a thing almost unknown before. They commonly hold such meetings in midsummer. The church has been painted, the pastor doing the work. SODDY, Tenn.—At the recent meeting of the Central South Conference at Florence, Rev. W. H. Thomas and his Welsh Church at Soddy were received, upon application, into the fellowship of the body. Rev. Robert D. Thomas, of the Welsh Church at Knoxville, has been a member for some time. He is now retiring from his charge and a pastor will be sought who can preach in English a part of the time.