In one of the motion-songs that varied the exercises of the afternoon, these little people sang of the shoemaker, “All he wants is his elbow room,” and as I came away impressed with a sense of the power developing in that school-room and thought of the future of its pupils, I said gladly to myself, “All they want is their elbow room.” These public exercises are held semi-annually, in order that all members of the normal class may have opportunity to show the result of their practice work. * * * * * CHARLESTON, S. C. A young man who recently united with our church on profession of faith, in his first prayer at the Wednesday night prayer meeting, said: “Help us young men to pray a little faster and a little better, for you know how slow and imperfect we are. We cannot help ourselves. You are our only help. Lead us in the way that we should go, and help us to withstand the temptations which come every day.” It is the same idea which St. Paul gives us when he says: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after.” “A little faster and a little better.” What a lesson for Christians generally. If we all would be a little faster in doing good, in giving to aid in this work of raising up fallen humanity, there would be no need of constant appeal from the treasury department of the A. M. A. and the other great missionary organizations, and if Christians would pray a little better, that is, with more earnest desire for a literal answer to their prayers, His Kingdom would speedily come in the hearts of men. His _will_ would be more generally done “on earth, as it is in Heaven.” VOLCANO AND TIDAL WAVE. A good sister recently came into the parsonage very much exercised in mind. After a while she said: “Well, it’s just as I expected. One of them things has broke out in Summerville.” We asked: “What is it? The smallpox?” “No.” “The cholera?” “No.” “A riot?” “No. Not any disease or anything like that. It is one of them things. I think they call it a _volcano_, or something like a _tidal wave_, you know.” There is nothing new under the sun, says the wise man, but I hardly think he saw in his day and generation--a volcano--something like a tidal wave! And yet the idea is a good one, typical, I think, of the American Missionary Association, which, years ago, began in a humble way to pour forth--not fire and smoke and ashes--although the outcome of its work was fire and smoke and ashes to false opinion and wrong. Like a volcano, it sent forth material which moulded itself into the public sentiment of years ago, and since, like a tidal wave, this sentiment has continued to sweep over the continent until all the nationalities represented in this country are beginning to recognize the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. GEO. C. ROWE. * * * * * CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS. BY REV. B. DODGE, PLEASANT HILL, TENN.