After I had preached recently at Naperville, Ill., Sunday morning, upon our mountain work, using the big map, a couple of ladies came forward and introduced themselves as descendants of John Sevier, the Huguenot "commonwealth builder" in the mountains of Tennessee, the hero of King's Mountain, as I had represented him to be. One of the ladies was Mrs. Knickerbocker, her husband being one of the most respected citizens of that place--his own stock being that indicated by his name. She is now, as she has been for many years, the lady principal of the college in that town connected with the Evangelical Association Church. Her mother was a Sevier and her father, Rev. John Cunningham, a Presbyterian minister from Jonesboro, East Tennessee, who came early to Illinois to get away from slavery, and who served acceptably that Congregational Church of Naperville. She was a granddaughter of John Sevier. The other descendant was Miss Sevier, a great-great-granddaughter, a cultivated young lady, who was a teacher in a college in Ohio. It was at least a noticeable coincidence that out here upon these western prairies two of those worthy representatives should confront the preacher, who found his response to be, "Well, I didn't say anything bad about John Sevier, did I?" What a grand coalescing of blood was that which in the gathering of our nation brought Knickerbocker and Huguenot, Scotch, Irish and English and Germans, with congenial Danes and Swedes, into our people's life. It was also a bond of union, North and South, too strong to be separated by civil strife. It is an element in the make-up of the South that will ever be a conservative force in behalf of theology, of law and order, of Puritan institutions. * * * * * PROMISING OPENINGS FOR SCHOOL AND CHURCH. FROM A MOUNTAIN MISSIONARY. I write to acquaint you with the facts concerning Columbus, N.C., both as regards church and school work. You are already aware of the good work accomplished there by our Brother Olinger. Something like thirty young people were converted through his efforts, and now the call comes for the organization of a church. The only church organization there has monthly meetings only and a minister uneducated. The County Commissioners have signified their willingness to turn over the upper room in the Court House for church purposes, until some other arrangement could be made. The most active person in the new enterprise is a member of another denomination, but is in favor of a Congregational church, as it would most likely meet the wants of new-comers of different churches. As regards the school matter, I understand that a friend proffers to give to any church or individual who will establish and maintain a college an excellent site of ten acres, on a prominence affording a beautiful view of the surrounding country; and it is further reported that he will give, in addition to the site, one thousand dollars.