word of life and justifying the farsighted wisdom and benevolence which planted the system of American Missionary schools upon "our line" and which in sustaining them is building up the Kingdom of God on the Master's line as it builds up thousands of men and women towards the mind and heart of God. [Illustration: COLLEGE GRADUATES. SAMPLES.] [Illustration: SMALL SAMPLES, _En Route_ TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.] The little people pictured above are "children's children." Parents who came under our care thirty years ago, but one remove from all that was wrapped up in hopeless slavery, can now give their children better chances than they themselves could secure in the early days of freedom. In our great system of schools one may look into thousands of such earnest faces turned inquiringly toward the twentieth century. What the coming days shall hold for them and through them for the kingdom of Christ is in good part to be answered in positive Christian schools, where character building is made the supreme foundation for future homes and opportunities. These "children's children" began their climbing on a higher round than did their parents, and there are more of them to climb-- "More and more, more and more, Still there's more to follow." * * * * * COMMENCEMENT AT STRAIGHT UNIVERSITY, LA. BY REV. G. W. HENDERSON, D.D. Our school year, which closed May 25, has been crucial in many respects. It has tested the attachment of the scholars to the school on one hand, and their desire for an education and the willingness of themselves and of their parents to make sacrifices to this end on the other; for the fever and the rigid quarantine delayed the opening in the fall, paralyzed business, and made it difficult for parents and students to earn the means not only to meet school expenses, but even to obtain the ordinary comforts of life. But, notwithstanding these discouragements, our old scholars remained loyal and patiently awaited the opening, and the attendance has been good--that in the higher grades coming up to the average figure. How much solicitude, earnest planning and brave self-sacrifice all this involved no one who has not lived in the midst of the people can realize; no one but the All-Knowing can understand. The list of our various exercises is somewhat long, yet each represents some special department of our work, or is a manifestation of some special form of its manifold activities, and for this reason cannot fail to be of interest to our readers. Junior Exhibition, May 4, was the first exercise on the program; two weeks later came the Recital by the Department of Instrumental Music. The Address, Sunday morning, May 22d, to the Christian Associations by Rev. J. M. Loring, D.D., of this city, and the Baccalaureate, Sunday night, by President Atwood, were both greatly enjoyed by the large audiences that came to hear.