Mr. Marples' sympathies and interests were wide and useful in benevolent and church work. For many years he was a member of the South Congregational Church, Brooklyn, and was Superintendent of the Sunday-school for several terms. He was closely identified with the Manhattan Brooklyn conference of churches. He was prominently connected with the New York Congregational Club and was its President for several successive years. Mr. Marples became identified with the American Missionary Association by his election, in 1880, as a member of the Executive Committee. For sixteen years he has served on its Finance Committee; for many years as its Secretary and for the last part of the period as its Chairman. The value of these services was constantly recognized by his associates on the committee and will be appreciated more fully as the years go by. For the year past Mr. Marples' health was very frail; only for a part of the time was he able to attend to his business, but never, as we are assured, did he lose his lively interest in the affairs of the American Missionary Association, to which his attention had been given so constantly and faithfully throughout the past eighteen years. * * * * * MISS ISABELLA W. HUME. Miss Hume, who was from 1893 to 1896 connected with our mission work in New Orleans, died early in June. This devoted missionary was the daughter of missionaries in India, and was born in that country. Receiving her education in America her life was devoted to mission and Christian work here. Previous to her connection with our work in Louisiana, Miss Hume was laboring in the mountain regions of Vermont, and the last work of her life was as pastor of the Congregational Church in Gill, Mass. Relinquishing that on account of impaired health, the last few months before her death were spent in severe suffering. Greatly honored and esteemed in all her work, the intelligence of her death brought a sense of loss and feeling of sadness to the many whom she had labored to help to save. A singularly faithful worker and devoted servant of Christ, surely she will have many stars in her crown. * * * * * The South. * * * * * COMMENCEMENT AT TALLADEGA COLLEGE. BY MISS ESTHER A. BARNES.