A friend sending a donation to constitute a life member says: “I believe that this makes twenty-six life members which I have made during the last eight or ten years. Were you to ask me to-day to give you the full sum, $780, I could not do it, but as it came by $30 at a time, I have not felt it, but have been made happy in making others to rejoice by a small amount yearly given to your society. Why not urge others to adopt some such system of giving?”
We publish elsewhere an account of the burning of the Congregational church and school building of the Emerson Institute, Mobile, Ala. The origin of the fire is indicated by the following offer of reward: “$300 reward. The undersigned will pay the above reward of $300 for the arrest, conviction and punishment of any person or persons who set fire to any of the following buildings, to wit: Residence of John F. Cotham, house of Annie C. Sullivan, house belonging to estate of Boulo, Congregational Church building. A. P. BUSH, President Mobile Board of Underwriters.”
The school was enjoying a winter of unusual prosperity at the time of the fire, and as will be seen by the communication referred to it has made temporary arrangements for the continuation of its work.
Our newly-appointed business agent for the Mendi Mission, Mr. I. J. St. John, in describing his journey from Freetown, West Africa, to our Good Hope Station, writes: “Mr. Hall and myself had been on the water in a boat with nothing but the soft side of a hard board to sit on and sleep on for three days and two nights, with nothing to eat but bread and strawberry jam. The worst of it was the board each of us had was only fourteen inches wide and four feet long.” These brethren will watch with special interest the report of the receipts for the John Brown Steamer, which we shall commence to build as soon as the money is assured. We trust the friends of this Association will keep right on furnishing funds for this object. About one-third of the $10,000 needful has been subscribed.
The enterprises of different nationalities operating in northeastern Africa are continually converging about Khartoum, which, during the past three years, has been transformed in appearance from an African to a semi-European city. Good houses and extensive stores have been constructed, and at present all supplies required by modern civilization are furnished.