CONGREGATIONALISM IN THE SOUTH.
That God holds the denomination which stands as the constituency of the American Missionary Association to a large measure of duty in this line, is evident from the fact that by His providence He had been preparing this instrumentality against the day of freedom, and that He has given it now so wide and effectual a door of entrance. At first it entered with physical relief; then with the very first school that was opened among the “contrabands”; then with its system of Normal schools and colleges and professional departments and church organizations. All this was the drift and drive of Providence. To have halted anywhere up to this point would have been to disobey marching orders. And now can anything but the spirit of desertion fail to hear the command ringing on: Go; go, preach; go, disciple the people; go, organize them into the life and fellowship of the churches of Christ? Having started them in the way of Christian education, shall we deny them that school of Christian nurture, the self-governing church? Having given them the elements of the Puritan system, shall we fail to give them its full fruitage? The founding of such churches is but the natural out-growth of this scheme for the elevation of the emancipated race. As in the Interior and in all the West, these ideas and institutions have been a leavening force, so will they be at the South, interpenetrating and uplifting. They will be an example, a stimulus. They will help other communions. Already, our institutions have put not a few educated preachers into the pulpits of the Methodist and Baptist colored churches; and we are glad thus to help in their work. “Expository preaching, with warm application,” says Col. Preston, “should be the preacher’s mode.” Our church members there are gaining the title of “Bible-Christians.” Let churches of such material have a chance.—Dr. Roy, in the Congregationalist.