Grand View Institute, Tennessee.
This school, among the Highlanders, has closed a most successful year. The following item comes from the principal: "The young men have held a mid-week prayer meeting twice each week during the month. These meetings were well attended, and much interest was manifested. At our last mid-week service, before the closing of the school, our little church was well filled, and a large number took part in the service. The topic for the evening was 'Some of the benefits I have received during the school year in Grand View.' The meeting was exceptionally impressive. Many of these students have, during the year, taken Christ into their hearts and lives, and this, after all, we feel is the 'one thing needful.'"
Manual of Savannah Congregational District.
Through the courtesy of the Moderator, the manual of this conference has been presented to the editor of the Missionary. It contains the constitution and by-laws, and a brief historical sketch of this group of churches in Georgia. It is an interesting document. Among other things, it illustrates the desire of these churches to have an educated and upright ministry. Article XII of their constitution reads, in part, as follows: "Congregationalists have always believed in a Godly and educated ministry. To meet the wants of local conditions, a three years' course of study shall be provided for in the by-laws, for all who are not graduates of normal, college preparatory or college classes.... The by-laws shall provide a four years' course of conference study, leading up to the printed certificate. Any person holding a printed certificate shall be addressed as Reverend, preach without annual examination, on condition of good behavior, and may be ordained if called by a church to be its pastor.... Ordained preachers coming to us from bodies having a lower standard shall pursue our four years' course of study and pass annual examinations, if they are under fifty years of age."
This is certainly an earnest and systematic effort on the part of our brethren of these churches to establish higher educational and ethical standards on the part of the ministers in that state. The benefit will accrue not only to our Congregational Churches, but to all others in the state.
INDIAN PROGRESS.
BY REV. C. L. HALL.