tive dreams of an enthusiast, but the result of calm, cool, deliberate reasoning, founded upon the theory of other countries. And now may I invoke the spirit of an Ashmun, a Carey, a Randall, a Devany, a Waring, a Macklin, and shall I not add a Johnson, who once mingled in our affairs, but now are happy spirits, chanting praises to their Maker; may I not invoke their shades to inspire you with hope, courage. resolution, and perseverance to continue your pursuits in this land? I do invoke them. No doubt they are to-day present with us in this hall, to witness the celebration of a cause that bids fair to do incalculable good to their own terrestrial homes. Yes, methinks I see the happy spirits hovering over our heads, buoyed up in mid-air by their golden pinions, conjuring us, by all that is sacred, good, and profitable, to continue our pursuits.

[From the Home and Foreign Record for August.]

THE ASHMUN INSTITUTE.

The importance of the Ashmun Institute, in connection with the colored population of our country, and with the future of Africa, can scarcely be overrated. We hope that the day is at hand when our churches, over the length and breadth of the land, shall be awakened to a practical recognition of the value of this Seminary. The leading minds in Liberia, who appreciate the necessity for education in their young and flourishing Republic, look with intense anxiety to this rising nursery for the ministers, lawyers, merchants, and legislators, who are, under God, to mould the destinies of a rising nation. The following report on the state of the college will be read with interest:

"During the past year, this college has pursued the even tenor of its way, educating, in theology and general literature, a portion of the Ethiopian race.

"As some of the students had little preparatory training, the Principal has paid special attention to the elementary department. Every student is carefully instructed in English grammar, including composition; in sacred, ecclesiastical, and general history; in the Holy Scriptures and the Shorter Catechism. Such as seem qualified pursue their studies in science, language, sermonizing, &c. Most of the students have been attentive, and these have made respectable progress. There has been manifest improvement in general conduct, especially in punctuality, regularity, temper, and good order. In these respects, as also in health and cheerfulness, we believe that there has been a fair proportion of enjoyment as in any other college in the country.

"The financial pressure has obliged some to leave, and the few that

remain only nine-to endure privations. But they have borne such trials with a fortitude cheering to their benefactors.

"Of the students that left during the year, two have become teachers, one in a neighboring State, another in Africa; two went to the army; one to be stated supply in a Baptist city congregation; and another to pursue his studies at a New School Presbyterian seminary. For the places thus left, many of our sable brethren have eagerly sought, but our poverty has obliged us to exclude all additional candidates except two.

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"Communications from the alumni of our Institute, especially from the three clerical missionaries in Africa, have caused us to thank God and take courage. The good health which God has granted them, while so many white missionaries have suffered sorely, confirms the principle that God has adapted the Ethiopian constitution to the African climate. Of course Christians should labor to qualify many of them for evangelizing and elevating their race. This has long been taught in our Church, as appears from the minutes of our Supreme and subordinate courts since before the era of National Independence. Our college is an exponent of the sentiments expressed by our fathers in 1774 and 1787. The whole utterance of 1787, as recorded in Baird's Digest, pp. 806, 807, deserves marked attention at this time, especially the overture, That the Synod of New York and Philadelphia recommend in the warmest terms, to every member of their body and to all the churches and families under their care, to do everything in their power consistent with the rights of civil society, to promote the abolition of slavery, and the instruction of negroes, whether bond or free. In active, judicious, and enlightened efforts to elevate the sons of Ham, our Church has long been in advance of some other bodies, which more prominently parade their zeal. Yet, in having only one college for the millions of Hamites, here and elsewhere, whose call to come over and help them we distinctly acknowledge, and in leaving that college so poorly supported, are we not verily guilty concerning our brethren? We have seen the anguish of their souls; we have mourned for the distress brought upon us and our country for the wrongs inflicted them and upon us, by their ignorance and degradation. Piety, philanthropy, and patriotism cry concerning them, 'Educate, educate, educate !" enlightened, they are neither fit for being citizens at home nor colonists abroad. From being a perplexity and a curse, they may be elevated into another golden empire, blessed and diffusing bliss over the world, by the grace of the Lord Jesus attending a high Christian education. To aid in this effort, the Ashmun Institute invites the friends of America, of Africa, and of man.

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"J. W. MARTIN, Principal."

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE-AFRICA.

The Rev. J. R. Amos and his wife, of the mission at Niffau, Liberia, arrived at New York on the 7th ultimo, having returned on account of Mrs. Amos's health, which has received benefit from the voyage. Mr. Easkine reports thirty-eight scholars in his school at Clay-Ashland. The Sabbath School at that station is also reported as doing well; two-thirds of the scholars are recaptured Africans.

DEATH OF A MISSIONARY.-The Rev. William Clemens, a member of the Corisco Mission of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, died at sea on the 24th of June last, being at the time on his return to this country. Mr. Clemens was a native of Wheeling, Virginia, and had been a faithful and efficient missionary for some years previous to his decease.

The mission to Central Africa, founded by the Rev. Father Knoblecher, Roman Catholic, has received twenty-three new laborers. They are Franciscans. The stations erected by Mr. Knoblecher at Schellal, in the south of Egypt, at Khartun, &c., have expanded into hospitals and convents.

Letters have reached us from Monrovia, dated to the 5th of April; from Niffau, March 17; and from Corisco, to the 19th of March. Mr. De Heer has made a visit to the river Congo, for the benefit of his health, and had returned to his station at Corisco; it would probably be necessary for him soon to visit this country for the same cause, after six years' labor in that exhausting climate. In the Annual Report, the mission among the Niffau people (Liberia) is spoken of as not unlikely to be suspended. We are glad to learn now that Mr. T. R. Amos has returned to the station, and reports the people as being more friendly-indeed, as quite unwilling to have the missionaries leave them.

Letters have been received from Corisco, dated to the 19th of June; and from Liberia, to the 1st of July. Mr. Clark, writing under date of May 19th, at Corisco, speaks of a Vocabulary of the Benga which he is collecting, which now embraces two thousand five hundred words; the fullest Vocabulary before collected contains about one thousand words. Mr. Nassau adds a postscript to his letter, giving the latest date, as acknowledged above, and saying: "We are well and prospering."

The Rev. C. De Heer, of the Corisco mission, arrived at New York on the 22d of August, after a long voyage. Mr. De Heer returns on a visit for his health, which, we are glad to learn, is somewhat improved.

The Government has employed Mr. Daniel Baker as an itinerant minister among the recaptured Africans living along the St. Paul's river. Daniel Baker is one of the recaptives landed from the Pons, in 1847. He is a man of about twenty-eight years; a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for many years has, under the direction of that church, filled some such

position as the Government has now engaged him in-an exhorter in and about the settlements of New Georgia. Baker's present status, both as a pious Christian and an intelligent fellow-citizen, far surpasses anything that, without a personal knowledge, could be expected of him.

FUNERAL OF REV. GEORGE W. BETHUNE, D. D.

The corpse of Dr. Bethune having arrived from Florence, Italy, according to announcement, his funeral took place Wednesday afternoon, September 3d, at the Collegiate Reformed Dutch Church, Fifth avenue, corner of Twenty-ninth street. The relatives of the deceased, the consistory of the Twenty-first street Reformed Dutch Church, clergy of the city, the members of the Historical Society, the Council of the New York University, the Professors of the Theological Seminary of New Brunswick, met at Twenty-first street Reformed Dutch Church, at one o'clock, P. M., whence, after prayer had been offered by Rev. Dr. Vermilye, they followed his remains in procession to the church in Fifth avenue.

The choir sang a selected and appropriate anthem; a portion of the Liturgy was read by Chancellor Ferris; a comprehensive and eloquent prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Quackenbush, formerly coadjutor of Dr. Bethune in his ministerial work in Brooklyn; and a beautiful hymn, composed by Dr. Bethune, was sung.

Then followed addresses from Rev. Dr. Hutton and Rev. Mr. Willets, both redolent of the memories of long-continued personal and Christian intimacy and friendship with the deceased. After prayer by Rev. Dr. Taylor, and an anthem Doxology, the procession was formed-Rev. Drs. Abram Van Ness, Hutton, Van Dyke, Adams, Storrs, Vinton, Kennedy, Smith, and Prime, acting as pall-bearersto convey the remains to Greenwood Cemetery. The attendance was large, and the galleries and body of the house crowded, to pay respect to one who chose rather to be a servant of Jesus Christ than to pursue the honors and pleasures which the world proffered, and almost thrust upon him. His large-hearted philanthropy, and noble spirit of self-renunciation for Christ's sake, will long embalm his memory in the hearts of the good. Africa and Colonization had no truer friend than he whose memory has thus been honored.—Colonization Journal.

ITEMS OF INTELLIGENCE.

DEATH OF ANTHONY BURNS, THE FUGITIVE SLAVE.-Anthony Burns, the fugitive slave, who was arrested in Boston in 1854, remanded to bondage, and afterwards redeemed, died at St. Catherines,

Canada West, on the 27th of July. His disease was consumption, acquired by exposure while trying to clear from debt the church of which he was pastor.

Mrs. Margaret Stanley, widow of the late Bias Stanley, died this week, leaving her property for benevolent purposes. Her husband died a few years ago, leaving two houses in College street and one in Dwight street, the income of the same, after the death of his widow, to be applied for the support, of the gospel, and for educational purposes among the colored people of New Haven. Henry White, John G. North, and Atwater Treat, are the trustees to manage and appro priate the same. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley were slaves until they were forty years of age, and then began a life of industry and economy, which enabled them to obtain a good living, and to amass $6,000. They were both members of the Temple-street Congregational Church, and died in the full hope of a blessed inheritance.-New Haven Journal.

The Surinam Weekblaad announces that "The question of slavery in the American colonies of Holland is at last arranged. All the slaves of these colonies will be free on the 1st of July, 1863, on the following conditions: 1. An indemnity of 300 guilders or 1,825 francs will be paid to the slave-owners for every slave, without distinction of age or sex. 2. The slaves will undergo a system of apprenticeship upon the plantations during three years. 3. They will receive wages in return for their labor, one-half of which will be paid to the Government."

A colored woman, lately deceased, bequeathed to the Methodist Missionary Society $1,200. This woman, fifty years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. was a slave up to her fifteenth year, when she obtained her freedom papers on account of her integrity of character. She was never married, never received above six dollars per month at service, and yet she had, up to the time of the beginning of her sickness, earned and saved $9,300.

A memorial of a remarkable character from colored persons in California, has been presented to Congress. It asks Congress to provide means of colonizing the free blacks either in Africa or Central America. It is well written, its tone is moderate, and its arguments are strong.

Mrs. Mary G. Swayne, late of Cincinnati, Ohio, has bequeathed $5,000 to the American Colonization Society, and $10,000 to the American Bible Society. These bequests will be of value at this time.

A letter from St. Helena announces the capture, by a British war steamer, of a slaver, and the rescue of six hundred negroes. It is reported that several thousand slaves are in the barracoons on the coast, ready for shipment when opportunities offer. steamer is reported to have escaped with fifteen hundred slaves shipped at Whydah.

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