Office: 287 Fourth Avenue, New York Honorary Secretary and Editor, A. F. Beard, D.D., Corresponding Secretaries, Charles J. Ryder, D.D., H. Paul Douglass, D.D.; Associate Secretary, Rev. R. W. Roundy: Treasurer, Irving C. Gaylord; Secretary of Woman's Work, Mrs. F. W. Wilcox; District Secretaries, Rev. George H. Gutterson, Congregational House, Boston, Mass.; Rev. Frank N. White, D.D., 19 So. La Salle St., Chicago, Ill.; Rev. George W. Hinman, 21 Brenham Pl., San Francisco, Cal.; Field Secretary, Mrs. Ida Vose Woodbury, Congregational House, Boston, Mass. OUR SEVENTY-FIRST ANNUAL SURVEY We wish we might give to our readers the entire survey of our work which was submitted to the National Council. It presents itself first of all as a body of missionaries. It is a noble army of 827, of whom 602 are instructors and teachers in the schools, and 225 engaged in church and evangelistic service. What this represents cannot be recorded. It is the Book of Life, but it never will be told. There have been no notable changes in the school work. The number of schools remains the same with the exceptions of the transfer of the Atlanta Theological Seminary to the Congregational Education Society, and the transfer of five schools in Utah with 527 pupils and nine schools in New Mexico, Texas and Florida with 563 pupils. Important betterments have been made in the colleges with which we are associated. and new structures have been added to several secondary schools. The new work transferred to us upon recommendation of the National Council Commission on Missions has involved added expenses unusually large relative to the enrollment that came with them. Of the 177 churches under our watch and care many have suffered serious loss in numbers, and in finances by the Northern migration. These have been chiefly in cities and industrial centres. Some of the churches have been greatly quickened and strengthened under the supervision of the present superintendents. We see from the report, that the current receipts from New England exceed more than $20,000 a year than is contributed by all the rest of the Nation combined, while New England is not nearly one-half as strong in denominational giving capacity. But neither New England nor the combined Middle States, with Michigan and Ohio, the middle Western States the Mountain and Pacific States, and the South, nor all together give us opportunity to do the work pressing upon us or to advance beyond our trenches. It is a spiritual tragedy-when work which should reflect the present demands of the world and of the Kingdom should have to confess definitely that no possible call can be heard for enlargement. The United States Bureau of Education suggests what would probably total half a million dollars of new expense which our Southern schools should have at once in order to fulfill their manifest service. Our appeal is, by all that makes the work worth while, at all, help us to reach more people. Do not fail to read what the United States Bureau of Education has to say of the Association, its work and necessities. A STUDY OF NEGRO EDUCATION BY THE PHELPS- We have received from the Bureau of Education-United States Department of the Interior, an exhaustive report in two large volumes on Negro Education; a study of the private and higher schools for the colored people of the United States; the most complete and informing record that has ever been published. This study was made by Thomas Jesse Jones, Ph.D., and assistants during a most careful survey and investigation-extending over a period of three years of 625 schools in all with the attendance of 83,679 pupils. It is an illuminating and remarkably acute report, and so far as it relates to the schools of the American Missionary Association we find it cordially confirmatory of both our theory and practice which have had the justification of long experience. Probably there was no better qualified person in the country for a task so difficult and delicate which called not only for expert knowledge but also for one who could bring a thorough sympathy with the purpose and work of the societies engaged in the education of the needy Negro people. It is greatly satisfying to those who have had during long years personal experience in this work, to read this testimony that no denominational schools surpass those of the American Missionary Association in educational standards-in econo mical and wise management, and in administrative efficiency. To quote from the words of the report: "It is probable that no church board has equalled this Association in the thoroughness of its self-examination. The administration has always been in the care of strong men of broad education." Our schools are found to be well located-though some have outgrown their immediate plants. When it comes to the teachers and faculties of our institutions, we quote: "That while increasing participation of the colored people in their own education is hopeful and democratic, it should be fully realized that the effective education of the Negro people requires the liberal financial aid of white people, and the active influence of white teachers. With the full appreciation of what colored teachers are doing, and can do, an increasing number of thoughtful men and women question the rapidity with which white teachers have been eliminated, because it appears to them to complete the segregation of the Negro from influence and standards of white people. No greater loss could befall the Negro schools than the elimination of Northern philanthropy and Northern teachers." As to the emphasis which the American Missionary Association has placed upon the higher education, the report says: "It is evident that the welfare of ten million people whose existence is beset with so many perplexing problems requires the best education of all types that can be provided. If college education is of value to any group, surely it is to those who are to be leaders of the colored people. The proper function of religious boards and philanthropic organizations is to establish leavening centers. In a surprising degree this careful expert practically confirms the very many frequent and even more exhaustive examinations of the American Missionary Association officers. We were led astray in quoting from what we supposed to be responsible authority as to the number of Negroes killed in the riot at East St. Louis. We are now informed that the first statements were panicky, and that the correct number is one hundred and seven who were murdered. We regret the exaggerated report. The final one is only too dreadful. NEGRO WORKERS IN FRANCE There is another contingent that is on its way to France, the departure of which may not reach the front pages of the daily press, but its departure is nevertheless significant. It is easy to surmise that with the large number of men that France has put in the field she is in need of labor and at this particular time there is great need of labor for unloading ships. France in her extremity turns to America In turning to America for this class of labor, the port of New Orleans was among the first to be considered. Here we have among our colored people several thousand longshoremen who are regularly engaged in loading and unloading ships. They are among our most industrious citizens. These men work jointly with white longshoremen, with equal with equal wages. They have a joint labor council. From among these more than a hundred able bodied men men were selected to go to France. This contingent of longshoremen left the city in special sleepers and just before their departure, they were paraded through the streets by the sympathizers which made one of the most spectacular demonstrations that we have witnessed in New Orleans for a long time. Thus the Negro in the time of this world crisis comes into world view as a laborer and if the Negroes who are going to France make good, and they will make good, Negroes will be invited to France. They will be treated as men, they will be free from discriminations and segregations and France will welcome them. She will need them to rebuild her wasted cities, cultivate her lands, reconstruct the republic. But France will offer these Negroes for their help at this critical time the largest opportunity yet given to the Negro under any flag throughout the world. PROHIBITION IN PORTO RICO The outstanding feature of the work for this month is the close of the prohibition campaign and the election, which took place on the 16th. The point in which it concerns us is that all our workers ded icated a good deal of effort to the campaign, and the results in our mission compare favorably with those in other missions. In fact, we won here, as elsewhere. The majority on Fajardo was 1386; 1803 dry and 417 wet. In the Island the vote was: for prohibition, 99,775; against, 61,295; giving a majority of 38,480. This is significant, since this is the first time the question has come up in any Latin-American country. In this movement it may justly be said that the Evangelical church was the spirit, the Federation of Labor, the body, and other voters the members. The whole movement was actuated and inspired by the "protestants. The liquor men had a handbill with an illustration representing the sinking of the Island Porto Rico by the "protestant" submarine. Of course others co-operated. From the first, the campaign presented continual surprises, in the enthusiasm of professional and business men; liquor dealers and drinkers as well, in favor of prohibition. And here in even Fajardo the hardest worker next to some of the labor men and myself was a liquor dealer,-in favor of prohibition. He had made a good deal of money in selling liquor, wholesale and retail, but wanted to rid the Island of drink. We had a packed theatre three days before the election at a prohibition meeting. I presided; a physician, a labor man, a school teacher, a man from Chili and the superintendent of our sugar central spoke; the last-named most effectively. As indicated, this victory is significant in itself, but it is even more significant from the fact cited, that the protestants were the actuating spirit of the movement that resulted in victory. Those who are interested in missions should feel gratified. A LIVE About six years ago, when the present pastor, Rev. P. R. DeBerry, became pastor of the Congregational church in Raleigh, N. C., there were only 82 members on the roll and about 50 active members were all the church could depend upon. The church was struggling for existence. The attendance at its regular services was very seldom over fifty or seventy-five persons. The prayer meetings were at a low ebb, and whereas the meetings were held each week, there was just a small number who attended. It is a logical sequence that whenever a church has no spiritual life, it usually dies financially; so it was with our church. It had a hard struggle to raise $30.00 per month and many times the church resorted to entertainments to help raise this sum. Now, just a word as regards the CHURCH spiritual, numerical and financial growth of the church. Today, instead of 82 members, there are over 300; instead of meeting 50 to 75 in our regular services, "we have from 250 to 300; instead of a dozen found in our regular prayer meetings, you will find from 50 to 100." A dead church spiritually is also a dead church financially. It is also true that with a live church spiritually, the church is alive financially Thus, with our spiritual awakening came a financial awakening. Now, instead of raising only $30.00 per month and that with entertainments, as it was five years ago, we are raising, without entertainments, an average of $125.00 per month. It might be interesting to note that there was an average of nine mer bers who entered into our church each month during the year 1916. A FACTS AND FIGURES RECENT inquiry sent to all the societies connected with the Home Missions Council rendering Christian service to the Negroes has brought a number of interesting replies. The statistics are based upon the census of 1910. In all of our states, excepting those south of Mason and Dixon's line, the Negro population is given as 1,078,000 in the total population of 62,683,000, or 1.72 per cent. The foreign-born population in this same territory is 12,775,000 or 20.4 per cent of the whole. In other words there are twelve foreigners to every Negro in the North. If we class as foreigners also those of mixed parentage we must add nearly 6,000,000 more, or another 9 per cent making a total of nearly 30 per cent foreign in our Northern population. On this basis there are eighteen foreigners to each Negro in the North. In none of these states does the Negro population rise as high as 5 per cent of the whole, while in only one of them is the foreign popula tion as low as from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. In two of these states it is from 15 per cent to 25 per cent; in three it is from 25 per cent to 35 per cent; in twelve it is from 35 per cent to 50 per cent and in eleven states the foreign population is 50 per cent or over. Just the reverse is true in the South. Foreigners there are relatively few in number, while the Negro population ranges from 15 per cent to more than 50 per cent in Mississippi and in South Carolina. Numerically the Negro in the North is not so strong as to call for special attention as compared with that required by other groups in our Northern population. It is, however, interesting and suggestive to compare his distribution in the rural and urban districts of the North, with that of the South. In the South 78 per cent of the Negroes live in the country. Here only 22 per cent of the Negroes live in the country, while 78 per cent live in the cities. Of course the educational conditions of the Negro in the North are very good. As a rule the Negro child has the same public school privileges as are provided for the white race. The law makes no distinction between the races as to their respective rights in the public school. In certain places, however, there is a segregation of the schools in force. Apart from the public schools there are many organizations maintained by the Negroes themselves that supplement their work in a large way. First of all the Negro church, with its many-sided activities, is one of the great factors in the education of the colored people. Allied with the work of the church are the colored Young Men's Christian Associations and Young Women's Christian Associations with their educational departments. The combined effect of these agencies iss trikingly shown in the latest statistics as to illiteracy. In 1900, 145,588 or 19.4 per cent of the 750,465 Negroes then in the North were illiterate. In 1910 only 93,770 or 8.7 per cent of the 1,078,336 Negroes in the North were illiterate. Thus it appears that during this decade, the last for which we have statistics, while the Negro popula |