who reported my conversation, I have bought thousands of dollars'
worth of goods since. I began by selling cakes on the railway cars. I
remember down in Tennessee about the year 1852 a man came and
preached, and was said to have abolition ideas. The white people took
him and hung him. Oh! children, if I only had had the privileges you
now have! I thank God for the American Missionary Association. It took
my children and made men of them. When I was a boy a good Christian
man taught me to read a little. The white people discovered it and
said, "You stop teaching niggers," and cut off his forefinger for
teaching us to write.'"




THE LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION.

BY REV. G. W. MOORE, FIELD MISSIONARY.


The Louisiana State Association held its twenty-sixth annual meeting
with the church at Thibodeaux, February 1-4. It was one of the best
meetings in interest and attendance in the history of the association.

The reports from the churches showed a steady growth and hopeful
outlook, in spite of the hard times. These churches of Southern
Louisiana are in the black belt of the State on plantations and in
towns adjacent to the large sugar plantations. Many of the planters
have become bankrupt by the changed conditions of giving up the sugar
bounty, while the poor colored laborers have been the greatest
sufferers.