"The first message at the birth of Christ was a _missionary_ message
(Luke ii. 10).

"The first prayer Christ taught men was a _missionary_ prayer (Matt
vi. 10).

"The first disciple, St. Andrew, was the first _missionary_ (John i. 41).

"The first message of the risen Lord was a _missionary_ message (John
xx. 17).

"The first command of the risen Lord to His disciples was a _missionary_
command (John xx. 21).

"The first apostolic sermon was a _missionary_ sermon (Acts ii. 17-39).

"Christ's great reason for Christian love was a _missionary_ reason (John
xiii. 35).

"Christ's great reason for unity was a _missionary_ reason (John xvii. 21).

"The first coming of Christ was a _missionary_ work (Luke iv. 18-21).

"The second coming of Christ is to be hastened by _missionary_ work
(Matt. xxiv. 14).

"Our Saviour's _last_ wish on earth was a _missionary_ wish (Matt. xxviii.
19).

_Church Missionary Society Gleaner, Scotland._

* * * * *

CHRISTIANITY AND CIVILIZATION IN LIBERTY COUNTY, GEORGIA.

Liberty County, Ga., is the county south of Savannah, on the sea.
Visitors from the North _en route_ to Florida pass directly through it
after leaving Savannah. Our American Missionary Association school at
McIntosh is in this county, and there are several Congregational
churches also under the auspices of the American Missionary
Association. Among these is one at Hagan, presided over by the Rev. J.
B. Fletcher.

The religious condition of the colored people in this county of
Liberty may be better understood in the light of the following
incident. On Saturday morning, August 6th, Rev. J. B. Fletcher,
accompanied by his wife, left Hagan for a place called Smiley, by
urgent invitation, to organize a Congregational church. The work of
organization was duly perfected on Sunday morning, the 7th, after
which the officers and members persuaded him to stop over that evening
and preach, which he readily consented to do. While in the pulpit a
gun was discharged through a window of the church, the contents
entering into the right side of Rev. Mr. Fletcher and wounding five
others. As medical treatment could not be obtained there, he was
hastily carried twenty miles to his home, where a physician was
immediately summoned. His wounds proved to be very severe, but were
not such as to prevent his recovery. The thigh was literally riddled
with buckshot, one hundred and thirteen having alrea