t all
distrustful of their explicit utterances. At the same time it should be
distinctly understood that the unanimous action taken means that the
Congregational churches stand exactly where the Presbyterians do, in not
abating one hair of their principles, and in forever demanding that
color shall prove no barrier to Christian fellowship in its truest,
deepest intent. This journal has taken this position repeatedly, and it
re-asserts it. Sooner or later, but as surely as the sun-rise, it will
prevail, because it is right, and our grandchildren, if not our
children, will wonder that any of our generation ever hesitated about
it.

_From The Advance._

Then, the question as to the color-line in the churches, as known to
exist in the South, could not be ignored. Our Congregational churches
and their two great Home Missionary Societies, the American Home
Missionary Society and the American Missionary Association, hold to
certain principles respecting the universal brotherhood of believers in
Christ, and for which they stand before the world as witnesses,
historically, conspicuously, always and everywhere. Do these newly
constituted Congregational churches in the South stand with us on this
point? To ask this question implies not the slightest suspicion or
distrust. Not to have asked it would have been to betray a great
responsibility.

For one thing, the Home Missionary Society could not afford to even seem
to be indifferent to a matter of this kind. And if there is to be this
close fellowship and co-operation and mutual assistance, there should
obviously be, from the beginning, the most perfect frankness. The best
way to insure permanence of happy mutual relations is to begin right.

* * * * *

ATLANTA UNIVERSITY.

The State officials of Georgia are disposed, perhaps it might be said
they desire, to renew the gift of eight thousand dollars to the Atlanta
University, insisting, however, upon compliance with the color-line
requisition. To this, the University cannot yield. The controversy on
that subject was not of its seeking. The children of the professors had
for years attended the classes, and the State Examiners had known this
all the time and had made no objections. The demand for the exclusion of
these pupils from the classes was suddenly made by an outside pressure,
and was not provoked in any way by word or deed of the teachers. To
surrender now is simply to yield a princip