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k, TH Contributed OUR BRIGHT SIDE LETTER. A Soldier Wedding. On Monday, August 9, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander J. Bondurant received the congratulations of many friends on the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding, in the old Bondurant home, Variety Shade, Buckingham county, Virginia. Of the large gathering of kinsmen and neighbors quite the center was the full house party of sons and daughters and grandchildren. Golden Rod was the appropriate house decoration. To the music of the Wedding March the bride and groom of fifty years of happy married life, entered the drawing room, followed by a train of charming grandchildren, the eldest granddaughter dressed in the grandmother's wedding gown. There were present who had been present at the memorable wedding Miss Harriet Morrison, sister of the bride; Dr. Thomas Lee Bondurant, brother of the groom, and their friend, Dr. James P. Smith. A few verses of the Scripture were read; Mrs. Professor Alexander C. Bondurant, of Oxford, Miss., read a poem of congratulation and blessing, "The Golden Harvest," written for the occasion by her sister, Miss Frances Means, of Natchez. Dr. Smith added his reminiscences of the wedding fifty years ago at Belvue, in Koc-hbridge, telling of the fair young bride, of the very notable company assembled and of his impressions of Major Thomas J. Jackson, of the Virginia Millt Q rv Tnollfllto t tiiDULUVV, own C\J UC Aliunil IHIUUgll the world as Stonewall Jackson, whom he then saw for the first time. After expressing for the company the affectionate congratulations of all, present and absent, prayer was offered for all rich blessings through coming days and the happy fulfillment of all gracious promises for the wedded pair and for their children and grandchildren. Belvue, where Mr. and Mrs. Bondurant were married August 9, 1859, was the home of Mrs. Bondurant's father, the Rev. James Morrison, pastor of New Providence Church, and his wife, the daughter of Mary Moore, "the captive of Abbi Valley." Mr. Morrison himself married his daughter, and with him were Dr. William Brown, his brother-in-law, then of Augusta Church, and his son-inlaw, Dr. B. M. Smith, then of Staunton, and Dr. Robert L. Dabney, then of Tinkling Spring. That was a group of strong and distinguished men, and guaranteed a thoroughly good marriage, his to last many years. With the venerable mother were her daughters, Mnj. Smith and Mrs. Dabney, and Mrs. E. E. Brown, of Augusta, and Miss Mary Anna Jackson, of Lex ington. It was much regretted that Mrs. Jackson, who survives with a good share of health and happiness in her home in Charlotte, could not be present at the golden wedding. In the happiness of this large family gathering, from homes apart in several States of the South, there was very dis V E Pxvi^^/TERIAN OF THE SOU tinct evidence of the blessing of God, ac- I cording to the promise, upon His people and their children. One's thoughts went back to the godly ancestry, the mingling . or miguenot and Scotch Irish blood and tradition, the piety, in all her pitiful sufferings, of the young Mary Moore, carried away to the West by savage Indians; the lessons and prayers of parents "passed into the skies," the faithful instruction and careful Christian training. And here were the abundant fruits, , showing that our father's God "is not slack concerning His promise." The people with whom we shared the pleasures of this golden wedding, very much bound together by intermarriage, have lived together in this county for generations, very much on lands that havp not phnnp-oH t itloa oinoo + Arlnr. VUW VI I6 inal charters in colonial times. They are Halls and Morelys and Ellises and Bondurants, and their children have gone throughout the land. Through many years they have worshipped together, maintaining a small church, with more or less difficulty and frequent changes in the pastorate, and there has seemed little or no growth. But here is the fruit of the vine in the sons and daughters in many places, educated often with difficulty,' scattered far and near, strong and fair, pillars in their Churches, heads of Christian families, standing stanch and steadfast for all things right and good, in State and pure and true in Church. And this is true of many country Churches in the East. They are the nurseries from which trees are transplanted, to be flowering and fruitful in other sections. Without our small country Churches there wouid he no extension in mission fields, no growth of city Churches, and few to enter the ministrv and to Dreach Christ in foreign lands. The country homes and struggling country Churches are the seed-beds of the Kingdom. The sons and daughters of country piety and training go away from their homes, often to our great regret, but they make the Church of Christ throughout the land and bring the golden harvest. J. P. S. The striking contrasts in African life that have arisen in the past half century are pointed out by "The Congregationalist." A little more than half a century ago David Livingstone was laboring in Africa with verv slight results. K few months ago the Llvingstonlan Presbyterian Mission in Africa held a convention attended by several thousand Christian natives, who camped in booths erected in the woods. * In a single day more than three hundred persons were received into the Church. At a preach-. ing service seven thousand persons were present. Twenty-four native teachers offered themselves as missionaries. Rev. Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman and ^.>aa. M. Alexander, who are holding revival meetings in large cities of Austria, will probably conduct a great mission in England next year. Initial steps are under way for such a movement. TH. August 25, igog. HOME MISSIONS THE HOPE OF THE NATION. A CHRISTIAN home, a Christian school and a Christian nation, through the agency of a Chr.stian church in tho Christian's hope and ideal. Every year it becomes more evident that this purpose has not been realized. Every year it becomes more evident that Home Mission enterprises have not received their rightful share of the Church's thought and sympathetic support. Why This Failure? The reason -is not far to seek. It is assumed that this is a Christian land. \\ hen evil is prophesied we recall the religious purpose of the nation's founders, we point to the churches and schools, to the teachers and preachers, and conclude that there is no danger. So long has it oeen the custom to think and to speak vji rtiuenia as a unrisuan nation tnat many have come to believe that the work is done. Fhe Unfinished Task. Our forefathers did give America to God in prayer, but those who came after them have not all been governed by the same purpose. Succeeding generations have been far more concerned with' the material conquest of the continent than with their own spiritual needs. Of the present population not more than 20,000,000,?less than one-fourth of the whole,? are in Protestant churches. These twenty million must preserve themselves, care for the other seventy millions, and look after still other millions coming from foreign lands. Careful statisticians estimate that in fifty years the 90,000,000 of today will have become 200,000,000, and that by the close of the century the population of the United States will have passed the 500,000,000 mark. The Home Mission is not only not finished, but with the ever in creasing numbers and the changing conditions, it will require earnest effort and constant watchfulness to hold what has already been accomplished. Many voices proclaim this fact, rhe Condition of the City. Any city. Who is master here? This is rapidly becoming a nation of cities. From town and country and beyond the sea there is a resistless stream. The large cities are becoming larger, the great cities are becoming greater. The city will undoubtedly control our national future. If the nation is saved the city must be saved. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can do this. Legislation will not cleanse. Libraries will not redeem. Social improvement will not meet the need. The gospel will. "Arise and go unto that great city and cry out against it. Preach unto it that nreaehiner that T htH " The gospel of Repentance is the only way. It saved Nineveh. It would have saved Sodom. It can save America. "The people of Nineveh believed God!" It is for the Christian people of every city to say: "Jesus Christ is Master here," and then go to work and make it a fact. The Character of Our New Citizens. A million a year, largely of foreign speech a&d Catholic. Eighty per cent come from South-eastern Europe and Asia. "They differ from us In language, customs, Ideals and religion. The past three years the income reached a daily average of more than 3,000, and it has only begun. Dr. Strong says that "Europe alone could send us 3,000,000 per year,?300,000,000 during the twentieth century,?and yet increase the source of supply." They will contin