District of Columbia — Lincoln Mission

One of the most beautiful sights on the streets of Washington, on the 5th of July morning, was the colored Sunday-schools coming out from different churches, going to Howard Park, Vaness Garden and other places to pass the day. The little ones seemed to be in a delirium of happiness while marching on the street, keeping step with the music, as their banners floated in the air.

But we felt very sad to think that our poor children at the Lincoln Mission did not have this privilege. They could not go because we have not enough teachers now to look after them. All the teachers who taught here during the winter, left on the thirteenth of June and will not be back until September. Some thought that it would be well to close the school during the summer; but others thought that we had better continue it, if we could have only five teachers and fifty scholars.

It has been said that this school cannot be carried on successfully here in the summer, for it has been tried and uniform failure has been the result. But if the Lord be with us we shall endeavor to carry on the work; if we fail, it will be no more than what has been done already.

One of our greatest difficulties is to secure teachers; we have tried very hard to get some from among the colored people, but have few as yet. We are very grateful to those who have come from the Colored Presbyterian Church in the city to help us. But we feel especially thankful to Mr. J. W. Cromwell, editor of The People's Advocate, a colored newspaper, published in the city... He is found every Sunday afternoon at the Lincoln Mission (unless called away from the city) teaching the youth some truth from the Bible.