On Saturday, March 16, the great household at Fisk University was suddenly saddened by the announcement of the death of Mrs. Bennett, who, after an illness of four weeks, was called to her rest.

In 1867, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett gave up their work in a pleasant Northern parish, and came to Fisk University, where they have labored together for almost twenty-two years.  During these years, Mrs. Bennett has been not only an efficient helper to her husband and a wise and tender mother to her children, but has contributed much to the work of the school.  Her strong mind and fine intellectual tastes especially fitted her for life in an institution of learning.  During the last few years, she gave much time and labor to the preparation of a botanical collection for the Scientific Department of the University.

Mrs. Bennett was also the warm personal friend of the young people.  Since her death, many tender expressions from present and former students bear witness to appreciation of her quiet, earnest, Christian character, as manifested both in her own life, and in her ministry to others.  Why such a life, apparently so indispensable to her husband and children, and so helpful to a large body of young people, should be thus suddenly terminated we cannot understand.  We can only accept the dispensation of Him “Who doeth all things well.”

H.C.M.

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STUDENT’S LETTER.

HOW I WAS EDUCATED, LED TO CHRIST AND INTO THE MINISTRY.

BY REV.  SPENCER SNELL.

My first lessons from books I received in night school.  At this time I was employed as dining-room servant by a family in Mobile.  I did my work during the day, taking a little time here and there for study as best I could, and went to school at night.  I was first employed at $3.50 per month.  Fifty cents of this I took each month to pay tuition.  The tuition in this school was one dollar per month, but I was receiving such small wages that a woman who was employed in the same yard, and who went to the same school, persuaded the teacher to let me go for fifty cents.  I remained with this family about four years, and went to night school much of the time.  I suppose they considered my services more and more valuable as I became more enlightened, for, during the four years, my wages were increased from $3.50 to $10 per month.  As my wages increased, I had more tuition to pay also, for during my study in the night school I had several teachers and paid some of them as much as two dollars per month, and so anxious was I to acquire an education that I would have paid five dollars had it been required, even at a time when it would have taken all my wages to do so.  While I was a student in one of these night schools, I chanced one day to see a newspaper which a colored man who knew me had thrown into the yard for me.  In this paper I read an article