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Dead Simple Python Idiomatic Python for the Impatient
Programmer Jason C. Mcdonald Digital Instant
Download
Author(s): Jason C. McDonald
ISBN(s): 9781718500921, 1718500920
Edition: converted
File Details: PDF, 5.95 MB
Year: 2022
Language: english
 CONTENTS IN DETAIL

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

DEDICATION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION
Who Is This Book For?
What Does “Simple” Mean?
What’s in This Book?
What’s NOT in This Book
How to Read This Book
About the Vocabulary
Theory Recaps
Objective or Opinionated?
The Examples
What About a Project?
Prerequisites

PART I: THE PYTHON ENVIRONMENT

CHAPTER 1: THE PYTHON PHILOSOPHY
What Is Python, Exactly?
Myths: What Python Isn’t
Myth #1: Python Is Merely a Scripting Language
Myth #2: Python Is Slow
Myth #3: Python Cannot Be Compiled
Myth #4: Python Gets Compiled Behind the Scenes
Myth #5: Python Is Unsuitable for Large Projects
Python 2 vs. Python 3
Defining “Pythonic” Code
The Zen of Python
Documentation, PEPs, and You
Who Calls the Shots?
The Python Community
The Pursuit of the One Obvious Way
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 2: YOUR WORKBENCH

Installing Python
Installing on Windows
Installing on macOS
Installing on Linux
Installing from Source
Meet the Interpreter
Interactive Session
Running Python Files
Packages and Virtual Environments
Creating a Virtual Environment
Activating a Virtual Environment
Leaving a Virtual Environment
Introducing pip
System-Wide Packages
Installing Packages
requirements.txt
Upgrading Packages
Removing Packages
Finding Packages
One Warning About pip . . .
Virtual Environments and Git
The Whole Shebang
File Encoding
A Few Extra Virtual Environment Tricks
Using a Virtual Environment Without Activating
The Alternatives
The Line Limit Debate
Tabs or Spaces?
Quality Control: Static Analyzers
Pylint
Flake8
Mypy
Style Janitors: Autoformatting Tools
autopep8
Black
Testing Frameworks
An Exhibition of Code Editors
IDLE
Emacs and Vim
PyCharm
Visual Studio Code
Sublime Text
Spyder
Eclipse + PyDev/LiClipse
The Eric Python IDE
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 3: SYNTAX CRASH COURSE

Hello, World!
Statements and Expression
The Importance of Whitespace
Doing Nothing
Comments and Docstrings
Docstrings
Declaring Variables
What About Constants?
Mathematics
Meet the Number Types
Operators
The math Module
Logic
Conditionals
Comparison Operators
Boolean, None, and Identity Operators
Truthiness
Logical Operators
The Walrus Operator
Ellipsis
Strings
String Literals
Raw Strings
Formatted Strings
Template Strings
String Conversion
A Note on String Concatenation
Functions
Classes and Objects
Error Handling
Tuples and Lists
Loops
while Loop
Loop Control
for Loop
Structural Pattern Matching
Literal Patterns and Wildcards
Or Patterns
Capture Patterns
Guard Statements
More About Structural Pattern Matching
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 4: PROJECT STRUCTURE AND IMPORTS

Setting Up the Repository
Modules and Packages
PEP 8 and Naming
Project Directory Structure
How import Works
Import Dos and Don’ts
Importing Functions from Modules
The Problem of Shadowing
The Trouble with Nested Packages
Beware of Importing All
Importing Within Your Project
Absolute Imports
Relative Imports
Importing from the Same Package
Entry Points
Module Entry Points
Package Entry Points
Controlling Package Imports
Program Entry Points
The Python Module Search Path
What Really Happens
Wrapping Up

PART II: ESSENTIAL STRUCTURES

CHAPTER 5: VARIABLES AND TYPES

Variables According to Python: Names and Values
Assignment
Data Types
The type() Function
Duck Typing
Scope and Garbage Collection
Local Scope and the Reference-Counting Garbage Collector
Interpreter Shutdown
Global Scope
The Dangers of Global Scope
The nonlocal Keyword
Scope Resolution
The Curious Case of the Class
Generational Garbage Collector
The Immutable Truth
Passing by Assignment
Collections and References
Shallow Copy
Deep Copy
Coercion and Conversion
A Note About Systems Hungarian Notation
Terminology Review
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 6: FUNCTIONS AND LAMBDAS

Python Function Essentials
Recursion
Default Argument Values
Keyword Arguments
On Overloaded Functions
Variadic Arguments
Keyword Variadic Arguments
Keyword-Only Parameters
Positional-Only Parameters
Argument Types: All Together Now!
Nested Functions
Closures
Recursion with Closures
Stateful Closures
Lambdas
Why Lambdas Are Useful
Lambdas as Sorting Keys
Decorators
Type Hints and Function Annotations
Duck Typing and Type Hints
Should You Use Type Hinting?
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 7: OBJECTS AND CLASSES

Declaring a Class
The Initializer
The Constructor
The Finalizer
Attributes
Instance Attributes
Class Attributes
Scope-Naming Conventions
Nonpublic
Public
Name Mangling
Public, Nonpublic, or Name Mangled?
Methods
Instance Methods
Class Methods
Static Methods
Properties
Setting Up the Scenario
Defining a Property
Property with Decorators
When Not to Use Properties
Special Methods
Scenario Setup
Conversion Methods
Comparison Methods
Binary Operator Support
Unary Operator Support
Making Callable
More Special Methods: Looking Ahead
Class Decorators
Structural Pattern Matching with Objects
Functional Meets Object Oriented
When to Use Classes
Classes Aren’t Modules
Single Responsibility
Sharing State
Are Objects Right for You?
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 8: ERRORS AND EXCEPTIONS

Exceptions in Python
Reading Tracebacks
Catching Exceptions: LBYL vs. EAFP
Multiple Exceptions
Beware the Diaper Anti-pattern
Raising Exceptions
Using Exceptions
Exceptions and Logging
Bubbling Up
Exception Chaining
Else and Finally
Else: “If All Goes Well”
Finally: “After Everything”
Creating Exceptions
A Gallery of Exceptions
Wrapping Up

PART III: DATA AND FLOW

CHAPTER 9: COLLECTIONS AND ITERATION

Loops
while Loops
for Loops
Collections
Tuples
Named Tuples
Lists
Deques
Sets
frozenset
Dictionaries
Check or Except?
Dictionary Variants
Unpacking Collections
Starred Expressions
Unpacking Dictionaries
Structural Pattern Matching on Collections
Accessing by Index or Key
Slice Notation
Start and Stop
Negative Indices
Steps
Copy with Slice
Slice Objects
Slicing on Custom Objects
Using islice
The in Operator
Checking Collection Length
Iteration
Iterables and Iterators
Manually Using Iterators
Iterating with for Loops
Sorting Collections in Loops
Enumerating Loops
Mutation in Loops
Loop Nesting and Alternatives
Iteration Tools
Basic Built-in Tools
Filter
Map
Zip
Itertools
Custom Iterable Classes
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 10: GENERATORS AND COMPREHENSIONS

Lazy Evaluation and Eager Iterables
Infinite Iterators
Generators
Generators vs. Iterator Classes
Closing Generators
Behavior on Close
Throwing Exceptions
yield from
Generator Expressions
Generator Objects Are Lazy
Generator Expressions with Multiple Loops
Conditionals in Generator Expressions
Nested Generator Expressions
List Comprehensions
Set Comprehensions
Dictionary Comprehensions
Hazards of Generator Expressions
They Quickly Become Unreadable
They Don’t Replace Loops
They Can Be Hard to Debug
When to Use Generator Expressions
Simple Coroutines
Returning Values from a Coroutine
Sequence of Behavior
What About Async?
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 11: TEXT IO AND CONTEXT MANAGERS

Standard Input and Output
Revisiting print()
Revisiting input()
Streams
Context Manager Basics
File Modes
Reading Files
The read() Method
The readline() Method
The readlines() Method
Reading with Iteration
Stream Position
Writing Files
The write() Method
The writelines() Method
Writing Files with print()
Line Separators
Context Manager Details
How Context Managers Work
Using Multiple Context Managers
Implementing the Context Management Protocol
The __enter__() Method
The __exit__() Method
Using the Custom Class
Paths
Path Objects
Parts of a Path
Creating a Path
Relative Paths
Paths Relative to Package
Path Operations
Out-of-Place File Writes
The os Module
File Formats
JSON
Other Formats
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 12: BINARY AND SERIALIZATION

Binary Notation and Bitwise
Number Systems Refresher
Python Integers and Binary
Bitwise Operations
Bytes Literals
Bytes-Like Objects
Creating a bytes Object
Using int.to_bytes()
Sequence Operations
Converting bytes to int
struct
struct Format String and Packing
Unpacking with struct
struct objects
Bitwise on Bytes-Like Objects
Bitwise Operations via Integers
Bitwise Operations via Iteration
memoryview
Reading and Writing Binary Files
Organizing the Data
Writing to a File
Reading from a Binary File
Seek with Binary Stream
BufferedRWPair
Serialization Techniques
Forbidden Tools: pickle, marshal, and shelve
Serialization Formats
Wrapping Up

PART IV: ADVANCED CONCEPTS

CHAPTER 13: INHERITANCE AND MIXINS

When to Use Inheritance
Crimes of Inheritance
Basic Inheritance in Python
Multiple Inheritance
Method Resolution Order
Ensuring Consistent Method Resolution Order
Explicit Resolution Order
Resolving Base Class in Multiple Inheritance
Mixins
Wrapping Up
CHAPTER 14: METACLASSES AND ABCS
Metaclasses
Creating Classes with type
Custom Metaclasses
Type Expectations with Duck Typing
EAFP: Catching Exceptions
LBYL: Checking for Attributes
Abstract Classes
Built-in ABCs
Deriving from ABCs
Implementing Custom ABCs
Virtual Subclasses
Setting Up the Example
Using Virtual Subclassing
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 15: INTROSPECTION AND GENERICS

Special Attributes
Inside Object Attribute Access: The __dict__ Special Attribute
Listing Attributes
Getting an Attribute
Checking for an Attribute
Setting an Attribute
Deleting an Attribute
Function Attributes
The Wrong Way to Use Function Attributes
Mutability and Function Attributes
Descriptors
The Descriptor Protocol
Writing a Descriptor Class (the Slightly Wrong Way)
Using a Descriptor
Writing a Descriptor Class the Right Way
Using Multiple Descriptors in the Same Class
Slots
Binding Attribute Names to Values
Using Arbitrary Attributes with Slots
Slots and Inheritance
Immutable Classes
Single-Dispatch Generic Functions
Registering Single-Dispatch Functions with Type Hints
Registering Single-Dispatch Functions with Explicit Type
Registering Single-Dispatch Functions with the register() Method
Using the Element Class
Arbitrary Execution
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 16: ASYNCHRONY AND CONCURRENCY

Asynchrony in Python
The Example Scenario: Collatz Game, Synchronous Version
Asynchrony
Native Coroutines
Tasks
The Event Loop
Making It (Actually) Asynchronous
Scheduling and Asynchronous Execution Flow
Simplifying the Code
Asynchronous Iteration
Asynchronous Context Managers
Asynchronous Generators
Other Asynchrony Concepts
Wrapping Up

CHAPTER 17: THREADING AND PARALLELISM

Threading
Concurrency vs. Parallelism
Basic Threading
Timeouts
Daemonic Threads
Futures and Executors
Timeouts with Futures
Race Conditions
A Race Condition Example
Creating Multiple Threads with ThreadPoolExecutor
Locks
Deadlock, Livelock, and Starvation
Passing Messages with Queue
Futures with Multiple Workers
Achieving Parallelism with Multiprocessing
Pickling Data
Speed Considerations and ProcessPoolExecutor
The Producer/Consumer Problem
Importing the Modules
Monitoring the Queue
Subprocess Cleanup
Consumers
Checking for an Empty Queue
Producers
Starting the Processes
Performance Results
Logging with Multiprocessing
Wrapping Up

PART V: BEYOND THE CODE

CHAPTER 18: PACKAGING AND DISTRIBUTION

Planning Your Packaging
The Dangers of Cargo Cult Programming
A Note on Packaging Opinions
Determining Your Packaging Goals
Project Structure: src or src-less
Packaging a Distribution Package with setuptools
Project Files and Structure
Where Metadata Belongs
The README.md and LICENSE Files
The setup.cfg File
The setup.py File
The MANIFEST.in File
The requirements.txt File
The pyproject.toml File
Testing the Setup Configuration
Building Your Package
Publishing on pip (Twine)
Uploading to Test PyPI
Installing Your Uploaded Package
Other documents randomly have
different content
the wholesome leaven of a class of young men and women who
have been trained to teach intelligently; to use their hands as well as
their heads; to see the dignity of labor; to accept the situation, and
not to be ashamed of their color. In short, they are trained to the
work that lies before them, and not trained away from it.
It is a rare thing for a graduate of the Normal School to enter into
political life. Not one has been known to be a demagogue. The
standard set before them is that of a hard-working Christian
manhood; and it must be said that they bid fair to make the best
citizens we have, in a time when the great demand is for men who
will not work for an office, but who will work honestly for a living.
Our country seems to be crying for a further supply of that article
which forms the staple and the grit of nations—a contented,
practical manhood—the “vir integer vitæ” of Horace, re-inforced by
grace. It is that demand which Hampton is seeking to meet, and
does meet, with its yearly class of graduates.
Many years ago all England was startled by the arraignment of an
educated gentleman for stealing; he was a graduate of Oxford; he
plead guilty, but said it was his only resource; he had not been able
to find any business by which he could support himself honestly.
Since then the history of our financial institutions has made it appear
that this gentleman was not alone in his unhappy predicament;
there has been a world of college education which has not fitted its
beneficiaries to gain an honest livelihood. It has given them the
accomplishments of a social rank, but not the power to earn that
rank; it has simply made them miserable. It has done worse even: it
has left them in the midst of a moral snare. It is the grand
miscalculation of our educational system. Here are millions of acres
at the South waiting to be reclaimed by skilful hands; here are
thousands of educated men who cannot find an honest self-
supporting business. The lever of education is not applied at the
right place. It is the merit of Hampton that it does apply the lever at
the right place. It trains the hand as well as the head. It fits a man
to take up the work God has placed before him. It gives him the
conditions on which a Christian life may flourish.
The religious teaching is evangelical. The school regards itself as
representing the American Missionary Association, and is faithful to
the trust. Nowhere can teachers be found more earnestly
evangelical, laboring often beyond their strength to bring souls to
Christ. To their honor be it said, however, that both Unitarians and
Friends have not only contributed of their means in large proportion,
but have also served in the work of education and Christian culture
with the most unselfish devotion. They reap a far richer reward than
that of theological proselytism. Their noble spirit, scorning all
partisan ends, seeking only for an opportunity to do good, has
greatly increased the humane and beneficent influence of the
school; has caused it to be widely felt outside of its own walls, and
to become every day more and more an instrument of peace and
reconstruction.
There is a world of kindly deeds and neighborly acts which cannot
be enumerated, but which prove to the community the kinship of our
Northern Christianity, and they meet with a response. When a
petition was presented this winter for the purpose of subjecting the
school to taxation, a large majority of the most influential citizens in
Hampton entered their protest, and the petition fell to the ground. It
was a sign of the times.
The religious work of the school has been well directed, although not
a thing that could be put in figures. It is largely an endeavor to
counteract the tendencies of ignorance and prejudice in the colored
churches and so give free play to the spirit of grace. A large
proportion of the students are professors of religion when they
come. The emotions and prejudices have been trained to excess by
an ignorant but fervid system of religion which has exercised but
slight control over immoral practices. The effort is to balance this by
the cultivation of the conscience and understanding in Scriptural
truth; especially to hold up before their minds the idea of an every-
day religion and a practical Christian manhood.
The interest this winter has not reached the revival point, but
students have been led to Christ from time to time. Our hope is not
in transports, but in that steadily increasing lump of leaven, a
practical, self-denying piety. It shows itself in the morale of the
school. We have 316 students—214 boys and 102 girls; of these, 56
are Indian boys, and 9 Indian girls.
In such a mass of human nature, fresh from uncivilization, one
might expect serious disturbances and scandals, not to say
rowdyism; yet Washington’s birthday was celebrated on the open
green by Negroes, and Indians who had just taken off their blankets,
with an Arcadian good behavior, while blacks and aborigines met
together in the school parlors and played games together, boys as
well as girls, without indecorum. It is a frequent comment how little
trouble they make, for so miscellaneous a collection. There is a
spirit, an atmosphere of Christianity that pervades everything.
Perhaps the most striking fact of the winter is the Indian work. It is
a pity that people at the North do not see the great importance of
this, for it is much in need of funds. Four years ago a party of hostile
Indians of the most intractable sort were captured and sent in irons
to St. Augustine, under charge of Capt. Pratt, U. S. A. They were
desperate fellows; one killed himself rather than submit. Under the
Christian treatment of Capt. Pratt they experienced a wonderful
change, laid aside their savage propensities, and heartily embraced
the principles of civilization. A year ago it was proposed that they
should be brought to Hampton. The experiment was tried
successfully. They mingle in a kindly way with the negroes, and have
manifested an earnest disposition to learn what they call the white
man’s road. They have given up their tobacco and their whiskey;
they hold prayer-meetings together, where one may hear their tones
of earnest entreaty, pleading with God in their own language.
Furthermore, they show their faith by their works, and may be seen
digging ditches or picking potatoes with all the energy of an Anglo-
Saxon. This for aboriginal gentlemen who, four years ago, accounted
manual labor to be the deepest degradation to which a warrior could
submit.
Best of all, they have manifested repentance toward God and faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ. At the first communion in March, eleven of
them are, at their own earnest desire, to be admitted to the church.
Last summer the experiment proved such a success that the school
offered to take 50 more, and educate them for Government, at the
low rate of $167 apiece. It was too low an estimate; but it was
thought that friends would help, especially in the erection of a
building. They came last fall—40 boys and 9 girls—bright-faced,
ready to learn, full of response to kindness. They are better than
could have been expected; already some of them have shown an
interest in Christ. No work could promise better. They have a great
desire to learn, and are especially interested in the mechanical arts
that will help their people toward civilization. Mr. Corliss has offered
one of his engines for a machine shop, but there is no money with
which to put a roof over it; even the Indian dormitory is yet unpaid
for. For want of $18,000 the work is checked; but it is a vital work. If
there are two classes of men to whom the people of the United
States owe a helping hand, they are the Indians and the Negroes.
Besides, it is God’s time; both races have been awakened to their
needs; there is a cry for help. Even from the far neighborhood of
Puget Sound have come letters asking if there is room at Hampton.
The time has come for the elevation of the Indian race; the fulcrum
is at Hampton. Here, too, is part of the lever; what we want is the
other part.
“Freely ye have received,” Christ says, “freely give.” We cannot wash
away our national injustice; God does not expect that. We can show
penitence by our helpfulness toward those who have been its
victims. So much God will expect, and it is likely to be sad for us if
we fail to meet the expectation.

GEORGIA.
A Beginner’s Reflections—The Gospel—Congregationalism—
The Negro.
 REV. S. E. LATHROP, MACON.

I have been at this post for about three months, and as it is my first
experience with the colored people, I may be pardoned for offering
some impressions that have come to me since entering on the work.
Having preached eight years to white people in the North, I was
somewhat curious to compare the results of the same Gospel as
applied to different races. The comparison thus far is entirely
satisfactory. I am more than ever convinced of the priceless value of
the Gospel as an elevating, purifying power in human hearts, no
matter what is the color of the skin. Judging medicines by their
results, we say that this or that is a specific for certain diseases; so
judging Christianity by its results, as applied not only to different
individuals but to different races, it is a specific for the deep-seated
disease of sin everywhere.
As different doctors have formulæ of their own, differing more or
less each from the other, so are the different sects or schools of
religious thought. I, as a Congregationalist born and bred, the son of
a Western Home Missionary, with Puritan ancestry running back to
the days of John Robinson, am, as a student of human nature and of
theological therapeutics, convinced more than ever of the value of
our Puritan ideas, modified, mellowed and improved as they are by
the additional light which has broken forth out of God’s word. I think
Congregationalism is adapted to African as well as Caucasian
Christians; both from its lack of iron-bound traditions and
mannerisms, and “theological slang,” and also from its flexibility, its
adaptedness, its “sanctified common sense,” which does not make a
Procrustean bed of inflexible length for tall and short alike, nor like
that which the prophet mentions, “shorter than that a man can
stretch himself upon it, and the covering narrower than that he can
wrap himself in it.” Its covering is, like Christ’s seamless robe, broad
enough to envelop in its generous fold every forlorn heart.
I have also verified what I had before heard, that the Negro race is
not all composed of Uncle Toms—that, in fact, such transcendent
characters are rare. The negro is neither a prince in disguise nor a
hero in rags. He is exceedingly human, fallible, ignorant, childlike,
fickle, improvident, thoughtless. We could easily lengthen this
catalogue of failings, painful things which oftentimes tend to
discourage the Christian worker. But hence is all the more need of
the Gospel among them. Their animalism makes necessary the
proper antidote of spiritual training. Their unsteadiness calls loudly
for patience, perseverance, courage, on the part of teacher and
missionary. Past centuries mightily influence the present. When I
consider how far from perfect is our boasted Caucasian race, and
how the home pastors and home missionaries toil unceasingly amid
difficulties to teach sobriety, self-control and an embodied Gospel
among the world’s dominant race, I can have more patience with the
lower strata of humanity.
Remembering the defalcations, the immoralities, the outbreaking
evils which so often come to light among the white Christians, who
have many centuries of Christian ancestors behind them, I can
surely have more charity for these sable people who themselves
dwelt in bondage so long, whose ancestors were slaves, and whose
history shades off into the dim, remote, unknown past of savage
Africa. Even the Jews, that remarkable people, known as they
always have been for shrewdness, intelligence and business
prosperity, after being enslaved in Egypt for some hundred years,
were fearfully debased and demoralized, wandering in the
wilderness many years, and even when they had conquered their
promised land, were in turmoil and confusion. Can we expect better
things of the sons of Ham? No nation can be “born in a day” whose
minds and hearts are degraded by bondage for so long.
But there is evident progress. The colored people of Macon deserve
praise for their efforts after a truer life. There are 10,000 of them in
this city, and among them is much poverty and want. But others
have, “since emancipation,” laid up property and secured
comfortable homes of their own. Their children in school compare
favorably in most respects with white children. Some of them walk
three or four miles each way to attend our Lewis High School. The
extravagance and effervescence of religious gatherings is becoming
more and more toned down as intelligence increases. They are more
and more winning the respect of the whites, and I think there is
more disposition on both sides to live peaceably than at any previous
time since the war. Our church and school have had various trials,
but now the prospect seems more favorable. One man has united
with the church on profession.

ALABAMA.
Revival in the Church and College.

REV. G. W. ANDREWS, TALLADEGA.

On March 2d thirty were received into our church, the fruits, in part,
of a revival still in progress. It is the custom in the South to admit
converts to the church on the first convenient opportunity, as in
apostolic times, according to Acts ii. 47.
Of these thirty, seven were baptized in infancy, mostly by our own
missionaries, ten years ago; three were immersed; the rest followed
Ezek. xxxvi. 25. The youngest was not quite nine years old; the
oldest was between sixty and seventy, and as happy a new-born
soul as one often meets. Several were from forty to fifty. Five are
heads of families, one of whom I have heard called “king of men,”
because of his commanding influence. He says: “I mean to be as
faithful in the service of Christ as I have been in that of Satan. I am
now ready for any duty the church may impose upon me; be it easy
or hard, it makes no difference to me.” His conversion has startled
everybody. One little boy scarcely ten years old often prays
intelligently and touchingly for a dear uncle and aunt, and asks
others to join him.
All but two of the girls at Foster Hall are hopeful Christians; and of
the forty-five young men who board at the same place, but four
remain without a hope in Christ. Two in the higher normal room still
refuse to enter upon the better life, and fourteen in the common
school normal, out of the ninety in that department. The community
outside of the college, our people say, was never before so
awakened since the college was established here.
The meetings have been characterized by a wonderful freedom from
excitement; indeed, I was never in a revival before where there was
so little. It has pleased God in this instance to magnify preaching in
a wonderful manner. Dr. Roy was with us a week lacking one day,
and preached every night and on the Sabbath, interesting and
profiting every one. One night many hearts were deeply moved by
his tender recital of the “Old, old story of Jesus and his love.” We
held extra meetings for two or three weeks. During the “week of
prayer” and the remainder of January there were no conversions
save one, that of “reckless George,” as he used to be called. He was
one of our brightest young men, and his conversion made a deep
impression. The revival did not commence in earnest until the first
week in February, when there were twenty who turned to the Lord
from the ways of sin. Since then the work has gone steadily forward.
This whole region seems ripe for a spiritual harvest; but whence are
to come the reapers, as there is a limit to strength, and other duties
press sorely. We cannot have many more extra meetings, though
there are many inquirers; still we do not despair, as God has shown
us how easily He can brush away all obstacles to the progress of His
kingdom. He has again and again, during the continuance of these
meetings, rebuked our want of faith.
The theological students have rendered excellent service by visiting
from door to door. Christians have been fully awake. It is a glorious
work to be instrumental in starting a soul in the better way; but
there remains the work, greater if possible, of development through
a wise Christian culture. We constantly remember Paul’s advice,
recorded in Acts xx. 28.
I have time only for this hasty word concerning the work of grace
here. I hope some one else may furnish you a full account. We all
feel grateful for this quickening of our religious life, and this seal of
our labors in the Lord, and our prayer is that an army of Christian
young men and women may be raised up from this beginning of new
life. While we “watch, work and pray,” we want to see the “desert
rejoice and blossom as the rose.”

Revival Work—A well-organized Church.

REV. C. B. CURTIS, SELMA.

An interesting work of grace is now in progress in our church. We

began by observing the week of prayer, remembering especially the
request for a concert of prayer with the officers and workers of the
A. M. A., and with great blessing, we felt, to those of us who met
together to claim the promises.
As the white churches held union meetings during the week in the
afternoon, I attended some of them also, and was cordially received
and invited to lead one of the meetings. It chanced to be the day of
prayer for nations, and I improved the occasion to set forth as
strongly as I was able, not only the obligation, but the necessity that
lies upon all Christians and all patriots, state or national, irrespective
of denominational or political affiliations, to engage earnestly in the
work of Christian education, if we would avert the terrible evils
already impending. I was listened to with respect and evident
appreciation, and there seems to be a growing spirit of cordiality and
co-operation.
After another week of preparatory meetings, we opened the
audience-room and began preaching every night, except Saturday,
which we have kept up for three weeks with considerable success,
having over thirty hopeful conversions and an uncounted number of
inquirers; in fact, almost all express a desire, more or less earnest,
to become Christians.
I find but few of the difficulties that trouble us so much in the North.
There is but little skepticism, or the so prevalent idea of salvation by
mere morality, and no Universalism that I have met as yet. The
colored people are emphatically a religious people, and the difficulty
is not so much in getting them to go forward to the anxious seats, or
enter the inquiry-room, or to weep over their sins and cry for mercy,
as it is to show them the simplicity of the way of salvation. They
have been taught that they must see visions and dream dreams,
must be held by the hair of the head over the bottomless pit and
then taken to heaven, before they can be soundly converted; and
though they are, in many cases, beginning to distrust this old-time
teaching, yet it is hard for them to see that all they need to do is to
“repent and believe the gospel.” Indeed, it is the universal testimony
of the converts that their faith is continually tried by the declarations
of their friends, that they haven’t any religion, because they haven’t
“been to heaven or hell,” or “come through shouting.” We try to
teach them that simple reliance on the word of God is far better and
safer than dreams or feelings, and that “by their fruits ye shall know
them.”
We are now holding three services during the week, and dislike very
much to give up while there are still some who have been seeking
ever since the special meetings began, with seemingly great
earnestness, and yet cannot see the way clearly. Many of those who
have been converted naturally belong to other churches, so that the
addition to our membership will not be large, but we feel that the
work is genuine, and those who go to other churches will carry a
warmer feeling of interest in us which will help our work greatly in
the future.
I enjoy this work exceedingly, and have been, from the first,
favorably impressed with the condition of things in my field. The
church has been thoroughly organized, and has a good record. Its
influence is being felt in this community. Temperance and virtue are
necessary to church membership, and as much cannot be said of all
the colored churches in the South. The church building is
commodious and pleasant, with reading-room and lecture-room in
basement, cumbered with no debt, and upon its sweet sounding bell
(the gift of the Sabbath-school) is engraved the fitting invitation,
“Come, and let him that heareth say come.” For a church of its size I
have never seen so many ready and efficient workers. Indeed,
nearly all the members are workers, not drones, as has been
thoroughly demonstrated during this revival.
Neither can too much be said in praise of the work of the teachers of
Burrell School, who, though no longer under the commission of your
society, and necessarily undenominational in their efforts, do much
real missionary work. Such an intelligent, faithful and efficient corps
of coadjutors it has never been my fortune to meet before.
I wish to acknowledge through your columns the receipt of a large
quantity of second-hand Sunday-school papers, well preserved, and
greatly appreciated by our children, as they have been only partially
supplied before. The package came, prepaid, by express from Cairo.
Our heartiest thanks to the unknown donors, and may other schools
be moved to “go and do likewise.”

A Thoughtful Congregation—Personal Work.

REV. F. BASCOM, D. D., MONTGOMERY.

The church has been quickened in its spiritual life and activity, but
no pervading revival influence has gone forth into the community. A
good proportion of our members seem to be earnest, growing and
happy Christians. Our social-religious meetings are very enjoyable.
Some who have been delinquent now promise better things. One or
two have just begun a new life of faith in Christ, and some others
have promised to take the subject of their salvation into serious
consideration. By following up such cases, I trust some of them may
be won to Christ by personal effort. I learn, on inquiry, that most of
our members were brought one by one to the Saviour by
persevering and judicious pastoral labor. The colored people are very
accessible to such effort; and what a boundless field for it they
furnish! But “the laborers are few” that care to gather such a
harvest.
I still enjoy my work, and the privilege and importance of it grow in
my estimation. Last Sabbath I preached three times: twice for my
people, and once for the A. M. E. church. Quite a large
congregation.

MISSISSIPPI.
A Praise Meeting.

REV. G. STANLEY POPE, TOUGALOO.

Soon after the opening of the school we gathered together in our

chapel, to tell a few of the things for which we were thankful. I wish
some of our friends had been present to share the enjoyment of the
occasion with us.
One said: “I have had the severest sickness of my life, but it proved
a good thing for me. It kept me from going to my second school at
Lake, where the fever was so bad afterwards. I see a great change
in the people. They have been more thoughtful. I have not prayed
once without asking God to protect and bless the teachers and
scholars of our institution. My prayers have been answered.”
Another said: “I am thankful that I have been blessed with more
light than many others. I never before saw how great the darkness
is in our country. The condition of the people where I have been
teaching is dreadful.”
Another, who is not a Christian: “I am thankful that I have at last got
here, where I have so long desired to be. I hope I may be blessed
spiritually as well as in my studies.”
Another: “I see the need of good teachers and preachers as I never
did before. I am thankful for this, and that I am spared to get back
under these kind instructors.”
“I have been in a very intemperate place, but the Lord has helped
me to do good work. Secured a good many signers to the pledge. I
am thankful for this, and that I have been spared during the
sickness.”
One who was converted last winter said: “I am thankful that I have
been with Christians who have led me to the Lord. I don’t know how
to tell my gratitude. I am just beginning to know what it is to be
upright and truthful.”
“When I left here last summer to go to a new place, I felt that I
needed God’s aid. I asked Him to be with me. He has kept me and
made my work successful. I thank Him for it. I will continue to thank
Him.”
“The old mother thanks the Lord that she has been able to get here
to hear the Bible read, and see the teachers back again.”
“I was teaching near Grenada. That was my P. O. The fever was on
three sides of me. Some of my scholars had to leave school; but
amidst it all God spared me, and I am thankful for it. There were
some white young men came into my Sunday-school. At first I was
afraid, but I spoke to them, and asked them if they would like some
papers. They kept coming, and seemed just as much interested in
what I said, and in getting the papers, as any of my pupils.”
“‘He leadeth me.’ I cannot begin to tell all the things for which I am
thankful. Aside from the health of my own family, nothing rejoices
me more than to see these faces. Our friends at the North cannot
begin to realize the gloom that settled down over us here. It seemed
as though we were breathing in death continually. I am thankful that
God has spared us, and that I have had such a pleasant family
during the summer.” To this effect spoke Brother Miner, who
remained here during the summer with several of the young people
to take care of the farm.
These are only fragments that were jotted down. An hour and a half
was spent in this way. A few of our students had the fever, but we
have not heard of one who died with it. This continues to be the
cause of great thankfulness.

OUR TEMPERANCE MEETING,

a few nights later, was no less interesting. I noted down a few
sentences, as one after another reported, which will show what kind
of work has been done by our students during the summer. One
young woman said, “When I first spoke to my scholars about
temperance, they did not know what I meant. I would not allow any
one to sign the pledge until I was sure he understood it. I read
temperance stories, etc. I found one lady using snuff and toddy, who
said she didn’t know as there was anything about drink in the Bible.
She thought the Lord would forgive such a little thing. A minister
said he never saw drink to be such a bad thing. He would not sign
the pledge, but I have since heard that he is going to try to establish
a temperance rule in his church. I got 28 signers to the pledge.”
Mr. T. said: “I got 48 names to my pledges; most of them were
young people, some of them children. I tried not to receive any
unless they thoroughly understood it. I met some opposition from
the old folks, but some of them signed. One young man fifteen miles
away came in and signed. He was afterward taken sick, and the
doctor prescribed toddies, but he stoutly refused them. I think many
can be depended upon. There is no other such work being done in
the county.”
Mr. H.: “My work was not so great as I think it should have been.
The community was very wicked, most of the older ones hung back,
24 signed, most of them my scholars. I took my pledge to school
every day, and to Sunday-school. I told them very plainly what is
meant by signing the pledge, or more would have signed, I found
the very small ones understood it as well as the older ones. Some
are so poor they cannot get drink.”
H. T. T.: “I have not much of a report. Did not find one who believed
in temperance. Went to the older ones first, but they were not
willing to sign. I secured 12 signers. Might have had more, but did
not take the small ones. One minister said he had looked at it a long
time, and thought it would be well to present it to his people, but
would not sign. Another minister did.”
There are ministers here as well as elsewhere who are willing to
preach, on the Sabbath, a purer type of Christianity than they
exemplify in their home life during the week.
C. J. T.: “I did not make an effort at first. I was invited to their
“Loving Society.” I went with my Bible, pledge and statistical essay in
hand. I put in a good deal of vengeance and converted a good many
right there. Got 25 names. At close of school I got some more; in all
47. We must keep this subject before them. A Baptist Convention
was held there. I got three ministers to sign. Mr. Tanner labored with
one minister who wrote out a resolution, and secured its passage in
Convention, that their members should not drink.”
Miss C.: “I presented the subject to my Sunday-school. Had a
meeting at night. Many of the parents came. I read about Daniel
purposing in his heart, and then sung ‘Dare to be a Daniel.’ The first
one to sign was a man about fifty years old; 24 signed. The next
Saturday I went ten miles into the country and spent the Sabbath.
26 signed there. One man, who had no children and was well off,
but spending his money rapidly for drink, signed and is now saving
his money. I went to Lake to help Mr. T. Many signed his pledge
there. One little boy at Forest wanted to be a Daniel and signed. He
was snake-bitten, whiskey was prescribed, but he refused to drink it
even after he was told that that would not be breaking his pledge.
He recovered. Most of my signers were among the older ones.”
Other reports were as interesting as these, but I am afraid I am
writing too much now. I have taken these reports in the order in
which they were given. After hearing from all our students, I may
send you the number of signers to the pledge, secured during the
summer by them.
 AFRICA.

MENDI MISSION.

A Heathen Bundoo Dance and a Retreat.

BENJAMIN JAMES, M.D., GOOD HOPE STATION.

Dr. James, who accompanied his two children to Freetown, whence

they returned to this country, in care of Mr. Snelson, on his way back
to the mission, made a brief visit to Mr. Gomer and the Shengay
Mission of the United Brethren. After speaking of the excellent
religious and industrial work accomplished at that mission, he gives
this account of a Bundoo women’s dance, which he chanced to see
in that vicinity.
Have patience with me while I relate a curious sight that I
accidentally witnessed at a town near the mission, showing the
power for good exercised by this little band of Christian workers.
About ten o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the beating of a
country drum was heard afar off. My boy Joseph said to me, “Let us
go and see them cut rice by the beat of the drum,” to which I
consented. We followed the sound of the drum until we came to the
town of Debia, much larger than the one under the Christian charge
of our mission, and governed by a female chief of the noted Caulker
family. In a grove near this town, within which no male was allowed
to enter, proceeded those sounds from mystic drums which attracted
us to this place. Madam Caulker gave me a very cordial welcome;
indeed, her dignified manners made me almost forget that she was
the representative of a heathen clan. Edibles were set before me,
although brought by a little naked girl; which circumstance was not
calculated to improve a relish for the seemingly palatable food, yet I
do assure you I devoured it greedily. Soon after eating, the
drumming ceased from the forest; then came out a large number of
women, with white cotton bands, two and a half inches wide, tied
around their brows, led by an old woman with a white country cloth
around her, and a white handkerchief tied, covering the frontal and
occipital portions of her head. When they saw me they were amazed
and appeared timid, but this perplexed condition of the organization
was soon removed by the head-woman, who had been previously
summoned into the presence of the chieftess. Soon the drums,
which had attracted me, began to rumble out their peculiar sounds
to dancing thumps, beaten by female drummers, arranged in
dancing order, with their backs towards us, coming from where they
were placed in this array. These same women, who appeared timid,
bashful and reserved a little while before, sung, beat and stepped to
time slowly, motioned with their hands to something apparently to
me in the sky, and moved towards a place where they were soon to
stand.
As they gently and elegantly wheeled in regular order into their
respective places, three well-formed and comely girls, about
nineteen, side by side, tossing their bodies right and left, to and fro,
in a very graceful manner, danced together for nearly a quarter of an
hour. After the triple dance there was a double one; this was
succeeded by a single dance. These three girls were then withdrawn
and other members of the order were selected to fill their places.
Many feats of skill in dancing were performed by the first three. I
noticed that when they danced their supple limbs were tossed in
many enigmatical postures, which drew forth applause and great
laughter from the bystanders, who understood them. After dancing
for an hour before us, the leader of the mystic sisterhood ordered it
discontinued, and they retired to a capacious bamboo-covered hut to
partake of refreshments, which seemed to have been prepared and
furnished by every village for miles around. Before taking my
departure I inquired of the chieftess who these women were. She
replied that they were the Bundoo women, who were about to
remove their place of meeting to Carter, farther into the interior,
because they were molested or hindered by the advance of
Christianity, which is continually increasing about their old meeting
bush. All must acknowledge this as a triumph for Christianity, and
those who contribute to the support of the Shengay mission ought
to rejoice that they have had the privilege of being instrumental in
causing one of the greatest evils to Africa’s social and Christian
advancement to move back into the forest, there to await the
coming day of its inevitable dissolution, which, I trust, is not far off.

A Visit to the Interior.

REV. A. E. JACKSON, AVERY.

Avery is situated at the head of navigation on the Little Sherbro river,

a beautiful site overlooking a vast scope of country. It is about forty-
three miles from Good Hope, and quite accessible to any point
where we may wish to push our work in future; and it is hoped that
this station will be the centre from which many stations may be
planted still further into the interior at no distant future. The Little
Sherbro river, with its rippling stream, glides within a few hundred
feet of Avery, and flows into the Big Bargroo river, and the Big
Bargroo, with its tributaries, opens an avenue to any part of Africa
accessible by water.
We have a very beautiful little chapel, and it is very well filled each
Sabbath by persons from the surrounding villages as well as our
own. For the most part, all appear attentive to what is said to them,
and when questioned seem to have quite a clear idea. Through the
blessing of Divine providence, three of the chiefs have come into my
church, and I think that they are hopefully converted. They add very
greatly to the interest of the church, because where the chiefs go
their subjects will follow. By this means I am enabled to reach a
great portion of the heathen element. I have now about thirty-six
enrolled upon my church book, twenty-five of whom I have baptized.
It is really remarkable to see how readily they take hold of the truths
of Jesus. I am also glad to say, that in many of them one can see a
marked improvement in their lives. They are a people that delight to
engage in palavers or quarrels, and I mark a very great change in
many of them in this respect. They seem to desire peace, and when
a palaver comes up they frown upon it with seemingly sincere
indignation. They are also beginning to see the wrong of polygamy.
That of itself is one of the best signs of reform, for polygamy is one
of the prevailing sins of this country. Mrs. Jackson has been holding
meetings for the women, in which great interest was manifested. So
the Lord has been greatly blessing both sexes.
Quite recently I had a pleasant tour in the Bargroo country. I was
very agreeably surprised to see everything so favorable. In the first
place, the people were as hospitable as one could wish, and far
more so than one could have expected in a heathen land. I am
persuaded to believe that the tribes further in the interior are much
more docile and far more industrious and a finer class of people than
those living on the coast. I visited eight of their towns, and, with
very few exceptions, their villages were as clean and neat as any I
ever saw. Their houses were made of mud and sticks and covered
with bamboo, but all seemed to have been done in taste. Some of
their villages were laid out in a perfect system. One that especially
attracted my attention for its neatness, and the systematic plan on
which it was laid out was Do-do. It has a population of about fifteen
hundred persons. It is a very beautiful town, situated on a peninsula,
with a fine view of a large extent of country. It is densely populated
and the houses are built close together. Three tall lines of barricade
enclose the entire town, with only three large gates through which
persons can enter. I chanced to stop there all night. I found the chief
a very hospitable man. He entertained me as best he could, and
gave me my supper and a bed to sleep on. Next morning he sent me
my breakfast, which consisted of a goat, chicken and some eggs. On
going to the door I found three men ready to slay and dress the
goat. The interpreter of the chief accompanied these gifts. He said
that the king did not know how to cook English fashion, and
therefore he would advise that I have it cooked in the English way.
This being rather more of a breakfast than I could consume, I only
had the chicken and eggs cooked. I had the goat made fast and
carried him home to my wife, who I knew would be delighted to
have him for a pet.
After I had eaten, the king came to see how I enjoyed my breakfast.
After talking a while he told me that he would be glad to have a
missionary station planted at or near his town, so that he could send
his children to school that they might learn about God’s law. He then
took me around the town and showed me the barricade. Then he
took me on the outside of the barricade and pointed out to me a
very beautiful spot of ground, which he would give for a mission
station. I could only thank him for his hospitality toward the mission
and his seeming love for the work.
On Sunday I preached in a very large village, and I really believe
that every man, woman and child was present, and it seemed as if
they were completely spellbound during the entire service. It inspires
one to put forth greater efforts when he chances to penetrate into
the interior and there see the difference between these tribes and
those living on the coast. They are not so corrupt in habits from
association with the low class of traders. One thing very remarkable
about this people is that they are not at all hostile toward the light-
skinned man nor the dark-skinned man, but will soon learn to put
implicit confidence in either, and more especially if he speak to them
about Jesus Christ. They, from some source or other, have learned
that there is a Saviour. Even those who have never seen or heard a
missionary themselves seem to be thoroughly informed as to the
objects of this mission.
I am impressed more and more each day that the many years’ work
of our missions in Africa has been a great success. Not only
blossoms but fruits are already seen in the immediate vicinity of the
mission, and far into the interior there has been a silent influence for
good that we knew not of. The labors of the dark days of our
missions were not in vain, but are now being crowned with the
glorious fruits of righteousness, which will only be a brighter crown
for those who have fallen asleep at their post of duty.
 THE INDIANS.

SCHOOL AND CHURCH WORK AT DUNGINESS.

REV. MYRON EELLS, S’KOKOMISH, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

We have an excellent young man at Dunginess as school-teacher.

Although I never met him until he took charge of the school, I
learned that his reputation was good where he had previously
taught, and he has taken hold of the work among the Indians wisely
and earnestly, and also satisfactorily to the Agent and the Indians.
He has earned an excellent reputation among the whites in the
neighborhood, and has grown in their estimation as a conscientious
Christian since he first went there about nine months since. Last
summer he was married to a lady whose heart is in the work, and
who assists him as she is able. Her health, however, does not admit
of her doing as much as she wishes to do.
In addition to his day-school for the children, he has lately begun an
evening school, three evenings in the week, for half a dozen of the
older Indians who wish to learn. These older Indians are accustomed
to talk English, more or less, some of them quite well, and hence
find it easier to learn than wild Indians would. He holds services
regularly with them on the Sabbath, and on Thursday evening a
prayer meeting has been sustained since last May; the only one in
the county.
The last Sabbath I spent with them, I baptized two of the older
Indians and received them into our church—the first-fruits of our
work there. I have been tolerably well satisfied for a year that they
were suitable candidates for church membership, but preferred to
wait until our teacher could become thoroughly acquainted with
them, as I thought that he could form a more intelligent opinion
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