The American Missionary. Volume 44, No. 03, March, 1890

The American Missionary. Volume 44, No. 03, March, 1890
Various

Various

The American Missionary – Volume 44, No. 03, March, 1890

Removal

The Rooms of the American Missionary Association are now in the Bible House, New York City. Correspondents will please address us accordingly.

Visitors will find our Rooms on the sixth floor of the Bible House, corner Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue; entrance by elevator on Ninth Street.

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The Association opened its office first in humble quarters in Spruce street, and since then it has occupied rooms in Beekman, John and Reade streets. These down-town locations have served some valuable purposes. They were accessible to the teachers and workers in passing to and from the South, and in the shipment of goods to the South and to Africa—once a large item in our business. In the change now made, we shall gain the advantage of more convenient rooms, of association with our brethren of the other missionary societies and more frequent opportunities of fraternal greetings with pastors and friends coming to the city.

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"Keep Pegging Away."

Abraham Lincoln packed into these homely words the expression of his heroic faith and indomitable perseverance. When victory forsook our armies, when elections at the North pronounced against the administration, and when timid and disloyal people were clamoring for "peace at any price," this great man, discerning clearly that only by arms could the rebellion be crushed, acted upon this motto. He did not mean by this that a mere idle pretense of doing something should be kept up; he meant a steady pressure growing constantly more intense and effective; when volunteering flagged, he offered bounties; when bounties failed, he resorted to drafting. The army must be kept up and it must be fully equipped, and never did a more splendid army tread the earth, and never was money poured out with so lavish a hand. The end came, and it was worth all it cost.

The war settled two things—the unity of the nation and the freedom of the slave. One thing it did not settle—the future of the Negro. That question must be settled by his Christian education. This is just as plain to thoughtful men as it was to Lincoln that military force only could save the nation. But now as then, there are men who are discouraged and who say that this process of education will take a long time, and so, once more, the air is full of impracticable remedies—to take the ballot from the Negro—to transport him to Africa, to the West, to the North! The cry is, "the white man's supremacy" at any price. Now, again, is the time for Lincoln's motto, "keep pegging away," and that not merely in a perfunctory way, but by pushing more and more vigorously. In this moral warfare, volunteers must be encouraged. There is no need of special bounties, nor of drafting; only furnish the means to meet the meagre salaries, and the recruits will crowd to the field in abundance, but their numbers must be greatly enlarged. Hence the great need, as in the dark days of the war, of multiplying the means of equipment. The money should be poured out with a lavish hand to sustain a vastly enlarged working force. Money can never be spent at a better time, nor for a better purpose.

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$500,000

This is the sum recommended for the use of this Association by the National Council, and by our own Annual Meeting. These figures have not only these indorsements, but also the far greater one of the needs of the field. Some of our schools are packed to overflowing and scholars are turned away because there is no room, places are opening for enlarged church work which we ought to have the means of entering, and industrial facilities should be increased. The need for such enlargement is illustrated in part by the items which follow.

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Calls For Enlargement

Our schools, with scarcely an exception, are asking for more teachers for their over-crowded rooms, and two or three pulpits stand vacant because we have not suitable pastors for them. We are able to report great enthusiasm along every line of our work and a spirit of uncommon consecration among all our teachers this year. We are having a noble year of thorough work.

From Greenwood, S.C., comes this word: "For the last month we have had over two hundred and thirty students, and have refused between seventy-five and one hundred applications for admission because there was not one inch of room for them."

Our school at Meridian has outgrown the building erected for it, and has overflowed into the church. It is another illustration of the fact that the children of the emancipated freedmen are as earnest for education as were their fathers and mothers when they swarmed into the temporary schools provided for them.

A letter from Wilmington, N.C., says: "Without another teacher, I do not know what to do, unless it be to send away about twenty-five pupils. This I would be very sorry to do, as I would hardly know which ones to send and there would be no school for them to re-enter, as the public schools are full to overflowing; besides, many would consider it a calamity to be thus dropped out."

We have just opened anew the Storrs school, which was not re-opened in October with the other schools. The Principal writes us: "The joy of the people at witnessing the preparations is extravagant. One old man said to-night, 'There will be seven hundred scholars there when you open.' These are not 'the words of soberness,' probably, but the enthusiasm with respect to the re-opening of school is beyond all expectation." Five teachers have been sent and more are called for.

Our teachers in Troy, N.C., write us: "Can you not send us a pastor? There is such an earnest need of one. We really do not think the work here can prosper unless we have a pastor. We do the best we can. The prayer meetings are all well attended, but it makes one's heart fail, to think of these 'sheep without a shepherd.' The work is very absorbing. Is there no one you could send here, if only for a time?"

Through certain interferences with one of our schools at the South, on the part of some ambitious people there, it seemed at one time that we should feel it a necessity to reduce the grades and place two or three teachers in some other schools which are calling on us for help. We telegraphed them to remain, however, and the result is thus given: "Your telegram came this afternoon and the children were half wild when they got out of the school-house, running up and down the streets to tell the good news. A company of them met the chairman of the local school board, whom they did not regard as altogether friendly, and they shouted to him, 'We have got our teachers! We have got our teachers! The man says they can stay.' One old auntie came this afternoon to say, 'I'se heerd how they is trying to get the teachers away and I prayed and prayed to the good Lord to keep 'em.' Some of the boys are waist-deep in the water after clams to get their fifty cents for their week's tuition. It has been a great joy to me to see the character of the people when the unfriendly ones tried to break us up. They have shown much thought and ability, and they win our hearts by their faith in God."

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Notes From New England

By Rev. C.J. Ryder, District Secretary.

An exceedingly good plan for increasing the collections for benevolent objects has been hit upon by some members of a Boston church. They have what they call an "Extra Cent-a-Day Band." Each member pledges himself to lay aside one cent each day for some benevolent object. They elect a treasurer and put into his hands this "Cent-a-Day" fund, as they please, some paying frequently, others waiting until considerable has accumulated. At a given time each month they divide the accumulated contributions among the different societies as they may elect. The American Missionary Association has occasion to be grateful for this "Extra Cent-a-Day" plan in the pledge of about thirty dollars to its treasury. I pass it along in these "Notes," as these friends hold no patent right upon the method, and would gladly see it adopted in many churches.

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There seems to be a great localization of patriotic Christian thought in New England upon the Southern problem now, as there has not been since the war closed. I bought recently one of the leading magazines on the train, and the leading article in it was on the Southern problem. I picked up the Forum, and the leading article was on the Southern problem. Mr. Grady comes from the South to address the business men of Boston, and turns aside from questions which would naturally be discussed to speak of the Southern problem. At a recent meeting of the Old Colony Congregational Club at Brockton, Massachusetts, they invited two Secretaries to speak upon this Southern problem, and listened with patience to two long addresses. The discussion which followed indicated that the churches represented in that large and intelligent club were most earnestly pondering this Southern problem. In its importance, it overtops every other consideration before the citizens and churches of America to-day! Thoughtful people are coming more than ever to realize this. The processes of thought through which they have passed already, and the facts they have settled in their own minds, indicate a very hopeful condition of things. In the first place, they are sure that this is not a local or sectional question. It is a National question, and will involve the whole country in anarchy and misrule, unless the anarchy and misrule of the Southern whites are stopped. New England's voice will be heard in solemn and earnest protest, unless there is a radical change in the conduct of the dominant race of the South very soon. Such outrages as those at Barnwell, S.C., and Jackson, Miss., which are only types of many such, must be stopped.

Another fact that has been settled in the minds of the people here, is that the education and moral elevation of the Negroes is a matter of painful exigency; that the forces employed by the American Missionary Association in that field must be largely multiplied. The President of the Old Colony Club summed up the discussion of the evening by saying most earnestly that all this meant that the contributions to the American Missionary Association must be largely increased among the churches represented in that Club, if we would solve this terrible Southern problem, and save our country from this threatened danger.

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In this connection I was interested the other day in making an investigation as to the per cent. of church membership in the South and North. I discovered the following rather surprising comparison. The per cent. of church membership in some of the New England States as compared with that in the Southern States is as follows, not including the Roman Catholics: Massachusetts, 13 per cent.; Connecticut, 20 per cent.; New Hampshire, 19 per cent.; South Carolina, 32 per cent.; Georgia, 28 per cent.; Florida, 25 per cent.

It is evident from the comparisons that a larger percentage of the population in these Southern States are members of Protestant churches than in the Northern States. Notwithstanding this, this horrible system of persecution goes on. There are noble and true men who protest against it, but if the churches united in condemning it, we all know it would be stopped. What they need is not more churches, but better churches, those who emphasize the brotherhood of man as well as the fatherhood of God in this Southern portion of the land.

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The stereopticon lectures which are being delivered by Rev. S.E. Lathrop, are attracting much attention and receiving general commendation. Last Sunday, at Peabody, the people were so enthusiastic that they took a special collection of nearly one hundred dollars. Many churches in New England have enjoyed this treat, and receive the inspiration which the facts of the American Missionary Association must always give when really known and understood. Brother Lathrop is on his way into New Hampshire and Maine, where arrangements have been made in many churches.

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Some benevolent New England friends who have been in Florida, and have seen the destitution of the colored people there, have put into our hands five thousand dollars for the establishment of anew school in one of the destitute regions of that State. The good friends who are interested so largely in this move desired that the Secretary should go from New England with Secretary Beard, to determine just where this school should be located.

The South

Revivals

A gracious revival in Straight University, New Orleans, brings us glad tidings of the hopeful conversion of about fifty students.

Interesting reports from Talladega College give us information of a revival of religious interest in the school and church there. The college is looking forward to an enlargement of its theological study and Faculty.

Rev. Sterling N. Brown writes from Washington, D.C.: "We are in the midst of a most precious awakening. Forty-six souls have accepted the Saviour. Our meetings have been quiet, orderly and heart-searching. The Master is leading us."

Professor Payson E. Little, of McIntosh, Ga., reports an interesting work of grace in connection with the church and school at McIntosh. This is the place where the pretended Christ last summer appealed to the superstitions of the Negroes advanced in age and ignorant. It is pleasant to know that nearly all of those who were brought under the influence of this crazy fanatic, have now returned to their churches thoroughly ashamed of their experience.

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A Watch-Night Meeting

The very interesting sketch given below shows that the "old-time religion" in the South has not passed away, for this scene took place in one of the large cities and where schools have been sustained for years. The picture of the honored and worthy old preacher stands out conspicuously in the midst of this confused worship.

After the New Year's entertainment in our own church, we thought it would be interesting to some of the new teachers on our force to attend a watch-meeting at one of the churches near, so we started for a large barn-like structure bearing the imposing name of –. We found the building filled to its utmost, and instead of slipping into some seats in the rear unnoticed, as we had hoped, we found ourselves forced to the front bench where the stewards held posts of honor, which were immediately vacated for the "teachers." Many of these men then went behind the railing and stood in solemn state around the pastor as he exhorted the people in most earnest words to get their records clean before the opening of the new year.

I wish I could picture him to you as he stood before us that night, his hair just turning gray, indicating in one of this race extreme old age; a real "Uncle Tom" in appearance, and in character, I think; his history taking in much of slavery and of life as Presiding Elder. Many times has he stood on guard between Northern teachers and Ku Klux Klans. He told us that night that the grace of God in a man's heart would make him shine all over; he had seen it make a man who had not combed his hair for a year, grease his boots and his hair too, and then what a shining! And so on through his talk were the most earnest exhortations with his striking illustrations.

One of the members there once in praising a sister to me spoke of her having the ability to "groan so beautifully," and that night it seemed a special gift bestowed upon all. All through the pastor's exhortation the audience were keeping up a sort of rhythmic accompaniment with both body and intonations. Their responses during the prayers certainly have the virtue of fervency, if not of intelligence. At some times so great was the noise it was almost impossible to distinguish any leader whatever. One old "Father in Israel" seemed to be specially delegated to encourage the praying ones by calling out above all the din, "Come on, son, come on," right in the midst of the prayer. One woman near us "got the power" and went off into spasms. Then the pastor gave the invitation for all "mourning ones" to come to the altar, and about sixty answered the call. Then the groans and ejaculations became more intense, until at least three whom we could see were in religious spasms or frenzies. I know not how many others had the "power," that is, were able to scream above all the groaning at certain intervals.