The American Missionary. Volume 44, No. 01, January, 1890

At Helena, I found a most interesting state of things. Our church is in a country place called "The Colony." The church and the colony began their existence together, and a more prosperous community of colored people it would be hard to find. They own several thousand acres of land, and are in every way ahead of their white neighbors. The school house of the latter was a poor tumble-down affair and the children were untidy, while the school house of the former was a neat, painted and well-kept building, crowded in school hours with bright, enthusiastic children—clean and polite. The teacher was from Talladega College and has taught here for five years. His school is pronounced the best in the region for white or colored. The pastor of this church has charge also of the Congregational Church at Goliad.

Corpus Christi is a curious town on the Gulf of Mexico. It has about 6,000 people—Americans, Mexicans, Negroes, Italians, Greeks and Chinese. The Negroes here hold an unusual position, being regarded as in every way superior to the Mexicans and Italians. Our pastor here is popular with all classes and has been chosen an alderman of the city, and is treated with as much consideration as any other of the City Council.

Our church is one of the oldest Congregational churches in the South, and has had a very interesting history. With the exception of the Roman Catholic church it has the best house of worship in the city. On Sunday afternoon, Rev. Mr. Strong, the Congregational pastor, and myself attended service at the Roman Catholic church. We went into the body of the church and took a first class seat, and the fact that one was colored did not even draw attention to us. It was taken as a matter of course. The colored people of Texas are taxed for $20,000,000 of property. In the cities they make up about one-third of the population. An enlargement of our church work in this State is greatly needed.

Straight University in New Orleans, La., is an inspiring place. I found the buildings packed full—seats full, chairs in the aisles, in the corners and on the teachers' platforms—all full. About one hundred and fifty applicants had already been sent away for want of room, and they were still coming, as many as ten often being refused in a single day. They were here not only from the States, but also from Mexico, the West Indies and Central America. I saw here some remarkable work in moulding done by a student in the fifth grade, who had never been trained, but who seems to be impelled by real genius. Straight University has a unique position and opportunity. Its influence is now great; it is destined to be boundless.

From the Chicago meeting I made this trip. The meeting was inspiring, but what I saw in the field, of character-building and the uplifting and refining of a race, was more than inspiring—it was thrilling.

At Dodds and Roxton a few hymn books are needed. A dozen or two Gospel Hymns or other singing books for each church would do great good. Papers for the children are also needed. They should be sent to Rev. Mark Carlisle, Dodds, Texas.

Papers for the children could be well used at Paris, Texas, Rev. J.D. Pettigrew; Dallas, Texas, Rev. Mr. Holloway; Helena and Goliad, Texas, Rev. M. Thompson; Corpus Christi, Texas, Rev. J.W. Strong.

REVIVAL AT WASHINGTON, D.C

    BY REV. GEO. W. MOORE.

There have been over forty conversions reported and thirty have been added to our church on profession of faith. There is a revival now in progress at the Freedmen's Hospital as a direct outgrowth of our meetings. Several of the young people of our church, including some of the converts, were instrumental in leading a number to the Saviour. I am planning to assist them in dealing with inquirers there, to-night. There have been revival services in three other churches. The meetings held in our place were indeed a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.

Our chapel was crowded on Thanksgiving morning; the sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Grimke, pastor of the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church, followed by an address by myself. The pastors of the Berean Baptist Church, Methodist Church and the Lutheran Mission were on the platform, the Plymouth Church holding a service of their own. In the evening we held a Thanksgiving praise service, in which about one hundred persons, including thirty-five of the converts, gave short thanksgiving testimonies.

Last Sabbath I baptized fourteen by immersion and received twenty-seven into the church on profession of faith, and three since, making a total of thirty. Rev. Eugene May of Osage, Iowa, one of the delegates I met at the World's Sunday-school Convention this summer in London, gave us a powerful sermon on the characters of "Dives and Lazarus Contrasted." In the evening I preached a sermon to the church on "The Christian Armor" and we had the Lord's Supper. Last night, after addressing the young Christians on "The Way to God," as illustrated by the worthies of Hebrews eleventh, we had them testify on how they came to Christ, the one thing they did and what they got. The answers were all intelligent and to the point. Decision was what they did, and Christ was what they got, were the answers put in various forms. At the close of the meeting I asked a gentleman, a member of another church, the Berean Baptist, who always attends our special services, to say a few words. He testified to the help and inspiration he had received from the meetings; that he had never listened to clearer testimonies of conversion than those given by the converts, and that they were doubly blessed in having "our pastor," "yes," he said, "I will say our pastor, for he is pastor to this whole community and city, lead you to Christ, and train you for service." His remarks were warm and sympathetic, but too personal for me to report more than the above, which is but the key-note of the kindly feeling that many of the best Christian people of other churches have toward us, as they have seen our little church come up from almost nothing to its present position of service in this community. It has been the Lord's doings and it is wondrous in our eyes. We have already begun the work of training these young disciples for service, while we have our nets still spread to catch sinners for Christ. Our motto for the year is: To win souls for Christ and to train them for His service.

A GLAD THANKSGIVING

    BY MISS MARY A. BYE, WILLIAMSBURG, KY.

If any one had been the least bit homesick or unhappy from any cause on Thanksgiving day, it would have done him good to spend the day at Williamsburg Academy. Our boys and girls were so happy all the day that no one could feel tired or sad. After breakfast the boys thought it hardly fair for them to have all the holiday while the girls had to work, so they borrowed aprons and helped the girls. Dishwashing, sweeping and all the various branches of housework were done in a very short time, and everybody was as merry as could be. The boys declared that they were glad to have learned something which they did not know before, about the work the girls had to do. Our very tallest boy, over six feet in height, was instructed in the mysteries of scouring knives. He said he had no idea how knives were cleaned, and thought his Thanksgiving lesson worth learning.

After the housework was done the boys gathered a great quantity of holly, and our pretty new dining-room was profusely decorated. All the family then attended the Thanksgiving services in the Christian Church; that is all except the "Mother," who must needs watch the dinner in process of preparation. We had a real Thanksgiving feast, in all except that our turkey was fried chicken.

Mr. Tupper contributed oranges, which were quite a treat. One of the girls came to mother very much excited, eyes wide open and hands up, exclaiming "O, Mrs. Bye, what are them big yeller things in the dining room?" When told that they were oranges, she said, "Law! I never seed none before." There were others who had never tasted them, and they watched closely to see how the teachers managed them, before they ventured to eat theirs. Two of the teachers had written Thanksgiving verses on cards tied with ribbon, and placed at each plate. After dinner we moved our chairs back and read our verses, after which we sang "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," and I think it is rarely sung more heartily. Then again the boys donned the aprons and cleared the tables and washed the dishes, while the teachers watched the fun and laughed until we were tired. While the molasses was boiling, the scholars played games in the sitting-rooms. Then came the "candy-pull," and very sweetly closed the day's festivities.

I am sure we went to prayer meeting in the evening with very thankful hearts. Some of the scholars said it was the happiest day they had ever known.

It is a constant wonder to me to see the improvement in our girls, and their interest in their work. They are so eager to learn to do things well that I cannot think of my work as one of sacrifice, as some work may be, for the joy of it overcomes all such thought.

STRAIGHT UNIVERSITY, NEW ORLEANS

    REV. C.H. CRAWFORD.

Much interest is manifest in our meetings for prayer, a number of students having expressed a desire to become Christians. I have organized a class for the instruction of Christian workers. It is composed of both teachers and students, and numbers about twenty-five.

A young man came to my study to be shown how to become a Christian. After instructing him and showing him the promises, there still seemed to be something in the way. Questioning him, I found that he was expecting some wonderful experience. He had specially in mind the remarkable conversion of a certain young man of his acquaintance. He was hoping for the same. I said to him, "Now you want to know that you are a Christian. Which would you rather have for evidence, an experience such as that young man had, or God's word for it?" After waiting a moment to take in my meaning he replied, "God's word." "Do you believe on Jesus Christ?" "Yes." "Well, here you have God's word, John, 3:36, 'He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life.' Will you take God's word?" After a moment's deliberation came the answer, "Yes, I will." Then we knelt down and prayed. This, I trust, was a soul born into the kingdom.

One of our theological students reports the following admonition from an ignorant preacher much older than himself: "You go to school and get education. In five or ten years the people will not listen to such preachers as I am."

TILLOTSON INSTITUTE, AUSTIN, TEXAS

Our school is opening very auspiciously. Never before have so large a number been here at the beginning of the term. And the requests for the privilege of coming are numerous, so that if all come who are asking to do so, we shall be over-full. We are greatly pleased with the spirit with which the new year's work is taken up. There are more each year who come prepared to enter the higher grades, which shows that the common schools of Texas are improving.

The Christian Endeavor Societies, of both the young men and the young women, have elected their officers and are ready to begin work again, and the Temperance Society will do the same, this week.

One of the students who has been with us from the beginning of our school, has left us this year and gone to Oberlin, where he has entered the Sophomore class. We miss him much, but bid him "God Speed," for the need of workers is great, and we are hoping much from him in the way of work among his own people.

    R.M.K.

THE INDIANS

MISSIONARY LIFE AMONG THE DAKOTA INDIANS

    BY MRS. J.F. CROSS.

It is hard to get the most interesting experiences of a missionary's life, because they belong to the daily routine and so are often unmentioned. But here is a description of life and travel among the Indians, by the wife of a missionary just going to the Dakotas:

The land of the Dakotas—what a distance! How long the miles seemed from my home! How frightful the land seemed to me, from the tales of blizzards and cyclones! How strange to go to live among the Sioux Indians, known to me principally for the Minnesota, Fort Fetterman and Custer massacres; to be a friend to Sitting Bull, Brave Bull, Gall, Grass, Swift Bear, Red Cloud and many others with names no less picturesque! With such impressions I left my home to accompany my husband to his home and work at Rosebud Agency, South Dakota.

I was soon relieved of the idea of the distance, for only a few hours took us across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota to the border of Dakota. Here we left the railroad to attend the general conference of the Dakota Mission at Flandreau. How quickly all the impressions of years can be changed, when the impressions are wrong and we see the true state of affairs. In this case, seeing hundreds of bronzed faces, lighted up with joy, as they sung "I hear Thy welcome voice" in their own tongue, there was enough to change all my former opinions of Indians in general and of the Dakota Indians in particular. It was like coming into a new world. That is, it was finding those whom I thought belonged to another, lower, baser life, living the same life with myself; rejoicing in that which is my greatest joy—childhood with God the Father. And after meeting Ehnamani, Grey Cloud, John Wakeman, Spotted Bear, and many others; after hearing them discuss living topics—living topics to them because they belong to the change from heathen to Christian life; after hearing them pray—though I could not understand a word, yet from their earnestness I could understand the spirit of their prayer; after all this, I could scarcely believe that these men had ever been Indians in paint, feathers, dances and on the war path. Thus I spent my first four days among Indians. And even if preaching, prayers, discussions were in an unknown tongue, I perhaps, understood as much as I would at many a Presbytery or Conference meeting. And I got as much good from the Dakota sermon as I have from many an English sermon.

Not the least pleasing of my new impressions were those made by the missionaries present. Rev. John P. Williamson, of Yankton Agency; Rev. A.L. Riggs, D.D., of Santee Mission and Normal School; Rev. T.L. Riggs of Oahe, or rather the apostle to the Tetons, were the life of the meetings whether in English or Dakota. They came from and returned to the work to which their lives are given. I did not meet these men with the greetings of a certain minister there, who asked, "How many years have you been in the Indian work." "About twenty," was the reply. Then the minister said: "Well, you have been in the work so long that you would not be much good anywhere else." My impression was that such men would be now, as they always have been, successful in any field of labor. But I must leave Flandreau with its citizen Indians, ready to vote for prohibition in the Constitution of South Dakota, for this is not our field of labor.

The next scene is one which I shall long remember—our reception at a mission home. Other homes may be happy and other people may welcome me to their homes; but few—none that I have met—can welcome one so cordially as Mrs. Riggs welcomed us to her home at Oahe. This is a long-to-be-remembered experience. And after spending a week at Oahe, meeting the teachers and pupils of the school, and the citizen Indians there we started for our own home and work, Park Street Church Station. This place has been the home of my husband for a year.

Crossing the Missouri is one of the first of our experiences. The team and wagon are loaded on the boat, the men row a few rods, then the boat stops. "Bar," remarks Mr. Cross, "got to tow;" when, horrors! "Is this a missionary I see?" Mr. Cross is in the water, sometimes to his knees, sometimes to his waist. Thus they tow the boat a half mile. From the way they hold their breath the water must be cold. Well, it is October 10, in blizzard-swept Dakota. But after two hours of work we are safely landed on the west side of the river and soon we are toiling slowly out of the breaks of the river. After a ride of a few hours we come to a creek with no water but plenty of wood. Here dinner is announced. This is camping in earnest. This is not play. Camping in the East is generally within sound of the cackle of the hen and the low of the cow. But here you must live off of the land or out of your mess-chest. We combine the two. Many hotels and families could learn a good lesson from an experienced traveler and camper. In less than thirty minutes from the time we stop, horses are unharnessed, fire built, prairie chicken dressed and cooked, coffee made, table spread, blessing asked and we busy with the tender and juicy chicken. This is the same order at each meal.

At night we sleep on the earth and under the sky, with but little between us and either sky or earth. This is a new and somewhat larger bedroom than I have been used to. But with no house within twenty miles we are unmolested. What a place! I listen. "All the air a solemn stillness holds." I look. "So lonesome it is that God himself scarce seems to be there." But the clear air and quiet night soon lull me into unbroken slumber. Thus we travel until we reach Park St. Church Station, where we find our comfortable log house of one room ready to receive us. Though we reach the house at eleven o'clock at night, a full half dozen come to greet us, saying, "Catka, winyau waste luha, lila caute ma waste." "Left Hand, (Mr. Cross) you have a good woman, so I am happy." Sunday comes; at eleven o'clock we go to the neat little room, chapel and schoolroom. Here fifty men and women with children of all ages, listen with eagerness and attention to Mr. Cross as he tells them of the wise men who came to seek Jesus. Some of the faces are dirty, and so is much of the clothing. But all listen as if they perhaps might see this same Jesus. This is Dakota, our field, our people to save.

NEW CHURCH AT FORT YATES, NORTH DAKOTA

    REV. T.L. RIGGS.

On Sunday, the 8th, we took steps here in the organization of a new church. By invitation, two of our Oahe Church, Solomon Bear Ear and David Lee, were present from the Cheyenne River Agency, and it was judged wise to organize. The Apostles' Creed and a short Covenant were offered as Articles of Faith and the pledge. The nine members of our Oahe church whose homes are at Grand River and Fort Yates will become members here on dismission at Oahe, and the native workers and other missionaries will also transfer their connection, so that if all do so, the new church will have a membership of eighteen or twenty.

In connection with these services the new chapel was dedicated to the Master's service by public expression; it has already been so consecrated. I doubt not, in the heart of the giver of the funds, as well as by the prayers of all who have been interested in it. Is is a bright, pleasant room within, and has a snug appearance from without. I think Mr. Reed has made a very creditable success in this his first building.

THE CHINESE

CHINA FOR CHRIST

    BY REV. WM. C. POND, D.D.

It is quite possible (though I do not distinctly remember about it,) that our readers have seen this caption at the head of my articles more than once already. Be that as it may, I am sure that such persons as read this Magazine cannot be weary of it. It is the motto of our corporation adopted twelve or thirteen years ago. It then looked rather magniloquent for a work so humble as ours; but there was promise in it, and prophecy, and nothing less would satisfy either our Chinese brethren or myself. This promise and prophecy begin to be fulfilled. We hoped then, and now we are gladdened by oft-recurring confirmations of our hope, that we were laboring not only for these sojourners in our own land, but for a mighty multitude to be reached by their testimony, and to be leavened by the influence of their example.

This will be illustrated for our readers by the following extract from an address delivered by one of our brethren at the last anniversary of our mission at Santa Cruz. His English will require a little straightening, but for the most part, I will give it just as spoken:

Dear Friends: I am glad to see you all here this evening; and that you have an interest in the Chinese work. I will tell you a few words about myself, what experience I had in my native land. I left California to go to China, July 15, 1887, and after thirty-one days, reached my home. I found a piece of red paper on the wall above my cooking place, with the name of the stove-god written on it. We call it "Doy Shin;" "Doy" means "Stove," "Shin" means "god." Every family worships the stove-god at the cooking place. The first of every month they burn some punk, and twice every month make a fresh cup of tea, which is left standing on the stove. I found that several thousands of punk had been burned during my absence, and the ends of the sticks were left in the bowls. I felt very sorry for it; so I tore up the paper and break the punk-sticks in pieces and burn them up. My wife felt very indignant, and was afraid the stove-god might be angry and make me sick, and punish me. I say: "Nothing to be afraid of. But I am only afraid that the true God in heaven will punish me if I do not tear up the paper and burn up the punk-sticks." I say: "I must entirely abandon this superstition and must give this testimony for Christ. For he is the only God that can preserve my life, and the only one that can take it away."

In the mean time, a Chinese preacher who was supported by the Methodist Mission was very sick. His children were very small and his wife cannot walk. There was nobody to go after a doctor for him. So he sent for me to call doctor and get medicine. He and myself were the only Christians inside the walls of the city. Outside in the villages were a few Christians, but fifteen or twenty miles away. My wife advised me not to go to his house lest I get sick also, for my health was not very good. I say to her, that only he and I are Christians in this place. I have to go to his house. I rather die than not go. In about twenty days he die. We sent for the Christian friends, from different parts—some thirty to fifty miles away—some nearer. So we bury him the Christian way. The men carry the coffin. They charge four dollars to bury him, because he is Christian. The others they charge only two dollars. We also hire music for the funeral—different from the heathen funeral. Several hundred people were standing on the way, watching us pass by. Some say: "How funny the burying of the Yason dog,"—i.e., the Jesus boy.