The American Missionary. Volume 49, No. 04, April, 1895

    Dr. William M. Taylor.

"When men know the grace of Christ they will never feel that they have given Him enough. Until they know it they will never give Him anything. They may contribute to keep up appearances so as to be like other people or to gain a reputation, but they will never give to Him until they know His grace. Before men give to Christ they must receive from Him, and when they have received Christ Himself into their hearts they will be impelled to give, impelled not compelled; for the delight and the duty will co-exist, or rather the duty will be merged in the delight."

    Dr. William M. Taylor.

Wanted, to supply demands for libraries, copies of The American Missionary for January, February, March and April, 1862, January, 1866, January, 1867, and January and August, 1875. Also, copies of The Annual Report for 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863.

RECEIPTS FOR FEBRUARY, 1895

CURRENT RECEIPTS

Clothing, Books, etc., Received at Boston Office:

South Berwick, Me. Mrs. K. B. Lewis, Bbl. Mdse.,for High Point, N. C.

Billerica, Mass. H. A. King, Overcoat, for Nat, Ala.

Lanesville, Mass. W. L. Saunders, Pkg. Men's C., for Nat, Ala.

Westford, Mass. Mrs. A. S. Wright, Bbl. and Box C., etc., for Pleasant Hill, Tenn.

West Newton, Mass. Miss Alice Williston Bbl. C. for Nat, Ala.

Receipts of the California Chinese Mission. William Johnstone, Treas., from December 2, 1894, to February 21, 1895:

    H. W. HUBBARD, Treas.,
    Bible House, N. Y.

EXTRACT FROM AN ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION

BY HON. FREDERICK DOUGLASS

I esteem it an honor to have been invited to speak a word in this presence upon this very interesting occasion. I am here, however, not so much to deliver an address, or to make a speech, as to put myself on record. I am here to pay a debt long due. I have wished, by my presence here, to emphasize my gratitude to the members and friends of this Association for the beneficent work which they have done, and which they are still doing, for the people with whom I am identified. I would not disparage the labors of any other organization in this direction inside of the church. I am thankful to all such, but I know of none to which the colored people of the Southern States are more indebted for effective service than to this American Missionary Association.

Long before the abolition of slavery, this organization bore a consistent and faithful testimony against that stupendous wrong. When it was abolished this Association did not disband nor discontinue its work, but went forward as earnestly as ever to advance, enlighten and elevate the colored people of the South.

There is a beautiful story told about a little child in the orphanage of John Falk at Weimar. They were having supper in the dining hall, and the teacher gave thanks in the ordinary way before the children began their meals, saying, "Come, Lord Jesus, and be our guest to-night, and bless the mercies which Thou hast provided." One little boy looked up and said, "Teacher, you always ask the Lord Jesus to come, but He never comes. Will He ever come?" "Oh, yes, if you will only hold on in faith, He will be sure to come." "Very well," said the little boy, "I will set a chair beside me here to-night to be ready when He comes." And so the meal proceeded. By-and-by there came a rap at the door, and there was ushered in a poor, half-frozen apprentice. He was taken to the fire and his hands warmed. Then he was asked to partake of the meal, and where should he go but to the chair which the little boy had provided? As he sat down there the little boy looked up with a light in his eye and said, "Teacher, I see it now. The Lord Jesus was not able to come Himself, and He sent the poor man in His place. Isn't that it?"

Aye, that is just it. And so, brethren, the Lord Jesus isn't able, according to his plans for this world, to come personally yet among us, but He has sent these colored people, Chinese, Indians and heathen, to make appeal in His behalf to us, and who among us will set a chair for Him? There are many friends with whom I hardly agree who are very anxiously waiting for the appearance of the personal Christ among us, and they are wondering what they shall do to welcome Him. Would that the eyes of these brethren, and our own, too, were opened to the perception of the Christ that is already here, in the persons of those needing to be helped and educated and elevated, and that their ears could hear His words, "Inasmuch as ye do it unto one of the least of these his brethren ye do it unto Christ." That is the Christian philosophy of giving, and if a man does not feel the force of these considerations, I should be disposed to say he has not yet begun to be a Christian.

    REV. WILLIAM M. TAYLOR, D.D.