[Illustration: CONTENTS]
EDITORIAL.
FINANCIAL, 129
PARAGRAPHS, 130
LINCOLN MEMORIAL CHURCH, 132
THE PRAYERS OF THOSE WHO PRAY, 133
AN INCIDENT, 134
THE SOUTH.
NOTES IN THE SADDLE, 136
REVIVALS—STRAIGHT UNIVERSITY—FISK
UNIVERSITY—SAVANNAH—STORKS SCHOOL, 139
CONCERT AT FISK UNIVERSITY, 142
THE INDIANS.
FAILURE OF THE SIOUX BILL, 144
THE GRAND RIVER MISSION, 145
THE CHINESE.
A NEW HOME, 146
BUREAU OF WOMAN’S WORK.
THE MOTHERS’ LEAGUE, 147
PARAGRAPH, 148
FOR THE CHILDREN.
DOLLARS FOR SELF AND CENTS FOR CHRIST, 149
RECEIPTS, 151
* * * * *
NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
Rooms, 56 Reade Street.
* * * * *
Price, 50 Cents a Year, in Advance.
Entered at the Post-Office at New York, N.Y.,
as second-class matter.
American Missionary Association.
* * * * *
PRESIDENT, Hon. WM. B. WASHBURN, LL.D., Mass.
_Vice-Presidents._
Rev. A. J. F. BEHRENDS, D.D., N.Y.
Rev. ALEX. MCKENZIE, D.D., Mass.
Rev. F. A. NOBLE, D.D., Ill.
Rev. D. O. MEARS, D.D., Mass.
Rev. HENRY HOPKINS, Mo.
_Corresponding Secretary._
REV. M. E. STRIEBY, D.D., _56 Reade Street, N.Y._
_Associate Corresponding Secretaries._
Rev. JAMES POWELL, D.D., _56 Reade Street, N.Y._
Rev. A. F. BEARD, D.D., _56 Reade Street, N.Y._
_Treasurer._
H. W. HUBBARD, Esq., _56 Reade Street, N.Y._
_Auditors._
PETER MCCARTEE.
CHAS. P. PEIRCE.
_Executive Committee._
JOHN H. WASHBURN, Chairman.
A. P. FOSTER, Secretary.
_For Three Years._
S. B. HALLIDAY.
SAMUEL HOLMES.
SAMUEL S. MARPLES.
CHARLES L. MEAD.
ELBERT B. MONROE.
_For Two Years._
J. E. RANKIN.
WM. H. WARD.
J. W. COOPER.
JOHN H. WASHBURN.
EDMUND L. CHAMPLIN.
_For One Year._
LYMAN ABBOTT.
A. S. BARNES.
J. R. DANFORTH.
CLINTON B. FISK.
A. P. FOSTER.
_District Secretaries._
Rev. C. L. WOODWORTH, D.D., _21 Cong’l House, Boston_.
Rev. J. E. ROY, D.D., _151 Washington Street, Chicago_.
_Financial Secretary for Indian Missions._
Rev. CHARLES W. SHELTON.
_Field Superintendent._
Rev. C. J. RYDER, _56 Reade Street, N.Y._
_Bureau of Woman’s Work._
_Secretary_, Miss D. E. EMERSON, _56 Reade Street, N.Y._
* * * * *
COMMUNICATIONS
Relating to the work of the Association may be addressed to the
Corresponding Secretaries; those relating to the collecting fields,
to Rev. James Powell, D.D., or to The District Secretaries; letters
for “THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY,” to the Editor, at the New York
Office.
DONATIONS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
In drafts, checks, registered letters or post office orders may
be sent to H. W. Hubbard, Treasurer, 56 Reade Street, New York,
or, when more convenient, to either of the Branch Offices, 21
Congregational House, Boston, Mass., or 151 Washington Street,
Chicago, Ill. A payment of thirty dollars at one time constitutes a
Life Member.
FORM OF A BEQUEST.
“I BEQUEATH to my executor (or executors) the sum of —— dollars, in
trust, to pay the same in —— days after my decease to the person
who, when the same is payable, shall act as Treasurer of the
‘American Missionary Association,’ of New York City, to be applied,
under the direction of the Executive Committee of the Association,
to its charitable uses and purposes.” The Will should be attested
by three witnesses.
THE
AMERICAN MISSIONARY.
* * * * *
VOL. XLI. MAY, 1887. No. 5.
* * * * *
American Missionary Association.
* * * * *
We have reached the half-way turning point of our fiscal year. With
March the first six months of our year ended. Our mission stations
are all manned. Churches and schools, with all their multitudinous
outshoots of work, are taxing the energies, abilities and devotion
of our workers. Never in the history of this Association was the
work more manifestly blessed of God, or more imperative in its
calls for vigorous prosecution. Our schools are crowded. Multitudes
of students are turned away because there is no room to receive
them. The calls pour in upon us from every quarter for more
dormitories and recitation buildings—for more help for worthy and
needy students, for more missionaries, preachers and teachers,
to go into regions most destitute and urgent for relief. Whole
counties are reported in which there is neither a church nor a
school; whole sections of country in which there are thousands and
tens of thousands of people for whose souls no one seems to care.
Revivals are reported in connection with nearly all our churches,
and the evidence is overwhelming that great harvests are waiting
the reaping in almost every direction. What are we to do? What
would the churches have us do? We are their servants; we report
to them the outlook; we send out to them the call; we impatiently
await their authoritative response. That response must be in money.
Our financial situation is this: At the present writing we have
paid out $14,555.84 more than we have received the current year.
This, with the debt coming over from last year, makes us $20,339.55
in arrears. It is impossible either to arrest or cut down the work
at this point in the year so as to secure relief. But even if we
could, would we be justified in doing it? Our total receipts last
year were $335,704.20. Our appeal for the current year is $350,000.
Our total receipts up to March 31st were $127,605.47. Our readers
can very easily figure out for themselves whether any blame can
rightfully be charged to those who have the management of the
Association in hand, and also whether, in view of the facts, the
thought of curtailment should be cherished for a moment.
On the basis of our receipts last year, we should have received
by the end of March $167,852, and on the basis of our appeal,
$175,000. It will be seen, therefore, that in the prosecution of
the work we have not exceeded the appeal of this year, nor even
the scale of last year. Here, then, presses our problem. Summer
is not a good time for collections. The necessity for special
appeals, such as we have been obliged to make during the past few
years towards the end of our fiscal year, has been as irksome
and disagreeable to us as it has been to our friends. It is on
this account we now raise the question: Cannot an effort be made
during the next two months to so increase the contributions to
the A. M. A. that the summer will find us delivered from possible
embarrassment? It will necessitate earnest work on the part of our
friends; but with such an important field urgently calling for
the enlargement of missionary work, with so many evidences of the
Divine approval resting upon it, and with so much ability in the
possession of our friends, may we not hope that the churches will
lay hold of the problem and solve it at once?
* * * * *
SUICIDE POSTPONED.—There is an old story with such a good moral
that we recall it to the minds of our readers. A man of large
wealth, living in Paris, became so tired of a monotonous life that
he determined to commit suicide. On his way to the spot decided
upon, it occurred to him that he might as well give away the money
that he had with him, which was quite a large amount. He found so
much pleasure in bestowing this upon the poor people whom he met,
that he concluded to postpone the suicide until he had had time
to enjoy some more of the same beneficence. It is needless to add
that, instead of disgracing himself by suicide, he became a public
benefactor.
SELECTED.
* * * * *
RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION.—“I have just been reading my AMERICAN
MISSIONARY for April. I am terribly stirred up by it—am under a
dreadful temptation to _covet_ money that does not belong to me. I
am poor and I have to pay for my board and my room, and cannot get
without stealing the wealth that is so foolishly spent by others.
“The treatment of the Chinese, too, is an _abomination_. I am
naturally high-spirited, and, although in my 83d year, do not feel
more meek and quiet than in my early years. It cannot be that the
blessed God whose ‘mercy endureth forever’ can look with favor upon
our nation. Alas! alas! what can be done?”
SUBSCRIBER.
* * * * *
One of our missionaries writes: “A man who has a family of ten
children, and next to no school privileges, came fifteen miles
with a daughter of sixteen years to see me about getting three
children into school. A good man, and deeply interested to educate
his family. But I had to turn him away for lack of room. Such
instances are constantly occurring. The only way the young people
on these mountains who live remote from school can be educated is
to hire rooms and board themselves.” There is a plea in these words
for the erection of dormitories to accommodate needy and worthy
students. Such dormitories would not cost much, perhaps not over
$500 each. But the current funds must be used for our current work.
Gladly would we tell our missionary to put up a few dormitories
and let these pleading ones be cared for. But we have no money to
appropriate. Can any of the readers of the MISSIONARY help us out?
Only we must raise the caution, that the help given at this point
should not be allowed to interfere with gifts to our general work.
* * * * *
SECRETARY BEARD has taken hold of the Southern Department of our
work with a great deal of earnestness. He has just returned from a
somewhat extended apostolic visitation of our churches and schools.
Many of our readers will remember Dr. Beard’s enthusiasm and zeal
for French evangelization, but he stands ready to confess that
the necessities underlying the work of the American Missionary
Association far exceed any that he has ever felt for mission work
before. We knew it would be so. It is simply impossible to convey a
full idea of the far-reaching needs and to set forth the imperative
claims of the great work in which the A. M. A. is engaged.
* * * * *
The friends of the Indians have watched with much solicitude the
action of the recent Congress on the numerous bills before it
relating to Indian affairs. It is a matter of great rejoicing
that the most important of these, the General Allotment Act, has
passed. This allows the Indians to take their lands individually
by allotments and patents, and makes the allottees citizens of the
United States. This bill is far-reaching, and covers in a measure
the objects aimed at by some of the others which failed. Among
these last is the Sioux bill, which proposes to divide up and
dispose of parts of the Sioux reservation in Dakota. In another
column will be found an excellent article, by Rev. A. L. Riggs,
showing the loss, and yet the incidental benefits, that may arise
from the failure of this bill. We will only add, that some of the
provisions of the Sioux bill can indirectly and after some delay be
carried out under the General Allotment Act.
The failure of the Mission Indian bill is a source of unrelieved
regret and indignation. These Indians, whose sad story is told
so pathetically in Helen Hunt Jackson’s “Ramona,” are still left
unprotected, and their lands are still exposed to the incursions
of unscrupulous white men. It is to be hoped that the nation will
demand of the next Congress that justice shall be done to these
Indians.
* * * * *
Lincoln Memorial Church, Washington, D.C., has hitherto carried
on its work in the Lincoln Mission building. This building is
held in trust by the Lincoln Industrial Association to sustain
educational, industrial and religious work. This association was in
no way connected with the church; it had several local enterprises
under its auspices in the same building in which the work of the
church was carried on. Thus the growth and usefulness of the church
were greatly hindered, as it had no control of the building and
the various enterprises carried on in it. It was clear that a
church representing a higher type and standard of Christian life
and worship than the average church of this community was greatly
needed in this growing section of the city. It was also evident
that if the Lincoln Memorial Church should supply this demand,
steps should be taken to so adjust the property and renovate the
building as to make a permanent church home and to promote the
most hopeful growth of the work by putting all the departments
of work carried on in the building under the management of the
church. Secretary Beard and Superintendent Ryder, of the A. M. A.,
and the pastor and officers of the Lincoln Memorial Church held a
conference, October 29, with the Board of Directors of the Lincoln
Industrial Association to consider the most practical plan of
putting the control of the property and all departments of work,
educational, industrial and religious, carried on in the building,
under the auspices of the Lincoln Memorial Church.
After the subject was fully discussed the following resolution
was unanimously adopted by the Board of Directors of the Lincoln
Industrial Association: “_Resolved_, That the Lincoln Industrial
Association hereby declares itself in full sympathy with the desire
of the Lincoln Memorial Church that the entire property, together
with all the auxiliaries in Christian and industrial work, be put
under the direction of the Lincoln Memorial Church here organized,
and to that end any additional action necessary will be carried
out.”
When the action of the conference was presented to the church it
was voted that the church accept the trust and that steps be taken
immediately to repair and improve the church and parsonage and
all other parts of the building, as far as practicable, so as to
make the building more desirable as a place of worship and center
of Christian work, and a home for the pastor’s family. A building
committee was appointed and an appeal was made to the public and
friends for funds for the immediate repair and improvement of the
building.
* * * * *
“THE PRAYERS OF THOSE WHO PRAY.”
One of the devoted workers of the A. M. A., telling in a simple
yet thrilling way of his heroic work in the South, concludes his
article (in THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY for March) with a request for
the “prayers of those who pray.” What can he mean? Does he not,
when struggling to put up a building in the wilderness, want money
more than prayers, or at least as much? Would he not be glad of
anyone’s sympathy and prayers? Very likely; but yet we see in his
request an unconscious recognition of the fact that those who make
a business of praying are the ones whose help is worth something;
whose sympathy is palpably felt.
Those who pray! Oh, what a blessed thing is habit, when rightly
guided. How much pleasanter to make effort, to do work, in familiar
channels. What added life does it give to our intercourse with the
Father to realize that he is already acquainted with us, that he
has heard us on similar subjects before, that he knows the general
trend of our desires and longings already. When we go before a
court of law with our suits we employ an experienced pleader to
present our case, and rightly; his training, his _habit_, is the
lubricating element; without it progress would be slow, difficult
and tedious. In spiritual matters we cannot do our pleading by
proxy; priests were abolished when Christ made himself accessible,
through the Comforter, to every heart, and we must now act each
for himself; therefore let us see to it that we do not make this
part of life uninteresting, unfruitful and dreary from sheer
stiffness, inexperience and unfamiliarity. James says (v. 16) “the
supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.” A
righteous man is one who is working in lines approved by God, and
this necessarily implies that he is in communication with God;
therefore the maker of this appeal is right in addressing himself
to those who are used to praying; there is every probability that
they will be “righteous men” and that their prayers will “avail
much.” What sort of a phenomenon is a church member who is not
in the habit of praying? Even though his subscription to the A.
M. A. this year be a liberal one, what certainty is there about
his action next year? One who prays for this worker in Tennessee,
and gives him a dollar, or a dime, may be of more real help than
a giver of ten dollars who does it merely as a duty, or to quiet
his conscience. The former has enlisted his _friendship_; and an
accessible friend is better than a brother afar off—even if he be a
millionaire, oftentimes.
The _prayers_ of those who pray! Ah, yes, that is it. Love and
sympathy are what move the world. If one loves us we need not worry
about his material gifts to us. If a child of God prays for us he
has a real interest in us and will _try_ to give us money (if we
are in need of it); and the exertions of such are multiplied a
hundredfold by God’s arithmetic. “Those who pray” find that God
doesn’t require them to assume the attitude of Abraham, “Oh, let
not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once.” If the
loving children of God were permitted to only send up one brief
prayer and then have to step back, their interest might die out.
No; the rule is “pray without ceasing,” “_whatsoever_ ye ask.” God
can raise up helpers out of the very stones of the ground; but he
is not likely to do it unless he sees that his children desire and
need the help and will faithfully use it. Let us all _pray_ for the
faithful ones who carry our burdens by going into the wilderness
to do God’s work in our stead, who relieve us of a portion of our
duty by doing more than theirs, and our material aid will certainly
be larger and of more value than it could possibly otherwise be.
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Our prayers follow our
thoughts; if we think and pray as benevolent persons it is likely
that we shall be benevolent.
SUBSCRIBER.
* * * * *
AN INCIDENT.
“Will you come with me, to-day, and visit some of my poor people?”
said a Southern lady missionary to me, on my first visit to the
sunny South.
Of course I would go. I was anxious to meet with my brethren
and sisters whose skin color differed from my own. I longed for
acquaintanceship with them, to see what they had received.
We soon reached a conglomeration of cabins that had a ridiculous
resemblance to rooks’ nests. How does it come that sticks in old
age look so much more disreputable than stones? These wooden cabins
looked far worse than the stone hovels of Achil Island. These
lately enfranchised people living here were all renters, and they
paid the utmost possible rent for the poorest possible shelter.
The cabins were built in clusters of four, so that one corner of
each rested against a clumsy chimney, built in the middle in such a
manner that each cabin had a corner fire-place.
In one of these little tenements, in an old arm-chair, cushioned
with shreds and patches, and set close into the chimney corner,
sat a very old colored woman, with her shaking hands spread out to
gather to her the warmth of the fire of fat lightwood splinters
that blazed and crackled before her. The damp, chill wind whistled
through every crevice and cranny of the rough, ill-matched boards
of the door and the slight wall. The whole cabin was almost as airy
as a corn crib. It was admirably built for ventilation, and was in
the full enjoyment of it.
The old woman, popularly supposed to be over a hundred, looked
around at us, her face one mesh of wrinkles, her wool as white as
snow, but she was wonderfully bright and cheery. She was a great
sufferer from asthma and rheumatism, could not lie down in bed at
all, but was confined to her chair night and day. She was one of
those of whom I had been told as having a near acquaintance with
her Lord as with a personal friend.
“How are you to-day, Aunt July?” said my friend.
“Howdy’, howdy’? I’se well, an’ glad to see you, honey; bress de
Lawd.”
“I’ve brought a friend with me to see you; a friend from over the
sea.”
“Bress you, honey, I’se glad to see you, too. De good Lawd sends
his chilluns to look me up. He does so, ’cause he don’t ever forget
me.”
“The box has come, Aunt July, and I’m so sorry that there’s nothing
in it at all that would fit you; nothing but children’s things.”
“Bress de good Lawd, it’s a-comin’; I feel it’s a-comin’, but it
wasn’t to come in dat ar box, sure enuff, honey.”
“I did wish and pray for a warm woolen shawl to wrap around you at
night when the fire goes down,” said the missionary lady, kindly.
“You see,” turning to me, “the nights are quite cold this time of
the year, and see how open the cabin is. If she could only lie
down in bed and cover up warm, but she cannot, and she must suffer
dreadfully when the fire goes out. I do wish so much that she had a
shawl.”
“Well, honey, you is kind to ole Aunty, an’ I’se thankful; but we
wasn’t ’greed ’bout dat ar’, honey. You ask de Lawd for a shawl,
an’ I ask for sumpin’ warm, wid sleeves in it, so’s not to slip off
in de night when I falls asleep an’ de fiah done gone out.”
“You see, I’se real glad when de sleep comes,” she said, looking
at me; “I’se glad of de rest in sleep, but de fiah done go out. My
son, he’s jest as good as he ken be to me, an’ he leaves heaps ob
wood, but when I sleeps de fiah done go out. I ask de bressed Lawd
to sen’ me sumpin’ with sleeves, so’s it would keep on when I’se
sleepin’.”
Then I suddenly remembered a long wrap of Canadian factory material
that had been with me in many a mountain ramble over the water. I
had put it in my trunk without any very definite reason for doing
so, against all the good natured ridicule showered upon me by
friends. I had not used it, seemed to have no use for it, until
this need flashed upon me. Before many minutes it was fished out
of the bottom of my trunk, brought there and fitted on the aged
sister. It was warm, it had sleeves, and when it was buttoned on,
it reached to the ground.
“It’s just like my bressed Master, dat is,” said old Aunty, her
sunken eyes shining with gladness. “I ask fer sumpin’ warm, with
sleeves, an’ he sen’ me what cover me all over down to de feet.
Bress de Lawd, it is allars above what we ask. Now you can see how
He done care fer ole Aunty. It’s allers jest so, He cares.”
I looked at her, old and poor, asthmatic and rheumatic, helpless
and dependent, and her thankfulness shamed me. In putting on the
wrap, my friend pointed out the scars of ancient floggings ridged
and furrowed in the dark skin. The ploughers had ploughed on her
back, and made long their furrows. She was one of His. Was this in
any way being in fellowship with His sufferings? She was old, very
old, ten years past the allotted period of three score and ten, she
believed, when the tramp of armies heralded freedom for her in the
sunset and twilight of her life.
“I’se sitting in my cheer, such a cumf’able cheer, an’ my heart is
singing all de time, because my bressed Lawd ’members me an’ loves
me, an’ answers all my pra’rs.”
My heart did not sing all the time. I had questionings, and even
murmurings. I looked around the cabin; there was no comfort or
possibility of comfort to be seen. Abject, helpless poverty was
the sum total of all her surroundings. She was dependent on what
could be spared from the scant wages of her son, a Southern day
laborer with a large young family. Living thus on the perilous edge
of want, and her heart singing all the time with thankfulness! To
think of it!
“What do you feel thankful for?” I asked. The words leapt out
before I was aware.
“Thankful, chile! I’se thankful for all my marcies, for all de
goodness from my bressed Master that come to me. I allers wanted to
be free ’fore I died; now I’se free. Thank God an’ Massa Linkum,
I’se free! My heart was sore for my chilluns, sole away from me
befo’ the wa’, an my bressed Master find one for me, brung him
here after the wa’; my oldest son, he is. I fin’ my two gals, or
they fin’ me; they’se married down yer’, an’ they’se all good
to me. It’s allers jest so since I got ’ligion. God has answer’
every pra’r, an’ best of all, He stays by me in the dark an’ in
the light. Oh, honey, my heart does well to be thankful an’ keep
singin’ all de time.”
The surroundings seemed to change, glorified by the secret of the
Lord. My heart went out to this old negress with her scarred form,
for was she not a dweller under the shadow of the Almighty? I
thankfully acknowledged my relationship to her, for was she not a
daughter of the King, and higher up than I?
MRS. A. M’DOUGALL.
* * * * *
THE SOUTH.
* * * * *
NOTES IN THE SADDLE.
BY FIELD-SUPERINTENDENT C. J. RYDER.
Le Moyne Institute, at Memphis, Tenn., like almost all of the A.
M. A. schools this year, is full to overflowing. A large number of
pupils have been turned away for the want of accommodations.
The Industrial department of Le Moyne Institute is receiving
constant additions. A printing outfit has recently been procured,
and the students are busy over “fonts” and “pi,” though no
printer’s devil has as yet appeared. The scholars have done some
good job work already and are thus turning their industrial
training into immediate practical benefit. The other departments
of the Institute are keeping step with its industrial development.
Le Moyne is broadening its influence constantly and sending its
roots deeper and deeper into the intellectual and religious
soil of Memphis. It is recognized as one of the most beneficial
institutions in the city by the citizens of all shades of political
opinion.
The Congregational Church stands immediately opposite the
Institute, and students are especially welcomed into its services
and membership. If New England Pilgrimism of early days is
reproduced anywhere it certainly is in the work of the A. M. A. The
Church and the School are the joint and inseparable agencies for
the building of character.
* * * * *
A trip down the Mississippi Valley is a revelation to one who has
never passed over this route. This valley is the garden region of
the old South, that is, those States east of the Mississippi. It
is asserted, and truthfully, I think, that two and one-half bales
of cotton are sometimes raised for every man, woman and child of
the population of this valley. The land is a deep alluvial loam
and produces crops of great variety. Cotton, corn, potatoes (sweet
and Irish), wheat, oats, and sugar cane are some among the many
products that grow luxuriously here. This region has been avoided
by settlers in the past, because of its unhealthfulness. In the
old slave days, planters lived in the highlands, back from the
river, and worked their plantations by slave labor. The death of a
slave was only unfortunate because of just so much lost live stock.
God equalizes things in a strange way. Now, these very people who
occupied these lands and tilled them for others are acclimated and
can live here and gather the enormous wealth of this wonderful
valley. The railroad company has offered unusual inducements
to settlers of small capital to take lands here. Five thousand
colored people have poured into this great garden spot during the
past eighteen months and others are constantly coming. What an
opportunity for A. M. A. work! Pleading invitations come to me from
many places along the line of this valley, begging me to come and
see their needs. Churches and schools and missions are demanded all
through this region _immediately_. Tougaloo University was never
so well fitted as to-day to meet the needs of these people. Its
two new Ballard buildings greatly increase its accommodations and
facilities. But other schools, less advanced and comprehensive,
are needed, which shall meet the immediate wants of these new
communities, and also be feeders to Tougaloo.
* * * * *
At one place a considerable colony has settled under the leadership
of a former student of Fisk University. He is, of course, a
Congregationalist, and desires the best educational advantages
for this new and growing colony. What could not be accomplished
here during the next few years if only the treasury warranted the
outlay? At Greenville, in the heart of this fertile valley, a small
Congregational Church, planted and nurtured by the A. M. A., is
holding up the standard of intelligent preaching and decent forms
of public worship. The Church has no meeting-house, but holds its
services in a school building, the property of a colored citizen,
who is the editor of the Greenville _Herald_, a sprightly local
paper.
* * * * *
The Mississippi River is making fearful havoc along its banks. At
Greenville, fifty feet of ground fell away in a single day. Brick
buildings are being torn down and frame buildings hurried back
on rollers to save them from the mad waters of the mighty river.
Where the streets of the village were, a few months ago, now the
river runs more than a hundred feet deep. This is a boom in real
estate not thoroughly enjoyed by the citizens. It is attributed to
the failure of the River and Harbor bills, and the citizens are
very indignant. I am happy to state that our pastor’s home and the
proposed site of the new Congregational Church are far back from
the river, and no one need withhold his increased contribution to
A. M. A., on account of this needy field, for fear the real estate
will wash away.
* * * * *
At Vicksburg I found quite a number of A. M. A. graduates. One
hangs out the shingle of an attorney and is doing “tolerably well,
thank you.” Two are teachers; one of these, a graduate of Straight
University, N. O., has done splendid service for his people and
won honor for himself. He is Superintendent of the city colored
schools, having ten teachers under his direction. He has saved his
money and now owns two comfortable cottages and is out of debt; not
a bad showing for a young man only a few years out of college.
* * * * *
Louisiana is reaping the harvest of her former seed sowing.
Arozelles Parish is agitated over the outrages recently perpetrated
against the Hebrews. Witkowsky, it will be remembered, was driven
from his home in this parish last fall. Now these outrages are
being repeated against others of that same race. I quote from a
local paper: “The anti-semitics rode up to the Kahn store and
riddled it and the surrounding fence with bullets. Next day Kahn
and Bauer were served with notices calling attention to what the
mob had done, and warning them to leave the parish at once if they
wished to save their lives.”
The Governor of Louisiana is exhorted to stop these outrages. Why?
It is only a continuance of the policy of violence and murder that
has so often brought disgrace upon this and other Southern States.
It matters little whether the victims of these brutal outrages are
Negroes or Hebrews. Anyone who chances to be obnoxious to the Lords
of the Land may meet the same cruel treatment. But better and
brighter days are slowly coming, when all classes can demand and
shall receive the impartial protection of the laws. Perhaps this
new violence to the Hebrews may arouse the public conscience.
* * * * *
REVIVALS.
STRAIGHT UNIVERSITY.
Those acquainted with the history of this institution affirm that
it has never before been visited by just such a work of grace as is
now gladdening many hearts.
The year, unlike some that have preceded it, has been free from
serious and protracted interruptions. Neither Expositions nor
epidemics have made great breaches in the classes or diverted
attention from matters of first importance. Though our classes
have been unusually crowded, the amount of faithful scholarly work
accomplished has been greatly above that of ordinary years. There
has been a quiet, intense determination on the part of pupils to
master the subjects in hand, that has greatly encouraged their
teachers. Many pupils have expressed a praiseworthy dissatisfaction
with their work and a longing to do it better, and have seemed glad
to devote recreation and holiday hours to gain a better mastery of
difficult subjects.
Accompanying this zeal for the acquisition of knowledge there has
been, from the week of prayer, a deep and growing tenderness on the
subject of religion.
While there have been no special revival services, the regular
weekly religious meetings of the University, both voluntary and
those in the regular order, have been attended and sustained with
the most earnest enthusiasm and by about the same numbers.
Some four weeks ago a request was made after the Sunday evening
preaching service, that those who had lately become Christians
would remain. Several who had given good evidence of a change of
heart were absent from the service, but fourteen remained and bore
glad witness to personal experience of the Lord’s saving power.
Since then the work has gone on steadily, and about _one soul a
day_ has come into the light. The Spirit is revealing His presence
in all grades of the University, and boarders and day pupils are
witnessing to His saving power. The work is very quiet, deep and
wonderful. There are over forty-five who give evidence of having
been “born from above.”
The following incident illustrates the peculiar graciousness of the
work as it was modestly related by one of the teachers last evening
in Faculty meeting: “Yesterday noon, as my scholars were passing
out of the room, a boy stepped out of the line and stood waiting to
speak with me. When all had left the room, I said: ‘Well, B., what
can I do for you?’ With a voice broken with emotion, he exclaimed:
‘Oh, Miss P., I want to be a Christian; I have wanted to be one
for a good while, and I want you to pray for me.’ I was surprised,
as he had given me considerable trouble for weeks, and I had not
thought him seriously inclined till that morning.
“‘I certainly will pray for you,’ I replied; ‘would you like to
have me do so _now_?’
“‘Yes, ma’am,’ was his earnest response.
“Turning the key in the lock, to avoid interruptions, I knelt with
him and asked the Lord to help him give up everything. He tried to
pray, but could only say, ‘Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!!’ and broke into
sobs. I then opened the Bible and read, ‘Come unto Me,’ ‘I am the
Way,’ and other passages. He having regained his self-possession
as I opened to him the Scripture, I said: ‘Now, is there anything
you have not given up—anything you are not willing to give up for
Christ?’ ‘No,’ he answered, firmly, ‘I do not care for _anything_;
I want to be a Christian.’ I was obliged to leave him here, and did
not have a chance to speak with him again that day. This morning
he was a little late, but something in his face as he said ‘good
morning,’ told me that the struggle was ended. This noon he again
left the line, and without waiting for his mates to pass out, held
out his hand, joyfully exclaiming: ‘Miss P., I want to tell you
that I have found Jesus; I found him last night, and I am happier
than I have ever been since I was born; I mean to serve Him as long
as I live.’ I never heard a more earnest and hearty confession of
Christ.”
The frequent occurrence of incidents like this fill all our
hearts with deep awe and invest every act and word with a tender
solemnity. We feel the majestic presence in our midst of One
seeking and saving that which was lost.
Pray for us, brethren, that the will of God may be fully wrought
among us, and these youths, so eager for that education which is so
necessary for the future well-being of the South, be enriched above
all other getting with “the gift of eternal life.”
M. L. BERGER.
FISK UNIVERSITY.
The time has come in the religious history of the year in Fisk
University when an account of the work done may be given. I have
no doubt that it will interest and encourage the friends of the
Association.
During the week of prayer for the Y. M. C. A. among colleges, the
young men of the institution who belong to the Y. M. C. A. of Fisk
held meetings and did good work among the young men who do not
profess to be Christians. As a result, three or four were hopefully
converted.
The week of prayer was observed in the institution, meetings being
held immediately after supper. From the beginning to the end the
attendance was large and the interest great. The meetings continued
four weeks, and have just closed. Twenty-five of the students have
been converted, including the three or four who were converted
during the week of prayer held by the young men. The interest
culminated at the meetings during the day of prayer for colleges.
The afternoon meeting of that day was one of the most remarkable
ever held in the University. At the beginning of the meeting,
President Cravath gave the following statistics of the higher
grades: Students in college, 42, professing Christians, 37; Normal
students, 40, professing Christians, 36; College preparatory
students, 46, professing Christians, 34. Total number in higher
grades, 126; total number of professing Christians, 121, or about
86 per cent.
The key-note to the meeting was given by George McLellan, a former
graduate, who had studied theology at Hartford for a year. He said
that in a meeting at Hartford he found that Fisk had a larger
percentage of Christian students than any other college represented
in the meeting, but that the students of Fisk were not entering the
ministry in such large numbers as the students from other colleges
were.
The key-note once struck, a most interesting discussion arose
as to why the students of Fisk were not entering the ministry.
Different causes were assigned, which may be reduced to one or
two. There is not sufficient inducement offered to the young men
to become ministers; the claims of the ministry are not presented
with sufficient stress; the churches are so few and so small that
the prospect is very discouraging; if a young man offers himself
for the ministry, he must go North to study theology, where he is
in danger of being educated out of sympathy with his people. The
Southern schools have no well-equipped seminaries in which young
men may be educated.
The meeting closed with this question still uppermost, and at
night it was taken up by common consent and another hour spent
in considering it. It was felt by all that the time had come for
the establishment of a well endowed theological seminary for the
schools in the South.
H. S. BENNETT.
SAVANNAH.
The revival in Savannah and vicinity began with the church in
Woodville in November, spread to McIntosh, thence to Savannah.
Results: somewhat more than two hundred appear desirous for the
Christian life, and great renewal to activity among the members
in these churches. The presentation of the sole essential—a
crucified Saviour; Scriptures linked in argument like shields
in the Phalanx, and pressed day after day by Evangelist James
Wharton, of Barrow-in-Furnes, England, are not to be lightly
esteemed if no conversion had resulted. The man who holds that the
congregations gathered in A. M. A. churches cannot be moved by the
_Book, was not_ present during these services. March 6, at our
feast of in-gathering, the Savannah Church gave the right hand to
twenty-nine new members, in part the fruit of this revival.
Tender and thankful were the tears of joy shed by the faithful
teachers as those converted in answer to their prayers stood
forth to confess the Saviour. The harvest from seed long sown was
there in the converted mother, at whose recall a Magdalen home
is purified, and a son and daughter stand on either hand, making
the gracious picture complete. Let Shelburne, Mass., hear this
testimony, “I have never been at rest till now since I was in one
of Miss Hardy’s mother-meetings long ago.”
DANA SHERRILL.
STORRS SCHOOL.
The last has been a month of much labor and of much rejoicing
as well, for the Lord has blessed us—in school and church—we
feel. Nearly one hundred conversions in our school and in our
Sabbath school, and a great quickening among those who had grown
indifferent. I never felt so close to the Master, more that His
spirit was so in our midst; and yet there was no excitement—just
a ready willing surrender of the heart and life to Jesus. Some of
the converts are “little ones,” and some are youths and some are in
mid-life. In my own class of young men, ten have found the Saviour
and eight of them are to unite with our Church next Sunday. I think
there are forty who are proposing a public uniting with us at that
time. It is a time of great anxiety for us. The young feet will
wander if not guided by earnest Christian admonitions. I need not
say we are tired and trying to rest a little before our spring term
opens next Monday.
H. J. M.
* * * * *
COMPLIMENTARY CONCERT TO GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE OF TENNESSEE BY
FISK UNIVERSITY.
The Mozart Society, under the direction of Prof. Spence, has just
given its concert complimentary to His Excellency the Governor,
and the Legislature of Tennessee. The Governor was unable to
attend on account of sickness in his family, but sent a letter to
Prof. Spence expressing his regret. This is the third time that a
complimentary concert has been given to the Legislature, at its
different sessions, but this one was probably the most successful
in every sense.
The whole chapel was reserved for our guests; no tickets being
sold, and the students not attending, that there might be room for
the entire body. A few leading citizens, both white and colored,
were invited, and the Faculty and teachers of the University
were also present. The night was warm and pleasant, and students
appointed for the purpose met our distinguished guests at the
street car, a quarter of a mile distant, escorting them up through
the unlighted street.
The Hall, however, was brilliantly lighted, and when the concert
began was well filled, still others coming in later in the evening.
The Mozart Society, consisting of fifty members, with piano, organ,
violins, flute and cornet, occupied the raised platform in front.
The Society includes all grades of students, but more especially
are they from the advanced classes, as the very difficult music
which they render requires all the mental power of which they
are capable. Prof. Spence is the soul and life of the Society,
and gives himself to it with an energy and enthusiasm that is an
inspiration to all the members. They have studied music from the
great composers for several years, and during the present school
year have devoted themselves especially to the Oratorio of Elijah.
The first half of the concert consisted of selections from this
Oratorio.
All who are acquainted with the music know that it is simply
sublime and that it must be a most unappreciative soul that can
listen to it without being deeply moved.
The opening chorus, “Help, Lord! Wilt Thou quite destroy us?” was
so full of pathos and of pleading that it seemed to subdue and
quiet the whole audience. Indeed, the _silence_ that prevailed
throughout the entire rendering testified to the interest felt.
When they sang, “Lord! bow thine ear to our prayer!” the breathless
stillness in the house made us feel that much of real prayer was
there, and we wondered if hearts that had never before felt God’s
presence might not be touched by His spirit. Then came the wild
cry of the priests of Baal, loud and long and despairing, with the
mocking of Elijah, who says, “Call him louder, for he is a God.” A
few times the audience broke into applause, but generally expressed
themselves by quiet attention.
Probably the style of music was new to many of them, and it was
interesting to watch the faces of different ones as they listened.
Some were at first perhaps disappointed, evidently not expecting
that kind of music, but a growing and deepening interest marked
their faces as they sat watching as well as listening.
When Elijah pleaded for rain, and the people cried, “Help, send thy
servant help, O God!” “Hear from heaven, and forgive their sin,”
the listening attitude of the audience seemed to express sympathy
with the sad refrain, and when, at last, the grand chorus, “Thanks
be to God,” burst forth, it was almost overwhelming. What a lifting
up of voices it was! it with a piercing sweetness that rent the air
and bowed all hearts before it.
The second part of the concert consisted of Jubilee songs, college
songs, and patriotic songs, more popular music, but to some of us
it was a letting down from the heights to which we had been lifted.
It was received, however, with demonstrations of delight, which
could not have been expressed for the first part, if it had been
felt. Almost everything was encored. The college songs were full of
rollicking fun, and the Jubilee music brought rounds of applause
again and again.
When “Good news, the chariot’s coming,” and “Silver Slippers” were
sung, the dignified legislators got to beating time with their feet
in real camp-meeting style.
“Way down upon the Suwanee River” was sung with a softness and
sweetness that reminded one of Jenny Jackson in the old Jubilee
days. It was listened to with breathless attention and followed by
prolonged applause.
The concert closed with “America,” beautiful and grand, as it
always is. The whole audience rose to their feet and joined with a
heartiness which showed that the “old time” has indeed “gone,” and
“new times” for the South, white and black, are already here.
H. M.
* * * * *
THE INDIANS.
* * * * *
THE FAILURE OF THE SIOUX BILL.
This bill, known also as the Dawes Bill, for the opening of parts
of the great Sioux reservation and settling the tribal boundaries
of each division of the Sioux nation now occupying it, failed to
become a law by the fatal objection of one man, Representative
Holman.
The bill was warmly advocated by the best friends of the Indians as
being the best possible compromise with the tide of civilization
pressing in on these people from every side. The Black Hills were
seized by the whites first, and bought afterwards. It was hoped to
prevent the recurrence of such robberies. It was also felt that
these Indians needed to be forcibly reminded that their condition
has changed, and that they must speedily adapt themselves to the
ways of civilization or go under. The majority of them accept
this idea in theory, but are very slow to adjust themselves to it
practically. The thing they are slowest about is to select for
themselves good lands for homesteads. They are loth to separate
from each other, and few of them have any idea of what good land is.
Here may be one of the ways in which the postponement of this
measure will be a blessing. Time is something much needed in the
Indian’s re-adjustment of himself to the new conditions of life.
If he can only be encouraged now to exert himself to establish a
separate home and open a farm; if he can be guided so as to avoid
serious mistakes, he will come out the better for the delay. Let
the Christian public throw their sympathy and interest towards
securing this end. The Government is well disposed, but cannot act
alone. It will do what the public demands.
What is needed is the multiplication of such sub-agents as our Rev.
John E. Smith at the Ponca Agency, Dakota, who is both Government
teacher and our missionary. He knows every man, woman and child in
his charge, and just what they are doing.
Or take our native missionary, Mr. Francis Frazier, at Burrell
Station, Swift Bear’s colony. He is himself a practical farmer,
_and an Indian_. What Indian has done, Indian can do.
Now, if such men were planted all over the Sioux country in
charge of small colonies of farming Indians, properly backed up
by Government, the progress of this people would be rapid. As it
is, the colony from Rosebud Agency at Swift Bear’s have to choose
between the barren lands near the Agency, or spend half their time
traveling back and forth over the one hundred and forty miles to
their farms located in the best land of the whole reserve. There
is no encouragement in that for an Indian to choose land that will
bring him a living when Government rations cease.
* * * * *
THE GRAND RIVER MISSION