Thus the Association, so far from confining its work to the cities, is
doing a very large share of its work in the country and among country
people. Some of this work has been long-continued and has achieved a
widespread and beneficial influence in the neighboring communities. The
self-denying devotion of many years is reaching a most blessed fruitage,
and those who have given the strength and vigor of a lifetime to the poor
and despised now find their closing years brightened with the sight of
what has been wrought by their long labors for the advancement of the
Kingdom of Christ. The picture of the Oaks congregation at their church
door is an illustration. There, among the plantations, are two sisters who
have given their lives, until the shadows of age have fallen upon them, to
missionary work in behalf of the poor colored people. One of them is
growing blind and the other has already become so. While the former feels
constrained by her failing sight soon to give up her school work, her more
aged sister has an intense desire to continue, while life lasts, her
labors in behalf of those whom she has come to love, while bringing
blessings to them. Well versed in the Scriptures, she continues to gather
classes of young men and plantation teachers and teach them from the Bible
to prepare them to instruct better those still more ignorant than they.
Although urged by her friends to give up this ministration, she cannot
bring herself to any other course than that of doing all she can until
"the night cometh when no man can work." It is at once a pathetic, an
inspiring and a joyful picture to see this aged blind woman, surrounded by
her students, opening to them the Scriptures and instructing them in the
religion of their common Master.
In contrast with the quiet home and school work carried on by these two
women and yet to the same end are the labors of such a country pastor as
Mr. Collins. For a number of years, while carrying on regular church work
at Troy, he has also had charge of several other churches riding scores of
miles every week, fording the streams and facing the storms in all kinds
of weather. At Dry Creek and Nalls, Pekin, Carter’s Mills and Malee, he
has preached regularly or occasionally and has watched with incessant care
and labor the development of missions throughout a wide tract of country.
The influence of these churches has pervaded many communities. Calls have
come to him to develop new church work simply because the poor people of
other churches have seen and felt the higher standards of piety and purer
lives among many in the Congregational churches and have desired that they
too might have the advantage of such ministers.
[Illustration: CHURCH AND SCHOOL, BEAUFORT, N. C.]