led to feel the force of these words with somewhat of the surprise
of their author, within the last two or three weeks. My work among
this people has been, I confess, a little discouraging; but now the
Lord has smiled upon us, aye, He has showered upon us blessings
from heaven. Brother Thompson, from Helena, has been with us the
last four weeks. We have worked together, and God has crowned our
feeble efforts with success. In our conference we decided to hold
a series of religious meetings, intending thereby to stir up, if
possible, the members of the church to greater activity. These
meetings were commenced, and, as they continued, the interest
deepened, both Christians and sinners being impressed. Many rose
and asked the church to pray for them. To our great surprise
and joy, sinners have come flocking home, backsliders have been
reclaimed, the church has been made alive, and many out of Christ
are inquiring. The manifest result of our season of revival thus
far is, that six have been added to the church. Four young ladies,
all under twenty-three years of age, joined by the profession of
their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. One who had backslidden came
and acknowledged her sins, professing her belief that God had
forgiven the same, asked pardon of the church, and was received
back again into the fold. Another came, by letter, from the Baptist
church. He was formerly a member of this church, and, as he said,
he “only came back again.” And let me say, that these meetings
were not characterized by excitement; not the least “shouting” was
manifest during their continuance, but there was a deep seriousness
shown upon each countenance. The colored people here are so wild
and physical in their religious meetings, while our church is so
quiet, that they speak skeptically about our Christianity. An A. M.
E. minister asked one of our young converts to-day, when she was
converted. They are still looking through Elijah’s wind, earthquake
and fire for the appearance of God, and but few wish to receive Him
through the “still small voice.”
Our financial condition is not what we could wish, but in the
circumstances I do not think it could be much better. The members
failed this year to meet their pledges; they are fifty dollars
short. But this was caused by having to meet unforeseen expenses.
We enclosed our church lot just before Christmas. I advised them to
do this, as the edifice was so much exposed. The carpenter’s work
I did myself, and charged them nothing for it. My Sabbath-school
is quite prosperous, but it is not so large now as it has been.
Children need something to draw their attention. I find that they
are wonderfully attracted by music. We need an organ; but we are
too poor to buy one. Will some kind friend send us an organ for our
Sabbath-school? I am sure that great good could be done with an
organ in attracting the attention of children and drawing them in
from the streets. There are numbers of children strolling around on
the Sabbath. Children here are allowed to go where they wish. If
they want to come to my school, they come; if not, they stay away;
and parents have but little influence over them in this respect. I
would like to capture such, and I think I should be able to do this
with music and papers.
Cannot some of the friends of the missionary cause send us their
old Sabbath-school papers when they are done with them, remembering
that God will bless their beneficence?
* * * * *
TENNESSEE.
Material and Spiritual Value of the Yellow Fever Fund.
MISS HATTIE A. MILTON.
Various sums were sent to our treasury for the relief of the
yellow fever sufferers. This little fund has been distributed in
New Orleans, Memphis and Mobile. The accompanying letter from Miss
Milton shows the manner of its distribution in Memphis:
“Most of those whom I found worthy of relief were people who were
suffering from the effects of the fever, and could only make money
enough to pay the rent. To such, a few barrels of coal or some
provision and shoes gave a start, so that they could get on very
well alone. We have had an unusually cold winter, and people have
consequently needed more fuel, the sickly ones often having to
remain in bed to keep warm. A pastor of one of the colored churches
has been a great help in this work, by reporting needy cases in
his part of the city. One poor woman, whom he reported, when
visited, said, ‘Sure the Lord must have sent you, for I have tried
ever since I had the fever to get help, but being blind could not
succeed.’ She was furnished with fuel and provision. She then said,
‘You see how good the Lord is to me because I trust Him.’
“Another man had always done very well until he had the fever, from
which he partially recovered, but had a relapse which laid him on
his bed for months. His wife also was sick, and the family were
in great distress when I visited them, and sent relief, which so
encouraged them that the man was soon able to be at work again, and
is doing well now. I had never gained access to this neighborhood
before, but by relieving this family I gained the confidence of
the people, and they invited me to hold a weekly prayer-meeting
there, which is well attended. Several families which have been
relieved now send their children to our Sunday-school. Although
several thousand dollars were sent here to relieve yellow fever
sufferers, many of the colored people received but little, some
nothing. It is very sad to hear of those who were so feeble that
they could not stand in the ranks to await their turn at the relief
office, but sat on the ground till night came, and then receiving
no attention, went home to die! One man, who had always been a good
provider, sent his family to the country during the fever, but fell
a victim to it himself, and died, leaving his wife a nice house
and lot, but with several debts unpaid, and not a dollar for her
support. Within a week after his death a beautiful baby opened its
wondering eyes for the first time in this world of trouble. The
poor heart-broken mother, instead of welcoming the tiny, helpless
creature, only looked at it with tearful eyes and an aching heart,
as she had nothing for it, most of their clothing being burned
when her husband died, to prevent the spread of the disease. When
I found her, the baby was three months’ old, and had never had but
two garments, and the mother could not leave the three little ones,
all under four years of age, to get work. She was relieved, and now
the cold is nearly over, and as she has rented her house and taken
small rooms herself, she saves a little money, which, with the work
she can get, will, she hopes, keep the wolf from the door, and she
is very thankful for the relief that came just when she most needed
it.
“I will only add that this relief fund has at least doubled my
field of work, besides doing much to call the attention of the
people to our school. May God’s blessing rest on those interested
in this good work.”
* * * * *
AFRICA.
* * * * *
NATIVE PREACHERS—AN ADVANCE CALLED—TEN NEW
COMMUNICANTS—SUNDAY-SCHOOL NEEDS—THE FARM AND MILL.
REV. A. E. JACKSON, AVERY STATION.
We are all enjoying a moderate degree of health, which, of course,
is quite encouraging to one laboring in this country, and helps
him to enter upon the year’s work with renewed vigor. Finding
that I was unable to reach a very great number of country men who
live too far from my station to attend services, I have in such
localities established preaching stations conducted by the hands
employed in the Mission. They meet me each Saturday afternoon, so
that I may explain to them the passages of Scripture that they
are to use on Sunday at their respective stations. Great good is
thus being accomplished. One station, in a very beautiful little
town of about twelve hundred inhabitants, is conducted by my
interpreter. The meetings are full of interest, and doubtless great
good will be accomplished by its thus being established. The chief
himself is learning to take a very great interest in the meetings,
and, of course, if he expresses an interest in the meetings, the
subjects will always attend very largely. I hope to see the chief
converted before a very great while. Another station is maintained
in a smaller village, where I trust to see greater interest soon
manifested.
Avery is the most interior station held by the American Missionary
Association in Africa. This one step has been taken, and a
sufficient time has elapsed since to teach us that it is all
important to push our work farther into the country. There lies on
either side of us a vast territory, densely populated by an anxious
and thirsty people who are dying for want of the truths of the
Gospel.
In regard to the work at Avery, the new year has opened up quite
favorably to us in all our departments. The church I am glad to
say, is progressing far beyond all expectation. Sunday, Feb. 9, was
our communion day, and it did seem as if the presence of the Lord
was with each one in spirit and in power. There were added to the
church ten souls, who were that day with us permitted to partake
of the Lord’s Supper. Another feature connected with the church
work is full of interest, and that is the prayer meetings. They
are, as a general thing, largely attended by the country men, and
great interest is manifested among them. We hope that many will be
brought to the Lord during this year; but this will depend very
greatly upon earnest prayer on the part of the Christians at home.
One thing is discouraging, and that is the condition of the
Sabbath-school. We have no papers, no Bibles, and scarcely any
singing-books, with which to carry it on. All who know anything
of Sunday-school work are perfectly aware that much depends upon
the interest that one is enabled to keep up among the children and
adults by such means; it is so with you in civilized countries,
much more so in a heathen country, where one is required to teach
them everything. Now I am sure that some Sunday-school or some
lover of the Christian cause will respond to this, my most humble
appeal in the name of Christ, and send such books, papers, etc., to
Avery Station as he can afford.
The agricultural department is progressing nicely. Our coffee farm
is in a flourishing condition. Many of the trees are in bloom, and
some have on them many berries of coffee. I think by another year
a greater part of the trees will be bearing well. Our mill is now
undergoing repair, and we hope to have it in perfect running order
by April 1st.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
* * * * *
“CALIFORNIA CHINESE MISSION.”
Auxiliary to the American Missionary Association.
PRESIDENT: Rev. J. K. McLean, D. D. VICE-PRESIDENTS: Rev. A. L.
Stone, D. D., Thomas C. Wedderspoon, Esq., Rev. T. K. Noble, Hon.
F. F. Low, Rev. I. E. Dwinell, D. D., Hon. Samuel Cross, Rev. S.
H. Willey, D. D., Edward P. Flint, Esq., Rev. J. W. Hough, D. D.,
Jacob S. Taber, Esq.
DIRECTORS: Rev. George Mooar, D. D., Hon. E. D. Sawyer, Rev. E. P.
Baker, James M. Haven, Esq., Rev. Joseph Rowell, Rev. John Kimball,
E. P. Sanford, Esq.
SECRETARY: Rev. W. C. Pond. TREASURER: E. Palache, Esq.
* * * * *
SOME POINTS ON THE CHINESE QUESTION.
Rev. WM. C. POND, SAN FRANCISCO.
1. There are two sides to the question. Many Christians, both
laymen and ministers, are earnestly opposed to Chinese immigration,
for reasons which seem to them ample and even imperative. As
against such reasons, vituperation and contempt fall powerless. But
it should be observed that these reasons do not—with, at most, two
exceptions—apply to Chinese immigration alone. The Irish laborer
underbid the native American, and crowded him out of the field. In
some cases great suffering temporarily ensued. But the American
at length found other and better fields to which, indeed, the
Irishman’s toil prepared his way. It would be so again. The Irish,
French and German immigrants have brought with them principles
and practices sadly at variance with those which gave us free
institutions, our Christian Sabbaths, and our happy homes; and
thoughtful Christians viewed this influx of an alien element with
great alarm for many years. For the same reasons, and some others,
they cannot but view with anxiety an influx from the heathen
nations over our Western sea. But what did we do about it in the
former case? Did we lock the door? Did we attempt to dyke back the
incoming tide? No; but we said, We will meet these people with the
Gospel; we will bring their children into our public schools; we
will make the very air they breathe redolent with the principles of
a genuine Christian liberty, and thus we will make them no longer
Irish, or French, or Germans, but, in the second generation, if not
the first, Americans all. And this process is saving the nation’s
life. Why not try it again with the new immigration from the old
Orient?
2. But there are two _special_ reasons for opposing this Chinese
immigration; one is, that it consists of unmarried men, homeless
and vagrant, and our country needs homes; the other is, that they
are exceptionally clannish, refuse to associate and assimilate with
us, and remain, after thirty years, as much an alien race as when
they first arrived. I feel the force of these facts, but is there
not a cause? They are, it is true, a very conservative race; slow
to change, and ardently attached to their native land; but if it
were otherwise, I submit whether the courtesies they have received
are of the sort which would specially incline them to fall in love
with our country or ourselves. The Chinese _can be Americanized_;
and in response to treatment such as European immigrants receive,
would long ago have begun to make homes and to identify themselves
with us. And, by the grace of God and the power of the Gospel,
they might have been, and may yet be, educated into intelligent,
patriotic and useful citizens. He who doubts this ought no longer
to profess and call himself a Christian.
3. There is no occasion to be frightened lest we be overwhelmed by
a rush of Chinese immigrants. The lapse of thirty years finds about
100,000 in the United States, and to-day they are going faster than
they come; going, not because they are frightened, but for the very
sensible reason that they can do better elsewhere. The supply has
exceeded the demand. The wealthier Chinese find their impoverished
countrymen thrown upon their charities, and they use every
influence they can bring to bear to restrain others from coming.
What if there are 400,000,000 of them just across the sea; they may
as well stay there and starve, as to come 10,000 miles and do the
same. If the recent bill had become a law, and had been executed,
no others in all the land would have profited by it so much as the
Chinese in California.
4. The anti-Chinese mania seems to neutralize, even in otherwise
honorable men, all scruple about ascertaining the truth of
statements before they make them, or even about repeating
statements proven to be false. I brand it as a falsehood that the
Chinese in this country are in any sense coolies. They are freemen.
If they have borrowed money to come here, it has not been of the
Six Companies; nor are the terms on which such loans are made in
any wise different from those on which a New Englander might borrow
in order to “go west.” I brand it as a falsehood that there is
among them any _imperium in imperio_, defying our laws, and meting
out to its victims punishment even unto death. The Six Companies
are voluntary societies for mutual aid. Sometimes, instead of
going to law, our Chinese agree to refer matters in dispute to
the presidents of these companies as a board of arbitrators; but
such arbitration is in principle and practice exactly that which
American business men often resort to; exactly that which between
Christians ought to be always a sufficient substitute for suits at
law. Some years ago Chinese merchants were able to arrange with
the steamship companies to sell no tickets to Chinamen unless they
could show what has been incorrectly called a permit from one or
the other of these companies. The object was to prevent men from
leaving with their debts unpaid. In order to obtain one of these
passes, a man must announce at the office of the company to which
he belongs his intention of returning to China, and thus give his
creditors, if he have any, an opportunity to protest. The result
is, I suppose, that the glorious Anglo-Saxon liberty of running
away from unpaid bills is, for them, somewhat curtailed. But our
Congregational Association of Christian Chinese has the same
authority to issue passes that the Six Companies have, and its
passes are equally respected. And for years no Christian Chinaman
has recognized any obligation to either of these companies in any
way. I go into detail on this point, because much has been made of
it, as an out-cropping of that _imperium in imperio_ of which so
much has been said. It goes the length that I have stated, and no
further.
Finally, I brand as falsehoods the representations constantly made
as to the success of missionary labor among the Chinese here. I
am sure that Mr. Blaine would not wilfully belittle such a work.
He is a follower of Christ, and a friend to his fellow-men, but
he has listened to those who were neither of these, or he would
never have said that “not one in a thousand have even nominally
professed a change from heathenism, and of this small number
nearly one-half had been taught in missionary schools in China.”
The known and counted results are more than five times as large
as the “missionary,” (?) whom he quotes, represents, and of them,
I venture to say, that not one in a hundred ever entered the door
of a mission-school in China; while their conversion has not
been merely nominal and negative, “_from_ heathenism,” but real
and positive, to a faithful, prayerful, earnest Christian life.
Meanwhile, there are grand results that cannot be measured, but
which will tell mightily on the future, in the starting of thought,
the loosening of the bonds of superstition, the _preparation_ of
the way of the Lord.
* * * * *
RECEIPTS
FOR MARCH, 1879.
MAINE, $38.80.
Andover. S. W. Pearson, _for Student Aid_ $5.00
Lyman. Cong. Soc. 7.05
Yarmouth. First Cong. Ch. 26.75
NEW HAMPSHIRE, $397.51.
Bennington. Miss Emily Whittemore, _for
Student Aid, Atlanta U._ 75.00
Concord. C. T. P. 0.50
Exeter. “A Friend,” $10; Second Cong. Ch. Sab.
Sch., class of boys, $2.82, _for Chapel,
Wilmington, N. C._ 12.82
Farmington. First Cong. Ch. 14.92
Fisherville. J. C. Martin 10.00
Francestown. R. G. Cochran 2.00
Hanover. Dartmouth College Ch. $70 (of which
$50 for the debt. See debt receipts) 20.00
Hollis. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 14.75
Lyme. Cong. Ch. and Soc. to const. AMOS BAILEY
L. M. 35.00
Lyndeborough. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.38
Manchester. Jasper P. George 5.00
Marlborough. Cong. Ch. and Soc. (of which $5
for a pupil Taladega C.) 25.10
Nashua. Olive St. Ch. and Soc., $20.78; Miss
H. M. Swallow, $10 30.78
New Ipswich. G. W. T. $1; A. N. T., $1—Ladies,
75c _for Freight_; Miss A. W., 50c 3.25
North Hampton. E. Gove 10.00
Northwood Centre. J. M. M. 1.00
Piermont. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $6.51; Mrs.
Marden, $3.50 10.01
Portsmouth. Cong. Ch. Sab. Sch., Infant Class
of Mrs. E. P. Kimball, _for Chapel,
Wilmington, N. C._ 7.50
Troy. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.00
West Concord. Cong. Ch. 8.50
—— “A Friend in N. B.” 100.00
VERMONT, $240.92.
Bradford. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 35.71
Burlington. (Winooski) Cong. Ch. 68.50
Burlington. Third Cong. Ch. $13.47; N. S. H.,
$1 14.47
Corinth. Cong. Ch. 7.63
Dummerston. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.38
East Berkshire. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.75
Newbury. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 35.00
North Craftsbury. Ladies’ Miss. Soc., bbl. of
Bedding and $3, _for Atlanta, Ga._;—Mrs. M.
C. P., $1; Others, $1 5.00
Randolph Centre. First Cong. Ch. 7.00
South Londonderry. Mrs. Betsey Gibson 10.00
Stafford. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.00
West Brattleborough. Cong. Ch. 11.14
West Randolph. M. A. and S. E. Albin, $6; S.
I. W., $1 7.00
West Rutland. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 11.34
MASSACHUSETTS, $1,970.60.
Amherst. Second Cong. Ch. $9.25; Mass. Ag.
Col. “College Christian Union,” $3.25 12.50
Andover. Free Ch. (of which $100 from Francis
H. Johnson) $184.58; South Cong. Ch. and
Soc. $41.31; Calvin, E. Goodale, $25 250.89
Arlington. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.50
Athol. Cong. Ch. and Soc. to const. REV. HENRY
A. BLAKE L. M. 51.80
Blandford. Cong. Ch. 5.00
Boston Highlands. Immanuel Cong. Ch. and Soc.,
$100; H. W. T., 50c. 100.50
Brocton. I. P. 0.50
Brookline. S. A., E. H. C. 10.00
Byfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.38
Cambridgeport. Cash, $10; G. B. C., 50c 10.50
Charlton. Cong. Ch. and Soc. $10; Cong. Sab.
Sch. $5.69 15.69
Chelsea. First Cong. Ch. and Soc.,
$66.96;—Mrs. R. G. P., $1, _for the aid of
Pupils, Talladega, Ala._ 67.96
Chestertown. S. C. A. 0.50
Clinton. First Evan. Ch. and Soc.
$75.23;—Ladies’ Missionary Soc., bbl. of C.,
_for Fisk U. and City Mission Work_, and $3
_for Freight_ 78.23
Enfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. $50; Ira D.
Haskell, $5 55.00
Fair Haven. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.00
Foxborough. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 52.00
Framingham. “A Friend,” $30, to const. MISS
MARY BILLINGS L. M.;—Ladies of Plymouth Ch.
_for Freight_, $2 32.00
Gardner. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00
Grantville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 75.94
Great Barrington. L. M. Chapin 5.00
Groton. Union Orthodox Ch. 20.82
Groveland. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.00
Haverhill. Joseph Flanders 5.00
Holbrook. Sarah J. Holbrook, _for Student Aid,
Fisk U._ 25.00
Holden. “Holden Benev. Soc.,” by J. Calvin,
_for Aid of Pupils, Atlanta U._ 10.00
Holliston. Coll. No. 4 Sat. Evening Prayer
Meeting, by John Batchelder 25.00
Littleton. Ladies’ Mission Circle 10.00
Lowell. Ladies’ Benev. Soc. of First Cong.
Ch. bbl. of C., _for Wilmington, N. C._
Lynn. Central Cong. Ch. and Soc. 14.50
Manchester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 26.25
Mansfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00
Melrose. Orthodox Cong. Ch. and Soc. (in part) 42.05
Millbury. M. D. Garfield 5.00
Newbury. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.65
North Abington. Freedmen’s Aid Soc., bbl. of
C. _for Fisk U. and City Mission Work_, “M.
A.,” $2 _for Freight_ 2.00
Northampton. Sab. Sch. of First Parish 46.00
Northborough. Mrs. A. E. D. F. 1.00
Northfield. Trin. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.62
North Hadley. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 2.45
Norton. Trin. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 38.45
Norton. Wheaton Sem., _for Aid of Pupils,
Atlanta U._ 17.00
Peabody. So. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 18.39
Peru. G. Wells 1.51
Phillipston. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 8.17
Plainfield. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Dyer 10.00
Quincy. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 27.00
Rockland. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 123.82
Rockport. “A Friend.” 5.00
Sandwich. Mrs. E. W. Wells, $5; Mrs. Robert
Tobey, $5 10.00
Shelburne. Ladies of Cong. Ch. $2 and bbl. of
C. _for Montgomery, Ala._ 2.00
Somerville. Broadway Cong. Ch. 14.50
South Amherst. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00
South Byfield. Mrs. E. H. Evans 2.00
South Framingham. G. M. Amsden 5.00
South Royalston. Individuals, by Rev. C. L.
Tomblen 1.00
South Weymouth. Union Cong. Ch. $60, to const.
MRS. HANNAH C. CUSHING and MRS. GEO. W.
CONANT L. M.’s; Second Cong. Ch. and Soc.
$41, to const. MRS. ALMATIA HEALD L. M. 101.00
Springfield. First Ch., $57.25; Hope Ch.,
$15.14; Mrs. Ira Merrill, $2 74.90
Taunton. Ladies’ Sewing Circle of Winslow Ch.,
$25 _for a Student, Talladega C._; also, box
of C. _for Talladega_, and $2 _for Freight_ 27.00
Topsfield. Ladies’ Benev. Soc. box of C., _for
Wilmington, N. C._
Waverly. Cong. Ch. and Soc. _for a Student,
Atlanta U._ 30.00
Wellesley. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $5; L. B. H.,
50c 5.50
Westborough. Cong. Sab. Sch., $48.84; Evan.
Cong. Ch. M. C. Coll., $14.84 63.68
West Brookfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.00
West Stockbridge Village. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.94
Wilmington. Mrs. E. M. G. Noyes, _for aid of
Pupils, Talladega, Ala._ 30.00
Woburn. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 150.00
Worcester. T. W. T. 0.51
RHODE ISLAND, $30.
Oak Lawn. Rev. Marcus Ames 10.00
Providence. Mrs. Lucius Lyon, $10, _for
Student Aid, Fisk U._; E. Weston, $5 15.00
Tiverton Four Corners. Cong. Ch. 5.00
CONNECTICUT, $1,199.82.