up, the names taken, or something to designate each one, and each
one's desires discovered: tea, sugar, or coffee, for this is a strong
point where these women show their heathenism.
Some portion of God's truth and some help to a better life is then
given to them in Gros Ventres and Ree; prayer offered, and they
receive their little bag or package of tea, coffee or sugar. It has
been a busy afternoon, and we are all tired, but it pays, O, how it
pays, a thousand times over!
AN INDIAN CHURCH SOCIABLE.
Do Indians have sociables? Indians like to visit, and they do enjoy a
good supper. With these two qualifications, what else is necessary
for a sociable? Some women to do the work. The women of the Women's
Native Missionary Society, of Yankton Agency, are not lazy, nor are
they slow in devising ways and means of making money; therefore, on
the evening of Feb. 22, they had a sociable and charged 25 cents for
supper. The cooking was done at the homes of Mrs. Brazeau, Mrs.
Aungie, and Mrs. Williamson. The provisions were donated by the
members of the society. A number of the women gave chickens, others
flour, coffee, ham, potatoes, canned fruit, sugar, and some gave
money with which to buy whatever was needed. Each one that gave
something had her supper free. The moving of the printing office
furniture to Santee left a large empty room; and as this room joins
the school-room, it was a very convenient place in which to have the
supper. A barrel of water was hauled; a woman hired to scrub the
floor, and table and table-cloths were borrowed. The trader very
obligingly lent dishes out of his store. Janet, Gertie and Esther
were busy all the afternoon setting tables, and getting ready for the
evening's reception. Towards evening the provisions came. Each woman
was then to take her place--one to cut meat, one to cut pie and cake,
another to wash dishes, and others to wait on the tables. Angie
Cordier and Janet Strieker, who have been away to school, were quite
expert in waiting on tables, and some of the young gentlemen who have
been away were quite expert in calling for this and that. But none
could equal the old man who had never spent a day of his life in
school. This old man had borrowed 50 cents to take himself and friend
to supper. He ate all that was given him, then called for potatoes.
His plate was filled again and again with potatoes--and still he
called for potatoes.
During the afternoon two young braves are riding around on their
ponies. They halt before the windows. At last they gather up enough
courage to ask if they can have supper and pay for it in the future.
They have no money now, but are going to work and get some money,
then they will pay. "No. We do not sell on credit." Soon after dark,
the school-room began to fill up with women and their babies. A man
comes with his little girl and mother-in-law, and borrows 50 cents
to pay for the supper. He would also have brought his wife, but she
could not leave home. Some eat their supper and leave. Others are
sitting in the school-room looking at pictures and talking a very
little, but it is rather stiff. The door opens and in walk the Doctor
and Agency Clerk. No more stiffness after this. Those would be hard
hearts indeed that would not thaw in the presence of these genial
countenances. Other white people come. The Captain with his family
take supper. He also brings in some of the outsiders who are looking
in at the windows, and pays for their suppers. The Issue Clerk is
quick to see the day-school children, who are peeping in at the
window, and calls them in to give them their suppers. The ladies from
the Government Boarding School come, bringing some of the larger
children with them. These boys and girls, however, have earned money
and pay for their own supper.
A lady from the store building passes around some tiny round blocks.
"What is it, candy?" "No. Put it in your mouth," "Gum! Do you chew
gum?" "No, but a gentleman who was visiting us a short time since
left us a supply as his parting gift."
When the fire is stirred with a long stick, one gentleman remarks
that he admires that poker very much. A few days afterwards a
handsome new iron poker comes to the school-room. The whole school
give a vote of thanks to the donor of the poker.
During the evening there is music and reading of selections. Talking
can be taken part in by all, and laughing is done in a common
language. Whether the name of it is English or Vernacular, we do not
know. The evening passes all too quickly, and one by one they depart
to their homes. The money is counted, $21.50 cleared. The women feel
that their supper has been a success. The last one but the
school-teacher has left. There is something sublimely grand in being
alone at midnight in a house that was only a short time before full
of life and mirth. One has a desire to sit and look on the moonlight
and dream. But it is more practical to straighten up the school-room
and go home.
FROM THE WORD CARRIER.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
*ITEMS.*
1. The item of greatest importance to us is the establishment of a
mission at Los Angeles. The A.M.A. was first on this field, having
had a prosperous and useful mission school there, more than fourteen
years ago. But early in 1876 Rev. Ira M. Condit, a missionary
returned from China, well versed in the Chinese language, went with
his family to that city to open a mission under the Presbyterian
Board. In the belief that, with such advantages, better work could be
done by them than by us, we transferred our mission to them, pupils,
teacher and all. I have seen much reason since to doubt the wisdom of
this step, and to feel that I should never repeat it. But the open
doors have been too numerous, and the pressure from points where
there seemed to be none to care for these souls, has been too great,
for me to think of using any of our limited resources for the
purpose of crowding in where brethren of another name were working.
And it is only because the city has now become so large, and the
Chinese population in it covers so great an area, and the number of
our own brethren there is so considerable, and their appeal for a
mission so urgent, and their assurance so full that it could not now
be a rival to other missions, but rather a welcome co-worker with
them, that I consented to resume. The result is gratifying indeed. No
less than seventy-five were enrolled as pupils the first month. An
Association of Christian Chinese has been formed, having already a
large membership, and the purpose and promise of vigorous Christian
work. The teacher in charge of the mission is Mrs. C.A. Sheldon, long
connected with our work in San Francisco, and than whom no teacher
ever employed by us endeared herself more to her pupils or wrought
more successfully on their behalf. We have reason to believe that
from the start the evangelistic spirit will be strong in this
mission, and I look to see many turning from darkness to light, and
from the power of Satan unto God.
2. The next item of greatest interest relates to our new mission at
Tucson, Arizona. It closed its operations for this fiscal year with
the month of May, not because of any decrease of interest, but for
the reason that the extreme heat of the summer months at that place
forbids exertion, and compels alike in things religious and things
secular, a long vacation. Here, too, an "Association" has been formed
of eleven members, who in joining it, forsake idolatry and profess
themselves followers of Christ. The work has been greatly furthered
through the deep interest taken in it by the pastor, Rev. H.H. Cole,
and many members of his church. Yong Jin, one of our evangelists, has
spent nearly two months with this mission, and I give in his own
language an account of the closing exercises: "Last evening we had a
pleasant time, and invited all of the Sunday-school teachers and some
other friends to come to the school-room with us. It has over forty
Americans and over twenty Chinese, make the room full of people. Our
brethren or scholars recite some Scriptures, and I read a report on
what I think." Then follows his report, from which I quote a few
sentences: "This school was founded on the 24th of January, 1888, and
now has twenty-three scholars, but only fourteen or fifteen usual
attend. Several of these scholars have improved greatly. I think that
Mr. J. Kavanagh is a very good teacher, and hope God will give him
good health when he goes to Hot Springs. And also, they had very good
and kind Sunday-school teachers, who taught them how to read and
sing. They sing on Wednesday evening, too. You help our Chinese very
much, for which we thank you, and we never will forget you or your
kindness. I think Mr. Cole is a kind and faithful pastor. He called
our Chinese to come to church to hear him pray and preach, and
sometimes he came to the school-room, and talked to them and taught
them the words of the Lord Jesus." The programme for the evening had
no less than twenty-six different exercises, each one, of course,
brief, but there was much prayer, much singing both in English and
Chinese, one or two brief addresses, much reciting of Scripture and
to close with, refreshments abundant and toothsome, provided by the
pupils for their guests. The work will be resumed when the heats of
summer are past, and I believe that the next year's work will be even
more fruitful than this.
3. My items become chapters in spite of me. I must content myself
with one more, a brief extract from a letter from Mrs. Carrington,
our devoted and successful teacher at Sacramento. "I asked you a few
months ago to pray for Fong Bing. Through the blessing of God, he has
come into the light, and is one of the earnest ones. Now I wish you
to especially remember Lee Young, who wishes to be a Christian, but
thinks he must wait till he returns from China. I hope he will not
wait, but will soon be one with us in Christ." Will our readers join
us in this prayer?
WM. C. POND
* * * * *
BUREAU OF WOMAN'S WORK.
MISS D.E. EMERSON, SECRETARY.
WOMAN'S STATE ORGANIZATIONS.
CO-OPERATING WITH THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
ME.--Woman's Aid to A.M.A., Chairman of Committee, Mrs. C.A.
Woodbury, Woodfords, Me.
VT.--Woman's Aid to A.M.A., Chairman of Committee, Mrs. Henry
Fairbanks, St. Johnsbury. Vt.
VT.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. Ellen Osgood,
Montpelier, Vt.
CONN.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. S.M. Hotchkiss, 171
Capitol Ave., Hartford, Conn.
N.Y.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. William Spalding,
Salmon Block, Syracuse, N.Y.
ALA.--Woman's Missionary Association, Secretary, Mrs. G.W. Andrews,
Talladega, Ala.
OHIO.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. Flora K. Regal,
Oberlin, Ohio.
IND.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. C.H. Rogers, Michigan
City, Ind.
ILL.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. C.H. Taintor, 151
Washington St., Chicago, Ill.
MICH.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. Mary B. Warren,
Lansing, Mich.
WIS.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. C. Matter, Brodhead,
Wis.
MINN.--Woman's Home Miss. Society, Secretary, Mrs. H.L. Chase, 2,750
Second Ave., South, Minneapolis, Minn.
IOWA.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Miss Ella E. Marsh,
Grinnell, Iowa.
KANSAS.--Woman's Home Miss. Society, Secretary, Mrs. Addison
Blanchard, Topeka, Kan.
NEB.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, President, Mrs. F.H. Leavitt, 1216 H
St., Lincoln, Neb.
SOUTH DAKOTA.--Woman's Home Miss, Union, Secretary, Mrs. S.E. Young,
Sioux Falls, Dak.
* * * * *
We would suggest to all ladies connected with the auxiliaries of
State Missionary Unions, that funds for the American Missionary
Association be sent to us through the treasurers of the Union. Care,
however, should be taken to designate the money as for the American
Missionary Association, since _undesignated funds will not reach us_.
* * * * *
We are glad to note that the ladies of Vermont in organizing a State
Missionary Union, have been careful of the interests of the American
Missionary Association in the support of the McIntosh school, the
following resolutions having been passed by a rising vote.
"RESOLVED, That the ladies of the Congregational churches of
Vermont desire to express their appreciation of the service
rendered by the committee appointed five years ago to have in
charge funds for the McIntosh school, under the care of the
American Missionary Association. The members of that committee
have done their work faithfully and effectively, and we feel that
we cannot honor them more than by asking them to continue in the
work, and thus assist officers of the newly-formed Union,
pledging ourselves anew to help them bear the burden and to
respond heartily to their calls."
* * * * *
*NOTES FROM MISS COLLINS.*
Elias, our native helper, preached a good sermon this morning.
Usually on each Saturday night he comes here to ask questions in
regard to the meaning of the parables or stories of the Bible.
To-day, however, he quite outdid himself. The lesson was from the
story of the Wise Men and the Star. He read the story and explained
it. Then he said, "Christ is not on earth now in bodily form. There
is no bright star placed in the heavens to guide us to him, or to
show us the way to him, but, (holding up the Bible) here is our
guiding star. This is the only light that can enlighten our dark
minds. This will show us where to find Christ. We may try to civilize
men with law, but it can only be done with the Gospel. You do not
care to be told that you are sinners, but you rejoice to hear that
you may be saved." His exhortation was really fine, and yet he seems
ordinarily a very common-place man. His little girl has been near the
gates of death, but has been miraculously spared, and it has been a
means of grace to the parents. The little baby, Mary Clementine,
(my only namesake), is not yet very strong; a relapse may take her
off at any time. If it is God's will I hope she may be spared. This
afternoon Elias went up to hold services at the Upper Station and I
took charge of the meeting here. I told them something of the mission
work in Africa. All seemed greatly interested.
A son-in-law of Sitting-Bull and wife came here to-day with their
sick baby. They drove twenty miles to see me. The poor baby is very
sick and suffered very much. I can hear its moans and cries now. I
did all I could for it, but it is a forty-mile ride to visit it and I
had to give medicine for a week. They will bring it again in a week.
O, how I pity these poor helpless people! This man, One-Bull, has
been baptized by the Catholics. He is the Chief of Police. His wife
is Sitting-Bull's daughter or niece. Sitting-Bull is called the
greatest medicine-man they have, and now in their helplessness they
come here to me. Surely God is opening these homes and hearts very
wide.
* * * * *
OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
THE TRUE BLUE CARD.
BY SARAH MAY.
"Why are you laughing so here all alone, Auntie?" said Ralph Hill, as
he came into a room where Inez Hill sat reading a letter and laughing
till the tears ran down her cheeks. "Do tell me, please. It must be
so funny--and what are all these blue cards?"
"One thing at a time, Ralph," said Aunt Inez. "I'll read you the
letter I was laughing at and then tell you about the blue cards, for
they go together. The letter is from a dear friend who is teaching
the colored children in the South. It tells of her first attempts
with them. I'll not read it all. Listen:"
_My Dear Old Friend:_ I must tell you to-day about my promising
pupil, Nan. _I_ am learning patience whether she learns anything or
not. One day I overheard Nan and Lila (the pretty mulatto girl I told
you about) talking together about like this:
"Nan," said Lila, "do you want to learn to read like white folks?"
"Course I do," laughed Nan. "Hi yi, ho yo, but how's I ever goin'
to?"
"Miss Kitty learn us," said Lila. "Heard her tell Miss Lizzy so. Me
and you are going to her room after sun-down, and she'll learn us a
lesson. I've learned right smart now. Know the a b c, and can spell a
heap. It's 'mazin' good."
Nan opened her big eyes as Lila went one, than gave a quick toss of
her head and said: "Feels mighty peart and proud like, Lile, over
your larnin'. Reckon some other folks can learn too, if they wants
to."
Nan is not a very quiet pupil. She has queer remarks to make about
each letter as I point it out. I told her the first letter was A. She
made a funny courtesy, and said:
"Mighty glad to make your 'quaintance, Massa A. Been wantin' to know
you long time ago."
"That is B, Nan," I continued.
"B," she screamed, "Oh! I feared of him. Will he sting? Done got my
eyes all stunged up with them bees once. Couldn't see nothin' for a
week. Fac--Miss."
"I don't like X," she burst forth, "he's like Miss Lizzy when I's
done broke sumthin', so cross."
* * * * *
In spite of her chattering and her capers, Nan learned all her
letters that night. Teacher and scholar were astonished and
delighted at her success. The next evening, however, showed that Nan
could forget as quickly as she learned.
"Nan! What is that letter?" I asked, pointing to A.
"Dunno, Miss."
"What is that round letter?"
"Done forgot, Miss Kitty."
"Well, what is that letter that looks like Miss Lizzy when she's
cross?"
"I disremember."
And thus it was all through the alphabet. Nan had forgotten the
whole. She could not be persuaded to try again.
"Laws, Miss Kitty," she cried. "I'se done learnt 'em onct. Does
white peoples learn 'em twicet?"
"Yes, Nan," said I. "If they forget the first time."
"Sho," said she with a queer twist of her black face. "I'd be 'shamed
to learn it twict. Ef 'twont stay in dis head first time, 'tan't no
good."
So I concluded to let the alphabet go for awhile and try spelling.
Nan learned this also quickly at first. After she had learned to
spell cat and many other words, I said, "Now, Nan, I'll teach you to
spell 'Kitty.'"
"Oh, I knows. Miss Kit," she interrupted, "Lemme spell, Ise-self.
Must be cat wid de tail cut off. C--A--Kitty."
* * * * *
After awhile as Lila progressed and read stories to Nan, the little
rogue "wisht" she could read too. "Couldn't see no use in dat yaller
gal gittin' so fur ahead." When she found she could only read by
learning those little things that "bobbed so spry into a body's head
and hopped out a heap quicker," then she reckoned she'd have to come
to it. She tried once more. It was a long time before she could call
the letters and spell out words, and it was many months before she
could read at all without spelling. It was hard work for Nan and
harder for her teacher. Before she had half looked at a word she
would hear a blackbird or see a hawk after a chicken, or she thought
"sure, Miss Lizzy called." I tried to have patience and in the end
I conquered. Nan was "mighty proud" when she read the last page of
her primer.
"Don't think much of that ole book, no how," she said. "Got it all
in here now. Spect I'd better be spry an' git inter nex' book fore
I disremember this ere."
I begin to hope that both Lila and Nan are beginning a Christian
life. But oh! it takes so long for seed to grow in soil that has been
trampled on for years. But I hear Nan now singing the chorus of an
old war song, still sung by the colored folks:
"We're coming, Father Abraham,
Three hundred thousand more."
And I will believe it. There are more than three hundred thousand
just such ignorant girls and boys. They "will come" if we go after
them.
Do "pray and pay" for us. Yours,
KITTY.
Ralph enjoyed the letter so much that he forgot for once to ask a
question until his aunt took up a blue card and handed it to him.
"Oh, yes," he exclaimed. "Now tell me about the cards."
"Read it," said his aunt.
Ralph read as follows: "The A.M.A. True Blue Card."
"Oh, I know," said Ralph. "A.M.A. (ama) means love those. I had it in
my Latin lesson this week."
"Love those, is it?" questioned Miss Hill. "Pretty good meaning that
for our abbreviations. A.M.A.--the Love Them Society; it means just
that. Love your neighbors, love your brothers."
"What brothers?" inquired Ralph. "I haven't any; wish I had."
"Yes, you have, my boy," answered Miss Hill. "You have red, white,
black, and yellow brothers, and this 'A.M.A.' is to help them to
read, to work on the farm and in the house, to learn trades, and to
know the best things. Your black brothers are the negroes who live in
all the South, the yellow are the Chinese in California, the red are
the Indians in the Territories, in the schools of Hampton, and the
whites are in the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee. All these
little books that I will show you tell about these brothers and
sisters. Now read the card. Read it all.
THE A.M.A. "TRUE BLUE" CARD.
SPACED FOR COLLECTING FIVE CENTS.
For each five cents collected, prick a hole with a pin in one of the
squares below--each space representing that sum.
Letters from the "Children's Missionary" will be sent to each
collector upon returning the card with amount of collection--not less
than Five Dollars.
Six of these cards will entitle the collector to a Life Membership in
_The American Missionary Association_.
"GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS, THAT NOTHING BE LOST."
[Following this is a large square containing one hundred small
squares, which are the ones to be pricked.]
Ralph read the card very distinctly and carefully, and then said,
"O Auntie, may I have one to prick."
"Indeed you may," answered Miss Hill. "I was just wishing for a young
collector. When will you begin?"
"Oh, right off," exclaimed Ralph, impulsively.
Then taking the card he approached Aunt Inez with a low bow and said,
"Miss Hill, I called to see if you would not like to give me a small
sum, five or ten cents for the poor negro."
"You'll do," said Aunt Inez, smilingly, handing Ralph the ten cents,
while he energetically pricked two very distinct holes in the blue
card.
"There," continued Ralph, "Now see if I don't get a missionary letter
for the next Sunday-school concert. Before the year is out, I'll be a
life member of the A.M.A."
Is there any other boy or girl who would like to be a collector?
If so, please raise hands.
--_The Advance_.
* * * * *
RECEIPTS FOR JUNE, 1888
MAINE, $1021.72.
Andover. Mrs. E.M. Bailey, Box of Minerals,
_for Tillotson C. and N. Inst.
Bangor. Central Cong. Ch. 75.00
Bangor. Central Cong. Ch., 20;
Sab. Sch. Hammond St. Ch., 10;
_for Pleasant Hill, Tenn._ 30.00
Biddeford. Primary Dep't. Sab. Sch. of
Second Cong Ch., _for Woman's Work_ 13.00
Brunswick. Sab. Sch. of Cong Ch., _for
Rosebud Indian M._ 1.00
Castine. Rev. A.E. Ives 3.00
Center Minot. Cong. Ch., to const. ELISHA
HALL L.M. 30.00
Ellsworth. Mrs C.J. Perry's S.S. Class,
_for Pleasant Hill, Tenn._ 3.75
Fort Fairfield. Cong. Ch. 7.50
Gorham. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 56.18
Kennebunk. Union Cong. Ch. and Soc. 27.55
Machias. Centre St., Cong. Ch. 6.51
New Gloucester. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 100.00
Orono. Sab. Sch. of Cong. Ch., _for
Atlanta U._ 15.00
Otisfield. Miss Sally Spurr 1.00
Portland. William W. Mitchell 25.00
Portland. Bethel Sab. Sch., _for Rosebud
Indian M._ 1.00
Waterford. First Cong. Ch. 5.36
Windham Hill. _For Freight_ 2.00
Woodfords. Cong. Ch. and Parish 85.00
---- "A Friend," _for Mountain Work_ 5.00
---- "A Friend" 0.50
Woman's Aid to A.M.A., by Mrs C.A.
Woodbury, Treas, _for Woman's Work._
Alfred. Cong. Ch. 7.50
Augusta. Cong. Ch. 15.00
Bangor. Hammond St. Ch. 15.25
Bangor. First Ch. 11.00
Bath. Winter St. Ch. 34.25
Belfast. 3.00
Benton Falls. Cong. Ch. 3.00
Biddeford. Second Ch. 20.25
Biddeford. Pavillion Ch. 17.50
Boothbay. 9.00
Brewer. First Ch. 27.00
Brewer Village. Cong. Ch. 6.00
Bristol. 3.00
Bucksport. Cong. Ch. 13.13
Cornish. Cong. Ch. 5.00
Falmouth. Second Ch. 10.00
Freedom. 5.00
Freedom. Mrs. Cutter 5.00
Gardiner. 13.00
Gardiner. Miss Hattie A.
Capen 1.00
Holden. 8.00
Houlton. 9.25
Island Falls. 2.80
Kenduskeag. 5.00
Kennebunk. Cong. Ch. 8.00
Limerick. 15.00
Limington. Willing Workers 7.00
Litchfield. Cong. Ch. 5.00
Litchfleld. Mrs. Stupirt 1.50
Madison. "A Friend" 1.00
New Castle. 15.25
New Vineyard. 1.35
North Bridgton. 7.00
Paris. 9.68
Phillips. 2.50
Phillips. Mrs. C.T. Crosby's
S.S. Class, "Glad Helpers,"
_for Freight_ 1.32
Portland. Seaman's Bethel 17.25
Rockland. W.H.M.S. 20.00
Sanford. 8.75
Sandy Point. 1.30
Searsport. 15.00
Skowhegan. 10.00
South Berwick, To const.
MISS LOIS R. HAYES and
MRS. MARIA L. RICKER
L.M.'s 61.99
Strong. 1.65
Topsham. 6.00
Wells. First Ch. 10.00
Wells. Second Ch. 14.05
West Brooksville. 1.60
West Lebanon. 11.25
York. First Ch. 23.00