by him given to the School Board for a colored school, with the
expressed stipulation that no religious exercises of any character
should be permitted, not even the singing of “gospel hymns.” It
is reported that the same gentleman contemplates the purchase
of the other building, which is rented by the city now, and the
presentation of the same to the city, and, we may reasonably
conclude, with the same restrictions. These stipulations are
displeasing to many of the colored people. Ignorant as some are,
they feel the need of Christian training for their children. We do
not doubt that this restraint is equally unwelcome to many of the
School Board and citizens of the city, but as a corporation they
are involved, and perhaps they are doing the best they can under
the circumstances.
The Catholics have a small school for the colored people, but some
of the parents (good Catholics) have applied for admission for
their children to our school, saying, “I have concluded that the
teaching of the Catechism and but little else is not an education
for my child; I want something better.” It seems that the hold they
are getting upon the colored people of Savannah is rather feeble.
That the position was well taken in re-establishing the Beach,
there can be no doubt, for it was needed as a connecting link
between the city schools and the University at Atlanta, as well as
for the Christian training which it will be able to give to a large
class of the youth of the city.
This week has been devoted to examinations and the closing work of
the year. The greater part of the previous days were devoted to
written work; but it had been announced that in the morning hours
of to-day public oral examinations would be held. At an early hour
a good number of parents and friends showed the interest they have
in their children and the school by coming in to witness the day’s
work. The morning was spent in the various rooms, many of the old
people as well as the children showing a lively interest in the
examinations. At twelve o’clock our commodious chapel was well
filled by an attentive and appreciative audience, to witness the
closing exercises of the school, which consisted of essays from the
fine members of the normal class and recitations and music from the
other departments. After a very enjoyable hour and a half in the
chapel, the various grades passed to their rooms, the promotions
were read, the school dismissed, the good-byes said, the doors
closed; and thus, with its cares and its perplexities, its joys and
its sorrows, its successes and its failures, endeth another chapter
of the great volume of life.
* * * * *
GEORGIA.
The Work——Temperance——Superstition.
REV. J. R. M’LEAN, NO. 1 MILLER’S STATION.
Miss Douglass’ coming here has been a blessing to us all, and a
great help to the work. Through her we have been able, as we hope,
to get money enough to finish our church inside. Our congregation
has not been so large as we think it ought to have been, and yet
our work is felt by all the other churches. The Sabbath-school has
been larger this year than at any time before since I have been
here, and we have seen indications of the good it is doing. God’s
word will accomplish that which He pleases.
The day school has been good all the time. We have on the list
about 55; it numbered a month ago 41 daily. Some of the larger
ones have gone out of school to work on the farm. We have had a
strong religious spirit in the school all the year. Some twenty or
more have, as we hope, been converted; five of that number have
been received into this church.
Five of the members of our church, who spent at least a dollar and
a half a week for strong drink when I first came here, have left
it off altogether and say they do not want to smell it now. One of
them yesterday, at our communion, would not partake with us. When
asked why, he said: “I wanted to take it the worst kind, but I was
afraid it would make me want to go to drinking again,” and tears
ran down his face as he spoke these words to Miss Douglass. You can
see from this that some of the people are trying to leave off the
habits of slavery, but it is done with no little effort, for the
habits seem to have become a second nature.
A man who is a Jew, and cares nothing about religion, said to me,
the other day, that he had been here thirteen years, and had never
seen such a change as recently among the people. I am not able to
say what has caused it. I feel sure that much of it has come from
the labor of Miss D.; she has gone to see them in their homes and
read the word to them, and prayed with them, and given them good
tracts to read, and the blessing of God has been with her in the
work.
But there is a dark side to my picture. We have so many Atheists
here that it is very hard to do anything. The man who denies God’s
word is just as much of an Atheist as the one who says there is
no God. We find only a few who _believe_ God’s word. They say
the Bible does not teach us the way to come to Christ, but that
He brings us to Himself through a dream interpreted by some old
ignorant godfather or godmother. These foolish ideas have led many
of the hopefully converted ones to doubt and caused many of them
to go in darkness for weeks, and some of them do not see the light
yet. Some of those who gave their hearts to the Saviour in our
meetings, (and such changes were seen in their actions, that no one
could doubt their being Christians,) before they could join the old
churches must go off and dream, and hear the little voice say, “Oh,
my little one, go in peace, and sin no more.”
I find many of those who have joined this church much worse than
they were before they thought of becoming Christians. The cause
lies in the fact that they have been led to trust in forms and not
to trust Jesus. A knowledge of the Bible is the only thing that
is to save the thousands of my people. Their ministers teach the
same foolish ways of which I have spoken. Nothing but the grace of
Almighty God can lead this people in the way _everlasting_.
* * * * *
TENNESSEE.
The Kansas Fever——Le Moyne Normal School.
MISS LAURA A. PARMELEE, MEMPHIS.
Memphis has been very little affected by the emigration movement,
but from students who are teaching in Tennessee, Arkansas and
Mississippi, we hear enough to keep us interested.
From a neighboring village several families moved to Kansas in the
winter. They are pleased with their prospects, and send word for a
certain student to hold himself in readiness to come to them and
teach as soon as they can get ready for school.
The following letter is from a member of last year’s class now
teaching in Leota, Miss.:
“The Kansas fever, as it is called here, has reached our section of
the country, and the people are entirely carried away by it. They
quit their crops and sell their stock for little or nothing to get
money to travel on. Fine milch cows and calves are selling for $10
or $12 at the highest. One man bought 125 chickens for $5.
“Having accomplished this much of their intention, about thirteen
or fourteen hundred moved to town on May 2. In the evening, the
white people became excited over the action of the colored people.
They came to town and held a meeting. Then the colored people
became excited over the action of the whites, and made ready to
protect themselves.
“By night there were 2,000 persons in town, all armed. The sheriff
was dispatched for; he came with many others. The next morning he
went to the camp of the colored people and examined their arms. All
but one submitted to his authority. The man drew his gun and the
sheriff drew his pistol. If either of the two had fired there would
have been trouble all around, but, thank God, there was none. This
man was arrested and sent to jail.
“The town is crowded now and is guarded at night (every night)
by the whites. It seems that they will not allow the boats to
interfere and convey these poor people to St. Louis. They have been
waiting on the bank four days. Yesterday (Sunday) it rained very
hard, and the women with their little ones and household goods were
out in all of the storm. We have had very heavy rains; the thunder
and lightning was as if the world were coming to an end. The people
are exposed to the weather, but determined to go to Kansas.
“The whites are doing all they can to get them back to their homes
to stay this year. They go to the camp, talk and coax, but the
people have not yielded yet, and it is doubtful if they will.
“I cannot relate the whole story; it is very long and sad.”
Another letter just received says the people returned to the farms
for this year. Hunger and the necessities of the case compelled
them to yield. Both the writer of this letter and the young man
called to Kansas, expect to return to Le Moyne next year and
graduate.
We do not graduate a class this summer, but shall give diplomas
to a large and well prepared class next season. If we are denied
the privilege——or deny ourselves——of graduating students, we find
ample compensation in the excellent work and character of our young
people. I wonder if Mr. Steele has told you of our five ministers
scattered around in different classes——two Baptist, two Methodist,
one Christian Adventist. Four of the five are settled over churches
and are of excellent spirit, possessing fair ability.
Yesterday the churches had a grand union picnic. A procession
headed by a band of music marched to Estival Park, which has
opened its gates to colored people within the past fortnight. A
few of our scholars were excused to attend, but all the older
students preferred to continue at work and were entirely unaffected
by the excitement. Three years ago, two days had to be given
to Sunday-school picnics——the Thursdays when the Baptists and
Methodists held anniversaries. We think it quite a triumph to have
reached the point of ignoring such events.
We discuss plans for enlarging our work in the industrial
department, and long for dormitories to accommodate the strangers
that come to us. Miss Milton has charge of the sewing class, and
informs you of its success. Next year we hope to have a text-book
on nursing introduced as a regular study. Lippincott & Co. are
issuing a book that meets our wants. Thursdays, after the regular
lecture to the young ladies, recipes for plain and sick cooking are
distributed. There is a demand for recipes for pies, cakes, etc.,
which has to be gratified once in a while.
We recognize the duty of endowing the colleges at the earliest
possible moment, and rejoice that Fisk, Atlanta, Straight and
Talladega can be established more firmly. We would not take
anything from their strength. Certainly they must be maintained,
and we will help them by sending our students abroad as soon as
possible. The young people who come to us are not able to pay
the twenty-five dollars extra that is needed to carry them to
Nashville. They must come here, or not go to school at all.
They will not go to Nashville until they finish the course at Le
Moyne; and the better training we can give, the more will they be
likely to desire instruction in other branches than are allowed
here.
I will in a short time send you report of our library receipts and
expenditures during the year. We did not think one year ago it
could be possible to be in possession of so large and excellent an
assortment of books as now stands upon our shelves. What more we
can accomplish for it remains to be seen.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
* * * * *
“CALIFORNIA CHINESE MISSION.”
Auxiliary to the American Missionary Association.
* * * * *
THE NEW CONSTITUTION AND OUR MISSIONARY WORK.
REV. W. C. POND, SAN FRANCISCO.
The inquiry is raised with much anxiety by Eastern friends, what
will be the effect on our missionary work of the adoption of our
new Constitution.
That the spirit and intent of this instrument are intensely
hostile to the Chinese is well understood. To find it providing
as skilfully and malignantly as possible for forcing them out of
the State will create no surprise. It stands alone, I apprehend,
among all our State Constitutions in singling out one class among
those upon whose industries the State lives, and by whose taxes its
treasury is replenished, and making it the object of restrictive
and oppressive legislation. One whole Section (XIX.) is devoted
to this, and bears as its title “Chinese.” Stigmatizing them as
“aliens who are or may become vagrants, paupers, mendicants,
criminals or invalids, * * * or otherwise dangerous or detrimental
to the State,” it directs the Legislature “to discourage their
immigration by all the means within its power;” “to impose
conditions upon which such persons may reside in the State, and to
provide for their removal from the State” if the conditions are not
fulfilled. It forbids any corporation from employing them “directly
or indirectly in any capacity;” and requires that cities and towns
be empowered by the Legislature to “remove the Chinese beyond their
limits, or to locate them within prescribed limits;” and to “make
and enforce all such local, police, sanitary and other regulations
as are not in conflict with general laws.” These provisions are
broad enough to admit any and every cruelty conceivable to be
practised under the forms of law, and the Chinese cannot, as
heretofore, appeal to our State Supreme Court with any hope of
relief from oppressive enactments. The question is, what will the
result be, and what can we do about it?
If a man values highly his reputation for sagacity, he does well
to be careful how he prophesies; and if anywhere such caution
is needed, surely it is here in California; but as I have no
reputation to be anxious about, I will tell how the prospect looks
to me.
1. There can be no question that these provisions, carefully
framed though they are, are in conflict with the Constitution
of the United States, and with not only our present treaty with
China, but any other treaty that could possibly be framed. Of
course, all this may amount to nothing until the question of their
constitutionality has been passed upon by the U. S. Supreme Court;
but it seems to me that the interests involved are so many and so
great that soon an issue must be made and be pressed through to
decision. This done, that whole section——vile blot that it is on
the fair fame of America!——becomes void, unless, indeed, the whole
land can be dragooned by Californian politicians, overriding its
treaties and trampling under foot the most sacred axioms of its
civil polity——dragooned into a timid, restrictive, barbarous policy
which we taught China years ago to discard. I do not believe this
can be done. I have faith in a free people among whom the leaven of
Christ is at work——faith that no question can get _settled_ among
them till it is settled right, and that however selfishness and
oppression may triumph for awhile, their “latter end shall be that
they perish for ever.”
2. If, however, the laws enacted in virtue of these new provisions
are made to work, there cannot but be a large exodus of the Chinese
from California. They will be starved out. We have come to the
proud distinction of having, as a State, introduced starvation
into our organic law. Those who can go, must go; and those who
have not the means of travelling must starve or be removed at
State expense. But as to the effect of that exodus, God is giving
us beforehand an impressive object-lesson. The negro is scarcely
more essential to the industry of the South than the Chinaman is
to that of California. Let this exodus be large and simultaneous,
and the backbone of business here is broken. There will be harvests
that cannot be reaped, because the Liverpool price of wheat will
not pay the cost of harvesting. There will be mills and other
manufacturing establishments idle, because the manufactured goods
can be laid down here from New England or Old England cheaper than
we can produce them. There will be mines deserted, unless white men
are found to work at Chinamen’s wages; for who wants to run off his
gold-bearing dirt and thereby run himself off into bankruptcy? The
hundreds of little businesses which, by the aid of the Chinese,
yield men a small return, must be abandoned, for the higher wages
will absorb the profits and the capital besides.
But, it may be said, white men have prospered elsewhere without
the aid of the Chinese, why not in California? No doubt they can
prosper here, but only as a new and lower level for American labor
is found. Prices must fall, and the work must be steadier and
harder than now it is apt to be. You see, perhaps, a good side to
this in the frugality and industry to which it will compel our
children; but my expectation is, that when this discipline begins
to make us sore, when the real facts are forced upon men’s vision,
then these provisions of our new Constitution will, by common
consent, become inoperative, and Chinese labor or its equivalent
will be welcomed back again.
I venture such predictions, but whether they prove true or not,
this thing is certain, the Chinese still _are here_; and while
they remain our work remains. If the time is short, so much the
more urgent must we be in pressing upon their attention the Gospel
of Christ. If the enmity against them rises with its opportunity
and crowds them to the wall, so much the more must they hear from
us the voice of Christian kindliness, commending to them Him who
was the friend of publicans and sinners. If they are to be driven
back to their own land, we must be the more earnest to let them
know——not by our words only, but by our deeds rather——that it is
not Christianity but the lack of Christianity that has exiled
them; and we must see to it that as many as possible go to be
self-sustaining missionaries, telling the story of redeeming love.
* * * * *
CHILDREN’S PAGE.
DEAR LITTLE ONES:
I know you would all like to hear about a sweet little girl who
moved a big, big mountain out of my way a few days ago.
“How did she do it?”
“Was it a real mountain?”
“Who was she? and, and ——”
If you all keep asking questions, how can I get a chance to
answer them? And then you don’t begin at the right end with your
questions. Who was she? ought to have been the first, and it’s
the very last. Never mind, we will take them backwards. Let’s see
how many there are. There are three, counting either way. Now if
you all sit as still as nine little white mice all in a row, I’ll
answer every question. First, who is she? Her name is Clarissa
Smith, and she is as black as a little blackbird, and has to look
just as the wee birdies do to our dear Father in Heaven for her
daily bread. I am sorry to say that she is not pretty to look
at, but it’s a fact. Her clothing is old and ragged, she has no
shoes and no hat, though the round basket she carries on her head,
peddling berries or vegetables, makes a broad enough one, for that
matter.
Now for question number two, Was it a real mountain?
Yes, it was a real mountain; far more real than one of earth and
stones. It was one that has a habit of getting between us and
the light of God’s sweet love, and its name is _Discouragement_.
Sometimes it gets between little girls and their sewing and makes
them say, “Oh, dear me, I can’t do it!” Sometimes it piles itself
upon a little boy’s book and makes him say, “I never can learn this
lesson.”
The third question is, How did she do it? With a song. How was
that? Well, upon this particular morning I was feeling it weighing
down upon my heart and making me wonder whether it was any good to
visit people who were hungry and full of care, unless I had the
money to relieve their wants. You see, the mountain had made every
thing so dark that I couldn’t see Jesus. Now, as I walked on I
heard a child’s voice behind me calling, “Strawberries——sweet, ripe
strawberries——fresh, ripe strawberries,” going by; and then, after
an instant’s pause, the voice came again, but this time it said:
“More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee.”
I waited until she came up to me; and then, after we had spoken and
shaken hands, I asked her as we walked together, why she put those
few lines in her call.
“Cause _it helps me_ and ’members me of Jesus,” was her answer.
“Why do you want to be reminded of Jesus?” I asked.
“Cause Him died so I could go to Heaven.”
“Why do you want to go to Heaven.”
“To see Jesus,” was the prompt reply.
We parted at the corner of the street, Clarissa going on, and I
standing to listen until her song died away in the distance. Then I
turned to find the ugly mountain gone and beautiful Faith resting
where it had been so lately.
How many of you, I wonder, are going to become mountain movers from
to-day? Remember, a loving word, a gentle act, a little bit of
self-denial on your part, may move some ugly mountain out of your
brother’s or sister’s or companion’s road, and make the holy angels
glad because you love Jesus.
Do not forget, when you kneel down to pray, to ask Jesus to bless
me, and give me every day more love to himself, so that I can have
more and still more for all of you.
Lovingly your friend,
LILLIE E. BARR,
_Missionary of the American Missionary Ass’n_.
RECEIPTS
FOR MAY, 1879.
MAINE, $193.34.
Bangor. First Cong. Ch. to const. REV. S. L.
B. SPEASE, L. M. 40.43
Bethel. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00
Brunswick. Marshall Cram 10.00
Calais. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 8.34
Dennysville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 30.00
East Orrington. Cong. Ch. 2.36
Garland. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 9.00
Gilead. Rev. H. R. 1.00
Newfield. Mrs. N. C. A. 1.00
Portland. Plymouth Cong. Ch., to const. REV.
HERBERT W. LATHE and JAMES CRIE, L. M’s. 68.31
Yarmouth. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 17.90
NEW HAMPSHIRE, $231.05.
Chester. C. S. G. 1.00
Chichester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. (ad’l) 0.75
Derry. First Cong. Ch. and Soc., _for Student,
Hampton Inst._ 20.00
Exeter. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc., $67.55;
“Member of First Parish,” $10 77.55
Hinsdale. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.89
Keene. Miss E. R. 1.00
Kingston. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $6.75; Rev. J.
Chapman and wife, $6 12.75
Laconia. Cong. Sab. Sch. 3.77
Milford. Peter and Cynthia S. Burns 30.00
Orfordville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 7.00
Pembroke. Rev. D. G. 1.00
Portsmouth. North Cong. Ch. 53.34
Wakefield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00
Wilmot. Cong. Ch. 4.00
VERMONT, $361.67.
Bakersfield. Miss E. M. Barnes, _for Student
Aid, Fisk U._ 19.79
Bellows Falls. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 17.00
Cambridge. Dea. Solomon Montague 10.00
Clarendon. Mrs. Wm. D. Marsh, $100, to const.
MISS LUCY N. BOWEN, MISS M. NEWHALL, and
MISS H. E. GILBERT, L. M’s; Cong. Ch. and
Soc., $12 112.00
Danby. Cong. Sab. Sch. 1.22
Dorset. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.00
East Dorset. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 8.10
Fayetteville. Cong. Sab. Sch. 5.00
Granby and Victory. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 2.37
Jericho. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 7.66
Norwich. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $12.50; and Sab.
Sch., $11.30 23.80
Orwell. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.44
Pomfret. S. C. 1.00
Saint Albans. Mrs. S. F. Stranahan, _for
Student Aid, Fisk U._ 7.50
Sharon. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.00
Thetford. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $27.54; Rev.
J.M., $1 28.54
Vergennes. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.00
Waterbury. Cong. Ch. and Soc. to const. FRED
C. GRAVES, L. M. 30.00
Wells River. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 32.25
MASSACHUSETTS, $3,037.77.