high order and interest of the exercises. We trust that some new
friends have been made, and a new interest developed in our work
with some present that evening. It has been a very laborious year,
but the teachers have all stood bravely and faithfully at their
posts, and by the good hand of our God upon us, we have all “come
through” without falling by the way.
* * * * *
TENNESSEE.
Le Moyne School--Close of the Year--Conversions.
MISS LAURA A. PARMELEE, MEMPHIS.
At the closing exercises of the school our numbers were good, and
the last recitation was as perfect as any lesson within the year.
It was remarkable that interest in study did not flag in the least.
The most cheering of closing incidents was found in the prayer
meeting. We have regretted the lack of a decided religious
influence--it has been the one failure of the year. In the last
meeting we were not left without evidence of the Spirit’s work.
Two young men confessed their trust in Christ and determination to
be his avowed followers. Another young man, whose voice has been
silent for years, and who has seldom attended meetings either at
school or church, asked prayers for himself in a manly way that
spoke well for his expressed desire to resume his place in the
ranks of Christian workers.
We are not satisfied with the spiritual record of the year. We
hoped it would have been a harvest season.
I have not heard from the church since the fever panic. Am hoping
it will not scatter the members or retard the work, which seemed
prosperous.
* * * * *
A Colored Girl’s Experience as a Teacher.
REBECCA A. MICHEL, MARION, ALA.
This little town contains about five hundred inhabitants. There are
few colored people in Pikeville, but many live about it from one to
three miles away. My school was not right in Pikeville, but just
on the edge. The school-house was about eighteen by thirty. It is a
frame house and has fourteen seats in it, all without backs except
four of them.
My work for the year 1878 began the second week of June, the
school being crowded from day to day. During the months of June,
July, August, September and October, the number enrolled ran up to
seventy-five. I heard from some of the citizens of that little town
that the pupils attended the school more regularly than they were
known to do before. I am glad to say that the greater portion of
my school seemed to have a thirst for knowledge. Even the little
ones worked earnestly in trying to prepare their lessons for the
time when they should recite. My school opened each morning with
singing, Scripture reading and prayer. At the close of the term
every one could read, print, write and spell. Those who have been
out in the dark regions to teach the people can sympathize with
those of us who go into such places. They know something of the
troubles that meet us. On the whole, the outlook is very hopeful.
The work of last summer was arduous, yet I went through it with the
help of the Lord, seeing promises of most excellent results for the
future. When I first went to Pikeville I found the people of both
classes in a degraded and superstitious condition, and ignorance
seemed to be the leading principle of the place. The Sabbath was
regarded but by a very few of either class. Yet they were very
anxious for an education, and tried in every way they could to make
our schools comfortable and interesting. Their whole cry was, “Do
all you can for us poor people who are in the dark, and are in so
much need of an education.” I organized a Sunday-school, which I
think was one of the most important parts of my work, to teach the
people the word of God. I taught day and Sunday-school for five
months, and had great success with both white and colored people.
The white people were very kind to me. I had a long talk with some
of them about the education of the colored people. They said if
the colored man was educated they thought he would make a better
citizen, and they were ready to do all they could in trying to help
him toward an education.
My short but busy term closed with an examination and a good
exhibition, well attended by white as well as colored people. All
seemed perfectly satisfied with the work that I had done for them
during the term. The white people gave me permission to have my
exhibition in their academy, which held over two hundred persons.
I have come back to this lonely Sequatchie valley to stay with
these people four or five months longer, in which time I hope to do
much good for them. All welcome me back to my old home. They say:
“The white people seem just as glad to have me back as the colored
do.” Some of them stopped me on the street to shake hands with me,
and to talk with me about coming to teach the young people manners
and behavior.
One said: “I tell you, our young people do need education so much,
and I am so glad you have come back to teach them.” Another said:
“I knew you could not stay away from here.” I could speak of a good
many more interesting facts, but time will not permit me to speak
of them. I hope you will find this story interesting.
* * * * *
MISSISSIPPI.
Letter from a Tougaloo Student--Vacation Work--Needy Recruits.
My public school closed last week, and I commenced teaching an
independent school this morning, with thirty pupils. They pay one
dollar per month, in _advance_. I think I shall have a very good
school.
There are nine or ten promising young men here who want to go
to Tougaloo, to school next year. Some of them are quite young,
sixteen or seventeen years of age, and a great deal of good can be
done with and through such boys. Very few of them will be able to
pay anything for their board. They often come to my room in great
numbers to talk of Tougaloo.
In speaking with young people about this University, I try to
impress them with the knowledge that young men who are willing to
work hard and study diligently are those for whom the school is
open. I show them my five pound boots, etc. I think those who go
there from here will not find it harder than they expected. I go
into the country occasionally and meet young men who say: “Please
talk to my father in my behalf, and try to induce him to send me to
school.” A young man and his sister (who live eight or ten miles in
the country) board here and go to school to me. The young man went
to school in Selma, when he was quite a small boy. He also went to
school at Tougaloo a few months. He is very anxious to be in school
there next year, and his parents are very anxious to have both him
and his sister go, but he thinks it is very doubtful unless he can
get some work to do, and he is willing to do any kind of work. From
what I have seen of him, I think him the most promising of any I
have met. He is not a Christian.
There are two young women here who are also anxious to go to
Tougaloo to school. Both are willing to work all they can. I want
to explain their condition to you, and have you let me know whether
anything can be done for them. One of them has been bound out for
some time to a white family, and is now living with an old lady,
and washing, ironing, cooking, etc., for her living. She was raised
by those white people, and has every appearance of a lady, so far
as I can see. She is about sixteen or seventeen years of age. She
went to school to Miss V., who can tell you of her.
I have not come to the point yet. I want to know if you cannot give
the people here an opportunity to work in preference to strangers
from other places. If you can form an idea how much work you can
furnish, I wish you would give me some information in regard to it,
so that I can answer the many questions that are asked me.
At the closing exercises of my school, there were people present
from ten or twelve miles in several directions. They were all
pleased with the exercises, both the white and the colored people.
The whites have been assisting me in getting up my independent
school. A white man sends one child and pays for it himself. Some
of the whites suggested that it would be a good idea to have a high
school here for the colored people.
The editor of the paper sent to my room for me Saturday, and I had
a long talk with him. He said he had not known very much about
Tougaloo University.
There was such a gathering at the church on Wednesday evening
that they could not all get into the house. I extended an
invitation to all the people in the county to be present: it was
well represented. I invited the people to sign the temperance
pledge after a temperance concert. The invitation was responded
to by a great number. A still greater number have stopped chewing
tobacco, but have not signed the pledge, because they prefer giving
themselves a trial before doing so. There will be quite a number of
others who will sign the pledge soon, I think.
W. H. L.
AFRICA.
* * * * *
THE MENDI MISSION.
Religious Progress, etc., at Avery.
REV. A. E. JACKSON, AVERY.
I am glad to say that there is an increasing interest religiously
among the people. They seem to be growing more and more in the love
of God, and to exhibit it in their lives. They have begun to be a
more Sabbath-observing people. They are also attending church more
regularly than usual, and give better attention than ever before.
These are all features of encouragement in our work.
Sunday, May 11, was our communion day, and the Lord seemed to be
present with us in the Spirit’s power. Two adults were added to
the church, and five children christened. There is also a growing
interest in our prayer meetings; several are inquiring the way of
salvation. We earnestly ask the united prayers of your church for
our work.
The tornadoes are fast coming to a close, and the rains are rapidly
approaching. There will doubtless be very great suffering on the
part of the natives this season, on account of the scarcity of
rice. This comes from the fact that the rains came on much earlier
than usual last year.
The agricultural work is progressing quite nicely. The coffee farm
is in quite a good condition, and Brother Anthony is now having it
cleaned.
* * * * *
Travels into the Interior--The Heathen--The Country--The
Opportunity.
REV. ALBERT P. MILLER, GOOD HOPE.
It was my privilege to visit, during last mouth and part of this,
a large extent of country toward the interior of this broad
continent, directly in front of the Sherbro Islands, to form an
opinion as to the prospects of “stretching our lines.” I cannot
promise to give you a detailed account of all incidents of interest
that came under my observation, but shall dwell upon that which
presses my mind most in regard to our work--the opening up of new
places for missionary operation.
On the 13th of May ultimo, Brother Jackson and I left Avery with
a view of visiting places in the Bargroo country, and at the same
time of getting children to be trained at Avery for missionaries.
We skimmed along nicely on the Big Bargroo River, passing many
neatly built and arranged villages. We stopped at some to ask for
children, but the chiefs informed us, generally, that they would
have to hold consultations with the people on the matter.
On every side signs of heathenism exhibited themselves. Little
mounds, built by certain insects of the country, neatly covered
by the natives, are bowed down to and worshipped. Small pots or
bottles are placed before their doors to keep away evil spirits.
COCONANNY AND DODO.
Late in the evening we arrived at Coconanny, the extreme military
post of the English. This is kept here to suppress the slave-trade,
though much of it is carried on, I am informed, clandestinely. It
is a beautiful place, elevated and healthy; vegetation, too, grows
luxuriantly. The trader, Mr. Hayes, with whom we put up for the
night, has built, at his own expense, a small chapel, in which
services are conducted mornings and Sundays. Mr. Hayes is a friend
of the Mission and our work, and desires very much to have us come
and begin missionary work in behalf of those among whom his lot is
cast. The villages round about are abundant, and I think a good
work could be done in this community. The people are willing to
have us come and establish a permanent Christian work among them.
British protection being here would render property safer and less
liable to plunder.
Leaving Coconanny early next morning, we made our way to Dodo.
The neatness of the places visited was everywhere noticeable,
the people in their very expressions seeming to welcome “the
missionaries” who had come to visit them. There is nothing
strikingly beautiful about the part of the Bargroo country that I
visited. Mangroves extend to the village of Dodo, which we have in
abundance in Sherbro. The scene to me was rather monotonous. “We
reached Dodo late in the evening, and after the usual ceremony,
which consists in giving the chief presents, we disclosed to him
the nature of our journey, among other things telling him that we
desired very much to get children from his territory to train in
our mission for missionaries. For his people he could not speak
just then, but his majesty informed us that the matter would be
brought before them for consideration as soon as practicable; he
was in a position to speak for himself, and would give the only
son large enough to leave home at the time. A large goat was slain
and brought in and laid before us, with a peck of rice, for our
supper. Although we were very hungry, this was more than we felt
able to consume at one or two meals. A hind quarter was sent in to
the chief, the rest being shared between ourselves and our men.
Here we stopped overnight. The place is strongly barricaded, and
is very neat and cleanly. A place was offered our Mission on which
to establish a station. Here is a fine opportunity to make a step
more directly toward the interior. They want us to come; what must
we tell them? Brother Jackson visits the chief as often as time and
strength will allow. He was once ransomed by Brother Snelson when
on the point of being sent to Freetown, accused and found guilty
of selling slaves. They dread very much to fall into the hands of
the English, and he was a happy man when Brother Snelson paid his
ransom for him, and stood between him and the English authorities.
He has given up warring, and his people are seemingly prosperous
and happy. His subjects are chiefly Sherbros, but they speak Mendi
as well as their mother tongue.
Our Mission, through former missionaries, is known far into the
interior, and the natives generally are favorably disposed toward
it. We left Dodo early next morning, homeward bound, with Joe, the
chief’s son, with us. He wore only nature’s garment, and seemed as
happy as a bird. The people here don’t bother themselves too much
about clothing. Industry is characteristic of them. We stopped
at places that we visited on our advance up the river, and were
informed in most cases that the “big man” was away, or the chief
at Dodo. Humper Ranko had not been consulted. The people dare not
do anything of this nature without first consulting their head.
However, we succeeded in getting four children, who were carried,
as we found them--without a rag on--to Avery.
There are two places in this wilderness of moral darkness now open
to us which, I think, could be worked up with very small expense
to the Mission. Both are on the Bargroo River, leading toward
the interior, which is navigable at all seasons of the year by
small boats. May the Lord in His own good time send to these our
benighted brethren the advantages of a Christian civilization.
KAW-MENDI.
In accordance with your request I visited, last month, Kaw-Mendi
and vicinity, where the banner of the Cross was first unfurled
in this part of a heathen land by men sent out by the American
Missionary Association. This place, as you will remember, was
deserted for a long time. Of late years Mr. J. M. Williams, of his
own accord and on his own responsibility, has resumed the work.
Here lie some of the sainted dead who fell in pure devotion to
the cause of the Christian religion, to the cause of suffering and
unenlightened humanity.
A mangrove tree here and there and roads leading in different
directions only remind one that once better things were here. Some
of the scholars who attended school when Kaw-Mendi was in her bloom
are still round about, and they still remember their old teachers,
many of whom, doubtless, are now gone. They all seemed glad to
have us come and visit them. One of the “Amistads” is here--Father
Smith. He is growing quite old; yet he is active. Old Aunt Maria
and Limby are still alive and can tell you all about Mr. Raymond
and others who, in the infancy of missions here, came to Africa.
Brother Williams has prayer meetings in his country house, mornings
and evenings, to which those near are invited to come. Regular
preaching services are held in a country chapel on Sundays. The
chapel has been recently built, and the membership is such as to
necessitate its being organized and dedicated. Old pupils of the
Mission, who had lapsed into heathen habits, having long been left
without any spiritual leader, have been reclaimed and brought into
the church.
The chief is favorably disposed toward missionaries and accompanied
us to many places in his territory. Were it not for his favor,
Brother Williams could not get along so well in his work. There are
21 boys under Mr. Williams’ immediate care in his country house,
(which is very neat and comfortable), whom he is instructing. He
feeds and clothes them, and how he does it is a mystery to me. One
thing helps him, and that is his agricultural department, connected
with his school. His boys are taught to work. Although the farm is
small, still it is very good.
We took Brother Williams by surprise and notwithstanding his
poor accommodation, as he termed it, we (Mrs. Miller, Mr. Jowett
and myself) spent two or three days very pleasantly in and about
Kaw-Mendi. We went up the Little Boom as far as Kambia. This was
a very strongly barricaded town, held by Tom Cabby Smith, the
most powerful and wealthy chief in all this region of country. He
died last year, and his estate is going to ruin. The walls have
fallen, the slaves are widely scattered, and things in general are
in a very unsettled state. He was once connected with the Mission
at Kaw-Mendi as a common laborer and was a very industrious man.
Villages all along the banks of the river were flourishing and rice
crops promising. Everything indicated prosperity, so far as the
natives are able to be prosperous without the light of the Gospel.
The country is Mendi-speaking, and though it is large and the
people are plentiful, and are not opposed to the Christian
religion, still there is but one man in this country to tell them
of Jesus.
I am favorably impressed with the country and the people. It is a
day’s travel from Good Hope. Stretching out toward the interior,
the country is low, but Brother Williams pronounces it healthy.
He is a West Indian, and has lived in Africa for the last twenty
years. It may be that he is quite acclimated, and it is not
unhealthy for him.
* * * * *
Places up the Big Boom were also visited in the interest of the
Mission, some of which were formerly occupied by missionaries under
the general direction of the American Missionary Association,
but are now abandoned. Three of these, doubtless, are well
remembered--Salem Hill, Lawana, and Mo-Tappan.
The lower portion of the Boom River waters a section of country
that is very fertile, and might be called, very appropriately, the
“Palm-growing Region.” The towns in this section of country are
prosperous looking, and as one beholds palm-trees stretching into
the distance, he can but think of the old missionary hymn--
“From Greenland’s icy mountains, etc.,
From many a palmy plain.”
Surely from these plains, rich in the production of palm-nuts,
etc., they are calling Christian men and women to deliver them, not
from physical bondage, but from that bondage that enslaves the soul
forever--the bondage of eternal death!
GBAP, TROM, MARKETAH.
We stopped all night at a place called Gbap, where the king of
a large extent of country, lying or bordering on the Big Boom,
resides. We had very comfortable lodging here, although we failed
in seeing his majesty the king.
Mrs. Miller was along; also Mr. Jowett, our interpreter. Two of the
schoolboys also attended us. The next morning we got a good peep at
the place. It was very neat, and I was informed that the Mission
once had a teacher here.
Shoving off (you must remember we travel in boats), we advanced
slowly up the river, whose current had become quite strong. The
day’s travel was very unsatisfactory, and our night’s rest more so;
for the mosquitoes are so bad in this part of the country, that
children and cows have been killed by them. This our men say. I am
sure they were bad enough that night. Mrs. Miller seemed a perfect
marvel to these savage people. We could scarcely go to bed, such as
it was, for their looking in upon us, talking about Mrs. Miller. I
was so black, and so much resembled other Africans, that I was not
the centre of attraction. Still, our interpreter informed us that
they complimented us as “Nyandingo te te”--very fine, or fine for
true.
Morning was gladly hailed by all. Mosquitoes was the principal
theme. Each one had battled, evidently, all night, not for place,
but for life, against these pests. We moved off early, and shall
ever remember the village and the night spent here. Its name is
Trom. I am sure if I had been in a tomb that night, with something
of the vault kind over me, my rest would have been more peaceful
than in this dreary place. The people wherever we stopped kindly
received the missionaries. We made better time from Trom to our
next night’s resting-place. We entered the Kittam River, early
leading off toward the Gallinas, a tribe that also speaks Mendi.
Mendi is the predominant language of a very large extent of
country. The lower part of the Big Boom River, which is called the
Bullom, runs through a beautiful section of country. The Kittam
also has very picturesque scenery. The people looked contented
and happy; the country elevated and healthy. We travelled several
miles down this river, and on visiting the king, the reception that
was given us showed that he highly appreciated our visit. I am
informed that no missionary had ever been here before. He promised
the mission two children. After holding conference with the people
he offered a place to plant a mission station in which to educate
his children. He had them in his villages in abundance. I informed
him that I would “look my head”--think over the matter. All were
impressed with the beauty of this country, with the neatness of
its villages and the good disposition of the people. The king’s
daughter made so much fuss over Mrs. Miller, dressed so differently
from herself, that she became quite uneasy. Large crowds came
around and joined her in welcoming their strange friend. My color
again made me more common and less noticeable. We had a good
night’s rest in this place. We left Coranko and the Soboo chief
and his people the next day, feeling happy in the thought that
missionaries are wanted in this place, and that the Lord in his own
good time will send them to it. “The harvest, truly, is plenteous,
but the laborers are few.” The people stood on the shore while
we sailed away. We met persons in our travels whom we knew in
Bonthe, at Good Hope. They always did their best to make us happy.
All I can say is, may the Soboo chief and people have, before a
great while, some one to teach them the way to Christ, man’s only
Redeemer.