BENJAMIN JAMES, M. D.
We have about sixty or more scholars, and, I tell you, to instruct
them in the way they teach schools in America is difficult; indeed,
more so than you have any idea of. With every attempt you make
to teach them in that way, you become more and more discouraged.
Our Sabbath-school is too large for the number of teachers at
present engaged, but we hope to remedy this soon. We gave them,
Thursday night, a Christmas entertainment. Mrs. Snelson cooked the
food, which was partly furnished by the members of the church,
and the remainder by ourselves. I was appointed to decorate the
chapel, and, I must say, to these people’s credit, that I never
had so many hands under my control in my life; and, as evergreen
after evergreen was placed in position, the laborers increased.
We not only had fruits, but poultry, vegetables, cakes, pies,
candies, raisins, and music. There were many strangers, such as
the Commander of the Port (a white man, with more decorations of
honor on his chest than in the ephod of a Jewish high-priest), the
Collector of the Port (white), the Catechist of the Established
Church (colored), seven merchants (two white and five colored),
the Postmaster (colored), Custom House officers in abundance (all
colored), military officials of all grades, from a captain to
a corporal. The church people, boatmen, and servants, were all
present. Several tables were set; but, I am sorry to say, that when
the laborers’ (such as carpenters and field hands) time came to sit
and to sup, the best had been consumed.
I sat opposite a boat’s crew, and they began to laugh; as they
would use the knife, then the spoon (large), after that the fork,
such laughing after the use of each of these pieces of cutlery I
have never witnessed before. I began to inquire of the waiter, an
interpreter, what they were so much amused at, and he informed
me that they were laughing at their use of the knives, forks
and spoons. The spoons did not hold enough, they said; the food
rolled off the knife in their unsteady hands, and the fork was
like putting water in a fish-net instead of a calabash. Every day
since that, when they eat dinner, they laugh about those pieces of
cutlery.
During Christmas-Day, services were had in the chapel; they were
begun at 5 o’clock, and continued until daylight. At 10 o’clock,
there was preaching to the prisoners through an interpreter. On
Thursday, at the banquet, we had singing and addresses to the day
and Sabbath-schools, for they both were invited. The girls were
marched from the chapel two by two, as were also the boys. This
was another new feature, and they were well pleased with it.
I have had an extensive medical practice here and at Avery, and
have so much to do in this way, that I am compelled to ask you to
give me written instructions whom to attend, and how to proceed.
* * * * *
COMMUNICATIONS.
* * * * *
EDUCATION OF THE COLORED PEOPLE.
REV. J. E. RANKIN. D. D.
The following paragraphs are from the paper read by Dr. Rankin at
the anniversary at Syracuse. It was intended that it should be
printed with the proceedings, but, by accident, it was not left
in the hands of the committee. We hope to publish it in full in a
series of documents which we have in preparation.
After valuable historical statements, and a vivid picture of the
needs, and of the progress already made, among other good things,
the Doctor says:
The southern portions of this country cannot always remain blind
to the truth that their _material prosperity_ depends upon the
employment of _educated labor_. Sociologists claim that an educated
laborer will produce twenty-five per cent. more than an uneducated
one. If a colored man is worth $100 a year without an education,
he is worth twenty-five per cent. more with one. The thrift of New
England has been largely dependent upon the common-school houses
there. Give a man education enough to transact ordinary business,
to enable him to keep his accounts in writing, to improve his mind
daily by reading, to understand the institutions of his country, to
have an insight into the laws which shall govern him in relation
to his neighbors and his God, to know his rights and his duties,
and he is twenty-five per cent. better as a _producer_ than he
was before. The necessity of keeping the colored man ignorant, of
keeping out discussions relating to human rights, involved the
other necessity of keeping a population unintelligent, unthinking
and, so far forth, unproductive, as appeared in the very implements
employed for tilling the soil.
The southern portions of this country cannot long remain oblivious
of the fact that the _illiterate_ class are largely the _criminal_
class; that ignorance fosters crime. In New England only seven
per cent. of the population—and these almost entirely of foreign
birth—are illiterate. Eighty per cent. of all the crime committed,
is by these illiterate persons. It really comes to this: “Which
is the wisest outlay of public money—that put into schools and
school-houses, or that put into almshouses and jails?”
It is not merely intelligence which prevents crime. It is the
early formation of habits of industry. It is the pre-occupation
of the mind, so that it does not become the devil’s workshop. And
when one considers a late slave population, free but without the
training which freedom especially requires, inheriting all the evil
tendencies which slavery engenders; and then, on the other hand, a
white population, largely dependent for support upon the labor of
others, indolent from habit or from pride, and largely inheriting
analogous tendencies—it is easy to see that here is a state of
things especially favorable to crime.
I know that these are _material_ considerations, that they are upon
a low plane of working, and very unlike those which actuated our
New England fathers, with whom the school-house was collateral to
the Church, and the spelling-book to the Bible. This of our fathers
is the higher plane of effort occupied by the American Missionary
Association. Political economists and statesmen can perceive the
material bearings of this subject, and, little by little, as light
spreads, the Southern States will be compelled for those reasons
to see that their people have facilities for education, will
comprehend the truth that school-houses and school-teachers add
to the value of acres—as the President lately said at Nashville.
Meanwhile, this Association, through its Normal Schools and
Universities, is training up colored teachers and preachers to
labor, as leaders, among their own people, as school systems shall
be founded and maintained by law.
It is not enough that the different States of the South adopt a
liberal system of public schools. Where, among colored people,
shall suitable teachers be found? This race, like every other,
must work out its own salvation. Favored ones must mount high, and
reach down a helping hand to those below them. It cannot depend
wholly upon white teachers. Oh, if there could rise up from among
them gifted men and women, who were willing to devote themselves
to _their own race_, to different classes of their own race, just
for the sake of lifting them up from degradation! This is the aim
of these institutions of the American Missionary Association—to
train up the better, the choicer minds among colored youth, for the
work of teaching and preaching; so that they may be eager to devote
themselves to the mental and moral uplifting of their own race!
If this “land that was desolate is yet to become like the garden
of Eden”; if the thrift and industry of the more favored portions
of this land are yet to be seen in all portions, I believe that
no one agency will have been more instrumental in this, than the
institutions of learning early established for the colored people!
At this time, the American Missionary Association limits its sphere
to schools of the higher class. If it can train the _teachers_;
if it can mould the minds and kindle the hearts of those who are
soon to mould the minds and kindle the hearts of the thousands of
colored children and youth, who are to be the colored men and women
of the future, it could not have a higher mission; it could not do
better, whether for the country or for the human race.
Brethren, this is no longer a _Southern_ question—a question which
the South must be left to solve for themselves. We must help them,
as involved in the destiny which they work out for us, as well as
for themselves. For, if this millstone of ignorance be not taken
from their necks, we go down with them into the depths of the sea!
* * * * *
FROM A LIFE MEMBER.
I am glad you have returned to the old form of Magazine. Although
a Life Member, and thus entitled to receive it without pay, yet I
am glad to inclose fifty cents for it, and most earnestly hope each
and every one who receives the Magazine will do the same promptly,
and _thus increase the income of the A. M. A. twelve thousand and
five hundred dollars_.
Yours sincerely,
A LIFE MEMBER.
* * * * *
(_From the N. Y. Herald._)
SLAVE AND FREE LABOR COTTON.
Twelve crops of cotton have been raised by free labor, and the
comparison of the returns with an equal number of crops before the
war shows some interesting results. The period of free labor may
properly be divided into two portions—the first, including four
years, during which the crops of 1865 to 1868, both inclusive,
were made, and in which the labor system was greatly disorganized;
the second, including eight years—1869 to 1877—when free labor was
fairly well organized. If we divide the twelve crops preceding the
war in the same manner, we shall get the following results:
FIRST PERIOD—FOUR YEARS.
_Bales._
Crops of 1849–’50 to 1852–’53, inclusive 10,729,874
Add consumption of the South, not then
included in the commercial crop
statement 500,810
----------
Total (slave) 11,230,684
Crops of 1865–’66 to 1868–’69, inclusive
(free) 9,246,793
----------
Excess of slave crop over free 1,983,891
SECOND PERIOD—EIGHT YEARS.
Crops of 1869–’70 to 1876–’77, inclusive,
being eight years of organized free
labor 31,570,212
Crops of 1853–’54 to 1860–’61, inclusive,
being eight years of slave labor
immediately preceding the war 27,535,949
Add Southern consumption then
excluded from commercial crop
statement, but included since
the war 1,261,892–28,797,841
----------
Excess of free labor 2,772,371
In the last eight years free labor has, therefore, overtaken the
palmiest days of slavery, and has produced two and three-quarter
million bales more cotton. This crop is now more free from the
encumbrance of debt than ever before, and with it has been raised
a supply of food far greater than slavery ever compassed.
Without entering into minute statistics, it is safe to say that the
money value of the thirty-one and a half million bales of cotton
produced in the last eight years has been over two thousand million
dollars in gold, and that over two-thirds of this value has been
exported.
Texas, which seems to be the true land of the cotton farmer, has
made the greatest relative progress, now producing double the crop
of cotton that she made before the war. During the last cotton
year, on less than half of one per cent. of her area, or on less
than half an acre in a hundred, she produced a quantity of cotton
equal to one-half the entire consumption of the United States.
* * * * *
THE CHILDREN’S PAGE.
* * * * *
(_From the Southern Sentinel, Talladega College._)
A YOUNG TEACHER’S STORY.
I fully realized last April, for the first time, that I had begun
a missionary life, when I was helped into a covered wagon, where
there was not room enough to sit up straight for the supplies. I
had a dizzy headache before I had gone three miles; the smell of
bacon, cheese, tobacco, and whiskey was enough to make _any one_
sick. I was wishing that the driver would take some of the things
out of the wagon so I could sit more comfortably, when he stopped
and took in four sacks of guano—my condition can be imagined better
than described. I thought the Lord called some one else, and I had
answered. When I got out, the man asked me which was the best—a
proud walk or poor ride. I only thanked him for his kindness, and
said nothing about which was best.
Some say, time flies; it seemed to me that time had lost its wings.
At last the much-wished-for Tuesday appeared, beautiful and bright.
Just as I sat down to breakfast, I heard some one ask if the
school-mistress was in. As I had no appetite whatever, I excused
myself from the table, and went to the door to see what was wanted.
There were boys and girls of all sizes, with their buckets, books,
and slates, all ready for school. We were soon on our way to the
school-house; the walk was very pleasant through the piny woods.
The school-house was in a very pretty place; a few steps from the
door was a nice spring of water, and a large cave. We sang “What
shall the harvest be,” then prayed. It was quite difficult to get
their names. I asked one little girl her name; she said “Maggie.” I
asked her “Maggie what;” she said “Maggie nothing.” There was one
little girl in school that I thought never would get acquainted
with me. I asked her one day why she didn’t study her lesson; she
said she was wondering what kind of a woman I was. I asked her
what kind of a woman did she think I was; she said I looked like a
white woman to her. [_The writer is a dark person._] I told her she
might lay aside her books for ten minutes and take a good look at
me, so that she might be thoroughly convinced as to what kind of
a woman I was. I then asked her what she thought; but she thought
just the same. The weather was so warm, and the days so long, that
the children could scarcely keep awake. I would let them go to the
spring and bathe their faces, so they might keep awake longer.
In the evening, four or five little children came and offered to
carry my books and bucket home, for the school-house had neither
door nor window, hence it was not safe to leave them there. I gave
each one something to carry, but they became quite troublesome.
Lucy would say, Mary had carried them twice, and she only once; so
I thought that it would be best to provide myself with a desk. This
I did by moving a plank from the floor and putting them all under
the house. That was no trouble whatever, for sometimes, while
walking the floor, the next thing I would know I would be under it.
Whenever I went under, I expected to be snake-bitten before I could
get out. One day, one of the scholars let her pencil fall through
the crack of the floor, and asked me to let her get it. As I had
cautioned them about looking for snakes before putting their hands
under, I said nothing to her about it. Just as she reached down to
get the pencil, she fell back and screamed. I had not the power to
move for a few minutes, I was so sure she was snake-bitten.
I looked under the floor, and there was the _largest rattlesnake I
ever saw_. We all got sticks and poles ready for a battle. I was
captain, so you may be sure which side whipped. The snake appeared
to be very angry; he made one strike, and I threw down my pole and
ran, and told the children to kill it if they could,—but they all
followed me. I was real glad whenever any of the children had to be
kept in, for I did not like to stay in the room alone.
I walked two miles and a half every Sabbath, and sometimes through
the rain. If it rained hard while we were there, we would have
to get in one corner of the room to keep dry. We should be real
earnest if we would accomplish much good. I did everything that
was in my power, and felt that the Lord was with me and blessed my
efforts.
* * * * *
RECEIPTS
FOR JANUARY, 1878.
* * * * *
MAINE, $692.38.
Bangor. Central Cong. Ch. $70; T. U. C. $1 71.00
Bath. Winter St. Ch. and Soc. 39.72
Brownsville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 18.41
Castine. Rev. Alfred E. Ives 2.00
Garland. Cong. Ch. 7.50
Machias. Centre St. Sab. Sch. $25; Ladies’
Prayer-Meeting $5.75, to const. MRS. WM. C.
HOLWAY, L. M.; “A Friend” $3 33.75
Monson. R. W. Emerson 21.00
North Yarmouth. Samuel H. Sweetser, to const.
MISS LUCRETIA H. SWEETSER, L. M. 30.00
Orono. “A Friend” 5.00
Otisfield. Mrs. Susan Lovell $5; S. M. $1 6.00
Oxford. Mary A. Ellis 2.00
Portland. BEQUEST of Mrs. Samuel Tyler, by
Sarah A. Breslin 400.00
Portland. Edward Gould 12.00
Searsport. S. Thurston 10.00
Sheepscot Bridge. Amos Flye 20.00
South Freeport. Horatio Ilsley 2.00
Winthrop. I. N. M. 1.00
York. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 11.00
NEW HAMPSHIRE, $424.27.
Amherst. Miss C. M. Boylston 2.00
Antrim. “A Friend” 100.00
Chester. C.S.G. 0.25
Colebrook. H. A. 1.00
Concord. W. H. Pitman $2, _for Cal. Chinese
M._—Mrs. C. L. Gerould $2; Mrs. Cooper
Clark, bbl. of C. 4.00
Cornish. Cong. Ch. and Sab. Sch. 12.10
Dover. Cong. Ch. (ad’l) $7; E. J. L. $1.00 8.00
Farmington. First Cong. Ch. 14.50
Fisherville. “Mrs. M. C. A.” 10.00
Fitzwilliam. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hill 5.00
Hancock. E. W. 1.00
Harrisville. Darius Farwell 2.00
Keene. Dea. E. Rand and Mrs. M. Townes $5 ea.;
Second Cong. Ch. (ad’l) $1.40; Mrs. I. H.
Gates $5; Miss S. E. H. 50c. 16.90
Lyme. S. W. Balch 5.00
Meriden. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 9.83
Mount Vernon. Mrs. C. W. Smith $5; J. A.
Stowell $5 10.00
Nashua. Individuals 1.10
New Ipswich. N. F. D. $1; J. W. C. 50c. 1.50
Newport. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.60
North Hampton. E. Gove 10.00
Orford. Cong. Ch. and Soc. $23.50; Mrs. M. B.
Pratt $10 33.50
Orfordville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00
Pembroke. “A Friend” 20.00
Plainfield. Mrs. Hannah Stevens, to const.
REV. E. H. RICHARDSON, D. D., L. M. 32.00
Rindge. Cong. Sab. Sch. 10.20
Short Falls. Rev. I. W. C. 0.50
Thornton’s Ferry. Ladies, by Mrs. Harriet N.
Eaton 2.25
Temple. Mrs. W. K. $1; J. K. 50c. 1.50
Walpole. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 21.04
Wilton. A. B. C. 0.50
Wolfboro. Mrs. Anne S. Banfield, to const.
RICHARD BANFIELD and ANNE FISKE BANFIELD, L.
M.’s 61.00
VERMONT, $466.90.
Bennington. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. ($30 of
which to const. MRS. F. C. WHITE, L. M.) 77.25
Burlington. ESTATE of Mrs. R. S. Nichols, by
B. S. Nichols 100.00
Burlington. “A Friend” $30, to const. MISS
ANNA E. CODEY, L. M.; N. S. H. $1; J. P. 50c. 31.50
Castleton. Individuals 1.00
Chester. G. H. C. 0.50
East Hardwick. Ladies’ Soc., bbl. of C. and
$3, by Mrs. H. W. Stevens, Sec.; Mrs. L. W.
J. and Mrs. S. H. P. $1 4.00
Fayetteville. Cong. Sab. Sch. $7; Asa Kidder $5 12.00
Manchester. L. D. C. 0.50
Newbury. ESTATE of Mrs. Mary A. Abbott, by
George Leslie 100.00
Plainfield. C. S. 0.26
Pomfret. Seth Conant 2.00
Pittsford. Cong. Soc. 50.00
Saint Albans. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. $33.34;
J. H. B. 50c. 33.84
Waitsfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. $23.38; “Miss
A. T.” $5 28.38
West Brattleborough. Cong. Ch. 12.42
West Glover. Cong. Ch. and Soc. (ad’l) 2.50
West Newbury. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.00
Williamstown. R. D. N. 0.50
Winchester. “A Friend of Missions” 2.25
Woodstock. Cong. Ch. and Soc. (ad’l) 3.00
MASSACHUSETTS, $5,460.55.