_Indian Agents_, who were to report to us as well as to the
United States Government. We trust that this work has been to the
advantage of these tribes, as our agents have, with perhaps a
single exception, maintained good character and reputation amid
all the temptations of that trying life. And yet our relations
to the Department are not what we could wish them to be. In four
of the six agencies where we make nominations, changes have
been made necessary during the past year. In two of them agents
have been appointed by the Department without our nomination or
approval, so that we have no longer any responsibility for the
agencies at Red Lake, Minn., or Green Bay, Wis., nor have we,
under these circumstances, the same motive as at first to secure
good men for these places, when they may be so easily removed, or
our nominations thrown aside for others backed by another kind of
influence.
_Our missionary at S’Kokomish_, Rev. Myron Eells, is still
patiently pursuing his good work. He is pastor of the church of
23 members, and has three other preaching stations. In these four
the attendance upon public worship is nearly 200; 110 children
are in the Sunday-schools; 128 families are under his pastoral
care. Mr. Eells has travelled among the neighboring people, and
diffused his influence over a wide area.
A new element in work for the Indians has been the _educational
work at Hampton_. 77 Indian boys and 9 Indian girls have spent
the year at the Institute, contented and studious, and responding
to patient and skillful teaching with marked and steady progress.
During the summer a number of them gained great credit to
themselves by their good conduct on the farms and in the families
of Massachusetts among which they were distributed. It is hoped
that the number of girls allowed to enjoy these privileges may be
considerably increased. Captain Pratt has obtained permission to
do a similar work at Carlisle, Pa.
The great feature of the advantage in this training is the
continuous influence under which these students are held. It is
indispensable to the best work as Christian educators of those
who are not helped by their home life. Our experience is the same
among the Freedmen, the native Africans and the Indians.
It may be, in the providence of God, in this direction, that the
Indian work of the Association is to be pursued and enlarged in
the future. The Committee recommend, for the present at least,
co-operation with General Armstrong in the work he has so well
begun in this direction. The result of his experience, thus far,
is his decided conviction that “there is no better way to elevate
the Indians than in negro industrial schools.” An effort in this
direction promises greater results, for the same expenditure of
money, than the attempt to found new missions among the Indians.
THE CHINESE IN AMERICA.
The condition and numbers of the Chinese on the Pacific coast,
after all the various agitations of mob, and State, and National
Congress, have not been materially altered. The sand lots have
still echoed with the blasphemies of Kearney and his followers,
and even some of the churches, with scarcely less vigorous
proclamations, that the Chinese must go. California has adopted
a new Constitution, though the question whether its Chinese
provisions are constitutional is yet unanswered. It discourages
immigration, imposes conditions on resident Chinamen, forbids
their employment by any corporation, and requires cities to
remove them beyond their bounds or locate them within prescribed
limits; and, finally, both houses of Congress, yielding to
political pressure, in the presence of the resident Minister of
the Chinese Government, ignored its solemn treaty, and declared
that no ship should bring to this shore more than fifteen Chinese
immigrants at any one time. We have to thank the President of the
United States for the veto which alone prevented this action from
becoming law.
And yet the Chinaman is, on the Pacific coast, in numbers not
increasing, but not materially diminishing. He does not come,
because he can do better elsewhere. He does not go, because he
has not yet attained the object of his coming. Meanwhile, several
Chinamen have, during the year, been naturalized in other States,
and the force has thus been broken of the decision that, being
neither white nor black, he cannot be allowed to vote.
_Our work_ has not diminished in our twelve schools under the
superintendency of the Rev. Wm. C. Pond. Only three less pupils
(1,489) have been enrolled than the year before. 252 has been
the average attendance all the year through; 21 teachers are now
in the service, including 5 Chinese helpers; 84 gave evidence of
conversion during the year, while 137 have renounced idolatry.
Mr. Pond says: “The total number of whom we have cherished the
hope that they were born of God, from the beginning of our
work until now, cannot be less than 235. The Congregational
Association of Christian Chinese has now 198 members, of whom 44
were received the past year.”
We believe that this work, with that of our Presbyterian and
Methodist brethren on the Pacific coast, is both acceptable to
God and approved of men.
FINANCES.
We come now to the statement of our financial history and
condition. With profound gratitude to Him to whom the silver and
the gold belong, and with renewed confidence in those to whose
stewardship he has entrusted it, we make this record: (1.) The
expenses of the year have been fully met; (2.) The debt of the
Association is entirely extinguished; (3.) On the 1st of October
the balance in our treasury amounted to $1,475.90.
It is sixteen years since the Association has been reported free
from debt. The expansion of its work, which the changes effected
by the war imperatively demanded, involved us in these unpaid
obligations, which increased upon us almost yearly until, in
1875, our debt was over $96,000. Then came the turning point. It
was diminished by a little over $3,000 during 1876; in 1877 it
was reduced by about $31,000, to $62,800. Last year $25,000 more
of it was liquidated, leaving, at the beginning of this year,
$37,389.79. And now we are able to say that that whole amount is
paid. $28,808.67 have been sent us for that express purpose. The
balance has come from our general receipts from the living and
the dead. And this has been paid in cash. We began to fear that
our constant plea in this behalf was injuring the support of our
regular work, and last year we set apart, to cover it, a residue
of western lands of sufficient value; but the debt is absolutely
gone now and not balanced against anything, and that property is
free to be converted to other uses.
The total income of the year has been $215,431.17—nearly $20,000
more than that of the preceding year. $15,000 of this increase
is, however, from bequests which have amounted to $50,034.16.
For the ability to make these cheering statements we thank God,
and in the remembrance of His past goodness we take courage. It
looked an almost impossible thing that that great debt of nearly
$100,000 should have disappeared, and that in these “hard times.”
But the way to know the goodness of God is to try some hard thing
in His name. To Him be the praise.
We would not leave the false impression, however, on the minds of
any, that these years of retrenchment have been easy years for
us, or that the past twelve months have been free from causes for
anxiety. Twice during the year we have been $10,000 behind last
year’s receipts or this year’s needs. We were greatly perplexed
in our unwillingness to increase the old debt or to incur a new
one, when, in one case, a large gift, and in the other a large
legacy, lifted us over the shallows and enabled us to set sail
again rejoicing.
CONCLUSION.
And now what is the significance of our present condition? We are
out of debt. We have the promise of a far better equipment for
our work in the way of buildings. The Mendi Mission is fairly
manned, and, we trust, on the way to a new and wide usefulness.
The Freedmen call for all the aid we can supply. All motives of
love for self, for country and for God conspire to urge us to
increase our efforts for their Christian education. Africa is
stretching out its right hand now, as well as the left, which we
have been trying so long to fill, and Christian England comes to
help us answer the plea. It has been demonstrated at length that
our Southern schools may help to solve the Indian as well as the
Negro problem, and the Chinaman is yet at our western gate.
Is not the voice of God to us like that He spoke through Moses to
those who had just escaped the taskmasters of Egypt?—“Speak to
the children of Israel, that they go forward.”
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the financial
statement of the Association for the fiscal year ending September
30, 1879, as presented by the Treasurer, beg leave to report
that, in the discharge of the duty assigned to them, your
committee have carefully examined the accounts of the Treasurer,
including a detailed statement of receipts and disbursements,
also a statement of endowments and a full list of all the
property owned by the Association, the correctness of which have
been fully certified to by the Board of Auditors appointed by the
Executive Committee.
The total receipts of the Association for the year have been
$215,431.17. The cost of collecting, including the salaries
of the District Secretaries and all other expenses connected
with their offices, has been 5-84/100 per cent. of the amount
received. The cost of publication, including the distribution
of 25,000 copies per month of the AMERICAN MISSIONARY, has been
4-13/100 per cent., and the cost of administration 4-97/100 per
cent.
Your committee are impressed with the care, fidelity and economy
shown in all departments, and can suggest no way of reducing
the percentage of expenses except by enlarged contributions. It
costs just as much time and just as much paper to acknowledge
the receipt of $50 as it does of $100. If the patrons of the
Association will double their contributions they will lessen the
percentage of expenses one-half.
After long years of struggle the Association is now out of
debt and ready for an advance. The machinery is in order, and
the motive power necessary to keep it in motion is the earnest
prayers of God’s people and a liberal supply of the money
which is so rapidly finding its way to our shores. In view of
the grand work which has been done and the still greater work
to be accomplished, your committee desire to urge upon the
friends of the Association the necessity for a large increase
of contributions the coming year, so that the missionaries and
laborers in this good cause may “go forward.”
JAS. W. SCOVILLE,
SAMUEL HASTINGS,
GEO. BUSHNELL,
CHAS. L. MEAD,
W. G. HUBBARD,
JOSEPH H. TOWNE,
W. J. PHELPS.
* * * * *
THE FREEDMEN.
REV. JOS. E. ROY, D. D.,
FIELD SUPERINTENDENT, ATLANTA, GA.
* * * * *
EDUCATIONAL WORK.
Report of the Committee on Educational Work in the South.
After speaking of the importance, the providential and varying
character of the work, the report concludes:
As now conducted, the agencies of the Association are directly
concerned with all grades of instruction, embracing common day
schools, boarding schools, normal schools, chartered colleges,
theological and other professional schools; blending also with
mental, moral and spiritual culture the teaching of industrial
occupations, and a training in good manners and right behavior
in all relations. It seems best that the work should continue to
have this multifarious character, that it may mold the whole life
of this race as it rises into free manhood and full citizenship,
and bring a positive religious influence to qualify the whole
movement. Nevertheless, it is to be desired and expected that,
in the progress of events, the way will be open for systems of
public instruction to be introduced and maintained at the South
which will provide for the primary education of negroes as well
as white men, and so in time relieve the Association of much of
its elementary work. In this matter our wisdom is to fall in with
the indications of Providence, with no special anxiety either
to hasten or to hinder the steps of the movement, but to do our
utmost to prepare the way for wise and right action when it comes.
As a missionary society we must for a long time give chief
attention to the education of teachers and preachers for the
colored people. That must be done at the South, for Christianity
and civilization can never be regarded as fully established
among a people till from among themselves, in their own home
country, are drawn out trained teachers, leaders and ministers of
religion. Our normal schools, colleges and theological seminaries
must, therefore, absorb, in large measure, the vigorous efforts
and resources of this Association, that the foundations of these
institutions may be strengthened and their courses of instruction
advanced and improved, and especially that aid maybe judiciously
extended to the young men and women who come out of great poverty
to seek the advantages of these institutions and to offer
themselves for the service of Christ among their own people.
The report very fitly emphasizes this last-named need, and we do
earnestly commend it to the consideration and timely beneficence
of our churches.
The report shows unmistakable tokens of the Divine favor to this
department of our work during the last year. Notwithstanding
the pressure of hard times and the embarrassment of debt on
our Association, the work has been steadily maintained, the
number under instruction has been kept up, and in the normal
schools largely increased; the standard of scholarship in the
higher institutions has been advanced; strong testimonials of
appreciation of the quality of the education given from Southern
men of standing and influence, and from Northern visitors, have
been multiplied; and above all, God, by the precious work of
His Spirit on the souls of students in nearly every one of the
institutions under charge of the Association, has owned this
work, and taken it into full identification with the plan of His
redeeming providence. For all this let our devout thanks be given
to Him who permits us to co-operate in His good work of mercy for
a lost world.
As we enter on a new year of this missionary labor, the signs
are full of encouragement and hope. The Association is free
from debt, with money in its treasury. A Christian lady has
pledged a large benefaction for providing much needed material
accommodations for this educational work; the rising sentiment
of our nation is demanding new guarantees for the rights of the
oppressed Freedmen; old obstacles to the work are giving way,
and the return of financial prosperity gives promise of larger
means at the disposal of our churches for the Master’s work. May
we not hope, also, that a fresh baptism of the Holy Ghost upon
the churches, upon the executive officers of the Association,
and upon the whole working force of missionaries, teachers and
helpers on the field, may inspire all with a new spirit of holy
consecration, and lead on this educational work in a movement,
fresh and strong, towards the consummation which we seek and
which the Lord designs? For this let us fervently pray.
A. L. CHAPIN,
G. B. WILLCOX,
GEO. M. BOYNTON,
THOS. N. CHASE,
J. BRAND,
S. D. COCHRAN.
* * * * *
CHURCH WORK.
Report of the Committee on Church Work in the South—Abbreviated.
The annual report of the condition and work of churches in the
South under the care of this Association gives occasion for
gratitude and encouragement; for, while the numbers in themselves
seem not large, we are to remember that the work is comparatively
a recent one. In 1864 there were but four churches under the
fostering care of this body; in 1869, only twenty-three; while
now they have grown to sixty-seven, with 4,600 members; 745 of
these members were added to the churches during the past year,
and 85 per cent. of the additions were on profession of faith.
It is much to have 6,219 pupils in Sunday-schools, being drilled
in the first principles of Divine truth and into a better
knowledge that religion must mean righteousness. And when we
remember that the 7,207 scholars in the other schools are all
under positive religious influence of the sort we are accustomed
to, and the 150,000 pupils taught by teachers who have been
trained in the schools of the American Missionary Association are
indirectly receiving something of the same influence, we must
feel that the religious work of this Association in the South is
a large one.
A thoroughly good work has been done during the year in “edifying
the churches,” building them up into a sturdier virtue, more
rational views, and a more intelligent zeal. They are evidently
growing in the features of a healthy church life. At several
points there has been very encouraging progress in the matter of
self-help, in building churches and supporting the ministry—a
point of prime importance in the development of self-respect and
manly ability. There has been an awakened interest and effort
in the temperance reform, aiding to correct vices which have
been the Freedmen’s besetting sins. There has been a marked
improvement in the homes of the colored people, influenced by the
personal visitation of devout and sympathetic women who have gone
South for this very purpose. Following this hint, it is suggested
by some that perhaps Christian colored women, trained in our
institutions, of tried discretion and tact, maybe found fitted
for a similar work among their own class, and may find a large
usefulness opening to them as city missionaries. These churches,
too, in the expression of fellowship at formal ordinations, and
in the wide-awake meetings of their seven conferences, have
done something to promote that spirit of co-operation which the
colored man needs to learn.
But while we must give special care to the nurture and training
of these infant churches, and while it were to the last degree
unwise to rush into every opening and organize new churches
indiscriminately at every point where it may easily be done,
it is an important question whether the time has not arrived
when we may wisely do more in this direction than hitherto. We
have fortified our strategic points and entrenched ourselves in
educational fortresses that form a cordon of arsenals all around
the field, to supply material of war. Shall we not now deploy the
troops to feel the way forward, and, pushing out from our base of
supplies, begin to occupy the land?
A variety of reasons easily suggest themselves for giving greater
prominence to this part of the work. The educational needs of
the colored race seemed to demand it. With unquestionable wisdom
this Association lays chief stress upon its educational work in
the South; but it should not be forgotten that the Church is
a leading factor in that work. The schools help the churches.
Twenty or more of the churches are in more or less close
connection with the colleges and schools of this society, and
they are among the best and the most flourishing. The more the
negro is educated the better he likes our style of religion, and
the better he makes it work.
Moreover, the young ministers we are training need them as
fields. And now that we are raising up a conscientious, godly and
well-instructed class of pastors, where shall they find flocks
unless this Association gathers them?
Again, Dr. Strieby’s admirable paper last year showed that wherever
these churches exist, the thrift and material prosperity of the
colored man is greatly increased. He gains in self-respect,
economy, foresight, patience. He has a better home and more money,
and is every way more of a man. Now thrift is a potent civilizer,
and if we would help the negro in this respect we can do it largely
through the churches.
It is to such churches, too, that we may look for recruits for
that great missionary work in the dark continent which now
begins to open before the Christian world with such magnificent
opportunity. We look for new Livingstones among our colored
brethren of the South, and there is a call for them. The eyes
of English missionary societies are fixed upon the open door
of Africa, and it seems probable that they will want to send
out and support all the well-qualified colored missionaries we
can furnish. But this cannot be done unless there is a greatly
increased missionary spirit among the colored people themselves;
and to cultivate this missionary spirit we need more churches.
Nor will it do to excuse ourselves from this work on the plea
that there are other churches in the South to which the negro, by
immemorial traditions and long association, is better accustomed,
and still others which may be at first more attractive to him
than ours. The question is not, what would the untutored negro
prefer, but what will best secure his development and help him to
a nobler life and character. The other method of argument would
surrender him to the Roman Catholics at once.
As a matter of fact, the introduction of these churches of the
pilgrim sort is found to have worked well in two directions. It
improves our somewhat frigid method to be warmed up with the
African ardor; and it improves the negro to be toned down and
disciplined to self-control by our methods. A sound, healthy
religious life has been developed in many of our churches in ten
years, which could not have been developed in fifty years in
those churches where the ebullient spirit of the negro is allowed
to run to riotous excess unchecked.
It is a noteworthy fact also that our churches have had a large
influence upon the other churches about them. They have been
recognized as presenting a higher type of piety and character.
Their quiet methods of worship have made the boisterous methods
of their neighbors unfashionable. Their higher moral standards
have been a tonic to the conscience in the others. They have set
the negroes to clamoring for an educated ministry.
While, then, we would not multiply churches for the mere sake
of multiplying them, we deem the time opportune for laying
new stress upon this part of the work. We would increase our
constituency in the South in Christian churches which shall
share with us in the work of education and in home missionary
endeavor, and in the newly-opening foreign field; and we would
ever remember that to elevate the negro we must keep him in the
glowing presence of the cross, red with the heart’s blood of
Divine love, and of the crown, which may be his as well as his
white brother’s, in that great kingdom where there is neither
white nor black, but where “Christ is all and in all.”
C. H. RICHARDS,
F. P. WOODBURY,
A. P. FOSTER,
F. BASCOM,
J. F. DUDLEY,
D. PEEBLES,
U. THOMPSON.
* * * * *
PROVIDENTIAL CALLS.
BY REV. M. E. STRIEBY, D. D.
It is just a third of a century since the American Missionary
Association was organized. That period has been crowded with
stirring events, working marked changes at the time in the
opinions and history of mankind, and pregnant with other and
far-reaching consequences. In no respect has this been more true
than in regard to the races for whose benefit the Association was
mainly formed. Thirty-three years ago slavery ruled in America
with the iron hand, and with the purpose and prospect of enlarged
sway; now the slaves are free, and the far-reaching consequences
of that event are but beginning to be realized. Thirty-three
years ago tropical Africa was almost as much unknown as in the
days of Herodotus and Ptolemy; now its great central lakes have
been traced and mapped, the great mystery of the Nile sources
has been solved, and Stanley has traversed the continent from
Zanzibar to the mouth of the Congo. The far-reaching consequences
of these discoveries to commerce and to Christian civilization we
have not yet begun to realize.