The Thirty-fifth Annual Meeting of the American Missionary
Association was held in Plymouth Church, Worcester, Mass., on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, November 1st, 2d and 3d, 1881.
As the bells in the church-tower finished chiming the “Missionary
Hymn,” at three o’clock Tuesday afternoon, Secretary Strieby called
the meeting to order, and in the absence of the President and
Vice-Presidents, Rev. S. R. Dennen, D.D., of New Haven, was chosen
to preside. After devotional services, Rev. Marshall M. Cutter, of
Medford, was chosen Secretary, and Rev. John L. Ewell and Rev. C.
P. Osborne Assistant Secretaries.
A Nominating Committee was appointed consisting of Rev. E. H.
Byington, Rev. E. P. Marvin and C. L. Mead, Esq.; also a Business
Committee consisting of Rev. Geo. M. Boynton, Rev. G. R. M. Scott,
and Geo. P. Davis, Esq.
The Treasurer, H. W. Hubbard, Esq., read his report, which was
referred to a Committee on Finance. The Annual Report of the
Executive Committee was made through Rev. G. D. Pike, D.D.,
District Secretary, and was referred _seriatim_ to appropriate
Committees. An hour was then spent in prayer and conference, with
special reference to the work in the South.
Tuesday evening, after devotional services, led by Rev. E. G.
Porter, of Lexington, Rev. C. D. Hartranft, D.D., of Hartford,
Conn., preached for the Annual Sermon a discourse appropriate to
the Communion, which followed it, from Matthew xxvi, 27, l.c.,
“Drink ye all of it.” The Lord’s Supper was administered by Rev.
Geo. W. Phillips, pastor of Plymouth Church, and Rev. Geo. H.
Gould, D.D.
Wednesday morning, a prayer meeting, conducted by Rev. A. P.
Foster, of Jersey City, was held at eight o’clock. At nine o’clock
the regular session began, the chair being occupied in turn by
Rev. L. T. Chamberlain, D.D., of Norwich, Conn., and Gen. O. O.
Howard, of West Point, Vice-Presidents. John H. Washburn, Esq., in
behalf of the Executive Committee, to whom was referred the matter
of amending the Constitution of the Association at the last Annual
Meeting, reported certain recommendations, which were referred to
a Special Committee, to report Thursday morning. Richard Wright,
Esq., of Augusta, Ga., colored, read a paper on “The Colored Man:
His Strength, Weakness and Needs.” President E. H. Fairchild,
of Berea College, Kentucky, read a paper on “Review of the
Anti-Slavery Contest, and estimate of its meaning and value with
reference to the Civilization of Africa and the World.” Secretary
Strieby made an address on “The duty of America in the Conversion
of the World, and especially in the Conversion of Africa.”
President E. A. Wane, of Atlanta University, Ga., read a paper on
“Higher Education.”
Wednesday afternoon. Prayer was offered by Rev. H. A. Stimson, of
Worcester. Gen. O. O. Howard made an address on “Our Social Needs
and their Remedy.” Gen. S. C. Armstrong, of Hampton, Va., reported
for the Committee on Indian work, and was followed by Capt. R.
H. Pratt, of Carlisle, Penn. A report of the Committee on Church
work was read by Rev. Cyrus Hamlin, D.D., who also made an address
upon the subject. Rev. J. E. Roy, D.D., Field Superintendent of
the Association, supported the report by interesting statements
illustrating the influence of the work among the colored people.
The report of the Committee on Educational work was read by Rev.
Charles T. Collins, of Cleveland, Ohio, and supported by Rev. John
R. Thurston, of Whitinsville.
Wednesday evening. Hon. E. S. Tobey, of Boston, President of the
Association, in the chair. Rev. William M. Gage, D.D., of Hartford,
offered prayer. Addresses on “Christian Education at the South”
were made by Rev. L. O. Brastow, D.D., of Burlington, Vermont;
Prof. Cyrus Northrop, of Yale College, and Hon. Geo. F. Hoar, of
the U.S. Senate.
Thursday morning. The prayer meeting at eight o’clock was led by
Rev. O. H. White, D.D. The regular session at nine o’clock was
opened with prayer by Rev. I. P. Langworthy, D.D., of Boston. Col.
Franklin Fairbanks read the report of the Special Committee on the
Constitution.
The following amendments were adopted: In Art. vi. the words,
“Recording Secretary,” and “of which the Corresponding Secretaries
shall be advisory, and the Treasurer ex-officio members,” are
omitted; and after “Secretaries” the words, “who shall also keep
the records of the Association,” are inserted. In Art. vii. after
“dismissing,” the parenthesis is omitted. Article viii. is omitted,
and Arts. ix. and x. are respectively numbered viii. and ix. The
consideration of Arts. iii. and v. were referred to a special
committee of thirteen, Col. Franklin Fairbanks, chairman, to report
at next Annual Meeting.
A letter from Hon. E. S. Tobey, President, declining re-election on
account of the pressure of other duties, was read, and resolutions
of thanks for his faithful services were unanimously adopted by
a rising vote. The Nominating Committee recommended Hon. Wm. B.
Washburn, of Greenfield, Mass., for President, and presented a list
of other officers, who were duly elected.
On motion of Rev. C. T. Collins, it was voted to memorialize
Congress for immediate and increased appropriations for education
at the South.
The report of the Committee on Chinese Missions was read by Rev.
A. E. P. Perkins, D.D., of Ware. A paper on the subject was read
by Miss Harriette Carter, of Mt. Vernon Church, Boston, where more
than one hundred Chinamen have had Bible instruction, and addresses
were made by Rev. Lysander Dickerman, of California, and by Rev. C.
H. Pope, of Machias, Me.
Rev. G. W. Harding read the report of the Committee on African
work, and addresses were made by himself, by Col. H. G. Prout,
late in the service of the Khedive of Egypt, and by Rev. Geo. S.
Dickerman, of Lewiston, Me.
Thursday afternoon. On “Woman’s Work for Woman,” papers were read
by Miss M. L. Sawyer, of Boxford, and Miss E. B. Emery, of Gorham,
Me., and addresses delivered by Mrs. A. K. Spence, of Nashville,
Tennessee; by Rev. E. N. Packard, of Dorchester; Rev. A. H. Plumb,
of Boston, and Rev. E. S. Atwood, of Salem.
The report of the Finance Committee, in the absence of Hon. J. J.
H. Gregory, chairman, was read by Rev. E. S. Atwood, and asked for
$300,000 for the ensuing year. Addresses were made by Rev. Geo. F.
Stanton, of Weymouth, and Secretary Strieby. District Secretary
Woodworth made a statement of Mr. Gregory’s recent gifts, amounting
to $15,000. Rev. A. H. Plumb, in a happy little speech, announced
$2,000 from an unknown donor, which he passed to the Treasurer in a
sealed envelope. Of the amount, $500 was for Berea College and $500
for Hampton Institute.
Thursday evening, after prayer by Rev. Lewis Grout, Rev. O. H.
White, D.D., for six years Secretary of the Freedmen’s Missions
Aid Society in London, spoke of English co-operation and of the
miseries of the slave trade in Africa. Henry D. Hyde, Esq., of
Boston, pressed the claims of the Association to more liberal
support, and John B. Gough, Esq., in a series of incidents, told in
his inimitable style, illustrated the capacity of the colored race
to be educated and elevated.
After some parting words from President Tobey, resolutions of
thanks to the churches, committees, pastors, choir and railroads,
and to the hospitable people of Worcester, and addresses in
response by pastors Lamson and Phillips, the meeting closed with
the benediction by Dr. O. H. White, to meet next year in Cleveland,
Ohio. Near the close of the session a beautiful white dove entered
the church and suggestively perched in a high niche over the pulpit
platform.
Notwithstanding the prevailing dullness of the weather during our
Annual Meeting at Worcester, there was nothing like dullness in
the meetings. Daily the capacious church was thronged with deeply
interested listeners. The high character of the addresses, the
absorbing interest of subjects discussed, the excellent music of
the ample choir, the completeness of arrangements by the local
committee, and their uniform courtesy and unremitting attentions,
and last, but not least, the generous hospitality of the Christian
people of the city, all conspired to make the occasion one to be
long and delightfully remembered.
The American Missionary Association turns with fresh hope and new
inspiration to the work of the coming year.
* * * * *