Book: American Missionary, Volume 43, No. 12, December, 1889

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The Nominating Committee nominated the following special committees, who
were appointed:

_Committee on Secretary Strieby's Paper._--Prof. G.B. Willcox, D.D.,
Rev. J.F. Dudley, D.D., Rev. E.D. Hill, D.D., Rev. Flavel Bascom, D.D.,
Rev. C.W. Camp, Rev. W.L. Tenney, Rev. J.E. Snowden.

_Committee on Secretary Beard's Paper._--Rev. H.M. Tenney, D.D., Rev.
C.O. Brown, D.D., Rev. E.M. Williams, Rev. E.F. Williams, D.D., Rev.
Calvin Keyser, Deacon G.N. Palmer.

Right Rev. H.B. Whipple, of Minnesota, then addressed the Association on
"The Future of the Indian in our Country."

After which, remarks were made on the Chinese question by Dr. H.A.
Stimson and Rev. M.F. Sargent.

After announcements of committees and programme for the afternoon,
President Taylor pronounced the benediction, and recess was taken until
2 o'clock P.M.


WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

The Association was called to order by Vice-President Noble. "Saviour,
visit thy plantation," was sung, after which Dr. Noble conducted the
devotional exercises for a half hour.

A paper on "The Future of the Negro in our Country," was read by Rev.
C.H. Richards, D.D., of Wisconsin, and referred to the Executive
Committee with power to publish.

Rev. C.F. Thwing, D.D., unable to be present as announced, forwarded
his address for the use of the Secretaries of the Association.

Rev. A.P. Foster, D.D., presented the report of the Committee on the
Indian Work.

Addresses were then made by Rev. T.L. Riggs, of Oahe, and Rev. C.W.
Shelton, Financial Secretary for Indian Missions.

After singing, "Sow in the morn thy seed," the Association was addressed
by Rev. W.B. Wright, D.D., on the Educational Work, presenting the
report of the committee and speaking in its behalf. Rev. F.P. Woodbury,
D.D., spoke also on the same topic.

After announcements, Dr. Noble pronounced the benediction, and the
Association took a recess until 7:30 P.M.


WEDNESDAY EVENING.

The Association was called to order by Secretary Strieby, who invited
E.W. Blatchford, Esq., of Illinois, to preside during the evening in the
absence of President Taylor. Professor G.B. Willcox led the Association
in prayer.

On being introduced by Secretary Strieby as representing the American
Board, Mr. Blatchford said:

"I have no authority from the American Board to convey to you any
special message; and yet I know that they will be glad to have me
express to you their sentiments of sympathy with you in your work. The
work is one. In carrying forward the work of the American Board and the
American Missionary Association we are obeying the same command of our
Lord: Go ye into all the world and disciple all. We are inspired by the
same prophetic promises, that the time will come when this world shall
obey the command of God as it is obeyed in heaven. In fact, this
gathering is in itself a type of the unity of this work; for as I look
around me I see brethren and sisters representing the different
societies in which we are all interested. I see them here from the New
West Commission; I see the workers and representatives of our Home
Missionary Society; I see, of course, many representatives of the
American Missionary Association, and those deeply interested in the work
of our American Board. So that we have here in this very meeting an
illustration of these words of the Apostle: 'One Lord, one faith, one
baptism.'"

Mrs. J.J.M. Angear, in charge of a Chinese Sunday-school in the First
Congregational Church, Chicago, spoke of her work, her Chinese choir
singing "Stand up for Jesus," and later a verse of "Sweet By and By," in
both English and Chinese.

Representative addresses then followed, Mr. Chin Kue speaking for the
Chinese, Mrs. Elizabeth Winyan for the Indians, Rev. T.L. Riggs
interpreting, and Rev. Mr. McClellan for the Negro. A verse of "Shall we
whose souls are lighted," was sung, after which Rev. W.E. Barton spoke
of the Mountain Whites.

President Eaton's paper was deferred, owing to the lateness of the hour.

After Secretary Strieby had led the Association in prayer and pronounced
the benediction, recess was taken until Thursday morning at 8:30 A.M.


THURSDAY MORNING.

Devotional exercises from 8:30 to 9 o'clock were conducted by Rev. E.S.
Hill. Vice-President Noble called the Association to order.

The minutes of the previous day were read and approved.

A letter to Secretary Strieby from Col. J.M. Keating, of Tennessee, on
the "Southern Problem," was read by Secretary J.E. Roy. A rising vote
was taken, expressing approval of the sentiments of the letter and
requesting the Association to publish it. Dr. F.A. Noble was instructed
to correspond with Col. Keating, assuring him of the Association's
appreciation of his address.

The report on the "Mountain Work," was presented by Rev. D.M. Fisk,
D.D., who followed it by an address.

District Secretary C.J. Ryder read a paper on "The Debt of our Country
to the American Highlanders."

"My Country 'tis of Thee," was then sung, after which Secretary
Ryder's paper was referred to the Executive Committee of the Association
with reference to publication.

President Taylor resumed the chair at this point and introduced Rev.
H.M. Tenney, D.D., who read the report of the committee on Secretary
A.F. Beard's paper. The report was accepted and referred to the
Executive Committee.

An address on the Church Work was made by Rev. C.W. Hiatt, District
Secretary of the Association, and was followed by several brief
addresses on the Mountain Work.

The report and an address was then made by Rev. Graham Taylor, D.D. The
report was accepted and its recommendations adopted.

After announcements, Dr. Noble was instructed to reply to Dr. Arthur
Little, of Massachusetts, in response to his telegram of greeting. After
the benediction by President Taylor, recess was taken until 2 o'clock
P.M.


THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

The Association was called to order by Vice-President Dr. F.A. Noble. A
verse of the hymn, "In the cross of Christ I glory," was sung. F.J.
Lamb, Esq., read the report of the Committee on Finance, supplementing
the report with a brief address. The report was accepted.

The report on Secretary Strieby's paper was presented by Prof. G.B.
Willcox, D.D. The report was accepted and referred to the Executive
Committee.

Following this, Secretary Strieby made a statement respecting the Hand
Fund. Dr. E.P. Goodwin, President Salisbury and President W.M. Taylor
spoke on the Financial Report, and the report was adopted.

The Association then adjourned to the chapel, and the church was
occupied by the Woman's Missionary Meeting under the auspices of the
Woman's Bureau of the Association. Mrs. George M. Lane, of Detroit,
Michigan, presided. The report was made by the Secretary, Miss D.E.
Emerson, after which addresses were made by the missionaries: On the
mountain work, by Miss Hayes, of Tennessee; on the colored people, by
Mrs. Shaw, of Georgia, and Miss Plant, of Mississippi; and on the
Indians, by Miss Barnaby, a native teacher.

The Nominating Committee reported the following list of officers for the
ensuing year:


_President_,

REV. WM. M. TAYLOR, D.D., LL.D., N.Y.


_Vice-Presidents_,

REV. A.J.F. BEHRENDS, D.D., N.Y.
REV. F.A. NOBLE, D.D., Ill.
REV. ALEX. McKENZIE, D.D., Mass.
REV. D.O. MEARS, D.D., Mass
REV. HENRY HOPKINS, D.D., Mo.


_Corresponding Secretaries_,

REV. M.E. STRIEBY, D.D., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.
REV. A.F. BEARD, D.D., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.


_Recording Secretary_,

REV. M.E. STRIEBY, D.D., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.


_Treasurer_,

H.W. HUBBARD, Esq., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.


_Auditors_,

PETER McCARTEE,
CHAS. P. PEIRCE.


_Executive Committee_,

_For Three Years._

S.B. HALLIDAY,
SAMUEL HOLMES,
SAMUEL S. MARPLES,
CHARLES L. MEAD,
ELBERT B. MONROE.

_For One Year._--ALBERT J. LYMAN.

A ballot was taken and the brethren named were elected. After the
benediction by the President, recess was taken until 7:30 P.M.


THURSDAY EVENING.

The Association was called to order by President Taylor. "Stand up,
stand up for Jesus," was sung, after which Rev. Simeon Gilbert, D.D.,
led in prayer.

The records of the previous sessions of the day were read and approved,
and the Secretary was instructed to complete the minutes.

The invitation to hold the next Annual Meeting in Northampton,
Massachusetts, was accepted.

President George A. Gates, of Iowa College, addressed the Association,
and was followed by an address by President Cyrus Northrop, D.D., of
Minnesota, and also by President E.D. Eaton, D.D., of Wisconsin.

The closing address of the Association was made by President Taylor.

The following minute read by Secretary Roy was then adopted:

When, just eighteen years ago, this city was smoldering in the
ruins of the great fire, which had consumed the holy and
beautiful house of this New England Church and the homes of
every family in it, the pastor, searching among the ashes
within these walls for some memento, found a charred leaf of
the pulpit hymn-book on which he was able to decipher these
words:

"Daughter of Zion, awake from the dust,
Exalt thy fallen head:
Rebuild thy walls, thy bounds enlarge,
And send thy heralds forth."

That hymn was sung at the first service in the rough board
tabernacle erected upon this spot.

We give thanks to God this day for the faith and courage by
which this people did awake from the dust and rebuild these
walls, and by which they have gone on building up their
spiritual temple and participating largely in the whole round
of service for extending the Redeemer's kingdom, a part of
which has been the inviting and the welcoming of this
missionary convocation to their sanctuary and to their homes,
and for which, to them, along with all others in the sister
churches who have joined them on this occasion in exercising
this grace of hospitality, we express our heartiest thanks.

We here call to mind with grateful emotion one of the manliest
of men, one of the truest disciples of Christ, Dea. C.G.
Hammond, who counted it an honor to have ministered at this
altar from the day of its setting up to the day of his
translation, and who for many years had served as one of the
Vice-Presidents of this Association, and had been giving
largely of his substance to its treasury.

At this closing hour, we are also thankfully reminded that the
First Congregational Church of this city was ready thirty years
ago to entertain this Association in the days of its weakness
and of its cross-bearing witness for Christ and for his lowly
poor: and likewise, ten years ago, to open its doors to receive
the same body then brought along by the providence of God to a
position of honor and extended usefulness.

And so we gratefully name the Union Park Church, which is now
lending us its pastor as one of our Vice-Presidents, and which,
with the other two churches mentioned, has furnished us with
the three grand annual sermons of Drs. Goodwin, Noble, and
Little, and the Plymouth Church, which, from the day of its
organization, with its testimony and its offerings, has stood
by this Association, and all the other churches of this
vicinage, grown now to be such a comely sisterhood, which have
shared with these others in the support of our work.

To the four great railway passenger associations, which have
extended to us their courtesies; to the city press, which has
so immensely broadened the influence of this missionary
convocation; to the gentlemen who, at no small sacrifice of
time and labor, have honored this occasion by their addresses,
reports, and clerical service; and to our honored and beloved
President, who has guided our deliberations with such skill and
grace, we express our obligations of thanks.

Rev. Norman Seaver, D.D., responded for the New England Church. He said
there was a saying that lightning never struck the same place twice,
yet, though it fell to him to welcome the Association, it had also
fallen to him to respond to this vote of thanks. He had asked Secretary
Beard what he would say on this occasion, and was answered, in his witty
way, "Tell us Godspeed, and we are glad to get rid of you." Dr. Seaver
felt that the local people were the recipients, and the visitors the
benefactors in what had been done. The President had inspired them with
his spirit; he had not withdrawn his presence, and very late might he
return to the heavens. Students and young ministers had been benefited
by listening to those many learned men and devoted servants of God, and
were inspired for future usefulness. "We are not the benefactors, we are
the recipients, and we wish you Godspeed."

After having sung the doxology, with the benediction by President
Taylor, the Association adjourned, to meet at Northampton,
Massachusetts, for its next Annual Meeting.


J.C. ARMSTRONG, }
} _Secretaries._
E.S. WILLIAMS, }

* * * * *


SUMMARY OF TREASURER'S REPORT.


EXPENDITURES.


THE SOUTH.

For Church and Educational Work, Land,
Buildings, etc. $255,083.84


THE CHINESE.

For Superintendent, Teachers,
Rent, etc. 11,070.75


THE INDIANS.

For Church and Educational Work,
Buildings, etc. 51,781.00


FOREIGN MISSIONS.

For Superintendent, Missionaries, etc.,
for Missions in Africa, income paid
to the A.B.C.F.M. 4,754.22

For Support of Aged Missionary,
Jamaica, W.I. 250.00


PUBLICATIONS.

For American Missionary, (23,200 monthly),
Annual Reports, Clerk-hire,
Postage, etc. 7,230.31


AGENCIES.

NEW YORK.--Woman's Bureau, Secretary,
Traveling Expenses, Circulars, etc. 1,361.74

FOR EASTERN DISTRICT.--District Secretary,
Clerk-hire, Traveling Expenses, Printing,
Rent, Postage, Stationery, etc. 4,589.59

FOR WESTERN MIDDLE DISTRICT.--District
Secretary, Traveling Expenses, Printing,
Rent, Postage, Stationery, etc. 1,246.33

FOB WESTERN DISTRICT.--District Secretary,
Agents, Clerk-hire, Traveling
Expenses, etc. 6,196.97


ADMINISTRATION.

For Corresponding Secretaries, Treasurer,
and Clerk-hire 12,505.00


MISCELLANEOUS.

For Rent, Care of Rooms, Furniture,
Repairs, Fuel and Light, Books and
Stationery, Rent of Safe Deposit Boxes,
Clerk-hire, Postage, Traveling Expenses,
Expressage, Telegrams, etc. 5,541.43

Annual Meeting 577.05

Wills and Estates 3,385.07

Annuity Account 407.93

Amounts refunded, sent to Treasurer
by mistake 122.77

-----------

$366,104.00

Debt Sept. 30, 1888 5,641.21

-----------

371,745.21

Balance on hand September 30, 1889 4,471.67

----------- $376,216.88

==========


RECEIPTS.

From Churches, Sabbath Schools, Missionary
Societies and Individuals $189,299.57

Estates and Legacies 114,020.41

Income, Sundry Funds 10,947.26

Tuition and Public Funds 34,126.69

Rent 506.36

United States Government, for Education
of Indians 16,408.85

Slater Fund, paid to Institutions 8,899.99

Sale of Property 2,007.75

---------- $376,216.88

==========


DANIEL HAND FUND, INCOME ACCOUNT.

Income received to September 30, 1889 $36,999.71

Amount expended $20,311.15

Balance in hand and appropriated 16,688.56

---------- 36,999.71

==========


RECEIPTS FOR THE WORK OF THE YEAR 1888-89.

For Current Work $376,216.88

Income from Daniel Hand Fund 36,999.71

Total ----------- $413,216.59


ENDOWMENT FUNDS RECEIVED DURING THE YEAR 1888-89.

The Daniel Hand Fund for the Education
of Colored People, Securities
received, face value $1,000,894.25

Foltz Endowment Fund, Estate of Rev.
Benjamin Foltz. (Balance) 500.00

------------- $1,001,394.25


H.W. HUBBARD, Treasurer,
56 Reade Street, New York.

* * * * *


THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION--ITS PLACE AND WORK.

BY SECRETARY M.E. STRIEBY.

We commemorate the forty-third anniversary of the American Missionary
Association. During these years, its place and work have become somewhat
definitely settled, and I take this occasion to set forth the position
that it now holds in relation to its constituents, its sister societies,
and the great work providentially thrown upon it.

1. The Association recognizes the control of its constituents. That
recognition was one of the corner-stones on which it was founded. It
sought its members and its funds from persons of evangelical faith and
practical morality. Of such, it offered membership to any one who
contributed to its funds. Thus broadly was it placed on a popular basis.

At length, however, it began to be felt by many of its supporters that
there were evils in this method--that the acts of the society were
liable to be regulated by the local attendance at each annual meeting,
and that such meetings might easily be "packed" to carry out a purpose.
The officers of the Association, true to the cardinal principles of its
founders of control by its constituents, welcomed the discussion and
cheerfully accepted the present constitution, which was adopted after
due deliberation. That constitution designates as voters, life members
and delegates from the churches, local conferences and state
associations. The Executive Committee believe that we have now reached a
satisfactory basis, but if it shall be the will of the constituents to
make further modifications hereafter, the fundamental principle of the
Association will dictate a ready acceptance of any change that will not
set aside the evangelical, missionary, and philanthropic basis on which
the Association was founded, and that will not impair contracts or
endanger invested funds. The Association belongs, under Christ, to its
constituents.

2. The work of the Association embraces all forms of effort in both the
church and the school. It was organized and chartered as a _missionary_
society. This was its fundamental aim. It was not till 1869,
twenty-three years after its organization, that the word "educational"
was put into its charter. But this change did not alter the character
of its work--_the school is missionary, the church an educator_--and
this church and school work are inseparably blended. The people among
whom it labors are children in knowledge, and will remain so for a long
time, for there are millions of blacks, mountain whites, Indians, and
Chinese in our country who cannot read and write. In Northern
communities where the children grow up in Christian homes and are
environed in cultured society, with the best of common schools, the
church finds the material for its membership, so far forth, prepared to
its hand, but among these millions of unlettered peoples the church, if
it is to be pure and intelligent, must be the outgrowth of the Christian
school; and the branches of the tree might as well be expected to grow
up without the roots, as such churches without these schools. The work
among them begins in the primary school, and follows them through all
departments of industrial, normal, collegiate and theological
instruction.

In all this long process the teachers are with them at every step--in
the shop, the school, the Sunday-school, the prayer meeting, and the
church, and often the principal of the school is the pastor of the
church. Thus the church, which grows up within or along side of the
school, gets the priceless boon of the personal example and influence of
these Christian teachers, in refining the manners and in making
character; and as the pupils are converted they enter the church to
become its stable members and intelligent officers. On the other hand,
the families in the church, with their kindred and friends, furnish the
pupils for the school and help to sustain it by their money and prayers,
both the church and the school being stronger by their mutual support
and more potent in their influence in the community than if they stood
apart. And even after the scholars have left the school and have entered
upon the business of life, the Association is especially fitted to
gather them into churches. It has occurred in several instances, in
starting new churches beyond the range of our schools, that we have
found them to be made up first almost wholly of graduates and students
from our different institutions, and that these have remained the most
intelligent and reliable members.

We have found, too, that when a church was thus organized where we have
no school, we are very soon importuned to start one. In localities with
a scattered population there might not be sufficient public funds to
open a colored public school; in many more places they would sustain the
school for only two months in the year, and in larger towns it sometimes
has happened that these public schools were of such a character that the
parents begged for a Christian school as a means of saving the moral
purity of their children. Thus, in every way, and under all
circumstances, the school and the church need and help each other. And
what is true of the colored people is equally true of the whites in the
mountains and elsewhere, among whom the Association is working so
auspiciously, planting its schools and churches in mutual helpfulness.

The suggestion that all the church work of the denomination in the
home-field be given to one society, and all the educational be
concentrated in one other society, deserves thoughtful consideration,
for it meets with this very serious objection, that it provides for but
one collection for work that now receives two or three. The experience
of our churches is conclusive against the hope that one enlarged
collection would be given to the one society. For a time, a brief time,
spasmodic efforts might, as in former cases, result in some special
contributions, but the new experiment would certainly be more
disastrous, if it should fail, than those already tried, because it
would involve far greater interests.

It is not to be supposed for a moment that such consolidation is
contemplated in order that the churches may escape the large
responsibility now resting upon them; and if economy and efficiency are
the only objects sought, we fear the result would be disappointing. Such
an arrangement would not save in the number of workers in the field, and
surely it is not wise business management to leave great interests
inadequately supervised. Even if the consolidated society were divided
into separate departments or bureaux, the supervision could not be less,
if efficient, while the combination would be likely to lead to
complications, and would weaken, in the several departments, the sense
of individual responsibility and take away the impulse of historic life
and achievement.

More work well managed and vigorously pushed seems to me to be the only
plan that will satisfy the Christian conscience or meet the approval of
the Master.

3. The work of the Association extends to all races of men. This claim
is sanctioned by the fraternal agreement existing between it and the
American Home Missionary Society, by its own history, and by the needs
of the field. The agreement with the sister society says explicitly that
the Association is "to pursue its educational and church work in the
South among _both races_." The history of the Association shows that at
the beginning the populations reached by it in America were _all white_
except the Indians and a few colored refugees in Canada.

Its home missions at the North and West were among white people: and so
were they even in the South before the war. John G. Fee and his heroic
associates in Kentucky, and Daniel Worth and others in North Carolina,
founded churches and schools only among the whites. Berea College was
for whites only, at the outset. It was not till the era of emancipation
with its overwhelming flood of freedmen that the Association turned its
direct and almost exclusive attention to them. It heard the voice of God
in the tramp of these millions marching out of bondage into freedom, and
in that voice it heard the call to itself, providentially prepared for
the new era. It answered the call, without, however, abandoning its
mission to preach the gospel to the whites also; and now, with its
schools and churches well established throughout the South, with an open
door to the whites, and especially to those in the mountain regions, it
hears the voice of God calling it thither. The ready adaptation of its
methods to these people, and the success of its efforts among them,
attest the validity of its call and the wisdom of its response.

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