Book: American Missionary, Volume 43, No. 2, February, 1889
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Various >> American Missionary, Volume 43, No. 2, February, 1889
"Mr. D.A. Rudd, of Cincinnati, editor of the _American Catholic
Tribune_, a colored Catholic paper, was chosen permanent Chairman. Upon
assuming the office he spoke favorably of the attitude of the Catholic
Church towards the Negro, saying especially: 'The Fatherhood of God and
the brotherhood of man is taught and practised by the Catholic Church in
no doubtful terms.' He advocated the starting of Catholic schools and
the aiding of those already started. The following facts were presented
by the Committee on Resolutions: There are twenty colored Roman Catholic
churches in the country, each of which has a school annexed. There are
sixty-five other colored Roman Catholic schools; eight colored Roman
Catholic orphan asylums; and three reformatories. Five thousand colored
children are taught in these schools, and three hundred children in the
asylums. Seven colored students are preparing to become priests. The
Pope from Rome cabled his greetings in response to a cable from the
Congress, saying: 'The Sovereign Pontiff gladly and proudly blesses you
with all his heart.' The influence, patronage and wealth of the Roman
Catholic Church are all at the service of this movement, and if
Protestants build up caste-churches in the South, the Romanists will
not."
* * * * *
AMONG THE TENNESSEE MOUNTAINS.
BY EVANGELIST JAMES WHARTON.
My visit to the people among the mountains was rather a departure from
my usual work--that of preaching to the colored people. I have preached
here about two weeks, the attendance being good, and the interest
deepening as the meetings went on, until now we have more than a score
who have professed to find Jesus precious to their souls.
The condition of the natives in this vicinity is very sad. Their
ignorance and pride coupled make it almost impossible to do anything for
them. The rough roads over the rocks and mountains make it a dangerous
undertaking for them to attend church in the evenings. Several of us
started for a meeting among them on a recent Saturday afternoon, with
rubbers, umbrellas and waterproofs, prepared for mud and rain. We
crossed a rickety old wooden bridge that had been nearly washed away by
the floods, and commenced to climb the mountain side by a road that was
nearly as steep as a steeple and which wended around to nearly every
point of the compass, ever going up, over ruts and rocks, roots and
trunks of trees, now jumping across a ravine, and next climbing a fence.
At last among the thickets and brush there were some signs of life, and
we came to an opening among the trees where we saw a miserable-looking
old shanty. The first thought was, can it be possible that human beings
live in a shed like this? We drew near and saw two women sitting with
their knees up to the open fire on the hearth. They looked much
surprised to see us. We told them that we were going to hold a meeting
at a house a little farther on; will they go? No, they don't care to go,
expectorating the tobacco juice from their mouths into the fire at the
same time. We replied, "You would better go; it may be you will never
have a chance to hear an Englishman again;" to which we got a reply,
"Hear a w-h-a-a-t?" Whether they knew what an Englishman was, or not, or
even if they ever heard there was such a country as England I cannot
say; but I understand there are thousands of these people who know
nothing of the outside world, and many who were never five miles away
from their own door-step in their life. With a patch of ground for corn,
another for tobacco, with wood for the fire, they are as contented as
the President; alas, too contented!
We entered the cabin to which we were going by a door-way in which we
must needs bend our heads very low to get inside. The first thing that
struck us was the gloom and darkness. In each corner of the room was a
bed, with a smaller one pushed underneath, and two sick people suffering
from slow fever. It is no wonder, for eleven people occupied this one
room, about twelve feet square. Need we wonder that misery and squalor
are seen all around? An old soap box from the grocery formed a corner
cupboard. Two old chairs which perhaps belonged to their
great-grandmother, all frame and no seat, an empty box, and a bucket of
water with a tin scoop, formed the whole furniture of the mountain cabin.
Poor souls! I was told that I had done wonders when one day, during an
address, I got them to smile! It was quite a treat to see a smile upon
their faces. Joy seems to be outside their domain altogether, and the
worst feature appears to be that they have no desire for anything
different. If they get the idea that you think them low down and want to
lift them up, they at once commence to stretch themselves up to their
full height and stand upon their dignity. They will not fail to tell you
plainly that you must not think they belong to the "know-nothing" class.
They "know what is right and what is wrong, without you coming here."
This is often said, even by those who live immoral lives. Pride of race
is often affected towards the colored people. A colored man
unfortunately had been drinking and was left at the depot. Some one
stumbled against him, saying, "I did not know it was a man; I thought it
was baggage." His companion spoke up and said, "It isn't a man; it's a
nigger." Often their children are bright, cheery-looking children,
well-behaved, unassuming and quiet. These poor mountain people might do
well to take a few lessons from many of their despised, dusky neighbors.
The whole work, in my little time among these people, has greatly
touched my heart and drawn out my sympathies towards them.
* * * * *
ITEMS FROM THE FIELD.
Trinity School, Athens, Ala.:
"During December there was a special religious interest in view of the
meetings held by Rev. Mr. Wharton, your missionary evangelist. The
meetings were well attended by our students and by the people. These
meetings were greatly blessed to the quickening and upbuilding of
Christians, and twelve persons professed conversion. All of our pupils
except one, above the primary department, are professing Christians. Our
student prayer meetings are exceedingly precious seasons to teachers and
pupils. We have just organized a Young People's Society of Christian
Endeavor which promises to be very helpful.
"On account of these meetings we could not make our usual preparations
for a Christmas concert and presents to the children. Accordingly, we
invited them all to our parlors to a reception on Wednesday the 26th,
and to our great surprise, there came a Christmas box on Tuesday, with
presents for every one, greatly to the joy of the little ones, yes, and
of the large ones also. After the distribution of the gifts, delightful
music bubbled from every throat, and the universal testimony was, 'This
is the best Christmas I ever spent.'"
Straight University, New Orleans, La.:
"We are having a glorious revival. Every night during the Week of Prayer
there have been glad hearts. I think there is scarcely a boarding
student who is not thoroughly aroused. Most are seeking the Saviour.
Eighteen have found peace. Many day students, and others who are not
students, have been much interested. One young man who has been a
scoffer at all good things, came to the meetings, and soon came under
the influence and asked us to pray for him. As I write in Stone Hall, I
hear on all sides the sound of prayer and singing."
The new church at Crossville, Tenn., was dedicated on Sunday, Dec. 30th.
The new building is very tasteful and convenient, in a beautiful and
central location. Six new members were received--all Northern people.
The house was full both morning and evening. Much interest was shown.
Rev. G.S. Pope preached in the morning and Rev. S.E. Lathrop in the
evening.
Sherwood Academy opened its new winter term with increasing numbers. The
school is gaining favor with all classes and is doing an excellent work.
* * * * *
"Habits and Manners," is the title of a neat little volume by Mrs. W.A.
Armstrong, of Hampton, Va. It is made up of the lectures delivered by
Mrs. Armstrong to the students of the Institution, and is a remarkably
clear statement of the rules that should govern the habits and manners
of ladies and gentlemen. These lectures, though originally addressed to
colored students, are equally applicable to white people, for here, at
least, color makes no difference. The book has many other items of
interest, as for example, rules for cooking, recipes, etc.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
* * * * *
A GLIMPSE AT SHADY SIDE.
REV. W.C. POND, D.D.
Our friends will get a quite one-sided and mistaken view of our work
among the Chinese, as of any other missionary work, if they have nothing
but the sunny-side reports to read. It is a war that we are waging, and
war is serious business. The varied fortune of the battle involves
defeats, incidental and temporary, on the way to the final victory.
Sometimes it is hope deferred.
There are Chinese in whom we have come to be deeply interested, for whom
we have long prayed, who have for years been among the most constant and
most pleasing of our pupils, and for years have been convinced that an
idol is nothing, but that the God of the Bible is the only true God, and
the Christ of the Gospel the only true Saviour, who stop just there.
Over and over again we ask about them, only to find them still _just
there_. Not a step forward seems to have been taken, and meanwhile
time--weeks that grow to months, and months that grow even to years--
time that might be full of service, runs to waste. The heart gets sick
with this hope deferred.
Then there are cases of disappointment. Bright hopes have darkened
almost to the blackness of very despair. A brother whose conversion,
(_must_ I say _apparent_ conversion?) has seemed to be unusually clear;
whose walk as a Christian seemed, while he was with us, to be well-nigh
perfect; whose spirit was singularly humble, devout and Christly; who
was growing rapidly in knowledge of the word, and could already preach
the word with power, goes back to his home in China. Sore pressure is
brought to bear upon him, and he pays some sort of homage at an idol's
shrine. He feels forthwith condemned. He will not be a hypocrite, and
therefore will no longer profess to be a Christian. Now that he has
returned to California, he is ashamed, he says, to show himself among
the brethren. He stands aloof; keeps out of sight, and thus takes the
very path along which Judas hastened to his doom. In vain do we show him
the better way of faith; in vain speak to him of Peter, or of the
Father's welcome to the prodigal, and the delight we once had in him
adds soreness to the heartache of our disappointed hope.
These are not solitary cases. Yet we may thank God that they represent
not the general rule, but the exceptions. The general rule is that of
constancy and faithfulness, and these exceptions are such as occurred
even in the Apostolic ministries: how much more to be expected in ours!
Yet the pain they bring and the shadow they cast are none the less real
and deep.
Another element in shady side arises in a quite different quarter.
"Coming events cast their shadows before," and these shadows just now
obscure our sunny side. We resolve not to be worried about to-morrow,
and yet we must not enter doors that open except we first count the
cost. That coming event is a deficit that seems inevitable, unless we
shut our ears to what sound like the calls of God. Our plan heretofore
has been to listen to these calls and answer them if possible, believing
that he who gives the commission will not fail to supply the means. Nor
has this faith been put to shame. Yet, when the rules of arithmetic
confront one at every summing of his probable resources and subtracting
of his fixed expenditures, and the figures, like fleshless, bony
fingers, point him to deficits and unpaid bills impending, then, even
while faith maintains her hold, it cannot be denied that shadows cross
our path. Our friends who have helped us hitherto must expect some
urgent appeals before this fiscal year is ended. The utmost economy
shall be practised. Each dollar shall be made to do full service, if
care and watchfulness on our part can assure this, but the work must not
be hindered. Souls are at stake, priceless and immortal.
I have not yet reached the end of my catalogue of shadows, but I soon
tire of looking at the shady side. Shadow pre-supposes sunshine, and
sunshine there is, clear, abundant, having cheer in it for the present
and promise for the future--promise of harvests such as may make this
year to be as the last and even more abundant.
* * * * *
ANNIVERSARY OF CHINESE MISSIONS.
Superintendent Dr. Pond is a modest man, and we, therefore, take the
liberty of quoting from the _Congregationalist_ a little sketch by our
friend Dr. Holbrook, of the recent anniversary of the Chinese Mission as
presenting a broad ray of sunshine over the "Shady Side," as given in
Brother Pond's candid article above.
The Chinese Mission of the A.M.A. on the Pacific coast, under
the superintendence of Rev. W.C. Pond, D.D., is very efficient
and successful. Its thirteenth anniversary was held on Sunday
evening, December 9, in the First Congregational Church in San
Francisco, Prof. I.E. Dwinell presiding. The exercises by the
Chinese converts indicated remarkable proficiency in the English
language and in music, both in solos and choruses. Jee Gam, the
first convert, and now employed by the courts as an interpreter,
read an address on "The Congregational Association of Christian
Chinese," of such merit in thought and language, that some
doubted its originality, which, however, was vouched for by Dr.
Pond. The writer sketched its origin in 1871 and the progress of
the Association since, and said it had been the means of the
conversion of more than 700 Chinese, and that it designs to send
missionaries to China. It is self-supporting, though the
expenditures during the year have been $9,619.50, of which
$2,066 were for rent. Dr. Pond advocated the appointment of
itinerant preachers to labor with the Chinese in the moving
camps on the railroads. Rev. Dr. Barrows made a very effective
appeal for funds, and a collection was taken. Dr. Pond certainly
deserves great credit for his labors in this department, in
addition to the pastorate of Bethany Church in San Francisco, in
which there are a large number of Chinese.
* * * * *
BUREAU OF WOMAN'S WORK.
MISS D.E. EMERSON, SECRETARY.
* * * * *
WOMAN'S STATE ORGANIZATIONS.
CO-OPERATING WITH THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
ME.--Woman's Aid to A.M.A., Chairman of Committee,
Mrs. C.A. Woodbury, Woodfords, Me.
VT.--Woman's Aid to A.M.A., Chairman of Committee,
Mrs. Henry Fairbanks, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
VT.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. Ellen Osgood, Montpelier, Vt.
CONN.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. S.M. Hotchkiss, 171 Capitol Ave., Hartford, Conn.
N.Y.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. William Spalding, Salmon Block, Syracuse, N.Y.
ALA.--Woman's Missionary Association, Secretary,
Mrs. G.W. Andrews, Talladega, Ala.
OHIO.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. Flora K. Regal, Oberlin, Ohio.
IND.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. W.E. Mossman, Fort Wayne, Ind.
ILL.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs.
C.H. Taintor, 151 Washington St., Chicago, Ill.
MINN.--Woman's Home Miss. Society, Secretary,
Miss Katharine Plant, 2651 Portland Avenue,
Minneapolis, Minn.
IOWA.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Miss Ella E. Marsh, Grinnell, Iowa.
KANSAS.--Woman's Home Miss. Society, Secretary,
Mrs. G.L. Epps, Topeka, Kan.
MICH.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. Mary B. Warren, Lansing, Mich.
WIS.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. C. Matter, Brodhead, Wis.
NEB.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. L.F. Berry, 724 N. Broad St., Fremont, Neb.
COLORADO.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary,
Mrs. S.M. Packard, Pueblo, Colo.
DAKOTA.--Woman's Home Miss. Union, President,
Mrs. T.M. Hills, Sioux Falls; Secretary, Mrs.
W.R. Dawes, Redfield; Treasurer, Mrs. S.E.
Fifield, Lake Preston.
We would suggest to all ladles connected with the auxiliaries of State
Missionary Unions, that funds for the American Missionary Association be
sent to us through the treasurers of the Union. Care, however, should be
taken to designate the money as for the American Missionary Association,
since _undesignated funds will not reach us_.
* * * * *
THE MOUNTAIN GIRLS.
But why the _girls_? Because the girls are immortal as well as the boys.
Because the girls in their education have been neglected far more than
the boys. Because the _girls_ are to be the _mothers_ of the next
generation.
That they are immortal, and capable of becoming and doing much in this
life would seem to be doubted even by their parents. The neglect of the
girls in their physical, mental, moral, and religious education, is
enough to draw pity even from the most stupid Christian.
Hundreds are put into field work from spring till autumn. They follow
the mule and "bull tongue." They wield the heavy hoe, sprouting newly
cleared land. They look after cattle on the ranges and the mountain
swine, and if these are needed for meat, kill and dress them as a man
would do. Said a woman the other day, "I wish I had as many dollars as I
have alone killed and dressed hogs." With parents the _boy_ means a
"heap" more than the _girl_. A boy can shoot deer and coon, fox and
rabbit, can build cabins, can keep school, and "seems" be a doctor or go
to Congress. With this impression, if anybody is clothed and sent to
school, it is the _boy_, while as a rule, the girl is poorly clad and
stays at home to do the boy's work, to make "craps," and grow up in
ignorance. If in berry time they can get a few dimes to buy a calico
dress and a pair of shoes, contentment settles over their faces.
Aspirations for anything better they have not, for an avenue leading to
a more hopeful life they have never dreamed of. To look into the future
there is nothing sunny or bright. Illiterate, they marry young some poor
fellow, and with no money they begin life, build their cabin home in the
timber land, girdle a few acres of the stately trees of oak and
chestnut, and there raise a family to take the same dark and gloomy view
of life the parents have had.
Must this condition of things continue, among a people, too, who are all
native born Americans, who have fair native abilities to become a power
for good if trained in Christian schools?
_Is it not time a special_ effort be made for these _girls_? They are
growing older. They will soon be the mothers of a new generation. With
illiterate mothers what will that generation be? Just what the present
generation now is. What will it be if these girls now growing up are
brought into a school like ours at Pleasant Hill? Here, if there can be
sufficient room and ample teaching force, they will be taught and
trained in a practical knowledge of all the duties of life, especially
in those of the household. If we educate and save the _girls_ we are
using the very lever needed to lift these hopeless and neglected
thousands living at our very doors, out of their degraded life and bring
them into the light of the 19th century, and qualify them to take
positions among the best women of the land.
The work for which I plead is full of encouragement and hope. It is not
in Africa. It is within one or two days' ride of the largest and most
wealthy churches of our country, those who love the Kingdom of Christ
and have sent, and are still sending, their thousands of dollars to the
ends of the earth, while these bright American girls are, by some
strange oversight, neglected at our very doors.
The American Missionary Association has undertaken a noble work among
them, and something has been accomplished, yet this good work has but
just begun. The grey dawn has only cast a few signs of daylight over the
mountains. To carry this work forward successfully in behalf of the
neglected girls, there should be, in a great natural center of
operations like Pleasant Hill, a spacious boarding hall with an
industrial department and home, for those girls. It should not be
stinted in size, but large, well-arranged, and well-equipped in all its
departments from the primary upwards, where they can be taught
everything a girl ought to learn, not only in books and in a Christian
life, but taught to sew, knit, darn stockings, to make good bread, and
keep house with order and neatness, and do everything needed to be done
in a Christian home. If the _native girls_ can come from their cabin
homes into such an institution and be thus thoroughly trained, the axe
is then laid at the very root of the tree of a squalid life of
illiteracy, and a life of Christian culture and hope comes in its place,
where Christian mothers throw angelic brightness over their households,
and families of children are trained to act well their part in this
great and growing nation. The institution I suggest, and for which I
must plead, should not only be large enough to accommodate girls near at
hand, but from other neighboring States who stand in need of such a home
and training. It should be a Bethel for these immortal waifs, a house of
bread, so well provided for as to take the poorest who cannot pay a cent
of their own expenses. On this base it will be doing the greatest and
grandest work possible for the two millions and a half who are scattered
as lost sheep over the mountains of our own land.
B. DODGE.
* * * * *
RECEIPTS FOR DECEMBER, 1888.
MAINE. $371.03.
Auburn. Sam'l J.M. Perkins $10.00
Augusta. Mite Boxes, Miss K. Carpenter's
S.S. Class, 7.50: S.S. Class, Mite
Boxes, 2, _for student Aid, Talladega C._ 9.50
Bangor. First Ch. 30.00
Bath. "Helping Hands" of Central Ch.,
_for Ind'l Sch., Williamsburg, Ky._ 50.00
Blue Hill. Mission Circle, by Grace
Dodge, _for Selma, Ala._ 2.50
Brewer. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 21.70
Brunswick. First Cong. Ch. 50.00
Farmington Falls. Cong. Ch. 5.93
Foxcroft. Mrs. D. Blanchard 2.00
Freeport. Cong. Ch. 15.32
Gorham. First Cong. Ch. 95.08
Island Falls. Cong Ch. 10.00
Machias. Sab. Sch. of Cong. Ch. 5.00
North Bridgton. Cong. Ch. 4.50
Norway. Mrs. Mary K. Frost 0.50
Patten. Sab. Sch. of Cong. Ch., _for
Student Aid, Emerson Inst._ 7.00
Portland. Fourth Cong. Ch. 15.00
Portland. Infant Class, St. Lawrence St.
Sab. Sch., _for Student Aid, Gregory Inst._ 3.00
Skowhegan. Ladies of Cong. Ch., Box
Goods, by Mrs. L.W. Weston
South Paris. Cong. Ch. 4.50
Phippsburg. Cong. Ch. 10.00
York. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 19.50
NEW HAMPSHIRE, $314.87.
Brookline. Cong. Ch. 1.00
Concord. South Cong. Ch., to const. REV.
ALFRED T. HILLMAN L.M. 60.64
Concord. "Light Bearers," _for Student
Aid, Storrs Sch._ 18.00
Concord. "Friend" _for Rev. Alfred Connet_ 10.00
Great Falls. First Cong. Ch. 20.00
Greenfield. Cong. Ch. 6.00
Goffstown. Sab. Sch. Class, _for Brewer
Normal Sch._ 5.00
Hampton. Cong. Ch. 13.70
Hancock. Cong. Ch. 25.00
Hanover. "Dartmouth Religious Soc."
_for Indian M._ 25.00
Hudson. Miss E.A. Warner, _for Student
Aid, Talladega C._ 15.00
Keene. "Friends in Second Ch.," 32.25;
"Friend." 1, _for Indian M._ 33.25
Lisbon. First Cong. Ch., ad'l 0.50
Nashua. Ladles, Bbl. of C., _for Greenwood,
S.C._
New Ipswich. Cong. Ch. 6.66
Peterboro. Sab. Sch. of Union Evan Cong.
Ch., _for Storrs Sch., Atlanta, Ga._ 31.30
South Newmarket. Miss H.L. Fitts, _for
Student Aid, Talladega C._ 15.00
Stoddard. "Pansies," _for Christmas Tree,
Meridian, Miss._ 3.00
Tilton. Cong. Ch., Sab. Sch. Class of
boys, _for Student Aid_ 3.00