Part 4

The terrible epidemic which held this city in its relentless grasp for five months and created general gloom and depression, delayed the opening of the University till December 1st. When we closed the last term and planned for another year—our first year in the new University building—our hopes were strong and enthusiastic, and we said, “With the attraction and novelty of a fresh, beautiful building in a central position, and the tide of public sentiment strongly in our favor, the new year will be a marked period in the educational interests of our State.” These brilliant expectations were changed to grave uncertainty and anxiety. But God is with us, and our fears are already dissipated. In the first place, the colored people were wonderfully exempt from the ravages of the fever. There were instances of the fever, but the mortality was slight. The only disadvantage was the uncertainty regarding the time of opening the term, which induced a large number to enter into other school arrangements. At this writing we have in the Academic Department 175, and in the Law Department 25. New students are enrolled every week, and we have great occasion for satisfaction and gratitude. Our friends will be glad to know that the new University building suits our needs to perfection. We could hardly suggest a change in the arrangement of rooms. In many respects it is a model house. If our friends could understand how earnestly we desire to furnish our beautiful chapel and two additional recitation rooms, into which we are almost ready to “_swarm_,” and how we long to see a neat fence surrounding the lot, isolating and protecting us, situated as we are on the grand boulevard of the city, I am sure that some good heart would suggest the means of accomplishing these things. But this is God’s work, and He will send relief if we can only wait.

We shall graduate a class of six, of whom five are young men. They all have bright minds and are first-class scholars. It is a real pleasure to teach them. I hear them every morning in Upham’s Mental Philosophy, and the most exacting teacher would ask no better recitations than are uniformly given. The inducements for young men and women to qualify themselves for teachers of the highest grade are all that could be desired. It is impossible now to answer the demands for competent teachers for the colored schools of Louisiana. I have received an application for a principal of a large parish school, with a salary of $1,200, and two are now in hand for lady teachers, with salaries of $30 per month, in a town where good board can be obtained for $7 per month. This demand will constantly increase both in Louisiana and Texas. Two of our last senior class are teaching in Texas, and receiving $50 per month.

When I returned to the church, after an absence of more than five months, the people greeted me with enthusiasm, and said to me, “You find us a united people. God has kept us together during this sad summer. We are ready for work. When will the revival begin?” I told them we should begin special meetings with the “Week of Prayer;” but the time for earnest labor was already at hand to prepare the people for the work of grace, which I felt sure God had in store for us. Our prayer meetings were largely attended, and I could see that the Church were longing and praying for a glorious revival. What a joyful duty it is to preach to such a people! The “Week of Prayer” came, and with a deep feeling of dependence upon God we gathered for our first special meeting. Night after night the attendance increased. Christians yielded themselves to the spirit of the meetings; the flame of religious fervor burned more brightly; and when, in sympathy with the Christian world, we had considered the topics assigned by the Evangelical Alliance, we felt ready to enter upon the holy work of winning souls, and of directing all our thoughts and energies to this object. For four weeks we gathered every night, with an attendance ranging from 80 to 150, seldom falling below 100. Members of other churches flocked in; unconverted men and women heard the good news and joined the waiting throng. The result has been joyful—blessed—glorious. In some respects I have never witnessed a revival of greater spiritual power. The work has been quiet as the under-current of a river, but deep, heart-searching and vital. The number of converts has been less than in some previous revivals; but when the position and influence of those who have been reached, one-half of them heads of families, is considered, the general result is highly important. A few instances will illustrate the nature of the good work. During a previous revival a fair young girl was one of the joyful converts. She has been a steadfast Christian, honoring by a consistent, holy life her vows as a church member. One year ago she was married to a young man of many attractive qualities, and the centre of influence in a wide circle of friends. During this revival not only the husband, but the mother have found Christ, and to-day there is great joy in that household. On the night when the mother uttered the exultant cry, “Christ has set me free; I am redeemed!” the child, who had prayed for her husband’s and her mother’s conversion, fainted from excess of joy and emotion. Another mother is made happy by the conversion of her son, and expresses her joy with fast-falling tears. Now a student from one of the country parishes yields to conviction and takes his stand as a Christian. Another, a painter by trade, who says he knew nothing of Christianity before, seeks earnestly till he finds the Saviour. We shall never forget his impassioned eloquence when he announced his conversion. It was the utterance of a deep, overwhelming joy. A young man, whose home teaching has been all wrong, walks for days beneath the dark shadow of doubt and fear. On one night he rose in meeting, and weeping freely said, “Why do I not find peace? Why will not God have mercy? Oh, pray for me and help me!” Such agony of soul cannot continue long. It was the profound darkness before the dawn. To-day his faith is strong and joyful.

There came into our meeting a wife, in whose conversion peculiar interest was manifested. Listening with eager interest from the first, she soon became intensely engaged in her own salvation. Near the close of one of our services she exclaimed, so soon as her emotion would permit her to speak, “God, have mercy! Everybody pray for me!” Earnestly she inquired the way of life, and after a brief but bitter struggle the light came beaming in upon her soul, and she goes from house to house, spreading the glad tidings and telling what great things the Lord has done for her. Last year a married woman—a public school-teacher—experienced this blessed change of heart, and the religion of Christ has been the absorbing theme of her life since. Now her daughter, an interesting girl of sixteen, shares the faith of the mother, who says, “Have I not reason for loving God as I do?” One who became a Christian years ago, but who, through indifference, had lapsed from the enjoyment of the Christian life, has been recovered. When she sought my counsel, I said, “Don’t expect to be converted over again. Take your place as a Christian woman, and live as a Christian should live.” The change with her has been like a new conversion. The cloud has been dispelled, and she rejoices in the restored favor of God.

On the last night of our special services fully 150 people were present. I think we shall begin another special campaign the 1st of March. Pray for us that a great light may be kindled here, which God will never suffer to go out. Oh, the progress of this dear church these last three years! Their self-respect, their pure lives, their faith in. God, give cause for Christian confidence, affection and recognition. The true church of God will not withhold them.

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TENNESSEE.

=Fisk University—The Day of Prayer, etc.=

PRES. E. M. CRAVATH, NASHVILLE.

The meeting for prayer for the Association and its work was held on Monday afternoon, January 6, at three o’clock, in the chapel. The number in attendance was very large, and there was an unusual freedom in prayer and a deep and tender interest in all the exercises. Prof. Bennett spoke of the falling off in receipts, of which you had made mention in a recent letter to him, and this called forth very earnest supplication that God would move men’s hearts to liberal giving, so that the good work among their people might not suffer. The occasion was one of unusual interest.

There have been two very clear and interesting cases of conversion since Christmas, and some among us are anxious. There has not yet been so large an increase in the number of students since New Years as we had expected. The weather has been intensely cold and money seems to be very scarce.

The health of teachers and pupils is good. At the Baptist Institute they were compelled to suspend school on Monday because of sickness resulting from the unusual cold and exposure.

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=Woman’s Work—Relief Fund—Health Matters—Cottage Meetings—Northern Helpers.=

MISS HATTIE A. MILTON, MEMPHIS.

The outlook seems much more encouraging this year than last, for several reasons, one of the most important of which is, that the relief fund gives us access to many more families. Last Sabbath five new scholars came to Sunday-school, all from families which had been benefited by the relief. One of the boys, eleven years old, who belongs to a very poor family, but who is quite a hero among his neighbors, because of his honesty and industry, I often met last year with others on the commons, but he could not come to Sunday-school because he was so ragged. As he was very anxious to attend, a suit of clothes was given him last week, and Sabbath morning he came to the church before his teacher was dressed for breakfast, and waited patiently during the three hours until the exercises began, enjoying his improved appearance.

The past few weeks have been very cold for this climate, and many a widow with her little children has been made to rejoice as she gathered her family around the bright fire and partook of the wholesome food provided by the A. M. A. relief. The yellow fever made terrible havoc in many families—indeed in some none are left to tell the tale of woe! For a few days, now, the weather has been very warm and there is much sickness, and the death rate is very high among the colored people—in many cases, no doubt, resulting from want of proper attention. A few days since I visited a man suffering with indigestion and cold; he had called a doctor, but was not relieved; his wife was anxious to help him, but knew not what to do; so she was told to let the light in from behind, instead of in front of the patient, as it was very painful to his eyes, then to apply cloths wet in hot water to the aching head and chest, and hot bricks, steaming with vinegar, to his feet. In half an hour he was relieved and the next day was almost well, only needing directions about food and ventilation. This is but an instance among many of those who suffer for the want of such simple remedies, of the use of which they have no knowledge. As the demand for nurses has been very great during the past year, we propose giving some attention to this branch in our school, which has filled up since Christmas and is doing well.

The industrial department is getting in good working order. I have about forty women and girls under my general supervision, the more experienced assisting me in teaching the others to cut and make garments. They seem much interested in the work. This department is looked upon with approval by most of the people, as but few mothers are capable of teaching their daughters these accomplishments, though they are very anxious that they should learn them.

My field of work is already twice as large as last year. Members of the different churches welcome me into their houses, and invite their neighbors to our cottage meetings, of which we have five every week in different neighborhoods. The pastor of the leading Methodist church here gave me the names of several members of his church who would be glad to have me hold mothers’ meetings in their houses, which was a great help in my work, as it did much to remove the suspicion with which they have regarded me. Some who are not professed Christians have invited me to their houses, saying they hope by so doing they may see the way more clearly. Many colored people look upon the epidemic of the past season as a judgment from God on account of their sins, and try to be more religious lest a worse evil befall them.

The Ladies’ Missionary Society, of Roseville, Ill., have become interested in this work, and have forwarded a box, for which we are thankful.

The “Little Girls,” of Crete, Ill., who last year sent a box, have this year formed a society, which they have named “_The Milton Busy Bees_,” have met every two weeks, and with their friends have prepared a box of very valuable clothing, which has been received, and has made many a heart beat warmer. May God bless all our kind friends at the North who aid us so much by these substantial signs of their sympathy.

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THE CHINESE.

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=Summary of Mission Work among the Chinese.=

REV. WM. C. POND, SAN FRANCISCO.

At the annual meeting of the California Chinese Mission I was requested to append to the report then presented an account of the work of other missions. I venture to hope that that account will be of interest to the readers of the MISSIONARY, and offer it as my contribution for this month. The facts were obtained not from printed reports, but by special inquiries.

=The Presbyterian Mission= reports four evening mission schools, one in each of the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and San José, with an average attendance of 70, 60, 35 and 24 respectively. Four American missionaries, speaking the Chinese language, are employed, four Chinese preachers, and six other teachers. There is also, in San Francisco, a day school for boys and girls, with two teachers, one English and one Chinese, and an average attendance of twelve pupils. There are six preaching places, three in San Francisco, three in Oakland, two in Sacramento, and two in San José. Twenty religious services are held each week, with an attendance which varies from a very few to one hundred. Two Chinese churches have been organized, one in San Francisco and the other in Oakland. The former has 40 members, of whom two were received the past year. The latter has 29 members, of whom six were added the last year. The San Francisco church has been in existence many years, and has received to membership from its organization 103 persons. In connection with the Sacramento Mission, 21 Christian Chinese have been received to the Presbyterian Church of that city; fifteen are still members of the church, and of these, eight were received last year. In connection with the San José school there are seven Christian Chinese, members of the Presbyterian church of that city.

=The Ladies’ Foreign Missionary Society= of the Presbyterian church sustains in San Francisco a Home for Chinese women, which has now eleven inmates, who must, of course, be not only taught, but sheltered and boarded, and, often, protected from the brutes in human form who claim to be their owners.

The total number of laborers connected with the Presbyterian Mission is thus seen to be fifteen. The total average attendance at the schools, 212. The total number of church members, from the first, is 160, of whom 69 have been removed by dismissal to churches in China, by death, or by the dropping of their names from the roll. The total number who hear the gospel from the lips of the missionaries or native preachers cannot be estimated, but must run far up into the hundreds, if not into the thousands.

Of the =Methodist Chinese Mission=, Rev. Dr. Gibson, Superintendent, makes the following succinct and clear report:

“Five evening and day schools, with a total average attendance of 149; five Sunday-schools, with a total average attendance of 246; four preaching places, with a total average attendance of 170; public preaching, daily prayer meetings, praise meetings, class meeting and Bible class, weekly, 78 Chinese members and 10 probationers; baptisms last year—adults, 19; children, 3; cost of girls’ boarding-school, $1,900; cost of all other work, $7,600.

“One of our schools is a boarding school for Chinese girls and women. We call it the ‘Asylum.’ As to churches, our plan is a little different from yours. We have classes at different places, but all are members of the one church at San Francisco.”

At Los Angeles, from a Chinese Mission School, which was sustained for many years by the California Chinese Mission, twenty in all have united with the Presbyterian church in that city.

=The United Presbyterian Church.=—This church, also, sustains a mission school in Oakland, which has an average attendance of about forty pupils.

=The Woman’s Union Mission= to Chinese Women and Children has been in operation nearly nine years. As its name indicates, it is a union work, and is sustained for the most part by ladies in the different churches of San Francisco and Oakland. The Society has been aided materially this last year by the Chinese themselves, having received a gift in money from the “Six Companies,” and also from the Chinese merchants.

The special work of this Mission is among Chinese children, and for them a day school is sustained in the second story of the old “Globe Hotel,” at the corner of Dupont and Jackson streets. With this special work is also combined visitation among Chinese families. The number of scholars on the roll the past year is fifty-two. Thirty-two of these are boys and twenty girls. There are two teachers employed, an English teacher and a teacher of Chinese. The running expenses of this Society are about eighty-five dollars a month.

If, now, I add to this statement the following statistics touching _our own_ =Congregational Mission=, the exhibit of missionary work among the Chinese in California will be complete.

We maintain 11 schools: at Oakland, Petaluma, Sacramento; in San Francisco, the Central, Barnes and Bethany; San Leandro, Santa Barbara, Stockton, Visalia and Woodland; in which 16 teachers are employed. 1,492 pupils have been enrolled during the year. The average attendance for the 12 months’ has been 244–647 being the largest number reported in any single month. 93 profess to have ceased from idol worship, and 75 give evidence of conversion.

There is, outside these organized missions, considerable work done by the churches in Chinese Sunday-schools, no complete or reliable statistics of which could be easily obtained. At those sustained by Congregational churches the total average attendance is, of pupils about 250, and of teachers about 100.

There is furthermore, we may trust, in Christian households scattered throughout the State, a work done for Chinese employed in them, which cannot be reported here, but whose record is on high. There, too, its fruit will appear, gathered into everlasting life.

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AFRICA.

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A CHRISTMAS IN AFRICA.

MRS. H. L. JACKSON, AVERY STATION.

To-day we have celebrated the birth of our dear Saviour. The first thing was the giving of presents to the laborers, which Mr. Jackson did from his own earnings. It was the custom of the former missionaries to give the laborers each a Christmas present, and they are not a people who forget very soon any favor shown them by the former missionaries. This present consisted of two goats and two bushels of rice, which was divided among them. I watched with pleasure their happy faces as each one received his portion.

At ten o’clock the first bell rang for services, and at the ringing of the second bell the chapel was filled to its utmost capacity with the heathen, who came from miles around to hear and learn of Jesus, and why we celebrate this eventful day. There were so many present that we were obliged to bring in extra seats. They gave very good attention and seemed to drink in the truths of Jesus Christ as they were given them. It would have been encouraging to you could you have seen them when they were told that this dear Saviour whom we celebrate is a God who hears in Mendi, Sherbro, Timony and all other languages, and if they come to Him with pure and contrite hearts He will wash away their sins and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. From their cheerful countenances one could read that their happy hearts sung forth praises to God. I am, as you may know, a lover of singing, so we selected some of the most beautiful and appropriate hymns for the occasion. As we sung, I, like the heathen, could but exclaim praise to God in the highest. Surely Africa will be redeemed from the curse of ignorance and sin, and her sons and daughters learn to bow in reverence to the true and living God.

After service, Mr. Jackson and I prepared a dinner, to which we invited the chiefs of the Bargroo river. They seemed to enjoy themselves very much indeed. The dinner consisted, as nearly as possible, of their country dishes and a plenty of pure cold water. Having a country cook, the dishes were all served up in regular country style. We had our interpreter to dine with them, so that we might be able to converse with them on the meaning of Christmas day and how they should celebrate it.

We are greatly encouraged to go forward in the work. It is true that it is a hard and tedious one, but when we lean on Jesus it is made light. You would, perhaps, be pleased to know of some of our encouragements. There is an unusual amount of interest manifested on the part of the natives in religion. They take hold of the truths imparted to them as if their souls were thirsty for the living bread of heaven. They are also gradually laying aside their country fashions, such as gregrees, charms and fetiches. All of these are features of interest to one who labors among them.

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Although we are thus encouraged, the habit of drinking rum is spreading among them. This is a great curse to Africa. No evil could be perpetrated among these people more injurious to them than the selling of rum. Really, many of them seem to think that rum is the staff of life, and in order to exist they must have it. This idea has been brought to them through the medium of a civilized people, whose highest aim should be to wipe this evil practice out of existence. Mr. Jackson endeavored to impress upon their minds as clearly as possible the great sin of drinking rum, and I am sure that many were convinced of it.

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The church is progressing both in interest and in strength. The first Sunday in this month was communion day. The presence of the Lord seemed near each one. Five persons joined the church and were baptized. Among the number was one chief. We have now three chiefs belonging to our church, and we believe that they are really converted men.

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CHILDREN’S PAGE.

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LITTLE SALLIE.

PROFESSOR A. K. SPENCE, OF FISK UNIVERSITY.

(Written from Dundee, Scotland.)