Part 2

The Midway Church in the same way split on the color line, but not to form two Congregational churches. The white part of it at the close of the war surrendered the polity to which they had clung with heroic tenacity for more than one hundred and sixty years, and went over in a body to the Presbyterian Church South. Not so the larger part of the colored membership. They knew nothing but Congregationalism, and they refused to accept anything in its stead. The result was that they were formed into the new Congregational Church of Midway. They have built a new meeting-house, and are showing marvelous energy in maintaining their institutions and working towards self-support. It is matter of interest that many of these colored Congregationalists of Old Midway were scattered during and since the war into the towns and counties around, and have formed the seed out of which six or seven other Congregational churches have sprung. Right here, then, these two facts confront us: The _one_, that our polity, for some reason, stopped short at the boundary between freedom and slavery. The _other_, that, having _passed_ that boundary, it seemed to have no power to propagate itself, either by sending out colonies or by organizing new converts on the ground. It is certainly a strange anomaly in church extension, and we leave each one to answer for himself whether it was some instinct in Congregationalism which held it North of the latitude of slavery, or whether the overruling Power, which gave it its mission in America, turned it back until it could go with an open Bible, free speech, and its democratic equalities.

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ITEMS FROM THE FIELD.

ORANGEBURG, S.C.--Last month we printed a very short plea for a musical instrument for the church. We express here our thanks to Mr. S. T. Gordon, of New York, who sent us word a few days ago that an organ was at our disposal for this use. Such ready responses are full of encouragement.

ATLANTA, GA.--“A good degree of religious interest still prevails in Atlanta University. On the first Sunday of March, four persons united with the church by profession of faith, and a number of others propose to do so at an early day. An equal number of those converted here will join churches at their homes.”

OGEECHEE, OR NO. 1 MILLER STATION, GA.--The station called “Ogeechee” in our printed list in Feb. Magazine, should be _No. 1 Miller Station, Chatham Co., Ga._ Miss E.W. Douglass, formerly at McLeansville, N.C., has been transferred to this field, and finds ample opportunity for missionary labor. Friends communicating with her, or with Rev. John. R. McLean, pastor of the church, will please note the correct P.O. address.

TALLADEGA, ALA.--“A precious work of grace. Eighteen hopeful conversions, and many more almost persuaded. The meeting we have just come from has been seldom paralleled in our experience. Many seem to be discovering that there is life for a look at the Crucified One. ‘Pray, watch, work,’ has been our motto for some time past, and these are the blessed results. Will our dear A. M. A. pray for this part of its Israel?”

MONTGOMERY, ALA.--The Swayne School has received a valuable box for its “Teachers’ Home” from the ladies of the church at Lyonsville, Ill. It contained a rag carpet, comfortables, bed and table linen, etc.

ANNISTON, ALA.--March 2d, six were received into this church on profession of their faith. Two infants were baptized.

ATHENS, ALA.--“There is great zeal in study, especially in Bible study. This has greatly strengthened our hearts, for we know ‘The entrance of Thy word giveth light,’ and we are encouraged to hope for the speedy conversion of several young men who have publicly asked the prayers of Christians.”

TOUGALOO, MISS.--“Students are manifesting more than usual interest in study and general improvement. We do hope we can be allowed to put fences around the place; we are losing so much every year by having the farm all open to the public. We can make it a source of income when properly fenced and stocked.”

NEW IBERIA, LA.--The South-western Conference of Congregational Churches will meet at St. Paul’s Church, New Iberia, April 2d.

BEREA, KY.--An encouraging religious interest is reported. Five young men of excellent promise have, within a week, confessed Christ. This has been under the regular ministration, without help from abroad. Most of the prayer-meetings are well attended. The community is very harmonious.

MEMPHIS, TENN.--The school never was in a more flourishing condition than now, and the future has never before seemed so full of promise.

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GENERAL NOTES.

The Freedmen.

--There are probably a million and a half of church members among the colored population of the Southern States.

--Ex-Governor Brown, of Georgia, expresses himself as follows in regard to the position and claims of the Freedmen: “I think I speak the sentiments of a vast majority of our people, that it is our interest to make of the colored race the very best citizens we can. To do this it is necessary to educate them as far as our means will allow, and to lift them from the ignorance in which they were found at the time of their freedom to a much higher grade of intelligence. They can never be good citizens and exercise intelligently the rights of freemen till they have these advantages.”

--We regret to see that the Young Men’s Christian Association, of Washington, D. C., by the Rev. O. C. Morse, its secretary, feared to have a few colored Sunday-school teachers mingle with white persons engaged in similar work, withdrew invitations given, and at first refused admission to the three or four who came with cards of invitation, though they were afterwards allowed to enter. Meanwhile Senator Bruce was occupying with dignity the chair of the Senate of the United States.

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Africa.

--The Khedive of Egypt, at the close of 1877, appointed Captain George Malcolm (Pasha) for the suppression of the slave trade in the Red Sea. As late as June 1878, he reported that he could accomplish nothing, as the trade was effectually protected by the Turkish flag.

--Mr. Maples, of the Universities Mission, writes from Masasi, East Africa, that, owing to the energy of Dr. Kirk and Seyid Borghash, the wholesale slave trade at Zanzibar, and up and down the coast for hundreds of miles, is almost entirely stopped; but that they are still smuggled into dhows by twos and threes so clothed and disguised as not to awaken suspicion; that in the interior, slave caravans make their way from the Nyassa region to the coast as far north as Somali, and south to and beyond Lindi. He says: “I should scarcely be believed were I to tell you how great is the deterrent effect upon the slave trade in these parts of a solitary mannered Englishman dwelling among the people.”

--Mr. Penrose, of the Church Missionary Society, with all his camp followers, has been killed in the country of the Unyamwesi.

--Mr. Mackey, of the C. M. S., arrived last July with the caravan at Kagei, on the Victoria Nyanza. (See map.) He visited Lukonge at Ukerewe, in regard to the murder of Mr. O’Neill and Lieutenant Smith; heard the explanations given, and demanded the note-books and pistols of his friends, as an evidence of regret and a pledge of friendship. These were not given up to him, and he, therefore, declined to have further relations with that people.

--Mr. Wilson writes of the healthiness of the Uganda country, and thinks that missionaries’ wives may safely accompany them thither.

--There are large deposits of kaolin, or china clay, near Mtesa’s capital, and abundance of nutmeg trees.

--Col. Gordon has advised the C. M. S. to establish a mission on the west shore of the Albert Nyanza, which he represents to be a healthy location, free from foreign influence, and substantially under protection of the Egyptian Government.

--Rev. J. B. Thomson, of the London Missionary Society at Ujiji, on Lake Tanganika, died at his post January 20th. It is a great loss to this new mission. The Directors ask, “Who now will be _baptized for the dead_?”

--The English Baptist Missionary Society will occupy San Salvador, 50 miles from the west coast of Africa and south of the Congo, as the head-quarters of their work, with a station at Makuta. Mr. Comber returned to England after a tour of observation, and hopes to return this month with two associates.

--Mr. Stanley strongly advocates the construction of a railway, which would be about 500 miles in length, from a point on the east coast to the southern end of the Victoria Nyanza. Another railway 150 miles long would bring us to Lake Tanganika, which has a water-way of about 330 miles, and another 200 miles long to Lake Nyassa, which gives many hundred miles of water-way. A fourth short railway would lead to the navigable waters of the Shire and the Zambesi, which flow into the sea. These link-lines of railway would open up about 1,300 miles of splendid navigable water. Connect these lines also with the sources of the Congo or Livingstone river, and a chain of trading posts is possible across the continent to the west coast. The value of this new market to English and American merchandise would thus be immense, and the speedy downfall of the slave trade be made sure.

--The _Wesleyan_ (English) _Missionary Notices_ publishes an account of a recent visit by two of their missionaries into the interior, seventy miles west from Sierra Leone. They found a healthier country, though only 210 feet above sea level, and a cooler climate. Fruit is grown, cotton spun, and iron implements made. The villages were increasing in size, and are now at peace. Slavery and polygamy exist among them. The country is open to missionary effort, and Mr. Huddleston is speedily to be located at Fouracaria, in the Limba country.

--The following extract is of special interest as relating to the region proposed to us for missionary work by Mr. Arthington:

African research, in its relation to commerce merely, is being taken up with energy in the three principal emporiums of the Mediterranean--Genoa, Marseilles and Trieste. The experienced African traveller, Dr. Mattenci, has started from Genoa at the head of an expedition fitted out at the charge of a number of Italian merchants. He goes through the Suez Canal to Suatin and Matamma, in the southwest of Abyssinia, and will penetrate, if time and circumstances permit, into the Galla Lands. Almost at the same date an Austrian expedition leaves Trieste, under charge of two marine officers, Pletsch and Pizzighelli. They propose to remain for above a whole year in Shoa, in order to make an exhaustive study of its capacity for export and import trading, and to return a complete report to a number of eminent Austrian mercantile firms. From Marseilles, lastly, several representatives of commercial houses in south-western Europe have been despatched to the Red Sea, Shoa, and Abyssinia, with similar instructions.--_African Times._

--The Vatican has entrusted to the Algerian Roman Catholic Mission the creation of two stations in Central Africa--one on Lake Tanganika, the other on Lakes Victoria and Albert Nyanza.

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The Indians.

--The House Committee reported against the several bills to establish territorial government in the Indian Territory. The conclusions of the Committee are as follows:

_First_--That the bill (Oklahoma) under consideration conflicts with existing treaty stipulations.

_Second_--That to decide that a treaty is no longer binding requires for its justification reasons which commend themselves to the principles of equity and good conscience, particularly where the parties to the compact with the United States are weak and powerless and depend solely on the good faith of the Government.

_Third_--That no such reasons exist for violating the treaty stipulations which reserve the Indian Territory exclusively for Indians, and which secure to the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks and Seminoles, the right of self-government, under the restrictions of the Constitution of the United States.

_Fourth_--That even if there were no opposing treaty stipulations, no objections resting on good faith, it would be unwise and impolitic to throw the Indian Territory open to white settlers without the consent of the Indian owners.

_Fifth_--That while official recommendations--some of them entitled to the highest respect--are strongly in favor of making Indians citizens of the United States, and transferring their land titles from the national tenure in common to the individual tenure in severalty, experience has shown that in the great majority of cases such measures, instead of benefiting, have proved injurious to the Indian.

_Sixth_--That experience fully demonstrates that the holding of their lands in common by the Indian tribes is an effectual safeguard against the worst effects of Indian improvidence. Apart from any considerations of justice or humanity, it would be unwise and unstatesmanlike to adopt measures which, by destroying that safeguard, would be calculated to reduce the great mass of them, in opposition to their own earnest protests, to a state of hopeless penury and degradation.

The report is signed by Messrs. Neal, Riddle, Muldrow, Aldrich, Reed, Bagley and James T. Jones of the committee.

--When Gen. Howard went alone, as it were, and unarmed among the hostile and ferocious Chiricahuas, and boldly faced their head chief Cochise, he showed them a moral power which they had never seen before, and so produced a deep impression of respect for the superiority of white men that has probably done more than any brute force could have effected towards the pacification of the tribe. The treaty then made was, and is still, sacredly respected by Taza, the son and successor of Cochise, and by all the Apaches, except, perhaps, fifty hostiles, who still prowl on the Mexican border.

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The Chinese.

--Last month we recorded the failure of the proposal to transfer the Indians to the War Department. This month, with equal pleasure, we note the failure of the bill virtually to prohibit Chinese immigration. After passing both House and Senate, it was vetoed by the President, and on the motion to pass it over the veto, was defeated, having evidently lost ground in the intervening days.

--Among the many memorials addressed to the President on this subject, the following was sent by our Executive Committee:

_To the President of the United States:_

SIR: The Executive Committee of the American Missionary Association respectfully but most earnestly ask that the Executive veto be affixed to the bill passed by Congress affecting the relations of this country with China. We regard that bill as a surrender to caste prejudice, an injury to this country, a wrong to China, and a violation of treaty stipulations, of the fundamental principles of the Declaration of Independence, and of the law of God.

Signed by vote of the Committee,

CHARLES L. MEAD, JOHN H. WASHBURN, _February 21, 1879._ M. E. STRIEBY.

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THE FREEDMEN.

REV. JOS. E. ROY, D. D.,

FIELD SUPERINTENDENT, ATLANTA, GA.

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS FOR THE FREEDMEN.

The International Sunday-school Convention at Atlanta, upon the motion of Rev. Joshua Knowles, of Georgia, passed this resolution:

“That the present mental and moral condition of the colored people of this country, especially their lack of proper and adequate instruction, is calculated to enlist our sympathy, and call forth our earnest prayers and endeavors in their behalf.”

At the request of the executive committee, Rev. W. S. Plumer, D. D., of South Carolina, spoke upon this resolution. The venerated man, cutting down the tangle about the entrance to the subject, showed that the prophetic curse uttered by Noah did not apply to the African race, but only to the Canaanites, a single branch of the family of Ham. He spoke of the Ethiopian eunuch as one of the first trophies of the Gospel out of the Jewish nation. Africa now says to us when we put the question: “Understandest thou what thou readest?” “How can I, except some one guide me?” And that is what these people are looking to us for to-day. Now a great work is to be done for these people, and it is to be done just as it is to be done for white folks. We must do this in self-defense. It is not possible that this great mass of uneducated mind can be among us without in the end doing great mischief. In 1825, Dr. John H. Rice predicted that if this country was ever desolated, it would be by some crisp-haired prophet, arising and claiming inspiration from Heaven, holding himself ready to lead on these people to damage and mischief of every sort. He had known for sixty years that colored children could learn by rote as well as white children; he had sometimes thought better. And here is encouragement. He had written a memoir of a Christian negro, Monroe. His own life had been saved by a negro, when, as a boy, he was capsized in the Ohio. “Be kindly affectioned toward these people,” said the patriarchal man in the spirit of the aged John, “and God will provide for them a future of great honor and usefulness among us. Let us love them and treat them as brethren, and remember that ‘the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin’--_us_, the black man as well as the white man.” In the printed report of that speech “applause” is counted nine times.

At that convention, in the report by States of Sunday-school work, Maryland announced three Sunday-school missionaries, one of whom labored among the colored people, and two teachers’ associations in Baltimore, one for the colored. “We wish it understood that we are taking care of the colored children and gathering them into our schools.” Virginia reported: “We are earnestly engaged in pushing the work among the colored population.” The colored Sunday-school organized in 1855, by Stonewall Jackson, was still alive, superintended by Col. Preston, and having as teachers some of the ablest professors in the university at Lexington. Experience has shown that the best way to elevate the colored man is to give him well-ordered and well-taught Sunday-schools. Florida said: “The work in colored schools is gaining ground, one of them having over 300 scholars.” Texas reported many flourishing colored Sunday-schools, and was happy to have one of her intelligent Christian colored superintendents in that convention.

Besides what is being done by the several denominations in their respective way, the American Sunday-school Union has in the South twelve of its missionaries. I met one of them the other day, Rev. J. J. Strong, whose field is the State of Alabama. In five years he had organized 157 schools, of which 37 were colored. Of the 142 schools aided by him, 58 were colored. He finds much aid and comfort at the home of Judge Thornton, in the northern part of the State. As he was about to start out on foot for the tour of the county, the judge said: “You must take my pony.” As the pony was known all over the county, he served as an introduction from the judge. This missionary is one of two who are sustained by one of those “unabridged” Christian men in the North. The other one works among the Swedes in Wisconsin. The salary and traveling expenses, and $100 to be given away by this worker in Alabama, uses up $1,100 a year in this excellent work of Christian philanthropy.

Besides all this at the South in this line, the American Missionary Association reports for the last year 5,894 Sunday-school scholars connected with its sixty-four churches. Then there is a vast amount of such work done every year that does not come into these statistics. During the last summer vacation Atlanta University sent out 150 day-school teachers, and Fisk as many more, and all our institutions furnish more or less of them. Nearly all of these also run for the time their own Sunday-schools, thus reaching many thousand children with the truth of God’s word. It is known that up to this time our colored teachers have reached 100,000 of these day scholars, a multitude of whom have been taught in Sunday-schools.

Talladega College, the last year, by its students, reached 1,200 Sunday-school scholars. In the past years they have reached, in all, 20,000. Out of these schools six Congregational churches have grown up. Rev. G. W. Andrews, the instructor in theology, has been accustomed to take his class on Saturday morning over the lesson of the next day, thus training them in a normal way as well as in the way of the truth.

I had the pleasure of attending, in the month of February, the convention held in New Orleans for organizing the State Sunday-school Association for Louisiana. Florida was organized the week after, which leaves only three State associations yet to be set up. At Atlanta, the delegates from the South reported their purpose to go home and organize every State. At New Orleans it was reported that Louisiana had already 96,000 children in Sunday-schools, and this is nearly one-seventh of the entire population of the State. With an association under the vigorous administration of its president, Mr. W. R. Lyman, and his live executive committee, it is hoped that all the parishes (counties) of the State will soon be organized, and the work greatly set forward. In that convention, colored delegates were present, participating. The resolution of the Atlanta convention quoted above, upon introduction by the man who was elected president, was unanimously adopted. Upon taking the chair, he assured colored people of sympathy and co-operation. Rev. W. S. Alexander, our president and pastor in New Orleans, who was made officially prominent in the convention, was also put on as one of the vice-presidents and one of the members of the executive committee of the State association. Two colored pastors were also put upon that committee. More and more the heart of the good people of the South is turning toward the colored children.

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VIRGINIA.

The Work at Hampton, from a Three Months’ Observation.

REV. JOHN H. DENISON

“_Arbores seret, diligens Agricola, quarum adspiciet baccam ipse nunquam._” A diligent husbandman plants trees, the fruit of which he himself shall never behold. With such sentiments did our excellent Arnold support us in the arduous pursuit of Latin prose composition. It is evident, however, that there is a difference in trees, if not in diligent husbandmen.

“Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute” is a tree whose fruit may be speedily beheld, not only by those who planted it, but by those also who cultivate or enrich it. It is a paying investment. Every year it sends its roots deeper and stretches its boughs out farther. It commends itself to the practical Christian sentiment of the South. It is a peace-making force throughout this section. Its attitude towards all Southern questions is intelligent, considerate and just; it gives no sympathy to fanaticism on either side, and nothing but discouragement to political schemers. It sends out every summer the wholesome leaven of a class of young men and women who have been trained to teach intelligently; to use their hands as well as their heads; to see the dignity of labor; to accept the situation, and not to be ashamed of their color. In short, they are trained to the work that lies before them, and not trained away from it.