Part 4

Last evening the singing class, under the direction of Prof. McPherron, gave a concert at Central Church. The house was filled with as fine an audience as could be gathered in any city. There was a generous sprinkling of “white folks,” including several of the local board of trustees and other appreciative friends. The proceeds will help some of our needy students to books; while a greater and more lasting good will result from the influence of the music sung—not upon those only who took part in the singing, but upon the large audience who listened so attentively, and who were cheered and encouraged by what the young people of their race are doing.

New scholars come in almost every week, and though some drop out our number is kept well up to 200.

We hear interesting and encouraging reports from our last year’s graduates, who are all teaching. Dr. J. E. Roy has lately seen two of them, and reports that they are doing well. One has an evening school for the parents and older ones, and both are doing good work in Sabbath-school.

In a letter just received from one of them she says that she has to humor the parents in their whims, or they keep their children out of school. She writes: “Before school began my ability to teach was doubted by a father. He wanted to get a book for his son, who had never been to school; he intended to buy a Webster’s speller. I told him what book he needed, but he would not get it until many of the patrons of the school reasoned him into it. I have a Sabbath-school, which is almost beyond my ability to teach. I am superintendent, treasurer, secretary, and everything. I find it difficult to interest the children. Last Sabbath there was an attendance of twenty-seven.” Of her day-school she writes: “It is very difficult to make the children think that they do not know everything. Many of them have been studying books that they cannot even read understandingly. I am trying to govern by kindness as much as possible, and punish only when I see that I cannot possibly help it. I think the children are progressing as rapidly as they could anywhere under like circumstances.”

Thus the influence of our school and our teaching is extended, and in this way are the masses to be reached. Christian people of the North, let the means be liberally provided to educate these _teachers_ who are to carry light and knowledge to their people.

Our work is not all overspread with cloudless skies. We are under many disadvantages, and experience some sore disappointments. Not all whom we look upon with great hopes and earnest desires that their future may be marked by Christian usefulness, meet our expectations. We find careless and idle and heedless pupils; some, though they are very eager to learn, and work hard, make very slow progress; but, to the credit of this people be it said, a stubborn or wilfully disobedient pupil is rare. On the whole, the encouraging cases are largely in the majority, and the opposite kind lead us to exercise more care, perseverance, patience and prayerfulness.

Our thanks are due to the ladies of the Congregational Church at Colchester, Conn., and to the ladies of the Free Church, Andover, Mass., for a barrel of bedding each, for the Mission Home. The contents were especially acceptable at the time received, for the Sunny South had on, just then, a decidedly winterish aspect, with the mercury at 18 degrees. Now we are in the midst of spring, with a profusion of orange blossoms, roses and green leaves.

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TEXAS.

Revival—Ministerial Carpentry—Organ and Papers Needed.

REV. S. M. COLES, CORPUS CHRISTI.

“Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not.” I have been led to feel the force of these words with somewhat of the surprise of their author, within the last two or three weeks. My work among this people has been, I confess, a little discouraging; but now the Lord has smiled upon us, aye, He has showered upon us blessings from heaven. Brother Thompson, from Helena, has been with us the last four weeks. We have worked together, and God has crowned our feeble efforts with success. In our conference we decided to hold a series of religious meetings, intending thereby to stir up, if possible, the members of the church to greater activity. These meetings were commenced, and, as they continued, the interest deepened, both Christians and sinners being impressed. Many rose and asked the church to pray for them. To our great surprise and joy, sinners have come flocking home, backsliders have been reclaimed, the church has been made alive, and many out of Christ are inquiring. The manifest result of our season of revival thus far is, that six have been added to the church. Four young ladies, all under twenty-three years of age, joined by the profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. One who had backslidden came and acknowledged her sins, professing her belief that God had forgiven the same, asked pardon of the church, and was received back again into the fold. Another came, by letter, from the Baptist church. He was formerly a member of this church, and, as he said, he “only came back again.” And let me say, that these meetings were not characterized by excitement; not the least “shouting” was manifest during their continuance, but there was a deep seriousness shown upon each countenance. The colored people here are so wild and physical in their religious meetings, while our church is so quiet, that they speak skeptically about our Christianity. An A. M. E. minister asked one of our young converts to-day, when she was converted. They are still looking through Elijah’s wind, earthquake and fire for the appearance of God, and but few wish to receive Him through the “still small voice.”

Our financial condition is not what we could wish, but in the circumstances I do not think it could be much better. The members failed this year to meet their pledges; they are fifty dollars short. But this was caused by having to meet unforeseen expenses. We enclosed our church lot just before Christmas. I advised them to do this, as the edifice was so much exposed. The carpenter’s work I did myself, and charged them nothing for it. My Sabbath-school is quite prosperous, but it is not so large now as it has been. Children need something to draw their attention. I find that they are wonderfully attracted by music. We need an organ; but we are too poor to buy one. Will some kind friend send us an organ for our Sabbath-school? I am sure that great good could be done with an organ in attracting the attention of children and drawing them in from the streets. There are numbers of children strolling around on the Sabbath. Children here are allowed to go where they wish. If they want to come to my school, they come; if not, they stay away; and parents have but little influence over them in this respect. I would like to capture such, and I think I should be able to do this with music and papers.

Cannot some of the friends of the missionary cause send us their old Sabbath-school papers when they are done with them, remembering that God will bless their beneficence?

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TENNESSEE.

Material and Spiritual Value of the Yellow Fever Fund.

MISS HATTIE A. MILTON.

Various sums were sent to our treasury for the relief of the yellow fever sufferers. This little fund has been distributed in New Orleans, Memphis and Mobile. The accompanying letter from Miss Milton shows the manner of its distribution in Memphis:

“Most of those whom I found worthy of relief were people who were suffering from the effects of the fever, and could only make money enough to pay the rent. To such, a few barrels of coal or some provision and shoes gave a start, so that they could get on very well alone. We have had an unusually cold winter, and people have consequently needed more fuel, the sickly ones often having to remain in bed to keep warm. A pastor of one of the colored churches has been a great help in this work, by reporting needy cases in his part of the city. One poor woman, whom he reported, when visited, said, ‘Sure the Lord must have sent you, for I have tried ever since I had the fever to get help, but being blind could not succeed.’ She was furnished with fuel and provision. She then said, ‘You see how good the Lord is to me because I trust Him.’

“Another man had always done very well until he had the fever, from which he partially recovered, but had a relapse which laid him on his bed for months. His wife also was sick, and the family were in great distress when I visited them, and sent relief, which so encouraged them that the man was soon able to be at work again, and is doing well now. I had never gained access to this neighborhood before, but by relieving this family I gained the confidence of the people, and they invited me to hold a weekly prayer-meeting there, which is well attended. Several families which have been relieved now send their children to our Sunday-school. Although several thousand dollars were sent here to relieve yellow fever sufferers, many of the colored people received but little, some nothing. It is very sad to hear of those who were so feeble that they could not stand in the ranks to await their turn at the relief office, but sat on the ground till night came, and then receiving no attention, went home to die! One man, who had always been a good provider, sent his family to the country during the fever, but fell a victim to it himself, and died, leaving his wife a nice house and lot, but with several debts unpaid, and not a dollar for her support. Within a week after his death a beautiful baby opened its wondering eyes for the first time in this world of trouble. The poor heart-broken mother, instead of welcoming the tiny, helpless creature, only looked at it with tearful eyes and an aching heart, as she had nothing for it, most of their clothing being burned when her husband died, to prevent the spread of the disease. When I found her, the baby was three months’ old, and had never had but two garments, and the mother could not leave the three little ones, all under four years of age, to get work. She was relieved, and now the cold is nearly over, and as she has rented her house and taken small rooms herself, she saves a little money, which, with the work she can get, will, she hopes, keep the wolf from the door, and she is very thankful for the relief that came just when she most needed it.

“I will only add that this relief fund has at least doubled my field of work, besides doing much to call the attention of the people to our school. May God’s blessing rest on those interested in this good work.”

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AFRICA.

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NATIVE PREACHERS—AN ADVANCE CALLED—TEN NEW COMMUNICANTS—SUNDAY-SCHOOL NEEDS—THE FARM AND MILL.

REV. A. E. JACKSON, AVERY STATION.

We are all enjoying a moderate degree of health, which, of course, is quite encouraging to one laboring in this country, and helps him to enter upon the year’s work with renewed vigor. Finding that I was unable to reach a very great number of country men who live too far from my station to attend services, I have in such localities established preaching stations conducted by the hands employed in the Mission. They meet me each Saturday afternoon, so that I may explain to them the passages of Scripture that they are to use on Sunday at their respective stations. Great good is thus being accomplished. One station, in a very beautiful little town of about twelve hundred inhabitants, is conducted by my interpreter. The meetings are full of interest, and doubtless great good will be accomplished by its thus being established. The chief himself is learning to take a very great interest in the meetings, and, of course, if he expresses an interest in the meetings, the subjects will always attend very largely. I hope to see the chief converted before a very great while. Another station is maintained in a smaller village, where I trust to see greater interest soon manifested.

Avery is the most interior station held by the American Missionary Association in Africa. This one step has been taken, and a sufficient time has elapsed since to teach us that it is all important to push our work farther into the country. There lies on either side of us a vast territory, densely populated by an anxious and thirsty people who are dying for want of the truths of the Gospel.

In regard to the work at Avery, the new year has opened up quite favorably to us in all our departments. The church I am glad to say, is progressing far beyond all expectation. Sunday, Feb. 9, was our communion day, and it did seem as if the presence of the Lord was with each one in spirit and in power. There were added to the church ten souls, who were that day with us permitted to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Another feature connected with the church work is full of interest, and that is the prayer meetings. They are, as a general thing, largely attended by the country men, and great interest is manifested among them. We hope that many will be brought to the Lord during this year; but this will depend very greatly upon earnest prayer on the part of the Christians at home.

One thing is discouraging, and that is the condition of the Sabbath-school. We have no papers, no Bibles, and scarcely any singing-books, with which to carry it on. All who know anything of Sunday-school work are perfectly aware that much depends upon the interest that one is enabled to keep up among the children and adults by such means; it is so with you in civilized countries, much more so in a heathen country, where one is required to teach them everything. Now I am sure that some Sunday-school or some lover of the Christian cause will respond to this, my most humble appeal in the name of Christ, and send such books, papers, etc., to Avery Station as he can afford.

The agricultural department is progressing nicely. Our coffee farm is in a flourishing condition. Many of the trees are in bloom, and some have on them many berries of coffee. I think by another year a greater part of the trees will be bearing well. Our mill is now undergoing repair, and we hope to have it in perfect running order by April 1st.

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THE CHINESE.

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“CALIFORNIA CHINESE MISSION.”

Auxiliary to the American Missionary Association.

PRESIDENT: Rev. J. K. McLean, D. D. VICE-PRESIDENTS: Rev. A. L. Stone, D. D., Thomas C. Wedderspoon, Esq., Rev. T. K. Noble, Hon. F. F. Low, Rev. I. E. Dwinell, D. D., Hon. Samuel Cross, Rev. S. H. Willey, D. D., Edward P. Flint, Esq., Rev. J. W. Hough, D. D., Jacob S. Taber, Esq.

DIRECTORS: Rev. George Mooar, D. D., Hon. E. D. Sawyer, Rev. E. P. Baker, James M. Haven, Esq., Rev. Joseph Rowell, Rev. John Kimball, E. P. Sanford, Esq.

SECRETARY: Rev. W. C. Pond. TREASURER: E. Palache, Esq.

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SOME POINTS ON THE CHINESE QUESTION.

Rev. WM. C. POND, SAN FRANCISCO.

1. There are two sides to the question. Many Christians, both laymen and ministers, are earnestly opposed to Chinese immigration, for reasons which seem to them ample and even imperative. As against such reasons, vituperation and contempt fall powerless. But it should be observed that these reasons do not—with, at most, two exceptions—apply to Chinese immigration alone. The Irish laborer underbid the native American, and crowded him out of the field. In some cases great suffering temporarily ensued. But the American at length found other and better fields to which, indeed, the Irishman’s toil prepared his way. It would be so again. The Irish, French and German immigrants have brought with them principles and practices sadly at variance with those which gave us free institutions, our Christian Sabbaths, and our happy homes; and thoughtful Christians viewed this influx of an alien element with great alarm for many years. For the same reasons, and some others, they cannot but view with anxiety an influx from the heathen nations over our Western sea. But what did we do about it in the former case? Did we lock the door? Did we attempt to dyke back the incoming tide? No; but we said, We will meet these people with the Gospel; we will bring their children into our public schools; we will make the very air they breathe redolent with the principles of a genuine Christian liberty, and thus we will make them no longer Irish, or French, or Germans, but, in the second generation, if not the first, Americans all. And this process is saving the nation’s life. Why not try it again with the new immigration from the old Orient?

2. But there are two _special_ reasons for opposing this Chinese immigration; one is, that it consists of unmarried men, homeless and vagrant, and our country needs homes; the other is, that they are exceptionally clannish, refuse to associate and assimilate with us, and remain, after thirty years, as much an alien race as when they first arrived. I feel the force of these facts, but is there not a cause? They are, it is true, a very conservative race; slow to change, and ardently attached to their native land; but if it were otherwise, I submit whether the courtesies they have received are of the sort which would specially incline them to fall in love with our country or ourselves. The Chinese _can be Americanized_; and in response to treatment such as European immigrants receive, would long ago have begun to make homes and to identify themselves with us. And, by the grace of God and the power of the Gospel, they might have been, and may yet be, educated into intelligent, patriotic and useful citizens. He who doubts this ought no longer to profess and call himself a Christian.

3. There is no occasion to be frightened lest we be overwhelmed by a rush of Chinese immigrants. The lapse of thirty years finds about 100,000 in the United States, and to-day they are going faster than they come; going, not because they are frightened, but for the very sensible reason that they can do better elsewhere. The supply has exceeded the demand. The wealthier Chinese find their impoverished countrymen thrown upon their charities, and they use every influence they can bring to bear to restrain others from coming. What if there are 400,000,000 of them just across the sea; they may as well stay there and starve, as to come 10,000 miles and do the same. If the recent bill had become a law, and had been executed, no others in all the land would have profited by it so much as the Chinese in California.

4. The anti-Chinese mania seems to neutralize, even in otherwise honorable men, all scruple about ascertaining the truth of statements before they make them, or even about repeating statements proven to be false. I brand it as a falsehood that the Chinese in this country are in any sense coolies. They are freemen. If they have borrowed money to come here, it has not been of the Six Companies; nor are the terms on which such loans are made in any wise different from those on which a New Englander might borrow in order to “go west.” I brand it as a falsehood that there is among them any _imperium in imperio_, defying our laws, and meting out to its victims punishment even unto death. The Six Companies are voluntary societies for mutual aid. Sometimes, instead of going to law, our Chinese agree to refer matters in dispute to the presidents of these companies as a board of arbitrators; but such arbitration is in principle and practice exactly that which American business men often resort to; exactly that which between Christians ought to be always a sufficient substitute for suits at law. Some years ago Chinese merchants were able to arrange with the steamship companies to sell no tickets to Chinamen unless they could show what has been incorrectly called a permit from one or the other of these companies. The object was to prevent men from leaving with their debts unpaid. In order to obtain one of these passes, a man must announce at the office of the company to which he belongs his intention of returning to China, and thus give his creditors, if he have any, an opportunity to protest. The result is, I suppose, that the glorious Anglo-Saxon liberty of running away from unpaid bills is, for them, somewhat curtailed. But our Congregational Association of Christian Chinese has the same authority to issue passes that the Six Companies have, and its passes are equally respected. And for years no Christian Chinaman has recognized any obligation to either of these companies in any way. I go into detail on this point, because much has been made of it, as an out-cropping of that _imperium in imperio_ of which so much has been said. It goes the length that I have stated, and no further.

Finally, I brand as falsehoods the representations constantly made as to the success of missionary labor among the Chinese here. I am sure that Mr. Blaine would not wilfully belittle such a work. He is a follower of Christ, and a friend to his fellow-men, but he has listened to those who were neither of these, or he would never have said that “not one in a thousand have even nominally professed a change from heathenism, and of this small number nearly one-half had been taught in missionary schools in China.” The known and counted results are more than five times as large as the “missionary,” (?) whom he quotes, represents, and of them, I venture to say, that not one in a hundred ever entered the door of a mission-school in China; while their conversion has not been merely nominal and negative, “_from_ heathenism,” but real and positive, to a faithful, prayerful, earnest Christian life. Meanwhile, there are grand results that cannot be measured, but which will tell mightily on the future, in the starting of thought, the loosening of the bonds of superstition, the _preparation_ of the way of the Lord.

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RECEIPTS

FOR MARCH, 1879.

MAINE, $38.80.

Andover. S. W. Pearson, _for Student Aid_ $5.00 Lyman. Cong. Soc. 7.05 Yarmouth. First Cong. Ch. 26.75

NEW HAMPSHIRE, $397.51.