Part 1

VOL. XXXIII. No. 12.

THE

AMERICAN MISSIONARY.

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“To the Poor the Gospel is Preached.”

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DECEMBER, 1879.

_CONTENTS_:

THE ANNUAL MEETING.

PARAGRAPHS 353 THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK 354 PROCEEDINGS 355 GENERAL SURVEY 356 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE 368

THE FREEDMEN.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATIONAL WORK 368 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CHURCH WORK 370 PROVIDENTIAL CALLS: Rev. M. E. Strieby, D. D. 372 THE NEGRO IN AMERICA: Prest. R. H. Merrell, D. D. 378 CHURCH WORK IN THE SOUTH: Rev. C. L. Woodworth 384

AFRICA.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE 388 THE MENDI COUNTRY: Rev. G. D. Pike 390

THE INDIANS.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE 394 THE INDIAN QUESTION: Rev. H. A. Stimson 395

THE CHINESE.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE 401 AMERICA AND CHINA: Rev. J. H. Twichell 402

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NEW YORK:

Published by the American Missionary Association,

ROOMS, 56 READE STREET.

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Price, 50 Cents a Year, in advance.

Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., as second-class matter.

American Missionary Association,

56 READE STREET, N. Y.

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PRESIDENT.

HON. E. S. TOBEY, Boston.

VICE-PRESIDENTS.

Hon. F. D. PARISH, Ohio. Hon. E. D. HOLTON, Wis. Hon. WILLIAM CLAFLIN, Mass. ANDREW LESTER, Esq., N. Y. Rev. STEPHEN THURSTON, D. D., Me. Rev. SAMUEL HARRIS, D. D., Ct. WM. C. CHAPIN, Esq., R. I. Rev. W. T. EUSTIS, D. D., Mass. Hon. A. C. BARSTOW, R. I. Rev. THATCHER THAYER, D. D., R. I. Rev. RAY PALMER, D. D., N. J. Rev. EDWARD BEECHER, D. D., N. Y. Rev. J. M. STURTEVANT, D. D., Ill. Rev. W. W. PATTON, D. D., D. C. Hon. SEYMOUR STRAIGHT, La. HORACE HALLOCK, Esq., Mich. Rev. CYRUS W. WALLACE, D. D., N. H. Rev. EDWARD HAWES, D. D., Ct. DOUGLAS PUTNAM, Esq., Ohio. Hon. THADDEUS FAIRBANKS, Vt. SAMUEL D. PORTER, Esq., N. Y. Rev. M. M. G. DANA, D. D., Minn. Rev. H. W. BEECHER, N. Y. Gen. O. O. HOWARD, Oregon. Rev. G. F. MAGOUN, D. D., Iowa. Col. C. G. HAMMOND, Ill. EDWARD SPAULDING, M. D., N. H. DAVID RIPLEY, Esq., N. J. Rev. WM. M. BARBOUR, D. D., Ct. Rev. W. L. GAGE, D. D., Ct. A. S. HATCH, Esq., N. Y. Rev. J. H. FAIRCHILD, D. D., Ohio. Rev. H. A. STIMSON, Minn. Rev. J. W. STRONG, D. D., Minn. Rev. A. L. STONE, D. D., California. Rev. G. H. ATKINSON, D. D., Oregon. Rev. J. E. RANKIN, D. D., D. C. Rev. A. L. CHAPIN, D. D., Wis. S. D. SMITH, Esq., Mass. PETER SMITH, Esq., Mass. Dea. JOHN C. WHITIN, Mass. Hon. J. B. GRINNELL, Iowa. Rev. WM. T. CARR, Ct. Rev. HORACE WINSLOW, Ct. Sir PETER COATS, Scotland. Rev. HENRY ALLON, D. D., London, Eng. WM. E. WHITING, Esq., N. Y. J. M. PINKERTON, Esq., Mass. E. A. GRAVES, Esq., N. J. Rev. F. A. NOBLE, D. D., Ill. DANIEL HAND, Esq., Ct. A. L. WILLISTON, Esq., Mass. Rev. A. F. BEARD, D. D., N. Y. FREDERICK BILLINGS, Esq., Vt. JOSEPH CARPENTER, Esq., R. I. Rev. E. P. GOODWIN, D. D., Ill. Rev. C. L. GOODELL, D. D., Mo. J. W. SCOVILLE, Esq., Ill. E. W. BLATCHFORD, Esq., Ill. C. D. TALCOTT, Esq., Ct. Rev. JOHN K. MCLEAN, D. D., Cal. Rev. RICHARD CORDLEY, D. D., Kansas.

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

REV. M. E. STRIEBY, D. D., _56 Reade Street, N. Y._

DISTRICT SECRETARIES.

REV. C. L. WOODWORTH, _Boston_. REV. G. D. PIKE, _New York_. REV. JAS. POWELL, _Chicago_.

H. W. HUBBARD, ESQ., _Treasurer, N. Y._ REV. M. E. STRIEBY, _Recording Secretary_.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

ALONZO S. BALL, A. S. BARNES, GEO. M. BOYNTON, WM. B. BROWN, C. T. CHRISTENSEN, CLINTON B. FISK, ADDISON P. FOSTER, S. B. HALLIDAY, SAMUEL HOLMES, CHARLES A. HULL, EDGAR KETCHUM, CHAS. L. MEAD, WM. T. PRATT, J. A. SHOUDY, JOHN H. WASHBURN, G. B. WILCOX.

COMMUNICATIONS

relating to the work of the Association may be addressed to the Corresponding Secretary; those relating to the collecting fields to the District Secretaries; letters for the Editor of the “American Missionary,” to Rev. Geo. M. Boynton, at the New York Office.

DONATIONS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

may be sent to H. W. Hubbard, Treasurer, 56 Reade Street, New York, or when more convenient, to either of the Branch Offices, 21 Congregational House, Boston, Mass., or 112 West Washington Street, Chicago, Ill. A payment of thirty dollars at one time constitutes a Life Member.

THE

AMERICAN MISSIONARY.

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VOL. XXXIII. DECEMBER, 1879. No. 12.

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American Missionary Association.

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It is a real source of regret to us that all our news from the field must be omitted for this month. Next month we shall be flooded with good tidings, we hope, from all quarters.

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Friends sending us remittances will please address H. W. Hubbard, Esq., Treasurer, he having been promoted from the Assistant and Acting Treasurership on the retirement of Edgar Ketchum, Esq. Mr. Ketchum still remains on the Executive Committee.

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By a mistake at the Chicago newspaper offices, the name of Mr. Samuel Holmes was omitted from the list of our Executive Committee as printed by them, and that of Mr. Andrew Lester retained. The facts are just the other way. Mr. Lester having resigned, was made a Vice-President, and Mr. Holmes is still a member of the Committee.

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The MISSIONARY is this month devoted to the reproduction of the Annual Meeting. We wish all our readers could have been there to learn of our work, our situation and our prospects, and to gain those enlarged views of the duty and the opportunity which lie before us in all directions. This grouping of proceedings and papers is the best substitute we can offer.

We print the annual survey of the Executive Committee nearly in full, rather than in abstract, as heretofore, as giving that general view of the work, without which it cannot be appreciated in its extent and variety. Instead of covering several pages with the formal minutes of the Annual Meeting, we condense them into a shorter compass, as giving equal information in a more readable form. The Annual Report, when published in full, will, of course, contain these as well as the reports of the Committees in detail. We have maintained our general division of the field, prefixing the reports of the several committees to the papers and addresses on the cognate subjects, by this classification making the whole more valuable for reference and use. We thus propose to send the annual meeting to those who could not go to it, regretting still that the enthusiasms and impressions of a great assembly cannot be transmitted by types and ink.

We regret the necessity which has compelled us to abridge somewhat almost all the reports and papers following, but the limits of a double number are easily reached with so much material at hand. We have omitted entirely the valuable paper by General Leake, on “Protection of Law for the Indians,” because it has been printed in full in both the _Inter-Ocean_ and the _Advance_, and because it is so long and yet so compact that it cannot be condensed. It is well worth most careful study.

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We are under obligations to our denominational newspapers for their full and faithful reports of our meeting. The _Advance_, in its regular edition and in an extra, gave full copies of the most important documents and papers read, for which we have secured a wide circulation; while the _Congregationalist_, through its editorial correspondent, devoted a large part of its first page to the report of the meeting, printed the larger part of the annual report on its third page, and in its leading editorial spoke good words of commendation for the Association, and of exhortation to its friends.

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THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

Our work has, in the successful termination of the year, reached an important crisis. We should be sorry to have any one think, because the debt and the expenses of the year have been met, that we are, therefore, about to retire from business and rest from our labors. On the other hand, we are just ready to go to work. It has taken a good share of our strength to carry this back-load; and we have been crippled at the front by the insufficiency of the buildings for our largest institutions. We have been walking as men walk on the ice, holding back lest we should venture too far and make some bad slip.

But that is all, we trust, of the past. God has been good to us. We have prayed for deliverance and we have worked to be free, and prayers and alms have come up together before God, and prayer is always effectual when accompanied with such proofs of sincerity. Now we are free to work. Our feet are on the solid rock of solvency. The Lord has established our goings. The way is open before us and the work lies ready to our hand. Our schools in the South of all grades are opening this year fuller than ever. Several churches are waiting to be recognized and put upon the pilgrim foundation. The completion of the new building in Austin, Texas, and of the four we hope soon to build at other points, will give increased and much needed accommodations. Those who met at Chicago urged us to enlarge the missionary schools among the Chinese on the Pacific Coast; and the new departure in attempting the education of Indian youths at our negro schools offers us opportunities of more permanent influence in that direction than we can hope for in any other way, while the tribes are subject to be moved at will from one reservation to another. The African Missions, new and old, are both calling upon us for attention and expense.

What is the financial outlook for all this? Shall we be able to meet these various calls with anything like adequate efficiency? We answer, with a look of inquiry, Friends, it depends on you. But our expression of inquiry turns to one of confidence as we remember what you have done. We expect to do this larger work; for evidently God calls us to it, and His friends have never failed us yet.

We are encouraged, too, by the beginnings of the year. Our receipts for the month of October and the beginning of November are larger than a year ago. But, do not forget, they need to be so all through the year. We will be as wise and saving in the expenditure as we can; but we can be far more wisely economical on an income which is reasonably adequate to the needs of the work, than on a very scanty one. “The destruction of the poor is their poverty,” says the wise man. Keep us in mind then and in heart, we pray you, that we may all realize that God has brought us out into this liberty that we may serve Him and our generation better.

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PROCEEDINGS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.

The meeting place was the spacious First Congregational Church of Chicago. At 3 p. m. of Tuesday, October 28th, President Tobey assumed the chair, and Dr. W. H. Bidwell, of New York, conducted the opening devotional services. Rev. J. G. Merrill, of Iowa, and Rev. George C. Adams, of Illinois, were elected Secretaries.

The Annual Report was read by Rev. George M. Boynton, and the Treasurer’s Report by H. W. Hubbard, Esq. In grateful response to their cheering character the congregation rising sang, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.” The hour following was observed as a concert of prayer with the pastors and teachers in the Southern field.

In the evening Dr. R. S. Storrs, of New York, preached a grand discourse from Psalm cxviii. 23, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” President Strong, of Minnesota, and Dr. Robbins, of Iowa, conducted the other services.

During the evening the following greeting was received by telegram and read by Secretary Strieby: “The Prudential Committee and the Executive Officers of the A. B. C. F. M. congratulate the A. M. A. upon the successful termination of their year’s labor, and bid them God-speed in their work for the coming year.”

ALPHEUS HARDY, _Chairman_.

On the next morning the following response was adopted by a rising vote: “The A. M. A., assembled at its thirty-third anniversary, receive with grateful appreciation the congratulations of the Prudential Committee and Executive Officers of the venerable American Board, and with thanks to God for the recent enlargement granted to the Board, pray for the continued Divine blessing on its glorious and expanding work.”

M. E. STRIEBY, _Secretary_.

Dr. Goodwin, of Chicago, then led in an earnest prayer for the blessing of God upon the two societies and their common work.

Tuesday evening Secretary Strieby read a paper entitled “Providential Calls,” and President Merrell, of Wisconsin, on “The Providential Significance of the Negro in the United States.” These will be found in this MISSIONARY. Field Superintendent Roy gave “A Field View of the Work.” Rev. J. H. Twichell, of Connecticut, read a paper on “The Relations of America and China,” of which we reprint a portion. In the afternoon a paper on “The Necessity of the Protection of Law for the Indians” was read by Gen. J. B. Leake, of Illinois. These papers were referred each to the committee having charge of the cognate subject.

The Finance Committee reported through Mr. J. W. Scoville, approving the management of the Association and calling upon the churches to increase their contributions to its treasury, so that now freed from debt it might do a greater and a better work. The report was followed by remarks from Hon. E. S. Hastings, Geo. Bushnell, D. D., and Hon. E. D. Holton, of Wisconsin.

Rev. Henry A. Stimson reported for the Committee on Indian Missions, and followed the report with an able address, giving a sketch of the causes of the various Indian wars. An animated discussion followed.

Rev. C. H. Richards read the report of the Committee on Church Work, and was followed by District Secretary Woodworth and others.

The Committee on Educational Work reported through its chairman, Prest. A. L. Chapin, of Wis., followed by Professors Willcox and Chase, and Rev. Messrs. Bray, Boynton and Foster.

Rev. A. H. Ross, of Mich., reported for the Committee on Chinese Missions, following the report with a brief address, and followed by Rev. Mark Williams, of China, Jee Gam and others.

Dr. Dana, of Minn., reported on African Missions for the Committee. He also, District Secretary Pike, and Dr. E. P. Goodwin, made addresses.

For these reports in full or in part we refer to the following pages; and for the officers elected for the coming year, to the inside of the first cover.

The morning prayer meetings were led by Rev. James Brand, of Ohio, and M. M. G. Dana, D. D., of Minn. The Lord’s Supper was administered on Thursday afternoon by F. Bascom, D. D., of Ill., and Rev. Thomas Jones, of Mich. At this service a contribution was taken, amounting to $437.46, for the Trinity School at Athens, Ala., for which a special plea had been made in the morning.

President Fairchild and Col. C. G. Hammond presided at the morning and afternoon sessions of Thursday respectively.

A most interesting meeting was held on Wednesday evening, when, after prayer by Dr. Geo. N. Boardman, of Illinois, addresses were made by Jee Gam, a converted Chinaman, and now one of our teachers in Oakland, Cal.; by Big Elk, a converted Indian, from the Omaha Reservation, who was accompanied by Rev. Mr. Dorsey, who acted as his interpreter, and by Rev. James Saunders, a negro minister. These three told the story of their own religious experiences and life. Prest. Alexander, of La., and Dr. Roy, of Ga., followed, and pointed the illustration of this one humanity and one Gospel.

Thursday evening the closing session was held, at which Mr. M. H. Crogman, a graduate of Atlanta, and now Professor in the Methodist school at Nashville, Tenn., made an address which, by the vigor of its thought and the eloquence of its expression, was a sufficient illustration of the capacities of his race. President Tobey and F. A. Noble, D. D., also addressed the meeting. Resolutions of thanks to the First Church and its pastor, the people and press of Chicago, and the railroads which had given especial facilities, were passed. A few last words from Dr. Goodwin, and the benediction from Dr. Savage, of Chicago, and the Association adjourned for another year.

It would not be right to omit the notice of the Ladies’ Meeting held in the church parlors on Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. E. W. Blatchford presided, and the large assembly was addressed by Mrs. Prof. Spence, of Fisk University, and Misses Parmelee and Milton, teachers at Memphis, Tenn.

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GENERAL SURVEY.

From the Annual Report of the Executive Committee.

The report opens with brief obituary notices of Rev. Simeon S. Jocelyn, a Secretary of the Society for many years and more lately a member of the Committee; and of Rev. William Patton, D. D., and Rev. George Thacher, D. D., Vice-Presidents; of Miss Laura S. Cary and Mrs. Anna M. Peebles, valued teachers, and Miss Rebecca Tyler Bacon, associated with Hampton in its early days, who have also died during the year. These may be found in full in the forthcoming Annual Report volume.

THE FREEDMEN.

The varying fortunes of the Freedmen through the year have added another illustration to the many which combine to show that an uneducated mass of men is always an uncertain quantity in the national problem. That these once slaves in the South have been wronged and abused there can be no doubt. Advantage has been taken of their ignorance in contracts for labor, and in the manner of their pay. They have been misled and intimidated in the attempt to exercise their right of franchise. It would be useless to deny the facts. The thousands who have left their homes and associations in Mississippi and Louisiana for the chances of new settlement in Kansas, are witnesses as powerful in their silence as in their speech. They have not gone for nothing.

We have no apology to offer for those who have made it impossible for them to remain in peace, and who have sought by force to keep them from departing. But, on the other hand, it becomes us to remember that these evils spring not so much from local as from general causes. The same wrongs are perpetrated and endured, to some extent, wherever there are similar states of society. Ignorance is always at a disadvantage, whether it wants to work or to vote. It is always in bonds to some power and will beyond its own. New York, and perhaps even Chicago, knows something of abused labor and a controlled vote. The local causes which increase the evil may need thorough treatment, but that is not ours either to prescribe or to administer. It is the general cause which we may consider, and to which we are directing all our energies—not to the restraint or punishment of those who do the wrong, but to the removal of the ignorance which gives such large occasion for the wrong.

For our work is foundational and steady. Amid all social and political changes the need for it remains unchanged. We are not engaged in pulling up the shallow roots of weeds, nor in planting flower-beds with annuals, but in sub-soiling our Southern fields, and so preparing the ground for crops of better quality from year to year. The only permanent guarantee against the abuse of any race or class, either North or South, is the diffusion of Christian intelligence among the abused, and of the spirit of Christian love among those who abuse them. This is our work.

We have no word of criticism for those who have chosen to remove to another State. Liberty of emigration is one of the most unquestionable rights of freemen. But there is no charm in the name of Kansas which will make the ignorant or the timid either wise or brave. Let the masses of the colored race be once armed with intelligence, and they can stay or go with equal impunity. Without it they will be anywhere at the mercy of either force or fraud.

Nor is the work of the Association to be limited by any local changes among the Freedmen. The removal of seven thousand men, women and children from so vast a population leaves no noticeable void; nor, even if the proportions of this exodus shall reach the highest numbers at which it has been estimated, will it perceptibly diminish the millions of a race which is year by year increasing in numbers and in thrift.

The only plea which these facts make to us is, that we redouble our efforts to forge for them the armor which alone can be their complete defence.

The Association has not, therefore, felt itself called upon to divert its efforts to the field thus newly occupied. If, as the outcome of this movement, there shall be permanent and large settlements of the colored people in new localities, it may become needful for us carefully to consider the claim which they may make on us for such service as we are trying to render their brethren in the South.

We have cheerfully forwarded such gifts of money and clothing as have been entrusted to us to local agencies, in which we had reason to have the greatest confidence, for the relief of the present distress, and have kept ourselves to our main work.

EDUCATIONAL WORK.

Our _eight chartered institutions_, in the eight leading States of the South, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, have continued to do thorough and faithful work. One has been added to the number of our normal schools, making twelve in all. Twenty-four common schools have been aided—six more than the previous year. The total number of schools of all grades has been 44.

We have had in all 190 teachers in the field; of these 10 have also fulfilled the duties of matrons, 6 have been connected with the business department, and 11 have been pastors of churches, but all have been actively engaged in teaching.

The total number of pupils has been 7,207—almost exactly the number reported a year ago. These have been distributed as follows: Primary, 2,739; Intermediate, 1,495; Grammar, 633; Normal, 2,022; Collegiate Preparatory, 169; Collegiate, 63; Law, 28; Theological, 86. This shows an increase in the professional schools, a decrease in the collegiate, and over 500 more in the normal department than last year.

The reports of the _quality of the work_ thus accomplished have been most encouraging. Greater regularity of attendance has been attained than ever before, and the ambition to keep up with the classes entered has been marked. The same persistence in overcoming obstacles to entrance arising from poverty and distance from the schools which marked previous years, has been no less conspicuous during that just passed. The range of study and instruction has been much the same as heretofore. The work of the class-rooms has been too good to need to be materially altered.