Part 1

VOL. XXXV. NO. 1.

THE

AMERICAN MISSIONARY.

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“To the Poor the Gospel is Preached.”

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JANUARY, 1881.

_CONTENTS_:

EDITORIAL.

SALUTATION—FINANCIAL 1 PARAGRAPHS 2 RETIRING FROM BUSINESS—WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT—ARTHINGTON MISSION 3 MORE MISSIONARIES—THE GOSPEL WAY 4 WEEKLY OFFERINGS—OBJECTION CONSIDERED: Rev. Geo. Harris 5 A FEW WORDS TO THE CHURCHES 6 DISCUSSION OF INDIAN AFFAIRS 7 WOMAN’S WORK FOR WOMAN: Miss Mary E. Sawyer 9 BENEFACTIONS 12 GENERAL NOTES—Africa, Indians, Chinese 13 ITEMS FROM THE FIELD 15

THE FREEDMEN.

THE “CENTRAL SOUTH”: Pres. G. F. Magoun, D. D. 16 SOUTH CAROLINA, CHARLESTON—“Tannerism” in Church Work—Charm of Old Songs 18 GEORGIA—Atlanta University 19 GEORGIA—Georgia Conference 20 ALABAMA—Visit to Marion 21 TENNESSEE—Revival at Memphis 22

THE CHINESE.

LETTERS FROM PUPILS 23

CHILDREN’S PAGE.

CHRISTMAS GIFT LIKE BELL BENNET’S: Mrs. T. N. Chase 25

RECEIPTS 28

AIM, STATISTICS, WANTS, ETC. 32

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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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Rev. W. H. WILLCOX, D. D., Mass. Rev. G. B. WILLCOX, D. D., Ill. Rev. WM. M. TAYLOR, D. D., N. Y. Rev. GEO. M. BOYNTON, Mass. Rev. E. B. WEBB, D. D., Mass. Hon. C. I. WALKER, Mich. Rev. A. H. ROSS, Mich.

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, C. T. CHRISTENSEN, H. L. CLAPP, CLINTON B. FISK, ADDISON P. FOSTER, S. B. HALLIDAY, A. J. HAMILTON, SAMUEL HOLMES, CHARLES A. HULL, EDGAR KETCHUM, CHAS. L. MEAD, SAMUEL S. MARPLES, WM. T. PRATT, J. A. SHOUDY, JOHN H. WASHBURN.

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. C. C. PAINTER, 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. XXXV. JANUARY, 1881. NO. 1.

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American Missionary Association.

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SALUTATION.

We know of no Society that has more occasion for expressing cheerful congratulations than the American Missionary Association; and we wish its patrons and workers a thankful and prosperous Happy New Year.

By the merciful blessing of God and the prayerful liberality of His people, we have been sustained in our work. The number of our pupils has multiplied. The Holy Spirit has been poured out upon our churches. A great improvement in public sentiment South has been witnessed. Questions relating to the policy of the government have been settled. We have escaped the bondage of debt, and, better still, have received a munificent gift for additional school facilities, and, like the prophet of Israel, are ready to exclaim, “The God of Heaven, He will prosper us, therefore we, His servants, will arise and build.”

Our missionaries and teachers at home and abroad have been spared and blessed abundantly. Let us rejoice, but not stop in our work. Our best joys spring forth from busiest toil. The work before us is great—greater than ever.

We are called most encouragingly to stand on our Western shores, and in the name of Christ to welcome the Chinaman. We bear good tidings amidst ice and snow in the Northland to the American Indian. Kansas utters a voice for her Freedmen refugees; while the sunny South, we believe, has almost passed its winter of discontent. Seed time, with more favoring skies, is right upon us; and Africa—land of shadows, land of trouble and wrong—from her vast domains is stretching out her hand for our Freedmen to come over and help. There is no quarter of the globe where the principles we advocate are not wanted. The millennial year rushes on to our view. It is a question of prayer—a question of sacrifice and thanksgiving—a question of the patience of hope and the labor of love.

God grant us all a preparation for the hour and all its possibilities.

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FINANCIAL.

The receipts in our treasury for the two months of the present fiscal year (Oct. and Nov.) are $29,258.57, as against $26,577.05 for the corresponding months of last year, showing an increase of $2,681.52, and are gratifying as a response to our appeal for enlargement, made at our annual meeting at Norwich. Never before was such an appeal of ours met in a more business-like way than at that meeting. There was no hasty vote calling for large sums of money the coming year, but a discriminating examination, and a strong setting forth in reports and addresses of the great need of enlargement. We have since ventured to suggest twenty-five per cent. of an advance over last year. This is indeed inadequate to the pressing and increasing claims made upon us by the wants of the field, but it will be a great relief. The advance as shown in these two months is but nine per cent. We are persuaded that a thoughtful purpose on the part of pastors, churches and individual friends will easily secure the larger percentage.

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The story we publish in our children’s department, by Mrs. T. N. Chase, is worthy of a word of explanation. The account she gives of the Georgia colored school-teacher, her efforts for a school-house and for the education of her sister, is strictly true; but as Mrs. Chase wrote before Christmas, she was obliged to anticipate a little. The fact is, the girl never got the $300, which Mrs. Chase says, in a note to us, is needful for the school-house alone. We see no way out of the difficulty now, unless some good Christian mothers will send us the sum named. If they will do this, we will warrant there will be more than a large school of colored children who will believe that Mrs. Chase’s narrative is a very good one. And what would Mrs. Chase think to get $300 for her story?

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President Fairchild of Berea, Ky., in a private letter, gives a very interesting account of a convention of the Young Men’s Christian Association at Bowling Green. Two Berea students, one white and the other colored, attended the meeting, and gave a report of the proceedings on their return. It appears that both were welcomed by the Association, while Mr. Titus, the colored man, was treated with marked attention, many taking pains to make his acquaintance. The feature of chief interest at the meeting was the discussion of questions relating to the religious education of the Freedmen. Mr. Titus was urged to assist in the organization of Christian Associations among the colored people in Louisiana. The tone of the meeting was exceedingly favorable. Pres. Fairchild concludes as follows: “A glorious time for work in the South is just before us.”

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It is said that the tendency now is for the few to give largely, while the gifts of the churches, as such, are less. Sad, if true. The recent large gifts of the generous few are as gratifying as they are surprising. They are one of the hopeful signs of the substantial growth of Christian liberality and consecration. But if they are to be purchased by the drying up of the charities of the many, it is in the end no boon, for woe to the churches when they do not share in giving, even to the widow’s mite, for the spread of the Gospel. A piety that delegates its charities and self-sacrifices to the few will die. Such a state of affairs is like the Sahara of parching sands with a few green oases, as compared with the fertile and well cultivated lands where each spear of grass and blade of corn does its part towards the golden and abundant harvest.

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RETIRING FROM BUSINESS.

It is a debated question whether a man should retire from business when he has accumulated a competency. On the one hand, tired nature pleads for rest, and on the other it is claimed that the retired man is not only useless, but unhappy. A gentleman gave us the other day what seems to be the true solution—and the charm of his plan is that he is carrying it out in his own case. It is that the wealthy man while still active, should retire from his secular business and give himself to efficient service in mission and charitable organizations, and in Christian work for the poor, and the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. There is wide room for such workers. We venture to say that among those most efficient on mission, college and charitable boards in this country are such men, and there is need of many more. A still larger share of the reliable members of such boards are men yet in active life, whose business will not permit them to devote the time needed to the most efficient service in charitable work. The man who has accumulated his fortune, or at least his competence, has also accumulated an amount of experience and practical knowledge that would be of immense value in Christian work. Is it not, then, wise to retire from work, and yet work? The change would be rest and usefulness.

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WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

We have received many cheering words since our Annual Meeting at Norwich, through the press and by letters from the long-tried friends of this Association.

The following, from our honored Vice President, Col. G. C. Hammond, is a good illustration of the appreciative and hopeful tone exhibited by the many of those who give bountifully and prayerfully for our work.

“Dear Brother: I was anxious to be at your anniversary at Norwich, and disappointed that my health prevented. You may well suppose with what relish I have devoured the last ‘Missionary.’ I feel constrained to write you a word of congratulation, not intended to tax your valuable time for a reply, but to assure you that, so far as I can judge, the papers presented to you at that time, and now printed, by far exceed any heretofore presented within my recollection. The obstacles that lie in your path, the encouragement to work, and the plans and principles which govern the Association in their labors, are laid down so plainly, and so commend themselves to the appreciation of Christians, that it would seem that means must flow into the treasury in no stinted measure. But, alas, how true it is that the love of money shuts out even from Christian souls the just appreciation of the Saviour’s claims. My prayer is that God will, by His spirit, make His children appreciate the great joy of giving. How much they would gain by liberal giving!”

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ARTHINGTON MISSION—A SIGNIFICANT ANSWER TO PRAYER.

It will be remembered by our readers that a little more than a year since, the Executive Committee of this Association voted that on receipt of £3,000 from Mr. Arthington and a like amount from the British public, raised through the efforts of Dr. O. H. White, it would undertake the establishment of a new mission in Eastern Africa. Dr. White has been laboring patiently with fair success, and from present indications we judge he will be able to secure the balance needful during the coming season.

The following extract from a recent letter from him is very significant. “A gentleman in London, who heard me preach six months ago in Scotland, came to our office and said, ‘I will give £100 to your Arthington Mission on condition that some other person will give another £100.’ So I went in to find the person. After seeing some, and writing to others, I found a man who also heard me in Edinburgh, and he gave the £100. I then saw the first man and told him I had the money, and he said, ‘I will not give in the money just now, but I will pledge another £100 on the same condition.’ But I had called on so many in the past year, that really I did not know which way to turn. So I laid the case before God, and had in that connection the most _direct answer_ ever given to me.

“The very next day a lady came to the office and said, ‘I felt all the afternoon yesterday that I ought to go to London and give you £100 for the proposed new mission, and here it is.’ It was a £100 bank-note. I asked her name, that I might write a receipt. She said ‘No.’ I said ‘Give me your initials.’ She said ‘No, put it down to “a friend,” and you may see me again.’ So when the London gentleman pays in his £200 we shall have £400.”

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MORE MISSIONARIES—THE GOSPEL WAY.

There never before was a time when the openings for missionary endeavors were so abundant. Barriers which formerly opposed, have been broken down almost everywhere. In many places there is some condition of things that invites the Gospel directly or indirectly.

This is notable on the Pacific coast, where the Chinese are so eager to learn English that they are more than ready to use the Bible as a textbook. Nor are the Chinese peculiar in this. Knowledge of the English language is equal to a competency in other lands, and the Bible can be freely used in teaching it.

Commerce has also removed many barriers; and what is of equal importance, it has necessitated the building of ships, the construction of railroads, the laying out of highways in the desert, and a telegraph for every quarter of the globe. The press has done its share of work as well. Through it, intelligence has penetrated almost to the remotest bounds of heathendom. All these things have made way for more missionaries. To this it must be added that the increase of missionary organizations and the natural development of their operations, all multiply the demand for more men to run to and fro throughout the world, heralding the tidings of joy unto all people.

Still another barrier has been virtually removed. Once _money_ was lacking, but now the church of Christ has the means needful to send forth all the men that the new condition of things demands. Not that the wealth is yet consecrated, but it is in possession, and by the simplest gift of grace from the Lord of the harvest, it will be forthcoming when required. The men have also been raised up. They have not enlisted, but they have been trained. The records of our colleges show now, and have shown, an increased number of students as the years go by. New colleges have been springing up over the country, until the list can be reckoned by scores and hundreds. From these classic halls armies of men march forth, brave, sacrificing, full of life and hope, fitted for missionary endeavors, and able—God helping them—to capture the world for Christ.

There is neither lack of opportunity, money or men for the domain of missions. The trouble is that the men and the means have not as yet been transferred. There is some one thing lacking which no human power can supply.

It is a question of _disposition_ on the part of those who hold the wealth, and of the men fitted for the service. God only is able to deal with this question of disposition successfully. He can do it, and we can help.

This brings us directly to our part in the work. How we are to do it is no mystery. Our Saviour has pointed to us the way—“Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.” Our call is a call to prayer. That is the one thing lacking. Not that no prayers are offered, but that, as yet, the prayers of God’s people for this object are not sufficiently abundant. The church has not qualified itself to pray as it ought, by right living. More Godly sincerity, more humility, more faith, more charity, are needful to elevate the tone of piety in the Church, until its prayers shall lay hold on the promises, with a power that God himself has already rendered irresistible. Then He will send forth the laborers into His harvest. Then the money and the men for the grandest and most complete missionary enterprises will be lifted from their moorings amidst worldliness, and transported, freely, graciously, from sea to sea, and up the rivers to the ends of the earth. In these days, when we are especially reminded of the advent of Him who came to bring good tidings of great joy for all people; when we solemnly and joyfully set apart a week for prayer; in these days when the great heart-beatings of those who manage our missionary organizations find vent only in unceasing calls for more missionaries, it is a great relief—indeed, a rest and assurance—to follow right on in the Gospel way.

Already the day has dawned, and as we pray, joining with the angels and the heavenly host, deep calling unto deep, over against the prayer we are taught to utter will follow the certain interrogation from the Captain of our salvation, which answers itself, lovingly, royally and sufficiently: “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?”

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WEEKLY OFFERINGS—AN OBJECTION CONSIDERED.

REV. GEO. HARRIS, PROVIDENCE. R. I.

It is objected to the system of weekly offerings, that it practically does away with the presentation from the pulpit of the claims of our missionary societies. The objection is not a serious one, and serves only to show that the real difficulty lies further back than the method of giving. It proceeds on the assumption that in churches where occasional collections are taken, sermons are preached annually by the pastor or by the secretaries on the claims of all the principal societies. This is not true. There are very few churches, with whatever methods of giving, where sermons are frequently heard on missionary subjects. The objection assumes that under the system of weekly offerings sermons are not and cannot profitably be preached on the claims of our missionary societies. This, also, is not true. In these churches such sermons are sometimes preached, and may be very effective, taking the years together.

The objection assumes that people are to be interested in missions chiefly by listening to frequent discourses on the subject, while the truth is, that preaching is only one method among others. The real difficulty, I have said, lies further back than the particular method of giving which may be used by a church. The difficult thing is to produce an intelligent and sustained interest in Christian work beyond local limits. This difficulty has been felt for years and cannot be met by simply making public appeals from time to time. There are various methods which may be employed with some success under any system of giving, but which will leave much to be done anywhere. It should be well understood, first of all, that it is the duty, not of secretaries, but of pastors, to keep the people alive to the progress of Christ’s kingdom in the world. The first condition is, that pastors be well informed about missionary enterprises and deeply in sympathy with them. If it were certain that the pastors know the progress and plans of missions, and that they are really solicitous to remove the ignorance and apathy of the people, the battle would be more than half won. Now, when the pastor has an intelligent interest in missions at home and abroad, the following suggestions may be useful:

A sermon devoted to this subject may be preached occasionally, and the preacher may enrich sermons on other subjects by illustrations from the multiform conditions and incidents of missionary work, and thus accomplish two objects at the same time. But the second service, which should be devoted to instruction rather than persuasion, may frequently become a missionary meeting.

The prayers of the pastor may be made more effective for missions than his sermons. If he makes mention in his prayers of the servants of Christ who are toiling among the heathen, or the Freedmen, or the Western settlers, and prays, not with a tedious enumeration, but with fervor and definiteness, he will put missions on the hearts of the people. What has a place frequently in our prayers has a place in our sympathies. Yet how often the petitions of public worship are confined to the boundaries of the parish.

Something may be done by increasing the circulation of missionary magazines. Let the annual contribution make as many life members as possible, to whom these publications will be sent.