Part 1

VOL. XXXV. No. 4.

THE

AMERICAN MISSIONARY.

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“To the Poor the Gospel is Preached.”

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APRIL, 1881.

_CONTENTS_:

EDITORIAL.

PARAGRAPHS 97 THE INAUGURAL AND THE SOUTH 98 TOUGALOO UNIVERSITY 99 ARTHINGTON MISSION 100 GROWTH OF NEGRO POPULATION IN THE SOUTH 101 TONIC SOL-FA SYSTEM OF TEACHING MUSIC 102 SUCCESS, REAL AND APPARENT 103 BENEFACTIONS 104 GENERAL NOTES—Africa, Indiana, Chinese 105 ITEMS FROM THE FIELD 107

THE FREEDMEN.

VIRGINIA, HAMPTON—Pastor’s Testimony 108 GEORGIA, ATLANTA—Revival Interest 109 GEORGIA, SAVANNAH—John the Baptist of the Church—Genius for Piety 109 GEORGIA, MACON—Southern Winter of 1880-81 110 ALABAMA, TALLADEGA—Accessions to the Church 111 MISSISSIPPI, TOUGALOO—Burning of Boys’ Dormitory 112 TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE—Statistics of Teaching by Students in Fisk University 114

THE CHINESE.

HOW SPEEDS THE WORK? Rev. W. C. Pond 115

WOMAN’S HOME MISS. ASSOC’N

MONTHLY REPORT 118

RECEIPTS 120

CONSTITUTION 126

AIM, STATISTICS, WANTS, ETC. 127

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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. Rev. CYRUS W. WALLACE, D. D., N. H. Rev. EDWARD HAWES, D. D., Ct. DOUGLAS PUTNAM, Esq., Ohio. Hon. THADDEUS FAIRBANKS, Vt. Rev. M. M. G. DANA, D. D., Minn. Rev. H. W. BEECHER, N. Y. Gen. O. O. HOWARD, Washington Ter. 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, Mass. 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. 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, D. D., _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, CLINTON B. FISK, ADDISON P. FOSTER, S. B. HALLIDAY, J. A. 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 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. G. D. PIKE, D. D., 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. APRIL, 1881. NO. 4.

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American Missionary Association.

We call special attention to our appeal for the funds needful for re-building the dormitory recently destroyed by fire at Tougaloo University. The demand is immediate and imperative, as will be seen by the account of the fire given by Mr. Hatch in this number of the MISSIONARY.

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Mayor Hall, of Cambridge, Mass., who has made an extended tour in the South, recently stated in an address at Dr. McKenzie’s church that he considered the moral and religious character of the schools of the A. M. A. a model of missionary work, and that he believed certainly for the next ten years the work of the Association was the great work of the churches, and that no cause has a higher claim on their charity and prayers.

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The communication found elsewhere concerning our Chinese work on the Pacific Coast is timely and pertinent. Mr. Pond’s efficiency, economy and success will leave no doubt in the minds of those who know of him and his work that his request is reasonable. While we cannot ask that money intended for our treasury, and which we need to meet our appropriation for Bro. Pond’s work, be diverted, we commend his appeal to the prayerful attention of the friends of the Chinese, and assure them that whatever may be sent to him will be properly applied, and meet an urgent necessity.

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The “Missionary Herald” for March contains a map of that portion of Africa selected for the new mission of the American Board on the west coast. It also gives an account of the arrival of Messrs. Bagster, Sanders and Miller at Benguela. These brethren write very cheerfully, and anticipate an easy and early journey to Bihe, the point of their destination. The sadness caused by the death of Mr. Pinkerton while on his way to Umzila’s kingdom, of which a full account is given in the same number of the “Herald,” is somewhat relieved by the hopeful aspect of affairs on the west coast.

A benevolent gentleman offers to duplicate any excess of $50 or more over last year’s contribution by any churches to the American Missionary Association, up to the aggregate amount of $2,500.

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The “Gospel in all Lands” for March, published by Eugene R. Smith, at the Bible House, is devoted to Africa and the Africans. It gives a resumé of the missionary endeavors prosecuted in Africa by the different denominations of Christians, covering a period of about 150 years. It also contains four maps and numerous illustrations. We know of no one pamphlet likely to be so helpful to any one who may wish to possess himself of the present attitude of missionary affairs in the Dark Continent as this.

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It is gratifying to have testimony to the progress of the colored race at the South from witnesses outside of our missionaries, confirmatory of their evidence.

One of the missionaries of the American Sunday-school Union writes from South-western Virginia: “In Pulaski County I attended the best Sunday-school Association I was ever in. It was among the colored people. They are intensely in earnest in Sunday-school work, and anxious to learn. They are very poor, yet buy more books than their white neighbors. Some of them are quite intelligent. They take hold of the International Lesson System well. Most of the Sunday-schools which are kept up during the winter here are colored schools. They ought to have a Sunday-school missionary of their own color.”

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THE CLASS OF ’80, FISK UNIVERSITY.

Ernest H. Anderson has been elected Principal of the State Normal School for the training of colored teachers, located near Hempstead, Texas. This is the most important position open to a colored teacher in the State. It gives a large field of usefulness for which Mr. Anderson is well qualified. Laurine C. Anderson is in charge of a school in Chapel Hill, Texas. Joseph Anderson is at the head of a school in Leesburg, Camp county, Texas. J. J. Durham is studying medicine at the Meharry Medical College, Nashville. J. E. Porter is teaching in one of the public schools of Jeffersonville, Ind. R. P. Neal is in charge of the school at Humboldt, Tenn. Here is a practical answer to the inquiry that is often raised by our friends, “What do your students do after graduating from college?”—_Fisk Expositor._

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THE INAUGURAL AND THE SOUTH.

President Garfield’s inaugural has very properly given special attention to America’s great problem, the condition of the colored people in the South. His fitly-chosen words may well be repeated:

“Bad local Government is certainly a great evil which ought to be prevented; but to violate the freedom and sanctity of the suffrage is more than an evil—it is a crime which if persisted in will destroy the Government itself. Suicide is not a remedy.”

As to the remedy, the President says:

“For the North and South alike, there is but one remedy. All the constitutional powers of the Nation and of the States, and all the volunteer forces of the people, should be summoned to meet this danger by the saving influence of universal education.”

A sounder utterance could not be expressed if the word “_education_” be made sufficiently broad. The training of the common school, reaching only the intellect, is not enough. There must be the awakening of the conscience and the purification of the heart as well. _Character_ is the foundation of manhood, and hence of a worthy citizenship.

The A. M. A. has from the first acted on the necessity of this broader basis, and hence its school and church work have been blended—the school has been religious and the church intelligent.

The President’s remedy of “universal education” has been criticised as requiring too long a time. Perhaps somebody can find a legislative or legal remedy that will work the cure more speedily. The past does not make us hopeful in this respect, and hence we, as one of the “volunteer forces,” which the inaugural mentions, will push on as vigorously as possible. This is the great work of the age for this nation, and we hope the strong and clear language of President Garfield will give a new impulse to it.

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TOUGALOO UNIVERSITY.

The recent burning of the boys’ dormitory at Tougaloo, Miss., compels us to build anew, and the over-crowding of students compels us to build larger.

We must rebuild or abandon the school. The latter we dare not do. The colored population in the State exceeds the white, numbering 652,221, and has increased over 46 per cent. in the last ten years. Tougaloo University is seven miles north of Jackson, the capital, and there is no similar school of higher grade admitting colored students nearer than about 200 miles south, east, or north, and none much nearer west. The Institution has 500 acres of land attached to it, giving employment to the students, and it has the good-will of the State Legislature, which makes an annual grant to support teachers.

The school at Tougaloo has long been over-crowded. It has comfortable rooms for 32 young women, but 60 are in attendance, three being put in the small rooms, and sitting-rooms being converted into sleeping apartments. One room needed for the accommodation of teachers was taken and ten young women put into it. Some applications were refused. There were, before the fire, accommodations for 28 young men, with 50 in attendance, the overflow being crowded into most unsuitable and inconvenient quarters.

The students, in summer vacations, teach about 4,000 pupils in day schools and Sunday-schools, and secure from 1,000 to 1,500 names to the temperance pledge.

The Executive Committee, a few months since, authorized the gradual enlargement of the girls’ dormitory as funds would permit. For a new boys’ dormitory it was hoped that $10,000 might be spared from the generous gift of Mrs. Stone, but the definite pledges to other institutions and the increased price of labor and materials forbid it. We had scarcely more than realized this disappointment when the boys’ dormitory was destroyed by fire. The best temporary arrangements possible have been made, including the use of the barn, which the boys have occupied cheerfully, calling it “Ayrshire Hall,” but they have suffered much from cold in inclement weather.

Fourteen thousand dollars is the lowest sum for which a boys’ dormitory and chapel can be erected. Three thousand dollars will be required for the enlargement of the girls’ dormitory. Two thousand dollars will be necessary for furnishing; making a total of $19,000. Three thousand dollars, the insurance on the burned building, will reduce the sum needed to $16,000.

The building and improvements should begin at once, to get them ready for use in the fall. The Executive Committee, feeling the call to be imperative, will go forward immediately, relying upon our friends to furnish the means _as a special contribution_: for our ordinary income will be taxed to the utmost to carry on our current work.

We make an earnest appeal to the friends whom we believe to be both able and willing to aid us effectually and promptly in this pressing emergency.

Funds may be sent to H. W. Hubbard, Treasurer, 56 Reade Street, New York.

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ARTHINGTON MISSION.

Extracts From Recent Correspondence.

We trust it will be of interest to the friends of African Missions to learn that Mr. Robert Arthington, of Leeds, England, has paid over the £3,000 pledged by him to this Association, for a new mission on the Upper Nile.

The following extracts from letters give a comprehensive view of the present attitude of affairs relating to the mission:

“Leeds, England, December 14, 1880.

“Dear Brethren in our Lord Jesus, our Saviour: For some time I have had it in my mind and heart to write to you and say I thought it time—I do trust the Lord’s time—we should begin the mission. If, therefore, your faith is fully with my faith, I propose to send you the £3,000 at once. How does it seem with you in the Lord’s sight? Without Him we can do nothing, and we must have Him with us from the beginning to the end of this enterprise.

“Let all the true people of God in the United States understand this, our view and feeling. We are all one family—they who are ‘the children of God scattered abroad.’ So I ask them all throughout the States, yea, and the world, to go with us heart and soul and prayer always in this undertaking. Surely in the mighty God of Jacob we shall overcome. We shall win many for Christ, and they shall stand amidst the multitude of the redeemed with palms in their hands, out of every kindred and nation and tongue and people.

“With my Christian sentiments to your committee, and asking the blessing of God on all their deliberations, yours and theirs, ever in Him, whom not having seen we love, in whom believing we have joy unspeakable and full of glory,

“ROBERT ARTHINGTON.”

“56 Reade Street, January 14, 1881.

“Robert Arthington, Esq., Leeds, England. Dear Brother: * * * * Further information about the requirements of the mission and the territory to be occupied have been gathered, so that on the receipt of your letter, we felt called of God to take definite action. Our Executive Committee, with prayerful gratitude to God, interpreted your communication as an indication from Him that the time had come for us to go forward. Accordingly they voted to accept your bountiful gift and to undertake the preliminary work needful during the coming year. Among the persons with whom we had been in communication was Rev. Henry M. Ladd, the son of a missionary, who had spent 17 years of his early life at Smyrna and other localities in the East, before coming to this country to study for the ministry, and who was presumed to have peculiar fitness as the leader of the new mission. On receiving your letter, we obtained an interview with Mr. Ladd, and after a full and prayerful deliberation, we tendered him the superintendency of our African Missions, and this week he writes us as follows: ‘I hereby accept the position, praying the great Head of the church for His blessing on the arduous work undertaken in His name.’

“We learned last spring from Gordon Pacha, the late Governor-general of the Soudan, that it would be necessary to secure certain privileges from the Egyptian Government, assuring protection to the missionaries, the privilege of navigating the Upper Nile, etc. This we trust may be accomplished in part, at least, by correspondence, upon which we can enter directly. Meanwhile, inasmuch as the best season for starting from Cairo and the mouth of the Sobat commences about the first of October, we desire Mr. Ladd and a physician to be on the ground at that time, to take advantage of the favorable weather of the latter part of autumn and the early winter, to visit the territory it is proposed to occupy, and determine about the location, and the men and facilities needful in order to insure the success of our new work.

“We are seeking prayerfully and most earnestly under God, to lay enduring foundations, and to build up a work which may extend over the utterly destitute region of country, included in the boundaries, marked out, we believe, so wisely and prayerfully by yourself. We now most cheerfully, and relying upon God hopefully, are ready to undertake the great work you have suggested to us.”

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GROWTH OF NEGRO POPULATION IN THE SOUTH.

The negro most perversely and persistently refuses to do what has been prophesied of him, or to conform to the general rules enumerated as applicable to him.

The census reports for 1880 reveal the last and most striking phase of this, perversity, as may be seen in the following table taken from the _New York Herald_, comparing the colored population of the old slave States, except Texas, in 1870, with that of 1880:

STATES. 1870. 1880. Alabama 475,510 600,141 Arkansas 122,169 210,622 Delaware 22,794 26,456 Florida 91,689 125,262 Georgia 545,142 724,654 Kentucky 222,210 271,462 Louisiana 364,210 483,898 Maryland 175,391 209,896 Mississippi 444,201 652,221 Missouri 118,071 145,046 North Carolina 391,650 531,316 South Carolina 415,814 604,325 Tennessee 322,331 402,991 Virginia 512,841 631,756 West Virginia 17,980 25,729

The increase in these States during this decade has been more than 33 per cent., and at the same rate will give us at the beginning of the next century more than ten millions of negroes in these States alone. During the same time, the per cent. of increase in the white population has been less than 28 per cent., which will give something over eighteen millions as their total white population in 1900.

It is manifest that the negro has come to stay, and must be taken into our calculations in all estimates for the future of our national life. He need not fade away before us despite heroic efforts to save him. He does not perish even under our discouraging frowns. He will not be suppressed by a somewhat rigorous repressive policy. He has withstood all this, and flourished under it, as did the Israelites under the discouragements of Egyptian legislation.

It is not for us humanely to consider, therefore, how we can make comfortable in their decline the lingering remnants of this perishing people. The more momentous question is how this vast and rapidly increasing mass of humanity is best to be fitted for the large part it is to play in our national life. It is not a question whether we shall have it with us or not, but whether we shall allow it to remain a festering, death-exhaling corruption, or whether it can be converted into a much needed element of strength. It could not be a matter of indifference to the most despotic government what is the condition of such a vast body of its citizens. Even when they were slaves, wholly under control of their masters, with no rights to claim and no duties to perform, their very presence as an ignorant and licentious mass of chattles gave great cause for anxiety to the intelligent lover of his country. But now they are citizens and voters, and whether exercising their rights as such or deprived of them, are equally, almost, a source of dangerous power which cannot but fill us with grave apprehensions, if we but think of it.

The census tables proclaim loudly that death nor destiny will mitigate this danger; is it not time for a wise statesmanship to undertake seriously the task of dissipating it by a good and ample system of education which will qualify the negro for the duties thrust upon him?

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THE TONIC SOL-FA SYSTEM OF TEACHING MUSIC.

BY THEODORE F. SEWARD.

That music is one of the special gifts of the colored people has long been known and recognized. How to develop that gift in the wisest manner and to the best advantage of the race, is a question which ought to receive a practical answer, and as speedily as possible. If they are peculiarly susceptible to the refining and elevating influences of such an art as music, it is very desirable that these influences be brought to bear upon them just now, while in the formative stage of their history.