Part 3

A few months of experience impress me with the conviction that the school is the “John the Baptist” of the church. We cannot do without each of them. But we are still in the “school” state; and if either is to suffer, it must be the church work. Each, in fact, bears the same message to the masses. The church is doubtless to “increase” greatly; but it will yet be many days (years) before the school will “decrease,” if we are wise.

It has sometimes been said that the colored people have what has been called, “a genius for piety.” How much this means can only be understood by one who has been with them in their religious assemblies of the better sort. They have a faculty for getting hold of, and being interested in and by, the things which are most elaborate and profound and spiritually significant in thought, which continually surprises one. They know “meat” from “milk,” and are ready every time for the former. They might not follow one who gave them Rowland Hill’s fine “river of words, and only a spoonful of thought,” but if any man can speak thoughts in words which accurately mate each other, I invite him to my pulpit, assuring him that he will have an attentive and appreciative hearing such as delights the heart of the messenger who has something to say. My impression is that the Negro is to have a decided and beneficent influence upon the Christianity of America, if not upon that of the whole world:—but in precisely what direction I am not clear.

I have a truly noble little band of co-pastors in these churches scattered here-abouts. They do not know what they are doing—nor do any of us, I think—in planting the seeds of a decorous and an intelligent church life, and one which insists upon honesty, sobriety, “whatsoever is of good report,” etc., as fundamental therein, among these people who are slowly but surely getting into a secure and respectable place in the body politic.

In view of their position and its opportunities one cannot help feeling—and no one can feel it as keenly as they themselves do—that it is a pity that their early advantages had not been greater. Nevertheless it is my impression that the next fifteen years of A. M. A. work will be more important, if possible, than the last fifteen years have been; and this, whether we consider negro or white, State or Nation, America or Africa.

Conclusion: Prayers and gifts were never more needed, or more likely to do lasting good than just now.

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The Southern Winter of 1880-81.

REV. S. E. LATHROP, MACON.

For this season, at least, the name of “Sunny South” is a misnomer. Beginning in November last, there have been almost four solid months of cold, sour, dismal, cloudy, stormy weather.

For ten days the thermometer stood constantly below the freezing point. One night it touched zero. Everybody kept roaring fires, and cowered over them in their loosely-built houses. Soon the coal-yards gave out, and the wood market was empty. The smooth-shod Southern horses could not climb the icy hills to bring supplies. Fuel became steadily scarcer and higher—wood going up from four dollars (the usual price) to fifteen dollars per cord, and very scarce at that.

Rich and poor alike suffered. Many burned the fences, fruit trees and shade trees. Poor people burned their board partitions, bedsteads, tables, even chairs and trunks, and some, after all, had to go to bed as the only means of keeping warm.

The “fuel famine” lasted ten or twelve days, the like of which was never known before. Water-pipes burst, fruits, flowers and vegetables were frozen, and general distress ensued. The chilly rain still continues, though ice and snow have disappeared. I doubt if the “blizzards” and “Arctic waves” of the North cause much more real suffering than this chilly, damp, freezing winter here brings to the inhabitants so unaccustomed to this weather.

Most Southern houses are very loosely built, generally warmed with fire-places or coal grates, over which you may scorch one side and freeze the other. Water froze one day within six feet of our stove.

Much suffering, sickness and death have resulted among the poor in their wretched cabins. Fortunately for some our kind friends North have this winter sent us an unusual amount of clothing, which has been distributed judiciously among those most needy, and has done much to alleviate distress. My wife has given away over 400 garments within the past three mouths, and many shivering bodies have been warmed. From our own good State of Wisconsin we have had no less than seventeen boxes or barrels, containing books, clothing, magazines and newspapers. From friends in other States there have come eleven packages of various sizes, with the same acceptable help for our poor people. And how helpful these timely gifts have been!

Although my wife has had no special commission as missionary, she has done considerable in that line. During three mouths past, she has made over two hundred and fifty visits, being confined to the house by illness for one month of that time, and being much hindered otherwise by the incessant stormy weather, which has also greatly interfered with our evening meetings and Sunday services. Besides the clothing above referred to, she has distributed hundreds of papers, tracts, cards and texts, reading and talking with the women and children. Her sewing-school, meeting weekly, has steadily increased, until it now numbers ninety-three girls, of whom sixty were present at the last meeting. Cutting and basting work for so many occupies a good deal of time.

At our annual church meeting, the reports showed that eighteen persons had been received on profession of faith during the year 1880, and $256 raised for church purposes. The Sunday-school reported 220 names on the roll, of whom 175 were present at one time, and the average attendance for the year was 115. Ten of the scholars united with the church, and the school has raised about $60 in weekly contributions. The pastor and wife gave away 8,500 religious and Sunday-school papers during the year. One of the papers has a story. It was given to a little girl in our infant class, who took it home and carefully preserved it. Her father, not a Christian man, was soon after arrested and confined in jail for several months for stealing. The little girl carried him her Sunday-school papers to read. One of these told the story of Joseph and the baker in the Egyptian prison, and suggested that every prisoner, and every sinner, had a divine intercessor at the throne, Jesus Christ, the Saviour, who would not forget his friends in trouble, as the baker did. So he began to pray, and when released from jail soon after, was a converted man.

We have received a great many papers from Northern Sunday-schools and other friends, and shall be glad to receive many more. Much good may be done by this means, as the above incident illustrates. From the incessant storms, floods and cold of this winter, the people need more help than ever by way of clothing for the destitute, and all other aids. All kinds of business have suffered, and the high prices of fuel and other necessaries have caused many to be perplexed as to the wherewithal of eating and putting on. Many of the country churches have hardly been able to keep up services at all, owing to storms and floods.

I have collected over 1,000 volumes for my “Lewis Public Library,” and it is doing good work. I expect soon to issue a little missionary paper. Our Lewis High School is increasing in numbers.

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ALABAMA.

Accessions to the Church.

REV. G. W. ANDREWS, TALLADEGA.

Twenty-three connected themselves with our College Church yesterday March 6th; twenty-two of them by confession, and one by letter: fruits of a revival scarcely yet ended. All but two of them are children or young people; twenty-one are members of the Sabbath-school and of the College. Twelve are children of church members, now a long time with us. Two are wives for whom faithful and godly husbands had hoped and prayed, lo! these many years; there had been the secret hope but never before the open confession. Two were baptized by immersion, the rest followed the better way, choosing less of the outward and formal, and more of the inward and spiritual. Of the thirty girls boarding at Foster Hall, all are Christians, as are the forty boys, with two or three exceptions. Very few of those who come under our Christian influences so far as to be members of our family and Sabbath-school, fail to indulge a hope in Christ.

We had meetings every night for three weeks, Pres. DeForest preaching with great tenderness and power, while all the teachers and workers did faithfully what they could. So far from interfering with regular school duties, these meetings quickened to highest endeavor in study, and led to the most careful and conscientious use of time. Never before have our pupils been so conscientious and so well-behaved. Among the thirty girls at the boarding hall there has been but a single case of discipline since the present school year has begun, and that grew out of a voluntary confession, a sign of a very tender conscience.

All the meetings have been unusually quiet; not a case of noisy demonstration, no great “sights,” no “dreams,” but a thoughtful surrender to Christ, very much, I think, as in the revival meetings I have been accustomed to all my life. In them God has honored preaching, which has been so plain, practical and tender that few could resist it. There were not many hard hearts or dry eyes when the sermon on the “Prodigal Son” was ended and the invitation given to all prodigals to return to an injured Father’s house.

Through all these meetings unusual honor was put upon the Spirit, and on prayer, and there was more than the usual amount of preaching to the church, and with excellent results. God has done great things for us, whereof we are glad.

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MISSISSIPPI.

Burning of Building at Tougaloo.

REV. A. HATCH.

Sunday, Jan. 23d, at half-past seven o’clock, the students of the University assembled as usual in the chapel for the evening worship. The pleasant afternoon had given place to a chilly night. In a warm but not overheated room all were attentive to the opening exercises. In the midst of the second hymn, which all had arisen to sing, one or two young men near the door were seen to pass out quickly from the room. Several others followed at their heels, when, immediately, as by a common instinct, both divisions of the assembly turned and pressed down the aisles toward the two front doors. Not a word of alarm was spoken by an individual and the order, “back!” “back!” which was given from the rostrum, checked for a minute this sudden movement, and some at the doors hesitated whether to pass out or to return. A moment more when a quantity of water fell from the ceiling through the thimble of the stove pipe, simultaneously with the cry of “fire” without, all in the room became aware of the real cause of alarm. The young men who first passed out ran to the hall above, and, with what water was found in three or four rooms which they burst into, attempted to put out the fire. It was found to have broken out, however, above them, beneath the roof and very close also to the open bell-tower. This tower, with the long, straight hall, which, at one end, opened into it, and at the other had an outside stair door—the only entrance—provided at the start a powerful, furnace-like draught to the flames, which had they not been out of reach, could have been with difficulty brought under control.

Within one hour our chapel was entirely consumed. During this time the young men managed to save a trunk, in some cases, a handful of clothes, a few books, or whatever else they could snatch out of their rooms the quickest. A number lost everything except what they were wearing at the time. In several instances what was thrown out of windows and carried to a safe distance from the burning building was stolen by enterprising neighbors.

No sooner was the chapel well in flames than the attention of everybody was centered in the effort to save adjacent buildings, and especially the mansion, the most valuable of all. This and the chapel stood broadside toward each other, 37 yards apart. We had, however, the advantage of a flat iron roof easily accessible to work upon. To keep the northern side of the building thoroughly wet with water thrown from the roof, from the ground, and from the second-story veranda, was the work of a long half hour, each moment of which we expected to see the building take fire. The working force of our institution was put to its utmost strain for the whole of this time. This and all the other buildings were saved.

The conduct of our students was truly admirable. Each young man worked with a will, wherever he was placed, or at whatever needed to be done at the moment, whether it was at the pumps or carrying water, guarding a roof, or taking out furniture and books. None worked harder than some of those who had rooms in the chapel building and were losing nearly all they had, forgetful even of the trunk or handful of clothing that lay somewhere scattered about in the yard—all that was left of their possessions. Many of the young women, also, showed much presence of mind and were of great service. One was found upon the roof of the mansion with a bucket of water.

We received much assistance, too, from friendly neighbors both white and colored. One old colored woman was the means of saving a great deal from the burning building, running in and out carrying away the books and loose furniture.

Previous to the fire every available room was occupied by our students, and many apartments which were barely comfortable for two had to accommodate three. At ten o’clock that Sunday night our main dormitory for young men was in ashes. Thirty were without a place to sleep. For that night fifteen were stowed away on the floor of one of the teachers’ rooms in the mansion, five were put similarly in one of the offices, and the rest managed to squeeze themselves into the ten beds at the “Barracks.”

It shows the earnest disposition of the class of students which are attracted to Tougaloo University that we were able the next morning, promptly at nine o’clock, to go on with the regular school work. The classes all recited as usual, though school books had been scattered upon the campus and our school room and two recitation rooms had been turned to ashes by the flames. The Monday writing-class, however, did not meet. Pens and desks were burnt.

The fire has indeed seemed to result in a moral blessing, softening the disposition of many, and teaching a lesson of unselfishness. It has served, we think, to attach our better class of students to the institution as perhaps never before.

Students have been arriving every week since the fire and we have sent none of them away. The very week following brought us half a dozen young men. In addition to this, about the first of March quite a number of young men as well as young women are expected to return to us from their winter schools.

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TENNESSEE.

Statistics of Teaching by Students now in Fisk University.

From reports carefully made out by students now in attendance on Fisk University, the following facts are ascertained:

Ninety have at some time been engaged in school teaching. Of these, sixty-two are members of the collegiate department and twenty-eight of the normal department. The time taught in all, including the past year, is 1,630 months, or reduced to school years of nine months each, 161 1-9 years.

It is found that during the year 1880, seventy-two have taught school, the sum of the months being 309. This reduced to school years of nine months each, gives 34⅓ years.

The sum total of salaries earned in 1880, is $9,129. From this must be subtracted for cost of board and travel, $3,236, leaving a net gain of $5,893.

The entire number of pupils taught during the year is 5,641, and the sum of average daily attendance is 3,717.

Of the seventy-two who taught these schools, sixty-seven did labor in Sunday-schools, forty-four as teachers, seven as superintendents and sixteen as both teachers and superintendents. The total attendance on these Sunday-schools was 3,963. Besides this, four did labor in preaching, twelve held prayer-meetings and one held Bible readings. The number of conversions reported is 151.

Thirty-two taught in Tennessee, twenty-two in Mississippi, eight in Texas, four in Alabama, four in Arkansas, two in Georgia, one in West Virginia, and one in Missouri.

Inferences drawn from these statistics:

1. Nearly all the students in Fisk University of sufficient age and advancement in scholarship, teach during their courses of study. It is found that eighty per cent. of the students in the collegiate department have taught. Those who have not taught are too young to take charge of a school. The per cent. of those in the Normal department who have taught, is less, because the advancement in scholarship is less, as is also the average age.

2. The average salary per month is $29.54. The average cost for board and travel, not calculating other expenses, is $10.47. This leaves the net gain per month of $19.07. This in reality is reduced somewhat by loss of time often incurred in securing a school, or in waiting for it to begin after it is secured.

3. It is seen that the students are making very praiseworthy efforts to gain an education, and that they earn annually a large sum of money to secure that end. Still, at a net gain of $19.07 a month, the student cannot entirely support himself. Parents should consider well this fact, not fully understood, as it would appear, by some of those able to assist their children. Those kind friends who have given to the Student Aid Fund of the University, will see that their benefactions are needed and well bestowed.

4. This condition of things, if the strain is not allowed to be too severe, has a compensating benefit to the student, who grows strong by contending with difficulties. He learns the value of education by its cost. He obtains that practical experience which students ordinarily have to acquire after graduation. He is also kept in sympathy with the people among whom his future labors are to lie.

5. These statistics show that, while in the midst of their own arduous labors as students, these young people are accomplishing a great amount of good in a field to which now, happily, the eyes of the nation are turned, the education of the colored people. During the last year, when, for reasons not necessary now to give, a less number of students than usual were engaged in teaching, they had under their training an army of between five and six thousand children, and performed the labor of more than the ordinary lifetime of a man; and, including former years, they have done the work of more than a hundred and sixty years.

6. But the whole good is not to be estimated in years. The great mass of the teachers among the colored people, as among the white, teach with little if any more preparation than what is gained in the common schools. The coming into a community of one who has enjoyed superior advantages, introduces a better idea to which others will seek to attain. One of the most threatening obstacles in the way of colored education has been the great lack of competent colored teachers. The paying of incompetent teachers is almost, if not entirely, a waste of the public money. Viewing from this standpoint, the long and expensive journeys necessarily taken by the students of Fisk University to reach their schools, may not be a loss but a benefit, by scattering further the good influence of the University. In a region where one good teacher is sent, ten schools will be made better.

7. In addition to the devotional exercises held in their schools by the greater majority of the students, much other religious work is done. During the last year six preached, twelve held prayer-meetings and one Bible readings, while ninety-six per cent. of all are now engaged in Sunday-school labor. A more accurate knowledge of the Scriptures and better idea of Christian living must be the result of these labors.

8. From a list of institutions of learning where some of those, now students in Fisk University, studied before coming to it, many of them of high standing and scattered over the land, it is seen that this University cannot claim these good results entirely as its own. It shows also that the University, situated as it is, midway between the gulf and the lakes, is becoming a great central school of learning.

9. No mention is made in these statistics of any students not now in attendance on the University. The exact number of those in that class who are now teaching, is not known. It is known, however, that many such are devoting their entire time to teaching and some of them are already occupying positions of honor and importance as educators. According to estimates derived from reports given by former students not now in connection with the University, the number of pupils taught annually by them cannot be far from 10,000, making a total, with those before mentioned, of more than 15,000.—_Fisk Expositor._

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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.

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

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II.—HOW SPEEDS THE WORK?

In the February number we gave a brief chapter of replies to this question. We make no apology for giving a second chapter now. It is just what our readers want to know, and what we equally wish to tell. And—