Part 4

Our church has been revived and all its services are well attended. The whole church is a temperance society. We are becoming more and more in favor with other churches both white and colored. The hope of our church is in the boys and girls at school. Already two ministers have gone forth from us, one of whom is doing good work for four Baptist churches which he has in charge. The other one also is a great power for good. Our church has been more anxious for the souls of men than for their names upon its list. The attendance at the Sabbath-school is good, made up in part of a large Bible class of elderly people.

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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., Robert B. Forman, Rev. T. K. Noble, Hon. F. F. Low, Rev. I. E. Dwinell, D.D., Hon. Samuel Cross, Rev. S. H. Willey, D.D., Jacob S. Taber.

DIRECTORS: Rev. George Mooar, D.D., Hon. E. D. Sawyer, Rev. E. P. Baker, James M. Haven, Esq., Rev. Joseph Rowell, Rev. John Kimball, A. L. Van Blarcon, Esq., George Harris, Esq., and the Secretary ex officio.

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

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JOTTINGS FROM THE FIELD.

The following cheery item it was my privilege to publish in the _Pacific_ of June 20th. I am sure that it will interest the readers of the MISSIONARY:

In connection with our California Chinese mission, thirteen schools were sustained during the month of June. This is one less than were in operation in May, the school at Tucson, Arizona, having been discontinued temporarily. But the number of pupils enrolled was 595—a net gain over the preceding month of 45, and the largest enrollment ever reported. The average attendance was 314—larger by 10 than during the preceding month, and larger than was ever reported before. In the course of this fiscal year, thus far, not less than 1,465 Chinese have been enrolled in these schools, and have thus been reached by Gospel influences. Among the pupils now in the schools, 128 are reported as giving evidence of conversion.

_Laborers wanted for God’s Harvest._—Christ bids us pray for these. I ask the readers of the MISSIONARY to join us in prayer for more Chinese helpers made fit by the power of God’s Spirit for the work that they, they alone, can do. The teacher in one of our more recently established schools writes me as follows: “I find it very hard to get along alone. We sadly need an efficient Chinese helper. The boys are beginning to think and ask so many questions, and each requires so much time for himself, that it is often after ten o’clock P. M. when I get through. Then there are so many Chinese outside that we cannot reach, and who will not come to school; and they need some one to meet with them and talk to them in their own language.”

What is true of this school is just as true of all the rest. We have now nine of those helpers employed. I should like to add four to the list as soon as September 1st. Can I have the means to sustain them? I believe that if the Lord will send forth the men, I will trust Him for the money. But I certainly purpose not to waste the Lord’s money sustaining men whom I alone, not He, have called into the field. Unite with us in prayer for the _right_ men.

_A Helper’s Sermon._—Lou Quong is at present our helper in the West School in this city. He is a servant in a Christian family, working at reduced wages in order to get time for missionary work. What he thus loses I make up to him by way of salary. With the other helpers in this city and Oakland, he meets me at our Central Mission House for a review of the week’s Bible lessons, and for mutual conference on all matters bearing on our mission. One of the exercises is the presentation by each helper of a sketch of a sermon for criticism and other suggestions from me. The following was submitted yesterday (June 20th) by Lou Quong. I think that the readers of the MISSIONARY have never heard from him before.

The text (assigned to all in common on the preceding Wednesday) was in John xiii. 34, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

“Our Lord has given us a new commandment to learn—that we should love one another. Well, but how many commandments are there? There are ten old commandments which the Lord gave Moses. The old commandments say, ‘Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.’ Why does Jesus give us this new one? Is Christ any better than God? No, they are the same. It is because Jesus saw the people of the world needed more charity. Therefore, Christ gave us this one that we must love one another with brotherly love.

“2. But how can we love one another? Can we love all our brethren without loving God? Or can we love God without loving our brethren? No, we cannot love our brethren without loving God, neither can we love God without loving His people. But we must first love God; then we shall be able to love the brethren. Do not you know what the Bible says, ‘we love God because He first loved us.’ _Love_ is the _greatest word_ in the world. We cannot possibly do anything without this word. Love the brethren of God’s church as if they were your own brethren. But what is the reason that we should love them as our own brethren? Yes, they are truly our own brethren. Why? Because we are all made of one blood. At the beginning, did not God make a man and a woman, and told them to love one another, and keep His commandments? But at last they broke His commands, so God turned them out of Paradise. Now are they not the father and mother of us all? Of course, they are. This is why we ought to love them that are God’s children as well as our own brethren.

“3. But how are we able to love one another? Shall we love them when they love us? That is a very easy way, but this not the way of love at all. Or shall we say, we will love them, but the heart is not willing to do so? Is this the way to love? Or, shall we say by mouth, yes, we will love him truly, but still try to listen to him when he talks, or preaching, or studying, to find fault with him, and go right off and tell some one else instead of telling his fault before him by yourself alone; is this the way to love? Or, he speak something against me; then I do not like to speak to him any more: is that the way to love? Or, to wait, find out all his mistakes and all his faults, and then go find some one who you think best,—who you think love you very much, and who you think can help you any way, and who do always to please you with talk, and who can scold them better than you, for perhaps they are better person than you, and perhaps they have more respect of men; and your heart is full of envying, and always try to knock him down: is this the way to love one another? Is that your _brother_, that you ought to treat him so? No, my friends, this is not the way to love at all. But we are _truly_ to love one another; this is our duty. What Jesus told us to do, we must do it by heart, not by talk, nor by pleasing, neither by any other way. But first knowing that God is always looking down from above, so we must be careful how we love God and our brother. This is what we ought to have;—that is, we must first have our hearts pure, then comes the peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and _good fruits of righteousness, without partiality and without hypocrisy_. Do it by heart. Amen.”

I have transcribed it just as it was brought in—the first draft roughly penciled—and the italics are his own. As a work of homiletic art, it is open to criticism certainly; but as an utterance of truth, it may reach the case, and fitly stir the conscience of many an American Christian, as well as of our Chinese believers.

I close with, this extract from the report of the teacher of our Barnes School: “The most enjoyable lessons to me are those in the Bible, and I am often surprised at the interest shown, and the questions and answers given. * * * Last night in Sabbath-school one was learning the passage, ‘Take heed that ye do not your alms before men,’ etc. I asked him if he knew what that meant. He answered, ‘When you give away something, or do something kind to any body, don’t go talk about it, tell everybody. If you do, God think you too much foolie.’ I think I have given his exact words.”

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WOMAN’S HOME MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.

Room 20, Congregational House, Beacon St., Boston.

MISS NATHALIE LORD, _Secretary_. MISS ABBY W. PEARSON, _Treasurer_.

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MISS WILSON’S WORK AMONG THE REFUGEES IN KANSAS.

Miss Julia Wilson, sent out October last by the W.H.M.A., writes from Baxter Springs, Kansas: The blessing of God has seemed to rest upon our work from the beginning, in opening the way before us and in giving us favor with the people for whom we labor.

Kind friends have sent us generous aid, whereby we have been able to meet our charity work, which although only a small part of the great whole, is nevertheless a very important part, not only because we are thus enabled to relieve want and suffering, but because of the opportunity thereby given to gain a personal influence over individuals. We often have thirty visitors in a day. A few minutes are given to one; often hours of precious time must be given to others, for thus only are their hearts kept with ours. We encourage, aid, advise as circumstances demand. We are with our people in sickness, death and also at their funerals. We have a woman’s school four or five times a week; but our Bible school is our corner-stone. We have a large attendance in the adult’s room and also in the children’s department. They listen with earnestness, and I always feel at the close that the Lord has been with us. This people have been so accustomed to a mixture of error with the truth, that simple Bible truth is new to them. I will not speak of difficulties that must be met and overcome, only to say that if we did not know we are here in the strength of the Lord, we might as well go home, so strong a hold has sin in its worst and most debasing forms upon these people. “But the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,” and “they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.” What a privilege to be a light-bearer for the Lord—to hold the fort at any point against the might of Satan! For Jesus signals, “I am coming.” Yes, “We’ll wave the answer back to Heaven. By thy grace we will.”

We would like to give to the readers the diary of Miss. W. for one month, but have only space for the report of two or three days, to show how constantly her head, heart and hands are busy in her work:

1st. Sunday-school book, papers and slate pencil to Mr. B., who came twelve miles. To preacher D., bundle of clothing for himself and family. 2d, sent soap to H. family, who camped under a tree after traveling 200 miles; they were wet, weary and hungry. Again, sent rice to Mrs. G., thread and cloth for children’s clothes to Mrs. B., the same to Mrs. L., one of whom walked eight miles, the other twelve, to attend the woman’s school; lesson papers, Sunday-school papers and cards to three young people who walked eight miles to reach the mission. Lesson to Mrs. A. in button-hole making, thread for practice, cards to H. children, and lesson to Cora. Supper cooked and given to a family of six tired, hungry people, the most wretched I have seen, also a night’s lodging in our church. Coat, shirt and decent grave clothes to B. Land given to three women, two of whom walked eight and the other twelve miles.

The friends who have so generously responded to Miss Wilson’s needs will see by this report how she has by their gifts been able to meet the urgent necessities of these poor suffering people. Miss Wilson lives with her helper, who was a pupil at Hampton Institute for a time, in a small cottage “shaded from the intense heat by trees, and furnished with a good well of water, worth more than a gold mine,” surrounded by the cottages of her people, and so enabled to bring to bear upon them the influence of a Christian home.

Boxes and barrels sent during the month of July:

From Auxiliary in Plainville, Conn., clothing valued $25.70 ” Highland, Ill., to Miss Wilson, Baxter Springs, Kansas, one box valued 48.70 ” Philips Church, South Boston, Ladies’ Benevolent Society to Miss Wilson, box valued 55.31 To Home Missionaries at the West, box valued 132.19

Receipts of Woman’s Home Missionary Association from June 27 to July 25, 1881:

From auxiliaries $360.50 ” life members 80.00 ” donations 165.95 ” annual members 4.00 ——————— $610.45

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CHILDREN’S PAGE.

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PAULPHEMIA’S MA.

“Oh! who is dat a comin’? Don’t you grieve for me. De Lord don’t want you to grieve for me. ’Tis ole Father Gable (Gabriel),” etc., etc.

Over and over again sounded the weird melody, mingling with the strains of martial music that floated from the barracks opposite. Paulphemia seemed to appreciate better her own melody, with its accompaniment of heels knocking against the gate-post on which she sat, than the patriotic “Rally round the flag, boys,” of the musicians.

It was after the war and Paulphemia was free. Surely, she knew all this, for hadn’t her pa fallen in battle, bravely fighting? and hadn’t she fled with her dear widowed missus and little missuses in as great terror as they when the Union army entered the city? For she loved this mistress, and was only dimly sure that freedom was to be such a glorious thing. Surely no one knew better than Paulphemia that she was free, and yet where was the use in singing all day, “I’se free, thank de Lord,” or of falling on her knees periodically to shout and praise God, as “_maw_” did?

I have said that she seemed to appreciate better her own doleful melody than the martial music; in reality, though, her song was a kind of “Get thee behind me, Satan,” to the tempter urging her to run over to the barracks.

Indeed Paulphemia’s cup was one of mingled joy and pain, and therein, although as black as ebony, she was akin to us. True, she was free; that meant she had no more _toting_ of missus’ babies. But when she lived with missus, she didn’t have to live with ma; and Paulphemia would have told you, “this ma ain’t my ma, ’cause my own dear ma done died,” and this ma had decreed that the child should not run loose hither and yon, and especially should not go over to the fort and barracks. Paulphemia almost envied the little dwarf, her neighbor, poor little Joe Morgan, whose body and limbs were so distorted and mixed up that he could scratch his ear or his little woolly head with his toes. For the amusement this accomplishment afforded the soldiers, he was welcome at any time, and in this way picked up many a penny.

“Paulphemie,” shouted an imperative voice, “I’se a gwine ter whip you, chile, if you darst go over to them quarters!” The old woman, with her threat and her stick for enforcing it, appeared most opportunely in the cabin door, for the child had slid from the gate-post and in another second would have rallied round the flag; but with a face expressive of innocence itself, she responded, “I’se jis a comin’, maw!” This meekness deceived the old woman and she changed her menacing tones. “Honey,” she said, “your _pore_ ma’s done died, an’ nebber lived to see us free! Say, honey, reckon you’d like for to be a lady like ole missus?” “Dunno,” answered Paulphemia, for “Yankee Doodle” was just then driving her almost wild. “Say, honey, reckon you’d like for to go to the big paid school?”

At this the child opened wider her big eyes, for next to the barracks in point of mystery was the large school into which she had longed to penetrate. “You get learning, chile, an’ get religion, an’ sure ’nough you’se a lady like ole missus.” This was what the old woman told Paulphemia then, and afterward put her to school.

Years came and went as years will do, some three or four or five; and after a time the blue-coats vanished from the city, martial music was no more heard, and the forts crowning the beautiful hills and all the barracks about them became deserted and silent. Still the school in the hospital buildings continued and increased in prosperity, and still the years rolled on, fourteen of them, and even the hospital buildings became deserted, for the Freedmen’s school had long since outgrown its quarters, and from one of the beautiful hills it proudly and peacefully looks down upon the city, that proudly and in peace gazes up to it.

On a day when the Southern sunshine was brightest, one of the professors, on his way to the University, was stopped by an aged colored woman, bowed over on a walking-stick, and hobbling to meet him. “Howdy,” said she, “is you de teacher up yonder?” and she pointed to the stately hall. “Yes, auntie,” he replied with a smile. “Can I do anything for you?” “Reckon you don’t ’member Paulphemie Watkins?”—and as she spoke the name, her voice grew even more tremulous.

The professor regretfully said he did not recall her. “I ’spects you doesn’t,” added the old auntie. “Well, down yonder, sah, when dis yere school was a baby, you know, down yonder in de guv’ment buildings, my Paulphemie went to your paid school; she got religion thar, and—and (wiping slowly her eyes) she done got de _choleray_ and done died, nigh on ter fourteen year ago now, sah. Praise de Lord! she got religion, and she gone home ter glory!” And then the poor old thing, after placing her walking-stick so that she could safely lean on it and have her hands free, removed from her bosom a handkerchief, and with trembling fingers untied a knot in one corner; then she placed in the professor’s hand, counting them out one by one, six silver dollars. “For my Paulphemie’s larnin’, sah. I couldn’t pay it sooner, sah; but, sure ’nough, its done laid like a stone right here all dese yere years,” she said, putting her hand on her heart. "I prayed de Lord an’ I said, O! good Lord, don’t lemme come home to glory till I done paid for Paulphemie’s larnin’! It’s a pretty day, sah; I lives a right smart o’ way yonder, an’ my ole feet don’t go fast, so good evening."[A] With those words she would have gone. The professor’s eyes were moist, and he had hardly spoken, so strange had been the scene, but now he followed her, begging her gently to keep the money. With pride and almost anger she refused, and after learning where her home was, he was obliged to let her go, contenting himself with a plan to fully make up to her in some way the sum she had left in his hands.

Walking slowly and thoughtfully toward the University, he seemed to hear not “the still, sad music of humanity;” for how could he dare to _pity_ a soul so noble? But an angel’s plaudit spoke for her, “She hath done what she could.”

FOOTNOTE:

[A] This incident of the aged colored woman’s honesty is true, and occurred during the past winter.

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RECEIPTS FOR JULY, 1881.

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MAINE, $171.23.

Bath. Central Ch. and Soc. $15.00 Portland. State St. Ch. 150.00 South Paris. Cong. Ch. 6.23

NEW HAMPSHIRE, $293.23.

Centre Harbor. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 17.00 Concord. South Cong. Ch. and Soc., $100.57, to const. MRS. SARA H. HARRINGTON, L. M.; Miss A. J. H. and Others, $2; “A Friend,” $1 103.57 Fitzwilliam. MRS. LOUISA HILL, to const. herself L. M. 30.00 Henniker. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25.00 Hollis. Cong. Ch. 5.20 Reese. First Cong. Sab. Sch. 39.00 Milford. Cong. Ch. ($10 of wh. bal. to const. ANDREW J. HUTCHINSON, L. M.) 18.75 Nashua. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.27 New Ipswich. Cong. Ch. 12.44 Pembroke. “A. T.” 5.00 Short Falls. I. W. Chandler 2.00 Webster. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.00

VERMONT, $1,181.45.

Brownington & Barton Landing. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.83 Johnson. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00 Middlebury. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 44.72 Saint Albans. A. O. Brainerd 25.00 Sheldon. Cong. Ch. 5.00 Shoreham. Cong. Ch. and Soc. (ad’l) 0.51 Springfield. A. Woolson 200.00 West Brattleborough. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $9.88; Mrs. Fannie C. Gaines, $5 14.88 West Dover. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 3.00 Wilmington. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.26 Windsor. Cong. Ch. and Soc., to const. MRS. LYDIA WHEELER, and DEA. C. D. HAZEN, L. M’s 52.25 ———————— 381.45

LEGACY. Springfield. Estate of Dea. Charles Haywood, by Geo. P. Haywood, Ex. 800.00 ———————— 1,181.45

MASSACHUSETTS, $8,237.48.