The American Missionary. Volume 43, No. 07, July, 1889

The Rev. John Fox, of Allegheny, Penn., opened the opposition, opposing the report generally, and supporting Elder Breckinridge's minority report. It was a useful speech, and, though the sentiment of the Assembly was plainly opposed, it stemmed the tide awhile and prepared the way for what was to follow. Ex-Moderator Smith, of Baltimore, Chairman of the Northern Assembly's Committee, then defended his report and showed how much the Southern Assembly had yielded in accepting it. Then came the event of the day. The Rev. M. Woolsey Stryker, of Chicago, a young man of thirty-five, whom our readers will remember as one of our correspondents, arose and denounced that portion of the report which in the paragraph given above we have put in italics, and moved its omission. He denied that the Church ever had "approved the policy of separate churches, presbyteries and synods," and he declared such a policy to be utterly unchristian. It instantly appeared that he had the sympathy of the Assembly, if not of its leaders. Dr. Niccolls, of St. Louis, supported him vigorously, but briefly, for speakers had been shut down to five minute speeches. Dr. McCulloch, of Alton Presbytery, Ill., defended the report and asked, "Do you mean to tell me that if the colored people themselves prefer separate churches, presbyteries and synods, you would deny them the right to have them?" "Yes, by all means," shouted Mr. Stryker, whose clear head and bold answer was rewarded with loud approval. Dr. Crosby said he understood that the Negroes had last year indicated their desire for separation; but Mr. Sanders, the colored editor of The Africo-American Presbyterian, of North Carolina, arose, and said they had many of them consented to it last year rather than seem to stand in the way of re-union, but that this year there was no reason for such a sacrifice, that they did not wish it, and that while the presbytery of which he was a member had no white ministers in it, they would be glad to welcome them if they would come. After other addresses, the motion of Mr. Stryker for the excision of the paragraph favoring separation of the races was put and carried by an overwhelming majority, not less than three to one, and the report, with this amendment, adopted.

It was a glorious victory, due to the conscience of the rank and file of the Assembly, a victory of the Christian heart of fellowship with the humblest over the pride and ambition of greatness and power. The Assembly has done its duty by its colored members, and every colored member's face was radiant with delight. We have never doubted that if the subject once came fairly up for discussion, the Conference Committee would learn something they did not know before about their denomination. Encouraged by the indorsement given by the Presbyterian Assembly to the position we have maintained against the separation of Christians in the Church of Christ, we shall not neglect the same conflict going on among the Congregationalists and Episcopalians.

From the Christian Union

The question whether the Church of Christ shall recognize the color line is coming up to vex in turn each one of the great Protestant denominations in the North. We say Protestant denominations advisedly; for we do not believe that the Roman Catholic Church would for a moment entertain the notion of excluding a man either from its sacraments, its worshiping assemblies, or its priesthood, on the ground of color, or would recognize in its worshiping assemblies any distinction except the broad one between clergy and laity. To do so would be to violate all its traditions and history.

In the Protestant denominations of the North, the question is complicated by two considerations: a strong anti-caste prejudice in the Northern constituency, on which the missionary organizations are dependent for their support, and a strong ecclesiastical ambition and spiritual desire, commingled in various proportions, to push on the work of church extension in the South, where it cannot, apparently, be pushed forward with early success, if caste is ignored and colored Christians are admitted to white churches, and colored clergymen to white ecclesiastical assemblies, on equal terms with their white brethren. In the Diocesan Episcopal Convention of South Carolina it is, therefore, proposed to amend the diocesan constitution so as to provide for two Conventions, a white and a colored. In the Presbyterian Church the difference of opinion on this subject constitutes one bar to a union between the Northern and Southern churches, or even to co-operation between them. This has been for the time removed by a sort of concordat by which the relations of the colored and the white members in the two churches respectively are allowed to remain in statu quo, and the settlement of the problem is relegated to the future. In the Congregational denomination, the question is likely to come up before the meeting of the American Home Missionary Society at Saratoga early in June, and again before the National Council at Worcester in October. In the State of Georgia, there has been for some time an Association of Congregational churches mainly composed of colored people, and largely under the fostering care of the American Missionary Association. A Congregational work has latterly been started among the whites under the fostering care of the American Home Missionary Society. And recently a body of independent Methodists, really Congregational in the principles of their government, and having a considerable number of churches in Georgia, and some in other Southern States, has become also Congregational in name. Both bodies will have representatives, presumably, at Saratoga, certainly at the meeting of the National Council at Worcester in October, and the latter body, if not the former, will have to determine whether it will recognize two Congregational Associations in one State, the sole difference between them being that one Association is composed wholly of white people, and the other chiefly of colored people; unless, indeed—and of this there is some hope—the Congregational Associations of Georgia solve the problem by coming together and forming one body. There have been some correspondence and conferences to consider the possibility of such a union.

We find ourselves on this subject occupying a position midway between the radicals on the one side and the conservatives on the other. In some parts of the South, the whites and Negroes must for many years to come be educated in separate schools and worship in separate churches. They need, to some extent, a different education; they desire, to a large extent, a different kind of religious worship and instruction. The preaching which appeals to the Anglo-Saxon race appears cold and unmeaning to the warm-blooded Negro; the preaching which arouses in him a real religious fervor appears to his cold-blooded neighbor imaginative, passionate, unintelligent. To attempt to force the two races into a fellowship distasteful to both, to attempt to require the two to listen to the same type of sermon and join in the same forms of worship, is a "reform against nature." Even if the erection and maintenance of two churches where one would suffice for the worshipers of both classes involves some additional expense, the expense may not be greater than the resultant spiritual advantage.

But to close the doors of any church on any Christian is in so far to make it an unchristian church. To go into the South to establish white churches from which, whether by a formal law or by an unwritten but self-enforcing edict, men are excluded because God made them black, is to deny one of the fundamental tenets of Christ: All ye are brethren. It is to introduce into a church already divided by sectarian strifes a new division. It is to rend afresh the seamless robe. To say to any man asking for Christian fellowship on the simple ground of faith in Christ, "Stand back: for I am whiter than thou," is simply a new and indefensible form of Pharisaism. The church exists to proclaim certain truths, among which the brotherhood of man stands pre-eminent. It is difficult to see with what consistency a Christian minister can preach on the parable of the Good Samaritan if his church refuses to recognize a Christian brother in one of another race because he belongs to another race. There is no reason for an attempt to corral all men of all races in one inclosure; but for any church, especially for a church of the Puritans, to enter upon missionary work in the South, and initiate it by refusing to admit to its fellowship a black man because he is black, is to apostatize from the faith in order to get a chance to preach the faith. To assert equality and brotherhood at the polls, to reaffirm it in a public school system, to reassert it by courts of law in the hotel and the railroad train, and then deny it in the church, would be indeed a singular incongruity, and would make the Nation more Christian than the church.

The principle, then, by which the color-line question is to be settled is very simple, though its application may in some cases present some difficulties. The whites and Negroes are not to be coerced or bribed into uniting in one and the same church organizations. If they prefer to worship and to work separately, they must be allowed so to do. This is within their Christian liberty. But it is not within their Christian liberty to refuse the fullest and most perfect Christian fellowship to each other. The doors of every Christian church must stand wide open to men of every race and color. The only reason of exclusion must be in moral or spiritual character. And in the higher representative bodies these churches must be one. To organize, for example, in the State of Georgia two Congregational bodies, one white and the other colored, would be to organize a church to perpetuate divisions which the church should aim to obliterate. It were far better that the Northern Church should not go with its missionary work into the South at all, than that it should go with a mission which strengthens the infidelity that denies that God made of one blood all the nations of the earth for to dwell together.

THE SOUTH

MOUNTAIN WORK IN TENNESSEE

BY DISTRICT SECRETARY C.W. HIATT

I have found the man of iron. In one short day, he travelled one hundred miles by rail, walked twelve miles over a steep and rocky mountain, rode fourteen miles horseback through a pouring and drenching rain, and at nightfall preached an earnest, telling sermon to an audience of railroad employees, besides performing the duties of organist and janitor. The next morning he was up at four o'clock and away for other tasks of similar sort. One who watches Brother Pope, must do it on the run. One of the fairest spots on the Cumberland Plateau is Grand View. Here the American Missionary Association holds a strategic position. The wild, magnificent scenery and the cool, bracing air, tingling with ozone, make it an ideal spot for a great religious and educational centre. Already eyes are turning upward from the surrounding valleys to this mountain school. The first words I heard on landing at Spring City, six miles away, were in its praise: "They've got a mighty good school up thar." Such is the fact. What is needed now to balance things is a "mighty good school" building. If the insignificant frame structures which are hidden among the trees, and only half supply the needs of the institution, could be exchanged for a good, roomy, handsome edifice, placed on the summit of the mountain, where it would be visible for miles along the line of the Cincinnati Southern Railroad, besides being a benefaction to the cause, it would be the best, cheapest and most attractive advertisement of our mountain work, conceivable. It is to be hoped that someone will visit this beautiful spot ere long whose enthusiasm will not all run to words.

Within easy reach of Grand View are various churches flanked by their educational departments, which will one day become tributary to the great central institution. At one of these points, Deer Lodge, a fine church building is just nearing completion. The community is all loyal to the American Missionary Association, whose help it has received and appreciated. A good many Northerners are coming into this section, induced by climate, whose co-operation in his work Mr. Pope is very prompt in securing.

Glen Mary is a mining settlement hidden in the oak forest about a mile from the above mentioned railroad. Here, Mr. Pope recently found a small Sunday-school battling against great odds. Intemperance and profanity were rife, and the demand for gospel labor was very urgent. Meetings were held with blessed results, so that shortly ago a church was organized, now one of the strongest in this region. One consecrated young man is at the bottom of the whole movement. Two years ago, he started a Sunday-school with no assistance. At first, he met his pupils in the colored people's meeting house, but was obliged to change after a time, because of the prejudices of color which started among the blacks! He then took an axe and cleared a spot in the woods to which he invited his school. Here Mr. Pope found him. After the interest began to grow, a subscription was started among the miners, resulting in money sufficient (including help from the mining company) to erect a comfortable little church edifice. This building has recently been enlarged by one-third, to accommodate the crowds. The membership of the church is less than forty, and yet it has raised one collection for the American Missionary Association amounting to twenty-four dollars!

These people have no pastor. They are dependent on the scattering ministrations of two or three of our overworked missionaries from other points, who have undertaken to supply them by turns. There are one hundred and fifty families in the community, fifty being colored, without pastoral training. I am assured that it would not be hard to raise money enough in the community to nearly, if not quite, support a minister. The people are hungering and thirsting for teaching in spiritual things. After repeated and urgent invitations your pilgrim was prevailed upon to suspend his trip for a day or two, that he might tell these people of the "good news" of Jesus Christ. It was evidently of the Lord, for last night at the first exhortation, eight persons, two men and six women, gave themselves to the Master. The entire congregation seemed to hear the word with gladness. It is a great field. And so it is in many places, I am told. Glen Mary is anxious for a resident minister and a Christian teacher. The influence of an educated, godly woman is sorely needed in these homes. The gospel has already done much for the place, but there is still a great work to do. Thank God for such tireless, self-forgetful men as Mr. Pope. With the brain of a general and the zeal of an apostle, he is planting the cross of Christ so firmly on this plateau, and in such commanding positions, that it cannot be dislodged, but will shed its saving influence far and wide forever. After preaching once more I hope to move on to Nashville in time for the commencement.

WILLIAMSBURG ACADEMY, WHITLEY CO., KY

BY MISS EDITH WILLIAMS

In this land where the people live by their crops, it was most encouraging to see the number of older boys who remained in school till the last of the term. Two of our boys remain with us during vacation, to do the needed work. They are earnest Christians and faithful workers, and appreciate the home influences here.

Many of the girls tell me that their fathers used to be "moonshiners," and they say that at that time they thought it all right; did not realize the evils of alcohol until taught about it in the school. We believe, however, that the morals of this part of Kentucky are steadily improving, and feel confident of it in our own little town.

Last week I visited a country school house about four miles from town. It was made of logs. Three small holes were cut in the logs for windows. The benches were split logs, and the floor was the earth. The great stone chimney, (the only spacious thing about the building,) was beginning to crumble away. This is a typical log school house of the past, but much better ones are going up all over the country, giving brighter hopes for the future.

With the better school buildings through the country, our Academy will be ready to furnish them with better teachers than they have had in the past. Our hope for the future among the Mountain Whites is great.

SCHOOL AT MARSHALLVILLE, GA

BY MRS. ANNA W. RICHARDSON

Our school is very large, there being enrolled two hundred. Our great trouble is a lack of teachers. There are only three of us.

New facts regarding the people among whom we work are brought to us constantly. Yesterday four pupils entered school who were perfect wonders. The oldest of them is seventeen years of age, and the youngest perhaps ten. The oldest has been to church three times during her life, the others have never been. They have never been to Sabbath-school, and know nothing about Christ and God. They have never in their lives heard the word Bible. The oldest one has seen a preacher three times—the same man each time. They made their first visit to town, and beheld the first railroad car yesterday. They do not know who made them! Ever since their arrival I have been saying over and over, "Surely we have Africa at our very door." I cannot realize it. The responsibility is so great that it makes me tremble.

Many of our pupils have little or no religious training at home. We have a good many pupils whose parents are "Hard Shell Baptists," and do not allow them to go to Sabbath-school, and teach them not to pray for forgiveness of sins. A few afternoons ago, the pupils were all asked what they desired to be. One little boy raised his hand to say that he was going to be a "Hard Shell" minister, for they were already saved, and had no praying to do. This answer was a result of his training at home.

We have many features of encouragement connected with our work here. Especially are we pleased with the work that is being done by a class of our advanced boys and girls. There are ten of them out in the wooded country, teaching for three months those who cannot find their way to our school. Every two weeks, these pupils come in to give a report of their work. It is understood by them that it is a part of their duty to tell us just what work they do and how they do it. We supply them with reading matter for their pupils—especially are we careful to let them have Sunday-school books, etc. These pupils will be out of school three months, and will then return to their school work. Every one who is out is a Christian, and we feel that their influence for good is very great. It is a joy to us to feel that our little school here in this town is spreading its influence out into darker portions of the State. Each one of these pupils has no less than forty pupils in his school, so that the work of the school here at Marshallville reaches over six hundred souls! This is indeed a dark portion of the field, but God's loving care is about us, and we are content to labor here.

ALBANY, GA

BY MR. W.C. GREENE

Our school is overrun with pupils this school year. I was compelled to turn away a large number because I didn't have room for them.

The people on their part are manifesting a deep interest in education They are trying to take advantage of the opportunity as it is given them. Many are going hungry to get a chance to send their children to school.

This last week has been one of profit in this part of the State. The people have been made to see their duty to the colored man more plainly by the lectures delivered by Dr. Lansay and others in the Georgia Chautauqua. There were some fine speeches made in behalf of the Negro.

Judge Hook was down one day and visited our school, and said that he was surprised and glad to see the rapid progress we had made here.

GREGORY INSTITUTE, WILMINGTON, N.C

A densely packed church of white and colored people witnessed the closing exercises of the Gregory Institute, a school of high grade for colored people founded and supported by the American Missionary Association, and aided by Mr. Gregory. This school has been in operation some eighteen or twenty years, and has done a most excellent work among the people it was designed to benefit. The writer of this article has attended public exercises of the Institute three times, and has been each time impressed with the dignified and self-respecting deportment of the scholars and visitors.

The neat programme called for graduating essays from six girls—there were no boys in the class—and there were six songs rendered by the whole school, or by the class, and every one present agreed with Dr. Pritchard when in his address he declared that such was the musical and literary excellence of the occasion that it would have done credit to any institution of learning in North Carolina.

The address of Dr. Pritchard was humorous, practical and highly complimentary to the school, and was received with much favor by the audience. After the conferring of the diplomas by Mr. Woodard, the pleasant occasion came to an end. The Institute is an honor to the city, and certainly reflects great credit on the officers who conduct it.—Morning Star.

SENIOR CLASS AT LE MOYNE NORMAL INSTITUTE

MEMPHIS, TENN

The Senior class of the present year is the largest graduated from the school, numbering eleven members, seven young ladies and four young men.

Tennessee is the native State of all but one, who was born in Virginia.

The youngest is seventeen years old, the oldest twenty-eight; average age, twenty and one-half years.

The tallest member of the class is five feet, eight and one-half inches in height, the shortest in stature measures five feet; average height, five feet, six inches.

The heaviest weight turns the scale at one hundred and sixty-five pounds, and the lightest at one hundred and twenty; average weight, one hundred and thirty-seven pounds.

The longest attendance at this school is ten years and the shortest, four; average term in school, six and one-half years.

ITEMS

We have received No. 1, Vol. 1, of the Academy Student, published and printed by the students of the Williamsburg Academy, Williamsburg, Ky. The little paper is large with promise. It is as bright as a new dollar.

A teacher asked her class in geography where the Turks live. The remarkable reply was, "In the woods." Thinking the pupil had confounded the Orientals with the Aborigines, the answer was pronounced to be "incorrect." The pupil rejoined, "Well, I have seen them there roosting in the trees."

The following extract is from a composition on "The Blacksmith."

"Man in his state of incarnation has various ways of making money to supply himself with nutriment so that the body may be able to exhiliarate its immortal tenant, 'the soul.' The one about which I shall speak is the Smith. This trade is of momentous importance.... It is quite amusing to hear him when he is mending a piece of malleable work; he has a way of striking the iron that makes it sound harmonious to the ear, and children very often stop to hear him."

THE INDIANS

A TRIP AMONG THE OUT-STATIONS

The out-station work among the Indians is a feature almost peculiar to the Indian Missions of the A.M.A. These stations are the picket-lines pushed forward into the Reservations beyond the line of established schools and missions. Each one consists of a cheap home connected sometimes with a cheap school-house, and these are occupied by one or two native Indian missionaries who teach and preach, and thus accomplish an immediate good and lay the foundation for the more permanent church and school. The Association has about twenty such stations on the Cheyenne and other rivers in Dakota. One of the teachers from Oahe gives a racy sketch of a trip among some of the out-stations. We make room for a large extract, regretting that we have not space for more.

THE JOURNEY

We started Thursday morning, going about seven miles above the Mission to cross the river. We took dinner at the house of a white man who has an Indian wife, and then started out on the long drive. Our direction was almost due west, a little south toward the Cheyenne River. We reached an out-station on the Cheyenne about dark, where James Brown, a Santee Indian, is stationed. Two of our Santee school-girls are here, and it was encouraging to see their neat dress, and hear them use their English, though they so seldom see any one with whom they have occasion to use it that it is not easy for them. The next morning, the girls had classes in reading and writing. Some of the children were ragged and dirty, with faces unwashed, and hair uncombed, one little boy with both knees coming through his trousers, but their faces were, almost without exception, bright and intelligent, with the intelligence of childhood, which would inevitably change to the stolid indifference of ignorance, were it not for the influence which this Christian household among them may exert. To be sure, the girls are young and inexperienced, but that they do their best means a great deal. Two young men were learning to read the Dakota Bible. Soon after eleven, we were on our way again, keeping the Cheyenne River in sight. We stopped at one of the villages on the Cheyenne, where a Frenchman with an Indian wife has built up quite a little colony, all related to one another. Several of our pupils come from here, and the mode of life at their home has been modified by their influence.