The American Missionary. Volume 43, No. 09, September, 1889

The subject of the hat, etc., rested here, and aunt Mary took up some of her experience at church. "Broder – (she said, calling the preacher by name) get so now-a-days he don't preach out ter de Bible no more. He alus (always) on de path, he aint got time ter look in de book. I aint got nara larnin, but I kin tell if anybody is preachin out ter de Bible. We had a meetin ter vote him out de other day and I was a sittin' near de stove; I hear dat ar – (calling the person's name) say, 'Broder A., I don't want you to go 'way, I want you to stay,' and she was a sittin' right up under de preacher's coat tail; and who tell you she didn't wisper somethin ter him, then look at me and laugh?" "Is that so?" "Tis so, honey! and I jis tuck up de shovel and went for her." Aunt Mary was now on her feet, poker grasped in her hand, and arm lifted above her head. "Laugh agin, says I, laugh agin, Miss Nigger, and I will stave you down, who dar you to laugh at me, you unfogotten, hen-pecken, know-nothin, off-scorn of the eart."

With this, aunt Mary slung her bag across her shoulder, took up her hat box, bade good morning, and as she got through the gate, struck out at the very top of her voice one of her favorite melodies.

This bit of history was imparted in an examination in answer to the question, "What were the Alien and Sedition Laws?" "Alien and Sedition were members of Congress."

Definition of education: Education is the cultivation of the moral, brain, intellectual and voice.

THE INDIANS

LETTER FROM OAHE SCHOOL, DAKOTA

BY MISS JULIA E. PRATT

A very sad incident came into our life as a school last winter, which has accentuated anew the ignorance and the superstitious heathenism of these Indian people.

One of our little boys was sent to the dormitory one morning to do some work to which he objected, and, while pretending to obey, he took one of the other little boys with him and ran away. Their absence was not discovered until it was too late to overtake them, and as their home was only ten miles away, and we knew they were good walkers, as all Indians are almost from babyhood, we had every reason to believe they would reach home in safety. They had started before daylight, and without any breakfast, and the little boy who was enticed away had no overcoat nor mittens, but had gone on the impulse of the moment without taking any extra clothing. About ten o'clock, it grew very cold, and as the little fellow had on shoes, to which he was unaccustomed, his feet became so cold and tired that he could not go on. Then the boy who had coaxed him away gave him his overcoat and mittens and went on, reaching home about noon, telling that he had run away, and that he had left Jaran about half way. Jaran's father did not believe the story, and came back to us, ten miles, to see if it were true. This made us very anxious, but nothing could be done but to await the issue. It seemed as if a series of unfortunate mistakes had combined to bring about this result; and to make everything still more puzzling, Mr. Riggs, our superintendent, was away. He reached home that evening, and the next morning sent the steward to learn the fate of the little runaway. He went on until he found the little boy's cap and mittens, and the place where he had evidently lain all night. It was a bitter night, and we knew that he could not possibly have survived, in his exhausted condition, and not knowing how to protect himself, even if he had had the means for so doing. This, in itself, was a very bitter experience for us, but the worst was yet to come. Mr. Riggs found it impossible to get an Indian to go to the assistance of these poor people. They were all afraid. Rumors were afloat that the father was going to shoot anyone connected in any way with the school, Indian or white. When an Indian is sorrow-stricken over the death of a friend or relative, he alleviates his suffering by killing some one else.

After the little boy was buried, the family came to the school. The old grandmother brought the clothes he had on when found—and which they had cut off,—spread them out before Mr. Riggs, and reproached him for sending a little boy out into a storm so insufficiently clad; to which Mr. Riggs replied that we had no idea he was going out into the storm, that he was dressed for the house, and had we known he was going on a journey, he would have been dressed for it. She would not be pacified, however, and after bitterly reproaching Mr. Riggs for the death of her grandson, she demanded pay for it, as if money would make up to them his loss.

That afternoon, at the woman's meeting, we learned that they had given away everything they possessed, furniture, clothing, bedding, dishes, and were absolutely destitute of the barest necessities of life. This is one of their customs. They reason thus: Our child is dead; our hearts are sad; life has no longer any attractions; take all we have. The Christian Indian women in our church each gave something out of her little property to help these poor heathen people, who in their superstitious ignorance had made their lot so wretched. Taking this, they returned home and demanded of the family of the other poor boy a cow in payment for the death of their child.

And there came to me this question: Is it possible that in the midst of this beautiful free land of ours, there lives a people so densely ignorant, so darkly superstitious, sunk so low in heathenism, as this incident shows? And this is only one of many such incidents. May God help us when such things are possible in a Christian land.

THE CHINESE

THREE DAYS OF EVANGELISTIC WORK AT PETALUMA

BY JEE GAM

I reached Petaluma a little while before school began. The scholars soon poured in and the attendance was the largest the school ever had. In order to have a little preaching service, we hurried through the lessons. At the conclusion of school, two hymns were sung. I then preached to them of Jesus. They all listened very attentively and appeared interested. At the close, I asked them to come again the next evening and bring their friends. To my great surprise, the next evening not only all the scholars came, but many outsiders; some of these had years ago attended our school for some little time, but the majority of them had never been inside our mission. I was informed, after the meeting, that five or six of them were very highly educated in Chinese, and that they were chief officers of the Chinese Branch Masonic Society in Petaluma. I thought they came simply for curiosity and perhaps for argument. Just before the meeting commenced, I went into my room, knelt down and said to God: "Oh Lord, Thou art the Almighty God, Thou knowest the motives of those who have come to this meeting; Thou knowest I am very weak. I can do nothing without Thy help, so I beseech Thee to make me a good agent in Thy hand. Give me the right word to speak, fill me with power."

I arose from prayer and felt that God was with me. I went into the meeting and announced my subject. It was on Daniel being cast into the lions' den. I noticed the marked interest they all seemed to feel. At the close, I again asked all present to come the next evening (Sunday evening) and bring more friends.

The Sabbath evening meeting came. Sunday-school began at six o'clock. Not only the scholars and every one of the outsiders who had attended the meeting of the night before came, but many others besides, so that we had to bring in extra benches, and yet we lacked room.

My subject this evening was Daniel, third chapter, the three Hebrew children cast into the fiery furnace, being a continuation of my Bible reading of the previous evening. I endeavored to bring home to my countrymen three things: 1st.—That this was the true God, and he was the Supreme Ruler mentioned by our Confucius, Mencius and other sages. 2d.—He was all-powerful and not like the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up, nor like the idols that we Chinese serve. 3d.—He was able to save all those that put their trust in Him. He is just as able and as willing to save us to-day as He was when He saved Daniel and his three countrymen, provided we are willing to trust in Him, as these men did, for He is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. The golden image could not protect from the dangers of the fire the king's mighty men that cast Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the furnace. And why? Because it was simply an image, the work of men's hands. And now, what are our Chinese idols? Are not they the works of men's hands too? We all say that they are true gods and are very powerful; yet, you all well know that we have a common saying: "Though the gods are powerful, yet they are not able to protect an unfortunate man." So let us seek, believe and worship the only true God, and Him alone.

I had to come away the next day, and felt that perhaps I might never have another chance to speak to them. The opportunity, too, was one of the best that any preacher could desire, for they all seemed hungering for more of the truth. Therefore I went on to tell them that the Son of God whom Nebuchadnezzar saw in the fiery furnace was this same Jesus that we Christians believe in and preach to-day. At the conclusion, I urged all to accept Him as their Saviour. I said: "Of course I cannot tell you all about Jesus in one evening, for nearly every one of the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and every one of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament speak of Jesus,—his birth, his life, his teaching. All these you can find out by reading the Chinese translation of the Bible, and therefore we earnestly invite you all to read it for yourselves."

"One of our proverbs says: 'Genuine gold never fears the hot furnace fire.' So the Bible never fears examination. The more you try it, the truer you will find it to be. You are all acquainted with the ways of the Tanist priests. They deceive the people and you all know their doctrines and tricks will not bear inspection. For example, the manner in which they pretend to catch demons; they go to the house with their gongs, cymbals, etc., and pretend to catch the ghost and place him in a jar. After they have caught him, they will not allow you to open the jar to view him. Why? The Bible you see is as true as the broad daylight, for it has borne the inspection of centuries. The doctrines of the Tanist priests differ in this respect. Their teaching will not stand criticism nor examination, while the Bible stands the tests of all times, and it is fast becoming the standard book of the nations of the world."

The meeting was then closed with a prayer. I said to them, "I shall be happy to have any one ask questions about Jesus and I will endeavor to answer." But no question was asked, so I gave each a tract to take home to read. After they had left, a Chinese laundryman and two of his employees came. I learned that they had come before and found the room so crowded that they could not enter. I had a very pleasant visit from them. I talked to them both of their spiritual and temporal welfare.

May God bless the seed sown there and grant that all the Petaluma Chinese may find salvation in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

DEATH OF LEUNG KEE

BY MRS. C.A. SHELDON

Leung Kee was but 16 years old and was in a store with his uncle, a heathen, but a fine-looking man and one whose character is worthy of respect. He had just joined our Christian Association when he was taken sick. His uncle thought his sickness came because he had become a Christian, and he begged of him to go back to his old religion, but he said "No," he would trust in Jesus. Just as he died, his uncle again asked him if he should not burn incense, but he still said "No," and asked the Christian brethren to pray with him. As soon as we heard of his death, Miss Watson and I called. The uncle was very courteous, told us that Leung Kee was a Christian boy, and he wanted us to do just what we thought best. Our pastor, Dr. Hutchins, attended the funeral with us and made some very touching remarks. We had singing by the Christian brethren and others who were there. The uncle was attentive, and more than once tears were in his eyes. At the grave we sang a hymn. Chung Moi prayed in Chinese; all joined in the Lord's prayer in Chinese, then we sang again, "O think of the home over there." The uncle came and thanked us for our kindness to his boy; said it was his brother's son, but just like his own; I wish all who think the Chinese have no heart could have heard the tremor in his voice and seen his quivering lips and his eyes full of tears. One of the Christian brethren told us that he said afterwards that he would join the Christian Association himself if he were not so old. So I think perhaps our young brother's early death may do more for his countrymen than his life would have done. I pray that it may be so.

BUREAU OF WOMAN'S WORK

MISS D.E. EMERSON, SECRETARY

WOMAN'S STATE ORGANIZATIONS

CO-OPERATING WITH THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION

ME.—Woman's Aid to A.M.A.,

Chairman of Committee, Mrs. C.A. Woodbury, Woodfords, Me.

VT.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. Ellen Osgood, Montpelier, Vt.

CONN.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. S.M. Hotchkiss, 171 Capitol Ave., Hartford, Conn.

MASS. and R.I.—Woman's Home Miss. Association,

Secretary, Miss Natalie Lord, Boston, Mass.1

N.Y.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. William Spalding, Salmon Block, Syracuse, N.Y.

ALA.—Woman's Missionary Union,

Secretary, Miss S.S. Evans, Birmingham, Ala.

MISS.—Woman's Miss. Union,

Secretary, Miss Sarah J. Humphrey, Tougaloo, Miss.

TENN. and ARK.—Woman's Missionary Union of Central South Conference,

Secretary, Miss Anna M. Cahill, Nashville, Tenn.

LA.—Woman's Miss. Union,

Secretary, Miss Jennie Fyfe, 490 Canal St., New Orleans, La.

FLA.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. Nathan Barrows, Winter Park, Fla.

OHIO.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. Flora K. Regal, Oberlin, Ohio.

IND.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. W.E. Mossman, Fort Wayne, Ind.

ILL.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. C.H. Taintor, 151 Washington St, Chicago, Ill.

MINN.—Woman's Home Miss. Society,

Secretary, Miss Katharine Plant, 2651 Portland Avenue, Minneapolis, Minn.

IOWA.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Miss Ella E. Marsh, Grinnell, Iowa.

KANSAS.—Woman's Home Miss. Society,

Secretary, Mrs. G.L. Epps, Topeka, Kan.

MICH.—Woman's Home Miss, Union,

Secretary, Mrs. Mary B. Warren, Lansing, Mich.

WIS.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. C. Matter, Brodhead, Wis.

NEB.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. L.F. Berry, 724 N Broad St., Fremont, Neb.

COLORADO.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

Secretary, Mrs. S.M. Packard, Pueblo, Colo.

SOUTH DAKOTA.—Woman's Home Miss. Union,

President, Mrs. T.M. Hills, Sioux Falls;

Secretary, Mrs. W.B. Dawes, Redfield;

Treasurer, Mrs. S.E. Fifield, Lake Preston.

NORTH DAKOTA.—Woman's Home Miss. Soc.,

President, Mrs. A.J. Pike, Dwight;

Sec., Mrs. Silas Daggett, Harwood;

Treas., Mrs. J.M. Fisher, Fargo.

PARAGRAPHS

We would suggest to all ladies connected with the auxiliaries of State Missionary Unions, that funds for the American Missionary Association be sent to us through the treasurers of the Union. Care, however, should be taken to designate the money as for the American Missionary Association, since undesignated funds will not reach us.

Now is the time to plan to attend our A.M.A. Woman's Meeting in connection with the Annual Meeting at Chicago, where you may see and listen to some live missionaries. We hope to see one or more lady representatives from every church.

The Woman's state home missionary unions will also hold a meeting upon this occasion, with a full and good programme. See notice of time and entertainment on cover. Particulars will be given in our next number.

Mrs. Regal's valuable paper, "The Local Society—its Management and Membership," also the paper "The Relation of the State Unions to the American Missionary Association," are published as pamphlets, and may be had of any officer of the State Unions, or of the American Missionary Association, 56 Reade Street, New York.

A VISIT TO A MISSION SUNDAY-SCHOOL

BY MRS. L.S. HITCHCOCK

One Lord's day, I went out to look after a Sunday-school in which one of our missionaries had become interested, and where she labored part of the year. The day was excessively warm. The distance was two miles, and the horse cars would only take me half the way, leaving a walk across the fields for the rest of the trip. There was no road, and much of the way not even a footpath, and the fields were partly covered with water from the frequent showers. I got along quite well during the first half of my walk by picking my way, now and then elongating steps, or jumping, generally with satisfactory results. Presently a place appeared where the water seemed too wide to venture with safety. There was no possibility of jumping this time, and I was ready to give up in despair, when I discovered at some little distance a log laid across the narrow part of the stream. I commenced the tight rope walk and was just congratulating myself upon my heroic adventure which, with one step more, would have landed me safely on the other side, when the log tilted and off I went, my knees plowing into the mud making a hole as big as grandma's workbasket. I lost no time in getting up. As I arose, I saw my best parasol and big palm-leaf fan floating along leisurely in the muddy stream. These were secured later, but with much trouble, and my portmanteau was fished from the hidden deep at the peril of crabs and other biters who make such places homes of retreat.

I called at the nearest cabin, and found "Auntie" with a kind heart ready to undertake the job of "cleaning me up." She took in the situation at once, ejaculating, "Lor', honey! specs Is'e goin ter let yer go ter Sunday-school wid dem ar close all spilt? Sam, take dem ar shoes and wash em clar fru for Missus."

In a short time she said, "You's fine," and I started for the little church close by, arriving just five minutes before the Sunday-school closed. I was greeted with "Howdy" by the pastor, who is superintendent, and was requested to speak to the children, while the whole Sunday school, including twenty-six boys and girls, and seven fathers and mothers, rose to their feet, indicating their delight to see me.

I was in time to observe one little boy standing on tiptoe to reach up to the Bible which the minister held open on the table and was teaching him to read. It was his custom, as he was the only teacher, to call each one separately, and teach him to read, as well as his ignorance would allow. This is in advance of their old way of conducting Sunday-school. Formerly, all the instruction received was from Webster's "blue back," and, for the closing exercise, they counted from one to a hundred. The pastor attended school at Straight University during the past year and can read a little, but not intelligently. He looks as if he had seen sixty years or more, and I believe him to be a good man who tries to do faithful work for the Master so far as he is able. He has built a little church, mostly with his own hands and out of his own scanty earnings. It is made of rough boards, but it has a good foundation and the roof is well shingled. There are no glass windows, but boards like a barn door hung on hinges serve to let in the light or shut out the cold in winter.

The people are ignorant beyond description. Most of them live in little huts or cabins on the banks of the canal, getting a scanty living by working out as they can find places.

Their homes are filthy and uninviting. How much good a missionary could accomplish by going into their homes and teaching them the true Christian way of living! The mothers with whom I talked seemed willing, and even anxious, to know better ways. Any instruction in housekeeping would be gratefully received, and a sewing class, where cutting and making plain clothing were taught, would be eagerly accepted. A mothers' meeting once a week would be more helpful to those barren minds than words can express. The work is right there, all ready and waiting for some loving, self-denying Christian woman to take up. Who in the far-off Northland will say, "Lord, here am I, send me," and who will reach deep in their pockets and say, "I will give a tenth, yea, even more," for that which is more is the only true giving? May God open the hearts of those who have an abundance and to spare, to give liberally for the uplifting of our colored brothers and sisters.

OUR YOUNG FOLKS

THE FRESH DRINK

A missionary teacher to the mountain whites, who was laid aside temporarily from teaching, on account of illness, writes of one of the children of her charge:

I must tell you of the little native girl who lived with us, and of her practical application of a Scripture text. It was my custom to teach her from the Bible every Sabbath afternoon. I had been reading from the ninth chapter of Mark, where it speaks of the child-like spirit our dear Saviour wants us to possess.

She listened very attentively, and seemed especially interested when we came to the forty-first verse, "For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, … he shall not lose his reward."

She left me a few moments, but presently came back saying: "Won't you tell me about that verse again?" I gladly complied; then came the question, "Does it mean me—can I do something for Jesus?"

That evening, there came a gentle rap on my door, and to my "Come in," Minnie entered, bearing a glass of water.

Coming near, she placed the water on a little stand by my bedside. Noticing that she stood as though she would speak, I said, "What is it, Minnie?" She hesitated a moment, then replied: "I was thinking about what you said about the 'cup of water,' and I wanted to give you something 'cause you was sick, but I didn't have anything, so I thought may be you might like a fresh drink of water, for it's all I've got."

Indeed, my heart was touched by this poor girl's beautiful application of the lesson learned; nor was it forgotten—every evening during my illness came the "fresh drink" from the hands of the little beginner, who wanted to do something for Jesus.

LETTER FROM AN INDIAN BOY

JUNE 5th, 1889.

Friends at the East:

It is summer over here now and every thing looks green and nice. The roses are red and beautiful, so every day everybody has a bouquet on his coat. There are lots of more flowers, some of them are white, blue, red, yellow; so everything looks nice.

The girls always decorate the church on Sunday. They get lots of flowers on the hills and down in the bottom. The days have been nice for about two weeks. The sun shines every day, and the wind has not blown for a long time, but to-day the wind blows just a little but not much.

We always play ball, and have nice times playing. But some times we get hurt. The Perkins Hall boys always play ball with the Whitney Hall boys, but the Whitney boys always get beaten.

Everybody on the Reservation has ploughed his field and planted corn, potatoes, onions, squashes, beets, turnips, wheat, oats, flax, beans and melons, so everything is just coming out, and after a while they will grow big and good to eat.

Mr. Lawson went away in May, and the boys had to work up there alone. They worked all right, and when he came back he found that all papers were ready to be printed. He came back with some galley-holders and some cases. After he had been back about two weeks, another machine came; it is the paper cutter. It is a nice machine for the printing office. Seven boys work in the morning and six in the afternoon, so we are getting along first rate.

We always go after tipsina on the hills; some of the people call them wild turnips. They are very good to eat. If you don't know them, you lose something in your life. You don't know how they taste unless you have eaten some. They have dark-blue flowers on them which stand about four or five inches from the ground. They are easy to find out, and when we find them, we have to dig them. When we come back, we always get so tired that we lay down under the trees.