The American Missionary. Volume 44, No. 04, April, 1890

Our last session, held with our church in Paris on the 28th of December, 1889, was indeed a grand success. Previous to its meeting, I heard of four other Congregational Churches in the Indian Territory, under the auspices of the American Home Missionary Society. I sent them an invitation to join the Association. These churches promptly sent delegates who connected their churches with the Association.

One brother from the Territory heard of the Association, but was not able to pay his way on the train to Paris. So, as he said to me, "I left my wife and children in the care of God, and I put myself into his hands and came; and I walked every step of the way." This brother walked forty miles to meet the Association, and his fidelity had a great effect upon the whole meeting. We tried to make it pleasant for him, and took up a special collection to send him back home on the train.

Space will not allow me to speak touching the spiritual strength and interest of the meeting. We had many valuable papers read and discussed, and closed our session on the Sabbath with the following programme: "Sabbath morning from 9-11 o'clock, Sabbath-school; 11-12:30, Sermon, 'Congregationalism in the South,' Rev. J.D. Pettigrew; at 3 o'clock P.M. Sermon, by Rev. A. Gross, from the Indian Territory; 7:30 o'clock P.M., Quarterly Sermon, by Rev. M.R. Carlisle, followed by the administration of the Lord's Supper." The brethren left for their fields of labor filled with encouragement and enthusiasm.' Those from the Indian Territory seemed to be especially strengthened.

Our next meeting is to be with the Bois D'Arc church. We have now eight churches and mission stations represented, and it is only a question of time before our Association will be a power for God and Congregationalism in this part of the State. I think we have a bright future before us here.

A Mission Church

Rev. Geo. C. Howe, Charleston, S.c.

The work at Tradd Street Mission in our city is carried on now in just the same way as since its organization. After Sunday-school is over at Plymouth Church, about 11 o'clock, a number of our young people, including the Pastor, Superintendent Herron and Miss Deas, who acts as organist, go immediately to the mission about a mile away, and conduct the Sunday-school there. We have eight classes, with an average attendance of eleven to a class. One class is composed of adults. We finish work there at one o'clock. On Thursday night, I go down and preach, and in case I am unable to go, Deacon Hollens takes the service for me.

Last Thursday night, an Irishman about thirty-five years old came in while we were singing, and when I began to speak on the temptations of Christ, he sat and listened in open-mouthed wonder. Before I finished he arose and came forward, his eyes glistening with tears, and gave me his hand, saying: "I belong to the Catholic Church, but they never told me that truth from the Word, never explained it that way. That is the truth, I know it. I was just going after a drink, but I shall not do it now. I thank you, and hope I have not intruded by coming in." It was quite an incident to see a strong man of an opposite race and creed, in a place where the "Jews desire to have no dealing with the Samaritans," coming up and acknowledging with tears that he had never heard the truth of God's word before.

A Prosperous Church

Rev. Sterling N. Brown.

We know you will rejoice with us in the good work at Plymouth Church, Washington, D.C. In January we began a special series of meetings. I preached short sermons nearly every night, save Saturdays, for more than three weeks. About fifty have been hopefully brought to a saving knowledge of Christ. The church was never, perhaps, more deeply stirred than at this time. There seems to be a thirsting for a deeper work of grace among Christians, a thorough coming out from the world. It was a beautiful sight yesterday, when before the altar twenty-nine "new recruits" took upon themselves the covenant of the church.. The most of the remaining converts will unite with us at our next communion. A few of them will join elsewhere. Our church is getting well organized for work along all lines of Christian activity. The Endeavor Society among our young people, now the largest in number in the district, is a real power for good. The Sunday-school is taking on new life. There is before us in this city "an exceeding good land," but before full possession, many battles must be fought, spiritual and financial. But we have great reason to be thankful.

The White Cross League

Prof. H.H. Wright, Fisk University.

I want to lay before you a short account of the work of the White Cross League, of this University, as reported by the members at a meeting held at my house last Sunday night. You may not be aware that late last school year I called together a dozen or two of our best young men and induced them to take the White Cross pledge—to treat all women with respect, to refrain from indecent jests and coarse language, to maintain that the law of personal purity is as binding on men as upon women, etc. At the meeting last Sunday night one after another gave his experience touching the White Cross movement. One young man reported that through his persuasion, public and private, especially the latter, three or four couples who had been living together unlawfully went before the proper authorities and were married. Another testified that he had personally felt the restraining influence of his pledge, while he acted as waiter at a summer hotel. The pledge had a great restraining influence upon him and was a safeguard. Another found it necessary to organize a Wednesday night Bible meeting of his own, for the regular meetings of the churches did not give him the opportunity he desired.

All the young men testified to the good influence of the pledge upon their own lives, but one young man's report of his work was of especial interest. He is head waiter at the hotel at Lake –, where about 250 servants, men and women, are employed. He took a squad of seventy-eight colored men from the South to the Lake at the opening of the season, engaging them on condition that there was to be no gambling among them. Immediately on arriving he organized a Y.M.C.A. among them, and held meetings Sunday afternoons and two evenings during the week through the summer, all well attended. At some of these meetings he spoke of the White Cross movement, and was successful in gaining the approbation of most of the members of the Association. The nature of the pledge and of the talks got out among the women servants, and ere long at their invitation he assembled from seventy-five to one hundred of them and gave them a very earnest talk on the value and duty of virtuous lives. Many were affected to tears, and all were seriously impressed. After that they seemed to look to him as their protector, and often said they were so glad they had a head man who would endeavor to shield them from temptation and wrong. And the remarkable thing about it is, that these women servants are white!

The proprietor of the hotel, on closing the season, told our student that if he had been told that such a work as he had accomplished among his help could be done he would have declared it impossible. What is to be the outcome of this little movement so auspiciously begun? It seems to me that if wisely carried on the possibilities for good are very great.

Berea And Temperance

For nearly twelve years there has been a temperance organization centering at Berea. By personal canvass it has secured signers to the total abstinence pledge, until the aggregate number is between two thousand and three thousand.

The length of the district from north to south is not less than ten miles, and the greatest breadth seven or eight miles. The number of votes polled at a general election is about six hundred. For nearly ten years the sale of intoxicating liquors within the district has been illegal, it having been voted out by the people by a large majority soon after the great Murphy movement. Just on the border of the district were two or three men, distillers in a small way and venders of the fiery liquid, who thought the enthusiasm of the Murphy movement was past, and took the necessary steps to have a poll opened on the liquor question, at the August election of 1888. But they had underrated the effect of these years of temperance education. Nearly all our students become signers of the pledge and workers in whatever field they may visit; and the people of the country immediately around us have been profiting by the teachings of these meetings. When the question was clearly presented, "Shall we again have the legalized liquor traffic among us?" the activity of the friends of sobriety and order was as great as that of the selfish advocates of license. Meetings were held in every neighborhood. On election day, seventy-five ladies, of the noblest in the district, were at the voting place. Refreshments were furnished in abundance and free of charge. Doubtful voters were met with argument and persuasion. All was as orderly as if it were a religious meeting. The result showed 435 for temperance to 131 for liquor—more than three to one. The victory was complete, and the district stands as the banner temperance district of the State.

Berea College Reporter.

"Becca Must Go!"

Say "Becca must go," Yes, "Becca must go,"I don't hardly see why it needs to be so,She's nice—very quiet. She's no trouble at all,She couldn't hurt any one, Becca's so small.She don't understand it—the poor little child—When I seat her alone she looks strange and wild,And when I dismiss her she never looks 'round,But she goes off alone looking down to the ground.Her mother's afflicted, her home life is bad,When I see little Becca I always feel sad.She learns very quickly, she sings like a lark,But Becca must go, for her skin is so dark.I am asked to "dismiss her," and "send her away,"She must not study here and with others play,I don't like to do it, but then, don't you know,There are some who won't like it, so "Becca must go."Not many stand up for poor Becca down here,They talk very strangely, and act very queer,Her skin's not much darker than mine, but, you know,Her hair curls a little, so "Becca must go."Now Preacher and Teacher from East and from West,If you would succeed you must do like the rest;Be partial to white folk or take the disgrace,Of showing regard for a down-trodden race.E.N. RUDDOCK.

The Indians

Streaks Of Light

Rev. C.L. Hall, Fort Berthold, North Dakota.

A girl about seventeen years of age writes the following to her teacher while she is away from school for a short vacation among her people:

"DEAR FRIEND:—I will now try to write a few lines to-night to tell you all about what we are doing now; first I tell you when first we came home we told the girls to come to our house that we would have prayer meeting the first thing; I tell you they are real good girls, L–, M–, A– and M–; we did not expect them to come; it is far away and they were so tired yet they did not mind, they come right away before we saw them. We went upon the hills, Mary and I, we prayed, and when we came back we was surprise to see the girls coming. So we had prayer meeting; that was the first time that L– ever prayed; we thought we would have prayer meeting to-day, but we are sorry the girls did not come, they did not know; we expect to go to Minot Monday if nothing should happen."

Another says:—"I don't want to see the Indian dance. I like to stay in the house and I like to read the Bible every morning, and in the afternoon I ask God to bless the boys and girls and keep you always, and I know he will help all if we ask him."

N– and G–, two little sisters away on a vacation where no Sabbath is observed, go away on the prairie alone and have prayers together. After evening service those who wished to follow Christ were asked to remain to an inquiry meeting, and eight remained, and in their own language some expressed very clearly a desire to follow Christ and a consciousness of their own sin and weakness.

Mrs. B–'s husband died very earnestly endeavoring to teach her the faith he had come to have, and asking her again and again to have no idols, but to worship and believe in God alone. She is now an earnest seeker after light, is visited on Sunday by a leading man who lives near her, and who is asked to tell them on the Sabbath of the religion and the God of whom her husband had told her.

A father, a hearer, but yet a heathen, says: "I want to put the boy in a school where he will learn God's ways. I do not want him in a school where religion is not taught."

Elizabeth Winyan

Many of our readers will remember being interested at our meeting in Chicago by the appearance and speech of an Indian woman from our Oahe Station, Elizabeth Winyan. We have now to communicate the sad tidings of her death, after a brief, but severe illness. Her life was an eventful and a useful one. Elizabeth was the name given her by the missionaries. Winyan was her Indian name. She was born near Mankato, Minnesota, in 1831. At the age of twenty-five she became one of the early converts under Drs. Williamson and Riggs. She came to live at the mission, and learned to sew and do all household work. Dr. Williamson set her to teaching some women, and so began her missionary labor. She was a woman of great physical strength. When she was living at the Sisseton Agency, she cut with her own hands and hauled to the Agency, driving the ox-team herself, wood enough to pay for putting her little house in good repair and to buy some farming implements. She was a faithful friend. This fidelity she proved during the Indian uprising in 1862. When the mission families were fleeing from their burning houses at midnight, they forgot to take any food along. While they were hiding on an island in the Minnesota River, she, at the risk of her own life, carried to them bread and meat. In 1875, she and Miss Collins went to assist Rev. T.L. Riggs in starting the Oahe Mission, near Fort Sully, on the Missouri. At the time of her death she was in charge of an out-station on the Cheyenne River, forty miles from the central mission. Her duties were to hold meetings on the Sabbath, one general prayer meeting on Thursday night, and a women's meeting on Friday night, to teach every day, visit the sick, attend funerals, and teach the women to sew, cook, wash and iron.

Miss Collins says of her: "There is no one to fill her place. She was one of the grandest women I ever knew. May God help our poor bereaved Dakotas."

An Exemplary Mother

The recent death of Elizabeth Winyan calls to mind a little story connected with the training of her son, which may not be without point even now.

Elizabeth Winyan taught Edwin, her son, to believe in God and in prayer. She tells a story of how Edwin, as a child, wanted to wear "civilized clothes." She made him a shirt and trousers, and then he needed a hat and shoes. She said, "I told him to pray for them; in the meantime I worked as well as prayed, and on Saturday, when my work was done, the missionary's wife gave me a hat and a pair of shoes for Edwin. He was delighted and so was I. Since that time he has never doubted that God would answer prayer." She said: "I taught Edwin to give to the Lord from a baby. When he was not old enough to know his duty, I put the penny in his hand and held his hand over the basket, and dropped in the penny. Sometimes I would only be able to get one penny, and that I would give to Edwin to put in the collection, for I wanted him to form a habit of giving; I knew I ought to give, and God knows I would when I had a penny, but my son must be taught." This son has grown up a good Christian, speaks English, is a teacher, and is now a missionary at Standing Rock. He owes much to his faithful Christian mother.

The Chinese

Two Chinese Anniversaries

By District Secretary J.E. Roy, D.D.

One was that of the New Year, which is the first of February. It was at Los Angeles. The celebration lasts three or four days. The Christian Chinese observe the festival with Christian ceremonies. In the forenoon, I was with the Congregational brethren at their rooms in Chinatown. Their schoolroom was decorated with all the colors and characters of the native land. A table was spread with fruits and nuts and candies and cakes and flowers. The Chinese lily was the appropriate New Year's adornment. The services were prayer, much singing of Moody and Sankey songs, recitations of Scripture and addresses by their own men and by visitors. The room was filled with sympathetic touring friends. After the public service, the goodies of the table were passed around. In the afternoon, I went to the Presbyterian, and my wife to the United Presbyterian, service, which was much after the same sort. In the former, the Rev. Mr. Condit and his wife, who had long ago returned from China to engage in this work, were the leaders. After the Superintendent of the Methodist Chinese Sunday-school had spoken, a brother in the mission, following, called him a good Presbyterian. Although these foreigners fall into the church order of the people who have led them into the Jesus way, they recognize these divisions as simply so many families akin, and so there is a constant visiting and affiliation among them as Christians. The whole occasion was one to inspire faith in the Gospel as suited to the needs of our common humanity, and faith in the beneficent results upon those who have not known of the true God and Saviour. On the afternoon of the following Sunday, in Dr. Hutchins' church, I visited the Congregational Chinese Sunday-school, superintended by a lawyer and taught by members of that parish. Mr. Dorland, the Superintendent, is giving himself to this work with great enthusiasm, and his associates share in the same. The thing which delighted me in Dr. Hutchins' church, and in all this round of our Chinese Missions, was the fact that the local church is taking these Chinese of the A.M.A. schools into their fellowship, not only that of the Sunday-school but of church membership. Whatever views may be held as to the political economy of exclusion, these Christians seem to realize that God has brought these pagans to their doors to be cared for in Christ's name. Mrs. Sheldon and her daughter, the missionaries of the American Missionary Association, teaching the night-school, serving in the Sunday-school, and by every feasible ministry, are confirming the judgment of one of our pastors that these lady missionaries are their "Evidences of Christianity."

The other anniversary was that of our mission at San Diego—Miss M.M. Elliot, the missionary teacher, and Chin Toy, the helper. Rev. W.C. Pond, D.D., of San Francisco, the Superintendent of our Chinese work, which he takes in addition to the pastoral care of the Bethany Church, had come down for his annual visitation of the missions in Southern California. In the Mission Chapel, at the time of the night-school, Dr. Pond conducts the rehearsal and, on Sunday night, in the Tabernacle of the First Congregational Church, presides at the public service. The great assembly room is packed with interested listeners who soon become delighted. After opening devotions, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Mr. Voorhees, and his choir, the young brethren proceed with a prayer in the Chinese, then with the Lord's Prayer in concert, both in English and in Chinese. Then come songs in solo and in concert, from the Moody and Sankey book, and recitations of Scripture passages. "Dare to be a Daniel," was rendered in solo with fine effect as to the music, and especially as to the idea of daring to become Christians in the face of the derision of their pagan friends. The Ten Commandments, as recited by one, and each responded to in music by the school in the words of the prayer-book, were deeply impressive. And so was the "Missionary Exercise," with nine questions by Quon Newy, answered by as many men one after another, Quon Tape, Sam Tai, Quon Dick, Korn Ock, Korn Chow, Korn Zee, Chong Chung, Lee Wing, and Linn Yee.

The characteristic feature of the evening was the address, in good English, of Chin Toy. Dr. Pond introduced him as having been a shoemaker at San Francisco, who, upon conversion, about to be baptized in his church, was locked into his apartment of the shoeshop by some of his pagan friends, who thought that after the passing of the baptismal occasion of Sunday morning he would get over his desire to be a Jesus man. So, Sunday afternoon, he was released. But at night he appeared at the Bethany and was baptized into Christ. He is now with Loo Quong, an A.M.A. evangelist, and at present is serving as "helper" at the San Diego mission. His address was a logical and eloquent setting forth of the difficulties in the way of the Chinese becoming Christians; and, at the end, it was an appeal to American Christians to improve their opportunity to become missionaries to the heathen whom God had brought to their door.

Short addresses were then made by Rev. F.B. Perkins, of the Second Church, and by District Secretary Roy—the former declaring that that meeting alone was enough to repay all effort in that line; enough to remove all prejudice. Indeed, only this week, a former pastor of that church, Rev. J.B. Silcox, now of the East Oakland Church, told me that a similar anniversary held in that same Tabernacle a year ago, had melted down all prejudice. Indeed, it is now, as in the days of the primitive Christians: wheresoever it is seen that people of the despised classes have received the Holy Ghost, that is the end of caste distinction. "Forasmuch, then, as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us who had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I should withstand God?"

A Colored Man Speaks For His Race

Address at the Annual Meeting in Chicago,

By The Rev. Geo. M. McClellan.

About eleven years ago, out in the country, near Louisville, there was born a little colored girl. She was her father's first child, and he was justly proud of her, and calculated that there must be some fitting name for her somewhere, and that he must get it out of a book. He could not read, but he could spell a little, and therefore he got him a copy of Webster's blue-backed speller, and spelled the book half way through until he found the word "heterogeneous;" therefore that little girl was christened "Heterogeneous." This morning this programme was handed to me, and I saw on it "Chinese, Indian, Negro, White;" and I couldn't help thinking of Heterogeneous. As I looked over the subjects, and thought that I would have to speak about something, I thought that "Chinese, Indian, White man and Negro," was quite a subject for a speech. But I was inclined to be fair, like a certain minister, who was always preaching on infant baptism. He preached on infant baptism, no matter what the text was. The deacons and the people of the church got tired of it, and they concluded to give him some text that would relate to facts, before there were any infants. So they turned to the Book of Genesis, and found the text "Adam, where art thou?" And when the minister came to the pulpit Sunday morning, the deacons gave this text to him and told him, "Here is a text we want you to preach upon." He demurred a little and wondered why they had not given him more time, but finally concluded to preach on this text. He got up and said: "There are three points in this text: First, that men are always somewhere; second, that they are very often where they ought not to be; third, the text is dead set against infant baptism; and as the time is short, I will speak on point third." Now, I said to myself that either of these themes was a worthy one; but as Chinese comes first, Indian second, and Negro third, and, as the time is brief, I will speak on point third.

Not long ago I saw in an illustrated paper President Harrison with his Cabinet, represented as all lolling over asleep; and in the group there stood a Negro, his mouth open, his collar open, his teeth showing, and with a large scroll in his hand. Beneath this picture was this remark: "Wake up to the question of the day," and on that scroll which the Negro had in his hand were the words: "What are you gwine to do with the black man?"

Now, that question has been asked here indirectly to-day: and, my friends, do you know that sometimes, as we have heard this question discussed, we wonder just exactly how people do consider us in this country. There have been some who have advocated colonization. Some have said that we would have to be sent back to Africa or out West, or to South America. One man thinks that extermination will be the final thing to be resorted to. It may be a fault in my education, it may be that this American Missionary Association has not educated me all right—for I am a product of the Association,—but I have been taught to suppose that we Negroes were free, independent, American citizens, at liberty to choose where we will stay and how long we will stay. It seems that very eminent men are discussing the feasibility of sending us to Africa, and whether it is wise to go to the expense if it is thought best to send us there. Now, my friends, it does not seem to me that there is any question about it so far as we are concerned. The whites may go if they want to, but we are not going to budge! So long as this is a free country we are going to stay here; it satisfies us. It seems to me God has so settled it.