§cnu-Cnittnan) unit ijjt iicfrnspctfiua c €r? . v® vj -.e?f c * & Gl ii )f. E. Church. 1 5a 1 /rxmoke : '11 L N T E1) B Y S II E R WOOD & CO. n. w. i'or. "baltimore and gay streets. ilro^uuuuuuuuuuauuuuo-xo > v O: Go O y Od Odj W^OQ Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1806, By DANIEL A. PAYNE, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland. THE of the African Meth. Episcopal Church m the United. States of America. by DANIEL A. PAYNE, One of the Bishops and Historiographer of the A. M. E. Church. baltimobe : PRINTED BY SHERWOOD & CO. n. w. ('or. baltimi ire and (jay streets. 1 >s (j 6 . DEDICATION. To Revs. William Sholl, A. M., William Herlig, A. M., Samuel Sprecher, D. D., Charles Martin, M. D., Jacob C. Buy, Christian Startzman, Daniel Kohler, Jacob Sheler, Jacob Zieg'er, Leonhard Gerhardt, Cliarles P. Stoever, A. M., Theopbilus Stork, D. D., David F. Biddle, D. D., J. S. Williams, John George Ellinger, Samuel Wagner, David Smith, Emanuel Frey, A. M., Christian Lepley, F. W. Conrad, John McCron, D. D., and John Wilcox, all Alumni of the Theological Seminary of the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gettysburg, Pa., and members of "The Society of Inquiry on Missions," at that school, who, in the Spring of 1885, so generously resolved to educate a colored young man for the work of the Christian ministry, in order that he might labor for the intellectual, moral and religious improve¬ ment of the Colored People of the United States, and who chose " me, who am less than the least of all saints,"—feeding, clothing and educating me, till I was measurably prepared f.-r the work assigned me;—To you, Gentlemen, I dedicate this little book, the first product of my literary labors, which is likely to attract the notice of Philanthropists and Christians, not on account of any literary merit which it possesses, but in vieiv of the important questions which it answers, and the exalted ends at which it aims. I dedicate this book to you, Gentlemen, whom I regard as my greatest earthly benefactors, not so much on account of the food, raiment and home which you furnished me, as on account of the culture you gave me, while I was a student at Gettysburg—you yourselves being my fellow students! They who give bread, clothing and a home to the needy, do well,—the}' who educate the intellect and the heart, do a nobler work. Blessings bestowed upon the perishing body, perish with it,—those bestowed upon the deathless soul, endure forever ! A thousand thanks for your Christian liberality, to which I trace the enlarged usefulness of twenty-nine years; whether your efforts to educate me have been a failure or a success, is not for me, but for you and mankind to determine. I have endeavored not to disappoint your hopes—by Divine aid, I will never betray your confidence. As in the past, so in the future—my body, soul and spirit, I have laid upon the altar of Christian usefulness, there shall they be smoking—burning—till life itself become extinct! I can never repay you for the blessings conferred; but you will doubtless "be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Gratefully, I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, DANIEL A. PAYNE. Bethel Parsonage, Baltimohk, Md., March, 186&. PREFACE. The Reader of this little work will be informed that it was prepared by the request of the Bench of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, U. S. A. This request was made about the 10th of January last. The time for writing it was limited to two months. It consumed nearly two and a half. The historic materials, which covered a period of fifty years, were distant some about 700, some 1,000 miles. The greater portion reached me in time, other portions too late—some has not yet come to hand. The book is, therefore, necessarily imperfect. Yet sufficient is there to indicate the thought, activity and force of the humble band of Christians in whose behalf it speaks. Its character partakes of the apologetic, the polemic and the historic. Its design is to show what that humble band, without learn¬ ing, without wealth, without prestige, and, therefore, friend¬ less, has done in the brief period of fifty years; and that it has done all this, with no other means than patient labor, self-denial and faith in God. The Book is divided into two parts. Part First exhibits the elevating -power of Methodism among the Anglo-Saxons and Anglo-Americans. Part Second is an effort to show that Methodism does not degrade the Anglo-Africans. The ultimate end is, first, to excite the sympathies and pecuniary aid of Protestant Christians on both sides of the Atlantic; second, to lift up this humble band to a higher plane, of Christian character, Christian activity and Christian suc¬ cess. DANIEL A. PAYNE. Bethel Parsonage, Baltimore, Md., March, 1866. Semi-Centenary of the A, Mi E. 0. in the TJ. S< Part First—First Section. DOES METHODISM DEGHADE THE ANGLO-SAXON? Its Definition—Origin of Methodism—A Glance at Its History and Effects Among Anglo-Saxons. " The tree is known by Lis fruit." An educated colored clergyman, standing 011 the floors of the last General Assembly of the New School Presbyterian Church, found occasion to say, "that Methodism degrades the Negro." Let Us see how much truth is in this state¬ ment. The nature of a thing is known by its effects ; the charac¬ ter of a system, by its results. Methodism is both a thing and a system. Considered as a simple name or definition, it is a thing ; viewed in the light of its theology and its ethics!—its government and its practice, it is a system. A learned divine, of no mean fame, nor little usefulness, has said, "Methodism is Christianity in earnestThis defini¬ tion is correct. Can an earnest Christianity degrade any race? Let us see. There is the Anglo-Saxon, or English race, in whose lap Methodism was born. John and Charles Wesley, its chief agents, descended from noble ancestors, Their father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were talented, learned, pious and useful men. Their mother, Susanna Wesley, was also descended from a talented, learned and pious parentage. She was one of the noblest women that ever trod this earth. As a wife, she had no superior— as a mother, no equal. This mother, living daily under the fear of God, made it her business, her pleasure and her happiness to train her children for usefulness and for heaven. Having impressed her own angelic form and color upon the hearts of John and Charles, she sent them both while young to the best schools of England ; thence to the 6 University of Oxford, where they ripened into a noble scholarship ; thence, with consecrated talents and learning, they issued to do and to suffer for God and man. History proves that some men are apparently modest and good, while they are poor, but that as soon as they become rich, their consequent influence beget pride and contempt, which lead them into acts of oppression against the weak, the poor and the defenseless. Human institutions, political and ecclesiastic, have produced like manifestations and simi¬ lar history. To cure such evils in the individual man, or human institutions, God institutes such means as his unerr¬ ing wisdom dictates. Thus, to correct the proud, contemptu¬ ous and otherwise wicked spirit of a State or a Church, God raises up his men, surrounds them with circumstances, per¬ sons and influence—by which, though called to toil long, and suffer much, they ultimately triumph over principalities and powers. Thus, when the Church of England became as worldly- minded, sensual, proscriptive and oppressive, as it was rich and powerful, the Great Head of the Church militant, raised up John and Charles Wesle}r, with their noble coadjutors, to pluck sinners as brands from the burning, and to set in motion such a system of measures, and such influences as could reclaim the Anglican Church from its backslidings, and the Dissenters from their lukewarmness. To convert the most vicious of the English peasantry-, this apostolic band entered the public grounds, the alms-houses, the mines and the jails—expounding in simple speech the profound truths of Christianity, and lifting up its saving cross, they turned multitudes from darkness to light, and from the power of sin and Satan unto God. Their influence, rebounding, entered the mansions of the rich gentry and cultivated nobility, subjecting many of them to the Iiule of Jesus. This work of salvation was conducted not with the sanc¬ tion of the State, nor the authority of the Church, but against the opposition of both ; while misrepresentation and calumny chased them from town to town, amidst the dust and din of infuriated mobs. \et, onwarxl they moved in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Spirit, till Method¬ ism became a power felt, and respected by magistrate and priest—a power exalting the lowly, humbling the powerful. Such was the origin, such the work, and such the imme¬ diate effects of the thing we call Methodism. Now let us see what is it as a system, and what its results. 7 a. Its doctrines. These can be seen in any Methodist Book of Discipline. They are set forth, and briefly, but ably discussed, and compared with the Calvinistic and the Lutheran, by Rev. Abel Stevens, D. D., LL. D., in his recent work entitled, "The Centenary of American Methodism." These doctrines—twenty-five in number—are an abridg¬ ment of the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, which have their root in the Augsburgh Confession, or Doc¬ trines of the Reformation. In the language of Dr. Stevens : "In some cases" they are "slightly amended, but they convey no tenet which is not received by the Church of England, and they are the only officially recognized standard of Methodist doctrine in America. Wesley's emendations chiefly guard them against interpretations favorable to sacramental regeneration, and other Roman errors." (Pages 125-145.) I dismiss this point, with the request that every one who desires to know what are the doctrines of the great Methodist family, will get and read this book of Dr. Stevens, especially the sixth chapter of the first part. These doctrines we believe to be Scriptural, and, there¬ fore, throughout consistent with sound reason. The belief of them, and obedience to them, have saved millions from sin, and rendered them useful as well as virtuous. b. Its ethical teachings are summed up in these words, which we quote from uThe General Rules:" All persons, high and low, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, the clergy as well as the laity, are " expected to continue to evidence their desire of salvation. "First. By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced, such as—the taking of the name of God in vain ; the profaning the Day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work therein, or by buying or selling ; drunkenness, buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity; slave-holding, buying or selling slaves; fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother going to lata with brother ; returning evil for evil, or railing for railing; the using many words in buying and selling ; the giving or talcing things on usury—-that is, unlawful interest; unchari¬ table or unprofitable conversation — particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers ; doing to others as we would not they should do to us ; borrowing without a proba¬ bility of paying ; taking up goods without a probability of paying for them. 8 uSecond. By doing good; by "being in every kind merciful after their power ; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men to their bodies as of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison. " To their souls by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, that 1 we are not to do good, unless our hearts be free to it.' " By doing good, especially to them that are of the house- hold of faith, or groaning so to be ; employing them prefer¬ ably to others ; buying one of another ; helping each other in business ; and so much the more, because the world will love its own, and them only. "By all possible diligence and frugality, that the Gospel be not blamed. " By running with patience the race which is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily ; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and offscouring of the world ; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them, falsely , for the Lord's sake." Such are the ethical principles, not only taught to all, but enjoined upon all who call themselves Methodists. No intel¬ ligent man will dare say they are degrading in themselves. If not, can they have a degrading tendency? c. Government and practice of the Methodist Church, as it is seen in England, are non-episcopal, but productive of the best results, as we shall now proceed to show. First, respecting literature, says Dr. Stevens, " Methodism has already appreciated the importance of literature. If in¬ dividual prejudices have seemed to indicate the contrary, they have been but exceptional to the general sentiment of the denomination. It began its march from the gates of a university. Wesley labored incessantly by his pen for the elevation of the popular mind. A German historian of Methodism classifies with German elaborateness the great variety of his literary works as Poetical, Philological, Phi¬ losophical, Historical, and Theological. Though he wrote before Wesley's death, he states that many of these writings, after ten or twenty editions, could be obtained only with dif¬ ficulty, and the whole could not be purchased for less than ten guineas, notwithstanding they were published at rates surprisingly cheap ; for Wesley was the first to set the ex- 9 ample of modern cheap prices, sustained by large sales. A catalogue of his publications, printed about 1756, contains no less than one hundred and sixty-one articles in prose and verse, English and Latin, on grammar, logic, medicine, music, poetry, theology, and philosophy. Two-thirds of these publications were for sale at less than one shilling each, and more than one fourth at a penny. They were thus brought within reach of the poorest of his people." " It has justly been said that Wesley reduced many folios and quartos to pocket volumes ; he waded through the mass of the learned works of his day, and simplifying, multiply¬ ing, cheapening them, presented in the cottages and hovels of the poor almost every variety of useful or entertaining knowledge." "Not content with books and tracts, Wesley projected in August, 1777, the Armenian Magazine, and issued the first number at the beginning of 1778. It was one of the first four religious magazines which sprung from the resuscitated religion of the age, and which begun this species of periodi¬ cal publications in the Protestant world." Such were the labors of Methodism in behalf of religious literature among the Anglo-Saxon race. Did it put forth any efforts in behalf of education ? Second. Schools and Colleges.—" Cradled in a University, and trained by such men as the Wesleys, Fletcher, Benson, Clarke, Coke, Watson, Methodism could not be indifferent, much less hostile to the education of the people, though its poverty, and its absorption in more directly moral labors for their elevation, did not at first allow scope to its educational measures. Wesley, however, never lost sight of such meas¬ ures ; and it is an interesting fact, that in the year which is recognized as the epoch of Methodism, the date of its first field preaching, and among the miserable people where the latter began, it also began the first of its literary institutions. Whitefield laid the corner stone of the Kingswood school ; and kneeling upon the ground, surrounded by reclaimed and weeping colliers, prayed that the gates of hell might not prevail against it, while the prostrate multitude, now awak¬ ened to a new intellectual as well as moral life, responded with hearty Amens. Wesley reared it by funds which he received from the incomes of his college fellowship, or re¬ ceived from his followers. It was the germ of the latter in¬ stitution which bears its name, and which has become an educational asylum for the sons of itinerant preachers. Its 10 accommodations were found to be insufficient for tlie grow¬ ing numbers of sucli pupils, and tlie estate of Woodhouse Grove, not far from Leeds, wras purchased for a second insti¬ tution of tbe same character. In our day, from two hundred to two hundred and fifty sons of preachers and missionaries are educated within them, and gratuitously boarded and clothed, during a term of six years. The connection has ex¬ pended between £300,000 and £400,000 upon these semina¬ ries. Wesley also duly projected schools for poor children at Newcastle and London. His preaching house at the former place was called the Orphan-House, and its deed provided that it should maintain a school of forty poor chil¬ dren, with a master and mistress. Its site is now occupied by a substantial edifice for a Mixed and Infants' Wesley an Day School, and also a Girls' Industrial School. More than four hundred children are daily receiving instruction within its walls. He maintained for years also, a school at the Old Foundry." "As early as bis first conference, in 1744, Wesley proposed a theological school or ' Seminary for Labor¬ ers/ It could not then be attempted for want of funds. Sucb were some of the efforts for education made by tbe Methodism of Wesley's day. They have since given origin to a system as extensive, if not as effective, as belongs to any other English or American Protestant body, except the Anglican and Scotch Establishments ; to the Wesley College in Sheffield, the Collegiate Institution in Taunton (both of them in collegiate relation to the University of London) the Wesley Normal Institution at Westminster, whose stately buildings cost $200,000, and accomodate more than one hun¬ dred students preparing to be teachers ; to a grand scheme of Day Schools which at present comprises nearly five hun¬ dred schools and sixty thousand pupils." Such is the work of Methodism in behalf of common school and collegiate education among the English. Thirdly. What has it done for Sunday-Schools?—"Meth¬ odism has an honorable place in the history of Sunday- Schools. As early as 1764, a young Methodist, Hannab Ball, established a Sunday-School in Wycombe, England, and was instrumental in training many children in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures." Wesley, Fletcher, and their coadjutors advocated and sustained Sundaj'-Schools, and now, " Methodism, exclusive of all minor sects which bear the name, has under its direction an army of nearly 500,000 11 scholars, and more than 80,000 teachers in England and Scotland." If such is the work which British Methodism has accom¬ plished for Sunday-Schools, Fourthly. What has it accomplished in behalf of Christian Missions f—" Methodism was essentially a missionary move¬ ment, domestic and foreign. It initiated not only the spirit, but the practical plans of modern English Missions. Bishop Coke so represented the enterprise in his OAvn person for many years as to supersede the necessity of any formal organization, but it was none the less real and energetic. The Wesleyan Missionary Society was formed in 1817, but the first Wes¬ leyan missionaries who went out, under the superintendence of Dr. Coke, entered the British Colonies in 1786. The next year, 1787, the Wesleyan Missions bore the distinctive title of 1 Missions established by the Methodist Society/ " At the last Conference attended by Wesley, (1790,) a Committee of nine preachers, of which Coke was chairman, was appointed to take charge of this new interest. Coke continued to con¬ duct its chief business ; but the Committee was his standing council, and formed, in fact, a mission board of managers two years before the organization of the first of British Mis¬ sionary Societies." u In this manner did Methodism early prompt the energies of the British people in plans of religious benevolence for the whole world. From 1803 to the present time, Wesleyan Methodism has contributed more than twenty millions of dollars for foreign evangelization. In England, the " Church Missionary Society " alone exceeds its annual collections for the foreign field ; but the Wesleyan Society enrolls more communicants in its Mission Churches than all other British Missionary Societies combined. The historian, of religion, during the last and present centuries, would find it difficult to point to a more magnificent monument of Christianity. Methodism, gathering its hosts mostly from the mines and cottages of England, has embodied them in this sublime movement for the redemption of the world. Its poor have kept its treasury full. They have supplied hundreds, if not thousands of their sons and daughters as evangelists to the heathen ; and while they have thus been enabled to do good in the extremities of the earth, they have reaped still greater good from the reacting influence of their liberality upon themselves. They have received from it the sentiment of self-respect which comes from well-doing. They have been 12 led to habits of frugality that their poverty might be conse¬ crated by liberality. They have been elevated above the perversion of local or personal sentiments, by sympathies with their whole race. They have been led to a knowledge of the geography of the world, and to habits of reflection upon its religious, social and political interests, by the hab¬ itual reading of missionary intelligence. Thousands of them have acquired habits of public usefulness by the management of their missionary affairs ; and sentiments of universal phil¬ anthropy and religious heroism have been spread through their ranks to ennoble their own souls while saving others. Such is Methodism, such a brief outline history—its effects —its results in one branch of the white family—the compo¬ site Anglo-Saxon. It has not degraded that people. Nay ! it has ennobled a confessedly noble race ; let us see what is its history and results among a still more composite people, the Anglo-Americans. One century is long enough to show the effects of a thing—the results of a system among any peoj)le. Has it degraded them ? Second Sectton. DOES METHODISM DEGRADE THE ANGLO- AMERICAN ? " A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruits." We have seen that Methodism has produced good among the Anglo-Saxons, elevating them, and improving the peo¬ ples influence by them ; let us now look at the results of Methodism among the Anglo-Americans, to see if it degrades them : In 17G6, Methodism was planted in American soil, by the hand of a German-Irishman, named Phillip Embury. *Bv a German-Irishman, we mean a man of German blood, but Irish birth. This man was led to Christ by the Apostolic Wesley. Though not classically trained, he was, neverthe¬ less, intelligent, energetic and prudent. The first class which he enrolled consisted of five persons, the most promi¬ nent of whom was Mrs. Barbara Heck, who, Divinely led, had prompted the movement—so that Methodism in America, 13 like Methodism in England, had a woman to cradle it. This little band, contemptible in learning, contemptible in wealth, contemptible in numbers, grew so rapidly and pow¬ erful in eighteen years, as to d-evelop itself into the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America, at the head of which stood Bishops Coke and Asbury ; the former was a man of collegiate education, the other was studious, and all the time self-improving, as any one can see, who will take the pains to read his Journal, in three volumes.* Rt. Rev. Thomas Coke, LL D., accompanied by two Presbyters, named Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, were them¬ selves ordained and sent by Wesley to organize the said Methodist Episcopal Church. This organization was con¬ summated in December, 1784, at the City of Baltimore. "A system of government, with its Liturgy, Articles of Reli gion, Discipline, Hymn Book, etc., was formerly adopted. Its Bishops were the first Protestant Bishops of the Western Hemisphere." * Allow me to repeat the idea of the qualifications of the two chief leaders. Dr. Coke, or rather Bishop Coke, was thoroughly educated ^Bishop Asbury was intelligent, of sound judgment and studious, daily enriching his mind with every form of useful knowledge that was within his r^ach—both were men of fervent piety and unblemished reputation. With such captains at its head, this Methodistic army, sending out its scouts eastward, northward, southward, westward, marched onward to fight, and make conquests for Jesus. What territories has it conquered, what victories won, what trophies has it hung upon the Cross? Let us see : It is now completing its first century, and is grandly preparing to celebrate it. What has it accomplished for the cause of SYSTEMATIC EDUCATION? What it has effected for systematic education, in the form of secular and religious schools, may be indicated by the follow¬ ing extracts from the work of Dr. Stevens : " Boarding academies, colleges and theological seminaries have rapidly grown up in the denomination, till the Metho¬ dist Episcopal Church, alone, now reports no less than twenty-five colleges, (including theological schools,) having 158 instructors, 5,345 students ; $3,055,861 endowments and other property ; and 105,531 volumes in their libraries. It °See Dr. Stevens' Centenary of Methodism, pp. 63-81. 14 reports also 77 academies, with 556 instructors, and 17,761 students, 10,462 of whom are females, making an aggregate of 102 institutions, 714 instructors, 23,106 students. 1j|e Southern Division of the denomination reported, before the war, 12 colleges, and 77 academies, with 8,000 students, mak¬ ing an aggregate for the two bodies of 191 institutions, and. 31,106 students." _ • As to its Sunday, or religious schools, it now has 13,400 schools, more than 150,000 teachers and officers, and near 918,000 scholars, about 19,000 of whom are reported as con¬ verted during the past year. There are in the libraries of these schools more than 2,529,000 volumes. They are sup¬ ported at an annual expense of more than $216,000, besides nearly $18,000 given to the Union for the assistance of poor schools. There are circulated among them, semi-monthl}r, nearly 260,000 "Sunday School Advocates," the juvenile periodical of the Union. The number of conversions among the pupils of the schools, as reported for the- last eighteen years, amounts to more than 285,000, showing that much of the extraordinary growth of the Church is attributable to this mighty agency. The Union has four periodicals for teachers and scholars, two in English and two in German, and their aggregate circulation is nearly 300,000 per num¬ ber. Its catalogue of Sunday School books comprises more than 2,300 works, of which more than a million of copies are issued annually. Including other issues, it has nearly 2,500 publications adapted to the use of Sunday Schools. In fine, few, if any institutions of American Methodism, wield a mightier power than its " Sunday School Union." As apples, pears, plums and peaches grow from orchards, so literature springs from educational institutions. What, then, is the literature produced among the Anglo-American by those institutions of learning which Methodism has planted among them? Let its great historiographer answer. ITS BOOK CONCERN Is one among the publishing houses of this Republic, and is the " largest in the world." "It had early attempted the publication of a Monthly Magazine, in imitation of Wesley's periodical, but failed, till 1818, when the Methodist Magazine was begun ; it still prosperously continues, under the title of the Methodist Quarterly Review In 1823, the Youth's Instructor, a monthly work, was begun. The spirit of enter¬ prise led to the publication of the Christian Advocate and 15 Journal, which appeared for the first time, on the 9th of September, 1826. This < Book Concern ' commenced its operations with the small capital of about $600. In our day, the Methodist Book Concern comprises two branches, the eastern and western, and seven depositories, with an aggre¬ gate capital of more than $837,000. In 1*789, the date of its origin, it began with but one Agent, called a General Book Steward, now it has c four Book Agents, appointed by the General Conference,' who manage its business. It has twelve editors of its periodicals, nearly five hundred clerks and operatives, and between twenty and thirty cylinder and power presses constantly in operation. It publishes above five hundred General Catalogue bound books, besides many in the German and other languages, and about fifteen hun¬ dred Sunday School volumes. Its Tract publications number about nine hundred, in various tongues. Its periodicals are a mighty agency, including one Quarterly Review, four monthlies, one semi-monthly and eight weeklies, with an aggregate circulation of over one million of copies per month, Its quarterly and some of its weeklies have a larger circula¬ tion than any othei\ periodical, of the same class, in the nation, probably in the world. " The influence of this great institution, in the diffusion of popular literature and the creation of a taste for reading among the great masses of the denomination, has been incal¬ culable. It has scattered periodicals and books all over the valley of the Mississippi. Its sales in that great domain, in the quadrennial period ending with January 31, 1864, amounted to about $1,200,000. If Methodism had produced no other contribution to the progress of knowledge and civ¬ ilization in the New World, than that of this powerful institution, this alone would suffice to vindicate its claims to the respect of the enlightened world. Its ministry has often been falsely disparaged as unfavorable to intelligence ; but it should be borne in mind that its ministry founded this stupendous means of popular intelligence, and continued to work it with increasing success up to the present time—it has never failed in any of the financial revulsions of the country ; and it is now able, by its large capital, to meet any new literary necessity of the denomination." If Ameri¬ can Methodism has done so much for the cause of popular literature, what has been its labors in behalf of the cause of Christian Missions? Though American Methodism was many years without a distinct 16 MISSIONARY ORGANIZATION. "It was owing to the fact that its whole Church organi¬ zation Avas essentially a missionary scheme. It was, in fine^ the great Home Missionary enterprise of the North Ameri¬ can continent, and its domestic work demanded all its resources of men and money. It early began, however, special labors among the aborigines and slaves—the year 1819 is memorable as the epoch of the formal organization of its missionary work. By the session of the General Con¬ ference of 1832, the Society's operations had extended through the States and Territories of the nation, and had become a powerful auxiliary of the itinerant system of the Church. Hitherto it had been prosecuted as a domestic scheme, comprehending the frontier circuits, the slaves, the free colored people, and the Indian tribes ; it had achieved great success in this wide field, and was now strong enough to reach abroad to other lands. It proposed, with the sanc¬ tion of the General Conference, to plant its standard on the coast of Africa, and sent agents to Mexico and South Amer¬ ica to ascertain the possibility of missions in those coun¬ tries. Thus were begun those foreign operations of the Society, which have since become its most interesting labors. In 1832, Melville B. Cots sailed for Africa, the first foreign missionary of American Methodism. He organized the Liberia Mission. He fell a martyr to the climate, but laid on that benighted continent the foundations of the Church, never, it may be hoped, to be shaken." The next mission was opened among the Flathead Indians of Oregon. "In the autumn of 1855, Fountain C. Pitts was sent on a mission of inquiry to South America. He visited Rio Janeiro, Buenos Ayres, Montevideo, and other places, and the Methodist South American Mission was founded the next year by Justin Spaulding. Thus had the Church borne at last its victorious banner into the field of foreign missions. It was to be tried severely in these new contests, but to march on through triumphs and defeats till it should take foremost rank among denominations devoted to foreign evangelization. It is impossible to trace in detail the further outspread of this great interest, especially under the successful administration of its present Secretary, Dr. Durbin—suffice it to say, that the annual receipts of the Society, which the year before his administration began amounted to about $104,000, have risen to nearly $560,000, and that besides its very extensive domestic work3 the 17 Methodist Episcopal Church has now missions in China, India, Africa, Bulgaria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and South America. Its Missions, foreign and domestic, have 1,059 circuits and stations, 1,128 paid laborers (preachers and assistants,) and 105,675 communi¬ cants. The funds contributed to its treasury from the beginning down to 1865, amount to about $6,000,000. About 350 of the missionaries preach in the German and Scandina¬ vian languages, and more than 30,000 of the communicants are German and Scandinavian. " The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, had before the rebellion missions in China, among the foreign settlers in the United States, among the American Indians and the Southern slaves. About three hundred and sixty of itsi preachers were enrolled as missionaries." This Methodist Episcopal Church proposes during the pre¬ sent year, its Centenary, to raise for educational purposes $2,000,000, and for missionary work $1,000,000. We have seen its labors in behalf of systematic education, both secu¬ lar and religious ; its 102 institutions of learning—academic, collegiate and theological ; its hundreds of educators ; its myriads of students ; and its labors in behalf of popular literature, as well as in the God like work of missions at home and in foreign lands. Tell me, reader—thinker, tell me has it degraded the Anglo-Americans? Born, cradled, nurtured in England,.it rushed into America, into Africa, into Asia, leading civi¬ lized and heathen men to Christ. Did it become stationary, inert, fruitless ? No ! Like ocean currents, it has rebounded back to Africa, to South America, to Europe, and is now bathing its classic shores with the waters of salvation and A particular review of the labors of Methodism in Eng¬ land and America will show by figures some of its grand results among white men on both sides of the Atlantic. LITERARY INSTITUTIONS FOUNDED BY METHODISM AMONG THE ANGLO-SAXONS. life. a. Theological Seminaries. 1. The Southern Hraneh. 2. The Northern Branch, at Richmond, England, .at Disburv " b. Colleges. 1. Wesleyan Collegiate Institute 2. "Wesley College 2 at Taunton, England, .at Sheffield, " 18 Other Institutions. 1. Normal Training Institution at Westminster, England. 2. New Kingswood School " 3. Woodhouse Grove School " LITERARY INSTITUTIONS PLANTED BY THE HAND OF METHOD¬ ISM AMONG THE ANGLO-AMERICANS. a. Colleges—9. Albion College at Albion, Mich. Alleghany College, at Meadville, Pa. Cornell College at Mount Vernon, Iowa. Dickerson College at Carlisle, Pa. Genesee College at Lima, N. Y. German Wallac College at Berea, O. McKendree College at Lebanon, 111. Mount Union College at Mount Union, 0. Valparaiso College at Valparaiso, Ind. b. Universities— 14. Baker University at Baldwin City, Kan. Baldwin University at Berea, 0. Galesville University at Galesville, Wis. Hamline University at Red-Wing, Minn. Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington, 111. Indiana Asbury University at Greencastle, Ind. Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Lawrence University at A'pp!.eton, Wis. North-western University at Evanston, 111. Ohio Wesleyan University at De'aware, 0. University of the Pacific at Santa-Clara, Cal. Upper Iowa University ..at Fayette, Iowa. Wesleyan University at Middlctown, Conn. Wallamet University at Salem, Oregon. c. Theological Seminaries—2. Garrett Biblical Institute at Evanston. 111. Methodist General Biblical Institute at Concord, N. H. d. Female Colleges, Seminaries, &c. There are seventy-seven of these located in the different States of the North and West. Grand total, 102. e. Other Institutions of Christian Effort. 1. Tract Society. 2. Sunday-School Union. 3. A Home and Foreign Missionary Society, 19 Which stand behind and support the following— Fobkign Missions. Missionr's. Mem's. Liberia 19 1,493 South America 9 125 China 27 159 Germany 43 4,132 India 47 164 Bulgaria . 3 Scandinavian 13 949 Total in 1805 161 7,022' Domestic Missions. German 240 22,787 Indian 11 1,026 Scandinavian 31 2,146 French 1 68 Welsh. 3 116 Total Domestic 286 26.138 Total Foreign 161 7,022 Grand total 447 33,160 Now, then, here is a tabular view of the Results of Methodism among the two leading white races—the Anglo- Saxons and Anglo-Americans. The period covered by these results is about 126 years. These are historic proofs of the elevating influence of Methodism upon two confessedly great peoples. If Methodism has elevated them, can it " degrade the Negro?" Part Second—Section First. DOES METHODISM DEGRADE THE NEGRO? First Decade, of The A. 31. E. Church. We have seen that Methodism has improved the condition, and elevated the character of the composite Anglo-Saxon, and that still more mixed people—the Anglo-Americans. Let us now see if it degrades the Negro. If this question receives an affirmative answer, then, one of two things must be true ; that, either the character of Methodism becomes changed when applied to the colored race, or that their nature differs essentially from that of the two white races already considered. What do the Scriptures teach touching the doctrine of th£ unity of the human family ? That God " Hath made of one blood all nations of men." In keeping with this Pauline statement, are all the promises, threatenings, hopes and fears of the Gospel. They are addressed to man as one ; not as two distinct races, or species, but, as one man. So also do the moral laws and moral government of God apply alike to 20 all. Every man shall be rewarded or punished according to his deeds—these being either sinful or good. The Old Cov¬ enant was made broad enough to embrace in its saving pro¬ visions every child of Adam, who had the faith of Abraham ■ the New Covenant excludes none who believe in Jesus-^sim- ply because the nature of All is One. If we interrogate science, her answer will be found as conclusive and imperative as that of the Bible. This argument is too elaborate and learned to be introduced here; suffice it to say, that excluding the Bible argument, Dr. Bach man, of South Carolina, has demonstrated the doctrine of the unity of the human race by facts purely scientific. His book has never yet been refuted—never can be. Not only does the anatomy and physiology of the human system, but also the worms in the stomach and the lice in the head, all prove tlbe loioly Negro one with the haughty Anglo- Saxon. The nature of the Negro being one with that of the white man, if Methodism degrade him, then Methodism must change its own character in its application to the nature and condition of the Negro—but in such a case Methodism would cease to be Methodism. Let us see. a. Origin of Methodism among The Colored People of America . Among the early converts to Christ, by the agency of Meth¬ odist preachers, were many Negroes in and around the city of New York, in and around the city of Philadelphia, in and around the city of Baltimore, in and around the city of Charleston. These converts included all who are now called Negroes, nameley, all persons of African descent, from the Octoroon down to the ebony black, if such can be found. These naturally joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. As long as this Church were in number few, and in condition poor, its colored members were gladly received and kindly treated, but as soon as it began to increase in numbers and wealth, so it became elevated in social position—with this increasing prosperity, the enslaved and proscribed free Negro became contemptible in its eyes—this contempt culminated in such treatment of the colored members, as none but men robbed of true manhood could endure. Hence all who felt the power, and believed in the divinity of these words, " My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor 21 man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and siy unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool; are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts. Hearken, my be¬ loved brethren, hath not Grod chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath prom¬ ised to them that love him ? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judg¬ ment seats? Dj they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called ? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors," withdrew. We say: All who believed in the power, divinity and binding obligation of these words withdrew from the Methodist Epis¬ copal Church, and organized the " African Methodist Epis¬ copal Church." b. Its Founders Were Richard Allen, Jacob Tapsico, Clayton Durham, James Champion, and Thomas Webster, of Philadelphia ; Daniel Coker, Richard Williams, Henry Harden, Stephen Hill, Edward Williamson, and Nicholas G-illiard, of Balti¬ more ; Peter Spencer, of Wilmington, Del.; Jacob Marsh, Edward Jackson, and William Anderson, of Attleborough, Pa., and Peter Cuff, of Salem, N. J. These sixteen men- representatives of the class of Colored Methodists whom we have indicated, met in Philadelphia. At that time there were thousands in Charleston, S. C., holding the same sentiment. But the representatives of this latter city were not present, in person, because the difficulties in the mode of traveling, with many legal obstacles, prevented them. They were, however, known to be present in sympa¬ thy, desire and 'purpose. We say, that Morris Brown, Henry Drayton, Charles Corr, Amos Cruchshanks, Marcus Brown, Smart Simpson, Harry Bull, John B. Mathews, James Eden, London Turpin and Aleck Harleston, all of the city of Charles¬ ton, would have been there, if they could. The above sixteen opened the Convention on the 9th day of April, 181G. The most distinguished members of this Convention, were Rev. Richard Allen, Rev. Daniel Coker, and Mr. Stephen Hill, an intelligent layman of Baltimore, Md. It is said, "To the counsels and wisdom of this latter, more than to any other 22 man, the Church, is indebted for the form it took." The speeches made in this important Convention are lost to pos¬ terity. The most important things that were done after the organization of the convention was :—a. the election of a Bish¬ op. The votes being polled, Rev. Daniel Coker was declared Bishop elect. But for reasons which we will give in another volume, he resigned the next day in favor of Elder Allen, who, being duly elected on the 10th, was consecrated Bishop on the 11th, by Rev. Absalom Jones, a Priest of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and four other regularly ordained minis- isters. b. The adoption of a resolution, declairing that any minister coming from another evangelical church, should be received in the same official standing which he held in the church whence he came. c. The adoption of the following : " Resolved, That the people of Philadelphia, Baltimore, and all other places, who might unite with them, should become one body under the name and style of the African Methodist Episcopal Church." d. The Book of Discipline of the Meth¬ odist Episcopal Church was adopted, with its " Articles of Religion," and its " General Rules," as drafted by the two Wesleys, entire—-its Episcopal Government and itinerant system, complete, excepting the Presiding Eldership, which is not essential to Methodism. There was, therefore, no essential difference between the Methodism that came from the hand of Wesley—or as it as¬ sumed the American form, under the presiding minds of Coke and Asbury—and that which was chosen by the Found¬ ers of the A. M. E. Church. Its Theology, Ethics, and Government being the same as the M. E. Church, its nature must be the same. We will now, then, inquire into its effects upon the Negro character to see whether it degrades him. The answer to this question is historic. Ten decades are long enough to test it. b. Progress of The A. M. E. Church. In 1816 how many men constituted our Itinerancy are not certainly known, just because both the manuscript and the printed minutes of the Convention and of the Annual Con¬ ferences of 1817 are lost. The manuscript minutes of the Baltimore Annual Conference for 1818 show that Rev. Daniel Coker, Rev. Richard Williams, and Rev. Charles Pierce were the only itinerants in that District. Tradition says that be- sides^ Bp. Allen, Rev. William Paul Quinn, Rev. Jacob Tapsico, and Rev. Clayton Durham were the only itinerants 23 in the Philadelphia District, and that the first named, who is now Bp. Quinn, was the first man in that District, ivho mounted a horse to itinerate. According to these statements, we began our career with but seven itinerants, at the head of whom were Bp. Allen. Through Rev. Daniel Coker, the first circuits of the Baltimore District were laid out, which in 1818 contained but 1,066 members, in 1819, 1,388; in 1820, 1,760 ; in 1822, 1,924, while the Philadelphia District contained about 4,000. At this period another Conference was organized, that is 4;he New York, and the limits of the Connection eastward was the city of New Bedford, and west¬ ward, the city of Pittsburg, and southward, Charleston, S. C. Then, the New York District contained but 700 mem¬ bers. About 1817, Rev. Morris Brown, at the head of about 1,000 souls, resigned from the M. E. Church in South Caro¬ lina, and united with the Connection—now 1822, the num¬ ber had swelled to 3,000, including Charleston, and the Circuit immediately surrounding it. When we take into consideration the intolerant laws, and police regulations, which were made to restrain the movements of the slave and free colored people of South Carolina, that was a large in¬ crease. Among these were the eleven preachers whose names we have already given, who would, if they could, have been members of the Convention of 1816. This little band of Christians had to suffer great persecu¬ tions on account of their independent spirit, their opposition to colorphobia, and their desire to worship God in their own house consecrated to His service—in which no one could say, 11 Away to the seats and galleries for Negroes—for this simple desire, this determination, prompted by the purest motives, for which white men would have been commended throughout the country—they were repeatedly arrested, while in the act of public worship, and driven like a- i Edward Waters, \b'sJ'°Ps- George Hogarth, Gen'I Booh Steward. Brooklyn, N. Y., August 1st, 1839. This is the first document of the kind which has been chronicled by our Secretaries, and, like the pastoral.letters of 1826, is an evidence of what incalculable value are intelli¬ gent, forcasting minds to act as guides in all our movements as a Church. It is the first public appeal in behalf of aid for disabled itinerants, and the first in behalf of ministerial education, bearing the signatures of our bishops. The recommendation to observe the Centenary of Methodism, is also an evidence of enlarged views of ecclesiastical relations and Christian obligations. This year, 1840, chronicles the formation of two more Conferences—the Canada, which was organized by Bishop Brown, at Toronto, C. W., Jul}r 21st, 1840. 40 This was a fit place for such a movement, "because of Its .beautiful location, being situate on the western banks of the Lake Ontario, whose waters seem to reflect the deep azure of that Heaven, in whose bosom the Church triumphant is now rejoicing, and to which the Church militant is now hasten¬ ing because the inhabitants are among the noblest in Can¬ ada West—it has always exhibited a magnanimous and generous spirit towards the down-trodden descendants of Africa—and because it has always been a great seat of learn¬ ing and Christian benevolence. Our missionary work in that Province then embraced three Circuits and ten socie¬ ties, with one station. Its communicants were two hundred and fifty-six. The spirit of the new-born Conference may be seen in the three resolutions, which expressed its reforma¬ tory and pious sentiment. 1st. " Resolved, That all the preachers of this Conference preach directly against the use of ardent spirits, and encour¬ age the formation of Temperance societies, everywhere." 2d. u Resolved, That all the preachers of this Conference preach expressly in favor of education, and encourage it, in all our societies, and also recommend Sunday-Schools wher¬ ever they may labor." 3d. " Resolved, That this Conference adopt the resolution of the Philadelphia Conference, recommending the first Fri¬ day in October of each year, as a day of fasting, thanksgiv¬ ing and prayer, to Almighty God, for the general progress of the Gospel throughout the world, and for the prosperity of our Connection." The Ohio Conference at its session in Pittsburg, in Sep¬ tember of this year, bore a strong testimony against the great National Crime. Hear it. " We, the members of this Conference, are fully satisfied, that the principles of the Gospel are arrayed against all sin, and that it is the duty of all Christians to use their influ¬ ence and energies against all systems that rudely trample under foot the claims of justice, and the sacred principles of Revelation ; and whereas, Slavery pollutes the character of the Church of God, and makes the Bible a sealed book to thousands of immortal beings, therefore " Resolved, That we will aid by our prayers those pious persons whom God has raised up to plead the cause of the dumb, until every fetter shall be broken, and.all men enjoy > the liberty which the Gospel proclaims." While our Church was conquering territory in a foreif this latter piace, Shiue forth resplendent with superior grace. Adoring angels 3 from the clouds descend I And promenade this consecrated aisle ; Bright cherubim 1 your unheird voices blend, T' inspire our worship with celestial style ; And 1 hou 1 blest Saviour—Thou, our hearts inspire With holy zeal, and love's ethereal fire. 48 Bethel i awake! and educate thy sons, Who bear the message of the Lord of Hosts! Let science elevate thy sacred ones, And God inspire them with the Holy Ghost, A flood of light this pulpit then shall pour, And baptized infidels thy God adore. Here may repenting sinners be forgiven, Through faith in Jesus and His cleansing blood, Then have their names recorded in high heaven, On tablets lasting as the throne of God; 0, Bethel! then how dreadful wilt thou be! The Gate of Heaven—a house, 0 God, for Thee ! In the Spring of this year, a Theological Society was organized in Bethel Church, Philadelphia, whose object was the cultivation of Biblical knowledge and the collateral sciences. It met weekly in the basement of that Church, and embraced in its membership the majority of the colored clergy of the city. It flourished as long as its founder moved at its head, but soon after his departure to a Southern field of labor, it became extinct. From the Report of the General Book Steward this year, we learn that the publications issued cost it the sum of $224 24, and that the profits amounted to $333 51. That the amount received into the "Preachers' Fund," from New York District was $36 02 Philadelphia District 28 75 Baltimore District 53 63 Total $118 40 We have now reached the year 1843, and we shall see in a certain transaction of the Baltimore Annual Conference, the first open collision between ignorance and education— between religion and superstition—between truth and error, as they existed in the ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Three candidates for the holy order of deacons were put into the hands of an examining committee. The majority of this committee, consisting of three, reported in favor of the candidates ; the minority—a single man—reported against them, because they lacked the literary qualifications required by Discipline, which then consisted of nothing more than a knowledge of the rise and progress of the Con¬ nection, the divisions necessary in a discourse, the doctrines and government of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. 50 As soon as the counter-report was read, Kev. E. Coll1^8 sprung to his feet, and demanded whether it had come to pass, that no one could he ordained a Deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, till he could read Greek, Latin and Hebrew ; he then spoke for about twenty or thirty minutes, in which he emptied the vials of his wrath upon the head of the brother who dared to oppose the ordination of the said candidates. To which his opponent simply replied, by referring to the report, in which there was no allusion to Latin, Greek or Hebrew, but simply to the plain letter and spirit of Disci¬ pline. Then opening the Bible upon 1st Tim., 3d chapter, 10th verse, he read : uAnd let these first be proved ; then let them use the office of a Deacon, being found blameless." Again, 5th chapter, 22d verse : u Lay hands suddenly on no man." Entrenching himself behind these two bulwarks of Truth, the young brother discharged such bomb shells into the ranks of the enemy, that at the end of the raking fire, the good old Bishop Brown rose and said: "I am placed in this chair, not to carry out the opinions of any man, nor set of men, but to execute this Discipline to its very letter ; and if the whole Conference vote for the ordination of the said brethren, in view of their disqualification, I could not, and would not ordain them." Then he added : £t When we send out men who are disqualified, the people do not blame the Conference, but the Bishop, saying ' Why does the Bishop send us such a man V " Whereupon the Minority Report was adopted by an over¬ whelming majority. Within thirty days, subsequent to this action of theBalti- moreans, the following preamble and resolutions were pre¬ sented to, discussed, and by a large vote, adopted at the Philadelphia Conference, to wit: u Whereas, The light of Science and Literature is pervad¬ ing every department of our society, which enables the rising generation to prepare themselves to enter upon the stage of action, with advantages far greater than any we have ever enjoyed. And, whereas, the spirit and the sacred word of God, together with our excellent Discipline, enjoin upon us, as ministers of the Gospel, the duty of study, therefore, ' 1. Resolved, That we recommend the following course of studies to be pursued, viz : First Year.—The Bible., Discipline, Smith's English Grammar, Mitchell's Geography and Bishop Emory's Questions. ' 51 Second Year.—Rollin's Ancient History and Mosheim's Church History. Third Year.—Paley's Natural Theology and Schmucker's Popular Theology. Fourth Year.—Buller's Analogy, Meander's History of the Christian Church and Paley's Evidences of Christianity. 2. Resolved, That the above recommendations be preserved, and presented to the General Conference by the delegates of the District, for its approbation." Two weeks subsequent, this same course of studies was adopted by the New York Annual Conference. The management of the affairs of the Book Concern this * year, by Rev. G-. Hogarth, was so successful that the com¬ missions, which he paid the preachers, amounted to $104.38. The net gain was $986.79. Specimens of Literature op 1843. 1st.—BIOGRAPHICAL. a. MARY DEURICKSON. BY J. W.JACKSON. Sister Derrickson was an exemplary woman. She em¬ braced religion in early life, and at her last moment in death, could with composure call for a pure glass of water, and ad¬ minister it to all in the room ; then call for all the preachers in the church; they, however, were not present; she then partook of the same herself, and with a perfect reliance, re¬ sign her spirit to him that gave it. 11 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." b. PHCEBE SUYDAM. BY REV. H. C. TURNER. Sister Suydam had been a member of the African Metho¬ dist Episcopal Church in Princeton about nine years, during 52 which time she preserved the even tenor of her ways, hy a consistent walk and conversation. The third day of her illness, the physician pronounced her in a dangerous situa¬ tion. She was then asked, by a pious friend attending upon her, if it was well with her? To which she replied: "I have heen examining myself, and the cloud appeared heavy ■—hut I prayed to the Lord, and while I prayed, it disap¬ peared—and now I see my way clear." She was truly happy in God throughout her illness, which continued three weeks, during which time, her suiferings were extreme, but she bore all with great patience and resignation. She would often sing and pray, and give glory to God. I called one morning to see her, only three or four days before her death ; she was then very weak, her voice was very low, but, by lis¬ tening very attentively, we could hear her praising the Lord. As long as she was able, she would exhort her unconverted friends, who came to see her, to forsake their sins, and seek the Lord. On the evening of the ninth, she bade farewell to her husband, and other pious friends standing by, exhorting them to be faithful to God, and meet her in Heaven, and then, without a sigh or groan, feel asleep in the arms of her Saviour. c. DANIEL EDGAR. BY KEV. A. W. WATMAN. Brother Edgar was one of the first members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Kahway,in which he always filled an honorable seat. As an officer in the church, he was for many years a trustee and leader. He was a zealous, pious Christian ; a man of God ; one of whom the Church could always boast. And there are but few such diamonds to be found among Zion's jewels ; we are compelled to say, that the Church has, in our brother's departure, lost a precious one. It pleased the Lord to afflict him sometime in the year 1840. From thence until the day of his departure, he bore it with Christian fortitude. About three hours before he expired he gave us to understand that all was well, and that lie was just waiting till his change should come, and sing with the martyr of old— " Farewell, my wife, my loving wife, My fr ends and children dear; I hope in Heaven tu meet you all, God's throne forever near." 53 ON THE EDUCATION OF THE MINISTRY. BY REV. D. W. MOORE. Friend Hogarth:—I am glad to see the question started, " What shall we do to aid our young ministers, that they may become competent for the ministry?" But before I give you my views on the above question, I will state the mental condition of our ministry in the city and adjacent places. When the head is affected, the body feels it. Among the leading men, there is never a discourse delivered to the people on the subject of education. They never visit person¬ ally, nor send any of their subordinate men to encourage Sunday-Schools—and how your Book Concern can prosper, (so far as this Station is concerned,) where there is so little interest manifested on the part of the leading men, in the all-important subject of the people educating themselves, that they might become competent to read and digest the matter in them, I cannot tell. You may infer from the above, the mental condition of the communicants, if no others. As to the ministry, you might draw some inference also ; but 1 will delineate that more clearly. I have frequently heard from our Elder in charge, that education was nothing—that he learned his education behind an old stump in the country ; and such expressions would bring such loud hosannas, as though the Prince of Life was riding on the foal of an ass, and had arrived at the descent of the Mount of Olives. I have also heard from an elder, expressions that were calculated to paftalyze (so far as his influence goes)—" he never looked into a dictionary, to his knowledge, more than three times in his life." And, sir, he triumphed, as though he gained a great victory over the devil by not opening a dictionary oftener. As for can¬ didates for the ministry, we have many, some twelve or fifteen; some can, and others cannot read. And there are night and Sunday-Schools in which considerable information can be acquired by close application, but they will not avail themselves of these opportunities. And, sir, let me add, no improvement can be made unless intelligent and thorough going elders are placed over every circuit and station. Conference, I know, have adopted resolutions from time to time, to carry out the design of your question, but they are not attended to here. Let the two resolutions adopted by the Annual Conference 54 in Cincinnati, in 1838, be carried out to the very letter, by every elder, deacon and preacher throughout the Connec¬ tion ; let none enter into the ministry before he or they understand the plan of redemption _as^ laid down m the four Evangelists—for I am of opinion it is mockery to send a person to teach, and know not what they do teach , there are many such in our society. As to the district plan in Magazine No. », the suggestion is good under some circumstances ; but the circumstances are these : if each district would meet their liabilities that they are now under to the different Conferences for sta- tionaries, and preachers' dues, then we might have some hope of the scheme suggested ; but as we see it would not succeed, it would be frivolous to commence it. In lookin-g over your financial report, from June 1st, 1841, to June 24, 1842, I find among other things, deficiency in Bishop Brown's account of $108.82 cents, which ought, I suppose, to be made up from the different Conferences in the districts. If they will not keep up his salary, what right have we to think the same districts would support a Convention to raise means to send our young men to some suitable place to have them educated? You may dispose of this as you think best. 3D. LETTER TO KEY. D. A. PAYNE. BY MRS. MARY LEWTOX. My dear Brother in the Lord:—With humble gratitude to my divine Preserver, I set down to communicate a few lines to you, which will inform you that my husband and my dear mother, myself and all appertaining to me, through the continued mercy of our Heavenly Father, are enjoying a tol¬ erable portion of health, and I hope these may find you in an improved state of bodily health, and in the special enjoyment of all those high and exalted graces of the Holy Spirit, that are so eminently calculated to fit you for the great and im¬ portant work of the ministry. I know, my dear brother, that you wish to know how I progress in the divine life, since you left our city. Well, I feel to adore the Lord, my Eighteousness, that to-day, I know right well, that I am a humble branch grafted in Christ Jesus, the true and livino- vine. I am resolved, through the aid of the Holy Spirit, to 55 abide in Him ; and by so doing, He, according to His prom¬ ises, will purge me from everything contrary to His blessed will, and,enable me, by an upright walk and honest conver¬ sation, to enjoy living faith, the fruit of holy living. Not¬ withstanding my brother, I have,to tell you in the language of the divine patriarch, " the archers have shot at me," and sorely grieved me, since I saw your face, but my defense was in the munition of rocks^ and the arms of my faith were made strong, by the power of the mighty God of Jacob, the Shepherd and Rock of all his spiritual Israel. This life, or this world, is, you know, is the furnace that we, as children of God, has to pass through, in order to refine us from the dross of sin and iniquity ; and although sometimes the furnace is heated seven times hotter than usual, with bodily affliction, temptation, poverty, persecution and false brethren—never mind, my dear young brother, let us abide in the Lord, for we know, from happy experiences, that Christ doth always condescend to walk with us in the burn¬ ing, fiery furnace, and quench its violence ; and all the flames can do, is to burn loose the chords that bind our affec¬ tions to earthly things. And 0, how often has our dear Redeemer and Friend given us clearly to feel His Divine presence with us in the furnace, while the Divine influence of His Holy Spirit hath so sanctified the flames, they have been the very means, through God, of enlightening us in paths of higher and holier duties. The great Apostle of the Gentiles hath told us, that none of these things seem joyous for the present, but grievous ; nevertheless, saith he, they yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them, who are exercised thereby. I was very glad, my brother, to hear, through our excellent Maga¬ zine, that you, with others of our beloved brethren, have come out fearlessly, and are taking the high and lofty stand for a reform in the ministry. Although I am not able to be of any use to you in this great work, yet you shall have my humble prayers. I did intend to say something more on the subject, but I find the limits of my letter will not allow it. I will only say you may expect three vices will make a powerful stand against you. I mean ignorance, selfishness and impudence. Fear them not, my brother, your weapons are mighty, through God ; they are wisdom, righteousness and truth, these must and tvill prevail; only use them with humble, holy skill, and they are calculated to batter down a host of such enemies, as have, or may oppose you. 56 Our little church seems, at present, in a prosperous state, our beloved pastor is very attentive to us, and believe the Lord is about to revive Bible religion among us. Pray for us, my dear brother, that the word of God may have free course among us, and may run and he glorified. In conclusion, 1 beseech you, my dear brother, in the fear of God, and by the love of the blessed Jesus, and by the solemn and sacred didies of your high and holy office—and by all the oppressions of our degraded and down-trodden people—continue in the spirit of love and meekness to strive to inculcate in the minds of our people the great advantage and utility of learn¬ ing ; and that the God of all the earth may crown all your Christian labors with the desired effect. Of such shall be the daily prayers of your sister in Christ. Here it is proper for the writer to inform his readers, that this well-timed, sensible and pious letter was written to en¬ courage me, in view of the fact that a series of epistles, on the education of the ministry, had been written by me, which gave great offense to some well-meaning, but erring brethren, and which had provoked from them the sternest opposition. I cannot better depict the state of feeling at this time, among the class of brethren to whom we allude, than by quoting a passage from an editorial in the Magazine. Here it is : " Much is said for and against the steps taken by our brother, in his ( epistles,5 for the improvement of the minis¬ try. No one has yet come forward with his pen to propose anything better. Great fear is entertained by some, that if the measures proposed by him are adopted by the General Conference, that discord and dissolution will necessarily take place in the Church, between the ignorant and intelligent portions of it ; yet, the very brethren who manifest such fears, will not come forward, and propose anything as a sub¬ stitute to the measures offered by our brother. They admit themselves to be friendly to education, and to an intelligent ministry, and an enlightened congregation—yet they appear to be backward in coming forward with their objections and views on the subject, that we may insert them, so, if they are better, to counteract those already offered." 57 LETTERS ON REVIVALS OF RELIGION. a. by rev. henry c. turner. Dear Brother Hogarth:—While the great Head of the Church has been refreshing, with the showers of His grace, other portions of His vineyard, we rejoice that we have not been left to mourn over a barren and thirsty soil. It will doubtless be pleasing to the friends of the kingdom of Christ, and more particularly to those who have labored in this part of the work, in years gone by, to learn that the ground, which they spent so much labor to prepare, has become fer¬ tile soil, and the seed which, Ttith so much care and anxiety, was sown, has been watered_, and promises a harvest, a hun¬ dred fold—nay, more, already its fruits appear. The work has not been confined to any particular part of the Circuit, but at different, and almost every part of our charge. More than one hundred have joined the African Methodist Epis¬ copal Church, during the Conference year, thus far. Our people are seeking for holiness of heart, and our prayer is, that God may sanctify the Church, and convert the world. h. FROM REV. GEORGE GREELY. Rev. George Hogarth, Dear Brother:—With great pleasure I embrace this op¬ portunity to forward you a few lines to inform you of the present state of my circuit. While the Great Head of the Church has been visiting various parts of the world, with the outpourings of His Holy Spirit, He has not forgotten this part of His vineyard. A sacred shower of His grace has lately been experienced on this circuit. Many souls, through its divine influence, have become awakened, and brought to the knowledge of the truth, as it is in Christ Jesus; and from the present appearance of things, I am led to believe there are many more who are seriously enquiring the way of Salvation. I have taken into Society, on probation, about one hun¬ dred and twenty persons, who, I think, will become useful members during their day and generation, to the Church. Pray for me, brother, that the good Lord may continue to 58 bless the feeble labors of His servant, that he may become more instrumental in his hands, for the awakening of Poor sinners out of their wretched state of slumber and death. The business transactions of the A. M. E. Church for 1844, opened with the sayings and doings of its Seventh General Conference, which was convened in the city of Pittsburg, Pa., Monday morning, May 6th, about 9^ o'clock. Two Bishops were present, and thirty-nine traveling preach¬ ers took their seats, twenty-seven laymen swelled the num¬ ber present at that hour to 68. It remained in deliberation for about three weeks—the results of which were : a. The election and consecration of Rev. William Paul Quinn as the fourth Bishop of the African M. E. Church. b. The re-election of Rev. George Hogarth as General Book Steward. c. The election of Rev. M. M. Clark, as Traveling Book Agent. d. The organization of a Parent Home and Foreign Mis¬ sionary Society. e. A clear statement of the Missionary work and condi¬ tion of the colored people in the great West. We give this important document almost entire. " Dear Brethren :—That duty I owe to this General Con¬ ference, and the western community at large, for a faithful notice of what has been done, in this enterprise, compels me to submit for your consideration, a brief outline of the rise and progress of our Mission in the West. Being appointed four years ago, by your honorable body, then in session in the city of Baltimore, Md., to establish a mission among our people in the States west of Ohio, I now proceed to report to you as follows : " NUMBER OF COLORED INHABITANTS IN THE STATES OF INDI¬ ANA AND ILLINOIS, WITH THEIR SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, SHOL- ARS, CHURCHES, ETC. Inhabitants in both States . 18,000 Churches established 47 Comnmnicai.ts 1,080 Local Preachers...... 27 Traveling Preachers 20 Traveling Elders 7 Schools 40 Scho'ars 920 Teachers 40 Colored Teachers 36 Sabbath Schools 50 59 Scholars Teachers 2,000 200 100 40 2,000 17 Colored Teachers Temperance Societies Members Camp Meetings Our people in these States are chiefly occupied in agricul¬ tural pursuits, and are rapidly improving themselves by cultivation of the ground, from which they make, under the providence of God, a good living for themselves and fami¬ lies, sustain churches and schools in a manner truly surpris¬ ing. Although many of them, within the last ten or fifteen years, broke away from the fetters of slavery, and settled with their families in those States, yet by the dint of indus¬ try, they are not only supporting their families, schools and churches, but many of them are also acquiring wealth, amid ojiposing laws and chilling prejudice. There is, however, a very good state of feeling evinced towards our people by the more enlightened part of the white community in those States. Beyond the limits of these States, the mission has been extended to Missouri and Kentucky—the mission in St. Louis is in a prosperous condition; it numbers 150 mem¬ bers. The Church erected in the city of Louisville is in a flourishing condition. I am fully persuaded that if this mission be properly conducted it will, at no distant period, accomplish wonders for our people, settled in these western States. They need nothing more than proper encourage¬ ment, and proper direction to attain an elevated position. This grand region is truly an interesting spot to excite the benevolent sympathies of the spirit of missions, being broad in its extent, inviting in its agricultural qualities, and grand in its commercial position. Here is an immense mine of talents, and social qualities, all lying measurably in embryo, but by a proper direction of the missionary hammer and chisel, can all be shaped to fit in the great spiritual build¬ ing of God." Up to this moment, the majority of the eastern members of General Conference were strongly prejudiced against the great missionary, and went to Pittsburg determined to put into the Episcopal chair a prominent member of the Phila¬ delphia Conference, then the most influential man in the East; but after hearing this interesting report, and seeing through it what the son of thunder had accomplished, they said within themselves, " This is the man for the Bishopric!" In 60 physique, he was indeed the man pre-eminent; his black, piercing eyes, his loose, flowing hair, his perfectly European physiognomy, his graceful movements ; in weight about 2oO pounds°, in height over six feet, he seemed to have been made for great endurance, persistence and leadership. _ So, on Sunday morning, May 19th, 1844, this self-sacrificing and successful missionary, who opened up to a host of itinerants the still whitening fields of the Great West, was consecrated the fourth Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Then, he was the youngest of three—now he is verging upon seventy years, the senior of four Bishops—still, his erect, majestic form moves at the head of an energetic, enthusiastic host of itinerants—and may it move onward and upward, till, at the bidding of the Great Prince of Peace, he shall ascend to his reward in Heaven. In this, the most exciting General Conference of any preceding it, nothing excited it so much as the educational question. On the fourth day of its deliberations, being Fri¬ day, the 10th of May, 1844, "that other disciple" intro¬ duced a resolution to constitute a committee, to whom should be committed the task of drafting a course of studies for the education of our young ministry. The resolution was read,i and seconded But its author made no speech in its sup-1 port, just because he thought its utility was so apparent that( it would pass with little or no opposition ; in this he counted without his host, for, as soon as Bishop Brown had put the question to the house—the effect was like that which a fire¬ brand produces when cast into a magazine of powder—with the greatest apparent indignation it was voted doivn, by an over¬ whelming majority ! The confusion was great; the friends: of progress were mortified—-its opponents were jubilant—the author of the resolution was struck dumb with astonishment, but his soul within him was strong in the hope of ultimate triumph. The house adjourned amid the excitement. The next day, being the fifth of the session, and the 11th of May, as soon as the minutes of the preceding day was read, the Rev. Abraham D. Lewis, an aged father in Israel, who in physique was not inferior to Bishop Quinn, and whose coun¬ tenance was more delectable, rose to his feet, and called for a reconsideration of the vote which rejected the resolution to create a committee to draft a course of studies for the educa¬ tion of the ministry. This being sustained, the venerable patriarch advocated the measure, and set forth its utility in a speech of uncommon eloquence and power, enlightening 61 the intellect and moving the passions of the audience, till it became bathed in tears, then was heard, from many voices, the impassioned cry—" Give us the resolution! give us'the re¬ solution !—the resolution!—the resolution!" It was then put, and carried by an almost unanimous vote. Immediately, Rev. John Peck moved that a Committee of seven be appointed to draft the course of studies. This was done, and the names of the men are D. A. P., Henry C. Turner, David Ware, Richard Robinson, Abraham D. Lewis, Willis R. Revils and George Weir. The result of their de¬ liberations was this scheme of studies : I. FOR EXHORTERS. First Year.—The Bible, Smith's English Grammar, Mitchell's Geography, Our Discipline and Wesley's Notes. Second Year.—Original Church of Christ," History of the Methodist Episcopal Church, (by Bangs,) and W'atson's Life of Wesley. II. FOR PREACHERS. First Year.—Smith's English Grammar, Mitchell's Ge¬ ography, Paley's Evidences of Divine Revelation, History of the Bible, Home's Introduction, (abridged.) Second Year.—Schmucker's Popular Theology, Schmuck- er's Mental Philosophy, Paley's Natural Theology, Watson's Institutes. Third Year.—Ecclesiastical History, Porter's Homiletics, D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation. Fourth Year.—Geography and Chronology of the Bible, with a review of the above. This system was, by decree of the Conference, incorporated into the Discipline of the Church, and has been revised at every successive General Conference since, to keep pace with the advancement of the ministry in knowledge. This action of the General Conference of 1844 had, and still has an elevating effect upon the intellectual and literary character of our ministry and people. Every Annual Confer¬ ence following it, echoed a»d re-echoed its sentiments—several of them ordered committees to provide for the establishment of High Schools within their respective boundaries—and the Indiana Conference planned a general, common or parochial school system, to meet the growing wants of the West. This 62 system was exceedingly useful to the States, for the heath enish caste of the whites, by State legislation, had then, an > excepting Ohio, still excludes their colored inhabitants from the benefits of common school ; at the same ti™® ey .ave been taxed to educate white children! Oh ! American Democracy—thou art a mere sham ! Thou art nothing more nor less than masked Despotism! The Stupendous Bulwark of the Great Iniquity ! . We will now close the notable year, 1844, with a few spe¬ cimens of literature, produced in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, during its passage from January to De¬ cember. a. REMINISCENCES OF A JOURNEY ACROSS THE ALLEGrHANIES. BY D. A. p. On Wednesday morning, May 1st, 1844, at seven o'clock, the majority of the eastern delgation left Philadelphia in the cars for Harrisburg, under a bright sky and a bracing at¬ mosphere. Nothing of peculiar interest occurred between the city of brotherly love and the capital. The latter place we reached about three o'clock P. M, and exchanged the cars for the packet boat Delaware, Captain Morton. At this point, several white passengers joined us, among whom were two clergymen of the Congregational Church in New England. About four o'clock we left Har¬ risburg for Hollydaysburg, which we reached about ■ o'clock, Friday morning, and took the cars for Johnstown, where we dined about one o'clock. Thence, we took the packet, John Adams, for Pittsburg, and between seven and eight o'clock, on Saturday evening, we sailed into this smoky city of West Pennsylvania. The whole journey was accomplished in eighty-four hours, and was full of thrilling incidents, some of which we beg leave to mention. With but little exception, the weather was clear and de¬ lightful ; the company, consisting of about fifty persons, engaged in conversation of the most interesting character embracing topics natural, political, moral and religious! Every evening, as soon as the tea-table was removed, the company assembled in the Cabin, and one of the clergy was ap¬ pointed to conduct the religious services, which consisted in 63 reading and expounding the Holy Scripture, prayer, and singing the sweet songs of Zion. The scenery through which we passed was indescribably beautiful. Well cultivated gardens, ornamented with tulips, snowballs, and other flowers of the season—deep valleys and towering mountains overspread with the green drapery of nature ; crystal springs gushing out of the rocky hills, rivulets, creeks and rivers flowing in graceful meanderings among the shrubbery over which they passed—the artificial waterfalls produced by the dams, contrasting their deep bass with the shrill accents of the birds, were well adopted to inspire the mind with emotions of wonder, love, and praise, causing the soul " To look through nature, up to nature's God." These rivers, valleys and mountains seem to have been made to test the genius of man. And he has gloriously evinced its godilke power in the structure of canals, those mimic rivers ; the formation of railroads, and the application of steam power to these latter. He will not be overcome by difficulties, for, if rivers oppose the progress of his canals, he will glide over them, by means of aqueducts—if hills intervene, he will pierce their rugged bosoms, and run his liquid pathway through their stony hearts ; and if the lofty mountains dispute the passage of his railroads, he will climb their towering summits, and descend their precipitant sides upon inclined planes. So that, neither length, nor breadth, nor height, nor depth, nor distance, nor time, can hinder his locomotion—but swift as the mountain eagle, he flies from point to point, and unites the most distant places of the rolling earth. The following incident is also worthy of record. One of our clergy had been separated from his brother when only two months old, and sold into grievous bondage. More than thirty-two years, from childhood to manhood, had elapsed, and he had never seen him, consequently knew not his per¬ son. That brother was now on board the John Adams, as steward, he saw him, passed by him again and again, and spoke to him, but knew him not—till one of the ministers who knew both, introduced them to each other ! But who can describe the sublimity of this scene, or utter the rapture of their hearts ! They embraced, they kissed, they rejoiced, they wept ! " I cannot express the emotions of my soul," said one, (l But I feel all over/" And joyful sur- 64 prise, like electricity went from soul to soul, and excited the whole company. . , , On the evening before we reached Pittsburg, our venera e Bishop Brown was called to the chair, and an mvi a ion extended through a Committee, to one of the passengers, an aged gentleman—high in civil office -to address us. Me complied with the request, and in the midst of his interest¬ ing remarks, urged us, with great emphasis, "to establish a College for the education of our children and young men, as one of the most powerful and successful means for attaining the rights and dignity of American citizens.'' We trust that such wholesome advice, coming from one so high in office, so experienced in age, so far reaching in knowledge,, and so' virtuous in character, will make a deep and lasting impres¬ sion on our minds. Upon invitation, he was followed by one of the Congrega¬ tional clergymen, whose eloquent speech, flowing from a generous soul, kindled in our bosoms such a flame of Chris¬ tian affection and fraternal sympathy, as made us feel that we are indeed the children of one Father, the heirs of the same heavenly inheritance, and that neither complectional distinctions, nor sectarian predilections, can sever those who have been washed in the blood of the same Saviour, and whose hopes are in the same Gospel. At Harrisburg, we met in peace—at Pittsburg, we parted in love, hoping that, in the morning of the resurrection, we shall be united in the same Heaven, to join in the same song of praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." b. LETTER ON EDUCATION. by rev. j. m. brown. Oberlin, 0, June 8th, 1844. "Dear Brother Hogarth:—The only apology I can offer for so long being silent, or not writing, is, that I could not take time. I hope you will pardon the apparent neglect. It has been my intention, ever since I have been west, to have seen you, and my venerable fathers in General Conference ; but it came at a time when I could not leave Oberlin, in conse¬ quence of the press of studies, which devolve upon us at that season of the year. I have been, however, delighted to learn 65 the course which the General Conference took, in relation to ray favorite theme, viz : the education of the ministry. The plans, if carried out, will, in ten years, produce an entire revolution in the ministry. I was much pleased with brother Turner's resolution, viz : the one referring to the establish¬ ing of academies, seminaries, high schools, &c. The day- star begins to dawn. What a revolution in the space of five or six years. I can well recollect, when the idea of an edu¬ cated ministry was repudiated among our beloved fathers and brethren, but thanks be unto the God of Heaven for our present prospect. When I came to Oberlin, there was but one man here in favor of our Connection—I mean the Afri¬ can Methodist Episcopal Church ; but now we have four young men preparing for the ministry, two for teachers, and two young ladies. There is one brother, who belongs to the Ohio Conference, and who has traveled two or three years, who expects, after Conference, to locate, in order to enter Oberlin Institute, that he may be the better prepared to preach the Gospel, and advocate the claims of the slave. Brother Payne informs me, that there is another coming from Washington city, in August or September, to prepare for our great work. Need I ever be discouraged that God ever put it into my heart to get an education? 0, that God may send many more into the work ! You can well recollect how I once felt as to the prospects of our mi?iistry—the opposition started by many to myself and my cause. But, bless God, that opposition is fast vanishing. The mothers and sisters have come up to the work—the fathers, too, men like the venerable Abram D. Lewis, are giving their influence to it. Young men, in their giant strength, are sounding the alarm, for the totteriDg walls of ignorance. The African M. E. Church is destined to raise up her Origens to solve the great problem, that a colored man is a man. Be assured, dear brother, that the influence of the General Conference is fast winging itself all over the West. The young men are in¬ spired with new zeal for our beloved and common cause. Oberlin, though opposed by the haters of the colored man, and of God's truth, is doing, and will do much for us. Tell the fathers and brethren to send on their young men and women. Tell them, too, that there is not any place in the United States, where a colored young man can go, and com¬ mence at his ABC, and take a diploma from college, and a theological seminary, too, as cheap as he can at Oberlin, and at the same time, be respected as a man—re-instating him 5 66 into Lis primeval station. The prospect of our people is, to my mind, more brilliant than before. Everything heretofore said 011 the subject of ministerial education, has been said by persons either in the itinerant or local ministry, except the excellent letter of sister l ary Lewton. Now let the inquiring reader listen to the lollow- ing 5 it is from a layman in our Church at I hiladelphia, a brother whose mind is ever fertile with useful thoughts, than whom none is better fitted to give advice on practical ques¬ tions—I mean Mr. Abram Fields. Its date is Philadelphia, September 12, 1844: "Dear Brother Hogarth :—Among the various subjects that engage the attention of our people, there is none so full of interest as the education of the ministry. Nothing^ is so needed among us as an able, efficient ministry. As it has become a subject of comment, let me say a few words upon it, which, I think, will be of some interest to the cause. " The General Conference has very wisely introduced cer¬ tain studies appropriate for young men entering the ministry —I mean young men who have families aud cannot leave them for the purpose of pursuing their studies in Academies, &c. Those who have not families should enter a College, where they may pursue their studies uninterrupted. But to those who have families, I wish to speak more particularly. The Conference having pointed out the studies, a question here arises. How are these young men to obtain the books mentioned in the programme? This is a subject not 3Tet named to them. They have to labor for a very small com¬ pensation. What they obtain is hardly sufficient to support themselves and their families. I ask again, how shall they be able to procure these books ? If those named in the pro¬ gramme were all the books required to complete the studies of a minister, the question might be easily answered : but they are only the first link in the great chain that leads into a boundless ocean. Once to start the mind in search of knowledge, and you have given it a perpetuity of thought and research, that cannot be easily arrested without doing great injury to the mental faculty, < A little learning is a dangerous thing.' To bring about the measure, so as to throw every facility in the way to the promotion of the o-reat object, let the young men of Philadelphia enter vigorously into the work, and establish a library containing volumes upon every subject, and let men catering the ministry have 67 free access to this library. The object may seem, to be a hard one, but it can be accomplished by subscription and contri¬ bution. Though at first there may be some obstacles placed in the way, as is the case, at the commencement of nearly all good projects, yet, in the effort, such preventatives will be found to be of>small import. The time has come and the question is asked, ' Shall our ministry be educated, or, shall they grope in the dark?' Shall we send forth ministers into the field, famous for piety and learning ? or, shall we let them go forth unprepared for the scoffings of the world? No ! I feel satisfied that the young men of Philadelphia have too much regard for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to sit in silence, and see the messengers of Jesus Christ, for the want of necessary preparation, derided and confounded, by the men of the world. No, let us endeavor to send forth able men into the ministry, who can on every subject meet the enemies of the cross, and push them back with the armor of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." HISTORY AND DEATH OF TWO LITTLE BOYS, NAMED CLAYTON AND ENOCH T. BELL. BY D. A. P. Children, I am going to tell you about two little boys, who were brothers. Their names are George Clayton Bell, and Enoch Tilman Bell. George was about six years and seven months, and Enoch about five years and two months old. These little boys were remarkable for. their obedience to their parents. If they were running about the house, and their father said, " Boys, take your seats," they would sit down immediately. If they were doing anything, of which their father did not approve, and he said, "Stop," they would stop right off. If they were making a noise, and their father said, " Be silent," they were silent. He never had to speak to them five or six times, nor scold, or whip them, before they obeyed him, but his word was enough to make them obey. Clayton, the elder boy, was the more intellectual, or tal¬ ented, and, therefore, he was more studious, and a better scholar than Tilman. But Tilman was more moral, and, therefore, he hated and shunned bad things more than Clayton ; but both of them were better than the most of children. 68 i Tilman and Clayton were both. Temperance "boys. They would not drink anything that Avould make a person drunk ; even, if their mother was making lemonade for dinner, they desired to know if drinking it would cause them to break the pledge. Once, a lady offered some wine to Tilman, but he refused to take it; she then took out a half dollar, and said she would give it to him if he would drink it. "No ma'am," said he, " I would not drink it if you gave me a dollar." They loved to keep the Sabbath day. On a certain Sunday, their uncle bought some cakes, as soon as Tilman saw it, he said, " 0, mother, uncle has been buying cakes on Sunday !" By and by, when his uncle thought he had forgotten it, he said, " Here, Tilman, wont you have some cakes ?" i( Ko," said he, " My mother has cakes and apples that were not bought on Sunday." These little boys were fond of going to school every day, so that they might learn to read and write. And their love for school was so great, that their teacher was very fond of them ; so that if he had any nice thing, he was often wont to give them some. If the weather was bad, their parents found it rather diffi¬ cult to keep them home, for they wished to be at school, where they might still be learning something. They were very affectionate or fond of their parents. So that if their mother or father was sick, they would stay home and sit by them, until they were better. They were also fond of each other, and Tilman would never beg for anything, but at the same time he would also ask for some for his brother, and whenever you saw one, you wTould see the other also. I have often felt happy to see them going to the week¬ day or Sunday School, with their hands locked in each others. You could never see them stop to play upon the hills with the bad boys on the Lord's day. Tilman's regard for the Lord was so great, that he woiilij never leave his bed-chamber, if it was ever so cold, until he had said his prayers. Thus both of them went on loving everybody and everybody loving them, until the 18th of June, 1844, when they were both struck with the worm fever, and died on that same day, within twelve hours of each other. Clayton and Tilman " ivere lovely and pleasant in their lives and m their death they were not separated." For they were both carried in the same hearse, and laid in the same grave, 69 and their little coffins were placed in one little box. Now, children, where do you suppose the souls of these little boys are ? Can you tell me ? I asked their brother Lewis the other day, and he said, IC They are in the shies." Yes, they are in the skies ! And with the angels pure and bright, They now are clad in robes of light. Say, now, my sweet children, will you not imitate their good examples ? 0, love your books, love your mother, love your father, love the Lord Jesus who died to save little children, and then, when you-die, your home will be with Clayton and Tilman, up yonder in the skies! Turn we now to see what were the transactions of the Afri¬ can M. E. Church on the educational interests of the race. At the Baltimore Conference of 1845, the following preamble and resolutions on the subject of education, was discussed and adopted. PREAMBLE. Whereas, the sacred cause of education is of such vital importance to the interests of the Church in particular, and to the world in general, that instead of being contented with what little we have done, we feel it our duty to make neiv and greater efforts to advance its cause among us in such a way, as will result in a general diffusion of its blessings among our benighted race. Therefore, Resolved, That this Committee shall be composed of seven members of our Church, viz : four of the itinerant preachers, and three of the laity. Resolved, That a copy of this preamble and these resolu¬ tions be sent to each Annual Conference for their adoption. Daniel A. Payne, Henry C. Turner, Thos. W. Henry, a7- - , o, t\ t JSames of Adam S. Driver, V central pjom James A. Shorter, <-om- John Henson, Daniel W. Moore. Well, on the appointed day, a large number of our minis¬ try from the East, the West, the North and the South, met in Bethel, Philadelphia, and spent several days, considering various plans for promoting the good work of education among the Colored race of the United States in general, but 70 in the bosom of the African M. E. Church in particular. Op- posing views and measures were advanced. Some favored the organization of an educational association to raise funds tor educating young men for our ministry—others favored the idea of founding a collegiate institution. The former pre¬ sented as arguments in favor of an educational association. a. The fact, that our great want was educated men. That there were then at least three institutions of learning opened to col¬ ored students, that therefore the pressing want of the African M. E. Church was not a college—but educated men to lead on its varied interests, b. That it was possible by perseverance, tact, and unity, to raise means sufficient to keep at least half dozen young men, every year, at some one college—but that all our efforts and means combined were inadequate to the found¬ ing and support of a collegiate institution. The opposition maintained we were adequate to the found¬ ing and support of a College. The two parties became set and so violent in their opposition to each other that the Con¬ vention was in danger of dissolution in a confusion, without accomplishing any thing at all. Therefore a compromise was made, and both plans were adopted ; that is to say, the Con¬ vention resolved to organize an Educational Association to raise funds for the education of our young men for the min¬ istry, and also to enter into ways and means to found an Institution of learning in the West. Then arose another faction, contending that there should be one in the East also. Well, all these measures, that is, resolutions, were adopted. A Society was immediately organized, and the Convention adjourned, each part resolving to execute its favorite scheme. But for the want of unity of purpose and action, we done nothing in the form of an Educational Association, and be¬ cause we were too poor, we founded no College. 0, igno¬ rance ! 0, disunion! Immediately on the heel of this Convention, the Ohio Annual Conference met, and entered into measures for found¬ ing a manual labor school, to effect which not only was an Association formed, but an agent, accredited and paid, was appointed, viz: Rev. M. Wilkerson. A Committee had been appointed by the same Conference in September, • 1844, to make purchase of a tract of land. At a meeting in October, 1845, they reported a tract of 172 acres, which could be bought for the sum of $1,720. Well, the land was subse¬ quently secured, and a school, entitled " The Union Semi¬ nary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church/' opened 71 about the 1st of December, 1847, in the basement of our Church at Columbus, Ohio, which the Trustees of said Church fitted up for'its accommodation. Bishop Quinn, at the request of the Ohio Conference, appointed Rev. John M. Brown to the office of Principal, who kept it in successful operation for three full Conference years. He was assisted by Miss Frances E. Watkins for about one year. The school opened with three pupils, and numbered one hundred at the end of three years. During brother Brown's supervision there were taught the English branches, Latin and Greek, besides music. Rev. J. M. Brown was succeeded by Rev. Ed. D. Davis, during whose supervision the Seminary was removed to the farm, where it remained till the purchase of the Wilberforce University, in 1863. But for want .of proper management and ample support, it accomplished but little, but was kept in a running condition from 1847 till Wilberforce University was brought from the M. E. Church, at which time it became extinct. The property, though bearing the name of the connection, was never submitted to its control, but was owned and managed by the Ohio Annual Conference exclusively. The object of the Seminary was thus stated : u The educa¬ tion of those young men who purpose entering the ministry, and the improvement of our youth generally, both male and female, by instructing them in Literature, Science, Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts.'' The expenditures of the Book Concern for 1845, amounted to...$ 848 55. Its Income was 1,550 28. Its saleable stock then on hand, valued at 1,577 21. Its cash in hand 222 59. So said the Report of the General Book Steward, dated July 3d, 1845, which Report shows that the condition of the Concern was improving. Many pieces appeared in the Magazine of 1845, some written by clergymen, some by laymen, which shows that the spirit of improvement was running through our religious community like a stream of electricity. But I have not space to give them here. I desire to hasten to 1856, which concludes our third Decade. I can but gratify the curious reader of these pages with but one article—it is the conclusion of eight essays on 4 4 THE EDUCATION OF THE MINISTRY. BY D. A. P. We conclude our essay by an appeal to all who are con¬ cerned—i. e.y the whole Church, and 1st. We appeal to the venerable fathers of the connection, and call upon you to assist us in this glorious enterprise by giving your sanction to our efforts. While we acknowledge that your advanced life and domestic cares may present in¬ surmountable barriers to your improvement, we hail you, as the pioneers of the Church. You, with the enterprising Allen, have gone forth, the broad axe of primitive labors upon your shoulders, entered the forest, and hewn down the timber, and erected the stupendous fabric which now con¬ stitutes our Zion. 0, cheer us, then, while we labor to beautify and carry it into perfection ! Let it never be said that you were opposed to the cause of sacred learning, or that you hindered the car of our improvement. But while you are descending into your peaceful and honorable graves, let us hear your invigorating voices, saying unto us, Go on, my sons, go on / Then shall the bright pages of history hand down your memories as precious to unborn generations, who, with hearts of gratitude, shall look to this period, and thank heaven that their progenitors were not the enemies but the friends of education. Beloved young brethren, we appeal to you, because a glorious career of usefulness lies before you— an uncultivated field, long and ivide, invites you to enter, and drive the plow-share, beam-deep, through its length and breadth. Truth declares that the soil is deep and rich, and will yield an abundant harvest. Up, up, to the toil ! The reward is in the fruits—your resting-place is heaven. Put forth every effort, employ every means, embrace every oppor¬ tunity to cultivate your minds, and enrich them with the gems of holy learning. Be not satisfied with little things; lift your standard to the skies, and your attainments will be great. Sivear eternal hatred to ignoronce, and let your banner float upon the breeze of heaven, with the inscription : Wisdom to silver we prefer, And gold is dra-s compar'd to her. All difficulties, then, will fade before you, and knowledo-e will become just what the Creator designed it to be—an ele¬ ment of your manhood in which you may live and move and have your being. 3 73 Venerable mothers of Israel ! we call upon you to aid us in this glorious reformation. Give us your influence, give us your monies, give us your prayers. Hannah like, dedicate your sons to the work of God, before they are born ; then, Samuel like, they will be heaven-called, and heaven-sent, full of the spirit of wisdom, and full of grace. Teach them from their infancy to value learning more than silver, and wisdom more than gold. Teach them, that the glory of their manhood consists not in eating and dressing, but in the cul¬ tivation of their immortal mind and the purity of their morals. Thus, you will inspire them with the love of what is good and great—paving the way to their future greatness and their future glory. 0, who can sleep when earth and heaven are in motion ? Who can stand alooffrom work, in ivhich angels find delight f Who will dare oppose that which God himself has decreed ? The fall of ignorance is as certain as the fall of Babylon, and the universal spread of knowledge, as the light of the sun ; for the Lord jiath said, l( Many shall run to and fro, and knowl¬ edge shall be increased." Who does not see that this divine declaration is daily fulfilling? The press is pouring forth its millions of publications every year, in every form, and almost every language, so that books and newspapers are becoming as common, as the stones in the streets. Common schools, seminaries and colleges are being erected in almost every land and nation. Lyceums, literary societies, library companies and historical associations are being instituted among men of all ranks, and all-complexions, so that it may be truly said, that the beaming chariot of the genius of knowl¬ edge is rolling triumphantly on to the conquest of the world. Therefore the opponents of education must either ground the weapons of their unequal warfare, or be crushed to death beneath its ponderous wheels. A period of light has already dawned upon the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Its morning star was seen in the doings of the last General Conference of 1844 ; its open¬ ing glories were manifested in the decrees of the Educational Convention of 1845. Blessed is that man, or that woman, who will aid this enterprise of Heaven ! Yea, thrice blessed is the one who will hasten on this age of light! In relation to this subject, we can say with Moses, Ci 0, that all the Lord's people were prophets I" As for ourselves, we have dedicated our all to this sacred work. We have laid our souls and bodies, our time, our infiu- n ence. our talents upon the altar of our people s improvement an elevation; there ive intend to bleed, and smoke, and burn, till life itself shall be extinct. The calamitous fact, that our people are entombed in ignorance and oppression, forever stares us m the face ; it shall be the fuel of the flames that consume us , and while we talk, and write, and pray, we shall rise above opposition and toil, cheered and inspired by that God, whose lips have said, cc The priest's lips should keep knowledge We are now come to 1846, the end of the third Decade of the African M. E. Church—let us sum up what of improve¬ ment, and actual progress we had made. END OF THE THIRD DECADE. COMPARATIVE STATISTICS. 1. Conference Districts. In 1836 In 1846 There were 4. | There were 6, increase of 2. 2. Organized Churches. There were 86 | There were 198, increase of 12 3. Communicants. There were 7,594. | There were.. 16,190, increase of 9,59G. 4. Stations. There were 7. | There were 16, increase of 9. 5.,Pastors. There were 27. | There were about..67, increase of 40. 6. Total Salaries. There were $1,126 29. | There were §6,267 43}. Increase of $5,141 14}. For contingencies at the end of Third Decade $963 59}. Which add to $6,267 43} gives a total $7,231 03. Educational Societies. In 1836 _ _ In 1846 There was no Educational Society. | There were 3. Missionary Societies. There was no Missionary Society. ] There were 3. Circuits. There were 19. | There were about...42, increase of 25. Up to 1836 we had no periodical, neither literature. From 1841 we date the dawn of periodical literature in the African 75 M. E. Church, produced, or rather elicited, by a Monthly Magazine in name,, but a Quarterly in fact, edited by a min¬ ister of said Church. The truth compels us to say that the character of this literature is inferior, and consists chiefly in letters about subjects interesting to but few, if any, outside of the pales of the African M. E. Church. The editor himself was destitute of what^'s now considered a good, common school education. The truth and proof of this remark are seen upon the face of every one of Ms editorials. In thought, he never rises above mediocrity, in composition, he evinces an abso¬ lute ignorance of rhetoric. Nevertheless, he exhibits more business tact than his predecessors, for at this time, 1846, the officers of the Book Concern, as exhibited in bis annual report, began to assume a more tangible and systematic form. The spirit of education in the ministry and outside of it, began to manifest itself by deeds—for we had now three young men who were pursuing a regular course of studies in a collegiate Institution, three Educational Societies, and one Institution of learning, based upon 1*72 acres of land, and the connection had been convulsed from centre to circum¬ ference by two series of articles advocating and defending the sacred claims of Christian education. This convulsion was as the throes of one in child-birth—the Educational Societies, the regular course of studies now incorporated in our Discipline, the Union Seminary were the new-born off¬ spring—swaddled, helpless—crying for the nourishing milk! The end of this Decade also introduces the African Metho¬ dist. Episcopal Church to the notice of European Christians, for it was represented in the World's Convention of the Christian Protestant Church," which was held in August of 1846, in the city of London. The representatives ap¬ pointed on the part of our connection were Rev. M. M. Clark and the writer ; the latter was providentially hindered, the former reached London, and reported the condition, wants and prospects of the African M. E. Church to that august body of Christians. The tall, erect form, the modest demeanor, the eloquent tongue of our delegate must have made a favor¬ able impression in behalf of the lowly band of Christians whom he represented, 76 FOURTH DECADE. The spring of 1847 opened our fourth Decade, and found the ministry of the Baltimore District considering as many as fifteen questions relating to good government and personal piety. Bishop Brown had been visited with a paralytic stroke in 1844, which had by this time so disabled him that Bishop Quimi was now the only one at the head of our eccle¬ siastical affairs. Bishop Waters died in 1845. The Ohio Conference resolved to create a fund for the edu¬ cation of the orphans of deceased itinerants, and adopted measures for the improvement of their Union Seminary. May of 1848 called together the eighth General Conference of the African M. E. Church, which held its deliberations in the city of Philadelphia, Bishop William Paul Quinn presiding^ who addressed the Ministerium in these words : Dearly Beloved Brethren, and Fellow-Laborers in the Good Cause of our Common Master :— We are again met, by the permission of a kind Providence, after the lapse of another four years, to legislate for the Church over which we are placed. That this distinguished Provi¬ dence, which has prolonged our almost useless lives—con¬ tinued our health, and blessed us with the various comforts of life—demand our profound gratitude and thanks. At the same time, when I recount the many mercies and favors of a beneficent Creator to us, I would remind you of that afflic¬ tion, which, since our last General Conference, lias removed from among us, some of our dear brethren, endeared to us by every tie of Christian brotherhood, and long personal acquaintance, and some of them members of tbis General Conference. We have also great cause to lament the loss to the Church of our highly and much esteemed father in God, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Waters, (deceased.) His holy and godly exam¬ ples to the Church of Christ had, for nearly half a century, been of the most salutary character—^-and whose departure to the reward of his long protracted and highly beneficial labors, will long be a source of regret to the militant Church. My dear brethren, met as we are to promote, by wise and sound legislation, the temporal and spiritual interests of the many thousands over whom we exercise ecclesiastical juris¬ diction our only resort for adequate wisdom for so arduous and difficult a task is, to Him, " who giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not." To Him, therefore, who is the Father 77 and Bishop of our souls—and the only spiritual Head of his own Church, may we all repair and find a ready and gracious acceptance. The first object which will demand your attention and prayerful consideration is, the revision of the Discipline. In doing which, I would remind you, that one great merit of all laws, both secular and ecclesiastical, is their perspicuity and plainness of construction—both in point of language and sentiment. We have had, since our last General Con¬ ference, many complaints, that in parts of our Discipline, the language is unintelligible, and the sentiment unplain. One principle act, no doubt, in legislation, is to have in mind the mental capacity of those for whom we legislate. The weaker the mental capacity, the plainer and more conspicuous should be the laws—hence, for great plainness and perspicuity, much coolness of thought and temperate judgment are needed. Another object to which I could cite your attention, is of so amending our rules as to better secure the support of the ministry and supernumeraries, Bishops, widows and orphan children of itinerant preachers and Bishops. These have individual claims upon the Church, which require much attention and forethought. In the course of our session, your attention will be called to affairs of the Book Concern. Much praise and attention should be bestowed upon these matters, that the book estab¬ lishment may be placed on a more permanent foundation— that its condition may be more flourishing and promotive of good. We must ever regard that establishment as the great beacon light of our Connection ; the only source from which must emanate all our connectional information. We could, in connection with this important subject, commend to your consideration the expediency of establishing a religious periodical—to be the organ of our Church—for religious and moral information. If it has pleased the Great Head of the Church to bless our efforts, in endeavoring to build up his kingdom-—that the Connection is daily widening and extending its bounds, and increasing its numbers—thereiore you will see in the course of our proceeding, the great necessity of supplying that de¬ ficiency in the Episcopal office, which has been occasioned by the decease of Bishop Waters—and the long protracted illness of Bishop Brown—who, in all- human calculation, will never again be able to serve the church in his Episcopal 78 function, either by the election of a Bishop or the creation of the office of presiding elders; which latter office, m our judgment, from the knowledge we have of the present wan a of the Connection, would be more conducive to its giow and prosperity, than the election at present of another Bishop. This, however, is merely our opinion. Your judgment will guide you to the best results, we doubt not; ^ as we know not, however, " what a day may bring forth," it would^ be wise to consider well the propriety of electing another Bishop. The Canada Conference will likewise be presented for your consideration, and that claim which it has upon our sympa¬ thies will secure for it a deliberate and careful attention, as it is a component part of the body. Dear brethren, I have now briefly noticed the most promi¬ nent topics, which will engage your attention, may the Lord, our righteousness, inspire all our minds with judgment, pru¬ dence and wisdom, and by a special providence, guide us to the happiest results in all our deliberations. Concerning this address, we have one or two remarks, a. It is the first written address from the Episcopal Chair on record in our Journals, b. It abounds with useful sug¬ gestions. Growing out of the suggestions of the Bishop, a weekly paper was ordered to be published, to be called " The Chris¬ tian Herald." The Magazine had now ceased to exist as a monthly, and was ordered to be published as a quarterly. The Book Concern was ordered to be moved from New York to Pittsburg. This order resulted from the fact, that Rev. Augustus A. Green was elected to the office of General Book Steward, and inasmuch as the location was more central, his residence there, and also a jwe-ss, formerly used for the publication of the "Mysterycould be obtained for a com¬ paratively little sum. A plan for the establishment of parochial schools, drafted by Rev. M. M. Clark, was adopted, and the pastor of every station empowered to establish a high school when found practicable—these schools to be sanctioned by the Annual Conference within whose bounds they were to be. or the very effort to be forbidden. The four years course of study was revised and improved, and system made the permanent law of the Church. The Parent Education Society was authorized to institute meas¬ ures for establishing a Seminary, East of the Alleghany Mountains, to be placed under control of the General Con¬ ference. 79 Indeed, the entire Discipline was so revised and amended, as to make our government more energetic and effective-— these improvements commenced with the mere aspirant to the ministry—termed an exhorter, and ended with the high¬ est office, the Bishop. This year also witnessed the extension of the boundaries of the African M. E. Church into the city of New Orleans, and on the shores of Lake Ponchartrain. We now furnish our readers with specimens of the litera¬ ture produced in the African M. E. Church for 1848. It will be remembered that Rev. A. R. Green was elected as General Book Steward and Editor, at the recent General Conference. As soon as he was ready, he issued our first weekly, as we have said, bearing the title of " The Christian Herald We give a sample of his ability in an editorial, whose cap- . tion is, our motto. We are often interrogated concerning our paper, as to the course we intend to pursue, and the end we expect to accom¬ plish. Although our Prospectus makes its own defense and pledges, yet the inquiry comes, and indeed, ofttimes,- from those we should think well understood the use of a paper, assuming the title of ours. Whether it shall merit it, is a question yet in futurity, and we shall not presume to decide at this early day of its existence. The object which we have in view, is to strive and spread through our Church Connection, and as far as the Herald may find its way through the community, the doctrines of Christian holiness. The vitality of the religion of our Lord Jesus Qhrist, upon the lives and conversation of its votaries. The importance of the Chtirch becoming assimilated in the image of Him who is the Head-—the awakening our minds from the apparent apathy, in regard to the duties of the members of the Church of Christ to God, to their ministering servants, to their children, and to their own souls and the souls of their fellow travelers to the judgment seat of Christ. In a word, we may say we purpose reasoning with our Church upon righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. And while we have so extensive a work in view, we feel assured that vain is the help of man unless the God of armies goes before us, and owns and blesses the labors of his feeble servants, all our work will prove abortive. When, considering our condition, we felt apprised of the fact, that a diversity of opinions, concerning righteousness, is extant in 80 our world ; this being the case, some desire us to make war against the nations of the earth, and if we do not accede to their proposals, they no doubt have already the spot of ground marked, and the parson to pay the last tribute of respect to the memory of our prostrated organ. Bat we must beg you, brethren, as Joseph said, when sending his brethren to his father, "See that ye fall not out by the way/' We truly hope that we may take this counsel in our journeyings through this wilderness. And as the Pa¬ triarch said, when wandering in-the fields, "I seek my brethren." So we are striving to seek the interest of our brethren, and shall aim to persuade them to pursue that which will make to their present and future felicity. As the work is of so grave import, we must use the words of Nehemiah, "We are doing a great work, so that we can¬ not come down ; why should the work cease, whilst we leave it, and come to you." We hope we shall not be expected to take up our time in contending with the politics of the day, or the distracting and fluctuating changes of the age; but live, believing there is a Grod in Heaven who hath power to control the wrath of men to His praise, and the remainder to restrain, and who manageth in the assembly of the princes of the earth ; who buildeth up and casteth down ; who rideth in the heavens to the help of His people ; who brought them through fire and water to the wealthy land, and saith, He will be with those who cleave to Him even to the end ; in all our afflic¬ tions to bear a part, and will permit no more to come upon us than we are able to bear, and with every temptation make a way for our escape. Then from the ends* of the earth unto Grod will we cry, that He may lead us to the rock that is higher than we. When examining the past, there always has been men of different stations in society, some to attend to the temporal and others to the spiritual inter¬ ests of the people. For example, Moses and Aaron before the people, Moses the law-giver, Aaron the minister of the sanctuary. Again, when the return of the Israelites from Babylonish captivity, Zeubbabel and Joshua, the two wit¬ nesses of the people. And may it not be advantageous still for those who wait on the altar to attend to it ; and those who attend to the political interests of the people to attend to it. The improvement of our own vineyard, then, will be otfr great object, and the setting of our own house in order. In 81 the prosecution of this momentous duty, we shall not find time to wander far in quest of labor. We do not wish to be as many we have seen : farmers leaving their own farms to go to destruction, while they have been going from farm to farm of their neighbors to work for them. We desire to stay near home ; watch the interests of the souls committed to our care, and strive to build them up in that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, nor enjoy the blessedness prepared for the faithful, at the right hand of his Majesty on high. WELCOME TO THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. BY EEV. J. M. BROWN. Christian Herald ! we welcome thee ! We hail thee ! We greet thee, and bid thee God-speed ! Go tell the earth its faults. Go tell the land of heathenish darkness of its idolatry—tell it to cease its idol worship. Tell it that there is a God above the sky, in earth and everyplace. Go tell it that the God we adore is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipre¬ sent, and in every place, and that God is Love. Tell it, too, to worship and adore the God of Love, and he will forgive it of its crimes. Go o'er earth, thou Herald of Love, and search out op¬ pression's ills, and besprinkle along the path of the oppressed light, comfort and joy, and in his wounds pour the oil of gladness, and as your Master was wont to do, say to him to fear not, that thy Godreigneth. Go, thou Herald of peace, and tell men, that war is bru¬ tish, and that it is horrible to butcher, murder, and slay one another. Tell the assassin that the path of blood is sure destruction. But learn to " Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. And Thou, Herald of Love, in thy visitation amidst earth's ills, thou wilt cross the path of intemperance, tell the ine-. briate that his road is the road to destruction, poverty and ruin, and the death that never dies. Reform and save him ; convince him that tasting is certain ruin, and speak out in a clear voice, that there is no security but to avoid the deadly cup. Christian Herald, thy mission, too, is to bind up the broken 6 82 heart, to visit the afflicted, to cheer those whose hearteg ready to sink amid the weight of affliction. And all c will need thy visitations, not as the Priest of olden time; as the good Samaritan, who, at the terminus of the care®?" love, that thou mayest have it said unto thee, well done OU good and faithful messenger. _ Thou wilt have to defend the Church of the living Uod against vile aspersers, in the most perilous and difficult cir¬ cumstances ; and against the assaults of its bitterest foes; thou wilt have to watch, and thou wilt always have to bear in mind, that there never will be an enemy found more bit¬ ter, than those within thine own embrace. These, 0 thou defense of the Church of the living God, thou wilt have to discriminate, and hold up to public gaze. Go, then, messenger of love, and as thou goest, learn the message of your Heavenly Master, and may His spirit guide thy pilot. Amen. At the last General Conference, a committee of three was appointed to draft formula for the laying of corner stones, and the consecration of Churches, for up to that period we had none. This committee done their work as well as they could. The production was mostly original. It is too long to give here in whole, but as the last specimen of the literature of 1848, we give the consecrating prayer, which is purely orig¬ inal, and composed by one of the members of the committee. PRAYER FOR DEDICATION" OF A CHURCH. And now, 0, Lord God, Most High, whom the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain, we dedicate this house to thy service, receive it, we humbly beseech thee, receive it unto thyself, and number it among thine earthly Sanctu¬ aries ; that thine own presence, the presence of thy Son, Jesus Christ, and the presence of thy Holy Spirit, may ever fill this house, which we have builded and called by thy name ; so that whensoever the Gospel is preached in this house, it may descend Avith all its purity, power, and demon¬ stration upon the hearts of the impenitent, turning them from darkness tonight, and from the power of sin and Satan unto God ; that its sanctifying influences may be felt in the souls of all believers, lifting their desires, their hopes, and their affections, from earth to heaven, and leading back the wandering sheep of the house of Israel, into the fold of ■eternal life. Amen. 83 Hear us, 0, merciful Father, and grant, that whosoever shall be dedicated to thee, in this house, by the holy ordi¬ nance of baptism, may also receive the fullness of thy grace ; be made useful members of the Church militart, and finally obtain an abundant entrance into the Church triumphant through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Hear us, 0, merciful Father, and grant, that whosoever shall, in this house, partake of the symbols of the Saviour's broken body and shed, blood, may also realize "by faith, that he is indeed the lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, and thus being regenerated and sanctified, stand spotless and life-crowned, at thy right hand, world without end. Amen. Hear us, 0, thou who art the spouse of the Church, and grant, that whosoever shall, in this house, be joined together in holy matrimony, may also live as did Isaac and Rebecca, in the purest enjoyment of connubial love, mutually assist¬ ing each other, in the way to heaven, and training their children for usefulness in this world, and for glory in that which is to come, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 0, thou high and Holy One of Israel, regard, we beseech thee, the prayers of thy servants, and grant, that whosoever shall, in this house, make confession of their sins, or lift their' voices in praise and thanksgivings for mercies past or bene¬ fits received, may also rejoice in the light of thy countenance, with the peace that passeth all understanding, with the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. Amen. Great Head of the Church, we beseech thee hear us, and grant, that whosoever shall, in this house, be set apart and ordained to the holy offices of the ministry, may also receive the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel, to preach its un¬ searchable riches to a ruined world, then,^having finished their course, fought the good fight, and kept the faith, re¬ ceive the crown of life, and reign with thee, world without end. Amen. Thou, God of Missions, hear us, and grant, that the sacred cause of missions, with every other institution of Christianity, may ever find, in this house, an able advocacy and an ample support, so as to be rendered instrumental in hastening on the day, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ. Amen. Thus have we dedicated this house unto thee, 0, thou that dwellest in heaven, receive it, 0, receive it, among thine earthly sanctuaries, and grant, that all who may worship 84 thee here, from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from generation to generation, even our children's children, may feel it to "be indeed the house of God, and the gate of heaven ! Amen. The most violent dissensions broke out in our Connection this year. They were two in number, and occurred in Phil¬ adelphia and Baltimore. The cause was, in each case, a question of property, and the right to control such of the temporal affairs as relate to the support of the ministry. The discord in Philadelphia resulted in the expulsion of about five hundred of the malcontents—that in Baltimore being more skillfully managed, resulted in the expulsion of but five, after which, about fifty of their friends withdrew, who, together with those of Philadelphia, organized them¬ selves into a new Methodistic sect, repelling the Episcopal element as anti-Christian—the majority of their leaders has subsequently thrown another somerset, and returned back under Episcopal government—some into the African M. E. Church, others into the M. E. Church. This dissension, and the efforts of the malcontents to overthrow our govern¬ ment, affected it, as storms affect the mountain pines—only to make them strike their roots deeper, and their trunks to become more stalwart. In 1849 and '50 the contributions to the columns of the Herald were more numerous, and of a better quality, than anything which had yet been produced among us—the most valuable of these were from the pens of Kevs. Willis E. Bevils, W. H. Jones and J. M. Brown. They are too lengthy to be introduced here, but will appear'in our History of the African M. E. Church. In 1851, a rebellion broke out in the Conference District of Canada West—the ringleaders were impeached and thrown upon their defense—they plead guilty to the charge, con¬ fessed their error, and were forgiven ; because a complete investigation of the cause of this movement was found to be the mischievous advice which had been given them, by a prominent local preacher in the United States ; their rebel¬ lion was an error of the head, rather than a wickedness of the heart, and was partly induced by our neglect of the Churches in those regions ; which led to the bad advice given them. The pro-slavery legislation of the American Congress and of the different States, together with the consequent move¬ ments of the Colonization Society, elicited many articles from. 85 the pens of our best thinkers in 1851. The ablest of all these, because the most philosophical, were from the pen of Rev. Lewis Woodson. I will give jane, perhaps two of these. EMIGRATION.—No. 2. BY REV. L. WOODSON'. The geography of the Continent of Africa is peculiar. It differs from the other quarters of the globe in its isolation, dryness, heat, barrenness and unhealthiness. Its isolation, that is, its standing alone, and being penetrated by so few navigable bays and rivers, is unfavorable to progress, and has, in my humble opinion, been one great cause of the ignorance and barbarism of its inhabitants. Men gain most of their knowledge by observation and intercourse with others, but the isolated position of Africa has, especially in the early ages, cut her off from such observation and inter¬ course. Every one acquainted with the history of Europe, knows that the present civilization and refinement of some of her most powerful States, is almost wholly attributable to foreign intercourse ; that until this took place, the condition of their inhabitants was quite as deplorable as the condition of the inhabitants of Africa. Had Africa been as accessible to foreigners as Europe, I have no doubt but her present state of civilization would have been far in advance of what it is. Next to her isolation, the climate of Africa has operated against the progress of her inhabitants in the arts and re¬ finement of civilized life, and will continue to do so. Four- fifths, at least, of her territory lies within the torrid zone, and the balance extends but a few degrees beyond it ; the greatest distance of any point, from the equinoctial line, being only about thirty-seven degrees of latitude. The Barbary States and Lower Egypt are in nearly the same latitude of such of the United States as border on the Gulf of Mexico, but their climate is much hotter, owing to their bordering on the G-reat Desert; and the country at the Cape of Good Hope has a climate as warm as the State of North Carolina. Hence the climate of the whole of Africa is either warm or intensely hot. Her vast deserts of sand seem more fitted for roasting than for subsisting her inhabi¬ tants. 86 A hot climate is never so healthy as a temperate one, nor is it so favorable to the development and perfection of the mind. Its natural influence is to depress, enervate and en¬ feeble both body and mind. Hence, the inhabitants of hot climates are never equal, in either mental or physical power, to the inhabitants of temperate ones, whatever may have been their original descent. And hence, the present mental and physical condition of the Africans may, in part, be ac¬ counted for. The brain is the organ of the mind, by which it manifests all its functions ; and the perfection of the manifestation, is always in a direct ratio with the perfection of the organ, lien ce, it is absurd to expect any high degree of mental per¬ fection, where the brain has been impaired by being either melted with heat or frozen with cold. The effect upon health, from inhaling the poisonous gases, generated by a hot atmosphere acting upon the decaying' substances, produced by a rich soil, is too well known, and too generally admitted to require more than the mention of them ; and on no part of the globe are these gases generated with more fatal power than in Africa. The adaptation of a country to the great business pursuits of life, to agriculture, manufacture and commerce, to pro¬ curing the means of subsistence, is a matter of great import¬ ance to the happiness of its inhabitants ; but, compared with the other quarters of the globe, Africa is, in this respect, greatly deficient. Her inland seas are seas of burning sand, which, instead of facilitating agriculture and commerce, seem to obstruct them. Few bays indent her coasts, few riyers traverse her terri¬ tory, and even these are of small capacity for purposes of navigation ; leaving to her inhabitants the least possible scope for the great business purposes of life. It is true, that in some parts, not thickly nor permanently settled, she has a rich and productive soil, but such is the heat of the climate, that neither man nor beast has strength sufficient to cultivate it to any degree of perfection ; and, in some parts, so fatal is the climate to the life of all beasts, that none exist to assist man in his labor. This, in particu¬ lar, is the case in Liberia. And this fact, in reference to Liberia, has never been brought distinctly before the mind, by any writer, who has preceded me, so far as I know, a fact, too, deeply involving its agricultural interests. I pro¬ pose, here, to direct the special attention of the reader to it. 87 I have not the means at hand of knowing the exact pro¬ portion of man to animal power; but I will suppose, as a tolerable approach to accuracy, it to be as eight to one, that is, one farmer, assisted by a horse, can produce as much as eight without any assistance. On this supposition, we see that a farmer in Pennsylvania, where horse-power is availa¬ ble, has eight chances to one to a farmer in Liberia, where no such power can be obtained. Again, a State with one million of inhabitants, possessed of animal power, will be equal, in the means of acquiring wealth, to a State with eight millions of inhabitants, destitute of no such power. I beg the reader carefully to ponder this fatal defect, in the agricultural advantages, or rather disadvantages of Li¬ beria, because it is the point to which our attention is directed by the friends of emigration to Africa. A rich soil it may have, but what can this avail its inhabitants, when they have no means of cultivating it, but their naked hands, and even these, depiived of half their strength by the heat of a torrid sun. Towns it may have, but they must be traveled to on foot; it may have commerce, too, but all goods must be transported on the backs of the people. Such a state of things is not favorable to progress. Men will resort to any¬ thing, even the name of Liberty, to escape the horrors of slavery ; and even this might be called liberty, but not with¬ out its burdens ; aye, it would be freedom with a vengeance. As a continent contemplated with reference to all the great business pursuits of life, agriculture, manufactures, and com¬ merce ; to the progress of her inhabitants in the virtues and refinements of civilized life, Africa, compared with North America, is greatly deficient. Her geographical structure and deadly climate have ever operated to the exclusion of foreigners, and to deprive her of the benefits resulting from foreign intercourse. She never has been, nor never will be the voluntary resort of many emigrants from the more favored quarters of the globe. To an intelligent, enterprising inhab¬ itant of North America, she holds out no inducement to emi¬ gration. Time and space allotted to this article are exhausted, but not the subject. I must, therefore, submit it, as imperfect as it is, to the careful consideration of the reader. 88 EMIGRATION.—No. 3. BY REV. LEWIS WOODSON. Mr. Editor:—It hais been often remarked that man is the shaper of his own destiny, the architect of his own fortune, and this is true in a certain sense, but it is not absolutely true ) " there is a power behind the throne, which is greater than the throne." There is a power above, which is greater than the power of man. Man oiten decrees "that such a thing shall be so, but the Higher Power decrees that it shall not be so; and when there is such a conflict of decrees, the decree of man must always give place to the decree of the Higher Power. Nations often decree unrighteous decrees, and as often fail in executing them, on account of the overruling influence of the Higher Power. Such things often escape the notice of the careless and worldly minded observer, but to the pious and reflecting they are clear and palpable. When consider¬ ing the true destiny of the colored people of the United States, were we to suffer ourselves to be guided by the declarations of eminent men, or the laws of sovereign States, we should conclude that we were to remain here for only a short time, that the work of our removal had already commenced, and was rapidly hastening to its consummation. But to be con¬ ducted to a conclusion by such guides in a matter of such grave importance, is neither pious nor wise. Our destiny in the absolute sense is not, as I apprehend it, in the hands of eminent men, nor sovereign States, but in the hands of a Higher Power, against whose wili not all, nor any part of us, can ever be forcibly removed from this country. The land is His, and its inhabitants are His, for both are the work of His hands, and as their good and rightful sovereign will dispose of both, according to His own will. To His will, as revealed in His word and providence, then, let us look. In the word and providence of God, nothing can be more manifest than this, that He wills the greatest amount of hap¬ piness to every individual of His intelligent creatures ; that He entertains no partiality, having done for all, what He has done'for each, making all to inhabit the same earth, to breathe the same air, and to see by the light of the same sun. The grant of special favors to select numbers is not to be found in the book of God's providence. The appar¬ ently liberal doctrine, of cc the greatest good to the greatest 89 number," is not a doctrine of Grod; it is too circumscribed and partial for Him ; it intimates that some must necessarily be without the enjoyment of any good, or at best, of less good than their fellows; whereas, His doctrine is the greatest good of all. He teaches all in His word to regard Him as their father, and themselves as their children and heirs ; yes, .heirs of God, and joint heirs with His Son, Jesus Christ, by whose most precious blood, all are redeemed, without respect of persons. If, then, the word and providence of Grod teach, that His will is the most full and perfect happiness of all His intelli¬ gent creatures, and we find upon examination that the con¬ tinent of North Aiherica is best of all others adapted to the promotion of the happiness of man, and that He intends that any man shall remain permanently upon it, and enjoy such happiness as it may be able to afford, we may safely infer, that He intends colored men shall remain permanently upon it. That if He will not suffer other men to be forced from it to a worse location, because their happiness would be thereby impaired, He will never suffer colored men thus to be forced for the same cause. But there is another important providential consideration, which may assist in guiding us to a right conclusion as to whether the mass of the colored people is permanently to remain upon the American continent. When Grod, at the tower of Babel, confounded the language of the descendants of Noah, thereby to prompt their disper¬ sion and existence as separate nations, He seemed to have divided the eastern hemisphere among the three sons of Noah, giving the continent of Africa to Ham, the continent of Asia to Shem, and the continent of Europe to Japheth, leaving the western hemisphere, for the time being, unap¬ propriated. Now, in this original distribution, as Grod gave the western hemishphere to none of the sons of Noah in par¬ ticular, I infer that He intended, in due time, the descend¬ ants of each of them should inherit it in common. And that this last empire of the fairest half of the globe, composed of the best selections from all the other continents, should be the best of all, comprising in itself, all that is good, great, and glorious in all preceding ones, together with all the im¬ provements and advantages which its own wisdom might suggest. In the fulfillment ot Grod's design in reference to peopling the American continent, by his permission and 90 providence, we find ourselves upon it, and on some parts of it, enjoying all its advantages in common with others. ^ And although we are not equally favored on all points of it just now, yet, if we are faithful to ourselves and our God, fie will see to it that the mass of us shall permanently remain here, and in due time share his bounties in common with the de¬ scendants of the other branches of Noah's family. Our destiny on this continent, has long been my study. I can see the hand of God, in all that has befallen us, as plainly as I can see it in all that has befallen others. Man has in¬ tended much of what he has done to us for evil, but God is over-ruling all for our good and His glory. I see nothing to inspire despair, but much to inspire hope and confidence. God has not forsaken us, nor will He, unless we forsake our¬ selves and Him. He is doing much for us, much more than we are doing for ourselves, to keep us here and make us happy. When we had no press of our own, God gave us one ; and then, many to defend our cause. When we had no men of our own to write in our defense, God raised up many to write for us. In this, God has been merciful and gracious to us. But now, He has given us presses and men of our own to defend our cause, and promote our best in¬ terests in this highly favored land ; placing us, in this re¬ spect, on a perfect level with its own inhabitants. Some of us may leave this land from a spirit of adventure, and some from the persuasion of selfish and designing men ; but the mass of us will never be unwillingly and violently forced away. I am )fully satisfied, in my own mind, that we are here by the permission and providence of God, and that here the mass of us are to remain. And if we are faithful to God and ourselves, in the use of all the means necessary to prosperity, He will see to it, that in due time, we, in com¬ mon with all others, shall enjoy all the privileges and ad¬ vantages of this land. The General Conference of 1852, was opened in the city of New York, at 10 o'clock A. M., on the 3d of May, Rt. Rev. William Paul Quinn presiding. The Secretaries were Revs. M. M. Clark, A. W. Wayman and Ed. C. Africanus. These are the important transactions of this legislative body of oiir Connection : a. Discipline was thoroughly revised. b. Revs. Willis Nazery and D. A. Payne were elected and consecrated Bishops of the African M. E. Church. yi c. The condition of the Book Concern being insolvent, it was deemed wise to make such changes as would bring into it a new life, and make it more productive, so, d. Rev. M. M. Clark was elected Editor, Eev. W. S. Catto, General Book Steward, and Rev. W. H. Jones, Traveling Agent. e. The Book Concern was removed from Pittsburg back to Philadelphia, where it originated. f. The name of the weekly was changed, and called " The Christian Recorder." In the Prospectus, its talented and learned Editor declared it should be £CDevoted to Religion, Morality, Science and Literature." The dedicatory lines were written by one of its Bishops ; the reader will see, by a pe¬ rusal of it, that it was in keeping with the objects named. DEDICATORY LINES. Fly I wing'd Recorder, o'er the spreading realms, "With a fair tablet and a flowing pen, Swift as the lightnings from the rosy East, To where the sun displays his setting beams; Painting the hills and clouds with glitt'ring gold— From where the Northern bear laves his white limbs In the clear waters of the emerald lakes, To where the sunny South spreads out her fields Of canes and rice, of cotton and sweet flowers. 0, do thou Be the child of deep, of highest research, And contemplation sweet; their tallest mount Ascending, cast thine eyes—Recorder, cast Thine eagle eyes o'er all the verdant lands And dark blue seas; then, piercing all their depths, Extract the treasures hid by God's own hand la their wide bosoms, ever since the earth Began to promenade the starry way, And sweep the vast expanse, and smile, and bathe Her virgin face in morning dews, and drink The rushing sun-light. In golden caskets Place these priceless gifts for wondering man. From the blue sky Detach the glories of its countless orbs, And fling them o'er his deathless soul. Array Him with it. 'Tis a garment richly wove In Heaven's resplendent loom, by the skill'd Hands of angel-weavers. Thine own pristine robe, 0, man 1 which deck'd thy form, where majesty. And grace once brightly shone, and sweetly kiss'd Each other's coral lips. Recorder, hear, Whate'er thine eyes behold note down, be it The beautiful in nature, or the grand, The curious or sublime. In the arts, Whate'er is useful to the world portray, 92 And show its application just to all The ends of mortal life—the ends of God. With chaplets cull'd from the bright fields of truth And science, deck thy tow'ring crest, and shed Their pure, their vivifying light into The.darken'd chambers of the human soul, To give the force of philosophic power. O, teach ! and educate our hapless race. Into each mother's heart distill the dews Of holy wisdom—teach her how to train The infant mind—the rising youth, to deeds^ Of god-like greatness. All that's just and right, Instill! Instill! 0, urge on ev'ry man To cu'tivate, vnfuld, and strengthen all The native forces of his mind, and then, The chains Of mental bondage shall decay—with might The bounding spirit then shall snap each yoke Asunder, as old Sampson did the ropes That bound his giant arms. Then, they shall all Ilejoice in freedorh's holy light, and ev'ry Hill and mountain leap and clap its hands, Echoing the sweet song of liberty. Seize thou the harp! " And with an angel's skill, an angel's voice, Attune its strings to notes of life and joy. Soothe the deep sorrows of the sadden'd heart; Wake ev'ry joy, fill ev'ry soul with bliss. 0, swell its lofty numbers sweet and loud, Till the charm'd earth, and list'ning skies, echo Its melting strains!" The Church ! the Church of Christ! Lead on from truth to truth, from grace to grace, From one degree of virtue to the last That caps the climax of the glorious height. This sacramental—this embattl'd host, Lead on to fight the battles of the Lord; 'Tis our Emanuel who does command:— His flaming two-edged sword is wing'd with death. Upon his blood-stain'd banner victory sits, And ev'ry fiend shall fly—the field is ours. Recorder! Hear my good advice—with steps unfalt'ring Press thy grand career, unaw'd by threat'ning: Alike unbribed by gifts of artful men. But as the sun in his vast circle moves, liight upward, omcard, move, an orb replete With light, and life—with hope for each, for all. Thy high vocatiou guard. O, guard it well! The eyes of God are on thee, and will watch Thy hidden thoughts. Run, then, 0, run the race Of glory ! Fight the fight of holy faith— Sheathe not thy sword, nor lay thine armor down, But to ascend on high and take thy crown. 93 From 1852 to 1854 the Recorder abounded in many inter¬ esting and valuable contributions. Three highly educated ersons were among the number of its paid contributors, ut inasmuch as they were not members of our Church, we will not h'ere present their articles. They may be giten in the history which is to follow this work. The learned editor contributed many valuable articles, among which were some five or six on the "Destiny of the colored race upon the American continent." We give one of these as a specimen of his ability. THE DESTINY OF THE COLORED RACE UPON THE AMERICAN CONTINENT. The millions will remain here and be identified with the Anglo-Saxon race. According to promise, we are, in this essay, to bring for¬ ward our remedies and agents necessary for the prosecution and ultimate accomplishment of the reform so much desired and prayed for in our Connection, and in the world. We premise by remarking that no one should take a limited view of the reform contemplated. The thoughts must extend into the future, and embrace successive ages of time, and millions of our race yet to come into nominal freedom and absolute bondage. Both conditions, however, in the evolution of ages to be entirely ameliorated by the appli¬ ance of the proper means and agencies ; for to cultivate the whole field over which we look, is the work of ages and not of a day. This work embraces, or contemplates the broken and buried chain of the victim of pride and gain ; his restor¬ ation to that freedom which heaven has bestowed as abundantly and richly upon every son of man for his un¬ restrained enjoyment as the air that cools the mid-heavens, or the flowing waters of the ocean. It contemplates, also, immediately subsequent to universal emancipation, the removal of every civil, legal, and politi¬ cal disability under which the nominally free do now and will suffer, till that high and glorious event shall be heralded around the world by millions of eloquent tongues, and ten hundred millions of blazing pages of papers, books,_ pamphlets, magazines, and the flying sheets of myriads of tracts. The reform contemplates a high state of religious influ- 94 ence in the future to emanate from the Church, to help_ forward the all-absorbing and deeply important cause ot human amelioration, intellectually, morally, civilly and religiously considered. For degraded, woefully degraded, are the vast majority of our race upon this continent, and their influence in these points just mentioned must exert a weighty bearing upon the future destiny of the American community in proportion to their intellectual, moral, and religious associations, either for good or for evil. How vastly important, then, that an adequate set of agencies should be put in operation to increase in efficiency, widen in influence as time shall roll on, and in the distant future work out the grand moral and religious renovation of our entire race upon this continent. The Church is the only legitimate s'ource to look to to marshal her hosts, and set them in effective array against the enemies of our cause. In doing which, she will do well to observe that the only and appropriate remedies for the many evils named in our preceding essays wTill be found to be— 1st. A powerful and enlightened ministration of God's word brought home with the mighty strength and energy of cultivated intellect, and sacred reasoning to the lifeless souls of the millions of our race, till every feeling of their nature is raised into useful exercise for both the internal and external good of the race. Bible truth must be diffused among them with the profuseness of the dew of heaven, * and with the regularity of a skillful husbandman sowing his seed in hope of an abundant harvest. , The holy treasure of God's own accumulating must be opened to them to draw their heavenly capital from, to do business upon the interest, upon the world's high sea of moral good to man, and abun¬ dant glory to God. The truth in God's Book contained is the great moral antidote for the world's many sad evils, and as helps to it, are— 2d. All the benevolent institutions of the age and of Christendom. The family institution beginfe the gradation in the scale ' of instruction. The infant school next takes the coin and gives it another cast, in the mould. It is then handed over to the primary or day-school. yHere the ii^tellect begins to bud under the careful pruning'vef the skilWul teacher. The Seminary next gives a higher^ polish and-impression, and prepares it for the College, a (still highei* gradation in the 95 scale of moral and intellectual cultivation for useful life. To put on the finishing stroke, the profession must be com¬ pleted, and then the bird is let loose from the cage to expa¬ tiate over the world of mind and matter, to reduce them to that order in creation for which a beneficent Creator de¬ signed them. All Bible, tract, Sunday-School, and every description of benevolent associations, are so many remedial means to re¬ claim the heart and intellect of man from the fearful state of nature to grace, and to the higher pursuits of earthly happiness. Governments organized for man's social, civil, political, and general harmony are also ordained of God as remedial measures for the evils consequent to his fallen nature. Next to the moral power of the sacred pulpit, comes as a mighty purifying furnace, the free press, uncontrolled by the secular aim, or unawed by the menacing frowns of a viti¬ ated public sentiment—but stands erect upon eternal truth— scattering to earth's circumference unsophisticated truth that lights down amid the moral darkness of man's be¬ nighted abode like the beams of the morning sun amid the retiring gloom of night. From the foregoing remarks, which present to view, when seen in the aggregate, the only remedies for the world's maladies, it is clearly observable who are the agents in this great work of reformation. These agents may be summed up as follows : 1st. Well qualified ministers of the Gospel, by grace and by a liberal education. 2d. The conductors of the press, not immoral. 3d. The highest class of teachers in theological seminaries and colleges. 4th. Sabbath-School teachers, and teachers in seminaries of learning. 5th. All primary teachers. 6th. All parents, whose hearts and minds are enlightened and instructed in the knowledge and truth of the Bible, and possess general information. 7th. All wise legislators, judges, magistrates, with every grade of civil officer. But the Church is the high mountain, upon whose lofty summit is, or ought to be placed a beacon light, to reflect a glowing lustre upon all orders below. But, if her light be dim and tapery—who shall find his way up the mighty ascent, and over the darkness, and the steepness of the road? 96 THE EOSE AND THE ROSE-BUD. BY ONE OF THE BISHOPS OF THE A. M. E. C. 'Tis requested that I should write something in the^Album of my lively friend. But what shall I, what can I write that will be profitable to one so intelligent as Matilda? That plant which had been cultivated by the consecrated hand of a priest, matured amid the sunlight, and borne a thousand beauteous flowers, can need no other cultivation to give it strength, nor foreign aid to impart fertility. The very at¬ tempt would be regarded as presumptuous. Yet, thou matin-flower of rain-bow hues and orient bright¬ ness, if I cannot instruct, perchance I may please thee, by tell¬ ing of two other flowers, which I once had the happiness of cultivating in my own garden. Of them, I will speak in the language of the orientals, and tell in the accents of song. Shall it not please thee? Yea, verily, for virtue delights in the virtuous, and beauty in the beautiful. One of these flowers was a rose, the other a rose-bud. The rose was most beautiful. Its corolla was full-blown, its petals of the brightest carnation, sweetly blended with the purest lily. Its stamina and petals were perfect, having graceful filaments and elegant styles ; its anthers and stamens were finely organized, and richly powdered with golden pollen. Pendant on a rose-bush, it was redolent of love. In none of the surrounding gardens did I see so sweet a rose. It was loved by all who beheld it. All other flowers did it obeisance. And I, Oh ! how /loved to gaze upon it. Beside this rose, there grew a rose-bud, perfectly formed. Soft and bright were its hues. Its tiny bosom indicated a development which would have made it the queen of flowers. Never did the eye of man look upon a lovelier ! Its symmetry, its 'odor were divine ! The dews seemed to fall upon it in sweeter and more lucid drops than on other rose-buds. The sun seemed to shed its beams upon it with the softest efful¬ gence. 0, how I gazed upon my priceless treasures ! Long, long did I hope to feast my vision with their celestial beau¬ ties, and regale my senses with their fragrance. But, alas ! alas ! stern winter came, with his icy breath, and blowing my rose from the stem, spattered its glowing petals, stamina and pistils to the four winds ; leaving me almost blind with tears, and tremulous with grief. But my tears we're soon dried up, and my anguish as- 97 suaged by an angel voice, which said "Weep not for the rose, it is not destroyed, it is only removed to a brighter clime— it is now blooming in the pure unclouded region of heaven. Behold your rose bud still lives! my golden pinions have been its shield against the fury of the winter storm. Nur¬ ture, cherish it ; perhaps the Lord will let it live until its full blown corolla displays a beauty and sheds a fragrance that will compensate thee for the loss of the rose. In the virgin loveliness of the child, you may behold the reflected glories uf the mother." The Angel's voice ceased. It was the balm of Gilead—the consolation of the gospel. Over my soul it diffused a heav¬ enly sweetness—it shed a sun-shine over all my being. It made me pant to see the God of angels, who is the Rose of Sharon—the Lily of the Valley! ■ Then I turned to see the rose-bud. 0! how I gazed upon it! How I cherished it! It was with a love bordering on idola¬ try. Just then, while my soul was illumed with the light of hope, and joyous with anticipation, I heard the trumpet sounding for war. My martial spirit obeyed the summons, and I hastened to the tented field to fight the battles of the Lord of Hosts. In the midst of the din and dust of the strife, a herald came to me and said, " Thy rose-bud is smitten by a thundergust." I delayed not; I fled to its rescue. I took it in my hands and pressed its tiny bosom to my own heart. On its head, nine moons had poured their silvery beams ; on its face, the softest zephyrs had breathed their balmy breath—angel hands had bathed its eyelids in the morning and evening dews of heaven. But now it was fading beneath the stroke of the thundergust! I kissed it! I wept ! I looked to heaven and prayed for succor. Said I, spare! Oh ! spare my rose-bud! I turned again to see if it was reviving. Be- fiold ! it was withered ! The rose was blasted by the icy breath of winter—the rose-bud, by the hot breath of summer. Nay ! nay ! it is all a dream ! For life itself is but a dream, from which the righteous awake unto the glorious realities of an eternal existence. Neither the rose nor the rose-bud was mine ) they had just been loaned me by the God of^ nature, for the purpose of beautifying my garden, as specimen flowers, illustrating cre¬ ative wisdom and Almighty power, that I might catch the inspiration of angels, and exclaim with an elegant poet: 7 98 0, for the expanded mind that soars on high I Ranging afar, with meditation's eye. That climbs the heights of yonder starry road, Rising through Nature up to Nature's God. 0, for a soul to trace a Saviour's power In each sweet form that decks the blooming flower, And as we wonder such fair scenes among, To make the Hose of Sharon all our song. Tell me ! ye angels, tell me ! where on earth shall I ever see the like of my rose and my rose-bud f Soon may I behold them in the Eden of Light, and Love I See them robed in the immortality of an endless life-—enjoy them in the unfolding glories of a sinless heaven ! THE HEROIC CHRISTIAN WARRIOR. BY BEY. T. M. D. WARD. My soul, the conflict grows severe, The troops of hell are drawing near,— But the strong guard that's for the fight, Will guide thee to the worlds of light. Gird on thy arms, march to the field, With glittering blade, and burnished shield,— High floats the spotless flag of truth, Upborn by hands that never droop. The battle trump sounds long and loud, Bidding each warrior grasp his sword— Jehovah's great, eternal Son, Will lead the fearless army on. Methinks, I hear the glorious shout— The victory won, the battle's fought, Emanuel's troops have won the day— His foes have fled in wild dismay. No more the clarion sound we hear, Thrilling each heart with hope and fear— The.warrior bears the victor's palm, High in the bright and better land. There, in the realms of endless day. Where stirring zephyrs softly play, We'll stand amid the spotless throng, And chant redemption's gladsome song. Cease not the strife, my blood-bought soul, Press onward to the blissful goa1— Broad streams of everlasting light, Will burst upon thy ravished sight. 99 ON CLASS MEETING. BY MR. ABRAM FIELDS. Mr. Editor:—-There are one or two things connected with the government of the African M. E. Church, which I think require some correction. I go for improvement in Church as well as State, for the reason that both are the work of men, and experience in their practical operation dictate all necessary changes or modifications ; therefore, the best regu¬ lated governments owe their existence to practice and experi¬ ence. In our short experience in government, we have certainly learned this fact, that all schisms, or divisions in Church or State, find their origin in the official branch of the government; therefore, all legislation on the application of electing laws, should be directed to guard the point. It must be evident that, in our churches, the classes are too large for any good result. It was a wise regulation in the t{'• General Rules of Methodism," that allow twelve persons sufficient for one class. Now, only to think of one class com¬ posed of 112 persons, to be led by one man ; in the light that is laid down in the General Rules of our Church, it is evi¬ dent that there must be an abuse of these rules, for no one man can attend to the spiritual advice, instruction and com¬ fort of 112 persons weekly ; if he employs some one to help him, it is certainly a violation of his appointment—for he is to meet his class, once a week, to inquire of the prosperity of their souls, and exhort, comfort or rebuke, as occasion may require. If he employs a second person, it is not he. The fact is, he has no right to make a leader ; he can get a person, who is a leader, to lead his class ; but to employ one who is not a leader, is a clear violation of the General Rules ; if it requires two or three leaders for one class, it is evident that it ought to be just in that many parts. More than one leader to a class is too many. Neither the leader nor the members receive that knowledge and consolation which it is the design of class meetings to give, and of course its vitality is lost. The classes are not only too large, but leaders are allowed to remain too long the leader of the same class. Only to think, in our Churches, of one man leading the same class during his natural life, or good behaviour ; we are not op¬ posed to any man leading class all his life, no more than we would be of his preaching all his life—why should we ? But 100 we think, if he be a good, faithful leader, the whole Church should have his services, and not confine him in one particu¬ lar place. The fact is, this practice sows the seed of trouble, and it will eventually cause trouble somewhere in the Church. The fact is, that in nine cases out of ten, neither the leader nor his members know it is the right of the minister to change the leader, and if the leader did know it, if he was disposed to be mischievous, he would keep that knowledge from his class. A leader's roots should not extend too deep in one place, nor comprehend too many in numbers. At least, sometimes, he might use that influence to give trouble. If there be dissatisfaction in the Church, and the leader takes sides, his class is apt to be on the same side, and more espe¬ cially if he has been its leader from the recollection of its oldest member ; and should it become necessary for the min¬ ister to remove him—it may cause dissatisfaction with his members. The government of the Methodist Church is itin¬ erant or missionary, and the secret of its success is, that every part of it revolves in a missionary circle ; therefore, no part of its operation should be allowed to locate. The fact is, that where one man remains for several years the leader of the same class, the members and him indulge each other, and become neglectful of duty ; in fact, the leader is not careful to enforce on his members the requirements of the Church, therefore, they know nothing of the law or re¬ quirements of the Church, beyond their weekly meetings—■ they know nothing of the duty of the leader or the authority of the preacher. I believe that through this channel the vitality of religion has leaked out of the Church, and nothing remains but a cold, inactive membership. I hold that leaders should be changed quarterly, from one class to the other; that is to say, if there be eight classes in the Church, and A be the leader of No. 1 Class—-and B the leader of the 8th Class—let A pass through to B's class, and so keep up rotation ; it will be seen that A would not get to the first class for two years, and each class would change its leader quarterly. This regulation would make both leader and members at¬ tend to their duty, for fear that the next leader would return them as- delinquent. If this regulation was adopted, the re¬ sult would be an increase of piety and practical religion in the Church. 101 GOD. BY ONE OF THE BISHOPS OF THE AFRICAN M. E. CHURCH. Oh, Thou great and glorious Being! What art Thou? Who can comprehend Thee? A voice from eternity answers, saying, "God is Love." But what is love? Is it that earthly passion which nestles in human hearts, that to-day is, and to-morrow is not? That sickly sentiment which fills the bosom of novel writers and novel readers? Or, that sweet, mysterious feeling which makes a woman leave her mother and her father to cleave unto her husband ? Surely not. This would be reducing Thee to a thing, a mere sentiment. 'Tis substituting the fire-fly for the blazing sun: a drop of water for the boundless ocean. A man may feel the wind, but he cannot tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. So, also, the Christian feels Thee, 0, Divine Love! The Christian feels Thee in his rejoicing heart, and yet he cannot tell what is this Love only by echoing the voice from eternity—God is Love ! And who can comprehend Thee? Can mortal man? When the earth can swallow up the universe, then shall man be able to comprehend the infinite God. " Canst thou by searching, find out God ? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection ? He is higher than heaven, what canst thou do? Deeper than hell, what canst thou know ? " Nevertheless, God has condescended to so adapt the intellect of man to the universe, and the universe to his intellect, thatj by the proper use of the former, and the contempla¬ tion of the latter, he may know as much of the Almighty as is possible to be known. The architect is known by his designs, and the skill with which he executes them. The spirit of inspiration saith, "Even a child is known by his doings." Hence it is also written that "The heavens de¬ clare the glory of God, and the firmament slioweth his handy-work." And again, "The visible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being under¬ stood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God-head." My sweet sister, do you see that little flower which grows by the way-side ? Pluck it. Now place it beneath a pocket microscope. See its expanding petals. That small aper¬ ture through which the internal organs were penetrating as 102 fine as the points of cambric needles, are now magnified to the thickness of the gold ring that adorns your delicate finger. Look at the numerous little insects running to and fro, in all the delight of a conscious existence. Their drink is the dew-drop—their food, the nectar. There they live, doing the will of the Creator ; there they die, as soon as that will is accomplished. To them, that little flower is what the globe is to man—their stage of action—their world of probation. Say, my sister, do you not discern in that flower the power, wisdom, and goodness of God? And know you not there are more than ten thousand times such flowers as this, which, at the same that they beauty the hills and valleys of this green earth, also consti¬ tute the abode of myriads of living creatures? And thou, my dear brother, come take this telescope. Look through its lens to yonder sky, where glitter the countless stars. Each one of them is a sun, round which are revolving innumerable planets. Mark the regularity of their motions—their magnitude—their velocity, compared with which the flight of a swallow is like the motion of a snail. A thousand times larger than the earth, their revolu¬ tions are made with the gracefulness and ease of a humming bird. Countless are these orbs. Still more innumerable are the living creatures that inhabit them, endowed, it may be, with powers which render them able to know, love, and serve the Grod who made them. Each sun, each planet, each living being was called into existence by his simple fiat. For, " He spake, and it was done." He commanded, and they were created. Now, when, with an angel's sight, you have taken an angel's flight to the most distant star of the most distant constellation glittering upon the azure face of night, you have just entered upon the threshold of a universe, whose height is a fathomless depth—whose depth is an immeasur¬ able height—whose length and whose breadth are teeming with an abyss of worlds ! See you not, my brother, 0, see you not in all these, the wisdom and the power of our Godt And are you not pre¬ pared to join with Barbauld, and say— " With radiant finger, contemplation points To yon blue concave, swell'd by breath divine, Where one by one the living eyes of heaven 103 Awake, quick kindling o'er the face of ether One boundles3 blaze : ten thousand trembling fires, And dancing lustres, where th' unsteady eye, Restless and dazzled, wanders unconfined O'er all the field of glories; spacious field, And worthy of the Master! He, whose hand With hieroglyphics older than the Nile, Inscribe the mystic tablet hung on high To public gaze and said, adore, 0, man, The finger of thy God ! From what pure wells Of milky light, what soft, o'erflowing urn Are all these lamps so filled ? These friendly lamps, Forever streaming o'er the azure deep, To point our path, and light us to our h me. How soft they slide along their lucid spheres! And, silent as the frost of time, fu'fil Their destin'd courses. Nature's self is hush'd, And but a scatter'd leaf which rustles through The thick foliage, not a sound is heard To break the midnight air, though the rais'd ear, Intensely list'ning, drinks in ev'ry breath. How deep the silence, yet how loud the praise! But are they silent all ? or is there not A tongue in ev'ry star, that talks with man, And woos him to be wise? Nor woos in vain. The dead of midnight is the noon of thought, And wisdom mounts her zenith with the stars. At this still hour, the self collected soul Turns inward, and beholds a stranger there Of high descent, and more than mortal rank, An embryo God ; a spark of fire divine— Which must burn on for ages, when the sun (Fair transitory creature of a day,) Has clos'd his golden eyes, and, wrapt in shades, Forgot his wonted journey through the east." We maintain the position, that in a Universe whose pro¬ portions are as just as they are stupendous ; whose forms are as beautiful as they are "varied ; whose parts, and whose movements harmonize with mathematical precision, there is the utterance of an infallible voice, declaring that God is infinite in wisdom, omnipotent and boundless in goodness. And yet there is another and still higher manifestation, which God has given of himself. It is found in the code of moral laws, enacted for the government of moral agents ; the fundamental principle of which is this, u Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might, and thy neighbor as thyself." It is as ample as it is just, and as holy as ample, securing all the ends of the most perfect government, both as they regard the majesty of the legislator, and the happiness of his subjects. 104 Gabriel^ at the right hand of the eternal, and the meanest slave, are placed alike under its glorious and fearful sanctions. As the physical forms of the universe demonstrate the natural attributes of the Most High, so do the moral laws the perfec¬ tions of his Being. The trembling that seizes the soul of a man, when he is in the act of sinning, and the horrible remorse that follows, reveal the tremendous power of these laws over moral agents, while the deep sweet peace and bounding joy that rushes into the heart when obedience is given to their dictates, demon¬ strate their adaptedness to secure the happiness of every intelligent and sentient creature. The heart of a legislator is always seen in the laws which he enacts ; if he be just, his laws will be just and equitable ; if he be a tyrant, his laws will be unjust and tyrannical. So, also, the just and holy laws we have just been contemplating, demonstrate the character of the heart of that God, whom we love and obey. But can mortal man behold him? The eagle veils his eyes before he gazes upon the unclouded sun. Who, then, can gaze upon the visage of that God, whose shadow illu¬ mines the sun, and covers Himself with light as with a gar¬ ment ? Nevertheless, the pure in heart shall see God. They shall see Him in all His works of nature, providence, and grace. They see Him alike in the minute insect and the huge elephant, in the sagacious mocking bird and the stupid ostrich. They see Him sprinkling the earth with flowers, and gilding the firmament with stars ! They see Him walk¬ ing with Shadrach, Meshach and Ebodnego, in the fiery furnace, and sitting with Daniel in the lion's den. They see Him while a babe in the manger, and a man quelling the raging sea and the howling storm ! They see Him amid the lightnings and thunders of Sinai, and amid the tears, the groans and blood of Calvary ! In 1852 our work had extended in the East so as to induce us to organize another Conference to embrace it. So the New England Annual Conference was organized in June, 1852, by Bishop Payne. In 1855 it had spread so far West and South-West as to compel the organization of the Missouri Annual Conference, which event occurred under the administration of the said Bishop. May, 1856, found our General Conference sitting in Cincin- 105 nati, 0. Its deliberations commenced on Monday morning, the 5th, between nine and ten o'clock. Bishops Quinn, Nazery and Payne presiding. Its debates were never more interesting and exciting, be cause questions dividing the opinions and feelings of the best friends were broached and discussed. Among these were, 1st. The question whether parties who had been divorced either formally or informally could re-marry and remain members of our Church ? - 2d. The question of ministers from other denominations who might desire to unite with us, whether they should be placed under the same principles of probation as those raised up among us ? 3d. The educational question, whether we would co-operate with the Cincinnati Conference of the M. E. Church in es¬ tablishing a system of education for the colored people of the Western States in particular, especially in founding a collegiate institution. This latter, more than any other, divided the views, opin¬ ions and sentiments of the Conference. All felt the need of systematic efforts and measures in behalf of education—this felt need made us one in our desires. But whether we ought to co-operate with our white brethren of the mother Church, divided us. The cause of our division was the well known position of that Church on the question of African Colonization, espe¬ cially the attitude of its chief missionary officer, the Rev. Dr. Durbin, who is Corresponding Secretary of their Mis¬ sionary Society. The leader of those who opposed co-operation with the Cin¬ cinnati Conference, maintained that the proposition to estab¬ lish a collegiate institution for colored people in the West, was a scheme of the Doctor, to ensnare us into measures for our expatriation. That the Colonization Society was anti- republican, anti-Christian, and anti-humane, that he who advocates its principles and measures is an enemy of the col¬ ored race, that Dr. Durbin advocates its principles and its measures, therefore Dr. Durbin is an enemy. It was im¬ possible for him to mean anything generous in behalt ot that race, and therefore the General Conference was in duty bound to oppose any measure which he might suggest, or which had for its ultimatum, the accomplishment of his object- the expatriation of a race from their native land. It was in vain that the friends of co-operation expressed 106 their confidence in the purely benevolent and upright inten¬ tions of the Cincinnati Conference ; in the Christian charac¬ ter of the Agents who represented it—and above all, in the incalculable blessings which must result from the establish¬ ment of an Institution, where a finished education might be obtained by every colored youth, free from insult by word or deed, on the part of its Professors or their fellow-students—and that, in the event of its success, Colored Educators of profound learning and Christian power, would find an ample fie^fl for their talents and acquirements. The hated scheme of African Colonization worked like a charm upon the General Conference, blinding its eyes, con¬ founding its understanding, swaying its judgment—it induced it to decide against the wisest measure for the general improvement and elevation of the race, that ever had been offered by the real friends of the oppressed. Defeated in the General Conference by the injudicious vote of the majority—the minority silently, but firmly re¬ solved to give their personal influence and aid to this wise and beneficent measure of the Cincinnati Annual Conference of the M. E. Church. 4th. The last question which agitated this body—the Gen¬ eral Conference—was the petition of our Mission Conference in Canada West, to be organized into a separate and an Inde¬ pendent Church. After eloquent speeches in favor of, and opposed to the memorial, the prayers of the petitioners were granted, and the General Conference ordered the Mission Churches of the British Province of Canada to be constructed into a separate, and Independent Church. This was effected in October, 1856, at the town of Chat¬ ham, in Canada West. A full account of the debates of the Convention, in which the organization occurred, will be given in the Documentary History of the African M. E. Church. Suffice it here to state, these debates were important and in¬ teresting-—that the question whether the word African should be prefixed to the Church then about to be born, was warmly and fully discussed, and settled by an overwhelming vote in the negative. The reason of this negative vote is based upon the fact that British Statesmen were too wise and good to enact laws based upon the color of a man's skin, and the texture of his hair —that, therefore, all were equals before British law—that in the British temple of Justice men stand or fall, not according to their color, but according to their character—that the 107 British Denominations were like the British State—free from the American abomination—colorphobia—and that in view of these truths, and these facts—the Church about to be organ¬ ized, should not bear a name which could be construed into complexional distinctions before the altars of the living God. The new ecclesiastical, body was, therefore, entitled the " British Methodist Episcopal Church." By election of the people of Canada, i. e., the Canadian Mission Churches of the African M. E. Church-—by decision and arrangement of our General Conference of 1856—and by the voluntary act of Rt. Rev. Willis Nazery, he became the Bishop of the British Methodist Episcopal Church. This year, the most of our Conferences made interesting reports in faror of education. The most valuable are those of the Baltimore, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio, that of Ohio being the most thorough of all—therefore, excelling all. I here give it to the reader, it was prepared by a Committee of. five, viz: Rev. Ed. D. Davis, Rev. Lewis Woodson, Rev. Grafton C. Graham, Rev. Matthew T. Newsome, and Rev. Augustus R. Green. THE OHIO REPORT. TO THE BISHOPS AND CONFERENCE. Your committee, to whom was referred the subject of Ed¬ ucation, beg leave to present the following as our report: Believing, as we do, that a correct education lies as the foundation of the elevation of any people, and is the princi¬ pal lever in the divine arrangement to raise us, as a people, out of that vortex of oppression and degradation into which our enemies have placed, and our ignorance retains us. We would here observe, that just in proportion to an individual's intelligence, is he prepared to resist or calmly submit to the encroachments on his liberty ; and what we say of indi¬ viduals, is strictly true of nations, under similar1 circum¬ stances. Such being our humble opinion of the subject under consideration, it might be asked, in what sense are we to be educated? Morally, religiously, mentally and physi¬ cally. Moral education consists in teaching correct habits of life. Wherever the moral rectitude of a people is bad, whatever their intellectual attainments may be, that people are degraded and despised by the intelligent and upright of their fellow-men ; therefore, the cultivation and practice ot 108 good morals should be inculcated and instilled in tlie mind in childhood, by the parents or guardians. If the mind is educated from infancy to abhor bad conduct, it will carry this abhorrence to a greater or lesser degree all through life. On a religious education we cannot place too high an esti¬ mate, as it is of the most vital importance to all. And here we would remark, that we mean by religious education the religion of the.Lord Jesus Christ, the regeneration of the spirit, the sanctification of the life, and the purifying of the affections. This qualifies for every duty in life. Religious education should always keep pace with the intellectual, in order to a well-balanced mind. Physical education. It has been truly said, that a strong mind in a weak body is inconsistent as a large engine in a small boat, the weight and force of which will break and .sink the vessel ; hence, moral courage and physical strength is necessary for the full development of man. This subject is of the utmost interest to all people, but more especially to ours of the Free States, for we have not only been shut out of the seminaries of learning,, where the immortal mind is developed in its divine proportions, but from the workshop, the farm, and mainly from labor in general ; hence, the physical system, as well as the intellectual powers, have de¬ teriorated. If, therefore, it be true that physical as well as moral culture is necessary for the development of a perfect man, surely we, of all people, stand in need of this develop¬ ment ; hence, while we seek mental training by the direction of inspiration, let us not forget that this same inspiration commends diligence in business. Therefore, it is becoming that we should be careful to develop the physical powers. In order to do this, it is essential to be acquainted with the physical laws of our nature, which may be summed up in the short sentence : Cleanliness, diligence and temperance. Mental and intellectual education. Of this part of the sub¬ ject, from the familiarity of it, it supersedes the necessity of doing more than directing attention to it. A well educated and enlightened mind will so enlarge the structure in which it dwells, that no fetters forged, nor yoke framed, will be able to hold it in oppression and degradation ; but in des¬ pite of all the combined powers of enactments or prejudice, it will rise to the level of its native talent, and from the dark cavity of oppression will stand forth in the image of its great author in the scale of society for which he was de¬ signed. 109 And while these are the convictions of our hearts, permit Us to present some of the errors of a large number of our peo¬ ple, who are daily neglecting this imperative obligation to God, themselves, their offspring, and society in general. First, Ave find, to our regret, that a large number of the children, who should be regular in attendance in day school, by sheer neglect, are left to run the streets, and learn habits that will prove an incubus on their future life. And not only in the day, but in the Holy Sabbath School is this ne¬ glect to be traced. And lamentable is it to say, that thou¬ sands of children, even of professors of Christianity, are,, in¬ stead of being sent to learn of God and Heaven, left free to run at large, and desecrate the day of the Lord, and wander in the paths of vice to ruin and degradation. This we would, with all the earnestness of our souls, urge to be changed. We would beg leave to dissent from the opinion of many of our people, who, as soon as a child comes to the age of twelve or fifteen years, think it the highest interest of both parents and child to take them from school and put them out to work for wages ; thus depriving them of the most im¬ portant period for their improvement. For while we would urge the duty of persons teaching their children to work, it must be observed, that about the age above referred to, the mind is the most susceptible, and the reasoning faculties are just becoming qualified to discern, in a small degree, the benefits accruing from the perseverance in study, and ap¬ preciation of what they may learn. In no period should there be so much exertion made to give the child the advan¬ tage of school as this ; and there is no amount of money that can justly remunerate the intellectual part for this act of the parents to their children. Another fact to which we would beg leave to direct atten¬ tion is, the indifference with which we look upon a child losing a day now, and another again, and thus precious time, in a large degree, is permitted to run to waste. And all of this would be obviated, if parents only duly studied that every hour the child loses from his class, and every lesson his class recites in his absence, in such proportion will he be deficient of the lessons that the regular student will be perfect in. And to this we must attribute much of the complaints we so often hear of our children not improving in our schools. Advantages are opening for educational purposes among us, but we must prepare our minds to avail ourselves of those 110 advantages. And if we cannot adorn our children's bodied with sucb costly attire, let us provide to adorn their minds with that jewel that will elevate, ennoble and rescue the bodies of our long injured race from the shackles of bond¬ age and their minds from trammels of ignorance and vice. We are now at the end of the Fourth Decade. I regret that I am now in Washington City, where I cannot obtain the minutes of our different Conferences for the year 1856, by which I could detail in a tabular view the results of this Decade. The time does not permit me to wait till copies of them can be sent from my library at Wilberforce University. The reader will therefore please accept the following sum¬ mary : a. We had during these last ten years added two more Annual Conferences to our Connection • which indicate the following facts, that b. We had added to our number of Pastors. c. We had increased in numbers. d. We had added to our number of churches. e. We had increased our Circuits. f. We had added to our number of Stations. g. We had therefore increased the salaries of the Pastors. h. We now had one Weekly Paper, published by the Con¬ nection as its authorized Organ. i. We also had a Monthly, edited by a Corps of the best ed¬ ucated men in our Ministry, and entitled the Repository of Religion and Literature—in which can be found the choicest pieces of literature produced in the bosom of the African M. E. Church. I regret that time nor space will allow me to insert specimens here. It is therefore manifest that the Af¬ rican M. E. Church was improving and progressing. The General Conference of 1860 met in May, at the city of Pittsburg. The Presiding Bishops were Quinn, Nazery, and Payne. This body revised and amended the Discipline, and discussed many questions of a moral, religious, and ec¬ clesiastical nature. It was shaken as with an earthquake by questions concerning the right of Bishop Nazery to be a Bishop of two distinct, separate, and independent organiza¬ tions, one in the United States, the other in a foreign pro¬ vince of Great Britain. As any sensible man might have expected, the Conference divided on these questions—one party maintaining his ri°"ht to jurisdiction in both countries, and over both Churches the other more sensible, and with more reason, denying that Ill right—the parties became set in their antagonistic opinions, and consequently became enthusiastic—but leaders on both sides impugned each other's motives, and this made them vi¬ olent. There was danger of a rent in the garment, and con¬ sequently of tearing through and through, but the love of the Connection, and the spirit of Jesus saved us. Bishop Nazery was requested to resign his jurisdiction in Canada. This he consented to do, and the equilibrium was restored to the ship lashed by the waves, and shaken by the storm. The office of General Book Steward and Editor was by de¬ cree of this Conference forever separated, so that we might thenceforward be blessed with a General Book Steward to attend to the publication of our books and papers, and conse¬ quently to be our financier, and an Editor to lead a corps of assistant editors. By which, we meant that the Editor should be the writer of our editorials, and make up the paper, by his own selections, giving it such originality of form and color as Would make it really the paper of the African M. E. Church, and impress the public with a sense of our ability to conduct a weekly journal, by thinking our thoughts, speaking our own words and making our own selections. Showing, at a glance, that colored men in the bosom of a hated, persecuted, and misrepresented Church, can use both thq pen and the scissors —in this desire and in this decree, they were doomed to be disappointed for six years. These regulations in the literary department of our Church were made under the conviction, that the office of General Book Steward conferred honor enough upon one man, and laid burdens enough upon one man's shoulders—and that no one man, howsoever talented and learned, could produce such a paper as the enlightenment and wants of the age demand. But the Book Committee, or Trustees at Philadelphia, dis¬ regarding the decree of the General Conference, imposed the duties and obligations, both of the General Book Steward and the Editor, upon one man. The four years of 1860, '61, '62,' and '63 passed away in bitterness, controversy and alienation. These grew out of the double-episcopate of Bishop Nazery, as poison flows from the Upas tree. In 1864, a majority of the ministry who loved Ccesar much, but Rome more, went to the General Con¬ ference determined for the good of all to put an end to this state of things. They resolved that the venerable Bishop should be Bishop of the British M. E. Church only, or 112 a Bishop of the African M. E. Church only. The Bishop chose the former, and this put an end to these troubles. This choice, and departure of Bishop Nazery, reduced the Episcopal Bench to two occupants, wherefore it was deemed proper to fill his place with another ; and the demand for Episcopal labors, resulting from the. overthrow of the Great Iniquity, made it necessary to add more brain and muscle to the Episcopal force, so General Conference resolved to have four Bishops. Rev. A. W. Wayman and Rev. J. P. Camp¬ bell were chosen, and consecrated Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church on the 23d of May, 1864. The cause of Missions were well considered, and the con¬ stitution of the Parent Home and Foreign 'Missionary Society remodeled. New officers were elected, and that ship launched again upon the seas. The Book-Concern was again overhauled, and General Conference, with a purpose as fixed as Destiny, determined to sever forever the office of the General Book Steward, from that of the Editor. This was done in unmistakable language. In accordance with which, that authoratative body elected the General Book Steward, and authorized the Book-Committee, known in the charter by the title of Trustees, to elect the Editor ; but, as in I860, so in 1864, they again imposed both offices upon one man. The sen¬ sations produced throughout the itinerant ranks, to ere those of chagrin and indignation. But brethren kept their peace for Zion's sake. The cause of education was more thoroughly considered than ever before. The charter of Wilberforce University was examined and approved as a Connectional Institution. The requests of the Trustees, expressed in a memorial to General Conference, that D. A. Payne be allowed to act as the President of the University, and be permitted to visit England for the purpose of advocating its claims in the presence of the English people, were granted—his assistant to be Rev. James Lynch. It is now proper to give a brief history of this Institution of Learning. The Cincinnati Annual Conference'of the Methodist Epis¬ copal Church had, as early as 1854, considered the intel¬ lectual wants of the colored people, and in 1855, appointed Rev. Mansfield French and Rev. John F. Wright, agents to execute their plan. These gentlemen, with others, pur¬ chased a beautiful property in the county of Greene, town- 113 ship of Xenia, and State of Ohio, for their School. It had been a watering-place, and therefore was elegantly built, and located in a romantic spot in the centre of fifty-two acres of heavily timbered land, traversed by a ravine grooved out by nature like a gutter for draining the undu¬ lating hills, in which are continually bubbling up healthy mineral springs. The purchase money was $12,500. The buildings were consecrated to the work of Mathematical and Classical Train¬ ing, under Christian influences, and for Christian ends, by Eev. Edward Thompson, D. D., LL. D., then President of the Ohio Wesleyan University, now one of the Bishops of the M. E. Church. This was in October, 1856, The School was immediately opened, and was in successful operation till June, 1862, when the pressure of the Civil War in¬ duced the Trustees to suspend operations for twelve months. But before the expiration of that time, it was deemed expe¬ dient to abandon their enterprise and to sell the property, which was offered to the African M. E. Church for $10,000, which sum was a debt then standing against it. The writer had moved his family into one of the cottages attached to the School as early as the third of July, 1856, for the twofold purpose of educating his own. children there, and of aiding in the establishment of the Institution, he being one of the original Trustees. Believing that he would be sustained by the united wisdom, piety, and confi¬ dence of the Connection, he accepted the proposals of the officers of the Cincinnati Conference, and bade off the property in the name of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, to be used by this body of Christians for the benefit of the race, and not for theirs only, but also for every race that may desire to enjoy the advantages of the Institution. The purchase was made on the 10th of March, 1863, and the first installment made on the 10th of June following. Within two years from the first payment, we had raised, chiefly among the members of the African M. E. Church, over the sum of seven thousand dollars—-had improved the property to the amount of about one thousand—and reduced the original debt to about three thousand. In the first week of July, 1863, the school was reopened, under> the management of Professor John Gr. Mitchell, a graduate of Oberlin College. Subsequently Miss Esther T. Maltbie, also a graduate of Oberlin, was made principal of the Female Department. The school continued in existence for 8 114 nearly two years, increasing each year in numbers and use¬ fulness, till April, 1865. Then the corps of teachers ran up in all to five, with one assistant, i. e., to say, two Professors of the Classics and Mathematics, one of Music, one of Christian Theology, and two in charge of the Primary Department, The school was securing the confidence and gaining the aifections of our people and their best friends, when incen¬ diary hands laid the college buildings in ashes. The Presi¬ dent of the University and Professor Mitchell, Principal of the Male Department, were both absent on imperative duty, and the burden of both departments were resting upon the head and heart of that eminent educatress, Miss Esther T. Maltbie, a lady remarkable for depth of piety, elegance of scholarship, ability to control the young, and the rare faculty of leading her pupils from the Castalian fountain to the sum¬ mit of Calvary. Thanks to heaven, that nine cottages belonging to the University were, providentially, preserved. Two of these have been thrown into one, and the school for the present conducted in it. In our last letter from the Secretary, there were forty students in attendance. The teacher in charge is a young man, and undergraduate of the University. Of the forty students, five are preparing for the ministry. We have need of six hundred thousand bricks for rebuild¬ ing—one hundred and sixty thousand of these have been already burnt on our own premises—the stone for the founda¬ tion have been hauled and are lying on the spot; we now need nothing but $30,000 to rebuild, and $100,000 to endow the Institution, in order that it may be under a learned, pious and able faculty, with the Divine favor a blessing to mankind. During the year 1865, our Connection made large con¬ quests for God and man. The new Conference on the shores of the Pacific, was organized by Bishop J. P. Camp¬ bell, in April, called the California Conference; a second was organized on the Atlantic board, by Bishop Payne, in May, called the South Carolina Conference, and a third in October, in the valley of the Mississippi, by Bishop Camp¬ bell, called the Louisiana Conference, so our Church is now represented by missionaries among the Freedmen in every one of the Southern States, and is destined, we trust, to play no very mean part in the great work of leading the Freedmen, as captives to the Conquering Son of God—Him¬ self an offspring, as He is the Saviour of emancipated slaves. 115 We are now in the Spring of 1866. Our semi-centehary is at hand—thirty-three more days will complete our Fifth Decade. Standing at the centre of our first century, let us look backwards, and see what territories we have traversed —what cities we have conquered—what " prisoners of hope" we have taken, and what trophies we have hung upon the Cross, ^ We shall do this, first, by a comparison of the learning or literature of the African M. E. Church, with fifty years ago. So we proceed to present to the reader some specimens of our literature of the Fifth Decade. LITERATURE OF THE TENTH DECADE. Salutatory—February 2, 1861. BY REV. ELISHA WEAVER, EDITOR OF THE RECORDER. Christian Recorder, long, long hast thou been silent. Where, where hast thou been ? Many a look has been for thee among thy friends and among thy foes. All hopes to see thee again has long since been despaired of. To the wel¬ come disappointment of thousands, thou art again on thy circuit—and to the great astonishment of all, thou.hast since thy long delay, grown twice—yea, more than thrice, longer than thou wast, when thou ceased to visit thy friends. We greet thee with joy ! Oh ! how much hast thou been missed —East, West, North and South ; we say welcome, thrice wel¬ come among thy friends—and even thy foes will make thee so. Christian Recorder of the African M. E. Church, again we greet thee, for thou hast unfurled thy broad-spread ban¬ ner to the breezes of the four winds. May heaven speed thee on thy journey. Though difficulties await thee, be faithful, and thou shalt be sustained. Many have predicted (and will predict) thy fate, and find fault with thy existence. We hope that none of thy friends will predict an evil fate to thee. We say to thee, then, speed, speed thy wings, and may est thou soar around, or above all that would retard, or clip them. Thy columns ! may they be filled with fountains of treasures, adapted to the wants of all—the poor, as well as the rich ; the uncultivated mind, as well as the cultivated. 116 Thou sayest that thou wilt discuss religion in all of its varied forms and relations of man to his Creator ; didactics, as well as polemics ; mental, moral science and religion ; all of which are useful to mankind. If this is the course thou wilt pursue, we see no reason why thou wilt not he an intimate companion of all mankind. We bid thee go, then, into the cities, towns, villages, and to the farmer—yes, the hedges and the highways, and form acquaintance with all. Thou wilt meet with many SanbaUats and Tobiah-s, as did the Prophet Nehemiah ; hut hid them defiance in God's name, and prosecute thy journey that the good work may cease not. Again, we say, messenger, fly ! fly ! to the fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, and the widows and the or¬ phans—pass them not by ; but cheer their hearts and hid them seek Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Speak in gentle tones to the dejected hearts ! Cheer, thou sweet messenger, that lovely young lady, who has had no chance for improve¬ ment in her young days, whose latent talents are lying dormant. Again, we say to thee, Becorder, go and spread light and truth among our poor and scattered people, and dispel igno¬ rance of every kind—-encourage the herals of the cross of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Be thou the friend of the poor itinerant preacher ; cheer his heart when breast¬ ing seas of persecution and opposition. Thou wilt meet with many a false, deceitful professor, but shrink not, for if God is for thee, who can be against thee ? The Saviour met with opposition, and all good enterprises will meet with the same. This thou must look for. But may there be an abundant argument, potent enough to crush out of existence, all the big monsters that may maliciously and violently attack thee. Again, we say, go, and the truth proclaim to those who are yet in darkness, as well as to those who profess to have the light. Go East, go West, go North, go South, and spread the glorious tidings as thou journeyest on thy good mission. Once more, thou must not forget to keep before the minds of mothers their duty to train their children in the right wayj and when they become old, they will not depart there¬ from ; and fathers to encourage prayer in their families, and to inculcate the importance of a good domestic edu¬ cation. Young men and ladies, show submission to your parents, and study to be useful in any sphere of life in which you may be called upon to act your part. 117 And now, may tlie smile of Heaven beam down with, un¬ common refulgence upon thy efforts to do good—and may a long and useful life be thy portion for generation after generation. AFRICAN M. E. PREACHERS' ASSOCIATION. BY REV. W. D. W. SCHUREMAN. Brother Weaver:—You have requested me to write an article lor your paper ; it may not be amiss for me to pen a few thoughts concerning the organization, the object and the order of exercises of the African M. E. Preachers' Asso¬ ciation : 1. The proper thinking part of the ministry of the Phila¬ delphia District, have seen, for a long time, the necessity of an organization of this kind. While our highly esteemed brother J. P. Campbell, was in our city as General Book Steward, he, with others, attempted to meet weekly to carry out that which is now our constitutional design. Sir, I am pleased to know that, according to your proposal, we were organized last August ; ever since, we have been meeting in Bethel Church, on Tuesday mornings, at 9 o'clock, A. M. 2. The object is to correct our errors, whether they be historical, Biblical, logical or grammatical, and thus to possess minds of proper culture, making us adequate to the task of an Evangelist, so that we may properly indoctrinate the intellect of our poor people. 3. The exercises: chairman appointed, scribe elected, sing¬ ing and prayer, the roll called, which is alphabetically arranged, each minister, on the announcement of his name, makes a statement of the last week's ministerial labor—his text and manner of treatment, his entire statement is then open to criticism. At each meeting a Theological or Disci¬ pline question is discussed, and among many proposed, one is selected for discussion at the ensuing meeting. Some questions are very simple, but like many things that we generally admitted, they are hard to prove ; some are so mysterious that their proposers can scarcely give a definition. We are certainly about a good work, the minister who is not capable of conviction upon the great subject of prepara¬ tion for the ministry, may be a minister of the Gospel, but not a Gospel minister. I hope our brethren may form them- 118 selves into such associations throughout our beloved Connec¬ tion, for the above mentioned object. I am your brother for God3 and suffering humanity. FAIT PI AND HOPE. BY MR. ISAIAH C. WEAR. Mr. Editor:—An article in the Recorder of January 19th, entitled "The Nature of the Christian's Hope," has attracted my attention, and I must say puzzled my calculations on the subject, by mental operations. The writer endeavors to per¬ suade us that hope stands in relation to faith, as antecedent and subsequent, and that hope relates to matters about which we know nothing with regard to the laws which govern them. With reference to the first of these two (as we think) errors, we think it safe to say, that faith must always be first in the order of time in every operation of the mind. Faith is the Alpha, or substratum upon which all mental states are based—the root out of which all other mental operations grow, whether they be of an emotional, devotional or philo¬ sophical character. All men have faith alike, both with re¬ gard to quality and quantity, which may be readily seen by recognizing the fact, that every voluntary act of man is the result of faith. Any other basis than this must lead to con¬ flicting and confounding conclusions. We cannot consent to the statement that any two states of the mind, so important in the maintainance of Christian standing and character, as faith and hope, should of necessity have to be searched for through a labyrinth of metaphysical abstractions. Much which the writer says of hope is true, but when he says that u hope is strengthened into faith," it is more than the case will bear. Faith is never the offspring of hope, any more than cause' is the offspring of its effects. The contrary is the truth, that wherever hope exists, it must always be the result of the faith that precedes it. Faith, therefore, may exist with¬ out hope ; but hope cannot exist without faith. Hope is a compound of expectation and desire, and being couples, its nature depending upon the conjunction of these compound particles for its existence, it can never, in the nature of logical necessity, become tributary to its source. 119 The writer, in order to amplyfy his elucidation of the subject, proceeds to quote passages of Scripture ; and we are disposed to believe, that if he had finished out the passage, u We hope for that we see not," he would have found patience was therein taught to be a foundation of hope ; and appealing to our own experience, we know that a man can have no patience where he has no faith. It were well that the reader should be informed that Mr. Wear is not criticizing what he conceives to be error of a minister of the African M. E. Church, by a white clergy¬ man, the Rev. Gr. W. Sampson, D. D. THOUGHTS ON MARRIAGE. BY REV. W. D. W. SCHUREMAN. Mr. Editor:—I propose writing a few practical thoughts on the above-mentioned subject. Marriage is the union of sexes under matrimonial obligations. It is the proper mode to carry out a Divine mandate. How few understand the great and important object of matrimony. Some think it is to unite with a pretty or handsome person, or to satisfy a native desire,—to accumulate riches—to show our independence, and thereby spite others—to have a home—to have a cover—to appear like others. But alas ! alas ! beauty fades, the corporeal falls, riches fly. They have done spite to themselves. Their place of abode is a home without comfort, and their cover entirely too short to answer the intended purpose ; and, like others of the same class, they are miserable beyond re¬ demption. Should they continue together, they are hindered for life. Should they part, they open a door to a multipli¬ city of vice, and thus the miseries of life flow like a fiver. From the varied cases that have come under my notice, it is •my opinion a mis-step in marriage is one of the greatest curses known to domestic life, or the public community. Oh, how many fair one's hearts are broken ! How many able men are driven to ruin on account of this mis-step! How many? Echo says, how many ! Who' can reckon the sorrows ! who can fathom the gulf into which these mis¬ taken souls are fallen ? None but an invisible eye can trace the ramifications of 120 misery—an ear that ever hears the cries and groans emitted. He, whose indignation shall fathom the gulf, and whose judgment will measure the wickedness and foolishness in this direction of his creature, man, can sum up the horrors, the woe of the human family growing out of this mis-step in life. Oh, that I could give an alarm that would resound from hill-top to hill-top, from mountain to mountain, from the valleys to the plains, from earth to heaven, until heaven would throw back the muttering sound upon the waters, and the waters cry to the children of men, Caution! Caution ! Caution ! The object of matrimony is to glorify God. Under its varied facilities to serve Him with our body and spirit, which are His; thus preparing ourselves for usefulness here, and heaven hereafter. To train up our children in the way they should go, that when they become old they may not depart from it. But, 0, the time, the experience, the patience, the wis¬ dom that is to be brought to bear in the selection of a proper person to work out the above-mentioned object! Remember, the disposition of the person selected, cannot fail to fix your destiny. Dear Reader, I hope the honesty and truthfulness of these practical thoughts may serve to direct your footsteps ; and, if so, I am amply rewarded for my feeble effort. Yours, for the amelioration of mankind, and the evangel¬ ization of the world. The Rev. Anthony L. Sturford wa^ editor of the Christian Recorder from July 13th to December 21st, 1861. We let the reader see one of his editorials. Its caption is AFFLICTION. There has been a period in the world's history when there was nothing to disturb the peace and happiness of man. When he was an inhabitant of Eden, he was not disturbed by the appearance of angry clouds; his path was not inter¬ mingled with briars and thorns. Among all the happy creatures of earth, the beasts, creeping things, flying fowl, and finny tribes, not a passing sound was heard, nor a dis¬ cordant act seen. But Satan, that vile seducer, made his way to the peace¬ ful bowers of Paradise, and tempted onr first parents t 121 transgress the law of their Maker, thereby bringing sin into the world, with all its attendant evils. Since the fall, it has been the lot of all men to be visited with sorrow. As the sparks are liable to ascend from the flame, or the stream to descend from the fountain, so man is born to trouble. There is a time to mourn marked out in every man's life ; and when that time comes, the fainting spirit can find but little consolation, among the miserable comforters of earth. This distressful period in man's life, is called a period of affliction. * Affliction is a title given to that which causes pain. Calamity, or distress of any kind, mental or physical, spiritual or bodily suffering, is included in the general affliction. The storms of affliction are often severe, their waters are bitter. Heavy are the storms which agitate the natural world, that are often the source of our bodily afflictions. The lightnings flash, the thunders roar, the whirlwind rushes on, and both man and beast are required to seek shelter from the tumult of nature's elements. But far greater are the storms which agitate the moral world, from which arise our mental afflictions. No man lives, no man ever lived a stranger to them. These storms often carry away every¬ thing earthly that we value. The venerable old patriarch, Job, felt their stroke when one messenger, another after another, came and told him, "The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them, and the Subeans fell upon them, and took them away ; yea, and they have slain thy servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell tliee." "The fire of God is fallen from heaven and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and con¬ sumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee." " The Chaldeans made out thrice bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away ; yea, and slain thy servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee." These storms often come upon the Christian, not only by taking away his substance, but often in the form of family bereavement. Our friends are taken from us by death, the funeral procession is formed, and in the midst of bleeding and aching hearts, their remains are deposited in the silent tomb. Job felt these storms, when a fourth messenger came and told him, 11 Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking in their eldest brother's house, and behold there came a great wind from the wilder¬ ness and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon 122 the young men, and they are dead ; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee." Were we to contemplate the condition of our country at this moment, and whether we look to its civil or ecclesiastical interests, we should at once see, that it is terribly shaken by storms of affliction. In the midst ot the present crisis, he looks forward to a world somewhere in the distance where there is an uninterrupted and eternal tranquility. He regards that world as a refuge, which no storm that arise either on earth or in hell can ever reach. When we look over the condition of mankind, (I mean in the present world,) we find that while affection is the com¬ mon lot of all men, yet it is unequally distributed among them. Some suffer more, others less. Some become a prey for the wasting pestilence or deadly famine; others are afflicted- mental ly, and suffer from a distraction of mind ; some are cut off by a stroke as suddenly as the lightnings' flash, with but little suffering ; others are visited by a long lingering disease, which brings them down, step by step, to the house appointed for all living. Some suffer under the iron heel of oppression, and others from the horrors of war. To what cause are we to distribute this prevalence and unequal dis¬ tribution of affliction ? How far should it qffect our confi¬ dence in God ? These are questions of great importance and interest to a reflecting mind. I could not do justice to such weighty questions in this article. Yet, my anxiety is great, that my fellow men should have a proper view of affliction in all its bearings. I believe that there are many who understand the uses of affliction, by whom, and for what cause it is sent, and what should be extent of our confidence in Grod, yet fearing there are others who are blind to these things, has induced me to commence this article. And for the same reason I shall, by Divine permission, deliver a course of sermons on this great subject, in Little Wesley Church, Hurst Street, Philadelphia. I shall also avail myself of the opportunity to give our readers of the Christian Recorder, a brief synopsis of each sermon in its course. If the Great Head of the Church will permit us, the first sermon will be delivered on Sunday, the 28th inst., at 10 o'clock, A. M. Subject—"The Chastening Rod in the Lord's Hand." 123 THE A. M. E. CHURCH BOOK CONCERN. BY MR. ABRAM FIELDS. Mr. Editor:—The publication department of the Church, the most useful and perhaps the most reliable for the diffu¬ sion of knowledge, is of all departments the most neglected. True, there are a few among the ministry and laity, who speak and write, so far as their communication will admit, for the general good ; but the Church generally is silent, both in word and in deed, and the true source of information to ourselves and the world around us, is almost entirely cut off—the book store. Retailing useful books and stationery, in the midst of a large community, is a source of local good, with which it would not be wise to dispense. It is slowly and silently, by the force of influence, educating the com¬ munity, that there is an African M. E. Church—which, by the way, is not so extensively known as some would seem to think, and especially where this information is the most needed. This truth is demonstrated wherever the paper finds its way ; it is hailed with the exclamation that we never heard before of such a Church ! The store is a source of con¬ venience as well as of usefulness, and is a standing evidence that the colored people are doing something for the diffusion of knowledge, and the advancement of morality and religion. The paper is a silent, but most efficient missionary, operat¬ ing in an enlarged field of usefulness, carrying forward all the information the store gives socially, and the increased knowl¬ edge of the extent of the organization and its influences. Such means of communication ought not to be dispensed with, or suffer to fall into disuse for the want of united sup¬ port—and, especially, when it is shown that such unity will keep them in operation. The paper goes where the colored preacher and teacher is seldom, if ever heard of, much less suffered to speak, and seems to obtrusively answer every word spoken for or against the colored man. The writer has personal knowledge of the paper, having found way into the parlor among a large circle of ladies and gentlemen, and became the subject of conversation and commendation. I know, also, of one circumstance, where a lady affirmed to a company of friends, she liked to read that paper (the Chris¬ tian Recorder) better than any religious paper she had seen. We have the means of giving the paper an extensive cir¬ culation, and being the means of doing much good. A large 124 number of our subscribers live at service, and the paper in¬ variably falls into the hands of, and is read by members of the family. Thus the Recorder is introduced—and there are instances, where it is weekly asked for, and read ; thus the subscriber is unconsciously a missionary of good, bearing the tidings into every family, all of which the colored people are doing for their regeneration. The paper is silently doing the work of enlightening the community, and of drawing attention to the African M. E. Church and its usefulness. I know of instances, where families not only inquire for the paper, but urge a renewal of the subscription, and pay for the subscriber. How many similar cases there may be I know not; but the position gained in the respect of the com¬ munity, ought to be maintained. Can the Church afford to throw away these most efficient means of information ? I think not. When its ministry clamor about the promotion and extension of the Grospel, and neglect these most impor¬ tant means then, the question may be reasonably discussed, as to whether it would be more economical to keep our Churches open or close them. As to the ability of the Church to keep these means of in¬ formation in successful operation, no one can doubt. If we were to credit the returns of membership made to the several Annual Conferences, it is shown that we have a membership of over forty thousand. Out of that number, we ought to have at least twenty thousand, who could afford to subscribe and pay for a weekly paper ; but I am sure that less than ten thousand will insure the successful publication of the paper, and give a profit for other purposes. It has already been published one year, with less than one thousand sub¬ scribers ; and I question whether it has sunk the Book Con¬ cern three hundred dollars. If not, it shows how little effort it takes to keep alive the vital principles of progress. I question, though, whether the counting'*of dollars and cents is to be considered with the amount of good done in the ex¬ tension of the Redeemer's kingdom. I am not aware how the subscription list of the Recorder compares in other locations, but in this city, those that do not belong to our Church, are in the majority. Whose fault is that? The Church, independent of subscriptions, could give annually to the Book Concern, a very handsome amount for publication purposes, without making any special effort. By the published minutes of the several Annual Conferences, the following items are obtained : 125 APPOINTMENTS. Philadelphia 19 Baltimore. 23 New York • 17 New England 8 Ohio 24 Indiana 22 Missouri 7 Total., 120 Leaving out the California Conference work entirely. Now could not each of these appointments give an annual collection to the Book Concern of ten dollars ? If so, inde¬ pendent of everything else, we have a revenue from that source of twelve hundred dollars ($1,200) per annum. Taking this, in connection with the other fact, that the paper is published one year, with a sinking of less than three hun¬ dred dollars, and a subscription list of less than one thousand, and that we have the insured publication of a weekly paper, with evidences of doing more good than all the sermons de¬ livered in all the appointments together in the same length of time ; and to those who will count dollars instead of good, a surplus of at least six hundred dollars per annum. Can any Christian man hesitate to be instrumental in bring¬ ing about such a result, and, as I think, so easily reached ? I think not. Any appointment that cannot give ten dollars per annum to the general Church, to promote the cause of Christi¬ anity, ought not to be encumbered ivitli the support of a preacher; and any preacher that will not direct his Church, beyond its own immediate limits, ought not to be encumbered with an appoint¬ ment—for he genders a selfish Christianity, and defeats the mission of the Gospel. Let the Bishops resolve that this department of the Church shall receive attention from the preachers, and we shall soon have a creditable Book Department. Set apart days in each appointment, when discourses shall be delivered, and collec¬ tions taken in aid of the Concern. A preacher would hardly disobey the mandate of a Bishop, if he would disregard the request of the Book Steward. This communication of brother Fields deserves to be read, and re-read by all our Bishops and preachers, because it furnishes many valuable suggestions, and moreover, because it shows how valuable is an intelligent and considerate Laity. Would to God we had fifty thousand such among 126 our laymen ! One of his most important passages I have put in Italics. I hope it may fasten the attention of the members of onr Church, and make them act accordingly. REFLECTIONS. BY EEV. J. LYNCH. Honor and worth from no condition rise, Act well your part, there all the honor lies. 'Tis a strange world which we live in, but 'twill mend just as fast as we operate upon it, and just as we operate on it. Life, the longest—is but short; its fleeting moments are precious, because so few. Yet, how small are the num¬ ber that realize its shortness, and that it is swiftly passing away. If a squad of infantry attack a battery, and have but fifty pounds of ammunition, the great question would be, how best to use it ? to use to the best advantage that, which, if once lost, cannot again be obtained, is the aim of every reflecting individual. The most important of all questions, then, is, how can I use my life to the best advan¬ tage? For what purpose do I live ? How shall we answer the question ? Where shall we, find the answer ? If we turn to the world, the answer will be—we live for ourselves. "Every man fur himself, and the captain of the dark regions take the hindmost." I mean by the answer from the world, the general example set by the world. The world will tell us to seek the gratification of our heart's desires, be they good or bad ; minister to the demands of passion, and thus satiate ourselves with the things of time. The world says to you, if, in the main, you love freedom from care and responsibility, then enjoy ease and comfort, and the ostentatious display of attire—live to eat—to laugh and grow fat. If you desire wealth, it says, get it—no matter how. Hold on to the gold with a grasp that cannot be broken ; deprive yourself—deny those dependent upon y~u for the necessities of life ; commit any dishonesty that will not send you to the State-Prison ; make the promise to the ear, and break it to the hope; steel the heart to the wants and miseries of mankind ; oppress the poor ; regard not the helplessness of the orphan; the bereavement, sad and distressing, of the widow. G-et your wealth. It says, 127 if you in the main desire fame—get it. No matter how— get it, whether by intrigue or by merit. We might extend the world's answer to this question a great deal farther, but time will not permit. It is enough to say, that the world's answer is false, because the world is false. Wickedness, indeed, hath made it a vast moral desert, and the good that is in it, is but as the oasis here and there that cheer the traveler on the sandy waste. Thank Grod ! The oasis are increasing, widening, and growing more beautiful. But turn to nature—turn to nature. Oh, nature ! thou mighty oracle I thou clearest of all types of thy Maker's will, how precious is thy testimony ! To thee do we appeal for an answer. She gives it in the shining gems which deck the brow of night. She gives it in the limpid stream that winds a silver thread around the rugged mount. Yes ; as her objects are ten thousand times ten thousand, so, she, ten thousand times ten thousand answers give—and each answer speaks thus: "We should live not for ourselves, but for our God, and our fellows." The sun, while it darts its shining rays into the darkest corners, and while there is no place where light is not, seems to address the world. Did it not occur to us that the sun speaks in language as potent as its radiant beams are resplendent? The earth is wrapped in the dark mantle of night, and the sun, in the morning, seems to awake to lift this covering. How, as he breaks from the confines of the Eastern horizon, does he seem to struggle. The hills seem to interpose obstacles ; the clouds seem to obstruct. To a stranger upon terraJirma, the issue would seem doubtful. Yet, slowly and steadily, does he progress—his rays growing stronger and stronger—> his velocity unabating 1 Oh, what an emblem of patience, strength, and charity is here ; for he gilds with a golden tongue the darkest obstructions that intrude upon his course. As the sun comes forth into the world, every true man comes forth on the world's stage to play a part. Every man should be a sun to light a world. That world is his particular sphere of life. He comes forward, then, under difficulties ; his little world is all dark—but, realiz¬ ing that it is his duty to light it up, he shines, let what may come. Difficulties may arise, and say, "Stay behind my horizon in obscurity." He heeds them not, but rises in his sublimity higher and higher in altitude, dispensing, with more and more power, the blessings which form his existence. Clouds may drift across his pathway—obscure 128 him from sight—he still shines. Yes, shines till he sets behind the hills that overlook Jordan's stormy hanks, and, then, in mellowed splendor, hurls his expiring rays to give their golden tint to every obstruction. John Brown, of Harper's Ferry renown, was a sun. His sphere was an effort to free the unfortunate descendants of Africans. Under what difficulties did his light break forth., and what, or who, could keep it from shining ? Though captured, wounded, brutally treated, incarcerated and mur¬ dered, still, his holy principle, which made him a sun, burned on ; and all the clouds of infamy which arose from the corrupt moral atmosphere of America, heated with the breath of torment, could not put out the light of his sun— though they might obscure it. He was one of the mortal few whose light must shine in the world until the death- knell of time is tolled, and the light of all these suns are swallowed up in the light and glory of God. The true man, and true woman, whose light is rendered luminous by the burning of moral principle within, has indeed attained a height, when, like the sun, they need really fear nothing. It doth not seem that perfection is necessary to this great moral effulgence, for, on the sun's disk, there are spots. Nor does it depend upon circumstances ; for circumstances seem oftentimes to combine with power, and say, " Oh, sun, thou shalt not shine !" Oh ! that we could learn of nature, and then we would know how to " act well our part." The blushing rose-bud, wet with dew, as though it had been weeping for the absence of the sun in early morn, lifts its head to greet his rising. The sun smiles upon it. The dismal swamp, that seems to rejoice in the blackness of night, for there it is that the birds that dwell in it sing, seems to frown and turn away from the rising sun. Yet, he smiles upon it, and carries off its miasma. The birds leave their caroling, folds their little wings to rest, as the earth puts on the habiliments of noctur¬ nal darkness, but break forth in Church anthems, when the king of day comes forth ; the sun smiles upon them. How excellent is he, that, regardless of the condition, or, disposi¬ tion of his fellow, can add to his comfort, his improvement, or his happiness. Too many men follow the tide, women do so too. We often have to row against wind and tide (though men are not very free to admit that women should ever row against the tide of their will.) The " what will people think?" has too much 129 to do with 6ur action. It paralyzes exertions, stiffens noble promptings, destroys manhood, and makes one the tool of the next dexterous hand stretched out after them. Let us, then, not be aimless ; let us fix our stakes ; let us choose our parts ; and then cry out: " Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish." I will strive to obtain-a certain ob¬ ject in life, and let action be continued, and unceasing. I have always found, that the more a man complains about the circumstances that surround him, the difficulties and trials that beset his pathway, the more evidence does he give of his inadequacy to the great battle of life, and that he is not " up, and doing with a heart for any fate." Why there is nothing that can transpire in our lives, that we may not turn to our own account. If, indeed, we are im¬ pressed by the magical power of the word, onward, and have started in the right direction, as God's three great finger¬ boards point o-ut, any one might as well try to stop us, as to stop the onward roll of the rain—bow-crowned Niagara, or put out the fires of burning Vesuvius. TO THE COLORED PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. BY ONE OF THE BISHOPS OF THE A. M. E. C. Men, Brethren, Sisters:—A crisis is upon us, which no one can enable us to meet, conquer, and convert into blessings for all concerned, but that God who builds up one nation, and breaks down another. For more than one generation, associations of white men, entitled Colonization Societies, have been engaged in plans and efforts for our expatriation. These have been met, sometimes by denunciations, sometimes by ridicule, often by arguments ; but now the American Government has assumed the work, and responsibility of colonizing us in some foreign land, within the torrid zone, and is now maturing measures to consummate this scheme of expatriation. But, let us nev¬ er forget that there is a vast difference between voluntary as¬ sociations of men, and the legally constituted authorities of a country \ while the former may be held in utter contempt, the latter must always be respected. To do so, is a mDral and religious, as well as a political duty. The opinions of the Government are based upon the idea, 9 130 that white men and colored men cannot live together as equals in the same country ; and, that, unless a voluntary and peace¬ able separation is effected noiv, the time must come, when there will be a war af extermination between the two raxes. Now in view of these opinions and purposes of the Gov¬ ernment, what shall we do ? My humble advice, before all, and first of all, even before we say yea or nay, let us seek counsel from the mouth of God. Let every heart be humbled and every knee bent in prayer before Him. Throughout all this land of our captiv¬ ity, in all this house of our bondage, let our cries ascend perpetually to Heaven for aid and direction. To your knees, I say, 0, ye oppressed and enslaved ones of this Christian Republic, to your knees, and be there ! Be¬ fore the Throne of God, if no where else, the black man can meet his white brethren as equals, and be heard. It lias been said that " He is the God of the white man, and not of the blacks.'' This is horrible blasphemy ; a lie from the pit that is bottomless. Believe it not ; no, never! Murmur not against the Lord on account of the cruelty and injustice of man. His Almighty arm is already stretched out against Slavery ; against every Constitution, and against every Union that upholds it. His avenging chariot is now moving over the bloody fields of the doomed South, crush¬ ing beneath its massive wheels £he very foundations of the blasphemous system. Soon Slavery shall sink, like Pha¬ raoh ; even like that brazen-hearted tyrant, it shall sink to rise no more forever. Hasten ye, then, 0, hasten to your God. Pour the sor¬ rows of your crushed and bleeding hearts into his sympa¬ thizing bosom. It is true, that " on the side of the op¬ pressor, there is power ; " the power of the purse, and the power of the sword. That is terrible ! But listen to what is still more terrible! On the side of the oppressed, there is the strong arm of the Lord, the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Before his redeeming power, the two contending armies, hostile to each other, and hostile to you, are like chaff before the whirlwind. Fear not —but believe. He who is for you is greater than they who are against you. Trust in Him ; hang upon His arm. Go, hide you beneath the shadow of His wings. 0, God ! Jehovah ! Jireh ! wilt thou not hear us? We are poor, helpless, unarmed, despised. Is it not time for Thee to hear the cry of the needy? to judge the poor of the 131 people? to break in pieces the oppressor? Be, 0, be unto us what thou wast unto Israel in the land of Egypt—our Counsellor and Guide—our Shield and Buckler—our Great Deliverer—our pillar of cloud by day—our pillar of fire by night ! ' Stand between us and our enemies, 0, Thou Angel of the Lord ! Be unto us a shining light; to our enemies, confu¬ sion, and impenetrable darkness. Stand between us till this lied Sea be crossed, and thy redeemed, now sighing— bleeding—weeping—shall shout and sing for joy the bold anthem of the free. We could furnish the reader with many other excellent articles from the Becorder, but neither the limits of this work, nor the time assigned for its appearance, will permit any more for 1862. We therefore proceed to give two specimens of 1863. LIFE OF ST. CYPBIAN. by rev. b. t. turner. Chapter I. Carthage.—His Birth-City. Tunis, one of the most flourishing of the north African cities, quite occupies the site of ancient Carthage, where, according to the generally received opinion, Thascius Cea- cillius Cyprian, the African Bishop, Martyr, and Saint, was born, about the year 200 of our Lord. Lamartine, in his " Pilgrimage to the Holy Land," says: " The country which a great m#n has inhabited and pre¬ ferred during his passage on earth, has always appeared to me the surest and most speaking relic of himselt—a kind of material manifestation of his genius—a mute revelation of a portion of his soul—a living and sensible commentary on his life, action, and thoughts." Accepting these words of the philosophic Frenchman as true, let us review the career of the city of Carthage, so famed by history and tra¬ dition. It was. in the year 678 before Christ, according to common 132 judgment, that there left, secretly and quietly, the commodi¬ ous harbor of Tyre, a small fleet manned by a few Tyrians, The Tyrianswere then the ruling power among the nations. We may suppose the shades of night had fallen upon that proud city, and the death-stillness which pervaded it was broken alone by the heavy tread of the sentinel as he per¬ formed his duty. However, the darkness shielded the escaping vessels from detection and capture. The small fleet is commanded by Elissa, who is not only daughter to Belus, the late king, but also the wife of the murdered prince, Acerbas, who was priest to the Tyrian Hercules. But now, the royal princess is a refugee I flying from the wrath of the reigning king of Tyre, Pygmalion her brother, ascending the throne. Pygmalion learned, with sordid pleasure, that Acerbas, the husband of his sister, was in pos¬ session of vast treasures. He determined to possess them, though the daughter of Belus should become a widow, and the son a murderer. Royal avarice looks alone to results. Conspiracies were at once formed, plots were hastily matured, and the prince, priest Acerbas, falls a victim to the love of gold. Elissa is burdened with grief, and mourns a husband's death, and a brother's cruelty. She is inconsolable, and as the history of the transaction goes on to say, at the advice, or upon the in¬ junction of the spirit of her departed husband, which ap¬ peared unto her, she concludes to leave Tyre. A few brave-hearted Tyrians unite their fortunes to that of the disconsolate daughter of their king. They had seen the injury to which she had been subject, and their devotion to her made them willing to go wherever she dared to lead. Now see the crew, in the stillness of night, weigh anchor and put to sea. With joyful hearts they leave the home of their childhood. Outrage and wrong are a huge scimater, severing every at¬ tachment to one's birthland. To them, honor, distinction and royalty had left that city, and, with hopeful hearts, they were eager to pursue them. Having sacrificed to the tutelary deity of Tyre, Nulkarth, the " King of the city," and im¬ plored safety and success from his power, they commit their fortunes to the sea. Morning comes, and the royal refugees are scarcely beyond view of the Palestine mountains ; and as they saw the sun in majesty arising in the eastern sky, Elissa saw in it the 133 omen of her own glorious rising from the weight of sorrow which then encompassed her. Who can detail the emotions which doubtless pressed that crew? Those hopes and fears ever consequent upon uncer¬ tain and dangerous projects. Elissa, the fair leader, thought upon nothing but the things of the future. To her, the past had been all that the heart could possibly desire. The daughter of one of earth's mightiest kings, and the wife of a prince and priest, her life was burdened with earthly glory. But what are past pleasures to present sorrow? What the thought of the well of Bethlehem, while in the cave of Adul- lum? Memory can become as the fabled god Tantalus, a grief to the soul. Elissa dare not look at the present ? How art thou fallen from heaven, 0, Lucifer ! The proud heart of the princess was goaded as she thought of her present condition. She soliloquized, Here am I, Elissa, the daughter of the mighty king of Tyre, an orphan, a widow, an exile, and my life eagerly sought for. But the gods have decreed that Elissa shall have a throne ! And what can withstand the gods ? Thus did she look forward upon the future with the greatest delight. She reveled amid the courts and pal¬ aces of her rising realm. While Elissa was thus made joyous by the hopes of the future, let us ask what were the feelings of those faithful souls, whose devotion to the child of their king, led them t3 follow her into lands unknown? To each of them doubtless the future told a pleasing tale. In their hopeful imagina¬ tion, as their little boats were sweeping over the sea, they could view Elissa as their queen, and themselves bright courtiers, with rising cities, extended boundaries, and na¬ tions paying tribute. And what can we not expect from such a band ? Their leader a woman of ability, determination and ambi¬ tion ; the followers, men who were united, fearless and deeply imbued with the spirit of sacrifice. A feasible pro¬ ject in such hands must be successful. Meanwhile, the fleet sails quietly upon the bosom of that mid-land sea. Attending providence eventually manifests itself; a storm rises—the elements are in fearful contention, and the little barks between them suffer terribly. For the first time, the hearts of that brave crew failed them. Their hopes, like the Petrel, choose to ride upon the winds and waves. Where now is the rising kingdom? Where the courts and palaces, the cities and ships? Hope brought them, and when she fled, she carried all away. 134 The storm gradually subsides, and the tossed mariners find themselves upon the coast of a strange land ; it proves to be Africa. The natives are hospitable and kind, as evi¬ denced from the fact, that the strangers are not only permit¬ ted to land, but also to purchase ground. Elissa and her followers at once lay the foundations for a city—the citadel Bysser is built—trade, foreign and domes¬ tic, springs up, population, owing to the social and political alliances formed, rapidly increases—and Carthage, or the New City, as the name imports, lifts up its head, as chief among the cities of that land. Here was planted the seeds of a great government. It was a Tree in a rich soil, and grew rapidly, so that in a short time its luxuriant branches cover the whole north of Africa, and striking across the sea, numerous islands are covered with its shade, and the whole world, even Rome, acknowl¬ edged, and trembled at the power of Carthage. We now furnish the reader, with an article from the pen of Miss Sarah J. Woodson. It is the longest which has yet appeared in the columns of the Recorder—almost too long for our book—but it is too fine and good to be abridged. And yet it is. Miss Woodson is a graduate of Oberlin, born in the bosom of a Methodist family, and reared in it. She has spent all her time since she left college in training the children and youth of Ohio. This article was read before the Colored Teachers' Association of Ohio, and is entitled ADDRESS TO THE YOUTH. That we are beings who occupy a place among intelligent existences, and are endowed with minds capable of endless duration, and unlimited improvement, is a fact which should engage the attention, and enlist the energies of every indi¬ vidual. The faculties of the mind, though scarcely perceptible in the first stages of human existence, may, by means of proper culture, become so expanded and developed as to form one of the noblest structures of God's creation. The cultivation of the mind, then, is the first object to which the youthful attention should be directed. By culti¬ vation is implied the education and training of each faculty, so as not only to be able to acquire a mere physical subsis¬ tence, but to apply the means which will invigorate and strengthen ; to enlighten and refine each part, that it may 135 perform its function in such a manner as to elevate the being to that degree of perfection, which will enable him to occu¬ py a position among the higher orders of creation, which the Great Author designed him to enjoy. It is a fact worthy of notice, that things which are most valuable are placed the farthest from the reach of common agencies. The Creator, in wisdom, has seen fit to place the bright gems, and richest treasures of earth, the deepest be¬ neath the soil; so, in like manner, has he concealed the rich¬ est treasures that the mind possess beneath the grosser senses, to be drawn forth only by the most patient, and persevering energy. It is natural that human beings should acquire possessions ; and that they should desire those especially which are the most eminent among mortals ; yet few of real value ever came into our hands by means of accident. No man was ever a skilled architect, or physician, or me¬ chanic by chance. The excellencies of the mental powers are not the gifts of genius, or the intuitions of nature ; but the precious boon is obtained, or, the shining goal reached, only by those whose care has been the most unceasing, and whose zeal has been the most untiring. Wealth and honor are not the offspring of ease and luxury, but they are the legitimate reward of constant toil and per¬ severance. Neither is mental opulence, or intellectual com¬ petency enjoyed by the imbecile and indolent. No one ever slaked his thirst for knowledge from a foun¬ tain which gushed sp'ontaneously ; but he who would taste the delicious stream must dig deep and toil hard, ere he can enjoy a draught of the pellucid waters. Tne knowledge of arts and sciences, which are the most profound and intricate in themselves, and which most deep¬ ly concern us, is not granted on easier terms than these. Not even the lowest organs of the body, not a muscle or a sinew can perform its action without having undergone a lengthened and elaborate process of instruction. The hand, the ear, the eye, must each be trained and taught. And though we may be unconscious of the education, it has as real¬ ly been received, as that was by which we learned to read $nd write. If, then, the most corporeal sense demands an appropriate education, without which they would prove rather incum¬ brances than messengers with which we keep up our com¬ munications with the external world, shall we suppose that the noblest capacities of man's spirit are alone independent 136 of all training and culture? That the baser senses only are capable of refinement and expansion? That in the whole territory of human nature, this is the only field that prom¬ ises to reward the tillage with no fruit ? But this question more deeply concerns the youth of the present than of any other age. An age in which intellectual acquirements are more widely diffused than any other pre¬ ceding it. Let not, then, the youth of the present age, who are the subjects of oppression and outrage, suppose that they are not called upon to solve the questions which so much interest every individual. What are our relations to God and to the universe ? What is required of us in the present age ? and what are we doing to facilitate the prospects of our people in the future? It is true, that we experience daily many discouragements, and the path of intellectual prosper¬ ity seems obstructed with innumerable difficulties, yet the fact is none the less dbvious, that we are called upon to act as great a part as any other people, in the great work of human refinement and moral elevation. Yes, we, as a peo¬ ple, have severe conflicts, both with regard to our individual and national rights. We inherit from our fathers nought but subjugation and dishonor. No history records the deeds of our great and good, no tongue ever heralded the praise of our brave and noble. No banner wras ever inscribed with ,the insignia of our national existence ; yet our history, hu¬ miliating as it may be, is not without a precedent. Others have endured trials similar to ours, in their strug¬ gles for national existence. Yet, by a succession of events, they passed unscathed to the highest point of national glory. God's chosen people were overwhelmed in Egyptian dark¬ ness, only that the light of Jehovah's truth might be revealed amid the thunderings of Sinai. If you take a retrospect of the past, you perceive that in the darkest periods, when truth and virtue appeared to sleep, when science had dropped her telescope and philosophy its torch, when the world would have seemed to be standing still, the inscrutable wisdom of Divine Providence was pre¬ paring new agents, and evolving new principles, to aid in the work of individual and social improvement. It would appear as if the world, like the year, had its sea¬ sons ; and that the seed disseminated in spring time, must first die before it can vegetate and produce the rich harvests oi autumn. The developments of one period seem obscured for a season, by the unfolding of the great mysterious cur¬ tain, by which to disclose the glories of the next. 137 History has marked to us such periods, and we are disheart¬ ened by the necessary and successive seasons of darkness, "be¬ cause the revolution is so great, or, our own position so humble, that we cannot look beyond the shade that surrounds us, and behold the distant but gradual approach of a better day. Though for a season darkness has covered the land, and gross darkness the people, and the energies of our people have been stultified by the accumulated prejudices of gene¬ rations, which have been heaped upon us, yet there is reason to be encouraged, for " From the darkest night of sorrow, From the deadliest field of strife Dawns a clearer, brighter morrow, Springs a truer, nobler life." Yes, the sombre clouds of ignorance and superstition which so long enshrouded us and seemed ready to close upon us, as the funeral pall of our national existence, is being dispersed before the light of eternal truth. The sign of promise, the great precursor of a brighter day, has already enlightened the long night of our oppression, and the broad sun of our liberty begins to illuminate our political horizon. The mighty empire of despotism and oppression is trembling to its foundation, it must soon crumble and fall; but will we submit to sink and be buried beneath its ruins ? Will we alone be quiescent and passive, while all around us is agita¬ tion and progress ? Do the revolutions which surround us awaken in our souls no desire to partake of the onward movement ? The world moves right on, and he who moves not with it, must be crushed beneath its revolving wheels. You stand on the eve of a brighter day than has ever enlightened your pathway. The obstacles which have so long barred you from the portals of knowledge, are fast being removed, and the temple of science from which you have hitherto been ousted with tena¬ cious jealousy, will soon disclose to you the glory of his inner sanctuary. Wisdom, with a friendly hand, beckons you to enter and revel in her courts. Suffer not the evanescent pleasures of sensual gratifications to allure you from the pur¬ suit of the great object which lies before you. Will you not arouse from the long slumber of inactivity which pervades you, and prepare for the events which the revolutions of the affairs of men are fast bringing upon you? Who shall ans¬ wer for you, when you are called upon to take your position among the nations of the earth, if you are found wanting in mental capacity and intellectual energy ? 138 If the high privileges you now enjoy pass by you unim¬ proved, and you are found incapable to fill positions of trust and honor in coming life, great will be your condem¬ nation. Apply your minds, then, early and vigorously to those studies which will not only endow you with the power and privilege to walk abroad, interested spectators of all that is magnificent and beautiful, above and around you, but to commune with that which is illustrious in the records of the past, and noble and divine in the development of the future. Would von be eminent among your fellow-mortals, and have your name inscribed on the pages of history, as a living representative of truth, morality and virtue? Would you, by deeds of heroism and noble achievements, vie with the proud sons of honor, and share with them the immortal wreath which the hand of time has placed upon their brow ? Would you ascend the hill of science, and there contend with their votaries for the laurels plucked from its fair summit ? Would you penetrate the secret labyrinths of the universe, and gather from their hoarded mysteries that knowledge which will bless generations to come ? Then apply your minds to study, profound, intricate study. Let your time, your money, your interest all be spent in the pursuit of this one great object, the improvement of your mind. It is only from the deepest furrows that the richest harvests are gathered. The breathings of genius are not produced "ad libitum." The lyres of the soul bring no sound to the touch of unpracticed hands. So the creative powers of the mind are never developed till drawn forth by the deep, harrowing process of education. Oh, there are wells of inspiration in every human heart, from which angels might draw, and leave them unexhausted. Fathom the depths of your na¬ ture, draw from its profound resources those principles which will ennoble and strengthen your intellectual powers-. Educate the youth of the present, and our nation will pro¬ duce a constellation of glowing minds, whose light will brighten the path of generations to come. Hitherto there has scarcely been a mind among us, which has sent forth a spark into the vast region of science. The arts have re¬ ceived but little attention, and literature has found no place among us. Yet, by the efforts which may be put forth by the present generation, the arts, science and literature mav be as widely diffused among us, and we may become as emi- 139 nent, in point of intellectual attainmentSj as any people who have had an existence. We call upon you to accept the means which God has placed in your poAver. The great and the good, and the noble, who have preceded you, and have bequeathed to you the hoarded treasures of their richly cultivated minds, call upon you. The voice of millions, who are perishing without a ray of intellectual light, call upon you. Everything above and around you combine to stimulate you to the work of re¬ moving darkness and error, and establishing truth and virtue. And may God speed the work, till science, philosophy and religion, the great elevators of fallen humanity, shall have completed the work of moral refinement, and we in the en¬ joyment of all our rights, both political and civil, will stand at the summit of national glory. AN EDUCATED MINISTRY. BY REV. GEORGE T. WATKINS. Men and women sometimes cling to the illusory imagina¬ tions of error, with as much tenacity as they do to the living realities of an axiomatic truth. They do not heed the Apos¬ tolic injunction, " Buy the truth and sell it not." They do not seem to understand it. In some instances, those who profess to believe that truth is to the moral world, what the law of gravitation is to the physical, refuse to yield willing obedience to its plain developments, and run after, and de¬ vour error, with an avidity betraying that moral insanity, which, if immedicable, would, sooner or later, result in moral death. I wish, in this short essay, to call special at¬ tention to an all-important truth, which hitherto has been, to a greater or less extent, unappreciated, neglected, and in some instances, positively hated, and its advocates perse¬ cuted. The truth I allude to is. involved in the following proposition : An intelligent and educated ministry is a spiritual necessity, and an ignorant ministry cannot, in this enlightened age, be consistently tolerated for a moment by any intelligent man or woman. Now, here is a truth, a palpable, uncontrovertible truth. A man need not be an astute logician, nor a profound Bibli- 140 cal scholar to comprehend it. Yet, who does not know that we have men in our own beloved Connection, who scornfully repudiated it as ce false doctrine." Yes ! we have some min¬ isters (thank God, they are but few) who profess to be educated themselves, but who encourage by their acts, I mean their official acts, the sending forth as ambassadors of Christ, the expounders of the Gospel, of men who can no more read it to the people, or for themselves, than they can pluck the stars from their azure home. Such men are an incubus upon the proper development of our people, and a disgrace to the profession to which they have called them¬ selves. To say in order for a man to educate or instruct others, he must possess the requisite ability to do so, is to indulge- in a very plain proposition. A physician is presumed to understand the duties and responsibilities of his profession, and to be fully adequate to perform them. The same may be said of the lawyer, or editor, and of any or all of the learned professions. Are the duties and responsibilities of a Christian minister less important than those of the physi¬ cian, the lawyer, or the editor? Is the body of more im¬ portance than the soul? The jewel of less value than the casket which contains it? When a man's life is in danger, if he be an intelligent man, he will send for a physician who has studied the physical structure of man ; one who thoroughly understands his entire economy. 'He will not send for a well-known botch, one who glories in his igno¬ rance, and rejoices that " he never rubbed his head against a college wall, and don't know a letter in the book." A minister of the Gospel should be as well qualified for his position in the community as a physician is for his. In order to be thus qualified, he must obey the injunction of the apostle Paul to Timothy, " Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." He cannot, then, according to the inspired word, receive the Divine approbation without study. Mark that! Again ; he must be a workman. This idea is plainly opposed to the lazy theory that a minister should go into the pulpit without preparation; that he should open his mouth, expecting God to fill it. He might as well go to market, and expect an angel to fill his basket. Such men certainly open their mouths wide enough to satisfy any reasonable man, but if we are to judge by what "the mouth speaketh," we are 141 Scarcely at liberty to think that God has filled it, for he is a God of wisdom. Furthermore, he must not only be a work¬ man, but one that needeth not to be ashamed of his work. It ^must not repel the beholder by an evidence of a want of skill and ability. It should attract by its beautiful symme¬ try, and other evidences of the possession of taste and capacity A man who builds a house, will so build it that his architecture will reflect credit upon him. A minister should be just as careful that his reputation as an ap¬ proved workman " should receive no detriment through his neglect or inability. A minister who is negligent in this particular, one who does not, because he cannot, perform the duties devolving upon him, gives evidence to the world that God has not called him to " preach the word;" for our Lord, we are told, is not a hard master, and does not require impossibilities. Mr. Wm. S. Watkins, io a lecture delivered in this city, remarked of such a man, that " God called some one else, and he answered.'' There are many absurd, false, and unphilosophical opinions entertained concerning the preach¬ ing of God's word, but none more destructive than the idea that an ignorant and stupid dolt can be an " approved" and acceptable minister of Jesus Christ. When Paul speaks of "the foolishness of preaching," he does not mean that a preacher should be a fool, though some men seem so to understand him. Preaching means teaching ; not simply talking, but teaching—rightly dividing the word of truth. Some of our so-called preachers seem to think that preaching consists in making a very loud noise, and in vehement gesticulations. A constant iteration, and re-iteration concerning the joys of heaven, and the sorrows of hell, constitute the burden of their preaching. Some of them skip about the pulpit with all the agility of the most accomplished acrobat, and by their appeals to the passions, produce a correspondent skipping in the audience. I like a good hearty Amen. And if a man really feels glory to God, "let him shout glory." But when a minister deliberately attempts to get up a shout by his sui generis declamation and mannerism, his conduct is exceedingly reprehensible. Oh, for an intelligent ministry ; one which will be an honor to God, to the Church, and to our op¬ pressed and needy people. In my next, I propose to allude to the great social change which the present revolution is effecting, and will continue 142 to effect; and in the second place to the influence which the African M. E. Ctiurch is destined to exert in the future ; and thirdly, to the modus operandi through which this influ¬ ence is to be exerted, viz: intelligent and educated spiritual teachers. These words of brother Watkins sound like the blows of a sledge-hammer. They are needed to break the rocks for which they are designed. THE OHIO COLORED TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. BY JOHN G. MITCHELL. The colored teachers of Ohio, we trust, with renewed zeal and energy, with enlarged and practical views, will meet on the 29th of this month in Columbus. The Association was organized in 1860, just before the outbreak of the present rebellion. Many of the teachers then thought that such an organization was absolutely ne¬ cessary. The history of the past, the example of experienced teachers in those states whose schools were best organized, the increasing demand for well qualified and experienced teachers, all confirmed this opinion. But now, greater is the demand, brighter is our future. Our fields of labor are being multiplied and enlarged. Thousands are hungering and thirsting after light and knowledge. If ever there was a necessity for a teachers' association, for a concert of action on the part of teachers, it is now. Fellow teachers of Ohio, let us bestir ourselves ; let us meet in association at Columbus, and, if possible, make it the great power, the grand instrument, in infusing energy, life and activity into every school. How is the great work to be accomplished ? By living teachers and a few sacrificing educationists. We hope those members of the association, who have cer¬ tain duties to perform, will come up well prepared. Let us have a profitable and interesting time. Addresses are to be delivered by Messrs. J. M. Meek, subject: " Practical Edu¬ cation S. D. Fox, " Domestic Education and Solomon Day, " Causes of the Idle Habits of Pupils in the School¬ room, and a remedy for the same." Annual address by John 143 Gr. Mitchell. Topics for daily discussion : " The best meth¬ od for teaching Compositions," by T. J. Ferguson ; Reading, Miss F. A. Walter ; Arithmetic, S. Peterson ; Grammar, Miss S. J. Woodson; Geography, Miss B. F. Harris; His¬ tory, M. E. Anderson. Now, Teachers, let there be a grand rally. Let each one come up fully realizing the great responsibilies resting upon him, and determined to make preparations to meet them. THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Its Duty and Its Destiny. by rev. benjamin t. tanner. The importance of the subject named above is self-evident. It speaks for itself. It is often the case that subjects, im¬ portant of themselves, derive a greater importance from some change in the circumstances which previously surrounded them. It is thus with the subject under consideration. The duty and destiny of our church is grave in its very nature ; for it is not thus with any church of the Redeemer. Yet, from the times which have dawned, and the mighty stirring events which are now transpiring, the importance of the mission of the African M. E. Church is wonderfully mag¬ nified. Man, in whatever light we view him, whether as an indi¬ vidual, or bound up in the unity of an assembly, has a duty to perform. Indeed, all life, save that of God himself, is but the discharge of a duty, whether that life be celestial, terrestrial, or infernal. Life is duty. The duty of the Churchy General or Catholic, composed as it is of "a congregation of faithful men," as saith our excellent Discipline, is to evangelize the world and prepare it for the coming of its Lord and Head. A beautiful figure, often employed by sacred and religious writers, is, that the world is a vast wilderness, destined shortly to bloom as Eden. Isaiah says, " The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing ; the glory of Lebanon shall be given 144 unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon ; they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God." The pious and learned Doctor Adam Clarke, when he con¬ sidered this figure as used by another prophet, exclaimed with rapturous emotions^ " What a glorious prophecy ! ^ And now, as we let our eyes fall upon the moral condition of the nations, how true is that figure seen to be? Is not. the great continent of Asia a desolated wilderness, wherein nothing but thorns and thistles are seen to grow? And Africa, poor benighted Africa, is it not all waste, without even a myrtle, a cedar, or a fir? Europe is, in¬ deed, partially cleared, and, more or less, presents the appearance of a well attended garden, while the great ma¬ jority of the Isles of the sea are rugged and barren, the fit habitations for scape-goats. And how is it with America? What is the appearance of this, our birthland ? Is it that of a waste wilderness, or does it approach to Paradisaical beauty ? Does the fir tree or the thorn spring up ? the brier or the myrtle? Though America was the last among the continents in receiving the attention of the watchful husbandman, yet it presents to¬ day as fair a prospect as any other portion of the wide field of the world. Such, then, is the condition and appearance of the world, and with what fidelity can it be compared to a wilderness? The duty of the Church, that congregation of faithful men, is plainly declared ; for we are laborers together with God; yea, are God's husbandmen. Awake, 0, Church, awake ! The sun hath risen ; the day is far spent, and thy Lord calleth upon thee to arise and gird thyself for the ar- • duous labor of the days of time. With more zeal than that of a Western pioneer, the Church should enter upon the work. That work must be done. Prophecy declares it, and already our eyes begin to see it. Let the Church be not dismayed ; but neither confi¬ dent. The chief Husbandman has given orders to root out every thorn and thistle. His words are "Instead of the thorn, shall come up the fir tree ; and instead of the briar, shall come up the myrtle tree." And shall not God be obeyed ? To use a common-place allusion, Shall not the Church en¬ ter the field with axe, and hoe, and plough: and level the forests to the earth, those mighty oaks of Bashan ; clear away the rubbish, and sink deep in the soil the point'of the 145 glistening plough ? For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns." The work of which we have been speaking, is that which devolves upon the Church, Catholic or General ; but in car¬ rying it on, God, the Husbandman, has by his providence, given special commands. What, then, we ask, are these providential special commands in reference, to the great work of the world's redemption ? Before we proceed to answer this question, let us settle one point. Man is not permitted to doubt the Divine condescen¬ sion. To give but one instance of that condescension, we have no more than to make mention of the revelation of Himself, in the very way that He has done, even by the Bi¬ ble. Had God spoken to us and not condescended to our finite abilities, then, indeed, would He have been the incom¬ prehensible one. His same spirit of condescension is to be seen in the providential arrangement of the affairs of the Church. The Gospel is intended to be preached in its fullness to all men, in order that as many as will, may be saved. In the absence of the extraordinary manifestation of the Holy Spirit, it may be inferred, and truly, that the means best calculated to accomplish the design will be adopted. And what are the facts which present themselves as we gaze upon the 11 modus operandi " of the Church ? We behold its Head, like a wise and considerate husbandman, apportioning off, as it were, this field of the word, into lots, if you will allow such an extended use of the figure, and giving provi¬ dential command that each shall be cultivated by some par¬ ticular member of the great family of Churches. In this arrangement, by careful observation, we shall find that two things always enter into the Divine mind, to wit, the laborers employed, their capabilities, either natural, acquired, or bestowed, and the nation or people to whom they minister their natural attachments and even their na¬ tional prejudices. But let us explain by bringing forward some facts noticeable in God's dealing with His Church. When Israel is to be led forth from Egyptian bondage and idolatry, to be taught anew the worship of the living God, who is chosen as the messenger of God? Is it an Egyptian, a subject of the haughty Pharoah, who, from his very posi¬ tion, could command the respect and obedience of the Israel¬ ites ? God's Word does not say so. 10 146 Is it as man from any of the surrounding nations, who, from the circumstances by which he was previously sur¬ rounded, might make a successful leader through that mighty wilderness ? God's Word does not say so. Who, then, is chosen to lead God's people ? It is Moses, the son of Amran and Jocliebed, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. We stop not here to argue the " whys or wherefores '' of the case ; we hang our argument-upon the simple fact, that when God would exalt a people, one of themselves, bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh, is prepared to be the leader. And what are the facts in reference to publishing the glad news of a Sa¬ viour born ? Who are sent and to whom ? Peter, a Jew, and a man of strong Jewish prejudices, is the Apostle of the circumcision, and minister in chief, to his own countrymen ; Paul, in letter a Jew, but in spirit and in fact a Roman citizen, goes to the Gentiles ; while we find Barnabas, that son of consolation, very naturally repairing to his native Cyprus. How full the heart should be of charity, Of those who judgment give 'gainst Salome, How much consideration on her state They should bestow, yea, pity her sad fate. OUR DUTY IN THE CRISIS. BY R. H. CAIN". Fellow-citizens ! the great changes which have and are still taking place in these United States, through the moral as well as the political revolutions of the few years, have so reversed our relations and mingled our interests with those of other people, that we are called upon to assume a more prominent place in the affairs of this Government, as well as to elicit from other nations good-will and Christian sympathy. A brighter day is dawning for our race ; the long prayer for the day of deliverance, from the bondage of centuries of slavery, the devout wishes of our fathers, that their children might be the partakers of a better dispensation, is now fully at hand. A wise and beneficent God has, by His own mighty hand, and in His befitting time, wrought such changes in the 147 country, as to overturn the vilest system of oppression that the sun ever shone upon ; and has, by the operation of the political changes, and the scourge of war, thrown hundreds of thousands of our brethren upon their own resources, and thousands more have become pensioners upon the charity and sympathy of the Government and the Northern people. The question is propounded to us to-day : What part are you, as a part of this great people who are struggling for the maintenance of law and order, to take in this struggle? We must answer this interrogative in a manly and dignified ■manner. Answer it not only in words, but by actions, which will reflect honor upon our whole race, and prove our ability to think and act with becoming dignity, commensurate with the onerous duties of the crisis. We are called upon to sus¬ tain the Government, which gives us protection in person and property to its utmost extent, in the present great revo¬ lution. We are to bear in mind the fact that revolutions do not go backwards ; and that the ultimate triumph of the Gov¬ ernment will be the security of our own liberties, and those of our children. However much there is now of seeming injustice dealt to our soldiers in the field, and the civilians at home, we must remember that the whole country is under¬ going a change ; that all classes of men—white and colored —have to suffer in this fierce contest, and that the salvation of the nation, the perpetuity of the principles of liberty, are bound up in the willing hearts, and full concessions which we are to make. We are to concentrate our energies and prepare for the exigencies—mould;, fashion and trans¬ form the masses, by impressing the spirit of manhood and independence into their souls. Let the intelligent, educated ministry and laity be engaged in this work. Let the Christian denominations, among the colored citizens of the land, combine, thrOw their influence together, to bring about a reformation in the moral state of the Freedmen. What a vast power would the religious denominations be, in this direction, could they comprehend the whole duty in this matter ? If Bethel and Zion could unite, if all could concen^ trate their forces, they would prove more effectual, in the aggrandizement of the race, than a million of armed men. There is a pressing demand that the colored people should migrate South. The reports of our missionaries, who have • returned, reveal the astonishing fact that the white men from the North are doing more to degrade the character of 148 those people than the system of slavery has heretofore. Because white, they claim to relieve them from' bondage, and thereby lift them above bestiality. They make them the sport of their ungovernable and licentious passions, thus degrading their morals and perverting the laws of chastity; and that which ought to be a melioratoran exalter of hu¬ manity, is a crucifixion of virtue, a dishonor to God, and a libel on the sublime teachings of Jesus Christ. Let the General Conference see to it that such arrange¬ ments be made, that all the force which we have, all the energies we are capable of, be made potent in the redemp¬ tion of our brethren from the degrading influences which are now exerted among them. We have no energies to throw away, intriguing for ambition's sake. The destiny of our Connection and people trembling in the balance, the rapid march of events claim our attention. Victory, and triumph over sin, slavery, and division, await us ; and the moral, religious, and political, as well as spiritual aggran¬ dizement await us in the future. LETTER FROM WASHINGTON. BY REV. THOS. M. D. WARD. Mr. Editor:—We are living in an age of startling events. The people who were once broken and crushed, are bursting their iron gyves and emerging into a glorious liberty, chanting, as they come, the glad anthem of the free. The tide of progress kisses the strand of every continent. Men are determined that right, not might, shall prevail. While I write, the sound of snapping fetters and breaking yokes fall upon my startled and listening ear. The men whose backs still bear the marks of the tyrant's brutal power, stand at my side, snuffing the free breeze that sweeps o'er Freedom's hill. Rejoicing pasans tremble on their lips, thanksgiving upon thanksgiving wells up from hearts fired with gratitude, as they tearfully recur to the wondrous acts of the great Deliverer. The very rivers, fields and woods, seem to shout "Amer¬ ica's millions shall be free !" The shout is taken up by the nations of the earth, and sent in startling voices round the world ; and wherever a wailing, fettered bondman i& 149 chained in dungeons, they shall hear the shout of the host of the free : " Come forth, and be men ! " But what a host of sad memories sweep through the mind while we sit gazing upon yon pile of marble, looming up in its alabaster whiteness ! There, fourteen years ago, the dreadful Fugitive Slave Law was signed by a Northern Pres¬ ident, and sent out on its mission of death and damnation. Consternation filled the land. Many said: "Our age of sorrow will never end. We shall perish for generations to come." No advent star of freedom floated in the eastern sky. But mark the contrast. Grleamings of an orient morn herald¬ ed Liberty's bright day. Arrows of light blazed through the gathering darkness, and now we stand amid the noontide blaze of a glorious eve. The joy bells of emancipation an¬ nounce the approach of America's year of jubilee. Praise to the Conquerer, who has wrought out such great deliverance ! Every living man, woman and child, who wears a skin of dusky hue, should never sin, but praise God, fifteen times a day. Let Zion and Bethel meet half way, and say, each to the other : " We have been fighting each other long enough. We shall unite and henceforth be a unit, hurling our com¬ bined strength upon the hordes of ignorance, vice and preju¬ dice." What influential men, in both wings, will keep the ball moving? From now and forever I am in favor of the union of Zion and Bethel. Come, brethren, turn out old Prejudice, Ambition, Envy and Jealousy. Strangle the viper that would destroy and cripple us. We can then concentrate upon the organs, Book-concern, Wilberforce, and Avery Col¬ leges, and plant the banners of our Anglo-African Zion in the uttermost part of the earth. The world is moving. We are determined to move with it, may the spirit of unity pervade the entire Christian Broth¬ erhood, more particularly the great African Methodist fami¬ ly. The people of Washington are a noble and generous people. May G-od bless them through time and eternity. Baltimore is the Eden of our African Zion. 150 THE RIGHTS OF COLORED MEN AND WOMEN. BY EEV. R. H. CAIN. Mr. Editor:—"Coining events cast their shadows before them." Wise indeed are they who duly prepare to meet and perform their part in the mighty developments which are foreshadowed. In times of great national troubles and polit¬ ical revolutions, when those changes are so thorough, rami¬ fying through the whole social and political systems of the people ; when every household has felt the shock, when in¬ stitutions of long standing have given way ; when prejudices, fostered by long years of wrong, inflicted by one class, and long endured by the other, are given way ; when a whole class of individuals are transformed from chattels to human beings ; when they are also transferred from the back-ground to the front ranks in the affairs of the nation, playing one of the leading parts in the drama of human liberty and nation¬ al progress—it is the duty of that particular class, to under¬ stand how to execute with becoming dignity, and a just ap¬ preciation of the high trust reposed in them by their friends, as indicated by the finger of God. Casting behind us the dark days of bondage, ignorance, superstition, self-debasement, and all the concomitant evils of slavery, we are to lift up our heads and receive the Di¬ vine light which is bursting in upon us. The great changes which have come to us, have measura¬ bly found us unprepared to grapple with the urgent demands of the times. We are not so much in want of intelligence among us, as we are in need of position in the affairs of direc¬ tion and government. We know how to serve others, but have not learned how to serve ourselves. We have always been directed by others in all the affairs of life ; they have furnished the thoughts, while we have been passive instruments, acting as we were acted upon, mere automatons. In every association established for the ameli¬ oration of the condition of the colored people of this country, there is not an office of profit or trust confided to a Negro gentleman. The Anti-Slavery Societies, the Abolition Socie¬ ties, whose ostensible work has been to do battle for the Negro's elevation, have never found a Negro competent to keep books in their office; never found any competent to be taught the duties of an Agent, never found one competent to be a Director, and very few of those great philanthropists 151 have thought it safe for them to advance colored men to places of trust, as they have the foreigner who made applica¬ tion to him. Possibly, the individual risk which he would have to incur dictated such a course. It certainly cannot be truthfully asserted that there were not competent persons to be found, who would gladly have availed themselves of such opportunities. Turning from the benevolent spheres to the mechanical and mercantile, we still meet with the same difficulties, espe¬ cially in the Northern and Middle States. Prejudice is so rampant in all the walks of life in these States, that no col¬ ored man would dare to enter his boy in a machine shop as an apprentice ; he would be told by the proprietor, that he would be glad to take his son, but " his workmen would all leave, or the boy would be mobbed and driven away." No colored woman would dare try to enter her daughter into any of the factories of New York or Brooklyn, or any other city, with any hope of success. She may be ever so refined—ever so well educated. She can readily find a " good service place " to do house-work, wash, iron and take care of the children, for seven dollars a month. And " Oh ! she is such a good servant, so nice, so refined in her manners ! What a pity she is not white." In the commercial arena it is all the same ; a colored man may roll boxes twenty years in one firm, and he will never be promoted; whatever be his capabilities. But Pat or Fritz may remain there six months, and he will be advanced to a second clerkship, and thence to a shipper and to a part¬ nership ; he is encouraged and urged forward, while James A. B. or C., is still rolling boxes for eighteen dollars a month, his children half clad, and his wife washing and ironing, while his daughters are kept from school to carry home " white gentlemen's clothesThis must be changed. Black men must turn their eyes toward the savannas of the South, and the prairies of the West. Get hold of the land, till it, learn the handy arts ; four millions are already there, there is plenty of room for more ; the colored men of the South have trades ; they understand all the methods of cotton and sugar planting. What is needed, is an infusion of the intellectual development of the Northern colored men and women. Negro gentlemen and ladies must become teachers among them by example, as well as by precept, teach them that though they be black, they are as good as any other class whose skin is whiter than theirs ; teach them that complexions may differ, but man is a man for all that. 152 Finally, colored men in the North have got to come to this doctrine, that black men must think for themselves, act for themselves, and thus help our white friends to elevate us by a proper recognition of our manhood, our ability to occupy any office of trust, by the progressive development of our intellect, and our ability to take care of our own interests. IS DEATH AN ENEMY OR FRIEND TO THE CHRISTIAN? BY KEV. T. STB-OTHER. Mr. Editor—I observed not long since, in the fifty-second number of the Christian Recorder, an article under the sig¬ nature of "T. Gr. S.," written in answer to two propositions, " Whether is death the friend or enemy of the Christian?" In the first place, I would say that this is a kind of double proposition, and it is quite awkward for one to argue the negative in such a form. This form admits very readily of two affirmatives, for instance, "T. Gr. S." says he takes the affirmative, in which he affirms that death is a friend to the Christian. I can, with equal propriety, affirm that death is an enemy to the Christian ; and this places us both in the affirmative, while, in reality and point of fact, we are found to oppose each other. But let us be plainly understood as to the position we take in the matter. I take the ground that death is an enemy to the Christian, which fact I will endeavor to demonstrate by the Scriptures. At the seventeenth verse of the second chapter of Genesis, we read thus : " But of the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Now, I need onl)r say that our first parents did eat, and did die ! Well, what were the effects of this death? Can we say that the said effects were friendly to those wrho thus broke the sacred injunction of their Maker ? Who will ans wer this question for us ? This was a holy man and a holy woman ; and now we may easily determine whether this death was friendly, or other¬ wise by considering carefully what followed death3 as above 153 mentioned. Now, in this case, it is too plain not to be con¬ ceived that death was every way unfriendly to the first happy pair—and not only unfriendly to them, but starting from this point, has proved unfriendly to Christians and to Chris¬ tianity, and to the Christian Church through every age, which Christianity and the Church have passed, and also to Christians in every age in which they have lived. This, I think, every one whose mind is cultivated to the smallest extent, will readily perceive and acknowledge. I take this broad view of the subject, because I have con¬ cluded that whatever is found to be against Christianity, against the Church, and against the spreading of Christ's kingdom in the world, is equally an enemy to and at enmity with the Christian—and whatever is an enemy to and at enmity with the Christian, cannot truthfully be said to be friendly to him. Death, per se, and not only per se, but in all of its frightful effects, and with all its practical bearings, was an enemy to the Christianity of Christ, and by operating against Him, caused Him to sweat great drops of blood. Indeed, so bitter was the cup, even to the Incarnate Jesus, that He entreated His Father, if it was His will, to let the cup pass from Him. Another reason we have for believing that death is an enemy to the Christian 'is, that death is the effect of sin. We cannot possibly understand the Apostle Paul (Rom. iv., 12) in any other way—only that he means to say death is the effect of sin. Hear him : ££ Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin/' Now is it reasonable to suppose that sin ever could pro¬ duce anything that would prove to be friendly to religion, to Christianity, or to a Christian, in life, or in death itself. Sin, of itself, never did do one good act; for in such a case it would naturally cease to be sin. This could no more be than could the devil do a good act, because 'tis not his office. This, I believe, he never could do, without ceasing to be a devil, which thing never can be. Then how it is that a thing which is purely the effect of sin, can be found doing a friendly act to a Christian, as such, in life or in death, and solely because it is such, is a mystery to me; and where the ground is for saying that such a.thing could be, I am afraid I shall never know. Again : Let the reader scan the 43d verse of the fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, where the Apostle, in speaking of the resurrection of the body, says it was sown in dishonor. 154 But what sowed it ? Why death, did it. Then how can that thing be a friend to me, which slays me in dishonor. We see that death has nothing about it that is honorable. How, then, can such a thing be a friend to the Christian ? Who will tell me how it can be? Death is only one of the rough roads that the Christian is obliged to travel, to get to liis Father's house. I might be invited to travel to New Orleans, in order to be put in possession of a large estate, and the road over which I had to travel might be so rough that it might kill me, and the possession of said estate might depend upon my agreeing to travel a road that would kill me ; yet how would this make the road a friend to me ? I should think, under the circumstances, the road would be an enemy to me rather than a friend. I would further state, that there is only one friend in view here, and that is He who grants me said large estate, after having made every necessary arrangement, and given all necessary instruction for fully possessing the same. DR. BEVELS vs. TOBACCO.—No. 1. Brother Weaver:—Will you allow me a small space in your crowded columns, in order that I may add my testimony to those who have long been crying out against the evils arising from the use of tobacco. It is an old adage that, " Open confession is good for the soul." I feel it to be a duty I owe to God, myself, and my fellow-men, to honestly confess the serious injury that I have received from indulging in the use of this obnoxious weed. Unfortunately for me, I cannot plead for myself that I did it " ignorantly, in unbelief," but with my eyes wide open, knowing, at the same time, that I was injuring my physical constitution, being inveigled in some way into the snare into which those who indulge in the use of tobacco seem to fall. For a great many years I had persisted in its use, despite the entreaties of many anxious friends, until it came very nearly terminating my existence. As I propose writing a few brief articles on the subject, I shall make the present one short. If the human constitution received no special injury from its use, it being a fact that it receives no benefit, it is wrong to use it, for the following reasons: 155 1. The enormous amount of money that is expended, or rather squandered in it, which is far greater than many sup¬ pose. As long ago, I think, as 1839, Great Britain received a revenue of $18,000,000 from the duty on tobacco. How many poor and destitute children would this enormous sum have fed, clothed and thoroughly educated ! In the city of Havana, Cuba, it is estimated that no less than $10,000 worth of cigars are smoked daily. From a computation made from authentic data, it appears that not less than $1,000,000 are annually expended on cigars in the city of New York. According to an estimate made by Rev. Mr. Fowler in 1835, $10,000,000 were squandered in that year on tobacco by the people of the United States. Let me here pause, and ask professed Christians, who turn away missionary agents and those persons who may be solic¬ iting means to aid in the erection of churches, to be dedicated to the worship of Almighty God, without contributing to those objects, but who are performing a prominent part in the work of accumulating the enormous sums which are ex¬ pended daily in this noxious weed—let me ask those incon¬ sistent ones how they can reconcile their consciences with the Scriptures of inspiration, which teach that, " Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." What man ever glorified God by taking the money He has given him, and burning it up in a pipe or cigar, or, sitting with his.legs akimbo on some neighbor's stove, with a quid of tobacco about the size of a Dutch dumpling packed away in his cheek, emitting discharges against the polished oven, or good wife's dress, (it matters not which to him,) with a precision that would do credit to a ten-gun battery ? How would it sound to tell to heathens in a foreign land that in this Christian country there millions of hungry and destitute poor, and thousands of children crying for bread, whose cries are unheeded, and whose wants are not supplied, and that, at the same time, these same Christians are ex¬ pending millions of dollars annually on pipes, cigars and tobacco? Behold, what a goodly and pious sight it is, on some beautiful Sabbath morning, to behold an aged pilgrim come stalking into church with a roll of tobacco stuck in his jaw, inflating his countenance to such an extent as to create the belief that the man has had a sudden attack of the mumps or dropsical swelling ! Viewing this subject upon a smaller scale, let us suppose a man to smoke two cigars per day, at a cost of ten cents each. 156 In this small way, to say nothing of what he chews, he spends annually $73 for the use of tobacco—a sum amply sufficient to buy him seven barrels of flour. Just think of this. In the next place, it is wrong to use tobacco, as it is dele¬ terious to the human constitution—and, upon the same hy¬ pothesis that we oppose the right of one State to secede from a confederation of States, and to oppose the general govern¬ ment by revolting against its laws, do we oppose the doctrine that any human being has the right to take his own life, either directly or indirectly. In my next, I shall endeavor to show that all tobacco-users are doing this. DR. REVELS vs. TOBACCO.—No. 2. In my previous arti3le on this subject, I endeavored, in a plain, common sense way, to show the needless and ivicked expenditure of many, incident to the use of tobacco. I propose, in this brief article, to speak of some of its chemi¬ cal properties, in order that he who will persist in tamper¬ ing with this viper, may know something of the nature of the poison he is putting in his mouth, and imbibing in his lungs. Yongulin obtained, on subjecting tobacco to chemical analysis, an acrid, volatile principle, (matiana) albumen, red matter soluble in alcohol and water. Ascetic acid, supermalate of lime, chlorophyll nitrate of potassium, sal- ammoniac and water. The expressed price of leaves, con¬ tain, in addition, noody, fibro-exalate and phosphate of lime, oxide of iron and silicia. Manufactured tobacco con¬ tains, in addition to the preceding, carbonate of ammonia and chloride-calcium. Were it possible, in this brief arti¬ cle on this noxious weed, we would show many instances in which it preys upon the constitution beyond what we shall attempt at the present. From the many, we adduce the following: (and here we invite the special attention of all tobacco users, and call upon them as witnesses, who will testify I speak the truth.) It produces weakness, pain and sinking at the stomach, dimness of sight, dizziness and pain in the head, feebleness of the voluntary muscles, tremulousness of the hands, weakness and hoarseness of the voice, disturbed sleep by startings, and a sense of suffocation, night-mare, epileptic 157 or convulsive fits, confusion of mind, peevish aud irritable temper, instability and laxness of purpose, depression of spirits, melancholy and despondency, partial, and some¬ times permanent insanity. What startling results to soul and body? Dear reader, have you ever thought of it in this light? If a physician were called to visit a patient laboring under either of the diseases above detailed, it would require much learning and experience to enable him to make a correct diagnois of the case. I recollect a case, not long since, where a patient was almost in a dying condition, and a physician of consid¬ erable experience was called, and after devoting much time in examination, turning away from the bed, remarked, " The patient is of feeble diethesis ; " recommended tonics, and did not return. Bishop Ames, of the M, E. Church, once remarked, in an address before one of the Conferences where he was presid¬ ing, that, in his opinion, a large proportion of the Superan¬ nuated Ministers in the M. E. Church, were made so by the use of tobacco. In my next, I shall speak of the pathological effects of tobacco. W. R. Revels. St. Louis, February 15th, 1866. OUR CHURCH ORGAN. by rev. j. lynch. The Christian Recorder is now in its sixth year. Its suc¬ cess in the past and its present flourishing condition afford much encouragement to those who have watched with anxi¬ ety its infantile struggles, and may be justly regarded as a solid evidence that our people are learning to think, and making an improvement commensurate with the favorable change of surrounding circumstances. Nearly all believe that a newspaper published under the auspices of our Church is an addition of strength to its ministry. Our Church organ is calculated to produce a oneness of feeling throughout the entire Connection, which alone makes concentrated effort possible. It stimulates to exertion by holding up to public view the active elements, inspires hope 158 "by chronicling the success with which God is constantly bles¬ sing us in our different districts, suppresses faction by words of timely warning, instructs the members in doctrine and church polity, and by constant advice serves the cause of re¬ ligious and moral improvement. While the interests of the Connection might be considered of primary importance by the Christian Recorder, it is not intended that the interests of all the colore 1 people in this land of every creed and condition shall be held as secondary importance. Oar Church organ, like its predecessors and cotemporaries, will, no doubt, as it often has done, present an ample field for criticism ; and we invite it, and hope to turn it to our profit. Those interested in the success of the Christian Recorder will highly serve it by striving to render it continually less liable to criticism. The most effectual way of doing this is to subscribe and gsi others to subscribe, and forward the cash in advance ; then we will be able to employ superior talent, improve our typographical force, systematize our arrangement, and make our Church organ a worthy vehicle of useful intelligence—a powerful instrument of reform, and a safe guide of public opinion. We labor to avoid unprofitable controversies or hasty ex¬ pression of opinion, as well as that tendency to disparage¬ ment and misrepresentation which denominational or news¬ paper rivalry so frequently prompts. We are fully impressed with the belief that a religious newspaper requires the sanc¬ tifying influence of God's Spirit in the editorial chair, as the Church requires it in the pulpit. Our columns invite the literary efforts of all who are interested in the welfare of their race and mankind ; and it is hoped that no one will hide thoughts that would do good to or encourage a fellow-being. Our Church organ, the Christian Recorder, is a powerful means of aiding our people in the grand and stupendous work of rising out of the condition where American tyranny and prejudice have placed us ; for it goes to the members of the National and State Legislatures, to those who have con¬ trolling influence in the community, to those who are our enemies, from one end of the land to the other ;—in studio, counting-room, parlor, kitchen and plantation-cabin, it pre¬ sents our case and pleads our cause. Therefore, we tremble when we view the consequences dependent upon its character, and only hope because we have faith in God, and in the peo¬ ple, who, lighted by His smile of favor, "are stretching forth their hands." ° 159 the president and the colored delega¬ tion. We have published, in another column, a full account of the interview between President Johnson and the recent delegation of colored men who visited him, also their reply. The daily papers of most of the cities doubtless have done so, but in order that our readers, living far away from great cities may be fully informed, we have felt it to be our duty. We are now no longer in doubt as to the views.of the Pres¬ ident in relation to Negro Suffrage. He has spoken plainly and declared his opposition to it. He assigns two reasons : First, That the General Government has not the power to grant it. Secondly, That if granted, it would cause a war of races. The reply of the colored delegation so success¬ fully controverts the arguments of the President, that it will be at the expense of right and justice, if his views are adopted by any of his fellow-citizens. The well-tempered boldness of George Downing, and the dignified, sagacious, and statesmanlike manner of Frederick Douglass, on the occasion of this interview, certainly make us feel quite proud of our race. Mr. Douglass seemed to blend the genial reserve of Talleyrand and Seward, with the fiery candor of Thompson and Garrison. We infer, from the President's remarks, that it would not be distasteful to him if we would colonize. " Oh, no, Mr. President! We are not going to do that. We are going to fight it out on this line, if it takes all the generations yet to come." We are struggling for the supremacy of an idea, that it is not only necessary to our elevation, but that of our brethren in Africa ; that idea is, The unity of races—• the brotherhood of man. The United States is the greatest nation on the face of the globe, and the richest fruits of her civilization shall soon be found on the Pacific coast, from whence it shall march over the Eastern hemisphere, illumining, retouching, and grow¬ ing grander. Then, if the question 11 Whether the white and colored races can live side by side, on terms of political equality, without detriment to the former?" be decided against us here in America, it is decided against us in the whole world ; for American influence is destined to be pre¬ dominant everywhere. Let it be decided in this Republic that a colored man is so much the inferior of the white man by nature, as to totally unfit him for political association, 160 and a negro nationality that might take a century in devel¬ oping, will find its frontlets everywhere badgered by the civilized powers with the word "inferior." To refuse to fight this battle here, trusting to a negro nationality to extricate us from proscription, is to postpone the time of settlement, and change the place. Instead of contending here, we shall have our negro nationality contending at St. James, Tuilleries, Vienna or Berlin, against what shall have been set down as axiomatical. To concentrate the colored people of the South, or a major part of them, in a particular State or territory, giving said State or territory equal rights with each of the others under the Constitution, is a movement that involves concession to an unreasonable and wicked prejudice. It ignores the great principle which gives organic life to the government, which may be embraced in the word, homogeniousness. Similarity of color is no more necessary to homogenity than similarity of hair or form. Can the government drive four millions of colored men to some corner of the country " because their heels make a hole in the ground, and a smell exudes from their skins," (using the classic diction of Garret Davis, of Kentucky.) declaring them to be unfit to work and live among the whites, and to go to the ballot box ; and then with consistency admit to the hall of the House of Repre¬ sentatives and Senate the representatives of this proscribed people? Could that feeling that would drive them from the homes of their birth and the graves of their fathers be trusted, to give them the protection and fostering care and equal privileges that are enjoyed by the new State of Nevada? Let us insist upon right and justice, and if Grod wills that the five millions of colored men shall pass away without its attainment, so let it be, for even then the great question »vill be unsettled. The millions of the Isles, the South American States, and of Africa, to whom we are in numbers but as "a drop in the bucket," will continue to struggle for the recognition of the great idea of Universal Liberty and Equality before the law. CHRISTIAN LOVE. Christian love maybe defined thus: The loving thy neigh¬ bor as thyself, and loving thine enemy. Such is the natural depravity of mankind developing itself in an inordinate self- love, that it is impossible to make these great maxims taught 161 "by our Saviour, the rule of our conduct, without the over¬ powering influence of God's spirit. To adhere to these maxims shows one of the most glorious triumphs of the Christian religion, and conforms the indi¬ vidual to that Divine personage of whom the Roman Pilate could find no fault. It is nothing that it costs some sacrifice and self-denial to love our neighbor as ourself, and love our enemies ; for this is a thousand times paid for by a calm and peaceful state of mind, which is the offspring of a clear con¬ science, and the constant assurance of Divine approval. Without we have Christian love reigning in the heart we will be the victims of our own passions, false reasonings and surrounding circumstances. A steamship is propelled by steam and sails, kept steady by ballast or freight, and guided by the helm under the control of a captain. If the firemen neglect the fires, sufficient steam will not be furnished, and the ship will stagger amid the waves; if the engineer put on too much steam, the boilers will burst, and the ship go to pieces in mid-ocean, destroying life ; if the ballast or freight be not properly stored, she will careen and go down before the gale ; if the sails be not properly managed, the masts will be riven from their sockets ; if the helm be not properly handled, her course will be uncertain. It is just so with the human heart; there must be a controlling influence nicely adjusting and directing all the elements of our being, in order that we may ride in safety " O'er Life's solemn main.'1 Christian love is regeneration's plant of healing balm that makes the possessor a chosen instrument of God in blessing his •fellow-man. Christian love expands the vision, ren¬ ders the judgment liberal while it is correct, and substi¬ tutes loving admonition for bitter persecution. It is like those noble wreckers that live at the gates'of the sea on our seaboard. When they see a vessel bestormed and stranded qn the beach, and the flag of distress flying, they never stop to inquire if the captain was careless, or drunk, or anything else ; but they man the life-boat—the surf-boat—launch into the shore lashing billows, and battle with death amid the moanings of the tempest to rescue the shipwrecked passen¬ gers. It does not ask, " How came you so?" but it says, like its Divine Author, when He wrought His wonderous cure, " Take up thy bed and walk." Christian love does not find fault for the sake of finding 11 162 fault, nor expose individual weakness for the mere sake of so doing ; but if it does so at all, the great purpose is to correct and provide a remedy. Prompted by Christian love, how we may astonish the world in the sublime character of our ac¬ tions of every-day life ? What a tone we can give society, and like the opening flowers of the Spring morning, make fragrant the moral atmosphere of the circle wherein we move. Let the blessed Saviour be our model. It is said that a certain man, now one of the most influential Statesmen of this country, when quite young, gazed upon the noble form, and listened to the thrilling tones of John Quincy Adams as he stood in Congress pleading for human rights, and he learned then and there to love him, and went away from the Capitol., saying, " I will be like him." Let us turn our eyes to the throne of the Eternal, and gaze upon Jesus Christ pleading for a sin-cursed world, presenting the cause of saint and sinner, friend and foe ; and as we go into the various walks of life, say, " I will belike him, by the grace of God." TRYING MOMENT FOR THE COLORED PEOPLE. It frequently occurs in the lives of individuals, that there comes a period when it is necessary to summon all they have of intellect, wisdom, physical power, and the aid of friends, in order to meet some great crisis. This is no less true of nations and communities than of individuals. Such a period occurs now, in the history of the colored people of the United States. Since the close of the great civil war, their relations to political government have changed. Public sentiment has undergone a revolution. All this has been for the better. Though we have- not a clear sky, the clouds have parted. Though we ever and anon have our light of hope hid behind them, yet we catch the gleam of many shining rays. Our Colored Representatives enter the Executive Mansion, and in dignified and manly manner present our cause to the President of the United States,—recount our grievances and claim redress. The President stands before them, making a plea in behalf of his own fidelity, and struggling in em¬ barrassed apology for not obeying the dictates of simple justice. A delegation of colored men are acknowledged, conferred 163 and counselled with, by the most eminent legislators in Con¬ gress, and their every word is hurried along the telegraphic wires, and commented upon by the press. Nearly two-thirds of the members in each branch of Congress, are pledged to legislate in behalf of our natural and political rights. As an indication of the favorable state of public sentiment at the North, let us note the fact that millions of dollars have been raised and expended to educate and provide for the Freedmen of the South. Who of us can reflect upon all this, without perceiving that our race has grander opportuni¬ ties for progress and improvement now than they ever had ; and that responsibilities rest upon us, which we were never before called upon to assume. It is true, also, that there is a party rising—not increas¬ ing in numbers, but improving in discipline, unity and tac¬ tics—whose great mission is to crush out our hopes of eleva¬ tion. This party will bring to bear upon our faults a tele¬ scope, and give the world a magnified picture. " The World," a copperhead newspaper, well remarks, that " the position of this party is that of an ' army of observation.' " The opposition of our enemies, and the expectation created among the great " cloud of witnesses " that behold us, by the opportunities we enjoy, make the present moment a try¬ ing one for us. We have entered upon a new life in this nation. The circumstances by which we have been sur¬ rounded in the past, especially in the slave States, have not been such as to develop manhood. The laws of those States ignored it ; and to obey the laws, we had to ignore our own manhood too. If we enjoyed security against outrage and injury, it was because we enjoyed some sympathy among the ruling class. Our domestic peace and comfort depended en¬ tirely upon our continued appeal to sympathy. If a man be not allowed to claim a thing as his right, he must do the next best thing—beg for it as a gift. We have always been beggars for justice, beggars for sympathy, because bound hand and foot by American tyranny. But this has well nigh come to an end, and the grand era is near at hand, whence shall everywhere cease to present ourselves as objects of pity, but as the fit subjects of respect. There are two ways by which we are to get our rights. The first is, to continually present our claim to the nation, and the second is to continue to prove ourselves capable of making as good use ol all the political privileges which white citizens enjoy, as they do themselves. We have proved this 164 already, in our loyalty and sacrifices during the terrible civil war ; but we must add proof to proof, that our very existence may be a living protest against the injustice that would pro¬ scribe us. There is a danger, that in looking with anxiety at our contest for political equality, and the enjoyment of civil rights, and in our indignation at those who would withhold them from us, we may forget, or not pay sufficient attention to our individual improvement, morally, socially and intel¬ lectually. It is not alone in the Halls of Congress or Legis¬ latures, on the platform and in pulpit,, that American prejudice is most successfully fought. The colored man who owns a farm and cultivates- it well, and carries produce to market,, makes a plea for his race far more effectual than the tongue of the most eloquent orator. A colored man standing, in the door of his own blacksmith shop, with a leather apron on, i& doing as much to elevate his race as the man in public station. No race of people inferior in numbers or power to another race, can live with them on terms of equality, unless they have the same great current of thought and feeling—unless they imbibe the spirit of the age. The present age in Amer¬ ica is pre-eminently a practical and working age. The peo¬ ple's attention is in the work of developing the resources of the country ; they are after sinking shafts and hoisting to the surface precious and useful metals, tunnelling mountains, yoking hills together, and spanning streams with bridges. They believe in individual accumulation, and glory in the increasing wealth of the nation. Colored men, now that they have commenced thinking and acting for themselves, must be found in all the different branches of mechanism and labor, in agriculture and in commerce. American oppression taught that we were fit only for plan¬ tation hands and servants. Now that it is fast crumbling away, let us teach the world that we have the power and the disposition to enter into every branch of labor or mechanism that is required to make the phy&ical resources of the world serve the demands of a civilization that is standing in the meridian blaze of the nineteenth century. 165 SENATORS WHO DO NOT USE THEIR OWN BRAINS. We find that the following Senators voted for the Freed- tnen s Bureau Bill, in the Senate, on its passage, and, in a little over three weeks thereafter, voted against it, because the President did not like it: Dixon, Do-o-little, Norton, Stewart, Vanwinkle, Wiley and Morgan—seven in all. These are the faithless ones ! Messrs. Nesmith and Cowan dodged the first vote, but came up manfully at the second, after the President had spoken. What distinguished States¬ men 1 We would "detract" from them by writing their names by the side of Adams, Jackson, Webster, Sumner or Stevens. Are they not authority in national polity for the world? Are they not the most brilliant orators and the wisest legislators in the United States Senate? Are they not the firmest of all in adhesion to right? We would not write their names by those of these " non^-practical men " like Washington, Adams and Sumner, but in a conspicuous place, by themselves, and, as the glory that flashes from all of them is so great, more than human nature could stand, and, as they are all equal in glory and achievement, we would, let the name of a single one express the names and keep alive the memory of all. That name is the immortal, the glorious and marvellous Do-o-little, of the State of Wisconsin. Oh ! Wisconsin ! you are to be deprived of the glory of Do-o-lit¬ tle, about which you must ask How-e? OUR PROPER ATTITUDE. Let the world know by our words and actions that we are relying upon the goodness of a Divine being, and seeking His Spirit to guide us in our dealings with our fellow-men, be they friends or foes. We catch, as it were, from the throne'of the Eternal, and echo throughout this land the soul-reviving strain, Peach on earth, and good will toward men." The past sorrows of our race may dictate bitterness ; the present opposition to their happiness that is marshalling on the plains of injustice, may suggest a kin¬ dred feeling, but, thank Ood, we can rise above these influences, by the power of the Divine teaching we adore. Our great work is not that ot pining, and tretting, or hating. The moyement of Divine Providence, triumphant 168 through blood and tears in emancipating our race from slavery, and placing on a firmer foundation this Great Republic, and carrying the school-teacher and preacher_to Southern cities, towns, and plantations, fills the heart with rejoicing, lights up the future with hope, and strengthens us in the great work of making ourselves useful by spiritu¬ ally, morally, and socially improving. We have no time to look back. The past cannot be amended or improved. The only service it can be, is to counsel us by the experience which it has afforded. God has sjmken to us " that we go forward/' The sublimest picture of moral strength, is to see one mingling among his opposers, and asserting his right, without anger, malice, or unkindness. Such a man may not be a giant in intellect, a person of prestige or of politi¬ cal power ; but he stands amid the opposition like the rock of Gibralter on the sea : the billows may foam and dash in maddened fury about him: he is unmoved, unharmed, towering heavenward, and commanding awe-stricken admi¬ ration. It is the misfortune of some to associate abuse, arrogance and vindictiveness with a manly independence ; and to regard meekness, quietness, and magnanimity as the unmistakable sign of cowardice, vacillation and apathy. We see the ministers of our Church, and many of other denominations, going into Southern States, in the spirit of the Master, planting churches in the midst of those, who, but the other day, rallied to the war-cry of a fallen power, finding friends and receiving encouragement among them. They differ in opinion respecting the benefits to flow from the changed status of our people ; but this difference of opinion is met with that tolerance that the Spirit of Christ dictates, and that faith which we have, that the future will entirely and everywhere change it. Minute guns may be fired, cannons boom, and huzzas rend the air in consequence of what may be deemed a turn in national affairs against us. The telegraph may dolefully sound the news of persecuted and murdered freedmen. The journals may teem with accounts of oppressive legislation against them, and volumes of testimony of outrage and injustice be chronicled by congressional committees, and yet we will know no man on account of his color, or the place of his residence and birth. We will know no North, no South, no East, no West, but the whole country—to helpr to feel a kindred sympathy with every man that God has made. 167 ~We arc strengthened in this, because we have faith in God and in the people. We believe in the power of Divine ♦grace, that influences a very large portion of the people of this land. There is Christianity in the North, in the South, in the East, and in the West. Though so many look to the South with such fearful apprehensions for the future of our people, from that land, though it be the scene of bloody battle fields, and thickly studded grave yards, of factories and houses in ashes, there comes up to us the shining rays of hopeful promises of sympathy for our race, and though dark clouds anon and ever intervene, we will not ignore or turn away.from it. Whatever there is of true religion in the South must and will be on the side of the colored man against wrong and injustice. It is no pleasure to us to oppose, censure or condemn any public man. We do not care to assume such task. We prefer that each answer at the Great Tribunal, to which, sooner or later, they will be summoned. But we do, and will continue, to protest against false principles, and unjust measures, and to ask what reason dictates, right demands, and God approves. THE JEW AND THE BLACK GENTILE. There is a striking parallelism shown iri the relation of the Jew of the old dispensation, to the Gentiles, and the re¬ lation of the white people of our day to darker races. Also, in the relation of the Jew of the eighteen centuries of the Christian era, to the Christians ; and the relation of the col¬ ored race to the white in the later centuries of that period. The Jew of the old dispensation did not heed the declara¬ tion of God, " That out of one blood He had made all nations to dwell upon the face of the earth." He had a pride of race that made him look down upon his fellow man. God's bless¬ ings made him arrogant and contemptuous. For him the seas had parted and made a highway, bread had fallen from heaven, the flinty rock had sent forth a silver steam, to him God had appeared in a flame of fire 011 Mount Sinai. The inspiration ot' God expressed in the history that recorded the creation and the beginnings of nations, the sublime prophe¬ cies of God's mouth-pieces, and the poetic strain ot David were all regarded by the Jew as the literature ot his tribe. 168 He decked himself with a conquerer's laurels, as he remem¬ bered the driving out of the Canaanites, and the fall of Go¬ liath before the valor of David, and the rout of the Philis-, tines by the army of Israel. He wrapped himself up in the cloak of pride and human selfishness, and from its summit looked down upon creation and said, uIama Jew I" He did not think to ask the question, " Who maketh me ta differ from another ?" and then give God all the glory. But God ruled as He rules to-day and will rule forever. In the fullness of time Christ came. No more slaughtered goats and rams and kids : we had the light lor the shadow— the reality for the substance, and under a blackened sky, darkened by God's eternal frown, amid the quaking of earth and bursting graves, He again declared, through the voice of his well beloved Son, as he cried in dying agony, '£ It is finished! It is finished!" that he was no respecter of persons. Let us follow the Jews, and we see that in seventy years afterward., that Titus, the Roman Emperor, takes Jerusalem, and 1,100,000 perish by his sword and their own hands. Even twenty years before this took place, they were banished by Claudius from Rome. Their city of Jerusalem, despoiled by Titus, is rebuilt by Adrian, but its name is changed to Elia Ccipitolina, and a temple is erected to Jupiter. In sixty- five years after, in the great massacre by Titus, 580,000 Jews are slain by the Romans. At this period we find them ban¬ ished by an imperial edict from all parts of Judea. And from thenceforward we find them scattered over the globe. Eight hundred and seventy-eight years ago we find them arriving in England, and they were everywhere the victims of the most virulent hate. At the coronation of Richard I., A. D., 1190, many were butchered. Fourteen years after this, great numbers of the Jews of both sexes were impris¬ oned, their eyes and teeth plucked out by order of King John. During the following two hundred years, they are deprived of the right of enjoying a freehold, compelled to wear de¬ grading badges, many are hanged and quartered for clipping coin, 15,660 are banished from England. After having been banished from England three hundred and seventy years, they are permitted to return by Oliver Cromwell in *1657. A statute is passed to naturalize them in 1753, six hundred and seventy-five years after they had first come into Eng¬ land ; and this is instantly repealed on the petition of all the cities. In 1790, they are declared to be citizens of Spain, Portugal and France. It was not until 1845 that a Jew 169 could sit in Parliament, being the result of a straggle of eight hundred and sixty-seven years. The first Jewish Lord Mayor of London, was elected in 1855. And even now the throwing out of the Jewish Oath Bill by the House of Lords, after it had been passed by the House of Commons, is an evidence of the still lingering pre¬ judice against the Jew. But, however, now we find the Jews among the foremost of Statesmen, professional and commercial men in England. In the United States he has never been proscribed, it is true ; but he has been hated, yet by dint of perseverance, by closely attending to everything pertaining to his individual interest, by the pursuit of knowl¬ edge, the Jew in this country makes himself felt in the councils of the nation, in the departments of science, and the commercial world. Our white friends are now as the Jews once were, under the old dispensation—the most favored of Divine Providence, they bask in the sunshine of a great prosperity, and cry " Glory " to themselves ; they look upon the darker races as the Jew looked upon the Gentile. But let them listen to the enunciation of the Father's will through Jesus Christ. Let them emblazon upon their banners the truth " That God is no respecter of persons," lest another Titus should be their despoiler, and the trials and sorrows of the Jews of England, should be represented in their future history. We say, God forbid, and hope that the struggle of ideas consistent with right and justice may culminate in glorious victory. The history of the Jews should teach the colored people a lesson. They got wealth and education and kept together ; they were patient, but ever toiling, hopeful, and ever watch¬ ing, economical, saving, even penurious and mercenary. Their persistence and indomitable energy never slackened. Thus they brought an influence to bear that was too power¬ ful even for their most formidable oppressors, who arose before the Woolsack in the House of Lords. If President Johnson be re-elected, if the democrats and negro haters shall rule this country for generations yet to come, if the most oppressive laws rob us of our rights, and then, if the colored people come up generation after genera¬ tion improved, having more morality, more education, more wealth, more untiring and useful industry ; our public men may stand on the watch-tower and cry as it were to unborn generations of black men, "All is well ! All is well ! ^ For we can then no more be kept from elevation or equality in 170 this land, than you can stop the onward roll of the rainbow- crowned Niagara, that dashes over the awful precipice, and sends its sounding roar for twenty miles around. THE GREATEST FOLLY OF WHITE AMERICANS. We do not expect to find a people without follies this side of the millennium, and yet there is one that exists among the white people of this country, which is quite unpardona¬ ble. It is the holding of prejudice against colored people and adding to it hatred, opposition and persecution. It is marvellous, that a people so distinguished for great¬ ness of soul ; Avho make their country an asylum for the op¬ pressed of all nations, from Siberia's white-covered hills, to the vine-clad shores of the Mediterranean ; that establishes and fosters institutions which bless the world, should be guilty of so great a folly. We hold that prejudice against anything, no matter what, cannot be justified on rational grounds. Reason would demolish it everywhere. Prejudice may be inoffensive, or it may be criminal, but never justifia¬ ble. The word "prejudice" comes from the Latin, praeju- dicium, a compound word, pras, signifying before, and judicium, judgment, before judgment. Then, if we hold pre¬ judice, we admit that we have come to a conclusion without the existence of our judgment. There is very little glory in doing that. Who would boast that he bid reason stand still ? As well might a general boast that he reconnoitred the lines of an enem}r or reviewed his own forces with his eyes shut. Inoffensive prejudice may exist in a case like this : Sup¬ pose that a man had lost two sons—his only children—by skating on the ice, his feelings might be so deeply stirred by it —his anguish so great, that he might be entirely preju¬ diced against skating, hating to look at one, hating to see any one skate. This would be an inoffensive prejudice ; and, while we might not admire his judgment, we would not find fault with him for holding it; but it would be an offensive and criminal prejudice if he sought to deprive people of the privilege of skating or ill-treat those who did skate. We have known persons whose near friends were injured or killed by the accidental discharge of a gun, and they could never bear to have even an unloaded gun in their room afterwards. But we never heard of them claiming the right to have 171 everybody go out of their sight or reach who did have guns, oi' to hate them because they kept them. This would be unreasonable. We arraign American prejudice against color, before the bar of reason, and it is found to be unreasonable ; we arraign it at the bar of truth and justice because we find it arrogat¬ ing to itself the right to destroy the dearest interests of five minions of men in the United States, seeking their lives, abridging their liberty, and filling the cup, which should overflow with happiness, with the gall of bitterness. If the complexion of the colored "man, by the accident of slavery, associates with him an idea of degradation, why not treat him as the man who is prejudiced against skates treats his fellow-man who is skating, conceding to him all his rights and due respect, though those skates associate with him the fact of bereavement. Slavery has passed away. It forced degradation upon our race. American prejudice is aspiring to perform the same hellish office. It does not necessarily follow that a man is degraded because he is of dark complexion, any more than we could say of a truth, This piece of cloth is rotten, be¬ cause it is black; this piece is sound, because it is white. It might be as white as snow, and as rotten as a fertilizer ; and as black as jet, and as sound as incorruptibility. American prejudice against colored people is not only criminal, but it is hypocritical. It says, " We proscribe the negro, because he is inferior and incapable." When he makes attempts that are likely to be successful, it says, "We must proscribe the negro, or he Avill equal us; he will become so refined, and strong in intellect, that he will win the hearts of our daughters, and become our legisla¬ tor." As the wicked Jews could see nothing good in the Saviour, American prejudice sees nothing good in our race. When the question was asked, whether Jesus or Barabbas should be delivered? they answered "Barabbas." If the question were asked of those under the influence of American preju¬ dice to-day, "Who shall suffer, the colored men who fought at Fort Pillow, Milliken's Bend, Wagner, or along the James, and before Petersburg, the men who saved the lives of Union soldiers, and whole armies, by timely information given at great peril, or Jefferson Davis and his cabinet? The answer would be, " The colored men! " American prejudice against color is the development of 172 that same spirit of the Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisees^ that crowned Divinity with thorns, and streaked the side ot God's own Son with crimson gore. This spirit may live, but shall not conquer ; it may sepulchre our hopes, and guard with vigilance the place of their consignment ; but God will still rule, and for us there will be a " third day in the morning," when an angel's visit shall shed a halo ot glory, and cause the barrier of American prejudice to roll away, to fall lifeless, and the colored people shall again live triumphant over wrong and injustice, the monuments of Divine power and goodness. A LIFE-DAY. The following poem, written in 1864, is founded upon in¬ cidents which took place in one of our Southern States. The judge referred to, has recently figured as a provisional gov¬ ernor in President Johnson's plan of reconstruction. G. B. Y. Pittsburg, March 5tli, 1866. morning. The breeze awakes with morn's first ray, Like childhood roused from sleep to play ; The sunshine, like a fairy sprite, Comes to undo the wrong of night; ► And earth is jocund with the glee That swells from hill and vale and tree. - It echoes music fitly set For mocking-bird and paroquet; And, joyous as a ransomed soul, It hears the notes of the oriole. The murmur of the wide-swept cane Hymneth the rapture of the plain, And mingles with the brooklet's song,— A mirthful brook with fitful gleam, Hasting to Mississippi's stream, And glad ning both its banks along, Surely, to be mid scenes like this Doth render like a dream of bliss— A treasure-store without alloy ;— Here Joy's alive, and Life is joy. 173 Oh ! what a joy it is to him Who for this scene has left the room Where sickness, hollow-eyed and grim, Hath held, for years, its court of gloom,-— Wli ose shrunken limbs too clearly own That there the monster had his throne ! They tell not all his tale of woe,— How friends alid. brothers from him fled? And left him to the fever's glow, The ulcered frame, the throbbing head. With no defense against the grave Save this-—the care of one poor slave- That faithful one is by his side ;<— What more of bliss can nOw betide ? What matter that the earth is fair ? What matter that the glad bird's sing ? His pleasure, is that she doth share The balmy breeze's welcoming- Her sweet smile is the sunshine bright That floods the landscape wide with light; Her gladsome youth the genial morn That doth his happy day adorn, And her soft voice the music sweet With which no warbler can compete- And now that Life and Hope again Ope to him paths long closed by pain,— Now, while her tawny cheek, her eye, Are bright with modest ecstacy, The hushed shades of the orange grove Smilingly hear his tale of love. &OON- How swiftly glide our mortal yeafs. When Love doth wing each blissful hoitly— When all our hopes, and all our fears, Are minions of his magic power 1 Twelve years ! Twelve moments in her life. Since she became a happy wife ! All chains are riven save the tie Which links her to his destiny- What cares he for the glance of scorti That mock him in his daily walk? What, that each coming night and morfl 174 Echoes his neighbors' gibing talk? She, once his slave and now his bride, Out-values all the earth- beside. And 'neath the orange trees he strays With her, as in their younger days ; But not with her alone ; for now His hand doth press a maiden's brow Whose flaxen curls and eyes of blue, _ From her fond sires have caught their hue. Beside them stands a dark-eyed boy, Whose laugh rings out his infant joy, As, now and then, comes flashing by, The many-colored butterfly. Oh ! with such pledges of fond love As thou dost mark in either boon, Say, mother, hath not He above Granted thy morn a fitting noon? NIGHT. Alas ! that noon should yield to night Its treasured joys of life and light ! Alas ! that sun-bright happiness Should be o'erclouded by distress ! The noble soul who gladly gave A wife's name to his faithful slave, Hath passed away, and those who fled In horror from his stricken bed, Have come, like vultures to the dead,— Have come to batten on the store He left to those he held so dear— To claim them in their anguish sore, As born thralls to a bondage drear. And one whose guilty deeds hurl shame On white-robed Justice' sainted name, Holding no sacred thing in awe, Dared to proclaim the marriage tie Shielding them with its purity, A fraud upon the slaver's law. A wailing comes upon the breeze, That sighs amid the orange trees ; And she is there, and all alone. Oh, linger, night! for with the day 175 Her children will be far away— Her children ! Ah ! no more her own ! 0; mother ! mourning by the spot Hallowed by sweetest memory, And bidding fancy shape the lot Each little one is doomed to see. Alas ! thy poor heart knows too well, What to itself it dares not tell! Hundreds of boys as gently born As he who was thy joy and pride, Have by the cruel lash been torn, And 'neath its bloody scourgings died. Hundreds of maidens full as fair As she whose little life you gave, Know what a dowry of despair, Is beauty in a female slave. And thou, lorn mother !—thy sole part Is weeping, till it breaks thy heart. Shades of the heroes, long since gone ! Was this your glory's end and aim ? Was it for this, O, Washington ! That welcoming the rebel's name, Halter and battle you defied ? For this, 0, Warren ! that you died ? Let the reader now turn to page 53, where he will see the first piece of literature produced, that is, published in the African M. E. Church, and let him glance at all the pieces which followed from 1841 to 1846, which closes the third de¬ cade. Then, let him patiently read the specimens which I have presented as some of the products of t\\e fifth decade—-let him turn back once more to pages 53, 55, 60, and 63, and read the first editorials of our first editor, and compare them with the first editorials of our last and present editor, and he will see in editorial ability what Methodism has done for us, then let him read the subsequent editorials of the other editors—-and weighing the grammatical, rhetorical, scientific and other qualities of the literature first produced, and those of the literature last produced, i. e., the specimens of the fifth decade, then will he see what Methodism has done for us in a literary point of view at the end of fifty years. Having done this, let him turn to pages 31, 32, where he will see in 1826, the end of our first decade, what were the 176 results of Methodism among us, then let him compare that table with this TABULAR VIEW OF THE RESULTS OF METHODISM IN A SINGLE DISTRICT AMONG THE ANGLO-AFRICANS IN THE AFRICAN M, E. CHURCH, OF THE UNITED STATES. a> Annual Conference, L The Baltimore Animal Conference with its a. Members > 10.000 b. Probationers - 700 c. Churches 60 cA Parsonages 4 Valued at. $203,732 e. Sunday Schools..... 52 y. Scholars ... 5.500 g. Teachers 356 h. Volumes in Libraries 6,016 2. Its Ministry. а. Pastors 81 б. Chaplains now serving in the army of the U. S 2 c. Local Preachers 75 d. Exhovters 61 3. Its Societies and Schools. a. Preachers'Aid Association 1 b. Literary and Historical 1 ti. Missionary Societies about,...,... 65 d. Sunday Schools ; 38 e. Volumes in Libraries 6,016 J". Superintendents 45 g. Day Schools 13 4, Parsonages. u In the City of Baltimore, Mcl 1 b. " " " Washington, D. C 1 c. " " " Frederick. Md 1 d. " " " Norfolk, Va 1 Total ....... 4 t Two of thesk parsonages have been bought and paid for since the civil war. 6. Support of tke Pastors. a. Including house-rent, fuel, board $13,784 b% For its presiding Bishop, about.... 1.000 Contingent expenses 207 177 I should be pleased to detail the statistics of the other Con¬ ferences, whose Minutes lie before me, but time forbids. It is now the 17th ot March, 12 M., Saturday. I must place these papers in the hands of the printer tins afternoon ; to do so, I must leave Washington lor Baltimore two-and-a-half hours hence. Please, therefore, accept the following : General Summary. a. Churches 286 b. Pastors or Traveling Preachers 185 c. Annual Conferences 10 d. Circuits 39 e. Missions 40 f. Stations 50 g. Sunday School Scholars and Teachers 21,000 h. Libraries containing Volumes 17,818 i. Members of our Church 50,000 j. Who gave to aid widows and orphans last year $5,000 k. For support of the pastors 83,593 - I. Value of Church Property 825,000 m. Support of Sunday Schools 3,000 11. Total amount raised for all purposes about 100,000 Benevolent Institutions. a. Parent Home and Foreign Missionary Society 1 b. Conference Missionary Societies. 10 c. Preachers' Aid Societies 10 d. Educational Associations 6 Literary Institutions. a. Literary and Historical Societies 5 b. - Book Concern 1 c. Weekly Periodical 1 d. Collegiate Institution—the Wilberforce University.. 1 This is what Methodism has done for ns. And, beside its work in our own beloved country, it has enabled us to plant and train Missionary Churches in the British Province of Canada during a period of eighteen years, and to make our labors there culminate in giving to the colored Canadi¬ ans an Independent Ecclesiastical organization. Now, reader, tell us, has Methodism degraded the Negro, the Anglo-African ? Among these one hundred and eighty-five pastors are many intelligent, studious, well-read men, and some who are reg¬ ularly educated. For piety and successful labors, they can compare favorably with any ministry in the country. Among our fifty thousand members are a host of intelligent 12 178 men and women, who both read and think ; of whom, are several graduates, and two of whom are M. A. ; that two of these are Presidents of Colleges ; that one of these, a lay¬ man, is confessedly tfce finest scholar now among the colored men of the United States. Among these fifty thousand laymen, are many industri¬ ous, thrifty mechanics, and many successful farmers. All of these myriads have been converted to God by the special labors of Methodism, and are now on the road to heaven ; that thousands, who were converted through our ministry, have finished their career of usefulness, and have already reached that better land. Again I demand the answer to the question, does Meth¬ odism degrade the negro ? Because we are generally poor and illiterate, are we there¬ fore to be despised and calumniated? Before you do us this grievous wrong, remember, that if we are poor, it is because we have been legally robbed; that we have been legally en¬ slaved; that this robbery and enslavement have been fol¬ lowed up by proscription and exclusion, as though we had been lepers among the Jews ; that this dehumanizing work has been done by the State, by the Church, by the Common School, by the College ; that the black men who have thus reviled and traduced us, have all the while been enjoying the sympathies, and monies of our oppressors, while we, on account of our independent organization, have been cut off from these sympathies, and this pecuniary aid ; that not¬ withstanding these fearful odds were against us, we have put forth such efforts for intellectual, moral, and ecclesiasti¬ cal development as none but men of unconquerable energy, and a holy purpose could exhibit; that these efforts have been all made in the fear of Grod, and with a humble reliance upon his blessings ; that while men have been cursing us, He has been blessing us. So, then, rejoicingly we exclaim, "Hitherto, the Lord hath helped us! " The ignorance of a n;an is not a just cause for despising him. But if the means of education are placed within his reach, and he refuses to use them, then he ought to be despised. But when a man becomes sensible of his igno¬ rance, and seeks the means of cultivation—begs for aid puts forth all the efforts of which body and soul are capa¬ ble to break the yoke that binds his spirit—to rush out of his dungeon into sun-light—he deserves your sympathy, your prayers, your aid. " * 179 This is exactly the case of the African M. E. Church.