r 
 
 ■i“3 -A) - X \ ^ C 
 
 HISTOEY 
 
 op THK 
 
 « 
 
 issimtarj teoptiun, 
 
 J 
 
 WITH 
 
 Facts and Anecdotes 
 
 ILLUSTRATING 
 
 ITS WORK IN THE SOUTH 
 
 S. W. Green, Printer and Stereotyper, 16 and 1^ Jacob Street, New-York, 
 
5 O 
 
 READE STREET, l^EW-YORK. 
 
 or'r'ic:Eii^!^. 
 
 Corresponding Secretaries. 
 
 Kev. Geo. Whipple; Rev. M. E. Strieby, 56 Reade St., New-York. 
 
 Rev. W. W. Patton, D.D., 107 Fifth Ave , Chicago, Ill. 
 
 Field Secretary. 
 
 Rev. E. M. Cravath, 56 Reade St., New-York, 
 
 DistHct Secretaries. 
 
 Rev. C. L. Woodworth, Congregational House, Boston, Mass. 
 
 Rev. G. D. Pike, 56 Reade St., New-York. 
 
 Treasurer. 
 
 Edgar Ketchum, Esq., New-York. 
 
 Assistant Treasurer. 
 
 W. E. Whiting, 56 Reade St., New-York. 
 
 COMMUNICATIONS 
 
 Relating to the business of the Association may be addressed to either of the 
 
 Secretaries as above. 
 
 DONATIONS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS 
 
 May be sent to W. E. Whiting, 56 Reade Street, New-York, or when more con¬ 
 venient, to either of the Branch Offices in Boston or Chicago. Drafts or Checks 
 sent to Mr. Whiting should be made payable to his order as Assistant Treasurer. 
 A payment of thirty dollars at one time constitutes a Life Member. 
 
 STATISTICS. 
 
 Churches: In the South —in Va. 1, N. C. 5, S. C. 1, Ga. 8, Ky. 5, Tenn. 4, 
 Ala. 5, La. 9, Miss. 2, Mo. 1, Kansas 3, Texas 3. In the West Indies 6, Africa 1, 
 Siam 1, Sandwich Islands 1. Total, 56. 
 
 Institutions : Chartered in the South —Hampton Institute ; Berea and Tal¬ 
 ladega Colleges ; Atlanta, Fisk, Tougaloo and Straight Universities, 7. Graded 
 or Normal Schools, at Wilmington, Charleston, Greenwood, S. C., Andersonville, 
 Macon, Savannah, Atlanta, Ga., Montgomery, Mobile, Marion, Athens, Selma, Ala., 
 Chattanooga, Memphis, Tenn., Lexington, Louisville, Ky., Columbus, Miss., 
 Galveston, Texas, Jefferson City, Mo., 19. Other Schools, 47. Total, 73. 
 
 Teachers and Missionaries. —Among the Freedmen, 311 ; among the 
 Chinese, 12; in foreign lands, 29 ; total, 352. Students —In Theology, 47 ; in 
 College Course, 56 ; in Chartered Institutions, 1907 ; in other schools, 12,141 ; 
 total, 14,048. Indians under the care of the Association, 13,000. 
 
 Those who wish to remember the American Missionary Association in 
 their last Will and Testament are earnestly requested to use the following : 
 
 FORM OF A BEQUEST. 
 
 “ I bequeath to my executor (or executors) the sum of-dollars in trust, 
 
 to pay the same in — days after my decease to the person who, when the same 
 is payable, shall act as Treasurer of the ‘ American Missionary Association,’ 
 New-York City, to be applied, under the direction of the Executive Committee 
 of the Association, to its charitable uses and purposes.” 
 
 The Will should be attested by three witnesses, (in some States three are 
 required—in other States only two,) who should write against their names, their 
 places of residence, (if in cities, their street and number). The following form 
 of attestation will answer for every State in 'the Union : “ Signed, sealed, pub¬ 
 lished, and declared by the said [A. B.] as his last Will and Testament, in pre¬ 
 sence of us, who, at the request of the said A. B., and in his presence, and in the 
 presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.” In 
 some States, it is required that the Will should be made at least two months 
 before the death of the testator. 
 
HISTOET 
 
 or TUE 
 
 ITS CHURCHES 
 
 AND 
 
 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 
 
 AMONG 
 
 THE FKEEDMEN, INDIANS, AND CHINESE. 
 
 WITH 
 
 ILLUSTRATIVE FACTS AND ANECDOTES. 
 
 New-Yokk: 
 
 S. W. GREEN, PRINTER, Nos. 16 AND 18 JACOB STREET. 
 
 1874. 
 
 
EXPLAIfJ'ATOEY. 
 
 ---- 
 
 The frequent calls for facts and documents, relating to the history 
 and work of the American Missionary Association, have su 2 :Q:ested 
 
 j o o 
 
 the preparation of these pages. 
 
 The items are gleaned mainly from, the Annual Reports of the 
 Association and its monthly periodical, “ The American Missionary A 
 
 The History gives a concise sketch of the work of the Associa¬ 
 tion, reaching down to 1868 ; the accounts of the Cihjrciies and 
 Educational Institutions among the Freedmen, Indians, and Chi¬ 
 nese, present the more recent labors ; and the Anecdotes are intended 
 to furnish, in a pleasant form, a more general view of the workers of 
 the Association, and of the people for whom they work. The engrav¬ 
 ings are taken, mainly, from tlie catalogues and circulars of the dif¬ 
 ferent institutions. 
 
 56 Reade Street, New-York, 
 
 September, 1874. 
 
HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 American Missionary Association. 
 
 -- 
 
 The story of the Spanish Inquisition is now read with less aston¬ 
 ishment and indigrnation than we shall soon feel in view of the martyr 
 age of America, now passing away. AYe are only too familiar witii 
 the penalties of fine, lash, and imprisonment inflicted in our own age 
 and country on those who taught human beings to read any book or 
 printed matter,” including, of course, the AYord of God. ’Tis but yes¬ 
 terday that millions of the inhabitants of this land could receive only 
 religious instruction, and that in the presence of censors armed 
 with despotic power. 
 
 In 1846 the domination of the slave-power in the United States 
 was well-nigh supreme over politics, trade, the press, the pulpit, and 
 the benevolent and missionary societies ; and that was the era of the 
 up-rising of organized opposition to its power. The formation of 
 the American Missionary Association was one mark and means of that 
 opposition. 
 
 ORGANIZATION AND EARLY LABORS. 
 
 The American Missionary Association was formed Sept. 3, 1846. 
 It was preceded by four recently established missionary organizations, 
 which were subsequently merged into it. They were the result of a 
 growing dissatisfaction with the comparative silence of the older mis¬ 
 sionary societies in regard to Slavery, and were a protest against it. 
 The first of these organizations was the Aaiistad Committee, origi- 
 natinsc under the following circumstances. On the 26th of Auo-., 
 1839, Lieut. Gedney, of the brig Washington^ employed on the coast 
 survey, boarded a mysterious schooner, off the east end of Long Is¬ 
 land. He found a large number of Africans and two Spaniards, one 
 
 
4 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 of whom announced himself as the owner of the negroes, and claimed 
 Lieut. Gedney’s protection. The schooner was taken into tlie port of 
 New-London, and the Africans, after a brief examination in the U. 
 8. District Court, were committed for trial for murder on the high 
 seas. They were 42 in number, three being girls. They were all 
 sent to jail in New-Haven. 
 
 When it was ascertained that the negroes were recently from Africa, 
 and had been illegally bought at Havana, to be taken to Principe to 
 be enslaved, and that they had risen upon their enslavers and recov¬ 
 ered their liberty, much interest was excited in the public mind. It 
 was seen, at once, that somebody must act for these strangers, and 
 accordingly the Amistad Committee was formed in New-Tork, who 
 immediately made an appeal for funds, engaged professional counsel, 
 and undertook to secure suitable instruction for these benio:hted 
 pagans. 
 
 After passing through several’Courts, the final trial of these Afri¬ 
 cans was held in the U. S. Supreme Court, in pursuance of a demand 
 by the Minister of the Queen of Spain. John Quincy Adams and 
 Roger S. Baldwin argued the case in their behalf, in March, 1841, and 
 the “captives” were pronounced free! They were removed to 
 Farmington, Ct., where they remained under instruction till the fol¬ 
 lowing ISTovember, when they sailed for their native land, accompanied 
 by three missionaries, sent by the Committee. 
 
 At this period, the Committee, occupied with their own pursuits, 
 transferred the care of these Africans and the infant mission to the 
 Union Missionary Society, a body then recently organized in Hart¬ 
 ford, Ct., with the same anti-slavery aim as that of the Amistad Com¬ 
 mittee, viz.: “ to discountenance slavery, and especially, by refusing to 
 receive the known fruits of unrequited labor.” Under its auspices, the 
 three missionaries, accompanied by the captives, founded a mission- 
 station at Kaw Mendi, West-Africa, where the Gospel was preached, 
 a church organized, a school established, and a decided influence 
 exerted against the slave trade. In 1845, a terrible war raged among 
 the tribes around the Mission,when its power for good was most marked. 
 It was the refuge for hundreds of both parties, who fled to it for pro¬ 
 tection. Its precincts were held to be sacred by both belligerents, 
 and the missionaries succeeded finally in restoring peace. 
 
 The following year the Union Missionary Society was merged into 
 the American Missionary Association, then formed. 
 
 Committee for West-India Missions. —In 1837, Rev. David S. In¬ 
 graham, a godly and self-denying student of Lane Seminary, and sub¬ 
 sequently of Oberlin, determined to attempt a self-supporting mission 
 among the recently freed inhabitants of Jamaica. He was accompa- 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 nied and followed by other missionaries, and much good was accom¬ 
 plished, but the plan of a self-supporting mission was found impracti¬ 
 cable. A Committee was organized in’this country, in 1844, to act 
 in behalf of the mission, but the Committee^afterwards transferred it 
 to the American Missionary Association. 
 
 The Western Evangelical Missionary Society was formed in 
 1843, by the Western Reserve (Ohio) Association, its primary object 
 being to prosecute missionary operations among the Western In¬ 
 dians. A number of missionaries were sent into Minnesota, but in 
 1848, they were put under the care of the American Missionary As¬ 
 sociation, and the society ceased to exist. These Societies having 
 transferred their missions and funds to the 
 
 AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION, 
 
 it entered upon the work with increased vigor, strengthening the 
 missions already begun, and establishing or accepting the care of 
 others—one missionary at the Sandwich Islands, two in Siam, and a 
 number of ministers and teachers laboring among the colored refugees 
 in Canada, being taken under its care—so that in 1854 its laborers in 
 the Foreign field numbered 79, and were located in West-Africa, 
 Jamaica, the Sandwich Islands, Siam, Canada and Minnesota. 
 
 The Home Department of the Association was conducted with a 
 special view to the preaching of the Gospel, free from all complicity 
 with slaverv and caste. Those of its missionaries who were sent into 
 the Southern States, while aiming to benefit all classes, whites and 
 blacks, with schools and the preaching of the Gospel, yet bore an un¬ 
 equivocal “ testimony” against Slavery. The largest number of Home 
 Missionaries employed by the Association was 110 in 1855 ; they 
 were located in the Horth-Western States, and in Kentucky and 
 North-Carolina. 
 
 AMONG THE SLAVES. 
 
 ANTI-SLAVERY PREACHING AND SCHOOLS. 
 
 Before the modern agitation of the anti-slavery question a few 
 Southern white ministers, and occasionally even religious bodies, had 
 uttered noble words against slavery. Here and there also, churches 
 were formed, principally Moravian, excluding slaveholders; but 
 these utterances and organizations were few and uninfluential. The 
 American Missionary Association has the distinction of beginning the 
 
6 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 first decided efforts while slavery existed, for the'education and reli¬ 
 gious instruction of the people of the South, on an avowedly anti¬ 
 slavery basis. The history of these efforts is full of interest. 
 
 Rev. John G. Fee was the pioneer in this movement. A Kentuck¬ 
 ian by birth, the son of a slaveholder, disinherited by his father on 
 account of his anti-slavery principles, preaching^under the commis¬ 
 sion of the Home Missionary Society, but withdrawing from its i)at- 
 ronage because dissatisfied with its position on the subject of slavery, 
 he collected a church of non-slaveholders, and applied to the Ameri- 
 
 [1852. MR. FEE’S “OLD GLADE MEETING-HOUSE.” 1874. 
 
 can Missionary Association for a commission. Mr. Fee was then in 
 the vigor of young manhood, of sanguine temperament, and, as his 
 subsequent history has abundantly shown, of unflinching courage 
 and great moderation under trials. The Association was ready to 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION 
 
 7 
 
 welcome such a man, and gave him a commission dated October 
 lOtli, 1848. A colporteur, an elder in Mr. Fee’s church, was employ¬ 
 ed at the same time to distribute Bibles and tracts among all classes, 
 while and black, bond and free. 
 
 INlr. Fee’s labors were quite abundant. He preached in many 
 
 THE FIRST COLLEGE BUILDING, BEREA, KY. 
 
 places, organized another non-slaveholding church, and, in spitfe ot 
 some annoyances, was happy in his work and quite successful. Sun¬ 
 day-schools were established and day-schools begun. The beginnings 
 were made of what has since become Berea College. 
 
 In March, 1851, the Association commissioned Rev. Daniel Worth 
 
8 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 fis a missionary in North-Carolina. He, too, was a native of the State 
 in which he labored, and had been a magistrate in the county. He 
 preached to sb: feeble non-slaveholding churches, but his labors were 
 not confined to them. He visited many parts of the State, and revi¬ 
 vals attended his ministry. 
 
 The next year the Association appointed three missionaries for 
 Kansas, and others soon followed to share the trials and meet the 
 dangers attendant on the efforts to settle that State with free men, and 
 to plant there a free Gospel. 
 
 Thus did the Association, at every accessible point, endeavor to 
 preach the Gospel in the South, peacefully where it could, under per¬ 
 secution, if it must. In 1855, Mr. Fee, reenforced by three other 
 missionaries and three colporteurs, had given himself to a wider range 
 of effort, employing his pen and.engaging in discussions on the sub¬ 
 ject of slavery. Slavery, ever vigilant, saw the danger and was 
 aroused. The first indication of this was in Garrard county, Ky., 
 where a mob was made to take the place of a discussion, with, how¬ 
 ever, no favorable results to the patriarchal institution. Mr. Fee thus 
 describes the scene: 
 
 “ Preparations had been made for a discussion with a young lawyer. He had actually 
 entered upon it and made his opening speech at one of my previous appointments. I 
 went at the time appointed, with a brother in the church, expecting a pleasant debate. 
 My opponent, at the dictate of his masters, declined any further discussion, violated his 
 promise to maintain liberty of speech, and joined a meeting (or mob) which passed 
 resolutions against my further preaching in the neighborhood, all at the time unknown 
 to me or my friends. When I went, I found the accustomed good and attentive audi¬ 
 ence absent, (expecting no discussion,) and a lawless band of wicked, profane men 
 (about forty) in their stead. They presented their resolutions, accusing me of rebelling 
 against law, teaching doctrines immoral and tending to violations of chastity, and in¬ 
 sisting that I must desist from preaching there, adding, ‘ This is peremptory.’ In the 
 company were one preacher and ten professors of religion, as I was assured by an aged 
 member of the Baptist church, at whose house the meetings had been held. I demand¬ 
 ed to be brought before law tribunals, if I had violated law. If I was teaching error I 
 asked some lawyer, doctor, or preacher, or any half-dozen of them, to appear before the 
 people and show it, and let me have a chance of reply. They replied, ‘ We want no dis- 
 cu^Mn ; it only does injury 
 
 “ They then demanded that I should promise not to preach any more there. I re¬ 
 fused to thus pledge mj^self, telling them I should be treacherous to God, to my own 
 soul, and to their highest interest if I should do so, and that they would really regard 
 me in that light. They then demanded that I should leave that house, threatening vio¬ 
 lence if I did not. I again refused, saying I should do no one thing that had the 
 appearance of retreating or surrendering a right. iThey swore I should; took me by 
 force, put me on my horse, then with boards and sticks forced my horse along, pouring 
 upon me vile abuse and constant threats of violence. Then it was that I felt the force 
 of the words uttered against Christ, my Saviour: ‘Away with him ! away with him !’ 
 In many respects this was to me a most trying occasion. I regretted it because of the 
 effect upon the minds of many friends who were just beginning to lend a favorable ear. 
 Yet to me it has been a blessing. It has driven me nearer to God my strength. It has 
 given me sxtx:h sxjmpathy with Christ as I had not before, and could not have had other¬ 
 wise.” 
 
« 
 
 . AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 0 
 
 The next year came tlie crisis in Kansas. Forays were made into 
 the territory by infuriated men, under unprincipled leaders, from 
 Missouri; ITnited States troops, under the lead of marshals, were 
 arrestinoj citizens for no crime but that of protecting themselves, their 
 families, and their property; and hordes of ruffians were prowling 
 over the country, abusing, robbing, seizing, and dragging away 
 peaceful inhabitants. It was truly a reign of terror. The lives of 
 our missionaries were providentially spared. Their escape was 
 markable. Rev. Mr. Adair, one of the number, wrote, under date of 
 October 1st, 1856: 
 
 “lam now where I have fled from the tyrant Pierce and his ‘ Border Ruflflans.’ They 
 seek to shed my blood. They have shot do^vn a nephew of mine, who happened to be 
 in the road near my house. , . . This was soon followed by the murder of a cousin 
 
 of mine, an invalid Christian man, who was near and^ tried to escape; he fled to the 
 woods, two horsemen pursued him, and shot him. Another man, near by, was badly 
 wounded. ... I shall not attempt to describe my feelings while I lay concealed, 
 much less the feelings I had when, late at night, I got help, and with a lantern in hand 
 went to the woods, found the dead body of my cousin, and brought it home on the 
 Sabbath. May God have mercy on the murderers, th% know not what they do ! . . . 
 
 My children are in constant fear, but my wife is not in a situation to leave, nor could I 
 leave her alone. Do pray for us.” 
 
 Mr. Adair was connected by marriage with the celebrated John 
 Bi*owd, and the nephew here mentioned was the old hero’s son. This 
 murder was one of the series of events that led to the raid at Har¬ 
 per’s Ferry, and thus hastened the outbreak of the rebellion. 
 
 The year 1858 brought another mob upon Mr. Fee and his fellow- 
 laborer, Jones, a colporteur who accompanied him, and who, as it 
 turned out, was the only sufferer of physical violence. A graphic 
 pen sketches the scene : 
 
 “ While Brother Fee was preaching, thirty or forty armed men rode up, and sent one 
 of their number into the house to demand that he should desist. He replied, that he 
 was peaceably exercising his constitutional right, and requested the person to be seat¬ 
 ed until he had finished preaching. The messenger returned to his company, who then 
 rushed in and seized Brother Fee and Brother Jones ; they tried to extort from Bro- 
 tlier Fee a promise that he would never return, threatening to duck him in the river 
 till there was no breath left in him. Failing in getting a pledge, they mounted their 
 horses, one of them taking Brother Jones up behind him, and rode about two miles to 
 tlie river, and descended into a dark, lonely ravine upon the bank. At the foot they 
 halted, and made another eflbrt to induce Brother Fee to promise to leave that part of 
 the country, and not return. He at length got their attention and commenced talking 
 to them, telling them he could not make a pledge that might conflict with future duty. 
 Said he: ‘It is not impossible that some of you may yet want me to come and pray with 
 you, and I should hate to be under a pledge not to do it.’ He also told them, if he did 
 this from fear of their violence, they themselves would not respect him, and reminded 
 them of that greater meeting, when they all must be assembled to give an account of 
 ‘the deeds done in the body.’ At length one of them said, they did not come there 
 to hear a sermon; they must attend to their business. They then proceeded a little 
 way further to a thicket on the bank of the river. They here ordered Brother Jones to 
 
10 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 strip; he pulled off his coat and vest, and stopped. They jeered him and told him to 
 ‘ strip his linen.’ They removed all his clothing except his shirt. Then bending him 
 over, they turned that up, and one of the leaders of the gang proceeded to whip him 
 upon the naked back with a sycamore switch or switches—these grow large and heavy. 
 Ever}’ blow left its mark. His wounds, as seen afterward by others, are of no slight 
 eJiaracter. Brother Fee expostulated with them, but in vain. When they had satisfied 
 their cruelty upon Brother Jones, the man who plied the whip, approaching Brother 
 Fee, told him, if he would not promise never to return, he should be treated five times 
 worse. Well, he told them, he would meet his suffering then. They compelled him to 
 remove a part of his clothing. He knelt to receive the blows, and then, for some un¬ 
 accountable reason, they desisted without striking a blow. They then ordered them to 
 start immediately for their houses, and,'remounting, they escorted them aboutifive 
 miles, and there left them. They came some eight miles, and put up for the night at 
 the house of a friend, where Brother Fee preached to the family. He says he never felt 
 more in the spirit of preaching, and never spent a happier night than the one which 
 followed. Brother Jones suffered greatly under his cruel whipping.” 
 
 At length came the raid of John Brown, (October, 1859,) the uni¬ 
 versal terror of the South, and the expulsion of all our missionaries 
 from Kentucky and North-Carolina. The onset began at Berea, 
 Kentucky. The school at this place was prosperous. A number of 
 families, some from Ohio, had gathered here to aid in building up the 
 institution and the cause of freedom. Mr. Fee Avas absent at the 
 North, soliciting funds for the school, when a committee of sixty-two 
 persons, appointed at a public meeting held at Richmond, the county 
 seat, came to Berea and Avarned the principal men to leave the place 
 in ten days. No disrespectful language was used, but it Avas said 
 that force Avould be employed if the Avarning Avas not heeded. On 
 the next day, two of the proscribed citizens called on the Governor 
 of the State, Av^ho assured them that he could not protect them ; and 
 the 30th of December thirty-six persons reached Cincinnati, exiles for 
 the crime of holding and teaching anti-slaA’ery sentiments ! 
 
 In North-Carolina, the useful labors of Rev. Daniel Worth were 
 also stojiped, and himself forced from the State by these first throes 
 of the coming earthquake of rebellion. He Avrote from NeAv^-Salera, 
 N. C., December 21st, 1859 : 
 
 “ The prospect is, that we shaU have times of trial here before long. Since the 
 unfortunate affair at Harper’s Ferry, the country is in a tremendous ferment. 
 Threatenings reach me from various quarters, and I should not he surprised if met by 
 a mob at my next appointment. I do not expect to leave my work except compelled 
 by brute force. I know arrangements are making to meet me with a mob at my next 
 appointment—Sabbath, the 25th : I am calm, peaceful, confiding in my God.” 
 
 He was arrested, and had his preliminary examination at Greens¬ 
 boro. He pleaded his own defense. A correspondent of The JTew- 
 York Herald gives this description of him : 
 
 “ The Rev. Daniel Worth is a large, portly man, with a fine head, an intellectual and 
 expressive countenance, and a large, commanding eye. He looks enough like Burton, 
 
AMEillCAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 11 
 
 tlic comedian, to be liis twin brother. . . . He is fluent in speech, and the general 
 
 style and manner of his speaking are calculated to win attention. He did not appear to 
 be at all embarrassed or frightened at his position, but, on the contrary, expressed his 
 ideas with boldness and fearlessness.” i 
 
 He was indicted and remanded to prison. His trial began Marcli 
 50tb, 1860, occupying one whole day and nearly a wliole night. The 
 verdict was guilty ; the sentence, a year’s imprisonment. On liis ap¬ 
 peal to the Supreme Court, he Avas released on bonds for $3,000. He 
 came North, and the funds were raised. 
 
 Rev. A. Vestal, the other missionary of the American Missionary 
 Association in North-Carolina, Avas compelled to leave. In these 
 and other Avays, Sodom AA^as prepared for the doom of fire and blood ! 
 
 AMONG THE FREEDMEN. 
 
 BEGINNINGS. 
 
 The Union armies, on entering the South, found a surprising thirst 
 for knowledge among the negroes; and chaplains and Christian sol¬ 
 diers became, to a limited extent, their teachers. But the first system¬ 
 atic effort ^for their relief and instruction was made by the Ameri¬ 
 can Missionary Association; and the honor of the initial steps is due 
 to LeAvis Tappan, Esq., then its treasurer. Tliis gentleman had been 
 identified Avith the anti-slavery movement from the beginning, had 
 endured his share of obloquy and j^ersecution, and was one of the 
 originators of the Association, whose treasurer he had been from the 
 beginning, giving his services gratuitously. He began the movement 
 for the Freedmen by a correspondence Avith General Butler, Avhose 
 famous dictum, (May 2'7th, 1861,) pronouncing the escaping fugitives 
 “ contraband of war,” gave them safety at Fortress Monroe, and pre¬ 
 pared the way for relief and schools from the North. Large num¬ 
 bers of them were gathered at Fortress Monroe and Hampton, and, 
 in consequence of the burning of the latter place, they Avere homeless 
 and destitute. Mr. Tappan wrote to General Butler, (August 3d,) 
 making inquiries and suggestions as to the means of relief. General 
 Butler replied, (August 10th,) showing the necessity for the colored 
 people to remain South, and welcoming any efforts in their behalf. 
 
 The Association commissioned Rev. L. C. Lockwood as a mission¬ 
 ary, and sent him to make investigations. He reached Hampton 
 September 3d, called immediately upon General Wool, who approved 
 
12 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 of the enterprise, and gave him authority to enter upon the work 
 immediately. In the evening, while conversing on the piazza of the 
 hotel, he overheard music, and following the sound, came to a long, 
 low building, just outside the entrance of the Fortress, where he 
 found a number of colored people assembled for prayer. They 
 hailed his coming as the answer to their prayers, and the assurance 
 that ‘‘ the good Lord ” had some great things in store for them and 
 their people. The next day, arrangements were made for meetings 
 in several places, the house of Ex-President Tyler being one of them. 
 A Sabbath-school was opened in that house on the 15th—a new use 
 for that mansion, and a new era for the colored people. Other Sun¬ 
 day-schools soon followed. 
 
 But the great event in Mr. Lockwood’s mission, though its signi¬ 
 ficance was, perhaps, not then suspected by him, was the establish¬ 
 ment, on the I'Zth of September, 1861, of the first day-school for the 
 .Freedmen. The school was opened in a small brown house, near the 
 large building known as the “ Seminary,” where once the proud 
 daughters of the South were educated. The first teacher of that 
 humble school was Mrs. Mary S. Peake, an amiable and intelligent 
 Christian woman. Her mother was a free colored woman, very light; 
 her father a white[man—an Englishman of rank and culture. Mrs. 
 Peake taught the school with great success for a few months, when 
 failing health compelled her to relinquish it, and she was soon called 
 to her rest, which she entered with peaceful trust in the Redeemer. 
 
 We must linger for a moment over that school and its teacher. 
 That little school was the harbinger of the hundreds that have fol¬ 
 lowed, and of the thousands that are yet to come, that are to give an 
 intelligent Christian culture to the colored race in America. The 
 spot where that house stood was on the coast where, two hundred 
 and forty-one years before, the first slave-ship entered the line of the 
 American Continent, and planted the germ of that baleful upas-tree, 
 so fruitful of woe and blood to both races; and that woman, the 
 representative of both, though by the bitter logic of slavery classed 
 with the oppressed, will be remembered ages hence, as the teacher 
 of the first colored school in the slave States that had legal authority 
 and the protection of the national guns. That first slave-ship and 
 Mrs. Peake will hereafter be contrasted as the initiators of two widely 
 different eras; a barbarism and a civilization. 
 
 These beginnings were followed by other schools and with reli¬ 
 gious services. The Executive Committee, soon feeling the influence 
 of foreshadowed events, withdrew largely its Home Missionaries from 
 the North-West, and concentrated the energies of the Association 
 more fully on the new field opening at the South. 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 13 
 
 ENLARGEMENT. 
 
 Enlargement of effort among the Freedmen came. The capture 
 of the Port Boyal Islands, S. C., (November, 1861,) gave the new im¬ 
 pulse. General T. W. Sherman and Commodore Du Pont, on taking 
 possession of these Islands, from which the whites had fled, found 
 themselves surrounded by a crowd of ignorant, half-clad, half-famished 
 negroes, numbering about eight thousand. Their condition attracted 
 the attention of the Government and of the benevolent at the North. 
 Eftorts were made for their relief, and for the establishment of schools. 
 
 freedmen’s aid societies. 
 
 The “ Boston Education Society” was formed February 7th, and 
 the “ Freedmen’s Relief Association,” New-York, February 22d. 
 On the 3d of March, 52 teachers, missionaries, and superintendents 
 (40 men and 12 women) sailed from New-York to Port Royal—a 
 large share of them being under the commission of the Boston Society. 
 They were all mainly employed at first in the organization of labor 
 and in relief of physical want. Other teachers soon followed, and, 
 in June, 86 persons were reported in the field—a Society in Phila¬ 
 delphia, called the “Port Royal Commission,” contributed funds, 
 provisions, and laborers. 
 
 These Relief Societies were not formed in opposition to the Ameri¬ 
 can Missionary Association. On the contrary, its officers were the 
 main originators of the New-York Society. The first meeting in 
 New-York was held in the Park Hotel, pursuant to a call with three 
 names'attached—that of Rev. M. French, and of L. Tappan and G. 
 Whipple, the Treasurer and Secretary of the Association. Mr. 
 Tappan was chairman of the meeting. The impression then was, 
 among the friends of the Association, that the emergency required 
 some further instrumentalities—temporary perhaps in duration, and 
 devoted largely to physical relief, and likely to enlist a constituency 
 that the Association would not then reach. These Societies multi¬ 
 plied rapidly, others being formed in Cincinnati, Chicago, Cleveland, 
 and elsewhere throughout the North, and their claims and labors 
 became so conflicting, that efforts were made for unity. After many 
 endeavors and frequent changes, the various branches were finally 
 concentrated (May, 1866) into the “American Freedmen’s Union 
 Commission.” After this event, the American Missionary Association 
 and the Commission were recognized, by the Freedmen’s Bureau and 
 the country, as the two central institutions in the Freedmen’s work. 
 But the Union Commission had scarcely been consummated ere dis¬ 
 integration began. The Cincinnati Brandi, the oldest of the Western 
 
14 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Societies, withdrew and united with the American Missionary Asso¬ 
 ciation in October, 1866, and the Cleveland Branch in January, 1867. 
 The Chicago office closed in July, 1868. Thus the American Mis¬ 
 sionary Association was left as the sole national organization, actually 
 occupying the whole ground. These Aid Societies had an effective 
 and, in many respects, a very useful career. Their influence was 
 somewhat impaired, in some of the Branches, by a seeming want of 
 sympathy with Evangelical labors among the colored people. 
 
 The Association continued to enlarge its operations at the South. 
 During the year 1862 its schools and religious efforts were extended 
 at Hampton and vicinity, the distribution of a large quantity of 
 clothing being a part of its work. The old court-house, once the seat 
 of slaveholding justice, but which the rebels had recently burned, 
 was fitted up, and a school of “ contrabands” was opened in it— 
 another mark of a new era in that celebrated locality. The Associa¬ 
 tion opened a school at ISTorfolk, founded two schools at Newport 
 News, and took its share in the work on the Port Royal Islands, 
 sending there ministers, teachers, Bibles, and school-books. In May, 
 it began a mission among the colored people who crowded Washing, 
 ton City, and, before the year closed, it had one at Cairo, III, 
 where, from the opening Mississippi, these people had begun to ga¬ 
 ther. 
 
 EMANCIPATION-THE WIDE DOOR OPENED. ;; 
 
 The Proclamation of Emancipation was dated January 1st, 1863. 
 It gave legal freedom to all slaves in the nation, except in certain 
 specified localities, yet it actually freed none who were not reached 
 by our armies. But it settled forever the question of the safety of 
 the fugitives escaping to our lines—and they came by thousands. 
 Being destitute of all things, they were gathered and cared for as 
 best they could be; in the East, they were often located on aban¬ 
 doned plantations, and at the West, they were congregated in 
 “ camps.” Their physical destitution was no more manifest than 
 was their eagerness for learning. In the midst of pinching want, 
 amounting almost to starvation, they seemed more anxious for 
 schools than for food. This double demand made a strong appeal to 
 Northern philanthropy. A sense of justice to the long-oppressed 
 slave awoke an enthusiasm second only to that which impelled the 
 soldiers to enter the army. Hundreds of ladies, refined and educated, 
 many of them teachers in Northern schools, volunteered their servi¬ 
 ces j clothing and supplies were offered in large quantities; Freed- 
 men’s societies, as we have seen, were multiplied; religious denomi¬ 
 nations sent ministers and teachers to various points; the Bible, 
 
AMEEICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 15 
 
 Tract, and other societies becnine enlisted; and individuals sought 
 the field and worked alone. 
 
 The American Missionary Association rapidly extended its work. 
 Its missionary labors were increased, and its schools brought into 
 greater perfection. At Norfolk, the solitary school of the previous 
 year gave place to an enlargement beyond precedent. In April, 
 a missionary was sent there to open schools in the two colored 
 churches. At the first session of the day-school, held in one of 
 the churches, about 350 scholars came, and 300 others in the eve¬ 
 ning. On the third day, there were 550 at the day-school, and 500 
 others in the evening. The school was now divided, a j^art going to 
 the other church. Fifteen colored assistants were engaged, and the 
 enero-ies of all the teachers taxed to the utmost. The number in the 
 
 JAMES’S PLANTATION SCHOOL, NOETn-CARQLINA. 
 
 day-school was as high as 1200, of whom 25 only wei'e adults; but, 
 in the night-schools, after the fatigues of the day, 400 grown people 
 were seen, making half of the 800 in attendance. In the three Sab¬ 
 bath-schools there were 1500, of Avhom 500 were adults. At Ports¬ 
 mouth, also, the schools were enlarged, and missionary labors were 
 attended with success. 
 
 « 
 
 On many abandoned plantations around Norfolk, occupied by color¬ 
 ed people, the Association planted schools and preached the Gospel. 
 The estate of Ex-Governor Wise was thus occupied, and his man¬ 
 sion was used as a school-house and a home for teachers of colored 
 people. 
 
 Thousands of Freedmen were gathered at Newbern and other 
 places in Ncrth-Carolina, ‘‘who had sought freedom at any price, 
 and obtained it at the cost of their all.” They were destitute of 
 
16 
 
 HISTOEY OF THE 
 
 every thing, yet eager to be taught. On Roanoke Island, a colony 
 under Chaplain James, laid out a village in a large, well-wooded 
 ti'act, and soon the axes were ringing merrily, mingled with the 
 songs of happy men and women. To Newbern the Association sent 
 two teachers, and to Roanoke Island one. 
 
 The success of our arms] on the Mississippi, culminating in the 
 surrender of Vicksburg, July 4th, opened a wide door of usefulness 
 and charity, which the Association entered promptly and efficiently. 
 A missionary was sent to St. Louis, who preached and ministered to 
 the destitute, and opened schools. But the larger work was in the 
 “ camps.” Missionaries and teachers were sent to Columbus, Ky., 
 Cairo, Ill., Memphis, Tenn., President Island, and Camps Fisk and 
 Shiloh. These laborers had a blessed yet’trying work in teaching the 
 schools, visiting from hut to hut, and in preaching the Gospel. 
 
 In the whole field, the Association reported at its annual meeting, 
 October, 1863, eighty-three ministers and teachers, and nineteen mon¬ 
 itors or assistants. 
 
 STEADY PEOGEESS. 
 
 This progress, in 1864, is indicated by the fact that the Associa¬ 
 tion employed 250 missionaries and teachers, instead of 83, the year 
 before. This force was scattered over the field held by our armies 
 beinsc most numerous in Virginia and along the line of the Missis- 
 sippi. 
 
 Colored men were now enrolled in the Union army, and one of 
 tlie most interesting features of the work was their education. Mr. 
 Fee, who was once more in Kentucky as a missionary, was for a time 
 ,at Camp Nelson, with a corps of efficient teachers, where four thou¬ 
 sand colored troops were stationed. He said that, riding through the 
 camp, six miles in circumference, he saw several companies resting 
 from drill. Quite a number were poring over their primers, or First 
 Readers, but not a card was to be seen. In the four thousand colored 
 men there he had not seen one intoxicated, though he had seen white 
 men drunk. At night, the camps of these colored men were scenes of 
 continual prayer and praise, with frequent preaching. 
 
 The condition of most of the colored people, driven from their 
 homes, with neither food nor raiment, was pitiable in the extreme, 
 especially at the West. Hundreds, if not thousands, perished, and a 
 ' large share of the efforts of the missionaries was employed in physi¬ 
 cal relief. 
 
 CLOSE OF THE WAE-FEEEDMEN’s BUEEAIJ-BOSTON COUNCIL. 
 
 The year 1865 was marked by events of more than usual impor- 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 17 
 
 tance to the Freedmen ;ind the Association. Prominent among these 
 was the close of the war. Tlie march of Sherman and the capture of 
 Richmond were followed at once by teachers who established schools. 
 Rev. J. W. Alvord, then Secretary of the Boston Tract Society, ac¬ 
 companied Sherman’s army, and opened schools in Savannah immedi¬ 
 ately ; 527 pupils were enrolled, and |I,000 contributed by the negroes 
 for the support of teachers. Two of the largest of these schools were in 
 “ Bryant’s Slave Mart,” whose platforms, occupied a few days before by 
 bondmen for auction, became crowded with children of the same 
 class learning to read. These schools were soon put under the care- 
 of the Association. In like manner schools trod closely in the steps 
 of the United States troops in entering Wilmington. Mr. Coan, 
 representing the Association, was there with teachers. He thus de¬ 
 scribes the scene: 
 
 “ By appointment I met the ehildren at the church vestry the next morning. They 
 were to come at nine o’clock: by seven, the street was blocked, the yard was full. 
 Parents eager to gct‘dese yer children’s name tooken,’ came pulling them through 
 the crowd : ‘Please, sir, puts down deseyer.’ ‘I wants dis gal of mine to jine; and 
 dat yer hoy hes got no parents, and I jes done and brot him.’ While these things were 
 transpiring, a group of hoys, stout, hale, and hearty, made a flank movement, got 
 around in front of father, or mother, whose countenances told of fears that they might 
 not he in time to enroU their children’s names.” 
 
 “ The same evidences of joy inexpressible were manifest at the organization of evening 
 schools for adults. About one thousand pupils reported themselves in less than one 
 week after our arrival in Wilmington. . . There are already connected with the day- 
 schools full two thousand persons of different ages.” 
 
 \ 
 
 Like scenes, with like joy, followed the capture of Richmond, 
 Charleston, Augusta, etc. 
 
 The FreedmerCs Bureau was created by Act of Congress, March 
 8d, 1865—an institution demanded alike by the wants of the Freedmen 
 and the best interests of the country. We recognize the wise and 
 kind orderings of Providence, in guiding to the fitting choice of Major- 
 General O. O. Howard, the Christian man, the indefatigable worker, 
 and the impartial friend of white and black, as the Chief Commissioner. 
 Under his administration, this Bureau was to the Freedmen a wall of 
 defense in danger, a source of prudent supply in time of sore need, 
 and an efficient helper in the paths of knowledge ; to the country, it 
 was a wise expenditure in payment of the vast debt due to the colored 
 man, and a needed provision for the culture 'of those now intrusted 
 with the responsibilities of citizenship. The amount distributed by 
 the Bureau was 112,965,395.40. 
 
 A National Council of Congregational Churches assembled in 
 Boston in June. Among other liberal devisings, it recommended to 
 the churches to raise $250,000 for the work among the Freedmen, 
 and designated this Association as the organization providentially 
 2 
 
18 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 fitted for that work. This generous indorsement induced the Asso¬ 
 ciation to enlarge its administrative force, and to prepare itself for 
 still wider operations in the field. The number of its teachers had 
 risen to 320. 
 
 The Association was, from the first, unsectarian. It had employed 
 the teachers, and sought the cooperation, of all evangelical denomi¬ 
 nations. The action of the Boston Council did not change this un¬ 
 sectarian basis. 
 
 ASYLUMS—AID FROM ABROAD-JIORMAL SCHOOLS. 
 
 The marked features in the history of the Association in 1866 were 
 its success in raising a little more than the $250,000 voted by the 
 Boston Council, the founding of two Orphan Asylums, the help re¬ 
 ceived from abroad, and the beginning of Normal Schools. 
 
 The Orphan Asylums originated in the sad condition of so many 
 colored children who had been deprived of their parents by the war, 
 and by the ravages of the small-pox, which prevailed most fearfully. 
 One of these scenes is thus sketched by an eye-witness : 
 
 “Just across the river there were a father, mother, and four children; the children 
 were all small, the oldest not above ten years. The parents sickened and died a few 
 weeks since. The children were left alone and lived alone. They were attacked 
 by the small-pox. Two days ago one of them died, and the corpse is still lying in 
 the room where the living children are; another of the children is lying by the side 
 of tlie corpse, sick with the small-pox; the other two are ailing and will soon be 
 down; there they are, the dead and the living—the dead unburied, the living 
 stai’ving, naked, sick, and none to care for them. The dead one was soon buried, 
 and the living are in the small-pox hospital. What shall be done with these 
 little children when they come from the hospital? ‘Bind them out,’ I hear some 
 one say. Yes, but they must have a home imtil a place for binding can be found. 
 Besides, many of the orphans are too small to be bound out ; some are sick, and 
 can not be.” 
 
 The first Asylum was located at Wilmington, N. C., the funds 
 coming as special gifts from various donors ; the second, at Atlanta, 
 Gu., from the generous donation of Hon. I. Washburn, of Worcester, 
 Mass. 
 
 AID FROM ABROAD. 
 
 It is estimated that from Great Britain more than a million of 
 dollars in monej^ and clothing have been contributed, through various 
 channels, for the Freedmen. 
 
 The Missionary Association has shared in the kind words and sub¬ 
 stantial help that have come from across the water. Its representa¬ 
 tives have been welcomed by the Congregational Union of England 
 and Wales, and the General Assemblies of Scotland. These bodies 
 have adopted resolutions of cordial sympathy with its evangelical 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 19 
 
 character and benevolent work. In response to these resolutions, the 
 churches liave contributed largely in cash and clothing. 
 
 As an evidence of the acceptableness of these gifts, and as samples 
 of the rewards which these generous donors receive, we give a few 
 illustrations, quoted from the statements of missionaries and teachers. 
 One writes: 
 
 “ With nine packages of clothing I received that splendid lot of English blankets. 
 God bless the donors of this rich gift, which will very soon warm the bodies of two or 
 three hundred shivering Freedmen. It will do more than this. These gifts, in many 
 instances, inspire the most grateful devotion to God, as well as love to men. Last 
 evening I hurried away to a distant portion of the city with three of these blankets 
 under my arm. One old man, crippled in the cotton-field, two aged women, and three 
 children lived in the shed to which I directed my steps. The little girl was reading the 
 Testament by the firelight to the rest of the family. I knew how they shivered and 
 huddled together these cold nights, for I had often been there. ‘Dese yere blankets,’ 
 said the choking voice of the old man, ‘ wiU warm soul and body.’ 
 
 Another says: 
 
 “ TeU the good friends in England that we feel grateful for their kind remembrance 
 of our sufiering poor. The blankets (one bale) they sent us through your kind ministra¬ 
 tion have warmed and comforted at least four hundred needy women and children. I 
 will mention a few cases in particular. One woman called on us for a blanket, and as 
 she appeared destitute, we gave her one. I followed her a few hundred yards to see 
 how she fared. But O me ! what a house ! Slabs nailed in the form of a pen, about 
 eight feet square, with a rude fireplace on one side, and one bench and a pail comprised 
 the whole furniture. On a few loose boards, which served for a fioor, lay a pile of rags 
 which served for a bed, a loose board answered for a door, and open cracks and corners 
 supplied the place of windows ! And whom do you think I found there ? Two women 
 and six children, two of them quite young. There they were, cold and huddled up 
 around their fire, made of boards gathered up here and there around the camp. It was 
 a sad sight, and I trust neither [you nor the good friends in England will blame me for 
 sending them a second blanket.” 
 
 THE NORMAL SCHOOLS 
 
 were ‘the evidence and demand of the advancement in learninir of the 
 colored children. Thenceforth, the Normal or training school W'as 
 the leading and most valuable educational gift of the North to the 
 Freedmen, because it was the grand means of fitting them to be their 
 own educators. 
 
 UPWARD AS WELL AS ONWARD. 
 
 The operations of the Association in 1867 were marked by a large 
 increase in its force of missionaries and teachers among the Freed¬ 
 men, the number reaching the unprecedented extent of 528. The 
 extension of Normal Schools, the founding of the Industrial School at 
 Hampton, Va., the efforts at temperance reform, and the gathering 
 of churches, were among the important events of the year. 
 
20 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ASPECTS OF THE WORK IN 1868. 
 
 At the close of the war, the Southern whites were disposed to ac¬ 
 cept the political situation in which the fate of arms had placed them. 
 But the sudden and unexpected change in the attitude of the President 
 of the United States, and the lingering hope of political sympathy at 
 the North, gave a new impulse to the spirit of rebellion, which was 
 not dead, but sleeping. This Impulse reached its greatest intensity 
 in the political contests of this year. The blacks were denied em¬ 
 ployment, when it meant starvation ; they were assaulted by mobs 
 and shot down in the streets, when they and their white friends 
 attempted to assemble in political meetings; and they were dragged 
 from their homes at midnight and murdered in cold blood bv the 
 infamous Ku Klux Klans—the Thugs of America. 
 
 Undeterred by these dangers, the Association sent more mission¬ 
 aries and teachers into the South than in any previous year—the 
 number reaching 532. They were, to a large extent,’’the objects of 
 this embittered hatred, but’God mercifully spread his hand of pro¬ 
 tection over them, and, with some exceptions, not only gave them 
 safety, but made them leaders and moral supporters of the people of 
 their flocks and schools.- The schools and churches were the pledge 
 to the Freedmen of the continued sympathy of the North ; they 
 opened to them the doors of hope, of knowledge, of manhood, and of 
 Christian instruction. 
 
 PERMANENT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 These dark days gradually passed away, and the progress of the 
 educational work, impeded under the cloud, became more rapid 
 in the returning light. It ivas more and more evident that this 
 people must become largely their own educators. Hence the policy 
 of the Association, to form permanent educational institutions for 
 them, took more definite shape. The teachers were withdrawn from 
 the primary schools, in a great measure; and graded and normal 
 schools, colleges, incipient universities and theological classes were 
 established—the design being to plant a school of high grade in each 
 of the principal cities or centres of population, and one college or 
 university in each of the large Southern States. 
 
 This][plan has been steadily pursued, and the history of this branch 
 of the work will be carried forward by giving more details respecting 
 the chartered institutions planted or supported by the Association. 
 A list of the other schools, with statistics of the number of pupils 
 and the value of property, will be added. 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 21 
 
 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 HIGHER SCHOOLS. 
 
 LOCATION OF INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 The right position of a college is "sometimes, like that of an army 
 corps, an assurance of victory. The institutions of the A. M. A. in 
 the South are finely placed, for although the locations were sometimes 
 decided by apparently accidental circumstances, they are now seen 
 to have been providential. 
 
 Berea College is situated on the border-line between the blue 
 giTiss and mountain regions of Kentucky ; the former having a dense 
 population of blacks, the latter of sturdy, loyal whites who never 
 were slaveholders. Ko railroad as yet reaches Berea, but this isola¬ 
 tion is counterbalanced by the healthful Christian influence it is 
 enabled to exert over these two contiguous sections, and especially 
 in breaking'down the spirit of caste —a third of its students being 
 white. 
 
 Hampton Institute is in a very accessible, healthy, and pleasant 
 spot on the eastern shore of Virginia, once the summer resort of the 
 aristocracy of the “ Mother State.” Proposed railroad facilities pro¬ 
 mise to add to the accessibility and commerciaUmportance of Hamp¬ 
 ton. 
 
 Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn., has the advantage of a central 
 and conspicuous location which many favoring circumstances have 
 enabled it to improve. Its new Jubilee Hall will be a perpetual 
 inspiration to the colored people of Tennessee. 
 
 Atlanta University is on a commanding position in one of the 
 most beautiful cities of Georgia. Converging railroads and a large 
 surrounding population^are among its advantages. The clouds are 
 dark over the colored people of Georgia just now, but Atlanta Uni¬ 
 versity is a'beacon light of hope and courage. 
 
 Talladega College, Alabama, is in a^healthy spot, being above 
 the malaria that hangs over the lower portions of the State. The 
 influence of the college over the colored people is becoming more 
 and more extensive as it has always been salutary, and it is winning 
 its way to the respect of the white inhabitants. 
 
 Tougaloo University, Mississippi, eight miles north of Jackson, 
 the capital of the State, is secluded enough for a monastery, but 
 with its fine domain of 500 acres of land, and its rooms overcrowded 
 with students, it- contrives to keep quite active in work and study, as 
 well as in prayer and praise. 
 
22 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Straight University, ISTew-Orleans, is located in the city that 
 sits as Queen of the great South-west. In population, facilities for 
 travel, and the opportunity for widespread influence, it is surpassed 
 by none of the schools founded by the Association. 
 
 A glance at the map will show how well these institutions are 
 distributed over the seven great States of the South, on this side of 
 the Mississippi. To plant others like them across the river is only a 
 question of means. That extension, together with great enlargement 
 in those on this side of the river, is importunately called for by the 
 progress of the colored people. 
 
 CHARTERED INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 We give brief sketches of the'seven chartered institutions founded 
 by the Association. 
 
 BEREA COLLEGE, BEREA, KY. 
 
 Berea College, the oldest educational institution founded by the 
 Association in the South, was begun in 1857 by Rev. John G. Fee, 
 its intrepid missionary, assisted by Rev. J. A. R. Rogers, a man of 
 kindred spirit. They found a little “ clearing” in the underbrush of 
 Madison County, and opened a school (on anti-slavery principles) in 
 the very humble log cabin that must now be recognized as the First 
 CoUege Building; represented on page 7. 
 
 At the closing exercises of the first term there was a larger assem¬ 
 blage of people than had ever before gathered in that part of the 
 country, and a wealthy slaveholder remarked that if Berea School 
 went on, Kentucky would be a free State. The following term, four 
 teachers were employed. 
 
 In 1859, a Constitution was adopted, and a Board of Trustees ap¬ 
 pointed. The question of having colored children come into the 
 school-room with white children had never practically come before 
 the people, but now it was brought forward directly. Mr. Rogers 
 announced his purpose not to enter’ the school unless it was open to 
 all. When the election for trustees of the school district came, two 
 sets of candidates were in nomination; the one for a caste school, the 
 other against it. When the vote was taken, the anti-caste trustees 
 were elected by a majority of three to one, and the great victory was 
 attained. 
 
 But the next year came the wave of violence that followed the ex¬ 
 ecution of John Brown. The teachers were driven from the State, 
 
THE NEW HALL, BEREA COLLEGE. 
 
 .AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION 
 
24 
 
 IIISTOEY OF THE 
 
 and the school was broken up; but only for a time. January 1st, 
 1866, Mr. Rogers was again on the ground, and the school was re¬ 
 opened. Thus far in the reorganization of the school the pupils had 
 all been white, but colored students now applied for admission, and 
 were received. When they entered, half the whites walked out, and 
 the school was suddenly reduced to thirteen. Some of the white pu¬ 
 pils soon returned, and in less than two years after, there were re¬ 
 ported two hundred pupils, nearly equally divided between colored 
 and white. 
 
 An appropriation of 17,000 was received from the Freedmen’s Bu¬ 
 reau, and temporary buildings were erected in 1868. 
 
 In 1869, the first college class, in the institutions founded by the 
 Association, was organized in Berea. It consisted of five students, 
 all of whom had their homes in Kentucky. In this year,"also, a dor¬ 
 mitory for boys, costing $17,000, was erected. 
 
 In 1873, the College department numbered eighteen, and the total 
 number of pupils was 247, from twelve difierent States. In the four 
 higher departments, the number of white and colored students was 
 nearly equal; of the whole number, nearly two-thirds were colored. 
 
 The great event of the year was the completion of the “ Ladies’ 
 Hall,” a fine brick building, costing over $50,000. To the liberality 
 of R. R. Graves, Esq., of Morristown, K. J., the early completion of 
 this building is largely due. , 
 
 NORMAL AND AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE, HAMPTON VA. 
 
 Hamilton is classic ground. Its famous “ Roads” were the pass¬ 
 age-way through which the first white settlers and the first company 
 of slaves entered the United States; and on its shores was opened 
 the first Freedmen’s school. Here, and in the vicinity, were soon 
 gathered 1500 colored pupils. ' 
 
 In 1867, the Association purchased 125 acres near the mouth of 
 Hampton Creek, with the buildings. It subsequently secured the 
 Hospital barracks which covered part of the ground, and which had 
 sheltered 15,000 sick and wounded-soldiers. These buildings, both 
 the temporary and [substantial, were fitted up for school and farm 
 purposes, and in 1868 a Normal School was opened, with Gen. S. C. 
 Armstrong as its Principal. 
 
 The policy of providing students with remunerative labor was con¬ 
 templated at the outset. Farm work was taught the boys, and the 
 girls learned sewing and various branches of household industry. 
 
 This school was incorporated under a Board of Trustees in June, 
 1870, as the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. The prop- 
 
VIRGINIA HALL, HAMPTON NORMAL AND AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE. 
 
 AMEEIC^VN" MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION 
 
 25 
 
2G 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 erty was then increased by the erection of a fine school building, 
 which was ready for use in October of the same year. 
 
 In 1872, Agricultural College Land Scrip of the State of Virginia 
 to the amount of $95,000 was assigned to it, and Dr. Ruffner, Super¬ 
 intendent of Public Instruction in the State, says:—“lean testify 
 that no act of the Virginia Legislature is more universally approved 
 than that which gave this school a third of the Agricultural College 
 Fund.” 
 
 A printing press having been added to the resources of this school, 
 five boys learned press-work and type-setting, and in January of 
 1872 the first number of the Southern Workman, an illustrated 
 monthly paper devoted to the industrial interests of the South, was 
 published. 
 
 In this year, also. General Armstrong reports thirty-three of 
 the graduates of the Normal School as teaching, besides many 
 undergraduates, and their character as teachers is indicated by the 
 fact that the Virginia county school superintendents have learned to 
 accept candidates as teachers without question, on the strength of a 
 diploma from Hampton. A Hampton graduate of 1872 passed exa¬ 
 mination in his district and has been creditably admitted to West 
 Point. 
 
 In 1873, the school numbered 211 students, 170 of whom were 
 boarders, and the buildings were so crowded that some of the boys 
 occupied rooms that were intended for recitations, and twenty-four of 
 them were encamped in tents during the winter. The necessity for a 
 new building was imperative, and at the regular commencement 
 exercises in June, the corner-stone of “^Virginia Hall ” was laid by 
 Professor Rosw^ell D. Hitchcock, D.D., President of the Union Theo¬ 
 logical Seminary of New-York. This event called together a party 
 of distinguished guests, among whom were Rev. Dr.'Taylor, of the 
 Broadway Tabernacle, New-York, Rev. Dr. Budington, of Brooklyn, 
 Rev. Drs. Bellows and Robinson, of New-York, and others. 
 
 In June, 1874, this large edifice w^as dedicated, though not entirely 
 finished at that time. The occasion was also marked by a large ^at¬ 
 tendance of visitors from the North and South, and the addresses 
 were full of hearty sympathy with the Institute and its great work. 
 
 Towards the erection of this buildingVhe^Hampton Students’ Band 
 have contributed $10,000, the net proceeds of their concerts. This 
 building measures 190 feet in front by 40 in width, with a wing 100 
 feet in the rear. It contains a chapel with seating capacity for 400 
 people, an industrial room, and a dining-room to accommodate 275. 
 This building, when completed, will be one of the finest edifices in 
 Eastern Virginia. 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 27 
 
 FISK UNIVERSITY, NASHVILLE, TENN. 
 
 Tlie Fisk School was opened in 1866, and named in lionor of Gene¬ 
 ral Clinton B. Fisk, at that time an officer of the Freedmen’s Bureau 
 at Nashville. The land on which the Government Hospital stood 
 was purchased, and the buildings were used as school-rooms, and 
 nearly a thousand pupils were in attendance the first year. 
 
 In 1867, the city of Nashville opened schools for colored children, 
 and the Fisk School obtained a charter as the Fisk University, and 
 was opened for advanced pupils. The attendance the first term was 
 319. The first normal class of twelve was organized in November of 
 the same year. Early in the year 1868, $7,000 were received from 
 Government, and repairs were made in the buildings, so as to accom¬ 
 modate students from abroad. In 1869, the Government buildings, 
 then in use for the school, were transferred to the Association, and 
 permanent foundations placed under them. There were also erected 
 a dormitory building and a Gothic chapel. The annual attendance 
 since has been about 400. 
 
 The following statistics will show something of the work Fisk Uni¬ 
 versity is doing in preparing teachers for the colored masses: 
 
 “ Of its students who have been here during the past year, SOTiave taught schools more 
 or less during that time; and of these, 32, who are now in the institution, have taught 
 as follows : In Tennessee, 16; in Mississippi, 10; in Arkansas, 4; and in Alabama and 
 Kentucky, 1 each. Taught public schools, 25; private schools, 7. Whole number of 
 months taught, 114; total salary, $4,377.60; average per teacher, $136.80 ; average per 
 month, $38.40. Superintended Sunday-schools, 24; taught in Sunday-schools, 3 ; pu¬ 
 pils in Sunday-schools, 1189. 
 
 “Reckoning that the eighteen still absent from the institution have taught five 
 months each, with the same average as in other things above, the total is as follows : 
 Pupils taught in day-school, 2607; in Sunday-school, 1775 ; total salary, $7,833.60 ; months 
 taught, 204; or twenty years and four months, calling a school year ten months. 
 
 “It would be difficult to estimate even approximately the amount of teaching done in 
 all by the students of Fisk University; it could not be more than the truth to take fifty, 
 at about four months a year, as an average during the six years past. This would give, 
 in round numbers, whole number of schools taught, 300; average attendance, 15,000; 
 time taught, 1220 months, or 122 years of ten months each; pupils taught in Sunday- 
 school, 10,000.” 
 
 The special aim of this institution was thus stated by Prof. John 
 Ogden, its first principal: 
 
 “ One peculiar object of this school has been to illustrate in practice what most edu¬ 
 cators admit in theory—that conversion is the proper door into the kingdom of science 
 as well as into the kingdom of heaven; that science and religion were made to go hand 
 in hand; that the two joined are the heaven-appointed means of lifting humanity to its 
 proper standing and true dignity.” 
 
 In June, 1869, the pastor of the church wrote: “,Out of the fifty 
 who have been under the influence of the Home, nearly all have be¬ 
 come Christians since they entered the school. During the year 
 
28 
 
 HISTOEY OF THE 
 
 Uiere has been almost^constanlly a deep religious interest.” Reviv¬ 
 als of reliofion have been a marked and blessed characteristic of Fisk 
 
 O « 
 
 University. 
 
 JUBILEE SINGERS. 
 
 The year 1872 is specially marked by the entering of the first col¬ 
 lege class of four, and the beginning of the enterprise of the “Jubi¬ 
 lee Singers.” “ The lines of hospital buildings were fast going to de¬ 
 cay. Fisk University had come to the Red Sea of its history. 
 Should it go forward ? It did, and the waves parted before it.” 
 
 The “ Jubilee Singers” undertook to raise money for the building 
 of a new hall. Prof. Spence writes: 
 
 “ In justice, it must be said that, humanly speaking, without the courage, deter¬ 
 mination, and faith of Mr, George L. White, the 'Jubilee Singers’ would never have 
 gone forth, 
 
 “ It was a day of doubt and misgiving when that little company left us on their un¬ 
 certain mission. They were not then the well-known ' Jubilee Singers,’ but an unknown 
 ti-oupe, without a name, and who were mentioned in a leading newspaper as ‘Negro 
 Minstrels, calling themselves Christians.’ After purchasing provisions sufficient to sup¬ 
 ply the Home for a few days, every dollar had to be taken to get the singers across the 
 Ohio river. 
 
 “ Then came the terrible fire at Chicago, and all sympathy and aid went to the sufier- 
 ers there. For some weeks, just enough of suecess was given to answer the prayer so 
 often sung by them in their own sweet, wild music : 
 
 ‘ O Lord, O my Lord, O my good Lord ! 
 
 Keep me from sinking down 
 
 but not enough as yet even to replace the funds used to put them into the field. 
 
 “So, too, at the institution, the oft-repeated prayer, ‘Give us this day our daily 
 bread,’ had a new significance. Many a time the last quarter of a dollar was paid for 
 provisions, and yet the stern decision, no more deU, was adhered to. Was it too much 
 to expect that the God who fed Elijah by the ravens would feed us and those under our 
 ®re? He did feed us; not by a miracle, at least visible to human eyes, but by a kind 
 ordering of his providence. When the trial had been long enough, the troupe soon re¬ 
 funded to the institution all they had cost it, and paid in addition all its indebtedness at 
 the time they left it. The boarding department was already rnnning on a cash, self- 
 sustaining basis, and, at the end of the year, there were $30,000 deposited in the bank 
 'by the Jubilee Singers toward the erection of Jubilee Hall.” 
 
 Of the success of these singers in this country, it is hardly neces¬ 
 sary to speak. The high praise given them from the pulpit and the 
 press, the crowds who thronged to hear their sweet, wild melodies, 
 the echoes of their old plantation hymns which still remain in city 
 and town, and the $40,000 cleared by their campaign, all testify to the 
 appreciation in which they were held. 
 
 In April, 1873, they sailed for Europe, and were welcomed across 
 the water by the Earl of Shaftesbury, the Duke and Duchess of Ar¬ 
 gyll, and others, the highest in the land. They were invited to Argyll 
 Lodge, where they sang before the Queen ; were entertained at Carl- 
 
JUBILEE HALL, NASHVILLE, 
 
 AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 29 
 
30 
 
 HISTOKY OF THE 
 
 ton House Terrace, by Mr. Gladstone; sang before the Congrega¬ 
 tional Union and National Temperance League, and everywhere, both 
 in England and Scotland, met an enthusiastic welcome. The $50,000 
 they sought there was readily obtained, and they returned to Fisk 
 University in season to be present at the Commencement exercises in 
 June, 1874. 
 
 In October, 1873, the corner-stone of Jubilee Hall was laid, by Rev. 
 E. M. Cravath, Field Secretary of the American Missionary Associar 
 tion. The brick walls are now (1874) approaching completion, and 
 the work will be pushed forward with the expectation of having the 
 building ready for dedication at the commencement exercises of 1875, 
 when the first college class will graduate. It speaks well for this 
 class, that it closes the junior year with the same number with which 
 itentered. 
 
 ATLANTA UNIVERSITY. 
 
 In October, 1867, a charter was^^secured by the American Mission¬ 
 ary Association, for the University at Atlanta, Ga. A site, known as 
 Diamond Hill, containing sixty acres of land, was soon after pur¬ 
 chased for $15,000. In 1869, a three-story brick building, with base¬ 
 ment, Avas completed, at a cost of $24,000. It contained accommoda¬ 
 tions for teachers, dormitory rooms for forty girls, a large parlor, a 
 dining-room capable of seating one hundred and seventy-five persons, 
 with kitchen and laundry. The academic and normal departments of 
 the University were opened in October following, and before the 
 close of the second term, every room in the building was occupied. 
 
 In 1870, a second building, containing additional rooms .for teach¬ 
 ers, dormitory rooms for sixty boys, and school and recitation-rooms 
 for one hundred and sixty pupils, was erected, and subsequently a 
 wing was added to this building, thereby accommodating forty more 
 students, and providing additional school-rooms. 
 
 In 1871, the University received a grant df $8,000 from the State, 
 and the Governor, as required by law, appointed a committee of ex¬ 
 aminers to visit the school, at the annual examination in the summer 
 of 1871. 
 
 Of these gentlemen and the examination, a teacher wrote briefly as 
 folloAVS: 
 
 “ I do feel that in our school-room during our three days of examination, last week, 
 there was a conquest over prejudice that will revolutionize Georgia. The Governor ap¬ 
 pointed ten men, mostly Democrats, one of whom was the Governor of Georgia during 
 the rebellion, as an examining committee. Had they not been appointed, I presume 
 they never would have crossed our threshold. One acknowledged when he received the 
 appointment from the Governor he was shocked, but, by the earnest request of one of 
 
ATLAiNTA IT A 1VEKSITY. 
 
32 
 
 HISTOEY OF THE 
 
 the other members of the committee, consented to come for two.hours. He attended, 
 however, intensely interested, through the three days. 
 
 “Well, they all came but one; they saw and were conquered. The ex-Govemor was to 
 report for the committee on the last day. He is not a man easily moved, but is remark¬ 
 able for his strong will, fixedness of purpose, and executive ability. But a more free 
 and full confession of injustice to mission teachers, and of prejudiced belief in the ina¬ 
 bility of the negro to rise, could not have been desired.” 
 
 The following extracts are taken from the report of this Board of 
 Visitors to the Governor of Georgia: 
 
 “ At every step of the examination we were impressed with the 
 fallacy of the popular idea (which, in common with thousands of 
 others, a majority of the undersigned have heretofore entertained) 
 that the members of the African race are not capable of a high grade 
 of intellectual culture. The rigid tests to which the classes in alge¬ 
 bra and geometry, and in Latin and Greek, were subjected, unequiv¬ 
 ocally demonstrated that, under judicious training and with perse- 
 Tering study, there are many members of the African race who can 
 attain a high grade of intellectual culture. They prove that they can 
 master intricate problems in mathematics, and fully comprehend the 
 construction of difficult passages in the classics. 
 
 “ Many of the pupils exhibited a degree of mental culture which, 
 considering the length of time their minds have been in training, 
 would do credit to members of any race. 
 
 “It is patent that judicious economy pervades the management of 
 every department of the institution. We are convinced that the 
 funds placed in the hands of the managers have been wisely ex¬ 
 pended. 
 
 “We are aware that it is too much the habit of boards of visitors 
 to educational institutions to regard themselves as under obligations 
 to praise without stint all that they may see, and point out no defects 
 which they may discover. 
 
 “ In discharging the duty to which we were assigned by your ex¬ 
 cellency, for considerations not necessary to recount, we have felt that 
 it was our duty to give to you, and through you to the public, a 
 report strictly according with the facts. 
 
 “ Of the justice of this report the incredulous can’satisfy themselves 
 by visiting the institution, as we have done, with an eye single to 
 the truth.” 
 
 This report was signed by the members of the committee, headed 
 by J. E. Brown, ex-Governor of the State. At this time, the school 
 numbered 160 students. 
 
 The next year the State withdrew its aid, but the Institution went 
 bravely on, and fifteen graduated from the preparatory department, 
 ready to enter the next October upon a collegiate course. Of the^e 
 “ Freshmen,” one of the professors says, 
 
AMERICAN' MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 33 
 
 “ They have not read iiuilc as much Latin and Greek as is required for admission to 
 New-England collci^es, but more than Southern and Western colleges require. Their 
 instructor in the classics is conlident that several of the graduates have a more thorough 
 knowledge of those branches than any in the class in which he fitted, most of whom 
 entered Dartmouth.” 
 
 In IS'ZS, the legislature again made an appropriation of $8,000. 
 This year there were two hundred and fifty students gathered from 
 eight States, crowding the buildings to their utmost capacity. A 
 class of four graduated from the Normal department, and eight passed 
 to their sophomore year in^college. Teachers were sent for from all 
 parts of Georgia, and so great was the demand that at the close of 
 the school nearly a hundred of the students were already engaged as 
 teachers. 
 
 In 1874, the legislature of the State, without solicitation, voted an 
 annual grant of $8,000 to the University, a most emphatic endorse¬ 
 ment of its usefulness, and a great help to its resources—and yet by 
 no means meeting its necessities in buildings, apparatus, and com¬ 
 plete endowment. 
 
 TOUGALOO UNIVERSITY. 
 
 This institution was chartered in 1871. It is located near Touo-aloo, 
 a station on the New-Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern railroad, 
 seven miles north of Jackson, Miss. 
 
 Five hundred acres, a portion of a plantation worked a few years 
 ago by about a hundred slaves, were purchased, and the school 
 opened in the large but dilapidated mansion. The grounds are ample 
 and the site is upon rolling land, fronting upon a fine grove of live 
 oaks, festooned with Spanish moss. 
 
 Since the purchase, the mansion has been repaired, and two build¬ 
 ings erected for the accommodation of pupils from abroad. Yet in 
 1871 there Avere more than forty students begging admission who 
 could not be furnished with sleeping apartments. 
 
 In 1872, $3,000 were received from the State in aid of the normal 
 department. A friend from Illinois gave a thousand dollars for the 
 erection of a temporary building to shelter a part of those who would 
 otherwise be turned away. That building was at once crowded. 
 
 This is the only chartered institution connected with our work, for 
 the States of Mississippi and Arkansas. In 1873 the number of 
 pupils was reported as 280. 
 
 In 1874 the buildings were enlarged and improved and additiona 
 facilities furnished. A conditional appropriation of $15,000 was made 
 by the legislature of the State. 
 
 3 
 
3-1 
 
 HISTOKr OF THE 
 
 TALLADEGA COLLEGE. 
 
 Talladega College was opened in 1868 under the following circum¬ 
 stances : 
 
 Ke\% ]\[r. Brown, the teacher and pastor, sent by the A.M.A. to 
 Talladega, was importuned for teachers. Mne adjacent counties, 
 thickly populated, had no school of any sort. We could send no 
 more. Mr. Brown met some of the colored people in their log 
 churches and told them there was but one wuay by which they could 
 secure a teacher. ‘‘Pick out the best specimen of a young man you 
 have for a teacher, and bring all the corn and bacon you can si)are 
 for his living, and I will take him into my school and make a teacher 
 of him.” They followed his advice and brought their corn in, from 
 a handful to four quarts, more often a handful in their pocket, or 
 tied in a handkerchief, and laid it on the altar in front of the pulpit, 
 singing as they marched around the aisle. Eight or nine young men 
 were then selected from the different localities ; and, fnrnislied av ith 
 rations, came into Talladega, ten, twenty, or thirty miles, on foot, 
 with sacks of corn and bacon on their backs. There were no dor¬ 
 mitory accommodations in Talladega for them, so they were obliged 
 to sleep on the floor, in such cabins as could receive them and where 
 they had a chance to bake their corn cake by the fire. 
 
 The Association secured for the location of the institution forty 
 acres of land with a large college building already erected, which 
 they called Swayne Hall. The college was chartered in 1869. In 
 the following year the dormitory building called Foster Hall was 
 completed. In 18'71 the school numbered between three and four 
 hundred pupils, forty of whom were boarders. All but three of the 
 young men in the family were Christians, the Sabbath-school in¬ 
 creased from one hundred and forty to three hundred members, and 
 thirty-one mission schools were taught by the students within a radius 
 of twenty miles. From this outside missionary work sprang the first 
 colored Sabbath-school Convention in the South. It was held at 
 Talladega^ April, 1871, and has met annually ever since. In this 
 convention, thirty-four Sabbath-schools were represented by about 
 sixty delegates. The meeting of 1874 reports an audience of four 
 hundred persons, and a representation of eighty-one schools. 
 
 The pressing need of better ministers in the South led to the early 
 opening of a theological department, for those who must be educated, 
 if at all, without a college course. During the year 1873 there were in 
 this department six men from three different denominations. In 1874 
 five acres of land and a building called Graves Hall were purchased. 
 
 The teacher of this theological class struck out an unique plan for 
 missionary labors in the rural districts during vacation. A tent was 
 
WAYNE HALL, TALLADEGA COLLEGE, ALABAMA 
 
36 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 purchased in New-York with funds contributed by friends in Milford, 
 Mass., and with this the teacher. Rev. Mr. Brown, and liis brother, 
 with four of the students, started for the pine woods. One of the par¬ 
 ty gives a sketch of their tenting, from which we copy a few extracts. 
 
 “ When we came to our present site in Kingston, several days ago, it was all pine 
 woods, except that old deserted field over yonder. Our nearest house was about a mile 
 away. Our first work after unloading the seats, was to put up the tent. Before we had 
 finished driving the stakes, the people began to gather for meeting, and so they helped 
 clear away the stones and logs and bring in the seats. 
 
 “ While we were putting up our tent, a woman who had learned to cook for her mas¬ 
 ter before the war, came from her home two miles away and boiled some corn and made 
 some biscuit for our supper. She spread our table (which was simply one of the seats 
 we had brought) in one end of the tent, while the people continued to gather iu the 
 other end. After supper it was time for meeting. We sang and prayed, and I told them 
 that we had come among them to do them good and to teach them a different kind of reli¬ 
 gion from mere shouting and confusion. Some of them said they had got tired of their 
 ignorant, noisy meetings and wanted to find a better way. All but two or three seemed 
 glad that we had come among them, and said they would come to our meetings, and 
 would help us build a good school-house chapel. 
 
 After meeting they lit their ‘ fat pine ’ torches and went in all directions down the 
 hill through the pine woods towards their little cabins, one, two, or three miles away. 
 Then we prepared our beds by turning one seat around so as to face another and spread¬ 
 ing our blankets on the two together. 
 
 ‘ ‘ The next day others hunted shingle trees and made shingles, while I went to find 
 lumber. At night we all gathered again in our tent for meeting, and so we continued 
 working during the day and holding meetings at night.” 
 
 STRAIGHT UNIVERSITY. 
 
 Straight University is located in N’ew-Orleans, La., and is named 
 after its generous patron, Hon. Seymour Straight. The land was 
 purchased by the American Missionary Association, and a fine build- 
 ins: was erected with aid from the Freedmen’s Bureau. The institu- 
 tion was incorporated and the normal department opened in 1869; 
 the academic department in ISYO. Easy of access from populous 
 States, where few schools of high grade are opened to students with¬ 
 out regard to race or sex, this young institute meets an imperative 
 need, and may exert a vast influence in the work of education in the 
 South-west. About three-fourths of the students are of Roman 
 Catholic parents. In 1872, 413 students were reported, with the begin- 
 ning of a regular college class, and twelve in a theological classr 
 
 During the year 1873 a boarding department was opened in a 
 dwelling purchased by the Association, adjoining the university build¬ 
 ing, but to enable it to fulfill the purposes of the Association in start¬ 
 ing it, a very large increase in its funds is needed. 
 
 This institute is exerting a wide and beneficial influence in Xew- 
 Orleans and the surrounding country, in supplying the feeble churches 
 with the means of the Gospel, in the establishment and maintenance 
 of Sunday-schools, and is thus a power of great good. 
 
STKAIGHT UNIVERSITY, NEW-ORLEANS, 
 
 AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION 
 
 37 
 
88 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 GRADED AND NORMAL SCHOOLS. 
 
 STATISTICS. 
 
 Williston Scliool, Wilmington, N. C.—Value of property, $.5,000 ; 
 number of teachers, 7 ; number of pupils, 409. 
 
 Avery Institute, Charleston, S. C.—Value of property, |20,000 ; num¬ 
 ber of teachers, 9 ; number of pupils, 407. 
 
 Brewer Normal School, Greenwood, S.C.—Value of property, $4,000 ; 
 number of teachers, 1 ; number of pupils, 85. 
 
 Normal School, Andersonville, Ga.—Property owned by United 
 States ; number of teachers, 2 ; number of pupils, 117. 
 
 Storrs School, Atlanta, Ga.—Value of property, $10,000 ; number of 
 teachers, 6 ; number of pupils, 424. 
 
 Lewis High School, Macon, Ga.—Value of property, $12,000 ; num¬ 
 ber of teachers, 5; number of pupils, 769. 
 
 Beach Institute, Savannah, Ga.—Value of property, $12,000 ; number 
 of teachers, 8 ; number of pupils, 677. 
 
 Trinity School, Athens, Ala.—Value of property, $3,000 ; number of 
 teachers, 3 ; number of pupils, 109. 
 
 Lincoln School, Marion, Ala.—Value of property, $2,000; number of 
 teachers, 2 ; number of pupils, 84. 
 
 Emerson Institute, Mobile, Ala.—Value of property, $20,000 ; num¬ 
 ber of teachers, 2 ; number of pupils, 113. 
 
 * Swayne School, Montgomery, Ala.—Value of property, $15,000; 
 number of teachers, 6 ; number of pupils, 483. 
 
 Burrell School, Selma, Ala.—Value of property, $7,000; number of 
 teachers, 7 ; number of pupils, 469. 
 
 Howard School, Chattanooga, Tenn.—Value of property, $8,000 ; 
 number of teachers, 4 ; number of pupils, 415. 
 
 Le Moyne Normal and Commercial School, Memphis, Tenn.—Value 
 of property, $15,000; number of teachers, 6 ; number of pupils, 
 280. 
 
 Normal School, Lexington, Ky.—Value of property, $7,000 ; number 
 of teachers, 5; number of pupils, 222. 
 
 Ely Normal School, Louisville, Ky.—Value of property, $20,000; 
 supported by the city the past year. 
 
 Union Academy, Columbus, Miss.—Value of property, $2,000; num¬ 
 ber of teachers, 8 ; number of pupils, 545. 
 
 Barnes Institute, Galveston, Texas.—Value of property, $6,000 ; num¬ 
 ber of teachers, 4 ; number of pupils, 86. 
 
 * In the case of this institution, the title of the property is in a Board of Trustees. 
 
AAFERICAN MTSSTONAUY ASSOCIATION 
 
 39 
 
 AVERY INSITTUTE, CHARLESTON, S. C. 
 
 DEDICATED MAY 7 , 1868 . 
 
 BEACH INSTITUTE, SAVANNAH, GA. 
 
 DEDICATED JAN. 1 , 1868 . 
 
40 
 
 HISTOEY OF THE 
 
 CHUKCHES IN THE SOUTH. 
 
 CHURCH PLANTING. 
 
 The Freedmen are neither heathens nor infidels. They believe in 
 Christ, but generally their faith is without works and their zeal 
 without knowledge. They have churches and ministers, but both 
 ministers and people are ignorant, and, in too many cases, immoral. 
 Their great need, therefore, is Christian hioioledge, leading to an 
 intelligent faith and a practical morality. Taking this as the basis- 
 fact, the Association, as we have seen, began its missionary work among 
 this people by giving them the alphabet as the coveted key to the 
 written word of God, so long hidden from them. Then came elemen¬ 
 tary schools in great numbers, followed by those of higher grade to 
 prepare teachers, preachers, and leaders for this rising race. Simul¬ 
 taneously, however, with the founding of these permanent institu¬ 
 tions the Association began the planting of churches. These were 
 organized with caution, more solicitude being felt as to character than 
 number. They were formed mainly in connection with the educa¬ 
 tional institutions, and were intended to be models of the true Chris¬ 
 tian and church life. In 1867, churches of this character were insti¬ 
 tuted in Charleston, S. C. ; Atlanta, Ga. ; Chattanooga, Tenn. : in 
 1868, in Andersonville, Macon, and Savannah, Ga. ; Nashville and 
 Memphis, Tenn. ; Talladega, Ala.; and Paris, Texas : in 1869, Hamp¬ 
 ton, Ya.; Gretna, Lockport, and New-Orleans, La.; Westport, Mo. ; 
 and Leavenworth, Kansas: in 187,0, iif Beaufort, Dudley, Wilming¬ 
 ton, N. C.; Marion, Ala ; Terrebonne, La. ; and Hamilton and Tou- 
 galoo. Miss.: in 1871, in'McLeansville and Woodbridge, N. C.; 
 Canal, Ga. ; Walnut Chapel, Ky.; Athens, Ala.; and New-Iberia, 
 La: in 1872, in Ogeechee, Ga.; McMinnville, Tenn.; Montgomery 
 and Selma, Ala.; New-Orleans and Terrebonne Station, La.; and 
 Goliad, Texas : in 1873, in Belmont and Byron Station, Ga.: in 1874, 
 in Atlanta University and Liberty County, Ga. ; Carrolton, La.; Ra¬ 
 leigh, N. C.; Kingston, The Cove, and Alabama Furnace, Ala. 
 
 CHURCH BUILDING. 
 
 How could these impoverished ex-slaves build houses of worship, 
 and yet how could these young churches be nourished without 
 homes? We present below some illustrations of the toils and self- 
 sacrifices they met, and of the aid providentially furnished them, in 
 their efibrts to build. 
 
 Plymouth Church, Chaeleston, S. C., was dedicated in 1872. The 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 41 
 
 pastor, Rev. J. T. Ford, gave us this sketch of tlie initial effort in 
 1871, to raise funds: 
 
 “ Last Thursday wc had a Thanksgiving* service in regular Ncw-England style. ‘ It was 
 our first Thanksgiving as a church, and the people appeared to enjoy the meeting 
 greatly. After the sermon, they came forward and subscribed $520 toward purchasing 
 a lot on which to build a church. Wc shall raise the subscription, I think, to $800 or 
 $1000, as only seventy-live have yet subscribed, and every member will desire to have a 
 part in this first effort of the church. Most of the brethren subscribed $10 each, a few 
 $*20, and ;a few $5; most of the 'sisters subscribed $5. These subscriptions are to be 
 paid in weekly installments of 25 cents and 50 cents each, although some have paid 
 half down. The Sunday-school scholars are to have a hand in this work. It has al¬ 
 ready raised by penny contributions $10 for the church in Washington.” 
 
 The Rev. E. O. Tade, the pastor of the church in Chattanooga, 
 Tenn., thus described the planting and building : 
 
 “ The First Congregational Church of Chattanooga, Tenn., was organized June 9th, 
 1867, with both white and colored members. We have since received additions from 
 both classes. One specialty of our mission is to war against the demon of caste. 
 
 “ The church was born in a school-house, and there nourished for four years. Dur¬ 
 ing this time our prayer-meetings were well attended ; and we had the largest and per¬ 
 haps the best Sabbath-school in the city. 
 
 “ Our hearts early began to long for a sanetuary. We were encouraged to move for¬ 
 ward, for the American Missionary Association said, ‘ We will help you.’ So we began 
 to lay by on the first day of the week as the Lord prospered; and soon we had enough to 
 pay for a good lot, well located ; and the pennies were saved and brought in, till we had 
 $350. Then we received from a good widow lady of Illinois $100—a valuable ‘ mite ’— 
 and we said the Lord has prospered us, therefore, we, his servants, will arise and build. 
 
 “July 25th, 1871, the first sill of a building 36x70 ft. was put in place, and in just four 
 weeks we had meeting and Sabbath-school in our new house, because the brethren and 
 sisters had a mind to work ; for while the brethren labored, the sisters brought on the 
 well-stored baskets, and right merrily did hammers ring late and early.” 
 
 Rev. John Scott, the pastor of the church at Dudley, IST. C., thus 
 graphically pictured the burning of his church, and the sympathy 
 and assistance he received in buildins; anew : 
 
 o 
 
 “ Dudley, February 21, 1871. 
 
 “ It is three in the morning. One hour ago, I was awakenediby the^cry of Fire / and rose 
 only to witness the smoking timbers of what was our beautiful church. 
 
 “ The building and seats cost $2,250, and have been ofteni.''renounced by good judges to 
 be worth $3,000. The greatest eare and economy were use^-^’- its erection, and it was 
 one of the best buildings of its size owned by the Associaf ..xi. was neatly furnished, 
 being painted outside and painted and varnished within. 
 
 “ When all was over, in the stillness of midnight bj'^ the smoking ruins we knelt and 
 gave our cause into the hands of God. The bell had fallen in the early part of the fire, 
 and no alarm could bejrung; but many aching hearts were there, and we thought of and 
 prayed for the 150 children who to-morrow would be without books or school; and espe¬ 
 cially the 200 who Sabbath after Sabbath came to hear God’s word and fill the church, 
 but can come no more. Many are inquiring what they must do to be saved, others have 
 already begun to learn new lessons of God’s truth and His love. Where will they go 
 now ?” 
 
 “April, 1871. 
 
 “ I must speak again of the kindness of the white people. They have invited us to use 
 their building every Sabbath. They have contributed about $500 tow'urd the erection of 
 
42 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 oiir new building, and that, too, when their own church needs every dollar expended on 
 it to make it as comfortable as the one thej^arc helping ns to erect for the colored people. 
 
 “ The most of those who subscribed are of that political party usually thought at 
 the North to be either indifferent or opposed to the progress of the negro. This sympa¬ 
 thy is all the more marked from the pains taken to express it. At this season of the 
 year, and especially the present year, there is but very little money in this country. Yet 
 they are anxious to pay their subscriptions, and some even take pains to come miles to 
 bring the money. 
 
 The colored people are also in earnest in the work themselves. One member of m 3 ' 
 church has subscribed $40, and paid most of it alread}'.” 
 
 The Animal Report for 18'72 gives the account of tlie building of 
 the church in Marion, Ala.: 
 
 “ The church at Marion, Ala., was organized the first Sabbath in January, 1870. In 
 July, 1871, it determined to build. It then had thirty-three male members, all so poor 
 as to have considerable difficulty in providing the means of support. The Americax 
 Missionary Association gave a lot worth $100, and $860 in cash. Citizens of Marion 
 contributed in money and work, $245 ; friends at the North, $260. The members them¬ 
 selves did the work and wrung the rest out of their own povert}', giving in work and 
 money $1,462. In the eighteenth week after they entered the woods to cut the sills, the 
 house, worth over $3,000, was dedicated, and of the seven houses of worship in Marion 
 —one of them costing four times as much—this is admitted to be the best, in construc¬ 
 tion and inside finish !” 
 
 The church in Savannah has planted three mission churches in tlie 
 vicinity. Of that at Belmont, live miles from the city, tve abridge 
 these particulars from the “ Missionary” for 1874 : 
 
 ‘‘The church and Sunday-schoofffirst met in a brush arbor, then in an open shed, 
 but soon it was decided to build. A few colored men of Belmont and Savannah said, 
 
 ‘ Silver and gold we have none, but such as we have ive loill give —the free labor of our 
 hands.’ The pastor, whose hands are busy in the work, gives this touching item ; 
 ‘We are progressing with our chapel at Belmont. We have faith that the mone}’-to 
 get the lumber, nails, windows, etc., will come from some source. The brethren have 
 got out the timber, and it is on the ground. 
 
 “ I went out yesterday to see how the work was getting on. I found the sisters there 
 with hoes, axes, and rakes, clearing off the grubs and brush from the church lot. I 
 asked, ‘ What does this mean ?’ A sister answered, ‘ This is the day set for the sisters 
 to help.’ 
 
 “As I left the scene, pondering the wmrds, ‘ This is the day set for the sisters to 
 help,’ I thought, ‘ What a ermtrast between a sewing-circle of sisters in the parlor, 
 with their finely polisL^^i^y'-j^ng-machines, eas 3 '-chairs and sofas, and those sisters in 
 the pine wmods of Georgia, nlth their big hoes, axes, and rakes, digging, grubbing, and 
 piling brush !’ ‘ The sisters’ day to help.’ This is indeed their day. The next genera¬ 
 
 tion will not help as these dear old souls are helping. With them will, pass awa}" the 
 heavy plantation hoe, and the women wielding the eight-pound axe.” 
 
 REVIVALS. 
 
 The teachers of the schools and the pastors of the churches have 
 been favored with revival influences among pupils and people. From 
 many accounts furnished us we select a few, A teacher wrote (in 
 1867) from Hampton, Va.: 
 
amp:rican missionary association. 
 
 43 
 
 “ With my Report I write a line to speak of the revival here. Four weeks since we 
 had our first incetinc:. That week there were from twenty-live to thirty conversions. 
 For three or four days there were ei*;'!^ or ten a day. Tlic whole church, minister and 
 people, seemed awake, but the work has been quiet. We have had excellent meetings. 
 F'or two ■weeks they were held daily, and since then, three evenings a week. The work 
 lias reached all classes. Backsliders have been returned, and the vilest sinners are 
 penitent. A great many old men and women arc seeking the Saviour. One woman who 
 was converted reccntl}" must be over eighty years of age. I wish you could see how 
 happy she is. For nearly two weeks we could scarcely teach our school, the children 
 were under such deep feeling.” 
 
 A teacher writing from Macon, Ga., (in 1868,) said : 
 
 “ Five of my day-scholars have become Christians, and I have every reason to believe 
 that their hearts have been changed. 
 
 I am so happy. Sixteen are seeking the Saviour, and there seems much good feel¬ 
 ing in my school. 
 
 “ The Lord is certainly here. There is some interest in my night-class. I pray that 
 it may increase.” 
 
 From Nashville, Tenn., we had this report. Sept., 18'70 : 
 
 T “ This is but the third week of our school, and there have already been nineteen con¬ 
 versions. The Lord is indeed with us, and showing us His great salvation. Among our 
 boarders are twenty-five Memphis students ; the day after their arrival, (they came over 
 on Saturday,) one of them was converted, and others began to seek the Lord. At our 
 first Wednesday evening prayer-meeting, which is our usual weekly meeting, the Spirit 
 so moved upon hearts that several cried out for mercy. At the close of the meeting 
 they came to their rooms, and before we slept that night five were rejoicing in sins for¬ 
 given. The next week the meeting was more quiet, but much feeling was manifested, 
 and when we came home, and had our little meetings in the students’ rooms, four more 
 sweetly found rest in Jesus. We have had no extra meetings, except last Monday 
 night, at which souls were again given us. Last night, our third Wednesday evening 
 meeting, was preeious; young converts testified to the love of Jesus, and several, 
 weeping, asked prayers that they might find Him, in whom we all so rejoiced. One of our 
 Memphis boys was then and there converted, and when we came to the dormitory, three 
 of the young ladies found Jesus. These three were the last in the ladies’ dormitory. 
 All now have professed Christ; sixteen, since the term began. Oh! if I could describe 
 to you these little meetings in the dormitory, after we return from the Chapel. The 
 best of the wine is kept for the last of the feast, and it is a feast indeed. Jesus is with 
 us, and we all rejoice in His love.” 
 
 Rev. G. W. Andrews, pastor of the chuTch in Marion, Ala., de¬ 
 scribed a blessed revival enjoyed by his church : 
 
 I have been preaching every night for three weeks with most blessed results. More 
 than a hundred are earnest inquirers, and many have found Christ. All has been very 
 quiet; and the whole awakening has been of God, not man. Among the converts are 
 eight or ten fathers of families, who have never before been reached, as they were too 
 intelligent to believe in such a religion as they had been taught in the past. Such ideas 
 of a Christian life as your missionaries teach satisfy their judgment, and meet the 
 wants of their aching hearts.” 
 
 Rev. Mr. Roa-ers aiiive the folio wins: account of the results of the 
 
 o o o 
 
 year in his church, in 1872 : 
 
 “Never before has our work in Macon been so abundantly prospered. We can 
 already rejoice over thirty new-born souls, and stillthe work goes on. These blessings 
 
u 
 
 HISTOEY OF THE 
 
 have not come unsought. Our little hand of teachers, and our church, in perfect 
 S 3 nnpathy with each other, for months have prayed for the outpouring of the Holy 
 Spirit. The ‘Week of Prayer’ was faithfully observed. The feeling on the part of 
 many praying ones, since that date, is best expressed in the words of wrestling Jacob: 
 
 ‘ I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.’ 
 
 “Our meetings have been largely attended, especially during the last two weeks. 
 The anxious-seats have been thronged with inquirers. Greater distress for sin I have 
 never witnessed than some of the inquirers have manifested. One young woman on 
 whom I called, just before her conversion, said she had not tasted food or wet her lips 
 for twenty-four hours. 
 
 “ A most remarkable case of convictiou occurred in the school. A vouns.' woman was 
 brought into such distress during morning devotions that her case attracted the atten¬ 
 tion of the whole school. For her, study was impossible. She absented herself from 
 school; and when, after a lapse of days, she came again, her face shone like the light. 
 She could hardly be kept from going around among the scholars during the morning 
 session, to tell what Jesus had done for her. 
 
 “A most touching case has been that of an old man, seventy-six years of age, who 
 has bowed night after night in the midst of young people, and now his testimony is 
 clear: ‘ I have been changed from nature to grace.’ 
 
 “Yesterday was a happy day for us. Thirteen of the converts were received into our 
 church, eight of^whom were young men, from sixteen to twent 3 "-two j'ears of age. 
 Members of other churches came to witness their reception. Some of the converts are 
 waiting tiU the next communion season before joining our church, and three or four 
 of them, at the earnest solicitation of friends, have joined other churches.” 
 
 Of the revival in Atlanta University we have the following re¬ 
 ports : 
 
 “ Atlanta University, Ga., April 12, 1872. 
 
 “ During the whole of our history as a school, now nearly three j^ears, there has been 
 a good degree of religious interest, so that at the end of each j^ear we have been able to 
 count many who, during the year, have become Christians ; but never before have we 
 been blessed as during the past few weeks. 
 
 “The Spirit’s power has been manifest more than usual, especially in the prayer- 
 meetings. 
 
 “When the news came of the glorious work in Macon, and some of our pupils heard 
 that many of their former mates had become Christians, one and another arose, ex¬ 
 pressed determination to serve Christ, and asked our prayers. This opened the way for 
 others who had been waiting only for some one to begin, and we had a most blessed 
 meeting. There was conviction of sin and sorrow for it, inexpressible; there were 
 praj^ers that wrestled with God; there was joy unspeakable for forgiven sin. 
 
 “ A young man who had begun the Christian life last j^ear, but who had become dis¬ 
 couraged by difficulties at home during the summer, said to us : ‘ When I returned this 
 year I determined to attend to mj^ studies and have nothing to do with religion. I tried 
 to occupy my mind with other things, and to drown my feelings with temporal pleasures, 
 but it was no use; I grew worse rather than better. Once or twice I left the meeting 
 for fear I should speak out and make known my feelings. I even prayed God to take 
 His Spirit from me ; but now I rejoice and praise God that He has brought me to him¬ 
 self again.’ 
 
 “ Another had determined not to meddle with religion. He said : ‘ I got on veiy well 
 till one day I happened to see my Bible covered with dust. I thought, that is m// Bible 
 so neglected ! My heart must be as foul with sin as my Bible is with dust. I could not 
 drive that fhought from my mind, and yet I did not dare to undertake the Christian life, for 
 fear mj" old temptations would get the better of me again. But I thank God I have be¬ 
 gun, and am more and more determined to persevere. My easily besetting sin came upon 
 me once to-day, but instead of being overthrown, i conquered and triumphed over it, and 
 such joy as I felt in that triumph I never experienced before in my life.’ 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 45 
 
 “ Some have told us hoAV stning'ely they were impressed on first eomingliere to seliool. 
 They supposed they Avere comiiii*- simply to study and learn; but they have found on 
 every side—in the family Avorship, in the Sunday exereises, in the kind and faithful 
 Avords of teaehers, in the very atmosphere of the plaee—a constant call to become 
 learners of Christ,” 
 
 The revival in Atlanta was not confined to the University, but ex¬ 
 tended to the Congregational church and Storrs school, in another 
 part of the city. The pastor, Rev. C. W. Francis, wrote : 
 
 “ Atlanta,‘Ga., June 10, 1872. 
 
 You Avill he glad to hear how large and precious an ingathering we had yesterday as 
 the ‘ first-iruits ’ of the glorious spiritual harvest God is permitting us to gather. It Avas 
 the day for our monthly communion service, and we welcomed iwenty-three~joxmg con¬ 
 verts to the Lord’s table, a larger number than were ever received into this church at one 
 time. Four others Avere expecting to unite Avith them, but were detained by providen¬ 
 tial causes, and quite a large number are still waiting for a more settled experience be¬ 
 fore taking this step; so that Ave have occasion to say, ‘ The Lord hath done great 
 things for us, whereof we are glad.’ Among those received yesterday were some of 
 the most promising of our young people, for whom we ha\'e long prayed and waited, 
 and the ncAvs of their conversion will carry gladness to many faithful teachers who have 
 had the care of them since these schools opened. All ages were represented, from youth 
 to full manhood; in two cases husband and Avife stood together, and a reformed drunk¬ 
 ard Avas not the least among the trophies of divine grace. The religious experience of 
 most was very clear and satisfactory, evincing nearly an entire absence of extraA^agance 
 and superstition, and showing how broad a foundation of scriptural truth has been laid 
 by these few years of labor in day-school and Sabbath-school and church service.” 
 
 SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 
 
 The opening of Sunday-schools began with our first work in the 
 South, and is constantly pushed forward. Every day-school, as far 
 as possible, has its Sunday-school, while the higher institutions and 
 the churches not only have the home Sunday-schools, but teachers 
 and older pupils also maintain others in the outlying places. At 
 Talladega, Ala., so widely extended was this efibrt that the first 
 Sabbath-School Convention ever held among the Freedmen, convened 
 at that place. 
 
 TEMPERANCE. 
 
 In like manner have all our schools and churches^pressed upon tfie 
 Freedmen the duty of total abstinence as their only emancipation 
 from what threatens to be a worse bondage to them than slavery 
 itself. 
 
 ENLARGED CHURCH WORK. 
 
 The Association has now (1874) 'reached a point where it is pre¬ 
 pared for a great enlargement of the church work. The schools have 
 enlightened the people, and the pupils who are going forth in in¬ 
 creasing numbers as teachers will extend this intelligence in ever- 
 
46 
 
 HISTORr OF THE 
 
 widening circles. The influence of the old colored ministers, who 
 are ignorant and immoral, will gradually wane under the new light; 
 and the theological classes of the higher schools Avill furnish better 
 pastors. 
 
 . But this enlargement of the church work must not be gained by 
 sacrificing the schools and colleges ; the foundation-stones of the 
 building must not be torn up to furnish materials for the superstruc¬ 
 ture. The institutions should be strengthened, while enlarged re¬ 
 sources should be given to extend the church work. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Various causes delayed the missionaries of the American Mission¬ 
 ary Association in the formation of ecclesiastical bodies ; the great 
 distances, expense of travel, and small salaries. But at length a 
 meeting was convened in Chattanooga, Tenn., November 24th, 1870, 
 being, as it chanced, the sixth anniversary of the “ Battle of the 
 Clouds.” We doubt if a more significant meeting than this humble 
 assembly of Congregational ministers, or one farther reaching in its 
 consequences, has been held in sight of Lookout Mountain since the 
 armies of the republic j^assed out of view. 
 
 There were present Revs. II. E. Brown, J. A. Bedient, J. E. Cowan 
 from Alabama ; Revs. Gabriel Burdett, E. H. Fairchild, (President of 
 Berea College,) J. G. Fee, from Kentucky ; Rev. M. E. Strieby, Sec¬ 
 retary American Missionary Association, New-York ; Revs. H. S. 
 Bennett, T. E. Bliss, P. S. Feemster, W. W. Mallory and E. O. Tade, 
 Tennessee ; Rev. Edward Bull, North-Carolina ; Rev. E. M. Cravath, 
 District Secretary, American Missionary Association, Ohio ; Rev. S. 
 C. Feemster, Mississippi; Rev. J. W. Ilealy, Louisiana ; Revs. C. W* 
 Francis, G. A. Hood, E. E. Rogers, from Georgia ; and five dele¬ 
 gates. 
 
 Revs. T. M. King and John Reding, of Chattanooga, were invited 
 to sit as corresponding members. 
 
 Most of them were appointees of the American Missionary Associa¬ 
 tion, and were aiming at the impartial elevation of the masses in the 
 South. They had hitherto toiled in isolation, never before having all 
 met for the warm grasp of the hand, the gathering around the mercy- 
 seat, and the comparison of plans of eflbrt. Three days were spent 
 delightfully and profitably. Facts encouraging and otherwise in re¬ 
 gard to the condition of the colored people were spread out, the 
 unanimous conviction being expressed that more must be done to 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 47 
 
 utilize what has already heeu done, and to save the people from the 
 dangers besetting them from intemperance, unchastity, popery, and 
 the cunning and hostility of their former masters. Cheering accounts 
 were given of the transforming power of Christian schools, and of 
 the young cliurches formed of intelligent and jnous members. 
 
 A committee, appointed to consider the propriety of organizing 
 associations or conferences in the South, reported favorably, and it 
 was voted to form local conferences havine: as centres some of the im- 
 portant cities of the South. 
 
 In conformity with this recommendation, .the .South-Western 
 Conference was soon formed in ISTew-Orleans, and'now (1874) em¬ 
 braces nine churches, all in Louisiana. The Central South Con¬ 
 ference was constituted October 25th, 1871, and in 1874 included 
 nine churches in Tennessee, four in Western Geoi'gia, live in Alabama, 
 and two in Mississippi. The Congregational Conference of 
 Texas was organized December 4th, 1871, and contains three churches 
 in that State. The Association of Christian Churches and 
 Ministers of Kentucky, was formed in 1873, having five churches 
 in Kentucky. There are in 1874 live churches in Korth-Carolina, one 
 in South-Carolina, and four in Eastern Georgia, awaiting the organiza¬ 
 tion of a conference that shall afford them the fellowship of the 
 churches. 
 
 CONSOLIDATION-THE DESPISED RACES. 
 
 At the Annual Meetinsc in 1874 the Association resolved to tnke 
 measures to transfer all its foreign missions, except that of Western 
 Africa, and concentrate its efforts mainly on the three despised races 
 of men, the Kegro, the Indian, and the Chinese, seeking to lift them 
 up from ignorance and caste prejudice, and to make them the pivots 
 of religious harmony in America and the bearers of Christian civili¬ 
 zation to the lands of their forefathers. 
 
 THE Indians. 
 
 THE NEW POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. 
 
 President Lincoln has the honor of giving liberty to the negro. General Grant's ad¬ 
 ministration has the credit of devising the plan of honest dealing with the Indian, and 
 of attempting his industrial and moral elevation. 
 
 The main features of this plan are these : 
 
 The “ Indian Ring” is broken up and superseded by a commission, composed of men 
 whose characters are a guarantee of honesty, who supervise the purchase and disburse¬ 
 ment of supplies, and have general inspection over Indian affairs. The different relig- 
 
48 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ious bodies and Missionary Societies are invited not merely to cooperate, but to take 
 responsibility in the great work. The Quakers were first selected as a notification and 
 assurance of the purposes of the Oovernment, and the result thus far has justified ex¬ 
 pectations. Other denominations are cordially entering into the plan. 
 
 The Indian tribes are placed under the care of six superintendents, and are further 
 subdivided into about fifty agencies. These agencies embrace varying numbers of In¬ 
 dians accordingTo proximity, and the full working force in the larger ones consists of 
 an agent, farmer, blacksmith, carpenter, physician, and teachers. The Government ap¬ 
 points the superintendents. The religious bodies nominate the agents, and the agent 
 nominates his assistants. The whole of these employees, from the highest to the lowest, 
 are to be under the care and supervision of the religious bodies and the Missionary or¬ 
 ganizations, as well as of the Government. 
 
 The assignments'thus far made are : to the Catholics, the North-western Reservations; 
 to the Presbyterians, the Southern and middle tribes ; to the Quakers, those in Kansas 
 and Nebraska ; to the Baptists, Methodists, and Southern Presbyterians, the Indian Ter¬ 
 ritory ; to the Episcopalians and the American Board, the Sioux of Dacotah; and to the 
 American Missionary Association, the Chippewas and other bands in Michigan, Wiscon¬ 
 sin, and Minnesota. 
 
 THE OLD REGIME. 
 
 As an illustration of this, we give the following sketch of the state 
 of affairs as found by one of our agents in entering upon his duties : 
 
 “ At-the Government business had been left pretty much to run itself. My pre¬ 
 
 decessor never went near the Indians, and it is very seldom that an agent has visited 
 them. The employees have passed away their time as easily as possible, and get their 
 
 salaries. There is not a building at-—that is fit fori any decent man to live in. I 
 
 have dismissed a part of those employees, and intend to make a clean sweep of the rest 
 at the close of the month. It is believed by the Indians that the blacksmith threw more 
 iron and steel into the lake than he worked up for them. I dismissed him early in Feb¬ 
 ruary, and the night after he received notice of his dismission, the Government house 
 in which he lived, with shop and tools, was burnt up. The Indians don’t believe it was 
 done by accident. 
 
 “ My predecessor sent a man there last fall to put the sawmill in order and run it. At 
 the time of the payment, the 1st of November, he informed me that the saw-mill was all 
 ready to run, but for want of a little strap-leather to lace the belts together he had not 
 been able to run the mill at all. I immediately ordered a supply, and authorized the 
 miller to purchase whatever was needed to run the mill, and employed hands to get in 
 logs ; but I found, on visiting him, that though ;the mill, as he said, was in complete 
 order, with logs enough in the pond to make 75,000 feet of lumber, he had not been able 
 to put a roof on the mill or inclose it! The plea was, that while he was at his meals 
 the Indians would steal and lug off all the boards he could saw; and I judged from the 
 appearance of the mill, and the number of slabs discoverable about it, that they would 
 not have to exert themselves overmuch to keep up with him. There has probably been 
 a lack of water some of the time, but if talk could supply its place he might run several 
 saw-mills regularly, and have a surplus to spare. I concluded we could dispense with 
 his services for the future.” 
 
 THE NEW ERA. 
 
 The following items will show some of the fruits of the new 
 policy : 
 
 Red Lake Agency^ 1871. 
 
 The Rev. S. G. Wright, formerly a missionary of this Association 
 among the Indians, says : 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 49 
 
 The Indians iiavc ciTltivatcd thirty acres, two-thirds of it planted to corn, and the bal¬ 
 ance to potatoes, raising for this year’s crop not far from six thousand bushels of com 
 and three thousand bushels of potatoes. This, with the abundant fish from the lake, 
 furnishes the whole population with a comfortable supply of .food. The Indians have 
 erected during the summer sixty-two log-houses, performing all the labor with their own 
 hands, except the liauling of the logs together, which was done in part by the govern¬ 
 ment farmer, and in several instances carrying the logs themselves. 
 
 Every family but two on this side the lake, has now a warm, and for them, a commo¬ 
 dious house. But with their new houses, their wants begin to multiply, and they are 
 asking for carpenter’s tools, and more lumber, that they may be able to make benches, 
 tables, bedsteads, etc. 
 
 The Indians are much better clothed this year than heretofore. I have purchased corn 
 and given in exchange army blankets, coats, and pants at low prices, and also paid for 
 labor in clothing. The traders have also purchased com. This, with their annuity goods, 
 makes them quite comfortable. 
 
 We hold religious meetings in the upper story of the warehouse, which has been fin¬ 
 ished oflf in anticipation of a day-school, which we hope to open in a few weeks . . . 
 
 What is the cause of the remarkable awakening of these Indians to industry, and of their 
 strong desire to approach civilization ? There have been no special efiforts with them 
 this year, and but little more than the ordinary expenditure has been made by the 
 Government. But what they were entitled to receive they have had, and, more than all, 
 they have recognized in the men sent to deal with them and care for them—the agent, 
 and physician, and miller, and carpenter, and farmer—friends whom it was safe to trust 
 and follow, and they have been encouraged and inspired by their advice and example. 
 They have all along desired better things. Now they see the better life is at hand for 
 them, and they begin to build and plan for the future. 
 
 Mr. Wright also speaks again of his encouragement in the religious meetings. Never 
 in all his years of missionary life did he see so much interest in the Sabbath gathering, 
 and feel so much hope as he does now. 
 
 White Earth Agency^ 1873. 
 
 Rev. E. P. Smith, now at the head of the Indian Bureau in Wash¬ 
 ington, had been doing an exceedingly valuable work in a subordinate 
 position among the Indians in the North-west—seeking only to make 
 himself useful—and thus unconsciously preparing himself for his pre¬ 
 sent position. Mrs. Smith, who accompanied her husband in his resi¬ 
 dence among the Indians, has been busy also in the good work. The 
 subjoined letter gives interesting facts showing the impulse for im¬ 
 provement among the sons of the forest. 
 
 “ My heart is so full of Indian work, I want to give you a few words. 
 
 “I have been in the night-school aU winter, and have learned to love these children 
 of the forest. We are not taking a vacation in the evening-school now with the day- 
 school, because our red children want us to continue the school, until we find the 
 farming work interferes with it. We average thirty men, women, and children that can 
 not be reached by the boarding-school. I have three classes of young men, and am 
 trying to teach arithmetic, reading and writing—enough to help them in every-day life. 
 Those that commenced the first of the winter, can read very well, write a fair hand, and 
 perform examples in addition and subtraction, and are just beginning on multipli¬ 
 cation. 
 
 “ My third class I commenced last week Thursday. Some of our most hopeful work¬ 
 ing young men have come into it. I said to them, ‘ Now, boys, I want to fit you for 
 
 4 
 
50 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Indian clerks. We are going to have Indians for clerks, just as soon as we can make 
 them. Yes ! I expect to see Indian boys at Washington before I die.' Tom Hardin 
 (who understands English quite weU, and is very smart and reliable) almost jumped off 
 liis feet. If you could have seen the enthusiasm in that class that night, and how hard 
 they worked to get just the ideas I wished to give in this first lesson in arithmetic, you 
 would say the day is dawning for the red men. 
 
 “ Every thing brightens around us. We are full of hope for the future. We thank 
 God and go forward.” 
 
 CHINESE IN AMERICA. 
 
 The Annual Meeting of the Association in 1869 adopted the fol¬ 
 lowing : 
 
 “ Eesolved^ That it is the duty of this Association to inaugurate and prosecute a vigor 
 ous missionary work among the Chinese in the United States.” 
 
 The Annual Report of 1871 says : 
 
 “The wisdom of our entering upon the work of missions among the Chinese in 
 America has been completely demonstrated. The schools at Oakland, Stockton, Sacra¬ 
 mento, and San Francisco have been successful in numbers, in the increasing interest of 
 the pupils, in their effect upon the general public sentiment, especially of the members 
 of the Congregational churches, in reaching, as at Stockton, the Chinese women, whose 
 condition seemed hopeless before, and, above aU, in the blessing of the Holy Ghost, as 
 it would seem, in several instances, to the spiritual awakening of their darkened minds. 
 
 “A converted Chinaman, Gam, one of the three who united with the Oakland Con¬ 
 gregational Church last year, having visited China and returned, is now in our employ. 
 He assists at different stations in gathering in pupils. They do not rush eagerly to the 
 schools as soon as opened, as do the children of the freedmen ; but when they find no 
 money is to be made out of them, and that the teachers mean only to do them good, and 
 especially that there is an excellent opportunity to learn the English language, they 
 come; and having once got acquainted, they soon become attached to their teaehers. 
 They do not object to reading in the Bible; on the contrary, soon begin to show interest 
 in the meaning of what they read, and eagerly ask questions about it.” 
 
 LETTER FROM GAM. 
 
 “Yon invited me to write you a letter. I have no knowledge to write well but I am 
 very anxious to take my liberty and try to do the best I can. I am a great sinner but I 
 know the Lord has promise to pardon those who repent and believe in him also said we 
 must love one another and so I always glad to do as I have done by but the understand¬ 
 ing which I had is not enough to spread abroad the wisdom of God, so I beg you to ask 
 God to enlarge my heart with his Holy Spirit then I will sow the seeds in to their hearts 
 which we may receive either sixty or a hundred-fold. Otherwise I must do all I can for 
 the Redeemer sake and trust him with my whole heart because he first love us and gave 
 himself for us.” 
 
 The Annual Report of 1872 says: 
 
 “ The Lord has set his approving seal upon the efforts to open the minds of the Chinese 
 in California to the Gospel. Five converts united with the Third Congregational Church, 
 San Francisco, October 6th, instant. Rev. Dr. Mooar, of our Advisory Board, is tem¬ 
 porarily preaching to that church. Four had united with the First Congregational 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 51 
 
 Church at Oakland n hilc he was pastor. One has joined the First Congregational Churcli 
 at Sacramento, dnrii\g the year. Eight originally applied to join the Third Church, San 
 Francisco, while the Rev. Wm. C. Pond was its pastor. A portion of the church op- 
 ix)6cd their admission, and they were put ui)on a probation, at first, of two months. At 
 tlie end of that period, the opposition in the church still existing, their uniting with 
 the church was postponed six months. Mr. Pond says : 
 
 “ ‘ This second postponement was of course a severe disappointment to these brethren. 
 The reality of their conversion was attested by the spirit in which they received it. 
 Even ill the first shock of it, it did not shake their purpose to be Christ’s. “ I shall 
 follow Jesus though I join no church,” was the reply.” ’ ” 
 
 CHINESE CONVERTS AT STOCKTON. 
 
 Miss Burnett wrote in August, 1873: 
 
 “ Tai Chung is, I think, a Christian, though he has never united with the church. He 
 is willing to do this. His woMs are: ‘ I want to do all Jesus requires,just'as the Book says.' 
 He was away in the country nearly a yeai'; is now employed in a family.” 
 
 “ Stockton, Sept. 1,1873. 
 
 “Tai Chung is propounded for admission to the church, (Congregational,) to join next 
 Sabbath on profession of his faith in Christ. Mr. Post (the pastor) and others'are fully 
 satisfied with the evidence he gives. 
 
 “I believe Ah Hing became a Christian last week; he is about fourteen years of age. 
 I have not written of him before. Others are giving some evidence of the infiuence of 
 the Holy Spirit upon their hearts. To God be all the'praise.” 
 
 PERSECUTION. 
 
 Miss Burrows, at Santa Cruz, says: 
 
 “I am sorry to tell you that the boys in going home from school last week were 
 stoned and cut and abused generally. They came rushing into the school-yard after 
 clubs to defend themselves with. They were mad enough ^to kill any body, so I went 
 home with them, and also talked to the men (where was the manhood ?) who were abus¬ 
 ing them. They treated me politely and said there should be no more of it; but it will 
 take some time to bring the school up again.” 
 
 A NEW MOVEMENT-CALL FOR A MISSION HOME. 
 
 The work of the American Missionary Association among the 
 Chinese of the Pacific coast, has been through Christian schools and 
 not by organizing churches, the converts being recommended to join 
 the Congregational churches there which aid us in sustaining schools. 
 
 But a new departure is called for, originating in the special interest 
 developed in the school in Oakland, Cal., where religious inquiry 
 superseded, in part, the school services. 
 
 We quote from the monthly report of Rev. W. C. Pond, our Super¬ 
 intendent of Chinese work: 
 
 “ The Oakland school is reported as taught only on four days of the week, because on 
 Thursday evening of each week a sort of great convocation of the Chinese is held in 
 the chapel, which partakes more of the nature of a religious service than a school. The 
 interest among the Chinese in this meeting has greatly increased of late. The chapel is 
 crowded, and our helper. Gam, tells me that it seems as though they might have to go 
 
52 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 into tlie main audience room of the church. The unbelieving Chinese began to attend 
 it a few weeks since, and to participate in the conversation, raising questions from Con¬ 
 fucius and other Chinese classics.” 
 
 Gam and the Chinese converts ask the A. M. A. to assist in secur¬ 
 ing a house and establishing a mission head-quarters in Oakland, Cal. 
 Mr. Pond, after considering the case, and examining a building that 
 might be rented for the purpose, writes us : 
 
 “ After I had looked at the building, I had a meeting of our Chinese class. Eighteen 
 were present, all of them (as we hope) believers. We talked and prayed about the 
 matter, till almost 11 o’clock at night. I told them to see what they themselves could 
 do towards furnishing the chapel and defraying other expenses ; believing that thus I 
 should test the matter quite etFectually, and I said I would call to-day ou some of them 
 to learn the result. I thought that it might be they would show me a subscription of 
 $100. I found one carried already up to $365, and not yet complete. 
 
 “ I feel that to take this step is to commit ourselves to a large advance, not so much 
 in expenditure, as in work. But in view of the zeal, the good judgment, and the gm. 
 erous pledges of these brethren, I feel as though it would be a great mistake, amount¬ 
 ing almost to a crime, to say No to them. 
 
 “I ask you to bid me go forward. I seem to see in this which has come from 
 our Chinese brethren themselves, a solution of the j^roblem over which I have been 
 thinking and praying anxiously. For I have felt it deeply that these brethren were 
 —as Chung Mon said—‘like sheep without a shepherd, and like orphans without a 
 home.’ ” 
 
 THE FREEDMEN’S MISSIONS AID SOCIETY IN GREAT 
 
 BRITAIN. 
 
 The organization of this society was perfected in 1872. Its presi¬ 
 dent is the Earl of Shaftesbury ; its treasurer the Hon. Arthur Kin- 
 naird, M.P.; its council and executive committee embrace some of 
 the best-known Christian philanthropists of Great Britain. The 
 honorary secretaries are Rev. L. D. Bevan, LL.B., and Rev. Henry 
 Jones, M.A. Rev. J. W. Healy, D.D., now returned to this country, 
 has been its active and efficient corresponding secretary, and has se¬ 
 cured considerable sums of money to aid in the education of Freed- 
 .men as missionaries to Africa. 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 53 
 
 FACTS AND ANECDOTES. 
 
 THE FREEDMEN. 
 
 POVERTY. 
 
 In the early days of freedom, the sufferings of the ex-slaves were’ 
 very great from hunger and. cold. We subjoin some anecdotes that 
 show not merely their poverty, but the cheerful patience with which 
 it was borne. 
 
 From Washington, D. C., 1869: 
 
 “kind o’ used” to being hungry. 
 
 “ Two or three cases I have recorded in my note-book. Mary Rideout, an old woman 
 of sixty, had to borrow a pair of shoes to come to the office in. 
 
 “ ‘ What do you have to eat?’ 
 
 “ ‘Just what I can pick up. Sometimes a lady that I used to live with sends me a 
 little tea and sugar.’ , 
 
 “ ‘ Do you eat three times a day ?’ 
 
 “ ‘ No. Sometimes twice, when I can^get it; and when I can’t, then once. Haven’t 
 had a mouthful yet to-day,’ (eleven o’clock.) 
 
 “ ‘ How do you live without eating ?’ 
 
 “ ‘ Oh ! I gets kind o’ used to it.’ ” 
 
 “ PERISH DEAD ” BEFORE He’d STEAL. 
 
 “ Mary’s husband, an old man, quite infirm, says, ‘ Sometimes I goes twenty-four 
 hours, and has nothing but water. Sometimes my daughter earns a little, and goes out 
 and brings ten cents’ worth o’ meal, and we has a corn-cake; or she picks up rags and 
 bones, an’ so earns a little. Any way to get along honestly^ for I think I’d perish dead 
 afore I’d steal.’ ” 
 
 From Fortress Monroe, Va., 1867 : 
 
 “We have had continual snow and ice, making the roads almost impassable. The 
 most destitute, who depend for fuel chiefly upon what they ‘tote’ two and three miles 
 from the woods, have suffered extremely for the want of a fire. With the little work 
 oifered, they can not earn sufficient to buy wood at the present high prices. I have done 
 something for the aged and widows, by giving them a load, a half load, or even a few 
 sticks, as I had it in my power. The day after New-Year’s, I found a number without 
 fire or meal. An old woman and her little grandchild were lying in bed, with the snow 
 drifted in and lying about the neck and shoulders of the little boy. They were in bed, 
 because they had no wood and no meal. I told her to get up, she should have both. At 
 other places where there had been no breakfast, I was able to furnish meal. 
 
54 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 “ I returned home asking myself the question, what will these people do? No one 
 was hauling wood and there was none in the village for sale. Finally, by considerable 
 coaxing and by showing a greenback, I obtained a dollar’s worth of wood, which I divid¬ 
 ed among ten families—two, three, and four sticks in a place. Some families, in their 
 extreme suifering with cold, have burnt up their stools and even their bedsteads. One 
 old woman, who had burnt every article of furniture, began to take up the floor of her 
 house, and while putting it upon the Are, she says this Scripture came into her mind : 
 ‘ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a build¬ 
 ing of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,’ and she sat down to 
 think and praise God and feel happy.” 
 
 From Nashville, Tenn., 1867 : 
 
 “ A short time ago, two orphan girls, between the ages of ten and fifteen, came to us 
 saying, ‘ Mammy died two days ago, and the man says that we must get out of his house 
 to-day; we don’t know what to do, nobody wants us, and nobody won’t let us stay.’ 
 '‘How long has your mother been sick?’ ‘Eight or nine months.’ ‘Where is your 
 father?’ ‘ He died about a year ago.’ ‘Who took care of your mother?’ ‘We did 
 all we could.’ ‘How did you get your food?’ ‘Picking up rags and old iron; some¬ 
 times we would make a dime or two.’ ‘ What did you do with your money?’ ‘Buy 
 a little meal and potatoes, and sometimes folks would give us a little gi’ub,’ (fragments 
 of food.) ‘ Did you ever have to go without?’ ‘Yes, heaps of times.’ ‘Can you 
 read?’ ‘No.’ ‘Would you like to learn?’ ‘Yes, marm, but we’se got no place to 
 stay.’ 
 
 “ The poor girls have been provided for. The elder is engaged to do house-work, and 
 the younger is staying with a woman near and attending school. Both are doing well. 
 
 “An idea of my daily visits may be gained by an extract from my diary. 
 
 “ ‘March 7. Find E. N. suffering very much. She and her four children sleep in the 
 same bed when it is too cold for them to sleep on the floor. The room is small, with 
 neither window nor chair. They have no wood, and the three children are just starting 
 for school without breakfast. In the next room an old woman is sick; she must move 
 soon, so I gave her fifty cents to meet the expenses. Her husband died years ago. Sbe 
 loves to think and talk about him, and says they lived “ happy and loving as little chil¬ 
 dren.” ’ 
 
 “ Dolly K. is the mother of twenty-one children, but all are away from her ; she was 
 turned out of the house when sick, and is now with Mrs. James. She says the Lord put 
 it in my heart to remember her wants.” 
 
 From St. Louis, Mo., 1865.—Poor whites: 
 
 “The abodes of the refugees, the ‘White Trash’ of the South, and the ‘contra¬ 
 bands,’ stand here side by side. Two long rows of rooms under one roof, a window and 
 a door in each. 
 
 “ But the refugees! White ! Let him who has only color to elevate him look out for 
 dear ‘equality.’ ‘Whyl’ says every body, ‘these don’t look half so well as the 
 others !’ No, they don’t. No words can portray the picture of an unwashed, uncomb 
 ed, smoking, swearing, Arkansas feminine refugee. Come into ‘Ward 6th,’ the hos¬ 
 pital for the women and children. Did you ever see such hideous, skinny little beings 
 called children ? In that corner yonder, a woman died the other day, who just before 
 the last gasp, with a faint oath, jerked a quid of tobacco out upon the floor. 
 
 “No dweller in thrifty New-England could fashion with his wildest fancy such scenes, 
 such sounds, such miseries, as the South has disgorged and cast out upon us. One cold 
 day last winter, a party of fifty white refugees landed on the levee. Government ambu¬ 
 lances brought them to Benton Barracks. The board platform in front of the ‘ Quar¬ 
 ters’ was covered with their ‘ plunder,’ as they called it, old washboards, tin candle¬ 
 sticks, feather-beds, boxes, and broken spinning-wheels. It was sad to see them with all 
 their poor little worldly store, women lank, gaunt, with half-naked, hungry, crying chil- 
 

 AMEKICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 55 
 
 (Iren clinging to them, standing silent, stolid—‘ husband shot in the bushes on the road 
 back,’ crippled men armless or legless, young boys and girls, bareheaded and barefoot¬ 
 ed. It was a keen, piercing day. I was shivering in my furs. One woman from ‘ down 
 tlie Red River ’ sat waiting without a motion or grimace for a place to go, with only 
 one thin cotton undergarment, and a white muslin dress. There seemed to be no place. 
 for them. Every room was full; at last they were put in a long, empty room which had 
 been used for a dining hall. The blankets were exhausted, but we gave them soldiers’ 
 cast-off overcoats (of which fortunately there was a quantity turned over by Govern¬ 
 ment for their use), and dinner, and a board. That was all we could do that night. 
 The next morning the first sight, as I entered, right opposite the door, was a man, cold, 
 white and dead. The wail of little children rose on every side, and oaths, fearful wo¬ 
 men's oaths ! I tried to make my way to the other side of the room to a little girl who 
 was crjfing bitterly, but at every step I trod on some living human being. ‘ Mammy! 
 mammy !’ the little shrieker cried. ‘ Her mammy died on the boat,’ a woman near her 
 said to me. That was the old story.” 
 
 RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT—IMMORALITY. 
 
 We have no wish to conceal, and, certainly, none to magnify 
 the vices of the colored people, but their peculiar faults, their 
 emotional religion, the ignorance and corruption of a large share of 
 their old ministers, as well as of the people, must be understood in 
 order to appreciate their need of enlightenment. 
 
 MORAL CONDITION. 
 
 “The moral condition of this people, although far from what it should be, is 
 hopeful. It must be admitted, they are prone to deceive and pilfer, but perhaps no 
 more so than any jjeople would be after such a manner of life. To deceive and to pilfer 
 has been a part of their education. By means of the one they have often escaped the 
 lash of a cruel master, and by the other, they have sometimes been able to satisfy the 
 pangs of hunger. Says an old man, who had been a slave all his life : ‘We were taught 
 to steal, if we did not steal from master.’ ” 
 
 CORRUPTION IN THE OLD COLORED CHURCHES-IMMORALITY OF THE 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 “As for the colored churches, they ‘are in all things very religious;’ but they have 
 not only lost their purity, but have almost lost the idea that religion is a purifier. The 
 colored people have just closed a meeting of eight days, not far from here. The preacher 
 in charge was a known and acknowledged libertine; and is now, I am told, only just recov¬ 
 ered from a sound beating he lately received from one whom he had justly offended by 
 his lewdness. I leave you to judge for yourself of the morals of a people who will tol¬ 
 erate such a man as their spiritual guide. These people go to their big meetings, it 
 appears to me, very much as they would go to a ball. There is, however, this additional 
 attraction to their meetings: they expect their revelings to please God and fit them in 
 some mysterious way for the joys of heaven.” 
 
 RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT. 
 
 “ Meetings are held in the colored church every night in the week, and continue till 
 twelve o’clock, or even later. The exercises are of the most emotional and demonstra- 
 
56 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 live kind. Women go into a perfect frenzy of excitement and roU on the floor for two 
 or three hours together, screaming and crying, ‘Lord, take me,’ ‘Jesus, save me,’ till, 
 utterly exhausted, they fall asleep, or experience something which they call ‘ coming 
 through,’ when they jump up in an ecstasy of joy, and shouting ‘Glory, glory, hallelu¬ 
 jah,’ at the top of their voices till they are hoarse, run all over the house, hugging in¬ 
 discriminately every man, woman, and child, white or black, that they may come to, and 
 telling them with the most extravagant gesticulations that ‘ Jesus died for me,’ ‘ Jesus 
 is a precious Saviour! ’ Men walk all round the house on their knees, praying and 
 slifouting with the full compass of their voices, clapping their hands violently, while the 
 responses—the ‘Amens,’ ‘Do, Lord,’ ‘Yes, yes,’ ‘Just now, Lord,’ ‘Glory, glory,’ etc. 
 —in endless amount and variety, come up ‘like the sound of many waters,’ from every 
 part of the house. And then they sing—as only they can sing—all joining at the top 
 of their voices, swaying their bodies to the time of the music, and clapping their hands 
 in the most frantic manner.” 
 
 ANOTHER LIKE SCENE. 
 
 “ They jump, and stamp, and shout, and howl, and clap their hands. Now one woman 
 is taken with the ‘ power.’ She springs from her seat, throws back her head, tosses out 
 her arms, and commences jumping up and down, rising each time more than a foot 
 from the floor. Another woman takes hold of her and steadies her from behind, not 
 seeking to stop or restrain her; but simply to prevent her from hurting herself, or fall¬ 
 ing upon any one else. Her eyes are shut, her arms flapping wildly, her joints loose; 
 now she throws herself forward, and is hardly kept from falling over the benches ; now 
 she jerks back her head, much to the inconvenience of her supporter; suddenly she 
 drops, and is picked up in an utter state of exhaustion. Meanwhile, every thing else 
 has been going on without the least interruption. One man was taken with the ‘ spirit.’ 
 He jumped, and kicked, and threw himself wildly about; three men were required to 
 help him; he fell among the women, threw himself against the posts, turned over 
 benches, and almost knocked down those who were supporting him—acting like a 
 maniac. In other parts of the room, others were more or less affected; some merely 
 jumped up and down; some threw themselves on the floor, and some acted more like 
 howling dervishes than worshipers in a church; but aU without effect on the band of 
 ‘mourners.’ Then the ‘preachers’ redouble their efforts; they stretch their whole 
 bodies over the railing; great streams of sweat roll down their faces ; and above the 
 groaning, above the singing, can be frequently heard a warning to sinners or an entreaty 
 to mourners. In a minute, up jumps a woman from among the mourners with a shout, 
 
 ‘ I’ve shook off de debil. Go ’way, Satan! ’ ‘ O Jesus ! ’ and her friends drag her to a 
 
 seat, and rejoice over her. Instantly another follows, and then another, until in a few 
 moments six or eight are gathered, as having ‘ j’ined de church.’ ” 
 
 FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE. 
 
 It is a relief to turn to more noble traits of character. With all 
 this ignorance, superstition and vice, the colored people possess the 
 elements of faith, hope and love in an eminent degree, and these, 
 when properly cultured, will develop the most amiable forms of 
 Christian life. 
 
 CONTENTMENT. 
 
 “ Speaking to an old man of these troublous times, he said: ‘ O, dat’s all well. When 
 I was a slave, my master would sometimes whip me awful^ ’specially when he knew I 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 57 
 
 was prayinc;. lie was dctcriiiiiicd to whip the Spirit out of me, hut he could never do 
 it, for de more he whip the more the Spirit make me content to be whipt; and I’s allcrs 
 content. When I come here I have had times sure —I am hungry, work hard, and no pay, 
 and no place to stay, but den de good Spirit makes me content all the time.'" 
 
 THE BRIGHT SIDE. 
 
 “ There is Chloe Carter. She lives just across the street. She has been the mother of 
 seveiitcen children., and docs not know where any of them are except those who died 
 young. They sold her children, and now in her old age she found her way to this city, 
 and here will probably stay till called to enter the city whose gates are pearl. She is 
 lx)or, and she is rich, and very grateful for her blessings. Last winter, after severe cold 
 weather, it moderated, and as I passed her cottage, she exclaimed, ‘ Oh, thank the Lord 
 for this ivarm sunshine; it so helps out the little wood we has! ’ ” 
 
 TRUST IN THE LORD. 
 
 “ ‘Well, what do you want to-day ?’ 
 
 “ ‘ I want to see if there’s gwine to be a school in our precinct. I’se got three little 
 ones dat I wan ter hev a gwine to school. I never specs to learn nothin’ myself, but I 
 wants my chilun to hev an edication.’ 
 
 “ ‘ What do you do yourself ?’ 
 
 ‘“I crops it.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Do you make a good living V 
 
 “ ‘ No, boss ; I makes a sorry livin’. But I never frets. I knows the good Lord is over 
 all, and I hev always lived, and I believe I shall now. I got no money, but I has corn 
 and hogs. If white man takes them from me, I shall get more ; and one thing is sartin, 
 nobody gets a livin’ by frettin’.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Have you laid up no money for a rainy day_^?’ 
 
 “ ‘Haint hed the chance, boss.’ 
 
 “ ‘ What if you are taken sick. Do you think the Bureau will take care of you ?’ 
 
 “ ‘ Spec not. I truss de Lord for dat.’ ” 
 
 FAITH. 
 
 “T went to see an old man whom I found a helpless cripple, lying on a miserable pal¬ 
 let on the floor of a wretchedly dirty room. Stricken with poverty, and without rela¬ 
 tives, his case seemed truly pitiable. I suggested that he would be more comfortable 
 at the hospital, but for some reason the idea was very distasteful to him, and he said: 
 ‘Why, missus, I’se waitin’ on de Lord, and ain’t Jesus eberywhere?’ ‘But,’, I said, 
 ‘ your bones must ache, lying on this hard bed.’ ‘ Why, my dear missus, dere’s many a 
 one worse off dan 1. IairCt no way wearied. De Lord know just what I need.’ 
 
 “ He told me of the sorrow of his life; through the wickedness of cruel men, he was 
 deprived of the freedom left him by his dying master, torn from his wife and children at 
 Charleston, and sold in this city. ‘ But,’ he said, ‘ when I landed I asked de Lord to go 
 before me, and told him I was willin’ to leave de helm in his hand; and now I’se been 
 waitin’ on him dese twenty-five years. He knows jest what I need, and when he sees 
 I’se had trouble ’nutF, he’ll say, ‘ ‘ Come up higher.’ ’ ’ ‘ How do you manage to pay your 
 rent ? ’ I asked. ‘ Well,’ said he, ‘ when de month’s ’most out, sometimes I say, “ Lord, 
 what shall I do ? I’se got no moneybut when Master Jesus sa^js he’U mind you, he 
 will mind you, an’ he sends one friend an’ anoder, an’ I make out. I’se satisfled.’ 
 
 “ Blessed trust! Happy poor yet rich man, thought I.” 
 
 “ waitin’ and prayin’.” 
 
 “ The j)eople are patiently waiting for something to be done for them. ‘ Waitin’ and 
 prayin’,’ as a poor toilwom mother of a large family said to me yesterday. ‘ Don’t you 
 fret about us, honey,’ she said, comfortingly, ‘ when God brought us out of slavery, he 
 kuow’d we’d need education, and he wiU give it to us.’ Beautiful trust!” 
 
58 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 SPECIFIC FAITH. 
 
 “ I think if our agents would exercise faith in every place they go, as strong as an old 
 auntie that came to me last February, we should not want for any good thing. She 
 came in one morning and said she had come out to see if I could give her a dress and a 
 pair of shoes. She was very old, trembled as she walked, leaning on her walking-stick. 
 I found a dress and told her I could not find the shoes. She looked up —and such a look; 
 I never shall forget it—and replied, ‘ Honey^ I did think my Jesus would give me the 
 shoes to-day.’ I repeated I could not find any for her, yet she repeated her faith that her 
 Jesus would give her a pair. I had one box, not opened; I took my hammer and opened 
 it, to see if I could find any in it. After taking out nearly half the contents of the box, 
 I was about ready to give up. I looked at the auntie, she seemed to be looking by 
 faith to Jesus. I went to work again, and down in the bottom I found shoes just right, 
 and when I told her there was a pair I thought would fit her, she gave a shoict such as I 
 never before heard. Her joy was such I could not help shedding tears of joy with her.” 
 
 THE FORGIVING SPIRIT. 
 
 “ Children come to school barefooted over the frozen ground, and we sometimes find 
 the tears running down their cheeks, caused by actual hunger, and the sufferings of the 
 sick and the aged are untold; yet even in the greatest extremity they are never found 
 looking back wistfully to the fiesh-pots of Egypt. 
 
 “ From none of them do we hear a murmur or a complaint, and from some we hear 
 such words as these: ‘ When the Lord shuts one door, he opens another.’ ‘ They that 
 put their trust in the Lord shall never be confounded.’ It might be expected that their 
 privations and sufferings would engender a feeling of bitterness toward their former 
 masters, but it is not so ; we are often deeply affected by their fervent prayers for their 
 old masters, prayers breathing a spirit of forgiveness, ‘till seventy times seven.’ In¬ 
 stead of dwelling upon their troubles, they seem inclined to magnify their blessings, 
 and make the most of them.” 
 
 THE DOVE IN THE HEART. 
 
 “ Concerning ‘ hollering ’ in meeting. Aunt Judy, an old colored woman, said to one 
 of her sisters: ‘’Tan’t de true grace, honey; ’tan’t de sure glory. You hollers too 
 loud. When you gits de dove in your heart and the lamb in your bosom, you’ll feel as 
 ef you was in that stable in Bethl’em, and de blessed Virgin had lent you de sleepin’ 
 baby to hold.’ ” 
 
 DESIRE TO LEARN. 
 
 The great hope for the colored people is in their earnest desire for 
 knowledge, secular and sacred. Out of the mass of anecdotes before 
 us, illustrating this point, we select the following: 
 
 A Freedman’s first act. 
 
 “ On the return march of Mix’s 3d New-York Cavalry, a large number of male con¬ 
 trabands followed the regiment. Lieutenant Chamberlain, of Rochester, adopted one 
 of them, a fine-looking boy of about 20 years, as his servant. On reaching Washington, 
 he gave him money to purchase an extra supper out of camp. The negro went without 
 the supper, and invested the money in a spelling-book. He has studied it intently every 
 leisure hour, and although perfectly ignorant of the alphabet one week ago, he is now 
 master of his letters.” 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 59 
 
 A SCENE IN lilCIIMOND IN 1865. 
 
 “For the lirst two Avccks there were only eight teaehers for one thousand five hun¬ 
 dred pupils, all of whom were eager to get a book and go right to work and learn to 
 read, and often our hearts were made sad by having the children say : ‘ I han’t said no 
 lesson to-day ; please. Miss, just show me how that goes.’ 
 
 “ One old uncle came into school a few days ago, and as he was going, said : ‘ 0 Miss ! 
 we*s monstrous pleased with your carryings on here in this church, we’s all so mighty 
 glad you’s come to teach we all. We hope the Yankees will allers live in Richmond. 
 I’s felt so happy since the Yankees came, that I“want to sing and cry for joy all thae 
 time ; ’pears like I dun know as I’s hungry or no.’ ” 
 
 AFTER THE SCHOOL-HOUSE WAS BURNED IN NORFOLK. 
 
 “ The day after our school-house was burned, little Robert said : ‘ Well, Miss Duncan, 
 if they did burn our school-house, they can’t burn what we’ve got in our heads, can 
 thay V’ ” 
 
 “I’SE COME FOR MY WHIPPIN’.” 
 
 “ It is really wonderful how quickly these untutored children will wheel into line and 
 af)proach the high standard in our Northern schools. There is, moreover, a genuine 
 love for school. Repeatedly the vote has been unanimous to dispense with holidays for 
 the sake of attending. In fact, they will endure almost any penance sooner than be 
 deprived of this privilege. In one of our schools, two of the larger pupils, a girl and 
 boy, for a very grave offense, were ordered to leave the school or receive a whipping. 
 They might take their choice. The boy instantly came forward and was whipped. The 
 girl gathered up her books, left the room, and the teacher supposed, of course, that was 
 the end of it. She was much surprised the next morning to see this girl enter, and 
 wMking straight up to the teacher, say; ‘Missus, I’se come for my whippin’.’ Such 
 WEBher love for the school, that after a night’s reflection, she had rather be whipped, old 
 as she^was, than stay away. The children seem quite ambitious to improve. Frequently 
 they carry their books home. In passing through the camps I have often been assailed 
 by little urchins holding out their slates, ‘ Please, sir, set me a copy,’ and it is no un¬ 
 common thing for children, ‘ just let loose from school,’ to gather in groups and go 
 through with a spelling exercise in fine style, and close off with—‘ Hail Columbia.’ ” 
 
 OLD AND YOUNG IN SCHOOL. 
 
 “Here,’’ writes one of our missionaries, “is seated a middle-aged man, intently 
 studying the first principles of arithmetic; yonder is his wife, as diligently poring over 
 her primer. Here, a mother just commencing to read; there, her son of sixteen, try¬ 
 ing to conquer the multiplication-table. In this class is a man just learning his letters ; 
 by his side are children five years old at the same lesson ; and so on. 
 
 “ Some who had families could attend school but three or four days in the week, the 
 rest of their time being spent in ‘ earning something to eat.’ Many refused to go out 
 to work for high w:iges, preferring to work for their board and go to school while there 
 was opportunity. I have often been asked if colored children learned as rapidly as the 
 wliites. Taking all their circumstances into consideration, I never saw any school that, 
 as a vihole, advanced more rapidly. 
 
 “One old woman said she was willing to work as long as she could stand, if by so doing 
 she would be able to read the Bible; when, about three months afterward, she was able 
 not only to read her Bible, but write a little, her cup of happiness was full; she thought 
 she could never thank the Lord enough that he had placed her where she ‘ could learn 
 beautifully.’ ” 
 
 LOVE FOR THE SCHOOL. 
 
 “ These children, though, for aught I can see, they possess as much ‘ human 
 
60 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 nature ’ as fairer school children at the North, have an appreciation of school privi¬ 
 leges rarely found at home. ‘ Please for don’t give us long holiday,’ said one and 
 another on Friday. ‘We want a few days, but not long. We like to read.’ Parents 
 testify to their eagerness for school; ‘ They needs no driving; they is always talkin’ 
 about their teachers.’ ‘ I’can’t keep my Margaret from her book,’ says one mother, with 
 hardly concealed delight.” 
 
 BEGGING HARDEE FOR SCHOOLS THAN BREAD. 
 
 “ To-day we need a thousand added to our corps of teachers. Applieations came in 
 from every quarter for books and teachers. All around us the Freedmen are struggling 
 hard against poverty, some against actual starvation, yet they beg harder for a school 
 than for food oi\ do thing.” 
 
 WELCOME TO A RETURNING TEACHER. 
 
 “ I had anticipated a most cordial welcome, but^was not prepared for the demonstra¬ 
 tions of joy which I witnessed. The people were expecting us, because they had been 
 praying for our return. The first expression from almost every one was thanksgiving 
 to God for answering their prayers. Old Aunt Rhina, whose head is frosted by age, and 
 her feet so swollen that you would not think she could walk on them, came almost 
 running from her cabin. I went to meet her. Her first words were: ‘ O ! bress de 
 Lord, you’s come. My eyes is so proud to see you once more. I’se prayed for you 
 cbery day.’ Others exclaimed, ‘Bressed Jesus, you heard my prayer, and I have saw 
 my teachers once more.’ One old man said, ‘ I seen you, I seen you. I know’d yon 
 was coming. De Lord showed you to me all ready to come. ’ 
 
 “ They brought gifts of such things as they had. Rice, sweet potatoes, ground-nuts 
 and eggs. Strong men were so overcome by their joy as to tremble like a leaf.” 
 
 A minister’s class in ELEMENTARY THEOLOGY. 
 
 Miss Sherman gives a graphic sketch of a class of ministers which 
 she and another lady taught in what must be regarded as elementary 
 theology : 
 
 “But now picture, if you can, o, minister's spelling class! Imagine my feelings as I 
 
 called upon the Rev. Mr. - to spell w-o-r-l-d, and the Rev. Mr. —- to spell 
 
 b-e-a-s-t-s ; a difficult word, by the way, both to spell and pronounce, and over which 
 every one tripped and fell! I took occasion to enliven the spelling with various little 
 dissertations on the nature and peculiarities of the English language, the derivation of 
 words, etc., with which they seemed highly delighted. When every one had read and 
 
 spelt, it was proposed by the Rev. Mr.-- that they should read the first chapter of 
 
 Revelation, and I readily consented, advising that one should read in a distinct, audible 
 voice, stopping at the end of each verse for the rest to criticise. My advice was followed, 
 and proved very acceptable in its results. The pastor of the church ascended the steps 
 of the pulpit, opened the ponderous Bible, put on his ‘ specs,’ and proceeded slowly, 
 but firmly to read, pausing, according to agreement, for the criticisms of his brethren, 
 and—alas for the dignity of man—of his sister, too. Yes, there was no way to escape 
 the responsibility, for once it was clearly my duty to correct the preacher, stand¬ 
 ing, too, in his own pulpit. There was no hesitation on the part of his brethren ! crit¬ 
 icism showered down freely, and I was appealed to as umpire. ‘ You said “ sanctified” 
 instead of “ signified,” cried one, alluding to the first verse; ‘ you said “ the things,” in¬ 
 stead of “those things,” cried another, referring to the third. The worthy pastor 
 stood rebuked, and submitted himself with a lowliness well worthy of imitation. We 
 wound up our exercises by repeating, simultaneously, all the hard words in the chapter. 
 Alpha, Omega, Ephesus, Smyrna, Thyatira, etc. 
 
AMEKICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 61 
 
 “ This recitation was particularly acceptable to all the students, for one of the 
 primer licentiates had previously whispered to 3Iiss B., ‘ Miss, won’t you please give 
 me a Bible lesson, for they call on me to preach sometimes, and Vm myjhUj tight up 
 on the ii'onh /’ 
 
 “ All the theological students seemed satisfied with their teachers, and passed a vote 
 of thanks, with a request that they would continue their services.” 
 
 A STRUGGLING SCHOLAR. 
 
 “ One of our students teaching in the country, returns to Atlanta at night, and rooms 
 in our building. He rises early, looks over the lessons he is to teach, stirs up some meal 
 and water, fries it on a griddle, makes a breakfast of his hoe-cake and molasses, puts a 
 little into his tin bucket for dinner, then starts on his walk of six miles to his school. 
 About six o’clock he returns, eats molasses and hoe-cake for supper, then goes into 
 night-school, and teaches till ten. Saturdays, after doing his week’s washing, he goes 
 down town to find little jobs by which he can make a few pennies. Nearly half of the 
 summer he guarded at night the unfinished new building, in addition to all his other 
 labors, except night-school. 
 
 “ He is such a faithful student and walking dictionary, that he had not been in school 
 half a term before every student called him ‘ Professor.’ He, and nearly all in the class 
 he entered, learned their letters ‘ sinee freedom,’ and next term commence Greek and 
 geometry; but he, aside from a little night instruction, has been his own teacher till he 
 came here last year. 
 
 “ In one of our prayer-meetings, he said, when he was first free he thought he would 
 ti’y to be rich, then he thought he would get an education, so he got a blue-back speller 
 and went to studying. Soon he resolved to be a Christian, and spend his life in elevat¬ 
 ing his race. 
 
 “One Saturday evening I asked him if he was going to have a fire. He said ne 
 thought he would build one about midnight. ‘ About midnight!’ said I. ‘ What for ?’ 
 
 ‘ Well,’ he said, ‘ I want to boil some greens that Mr.-said I could get from the 
 
 garden. I am afraid they will not keep all through to-morrow if I boil them early, and 
 I would not Wee to cook on Sunday^ you know.’ 
 
 “ On being urged to pay twenty-five cents to ride to his school, lest he might get sick 
 with so much overwork and poor living, he said, ‘ O no ! I must save every penny, for I 
 want my sister here too.’ ” 
 
 EARNEST EFFORTS FOR EDUCATION. 
 
 “ To-day, in our school are children with naked feet—to-day, in midwinter, with a 
 chilly north-east wind, accompanied with rain and sleet, they have come, some of them 
 five miles, over eotton-fields and through jungles, to drink at this fountain. 
 
 “ Wiiliam, Mansfield, and Burr tramp eight miles each day to and from school. They 
 are children of a widowed mother, whom they support. They belonged to a hard mas¬ 
 ter, and, since the surrender, have twice seen a victim die at the hands of violenee, on 
 the plantation, four mUes from us.” 
 
 WRONGED, BUT COURAGEOUS AND SUCCESSFUL. 
 
 “ William, the oldest, is twenty-three or four years old. The year after the sur¬ 
 render, his old master hired him, agreeing to pay $12 per month, allowing Saturday af¬ 
 ternoon. With his indomitable energy he kept the family from want, without drawing 
 upon his wages tiU the year closed. At Christmas, he went to settle. First, his master 
 deducted from his time forty-two half days for Saturday afternoons ; next, he deducted 
 fifty-two Sabbaths, and last, he took three hours from each day for the time of eating 
 his meals, saying with an oath that when he was eating he was not working, and would 
 not pay him, thus redueing his wages from $144 to $72. He paid him $32, and gave a 
 due bill of $40. This he afterwards tore to atoms when it was presented, and said it 
 
62 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 was $4, and he might have an old plow. There was no help, so he shouldered his plow, 
 and left the place. 
 
 “Before Spring, he earned money, purchased a mule, rented land, and put his plow at 
 work. 
 
 “ All this time, he took lessons privately of a white man, paying him one dollar x>er 
 month. He mastered the alphabet, spelling-book, and first and second readers, and has 
 been a member of our school more than a year. He is now ginning his cotton, and 
 hurrying to begin his second year at this Institution. Night and day he works to sup¬ 
 port his widowed mother, clothe the younger children, and send them to school, and not 
 let himself fall behind his class. 
 
 “ On Sabbath mornings he goes from house to house, gathering children from their 
 marbles in the back-yards, and bringing them to the Sabbath-school. 
 
 A PERSEVERING SCHOLAR. 
 
 “We have a night-class of promising men. One scholar deserves mention. He is 
 forty years old, and veiy dull; but his gift of perseverance excels any thing I ever 
 heard of. He lives two and a half miles from the station, and works very hard every 
 day on his farm; yet, for five years he has scarcely failed once of being present at night- 
 school. Punctually as the hour arrives, in walks John with book and slate. Such pa¬ 
 tient continuance in well-doing deserves better reward than he has received.” 
 
 LEARN TO SPELL THE NAME OF JESUS FIRST. 
 
 “ One old colored woman, nearly eighty years of age, and who is afflicted with the 
 rheumatism, works for her board, and goes to school. She had to commence with the 
 alphabet, but so great was her application and eagerness to learn, that she had learned 
 all the letters in a week’s time. As soon as she had conquered them, she said, ‘ Now, I 
 want to^^learn to spell Jesus, for ’pears like the rest will come easier if I learn to spell 
 that blessed name first.’ ” 
 
 PRAYERS AND SPEECHES. 
 
 A PRAYER AT A FUNERAL. 
 
 “Massa Jesus, like de people, ob de ole time, de Jews, we weep by de side ob de 
 liber, wid de strings ob de harp all broken. But we sing ob de broken heart, as dem 
 people could not do. 
 
 “ Hear us. King, in de present state ob our sorrows. You know. King Jesus, honey, 
 we just got from de Red Sea, and wander in de dark wilderness, a poor, feeble portion 
 ob de children ob Adam, feeble in body, feeble in mind, and need de help ob de good 
 Mighty God. Oh ! help us, if you please, to homes; for we’s got no homes, Massa 
 Jesus, but de shelter ob de oak-tree in de day-time, and de shelter ob de cotton tent at 
 night. Help us for our own good, and de good ob God’s blessed Union people, dat want 
 all people free, whatsomebber be de color. 
 
 “Massa Jesus, you know de deep tribulation ob our hearts, dat sickness is among 
 us, dat our children dying in de camp, and as we tote dem from one place to tudder, and 
 bury dem in de cold ground, Jesus, to go in spirit to de God ob de people, where de soul 
 hab no spot nor color.” 
 
 A PRAYER FOR THE TEACHER. 
 
 “ 0 Lord, bless de teacher who come so far to ’struct us in de way to heaven. Rock 
 hw in de cradle ob love ! Backen de word of power in her heart, dat she may have souls 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 63 
 
 for her hire, and man}' stars in her crown in do great gittin’-up morning, when de gen¬ 
 eral roll is called. And when all de battles is over, may she fall all kivered with victory, 
 be buried wid de honors of war, and rise to wear de long white robe in glory, and walk 
 de shining streets in silver slippers, down by de golden sunrise, close to do great white 
 tlirone; and derc may she strike glad hands wid all her dear scholars, and praise you, O 
 Lcu'd, forever and forever, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.” 
 
 A Freedman’s prayer for the teachers. 
 
 “ Bless these ladies who have left their homes in foreign lands, and come a far ways 
 to teach our poor ignorant little children. Bless those who would hurt and destroy 
 tliem, and run them off to where they came from. Bless those who hate them, and 
 would like to drive them away; bring their works to nothing. Oh! bless The teachers, 
 and make them stand as good, strong soldiers; don’t let them be afraid, but let them 
 stay as long as they can to teach our little children of thy will. Oh ! father, bless the 
 children, and help them to learn fast, that when they go home to their own habitations, 
 they may teach the old father and mother, who are busy, and can’t come to school.” 
 
 AN EXHORTATION AT A CHILDREN’S MEETING““A BEAUTIFUL ILLUS¬ 
 TRATION. 
 
 “ A few Sabbaths since, all the Sunday-schools gathered in one church to hear a chil¬ 
 dren’s sermon. The children occupied the centre of the church, and every other part 
 o£ the house was packed. The children sang with enthusiasm the songs they had learned 
 at school, while the faces of the proud and gratified parents glowed with unutterable 
 delight. After the preacher had concluded, an exhorter arose. 
 
 “He was evidently inspired by the scene, and quoted the passage, ‘The winter has 
 I)assed, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the 
 singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.’ He referred 
 to the long, fearful winter of slavery, and then said, ‘’Pears like now the spring has 
 ccane, and we hear the singing of the birds, for it seems to me, when I listen to the ehil- 
 dren singing these beautiful songs, that they are the singing birds, that the winter is 
 gone, and the sweet and beautiful spring has come.’ 
 
 “ Yes, spring has come to this people, but it is full of clouds and storms. God grant 
 that their summer may not be far away.” 
 
 EXTRACT FROM UNCLE JERRY’s SERMON. 
 
 “A leetle while ago,” said he, “ we was all down in Mississip’ or ole ’Ginny, or some- 
 whar else, wid our heads bowed down a groanin’ under de yoke ob bondage, but deLor’ 
 he hear our groans ober de cook-pot and in de cotton-patch ; he hear our prayers down 
 in de corn-fleld, and ’long-side de gum-tree. Den he sen’ de sogers from de North, de 
 chains fall off, and he say, Go, poor slaves ; and now we is here on liberty’s ground, a 
 worshipin’ God, under our own vine and flg-tree. And de good Lord, he hab sent us 
 dese good ladies—dey couldn’t shoder der arms, but de Lord hab put it into dere hearts 
 to come and teach us poor African race. Now, my brederin’, I feels it my dispensible 
 duty to do something for dis yere onspeakable kindness. I feels it my dispensible pri¬ 
 vilege, an’ I know dat you all feels it your dispensible duty.” 
 
 AN EFFECTIVE SPEECH. 
 
 It may be necessary to explain that in some places, where the As¬ 
 sociation can not support schools wholly, it asks and receives pledges 
 from the people for a part of the salary of the teachers. These pro¬ 
 mises, easily made, are sometimes easily forgotten. This speech was 
 
64 
 
 HISTOEY OF THE 
 
 at a meeting, called to make up a deficiency. The money was nearly 
 all raised on the spot. 
 
 “My friends—This yere is a turrible thing that has fetched us together—tnrrihle. 
 We’se got ourselves to blame, and nary one besides. We’se a forgetful people—very for¬ 
 getful. We don’t count the cost; we don’t stop at making promises, but we stops at 
 tilling them. Two months ago we sent for dese yere ladies to come here an’ teach our 
 chilun, and we promised to pay all dese ’spenses. But now dese yere, and the chilun 
 aint in de schoo’ and the money aint in the treasure. We promises and we forgets. We 
 promises and we don’t count the cost. We has a heap of ’spenses to bear, but we pro¬ 
 mises a dollar yere and a dollar yonder, and time comes round, and we haven’t nary a 
 dollar to pay nnther one. We don’t seem to set down and count the cost like white 
 folks. We has to pay taxes and house-rent (and if the house-rent isn’t paid, you goes 
 outdoors. White folks owns the houses, and dey don’ care to have free niggers stay in 
 tlieir houses unless dey pays the las’ dollar), and we has to pay the minister, and we has 
 to look after our domestics, and pay out money a heap faster than it seems to be paid 
 in. We falls sick and the doctor’s to be paid, and a big price at that—and tell you what 
 it is, my friends, we don’t count the cost. 
 
 “ Now, dese ladies is yere, and we must keep um if we have to sell the coats off our 
 backs to keep nm. We needs um. Our chilun needs um. We wouldn’t have nm leave 
 now, and have the word go out to the country that Thomasville couldn’t s’port the 
 teachers, and they had to go away to another place, or off home again, for the best plan¬ 
 tation in the county. What would the white folks say ? When would we get any more 
 teachers from the S’ciety in New-York? How the Democrats would blow about the 
 
 niggers’ thick heads, and their want of gratitude and pride, and all that. Col. M.- 
 
 would be sajung to Mr. Wilson and Mr. Sumener, ‘ The niggers don’t want any of you 
 all down yonder. They doesn’t want your teachers, nor your schools, nor your i-deas, 
 nor your radical politics, nor your big freedom.’ And my friends, if we should let these 
 ladies go, and it was a slmah fac’, I reckon General Wilson and General Sumener 
 wouldn’t have naiy a word to say.’ ” 
 
 UNCLE jack’s answer. 
 
 “ Another politician conversed with Uncle Jack in the following manner; ‘ Don’t you 
 think. Uncle, that you ought to vote with the people and country that show you most 
 favors?’ ‘Yes, massa.’ ‘Don’t you see that the Yankees have greatly deceived you, 
 and promised what they do not give ?’ ‘ Yes, massa, they have deceived us powerfully. 
 
 They promised to make ns free, and I did not think they would, but they ’ceived us, 
 and they did. Wese all free now.’ ” 
 
 ORIGINAL CHARACTERS. 
 
 “FATHER PARKER.” 
 
 “ In compliance with your request, I have called on * Father Parker,’ at his ‘ country 
 seat ’ (as he is pleased to call it)—a low cabin on the Taylor farm, ten miles from the 
 city—and secured his narrative of the taking of Norfolk, and of his visit to Washington. 
 
 “Mr. Parker is now sixty-four years of age; has been a preacher in this city more 
 than forty years, and was a slave up to the ‘proclamation time.’ For eleven years he 
 hired his time, paying his master $120 per year. So he says :—‘ I have paid $1300 for the 
 use of my poor old body; but I knew all the time—something in my heart kept telling 
 me—that God would not allow me to die until I had breathed free air ; and when the time 
 really did come, why, I felt just as when some man comes and 'pays me a debt. I was 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 65 
 
 happy and thankful, to be sure, to receive iny freedom ; my neii^hbors thought I wasn’t 
 because I didn’tshout ‘‘ Glory!” and “ Hallelujah !” with them ; but,bless you, I was ex- 
 I)cctin’ of it these forty years. I’d just dreamed of it all this sad, long time, and I was 
 certain it Avas to come, and that I should sec it. ^ So it wasn’t at all surprising to me.’ ” 
 
 NINE o’clock law FOREVER REPEALED. 
 
 “Under the old slave laws colored people Avere required to be in-doors for the night 
 at nine o’clock, under the penalty of immediate arrest by any one, and in the morning 
 ‘ ten licks and a llfty cents fine.’ But on that memorable 18th of May, 1863, when 
 tlic Union army under General Wool took command of the city, this regulation was for- 
 CA'er repealed. ‘ On that night,’ Father Parker says, ‘ the city was like the year of jubi¬ 
 lee ! Every colored man and Avoman and pickaninny knocked off their work and took 
 to Avalking the streets; and such a sight! The women threw up their hands shouting, 
 “ O Lord ! Too good to be true! Bless the Lord ! No more hand-cuffin’ the children 
 now! God bless Abraham Lincoln !” And this was kept up all night. Some of the 
 police-guard hailed us—“ Boys, don’t you know it’s after nine o’clock ? Better get in.” 
 “ Don’t know any nine o’clock we said, and just then we met a Union officer who 
 
 told the police-guard—“ I’ll take care of this business. Ikehave charge here woie,” and, 
 turning to us, he added: “Boys, AA'alk all night if you want to and we did do it. First 
 time in all our lives Ave could do that thing. Ah! then I took a long breath ; this free¬ 
 dom —freedom—come at last.’ 
 
 “ Soon as things got settled a little, the Generalfissued an order for the colored people 
 to observe a day of prayer and public thanksgiving to God for what had been done. 
 This they did gladly, and at sunrise on the appointed day comipenced service in their 
 churches Avith a full congregation.” 
 
 THE PROCESSION—FATHER PARKER IN A COACH AND FOUR. 
 
 “After service Ave had a procession of colored people through the streets. As many 
 as five thousand people marched four abreast through the town to the General’s head¬ 
 quarters. 
 
 “The General appointed me to make a speech to him vLen the procession got there. 
 So they had me in a nice carriage with four black horses, in the middle of the procession, 
 with a band of music just before me, and six men each side of the carriage holding a 
 great big Union flag over the carriage and'me. As we passed the street corners Avhere 
 the soldiers were standing guard, they all presented arms with as much importance as 
 if I had been President of the United States. 
 
 “ It seemed so grand, and so glorious, and so much like a dream that, as I was riding 
 along there, I had to slap my hands together and say, ‘ Good Lord, is this meP more than 
 twenty times. 
 
 “When we reached the General’s the crowd gathered around, and, after my llttld 
 speech, the General did make just the prettiest talk to the people that I ever heard, 
 
 “ Then the crowd broke up, and Avhat with bonfires, and guns and bells, and tin horns 
 and hurrahs, the city Avas like bedlam all night. J^’Pears like the people all forgot to go 
 to bed at all.” 
 
 VISIT TO WASHINGTON. 
 
 Of bis visit to Washington, Father Parker says : “ I always wanted to see Washington 
 ever since I was a boy. But my old master always said, ‘No, Dick, you can’t go. 
 You’ll ncA^er live to see Washington and he left strict orders at the Baltimore boat, 
 that if old Dick Parker tried to go on board he was at once to be arrested. 
 
 “ Well, I waited on Avith great patience all the time, believing the good Lord someday 
 would allow me to go there. I Avaited and waited, until after the Yankees came, Avhen 
 one day master fell sick and very suddenly died. I went to his funeral; heard them 
 pray over him; saw him all snugly put away ; and then, when I turned to come away, 
 says I, ‘Well, old master, you’re there—you’re there now—and I reckon my time has 
 5 
 
06 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 come to go to Washington.’ I started that very night; walked aboard the Baltimore 
 boat like a General, and nobody asked me for a pass nor seemed to notice me. 
 
 “When the boat really shoved off and me aboard, I had to slap my hands and shout 
 aloud. I walked the deck all night— couldn't sleep —and when they pointed out to me, as 
 we passed, the mouth of the Potomac —that line which no colored man could pass and re¬ 
 turn free to Virginia—I could not contain my feelings. ‘ Ah,’ said I, ‘ this is the air of 
 freedom I’ve dreamed so much of.’ 
 
 “ When I took the cars at Baltimore for Washington I just leaned back in the seat 
 and enjoyed it. ‘ Well, well,’ said I, ‘ this is the Lord’s doing; I am sure enough on my 
 way to Washington.’ 
 
 “Firstthing on arriving I was shown to the Capitol—a friend escorted me right into 
 the Representatives Hall; that great marble room, with the wise men all sitting around in 
 council, making laws for the great United States. It was a grand, a splendid sight for 
 my poor eyes, I can tell you. Then we went to the other end of the building—to the 
 Senate—where the old men were—the venerable white-haired men—like the old ‘ school 
 of the prophets.’ And I sat right down on one of their seats with them— me ! I felt as 
 weak as a child ; I felt like good old Simeon did; ‘ Now let thy servant depart in peace, 
 for mine eyes have seen.’ Then I visited the Treasury, the Patent Office, the White 
 House.” 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 “ They took ns into the White House, through all the grand rooms there. I felt like 
 the Queen of Sheba did when she went to see Solomon, the half had never been told me. 
 
 “When we came into the President’s rooms, I thought the President was out, as I 
 didn’t see an}”^ one there that looked enough for the Chief Magistrate. There was, 
 to be sure, a plain farmer-like looking man, tall and thin, and about as handsome in the 
 face as I am. 
 
 “But he got right up as soon as we entered, and when he knew who we were, made us 
 a hearty welcome, and offered us seats. What an honor, to have our President offer me a 
 cheer ! Well, after we had introduced ourselves, Mr. Lincoln gave us his elegant little 
 speech. He did talk well to ns. He said : ‘Don’t be in a hurry, friends, you’ll get all 
 your rights by and by,—you’ll get them just as soon as you are prepared for them, and 
 know how to use them,’ and so on. 
 
 “I knew soon as I heard that man speak, and saw his kind face, that he would be a 
 good friend to my people ; and I’ve never had cause to change my mind. 
 
 “ After seeing President Lincoln, I had no more to see in Washington, and came home 
 contented, with 2 ifull heartP 
 
 AUNT MARIA. 
 
 “At one of my calls the spirit of freedom moved an ‘aunty’ to talk freely of her 
 former life. ‘ Oh ! how different to what it used to be ! On our plantation, when 
 the war was going on, there was a great revival, and mistress called the colored people 
 together and told them to pray—to pray mighty that the enemy may be driven back. 
 So we prayed and prayed all over the plantation. But ’peared like de more de darkies 
 prayed, de more nearer de Yankees come. Then the missus said, ‘ Stop all this praying, 
 I won’t have it. I believe they are praying for the enemies to come.’ So there was no 
 more jiraying where mistress could hear it, for long time. By-and-by it began again, 
 but then the Yankees were at the very doors, and the rebels hadn’t time to pay ’tention 
 to our prayers. 
 
 “ One day my mistress came out to me, ‘Maria, Maria,’ said she, ‘what does you pray 
 for?’ 
 
 “ ‘ I prays, missus, that de Lord’s will may be done.’ 
 
 “ ‘But you mustn’t pray that way. You must pray that our enemies may be driven 
 back.’ 
 
 “ ‘ But, missus, if it's de Lord’s will dat de Yankees come—all our praying won’t halt 
 'em, and if it is de Lord’s will to drive ’em back, den they will go back.’ 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 07 
 
 “ ‘ O, Maria, you iiuistn’t talk so ; don’t you know you could be shot for talking so V 
 You don’t s’posc, Maria, that any white folks will care enough about you to make you 
 free? They are white folks, and we are white folks, and what will they care for you? 
 They want to send you to llavany aud Cuby.’ But I didn’t believe any such fool¬ 
 ishness.” 
 
 AUNT PHEBE. 
 
 t 
 
 “I asked old aunty this afternoon if she ever had any conversation with the rebel 
 ladies. She told mo that she called on her old missus the other day, and she said, ‘ Well, 
 Phebc, how do you like that thing you call freedom?’ ‘ Oh, right well. Missus.’ ‘ And 
 how do you like the Yankees ?’ ‘ Oh, right smart, missus, cos dey brought de freedom 
 
 wid ’em.’ She says before the Fcderals came her massa and missus told their slaves they 
 must pray every day, at one o’clock. This Phebe was the nurse, and one day as she 
 went into the house, her mistress said, ‘Phebe, you been praying?’ ‘Yes, missus.’ 
 ‘ What did you say ?’ ‘ I say, help we to do to oders as we would hab dem do to us. 
 
 ‘ Why didn’t you pray for your country ?’ ‘ 0, I hain’t got no country, missus.’ ‘ Well, 
 
 you are a right queer nigger! what would you do if you were white ?’ ‘ Bress your 
 
 heart, duuno, missus ; I’se mighty glad I ain’t—cos I might be standing in your shoes and 
 weeping for my faders and brudders. So you see, missus, I done got nuffin’ but myself, 
 and I aiiiHmy own nigger!' This poor woman has four children, but she has never seen 
 them sinee they were six months old. They were all ‘ sent up the country,’ while she 
 nursed the children of her mistress.” 
 
 TEACHEES AND THEIK EXPEEIENCES. 
 
 Mrs. Mary Clemmer Ames, then residing at Harper’s Ferry, thus 
 describes the advent of a company of teachers into that place : 
 
 “Harper’s Ferry, West Va., December, 1866. 
 
 “Yesterday, looking from my window, I eaught a glimpse of ‘animated nature,’ 
 which quickened with new life the repose eaught from the blending here of ruins, 
 rocks and rivers. What was it? It was a small procession of Yankee girls, just 
 from the cars, coming into Harper’s Ferry, to seatter through the Valley of Virginia, as 
 teachers of the freed-people. That was a sight you Avould have to come all the way to 
 the old slave lands to appreeiate ! There the}" were—‘ theteaehers !’ The teachers ! for 
 whom Virginians had the most chivalric contempt, and the few Northern hearts here the 
 warmest greeting. 
 
 “A troop of maidens, who, in some undeflnable way, suggest Tennyson’s ‘ sweet girl 
 graduates with their golden hair,’ although I am very sure that their tresses are not all 
 of the hue of the sun. I see jaunty hats and natty jackets, gay scarfs and graceful 
 robes. I see elegauee, beauty, and youth; all come to brighten the lot of the lowly, to 
 deliver from ignorance and vice that victim race which our brothers with their blood 
 delivered from chains. 
 
 “Opposite my window they encounter a Virginia belle, arrayed in the splendor of a 
 purple dress, a searlet shawl, a green hat and a blue veil. Her scornful eyes behold the 
 object which of all others she despises most—‘ a nigger teacher.’ What is worse, she 
 beholds more than a dozen ‘ nigger teachers’ all together. It is a dreadful, an unbear¬ 
 able sight, is it not, my dear ? I suppose I ought to be very sorry for you; but I am 
 not sorry a bit. It is an affliction of great magnitude, to be sure, that your whilom ser¬ 
 vants should be taught by better and prettier teachers than you ever had in your life; 
 but it is a humiliation which you will have to bear, and the only way that you can lessen 
 it is to improve yourself. 
 
68 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 “ This old house, once occupied by the superintendent of the armories, is now used as 
 the temporary abode of the superintendent of the freed-people’s sehools in the valle}' of 
 the Shenandoah. In a grand old room, defaeed by war, yet brightened with pictures and 
 books from home, overlooking the prospect which I just inadequately sketehed, I saw 
 yesterday a scene not to be forgotten. That lovely Sabbath afternoon no church doors 
 opened to the teachers ! With their books in their hands they surrounded this wide 
 room, holding a simple serviee of their own. A room full of youthful women, far from 
 home and all its loves, sang the Lord’s song in a strange land. Those old walls, which 
 within the last five years had resounded so often to the oath and jest of dissolute men, 
 now sent back the echoes of sweet womanly voices, through which loving hearts trem¬ 
 bled as they sang, 
 
 ‘ Nearer, my God, to Thee, 
 
 Nearer to Thee.’ 
 
 Here was the red-lipped sehool-girl, just from school; here the young widow, holding 
 in tearful love the memory of buried husband and child; here were w^omen in the prime 
 of matured pow'er, with their rare beauty of sumptuous w'omauhood—women, whose 
 eleganee and grace, and fine mentality w^ould have lent lustre to the highest sphere. 
 Such were the teachers of the freed slaves, wiio sat and knelt together; wiiose soft eyes 
 dimmed with tears as they sang the hymns of home, and prayed for the blessing of God 
 upon their work.” 
 
 WARNED NOT TO ENTER THE PEW AGAIN. 
 
 From a teacher in Virginia, in 1866 : 
 
 “The two Sundays we have been here, w'e attended the Presbyterian church in the 
 morning, and asking the sexton for a seat, were told to occupy any vacant one. We 
 modestly took the first vacant one we saw, about the third from the door. We had not 
 been very long back from the service wiien the sexton appeared at the door, and declin¬ 
 ing to come in, asked Mr. J. to step outside and reeeive the message he had been charged 
 by the owners of the pew to deliver to us, namely, a request that ice ivoald 7iever again 
 occupy their seat!'’ \j' 
 
 GOOD HUMOR UNDER TRIALS. 
 
 With the utmost care we could exercise, our teachers were some¬ 
 times sent to places where the home and school-house tvere not prepar¬ 
 ed as we had been led to suppose they would be. We present in tlie 
 subjoined humorous sketch a picture of the consequent privations, and 
 of the abundant good nature with which such vexations were endured. 
 
 We need scarcely Gfive assurance that the difficulties of the situation 
 were speedily relieved ; for soon the home of tlie teachers was sup¬ 
 plied with a fair share of modern conveniences, and the school men¬ 
 tioned at the close of the letter gathered. 
 
 “ January 8, 1868. 
 
 “ We have been here nearly a week, and are still liviugMn primitive style. We were 
 here three days without even a bed ; at last, by our united efforts, we suceeeded in 
 obtaining that. We are still minus chairs and dishes and about every other article of 
 furniture. Fortunately we have some tinware, which answers various purposes besides 
 its ordinary uses. 
 
 “ One needs to be a missionary awhile to appreciate all the uses to which a tin plate 
 can be put; a long one answers for a plate for two persons ; one corner can be parti¬ 
 tioned off for salt, another for sauce, another for bread, and a potato in the middle. 
 
 This same tin plate will’ make an excellent mirror. In the absence of chairs, the fioor 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 69 
 
 (my present loeation) is not a very bad seat, and one can use their lap for a table if 
 necessary. Shovels and tong's arc (piite useless extravagances as long as one has lingers 
 —liable to get burned sometiuies, but missionaries must expect that. Add to this tlie 
 fact that our stove smokes most outrageously, causing us to slied a great many tears, 
 and you have some idea of our internal arrangements. 
 
 “ Our home from the outside appears to be a very neat little cottage ; but when you 
 open the door, ‘ what a fall is there, my countrymen !’ imceiled and unplastered walls, 
 whose rough, barn-like boards are well adorned with wasps’ nests; these, however, have 
 nciirly disappeared since our arrival, owing to a vast amount of poking and pounding. 
 We wash our own windows, do our own cooking, kill our own lizards, cut our ovii 
 lingers, bum our own faces, and hold no one responsible. Our house at night is made 
 luminous by the light of one tallow candle set in a tin pepper-box; we think candles 
 are less dangerous than oil, and pepper-boxes are less expensive than lamps. Add to our 
 other blessings a contented mind, and you will see we have very much for which to be 
 grateful, I should have told you about our school, only Ave have none; school-houses 
 are scarce about here. We have the prospect of a very large school.” 
 
 A GEORGIA SCHOOL-HOUSE. 
 
 I am teaching in what Avas, till the fall, the poultry-house. Had the comfort of the 
 feathered tribe been more thought of in its erection, mine would have been better 
 secured at present. The crevices are numerous, and the keen Avinds easily find them. 
 On the most exposed side, I have nailed up an army blanket, and if I could only get 
 more to tapestry the rest of the building, it might make the hens sigh for their old 
 quarters.” 
 
 A AVELL-VENTILATED SCHOOL-HOUSE. 
 
 A teacher’s experience in Arkansas in 18G9 : 
 
 “ The only school-house which Ave could rent here is a building consisting of a frame, 
 covered Avith boards on the outside— I might almost say, at inteiwals, so large are the 
 crticks between them. It has a fireplace, four doors and four AvindoAvs, and the Avind 
 comes through every crevice, so that some days it is impossible for us to keep warm 
 even with a large fire. 
 
 “ One morning after a rain, the roads Avere muddy, the stream Avhich Ave cross so 
 swollen that Ave had to take a longer path around, and at my arrival at the shell of a 
 house, I found the children trying to kindle a fire Avith the few Avet sticks they had 
 ‘ picked up.’ The Aveather grew colder, and avc heard our recitations Avith the snow 
 falling on our heads. 1 mention this as a fact, not a complaint. This is one of the dark 
 spots, but there are many bright ones. 
 
 “ My friends Avould have been amused to have taken a peep into my school-room one 
 day. A married Avoman sixteen years old occupied a part of one of the benches, and by 
 her side lying on a pillow Avas a ‘ wee bit ’ specimen of a darkey three months old covered 
 with a quilt. The child Avas quite troublesome, but the mother succeeded in learning 
 and reciting her lesson for the morning.” 
 
 ENROLLMENT. 
 
 A sketch from Georgia in 1871 : 
 
 “ How the roll-list swelled ! ‘ I have eight}"—ninety—one hundred,’ Avere the reports 
 
 brought home from day to day. ‘ Shall I take more T ‘ Is your church full V’ our 
 Superintendent Avould respond, and so the roll increased until it embraced one hundred 
 and eighty-eight names, 
 
 “ The task of enrolling was by no means light. One gave her age as ‘ 100 years,’ and 
 when reproved said, ‘Any way I’spect I’se four.’ The next reported his as ‘Three 
 
TO 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 montlis.’ Another gave six names in sueeession before the true one, and an infant who 
 appeared and disappeared most mysteriously, said on suceessive days that hers was 
 Molly, ^lary, Ann, Kat}", each time admitting she had another but had ‘ done forgot it.’ 
 Gordiana Millidge, out of respect or stupidity, answered for months to the name of 
 ‘ Millidgeman,’ the veiy natural rendering of her response, ‘ Gordiana Millidge, Ma’am,’ 
 and little Ben blossomed, on inquiring, into Meshech Abednego. Preston S. Brooks, I 
 turned away, but Washington, Bunyan, Jeff Davis and Abraham Lincoln played and 
 studied together most amicably. I confess it w'as not without a tinge of regret that I 
 let big Jeff take his place above little Abe, once in the spelling class, albeit he had 
 earned the same.” 
 
 THE KU KLUX. 
 
 In tills connection we give a few illustrations of the terrible days 
 of tlie Ku Klux outrages—not to revive bitter memories, but simply 
 to sliow the effect on our schools and teachers : 
 
 A TEACHER AVHIPPED. 
 
 From a teacher in Virginia, in 1870: 
 
 “We are in trouble. Five men, disguised in a Satanic garb, on the night of the 26th 
 inst., dragged me from my bed, and bore me roughly in double-quick time one and a half 
 miles to a thicket, whipped me mimereifully, and left me to die. They demanded of me 
 that I should cease teaching niggers, and leave in ten days, or be treated w^orse. I am 
 not able to sit up yet. I shall never recover from all my injuries.” 
 
 A Seci'ctary of the Association, traveling in Georgia, in 1869, 
 writes : 
 
 “ The Ku Klux bands are active. When I reached Atlanta a few days ago, I found one of 
 our male teachers here who had been warned to leave a town a few miles distant. The 
 warning w'as rej)eated, and a definite day fixed. The teacher went to the mayor for protec¬ 
 tion. That worthy officer was kind enough to say that he would not harm the teacher! but 
 that he could not protect him, and would not be answerable for consequences! The 
 man nndoubtedl}" would have been lynched, or murdered, if he had remained. 
 
 “ A day or two after this I was delayed at a station not far from that place, and saw a 
 man who had been teaching a small colored school on his own account—on the planta¬ 
 tion of his brother. He had been dragged from his bed a few^ nights before, severely 
 whipped, hanged by the neck till almost dead, and warned to leave in five days. He 
 was just taking the cars then, as the time was about up. 
 
 “ A Bureau officer has just told me of a colored man he had seen w’ho had been shot 
 through the face because he had taught a little school of negro children. Here were three 
 cases within a short distance of each other, in less than a week.” 
 
 THE MURDER BY KU KLUX OF ML C. LUKE. 
 
 “About a year ago, W. C. Luke left his wife and children at their rural home in 
 Canada, and bearing from his Methodist pastor a letter, telling of his long service as 
 Sunday-school superintendent, he appeared at the A. M. A.’s rooms in Cincinnati, 
 asking for information in regard to a suitable field where he might establish a village 
 school for the Freedmen, and make a home for his family. 
 
 “He was sent to Talladega, Ala., wfficre he made himself useful in school and church 
 work. 
 
 “ He had been there but a few months, when Captain Barney, Superintendent of 
 
AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 
 
 71 
 
 the Selma, Rome and Dalton R. R., desired a man as clerk in his central oflicc at 
 Patona, who shonld also be a sort of missionary aniono- the Frccdmen. Unlike Cap¬ 
 tain Barney (who was absent most of the time), several of the lower officials and agents 
 sneered at and opposed the ‘ nigi^cr teacher ’ clerk. Captain Barney ordered his ware¬ 
 house to be opened for Sabbath-school, himself circulated notice of the school, and 
 took part in it the Sabbath before Luke arrived. Frequently when he was s’one, the 
 key to tlie wareroom would be spirited away; unusual noises would come from the 
 adjacent rooms during Sabbath-school; the telegraph machine which Luke was ordered 
 to use, would move about at night, so he could not tind it for practice. Various threats 
 Avere circulated till, finally, shots were fired just over his bed, after something had been 
 throAAUi against his Avindow, evidently to make him sit up in bed. But the lives of 
 othei-s only Averc endangered, as he happened to be absent that night. 
 
 “Presently, some of the New-YorkR. R. capitalists, spending the Sabbath in Patona, 
 Avere so much pleased Avith his Sabbath-school, that they decided to erect a school 
 building at once. Luke Avas to give his whole time to teaching, and looking after the 
 building. 
 
 “ All this intensifled the feelings of ‘ White Men’s Government ’ people. A friend of 
 Luke’s getting off the train at Patona, could find no clue of him. ‘ No such man lives 
 here,’ said one who had sat at table with him for months. But the colored men knew 
 him, and where he could be found. At last, through a relative of the NeAV-York capi¬ 
 talists, Avho accidentally came in possession of the facts, they and the superintendent 
 were apprised of Luke’s treatment, and within a week certain services Avere no longer 
 needed at Patona. 
 
 “Matters now seemed prosperous till Sabbath afternoon, the 10th inst., Avhen, at 
 Cross Plains, a colored boy Avas abused and kicked for not holding fast to a mule fright¬ 
 ened at an approaching train. Several colored persons, some of them from tlie train, 
 resented the insult, and I think some shots were fired. Later in the evening, several 
 shots were fired, either at the people returning from church or as a signal. No one Avas 
 hurt, but a return fire was given which badly wounded one colored man. 
 
 “ The next day Luke and a large number of colored people from Patona Avere arrested 
 Avith or without form of law. Luke seems to have been arrested on the ground of 
 being the ‘ nigger teacher,’ and hence the p»robable instigator of the assault. On the 
 contrary, hoAVCA^er, on hearing of the treatment of the negro boy, he remarked that he 
 wished ‘ they had treated him ten times worse, so he would learn to stay at home for 
 Sabbath-school.’ At the jAreliminary trial all but four freedmen and Luke were released. 
 
 “Near midnight from thirty to sixty disguised, armed men, rode up to the house 
 where the sheriff was keeping the five men, and after a plea or tAvo from persons pres¬ 
 ent, in behalf of the prisoners, they quietly said to the sheriff, ‘hands off,’ and bound 
 the five men. After considerable pleading, they permitted brother Luke to Avrite to his 
 wife and gave him a little time to pray. (I inclose a copy of his letter, Avhich Avas found 
 sticking to a rail the next morning.) They then took them half a mile from toAvn, and 
 hung them to three trees by the roadside. Two apparently were taken down and shot, 
 to provide ropes for the others. At the coroner’s inquest on Monday, all five were laid 
 side by side, with their hats turned over their faces and a rail pen put round them. 
 
 “ The friends of Luke with difficulty and danger succeeded in getting his body Tues¬ 
 day morning and buried it in Talladega. The friends and relatives of the others dared 
 not go near their bodies, as they lay there alone under one of the trees on which they 
 were hung. They were buried by the town a day or two later. Luke’s funeral Avas at¬ 
 tended by many leading citizens, white and black, of whom not a few felt that this was 
 the deepest affliction of their lives.’’ 
 
 Copy of the letter written by W. C. Luke to his wife on tlie night 
 of his death by hanging: 
 
 “ Patona, July 11, 1870. 
 
 “ My Dear Wife : I die to-night. It has been so determined by those who think I 
 
72 
 
 HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION. 
 
 deserve it. God knows I feel myself innoeent. I have only sought to edueatc the 
 negro. 
 
 “I little thought when leaving you so far away, that we should then part forever. 
 
 “God’s will he done. He will be to you a better husband than I have been, and a 
 father to our six little ones. 
 
 “There is in the company's liands about $200 of my money, also my trunk and clothes 
 are here. 
 
 “You can send for them or let Henry come for them, as you think best. 
 
 “ God of mercy bless and keep you, my dear, dear wife and children. 
 
 “Tour William.” 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The Negro, tlie Indian, and the Chinese on our Western coast liave 
 peculiar claims on the sympathies of the white people of America, for 
 these colored races are the victims of caste-prejudice—they are 
 wounded and robbed, lying at the wayside. Tlie priest and Levite 
 must not pass them by : we must all become their good Samaritans. 
 
 The Negroes have the additional appeal to our justice and sense 
 of self-preservation : we have oppressed them for two and a half 
 centuries, and have grown rich on their toil; their bondage has been 
 our crime, and we have paid the penalty in a million of lives; tlieir 
 freedom may be our curse if they are left in ignorance and deg¬ 
 radation, to become either the victims of local abuse that may 
 grow into a war of races, or the tools of crafty men who will use 
 them for selfish political ends, thus checking the returning prosper¬ 
 ity of the South, and perpetuating our national animosities. Nothing 
 but their Cliristian enlightenment, fitting them in mind and heart for 
 their new and difficult position, Avill meet their necessities, or discharge 
 America’s responsibility, or secure its safety. 
 
 The facts recited in the preceding narrative indicate the Negro’s 
 anxiety and capability for learning, and the sketch of the institutions 
 founded by the American Missionary Association shows, as we be¬ 
 lieve, the wisdom and success of its past efforts, and its remarkable 
 preparation for future work in the character of its self-denying and 
 efficient teachers, its commodious and well-located institutions, its 
 pure churches and intelligent pastors, as well as its far-reaching 
 plans and thorough acquaintance with this peculiar field. 
 
Constitution of the American Missionary Association. 
 
 inoorj^oratecl 'to, 
 
 ART. I. This Society shall be called “The Ajmbrican Missionary Association." 
 
 Art. II. The object of this Association shall be to conduct Christian missionary 
 and educational operations, and diffuse a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures in our 
 own and other countries which are destitute of them, or which present open and 
 urgent fields of effort. 
 
 Art. III. Any person of evangelical sentiments,* who professes faith in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who is not a slaveholder, or in the practice of other immorali¬ 
 ties, and who contributes to the funds, may become a member of the Society; and 
 by the payment of thirty dollars, a life member ; provided, that children and 
 others who have not professed their faith, may be constituted life members with¬ 
 out the privilege of voting. 
 
 Art. IV. This Society shall meet annually, in the month of September, Octo¬ 
 ber, or November, for the election of officers and the transaction of other business, 
 at such time and place as shall be designated by the Executive Committee. 
 
 Art. V. The annual meeting shall be constituted of the regular officers and 
 members of the Society at the time of such meeting, and of delegates from 
 churches, local missionary societies, and other cooperating bodies—each body 
 being entitled to one representative. 
 
 Art. VI. The officers of the Society shall be a President, Vice-Presidents, a Re¬ 
 cording Secretary, Corresponding Secretaries, Treasurer, two Auditors, and an 
 Executive Committee of not less than twelve, of which the Corresponding Sec¬ 
 retaries shall be advisory, and the Treasurer ex-officio, members. 
 
 Art. VII. To the Executive Committee shall belong the collecting and disb’irs- 
 ing of funds; the appointing, counseling, sustaining, and dismissing (for just and 
 sufficient reasons) missionaries and agents; the selection of missionary fields; 
 and, in general, the transaction of all such business as usually appertains to the 
 executive committees of missionary and other benevolent societies; th<e Commit¬ 
 tee to exercise no ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the missionaries; and its doings 
 to be subject always to the revision of the annual meeting, which shall, by a 
 reference mutually chosen, always entertain the complaints of any aggrieved 
 agent or missionary; and the decision of such reference shall be final. 
 
 The Executive Committee shall have authority to fill all vacancies occurring 
 among the officers between the regular annual meetings; to apply, if they see 
 fit, to any State Legislature for acts of incorporation; to fix the compensation, 
 where any is given, of all officers, agents, missionaries, or others in the employ¬ 
 ment of the Society; to make provision, if any, for disabled missionaries, and for 
 the widows and children of such as are deceased ; and to call, in all parts of the 
 country, at their discretion, special and general conventions of the friends of mis¬ 
 sions, with a view to the diffusion of the missionary spirit, and the general and 
 vigorous promotion of the missionary work. 
 
 Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for transacting 
 business. 
 
 Art. VIIL This Society, in collecting funds, in appointing officers, agents, and 
 missionaries, and in selecting fields of labor, and conducting the missionary work, 
 will endeavor particularly to discountenance slavery, by refusing to receive the 
 known fruits of unrequited labor, or to welcome to its employment those who 
 hold their fellow-beings as slaves. 
 
 Art. IX. Missionary bodies, churches, or individuals, agreeing to the principles 
 of this Society, and wishing to appoint and sustain missionaries of their own, 
 shall be entitled to do so through the agency of the Executive Committee, on 
 terms mutually agreed upon. 
 
 Art. X. No amendment i^hall be made in this Constitution without the concur¬ 
 rence of two thirds of the members present at a regular annual meeting; nor 
 unless the proposed amendment has been submitted to a previous meeting, or to 
 the Executive Committee in season to be published by them (as it shall be their 
 duty to do, if so submitted,) in the regular official notification of the meeting. 
 
 * By evangelical sentiments we understand, among others, a belief in the guilty and lost con¬ 
 dition of all men without a Saviour; the Supreme Deity, Incarnation, and Atoning Sacrifice of 
 Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world; the necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, 
 repentance, faith, and holy obedience, in order to salvation; the immortality of the soul; and the 
 retributions of the judgment in the eternal punishment of the wicked, and salvation of the 
 righteoua