Various

“ We know of no class of people needing the prayers of our patrons more than these. Perhaps the influence of our institutions upon the leading minds of the South, and especially upon those interested in popular education, was never so great. Governors of Southern States, mayors of cities, presidents of colleges, representatives of the pulpit, the bar and the press, attend our anniversary exercises, and enter heartily and with appreciation into the spirit of the work. ”

“ But perhaps the hardest task has been to adapt itself to the negro himself. To secure the cold approval of intelligent judgment was apparently easy; to go a little further and secure aid, if it were necessary, would not be hard; but to lift the negro up to appreciate New England culture and conservatism and quiet labor, is like bringing him, in his early religious experience, to accept the calm conservatism and quiet demeanor of the Catholic, Presbyterian or Episcopal churches. ”

“ It has a great and widening field, which it is worthily filling, and in the labor of regeneration of a race, no agency will have a higher, or indeed so high a place as this conservative school, which is filling so difficult a position.
“We are not unmindful also of the necessity for quite other laborers in the regeneration of this race. It is just as necessary in school as in church that this yet blind and emotional creature, ‘crying for the light with no language but a cry,’ shall have tendance suited to his condition and upon his own level.” ”

“ He alluded to the exercises of the forenoon with appreciation of the orations and essays presented, referring to one of the former as “eloquent,” and added a glowing word of tribute to the sweet music rendered by the students. He assured all present that the white people of the State are now in hearty sympathy with the work of the education of the colored race. Immediately after the war, he frankly admitted, the people were not attracted by the idea, but now a better opinion prevails, and they see that education must be given to all, white and black. ”

“ The excellency of her work is not found alone in the perfection of drill which every exercise shows, but in the exquisite finish of whatever work is done. A recent graduate from Williston Seminary and of the Sheffield Scientific School, with whom I visited this school one day when it was not on exhibition, and examined the children’s work in map drawing, declared that he had never seen any work of the kind that compared with it. ”

“ Art. VIII. 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. ”

“ There is much need of temperance work all through the South, and it is encouraging to read of the new Band of Hope in Washington. “It has succeeded beyond my expectations,” Mrs. Babcock writes, “not only interesting the colored churches about us, but also bringing in, as officers and helpers, some of the colored public school teachers and students from Howard University. There has been a good deal of enthusiasm about our meetings. Of course, our exercises must be made interesting, and I work hard for it, but it pays, when I see such audiences as we’ve had. ”

“ The American Missionary Association. AIM AND WORK.
To preach the Gospel to the poor. It originated in a sympathy with the almost friendless slaves. Since Emancipation it has devoted its main efforts to preparing the Freedmen for their duties as citizens and Christians in America and as missionaries in Africa. As closely related to this, it seeks to benefit the caste-persecuted Chinese in America, and to co-operate with the Government in its humane and Christian policy towards the Indians. It has also a mission in Africa. ”

“ As was said on that day, what the graduating class lacked in quantity was well made up in quality. We expect a very high order of work and Christian influence from Henry Lanier.
In the afternoon the interesting ceremony of laying the foundation of “Strieby Hall,” the new boy’s dormitory, was followed by a procession to the chapel again, where the annual address was given by Dr. Strieby. This was a stirring presentation of the reason why the American Missionary Association is to-day in the field of Southern Freedmen education, and of exactly what it is aiming to do for the colored race. ”

“ We come to the close of another school year with a profound sense of gratitude to God for His guiding Providence, and for His blessing upon the work undertaken in His name. We have had 328 names upon our rolls, with a large average attendance. There has been a marked advance in scholarship, and we are justified in saying with regard to all the pupils, “Our labor has not been in vain.” There have been years of decline, since the first burst of enthusiasm after the war, in education ”

“ Second, that this result was due to the fact that while the increase of the whites of those States was some two per cent. below the average for the whole country, the increase of the blacks was more than three per cent. above that average.
It is thus demonstrated that negroes are not to be numbered with those races which, like Australians, Hawaiians and American Indians, fade away and disappear in the presence of more civilized races. The negro in warm latitudes has shown his ability, with less than a fair chance, to hold more than his own with the white man. ”

“ The gate is not open to a haven of rest, but to a field of labor, and additional labor calls for additional expense. Nothing short of an increase of 25 per cent. of the income of the Association will be adequate to meet the increased demands. The pastors and officers of the churches are our most effectual helpers in raising the amount required. Will they not come to our relief right early? The people will give of their means if the work and its wants are properly presented to them; and if God has set before us these open doors, surely He will add His blessing as we enter. ”

“ The churches should not be left to a feeble struggle for life, but be aided to a vigorous growth. The additional facilities at the schools mentioned, and the new institution in Texas, mean an increased number of students to be aided, and increased expense for teachers, for insurance, repairs and other incidentals. Our work among the Chinese in California calls urgently for enlargement; in fact, the continued existence of such a work means continued growth with increased expenditures.
A great pressure has been brought to bear upon us to do more for the education of Indian youth ”

“ The theological and literary attainments of the students would never have justified us in doing it. It is little less than a crime to confer an unmerited degree upon a young man. It would not only be a fraud, but a source of constant embarrassment to him. This year we had as a student Mr. A. E. P. Albert, who studied some time at Atlanta University, and who joined our senior class of the University and the Theological school in October. He is a regularly ordained minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, a young man of culture and ability. ”

“ The thief can pray the idols that he may get help to steal! The gambler can ask that he may win the money; the robber that he may be able to get what he wishing for. If any kind of business going to be taken up the idols must first be asked about it. Every one is sure to say, “Now, idols, if you help me good, I going to bring you something nice to eat when I get success.” ”

“ Going down on an evening freight train, I arrived at 9 p. m., and proceeded with my little girl and Bro. Young to the church, which is used also as a school-room. People in these country places are slow in getting together, at night especially. After working hard all day in the fields (it was just the busiest “cotton-cropping” time) , they have to go home, get their suppers, dress up in their best clothes, and then go perhaps three or four miles. So it was half-past ten o’clock before the audience arrived in sufficient numbers; but finally the curtain was drawn and the exercises began. ”

“ Never before have we known our pupils so susceptible to all good influences and so ready to receive instruction and guidance from their teachers.
During the year past, the school has experienced a most precious revival, over forty of our young people professing conversion. In our closing prayer meeting for the year, it was found that there were but about a dozen students of the Normal department who had not accepted the Saviour. ”

“ The passing months have again brought us to where we may look back over the entire work of the year. While we grieve over opportunities lost and efforts to all appearance fruitless, we can, too, rejoice that the “Master of the harvest” has given increase. ”

“ We are confident that instruction of this nature can be given in connection with a day-school, without interfering with regular school-work, and at slight expense and small increase of teaching force. I am anxious to have a workshop fitted up where the boys and young men shall receive instruction in wood-working and the ordinary use of tools for that purpose.
We shall have a full and strong attendance for next year. We are having more students from the country, and usually they are those who put to good use the training and instruction they carry from here. ”

“ It is a fact that more than justifies all the deep interest of the Christian and the philanthropist in that unfortunate race. Christians are not in any danger of giving undue attention to the claims of the negro upon their prayers and benefactions.
2. The conclusions of science, that the African race is fitted to persist among the latest inhabitants of the earth, are confirmed by the evidence of facts. The census of 1880 produced two genuine surprises. First, the fact that the largest relative increase of population in the United States during the last decade was in the former slave States. ”

“ I have made over an old carpet for the platform, helped to buy chairs, Bible and communion table, so that when our pulpit comes we shall be nicely fixed. Our hall is very large and rather dreary without any pulpit furniture. Nobody knows but those who have worked in the field, how great are the obstacles in the way of forming a colored Congregational church. We have the same jealousy and bitter feeling from the churches around us that there is farther South. ”

“ The white race, as represented by Europeans and their American descendants, thanks to their intelligence and habitual bravery, skill, and the confidence they can place in each other, will sustain the struggle. ”

“ On the contrary, it was to be strengthened, so far as human power could do so, with a good hope, true to its name, that God would add His blessing in the fulfillment of the rich promises of His grace. ”

“ A gentleman, native of Tennessee, who has recently been called from the presidency of a Southern College to the management of the educational work of the State, was present during the commencement exercises, and contrasted them with those of the graduating class of the first institution of the State for whites, in terms so complimentary to the negro students, that, out of deference to the whites, his language will be omitted. ”

“ We note especially the large number of boarding students, and also the fact that the accommodations for them are by far too limited in many of our schools. The growing disposition of our students to continue their studies through as many months of the year as possible is a fact of much significance. It will be remembered that our missions have been richly blessed by outpourings of the Holy Spirit, and that a goodly number—sometimes whole classes—have indulged the hopes of a new life. ”

“ All the exercises that came between astonished many, especially the white people present, and gave pleasure to all until the weariness of standing made many persons about the door restless and unduly communicative. The popular judgment is that much progress has been made during the year. ”

“ The Hampton Institute is becoming more known and appreciated in Virginia and the neighboring States. Its alumni are occupying positions of practical usefulness, and discharge the high duties of good citizens well and faithfully. [203] Virginians believe that Principal Armstrong is emphatically the right man in the right place, and that, with General Marshall, Miss Mackie and others on his staff, he will push forward the good work in which they are engaged, and will continue to merit and receive the grateful appreciation of the people of the commonwealth. ”

“ An account of the public exercises of the day for the Missionary must necessarily be brief. At 8.30 a. m. the new Academic Hall was dedicated. Bishop Payne, of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, in most appropriate words and manner, offered the dedicatory prayer. General Howard followed in an address of marked ability, and of broad and liberal and most approved views, admirably presented, basing his brief and pertinent remarks upon the duties of the hour in reference to the negro on the editorial in the Memphis Appeal reproduced in the May Missionary. ”

“ They have a doctor, but they think some kind of spirit troubling them, it may chance their ancient father or friends or enemies who died before. They think they must offer something for them to eat that they may go away, or some times they go into the temple to pray to the idols. They hope the idols may tell what are the reason with the sick that they find out how they may do and get well. How the idols can tell them? ”

“ I am obliged to leave the idols and come to worship the true God, and trying to observe His law and commandments the Bible shows me how sinful I am, and if Christ had not come to the world to save me I am sure get lost. ”

“ American Missionary Association. OUR ANNIVERSARY REPORTS.
We devote an unusual amount of space in this number to reports of the closing exercises of ten of our educational institutions at the South. Next month we purpose to add reports of others whose anniversaries occur too late for mention at this writing. It will be seen that the year has been an unusually prosperous one. The number of students, either of advanced grade or seeking for a higher education, has been larger, perhaps, than during any previous year. ”

“ Recognizing the fact that the school building has a seating capacity for only about 350, while the average attendance for a part of the year has been 450, the necessity for enlarged accommodations, as well as some of the difficulties encountered by the teachers, will be apparent.
On the principle that what is good for a part is good also for all, there was no favoritism shown in the assignment of parts in the closing exercises. All, “from the least to the greatest,” were given a speech. ”