Various

“ If in the last national struggle, it was overpowered when the slave, as Mr. Grady acknowledges, guarded the house while his master fought for his perpetual enslavement, what can it do when the Negroes have tasted freedom for a quarter of a century, and now number nearly as many as the whites in the South? It is for the white people of the South to say whether that struggle shall come. The North does not desire it, the Negro does not desire it, and we sincerely believe that a large share of the people of the South do not want it. ”

“ In considering the needs of the colored women and girls of the South, you must bear in mind their past condition, present status and future prospects, together with the forces that have contributed to each, before you can know and feel the heart yearnings and struggles of my sisters.
No human lips can tell the story of that dark night that has left its impress upon the habits, customs and life of a whole race of people. ”

“ Churches and missions and Sunday-schools will supplant the saloons and gambling hells if you as churches generously support this painfully urgent work. But when school-houses shall stand in all their fertile coves and church bells shall call to intelligent Christian worship on all those mountain sides, and the people shall be lifted up into spiritual citizenship, it will simply be the victory under God of the systematic planning and execution possible only when funds are disbursed on the sound principles of this Association. ”

“ Washington, alone, has a population of eighty thousand colored people, and more than forty thousand of these are women and girls.
It is said that the "hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world." It matters not whether that hand be black or white, but it does matter whether that hand be intelligent or ignorant. They not only need the education of the schools to develop their minds, and industrial training to prepare their hands for the practical duties of life, but Christian education, such as is given in the schools of the Association. ”

“ Like a very close man who, to the surprise of those who approached him, gave money enough to purchase a town clock, who explained by saying he liked to hear his money tick, so it is meant here this afternoon that the women shall hear the tick of their work from all these fields to which I have referred, and may the sound of it reverberate all down through the ages. ”

“ Their place, like the ebony of their skin, is a dark place. In the home, and in social life, "their place" is confined to colored society, colored schools and colored churches. Be it understood, I am not reflecting upon colored society, but am pointing out the limitations that no other race in this country has to contend with, in its efforts to rise.
The higher the plane of culture the colored women and girls reach, the more sensitive they become, and the more keenly the effects of ostracism are felt. In wages it does not matter how capable she may be, she must not aspire. ”

“ But worse than the school house and its surroundings is the illiterate, immoral teacher who attempts to teach the children. As for church organizations they are numerous, and a large majority are church members; but alas for the Christianity taught and practiced. Religion and morality are divorced. With most of them, religion is the thing of a moment and not of a life. Meetings once a month during the summer, and that is all the Christian institution the people have, and we call it instruction. ”

“ In the meantime, the A.M.A. will continue its efforts at what it believes to be the true solution of the Southern problem—the Christian, educational and industrial advancement of the colored people. With the help of the great benefaction of Mr. Hand, whose money was made in the South, and is now consecrated to the South, we shall go forward with greater zeal and encouragement. We are not partizans; we are not sectionalists. We are working for the good of both whites and blacks, and for the peace and prosperity of our common country. ”

“ Our needs are not only those common to other races, but are in a vast measure greater, because of the past and present difficulties. The masses furnish the most difficult problem to solve. How can we rescue them from poverty and illiteracy, and not pauperize them? How can we prevent crime, check immorality and decrease mortality? The answer lies in giving to them better home life, more elevating social surroundings, better educational advantages in school and industries, and a higher type of Christian life and worship. ”

“ But, alas! what of these hundreds of thousands who seemingly have no more aspiration than the brute in their field? They are wedded to the customs of their ancestors, and they rebel at any innovation. Give them tobacco, and whiskey, and pistols, a little meal and bacon and coffee, a crude bed and a roof, and that, to them, is living. Oh, those purposeless lives! They exist simply because they are in the world and cannot help it. With the girls especially, marriage is the chief aim, and what should be the holy relation is entered upon almost in childhood. ”

“ What is the true place of our women and girls? It is that place which is not circumscribed by the mere accident of birth and race, where she can rise just as high as she has the ability to reach and sustain. ”

“ When first going among these people, the ludicrous or comical keeps presenting itself, but as you stay year by year the terrible reality of their lives presses sore upon you. You are cramped by their narrowness; you are depressed by their lack of buoyancy; you grow distrustful because of their perfidy; you become sharer of their woes, but they have no joys to share. ”

“ They have been made to feel that they are a separate species of the human family. The phrases "Your people" and "Your place," do not so much designate their race identity, as the fixed status in the sisterhood of races. This idea, as harmless as it may appear, or as much as it is used, with varied phrases of meaning, according to the attitude of the speaker, has been one of the greatest barriers to the progress of the Negro, especially of the women and girls. It has colored everything they have to do. ”

“ You have sent among us most efficient teachers. Besides their school duties they have taken upon themselves to visit the homes, to pray with the sick, to distribute clothing among the needy, to go to the homes of the students, to share their humble fare and sleep in their crowded rooms. They have spared neither time nor strength to carry the uplifting word to those needy souls. From the better classes we have been fortunate enough to draw a nucleus for each of our churches. ”

“ In education, her place is the colored school, if there is one far or near, and if there is no school for colored youth, (as is sometimes the case) the no-school is her place. In religious life, her place is the colored church. No matter how her soul may long for a more intelligent Gospel than perchance surrounds her, she must find it there. ”

“ The want of schools and churches left them ignorant, their thin mountain lands kept [3] them poor; but they never held slaves and they were loyal to the Union in the war. Railroads now penetrate their mountains and valleys, and the hitherto unused wealth of mines and timber is brought to light. A new future opens out to these people, and the question is, "Shall that future be one of prosperity and piety, or one of intemperance and infidelity?" Some other man wise and wealthy can do for these people what Daniel Hand has done for the primary and industrial education of the Negroes. ”

“ We opened a school tentatively in one of these places, as we had one missionary there already, and I visited the other place. This is what I found: A teacher independent of any society, [12] and consequently knowing only a small part of the South, had opened a school. She had labored very faithfully, but very unwisely, putting money and years of hard work into a field which, from its very conditions, could not be largely successful. She had a poor building for teachers' home, a rough school-house with no desks, a narrow strip of land, and an enrollment of about eighty pupils. ”

“ As soon as they begin to lisp they are talking of their lovers. A little wee girl came to a teacher's home, and after answering in monosyllables the common questions as to schools and Sunday-schools, there was a lull in the conversation, when she spoke up: "I hain't got no sweetheart." For all marriage is the chief aim, it is surprising how little preparation they make for it. No bridal trousseau is ever thought of; not even a new dress is made for the occasion. ”

“ The eye of the speculator is being turned to our mineral and timber resources, and with unscrupulous money-makers for a centre and a demoralized people to gather round them, and no Christ in their midst, what strongholds of Satan would be formed. When we commenced our work seven years ago the field was open to the Congregationalists. If we could have had means to have secured helpers we could have planted ourselves largely, for we had continuous calls to come and organize churches. The people of better minds are sick and tired of the church life around them ”

“ Full of encouragement to the workers for the Chinese here in America is the fact that most of the students entering the new Christian college in Canton were formerly Sunday-school scholars in America. Most of these converted Chinamen who return to their own country are said to take their part in various forms of Christian work. What an inspiration to the patient teacher, who spends an hour or more every Sunday in trying to Christianize a single Chinaman, to think that, in this indirect way, he, or more frequently she, may be helping on the conversion of China.—The Congregationalist. ”

“ I led the Young Men's Christian Association meeting on the Sunday before January 11th. The subject which I gave out: 'The Christian must be born twice;' and also read the Scriptures in chapter iii of the Gospel St. John, and explain to them. I said if a man in this world born twice, he only die once, and if a man born once he die twice. I mean if a man born twice he must born again of the spirit; his soul shall save; that is, he only die once. If a man born once his body shall die and his soul also perish ”

“ I wish I might picture them before you as they ride into town with their babies in their arms and a child or two on their horses with them, or as they walk in with heavy, dragging gait, loaded with some produce for sale, or as they stand for hours open-eyed and open-mouthed around the counters of some country store. ”

“ Of course, such a school lasted but a few days, but their hatred doesn't die so easily. We could help many churches if it were not for this jealousy among their ministers. The people are our friends, and our growing churches are a stimulant to them. Paul said: "What matter if Christ were preached through envy, only so he were preached," and if we can provoke them to good works, will not the children be blessed? Whatever cause prompts them to church building, to prayer or outward Christian living, they must be bettered by it. ”

“ Our hope for the land is in saving them, and our work is largely for them. We have many Sunday-schools connected with our churches and many others where we furnish some helps and where our students teach. Our Bands of Hope are encouraging. Our Christian Endeavor Society has a large membership, and is a power for good. But while we rejoice over these places that have these helps we think of the hundreds of counties along this mountain range that have no such helps. ”

“ But there must be systematic spending as truly as systematic giving. The gifts of the churches must be husbanded, and the churches must be warned from time to time against wasteful and unwise efforts, by which others are seeking to do the work, which is being done systematically through your agent, the American Missionary Association. ”

“ May God grant that the Christians of this land may not fail to see their special responsibilities and to meet them in the spirit of Christian liberality and self-sacrifice.
Large Gifts of the Wealthy.
It is refreshing to find in this grasping, selfish and money-making world that there are wealthy men who amass fortunes and use them for noble purposes. It is said that growing wealth only tightens the grip on the money and hardens the heart against the calls of benevolence. But the examples are accumulating that give shining evidence that there are noble exceptions. ”

“ We have no rollicking girls or boisterous boys; we never see a crowing, cooing baby. The children are born old. The babies have a sad and dejected look, as if this world were a "dreary wilderness of woe," and they grieve they were ever born. ”

“ At the close of the war, they went back to their secluded homes, and between them and the world the curtain fell again. We very well know that mortals cannot rise above their surroundings only within defined limits. Alas! for the defeated manhood and blasted womanhood in our land, held down to earth by unfortunate surroundings. They are looking to you for help. You have done nobly in sustaining a work in their midst. Besides what you have done at Pleasant Hill, Grand View and other points, you have enabled us to organize eight churches and build one academy and eight houses of worship. ”

“ We are busily at work in this mountain country, and as we think of wider possibilities for the mountain boys, you cannot imagine our gratitude in view of our hopes that a new industrial department will be opened. It has been the subject of many a prayer in the closet and in teachers' meetings, and we feel that all that is needed will be supplied according to His riches who gave himself for us. He has heard our united petitions for a pastor to gather the straying flock and relieve our overworked missionaries. ”