The American Missionary. Volume 42, No. 08, August, 1888. Various
we must not conceal from ourselves or our readers the fact, that the main point against which objection has been so strenuously urged—the right of the churches to be guided by their own wisdom and experience in expending their own funds—is not granted by this order, as will be seen in Article 3. "In purely mission schools," "toward whose support the Government contributes nothing," it dictates that "one-half of the school-hours shall be employed in instruction in English." So far as the principle is concerned, nothing is yielded. The Government still assumes to control these schools, and to tell the missionaries how much of the vernacular they may use, and how they must divide the hours between the two languages.
The regulation, moreover, fixes upon "one-half of the school hours" without any obvious reason for taking that number rather than one-fourth or three-fourths, for it does not take into account the different conditions of the pupils as to their knowledge of the English language. It requires a double set of text-books if the vernacular be taught at all. Whether the churches will acquiesce in this regulation, will depend, we think, upon how rigidly it is enforced. We regret that the Government, while attempting to meet the wishes of the churches, could not have done it in a more broad and generous method, by conceding their right to manage their own missionary affairs without interference or dictation.
The numerous solicitors from the South for the benefactions of our friends at the North impel us to increased caution in regard to our endorsements. We are anxious that our friends should give, but we are equally anxious that they should not be imposed upon. Hereafter, we shall give a letter of commendation to any of our workers who may be authorized by us to come North for help, signed by one of the Secretaries or one of the District Secretaries, and these will be good for one year from the date, and any pastors or friends of the Association can feel at liberty to ask for the letter. If persons assuming to solicit funds for any part of the A.M.A's work cannot produce such letters, the failure may be taken as a reason for withholding confidence. We think this is due to our friends at the North and to our faithful and honored workers at the South.
Professor Lawrence, of Jellico, Tenn., who was so seriously injured by an unprovoked and cowardly attack, is, we are happy to learn, slowly improving. Suffering, both from excruciating pain and from great nervous prostration, all that a human being can endure and live, yet he has borne it uncomplainingly. Large expenses have been necessarily incurred for surgeon's, doctor's and nurse's bills, and Mr. Lawrence is a poor man, working on a missionary salary, when he might have received more elsewhere. As Professor Lawrence received his injuries in the simple discharge of his duties as a teacher in an A.M.A. school, our Committee will feel it their duty to render him some pecuniary aid, and if any of our friends are disposed to assist us in rendering such help, we shall be glad to receive their donations for that purpose.
*THE LONDON MISSIONARY CONFERENCE.*
This large and important gathering of the friends of Christian missions throughout the world, held its session in Exeter Hall, London, June 9-19.
This is the fourth great Missionary Conference. The first was in Liverpool in 1860, the last was in London, held ten years ago. This Conference far surpassed its predecessors in the numbers present, in the completeness of the previous arrangements, and in the range and importance of the topics discussed. The members numbered over 1,200, gathered from all parts of the world. Nearly forty American Societies were represented, six Canadian, fifteen Continental, and fifty-four English, Scotch and Irish Societies.
One topic that received deserved attention was the curse of deluging Africa with liquor by Christian nations, and the continued curse of the opium traffic which England inflicts upon China.
From the brief reports which have reached us, we judge this Conference to have been a very able and enthusiastic one, and that it will probably give a new impulse to Christian missions throughout the world.
Secretary Beard represented the American Missionary Association in the London Missionary Conference, agreeably to appointment by the American Committee of the Conference. His paper was entitled, "Christian Missions among the North American Indians." He also read a paper which Secretary Strieby had prepared, by appointment of the American Committee, on "The Freedmen of America as Factors in African Evangelization." Dr. Beard attended the Conference on his way to Europe to bring his family home. He is expected to return about the first of September.
*GETTYSBURG, FRATERNITY, FREE BALLOT.*
The meeting of the Blue and the Gray on the field of Gettysburg at the late anniversary celebration marks an era in national fraternity. The orator of the day, George William Curtis, did a noble, perhaps we might say courageous, deed in lifting the enthusiasm of the glad hour above the remembrance of past heroism and present harmony to the great duty of the nation—a free and fair ballot. A few lines culled from the oration will give the thought.
"The suffrage is the mainspring, the heart of our common life. If ignorance and semi-barbarous dominance be fatal to civilized communities, no less so is constant and deliberate defiance of law."
"No honest man can delude himself with the theory that this is a local question. If there be a national question, which vitally interests every American citizen from the Penobscot to the Rio Grande, it is the question of a free legal ballot."
"Can we wrest from the angel of this hour any blessing so priceless as the common resolution that we shall not have come to this consecrated spot only to declare our joy and gratitude, nor only to cherish proud and tender memories, but also to pledge ourselves to union in its sublimest significance?"
To this we add: The brave deeds of the soldier at Gettysburg, and the wise counsels of the orator, should be followed by the patient toil of the teacher and the preacher. It is hard to choose between the ballot withheld and the ballot cast by ignorance and vice. Blood and treasure flowed like water in the war. Shall treasure and toil be wanting for the work of peace—preparing the ignorant voter to cast the free ballot intelligently and honestly?
*A BOOM IN THE PRICE OF A SLAVE.*
One of our best educated and most efficient colored ministers in the South furnishes us the following sketch of his experience on the auction block. He not only was sold "early and often," but always at advancing prices. We do not wonder at this, for he has shown himself to be so valuable as a man, that we are sure the boy must have promised to be worth a great deal as a slave.
I was sold in 1862 at the age of ten years, for $400, by the widow B. of Virginia. As a rule, after the first sale, I was upon the auction block every day for three months. How often I was sold during those three months I cannot tell, but on Davis' auction block in his sale-room I was sold five times in one day. The last sale at the end of the three months was made in Tennessee, to the Rev. H.F.S., a Baptist minister, who paid $3,500 for his property. The Rev. Mr. S. was a "Yankee" from Philadelphia, Pa., and came South at the breaking out of the war.
*EXTRACTS FROM EXAMINATION PAPERS.*
Ques. Give a rule for the use of the period?
Ans. Every period must begin with a capital.
Ans. A period is a dot written to the end of a sentence and is used to low the voice.
Ans. A period is used for the topage of a sentence and to make our reading sound better than if we had no period.
Ques. What is the chief occupation in the South Atlantic States?
Ans. The ocoopations cold in the north part, but in the lower part rain seldom fails.
The lesson was on The Ten Virgins, and the next Sunday the review question was asked, "What was the lesson about last Sunday?" and a bright boy gave the prompt answer, "About ten gals that went to a weddin."
My dear teacher, God be with you witch I know he will, as the Song says God can see me every day when I work and when I play. again God is always near me when I pray. I shall nor for get Miss H. her name shall never die out Christ have mercy upon her If God calls her I will