Читать книгу The American Missionary. Volume 44, No. 03, March, 1890 - Various - Страница 5

By Rev. C.J. Ryder, District Secretary.

An exceedingly good plan for increasing the collections for benevolent objects has been hit upon by some members of a Boston church. They have what they call an "Extra Cent-a-Day Band." Each member pledges himself to lay aside one cent each day for some benevolent object. They elect a treasurer and put into his hands this "Cent-a-Day" fund, as they please, some paying frequently, others waiting until considerable has accumulated. At a given time each month they divide the accumulated contributions among the different societies as they may elect. The American Missionary Association has occasion to be grateful for this "Extra Cent-a-Day" plan in the pledge of about thirty dollars to its treasury. I pass it along in these "Notes," as these friends hold no patent right upon the method, and would gladly see it adopted in many churches.

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There seems to be a great localization of patriotic Christian thought in New England upon the Southern problem now, as there has not been since the war closed. I bought recently one of the leading magazines on the train, and the leading article in it was on the Southern problem. I picked up the Forum, and the leading article was on the Southern problem. Mr. Grady comes from the South to address the business men of Boston, and turns aside from questions which would naturally be discussed to speak of the Southern problem. At a recent meeting of the Old Colony Congregational Club at Brockton, Massachusetts, they invited two Secretaries to speak upon this Southern problem, and listened with patience to two long addresses. The discussion which followed indicated that the churches represented in that large and intelligent club were most earnestly pondering this Southern problem. In its importance, it overtops every other consideration before the citizens and churches of America to-day! Thoughtful people are coming more than ever to realize this. The processes of thought through which they have passed already, and the facts they have settled in their own minds, indicate a very hopeful condition of things. In the first place, they are sure that this is not a local or sectional question. It is a National question, and will involve the whole country in anarchy and misrule, unless the anarchy and misrule of the Southern whites are stopped. New England's voice will be heard in solemn and earnest protest, unless there is a radical change in the conduct of the dominant race of the South very soon. Such outrages as those at Barnwell, S.C., and Jackson, Miss., which are only types of many such, must be stopped.

Another fact that has been settled in the minds of the people here, is that the education and moral elevation of the Negroes is a matter of painful exigency; that the forces employed by the American Missionary Association in that field must be largely multiplied. The President of the Old Colony Club summed up the discussion of the evening by saying most earnestly that all this meant that the contributions to the American Missionary Association must be largely increased among the churches represented in that Club, if we would solve this terrible Southern problem, and save our country from this threatened danger.

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In this connection I was interested the other day in making an investigation as to the per cent. of church membership in the South and North. I discovered the following rather surprising comparison. The per cent. of church membership in some of the New England States as compared with that in the Southern States is as follows, not including the Roman Catholics: Massachusetts, 13 per cent.; Connecticut, 20 per cent.; New Hampshire, 19 per cent.; South Carolina, 32 per cent.; Georgia, 28 per cent.; Florida, 25 per cent.

It is evident from the comparisons that a larger percentage of the population in these Southern States are members of Protestant churches than in the Northern States. Notwithstanding this, this horrible system of persecution goes on. There are noble and true men who protest against it, but if the churches united in condemning it, we all know it would be stopped. What they need is not more churches, but better churches, those who emphasize the brotherhood of man as well as the fatherhood of God in this Southern portion of the land.

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The stereopticon lectures which are being delivered by Rev. S.E. Lathrop, are attracting much attention and receiving general commendation. Last Sunday, at Peabody, the people were so enthusiastic that they took a special collection of nearly one hundred dollars. Many churches in New England have enjoyed this treat, and receive the inspiration which the facts of the American Missionary Association must always give when really known and understood. Brother Lathrop is on his way into New Hampshire and Maine, where arrangements have been made in many churches.

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Some benevolent New England friends who have been in Florida, and have seen the destitution of the colored people there, have put into our hands five thousand dollars for the establishment of anew school in one of the destitute regions of that State. The good friends who are interested so largely in this move desired that the Secretary should go from New England with Secretary Beard, to determine just where this school should be located.