ALABAMA.
New Church at Shelby Iron Works—Talladega a Missionary Centre.
Rev. G. W. Andrews, Talladega.
A Congregational church of twenty-one members was organized Oct. 10th, at Shelby Iron Works, Alabama. This is the fifteenth Congregational church planted by the A. M. A. in this State. Eight of them are in the vicinity of Talladega College, the most distant being forty miles away. They are the out-growth of the mission work carried on by the teachers and pupils of the college.
This new church at Shelby begins its existence under most favorable circumstances, most of its members being present or former pupils of the college. All are colored people; two are preparing for the ministry; one has been a student at Oberlin, Ohio; one was for some time a resident of Hartford, Ct., and more recently of Columbus, Ohio, a graduate of the high school there and a former pupil here; one is principal of an academy of ten years’ standing at Shelby and a graduate from Talladega. With two or three exceptions, all of them have for some years been trained in our Sunday-schools. The Shelby Iron Company is in hearty sympathy with the movement; the Superintendent, himself a Methodist, coming into the preliminary meeting and saying publicly that the Iron Company would look with peculiar favor on this church should it be organized, recognizing as it did the necessity for more intelligent Christian instruction for the colored people.
The sectarian walls, which in the South are built heaven-high, have in this particular place been badly shattered. There is no outspoken opposition on the part of the colored people, as in every other place known to me. The different denominations worship in the same building, the lower story being devoted to the school and the upper one to the churches. The Iron Company own about two-thirds of the building, the original cost being three thousand dollars.
I suppose there are a million of dollars invested by the Shelby Iron Company at this place, mostly owned in the North. One owner is an honored member of the Centre Church, Hartford, Ct.; another, of the Park St. Church, Boston; another is a Massachusetts man well known among “iron men” both in this country and abroad. The Superintendent is a noble Christian man from Illinois, and was a colonel in the recent war. Several of the local managers are from the North, some are from the South. Most of the workmen, white and colored, who stand all day side by side, are gathered from the surrounding region. Here the North and South meet and learn to know and love each other. The Iron Company is helping to solve the great national problem no less truly than missionary schools and churches. It seems to me sometimes that its entire business is carried on as a kind of missionary enterprise on the broadest basis. Owning thirty thousand acres of land immediately about the “Iron Works,” it exercises wholesome restraint over all classes. Nothing seems to be overlooked; the church, the school, the home, the village morals, the town adornments and the State, are all cared for.
Talladega College, a college only in name yet, is the rallying point for our missionary work in this State. It is just such a college as a missionary college should be, its whole work as a school being subordinate to the church. It is a training school, patterned after the missionary colleges of the American Board. Its grand aim is to raise up a native ministry so as to plant churches, and through them carry an intelligent gospel to the masses. We are not especially afraid that there will be any lack of school-teachers. With our eye fixed steadily on our missionary work, enough who cannot attain to the Christian ministry will become teachers, and they, catching the spirit of the institution, will become missionary teachers. It is surprising to see how this spirit has taken possession of our pupils. There is scarcely one who goes into the country to teach who does not organize his Sabbath-school as promptly as his day-school, and pursue it with even more interest. It is the first thing he reports on his return. Hundreds are converted by this means; Bibles, tracts, religious literature, and light are spread in all directions; thus are constantly carried forward many Sabbath-schools, and through them a glorious pioneer Christian work. Out of this work have grown eight churches, so near to the college as to be its special care, and in which a hundred conversions are reported for the summer just ended.
Of the twenty pupils in the Theological department, all have been reaping in this missionary field during the summer vacation, about one-half as preachers. The home church takes a lively interest in them during their absence. Prayer is made to God without ceasing in their behalf, and often interested members go out to aid them in their revival meetings. Letters are constantly received from them to be read at the monthly missionary concert, and public thanksgiving is rendered for the good work they report. Thus is maintained a lively interest in Christian missions and Christian work.
There has been an evident increase of interest in our mission churches about the college this summer; all but one report revivals of greater or less power; one reports thirty-two additions by confession; four report the completion of their houses of worship, free of debt—houses hitherto unplastered and otherwise much exposed, but now neat and comfortable, and everybody is happy over it. One is building a new house of worship unlike any of the others; it is built of logs, large and commodious. One poor fellow was so intent on pushing forward to completion his house of worship, that he expended all his salary for the summer, and then pawned his Sunday clothes. On his return to school he reports twenty-three conversions, his house of worship completed, but no money in his pocket. If ever there was a man worthy of aid, he is. He is now in my back-yard sawing wood. You will hear from him some day. These young prophets of the Lord are making rapid progress in the knowledge of the Bible and the system of theology, and wherever they go, are beginning to be recognized by all classes as well qualified to break the Bread of Life to their people.
I am glad to report that the white people, seeing the character and efficiency of these young men, are coming to understand and appreciate our work. I believe they heartily approve what we are doing. I have repeatedly experienced their hospitality this summer, and had many conversations with them relating to our mission here. From the president of a well-known college, down to the poor man who did not know his letters, I have found nothing but approval. The time is not far distant when this approval will be more outspoken and pronounced. When the Christian men of the South and your missionary workers from the North understand each other, from that day they are one in Christian work. We bless God for this new feast of love. Pray that no political excitement may interrupt the growing good feeling.
The Thin End of the Wedge—A First Thanksgiving Service.
REV. WILLIAM H. ASH, FLORENCE.
Our work here in Florence is the “thin end of the wedge,” and with sufficient facilities, the smiles of the Master, and patience in its workers, great good will result. The services are well attended, and sometimes the house is disagreeably filled, and we are without the proper means of ventilation. The members of the church begged me to express for them to the Association their sincere and heartfelt gratitude for the new organ sent them; it has increased the interest of our services greatly. Last Thursday, Nov. 28, the first Thanksgiving service ever held in this place among the colored people was observed in our church; therefore it has a history in connection with our work here. I made it a union service, inviting the Baptists and Methodists to worship with us. This congregation of Baptists, Methodists, and Congregationalists worshipped as though Christ was the Head of the Church, instead of any one of the denominations present. The service was solemn and intelligent. It truly seemed that the Lord was in His holy temple. After service a gentleman of about sixty or seventy years of age said, “I have been here forty years, but I never heard of such a thing as a Thanksgiving service among the colored people.” This is the “dawn of a new age.” Pray for us.