WOMAN’S WORK FOR WOMAN.
Every once in a while a feeling prevalent in the churches gets voice in the question: “Cannot women find some recognized method of doing more for the elevation of the freed women of the South than they are doing now?” There has been an unwillingness on the part of many to agitate this question lest there might be in it a seeming antagonism to the work of the Woman’s Board; a work that in origin and development is so clearly providential. Still the want has been keenly felt. Some attention has been given it, and in a few instances the thought has developed into action.
Nearly two years ago Mrs. Zachary Eddy, of Detroit, interested a number of ladies in Eastern Michigan in the matter, and the result was that these ladies became responsible for the support of a lady missionary, to be appointed by the American Missionary Association, to work exclusively among the freed women; and the work then begun has been steadily sustained ever since by Miss Hattie Milton, at Memphis, Tenn. It is no longer an experiment, it is now a success. Miss Milton, in a letter, not long since, says: “This has been the happiest year of my life; for this work has its own reward, both to the missionary and those who send her, which is more valuable than silver or gold. I sometimes think the angels might almost envy us in this work.”
Within a few months the ladies connected with the First and Second Churches of Oberlin have united to support a lady missionary among the freed women. The money is already provided for, and the missionary will soon start on her mission of love. And now I learn that the young ladies connected with the Congregational church in Waukegan, this State, have organized a society for the same purpose, the aim being to work chiefly through the Sunday-school. Monthly meetings, called “mission parties,” are held. A profitable programme is prepared, consisting of an essay, information from some mission station, brief addresses and singing. To these meetings invitations are issued by card, with the understanding that everybody invited will come. Thus far two meetings have been held, and they give promise of great popularity.
May there not be in the organization of this young ladies’ society, designing to work through the Sunday-school, a suggestion that the ladies might take up everywhere? Why not, after first defining the word young to have reference to feeling rather than years, organize young ladies’ missionary societies in all our churches, to work through the Sunday-schools for the support of lady missionaries among the freed women?—Scrooby, in The Congregationalist.