American Missionary Association,

56 READE STREET, N.Y.

PRESIDENT.

Hon. WM. B. WASHBURN, Mass.

VICE-PRESIDENTS.

Hon. E. S. Tobey, Mass.
Hon. F. D. Parish, Ohio.
Hon. E. D. Holton, Wis.
Hon. William Claflin, Mass.
Rev. Stephen Thurston, D.D., Me.
Rev. Samuel Harris, D.D., Ct.
Wm. C. Chapin, Esq., R.I.
Rev. W. T. Eustis, D.D., Mass.
Hon. A. C. Barstow, R.I.
Rev. Thatcher Thayer, D.D., R.I.
Rev. Ray Palmer, D.D., N.J.
Rev. Edward Beecher, D.D., N.Y.
Rev. J. M. Sturtevant, D.D., Ill.
Rev. W. W. Patton, D.D., D.C.
Hon. Seymour Straight, La.
Rev. Cyrus W. Wallace, D.D., N.H.
Rev. Edward Hawes, D.D., Ct.
Douglas Putnam, Esq., Ohio.
Hon. Thaddeus Fairbanks, Vt.
Rev. M. M. G. Dana, D.D., Minn.
Rev. H. W. Beecher, N.Y.
Gen. O. O. Howard, N.Y.
Rev. G. F. Magoun, D.D., Iowa.
Col. C. G. Hammond, Ill.
Edward Spalding, M.D., N.H.
Rev. Wm. M. Barbour, D.D., Ct.
Rev. W. L. Gage, D.D., Ct.
A. S. Hatch, Esq., N.Y.
Rev. J. H. Fairchild, D.D., Ohio.
Rev. H. A. Stimson, Mass.
Rev. A. L. Stone, D.D., California.
Rev. G. H. Atkinson, D.D., Oregon.
Rev. L. T. Chamberlain, D.D., Conn.

Rev. J. E. Rankin, D.D., D.C.
Rev. A. L. Chapin, D.D., Wis.
S. D. Smith, Esq., Mass.
Dea. John C. Whitin, Mass.
Hon. J. B. Grinnell, Iowa.
Rev. Horace Winslow, Ct.
Sir Peter Coats, Scotland.
Rev. Henry Allon, D.D., London, Eng.
Wm. E. Whiting, Esq., N.Y.
E. A. Graves, Esq., N.J.
Rev. F. A. Noble, D.D., Ill.
Daniel Hand, Esq., Ct.
Rev. A. F. Beard, D.D., N.Y.
Frederick Billings, Esq., Vt.
Joseph Carpenter, Esq., R.I.
Rev. E. P. Goodwin, D.D., Ill.
Rev. C. L. Goodell, D.D., Mo.
J. W. Scoville, Esq., Ill.
E. W. Blatchford, Esq., Ill.
C. D. Talcott, Esq., Ct.
Rev. John K. McLean, D.D., Cal.
Rev. Richard Cordley, D.D., Kansas.
Rev. W. H. Willcox, D.D., Mass.
Rev. G. B. Willcox, D.D., Ill.
Rev. Wm. M. Taylor, D.D., N.Y.
Rev. Geo. M. Boynton, Mass.
Rev. E. B. Webb, D.D., Mass.
Hon. C. I. Walker, Mich.
Rev. A. H. Ross, Mich.
Hon. Joshua L. Chamberlain, Me.
Rev. Alex. McKenzie, D.D., Mass.
Hon. Nelson Dingley, Jr., Me.

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

Rev. M. E. STRIEBY, D.D., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.

TREASURER.

H. W. HUBBARD, ESQ., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.

DISTRICT SECRETARIES.

Rev. C. L. WOODWORTH, Boston.

Rev. G. D. PIKE, D.D., New York.

Rev. JAS. POWELL, Chicago.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

Lyman Abbott,
Alonzo S. Ball,
A. S. Barnes,
C. T. Christensen,

Franklin Fairbanks,
Clinton B. Fisk,
Addison P. Foster,
S. B. Halliday,

A. J. Hamilton,
Samuel Holmes,
Charles A. Hull,
Chas. L. Mead,

Samuel S. Marples,
William H. Ward,
John H. Washburn,
A. L. Williston.

AUDITORS.

M. F. Reading.

W. R. Nash.

COMMUNICATIONS

relating to the work of the Association may be addressed to the Corresponding Secretary; those relating to the collecting fields to the District Secretaries; letters for the Editor of the “American Missionary,” to Rev. G. D. Pike, D.D., at the New York Office.

DONATIONS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

may be sent to H. W. Hubbard, Treasurer 56 Reade Street, New York, or when more convenient, to either of the Branch Offices, 21 Congregational House, Boston, Mass., or 112 West Washington Street, Chicago, Ill. A payment of thirty dollars at one time constitutes a Life Member.

THE

AMERICAN MISSIONARY.

Vol. XXXV.

DECEMBER, 1881.

No. 12.

American Missionary Association.

We present our readers in this issue of the Missionary, which is a double number, an account of the proceedings of the 35th Annual Meeting of this Association. For want of space we have only given the important points of most of the papers and addresses, endeavoring to preserve their spirit.

The paper of Pres. E. H. Fairchild will appear in the “Weekly Witness” of Nov. 17, of which copies will be supplied gratuitously to persons applying by postal card to the author at Berea, Ky.

Rev. Lysander Dickerman’s address may be looked for in the “Congregationalist” at an early date.

The papers read by Miss Sawyer and Miss Emery will be reserved for mention in the January Missionary.

We send this number of the Missionary to some persons whose names are not among our subscribers, with the hope that they will read it, and that their interest in the work which it represents will be deepened. We believe that if any such will send us their subscription for the Magazine, they will find themselves amply rewarded for the outlay.

The inquiry is sometimes made as to the reasons for the steadily increasing support given to the A. M. A. In answer we suggest:—1. The increasing prosperity of the country. People have more to give and they give more. 2. The careful management of the affairs of the Association has probably given it a stronger hold upon the confidence of the public. 3. The great reason, we believe, is that the nation, after many fluctuating opinions in regard to the Freedmen, has settled down to the conviction, voiced repeatedly by Pres. Hayes and reiterated so emphatically in Pres. Garfield’s inaugural, that the only safety for the nation and the Freedmen is in their thorough education. The A. M. A. is now seen to have steadily pressed forward from the beginning in this only true method, and hence its work has come to be more fully appreciated. The rapid growth of the colored population gives emphasis to the demand for their Christian education. 4. Another reason is the awakened conviction in Great Britain and America that the freed people are destined by Divine Providence to take an important part in the redemption of Africa. Our schools and churches, so well fitted to prepare them for this work, are felt to deserve not only support but enlargement.