SCHOOL AND CHURCH WORK AT FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.
BY REV. B. F. FOSTER.
We began work here on the 5th of September, and opened school under very favorable auspices. We have had 92 pupils enrolled. Our school is the only one for colored children within a radius of 65 miles. We are giving some attention to church work, and are using our school-house as a place of worship. We have service every Sabbath morning at eleven o’clock—the audiences are large. We are gratified to say that the influence of the teachers takes fast hold upon both parent and pupil. We have Sunday-school every afternoon at three o’clock, and these services are largely attended. Thanksgiving day was appropriately commemorated. A sermon was preached in the morning by the missionary pastor. All who were present seemed deeply impressed with the word. The chapel was beautifully and tastefully festooned with autumn leaves and berries, and the walls were embellished with appropriate mottoes of the sacred Scriptures. At seven o’clock in the evening a very large number of patrons and friends of the school gathered, and partook of a repast prepared as a thanksgiving token for them by the teachers and pupils. Toasts were responded to by the several pastors of the town and teachers. I said we had service in our chapel at 11 A.M. every Sunday. We could induce as many to come in the evening if we had lamps to light up our chapel. Equally as good results would come from a weekly prayer-meeting, if we had sufficient lights. We heartily accept this opportunity of asking the friends of some of our Northern churches to give us of their old ones—chandelier lamps. The Lord’s Supper was celebrated the first time, since beginning our work here, last Sunday. Truly, the Lord was with his people on that solemn occasion. At this service the missionary pastor’s first and only little daughter was baptized, which increased the interest of the meeting. To carry this blessed Supper to Christ’s brethren and sisters, Mrs. Foster’s pie-pans were used for the emblems of his body, and two borrowed mugs for the emblem of his blood. From this the friends of God’s poor will see we would thank them very much to assist us in getting a communion set. The people among whom we are working are very poor. Few of them have homes.