American Missionary Association.
We remind our readers that the National Council and the annual meeting have placed before us a high mark in asking from the churches $350,000 the current year. That sixty per cent. advance upon the contributions of last year will not be made without the consciously directed efforts of our friends to secure it. We are happy to announce that quite a number of the churches whose contributions have been taken since the annual meeting have made the advance, some of them reaching even a hundred per cent, over the contributions of the preceding year. Let the matter be brought to the attention of the churches and kept before them, and they will rise to the occasion. They have both the means and the disposition.
Can you do anything to increase the list of subscribers for The American Missionary? That is one way in which you might help us. Every mail brings voluntary testimonials of the high esteem in which our magazine is held by its readers. We could easily fill our pages with extracts. The subscription price is so low—fifty cents—that we cannot offer premiums or make reduction for clubs. We do ask, however, for a greatly enlarged increase in subscriptions on the purely business ground that the magazine is worth the subscription price, and more, too. Can you do anything to help us in this direction?
An Example.—Rev. A. F. Newton, of Marlboro, Mass., one Sunday in last December preached to his people on Christian Reading in the home. He circulated among the congregation a list of the missionary magazines and religious papers which, in his judgment, ought to have a place in every family. The American Missionary, of course, was among the number. We presume that other ministers have done substantially the same, but knowledge of Mr. Newton’s effort having come to us, we take occasion to specially mention it. Our conviction is strong that if all our pastors were to go and do likewise, there would be a great increase in the number of our subscribers, and during the year corresponding increase in contributions, sympathy and prayer for our work. We commend the example of Mr. Newton to the brethren.
We regret to say that Rev. J. L. Withrow, D.D., has, in consequence of his call to Chicago, sent in his resignation as a member of our Executive Committee, a position that he has held since 1883. Our churches ought to know Dr. Withrow’s fidelity. Once a month he made the journey from Boston to New York in order to attend the meetings. It was very rarely that he was absent. Our good wishes and prayers accompany him into his new field in the West.
The vacancy thus made has been filled by the Executive Committee in the unanimous election of Rev. Jas. W. Cooper, D.D., New Britain, Conn. Dr. Cooper has kindly consented to serve. He is not a man willing to accept a position as a mere figure-head, and the churches may be assured that the interests of the Association will be faithfully served by him. He is a man of business and executive ability in a marked degree, and we shall welcome his counsel and wisdom in the administration of the Association’s affairs.
The Thomasville (Ga.) Times speaks very commendatorially of the American Missionary Association’s work in Thomasville. It refers with evident pleasure to the erection of our building for the Connecticut Industrial School, and speaks of our missionaries who are now carrying on the school in temporary quarters until the new building is completed, as follows: “These ladies are engaged in a work which commends itself to all classes of our citizens. They will receive, as they should, every encouragement and courtesy at the hands of the people of Thomasville.”
They had a good time at Fisk University, Thanksgiving Day. Sermon by Prof. Bennett in the forenoon, athletic sports on the campus in the afternoon, and a praise meeting in charge of Pres. Cravath in the evening. Dr. Cravath spoke of the university as a family in connection with the thought that family reunions were the characteristic form of observing the Thanksgiving anniversary. Testimony of personal reasons for thankfulness were given both by teachers and students. One was thankful that after having been twelve years in the university he had at length been led to give himself to the Lord; another, a newcomer, that the way had been opened for him to come to Fisk, where he had been received as a child into the family; some for hardships and trials endured, others for what Fisk University had been to them and had done for them. A very fitting and enjoyable observance of the day this was, certainly.
There are 8,000 liquor saloons in the city of New York. Last year they paid for licenses $600,000. This money, strange to say, is divided up among charitable and reform institutions in the city. Saloon keepers pay $600,000 for protection by law, while they carry shame, sorrow and ruin to tens of thousands of their fellow-beings. Surely the American Missionary Association ought to receive the $350,000 asked from the churches, as it tries to carry the Gospel to twelve millions of the most neglected and ignorant of our American population.