THE SOUTH.
NOTES IN THE SADDLE
BY FIELD-SUPERINTENDENT C.J. RYDER.
I write these notes under the shadow of the great affliction that has fallen upon the A.M.A. in the death of Dr. Powell. Although he was at the head of another department of A.M.A. work, we always knew that we had in him a kind and thoughtful friend, and one who would cordially co-operate with the other officers in their far-reaching plans for the development of the work, even though it added to his cares and burdens in gathering the funds necessary to carry out these plans. We who have our work and responsibilities in the field, no less than those who were in the office with Dr. Powell, would bear our tribute of love, and scatter the blossoms of holy memories upon this new-made grave.
Two State Associations of unusual interest were held during the month of November. The Central South Association met with the Trinity Church, in Athens, Ala., Nov. 3d. This Association includes the churches of Tennessee and two or three of those in Alabama. The reports from the churches were very complete. Only one church in the Association was without regular ministerial services, and that church had recently lost its pastor by death. They are now supplied by a competent and faithful minister. The temperance question was discussed with great enthusiasm. The influence of Fisk University on the right side, during the recent prohibition battle in Tennessee, can scarcely be over-estimated. Many expressed the judgment that the argument of the Southern whites, that the colored people defeated prohibition, was not true. One pastor reported that his county went almost solidly against prohibition, and there was only one colored man in the county, so far as he knew, and he was a staunch prohibitionist. Some argued that while so many churches and Women's Christian Temperance Unions and Young Men's Christian Associations shut out respectable colored people, and saloons welcomed those who were not respectable, it would be a difficult task for the better class to induce the more ignorant to vote against those who welcomed them and in favor of those who shut them out. Is there not considerable force in their arguments?
A young colored man, who had been a preacher in one of the old churches of the South and had become disgusted with its ignorance, superstition and immorality, presented his credentials and applied for admission into the Congregational Association of the State. This action of his is a straw which shows which way the wind of religious thought blows among the intelligent colored people of the South. The weather-vane points toward Congregationalism. An aged pastor, who had endured ostracism and violence in New York State in the early times, on account of his anti-slavery opinions, was present during the meetings of the Association, and added greatly to their interest. It was a thrilling sight to him to look upon these colored brethren during their earnest and often eloquent discussions, and to remember how much he had suffered in their behalf in other days. Trinity School opened its doors wide and offered generous hospitality to the pastors and delegates. On the whole, it was one of the best meetings the Association has ever enjoyed.
The Congregational Association of the State of Georgia met with the church at Macon, November 9th-14th. The church and its new pastor, a son of Connecticut, did their utmost to make the meetings pleasant and helpful. The band of earnest Christian teachers of Lewis Normal Institute, the A.M.A. school at Macon, joined hands with the church and pastor in helping to make the sessions of the Association profitable. Here, too, as in the Central South Association, the temperance question held a prominent place in the discussions. There was not a member of the Association but was heartily in favor of prohibition. The Atlanta campaign was on in all its heat and passion, and beseeching requests were made by the delegates from that city that prayer might be offered for them as they passed through the heat of this battle against legalizing crime. Almost every church in the Association was represented in this meeting and one new church applied for admission. This church stands near the old prison pen of Andersonville and so the blood of the martyrs proves the seed of the church, whether they wear the monk's cowl of a Huss or the ragged blue of our country. The church at Charleston, S.C., reported two missions just established in the destitute parts of that city. All the churches in this Association assisted by the A.M.A. are struggling towards self-support under helpful pressure from that Society. I am glad to report that the church at Savannah has taken upon itself the support of its pastor and local expenses for the next year. The churches in this Association, although poor and often in serious financial straits themselves, showed their appreciation of other lines of Christian work by passing the following resolution:
Resolved, That in view of the financial embarrassments of the Home Missionary Society, the pastors of the churches urge upon their people the duty of taking up a collection for the benefit of that Society.
As illustrating the need of intelligent and decent church services in the South, I record the following facts, which were related to me by those who knew of them personally. A colored preacher of the "old-time" sort preached on the Judgment Day. He held the meeting from evening till well into the night. He arranged with a worthless fellow to hide himself in the woods just outside the church, with a tremendously big dinner-horn, with instructions to blow upon it at a certain signal. At the awful hour of midnight, when, by entreaty and appeal and frightful figures of speech, the preacher had worked the people up into a frenzy of excitement and terror, he exclaimed, "Listen, I reckon I hear Gabriel getting ready to blow now. De last day am on us, de judgment am right here, whar you sinners now? Listen." And with bated breath they listened. Just then there came a fearful blast on the stillness of the midnight air, and the scene that followed can better be imagined than described. Helter-skelter over the benches and over each other, the terrified people scrambled for the mourners' bench. The preacher boastfully told afterward, that "dar want scarsely one sinner but what wah effected."
The quiet forms of worship in our Congregational churches, and the intelligent preaching of the A.M.A. ministers, are fast bringing about a state of things which will drive out such church circuses, with their ministerial clowns. God speed the day!
During a considerable portion of the last month I have been "riding double," as our honored Secretary, Dr. Beard, has been in the saddle with me. His knowledge of the field, gained through these frequent personal visits, is of great advantage to the work and highly appreciated by the workers. We jogged together over many miles of country, comparing notes, discussing plans and expressing our mutual surprise at the wonderful and far-reaching work which is being accomplished, and the prophetic glories of the future.
An account of the mountain campaign, through which Secretary Beard went with me, will be the subject of future notes.
The following churches have been organized in our Southern field during the past few weeks:
Deer Lodge Congregational Church, Deer Lodge, Tenn., organized Nov. 16, 1887, with thirteen members; Calvary Congregational Church, Pine Mountain, Tenn., organized Nov. 26, 1887, with thirteen members; Second Congregational Church, Decatur, Ala., organized Nov. 30, 1887, with fifteen members.