Algiers is situated on the north bank of the Mississippi River, about one hundred miles distant from the Gulf. It is connected with New Orleans by ferry boats, which run every five or ten minutes. There is not much enterprise here, as all the business is done in the city. It is not a separate parish from the city, as one mayor controls the affairs of both places. Beelzebub has his headquarters here, and his court and his orders take the premium. The Sabbath is not respected. Mechanics labor and stevedores flock and flutter about the ships. You will find human beings as thick on the ballroom floor on Sunday as fleas on a dog’s head. And this is only a substitute for the wickedness indulged in here on the Sabbath. But our Church is progressing. We have just had a glorious revival. Our forces were drawn up in line in pitched battle with the devil and artillery of hell. After a heavy conflict for several weeks the battle subsided. When the smoke was over we picked up thirty souls happily converted to God. Bishop Ward was with us about eight weeks ago. He organized a new mission work in this city. He threw two or three bombshells against the forces of Catholicism, crippled, wounded and captured several of their troops, and moved on down the line, leaving the boys to push the battle to the gate.
A. H. NEWTON.
June 21, 1877.
Word from Algiers, La.
For the Christian Recorder.
Mr. Editor: Elder A. H. Newton has charge of the branch of African Methodism of Algiers, La. When Elder Newton arrived in Algiers he found the church in an almost hopeless condition, there being but ten members belonging to the fold, and as far as Sabbath School was concerned, they hardly knew what it meant. The majority of the people of color are Catholics. There are three Catholic churches to one Methodist church, therefore he had to labor under great disadvantages, but with King Jesus as his Captain, the Bible as his shield, he fought the battle bravely and gained the victory. Our church now is in a prosperous condition. We are doing a good work. Instead of ten members we have ten times ten, and they are coming to the fold every day. We have the finest Sabbath School in the State of Louisiana. There are one hundred and seventy-five members, and still they come. Our superintendent, Prof. J. H. Corbin, is alive to our Sabbath School. He is pious, kind and educated. The children all love him, and in no Sunday School throughout our entire connection could you find a better superintendent than he. He is also the principal of the colored school of Algiers. Our musical director, Prof. S. W. Otts, is also one of our bright stars. He makes the walls of Zion ring with melodies from the “Gospel Songs.” Miss O. B. Flowers, the assistant principal of the colored school of this city is also a noble worker in our Sabbath School. As a teacher she is interesting, and she is also the embodiment of Christian forbearance. We have a very intelligent corps of teachers, and, altogether, our school is progressing quite rapidly. When Elder Newton came to Algiers there was not a book in the Sabbath School library, not even a Testament; but with the help of God we have been enabled to get Testaments, Bibles and Catechisms, and we also have an organ. All this has been done in three months. In another three months we have hopes of as much more being accomplished. Our agent for the Christian Recorder is Mrs. Lula L. Newton. She sells as many papers as are sent her, and could sell as many more if she had them. The people take quite an interest in the paper, simply because it is edited and published by our own color.
For the last week we have had a practical effort, six souls have been added to our number and we have prospects of as many more. Algiers bids fair of becoming one of the strongholds of the connection. In the city of New Orleans, Bishop Ward (blessings on his venerable head!) has organized a new mission, which the elder in charge—Elder Cargile—with the help of the Lord and good management, is making a good charge. The people in this city are very wicked, some of them, although in a Christian land and among Christian people, are worse than heathen. They have never read the Bible. The Bishop, knowing this, organized the mission in the most wicked portion of the city, and it is progressing finely.
ADA A. NEWTON.
April 4, 1877.