7. As the soldiers once took this country, so now the women seem to be taking it over again. In all our chartered institutions, men are at work, affording the masculine quality to the workmanship. But in all these, ladies are employed as teachers in the higher as well as in the primary departments. Many of the normal and high schools are under the exclusive control of ladies. In the earlier conflict their sex was their protection. In all the movement their patience and tact and heroism, and their loving devotement to the good of the people, have secured a crown of success. Our country will never know its debt to these patriotic women.
8. That whatever in politic or personal estate may betide the Freedmen, our business is to keep pegging away at the up-lifting process. Whether for the time their vote is allowed them or not; whether they be ku-kluxed or bush-whacked or bulldozed; whether the South favor this work or not, this one thing we have to do—to go forward patiently, kindly, and strongly in this rudimental work of Christian civilization.
9. That we are not to repress the emotional nature of this people, but to give it a basis of intelligence. This element, which is a beauty and a power in the endowment of man, abounds in the African mind; enriched by culture it may yet add a glory to our civilization. Barnabas Root and Prof. Blyden both argued that we should develop their race according to their idiosyncrasies; and yet the tendency seems to be that as they advance in cultivation they re-act to the more severe and logical style, and so lose somewhat of their power. We ought not to contribute to this result by our training process. Let them sing some of their rich “spirituals.” Give them our hymns and tunes that have an enlivening glow. Be not afraid to appeal to their hearts as well as to their heads. Let them be allowed the Pauline privilege of saying “Amen” to the “giving of thanks.” It is a robbery of this people to bring them down to the intellectual severity of the Puritans. It has been argued that we of the Caucasian blood have weakened ourselves by this ruling down of our emotional sentiments. It was a friend who said at Taunton, that what the Congregationalists needed was consecrated emotion. At the same place it was incorrectly argued that our system was not adapted to the freed people because of their tropical nature. Was it so with the Oriental nature 1,800 years ago?
10. That those who, in this work, during the years past, have gone on in the face of prejudice and ostracism and persecution, have made the way comparatively easy for those of us who join them now.
THE CENTRAL SOUTH CONFERENCE.
The Annual Meeting at Chattanooga, Tenn.
REV. S. S. ASHLEY, ATLANTA.
This body held its annual meeting at Chattanooga, Tenn., on the 15th, 16th and 17th of January, the prevalence of the yellow fever having prevented its session at the regular time in November. Owing to the withdrawal of most of the Alabama and of all the Georgia churches, to form conferences in their respective States, the Conference now consists of the Congregational churches in Mississippi, Tennessee and Northern Alabama, twelve in number. The churches in Mississippi were not represented. Rev. Horace J. Taylor, of Athens, Ga., was chosen Moderator. Each evening of the session was occupied with preaching; Rev. S. S. Ashley, Dr. J. E. Roy and Prof. H. S. Bennett officiating. Papers were read as follows: “On the Diaconate,” by Dr. Roy; on the “Congregational Polity,” the Scriptural authority therefor, and its advantages, by Rev. Temple Cutler of Chattanooga; and interesting discussions were awakened by them. This Conference evidently believes that the time has come to push Congregational church extension in the South. The experience of those who have been long in this field is, that Congregationalism is eminently adapted to the South.
The narratives of the state of religion in the Conference developed several interesting facts concerning Chattanooga. That city was severely smitten by the yellow fever. Through all the autumn, business and meetings were suspended. The citizens had largely fled away, and the place was left to the sick, the dying and the doctors. The Chattanooga church consists of about eighty members; several of them were smitten, but not one died. “The Band of Hope,” a society pledged to abstinence from intoxicating drinks, tobacco and profanity, having between two hundred and three hundred members, lost only two members by the fever. This “Band” was organized by Rev. E. O. Tade some ten years since. Its object is to gather in and hold under strict New Testament temperance principles the youth of both sexes. Some twelve hundred names have been enrolled upon its records. Its power has been felt far and wide. A branch of the mother band has been organized in the city. It may be safely said that through its agency Chattanooga is more free from intemperance than any other Southern city hereabouts. Its elections are less noted for rioting and drunkenness than those of the cities of Georgia. Here is one result of A. M. A. work. Every church should have connected closely with it a kindred organization. The steadiness of this church in Chattanooga is largely owing to the temperance principles of its members, adopted while they were young.