Six of our students united with the church by profession June 9th, the last Sabbath of the school-year, making twenty-seven who have joined us since November 1st, besides those who have connected themselves with other churches. After Commencement, May 23d, two more of the graduating-class came out on “the Lord’s side,” so that all but four of the boarding-pupils of that class are hopefully Christian; and one of these four seems now “not far from the kingdom of God.”
An interesting example of what Christian faith and perseverance may accomplish, is that of a colored brother connected with our printing-office. About a year since, he proposed starting a Sabbath-school in a destitute neighborhood, but was told that it would be of no use. He determined to try. Beginning with three pupils, the number has constantly increased, until now he has a school of more than eighty deeply-interested members. We need many such laborers in these harvest-fields.
NORTH CAROLINA.
The Church—Contrasts and Progress—Two Prayers.
REV. D. D. DODGE, WILMINGTON.
Our church-work is distinct from the school, the latter being not in any sense sectarian. We think we see marked improvement in the character of those who have been longest members of the church. They seem to hunger for truth for the purpose of living it, and their progress is, of course, steady and rapid. We are often thrilled by the rich experience as manifested by unconscious expressions in the prayer-meetings. We have received six new members during the year:
It may be well to hear what impression is made upon a new comer, so I quote from one of our teachers who has been with us only a year.
“To hear of the degradation of the colored people of the South is to know but little of it, for ‘the half can ne’er be told.’ It is humiliating to think that in our own beloved land there exists so much of barbarism and heathenish superstition. This is realized by looking at the homes and home-life of the poor people, but much more by noticing their form of religion.
“I had visited lowly cots and abodes of poverty, seeming devoid of even the bare necessaries of life. Sometimes, in one small house several families huddled together, the little ones swarming in the yard like bees from the hive on a sunny day. I had seen poor sewing women trying to earn a bare subsistence—trying to keep by that little weapon, the needle, the wolf from the door. And I had thought what must life be worth to such suffering ones? And yet the degradation of this poor people never came to me with such force as when, for the first time, I entered a colored church, and witnessed scenes such as I had heard of, but never could realize without seeing.