“Prizes were distributed by the Rev. Mr. Patton and the Rev. Mr. Dunton, and diplomas were presented by Prof. Chase, of Atlanta.
“The 4th was ‘Alumni Day,’ and, despite all the attractions at the Battery, the hall was well filled. The exercises consisted of addresses, essays, recitations and songs, all by members of the class. ‘Independence Day’ afforded some stimulus to the occasion, and called forth some of the sentiments and feelings of the emancipated race, but revealed no sign of bitterness or malice. The orderly conduct, dignified demeanor, literary merit and good elocution of the day, evinced that ‘Avery’s children’ are an honor to their foster parent, the American Missionary Association, and to their native State and city. Two or three hours spent in discussing ‘viands that tickle the palate’ and in social converse, reviving memories of past school-day life, terminated the three days of closing exercises at Avery Normal Institute.
“The teachers and pupils were gratified by the presence of some of the well-known and respectable residents of the city.”
GEORGIA.
Ogeechee—Changes for the Better—Saving Souls and Saving Money.
REV. JOHN R. MCLEAN, PASTOR.
We have a good Sunday-school. It is not so large as it might be; but the children, and all who attend, are getting thoughts of the Bible that they can get nowhere else around here. And it is making a great change with the old people, as well as with the children. The other schools hold the children by giving them cake and candy; I hold them by giving them Bible truth. I find that it has more power over them for good than all the cake and candy that can be given them. The children act better on the Sabbath than they did when I first came here. I can see a great change.
The church is doing, I think, quite well. It takes a steady, but slow, patient and faithful work, to lead a people out who are so far in the dark as these have been. I can see a manifest desire on the part of the members to do better than they have been doing, and even better than the members of other churches.