SOUTH CAROLINA.
Plymouth Church—Home and Sunday-School Work—Avery Institute—Social Recognition.
REV. TEMPLE CUTLER, CHARLESTON.
We came here from Chattanooga about the first of March. We have not had time to do much more than to look about us and take the lay of the land. There seems to be no reason why we may not build up, in this city, a strong church upon the true foundation of the Apostles. The church here (Plymouth) is largely an offshoot from the old Circular, Independent, or Congregational church, one of the oldest in this city. In an old plan of the city, giving the location of the principal buildings in 1704, the White Meeting House occupies a conspicuous position, and probably gave its name to the street on which it stood, which is now the principal street. This church was established by Presbyterians, Congregationalists and French Protestant refugees. It afterwards passed into the hands of Congregationalists, and then suffered, as many of our Congregational churches did, by a division, a part forming themselves into a Unitarian congregation. Not far from 120 members from this old Independent church have joined Plymouth church since its organization. We do not have to contend, therefore, with the prejudice against a new form of government and worship, as we do in some parts of the South. Besides this, there are Presbyterian churches among the colored people here whose mode of worship is so like ours that the people have been educated into sympathy with our government and worship. Notwithstanding all this, from one cause and another, Plymouth church has had a stormy life, and is now struggling for existence. What will be the outcome of our effort it is not best to predict; only this: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” I remember a Christian worker once made the remark, that “If we have God on our side, we are in the majority, let who will be on the other.” This is the encouragement we have. If we can succeed in getting the membership decidedly and firmly on the Lord’s side, the end is secured. But the obstacles and hindrances are not few. What we need, and what alone can save us, is a baptism of power from on high. Some of our good friends at the North are in mortal fear of the doctrine of a higher Christian life. If they will come down here, we will show them some of the phases of the lower Christian life, until they will be willing to accept anything that will tend to make Christians holy and love one another. I don’t propose to say much about the church at present, only this: that we need greatly a revival of pure religion.
Miss Wells, our missionary, is getting into the homes of the people, and we already see the good results of her work. She has organized a Sunday-school in the out-skirts of the city, at which she has secured many more promises than attendants. Still she is working on, and will eventually succeed in her enterprise. The readiness of the colored people to promise is wonderful, but the fulfilment is exceedingly doubtful. If you question their fulfilling their pledge, they reply, “Oh, yes, Missus, we coming shuah; you may look for we.” Sure enough we do look, but seldom find. Our home Sunday-school is increasing in efficiency and numbers, and we hope before long to report a prosperous condition.
Avery Institute is one of the finest schools in the South; I don’t know as there is a superior to it anywhere. A gentleman in the city was speaking of the receptivity of the colored children in comparison with the whites, to the disparagement of the former, when another gentleman, prominent in democratic politics, said there was no disparagement on that side. “You just go over to that Avery school, and hear the examinations, and listen to their literary exercises; why, it is glorious, perfectly wonderful—magnificent!” This is not undeserved praise. Every visitor expresses himself highly pleased with the appearance of the school. Prof. Farnham deserves the praise which he receives for the high character of his school. After the anniversary exercises, just before Easter, the students and graduates of the school presented Avery with a beautiful flag of blue bunting with a palmetto in white worked in the centre, and Avery Institute in large letters above and below. It is the first time the flag of the State was ever presented to a school supported by Northern philanthropists for the benefit of the colored people.
I would say in regard to social recognition, that the principal objection to us workers here is, that we are Northerners. I do not think any class regards it such a terrible disgrace to do something for the elevation of the negroes. Charleston is far in advance of other cities of the South in this respect. It is the only city that I have seen where a real Christian conception, or rather perception, of duty seems to be felt. The city has built some of its finest school buildings for the colored children; in one of which there are 25 white teachers, all Southern born. In another school, under the care of Rev. Mr. Adams, a colored man, as principal, there are three or four white ladies from some of the most respected families in the South. Several of the colored churches are ministered to by white men. In antebellum days, Dr. Jeredeaux (Presbyterian) had a church of colored people, where the whites had to take the gallery, while the blacks held the pews below. The building was one of the largest in the city and used to be thronged. Since he left, his congregation has become a good deal scattered. He had a singular power over his people. He thought as much of his “niggers” as he did of his white congregation, if not more. He would not let any man preach to his colored church. He was pastor of a white church at the same time, and many of his white congregation would go to hear him at Zion church, but they had to take the gallery. I do not mean to say, by any means, that every thing is pleasant and sweet between the two races, but there are things to commend. The things to be condemned, we hope, will soon pass away, and we shall not have to think of some things which we leave unsaid. It is certainly pleasant to labor in a community where you are not constantly reminded that you are despised by Christian people, and some of them from the North, too, because you are doing what your conscience and every sentiment of our holy religion commends. If anything will stir up all the depths of righteous indignation, and sorely tempt one to go a little over the bounds of the term righteous, it is to be brought in contact with that phase of Christianity which prevails almost universally in the South; and the fact that letters are not filled with burning words of scathing criticism of this spirit, is a standing proof that our workers exercise the largest spirit of charity. And they are right. We are not here to seek the applause of men, and I presume it is altogether better for us and the people among whom we labor, that the white people do not welcome us to this field. I can easily see the snare that popular favor would be to us. I have long since come to the conclusion that God knows best how to have His work accomplished. If some misconstrue our motives in coming into this work, it is no more than the men in Christ’s day did in regard to his motive. It is sufficient if the servant be as his Lord. Oh, for grace, grace, grace, to do our Master’s will.