Dr. Alex. McKenzie, of Cambridge, Mass., preached the Annual Sermon, his text being Ex. ii.:9—“Take this child away and nurse it for me.” The thought elaborated with great force and beauty was the claim of the child, the African race, upon the King’s daughter, the Church of God.
Wednesday morning the prayer meeting was led by Rev. R. B. Howard, of Massachusetts. Part of the morning was devoted to presentations of missionary work outside of the special limits of the Association. A paper, valuable for its clearness and comprehensiveness, on “Recent Progress of Protestant Missions,” was read by Mr. H. K. Carroll, one of the editors of the Independent, in whose care is their excellent missionary column. Mr. Eugene Reveillaud then addressed the Association, through Rev. Mr. Dodds, who acted as his interpreter, on the recent remarkable religious movements in France. Mr. Dodds and Rev. L. W. Bacon spoke briefly on the same subject.
The Committees to which had been assigned the various departments of the work as represented in the official papers, then in order reported, and addresses were made on the subjects of which they treated.
1. The church work. The report was presented by Prof. Wm. J. Tucker, D. D., of Andover Theological Seminary, and was sustained by him in an able and suggestive address, showing the kind of religion needed by the negro and the progress already made. Dr. Roy followed with a statement of the disadvantages under which this department of our work was compelled to labor, and, on the other hand, of the favorable circumstances by which it was assisted.
2. The Indian report was read by Rev. A. H. Bradford, of New Jersey, after which General Armstrong spoke of the educational experiment at Hampton, its success and its needs. A company of the Indian pupils on their way from their summer homes in Berkshire County, Mass., added, by their presence on the platform and by simple exercises, to the impressiveness of the plea. Mr. Bradford sustained the report made by him in a forcible address, showing the evils of the treaty and reservation systems, and the need of still further reform in our civil service.
3. The educational work (South) was reported on Wednesday evening by Rev. Addison P. Foster, of New Jersey, Chairman of the Committee. Dr. Wm. M. Taylor, of New York, followed with a strong plea. Its leading illustration was drawn from the feeding of the five thousand; when the disciples came to the Master and said, “Send the multitudes away;” to whom he replied, “They need not depart, give ye them to eat.” Mr. Foster also sustained the report read by him. He demonstrated the greatness of the need and the religious character of the education demanded and sought to be supplied by our schools.
Thursday morning, after the prayer meeting, which was led by Rev. F. Williams of Connecticut, Rev. H. S. De Forest, President of Talladega College, spoke in continuation of the discussion of the report on education, setting forth the wants of Alabama and the condition and needs of Talladega. Rev. Wm. E. Brooks, just elected to the Presidency of Tillotson Institute, in Texas, gave his creed in regard to the work before him, in a brief address full of animation and hopefulness. He was followed by Professor Fairchild, of Berea College, who spoke of the influence of that Institution in doing away the prejudices of the whole community in which it was located. Dr. I. P. Warren, of Maine, also spoke briefly. District Secretary Powell, of Chicago, closed the discussion of this largest department of the work of the Association.
4. The African Missions were reported on by Rev H. M. Ladd, of Walton, New York, who followed the report with a brief address. Professor T. N. Chase, of Atlanta, Georgia, who recently has returned from a visit of inspection to the Mendi Mission, gave an account of the field, of the location of the mission, with its drawbacks and hopeful signs frankly and fully contrasted. Rev. Lewis Grant followed briefly. Dr. Patton also spoke on this topic.