From this College, Georgia is sending out missionaries for the amelioration of a large class of her citizens. Who can doubt the wisdom of continuing the appropriation?
ALABAMA.
Church, School, and Brick-making.
MISS M. F. WELLS, ATHENS.
I reached Athens on Saturday, Oct. 2d, found very little advance on the brick-yard, the kiln of 118,000 being completed but not burned, everybody discouraged, young people and children scattered to the cotton fields, trying to earn enough money to buy their winter shoes. Of course words of cheer and encouragement in view of the great work (for them the making of 200,000 brick is a great work, however small it may seem to those who do not know their poverty, and the great sacrifice this has cost them) already accomplished, made their heavy hearts lighter, and in the three weeks since Oct. 1st a great change has come over the aspect of things.
Men and boys are in the woods cutting wood to burn the kiln made this season; women and girls are contributing their dimes, nickels, half dollars and dollars to raise a fund to haul the wood, and the prospect is that the brick will be burned before Christmas. But you will not wonder that down in my secret soul there is sometimes almost a moan. How long, O Lord, how long before the completion of the school-house?
During the summer the church has kept up the public worship once a day; a Cumberland Presbyterian Minister (colored) has generally preached. When he was not well enough to preach a prayer meeting was held.
The Sunday-school has been pretty well attended, and is now very enthusiastic. We are going over a short course of Bible History and Chronology, in addition to the regular lessons of the International course. We are to have an examination for promotions at Christmas and all are striving to complete the course. Our prayer meetings are increasing in interest and numbers, but we need a minister, indeed we must have one.
Two delegates have been appointed by the church to attend the Conference at Memphis. It would be a pleasure to me, as one of the appointees, to represent the church at that meeting, but there seems no possibility of my going, as the school is filling up rapidly, and the wood-cutters have to be provided with dinner, and it requires eternal vigilance to look after all the interests in such a way as to keep the “ark a moverin.” I should have written sooner, but every day has brought some unexpected emergency—so mixing church and school and brick-making, that no line of thought or action was marked with sufficient distinctness to express itself on paper. But now, things are more settled, all the interests seem harmonized, and the chaos has given place to order. We are all happy and busy day and night, bright faces and glad, earnest spirits inspire hope in the teacher’s heart, and give vigor to every effort to move forward.