ITEMS FROM THE FIELD.
McIntosh, Ga.—Miss Parmelee, from Memphis, after visiting some of her old pupils at Andersonville, writes: “It is easy to forget any hardship connected with those pioneer days in visiting these Christian homes of former pupils, and the homes that have been blessed through them. One woman was telling me of this and that neighborhood where schools and church meetings had been held, and, with a gratitude that was genuine, exclaimed: ‘There’s many a light been started in this dark place, and it all dates back to Andersonville.’ I could but feel, and afterwards say: ‘No, it all dates back through John Wycliffe to Calvary.’ I have been deeply impressed during these past few days with a sense of the power of grace. I never had great expectations of any of these friends. Their honest, kindly, God-fearing lives are all that I expected, and more than I feared. Remembering their former low estate, I am filled with a sense of relief and gratitude at finding them so trusty and good. Friday morn: just there came a call to go and see a sick woman; returning from the two-mile ride, I found forty women waiting for me. I talked to them for half an hour and then answered questions for nearly an hour. Several come in every day to listen to the school talks.”
Childersburg, Ala.—“We are going on in the work of the Lord. We have a good lively Sabbath-school every Sabbath, and all seem to enjoy the lesson. All are Christians but six, and I hope to gain those for the Lord. We are going on in peace as pastor and people. We did not pay all we owed on our church farm last year, but we will pay all of it this year, and then we will give $25 or $30 every year to carry other work on. My members want to give as much as any one else to the work. I hope they will. I have put my horse on the church farm to work. Bro. Y. gives his entire attention to the farm, and he rents more land to make out a full two-horse crop. He has planted all his corn, and the most of his cotton land is bedded up, and I think he is doing well. One of my best members last year went to Long View, Ala., and since he has been there he has got up a meeting-house and wants me to come and preach once a month.”
Cypress Slash, Liberty Co., Ga.—The Cypress Slash church was dedicated the 10th of April. An audience of 150 was comfortably seated in the new church. A brief sketch of the history and formation of the church was given, going back to the time when the first public meeting was held in the public road. The church is now in a growing condition, and the church building is completed except the ceiling.
Little Rock, Ark.—On the Sabbath, April 24th, by a Council, Rev. B. F. Foster was ordained as pastor of the new church of this city, which has now come on to a membership of 69, and which has purchased a lot for $400, one half of which has already been paid. Supt. Roy, Rev. J. W. Roberts, of Paris, Texas, and Rev. L. A. Roberts, of Memphis, led in the services of the sermon, charge, right hand, and address. It was a great day for the new enterprise. Two other sermons were preached by the young men. On the evening of the 25th, Mr. Foster was married by his two young brethren to Miss Helena Duff, a graduate of Talladega College.
At the annual meeting of the New Orleans Sunday-school Association, held April 4th in the Y. M. C. A. Hall, the lesson of the next Sunday, upon the good Samaritan, was the subject of the three addresses made. George W. Cable, the author, a member of Dr. Palmer’s church, spoke from manuscript upon the point: “Who is my neighbor?” After giving the question the old antislavery interpretation he found the wounded man as an amalgam of Chinese, Indian and Negro, and a Roman Catholic; and his suggestion was that we should not put that man up in the gallery of the church, nor make him wait for the communion till after we had been served. The hits made a few persons wince, as was apparent in the assembly; but they were honestly delivered and will do good. They are a finger indication of the working of the Southern Christian mind. I noticed that Prof. McPherron, of the Straight University, had been selected to act as precentor to lead the singing of the occasion, being a prominent and greatly respected member of the Philharmonic Society of the city. Dr. Alexander, who is an officer of the city S. S. Association, was called upon to offer prayer. Nor is it an evidence that these men have fallen from grace that by their patient waiting they are thus winning honorable recognition among the best people of the city.
L. E. R.