The Warner Institute, located at Jonesboro, East Tennessee, was formed by the Friends, under the lead of Yardley Warner, for whom it was named. The building, of brick, upon a fine crest in that hill country, was formerly a ladies’ college for white people. Friend Warner having conducted the institute for several years, proposed to transfer it to this Association. This has been done, and the school is yet to carry along the good work begun by the founder. His many friends in this country and in England, who have aided him in the enterprise, may rest assured that the institute will be kept true to its original mission. Mrs. J. B. Nelson, who had formerly been employed by Mr. Warner, has been made principal, with the needed assistants.
The programme for a series of twenty-eight missionary meetings, which our agent for New Hampshire and Vermont had planned to be held in those States in August and September, under the auspices of this Association was carried out, in due time, with great completeness and success, the last of the course being held Sept. 28, afternoon and evening, in Manchester, N.H. The number of sessions, counting those held in different places on the Sabbath, was fifty-one. In almost every case the attendance, especially at the second or evening session, was large and enthusiastic. The addresses were varied, able and interesting. The brief but touching story of Philip Page, who often told in broken English, in a pleasing way, how and why he came to this country, what he had found here, what he is doing, and how he hopes to go back some day and tell his parents and others in Africa what Christ the Lord can do for them, and the address of Rev. Joseph E. Smith, graduate of Atlanta University, now pastor of the First Congregational Church in Chattanooga, were always listened to with much interest. The latter told of his bitter slave life, of his trials and struggles and triumphs, in coming over from bondage into freedom, from the slave pen and the auction block to the school, the college, the pulpit and pastorate; addresses were also made by Prof. Thos. N. Chase of Atlanta, Dr. Woodworth, of Boston, and by Rev. Mr. Grout, who conducted the meetings.
The ready and hospitable welcome with which the speakers and attendants from abroad were uniformly received by the churches visited, the hearty and efficient co-operation of the several pastors and other church officers, and the kindly notices of the meetings given the public, from time to time, by the press of the States and of the localities in which the conventions were held, are reported as very cheering and indicative of a deep interest in our great work.
We give in this number a cut of the church and parsonage at Anniston, Ala., Rev. H. W. Conley, pastor. This is the town of the Woodstock Iron Company, located ten years ago upon the bare red fields. Now it has two iron furnaces, a cotton factory, an immense machine shop, two railroads, a newspaper and a wonderful thrift. At the beginning the company gave the church lot, aided on the church and built the parsonage, helping also in the support of the pastor and teacher. The church and school have been a blessing to the families of the colored operatives of the place. This mission is a beautiful illustration of the work this Association is doing for the colored people South.
BENEFACTIONS.
John Guy Vassar, of Poughkeepsie, has made a gift of $25,000 more to Vassar College.
The Sheffield Scientific School of Yale College has recently received a bequest of $20,000.