Committee to confer with the American Missionary Association—Rev. Drs. J. E. Twichell, G. L. Walker, Lyman Abbott, C. L. Goodell, and A. S. Barnes, Esq.
The Home Missionary.
BUREAU OF WOMAN’S WORK.
Miss D. E. Emerson, Secretary.
FROM OUR LADY MISSIONARY, WILMINGTON, N.C.
MISS A. E. FARRINGTON.
My work the past month has been very encouraging. Mrs. Steele has been with us and special meetings were held among the women and girls. At one of these about 90 were present, and many seemed deeply interested. At the close quite a number rose for prayers and remained for personal conversation. After the meeting that night, which was also quite full, the same girls remained, and several expressed the hope that they had given their hearts to Jesus. Some of them had been very thoughtful for weeks, and seemed to need just the help that these meetings gave to bring them to a decision. A meeting of the boys was also held. The girls begged me to keep on with meetings for them, which I have very gladly done every Monday after school, from twenty to thirty-five coming in. Nine or ten of them hope they have become Christians. Several of them wish to unite with the church at once. They were examined and their friends consulted, and three were propounded for admission, but will not be received until they have had a little time to test their sincerity. Influences have been brought to bear to draw them away from us. They have been told that there is no religion where everything is so quiet, and endeavors have been made to get them into revival meetings which are wild with excitement. Last week some of our teachers went into one of these meetings, where several girls were rolling on the floor, crying and moaning. One lady thought she saw one of her scholars among them, and going to her held out her hand and told her to get up. She obeyed at once, and her teacher led her to a seat, where she talked to her quietly a few moments, telling her that God did not require any such thing as that of her or any one else, that her good conduct in school and elsewhere lately was stronger evidence that she had given her heart to Jesus than anything she saw there. Afterwards she went to another part of the church, where others of her scholars were, quieting them, some going home as soon as they saw her. These lambs of the flock need to be very tenderly guarded, and others seem only waiting to be led along the right way.