I came to the place where the people wanted a Sunday-school. They were ready for it, with a rude building erected by the people themselves, and waiting for me to begin work, and I have promised to organize a Sunday-school on the second Sunday of next month. A young married woman, the wife of a well-to-do farmer, and a former student in the Ballard School, has promised to superintend it. She expects at least fifty scholars, many of them her day pupils. I have given her singing books and shall send to Boston for Sunday-school supplies. There is reason to believe that we can some day organize a church in that place. I preached in the new building last night and at the close of the service nearly twenty-five bowed for prayers and asked for mercy. It was really affecting and I only regretted that I could not remain and continue the work which begins in so promising a manner. I have not the time to describe in detail the work done on this trip. All along the road for nearly forty miles people stopped me and I them to talk about the love of God for man and the gift of his dear son as their Saviour and Redeemer. My heart burns with a desire to do them good and I am so happy in helping them see the truth as it is revealed in the Bible. There are hundreds of colored people in that county who have no proper religious instruction. They come from far and near whenever I go into that region, and seem to be blessed in listening to the word of God. I am constantly, from a half-dozen different counties, hearing the Macedonian cry: "Come over and help us." I wish you could go with me and see these golden opportunities. If our churches saw the needs and the openings for doing good, they would increase many fold their offerings to this work.
Encouraging Indications.
I can see a manifestation of real earnestness on the part of a larger proportion of the members of our church than at any time before since I have been here. While none of our meetings are attended so well as they should be, at the same time they are spiritual. And now, as we are getting our minds and hearts ready for some extra meetings, our prayer meetings are full of tenderness and sweetness. Last Thursday night, though it was raining at the meeting hour, a goodly number came out and the blessed Lord was with us. Our subject was "The Christian dignity of labor." It seemed to be a new truth when they could see from his own word that Jesus was interested in our daily work, John 21: 3-6. One faithful sister who is trying to educate and provide for six children was very much helped by the fact that Jesus would guide her if she was only willing to follow his direction. The prayer meeting is the life of the church.
I spent two days with Brother S—— at B—— last month, in some extra meetings. The meetings were quite well attended; a goodly number of white people were with us at almost every meeting. The Methodist minister of the town was present and offered prayer. He expressed himself as highly pleased with the sermon and hoped that we might do much good in the name of the Lord. I find the very best of feeling towards our church there on the part of the white people. I hope the church will do well and grow in numbers and influence.
JACKSON ST. CHURCH, NASHVILLE, TENN.—Yesterday was a red-letter day for Jackson Street Church. It was communion day. Two were baptized and admitted to the church. Our congregation numbered more than one hundred, the largest audience we have yet had. It was also the day for special collection. We collected thirteen dollars. This was done by means of the envelope system without any blast of bugle. There were eleven conversions in the Sunday-school recently.
HOWARD CHAPEL, NASHVILLE, TENN.—Our attendance this month has never fallen below forty-five. One of the established churches of the city with a membership five times as large as ours has an average of ten to its prayer meetings. We have fifteen or twenty. We have also organized a Y.P.S.C.E. and a Bible class. It is the purpose of this class to study Biblical biographies. We have studied so far the lives of Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Esther, Ruth and David. It would do your heart good to see with what enthusiasm the young people have entered upon this study and how they master even the minutest details. I have every hope in the world for Howard Chapel.
SAVANNAH, GA.—Some years ago our flock was the smallest, now we have the largest Sunday-school and congregation. The history of this church is wonderful. God has been merciful towards it. Some who were our strongest enemies years ago are now our best workers. I have a plan for next winter, to open a night school and draw the young people from sin and Satan to our blessed Lord. July the 18th, Brother L. and myself went to Porter's and made a start on our meeting house. The man who gave the land cut down trees, Brother L. dug holes and we planted the posts. Brother L. went back and bought five hundred feet of lumber, and with God's help we intend to take the train some day and finish our humble place of worship.
NORTH ATHENS, TENN.—The church members gather with the children every Friday afternoon to teach both boys and girls various kinds of work. Capitalists and speculators are searching among the mountains for coal, iron and timber. Why should not the Christian church search out the poor mountaineers and bring them to Christ. Most of them were loyal to the country. Slavery has for several generations denied them the advantages of education. God has opened the door and bids us go in with the Bible and the spelling-book to give to two millions of these people in our own country a better culture, a purer Gospel. There are vast stores of wealth in these mountains, but nothing of such value as the souls of this people.