The American Missionary. Volume 42, No. 08, August, 1888

*CLOSING EXERCISES AT TILLOTSON.*

Of the six chartered institutions of the A.M.A., Fisk, Atlanta, Talladega, Tougaloo, Straight and Tillotson, the last is the youngest, the most remote and the most deprived of Northern aid and sympathy. In plan and aim its work is identical with theirs; in quantity its work is less, because, in part, it has less resources, but in quality we believe our closing exercises would show our work at least not inferior to some of the others.

Our examinations occupied the whole of Friday and extended through Monday and Tuesday forenoons. The questionings through which the students passed were not only creditable to them and their instructors, but satisfactory to visiting teachers and others invited to join in testing their knowledge of the studies pursued. The exhibition of the sewing and the practice of the calisthenic class attracted special attention.

On Saturday, May 26, came Tillotson Day, designed, like Alumni Associations, to foster in the minds of present and past students, not only a love of the institution, but of the great work of educating and uplifting the colored people. Last year the day was inaugurated with a programme a little more extended than that of this year. Among other speakers then Miss M.J. Adams, our first matron and now our special missionary, gave reminiscences and a gracefully written narrative of the opening of the school in January, 1881. Mrs. Judge Garland read a valuable paper on the work done by Tillotson in connection with her own school in another part of the city. In '81 she sent her older classes up to the Institute. The next year her large school outside was considered a part of us and so counted in the catalogue. In '83 she joined our teaching force, naturally attracting many of her old pupils within our walls. In '84 and '85 she took other work, but neither herself nor Judge Garland has lost interest in the welfare of the Institute.

This year the Rev. Dr. Wright, our only trustee in Austin, gave us an excellent address, concluding with extracts from Mr. Tillotson's letters and a very interesting account of the procuring of the site on which our building now stands, generally thought to be the finest and most conspicuous in the city. After this came a few words from one of the Faculty, and four short speeches from as many representatives of the students, after which came refreshments and a social time on the grounds.

On Sunday morning the president preached before the students the closing sermon of the year. On Tuesday evening the annual concert and exhibition was given to a full house and an enthusiastic audience. The commencement exercises of Wednesday, consisting of essays, original orations and musical pieces, not only brought out the ability and attainments of the students, but seemed to impress patrons, friends and visitors present, with the quality of the work done and the standard maintained at Tillotson.

In spite of some disappointment caused by the great severity of last year's drought, our numbers have somewhat increased and the year has been a good one.

Never has the work of Christian education, in which the A.M.A. is engaged, seemed so absolutely necessary as at this hour in uplifting the people and purifying the churches.

H.L.H.

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THE INDIANS

We are in the midst of the closing exercises of school for the year past. Some three or four hundred Indians, chiefly relatives of pupils, are now encamped about us. These have come some as far as ninety miles, and some few a hundred and twenty-five miles, to attend the exercises and take their children home.

T.L. RIGGS, OAHE, DAK.

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SEWING WOMEN AT FORT BERTHOLD

To one coming in sight of the Berthold Mission, curiosity would be aroused by the sight of blanketed forms, two or three together, not walking side by side, but gliding along, one after another, with rapid steps toward the mission-house.

It is the afternoon of the Women's Sewing Meeting, and, although it does not begin until two o'clock, by one the room is generally full—yes, crowded, so that, in passing around among them, one has to stumble quite often over feet which have no place of retreat. We do not pretend to offer chairs to all. The floor holds as many without chairs as with, even tables and wood-box do not remain empty, but perched on each are the blanketed forms, from many of which the blankets have not fallen, at least not more than to show the face or head. Here the women sit patiently.

After sewing about two hours, the thimbles and needles are gathered up, the names taken, or something to designate each one, and each one's desires discovered: tea, sugar, or coffee, for this is a strong point where these women show their heathenism.

Some portion of God's truth and some help to a better life is then given to them in Gros Ventres and Ree; prayer offered, and they receive their little bag or package of tea, coffee or sugar. It has been a busy afternoon, and we are all tired, but it pays, O, how it pays, a thousand times over!

AN INDIAN CHURCH SOCIABLE

Do Indians have sociables? Indians like to visit, and they do enjoy a good supper. With these two qualifications, what else is necessary for a sociable? Some women to do the work. The women of the Women's Native Missionary Society, of Yankton Agency, are not lazy, nor are they slow in devising ways and means of making money; therefore, on the evening of Feb. 22, they had a sociable and charged 25 cents for supper. The cooking was done at the homes of Mrs. Brazeau, Mrs. Aungie, and Mrs. Williamson. The provisions were donated by the members of the society. A number of the women gave chickens, others flour, coffee, ham, potatoes, canned fruit, sugar, and some gave money with which to buy whatever was needed. Each one that gave something had her supper free. The moving of the printing office furniture to Santee left a large empty room; and as this room joins the school-room, it was a very convenient place in which to have the supper. A barrel of water was hauled; a woman hired to scrub the floor, and table and table-cloths were borrowed. The trader very obligingly lent dishes out of his store. Janet, Gertie and Esther were busy all the afternoon setting tables, and getting ready for the evening's reception. Towards evening the provisions came. Each woman was then to take her place—one to cut meat, one to cut pie and cake, another to wash dishes, and others to wait on the tables. Angie Cordier and Janet Strieker, who have been away to school, were quite expert in waiting on tables, and some of the young gentlemen who have been away were quite expert in calling for this and that. But none could equal the old man who had never spent a day of his life in school. This old man had borrowed 50 cents to take himself and friend to supper. He ate all that was given him, then called for potatoes. His plate was filled again and again with potatoes—and still he called for potatoes.

During the afternoon two young braves are riding around on their ponies. They halt before the windows. At last they gather up enough courage to ask if they can have supper and pay for it in the future. They have no money now, but are going to work and get some money, then they will pay. "No. We do not sell on credit." Soon after dark, the school-room began to fill up with women and their babies. A man comes with his little girl and mother-in-law, and borrows 50 cents to pay for the supper. He would also have brought his wife, but she could not leave home. Some eat their supper and leave. Others are sitting in the school-room looking at pictures and talking a very little, but it is rather stiff. The door opens and in walk the Doctor and Agency Clerk. No more stiffness after this. Those would be hard hearts indeed that would not thaw in the presence of these genial countenances. Other white people come. The Captain with his family take supper. He also brings in some of the outsiders who are looking in at the windows, and pays for their suppers. The Issue Clerk is quick to see the day-school children, who are peeping in at the window, and calls them in to give them their suppers. The ladies from the Government Boarding School come, bringing some of the larger children with them. These boys and girls, however, have earned money and pay for their own supper.

A lady from the store building passes around some tiny round blocks. "What is it, candy?" "No. Put it in your mouth," "Gum! Do you chew gum?" "No, but a gentleman who was visiting us a short time since left us a supply as his parting gift."

When the fire is stirred with a long stick, one gentleman remarks that he admires that poker very much. A few days afterwards a handsome new iron poker comes to the school-room. The whole school give a vote of thanks to the donor of the poker.

During the evening there is music and reading of selections. Talking can be taken part in by all, and laughing is done in a common language. Whether the name of it is English or Vernacular, we do not know. The evening passes all too quickly, and one by one they depart to their homes. The money is counted, $21.50 cleared. The women feel that their supper has been a success. The last one but the school-teacher has left. There is something sublimely grand in being alone at midnight in a house that was only a short time before full of life and mirth. One has a desire to sit and look on the moonlight and dream. But it is more practical to straighten up the school-room and go home.

FROM THE WORD CARRIER.

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THE CHINESE

*ITEMS.*

1. The item of greatest importance to us is the establishment of a mission at Los Angeles. The A.M.A. was first on this field, having had a prosperous and useful mission school there, more than fourteen years ago. But early in 1876 Rev. Ira M. Condit, a missionary returned from China, well versed in the Chinese language, went with his family to that city to open a mission under the Presbyterian Board. In the belief that, with such advantages, better work could be done by them than by us, we transferred our mission to them, pupils, teacher and all. I have seen much reason since to doubt the wisdom of this step, and to feel that I should never repeat it. But the open doors have been too numerous, and the pressure from points where there seemed to be none to care for these souls, has been too great, for me to think of using any of our limited resources for the purpose of crowding in where brethren of another name were working. And it is only because the city has now become so large, and the Chinese population in it covers so great an area, and the number of our own brethren there is so considerable, and their appeal for a mission so urgent, and their assurance so full that it could not now be a rival to other missions, but rather a welcome co-worker with them, that I consented to resume. The result is gratifying indeed. No less than seventy-five were enrolled as pupils the first month. An Association of Christian Chinese has been formed, having already a large membership, and the purpose and promise of vigorous Christian work. The teacher in charge of the mission is Mrs. C.A. Sheldon, long connected with our work in San Francisco, and than whom no teacher ever employed by us endeared herself more to her pupils or wrought more successfully on their behalf. We have reason to believe that from the start the evangelistic spirit will be strong in this mission, and I look to see many turning from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

2. The next item of greatest interest relates to our new mission at Tucson, Arizona. It closed its operations for this fiscal year with the month of May, not because of any decrease of interest, but for the reason that the extreme heat of the summer months at that place forbids exertion, and compels alike in things religious and things secular, a long vacation. Here, too, an "Association" has been formed of eleven members, who in joining it, forsake idolatry and profess themselves followers of Christ. The work has been greatly furthered through the deep interest taken in it by the pastor, Rev. H.H. Cole, and many members of his church. Yong Jin, one of our evangelists, has spent nearly two months with this mission, and I give in his own language an account of the closing exercises: "Last evening we had a pleasant time, and invited all of the Sunday-school teachers and some other friends to come to the school-room with us. It has over forty Americans and over twenty Chinese, make the room full of people. Our brethren or scholars recite some Scriptures, and I read a report on what I think." Then follows his report, from which I quote a few sentences: "This school was founded on the 24th of January, 1888, and now has twenty-three scholars, but only fourteen or fifteen usual attend. Several of these scholars have improved greatly. I think that Mr. J. Kavanagh is a very good teacher, and hope God will give him good health when he goes to Hot Springs. And also, they had very good and kind Sunday-school teachers, who taught them how to read and sing. They sing on Wednesday evening, too. You help our Chinese very much, for which we thank you, and we never will forget you or your kindness. I think Mr. Cole is a kind and faithful pastor. He called our Chinese to come to church to hear him pray and preach, and sometimes he came to the school-room, and talked to them and taught them the words of the Lord Jesus." The programme for the evening had no less than twenty-six different exercises, each one, of course, brief, but there was much prayer, much singing both in English and Chinese, one or two brief addresses, much reciting of Scripture and to close with, refreshments abundant and toothsome, provided by the pupils for their guests. The work will be resumed when the heats of summer are past, and I believe that the next year's work will be even more fruitful than this.

3. My items become chapters in spite of me. I must content myself with one more, a brief extract from a letter from Mrs. Carrington, our devoted and successful teacher at Sacramento. "I asked you a few months ago to pray for Fong Bing. Through the blessing of God, he has come into the light, and is one of the earnest ones. Now I wish you to especially remember Lee Young, who wishes to be a Christian, but thinks he must wait till he returns from China. I hope he will not wait, but will soon be one with us in Christ." Will our readers join us in this prayer?

WM. C. POND

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