Читать книгу: «The American Missionary. Volume 43, No. 06, June, 1889», страница 4

THE SOUTH

CHURCH BUILDING IN A DAY

Condensed from the Southern Enterprise of April 18th

Saturday morning, the 13th instant, at nine o'clock, was the time appointed for the laying of the corner stone of our first church edifice in Deer Lodge, Tennessee. Rev. G.S. Pope—founder of the church, and now General Missionary of the American Missionary Association for the Cumberland Plateau, had been notified of the occasion, but not in time to be present, and the duties were committed to Rev. Aaron Porter, the present pastor. The early morning was a little cloudy, but before nine o'clock the sun shone out, and the remainder of the day was as pleasant as possible.

The locality of the Church is on Ross Avenue between Knoxville Avenue and Spring Street, where four beautiful lots were selected some time ago by Rev. Mr. Pope and the building committee, and donated by Mr. A.L. Ross. At the appointed hour, the citizens and neighbors collected around the foundation, and occupied the piles of lumber as seats while they listened to the interesting exercises. These consisted of singing, reading of Scripture, an original hymn composed by the pastor, prayer, address, enumeration of articles to be placed in corner stone, depositing, cementing and closing the box, remarks, singing and benediction.

After a few moments of interchanging of views of the situation, and of the good fellowship now prevailing in our pioneer community—all the men present took hold, and soon raised the entire framework to its place; it having been prepared previously by Mr. Hodge and his assistants in such careful manner that every piece fitted to its proper place. The crowd then retired to enjoy the good dinners some of the citizens had prepared for them; after which they returned to the grounds, and before sundown had the entire frame work enclosed with sheeting in diagonal style. In addition, the frame of the tower was raised and encased. Saturday was a day of pride to Deer Lodge, as probably the same amount of work has not been accomplished in the same time on any other occasion in this country.

ITEMS FROM WHITLEY COUNTY

MRS. A.A. MYERS

In giving a little report of the condition of Prof. Lawrence, and of what has been done with the assassin who attempted his life in May last, I think I will but be answering the unexpressed wish of many of the readers of the MISSIONARY. Mr. Lawrence is far from well. We fear he will never recover from the nervous strain and great suffering of the past year. He has but little use of his right arm and hand. He is now at Champaign, Ill., and has not been able to attend trial. As to the assassin, he walks our streets and frequents our saloons at pleasure. He is out on $1,000 bail; whiskey men on his bonds. Northern people need not be surprised at such justice, when Haddock's murderers are running at large; and here we have not only whiskey and its money against us, but secret fraternities, Southern prejudice, and sectarian intolerance. We have hardly dared hope for justice in these courts, but rely on the truth of the motto we have put in our church on the wall near where one of the bullets struck—"Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord."

One of our native preachers not far from here made this unanswerable argument in a sermon on apostacsy. He said, "'If they shall fall away'—means that they cannot fall away, for anybody that knows anything about the English language, knows it is a verb in the impossible mode and everlasting tense."

Two ministers in Whitley County had called a public meeting to discuss their peculiar doctrines. They became quite excited, and at the close of the discussion, one of them prayed, "Oh God, make Elder So-and-so's heart as soft as his head is."

A good meeting means a big excitement as much among the white people as among the colored. This little incident, which occurred in a service among the hills of northern Alabama, was told us by an eye witness, and goes to show the depth of Christ-like feeling (?) that prompts some, at least, of the great happiness they express. An underwitted youth seemed to get religion in one of these times of shouting and excitement. He swung his arms and marched back and forth shouting with the rest. To see him so happy made the others shout the more. Amid all the noise, no one knew what he was saying till, all of a sudden, as often happens, there was a lull; then, as he kept on he was understood, and these were the words he was repeating over and over: "Run, chicken, with your head pecked off, a'n't we having a good time?"

It may not be uninteresting to hear how some of the bodily ills are ministered to here in the mountains.

If a person is subject to headache, he can be cured by cutting some of his hair off and putting it in a stream of running water.

In certain kinds of sickness, there must be the greatest care that none of the covering on the bed be turned over. If it should be, the case will terminate fatally.

In fevers, I have known milk to be strictly forbidden, but ham and biscuit recommended by the physician.

Quite a number of people, and even those of whom you would expect better things, employ "charm" doctors. They make passes and say over a lingo, and it will cure cancers, toothache, or any other disease. I have never heard what their magic words are. In fact, if a woman tells a woman, they lose all their curative properties. But these are the words they use to charm away the botts in horses. I think they ought to be given to the public for the benefit of stock growers generally. Putting the fingers on the animal's nose, they pass the hand along the head and spine, repeating, "King Solomon plows with a golden plow. He plows deep and he plows shallow, and he kills all the worms."

TOUGALOO UNIVERSITY

The year thus far at Tougaloo University has been one of great success. The enrollment, three hundred and thirty-five, has already surpassed that of any previous full year, and many more have signified their intention of attending next term, when a special Teacher's Training Course is to be held. The necessity under which many labor, of teaching school in order to pay their own school bills, makes attendance somewhat irregular. The grade of the school is being steadily advanced, and under efficient teachers and Principal, the pupils are making solid advancement. The upward grading process will prevent the graduation of any pupils from the normal department this year, but that is of slight moment compared with the substantial gain of more thorough scholarship.

The industrial work of the school has this year been more thoroughly systematized and made more efficient than before. There has been special improvement in the girls' industrial work. Even the younger pupils enter into the sewing and cooking classes with zest. The boys' industries include blacksmithing, carpentry, tinning, wagon making, painting, steam sawing, turning, scroll sawing, and farm-work in its various branches, the care of stock, etc. It would be difficult to estimate the value that this combined school and industrial work is destined to have on the Negroes of this State of Mississippi. Not in legislative enactments, but in the gradual process of education along this line, will the main problems connected with the Negro race be solved.

The Biblical department of the school, recently established, designed to train preachers, has as yet but one class, of three members. These are making good progress, and they take turns in preaching at Clinton, at the Mt. Hermon School, fourteen miles away. The training in this department under the President, is especially directed towards knowledge of the Bible and of human nature, earnest and practical preaching, and the development in the preacher of sterling character. If preachers can be sent forth who are well grounded in these things, much may be expected of them. Says Dr. Haygood, "The hope of the black race lies mainly in the pulpit."

The most interesting feature of the work of this year has been the very deep religious interest which began soon after the Week of Prayer and which has not passed away. Special services were conducted for several weeks by President Woodworth, and the feeling was strong and earnest. It has been a quiet work, but it is believed that it is deep. Between fifty and sixty expressed a determination to live the Christian life. One of the most helpful features in the Christian work of the school is the Covenant for Christian Service, a pledge somewhat similar to the Christian Endeavor pledge, though there is no organization. Over one hundred have signed this covenant within the past year. The school is growing rapidly; its outlook is most hopeful. It is already cramped for room. Every recitation room has been full, and many crowded, this term. One class had to overflow into the chapel. Between thirty and forty girls who wished to come were obliged to stay at home because the Ladies' Boarding Hall has been crowded to its utmost capacity. A new one is very greatly needed.