Читать книгу: «The American Missionary. Volume 48, No. 10, October, 1894», страница 2

OUR ALASKA MISSION

Letters received from Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson and Mr. Lopp give us the gratifying assurance that the mission is by this time opened under favorable auspices. Dr. Jackson found on reaching Alaska that Mr. Lopp had visited the mission at Cape Prince of Wales this spring and discovered that the buildings, furniture and supplies were in good condition. Mr. Lopp, in response to our request, has consented to return to the Cape and re-open the mission. He greatly regrets that an ordained minister was not sent, and expresses the earnest hope that another season this necessary addition will be made, but he consents to return and do the best he can. He has little fear of violence from the natives, finding them completely intimidated by the threats of the captain of the revenue cutter "Bear."

The experiment of introducing the reindeer into Alaska is thus far very encouraging. Mr. Lopp has had a herd under his care at Port Clarence, and although the winter has been unusually severe one hundred and fifty fawns were added to the herd. The Government has promised to our mission at Cape Prince of Wales this season one hundred reindeer, and Mr. Lopp, with adequate help, will have the care of them. The ultimate success of this experiment with reindeer in Alaska is one of great promise. It indicates a food and clothing supply for the natives, with increased facilities for transportation, thus laying the foundation for growth in population and in civilization.

It will be remembered that of the three men connected with the horrible murder of Mr. Thornton, two were at once arrested by the natives and shot. The third, Titalk, who was the leader, escaped for the time. Mr. Lopp thus describes his death: "After the 'Bear' had left for the South, Titalk came back to the cape, and his uncle, Te-ed-loo-na led him up on the hillside near the grave of Mr. Thornton, and asked him how he should put him to death, strangle him, stab him or shoot him. The boy preferred to be shot, so he commanded him to hold his head down and then shot him."

Mr. Lopp furnishes another evidence of the disposition on the part of the leading natives to guard the interests and property of the mission: "On one occasion during the winter Chief Eliguok heard that a boy had broken into the school-house, and he announced his intention to kill the boy, but upon investigation it was found to be a false report."

We trust that in the good providence of God, this mission will be made prosperous and be greatly enlarged, that its missionaries will be preserved in safety, that the natives will become more orderly, that the influence of the school and mission may bring to them peaceable fruits of civilization and Christianity.

HON. A.C. BARSTOW

We record our tribute of sorrow at the death of Hon. A.C. Barstow, which occurred September 5th. He was for many years intimately and usefully connected with the growth and prosperity of the city of Providence, R.I., which was his home and where he died. He was a man of wide sympathies in Christian and patriotic work, having held responsible offices in his native State, and was connected with other public movements, like that of the Board of Indian Commissioners, of which for a time he was president. He was a devoted Christian man, active in the church of which he was a member, and deeply interested in the missionary and benevolent boards of the Congregational churches. He was for a long time a vice-president of our Association.

REV. GEORGE S. SMITH

 
"Servant of God, well done!
Rest from thy loved employ!
The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter thy Master's joy!"
 

This may be fittingly said of Rev. G.S. Smith, who for thirteen years was pastor of the Congregational Church at Raleigh and McLeansville, N.C., and who entered into rest on the 12th of last August. Memorial services were held on the 26th of August in the church where he had long and faithfully conducted the worship of his people. Addresses were made by those who had been intimately associated with him in his work, which testified to the earnestness and success of his ministry. The best proof of his work is to be seen in the intelligence and virtue of the community in which he labored.

Our field missionary in a recent visit speaks in this way: "It is very rare to find colored people under such discipline and so orderly and intelligent in meetings. The faces of the old people are sunny and sweet, they are so attentive and appreciative and so responsive. The young people were at the meeting in large numbers. It will give you an uplift from your work to spend a day or two with the people of this place in meetings such as they now hold."

THE SOUTH

THE WALDENSES AT VALDESE, N.C

SECRETARY C.J. RYDER

This new field of work, which was reported for the first time at our annual meeting last year, is one of unique and especial interest. Two years ago the steamship Kaiser Wilhelm arrived in New York with one hundred and sixty-six Waldenses among her steerage passengers. These people came from the Piedmont valley and mountain regions of Italy. Their purpose in coming to America was to establish for themselves homes in our own mountain region of the South. This little company that came down from the deck of the Kaiser Wilhelm were the pioneers in the establishment of their colonies in this new land. They were rather the Pilgrim Fathers of this Waldensean movement. Before the actual colonists had come, Rev. Chas. A. Tron, D.D., pastor of the Waldensean Church, and member of the Board of Evangelization in Italy, had been to the mountain regions of North Carolina, and after careful investigation had purchased a tract of land for these Waldensean colonists.

Soon after the coming of these Waldenses, correspondence was opened with them by the American Missionary Association. The colony was to be planted in the midst of our great mountain field, and we had every confidence that the coming of these conscientious and devoted Christian colonists would be of real helpfulness in our work there. Rev. C.M. Prochet, D.D., whose name is well known to the readers of this magazine, and to the Christian public generally, came to look after the interests of the Waldensean colony not long after their first settlement. In conference with Drs. Tron and Prochet, and after learning thoroughly the condition of their colony, an appropriation was voted by the Executive Committee to assist them in the beginning of their work, as they were in great need of such help.

These Waldenses have begun their settlement in America in a wise and sensible way. Let us notice their business-like arrangement before speaking of the interesting educational and religious work which has developed among them with the assistance of the Association.

They have purchased five thousand acres of land. In dividing this land, they first set aside a portion for a church and manse, together with a small farm for the use of the pastor. Then they set aside a good, commodious site for the school-house. After this a considerable portion of the land, three thousand five hundred acres in extent, is divided into farms of fifty acres each.

In addition to this first company who came on the Kaiser Wilhelm, others have come at various times until there is a considerable colony there. These people are poor. They come from the splendid stock of Waldenses who have been so potent a factor in freeing thousands in France and Italy from the degrading superstitions of Romanism. As all our readers know, the Waldenses have stood for religious freedom from first to last The fibre of their character has been tested through many a conflict. Dr. Edward Everett Hale, who told the story of the Waldensean heroism and devotion in the beautiful legend "In His Name," brings out the noble features of their character in soft, yet bright colors. It is most fitting that our Congregational churches through the Association should welcome this new colony and extend to them the right hand of Christian fellowship. This they have done.

As soon as the colony was established and the people were felling the forests and building their humble homes, they applied to us for assistance for the support of the pastor and teacher. The colonists themselves made large sacrifices, and only asked us to assist them in the support of their religious and educational leaders.

Rev. Enrico Vinay, a native of Italy, was their first pastor. Mr. M.A. Jahier, was selected as their teacher. Mr. Jahier, together with Dr. Tron, was in conference with us in New York, and the simple, Christian character and progressive educational ideas of the Waldensean teacher charmed and impressed us all. He went into the field and opened a school and Sunday-school at Valdese, as the colonists call their mountain village.

The Rev. Enrico Vinay remained with the people for nearly a year, being in regular correspondence with the officers of this Association. He was then called to another field, and Rev. B. Soulier was chosen as their pastor. Mr. Soulier is also a native of Italy. He is a thoroughly educated young man, and speaks English readily. He was educated in his own school in Italy, and completed a course at Edinburgh University in Scotland. His work is proving most successful.

Such is the interesting and providential beginning of our work in conjunction with these Waldenses in this field. We have this new problem upon our hearts and treasury. Who can say that God has not led us into this work, and opened this opportunity for helpful and sympathetic co-operation with these earnest Christian people who have settled in our southern mountains?

In the reports which have been regularly received from this field, very many items of great interest have been recorded. The Waldenses, above everything else, are Christian patriots. They love the fatherland and they love also America, the land of their adoption. In one of the reports from Mr. Jahier, the following interesting information is given:

"Sunday, June 24th, I preached to a good and attentive congregation. I had the Sunday-school at half past eight and the preaching at ten in the morning, and prayer-meeting at four in the afternoon. At this last service I went to a farm called Baziglia. It is named for a place in one of the valleys of Piedmont—a place which is noted as a fortress during the persecutions of the Waldensean Church. It was the refuge of the Waldenseans when they reconquered their native country after their exile in Switzerland, Germany, etc., and in memory of that famous place, two or three families gave to their farms the same name. The Fourth of July was celebrated here at the school-house. There were forty-four children. I spoke to them of the independence of the United States of America, its founders, its Declaration of Independence, etc. For July and August it is impossible to have the day school; it is too hot, but I will continue the night school, D.V., at least for two or three nights a week. The Sunday-school will go on as usual—no vacation for the Sabbath school."

The old fortress of Baziglia witnessed many heroic efforts of the early Waldenses, both in defense and attack. The name is very dear to the children of the earlier heroes, who have established Valdese in this land, and so named some of their farms and homes Baziglia. The glimpse given us in the quotation above, of the life in this Waldensean colony, is an impressive picture and a most hopeful prophecy. These Waldenses can not prove "dangerous foreigners" who come to our shores with earnest Christian plans and purposes, and read the Declaration of Independence to their children on their first Fourth of July in America!

Photographs of the buildings at Valdese were recently sent to our office. Among others was one of the manse and one of the school-house. These two buildings are of especial interest to our constituency, because we help the pastor and teacher. Over the school-house in which our pupils gather was floating the stars and stripes. These earnest people who celebrate the Fourth of July, who read publicly our Declaration of Independence, who plant the stars and stripes on the top of their school building, are the kind of foreigners that we need, and they certainly merit our most cordial assistance in the beginning of their life in our land.

In church polity the Waldensean Church differs slightly from our Congregational sisterhood. The local church is independent in the direction of its affairs. They have a "Board of Evangelization" which has supervision of their churches. Dr. Tron, a member of this board and president of the American branch, has properly great influence with the local church. The Waldensean Church naturally looks to Dr. Tron and Dr. Prochet for counsel and direction. This church at Valdese recognizes itself as in fellowship with our great Congregational body, and especially with the local churches of North Carolina.

This new and interesting field has opened more and more largely during the past year, as additional colonists have come to our shores. Despite the financial embarrassment of our treasury, we rejoice that we have been able to assist these brave and patriotic Christian people in establishing themselves in this mountain region of the South. We believe the opportunity of assistful co-operation with them is one that God has opened to us. We have every confidence that the descendants of Pilgrims and Puritans will rejoice in the privilege of assisting those in whose hearts there is the same passionate desire for religious freedom, and who are the children of equally heroic stock.