The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-01

A meeting was held last evening at the Free
Street Baptist Church in aid of the education
Of the colored preachers of the South The
meeting was not SO largely attended as it
should have been, considering the great i'm
portance of the object. But those who were
there entered into the views of the speakers
heart and soul, and were well paid for at
tending.
1t was presided over by Rev. A X. z. Small.
pastor of the church. After the singing of a
beautiful motette by the choir, the pastor read
from the Scriptures. Rev. J. d. Fulton of
fremont Temple, Boston, then called upon the
audience to unite with him in prayer for the
special object which they had met to consider
After the prayer Rev. Mr.. Fulton addressed
the audience. Taking for his theme a text
from the Both verse of the 9Th chapter of Ro.
mans, he said Paul yielded his mind, body and
soul to the rule of God. We are to carry the
life of God into the world. If we do not it
will be an arid waste. Paul carried Jesus
Christ with him. and it gave him power. Sub
tract God from man and you will find how in
finitesimal man is. Add God to man and you
will find how enlarged he is. oH
Mr.. Fulton then took up the subject OF edu-
eating colored ministers, and in an eloquent
manner presented the necessity of educating
the twenty thousand colored preachers at the
South. He gave history OF the rise and pro-
gress of the Association which has been form
ed for that purpose, and stated many facts
which bore upon the subject. Somethii g had
got to be done for the colored ministry at the
South. How can it best be done? The speaker
urged that the surest and best way was by
getting these preachers into the Institute, and
making them feel the necessity of instruction.
Mr.. Fulton stated that the responsibility of
this instruction rests, until next May, upon
the National Theological Institute, at Rich
mond. After that time, the course to be pur-
sued will rest upon the donations from the
friends of the cause.
He urged the people to contribute money,
clothing-not such clothing as they themselves
would not wear but good substantial clothing
such as they would be willing to put on.
The remarks of Mr.. Fulton were interspers-
ed with the relation of many incidents that
had come under his observation. He is rapid
as well as beautiful speaker and attracts the
closest attention of his audience. 1t was very
was bound up in this cause.
Rev. Mr.. Small made a few remarks previ-
GUS to introducing the next speaker, Rev. H
A. Hart of Yarmouth, son of H. b. Hart, ESQ.,,
of this city, stating how Mr. Hart became in
terested in this cause. He said Mr.. Hart had
commenced some time since to collect funds
for this purpose and had forwarded the same
to the Association. Recently he has been
called to. and accepted: the Office of Secretary
to the Society.
Rev. Mr.. Hart made few remarks showing
without sacrifice He wanted the churches in
Maine to contribute enough to establish an
Institute in Georgia. He could then point the
people of other States to " hat Maine had done.
The contribution was now about to be take n
up and Rev. Mr.. Fulton appealed for liberal
one in order that they might give Brother
Hart good start from his native State
While the collection was being taken, Rev
Dr. Smaller was called up The Doctor said
his Brother Fulton had gone so thoroughly
over the ground that it left nothing for him to
say. Nevertheless the Doctor soon warmed
up on the subject and made some eloquent re-
udlho uPou inc iupOftdllce OF eQuCati0g the
colored clergymen of the South. He said it
seemed as if this cause had devolved entirely
upon the Baptists, and they must come up to
the work
Rev. Mr.. Haines of Lewiston made the clos
ing address, abiding to what had come under
his observation when he was engaged in col
Letting funds for this purpose. We understood
him to say that he had collected and forwarded
more than one million of dollars for the aid of
the freedmen He urged the people to sup.
port the institutions that educated the colored
preachers, and thereby they would elevate the
condition of the whole colored race
The collection taken up was handsome
one, amounting to $500, for so small a eongre-
CATION, and considering there had been col
lection taken up in that church ON SUNDAY
evening in aid for the Home of Aged INDECENT
Women.
The meeting closed with hymn sung BY
the choir and benediction by Rev. Mr.. Fulton.
We cannot forbear to speak OF the excellent
music by the choir of the church, which enliv-
ened the services. 1t Is a voluntary choir, led
by George f. Emery, Esq. The music was
sweet, the voices well mingling in euphony
and harmony, reminding us of old times when
the praises of God were not confined to a Sc
leot quartette.