The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-05-18
The CoIored People.

sons, read the SubJOlned report:
The Board of Missions to the colored
people respectfully report that their opera
tlons during the past year have been con-
fined chiefly to the maintenance of the
Franklin Street School in this city During
the year 1865, the school was kept up to the
standard recorded i'll our last report-one
superintendent, twelve teachers, and an
average attendance of 600 scholars.
AS the funds from the Domestic Board in
New York have been steadily decreasing, we
have been obliged to curtail our operations.
Ibe superintendent and four teachers have
resigned.
But the school is successfully carried on
by the ladies to the entire satisfaction of
the board Religious instruction is COM
bined with the daily teaching and the
clerical members of the board attend every
Friday to catechise the scholars and SUPER
wise the school,
The board regret to announce to the Con-
vention the probability of losing the build
ing IN Franklin street. The Secretary of
the Treasury insists upon the payment of
the balance due upon the original purchase.
amounting to $4,000. We see no means of
raising the money, either at home or
abroad, and unless the amount is raised.
the building will be sold by the Govern
ment on 1st June.
The board regret the necessity of giving
up the building, or suspending the school,
after SO satisfactory an experiment But
they see no other alternative, and report
the fact to the Convention, requesting their
instructions in the matter.
The board would gladly extend its opera
tlons to the wide missionary field around.
But without funds, we can do no more than
supervise the school which has been sup
ported by the Freedmen's Commission of
tho Protestant Episcopal Church
We have encouraging reports from many
of our clergy of their labors amoug the
colored race
In ST. Johns and St. Stephen's Ia
rlshes there are three churches, Quilt partly
by the freedmen themselves, numbering re-
spectlvely fifty, seventy-fve and eighty
communicates They contribute to their
pastors support, and have given thirty dol
lars to the African Mission Of The Protest
ant Episcopal Church
Our missionary on the coast reports two
chapcls, provided by the coloed people.
where our services are sustained and where
he is welcomed as i'll former years
His experience, confirmed by the observ-
alton of the Bishop. and by others of the
clergy, satisfies us that the prejudices of the
last few years are rapidly melting away be-
meath the kind and Christian sympathy of
their former owners and that abundant op-
portnnltles are now presentetito the church
of winning back their allegiance to Christ,
and to the purifying influence of His Cos
pei 1t is the special duty and province of
Southern Christians to care for the souls of
this still dependent race. To revive and to
maintain their attachment tc our church
will require wisdom, labor and patience.
We must train up teachers Of their own
race II we would retain our Influence over
them, and incorporate them more thorough
ly into the body of Christ.
c. c. PINCKNEY.
Rev. A. Il. Porter offered the following:
ReSolced, That the Board oi Missions to
the freedmen and colored people be CONT
nued to January 1st, after which time it he
merged in the common board OF missions
He stated that the time was placed at
January 1st, in order to make some efforts
to save the Franklin street building
Rev. Paul Trapier said that IS, 0OO was
small sum, and he was loath to believe that
the building would be sacrificed If there
was not money in the diocese to redeem it,
surely the church North, that lad frequent
ly shown its sympathy, could do something
for the freedmen. He appealed to the Rev
A. L. Porter to know if the North could and
would not come to our aid.
Rev. A. T. Porter said that he had can
vassed the North, and had received but lit
tie encouragement. PresidentJ ohnson had
given check for 81 900. The Freedmen's s
Bureau had also contributed about $4,000.
General Howard assured the speaker that
while the building was used for colored
school they would not be troubled, and no
payment had been made beyond $500 A
recent communication from the present Sec
retary of the Treasury stated that unless the
whole amount was paid, the building would
be sold By tho 1st of June. and the 81 500
paid in be used as rent. He had recently
written to General Howard, and trusted that
some outside efforts would be made to Sc
cure the property.
Rev. G. p. Gadsden stated that large ar
rears OF salary wero due the principal and
teachers, that could not be raised.