The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-07-14
ORPHANS, HOME AT LAUDER
DALE SPRINGS.
Interesting Report of the Board of Trustees
Action Of the Mississippi Baptist State
Contention.

In making this our Fifth Annual Re-
port to your Honorable Body, we should
not do justice to our feelings did we not
express our deep sense of gratitude tc
God for his fostering care and Provi-
dental guidance during the past year.
He has led us in a way we knew not, and
has verified his promise, Trust in the
Lord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in
the land, and verify thou shalt be fed. .
Through many discouragements and
trials, he has brought us to your Ami
versary again, with thanksgiving on oul
lips and gratitude in our hearts.
GENERAL REVIEW.
In our last Annual Report, the fact
was stated that the title to the Lauder.
dale property had been lost, and de-
tailed statement of all the facts connected
with that unfortunate transaction is given
therein. We commenced the labors OF
the year, therefore, under the most en-
barrassing circumstances. With two
hundred helpless children on our hands
we had no certain Home in which to shell,
ter them. We knew not at what mo-
ment we should be ordered to leave the
premises we then occupied We had nc
| assurance that the people would feel
ablesor willing to provide the means ne
cessary to purchase new home. But,
as We could not honorably 90 backward,
and had no disposition to do so, trustingly
went forward. Our first object was to
secure the rent of the Lauderdale prop
ertyHfor the balance of the year. In this
we succeeded. This gave no time to per-
feet CDR arrangements. Calls had been
nladU for money, and for bids for new
location. Unfortunately, we had no
general agent in the field at this time, and
funds came in slowly. Many places,
however, were offered as suitable locations
for the Home. Committees, appointed
by the Board, visited as many of these
locations as it was thought advisable
None of them, however, entirely met
the wishes of the Board On the 9th of
November, after a thorough examination
of the whole subject, it was decided that
we could not perhaps do better than to
re-purchase the Springs property. 1t is
true, that location did not in many res
poets suit us but it came nearer doing it
than any other place at the time offered
us. 1t seemed to be the best we could
us up to this choice. 1t would cost less
than any other place at our disposal.
We, therefore, appointed Col. j. L.
Power as our agent at jackson, to nego-
tate with the agent of Mr.. Speed, for the
re-purchase of the property. In due time,
Col. Power informed US that he had
contracted with said agent to take the
property for the sum of nine thousand
dollars, in three equal annual payments.
We soon found, however, that many
friends of the Home, who could not APP
preciate our motives and circumstances,
were dissatisfied with the decision. The
result was an immediate and almost total
falling off of the small receipts that were
coming into the treasury. When the
Board met again, in December, to con-
slider whether they would ratify the con-
tract made by Col. Power, we found
ourselves quite unable to comply with its
terms. 1t had become necessary to use
some of the cash in hand in purchasing
provisions for the, orphans; and this fact,
with the cessation ofereceipts, was rap
idly depicting the Treasury. Even if we
could have made the first payment, we
should have done it, not only with the
almost certainty oflosing the money thus
paid, in consequence OF not being able
TO make the other payments, but, also,
with the fair prospect of bringing the
children to absolute want. No other
course was left us, therefore, but to de-
cline the purchase.
The agent of Mr.. Speed demanded
the fullflment of the contract, and in
formed US that If the first payment was
not made by the first Of january, he
would turn US out, and would rent the
premises to other parties; and would not
thereafter, for any consideration, either
rent or sell us the property. Here was
a trial of our faith and of our resources
and here, too, we saw in the end the wis
dom and the strange, but wise Proviss
dence of our Heavenly Father. This
very extremity wrought our deliverance.
We were confdent OF the reetitude and
wisdom of our decision, and we trusted
to time and kind Providence 70 yindi-
cate our course We were not disap-
pointed, nor did we have long to wait.