National Republican., 1875-12-03
YaxzDnxH's AID socrErY.
Annual Melting ana Report.

The Methodist Freedmen's Aid Society held
its eighth annual meeting last evening at the
Metropolitan church. 1t had been expected tnat
Bishop Amss woald preside, but owing TO illness
he was not tpresent,and Rev. John +. Newman PEI
formed the duty. The exercises of the evening
were insugurated by prayer BY Rev John A
Lansing, of Nashville, Tennessee.
The secretary Of the society, Dr. Rust, was ir-
troduced BY DR.. Newmsn, and read an abstract
Of the report as follows
ANNUAL REPORT.
The retrospection OF our past efforts In behalf
Of ga "a a,itude and sadness-gratitude that We have
been enabled to accomplish so much in an enter
prise 80 intimately seonssssa Win I'm me me sSlesy o.
ity Of the Church; sadness that, amid such gem
eral desolation resulting from Ignorance, super
contribute 80 little to the relief and elevation Of
millions IN our midst suffering the accumulated
The WORK upon which this society has entered
is gigantic one, and taxes TO the utmost the en-
ergies and the benevolence Of the nation. 1t is
the Christian training Of fve millions Of people,
one eighth OF our entire population, and through
these the elevation Of hundreds OF millions In COM
Iens. endowed with the rights and privileges Of
citizenship. 1t must not be forgotten that they
were emancIpated in ignorance, degradation and
poverty and are what centuries Of wrong and op
preston have made them, and 1t Is equally clear
that the act of emancipation conferred no pre-
parstion for this condition Of life into which,
totally disqualIhed, they had been thrust. Prssi-
dent Lincoln, with
DASH OF HIS PEN,
struck the fetters from the bodies Of these four
millions Of slaves; but their minds were still
left in the chains Of Ignorance, and the iron OF
slavery had entered into their souls Emsncipa-
tion was one Of the grandest acts Of the nine
Of T the people; and and forever honofsd viii be the
noble men who participated In its aehievement
But emancipation Is not complete n issefi Ths u
nation has emancipated this people, but 1t has
done It at its peril unless 1t pushes more vigor-
sst upon It that the part we took in emancipation
binds us with solemn obligations to educate; for
education is only the completion Of emancipation,
| and we are urged to complete this work by every
consideration that induced to commence 1t.
| To have emsnclpated and loft these millions in
ignorance and degradation would have been an
act Of doubtful philanthropy, and would have
partaken more of the character Of crime than OF
charity. To neglect the preparation OF TINS
people would be to perpetuste the wrongs IN
fiicted by slavery, increase the peril Of the
nation. bring disgrace upon the church and pro-
freedom and preparing It's recipients for it must
20 hand hand, else this blood-bought boon Is
not worth
THE TERRIBLE PRICE 1T COST.
Justly, the nation regarded the freedmen as its
wards, and made provision for their necessities,
furnishing food and clothing for their bodies,
teachers and books for their minds, thus adding
lustre to the act Of emancipation by securing the
necessary qualification to improve and enjoy 1t
1t cannot be too deeply deplored that the clamor
to cripple and then to destroy II, before It had
accomplished the grand work In which 1t was en-
gagged; but 1t lived long enough, in spite Of the
bitter warfare waged against 1t, or any mistake
made in its management, to vindicate the Wis
dom and foresight Of its founders. and evidence
the paternal regard Of the National Government
for its wards as well to inaugurste system Of
schools that has accomplished more than any
other agency in the peaceful settlement Of the
great questions at issue in the South. In behalf
Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, we tender
grateful ACCOMPLISHMENTS to the Government
buildings for the education of this emancipsted
people, regretting that We obtained 50 small o
was IN operation. Iamenting the winding up Of its
affairs and the cutting of all aid in their behalf
The Freedmen's Bureau, In view Of the good ac-
complished, and Its adaptation to the necessities
OF this people, should have continued longer.
1t might have been modified to meet more
fully the exigsncies Of all classes of citizens In the
South, any mistakes made in the administration
Of its affairs might have been corrected. but in
some form or other the Government should have
had gained strength and intelligence to bear the
burdens and discharge the duties imposed upon
AS the Government has retired from this edu.
cational work, and as the impoverished condition
Of the South prevents any large appropriations
must be done by the denominationsl associations
OF the North, among which we name the Freed
mems Aid Society Of tho Methodist Episcopal
Church, which has advanced to tho front, In view
Of the efficient service rendered and the great
good accomplished. 1t Is fitting that the Church
race when it was in bondage, now it is free, and
all barriers to its Improvement are removed,
should put forth vigorous efforts to save 1t, as It
is accordance with
THE GENIUS AND SPIRIT
of this organization to seek among the lost, the
poor, the ignorant and the suffering. The fact
that Methodism has so large a Constituency
among this people increases its obligations, and
assures It ofa welcome as broad and enthusiasts
ss its hereism and benevolepce can meet.
This society has aided in the establishment and
0f Nrrf a1fr
Tennessee College, Nashville, Tenn; Shaw Uni
versity, holly Springs. Miss; Claim Institute
UNI Univsrsiiy % and Tssoloaicsf ss1insiy, r. Atisnsa,
Ca; Haven Normal School, Waynesboro', Ga;
Baldwin Seminary, Baldwin. La; New Orleans
La; Wiley University. Marshall, Texas; Rose
Hill Seminary, Rose Hill, Texas; Bennett Semi:
School. Richmond, va; OooEman Institute,
Jacksonville, Fla; Rust Biblical and Normal
Institute, hpntsville, Ala; Centenary Biblical
In addition to the above institutions Of higher
grade, the society has aided In the support Of
The influence Of this society Is felt all over the
South. Fifty Thousand have been taught in its
day, and o large number In Its Sunday schools.
Hundreds OF preachers. now laboring among this
people, and thousands Of teachers now laboring
structing the children have been trained In insti.
tutions established and sustained BY this society,
which has provided In the South school property
FORTY THOUSAND CHILDREN
have been taught by those trained in our schools
so SUCCESSFULLY does this work perpetuate ITSELF
A society that has done so grand work as this
liberal support from the dhurch and the Govern.
ment. Our mission work In the South could not
have been planted and cannot be sustained with.
educational verk among the poor freedmen Of the
South or prove recresnt to the highest obligations
Of humanity and incur the displeasure Of God.
1t is not safe to disguise the fact that
RoNAs1sTs ARE DIRECTING ESPECIAL ATTENTION
to the freedmen, and in the absence OF suitable
efforts on the part OF Protestants they may yet be
successful. Not until they had votes to cast did
they take any interest In their welfare. The
Papists Of the Old world, under the auspices Of
the Pope OF Rome and Archbishop Manning. are
sending missionaries IN -apid succession TO labor
this matter, and have sagacity enough TO see that
their only chance for supremacy in this country IL
,hs1 .He d.nes nd aaye ras S re-
IN the accomplishment Of their schemes. The
freedmen are so anxious to learn that they VIII
Ss
Of Romanists dIsqualify the freedmen from be-
coming loyal citizens or Intelligent Christians
to renewed effort spd zeal from all Protestants,
who shnnld every where unite in,the common cause
Of educating this people, and thus save them from
ueates them in their ignorance and suffering Will
have their hearty cooperation In the future. II
Protestants educate this race, 10 ancnors II 70
Professionalism; II Romanists do it, then Roman
ism controls II. As in our past struggles, so in
this self Interest, to say nothing Of the higher
motives ofpstriotism. philanthropy and Christian
ity, urges to the work Of educating this race,
the only way in which our free institutions may
be preserved. The colored people may be saved
TO Professionalism, and with their cooperation and
the blessing of God this nation may Withstand
THE ASSAULTS OF RoMAnIsN
and the attacks Of any other foe ct home abroad
1t becomes rs to study carefully the providence Of
God in the emancipation Of this race, and IN plsc
ing It within our reach as grand reserve In the
| terrible conflict that has already begun TO wage
| In this country between ignorance and intelli-
gence, the Papal and the free schools, Romanism
| and Protestantism. The importance Of our edu-
cationsl work, in the light ofthis thought cannot
/ be overestimsted 1t appeals to us in tones that
should startle us from our slumber, and urge rs
l to more vigorous action. The welfare OF the ma
tion, the prosperity Of the Church, and the saliva
tlon of millions Of long neglected race are int
| mately connected with the worK undertaken by
this society To neglect It is 70 peril interests
vital to Christian civilization. It is to fling away
one Of the grandest opportunities ever presented
TO save race and bind II with indissoluble bonds
to Christ and the Republic.
The financial statement appended to the report
showed the total receipts for the year 70 have
been &s6. 80, which has all been expended, ex-
| cept q IS. The total indebtedness against the
society Is e1s o2s.46. The contributions from the
Church during the last year have amounted to