The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-12-14

Bible Society, 1916; Am. Colonization
Society, 1917; Am. Sunday School Union,
1924; Am. Tract Society New York;
1925; Am. Home Missionary Society,
1926; Am. Seamen's Friends Society and
Am. Peace Society 1928; American Anti
Slavery Society, 1888. The policy of
Union Societies has been in most cases
perforce exchanged for that of special de-
nominational work, we having been left
alone in several of them by the withdraw
al of other partners. Our first denomina-
tional society was the Congregational
Union, 1858.
An important part of what Congrega
tionalists have done for Christianity at
home consists in gifts of men and money
to the Societies sustained by us.
/. The American Home Missionary
Society has received in 81 years 80, 742 1895.
81, securing 36,S22 years of labor. This
year the Society has received 1870, 2S1 SO
and 817 years Of labor from 1850 mission
aries, 1926 in New England, 0S in the Mid
dlestates, 81 in Southern, G05 in the
Western including 1l2 in Michigan, much
more than in any other state, Maine and
Kansas having each 80.
2. The receipts from the beginning in
1916 of the American Missionary Associ-
alton estimate at about So 600, 900. For
the year ending Sept 80, 1888. it reports
$3l2, 567. 30 received. 1t works for Chi.
nesse, Indians, and Negroes, chiefly the
last. among whom it reports 80 churches
with 8, 974 members: 8 chartered institu-
tons; l2 high and normal school; AZ com
mon schools with go teachers and 9.640
pupils.
s. The Congregational Union has re-
hn -
81 1O3, 961. 10 and has aided 1, 275 churches
to build 1905 houses of worship. For the
year ending April 30, 1883, 800. 518.7 20
have been received and churches aided to
bnild 81 houses of worship and 6 parson-
ages.
4. The Congregational Sabbath School
and Publishing Society, with long name
and varied experiences, for 81 years, recev-
cd for the year ending May /, 1883, $1l,-
754.45 and up to 1876, says DR.. Gushing,
about $3.50, 900.
5. The American College and Educa-
ton Society, formed in 1874 by the union
of two societies. has received before and
since that--the Secretary, DR.. /. N. Tar
box informs me he has just made the
! footing-$3 763, 019; for the year ending
Ap. 30. 1888, $176, 1898. 1t has aided
about 1900 students for the ministry, and
90 collegiate and theological institutions,
having by the last report 1853 students and
| 10 institutions MS its bcneficiarieS
q. The New West Education Commits
sion, Incorporated at Chicago in 1879, re-
ceived for the year ending May /. 1885
| $40, $50. 20 for education in Utah and adj
| joining territories; and aids Academies
and IL schools, with 33 teachers, and
1913 pupils. We may set its total re
ceipts thus far ut $4,000
z. The Congregational Association has
purchased-not entirely paid for-tht
Congregational House, Somerset ST., Bos
ton, with library of over $4,000 book:
and 125. 900 pamphlets.
Here is an aggregate of some S21 900.
900 for home work--over 81 ,000.0 thu
past year. II ether denominations have
given some of this, Congregational gift.
that cannot be exactly reck0ned, to Unior
societies. more than balance these. Mo-
can We take account of millions given t
educational institutions east and west, ont
person, Mrs. Valeria G.. Stone. having re
Gently given oFer million and u half o.
dollars. only a small part through the Col
lege and Education Society.
Really, if not nominally done fol
Christianity. is work for great moral re
forms. In these Congregationalists have
been pioneers.
Among the early and eminent advocate
of temperance may be named Drs. Beech
er. Hewitt, Checvcr, Marsh and justin
Edwards. 70 these add the great body O
our clergy and laity from an early period
Our anti Slavery record is rs whole
equally positive and creditable. No Chris
tian body, except the Quakers, more uni
formally and cOnscientiously opposed HUI
man slavery. DIR, Samuel Hopkins, o
New Port, L. l., primitive abolitionist
published in 1776 his Dialogue on Eman
cipation. Two Congregational ministers
Elijah p. Loveioy and Charles II. Torrey
were martyrs for their devotion to human
freedom. If some Congregationalists il
| New England were somewhat conserva
tive, SO were they not in the North
Oberlin was radical, ut least after receiv
ing in 1884 the seeding students from
Lane Seminary. 1t has been said, and il
probably true, that but for the Congrega
tional ministers and churches, in the north
ern states of the Mississippi Valley, thes,
states would havc'followcd the Southern
in secession and armed rebellion. Many
of us can remember the spirit and deeds O
our churches in those days. In the Wa
sOI Tic lOpclllOll. our C1uTCUCS GOnbTlDut
ed generously every way. OF Illinois
Rev. DR.. Roy says (Honc Missionary, Jan
1870, p. 21D, these Congregations
churches sen. into the army one a. four O
their entire male membership, 6lclNdtng oil
men, inralids ard b0ys.' This hatred o
slavery and of the caste spirit kept OIL
churches out of the South before the war
and largely from Southern whites up t
the present. 1t is believed that IA larg
and effeetual door" is now openin:
among the poor whites. This should ant
probably will be catered. vixen our TIVE
chief societies can reach an understandin!
as to the proper agents for the work.
When slaves became Freshmen ant
freemen, Christian philanthropy wa
charged by divine Providence with Tia
duty of training degraded race for hoe
orable citizenship, and for worthy man
hood and womanhood. First and fore
most among agencies for their elevation
was the American Missionary Association
supported chiefly by us--proyidentiallA
fitted by It's past history for this very
/ work Nobler, more enduring work thi.