The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-17
THE REV. sAE1 gMALL
TO BE ConMIsjEGss rs Of RDU.
CAJHIA
For the Methodist Church, Charged
With the supervisIon Of the
COlOred Schools.

The Banner states the purpose of the
visit OF the Rev. Sam Small to this city
to be to arrange for the transfer into
his hands OF the Office of commissioner
OF education under the dire ction of the
Methodist. Episcopal Church South.
This is a very important position in
the educational schemes Of the great
church, as the following facts demon
strate:
After the late war the Southern
Methodis's, in their care for their COL
ofed membership, arranged for their
constitution ss church under the title
OF the "Co'ored Episcopal Church in
America" and ss such, with its corps
OF bishops, it has made exceptiona ly
excellent progress lie greatest poverty
OF resources has b3en 10 the lack OF
trainei and efficient men to teach aud
preach to its membership and their
childIen. In 1882 they petitioned the
general conference of the Southern
Metho dist Church 10 take cogniz nee
OF their nee 1s in this regard and un-
dertake a scheme for their relief.
This the general conference did by
providing for Commissioner OF edu-
cation" to be appointed by the bish-
ops IN consultation with the bishops
OF the colored church, whose duties
should be to undaftake the establish
ment of fund in aid Of institutions
Tor the education OF teachers and
preachers from the ranks of the co..
ored church. The Rev. W. G. Dun
lap OF Georgia, has been such COM
missioner fer two years, and under
bis lsbors the Paine Institue at Au-
g1sta, Ca, has heen err cted into an
establishment, and will soon attain
the conditions which will give it $780,
COO, donation from the Rev. Moses
U. Payne of Missouri. The institute
is already accompli. hing beneficial re.
suls. The Rev. Mr.. Dunlap, feeling
that The Interests in his charge de.
manded wider and more energetic
representation, besought Mr.. Sam
Small to take tie office, and yesterday
the arrangements for the transfer were
perfected.
In conversation with a Banner re-
porter this morning Mr.. Small was
asked:
why have you consented to accept
this Officer"
"Becar 80 irient an officials in tn,
church b ,lieved t at ought to DO 60.
They THU k I'm luai d for the pc
culiar duties of The Office and that
will be able to ac3i plish greater
amount Of real, practical good in this
direction than in any other. Yielding
to their judgment | have agreed to the
appointment AID will consacrate my
energies to lis duties"
Where does your field of labor
lie2"
ut covers the world you might say.
can come and 60 whenever and
wherever it appaars that can accom-
plish the purposes of my mission"
viii it put an end to your evangel-
istic labors2"
Certainly not. l can and will do
evangelistiC work right along. | be- |
lieve that sort of work ia in line with |
the duties Of my office, and will great
ly aid in the accomplishment of its
end"
"Have you any determined pro-
gramme as yet OF your future move
ment."
mot yet. Twill not fully arrange a
schedule until the first of the year. l
have numb,r OF engag ment5 FIR
next year, and will have to fill in The
times between out of the necessities of
my new m ssion. l expect 10 pretty
= ell cover AmaIioa's Lea ting points
Turing the ensuing yea. | hope t. &C.
,ompllsh al that ID exp C ed Of me in
sitting forward the institutions under
'ur care for the full equipment Of COL
'red Methodist teachers and preach
RS"
Have you ever given the needs Of
he negroes in the South, on educa-
ional lines, much tbought?p
"Yes, sir. As a jlurnal st | gave
he subject frequent and diligent
tudy, aud 1 have been for years
close gatherer of the current views {
# our preachers, pub icis's, educators
nd statesmen or the character, needs
nd deGtiny OF tho negro in TIT /
outh. feel real Inht y we'll equipped
0 present my m Iti)l la rly, fully anC !
ympatl stically tG Ehomsoever
neet in any par 81 Il Iworld. shall
10 all the closer Itri at OF this sub,
eCt from this time on, of course"