Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-10-20
$341,4s7 OIL
$466,35s II

The report was referred to the committee
on finance. The report of the executive com
| mittee was next read by the secretary of the
| committee, the Rev. DR.. A. F. Baird.
| Two-score years have passed since the
American Missionary association began to
live. 1t incorporated into its life then four
organizations which had arisen to face Amer
lean slavery and to resist it. Two of these
had the honor to live on Connecticut soil
One of these two found forty-two negroes
captured in Africa for slavery and claimed in
the United States by slavery deprived of
their liberty in New Haven jail. A New Ha-
ven district court set them free. Professor
George E. Day, who taught the first freed
men, preparing them to carry the gospel to
Africa, still continues TO unfold the word
(Which abidetb forever" The first freed
men from slavery educated for the dark con-
tinent were legally declared to be men, and
were made missionaries in this State; there
fore, in an important sense, we are coming
home at this meeting.
We look back upon forty years of history
large with events, great in the evolution of
human life and in the progress of tho king
dom OF heaven among men. In these devel-
oping years in our land the American Mis-
sionary association has been no small factor
In the day of its testimony it planted it's
missions not only in America, but in Africa,
in Asia, and in the islands of the sea. God
in his ways and times withdrew those mis-
sions from other lands to concentrate them
upon our own.
The speaker emphasized the thought ssthat
the central word of our name is missionary
We are sent first of all to bear the gospel of
Christ; this is our one grand object" Pro-
ceeding he gave the statistics representing
the work of the association to-day as follows:
Number of churches. ................... -. I24
Number of church members. 1871
Added during the year :;................. 1,272
Scholars in our Sunday schools. 1919
That is, we have gathered and organized
twelve new churches this year.
We have received upon profession of faith
more than 900 new church members
We have added to our Sunday schools more
than $500 pupils.
But true record must enter into lives of |
these $500 church members, gathered from |
the darkness to follow influences and choices |
to lind the applications of truth in common
virtues, in character, to see how much IN |
shapely and defective discipleship in being |
overcome, how long time inherited tendencies |
are gradually being conquered, how long
cherished habits are being destroyed. There |
are no figures for all this nor for the or ce |
which is slowly developing a discipleship-l
new in its standards to the race-araone those
whose spiritual life must of necessity call for
patience and charity.
More than Fifty of the parties of these
churches are the children of the American
Missionary association, and very many of
these educated by us are pastors of churches
not under our care. Of our students one
hundred and eighteen are now pursuing their
theological studies preparing for future in
duence. These churches under our care,
young and nearly absolutely
poor, have raised for church purposes the
sum of $13, $40, and for religious causes be-
yond themselves $1,711.55. We build no
wall of caste, one may be of all the colors of
,he rainbow, but this shall not disqualify
aim from the privileges of our churches or
schools. The report then refers to the edu-
;ational work.
"The total number of schools in centers of
for people of whom eighty per
'ent. cannot read and where thirty per cent
# the white people among whom they live
annot read, is ffty-three. Fourteen of these
re of great importance, normal schools, be-
idss which are six colleges: Ii