New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-22
PRESBYTERIAN CHARITIES.
MISSION WORK AMONG THE FREEDMEN
AIDING STUDENTS FOR THE MINIsTRY-PREPA-
RATIoNs ron THE CENTENNIAL EXERCISES.

PHILADELPHIA, May 2L-James A. Beaver, OF this
State set prasswerthy example to-day to his brother
Governor of Nsw-York Being elder In a Presby-
terIan Church In Bsllefonts, 10 was chosen com
missioner TO the General Assembly now In session In
this city. Since his abilities public speaker and
q presiding ofiosr well known, he was appointed
Vice Moderator Of the Assembly and this afternoon he
presided in the absence Of Thompson. Every meet
ing Of the Assembly Is opened and closed with prayers
ana Governor Beaver offered the opening prayer.
@Imagins our Governor presiding over religious
body said visiting member from New-York
"But Governor Hill is not Republican, was tho
apology OF an admlrcr Of Mr. HILL Governor Beaver
made an admirable moderator. His clear voice silcnced
even the visitors in the rear Of the hail. which hc
pleasantly characterized as the lobby when the
buzzng sound OF their voices threatened 70 drown
the single voice of the speaker pleading with all the
sarnestness OF secretary Of religious board for the
cause which lay nearer to his heart than any other
of all the agencies of the Church To-day three boards
have presented thsir various claims upon tho sym
pahies and the pockets Of Pesbytsrians throughout
the land To hear the advocates Of either board ad
vocang tbs pressing need Of their particular iutsrs
one cannot help feeling that this is truly the weak
link In the chain. motion Ia made to adopt the re-
port Of the committee, plsdgns tho support of the
united Church to this work because 1t Is so weak
Then the report Of another board Is read This agency
reaches peculiar class Of peopla Money is
needed that thoy may be lifted from degradation
The other link was very weak but this Is more
fragile stin Help must and that Immediately.
The call help the disabled in the service is loud
but It is only whisper compared with the thunder
tones heard from the millions In our own land The
recommendations for more missionaries and Churches
and schools and colleges adopted surely tho limit
is reached but what will the churches avail with
out preachers To DO preachers the youth OF the
land must be educated. The OF the rich are not
always those who seek TO entor the ministry. Why
pray for laborers unless you intend to ut them for
their work. Education is the great factor In the
problem of life. 1t Is being neglected. The Church
will suffer unless she trains men for the ministry At
last the breaking link has been found. "No,' says
the secretary of still third board, more men should
be educated but fold is nearly as necessary as
shepherd Possibly the former is more needful To-
day On the frontier church buildings must be
reared II congregations TO be gathered No necd
TO send out homo missionaries to Kansas, to Dakota,
TO Washington Territory, unless With them you SEND
the promise, backed by full treasury, that church
building will crown their efforts when they have Or
eanzed Presbyterian Church and then the manse
this called parsonage when 1 was younger.
Ladies', we appeal to you who love your homo and
who take such pleasure in identifying 1t; ladies, Is
there any other object in the whols realm OF religious
activity exalted, and that appeals to your do
nestle nature, as the building of mansos for the
families of the ministers struggling for livelihood
The chain is parting when the Governormoderator
drops his gavel and asks for vote on the question,
and moment later the stated clerk announces that
two boards will DO heard tomorrow.
Such In brief was the work OF to-day The Freed
mans Board, the Education Board and the Church
Erection Board heard through their respective
secretaries and friends They called in the order
named The report of the Standing Committee on
Missions for Freedmen presented by the Rev. DIR.
Charles A. Dickey, Of Philadelphia 1t stated that
large and steady had taken place In contrbu
lions since the change by which the work was con-
Quoted by the Board Of Missions for Freedmen Instead
OF the Permanent Committee Tbs last report OF the
Permanent Committee showed contributions amount
Ing to Ses,2ss os. The first report Of tho Board
acknowledged contributors amounting to sS5,239 49,
an Increase Of about $1,000 The receipts reported
for this year amount to $751; e53 49, gain over last
year Of S35,131 80, and nearly double
the amount reported by the Permanent
Committee the last year of its existence Those
whom the Church has helped generously have helped
themselves by contributing out Of their poverty nearly
Cos O0O almost half a. much contributed for
their help six years ago. To the women, almost ex-
cusvey is duo the erection and establishment without
debt of the Mary Allen Seminary. The Women's
Executive Committee Of the Board Of Homo Missions
has contributed so7 900 to educate and the
colored race. The Board OF Missions for Freedmen
employs 10 catechists sustans 22e sabbath-schools
with a membership of 1855, sustains 235 churches
with membership OF 16e61, employs &c white mis-
and 81 colored besides AZ white tcachors and
Jog colored teachers Thirteen new churches have been
organized 1910 members have been added by ex-
animation and 2o5 by letter; 1896 baptisms
and 2s6 marriages make UP the statistics. Not one
half Of the churches are contributing to the holy
cause but the contributing churches are enlargins
their gifts The Assembly addressed BY Dr.
r. H. Allen, secretary Of the Board lie said tie
negro had been made a citizen In the interest OF
political party. The coored man VIII never justly
appreciate citizenship until intelligence takes the
place OF literacy. The negroes are loyal lou Will
not find among them Communists Anarchists, social
lists It is proposed by some to send the negroes to
Africa or South America
GWhy,n said DR.. Allen, you cannot build ships
fast enough TO carry them. Men may come and men
may 60, hat the negro goes on forever II
We ever cvangelze the freedmen 1t must DC
by means Of the freedmen There Is need Of trained
teachers for them. And again, the freedmen are not
the only ones to be evangelical God is preparing
these people for higher service than can DO rendered
In this land to bear tho Light Of salvation to millions IN
Africa Fidelity to God, fidelity to church, renders 1t
necessary that these people should be given every Gospe
privilege and Gospel opportunity The Board Of Mis-
sons for Freedmen should be placed On some firm basis
II has had fight prejudice from the beginning and
yet mark the success which 1t has metz
In the afternoon tho work OF the Board OF EDUCATION
WINS taken I'D again DR.. Poor, the benevolent looking
enthusiastic secretary OF the board rose
TO correct an impression that Bdds University In Char
otte, N. c.. was treated unfairly IN ths VI ''
limited amount Of money at the disposal OF the board
onIv $40 year is allowed TO each student; but, be-
cause the expenses there less than at Lincoln
University the is really larger than the 600
tvsr 70 the Lincoln students. Professor Lawrence,
Of Biddle rose 10 reply to the venerable secretary
ora While no unclerical words were USED ne gave tne
Xss.mhIy 10 understand that DR.. Poors STATEMENTS
were tissue of alleged facts based on mis- or
nv poor is man Of peace but he has deal OF human
Dr; ro'i md hs started toward tho platform,
evidently to set himself right ,r wIta a, iss
,ha herssd,cfion Agile IN spite OF his many sum
mors he had nearly the so%berp eSur
49, let few drops of ointment fall on the gar
ment unlike Aaron DR.. Poor abhors beard on
ciergvmanl az his elder brother and AMID tho applause
- ~. as.Tnhied thousands unity was restored and
3r Poor subsided overcome with the honey ed wo'
of the speaker when Professor lawrence s-'e s,fi
% nres BOARDING tho necessary expenses OF stu,
das1,s sbouins that Il cost each s1e3 year, and