The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-25
MISSION CHURCHES IN DIXIE.
GREAT WORK DONE BY THE AMER
ICAN ASSOCIATION.


Total Of Forty-tvo Churches Or
Eanized I'm North Carolina Alone
During the Past Year-The sponta-
neOus Generation of COngrega-
tiOnaI Churches I'm the south a
surPrise-The Freedom of the Free
Churches of Gcorgin aud the Car
olinas Attained solely by tho
Truth.
Detroit, Mich. Oct 2l-The American
Missionary Association has selected Bos-
ton as the place for holding the jubilee
annual meeting next year.
A report on the church work Of the as
sociation in the south was presented by
Henry Martin Ladd. d. d.. Of Cleveland.
He reported that In the one state Of North
Carolina alone the association has this last
year organized more churches than IL has
organized all through the whole south
during any one Of the preceding ten years.
Thirty-four churches for colored people
and eight mountain churches. a total OF
i2 new churches in one year, is the unique
record. The first mountain church to as
sumo self-support is the one at Whittier,
n. c.
The most surprising and the most en-
couraging feature Of the work al the south
has been the apparently spontaneous gem
Grafton Of Congregational churches among
people and under conditions where such
a development would be least expected.
Science may know nothing of spontaneous
generation as fact but congregatlonal-
ism does
The free churches" of Georgia and the
Carolinas, like the free pilgrim churches
Of Q
solely by the truth. They have sought
out no ism" Of policy, but revolving
against ecclesiastical oppression and an
unworthy ministry. they have declared
Tor simple principles and have awakened
10 the lacj that they belong to the con-
The new movement In Georgia is most
interesting as Illustrating how congre-
tlohallsm springs into being not only In
New England, but among the negroes OF
the black belt. There was "a gain OF 42S
new members In these churches during tbs
past year. There has been remarkable
progress Of church work among the moun-
tam whites, or American highlanders'
resultlng in eight new churches, and a
rapidly increasing membership.
A gain in membership of over 50 per
cent. IN three years, out of a population
Whlch remains practically stationary, un-
aHected by booming towns and crowding
settlers, Is probably unparalleled in anv
section Of our country.
some OF the Incidents Of the last year
seif-support the ordination of the hrst
Chinaman as congregational minister
the spontaneous development of the COM
gregational Idea in the Black Behp
ana the largest accession Of churches
ana new members in many years.
ReV q Rowe pastor Of Plymouth
church, Charleston, s. c., said that Ina
work OF the American Missionary Assoc
citation in the organization Of church
work among the negroes began nearly
thirty years ago. We now have 1G9
churches. The majority of them are
still weak and unable to carry their
Now and then one missionary becomes
self-supporttng, as In the case Of the
savannah First church. the Atlanta
First church, and Plymouth church.
Charleston, 5. c.. which Mr. Rowe has
served about ten years
The newspapers Of the day would give
us the idea that the life of the negro race
is inseparably connected with lawlessness
and crime. While enumerating the faults
Of the worst class, they overlook the quiet
but rapid development in religious, moral
intellectual and Industrial life that Is go-
Ing on. They overlook the life Of steady
uprighteousness lived by so many menu
bers OF the race, and select the criminal
vicious, lazy, ignorant and worthless
classes as representative of people who
ment Of life and effort The church and
school work of the American Missionary
Association has wrought nightly In the
south and in character and intellect
building. The Methodist church in All its
branches, the Baptist, the PRESBYTERIAN
ana the Episcopal churches have all been
at work doing valiant service.