The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-01
A HOME MISSION MEMORIAL.

The American Missionary Association
has issued an appeal to Congrs gstional
churches, especially throughout New
England, to observe February 14th, the
Second Sabbath of the present month, as
| a Memorial sunday OF "The Times of
| Abraham lipcoln," VINO was born Feb
ruary IL. 1909. The appeal connects Lin
coins life with the work OF the Associa-
tion. affirming that his early life was
very much the samo as that led today by
the mountaineers OF Eastern Kentucky.
The hardsbips and struggles of his early
| yesrs>for the elements of eaucation are
| those of the Southern mountain children
of today. In Virginia and Kentucky, In
Tennessee and North CsroliDa nearly two
millions OF people are living, 1t Is said,
as the parents OF Lincoln lived, and their
children have the same needs as those
which he so painfully felt. Isolated from
the educatiye forces Of our modern ciyili-
zsiion, great numbers OF these people are
said to have livei for generations In
ignorance ana poverty. They are now
awaking from the lethargy OF the past
and welcome the upliftment OF Christian
irsi iing and education. No more promis-
log home mission fields can be found
throughout the country than those among
these Mills are said to be.
The appeal sets forth that the American
Missionary Association has barely begun
the vast work which needs to be done.
The results thus far are most encouraging.
Its schools and the churches cou Id be
multiplied many fold, it Is said, IL there
were the means with which to plant
them.
The appeal also connects the Associa-
tion with slavery and its abolition, with
the uplifting of the freedmen since the
war. A few months before The founding
OF the American Missionary Association,
In 1s46, the Rev. Charles I. Torrey.
young Massachusetts minister, DIED in n
Southern penitentiary for the crime OF
aiding fugitive slaves to their freedom.
Dark was the outlook, tut the men who
founded the American Missionary Asso-
citation thnt sutumn chose for their
method of meeting this gigantic evil The
preaching OF the gospel and the work of
Christian education. settlements were
made oy compromise again and again |
but these men believed that the prayers
and tears OF the oppressed were more
than all the conspiracies and
chicaneries of politicians, ana the
marching OF armies. Almost at the first
breaking out OF the storm OF war, the
American Missionary Association begnn
its gospel and teaching work among the
freedmen. II followed close upon the
OF the armies OF the Union. The
vantage ground wen by the soldier was
occupies by the mission teacher and
The men of fsith who had or
ganized this mission society fifteen years
before found now that 1t had its vast and
nomentous work opaped before it. Mil
lions wore hoping and praying tnst with
the saving of the Union might come the
freedom of every American. They had
Iaith that the offeuse of slavery must pass
away.
On the side of his moral nature, where
be is weakest, says the appeal, the black
nan OF the South has still to be girded
md enersixsd. In him are still the
tendencies of his hereditary paganism,
he vice of his slavehood. These will
link him unless his whole nature is re-
generated by the ministrstion OF pure
inc vital Christianity.
The missionary work furnishes the
'oul, ii is said, for all that is done for
he Indian politically. Never has there
been such an opening in the history
'f Indian missions az comes today,
Ind yet for financial reasons the Ameri-
AN Missionary Association is utterly un-
'ble to overtske the opportunities thrust
ipon 1t. The "moral training" and the
'elevatipg and sanctifying influence of
ha iQt fat |
lincoln fel. 1t TO be the duty OF Aueri-
ANS to carry to the Indian, are in the
pessage of the American Missionary
Association.