The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-24
WORK AMONG BLACKS
DISCUSSED BY AMERICAN MIS-
 SIoNARY ASSoCIATI0N.
The New Educational Movement in the South Highly Commended by President Gladden-Words
 of Other Speakers.

New London, Conn.,, Oct. 23.-The con vention of the American Missionary As sociation came to an end tonight a1ter President Washington Gladden. of Ono. who was reelected today, had delivered the annual address.
 In addition to President Gladden. these officers were elected: vice-Presidents. Alex Mckenzie. Massachusetts; Rev. Henry A. Shmson of New York; Rev James w. Cooper of Connecticut, Rev. William A. Strong of Michigan, Arthur T. Hadley of Connecticut; Recording Sec retary, Rev. Asher Anderson of Massa- chusetts; Corresponding Secretaries, Rev. A. J. Beard of Newark, Rev. F. F. Woodbury of New York, Rev. c. J. Ky der of New York; Treasurer. H. w. Hub bard of New York.
 Among the papsrs read at the morning session was one by Secretary c. J. Ky der of New York. The Secretary stated that the income from the churches this year was $2,795 less than for the aver age for the last three years. Sunday Schools show an Increase of $904. En- deavor societies have increased their gifts s23o.
 The total number of contributing churches last year was 1,905 and of non- contributing churches, 3,S48. The great body of givers put into the treasury last year $169, ,766. The Indian work has great ly suffered from this loss. Twenty per cent. increase in donations would mean $200. 900.
 The afternoon session was devoted to womens work in the missions. Mrs. Washington Choate. President of the Con- necticut Union, delivered an address and the annual report of the Bureau of Wo- mems Work by Miss D. E. Emerson of New York, attracted attention.
 Miss Mary s. Westgate of Blowing Rock, N. C., Mrs. Ella Sheppard of Nash vile. Tenn; Mrs. H. H. Proctor of At- lanta. Ga; and Mrs. Minnie Crossthwait of Knoxville, Tenn, were among the speakers.
 An address by Rev. H. H. Proctor of Georgia, was listened to with particular interest in connection with a report on Southern church work by Rev. Edward M. Moves, D. D., of Massachusetts.
 ''As a race,' said MT. Proctor. I've form one-tenth of the nation and one- third of the South We shall contribute at least that proportion toward tearing down or building up. There are 100000 negroes in the South and of these at least 100000 are outside of any chuEch -as many as were set free a generation ago. One-half of the black race is un- changed and one-half of the existing churches are totally incompetent to meet the religious needs of their members. Fully one-half of the ministers are yet unprepared mentally and spiritually to properly minister to the people. "No other denomination has built as many schools amongst us as the Congre- gationalists and no other denomination has so few >churches. The success of your school work makes the expansion of your church work imperative. There is a real breach between the old church and the new negro. Unless it be filled we shall reap a crop of black infidels. The best way to fill that breach is to multiply Congregational churches in the South. The young negro today is doing an immense amount of thinking He is thinking on questions of religion. Unless the church can answer the deer | questions he Is pondering and propound- l ing he will turn away from it." In his address tonight President Glad | den said:
 What a tremendous problem still is | this problem of the black race of the | South. There have been times when il seemed to us that we were getting il pretty we'll out of our hands, but nc | such possibility is now in sight. It was l never a more serious question than it is l today.
 "The men who are seeking to cooperate
 with the Southern people in promoting the general cause of education at the South have undertaken a most patriotic service. Their efforts are not directed towards the education of the negro-it is promotion of education in the whole coun- try, irrespective of race, sex or creed, to which they have pledged themselves. It Is not merely an educational crusade of the North in the South, the Southern men are in the front of 1t; the North Is rising in response to the call of the South, with the purpose of using it's larger resources where they are needed most.
 Education prosecuted along these lines must result m a more intelligent and a kindlier public sentiment toward the ne- gro. and in a better estimate of his rights and capabilities.
 This powerful movement toward the spread of education in the South must also create a tremendous demand for well trained teachers and the burden thrown upon our colleges and secondary schools will be greatly increased Those measures by which in most of the South ern States the negro has been practically disfranchised represent an ominous but not permanent tendency The dsfran- chisement of ignorance or of moral worth Iessness is not to be deprecated; but the drawing of the line of political privilege between the ignorant white man and the ignorant bleck man IS a wrong that can not endure. It can only be justified by the deiiberate purpose to reduce the race to a subject condition. The Southern people are essentially a chivalrous peo- pie and they cannot build their citizen ship on any measure of injustice to the weak. They must prevail because this Is a Christian age and a Christian na- ton. and he who counts the poor and needy among his friends has come to reign and will reign until he has put all