THE SOUTH.

"NOTES IN THE SADDLE."

BY REV. C.J. RYDER, DISTRICT SECRETARY.

The following, which was taken from the public records of a white school in Tennessee, illustrates the intellectual condition of a portion of the white citizens of that and the other Southern States. It also shows what kind of men have charge of public instruction in some districts throughout the South.

"TENN July —, 188-.

"Rulus for scoul No 4.

Teacher will not low the scoulars to scouful or clime or swhisparn in time of Books; the Teacher can ad eney rulus to this he thinks needud and eney Larg secular can not comer ounder rulus will have to quit the scoul."

These "rulus," as the word is spelled, were signed by two members of the School Board by whom they were written. How strange, that in localities in which there is such frightful illiteracy the school authorities should fail to welcome, with large-hearted cordiality, teachers who come among them. The white people, as well as the colored, need missionary schools, as the illiteracy among them is appalling.

Think of it! Seven-tenths of one per cent. of the native white population of Massachusetts are illiterate, while twenty-three per cent. of the native white population of Georgia, and thirty-one per cent. of the same population of North Carolina are illiterate!! Why should not Georgia be proud of her educated (?) citizens, and do all she dare to drive some of the best teachers there are in the State outside her borders?

Right in this connection it would be interesting to read the following letter. A brief word of history, however, is necessary that it may be understood. In 1878, a young man, a graduate of one of the leading New England colleges, enlisted in the great army of A.M.A. teachers. He was a quiet, unassuming, Christian student. The amazing ignorance of the Southern people, both white and black, awoke his pity; and his love, for his Saviour, and for his country, led him to give himself to this most needy field. He was embarrassed and badgered by those who ought to have welcomed him, and helped him in his work. This mean and unworthy opposition with which our A.M.A. teachers are so familiar, culminated in his case, in a series of letters in which his life was threatened. It was just before the election of President Cleveland. There was evidently, a well-matured plan to drive him out of the community, and to intimidate the Negroes so that they would not dare to vote. The following was one of these letters:

"Mr —— deer Sir It is for your own good That I write This letter to you you are an advocate for Social Equality with the white and the Black race and the People are not going to Put up with any Such doings and I write you this letter to warn you of The danger and the great danger That you are in You must leve The country right away for The People have Pledged Them Seves to get you out of the contry or Kill you and That in a mity Short time Now as a frend I do beg you to give this matter your emmediate attention I am very truly your well wisher meaning Exactly wat I Say"

I saw all these letters, and received this one from the hand of this Christian hero. He said to me:—"I went to bed a good many nights thinking that quite possibly I should be dragged out of my bed, and beaten or hanged before morning." Notwithstanding this, he wrote on the outside of the envelope the following words, and passed them around among those whom he knew to be conspirators against him:

"In answer to the enclosed, I will say to my 'Democratic and inquiring friends,' that I expect to leave on or before Jan. 1st, 1940, and that though I hoped to vote for 'St. John and Prohibition,' I have now decided to vote for 'Blaine and the Protection of all citizens in their political and civil rights.'"

When he gave me this letter, he took a promise that it should not be published until after his death. He passed away in the triumph of his sweet, but heroic faith a few months ago. He died where he had suffered and dared for Christ's sake, in the midst of this ignorance and sin.

Such stories as his ought to be told. It is cowardly timidity for those of us who know them, to keep them from the Christian public. Heroes and heroines answer to the roll-call of A.M.A. workers. I have met them and mingled with them, the past three years, and I know the sinew and fibre of their courageous faith. You, who send them out, and who support them in the field, ought to know what they endure, and hear, now and then, an incident of their heroism.

Two cases of heroic self-denial have come under my notice recently. In Macon there lives a colored woman whose husband is in an Insane Asylum. Their home was recently burned to the ground. She has four small children with her, the eldest of whom is eleven years old, who are dependent upon her for support. She earns just eight dollars per month, and yet she sends one girl, aged fifteen, to Atlanta University!

A young man, whose father was a white man and who is himself a blonde, has been urgently invited by his white grandmother to come to her home and take the position of her son's child. She is a wealthy woman, owning a large plantation. The young man's father, her son, is dead. The boy would have all the privileges of a wealthy young white man and inherit the property on his grandmother's death. The sole condition which the grandmother makes is that he shall give up all association with his octoroon mother and refuse to recognize her in any way. Thank God, the boy is too true to his gentle and loving mother to enter into any such arrangement, even though the bribe offered is thousands of dollars and a social position of great attractiveness. There is a great deal of this quiet but heroic self-sacrifice among the colored people in the South, that never finds its way into print.

THE ALABAMA ASSOCIATION.

PRESIDENT H.S. DEFOREST.

The thirteenth annual meeting of the Alabama Association was held at Salma, March 30th to April 3d, when the floods were at their highest, yet fourteen of our seventeen churches were represented. The Sunday-school Association convened a day earlier, and one afternoon the Woman's Missionary Association had a session by itself.

The opening sermon by Professor Andrews, was a powerful exposition of Christian love, from the 13th of 1st Corinthians. One evening was given to the higher, Christian education; one to three papers on "How to Secure Homes," "The Home Indoors," and "Home Piety;" and the last to three phases of the temperance question. Pastor C.B. Curtis, whose church most generously entertained the Association, read a very suggestive paper on "Self Support of the Churches," a pressing and difficult question. Almost of necessity, when there is so much to be done, and the resources are so small compared with the magnitude of the undertakings, practical rather than theoretical questions come to the front and engage earnest attention.

After a most satisfactory examination, six young men from the Theological Department of Talladega College were licensed to preach, and it is noteworthy, that, besides this latest gift of Talladega to the ministry, eleven of the fourteen churches represented at this meeting of the Association are ministered to by Talladega College or its graduates. It is a wonder that some man wishing to put a comparatively small sum of money where it would increase with a compound interest of blessedness till the latter-day glories have fully come, does not endow the chair of Theology at Talladega, and his brothers take up the same line of usefulness till both College and Seminary are presided for. Some who were taking the rudiments of learning here but a few years ago, and who have continued their training at very email expense, are now acceptably filling difficult and responsible positions in school, in business and in church. There is more of this work to be done, and to be allowed to help seems a privilege precious enough to make life vastly desirable.

TEMPERANCE WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS.

Our esteemed neighbor at 58 Reade Street, Mr. J.N. Stearns, Publishing Agent of the National Temperance Society, recently made a visit to Florida. On his return trip, he visited several of the A.M.A. schools in the South, and his practiced eye of course detected the facts in regard to temperance instruction and influence. We quote the following items:

At Beach Institute, Savannah, under care of the American Missionary Association, Miss A.A. Holmes principal, I found 230 pupils and a strong temperance sentiment. The entire school receives sound temperance instruction. Stirring temperance songs ring through the halls. A Band of Hope holds regular meetings. "Mother Goose and Her Temperance Family," was performed with great satisfaction by the pupils, and a photograph group of the actors taken and preserved as a memento of the occasion. "Alcohol and Hygiene" and the "Catechism on Alcohol" are among the studies.

At Charleston I found Avery Institute slowly recovering from the effects of the earthquake which effectually scattered its students. Over 200, however, were now in attendance, under the auspices of the American Missionary Association, with Professor M.A. Holmes principal. Temperance is a cardinal virtue here, but they greatly need a temperance library and other literature. All these schools have a severe struggle to sustain their ordinary work, and must depend largely upon outside help for temperance literature. They can use to great advantage and carefully distribute, without expense, to the community round about if only the material is furnished.

At Wilmington, N.C., a great work has been accomplished. It has 20,000 inhabitants, 12,000 of which are colored. In 1881, when the vote on prohibition was taken in the State, it was all against the proposition. A wonderful change for the better has taken place. I had a most pleasant visit to Gregory Institute of 250 pupils, Mr. George A. Woodard principal. This is also under the American Missionary Association. "Alcohol and Hygiene" is taught in the higher branches and temperance pervades every department. An open temperance society, with Rev. George S. Rollins president, holds regular evening meetings, with temperance songs, recitations, dialogues, essays and speeches, for entertainment and instruction. The regular meeting occurred the evening I was in town, and I greatly enjoyed the exercises. Carolina Mills was proposed for membership, and a committee of three appointed to "investigate and report." The report was "favorable," and read in regular order and adopted. The candidate came forward to take the pledge, and proved to be a young man of genuine African descent. The entire programme was rendered with great credit to all concerned.