Miss D.E. Emerson, Secretary.
Reading edition
All ladies interested in missions are earnestly invited to be present at the gathering of Women's Home Missionary Organizations to be held in Northampton, Mass., Tuesday, Oct 21st. This meeting will be in the First Church. Interesting speakers have been secured to represent the work of our six National Societies. The day promises to be one full of interest, and we hope there will be a large delegation of ladies present from all over our land, and that they will pray earnestly for the spirit of the Master to be present in this gathering.
NATHALIE LORD, COMMITTEE.
The Woman's Meeting of the American Missionary Association will be held on Thursday afternoon, October 23d, in the Edwards Church at Northampton, Mass. All are cordially invited to attend.
We call especial attention of ladies to the Woman's Meetings at Northampton, Mass., Oct. 21st and 23d. The first, on Tuesday, of which notice is given above, is the meeting of the Women's Organizations of the several States as represented on page 321. They extend from Maine to California, and we would that there might be present delegates from every State.
The second meeting, on Thursday afternoon, October 23d, is the Annual Meeting of the Bureau of Woman's Work of the American Missionary Association, at which missionaries from different departments of our work will come face to face with the friends who have cheered and supported them, and will tell somewhat of the every day life on the field. An unusually interesting programme is promised.
We take this opportunity and method of thanking those officers of the State Organizations who have been recently sent us a revised list of their auxiliaries to date, that the missionary letters from the field may be mailed directly to each church society thus represented. Every state that has pledged itself to aid the work of the American Missionary Association is entitled to these field reports, which are sent out from the New York office through the Bureau of Woman's Work, and we shall be glad to receive the correct address for each auxiliary society.
Christian Endeavor For The Boys And Girls Of The Southern Mountains
A New Need.
A large number of the mountain people are so poor that they cannot pay even the bare cost of living for their girls and boys in order that they may have the privilege of attending school. Rarely can a family send more than one child to school, and in every case where one can go a boy is selected. The brothers must wait until perhaps too late, and the sisters must remain at home in ignorance. Thus it is found that the advantages of Christian schools, brought so near to the mountain boys and girls by the American Missionary Association, are not yet sufficiently within their reach, and this gives rise to a new need in connection with our work in the South. It is a need of young people and we turn to young people to meet it, believing that our Christian Endeavor Societies and other Young People's Societies will not lose this special opportunity for missionary work.
A Student's Fund of $3,000 is to be raised in $50 shares, upon which we will draw to bring the young people of the mountains into these schools, and to help them over hard places according to their need. Pupils will be encouraged to help themselves all they can, and no pledges will be made to any until they have reached the limit of their own resources, and no specified amount will be assigned to any one pupil. Each will be helped according to his condition. A boy may be able to reach the school and work part of his board and need only a small sum to cover the expense of the full year. A girl may need to have her traveling expenses paid and only this; another, giving promise of usefulness, may have her full way paid during the year. Some will be kept through the entire school year, who otherwise could study but a few months.
The training the young people receive in these schools brings a sure reward. We quote from a letter just received from one of our missionaries: "I am very hopeful for the Christian work among the students this year. The Christian Endeavor Society is in much better condition than last year. The members understand better the meaning of 'Christian Endeavor,' and that being a Christian means a daily application of Christian principles to every day life."
Now why cannot our Christian Endeavor and Young People's Societies take this work to their hearts, and thus be the means of preparing others for Christian work? Why not do for these poor, but bright and interesting American boys and girls there, what will bring more of them into the fraternity of Christian Endeavor?
We will send at once to any who desire it, full information of our mountain work, and all who contribute to this fund may have their offering assigned to aid pupils in one of our schools, from which letters will be written by a missionary during the year, giving information directly from the field.
Here is an urgent need outside our usual lines of expense, for which we seek new and additional help—not the diversion of regular annual contributions. We break the fund into shares of $50 that many may have part in it. Early response either in cash, or pledges to be cashed by July, 1891, will result in giving many of these young people the advantages of Christian education during the present school year.
Woman's Work In North Carolina
We have a Woman's Missionary Meeting once a month; it began last November, with six members; there are now eleven. We have, too, a Mission Band, which many of the older scholars have joined as associate members. It is held fortnightly, after the Sunday school, and generally the whole congregation stay to hear what is going on.
Last Sunday morning we went to Pekin, starting at 8 A.M. It is a drive of fifteen miles through turpentine forests, and the roads are very rough; we go up hill and down all the way, three creeks to cross and one river. Across this there is a bridge, rather originally constructed. We go down a steep and sharp curve, on the edge of high banks, and then through a covered bridge across the rushing stream, which is seen between the foot planks, and we are thankful to get across without any backing on our horse's part. The woods are very lovely just now, very few wild flowers, but such a variety of foliage, and we notice a beautiful flowering shrub, called "ivory "; it is a mass of delicate pink or white blossoms. These turpentine forests are by no means all pines, there are many varieties of oak.
The Sunday-school at Greenlake church, Pekin, is held at 9 A. M. Our object this morning is to meet the children and teachers, before they disperse, and organize a Mission Band. The little church, or rather schoolhouse, is situated on a hill, and there is a fine view of the rolling country; only this morning one longs for a little shade. One of our former scholars (now working in the turpentine) comes out and takes our horse.
The school is just over, and we hear there is to be preaching at 11; it is now 10:15, so we ask the pupils to stay. We sing and then Miss Bechan explains about foreign missions and mission bands. They give in their names and appoint officers, agreeing to meet twice a month. They have also a Woman's Missionary Auxiliary, which has been meeting once a month since last December.
There is a recess of ten minutes, then the preaching begins. The preacher is a young man, who would gain much (as would his hearers) by attending school a few years. This is one of the heart-sores in the work here—the great ignorance of many of the preachers. Some of them will tell you, they have had "no education," and, indeed, it is all too plain, from their curious expressions and mis-applied long words; but worst of all is their ignorance of the Bible. But how can they do better till they have been taught? There is a crying need of educated pastors in these country places. The young men tell us, they "do not find religion interesting;" one said,that, after "having tried it two or three times." It is hardly to be wondered at, that they are not interested, when the thunder is all that is shown them. They are told they ought "to quake and tremble," and if they do not, they "show by their actions that they mean to go to hell."
Woman's State Organizations.
Co-operating With The American Missionary Association.
MAINE.
WOMAN'S AID TO A.M.A.
Chairman of Committee—Mrs. C.A. Woodbury, Woodfords, Me.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
FEMALE CENT INSTITUTION AND HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. Joseph B. Walker, Concord. Secretary—Mrs. John T. Perry, Exeter. Treasurer—Mlas Annie A. McFarland, Concord.
VERMONT.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. A. B. Swift, 167 King St., Burlington. Secretary—Mrs. M. K. Paine, Windsor. Treasurer—Mrs. Wm. P. Fairbanks, St. Johnsbury.
MASS. AND R.I.
2WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
President—Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer, Cambridge, Mass.
Secretary—Miss Nathalie Lord, 32 Congregational House, Boston.
Treasurer—Miss Sarah K. Burgess, 32 Congregational House, Boston.
CONNECTICUT.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. Jacob A. Biddle,35 West Street, South Norwalk.
Secretary—Miss Ellen R. Camp, New Britain.
Treasurer—Mrs. W.W. Jacobs, 19 Spring St., Hartford.
NEW YORK.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. Wm. Kincaid, 483 Greene Ave., Brooklyn.
Secretary—Mrs. Wm. Spalding, 6 Salmon Block, Syracuse.
Treasurer—Mrs. L.H. Cobb, 59 Bible House, New York City.
PENNSYLVANIA.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. W.H. Osterhaut, Ridgway.
Secretary—Mrs. C.F. Yennee, Ridgway.
Treasurer—Mrs. T.W. Jones, 218 So. 37th St., Philadelphia.
OHIO.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. J.G.W. Cowles, 417 Sibley St., Cleveland.
Secretary—Mrs. Flora K. Regal, Oberlin.
Treasurer—Mrs. F.L. Fairchild, Box 932, Mt Vernon, Ohio.
INDIANA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. W.A. Bell, Indianapolis.
Secretary—Mrs. W.E. Mossman, Fort Wayne.
Treasurer—Mrs. D.T. Brown, Michigan City.
ILLINOIS.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. B.F. Leavitt, 409 Orchard St., Chicago.
Secretary—Mrs. C.H. Taintor, 151 Washington St., Chicago.
Treasurer—Mrs. C.E. Maltby, Champaign.
IOWA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. T.O. Douglass, Grinnell.
Secretary—Miss Ella E. Marsh, Box 232, Grinnell.
Treasurer—Mrs. M.J. Nichoson, 1513 Main St., Dubuque.
MICHIGAN.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. George M. Lane, 47 Miami Ave., Detroit.
Secretary—Mrs. Leroy Warren, Lansing.
Treasurer—Mrs. E.F. Grabill, Greenville.
WISCONSIN.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. H.A. Miner, Madison.
Secretary—Mrs. C. Matter, Brodhead.
Treasurer—Mrs. C.M. Blackman, Whitewater.
MINNESOTA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
President—Mrs. E.S. Williams, Box 464, Minneapolis.
Secretary—Miss Gertude A. Keith, 1350, Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis.
Treasurer—Mrs. M.W. Skinner, Northfield.
NORTH DAKOTA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
President—Mrs. A.J. Pike, Dwight.
Secretary—Mrs. Silas Daggett, Harwood.
Treasurer—Mrs. J.M. Fisher, Fargo.
SOUTH DAKOTA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. A.H. Robbins, Bowdle.
Secretary—Mrs. T.M. Jeffris, Huron.
Treasurer—Miss A.A. Noble, Lake Preston.
NEBRASKA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. T.H. Leavitt, 1216 H. St., Lincoln.
Secretary—Mrs. L.F. Berry, 724 No. Broad St., Fremont.
Treasurer—Mrs. D.E. Perry, Crete.
MONTANA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. F.D. Kelsey, Helena.
Secretary—Mrs. W.S. Bell, Helena.
Treasurer—Mrs. S.A. Wallace, Billings.
MISSOURI.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. A.W. Benedict, 3841 Delmar Ave., St Louis.
Secretary—Mrs. E.H. Bradbury, 3855 Washington Ave., St Louis.
Treasurer—Mrs. A.E. Cook, 4145 Bell Ave., St. Louis.
KANSAS.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
President—Mrs. F.J. Storrs, Topeka.
Secretary—Mrs. George L. Epps, Topeka.
Treasurer—Mrs. J.G. Dougherty, Ottawa.
WASHINGTON.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
President—Mrs. W.E. Dawson, Seattle.
Secretary—Mrs. N.F. Cobleigh, Walla Walla,
Treasurer—Mrs. W.R. Abrams, Ellensburg.
CALIFORNIA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
President—Mrs. H.L. Merritt, 686 34th St, Oakland.
Secretary—Miss Grace E. Barnard, 677 21st St., Oakland.
Treasurer—Mrs. J.M. Havens, 1329 Harrison St., Oakland.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. Emma Cash, 1710 Temple St., Los Angeles.
Secretary—Mrs. H.K.W. Bent, Pasadena.
Treasurer—Mrs. H.W. Mills, 327 So. Olive St., Los Angeles.
COLORADO AND WYOMING.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. J.W. Pickett, White Water, Colorado.
Secretary—Miss Mary L. Martin, 106 Platte Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Treasurer—Mrs. S.A. Sawyer, Boulder, Colorado.
Treasurer—Mrs. W.L. Whipple, Cheyenne, Wyoming.
LOUISIANA.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. R.C. Hitchcock, New Orleans.
Secretary—Miss Jennie Fyfe, 490 Canal St., New Orleans.
Treasurer—Mrs. C.S. Shattuck, Hammond.
MISSISSIPPI.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Miss Sarah Dickey, Clinton.
Secretary—Miss Alice Flagg, Tougaloo.
Treasurer—Miss Mary Gibson, Tougaloo.
ALABAMA.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. H.W. Andrews, Talladega.
Secretary—Miss S.S. Evans, 2519 Third Ave., Birmingham.
Treasurer—Miss M.K. Lunt, Selma.
FLORIDA.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. S.F. Gale, Jacksonville.
Secretary—Mrs. Nathan Barrows, Winter Park.
Treasurer—Mrs. L.C. Partridge, Longwood.
TENNESSEE AND ARKANSAS.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION OF THE CENTRAL SOUTH ASSOCIATION.
President—Mrs. E.M. Cravath, Nashville, Tenn.
Secretary—Miss A.M. Cahill, Nashville, Tenn.
Treasurer—Mrs. G.S. Pope, Grand View, Tenn.
NORTH CAROLINA.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Miss E. Plimpton, Chapel Hill.
Secretary—Miss A.E. Farrington, Raleigh.
Treasurer—Miss Lovey Mayo, Raleigh.
TEXAS.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY UNION.
President—Mrs. S.C. Acheson, 149 W. Woodard St., Denison.
Secretary, Mrs. Mary A. McCoy, 132 No. Harwood St., Dallas.
Treasurer—Mrs. C.I. Scofield, Dallas.