The American Missionary — Volume 44, No. 01, January, 1890Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 44, No. 01, January, 1890
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
At Helena, I found a most interesting state of things. Our church is in
a country place called "The Colony." The church and the colony began
their existence together, and a more prosperous community of colored
people it would be hard to find. They own several thousand acres of
land, and are in every way ahead of their white neighbors. The school
house of the latter was a poor tumble-down affair and the children were
untidy, while the school house of the former was a neat, painted and
well-kept building, crowded in school hours with bright, enthusiastic
children--clean and polite. The teacher was from Talladega College and
has taught here for five years. His school is pronounced the best in the
region for white or colored. The pastor of this church has charge also
of the Congregational Church at Goliad.
Corpus Christi is a curious town on the Gulf of Mexico. It has about
6,000 people--Americans, Mexicans, Negroes, Italians, Greeks and
Chinese. The Negroes here hold an unusual position, being regarded as in
every way superior to the Mexicans and Italians. Our pastor here is
popular with all classes and has been chosen an alderman of the city,
and is treated with as much consideration as any other of the City
Council.
Our church is one of the oldest Congregational churches in the South,
and has had a very interesting history. With the exception of the Roman
Catholic church it has the best house of worship in the city. On Sunday
afternoon, Rev. Mr. Strong, the Congregational pastor, and myself
attended service at the Roman Catholic church. We went into the body of
the church and took a first class seat, and the fact that one was
colored did not even draw attention to us. It was taken as a matter of
course. The colored people of Texas are taxed for $20,000,000 of
property. In the cities they make up about one-third of the population.
An enlargement of our church work in this State is greatly needed.
Straight University in New Orleans, La., is an inspiring place. I found
the buildings packed full--seats full, chairs in the aisles, in the
corners and on the teachers' platforms--all full. About one hundred and
fifty applicants had already been sent away for want of room, and they
were still coming, as many as ten often being refused in a single day.
They were here not only from the States, but also from Mexico, the West
Indies and Central America. I saw here some remarkable work in moulding
done by a student in the fifth grade, who had never been trained, but
who seems to be impelled by real genius. Straight University has a
unique position and opportunity. Its influence is now great; it is
destined to be boundless.
From the Chicago meeting I made this trip. The meeting was inspiring,
but what I saw in the field, of character-building and the uplifting and
refining of a race, was more than inspiring--it was thrilling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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