The American Missionary — Volume 44, No. 10, October, 1890Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 44, No. 10, October, 1890
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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