The American Missionary - Volume 43, No. 01, January, 1889

Excerpt

We present to our readers, on the opposite page, a picture of Mr. Daniel Hand from a photograph taken some time ago. It presents the likeness of a man of fine physical proportions and with energy and intelligence impressed on the features. The signature at the bottom of the picture is copied from one of Mr. Hand's recent letters, and shows the remarkable physical vigor of a man in his 88th year.

The New Year opens upon us auspiciously, and we send forth our joyous greetings to our patrons at home, and to our fellow workers in the field. Above all we thank God for putting us into this ministry for the poor and the ignorant, and for the success granted to us in prosecuting it. We have had sorrows and anxieties, but they have been followed by consolations and deliverances. The hand that penned the "Happy New Year" in our MISSIONARY for last January, is now silent in the grave, but the memory of Brother Powell's life and character is so precious that it mitigates our loss. The yellow fever prevented the opening of many of our schools, and awakened fears of widespread hindrance to our work throughout the South; but the scourge was restrained, and the work now goes on prosperously. Our last fiscal year drew towards its close with the cloud of a large debt looming up, but our friends responded so generously to our appeals, that the year ended with a debt so small as to be only a salutary warning.

But the crowning mercy of the year came at our Annual Meeting, when we were able to announce the gift of over a million of dollars from that generous friend of the poor Negro, Mr. Daniel Hand. It is a wonderful gift, and comes in a good way. The income only can be used, and that will do just so much more for the Negro, and will not be applied to work now in progress. We are tempted to fear that our patrons will diminish their gifts because Mr. Hand has been so liberal. But we will have faith in God, who has entrusted us with this great work, and we will enter upon our new year with the full confidence that every friend of the Association who appreciates our responsibilities to Christ and the Nation, will decide that his gifts to us shall be increased and not diminished in this year of grace 1889.

Emphasis is added to the closing words of the preceding article by the report of our Treasurer for the first two months of our fiscal year, October and November. The receipts for those two months were, from donations, $31,261.99; from estates, $3,961.29; from income, $1,822.72, making a total for current work of $37,046. The Association needs $62,500 for these two months. Let us remind our patrons that Mr. Hand's gift will do its own work and not theirs. We think they will feel that it is only honorable to let Mr. Hand's benefaction add so much new work, and that it should not be used simply to relieve others. The great, pressing, and stupendous work which rests upon this Association as the representative of the churches, must not stand still. Patriots and statesmen are becoming alarmed at the Southern situation, and while they will do what they can to meet the emergency, we believe that the grand solution of the problem is in the Christian enlightenment and the industrial progress of the Negro. May God grant that the Christians of this land may not fail to see their special responsibilities and to meet them in the spirit of Christian liberality and self-sacrifice.