The American Missionary - Volume 45, No. 2, February, 1891

Excerpt

THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY.

American Missionary Association.

OUR LIST OF FIELD WORKERS.

We present herewith our usual February list of missionaries, in church and school, through the field of the Association. In this list many thousands of our readers will recognize familiar names, some through personal associations and others through their long-time acquaintance with the work of the Association. It is no unimportant feature of the great principle of co-operation on which our work is founded that we can reckon upon a large force of long-tried and experienced workers in the field. The Association has a wealth of wisdom in planning and carrying on its work, by its ability to call into requisition the knowledge and efforts of those who have spent many years in the South, and are intimately acquainted with the needs, difficulties and advantages of the work. Many individualistic schemes have failed at this point; but the Association has developed a force that can be relied upon for the intelligent investigation of new openings, the prudent planning of work and its wise and steady support and development. At the same time, associated with our older workers, we have the younger missionaries and teachers with their fresh enthusiasm and fervent zeal, giving new impulse of activity all along the line. This long list of names represents years of self-denying attention and steady effort; it speaks of large progress in the past and is the presage of still greater progress in the future, for the list grows year by year. Our resources and forces were never before so large as during the past year, and we are encouraged to hope that they will be increased during the year to come.

Our current receipts for December were nearly $52,000, an increase of $11,000 over those of December, 1889. For the first quarter of our present fiscal year the current receipts amount to $106,000, as against $100,000 for the corresponding period of last year. We thankfully appreciate every enlargement of our resources, and shall continue to use our best endeavors to keep the work within the means provided for it. How difficult this is can be understood only by those who are in constant receipt of numerous exigent calls for work in the great populations among which our service lies. As a matter of record, notwithstanding the utmost care on our part, while our receipts for this quarter have gained $6,000 over those of last year, our expenses have increased $12,000. We are profoundly grateful for the increasing public interest and Christian co-operation in the work of the American Missionary Association, and hope that the gifts of the churches will continue to be accompanied by their counsels and their prayers.

THEOLOGICAL INSTRUCTION.

The association is undertaking to supply the serious need, met all along its lines of missionary service, of a more intelligent and consecrated ministry. For the use of our Biblical Training School for the ministry, at Fisk University, we are engaged in the erection of the building; and the work has been taken hold of by the Fisk University Singers, who are meeting with cheering encouragement in the churches....