The Baptist Home Mission Monthly

Marlow, Duncan and Chickasha. Will begin EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

a church-building at Ryan this week.

J. B. HAYES.

First Polish Baptist Church, Buffalo. Dear Brethren :-We are sure that every Baptist is interested in the good work that is being done among the Polish people in our city. We have special reason to be thankful to God for all the blessings we have received the past year. The work of preaching, praying, conversation, and helping the poor, has not been in vain. The attendance at our meetings has increased. The people are attentive to the preaching. Twenty-one converts have been baptized; one we have received by letter. This will make a total addition the past year of twenty-two; sixteen of this number were previously Roman Catholics.

In September, Bro. Strelee, a young man, went to the German department of the Rochester Seminary to be prepared for the ministry, where he is now supported by the kindness of a good Baptist brother of our city.

October 31, we were organized, with thirty faithful members, as a First Polish Baptist Church. November 6, delegates of all the Buffalo Baptist churches met together in our midst and were organized into a council; after examination in the Articles of Faith, they recognized us as a church. October 18, we baptized two converts from the Roman Catholics. The church was fully packed at the administration of the baptism. We have many Roman Catholic families who are interested in our work. If we could have our own church building to hold services in, it would be a great help to our work. Now we hold our services in the Reid Chapel-on Sunday mornings, from 9 A.M. to 10.30 A.M.; Sundayschool, from 2 P.M. to 3 P.M. We can have no evening service, because the chapel is used for the English work. Who will help us in this important matter? Now is the best opportunity!

Jos. ANTOSZEWSKI.

Form of a Bequest to the Society. "I give and bequeath to the American Baptist Home Mission Society, formed in New York in the year eighteen hundred and thirty-two, the sum offor the general purposes of said Society."

Items from Shaw University.

BY HARRIETTE M. BUSS.

Among the A. B. H. M. Society's several schools in the South for the liberal and Christian education of the colored people, Shaw University holds a prominent place.

Its humble beginning, dating back to the autumn of 1865, immediately after the close of the war, was a beginning confronted by menacing difficulties, by a host of mighty obstacles to be overcome. But with a founder who recognized no such word as fail, whose whole heart was in the work, sole trust in the Lord, and whose constant watchword was "Forward!" one by one the threatening lions in the way were vanquished and the frowning obstacles triumphantly surmounted. To-day, at the expiration of twenty-nine years, with its nine or ten departments, its eight or more commodious buildings and an annual enrolment of from three to four hundred students, this institution stands forth a crowning monument of CONSECRATED INDOMITABLENESS.

The Literary department's session for '94 and '95 opened with the beginning of October; that for the professional schools commenced the first of November. Students have entered in encouraging numbers, and are still coming in from day to day. Present indications whisper the promise of a good, a successful year.

As for the last few years so this year the circles in our many class-rooms are centered from many different States-from all points of the compass in our own land and from countries lying in their native beauty with an ocean rolling between us. Africa supplies four, South America four or five, and even our leading Northern cities-New York, Boston, Brooklyn and Philadelphia-send their representatives.

What Will They Do?

To the interrogations which may be presented, "For what are the students preparing?" and "What do they go out to do?" we answer that in our normal and college departments the majority aim to enter the teacher's vocation. In the Theological, they hope by their pulpit ministries, by and by, to become leaders of their people in religious thinking and living. In law, they would learn

their rights as individuals, as citizens, and make themselves acquainted with the proper way of demanding and maintaining those rights. In medicine, they seek the physician's walk in life, and would go forth with healing attending their steps. In pharmacy, they strive to become familiar with the nature of drugs, and to understand compounding medicines. In the industrial, the hand is trained to execute its various offices with greater facility and skill. In the missionary training department, earnest and devoted Christian young women are gathered to become well instructed and thoroughly fitted for real missionary work at home or abroad, in church, Sunday-school, homes and everywhere in those directions in which their people most need Gospel light and uplifting. Every year students are going out from Shaw University to engage in the different lines of work above named, and many of them become efficient laborers in the Master's vineyard.

To Save Africa.

Two of her young men have been in Liberia from twelve to twenty years in obedience to the last commission. One of her young lady graduates went to the Congo eight years ago, wrought there faithfully for four years, until failing health compelled her return. She is now studying medicine in a female medical college in Philadelphia. This year of study will complete her course, and then as a medical missionary she will again repair to the Congo, taking back the three students from there who have been with us four or five years. Arrangements are already made for the sailing of the four from New York next June.

Another young lady from our lists has been engaged in mission work in Liberia for several years. Quite a number of her students from time to time have secured positions in Washington; one has been a member of Congress, another a Collector of Customs at Wilmington, N. C., and others have held seats in our State Legislature. Several are in charge of public grammar schools and schools of a higher order among their people in the South, and numbers engage in teaching in those schools in this and other of its sister States a few months of every year. Graduates from her medical college are successfully practicing their profession in the leading cities of this Southland, and a few have established themselves

at the North. Her law and pharmacy graduates are taking a good stand, while her ministers are working for a purer religion and the extension of its influence among the churches.

Working Their Passage.

Do any inquire how they obtain the means to enable them to attend school? Self-help has ever held a very prominent place in the instructions here imparted. Young men and young women are continually encour aged to be self-reliant, to put forth their best efforts for their own advantage. In various ways they earn money, save enough with which to attend school for a while, go out again to earn more and then return for another period of study. As soon as they become competent to teach in the small public schools for colored children, they are able, by teaching a few months in the year, to attend school here a part of the session. In this way hundreds of the young people have obtained their education, and many others are still pursuing their courses of study.

Need of Aid.

To the question which may be presented, "Is Shaw University a self-supporting institution?" we are obliged to answer in the negative. The condition of this people and the very low wage-rates which prevail necessitate such low charges to students that the income from their bills does not cover the expenses of the institution.

The teachers' salaries are met very largely by the A. B. H. M. Society and by other funds given for this purpose. Then the constant wear and tear and the deteriorating results effected by climatic influences render frequent repairs imperative and to a much larger extent than at the North. These unavoidable expenditures can only be fully canceled by outside aid from some source. There is never a time when we do not need money from interested friends, who have it to bestow, in order that our work may be reasonably satisfactory, achieving the best, the most efficient results. And still more, that those improvements everywhere deemed essential in the educational province may be seasonably added to help onward and upward to higher, nobler planes.

Persons favorably inclined to this particular school can always throw upon it rays of sunshine and gladness by cheerfully-ren

dered gifts of money in any amount large or small. Contributions, too, of materials, such as are continually needed in our dormitories, are always most acceptable. Of this kind are quilts, comforters and gray cotton flannel blankets for beds: stout, closely-woven bed-ticking, and firm, strong, unbleached cotton cloth for sheets and pillow-cases. With plenty of the raw material provided for our girls' sewing-room, the transformation into the needed articles for our several dormitories is easily accomplished.

Our Hospitals.

In connection with our medical department, as an indispensable adjunct to afford that thorough preparation and practical training to these students so requisite for their future professional work, we have a small hospital, in which, for a few months in the year, a limited number of patients can be received and treated. For the support of this we depend largely upon voluntary contributions. There is neither individual nor organized provision for its maintenance. At the present time these free will offerings are very much necdedmore, perhaps, than ever before during the nine or ten years of its existence. Half a dozen patients are already in the wards, more are soon to come, and few are those who have any money with which to cancel even a small part of their indebtedness for care and board: they are the exceptions.

In her literary departments Shaw University needs a liberal offering from some millionaire, or many small offerings from many with benevolent hearts but lighter purses. Her last session closed with a debt of $1,200, for the payment of which no way has yet opened no prospect of an opening is in sight. Should any whose heart throbs for suffering humanity be pleased to remember our hospital with a loving gift; should any be minded to lay in our hands an offering for Shaw University, we can assure them that every such gift will be thankfully received and wisely and economically applied.

May the Lord send to us the weighty contribution from some rich man's full coffers, or the many lighter ones from the humbler purses of the liberal hundreds !

Are we seeking the world's salvation? We must lay the bases of our undertaking in Christianized America. A wise interest in foreign missions compels a boundless zeal for Home Missions.-Hulbert.

Roger Williams University, Nashville, Tenn. Nov. 22.

Dear Bro.:-Miss Mary S. Jones died at 1:30 P. M. to-day of cerebral hemorrhage. She attended the chapel service Sunday evening, and appeared to be in excellent health and unusually cheerful. After returning to her room she had a slight attack of pain, but nothing to cause any alarm. She was quiet, but not thoroughly restful during the night. Monday morning she suddenly became unconscious and with in tervals remained so till she died, occasionally rousing up and recognizing her friends, but at no time clearly understanding her condition or surroundings. The last twenty-four hours gave no sign of consciousness or suffering.

Her loss to the school is very great. She was a devoted teacher, with a genuine missionary spirit and with admirable teaching power. She was not weak anywhere. No one during the long years of her service has been held in greater esteem or respect.

Her Christian character was beautiful, without ostentation or pretense. It was like the flow of a broad, deep river, strong and quiet and full. She will be greatly missed and long remembered by those she has served so well.

Her remains have been taken to Reading, Pa., her home, for interment. Truly yours,

A. OWEN.

CHURCH EDIFICE DEPT.

California-Germans.

Dear Bro. :-I mail you, together with my quarterly report, a photograph of our new church building, which was dedicated in June. It is an attractive and serviceable structure and has cost, together with the lot, the sum of $4,000. The inside is just as neat as the outside. All this property has been acquired in less than five years. The members of the church have given nobly, and when we receive the $400 promised by your society we shall be out of debt. The church is united and free from any outside incumbrance, ready to do a good work for the Lord.

Experience shows that California is the hardest field in America for spiritual har

like to sell or donate their old bell; or has the Society one they would donate or sell cheap? We will soon have our new house of worship done. Times are so hard and money so scarce we can hardly buy a bell. We would like to have a bell that would weigh 600 or 700 pounds. If you can help us do so. Please write to me at Eldon. I am your missionary there.

REV. JACOB CORNELIUS.

Indian Territory.

I herewith submit my report for quarter ending to-day. It has been, in many respects, the most precious and profitable three months spent on this field during the three years I have been here. Notwithstanding the close, hard times, we have just completed at Antlers a nice meeting-house -size, 28 x 56 x 14; vestibule, 8 x 20; tower in the corner, bay window for pulpit, inclined floor and circle ceiling. We have finished it at a cost of $1,200. I will send you a photograph of it soon. We owe $100 on it. Just as soon as we can pay off this debt we will send you for the society a liberal contribution. We are very thankful for the help extended us, and the society has our prayers and co-operation. The Lord bless you in your precious work.

Yours faithfully and fraternally,

WM. M. HAYS, Missionary.

Never probably has the Bible received such careful and critical study as obtains at the present time; and this not only among the scholarly, but also among the comparatively unlearned. Over against this can be placed the correlative fact that never has there been such a supply of works containing the sources of knowledge and furnishing the requisites for critical examination of the Inspired Word. And the one has operated with the otherin the one case to stimulate an impulse, and in the other to increase the works wherewith it may be met. Mr. Merrill tells us of the manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments from which our present perfect copies of the Scriptures are made. We read in his pages of the industrious work of the Massoretes-those indefatigable copyists and editors of the Old Testament MSS.-of the formation of the Septuagint, of the origin of the Samaritan Pen

tateuch, and of the different versions of the Old Testament. He also gives a very interesting account of the finding of the great Sinaitic Codex by Tischendorf at the Monastery of St. Catherine.

His work on the New Testament is equally full and satisfactory. All the different MSS. of any importance are spoken of, and their influence on the present text of the Scripture indicated.

A few years since he issued a book entitled The Story of the Manuscripts.

The book contains fac similes of some of the famous codices of the New Testament, which greatly add to its interest. It forms a splendid companion treatise to Prof. Pattison's History of the English Bible. Together they give a better and more intelligent treatment of the sources of knowledge and the various processes by which we have our present Bible, than can be found in any other works now on the market. The publishers have given the book a unique and attractive dress.

TONY: THE STORY OF A WAIF. By Laisdell Mitchell. Charles H. Banes, Philadelphia. Tony is a friendless, lovable little newsboy, with a wonderful gift for whistling, who, rescued from a serious accident by a young physician, and cared for by him in the hospital, in return robs him of his heart, and the pathetic little story ends just as we want to have it. It is full of melody, and is set in a binding as dainty as itself. A charming little booklet for the holiday season.

The American Baptist Publication Society's "Inductive Lesson Studies and International Quarterlies" for the first quarter of 1895 fully maintain the high character of these publications; and this, coupled with some new features, and a slight reduction in price for picture lessons, should secure for them the patronage of every Baptist Sunday-school.

Publisher's Notice.

We have about $50,000 worth of books, and have concluded to reduce our general and miscellaneous stock in order to confine ourselves more strictly to theological and religious books.

Those contemplating replenishing libraries or making Christmas presents are requested to send to the Baptist Book Concern, Louisville, Ky., for price-lists, as many of our books will be offered at one-half price. W. P. HARVEY, Pres.

Baptisms.

"Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' -MATTHEW 28: 19.

NAME.

J. D. Stapp,

G. J. Dahlke,

J. U. R. Wolf,