The American Missionary | Page 5

life of their communities greatly inferior to that in which they were trained in our schools. They are reaching after something more pure, free and spiritual. The leaven of their intelligence and higher standard of morality is taking hold of many families about them. From many centers the call reaches us for the organization of Congregational churches, churches which shall stand for morality, equal membership rights and a more rational type of piety. At the same time there is an uprising in various churches against the centralized forms of church government, which they feel to be oppressive. They refuse longer to be bound to systems which, as they believe, invade individual Christian rights. From these and other causes appeals are coming to us from different quarters for the recognition of churches which have become independent. A number of these churches have already been received by council into Congregational associations, and the indications are that this number will be largely increased during the year to come.
[Illustration: THE SPRINGS CABIN AT LOWELL.]
THE SPRINGS CABIN AT LOWELL.
[Illustration: THE LOWELL CHURCH RUINS.]
THE LOWELL CHURCH RUINS.
Of these popular movements toward the Congregational way, that at Lowell is a typical illustration. Some of the colored people near this little hamlet desired to build for themselves a church. With infinite pains and self-denial and labor they gathered the material for a small, wooden building and put up the frame with their own hands. Being refused the official encouragement they felt they had a right to expect from their own denomination, they began to consider the whole question of church relations and polity, and made up their minds to become a free church. They held their services in the cabin depicted in the accompanying illustration, and sought to push forward the completion of their little and rude church building. A furious storm blew the frame down. With sore hearts they piled up the lumber neatly around the foundation frame and felt that they must give up their cherished hope of having a church edifice. Having learned of the Congregational way, which superimposes no centralized church government over the people and seeks to aid the poor rather than to oppress them, they organized themselves into a Congregational church, and were recognized in our fellowship by a council. Afterward they were visited by a representative of the Association, whose form is seen in the foreground of the picture of their ruined church. A cheering conference was held with them. In this conversation a single fact came out which shows something of the labor and self-denial in the movement. It was found that the young minister of this, and a similar body of colored people several miles away, although he was afflicted with an ulcerated ankle, which might well have laid him up in his house, had repeatedly walked seventeen miles over the heavy roads in order to keep faithfully his preaching appointments. The people were willing to do their very utmost. It is hoped, with the aid of our Church Building Society, that they will now be able to put up their little church building and prosper in their Christian endeavor of having a free Congregational church for their religious home.
[Illustration: REV. A. W. CURTIS, D.D.]
REV. A. W. CURTIS, D.D.
In Raleigh, the State capital, the colored people form a little over half of the population. Our church work here for a number of years has been in the charge of Rev. A. W. Curtis, D.D., who is most highly esteemed everywhere. The convenient, comfortable, and tasteful church building was erected in 1891. It has a seating capacity of 250. In the political transformations of the State the race question keeps its prominence. It was a significant fact that the Legislature voted a few weeks ago to adjourn in respect to the memory of Fred. Douglass. About the same time the legislature also voted that the national standard should be raised on the State house; and, for the first time since the reconstruction days, our country's flag streamed above the old granite capitol of North Carolina.
[Illustration: STATE CAPITOL AT RALEIGH.]
STATE CAPITOL AT RALEIGH.

A SUNDAY AT TALLADEGA, ALA.
BY PRESIDENT DEFOREST.
Our different religious services begin early in the day. At 7.30, soon after breakfast and prayers in the dining hall, the Young Men's Christian Association holds its meeting for an hour. The Sunday-school, with a large attendance and many classes occupying different school rooms, convenes at 9.15, with the regular church service following at 10.30. We are never through with this without feeling keenly the need of a larger, better and better ventilated house of worship. A new chapel is longed for each Sabbath, often through the week, and especially at commencement season when our varied anniversary exercises are all crowded into one small inadequate and inappropriate room.
Soon after dinner more than a