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1891.

REV. E. P. COWAN, D. D., President.

W. B. NEGLEY, Esq., Vice-President.

REV. J. T. GIBSON, Office Secretary and Treasurer.
REV. S. J. FISHER, Recording Secretary.

REV. R. H. ALLEN, D. D., Cor. Secretary.

Members of the Board.

TERM EXPIRES MAY, 1891.

REV. D. S. KENNEDY.

REV. E. P. COWAN, D. D.

W. B. NEGLEY, Esq.

REV. H. T. MCCLELLAND, D. D.

JOHN G. STEPHENSON.

TERM EXPIRES MAY, 1892.

REV. J. F. PATTERSON.

ROBERT C. TOTTEN.

REV. GEO. T. PURVES, D. D. S. P. HARBISON.

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TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

Board of Missions for Freedmen,

Of the Presbyterian Church in the United States
of America.

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church,

From March 31st, 1890, to April 1st, 1891.

THE BOARD OF MISSIONS FOR FREEDMEN respectfully presents to the GENERAL ASSEMBLY its TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT, and in doing so would express its profound gratitude to God for the success that has attended the prosecution of the work during the past year. It has been one of the Board's most successful years, as will be seen by a careful consideration of this report. Missions in the old fields have been strengthened and enlarged, and we have advanced into new territory as our means would allow. We have sustained in the field 330 missionaries, 288 of whom are colored. This last fact is encouraging when it is remembered that twenty-five years ago we had not a single educated colored preacher or teacher.

Our Church work has been prosecuted with commendable vigor and earnestness by our ministers. New men have been sent to the field as our funds would allow and new churches organized. There are important fields in new territory that should be occupied at once, especially in the Southwest to which part of the country many of the colored people from the Atlantic coast are moving. We have been prevented from occupying these fields only from the want of funds. The removals above alluded to have reduced the total membership in many of our churches in the Atlantic States. Some of the churches have suffered very seriously in this regard. As churches become self-sustaining they are removed from our roll, and this also lessens our total number of communicants as reported.

Our Field Superintendent, whose duty it is to look after the interests of the work on the field, has rendered the Board valuable aid in prosecuting the work. In doing this he has traveled 16,000 miles, visited 125 churches and schools, attended ten Presbyteries and two Synods, and made 200 addresses and sermons. He reports the work everywhere as hopeful and growing. It is gratifying to report that the colored people in our churches and schools have this year given towards self-support $45,581.39, an increase of more than $4,000 over last year. Many of our churches, however, have failed to report in regard to this matter. If all the reports had come in we have no doubt they would have run the total up to $50,000.

The following table will show the work of the year in detail, and will show a growth all along the line as compared with last year, except in the total of communicants, which may be accounted for by the removals above alluded to, and churches becoming selfsustaining. Two churches on the roll last year with over 600 members, are now among the self-sustaining churches.

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Whole number under care of the Board, 252; Missions, 17..
Communicants added on examination..

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1,296

193

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7

269

1,483

6

10

15,486 259 18,212

84 11,029

197

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The work of the Women's department during the year has been especially gratifying. It has extended its influence among churches and societies heretofore unreached and a deeper interest than ever before has been awakened in the minds of the women of the Church. As an evidenee of this growth the receipts of this year show an increase of $8,457.99 over those of last year.

Two of our missionaries have died during the year, Rev. W. C. Ogburn, a young colored brother, who was doing a very efficient work among his people in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory; and Mrs. A. G. Girardieu, a faithful teacher in Beaufort Academy.

OUR SCHOOLS AND SEMINARIES.

Biddle University, at Charlotte, N. C., our college for the education especially of preachers and teachers has enrolled during the year 175 students, more than 50 of whom are preparing for the ministry. This college is most advantageously situated in the midst of a dense colored population, and accessible by not less than six railroads which centre at the thriving little city of Charlotte. It occupies a plot of ground of some 30 acres about a mile from the city. It has a fine college building, costing about $43,000, and it is said to be one of the best buildings in the State; a large dormitory and boarding house, and four professors' houses, and in many regards is well equipped for doing a successful work. We find it very important that preachers and teachers for the colored people should be trained among their own people. It is less expensive than in the North, and they are kept in constant contact and sympathy with their race, and when prepared for their work find fields of labor all around them which they may enter at once. Together with a thorough college and theological course, there has been opened during the year an Industrial Department which promises to be of great benefit to the institution. Printing, carpentering, and the manufacturing of plain furniture are carried on in this department in which eighty-five of the students work an hour and a half daily. A knowledge especially of the two last mentioned arts we regard as very important to the young men who are to go out as teachers and preachers, as it will serve them many a good turn in practical life, especially among the colored people, whose school houses and chapels are to be built in almost every community. This is our only institution of the kind and if properly manned and equipped its possibilities can

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