The Work for the Colored People in the Southwestern Union Conference
By N. P. Nelson
A year ago there had been practically nothing done for the poor colored people in this section, but they were struggling along, trying to do the work for their own people with only their own resources. But by the help of the General Conference in allowing us twenty per cent of the November collection, we purchased forty acres of land near Devall’s Bluff, Ark., where we intend to erect a building this fall, with two departments, for school purposes. We have quite an intelligent, well-educated colored brother who conducted a church-school last winter in a temporary building on the farm, and who may connect with the school when we get a more permanent building. Besides this we purchased one large preaching tent and two small family tents for the use of the colored workers in Arkansas, and the same for those in Texas. We have also erected a neat little church building at Cleburne, Tex., upon a lot paid for by the colored company there. For the future we find considerable to do, in order to make the work already started a success. We shall have to help several promising colored men and women to go to Huntsville a year or two to better fit themselves to work for their race; for we find that most of the poor people are very ignorant, and must have some education before they can successfully help others. We have quite a large and growing church of colored people at Waco, Tex., who feel very much the need of a building in which to worship, but they are all poor. We do not feel that it would be wise to buy a lot and build them a church, as this might teach them to be too dependent on the conference for everything; so we have encouraged them to get a lot themselves, and then we would assist them to build a church on it. They already have about half enough raised for the lot, and we shall be called on before long to build them a church building. We believe that the means already given us has been put to good use in building up and establishing the work among this people in our field. We hope you will remember us for the coming year; and on our part, we shall try by the help of the Lord to spend the money given us at this October collection, to the best advancement of the cause among this downtrodden race. Under the arrangement with the General Conference for the coming year we shall have to largely support our colored workers out of the collection received in October. We have at present one ordained minister and four Bible workers in Arkansas, and one ordained minister, one Bible worker, and one colporteur to whom we are giving partial support, in Texas. In the States of Arkansas and Texas we have six colored churches. The members of these churches love the truth, and are quite faithful in paying their tithes and offerings. Now, dear brethren and sisters, we come to you with an earnest appeal that you will remember the great needy Southern field, and that you will make a liberal donation to carry on the work already begun. This work has lain so long at our very doors neglected, and the Lord tells us that the opportunities for doing it will close soon, so there is the more need for liberal donations of means that the work may be hastened.