The Only Seventh-day Adventist Colored Training School in the World
By George Ide Butler
For many years past, light from the Lord has been coming to us continually in regard to the duty of our people all through these United States to assist in thoroughly establishing the colored work. There are many indications that there is a great crisis liable to come in the near future, with reference to the relations between the white and colored people in the great South. Both white and colored often speak of this, and it is to be expected that we shall yet see fearful times in the South. It has been intimated by the Testimonies of the Lord that what we do in reference to the colored work must be done soon; that the way will be hedged up earlier in some fields, especially in the South, than in others. This is why the Lord has been especially pleading for our people to take hold of this work even more strongly than in the great nations of the earth, where much needs to be done, and where we have a great work to accomplish, because things here are in a peculiar condition. I have not space in this article to delineate and present before the readers of the REVIEW many things I know relative to this matter. Having been now some fifteen years in the South, I have become acquainted very considerably with the questions that are especially agitating the minds of the people in the South. Last season, in one State at least, the governor was elected on the issue of educating the colored people in the South. It was a heated campaign. The candidate who was elected came right out in public, repeatedly, and said that education “spoils the field hands.” Of course the sentiment, which was so pronounced in that political campaign, was very contrary to the feelings and views of many of the best citizens of the South. But it shows which way the wind is blowing. Different States have been agitating the question for some years past, that none but the colored people should educate the colored people; that it should be contrary to the law for white teachers to teach the colored people. It has been put in legal statutes that such schools should not be sanctioned by state authority, in more than one State already, and it has been agitated in many more. In some States, like Tennessee, where for years large schools for the colored people have been taught by whites, in its important universities, there was not sufficient influence to sanction such a law, but these things are being canvassed more and more, and will be, no doubt, as time goes on and the crisis draws near. It is well that our people should confront this issue. White teachers can now, in many parts of the South, teach colored people, but the way is gradually becoming hedged up, and it is very probable, to say the least, that this will not always be permitted. What then will be the prospects of our getting the truth by means of publications and reading-matter before the colored people? Can not every reader of this article see at a glance, that if we fulfil our duty, we must, while we have opportunity, make every provision for colored teachers who can teach their own people, if whites are not permitted to do so, the great principles of present truth, the last message of mercy to the world? We are now prepared to notice the importance of supporting and sustaining and greatly enlarging the only colored training-school among our people in existence—the one at Huntsville, Ala. That school has already had an existence of some nine years, with a greater or less degree of prosperity. Its prosperity and success have been decreasing in the last two or three years, rather than increasing, due to a variety of causes. The attendance, to the best of my knowledge, has been about fifty or less, for several years past. It is not my purpose to depreciate in any degree the reputation or efforts of those who have been laboring in the school. I can conscientiously say that all have tried to do faithful work, and have done a great deal of good, but the school has not yet accomplished all that it was designed to accomplish by its creation. The problem has been a very perplexing one to those connected with the Southern Union Conference, for two or three years past. The school belongs to the Southern Union Conference, the same as our Graysville Training-school for the whites. While the Graysville school has had about one hundred in attendance, the colored school has had only about half as many. The difficulties of the situation may account largely for this difference in attendance. It is expected of all the white students that their tuition and expenses will be paid. This has seemed impossible in the condition of the colored students in attendance, because of their great poverty. I will not, for lack of space, enter into many of the conditions and reasons why such difficulties exist in the carrying on of this colored work, but they do exist, as no one conversant with the matter will deny. The perplexities have, within the last year or so, been so great that some have even questioned whether the Huntsville school should be closed. This, however, has not been the prevailing opinion by any means, but it has been, in some instances, suggested. Various opinions have been entertained. The matter was quite fully considered in our important council at Nashville last winter. The perplexities were so great that it was with difficulty that leading brethren of experience in the19conference would consent to serve on the Huntsville board. All of us felt the deepest interest in having the counsel of Sister and Brother White, and other leading brethren at the meeting held in Huntsville by the Conference Executive Committee and the Huntsville board, June 20-23. There was quite a full attendance at the meeting, and Sister White enjoyed a fair degree of health. She spoke twice to the people present with freedom. She had very excellent and satisfactory counsels to give to the brethren who had the important interests of the institution in charge. She stated, substantially, that the Lord had shown her this school, and its surroundings, several years ago. She pointed out different features concerning the buildings, the fruit-trees, and the general appearance as it was presented to her. She spoke in the highest terms of the capabilities of the soil, if it could be properly managed, and its best qualities be fully developed. She said emphatically in public that “not one foot of this land should be sold;” that the school, instead of numbering fifty students or under, ought to have one hundred or more—indeed, she had made statements concerning it, as represented by her son, that the school might attain to some two hundred or two hundred and fifty in number, if properly managed. She gave suggestions as to changes that should be made; these have been carried into effect. She says that immediate efforts should be made to enlarge this school, and put it in a far better condition. The buildings are much in need of repair, simply because there have been no funds with which to improve them. Some of the houses must be repaired soon, or they will be in a similar condition. The statements, in the presence of the board and the committee, were such as to set at rest much questioning and doubt in regard to the future of this institution. All those who believe the Testimonies felt satisfied with the only course to be pursued was to take hold, and put this institution in a state of greater efficiency. There has been some lack of union between the important colored work in Mississippi, where some six or eight schools are already in successful progress, and others about to be entered upon, and the Huntsville Training-school in Alabama. As one person having heavy responsibilities placed upon me in connection with this work, I have felt that these institutions should be so united as to be largely under one control, and full unity should exist, instead of being dissevered, drawing in opposite directions. Elder F. R. Rogers, who has had special responsibilities under great difficulties, in looking after the colored work in Vicksburg and vicinity, was elected superintendent for the coming year. Though he may not be able to devote all of his time to the Huntsville school, everything indicates that it will receive special attention from him. Prosperity and success have attended the work in the Mississippi schools. Wherever a school has been brought into existence, a church of colored people has been raised up around it. The crops being raised at Huntsville this year are looking very well, better than the average of those in the neighborhood. There is a great deal more that might be said concerning this important institution, but the writer feels unwilling to take up more space than is necessary to give a clear idea of the matters in question. I feel certain that the minds of all our leading brethren are settled that the Huntsville school must be made a success. It must fill an important work in this denomination. It is favorably located, near the great “black belt,” where the greatest mass of colored people is to be found. The excellent work that has been done here must now be supplemented, and greatly increased. It was resolved by the committee that, instead of having a long intermission during the summer, where the students go elsewhere and get under worldly influences, the school should be continued throughout the year, with simply short vacations, so that those who come to attend it, and receive its benefits, should be retained on the place, to be thoroughly instructed and fully impressed with the great truths for this time. Many of those who have attended the school, by thus going out into the world, have lost their interest, and were really lost to the cause. This line of policy will be changed. The school, which is now having its long vacation, will reopen September 21, and continue right on. Now, we appeal to our brethren, throughout the great Northern field to help us in this important crisis, to put this school in a proper condition. It was voted to raise five thousand dollars as soon as it could be done. The school is in debt to the Southern Union Conference treasury to a large amount, as funds have not been at hand to pay the laborers in the school, and they have been borrowed from our depleted treasury of the Southern Union Conference, putting that treasury in very great distress. But it seemed absolutely necessary, in order to keep the school going. Teachers must have a living. We need, at once, one thousand of this five thousand dollars, to make proper repairs, and to put the schoolroom and dormitories in a respectable condition. Will not our people at once help in this great work? Are there not some brethren and sisters with means who will take hold and lift at this time? If some of our brethren would lend us a thousand dollars to fix up our cottages, we could take a little longer time to get the rest, but this is absolutely essential. We ought to have it in hand to-day, to fix up the buildings and put them in a proper state of repair for the coming school year. Now, brethren and sisters throughout the great field, we have laid these facts before you; we have reached the crisis of this important undertaking, the only colored training-school belonging to Seventh-day Adventists in the world. Are we really in earnest? and do we really desire to help this poor, afflicted, despised people, to bring the light of truth before them? If we do, we shall certainly rally to help the only training-school of this people to be placed in a condition to enter upon its work which the Lord has declared for years and years in the past must be done. I can not overdraw this picture. I appeal to our people, as one of the old hands, who has known this cause, and helped to raise means for it for some forty years, to help in this time of dire distress and need. We must do our duty, if we are ever going to see this work advance as it should among this afflicted race. The servant of the Lord has been on the ground, and all that has been shown her in the past has been revived in her mind by what she saw concerning this institution. This is what, for years in the past, our people who are interested in the prosperity of the work in this most distressed field have desired, and now we present before you a synopsis of this information. The whole Union Conference Committee are in hearty accord with what I am now seeking to present before the readers of the REVIEW AND HERALD, our church organ. We feel like doing our utmost to carry out the instructions we have received. We believe that it is the only consistent thing to do. This institution must not be left to fall into ruins; it must not be left to go down in disgrace. This work, that needs our attention, and our earnest prayers, and our devoted efforts must be put in a condition of health and prosperity. May our dear brethren and sisters everywhere think of this great need, and come to its rescue.