MISS MARTHA J. ADAMS.

At the home of her niece, Mrs. Rev. C. D. Merrill, in Beloit, Wis., Miss Martha J, Adams fell asleep in Jesus, October 7th, from a second attack of paralysis, aged 75 years and three months.

Her remains were brought to the home of her sister, Mrs. Rev, H. H. Benson, in Wauwatosa, and after appropriate funeral services, were laid to rest in Forrest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee.

While returning from one of her prayer meetings among the colored people, Jan. 7, 1896, with her horse and carriage, with one of the teachers at Tillotson Institute, Austin, Texas, she was stricken with paralysis of her right side, rendering her unconscious and helpless when they arrived at the institution. After five weeks she rallied from this unconsciousness, and as soon as able to endure the fatigue, she was brought to Beloit, Wis., all the way on a cot bed, by Mrs. Merrill, who went for her the previous week. She continued in this condition, able to converse some, and enjoy meeting friends, but perfectly helpless till her decease.

Miss Adams early made a profession of religion in her native village in Conway, Mass., and united with the Congregational Church.

After coming to Wisconsin in 1846, she continued her early profession, teaching at Green Bay, Beaver Dam and Ripon College, but her most important work has been among the Freedmen of the South, five years at Montgomery, Ala., and fifteen years at Tillotson Institute, Austin, Texas, which institution she aided in opening.

 

 

 

 

TILLOTSON COLLEGE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.

BY PRESIDENT MARSHALL R. GAINES.

Austin is the educational center for Texas. Here are the State University, Institutions for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind, for whites and negroes, St. Edward's College, St. Mary's Seminary, Stuart Female Seminary, and various other public and private schools. Here, too, on high ground, commanding an extensive and beautiful view of Austin and the valley of the Colorado River stands Tillotson College. Its buildings are conspicuous, convenient and comfortable. Its campus, with clusters of trees and vines, a succession of bright flowers, throngs of birds of varied plumage and constant song, is ever a source of fresh delight and rest. Far enough from the town to be free from the bustle of business and distractions of pleasure, it is yet within easy reach for students from the city, or for the enjoyment of conveniences for shopping, lectures, or churches.

The past year has been one of the best in the history of the school. The attendance in nearly all the departments increased. There was manifest at all times a spirit of loyalty to the ideals of Tillotson, and of faithful, earnest work. In a long and varied experience in school life, in the North, in Japan, in the Southwest, and in the South, the writer does not recall a year of more earnest and successful work on the part of the students, as a body, than the one recently closed at Tillotson.

The Seventeenth Anniversary extended from Sunday, May 3oth to Wednesday, June ad. The preacher of the Baccalaureate sermon was the Rev. W. C. Denson, of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The sermon, clear, forcible, and appropriate, was listened to by an attentive and appreciative audience of students and friends. In the afternoon of the same day came the union meeting of the Societies of Christian Endeavor.

The services of the day were closed by the Farewell Consecration Meeting in the evening. This, like the preceding services, was of deep interest. It was encouraging to hear one after another of our young men and young women tell what Tillotson had done for them, and encourage one another to go forth to carry light and help to others. Some of the speakers had been here six or seven years, coming under the influence of many different instructors. Entering, in most cases, as mere boys or girls, with no fixed purpose in life, with no conscious interest in religion, many of them hailing from "Texas ranches," proverbial for their hardened product, they had grown to manhood and womanhood, and had learned to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to think of work for him as the business of their lives. With brief and earnest words they testified to the light that had come into their lives, and their purpose to be helpful to their race wherever they might be. Those present will not soon forget their words of gratitude to the American Missionary Association and to the faithful workers of the past years.

The prize contests of the literary society were all well sustained and would have done credit to students of similar grade anywhere. The choice books distributed as prizes will be helpful for years to come. The same evening found the Chapel crowded to its utmost capacity with expectant people in attendance upon the " Musical entertainment." This is always a feature of the Commencement week. Parents and friends made long journeys to be present. Long and diligent preparation had been made, and the rendering of " Paul Jones " was received with much enthusiasm.

Wednesday morning found Tillotson Chapel adorned as it never had been adorned before with plants and flowers artistically arranged. Four young men and three young women, all from the Normal Department delivered the graduation orations and essays before a crowded audience of students, citizens, and visitors from many points of the state and of the

South. Not one of the seven graduates failed to acquit himself with credit. The music rendered by members of the school, was of a high order.

Following the graduates, visitors were called upon for short addresses suited to the occasion. Responses were made by Dr. Edward B. Wright, of the First Presbyterian Church of Austin, by Dr. French of the First Baptist Church, by the Hon. R. L. Smith of the Texas Legislature, by Prof. Anderson, for fifteen years President of the Colored Normal School of Texas, by Elder Foster of the Methodist Church, Elder Campbell of the Baptist, and by Dr. Fisher, Chairman of the Baptist Convention of Georgia.

Dr. Wright has held his present position for more than twenty-five years ; he served several years as a member of the local Board of Trustees of Tillotson ; he has been conversant with its work from the very beginning. He is always ready to respond to special calls for help and he always helps. Mr. Smith has the " ear mark " of the American Missionary Association upon him, having graduated from Atlanta University during the presidency of the late Mr. Ware. He has been for two terms a member of the legislature, and is a growing power for good in his adopted state. He is a welcome visitor and speaker at Tillotson.

The words of Dr. Fisher will be long remembered. It is rare to find so much of genuine common sense, of real pathos, of the spirit of Christ, in one man. His reminiscences of the days of slavery, his characterization of the present conditions of the Negro, and his words of encouragement for the future, were inspiring.

There was abundant evidence in the addresses of the speakers of the wide-spread love and devotion to Tillotson, and of confidence in her helpfulness and mission for the coming years. The good work done in the past has made its impression upon the thousands of colored people of Texas. They are sure to knock in increasing numbers for admission to our institution.

In connection with the literary exercises there were exhibitions of work done in the Industrial Departments, in drawing, and in Botany. All seemed to think that the Commencement was one of the best the college has ever known. Only once before has the institution sent out so large a graduating class. Had we the means to meet applications for aid we could greatly increase our membership. The majority of the students work-out half of their expenses while in school. It is vastly harder to do this 1n Texas than it would be in the North. Wages are low and work hard to find.

It is said that the condition of the Negro is better in Texas than in any other part of the South. This, no doubt, is true, but the young people of Texas have many discouragements to hold them back. Only fifteen per cent. of the adult colored population of the state can read and write ! Very little intelligent interest in education can be expected in their homes. The influences of generations of slavery are against them. Prejudice hard to overcome confronts them.- Yet the fields to usefulness for them are large, and right earnestly are they responding to the call. To meet the demands of the times Tillotson needs a larger equipment in material forces. Her teachers are earnest and faithful, and they should have the encouragement of better appliances in the laboratory, the library, the workshop, and the class-room.

Texas is destined to be a large factor in the nation in years to come. Its broad and fertile expanse is to support millions of citizens. At present one in five of them is of African descent. It is not at all probable that this proportion will decrease. Ignorance, poverty, prejudice, superstition, distorted notions of civilization and Christianity are to be overcome before the best conditions of citizenship can be attained. Tillotson is to become more and more an agency in bringing this better day.