Foreign Mission Journal, March 1881

Foreign Mission Journal 1‘tililiKlieil Moullily by *lic Vwrcipi HikhIoii Itosunl oi Ibc Soutluin JEnj>II*t Convention. "ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH. GO YE , THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS.” Vol. 12. — New Series. rKntvml at Uie I'ost-Ofllco at Richmond, Va„ па sccoml- 1 clans mutter.] FOREIGN MISSION JOURNAL. KATES KICK ANNUM: One copy . vts Four copies ami over, lo one address, each . SB ets. «J-I’lease remit by Draft. Postal Order, or la lleplatered Letter, ami imilfy iih i-iiompti.y of any chanpo in addresa. Address, FOREIGN MISSION .TOUKNAI,, RICHMOND, Л A. FOREIGN MISSION BOARD Of THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, l.ooATKD at RIOUMOND, VIRGINIA. Fukkidknt— .1. I.. M. CURRY. Vkk-I'iibhiiiknth.— Illrain Woods, Mil., J. Л. linckett, La., W. II. Ivlrlt, Va„ II. II. McOalhim, Па., T. II. Pritch¬ ard, N. ()., .1. L. Harrows, Ky„ S. Henderson, Alabama, W. Pope Yeainan, Mo., .T. II, I. Ink, Texas, W L. Kilpatrick, (la., J. C. Karinan, S. O.. Matt. IHIIsman, Teou., T. P. K-py, Ark., >1. P. Howry, Miss. (JOHIIKSIONPINO SKCiiKTAliy— II. A. TUPPEIt. TitEAsniKU— J. C. WILLIAMS. Keooiiiuno Skciiktaiiy— W. II. GWAT1IMEY. A t'tn TOIL — JOSEPH K. COTTRELL. НолппоеМлкАокаа.— J. II. Hawthorne, .1. H.Walklns, H. K. Ellyenn, W. R. Hatcher. K. Wortham, Henry McDonald, W. Goddla, II. II. Harris, .1. Pollard, Jr., J. W. .Jones, Л. II. (Harks, J. II. Wiastoa, T. J. Evans, О. H. Winston, S. O. Cloploa. _ t3T A tl communications in reference to the business of this Hoard should he addressed lo II. A. Tuiteh, Ooircsponding Secretary, Richmond, Va. DEATH OF DR. CHAS. TUPPEK,OF NOVA SCOTIA. Tim Christian Messenger , of Halifax, of .Janu¬ ary 'Jtitli, is ilia | mil In iiioiirninie at tlm death of this venerable man of God. llu died on tlm 19th of .lannaiy, at Ids residence in Aylesford, X. S., at tlm nee of eighty-seven. He was the father of Sir Charles Tapper ; had devoted sixty-four years to tlm gospel ministry; studied the Scriptures in ten languages; and was full of tlm spirit of Foreign Missions. A great and good man is fallen ! AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF REV. JOHN HOWARD EAGER. My father’s name is Eleuzor C. Eager, and my mother’s Harriet Ida Eager. I was horn in Jef¬ ferson comity, Mississippi, December 18th, 1849. When seven years of ago, I entered the prepara¬ tory department of Mississippi college, in Clinton, and remained three or four sessions, till tlm break¬ ing out of tlm war, when my fattier moved to the country. While here, I took a special course in English grammar, (after a new method,) taught by Prof. Watford, of Alabama. In January, 1807, after several years out of school, I was enabled to enter Oakland college, a Presbyterian Institution, seven miles from Ilodney, Mississippi, but remained only a part of two ses¬ sions. In tliu fall of 1SG9 L entered Mississippi college, where I spent live years of continuous and bard study. I was baptized In tho summer of ISO!, when f was fourteen years of age, and by my father. Tills was in Copiah county. I graduated at Mississippi college in June, 1874, and spent one year in the pastorate before going to tlm Seminary. . In September, 187», I entered tlm Southern Bap- hst Theological Seminary, and graduated in May, ‘S79. I (iL-clded to spend four years, so as to do considerable extra work. I was "Ordained in Clinton, Mississippi, January 3(1, 1875, tile whiter after niy graduation. The presbytery was composed of the following breth¬ ren: Rev. E. C. Eager, liev. Geo. B. Eager, Rev. "• F, Pettigrew, Rev. J. A. Ilackett, Rev. W. S. Webb, and Rev. Walter ПШшап. RICHMOND, VA., MARCH, 1881. I did not wish to be ordained till after Iliad finished my course at the Theological Seminary, but a call to Vicksburg made It necessary. My first Bcnnon wa3 preached in Clinton, Missis¬ sippi — a trial sermon — before I received my license. Tills was in November, 1870. The following summer I preached several times in us many dill'erent places. During the lust three sessions in college, I preached oncu or twice cacli month. My vacations were spent mostly in pro¬ tracted meetings — preaching sometimes nearly every day. I shall never forget the summer of 1872, which was spent In South Mississippi. There were nearly two hundred professions in the meet¬ ings in which 1 labored. The congregations were very large all the time, and the interest marked. In January, 187», 1 took charge of the Baptist church in Vicksburg, and remained till tlm follow¬ ing full, when I entered tlm Seminary. Tho vacation of 187G, (four months,) was spent with two country churches in S. 0., formerly under the pastoral care of Rev. К. II. Griillth. The churches were really ripe for a revival, though they did not seem lo think so. Two good pro¬ tracted meetings resulted In forty baptisms, and an unusual interest on the part of the whole com¬ munity. In 1677, I spent my vacation in Memphis, sup¬ plying the pulpit of the First Baptist church. The church was large, tlm membership scattered, the weather hot, tlm work hard, but the experience was a peculiarly prolltable one. In the following December, (while in the Semi¬ nary in Louisville,) urged by pecuniary necessity, I accepted a call from the Baptist church In Mid¬ way, Kentucky, left vacant by the removal of their pastor to Baltimore. Here I endeavored to do double work, going up every Saturday, preaching twice on Sunday, doing some pastoral work, re¬ turning on Monday, and attending regular lectures at the Seminary during the week. My health suffered, but a rest in Virginia restored it. The summer after graduating, I supplied the pulpit of the Eutuw Place Baptist church, Balti¬ more, during the pastor’s vacation. In October, 1879, I accepted a call to Manchester (Va.) Baptist church, expecting to enter the foreign tield the following summer or fall. In July, 1SS0, I re¬ signed the earn of the Manchester church, in order to visit the South and West in the interest of mis¬ sions, and to say good-bye to relatives and friends. The trip was pleasant but sad. Sad to me, but sadder to those I was leaving— especially an aged father, who seemed to cling to a departing son with peculiar devotion. Owing to the season of the year, collections for missions were small, but I trust some permanent good was done, and some new interest created, on Che part of individuals and churches. As to facts and incidents looking to a missionary life, I can only say tills : I began to think seriously of the missionary work about ten years ago, almost simultaneously with my determination to preach the gospel. The conviction that I ought to become a foreign missionary had a small beginning, and ripened very slowly ; but it began, and it ripened, and at length laid hold of my heart so firmly that scarcely a day passed for years that It was out of my thoughts and my prayers. I was a constant reader of the Baptist Missionary Magazine of Boston, and often, when earnest appeals came for more laborers in tho great Held white for the harvest, or when somo faithful missionary had suddenly died at his post, and another was anxiously called for to take ids place, in у whole nature was stirred to its deep¬ est depths, and I responded involuntarily, “ Lord, here am I, send me.” I shall never forget the little room in the rear of tho college chapel, tho place of all others, at that time, that I held sacred. In that room l spent, some of tho sweetest hours of my life. There I received strength many times for the duties that lay before mo. There, (how distinctly f remember the very day,) I dedicated mysolf to God as a for-, eign missionary, to go anywhere, or do anything No. 12.— Whole No. 132 that lie had for me to do. I said very little aboul the matter to any one, for I dreaded publicity, and feared I would not havo the sympathy and en¬ couragement of my brethren. But 1 need noten¬ ter further into ni}: inner life on this subject than to say, that after ten years of prayer and faithful preparation God is about to grant the ciiiefest de¬ sire of my heart and make men foreign missionary, not in China as 1 had expected, but in Rome. It may bo added that Mr. Eager was accepted by our Board, as a mlssio/iary to China, on tho 4th of August, 1879; that lie entered, temporarily, on the pastorate of the Baptist church at Manchester, near Richmond, Virginia ; and that lie was trans¬ ferred, with liis free consent, to the Italian mis¬ sion, on July 5th, 18S0. lie married at Liberty, Bedford county, Va., October Gth, 1SS0, Miss Olive M. Board, daughter of Dr. C. A. Board, a resident and native of the county. They sailed for their missionary field on October 14th, 1SS0, and ar¬ rived at Rome on the 12th of November. The following is from the Religious Herald of October, 18S0 : TESTIMONIAL TO llEV. JOHN II. EAGER. Whereas, in the order of Divine Providence, it has become necessary that our beloved brother, the Rev. J. II. Eager, should sever his connection with this church as pastor ; and whereas, it is pro¬ per that we should give expression to our high appreciation of the valuable services lie lias ren¬ dered tills church : Therefore be it Resolved , 1. That while we yield submissively to the decree of an All-wise Providence in directing our brother to tiie Foreign Mission Held, it is with feelings of deep sorrow that wo part with one who has endeared himself to us, not only by his fervent piety, his kind and gentle disposition, but by Ills self-sacriliclng spirit, ids untiring energy, and un¬ ceasing labors for the cause of Christ since lie came among us. 2. T’lmt by this separation the church loses not onlj’ an able and faithful preacher of the gospel, but a model pastor, who under God lias, in the short period of nine months, drawn together and united a disorganized and scattered membership, and thus enabled us to liquidate a debt of live hun¬ dred dollars, which hung like a pall over tho energy and usefulness of the church; and in addition thereto has materially improved and beautilled our house of worship and grounds. 3. That we feel grateful to God our heavenly Father that lie sent brother Eager among us, and that in his new and arduous Held of labor we will follow him with our deepest sympathy, our wann¬ est love, and intense Interest for his success and happiness, and our constant prayers for God’s choicest blessings on him and his labors. Respectfully submitted, Jos. E. Davidson, Sam’l E. Woodvik, Thos. P. Matthews, Committee. At a meeting of tlio Manchester (Virginia) Bap¬ tist church, held Sunday morning, July 11th, 18S0, after services, the above preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted, and the Clerk was directed to spread the same upon the record, de¬ liver a copy to brother Eager, and to the Religions Herald for publication. John W. IIall, Clerk. If a sculptor, having chiselled a marble figure, could inspire it with sense and feeling, would it not prostrate Itself before itc maker and offer all to him? Shall not we, tiio handiwork of Intinito Wisdom, bow lovingly before our Maker, who lias formed our bodies and fashioned our souls, and give Him ourselves — a reasonable service? — Augus¬ tine.