The American Missionary — Volume 41, No. 10, October, 1887

In the crisp October of 1887, a dedicated group of clergy and lay leaders gathered on the bustling streets of New York to publish a quarterly that would echo across churches and mission fields. The volume opens with a straightforward ledger of officers, from presidents to district secretaries, grounding the reader in the organized network that sustained schools, hospitals, and relief work throughout the post‑war United States. Amid the ledger, a palpable sense of urgency emerges as the association confronts a modest shortfall and issues a heartfelt plea for contributions before the fiscal year closes.

Personal testimonies punctuate the appeal: a teacher in the Santee school reports that young Indian men are donating their own wages to help erase the debt, while a philanthropist proposes a bold “one‑hundred donors of a thousand dollars” campaign. The language mixes practical accounting details with earnest spirituality, inviting listeners to hear the everyday economics of 19th‑century charitable work. As a snapshot of a moment when faith, finance, and community intertwined, the recording offers a vivid window into the challenges and hopes of a historic missionary movement.