The American Missionary — Volume 41, No. 2, February, 1887

In February 1887 the American Missionary Association issued its forty‑first volume, a modestly priced quarterly that acted as a conduit for churches eager to fund education, relief and missionary outreach across the nation. The opening pages list presidents, vice‑presidents, secretaries and the Bureau of Woman’s Work, revealing a tightly coordinated network that stretched from New York to Boston, Chicago and the western territories. Readers are reminded of the association’s ambitious financial target—$350,000 for the year—and urged to secure advance contributions from congregations that can meet or exceed last year’s totals.

The issue then turns to a practical appeal for new subscribers, emphasizing that each fifty‑cent subscription helps sustain the magazine’s vital reports and testimonies. An illustrative example follows Rev. A. F. Newton of Marlboro, who promoted the paper during a sermon on Christian reading and inspired his flock to add it to every household library. The editor closes with a call to pastors everywhere to repeat Newton’s effort, promising that wider circulation will bring greater prayer, sympathy and financial support for the Association’s charitable work.