Читать книгу: «The American Missionary. Volume 42, No. 10, October, 1888», страница 4

It should not be overlooked, that in this instance there is fully revealed that singular idea which so widely prevails at the South, viz.: A Negro is in his place only and always as a subordinate. It is assumed that to educate him unfits him for his mission in life, unless that education looks simply to some hand service.

With this fact before us, we can explain the dead silence of the pulpit and the press of the South as touching the first principles of justice.

The end justifies the means when "Negro rule" is to be prevented, and to protest against this bold subversion of the great principles of citizenship in the Republic, is to "wave the bloody shirt." We will admit that it is by no means desirable that a mass of illiterate people should hold sway, but we claim that the Southern white people can break the "color line" if they will, by admitting frankly the rights of the Negro, and by encouraging him to aspire to an intelligent and worthy manhood.

EXTRACTS

Fifty years ago there was a boy in Africa who was taken prisoner in one of the fierce wars between the tribes, and was carried away from his home to be sold as a slave. First he was sold for a horse. Then his buyer thought him a bad exchange for the horse, and compelled his master to take him back. Then he was sold for so much rum. This was called another bad bargain by the man who had bought him, and again he was returned, to be sold for tobacco with the same result. Nobody wanted the poor, miserable slave-boy, who was on the point of committing suicide when he was bought by a Portuguese trader and carried away in a slave ship. How little that wretched boy knew what the future had in store for him as he lay chained in the hold of the crowded slave-ship! But one of England's war ships that were clearing the high seas of the slavers bore down upon the Portuguese vessel, rescued the captives, and the African boy was placed under Christian influences, baptized and educated, and to-day he is Bishop Crowther, England's black Bishop in Africa.—The Gospel in all Lands.

A very obliging Indian.—Dr. C.A. White, Professor of Paleontology in the Smithsonian Institution, relates this pleasing incident. Being in the Ute country a year or so ago, in pursuit of scientific facts, he found himself on one occasion encamped some fifty miles from Uintah Agency. Being desirous of sending a letter to his wife in Washington, he entrusted it to an Indian who, he learned by signs, was on his way to the agency. He was not sure that the Indian understood what he desired him to do with the letter, but took the risk of that. His wife received the letter and was surprised at finding it postmarked Salt Lake City. The Doctor afterward learned that the Indian arrived at the agency just after the mail had gone, and knowing that it would be a month before another mail would be sent out he actually carried the letter to Salt Lake City, a distance of 225 miles, for this white man whom he had never met before, and whose name he did not know. Doubtless the Indian thought the letter of great importance, but where is the white man who would have done as much for his best friend, without the hope of reward or even thanks?—Council Fire.

SCHOOL ECHOES

In 1864 in Memphis, in a refugee school that I visited while chaplain in the army, the Bible lesson was John xv., "I am the vine and my father is the husbandman." One little fellow recited it thus: "I am the vine and my father is a married man."

What for we come to this school.—We come for to intelligent about the civilization ways, and we want to American write, we want to American home, and we want friendly each other with the white people. We are commence learning discretion and we are works our own hands. My conscience has cried because our Indian they can not do nothing with their hands and when I look back our old Indian ways I am great sorry, but when I looked future I have examined with careful attention, and I very great pleasure. Last summer I went home. I worked at harness, but I don't know some about measure length and wide, cut off I know but not perfectly, so I come back to school again, because I want to learn perfect all things about harness make without anybody help me.

ROME AND THE FREEDMEN

We present below two articles on this subject. The first is from a London paper and the second is from one of the many able papers edited by colored men. As to the facts alleged we have no definite information. When the slaves were emancipated the Roman Catholics made very decided efforts to win them. It was supposed by Protestants that the grand ceremonials, the gaudy vestments, the music, and especially the welcome which the Papal Church was said to give to all men irrespective of riches, race or color, would attract the Freedmen. But the expectation was not met; the Freedmen were not attracted, and soon the special efforts seemed to cease. But Rome never surrenders, and those efforts may now be resumed. We invite attention to the two articles.

From "THE CHRISTIAN."

Romanism is spreading among the colored people of the American Continent, and it is said that several Negroes are now in training in Rome and elsewhere to become priests. The American Roman Catholic papers say that the cause is not far to seek, the Roman Catholic Church being 'the only one on this continent offering the Negro communion on terms of equality.' If this is not true all round, it certainly is the fact that outbreaks of the so-called 'color-prejudice' have been of but rare occurrence among the Romanists, and that they are apparently reaping the result in a large accession of numbers.

From "THE NEGRO AMERICAN."

Few persons are aware of the rapid spread of Catholicism among the colored people of this country. From the American Catholic Tribune, the organ of the colored Catholics of America, we obtain facts that are truly startling. Young colored men are now in Rome and in the Catholic schools and colleges of the United States, preparing for work among their people in America, and Africa as well, while to-day missionaries are everywhere busy, sowing the seeds of Catholic belief and worship. These teachings are eagerly accepted by the colored people. The cause of this success among them is not far to seek. The Catholic Church, of all which are ruled by whites on this continent, is the only one offering the Negro communion on terms of equality. While the Southern Protestants are setting up separate synods, councils, presbyteries and conferences for the Negro, and the Y.M.C.A., with the same narrow spirit, is refusing colored men seats in its councils, while Northern Protestants are either neutral in this matter of caste or only half-hearted in crying down upon the sin of it; the Catholics alone have accepted in a full and liberal sense the command, "preach my gospel to every creature," and have extended fellowship to all, regardless of race, color or condition. It matters not what their motive is. The fact stands boldly out. True, instances are occurring of outbreaks of color-prejudice among the Catholics, but the policy of the church is openly and boldly against discrimination of whatever sort among its members. The fear of "social equality," that shadow of a something that never did, and never can, exist, that bug-bear of illiberal minds and narrow culture, does not stand guard at the doors of this church to drive away the colored worshipper or compel him to sit at the second table at the Lord's feast. Is it to be wondered at, then, that the colored people are flocking to the Catholic fold? This they will continue to do, so long as the spirit of caste dictates the policy, and governs the action, of the white Protestants of the United States.

THE SOUTH

VACATION ECHOES

REV. G.S. ROLLINS

I wish some of our home friends who complain of dull, unprofitable prayer-meetings could step into one of the kind we have in our colored churches. One soon loses sight of mispronunciation and wretched grammar in listening to the sensible, meaty, forceful ideas which many of these negroes can express. You cannot go to a prayer-meeting without bringing something away.

One good old mother in Israel said to me lately, in regard to the weekly prayer-meeting: "I begins in de mawnin' to lay my plans fur dat meetin', an I don stop ter eat so's to get my work along froo de day. And I tinks and prays a heap about dat meetin' all day, I does."

How many of you at home do as much for your prayer-meeting as this poor old colored woman? No dull summer prayer-meetings when church members go prepared like this. I have said that these people have ideas and can express them. At my last prayer-meeting before departing for my vacation, one good brother prayed that the "Lord would bless the pastor in his absence and continue to fill him up with new things, so he can give them out to us." The pastor is filling up as fast as possible.

One of the questions most often asked is, "Are the colored people improving?" One has to say, "Of course they are." But are they progressing rapidly? Yes and no. Yes, considering their antecedents and present advantages. No, if one were to measure their rate of progress by our impatience. The surest progress is not the swiftest. Slow and sure is the rule by which we work. Statistics but feebly tell the story of the improvement of the Freedmen since the war. They can best testify concerning the advance who have been in the field since the beginning of the work.

But even if it is slow, it pays well. There came into my church one Sunday not long ago a poor old lady who was a comparative stranger in the city. During the sermon she sat with mouth, eyes and ears open. After the service she came to me and said, "I tank de Lord He bro't me year. I done been gwine ter church dese fifty years, an I nebber heard de tex 'splained befo." This old lady has since united with our church, and when she is not there I know something serious is the matter at her home. It is worth a year's preaching to have the privilege of enlightening one benighted soul like this.

I called recently on an old gentleman who had become generally disgusted with "dese yere churches roun year." I found him poring over a big, well-worn Bible, the perspiration pouring down his shiny face, and with a big pair of spectacles resting on the tip of his nose. With an air of superior wisdom he surveyed me over the top of the spectacles, and then solemnly stated to the few who gathered around as I sat down on an old soap box, "Dat a preacher? I kin tell a preacher the fus question I ask him." Then taking off the spectacles and slowly closing the big Bible, he went on: "Now I'se gwine to put you all a question" (looking at the others) "an den I'se gwine ter ask de preacher, an I can tell whedder he'm a good one or not." "Now," said he, "when we gits cold and wicked follerin' our own ways, how does de Lord brung us back again to our senses?" This question was put with various modifications to each in turn until it came to me. "Now, what does you say?" he said to me. I replied that my experience said "Trouble." "Yah! Yah! dat's it, Trouble. You's answered it, shore; dese yere ignorant niggers, dey don't know nuffin. Ise gwine up to hear you preach next Sunday." And sure enough, there he was the next Sunday and his wife with him. This is about the way we gather them in, one by one.

A great many families are gathered in by getting their children interested. A parent sends his little ones to our school and says: "I never had no chance to git learnin', but I wants my children to have it."

There, after all this rambling, I have reached the one idea which I believe ought to stick in the mind of every A.M.A. worker and every A.M.A. supporter—the children! If we can only teach them, save them, the African in America and in Africa is saved. It seems to me this is the solution of the problem. The longer one labors among the colored people and learns them and their surroundings, the more difficult seems the solution of the negro problem. Tourists in the South and people at a distance are very prolific in suggestions as to the best methods for elevating the negro. Why! visitors who have spent hardly twenty-four hours in a Southern city can write home marvellous letters as to the wonderful progress of the colored race, and prophesy a speedy settlement of the matter of negro education and race prejudice. It is a fact, however, that the longer one stays here the more puzzled he grows about these matters. An old A.M.A. worker said to me, "The first year of your work you will think you understand the colored people pretty well; the second year you won't know quite so much; the third year still less, and so on until by the tenth year you will think you don't know anything about them." But we all come to one conclusion, that all the trouble arising from race prejudice will pass away as the negro rises. When he is able to intelligently exercise all his rights, then the white man will have to acknowledge them. This result is in the distance, and while due attention is given to the older ones, yet the destiny of the colored race is wrapt up in the rising generation. They are terribly endangered, but they must be saved if the race is saved. A new generation, who knew nothing of slavery but much of the dangers of freedom, are taking hold upon manhood. They must be taught to read, to think, to work, to save and to love goodness for its own sake. If all this can be brought about I believe the Negro question will be settled. This must be done. I trust that not all of the 1,500 who have lately signified a willingness to enter the mission field will suppose that all of the ignorant and needy millions are on the other side of the globe. We hear a good deal just now about patriotism. Now, how can one better prove his patriotism than by giving his money or service to save his country from ignorance and degradation? It will pay you back in dollars and cents, to say nothing of the reward of learning that "it is more blessed to give than to receive."