The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-24
PROGRESS OF LIBERAL OPINIONS IN THE
SOUTH

1t 10 with great pleasure that we record evil
dences like the following, Of the hberalizing
tendency of public opinion in the Southern
States 1t will be observed, with much inter-
est, that church for colored people in New
Ocleans presided over by the editor Of the New
Orleans Christian AdUocdte, is called Uncle
TOMS Church ). and "the place is yet pointed
out, just in front Of the pulpit where St. Clare
and Eva used to sit and weep under the elo-
quence of the renowned orator"
The extracts, though long, will be full of in
terest to every friend Of humanity:
INSTRUCTION OF THE COLORED POPULA.
TON OF NEW ORLEANS.
"Few persons abroad, indeed, comparatively
few of our own people at home, are aware Of
the efforts made in New Orleans for the men
tai. moral, and spiritual improvement of our
co!ofed people. Many of them are taught
orally to repea. passages Of Scripture hymne,
and catechisms and these instructions are
carried on systematically from week to week,
aud from year to year. We can point to many
essimable ladies and gentlemen, who could we'll
afford to spend the present hot season at the
North, or in Europe, or on tie Lake shoros, as
thousands DO, but who prefer to improve their
summers, and especially their Sundays, in
doing good ct home. In this class-a class by
20 means small-those who devote their efforts
70 the point Of Inducing our col0red population
to attend On public worship and to receive bib
lical instruction, are worthy Of special notice
We have said much, at different times in
regard 60 public Rotations IL our numerous
educational institutions; but in none Of them
have We experienced purer delight than when
we have seen scores Of negro children, neatly,
aud sometimes tastefuily, clad - their bright
eyes aud ebony faces presenting marked con-
trast--all, % with enc voice, responding, in
loud and almost boisterous mirth, to the in
structcna Of their teacher.
Much Of what is lesrned-by the adult ne
groe. as we'll az tho children-is in immortal
verse; The deepest lessons Of practical thee
ogy ere sometimes epitomized, ss all readin 2
people know, in stanzS CT oOupot or oven
in a mere line, from such Christian poets SIS a
Hsber, Wesley, Watts, s. D0ddridge, a
Steele, Montgomery, or Cowper. Indeed,
the vocal music of the negro churches and
Sunday schools is their chief attraction and
the different Protestant denominations have so
adapted their measures to this peculiar feature
Of the African intellect as to blend instruction
with pleasure-the improvement Of the under
standing with the indulgence Of emotional ex-
citement-the enjoyment Of q weekly HOLIDAY
with stated growth in useful knowledge
"There are phases of this important Chris
tian enterprise On which we should like TO
dweil--for example the fact that we are thus
training in tho South, among the genuine
friends of the negro race, corps of teachers,
legislators, ministers, and ether good citizens,
for the Liberia Republic, Confident that Provi-
dence viii in due season prepare the way for
q more general exodus in that direction than
our statesmen foresea and another fact coz
I'D &c Ah,S bet. IL
laws discourage the teaching Of slaves the
knowledge of letters, yet there are many own
ers who teach their own servants to read re-
gard.ng the law as a dead letter, so far as their
own property is concerned. We merely state
well-known fact, without taking any issue on
the deep and intricate question, as to the expe-
dieDcy of the practice. But, on these matters-
which are controverted, as yet, not only anon q
our citizens generally, but among different
members CT the same communicative have
not time or space to dwell. Suffice it to say.
that not only in our city, but in Natchez, Nc
ole, Charleston, and other large towns, and
on the plantations generally, especially those
owned by enlightened Professionals. there are
provided the mcst ample endowmeuts for the
support of public worship and religious train
ing for the negroes expressly. Oar numerous
readers Of the four leading bodies-Msthodist
| BIptists, Episcopalians, and Presbyteriens-
know that these means are vigorously employ
ed throughout the Southwest for eevating the
| thoughts of the negro toward his Master in the
skies, thus exemplfying the philosophy of the
inspired penman, that the best way to render
q servant faithful to his master is to teach
him the truths Of revelation
when we first saw New Orleans in 1886,
there was, as far as we know, only one place
of worship for the blacks. 1t was in the little
frame chapel, belonging to the Methodist Epis-
copsl Church, on the lower side of GraYier