The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-02
From the Presbyterian and Index.
The Macon (Colored) Church and the Rev. S.
G. Logan,


Mr.. Editor:-In the issue of the Presbyterian
philadelphia dated December 10th, there ap-
peared communication over the signature of S.
G. Logan and also a letter signed Thomas N. NJ.
Sellers, which profess to be an answer to an article
on the Annual Report of the Northern Assem-
blys Committee on Freedmen, which appeared
in the Presbyterian and Iader in September of last
year. Both these communications, from SAID Logan
and Sellers do great injustice to Christian gentle
man of the highest character, and to one of the
most devoted and useful servants Of our blessed
Lord and Master.
At first we thought we would pass by the whole
matter in silence. But on further reflection, the
coIored people here have felt it to be their duty to
deny, positively and publicly, the false charge
brought against the Rev. Dr. Wills by the above
named writers, lest his character might suffer in
those parts of the country where he is not known.
In the first place, the statement of DR.. Wills
that the coored Presbyterian church in Macon
never gave one cent to the freedmen Committee
of the Northern Assembly, is strictly true, as we
understood the matter, and as we stated 1t to him,
with the exception of ten dollars, which Mr. Logan
correctly says was sent to him-but which Mr.
Wills was not informed Of till after his letter
sent to the Presbyterian and LndeC for publication
in which he denied. and very properly denied that
three thousand dollars were raised by our church
here for the Freedmens Committee. We were
not aware that what the white people here gave us
to build our church and what we gave to educate
our children would be counted as so much money
given to the Northern Church. This Is curious
idea to us; and hence we did say to DR.. Wills
what we thought we had right to saY-that the
coOred Presbyterian church of Macon never gave
anything to the Freedman's Committee in the
North We calculated according to common sense,
and not according to Mr.. Logan's new arithmetic.
We are not educated it is true; and on this ac
count cannot be expected to keep up with the i'm
provements of the times. But still, we bave always
been taught by our Southern teachers to call things
by their right names, and not to call black white
and white black.
In the second place, we have no doubt that DR..
Wills was actuated by the purest motives in pub
fishing what he did on the subject. He believed,
and very naturally, that the white people here
would refuse to help us to build our new church
when they read in the Minutes Of the Northern
Assembly that their gifts we're included In the an
nual receipts Of the Freedmen s Committee. And
who can doubt that this would have been the
effect? For 1t would be very strange thing in
deed if the poor Presbyterians Of the South would
be willing to help with money the rich Presbyte-
rians of the North; so that we feel sure that the
pastor of the white church in this place, in what
he wrote for the press, intended to do us good and
not to injure US in any respect.
In the third place, the pastor and session Of the !
colored church in Macon never authorised Mr.. |