New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-25

Letter from North Carolina.


To the Editor Of the Ne,o National Era:
Having been made to breathe with consider
able less effort since the news of the passage
Of the Ku Klux BILL sit down to continue my
statement Of facts and views on the vital in
terests Of the freedmen in the South. Although
but week since, two miles from this place.
colored man was dragged from his house and
whipped severely, and his neighbor, living
short distance from him, shot in the arm; yet,
as the aurora Of humanity and justice looms
up from the nations capital, mastering all
apprehensions of violence, | again grasp my
pen to give vent to few struggling ideas.
The ground that wish to traverse in bringing
out the facts to be presented in this article is
the more difficult, because it crosses what is
generally termed holy ground But, neverthe-
iess when it comes to weigh in the balance oil
truth the destiny Of race with religion-if il
hampers with the highest interests of humanity,
or throws obstacles in the way Of enlightened
progress am ready to join issue with such
religion, or relgionists, at all hazards
When we see political ambition, the aris-
tocracy Of wealth, the aristocracy of race or
color, scrambling for the control OF the destiny
of the freedmen in the South, we are not
astonished at it, for We know ii is the prompt
ings Of corrupt human nature, or the Weddings
of human selfshness But there is a class of
men operating among the freedmen in the
= South who are scrambling for the control
of tie religious destiny of the freedmen, whose
course Of action is tending TO disunite the
freedmen. OF this class of men, from the very
nature of their mission, but little distrust is
felt on the part Of the freedmen as to their in
tention of doing them all possible good, while
they have not the highest interest Of the freed
men at heart, but are laboring to serve creeds
or UNCONVENTIONAL ends.
That am warranted in taking up this ques-
ton, which so largely enters into the solution
Of the great problem of the freedman's destiny,
no one will doubt who considers the fact that
there are seven distinct Methodist denomina-
tions operating among the freedmen in the
South, whose ecclesiastical economy is nearly
Identical, yet sufficiently distinct to keep them
separate. While their articles Of Christian
faith and practice are identical, five of those
religious bodies are under the supervision Of
tire whites; two Of them under the blacks.
Those under the SUPPLEMENTARY Of the blacks
are Of long standing they have been battling
for religious freedom for more than half Gen.
fury against religious prescription by their
white brethren. Those of more recent organi.
cation, under the supervision of the whites, are
striving for the mastery in the control Of the
observation-disclosures destiny, at the sacrifice of
unity among the freedmen religious
schism by proselytism and bribery that is most
damaging to the development of the best inter.
ests of the colored people South.
Those denominations, to say nothing of the
other religious bodies, who have their agents
operating in the South, will work mischief
among the colored people if they do net change
their course in pursuing their avowed Christian
missions. The NJ Z. Church North, with It's
mOneyed and literary powers, and popular in
huenee, whose agents are all operating in the
South, if they are not true TO their Christian
mission can do more to fix religious acrimony
upon our crushed people than any other reli-
gious body; and it is greatly to be regretted
that her agents, in many cases, seem more in
tent upon denominationalizing the freedmen
than Christianizing them. do not say this
void of Christian feeling, but in all kindness.
1t is true there are other denominations whose
agents are playing the same part, but to none
d. do We look for such Christian benignity as to
the Methodist body above-named. We say to all
religious bodies that are operating among the
freedmen, you create schism, you are no bene-
factors.
do not invite controversy in this but will
join issue with whatever lies in the way of
negro elevation. V.D.M.