Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-12
BY REV. ALEX. CRUNMELL, NJ. A.

that the most of you have had your
attention called to that most inter-
esting field of Christian labor which
lies before American Christians,
namely, the millions of our eman-
cipated brethren in your Southern
States; and that very many Of you
have already decided to devote your
lives to their enlightenment, up
building and salvation. No nobler
work could command the zeal and
intellect of men, or even of angels;
and may God bless whoever of you
gives himself up to such generous.
Cristian effort for the good Of man!
It is not altogether unlikely,
however, that there are some among
you who have not yet decided, what
you will do in the great work of
life; nor where you will employ the
talents and requirements God has
given you. And perhaps because
your minds are, as yet, in state OF
suspense, you will be willing to
listen to few words concerning
the imminent needs, and the vast
importance Of this great field-the
continent of Africa.
For, in very deed, no,c. as never
before, and, in all likelihood, never
again in all future periods. are the
children of Africa, in distant lands,
called to a consideration OF the
needs of Africa, and to the question
of duty, with respect to their ability
to meet those needs. And, of all
these children of Africa abroad,
American black men, are, in many
respects, among the foremost; in
mental acuteness; in manly enter
prise; in the spirit of energy and
perseverance, which they have
caught from their superiors; and in
the intelligence and cultivation
which, in the Providence of God
have been recently so literally given
them. In all these several respects,
the American black is superior to
his brother in many other quarters;
and hence the claim and the call of
Africa for his sympathy and his
zeal, for the redemption of that
continent seems to be stronger, and
more urgent than upon any other
of his brethren.
This cause demands of them i'm
mediate attention. It is a claim,
which, from the very nature of the
case, cannot be postponed to a
future day. 1t comes just now with
q peremptoriness never before heard
in all our history; and which a
generation hence, It will be impos-
sible to be repeated.
One or two considerations will
serve to show the need Of immediate
attention to this topic. A considera-
ton of the la,us Of population will
show that if American black men
are ever to do anything for Africa,
they must needs contemplate the
J duty at once.
At the present time there is felt
identity Of the children of Africa
, with their race. For two centuries
they have been q distinct class by
themselves. For generations they
have been held in bondage as o
"serf-race." As a people doomed
to bondage, a peculiar Legislation
has been framed for them; thus
forcing upon them consideration
of isolation. This ciua Legislation
has been supplemented by an
) ecclesiastical regimen the exact conn
terpart of a degrading state-policy,
which likewise, fastened upon them
distinctiveness of class feeling,
and the consciousness of race. And
thus civilly, religiously, and socially,
the children of Africa in America.
have been divorced from that solida-
rity of races in the United States of
America, which, out Of many, has
made one mighty nation; and have
been made to feel themselves a
foreign class in the land of their
birth.
And now, Notwithstanding all the
jubilant sensations Of emancipation,
and the glad realities Of state Of
freedom, "race-feeling" is yet an
abiding conviction.
But this cannot last long. All the