New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-30
A HOME MISSION.

Those who would exterminate the col
ored population for the crime of suffrage,
those who would terrify and ALLEVIATE the
producers of values and the source of do
nestle service, would do well to read the adj
dress of the Rev. Moses d. Hoge, d. d., of
Richmond, Virginia, delivered before the
Ecclesiastical Alliance, recently assembled
in New York. Mr.. Hoge is, as we learn,
native of Virginia, Presbyterian cler-
gyman, jealous in his calling during the
Confederate war and on the side of his
pwn people, He is known to be divine
of uncommon ability, long in the pastor
ate of principal church, and perhaps as
well known and as much respected as any
one could be. Under the head of Chris
tan civilization in the South" Mr.. Hoge
gives some statistics of popular pauperlsm
and piety, which places the Southern
people in 3 commendab.e Iglte From
the census report OF the United States he
derives the s:atemen. tina: IN the New
England States pauperism is as :orty:our
&c the Thousand, while in the Southern
States. including all races and colors. it is
but fourteen to the thousand. In criminal
statistics there are eleven offenders indicted
in New England for every ten thousand
persons; in the Southern States there are
but eight. In New England there is one
church edifce for every six hundred and
forty-three persons, in the South there is
one church for every five hundred and
thirteen This would be regarded in any
other country as a very low rate OF
crime and a high grade Of religious
culture. We take 10 exception at these
statements showing such an extraordinary
condition of popular comfort and moral
ity. 1t is a preparation for the excellent
admonitions which follow, 1t proposes
the education and evangelization of that
portion of our fellow citizens who have re-
Gently succeeded to inheritance of liberty,
and to the responsibilities Of social and
industrial obligation. This wise and ex-
cellent minister teaches the continued duty
of the Southern people to the entran-
chiscd. We make the following extracts
from the address:
1t will be interesting to those whose sym
pathies have been long enlisted in behalf of |
the freedmen, and who have had little oppor- !
tunity oflearning what Christian philanthro- |
ply Is attempting for their Improvement to |
hear something definite with regard to the |
efforts which are made, first, for their secu-
lar education, and, second, for their reli-
gious training.
Oppressed, as were the properly holders,
by the burdens of taxation, they neverthe-
less addressed themselves to the work of |
establishing free schools for white and col.
ored children without discriminating be.
tween them.
Virginia has taken the lead in this great
NoIk and there the free school system in
augurated in 1870 has been most faithfully
and efficiently managed.
The question OF leyying q local tax for
providing school accommodations was car
ried in Virginia in every ease where it was
presented to the suffrage of the people ex-
cent in one district in which the colored
people voted solidly against it. In another
farce district where the colored people
were in the majority they LETT the question
Of school tax to be decided exclusively by
rbe whites. who were the property holders.
Snt a vote was cast by q freedman, but the
white people voted unanimously for the
sax.
The establishment of normal schools for
ehe negroes. like the excellent and we'll
endowed Agricultural and Polytechnic In
stitute at Hampton. near Fortress Monroe,
will do more than anything else to confirm
their possibly waverlng interest IN educa-
tiopal schemes for their benefit. Enlght
enrd and well-trained cOlored teachers,
Thoroughly understanding the idlosyncra-
sizes OF their own race, and sincerely ueslrous
TO promote their good. without partisan or
selfish aims, will become the best agency
fo,. keeping alive their present zeal for self
Improvement, and for nstructing them how
TO guard the great political estates so re-
Gently and suddenly conferred or them
against the raids OF Yillasing and unprin-
cipled demagoguess
AFRICAN INDEPENDENT CHURCHES.
Next "a to the efforts made for the direct
ralifious instruction OF the freedmen, |
may say that every Evangelical Church IN
the South has their spiritual welfare at
heart and gladly embraces every oppor-
tunitv for doing them good. Inc colored
people among us prefer separate lhutpeh-
dent ecclesiastical organizations. ana NOSE
of the white race who have given the suoJect
the most conscientious thought are disposed
to encourage them in forming chlllches OF
their own, with ministers and officers OF
their own chosing-al.to be gathered: when
they become sufficiently numerous, under
the care Of presbyteries. synods. confer
ences. associations or conventions accord
ing to the denominations to which they
belong their white brethren, in the mean
time. giving them all the encouragement,
pecuniarv aid and moral support in their
bower. This is the preference of the freed
men and the policy of the Methodist and !