Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-09-25

was We'll WTlGlell. oIllpIcueiSihO suhu
elaborate, and favored the admission
Of the colored brethren; but the minori-
ty report was comprised in very few
lines, and opposed the admission of the
aforesaid delegation. Now, there was
more excitement and feeling in the mat
ter than ever. And as I sat there wit
Messing the proceedings in the case, l
was panied to my heart to see the opposi-.
ton to me and mine on account Of color
and politics. Quite anumber arose from
their seats at once, in their great zealand
anxiety to relieve themselves from this
offensive measure. My colored breth-
rem, who were up in. the gallery looking
on, saw that there was so much confu-
sion, and that the opposition to them
taking their seats was so very bitter, an
nounced in loud tone of voice that they.
would prefer having their names with
drawn from before the Association,
which relieved the fears and anxiety Of
those who had so strenuously and bitter.
ly opposed their reception. After this
the whole matter was laid on the table.
The next thing in order, was the report
of the Committee on Education, which.
report was adopted, containing these
words; "that under this so-caled gov
ernment the Free School System is a!
complete farce and humbug, and the
sooner it is entirely abolished the better
it will be for our people," One of the
members in debating the question, said,
"that the Legislature pretended to make
an appropriation of 100000 dollars for
Educationa! purposes, but 1T had been
taken for sinking fund" This mem
ber surely forgot that over half of the
money belonging to this County fo- edu-i
cational purposes has been paid to the
teachers of the Free Schools; and furth-
Ell, at least two thirds Of the appropria-
ton for this County is paid to democratic
school teachers, for teaching children of
democratic families. The colored chill
dren in this County out number the
white children two to one, notwithstand-
ing the white children have the benefit
of two. thirds of the school money, while
the colored have only one-third. These
are truths, Mr.. Editor, that cannot be
refuted. Still the Edgefield Baptist AS
sociation says the whole "system is
complete humbug."
But before close, desire to say some
thing in vindication of my people from
the assertions and stigma attempted to-
be put upon them by this body, when
they say we suffered ourselves to be
severed from them "by malicious and
designing teachers" What were we to
do? We were advised repeatedly by
them to form Churches of our own. As
longrs,we we're with them, we were not
allowed " say any thing in their Church
meetings Must we lie inactive all our
days, and do our work by proxy? There
fore. because we did not see fit to stay in
their Churches. withouta voice, we are
charged with being led by false and de-
designing teachers. And notwithstand7
ing we are growing in all of our Churches
by large accessions and great revivals,
yet they say we are retrograding and fast
approaching barbarism.
AS to our declining in religion, will
leave that to an unbiased and an unpreJu-
diced public to decide; but this l will
say, the Storm Branch Association, COM
posed of colored mon, had courtesy and
religion enough to invite their white
brethren to seats, with them. and from
common custom also sent delegates to
the Edgefield Baptist Association, ecom-
posed of white men, but which body
refused to receive the colorcd delegates,
and treated them with disgust and dis
dain. Their long and loud prayers for
the "poor Indian" and Cbinaman, who
are in distant lands, and their call for col
lections to send the Gospel into heathen
lands, were all right and proper. But
why are we poor colored people, who
till their lands and make for them the
necessities of life, rejected and treated
with contempt? We are told that we
are ignorant and are becoming idolators.
We ask them for fish but they give'us
stone; we knock at their door, and ask
them to.assist us with their superior'in-
telligence, but they virtually say, :" Go
thy way for this time,-.at more conve-
rient season we will call for thee" We
learn from the word of God, that He is
no respecter of persons, that he has
commissioned his disciples to go and
preach the Gospel to all the world. Now
then, the question desire. to ask: these
Christian people, who were assembledeto
transact business for eternity, Can they
Law their hands upon their hearts aud
say that they acted concientiously when
they adopted the report which says the
colored people have not advanced any in
religion, and If they have 1T is not per-
ceptible by them9 And can they say
that they did not violate the very spirit
Of the Bible when they rejected the dele
CATION. fro,na Sister Association, known
az the" Storm Branch Association2" 1t
seems to me, Mr.. Editor, that there Sas
hut little Christianity in their thus act
ing. and thattheir hearts were incapable
of expanding in order to! take in MI Of
the human family. When I'VE consider
the pressing and urgent demands upon
those of superior abilities for counte-
nance. andaid, i byrthose .whosreside at
our very doorss and they are rejected
and spurned; and treated asithoush they
are not human beings, + saysit is indeed
a sad commentary upon the religion of
those who claim superior education and
civilization; and, soryes 70 eonfirmsus in
the opinion that much of this expressed
sympathy. tfor /. the poor, theatban; ii Is the
,yeriest bosh. iss.aesiian;.si s!sssas. sHT
Before +, close this communieation,ti
am .desirous Of stating that We. do potl