The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-03-20
A Present Duty to the Freedmen.

colored people from their former con-
dition Of seryitudc, the time is favora-
ble for united effort, on the part of
every patriotic Christian, TO further
the elevation Of those Of the Freed
men whose mental and spiritual train
ing had been neglected. 1t must be
remembered that equality Of civil
rights implies greater responsibilities
and higher duties. In order that the
newly conferred privileges may be
thoroughly and rightly enjoyed and
exercised by the colored people, they
must he educated-their moral and
intellectual faculties must be trained
and directed. If they are allowed to
remain in ignorance they will become
the tools of unscrupulous politicians,
who will take the earliest opportuni-
ty to contract the enlarged liberty SO
tardily obtained. The mental and
moral advancement Of the colored Ia
borcrs Of the South will win for them
the respect of those who may now de-
spise them rs belonging to an inferi-
or race. Caste prejudice will subside
to the influence of culture and Chris
tianity-the source of the highest
culture.
In this great and pressing work Of
developing the faculties and enobling
the life Of the colored population Of
the South, the more favored pastors
and people of the same race in the
North should at once bcstir them-
selves with greater energy and zeal.
Every evangelical denomination in
both sections of our common country
should unite in bringing the Gospel
and the means of education within
the reach Of those who have been long
withheld from the priceless blessings
Which thcn, baeto~. The Protestant
Episcopal Church is stretching out its
hands TO help and raise those who,
ever since slavery was abolished, have
been growing more and more desir-
ous 81 aid 70 attain higher plane Of
being; and that denomination has
met with gratifying success. Upon
the Methodist Episcopal Church and
Baptist denomination the negro of the
South has strong claims, and they
have already done much. May they
use their facilities to the utmost in
his behalf. Protestant churches
should now begin to place among the
colored race evangelical and cduca-
tional agencies more in number and
greater in efficiency than ever before.
We have on another occasion shown
how the Church Of Rome is striving
to convert the negroes of the South
into subjects Of the Vatican, who will
be held i'll her thraldom with iron
grasp, and WHO will be employed for
her political purposes in this country,
by voting as she may dictate. If the
present time, lin every way so fa"ora-
BILE for the mission and the school in
the South, is allowed TO pass by un-
improved by the descendants of those
who formed institutions 70 preserve
political and religious liberty, they
may be accounted unworthy Of these
signal advantages.
By education and by Christianity
the cofored people can also be quail
fled to discharge those high functions
of government to which they are
called as citizens of this great repub-
lie. Il is the manhood which is at
tanned by these means which will se-
cure to them their rights and their
privileges, make them valuable aids to
national progress, and tit them, more
over, for an entrance into that king
dom which is prepared for those
whom Christ has made free.--Ne,u
York Witness.