The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-05-15

ting 1t on another yearsS SHe hw6St not
prepared to exclude any man from any
position in the church on account of .hfs
color. Suppose, said ne, an EttfEsyRtai EttfEss5yRRttaaii Z
Eunuchs had gone to the .Copncn at
\ Jerusalem, would he have been exciud dedf
Then, too, he would remind the ConYeI,.
ton that this was a case sui qenerts. It
involved no principle. This was a con-
gregation of intelligent, respectable CO.
lored people. Should q congregation Of
ignorant black people apply for admis-
sion he would bo prepared to exclude
them; not on account Of their color, but
on account of their unfitness. In this
case, however, the people were intell-
gent. educated and able to maintain
themselves. Ho could see no rcuson for
denying them admission.
Mr.. Thomas 81. Hanckcl concurrcd
entirely in the resolution. There ought
to be time for careful dcliberntion. The
| Convention ought to feel its way, and in
his opinion, tho relations of the whitc
with the colored race were not suffi-
ciently defined to enable the Convention
is yet to feel it's way to conclusion.
b1r. w. +. Colcock thought the ques-
ton very grave one, and it was the
bounden duty OF the Convention TO take
time md reflect upon it, They should
remember that once they opened tho door
they would nevcr be able to close it.
| The Rev. G. c. Pinckney was prepared
to vote on the question of admitting st.
Marks congregation, because he be-
lieved the case to be sui generis. Still
he believed that the mature Judgment Of
such a commission rs was contemplated
| under the resolution would have great
influence on the action of tho General
Convention and of the Board of Mis-
| Yions.
The Rev. j. H. Elliott didn't like the
postponement from year to year; it
looked like trying to evade the issue
The question had been decided in
Georgia, where colored congregations
were admitted to the Convention. He
appealed to- the Bishop to say if his
statement was correct
The Bishop stated that in Georgia the
colored clcrgymen were admitted to the
Convention. In North Carolina both
colored clergymen and colored laymcn
! were admitted, and in one instance in
mississippi he remembered that colorctl
delegate had been admitted to represent
white congregation.
| as if it was an open question whether
| colored men can be admitted. When the
Church of England consecrnted blnck
| bishop, the question was settled as to
whether black people should beadmittcd
as legislators in the councils of the
church. This question cannot be STAYED
of. This is u remarkable case and does
not involve any difficulty. Gentlemen
| seem to think that great avalanche is
| about to pour down upon us. Let me
ask-does anybody believe in the next
fifty years there will be any danger of
this avalanche2 wish the day was near
when the colored people could be edu-
Gated and induced to connect themselves
with the church in such great numbers
1t does very we'll for the older gentlemen
OF this Convention, !and mean no dis
| respect,) those gentlemen who, in the
course of nature have only few more
years of life, to endeavor to put off this
question, but they will pardon me for
saying that the younger men who will
have to solve this problem in the end
have to meet the question right hero
now, The question is simply whether
st. Marks Church has complied with the
| canons and ought to be admitted. Re-
member that South Carolina has no Chi.
nese wall around her. There are others
outside who will regard our action MS an
attempt to dodge the question.
MIR. G. A. Trcnholln-I WAS ready to
concur in the appointment of spccial
commission, in the hope that it would
| conduce to that harmony which is cs-
sential to the deliberations of this body.
But rs the discussion hes drifted into
the merits of the question, hope | NAV
be indulged i'll the few suggestions which
l shall make. While shall vote for the
appointment Of the commission it is
due to myself to state that, in casting
that vote, do not wish it to be under
stood thnt 1 am not now prepared to
cast my vote on the question at issuee
l regard the emancipation of the black
race MS the emancipation of the white
race, because while the blacks were in n
condition of scrvitude always consi-
| dercd that they were trust committed
to us by the Almighty. Have they
abused the political power contidcd to
them since their emancipation? Ii so,
| how shall we stimulutc them to efforts of
virtue, if, in these assemblies, where we
hive the majority, we refuse to those
who it is acknowledged are qualified in
every other respect, except this one of
| color, if we refuse to let them mingle
and learn from us how to legislmtc with
wisdom? Let us not commit the error of
waiting until public opinion forces ns to
this. care nothing for the example of
the Methodists, the Baptists or Presby-
terians in this matter, because 7 desire
this church to be in advance Of them.
Wecnn admit these people upon their me-
rits, md having done that we shall be in
position to deny admittance to any
others who are not ns we'll nuolified apd