Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-07-09
Rev. DR.. Curry, of Richmond.

ABOUT THE DISTINGUISHED
SOUTHERN CLERGYMAN WHO WILL
FILL DIR. ARMITAGE'S PULPIT.
IN World]
DIR. Armitage's pulpit in the Fifth
Avenue Baptist Church, West Forty
sixth street, will be occupied, in the alb
sence of the pastor in Europe, by the
Rev. DIR. J. T.. NJ. Curry, of Richmond,
Va. DIR. Curry is above the medium
statue, has black, straight hair and a
beard of the same color, slightly tinged
with gray, and is man of fine presence
and dignified bearing. He is the guest
of Mr.. John III. Inman, of West Fifty
six street. He was bred to the law, and
was graduated at the Dane Law School,
Harvard University. II was a class
mate.', he said to a reporter yesterday,
"of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1914. / ate
at the same table with him for months,
and knew him quite intimately. A..
Oakley Hall, Arson .Burlingame and
Senator Wythe, of Maryland, were also
my class mates"
ssWhat were Mr.. Hayes's habits as a
student, DR.. Curry ?"
HE was dilegent student and a thor
ough gentleman, with much ffrnness of
character. He was a Wing and was a
Democrat, and we had frequent con-
versation on the politics of the day."
"You were in Congress, were you not,
before the WARP"
eyes, sir; I represented an Alabama,
district during President Buchanan's ad-
ministration.
land also in the Confederate Con-
gress ?"
81 was member of that Congress for
nearly three years. Afterwards T was
on General Joe Johnston's staff. and was
with that officer until relieved by Mr..
Davis, when I look command of a caval-
ry regiment and continued in such
command until the close Of the war"
"You did not resume the practice OF
the law after the surrender?'
mo; while in the service began my
labors' as a minister by preaching to my
regiment, and have continued to preach
ever since. I never had pHipit Of my
own, however, although I have mad
many calls to enter one as regular
minister / am now Professor Of Eng
lish and Constitutional Law in Rich
mond College"
In reply to question In regard to the
present religious condition and outlook
of the South, DIR. Curry said: 'The
dists and the Baptist are by far the
strongest denominations there, both
with the white and the colored popula-
ton. These denominations are doing
much for the cause of education of a
high order for both sexes"
"Are the negroes coming more or less
under good influence than before the
war;"
'"The negro problem is not easy of So
luton. The negroes suffered much af-
ter the war from injurious political in
fiuences and from false expectations
They are now coming to better under
standing of their true status, and are
learning to rely upon their own energy
and industry rather than upon Govern
ment aid. The negroes, free from ad
verse influences will make good lahorers
and be quite contented and useful.n
lis there promise that such a condi-
ton will be attained in the course of a
few years."
1.-THE fact is that years will be require
ed to make them what we all hope for.
Giving them the suffrage made them an
easy prey to INSCRIPTIONS carpet-bag-
gers. They are coming to an under
standing of the real character of that
class of people, however, and this will
prove to be of great benefit to them"
"Are the Catholics making any head
way In the work of proselyting the ne
groes?"
1.-THE Roman Catholics in Virginia
have very little influence or control over
them. The reports in regard to their in
duence over the negroes are much exag-
gerated. The colored people are too
warmly attached to the simple services
of the Protestant denominations in
which they were brought up to he easily
Influenced by the Catholic priests"
"Are you acquainted with John Jas
per, DR.. Curry the negro clergyman
who knows that the enrth stands still
and pro YES it?"
ooh, yes know him very we'll He
breaches in Richmond; but there are
several colored Baptist churches in that
city that are superior in numbers and
influence to his. He is man OF good
character, of limited knowledge, and is
in danger of being injured by the noto-
riety which his absurd astronomical
views have given him."
DR.. Curry then said, abiding to the
Administration while we in the
South are pretty well suited with Mr..
Hayes, we neither like his party nor the
men by whom he is surrounded. While
we do not take the same view of the in
vestigation as many of the people of the
North do, at the same time we think
that all frauds connected with the Presi
dental eIpctinn Oupht to he eyDOSed "