Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-06-22

8 returned from million heaving
as monument of eVerlast-
ng remembrance to the benevo-
ence of the colored race in America.
Immense applause. And these
are they who greet you to-day,
through their chief Organization,
the African NJ. +. Church in the /
United States of America. Loud |
and continued applause.
And now, though the yoke which |
bound the master and the slave to-
gether, in such close and mutual re- |
sponsibility has been shivered by
the rude shock of war, we find our
selves still standing by your side as
natural allies against an unfriendly
world. Applause.
Mr.. Chairman. it was one of the
nations included in our Lords in
heretance, that we were sent to you
over two hundred years ago for in
struction in the government of the
Prince Of Peace applause THAT
the little leaven might be hidden
within the true and trusty hearts Of
the chosen representative of
mighty race; and right well have
you performed your duty. And, if
you did scold sometimes APP
plause]-it was as a teacher and
friend. 1t was through you we
learned of Christ, and to-day grad
uated from the highest departments
of the common MethOdistism, in
structed in the arts, the sciences,
the literature, the religion, and the
morality of this age of light, we
only await the command of the
Chief Shepherd and Bishop of Souls.
We know his voice; and as we
have well learned the much coveted
lesson of obedience, we shall be
found moving as His Good PrOVi-
dence may direct. Whether it be
that we shall stand with you under
the banner of the T. PlueibuS U11UDl
in this land, and hold up the stand
/ ard of Jesus to the on-cOming mill
lions who seek the fire of our re-
| ligiOus liberty, or, whether in whole
or in part, as a people we shall away
/ to our Understand, God knOWeth.
/ So far, we are at sea sailing under
sealed orders and the only instruc-
ton we now have, is: "Do good
unto all men, especially unto them
who are of the household of faith." "
Gal. 6, 10. Applause.
Mr.. Chairman, we must be par
dOned if we sometimes show a de-
| cided wish for development, laugh
| teri since progress is a law of life ;
and as illustration of the inherent
principle, we are told that in the
ice-bOund belts of Liberia, where
the entire summer consists of but a
few days, the vegetation may almost
be detected in the act of growing.
| Applause.
We understand that the different
nations make up the household OF
our Father in Heaven just as differ
ent children make up the house
hold of the natural parent. Thus
the elder are set to instruct the
younger until the good Father sets
off these also into a separate house.
Hence we conceive it now to be our
duty to gather all the scattered
bands of the cOlOred Methodist
family into one household for better
protection and instruction till in His
wisdom, Jesus shall otherwise indi-
cate. Applause.
Mr.. Chairman, we can never for
get the magnanimity of your or
ganizatiOn to us in the dark days
succeeding the close of the war, how
your ministers recognized our divine
commission, in many cases turning
over to us the property as well as
the people, with their prayers and
benedictiOn. Applause.
We remember, also, how helpful
have been the kind words you have
spoken to us both in our pastOrates
and Annual Sessions. How also
you have so cordially thrown open
the doors of your metropolitan
churches to our Bishops and preach
ers, thus, declaring in the midst OF
doubts and fears, no whit behind
the chiefest, that character and abili'
ty, and not the merest accidents OF
color and cline, entitle mankind tC
respect. And to-day you have. sci
the seal upon it.
And, although your labor of love
has added greatly to our instrumen
tality as an organization, although
our vast numbers may surpasS ever
the figures before indicated, with
four million dollars of property, the
wolf never cares how many the
sheep may be; besides when we
look out on the fields already white
unto harvest, how many are there
vet to be brought to the Master
And, while we have six eminently
holy men who abound in labOrs by
night and by day while we count
in the ranks Of our ministers ID. DIS
and LII. DIS. laughter !, with young
] n Of nf
after knowledge, we point to Oul
Book Concern [laughterl, about a
par with others, on the score o
difficulties Tgreat laughter], to Ou1
ably edited weekly newspaper, t.
our effective university and lessee
schools, either carried forward o.
projected; and last, but not least
we point to our regularly educated
young missionary, with his brave
young wife, battling against thu
most fearful odds in the war-strick
en- island of Hayti, sustained by thu
noble women of our Church Tap
/ plausel, and to one other of on
missions on the Bahama Islands.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, after all this
= it must be apparent to you that il
comparison with the work to b.
dOne-crippled and Ostracised as w,
have been, yet persisting like I
''rOOt out of the dry grOund''-l
say, you must perceive that on
: strength is simply insignificant.
Then, breth: en- in Christ, to-day
in the name of the African NJ. L
Church, / appeal to you. You know
our condition as well, if not better
than.we can tell you; for l contenC
that venturenothing in saying tina
the white and black men of tn,
South are better acquainted will
each other than any other two dis
tinct races or portions of races upOI
the globe applause]; and tina
it is only by the dust rased in tn,
= great upheaval that has caused ;
, change of position, that "blindnes
r in part happened to us both. + APP
plause.l But, thank God, it ma
almost subsidized, with the best con
sequences to us all. Your eyes Opel
: much faster than ours laughter
, but l assure you that many thous
and "blind will receive their sight
I by your proceedings to-day. Ap
plause.
t Mr.. Chairman, | ask, how can tn
4 unenlightened perceive the vicious
Z ] naSs pf Nriaa How ann tbaHr omar,