Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-06-14
= RIsa fer IN Onward March
GOOD ADVICE TO THB c0L0RED PEOPLE
ny A cOLoRRD NAN.

GOOD ADVICE 70 THE c0LORED PEOPLE
~ A o0LORED MAN.
vIcKsBURs, Mss, Nay ., 1915.
Editor VleksbuFg Herald:
sIF-AIlOw ne through The columns
oflOuf valuable paper TO respond 70 .
lssleF published IN its columns, Of . ~
cent date, headed SThe C0lUFed Race"
In response, ! will say that II 10 no idle
curiosity that actuaies mi 10 write
nothing else, save the dlctation OF my
heart. The writer Of said letter (Mr.
". b. ReynoldsO SpekS truly when he
GAYS that Il IL the lack OF education that
keeps the colored people in their pres
emit condition, ignorant and depraved.
But there is something else that is
needed among them-amOng 10, for !
an one of ttem-equally % much as
education It is Christianity regard
for the word Of God, and the feelings
Of their iellow-beiDgs, which the
writer, | I'm sorry to say, omitted in
his letter.
will speak plainly and t~ruthfully.
At the present time the majority Of our
people have no regard whatever for re.
ligion, and II Is among them that you
find the most depraved OF human be.
ings. II is among them that you hear
perpeluAlly the name of their greatest
b~eneiaclOr taken In vain and used as q
by-Word-one whose name the angels
worship.
We, aS be says, need q unity. II one
is better of In circumstances than an
other, they think themselves superior
TO the least fortunate. That 10 not Q
unity, surely that indeed is not the
night feeling that ought TO be shown TO
their unfortunate brethren. II 10 left to
the youlhs OF the colored race to make
the race Q nation and TO raise q peo.
pie upon the eminence TO which they
belong.
love my people, and / am delighted
at what progress has already been
made. am pleased at the success Of
some and grieved at the failure Of 9th.
ere. Yet | I'm disgusted ct their per-
petuAl murmuring and discomfort.
There is 9 dark cloud lowering over
ne, but the sun shall yet shine through
il with ell lie brilliancy. ColOred
youths, II 10 for you to bring about a
change. The eyes OF the whole world
are upon you! Do not be contented al
o "liltle learning" as the common
phrase 10. Let your motto be ever
onward and ever upward.
!, like thousands OF others, am one
OF the unfortunate, but will not stand
still and murmur, but will forever
"Press forward through the darkness to
the light"
cannot write bombastically like Mr.,
Reynolds, but what / write Is the Ian.
guage OF my heart. | have often asked
myself, why is it that those who have
been fortunate enough to achieve
knowledge and are beyond want, Dc
not help those who have not? The!
stand and SCOT and ridicule their (the
unfortunately imperfect speech.
They see q felloW.being drifting dowI
the dark stream Of ignorance and de
pravity and lend HIM no aid. Some
not ell, do it-alss, too many ART
guilty Of that Sin.
HMan's inhumanity 10 nan has mad
countless thousands mourn" Burns wa
right. Thousands mourn to-day from
the inhuman treatment at the hands o
their fellow. beings. They are drifting
drifting down, but there Is One who's
eye can pierce the most adamantine
who in His own time will restrain GU
downward course.
In such q case look to God. Look t
God In all our troubles and trials; tina
is the right kind Of Gospel 10 preacI
10 our benighted and oppressed race
But l know we will be q people, 70
"coming events cast their shadows be
fore" l am solaced with the Biblica
prediction that ethiopia shall stretcI
forth her wings and give thanks I
God"
Let ne consider this one fact-ihs
we are considered, and are, the least @
human beings. II is thought tbs
we cannot DO q peOple-that we canno
nor never will achieve knowledge
That is false. Let 10 think and act, d
not wait for something TO turn up, n
member "procrastination 10 the thief q
time" Let %, 20 coloFed yonth, prov
to the world that we can DO something
and that We will be something. Let u
as we grow up, plant In the hearts
the young the seeds Of good exampl
that they in generations 10 com
may reap en- abundant harvest.
Another thing / will here say Il
politics alone, and remember that Il
nOrance cannot predominant.
cannot ssy that this letter is q r
spOnse TO Mr.. Reynolds's able lette
but say that II is only an echo 10 hl
The letter has awakened many colort
youths to q sense Of duty. It has pI
them In motion, and l cay, keep on.
repeat, colored youths, and delight
doing so: Let your motto be ever Oh
ward and ever upward say with
yourselves that you will win, and |
the Watchword be "God and our coul
try When l say country, l also met
. people. The Winds seem 10 viii
per, sever onward, wei upward"
ABRAHAM B. BURRIss,
0ne Of tAe U~nfortunates
Farewell.
In leaving the beautiful Hin City,