Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-10-05

l. ItC L ceefte "feS 4 Feoo. hSAA1S NAtAA
' ago st. Johns Lyceum, debating
society of colored people, discussed
the question-"Which has accomplish.
ed the most good in the world-the
press or the pulpit ?" A number Of
persons were present and the debate
was highly spoken Of, so much so that
some who were absent requested a
repetition. This was cheerfully grant
ed, and last Wednesday evening was
designated for the purpose.
Several airs upon the chapel or
gan, Miss Fannie Henry, organist,
and singing by the choir, introduced
the exercises. Messrs. VIM. Redrick,
Robert Dorsey and Samuel Abel, were
selected as judges. The debate was
opened by
SAMUEL SM1TH-Affrmatire.
The pulpit is a divine institution,
and we have nothing to say against it.
It's de man in it we are after The
one central point is-the press has
done more good than the pulpit. The
pupil has to come first to the printed
spelling-book, then to the printed
first reader, and SO on up until he
gets his printed diploma. The press
was more effective in abolishing
slavery than the pulpit. With the
latter the text, servants, obey your
masters was all the cry. Through
the press Giddings, Smith, etc., and
other members OF the anti-slavery
society operated to create public sem
timent in our favor. They couldn't do
it through the pulpit. The preachers
object to please and tickle the popu-
lar ear has resulted in over a thous-
and denominations. When Ander-
son in Fort sumpter was fired on,
did the pulpit call the alarm? No,
sirs, it was the press, and thousands
of people rushed to our defence. 1t
is the press-not the pulpit-which
is sending bibles, tracts, ETC., to all
nations.
GEORGE BELL-Negative.
A great deal of good was done be-
fore there was a press. The law,
handed down to Moses, written on
stone, was done without press. The
press is good thing in its place, but
the pulpit is better. Columbus did
not first establish press, nor did
Noah. There never was press that
converted three thousand in day,
was there? The pulpit converted
poor blacks in the South. They had
a great revival in Savannah. The
people wanted them to quit shouting
and go to work. "No, no, said these
happy people, ode Kingdom too near
at hand to go to work" Did de press
eber do anything like dat? No, sir,
and Mr.. Judges, you cant get around
dat fact. (Laughter.) The pulpit
works for nothing, if necessary. The
preacher will dispense the gospel if
he don't get bread. Will de press do
dat? If you take paper when the
times up the paper stops. l was
taking one myself, and when the
time come, 1 hadn't the money, and
it stopped right dar. (Laughter.)
Honorable judges, Mr.. Smith can't
meet dat; he's in de swamp now.
Uaughter.)
JOHN JAcKsoN-Afrmatsvc.
The press elevates the people in
every way. People destitute Of edu-
cation do not know whether they are
converted or not. Paul was learn
ed man-knew when he was convert
ed. But preachers DO not have any
trembling Felixes before EN- now, be-
cause they don't understand how to
preach the gospel as Paul did. The
people who are living in poverty are
those who do not patronize the press.
All improvement is due to the press.
Our people who rove the woods hunt
ing and starving-who are locked up
in prisons-are uneducated. The
white people-the superior race-are
stretching out after education. With
out the press We would soon go back
to heather darkness. We can be sue
cessful in nothing without the press.
The gospel is no patron of the tele-
graph-no indicator of trade, nor of
the price of gold, nor regulator of
business. The speaker started an
anecdote of wealthy lady and her
governess. About halfway through
he was informed his time was up.
"Well, please let me finish this anec-
dote" "No sir" said the iudGes.