The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-04
Something About the Distin-
guished Southern Clergyman
Who will Fill DR.. Armitage's
the New York World


From the New York World
DR.. Armitage's pulpit, in the Fifth
avenue Baptist Church, west Forty
sixth street, Will be occupied, in the
absence of the pastor in Europe. bv
the Rev. DR.. j. l.. VI. Curry. of Rich
monn, Va. DR.. Curry is above the
medium stature, has black, straight
hair, and a beard Of the same color,
slightly tinged with gray, and is a man
of fine presence and dignitied bearing.
He is the guest of Mr.. John Ii. Inman,
OF west f~Ifty-SiXth street. He was
bred to the law, and was graduated at
the Dane Law School, Harvard Uni
versity. Il was a claso-mate," he said
to Il reporter yesterday, "Of Ruther-
ford Is. Ifaves in 1914. | ate at the
same table with him for six months,
and knew him quite Intimately. A.
Oakley Hall, Arson Burlingame, and
Senate Whyte, of Maryland, were
also my Classmates.
What were Mr.. Hayes's habits as a
student. DIR. Curry ="
He was a diligent student and a
thorough gentleman, with much firm
ness of character. He was a Wing and
| was a Democrat, and we had fire.
qucnt conversation on the politics of
the day"
You we're in Congress, were you
not. before the war;
Yes, sir: | represented an Alabama
district during President B~uchanan's
administration
And also in the Confederate Con-
gress"
II was a member of that Congress
for nearly three years. Afterwards
was on Gen. Joe JohnSton'S stat, and
was with that officer until relieved by
Mr.. Davis, when | took command Of "a
cavalry regiment and continued in
such command until the close of the
war"
You did not the practice of
the law after the surrender?>
No; while in the service | began
my labor as a minister by preaching
to my regiment, and have continued
to preach ever since. / never had a
pulpit of my own, however, although
| have had many calls to enter one as
a regular minister. am now Profess
sor of English and Constitutional Law
in Richmond College"
In reply to a question III regard to
| the present religious condition and
outlook of the South, Dr.. Curry said /:
THE religious outlook is hopeful.
The Methodists and Baptists are by
far the strongest denominations there,
both with the white and the colOred
population. These denominations are
doing much for the of education
of a high order for both sexes"
Are the negroes coming more or
less under good influences than before
the war;"
1.-THE negro problem is not easy of
solution. The negroes suffered much
after the war from Injurious political
influences and from false expectations.
They are now coming to a better I'M
d~erstanding of their true status, and
are learning to rely upon their own
energy and industry rather than upon
Government aid. The negroes, free
from adverse influences. will make
good laborers and be quite contented
and useful"
us there promise that such a con
dition will be attained in the course of
a few years"
The TACT is that years will be re-
quired to make them what we all hope
for. Giving them the suffrage made
them the easy prey of inscriptions
carpet-baggers. They are coming to
an understanding of the real charac-
ter of that class of people, however,
and this will prove to be of great bene-
fit to Them"