Daily Republican., 1880-06-05
REPUBLICAN AICkET.
Race and Caste Prejudice.

a rev Gays ago tneIe Was nIet cial
row in somewhat pretentious churc
in New York, because a perfectly n
spectacle family of colored people asl
ed to be admitted 10 membership. 1t
said that deacon, who no doubt is or
Of the sound sleepers Of the church, AN
who we should think would form q
exceedingly poor opinion Of himsel
when he sits down to begin the work {
self-examinstion, violently opposed tn
admission Of the family and threatened
to give up his pew in the church
they should be received. 1t would b
very interesting to know whether h
would be willing to 60 to Heaven will
"nigger," or whether he has no
some sort of an idea that II Divine Wis
dom were as wise as it ought to be, /
would provide a colored people,
Heaven, 80 that such deacons who hav,
become angels will not have to asscci
ate throughout eternity with their in
feriors.
Only few months ago oolored man
bent on some good purpose for the good
Of his race, entered class meeting in
one Of the leading Methodist churches
Of this city, thinking no doubt that
where the spirit Of God was there was
liberty. An elderly, staid old member
Of the church, who had often shouted
as he gave in his experience how glad
he was salvation was free for the poor
as we'll as the rich, was horrifed at the
intrusion, and picking up his hat he
quickly left and soon after Joined
another church. We only state these
cases to show how deeply rooted has be-
come the prejudice Of caste and color.
1t shows that the social feeling against
the colored people il almost as strong as
it ever was and there are many men
yet who contend most strongly for
every kind Of social political concessions
to the Colored people who would have
an aversion to receiving even highly
educated and refined oolored men upon
terms of absolute equality in their
dwellings and in their social circles.
The objections, however, lies solely
against the color Of the mans skin and
takes no account Of his moral and in
tellectual qualities. The measure Of
respect that man shows for humanity
is the respect he gives to the humblest
man that lives, be he white or te no
black. To dislike man because of
his race, his position in the world or his
color, no matter what his personal
qualities may be,i utterly unworthy of
any intelligent person who has respect
for himself. We are governed in such
matters in a great degree by the train
ing received and by the customs
of the times, but it does seem that only
q few men with great souls in them are
able to free themselves wholly from
this feeling Of prejudice. Nothing ought,
however, to be more clear than that
every honest man ought to try to obtain
freedom of thought and opinion, which
are based upon the doctrine of human
equality and no man can have feeling
OF justification in his bosom who does
not recognize absolutely the right of
the lowliest man to privileges which
are accorded to the highest. In bold
relief TO the narrow sordid actions Of
the church members We have alluded
to, stands out the action of Senator
Hoar, the President of the Chicago Ma
tional Republican Convention now in
session. Desiring to retire for some
time from the laborious duties OF the
sfice, he was called upon to perform, he
gracefully called Mr.. Bruce, the black
Senator from Mississippi, temporarily
to the clair. The sight of a black
President seemed to appal none, and
he presided with as much ability, grace
and ease as did Mr.. Hoar. The church
however, is under a peculiarly strsug
obligation in this respect. 1t processes
q religion which teaches that God is no
respecter of persons it holds that the
poorest and most despised of any race
may have celestial glory as great
as chat to which the prcudest Cau-
casian of the land may attain; It.
Is based upon the theory Of the
fellowship of all belie'e e's; and 1t
breaches and teaches that Christ died
for all black and white, ls1 and yel-
low. And yet the church even in this
free and enlightened country, shares
and encourages the prejudioes against
caste and color. In nearly all Of the
Protestant churches the oolored people
have the galleries and the back seats,
and are often driven entirely away to
seek church fellowship elsewhere. Verv
often protesting christians fervently
Ill of the Heaven they are having here
10 60 to heaven in. We would advise c
hem to enjoy 1t while they can, for the t
o:her heaven to which they are tend
Ing may have black forms in it and that
would destroy all the happinsss oil