New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-31
cOLORpHOBIA IN A CHURCH.

Something has happened in the Rev. DR.. Fulton's
church in Brooklyn which we should not have sup
posed possible at this time of day. 1t may be re-
garded as q proof that prejudice dies hard. Are
spectabe colored woman and her daughter were
proposed as members of DR.. FultOn's church. There
were no objections to them upon the score OF def
cheney in pous qualifications but when the vote
was taken upon their admission to church prlvi-
leges one man, and he Deacon, voted No." He
followed up his vote by declaring that be had I" a
competent reason for giving it. He said that
there was a coOred church which these persons
could enter Let them go therel Let them pursue
saving grace in company with brethren and sisters
of their own color We give the good Deacon great
credit for moral courage though it is Of rather an
immoral sort. 1t was perfectly easy to say such
things and do such things forty years ago. 1t was
thought somewhat respectable to aver that mig
gers " must be kept in their place. Undoubtedly
they were as good as white men they might be
equally good Christians; nobody wished them any
harm but they must he kept in their place. They
might go on improving in piety to the extent Of
sancthcation but they must be kept in their
place. The meaning Of all this was that they had
no rights which white men were bound to respect.
The reservation in favor of their humanity was but
feeble and ineffective one. They must be kept in
their place That was the sum total of the whole
matter.
1t now seems that we have not outgrown these in
human and illogical notions altogether; but we are
nearing the end of them. DR.. Fulton's Deacon did
not get much sympathy from DR.. Fulton himself
Having had occasion to comment in times past
upon the various difficulties in which the Doctor
has found himself, we are now happy to state that
no stood up squarey and seDsibly for his dark-col-
Ored neOphytes. The discordant Deacon rather
passionately declared his intention of seeding with
his family but DR.. Fulton advised him to stay,
there being room enough in the church for oil.
There are constant indications that the prejudice
against color is far from being eradIcated Of this
the whole country has had evidence In the recent
troubles OF West Point Law or no law, amend
ment or no amendment, and In spite of all personal
liberty bills, persons Of African descent are occa
sionay put to inconvenience or exposed to insult
when they wish to travel or to visit theatres, to go
where white men go. to do as white men do. There
is nothing however, discOuragng in all this. A
deeply rooted public prejudice is not to be rooted out
in a day. Fortunately. tho law is all right; still
more fortunately the great heart Of the people is all
right; the trouble is certainly diminishing. We
believe all will agree with us in the opinion
that the behavior Of the people of color has been
iudcious and forbearing. They have shown no par
ticular disposition to thrust themselves where they
were not wanted, and have indeed availed them
selves of their privileges with certain degree
of timdty. They have appeared to understand
that time and the next age would make all even.
undoubtedly it will. Those who have been educated
from youth upwards to regard persons Of African
descent as of class hOpelessy inferior. will proba-
bly, hold to that opinion to the last But new age
and new generation arc at hand, Meanwhile
those who are under the special protection Of the
law cannot, at least in this part of the country, be
seriously misused.