The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-12-07
VIEWS or A NORTHERN MAN.

The American Baptist Home Mission
nry S"ciety, II few years after the close of
the war, established in Columbia the
Brncdic, Institute, Al institution designed
for the training of cOlured ministers.
The colorch membership Of the Baptist
churches Of the South just after freedom
voluntarily withdrew themselves fum
the churches and established churches q.
their own, presided over by minister.
and deacons Of their own color. For u
tin they SouRh, the assistance in the
administration Of church affairs, of the
ministers, dencons and members Of the
churches frcm whicl. they hnd with
drawn. But hy degrees this has long
since rasrd, and now their cuun4cls are
almost if net wholly di,regardcd Pro-
iesscr Becker, President of the Bcncdic,
Institute, who is u minister sent from the
North by the American Baptist Home
Missionary Society, has had charge of
this institution rnr n number Of years.
Prof. Becker, at great sacrifice to him
self, has faithfully laborcd for The plo.
motion OF the educational, moral and
religious interests of this people, ignoring
altogether all political and social q,l.s.
tions. In this work ho has received tho
hearty and cordial appreciation of the
Bap.iS,s Of the State, but at the same
time has arrayed against himself and the
Society which he represents the leading
Radical politicians Of the State, and
quite number of the coiorcd ministers.
If it is Difficult; 10 solve the political
problem relating to this people, it is
much more 30 to solve that relating to
their future moral and religious status.
The Northern people will sooner or later
learn that while the colored people of
the South are led rs mere tools by cor.
rupt political leaders, and arrayed against
the white race for no purpose but to OBJ
tain Office, all their efforts to elevate,
moralzo and christianizc the colorei
people will be entire failures, aud that
if they cannot drag down the agents
sent here to level with themselves,
their efforts to better their condition will
be in win.
Prof. Becker, in an address before the
Baptist State Convention. which recently
met at Darlington, gave n fearful descrip.
tion OF the decadence of this people, and
especially OF the ministers and members
of the church. In his address he said !:
"The Ignorance and degradation of tho
colored people appal mo. In times of
slavery you preached To them, and YOUR
wives and daughters went among them.
Since tho war they have drawn out from
yon and gone from bad to worse, and to.
day thoir condition, as TO religion, Is i'm
msasarably worse than it was in slavery
times.
THE preaching Of tho negroes that I
have heard does not rise to tho dignity OF
nonsense. have not read anything
moro horrible In henthenisn than exists
among the col"yed Baptis.s OF this Sate.
South Carolina. l should rather say 9O,-
600 Pdgant Baptists. The North knows
nothing Of 1t.
There is no more sense in the preach
ing of most of the negro preachers than
In the gabble Of n goose.
aW ShiuStiiS HhySeil upon tn9 col
ored people where l am not wanted.
Their leaders don't wish mo, and try to
foil me all thoy can.
The Northern people have no idea OF
tho magnitude OF this black negro prob.
lem. Heathenism-the bowling down to
idolS-would be an advance on the con-
dition of many colored churches in this
State, and 1t Is getting worse every day.
IL Is as distast' full to me as II can he TO
yoa 10 thrust myself upon this people,
bit am doing 1t, and wish you to help
motor Chrisl's sake. will you do 1t?
We shall do little without your help
will each Of you do your best for them in
your respective neiyhborhoods
"The friends OF the American Baptist
Homo Mission Society do not deom it.
best to educate these colnred men mt tho
North. It is believed by many that it
will rdsodii-e them-if may coin word.
We wish to do the work In the South.
The colored Associations here arc vo-
ting that they will have nothing to do
with Benedict Institute unlesa il Is put
under thcir control: and one colored
leader here is ruling and running these
people. They demand that the whole
property. and all the money given by tho
Society, should be controlled by ignorant