The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-02-21
For the Central Presbyterian.
New York and the College of
Liberia

New York and the College of
Liberia.
The NeaO York Observer, in a recent
issue, refers to meeting held at the
Broadway Tabernacle in behalf of the
Liberian College, and deplores the small
degree of interest shown in it, as COM
pared with that exhibited in an exhibi-
ton of so-called negro MINISTRIES, which
took place at the same hour in an adj
jacent hall. Although the former meet
ing was addressed by some of the most
able speakers in the city, as we'll as by
two of the colored professors of the col
lege, the attendance was small, while the
burnt cork" performance drew large
audience.
Ia November last I attended a similar
meeting in behalf of the college of Lii
IBERIA, which was held at DIR. Howard
Crosby's church, on Fourth Avenue.
Notice had been given the Sunday pre-
vious in the churches that such meet
ing would be held, that DIR. Crosby would
preside, that DIR. McCosh, of Princeton,
DIR. John Hall, DR.. W. M Taylor, and
other distinguished speakers, as we'll as
the President of the college, colored
man, would deliver addresses, and that
two young negro professors would be
present. went, expecting to find a large
and enthusiastic assembly, full of zeal for
the welfare of the negro. Instead of this,
the audience was thin and cold.
DR.. McCosh made characteristic ad-
dress, replete with the extravaganza and
errors which mark his public utterances
concerning the South and the negro.
He Landed the inaugural address of the
President of Liberia College as master
piece; he stated that the two young pro-
fessors had studied at Princeton, and had
stood among the first in his classes.
He represented that while on visit to
Virginia soon after the war, he discovered
among the negroes desire for education
greater than he had ever seen among any
people-even the Scotch but their noble
longings had been repressed by indif-
ference at the South.
DR.. Taylor, of the Broadway Taber-
nacle, attributed to the negro lofty en-
dowments, and in proof of his assertions
related the story of young man from
Africa who came to Scotland for educa-
ton. He was coal black, DIR. Taylor said,
blacker than the college president before
him, and he was black as night. But his
mind was as bright as day; he carried
off the honors in his classes at the uni
Versity; and best of all, as DIR. Taylor
put it, he took back to Africa with him,
a Scotch wife The distinguished preach.
er said this in apparent innocence of
publicly commencing crime. Yet ac-
cording to the laws of the States where
the negroes chiefly reside, such a mar
riage is forbidden, and when committed
is punishable with severe penalties.
But DR.. Elder, Baptist minister of
New York, excelled them both in his
laudation of the negro. He rebuked the
apologize tone usually employed in re.
gard to that race, and predicted the time
when we would all be ashamed of hay-
ing spoken of it as inferior to the white
race.
DR.. Crosby presided with his native
dignity and propriety-and DR.. Hall
made brief address in his accustomed
good taste and thoughtful vein.
Then the negro President of the Col
lege OF Liberia, whose name, regret, has
escaped me, delivered an address of un-
common excellence. 1t was weighty in
matter, chaste in diction, and modest in
delivery.
He urged that the elevation of lii
IBERIA, and through it Of the surrounding
natives, would be better accomplished by
building up an institution Of high order
there, than by bringing young men to
this country or to Europe to be edu-
Gated. He assigned three reasons First,
that it is impracticable to send so far
from home any considerable number of
students second, that by living abroad
for several years the young men become
untitled to live in Africa, on the score of
both health and habits and third, that
the existence of such an institution
among them would exert a great in
AuenCe through many channels on the
whole people. He plead for aid toward
the higher education Of his people, with
dignity and decorum, and impressed his
audience with the conviction that tbev