Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-02-14
A Sad Statement by a Colored
Preacher.


the gospel, a member of Central Ala
bama Conference. l have been
preaching for twelve years, so you
can Judge whether l have experience
of what am going to write about.
There are a good many letters sent to
you in regard to my race and how
they are improving in the Southern
States. Senator Morgan, of Alabama,
said in Congress not long ago, that
the colored people were learning their
letters very well, but that temper
ance, virtue and honesty were things
they never thought about. 1t is all
so.
There are several reasons why we
are not doing better than we are. 1t
is not the white people who are
mostly to blame. We colored people
won't trust one another. We don't
even have confidence in each other.
How can we prosper that way? You
know Jesus said, eff a kingdom is
divided againstitselfit cannot stand"
If we would reform our ways of doing
we would do better, but we never
have been disciplined. We need to
be disciplined into first-class societies.
1t makes no difference what a man
may do among us that defiles his
character, we still recognize him as
in good standing. 1t makes no diff
ference how many children one of
our women may have without marry
ing, she is recognized among the
first. Last Christmas / walked out,
and the first thing 1 beheld was a
woman drunk on the street. 1t was
the sort that we recognize. Some
| might say that they need education,
but / say we need morals more than
anything else; and We never will
amount to much as a race till we first
respect ourselves. So, Mr.. Editor,
l have to beg my race to quit their
way of doing.
The last charge 1 had to preach,
what do you think the people told
me? eff you want to do well here
you must not say anything against
whisky and base characters in your
preaching" So went and preached
about it the first sermon. If a minis
ter of my race takes steps to gOagainst
whiskey in these States, he is not rec
, ognized as minister among his PEG.
pie. What must we do that believe
in the right thing? l saw a piece
that was written by one of our minis
tiers last year, that lives in Texas
stating that the colored people would
not have the truth, and am a wit
ness that what he said was true.
If our people would buy land and
get themselves homes, and save
money we would do better. We cal
make enough, but we want to take
care of what me make. Who is Il
blame because we have not got these
things? Some say it is the white
people, but | say no, we are to blame
: The reason is because we do not taxi
careof what we make. Some sayvot'
for this man and that man, and time
8 will be better for us; but l say W.
must make times better ourselves b.
= uniting in defense of each other. W.
: are murmuring about not riding il
first-class trains and not eating at tn
= white peoples hotels; but if ever w
come together as race we will rid
in first-class train, and the whit
t people will recognize us as the,
IL ought to.
Z We have several colleges and hig
u schools in these States that our North
Gil lIlClllc IldNS UullC lOI uS, DuG I'll
chain gangs are filled up with youn
e men who have got good education
/, Here in Talledega, Ala, is a goo
n college, and 1 remember two of tn
best scholars ever turned out herr
n One was arrested two years ago fC
y running one of his students, a mic
re young lady who was going to scho,
L to him, and the other left and wei
to to Chattanooga, Tenn. I; he forged
lie note and was in Jail the last accoul
20 l heard of him. So you see VIII
RS our college is doing for us.
K, If the colored people would tai
IN more pains and learn their childre
ct how to work, we would keep out
s, the chain gang; but they don't an
)" there they are yet, running fro
of place to place, and stealing rath
Sc than work. And then they cry on
1--WE don't get Justice" How CO
err we keep out of Jail when we dor
n regard the law of God or man? Oh
~ finest looking young women are ia
II inn tho cfranfc nXyarU niphf Our M,