National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-20
CASTE PIsEJUDICE.
What a Coiored Clergyman Thinks
OF abe Exclusion OF Ills Race from
the Moody meetings ut the Congre-
gationaI Church.

"hht y NOiOteu Sielbkihhu h"hhh
OF tbo Exclusion OF Ills Race from
the Moody meetings ut the Congro-
gationaI Church.
EDITOR NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
"Where there is neither Greek nor jew,
Circumcision nor uncircumcision, Bar
barian, Scythian, bond nor free, but
Christ is oil and in ALL" Tho sentiments
expressed in these words are in marked
contrast to the exhibition of caste pre-
iudioe manifested on the part of the
managers Of the convention of Christian
workers, whose sessions have boon held
Mt the Congregational Church.
The colorod people are surprised ut the
treatment thoy received. First, because
1t comes not frem tho world, nor yet
from the cold or lukewarm members of
the church, but from those who claim to
BIO most deeply interested in the advance
ment of tho cause Of Christ. Second, bo-
cause in addition to the color of their
skin they ore Disseminated against on
the ground of their non-orthodoxy. Ac-
cording to the notice published in THE
REPUBLICAN tickets were to be issued to
tho pastors of all evangelical denomina-
tions, and through them to the members
of their respective churches. On what
principle tho thousands of members in
good and regular standing in the
colored Baptist. Methodist, Episcopal,
Congregational, and Presbyterian
churches, who subscribe to tho same
creed as the members of our
white churches Of the Same denomina-
tion, have been pronounced unevangeli-
cal, is n question which would like very
much to have some of these brethren
answer. Many grave charges have been,
from time to time, made against the col
ored people, but this is altogether unpre-
cedented. But my purpose is not to vim
dictate them against such imputations,
but rather to direct attention to some of
the injurious effects of such invidious dis
tinctions on the port of protesting Chris
tians, in the hope of leading to something
better in the future.
In the first place, to my own certain
knowledge, it has prejudiced a great
many persons OF color against MT. Moody,
who IS believed by many to have been a
party to the arrangement by which they
have been excluded from these meetings.
l know that this is not so; that Mr..
Moody had nothing to do with it, and is
not in sympathy with the spirit which
dictated 1t, and have so expressed myself
to as many as have had tho opportunity
of talk ing with. but tho fact of such an un-
favorable impression remaius. l believe
Mr.. Moody to be good man, and regret
that anything has been done to lessen
his influence with any class, however
small In the second place, more serious
still, it has prejudiced great many
against Christianity itself. Away
with such religion, if this is q
sample of itw is the sentiment
upon tho lips of many. And is IT to be
wondered at? Men do not stop to judge
of christianity by the life and character
of its founder and the beautiful spirit Of
love and brotherhood which it inculcates
but by the lives Of its professors. In the
presence of such exhibitions as this am
not surprised that men like Mr.. lnger.
soil turn away with disgust and pro
nounce the whole thing an imposture
The surest way to swell the ranks Of in
fidelity and bring religion into contempt
Is for christian people, for the church o
Christ, to continue to multiply such in
stances of caste prejudice.
The spirit of Christianity, IL / under
stand it Alright, is spirit of love. 1t /
designed to destroy all enmities, to breal
. down the middle wall of separation, an'
TO gather together out of every kindre,
, and tribe and tongue people, bound to
] gether by brotherly love, and allegianc
10 one common lOru. ana yeI, unuc
the name of the founder of this blesse
, religion, who knew no man by the colo
of his skin, who did not even shrink iron
contact with tho lowest and mos
degraded, but, rather, sought them oul
body OF professed Christians have shu
/ out, from series Of religious meetings,
large class of worthy aud respectable per
sons Oh account OF the color of thei
skin--a thing which is entirely indie
pendent of character, and for which the
are in no sense responsible.
1t is with pain that l am forced to not
this fact. l have written as / have, nc
r in fault.fnding spirit, nor yet with an
. feeling of bitterness, but solely In tn
, cause of Christ which is always injure
by such unchristian conduct. Let u.s. fc
the sake of the cause of Christ, bury ou
prejudices. Let us catch the noble spir
of the great apostle to the Gentiles, whit
s though jew, became ''all things unto a
men. that If by any means no might say
' some" who was careful not TO lay
. stumbling block or an occasion to fall /
his brothers way, and who gladly boz
bonds and imprisonment, torture, an
3 even death, that Christ might be maj
4 niied. For THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.