The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-26
A TEST OF CHRISTIANITY.

In the report of his Washington address on
Emancipation Day, Fred Douglass is repre-
sented as saying that 'love of the negro was
o greater test of Christianity than love of
Jesus, for the reason that the latter was popu
Tar and easy to love, while it required strong
man to love the negro" This is strongly put,
and we are not sure that the words are cor
rectly quoted. The idea, however, is plain
enough. Taken literally Mr.. Douglass is
widely in error. The Glove Of Jesus is the
foundation of Christianity, without which it
cannot stand. To be Christian is to be a
follower Of Christ, to be imbued with His
spirit, as the term implies. If any division
be possible between love of Jesus and love of
mankind in general, the former must stand
alone What Mr.. Douglass meant was that
no man could be Christian without
feeling a kinship with the negro as
a part of the great human family
In this view he was right, for no sincere fol-
lower of Christ can deny the rights, natural
and political, Of any man, black or white, and
he must be specially interested in the lowly
and oppressed. 1t is an easy thing to profess
consuming love for the Saviour of mankind
without giving practical demonstration. Many
Rsc-called Christian goes through the world asa
psalm-singer, wrapped in the mantle of SUI
premest selfshness. Many man leads in
prayer who neither leads nor follows in the
business of helping to sustain the church In
any of its benevolent and charitable enter
er Of Christ who does not practice His precepts
One of the surest opponents of genuine Chris
tianity, as Mr.. Douglass says, is an
exhibition of interest in and sympathy with
oil mankind, Of whatever color or condition
The petty distinctions of wealth and position
are all oblterated this side Of the hereafter.
When the soul of the rich and the great goes
out of the body, it enters upon the long jour-
ney as naked as was the body when it came
into the world; there is no cloak or mask to
hide it, but, with those of all mankind, high,
low, rich and poor, it must stand revealed ex-
actly as it is.
Whatever the trial may once have been to
confess allegiance to the Christian
church, it can no longer be regarded
In that light and there must be some
other test or expression than mere member
ship in the church in some of its branches.
1t is safe to say that he who has no sympathy
with the negro in his heart has little Of the love
of God there The same is true of him who
has no fellow feeling for the poor and dis
tressed. The singing of hymns, the crooking
of knees, and the Offering of stilted prayers are
not enough. There must be some practical
expression of that ineffable love which links
humanity in all its multiplied branches. The
way that Mr.. Douglass has expressed himself
is unfortunate; but, specifically speaking,
he was right. If man be not endowed with
this feeling of community of interests, it is
well-nigh useless to search further to discover
&c the love of Jesus be in his heart. One may
be sympathetic without being a Christian; but
man cannot be a Christian in truth without
possessing this virtue well developed. In this
sense it is, as claimed by Mr.. Douglass, one of
che surest tests of Christianity.