Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1886-02-04
THE IMMORAL TENDENCIES

THE IMMORAL TENDENCIES
| Of the Co1ored Race Calmly Reviewed
and Discussed. Some Good Advice from
| an Intelligent Colored Man.
EDITOR SENTINEL No race can
become great and good people, or
| part of them without moral excellence
and wealth. Standing pre-eminently
| higher these are the excellencies of
| Christian character. But we have
selected the subject above for consider
| alton.
Moral excellence has no equal in
| range of human training, and since
no race can be great and good, nor be
a part Of those who are great and
good without high moral training,
all the members of the Common
wealth should receive such training as
will prepare them for the proper en-
joyment of citizenship. The commun-
ity is responsible for the moral condi
ton of its members. These low grog-
cries on the isolated corners, and
back streets and largely their sur
roundinge are places where are sown
the seed of immoralities that extend
almost throughout entire society. On
every side there stalks the robber of
chastity and the murderer of charac-
ter.
When gee these criminals against
God and man fondled and courted in
society, I thank God that there is
a judgement and that there is a he'll.
AS part Of this community the col
ored people must draw the line among
themselves over which the drunkards
and morally deformed shall not.
pass This work of separation has
commenced more markedly now than
ever. We have "Garnett Literary"
which is the centre Of the social circle
of this community The hinges of her
doors are the external principles.
truth and Justice. Her doors will
not open to those of furnished char
acter. While we are thus striving to
improve our social system, there ought
to be some law enacted and enforced
to close the numerous bawdy houses
in our town. In and around these
houses a large number of colored
children are being brought up and I'M
der the influence of such parentage.
We can only expect the lowest types
of moral deformity. Therefore for
| the good and peace of the community
to say nothing of race elevation
these dens of infamy should be
suppressed, for "Her house is the way
to hell, going down to the chambers
of DEATH" We are not all immoral
commercial and unreliable. But the
agencies to baaE are more numerous
than those for good. We are earnest
ly desirious OF increasing the number
Of good citizens in our race, but as
long as we are hampered by illiteracy
and such open and wicked places, such
ungodly environments, we can not
hope to become in large numbers good
citizens. We appeal to the authori-
ties OF the town to assist us by wise
and needed laws to remove at least
these last named evils. We can con.
ceive of no object more lamentable
than SO large a number of our youth
growing up in ignorance and vice
thus depriving the State Of good and
intelligent citizens, instead of growing
up prepared for usefulness in society
and State. They are but ripening te
dishonor society and fill the shackles of
convicts Left under such unholy in,
fuences, struggling against SO great
odds, it require the interposition of ou1
Creator to save us from a condition a
thousand fold worse than the past.
"Our acts our angels are, or good, or
i'll; our fatal shadows that walk by
US STILL"
AS individuals acquire moral recti-
tude they surely will be respected.
No sensible colored man has the least
desires to be white man, but we
wish to have all the good qualities of
the advanced races of the Universe,
and every facility for acquiring those
agencies possessed by others, conduc-
i've to high moral life. These once
gained we will no longer be so large
ly a conglomerate mass of moral Grip
pies the lines are drawn tighter in
the South as we'll as in other parts of
the country and we mean that these
enemies to virtue shall in this COM
munity feel it cutting them off from
respectable society. Hear it once for
all young men, whisky, card play
ing and immoral association do not
belong to good society. Accept one
or the other; hence you shall not
mingle in both. Choose ye this day
whom you shall serve" B. F. M.
|