Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-07

l1T. Moody > w Use AOuESe.
MIR. NIoody. the evangelist, appears to
be man of excellent common sense.
The world knows that he is preacher Of
more than ordinary power. His success
in many fields of labor has been wonder
ml Wherever he goes he receives a
warm welcome, and the results Of his ei-
forts are always visible.
That he bas plenty Of common sense is
shown by his treatment of the race ques-
tion since be has been in the South. e.
forts were made In a number OF South
ern cities to induce him to make no
distinction between the white and black
races at his meetings. The extremists,
the cranks and those who delight in strife
said to him, "Are not the cOlored people
as much in need OF the Gospel
as the white peopleY Can you
afford 10 have it said that you shut out the
colored people from your meetings. When
you say that you want everybody to come
and hear you why don't you make 1t
clear that you want the colored people
also, by inviting their preachers TO seats
on the platform with the preachers Of the
NhAAH kOuki EE aNAbtabF " hJ Nph JNN
tell the coIored people that you are as
anxious that they shall be benefited by
your preaching as you are that the white
people shall be benefited, and that you
will be glad to have them take any seats
that they may find vacautp' These and
similar questions were pressed uron the
evangelist, and in some localities they
were pressed with considerable persist
enee.
To all questions OF this character, how
ever, he answered that 1t was not his bus
mess to attempt TO settle the race issue.
He did not attempt anything or that kind
at the North, and he did not see why he
should at the South. He was well aware
that this issue had been discussed for
long time, and be did not have SUFFICIENT
confidence in hiRselfs 70 believe that he
could settle Il In q 'fcw AAya wlen. yeArs
u constant Agitetfoa had failed 70 Do %.
He, therefore, In effect said: mo, I will
not touch this race issue. Let the local
committees deal with it, go far as my
meetings are concerned, as they may
think best. They know more about
it than do, and doubtless
will avoid the mistakes that
would be liable to MAKE" And the local
committees have dealt with it thus far,
and very successfully. In some cities
certain pews were set apart for the col
ored people, and in other cities certain
days were given up to them. The meet
ings have been uniformly successful, and
no Ill feeling has been stirred up be-
tween the races. Now and then Mr..
Moody has preached in the churches of
the colored people, and he did much more
work there than IL he had at
tempted to force an equality OF races at
his meetings.
Who is there that is qualifi ed to give
an intelligent opinion who will not say
that Mr.. Moody acted wisely? Had he
permitted himself to be Influenced by the
extremists aud those who are happy only
when stirring up strife. he would have
failed in his mission South at its very be-
ginning. He would have driven the white
people from him without drawing the
black people. The course he pursued
prepared all to hear him willingly, and to
receive all the good he was able to do
them.
What pity it is that the extremists at
the North, who are all the time trying TO
settle the race question at the South, can
not learn something for their own
guidance in the course pursued by Mr..
Moody At the South, where alone
the race issue is prominent, the Southern
people are much better able to deal with
it than the mere theorists at the North
are. They know the colored people thor
Oughly, and have only the kindest feelings
for them. The issue, however, is not one
that can be settled in day or year. 1t
cannot be settled by the law-making
power or by the dlctation of any class. 1t
can be settled only by time-that is, it will
eventually work out its own settlement.
This, Mr.. Moody is wise enough to see. 1t
would be a good thing for the country
if some of the agitators OF the race ques-
ton at the North were equally as wise.