The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-01-07
THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO

IN AMERICA.
Rev. B. r. Foster (colored) preached
to the Topeka Ministerial association
recently upon the topic, THE Future of
the Negro In America" and told some
important truths which not only minis
tiers but citizens generally should care
fully ponder. This sermon is Published
In the Topeka Capital of Sunday morn :
ing, and the statements are so closely
interviewer that an extract from 1t will
hardly give an idea Of is character and
scope. Still, we Will try and Gull some
important paragraphs:
Tae black man can go into dram
shops and knock glasses with his white
neIghbor. He Can Qf he has sufficient
cash) go into most gambling dens. He
may walk arm In arm with most party
candidates or political manipulstors
But when 1t comes to the ChrIstIaniz-
ing and elevaIing Influence of the church
of GOd-the earthly kingdom OF our
blessed Lord-he IL let severely alone.
The white brother cannot worship God
In the same sanctuary with his so called
"bOther In black" The German,
Swedish and Indian races are not only
welcomed but sought after. But the
negro must go and worship alone.
Suffrage has been given him, but the
ballot in his hand-dOwn sOuth-Is
waste paper. Wherever his vote would
effect the Issue of election he deposits
il al the risk of his lie. Hemu not
enter the first class car. He does not
enroll his name on any hotel register
The same Is true in part of these western
states. Southern colleges are closed TO
him, and some western colleges also
He is not admitted into trade unions uoE
labor unions. Railroad companies will
not allow him to compete with mechan.
les in their chops, etc. In short, the
churches, capital, labor, trades and the
laws are against him. In his effort 70
obtain property the negro enters the
arena as lAbOrer and caste prejudice
declares he must be kept there. If be
desires to purchase Q desirable piece o
property, some white friend mus
seCretely buy 1t for him. We hold thai
the white churches are to great xten
responsible for these barriers
The evAngelizing OF the negro 10 Till
country Is one OF the problems of thi
age. The present religious status of thu
. /
ing featuIe is that most of the race dl
YOrce religion from morality. Notwith
! standing this, he Is marching onWarC
and upward. Twenty years Of Iibertv
has wrought great change IN his ma
lerIAl, intellectual and moral status
From scores of educational institution
. steady stream OF college graduates ha
flowed into all parts Of this country
, while on the list of graduates from lead
, ing northern olleges-Harvard, Yale
Dartsmouth, Amherst, Brown aud Ober
lin-are TO be found representatives @
: this race. The pages OF history will b
; peTuBed In vain for . race that has mad
90 great improvement In 30 short
period, in similar circumstances.
Look at his material progress. Hol
= J. ]. Spellman, speaking OF the ''negT
o department" al the New Orleans expC
q sitlon says: at presented q WonderlI
= exempllcAtion Of the material deVeloV
ment and substantial progress the RAJ
y hAs madoiE twenty years from bondag
y The ingenious designs in mechanism
4 the skillful hAndicraft. the artistic DIT
sentAtIon Of fancy work. the VsFlous q
ricultuTal products, in perfection
Y growth and other departments were I
b Irresistable and convincing areumel
that the negro. when not too much en-
:, barrassed, and with anything ike euu
opportunity In life's contest, would rea
iZe the happy future that friendly the
rlsts have fAncied."
The negro raises annually millions
/. bales of cotton, averaging $500 D
m bale, making an aggregate of $lS5 90
600. This makes him the bone a
sineW Of the south He owns 8 COO
y, acres Of land In the south and Is assess
a. SOL O00, 600 taxable property. He owl
10 manages and edits over 100 neWspape
Of He il the vanguard of Tue mechanics
a the south, and works steadily q
ls trade. He is acquiring much proper
N IN the cities. HIs business tact Il daI
O. beng called IN question and the day
~ not far distant when be will be amo
p the leading business men OF his sectio
d dis educational progress has b.
Of sufficiently enlarged upon. Sun
IL it 20 cay thai be has learned thar edur
ch ton. means more than q few monfl
IN schooling. That Il means years OF hai
Ie- diIigenf, earnest study. he Is learns
&c that Il is mind that makes the %
. Well improved, cultlVEied, Mi
lat and that be must Vindl1zfa hi
GO eelf Ia thlo realm. he E2a re IA
re aud has dsmoustrssea Il s vi
n brotaoH has enjoyed intel thit
III E1E c1ne1lE1 -etke naQ-a we
~ ] T111s 1lo g'1ael1l 0f.1lA M b
'oe - E1liia q Z. 3 3 q. 1.nl tlA
1Ssl Rcd. 4rLF1 - n sss'
'ip We judge - .7s 8. =.
m In 80 Ef5ll,s'|sr5slI