The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-28
IN THE DARK CONTINENT.
An Interesting Lecture About Africa and Its
People by Returned Missionary.

Rev. T. L. johnson, the colored missionary
from Africa, who is revisitng America as the
organizing secretary of the African missions on
the Congo, lectured to an audience of two hun
dred colored people at the Second Baptist
Church on Michigan street last night. Mr..
johnson has had very interesting in
Africa. and has acquired great deal of valua-
ble information. He left his native home at
Richmond. Va, in 1877, apd after spending two
years in college in England went to West Africa,
where he remained. doing active work until
few months ago. He is gentleman OF unusual
intelligence, and pleasing speaker He bad
for his subject. ''Africa-Past, Present. and
What it May Become by Missionary Enter
prise" In beginning his lecture he
said he felt greatly honored at being
called home to solicit support for the mi ssion
already establish ed, and to raise funds for send
ing more workers to the field. He felt sure that
after all the churches were visited a great many
more missions could be supported on the Congo
river He believed that God created all people
of one blood. and all races should unite in lead
ing Africa ont of darkness No country in the
world was SO little known as Africa. While con-
siderable IVES known of all the earth the great
interior was unexplored. There are upon the
continent two hundred and fifty millions of peo-
ple-three times as many inhabitants there
are In America There WAS once a great race
on the continent. and there was why
it should not again become the home of great
people. Many of the greatest thinkers of an
Gent times were undoubtedly black men, Among
them was st. Augustine.
A great many of the American negroes, he
said, were ashamed of Africa. AS for himself,
he was proud of his country. the land of his
fathers. What the American negroes needed
was more race pride. When pride il built
up Africa would be builded up. If the colored
man would have enough race pride Africa would
be made great nation. Continuing to speak of
the weakness of the negroes in America, he
said: There is more prejudice among our own
mil 81 has, hos IN &c
us from the white race / repeat, we need race
pride. / wish l was full booded negro in
stead of mulatto A great many of our people
want to be white. When they want to be that
they want to be nothing. We can never
do much for Africa until we think
more of ourselves We should profit
by the example of the German, who thinks
much of his fatherland. When a white
laughs at some weakness of member of your
race yon laugh with him. You should stand to-
gether. You should patronize colored in
business and in the professions. and in every
slble way assist in elevatng the race. Whenever
we begin TO respect ourselves We will be re-
spected by the white They ready to
assist us In coming up higher. We owe debt
of gratitude we can never pay to the men who
became ears. and eyes, and mouths for us when
We were so bound down that we could not see,
speak or hear. It is only recently that the coli
ored people have come to realize that they are
capable of becoming men,"
Speaking again of the condition of the race
In Africa he said it had been brought
into darkness by slavery. II believe" said he,
'that II the white people or America were put
into slavery for 240 years they would become
degraded as the negroes of Africa" Here the
speaker related at length how tho slave trade is
carried on in Africa at present. Nearly all the
slaves were secured in central Africa. On the
road to the hundreds of them persisted
every year. and the road from the coast to the
trading territory was marked only by the bleach
ing bones of those who had persisted. He said
that he believed that at time there was but
one language spoken in Africa that the mode
of capturing slaves had caused the to be
broken up into clans. who, becoming suspicious
of each other. had taken up dialects.
Considering all that the race had undergone it
was strange that it should have q single redeem
ing feature. He thought the time had come
when the continent could be reclaimed. Wher-
ever missions had been established the natives
had shown desire to adopt the Christian re-
Ieion.
In conclusion the speaker related some of his
experiences a missionary on the upper Congo,
exhibited number of African curiosites, and
spoke and sung in the African language Mr..
johnson will lecture again this evening on the
same theme at the same church.