The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-09

York alone had more taxable property than ths
entire South. The people of that section were
therefore excusable, in o measure, for
aot doing more ia the way or
education. He described the ignorance
of the colored race, aud said that there were
many ministers among them who could not read
or write He had been in their meetings and
had seen no less than Ave women In q trance at
one time under the influence Of the strange SUI
perstition which seemed 10 pervade people OF
that class. Such a condition was deplorable.
but 1t was not confined to the black race, Tor the
poor whites were worse of, il anything. he
did not believe there was a more depraved class
anywhere on the face of the Globe than the
white trash so-called OF the South. street
might oe built extending from Jerusalem to
Washington, and houses erected upon 1t at
distance Of fifty feet from each other. and they
would not accommodate the families 10 THIS
country which cannot read the Lords prayer.
The speaker then created somewhat OF a SEN
sation by declaring that one Of tbs results OF
this general Ignorance was a solid South. AS
long, said he, las there is an ignorant South
there will be solid South. Tho ignorant vote
becomes q solid vote in the hands of a few men
OF superior intelligence who are able TO throw
any issue upon the people that they desire Inc
condition of the people was due 10 the system OF
slavery which had degraded the negro mother
hood. The motherhood Of the negro race had
had no right to virtue or power to protect IL,
and until their emancipation had been the TOOL
of ell classes. The immortality of the negro race
to-day was wholly due 10 slavery.
The speaker referred at length to the
necessity of a noble motherhood IN any race or
nation The father in the family could some
time be depraved. but the children could be
saved by a noble mother: but where there was a
depraved mother the children were almost GER
tainly lost The ignorance in the South at the
present time WAS SO great that it was almost ao-
surd to expect an honest vote and fair count
IL tbs Southern people now had the disposition TO
help the negro they never could have the dispo
sition TO Cypress him. But II the negro 10 ever
saved il must be by the generosity OF the peo-
pie of the North. 1t was useless &c expect the
South to do anything Up TO the present time
it had done nothing for the negro moro than it
was compelled TO do by the laws of the land.
No denomnational schools for the negro had
been established by the purely Southern
churches.
At the conclusion of his address DR.. Gray
made plea for contributions 10 carry on the
educational work now going on IN the South.
and about SO were contributed by the congrega-
ton. In the afternoon he addressed the Sunday
school and paved the way for the organization
of children's bands in the Sunday school. whose
duty it would be to raise money for the mission
work in the South. At night he addressed a
large audience at Central-avenue Church, speak
ing more particularly of the condition and habits
Of the four classes of people in the South-the
wealthy white, the poor white, the negro and the
middle class. He illustrated his remarks with
numerous interesting incidents that had come
under his own observation.