Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-06
WHY THEY ARE BLACK
Rev. Caesar A. Taylor Delivers a Lect-
ure on the COlOred Race.
PROOF BIBLICAL AND SCIENTIFIC,
Showing That the Caucasian is Brother
to the African.
A NEW THEORY ON FLAT NOSES

Republican Organization, OF New York,
lectured last night at the Avery Mission
Church, Allegheny. The subject Of the dis
course was, 'The Negro Race; Why it Diff
fers from its Kindred Races in Color and
Outward Appearance"
Rev. G. V. Holiday took the chair, and
briefly introduced the lecturer to his
audience. Mr.. Taylor said that he would
speak on his subject under two heads: First
as to the negro race being of common parent
age with the whites, and, secondly, as to the
scientific causes why the negroes gradually
changed from their original color to their
present hue.
The Caucasian races were in the habit of
villifying, and often, of prosecuting, the
negro, justifying such actions on the ground
origin. That this was fallacy. holy writ
would prove to all believers. To the scep-
tical another form of argument must be
used, namely, the scientific. AS to the
Bible proofs of tine descent of black and
white from the same parents, they were
numerous. The whole story of Noah, with
his cursing of the unhappy Canaan, and the
wonderful support which the whole legend
receives from the ancient historians, in regard
to dates, ETC., left very little doubt as to its
authenticity.
ANCIENT MIGHTY ETHIoPIANs.
The reverend lecturer then proceeded to
describe the gradual migration of the chill
dren Of Canaan into Africa. He enlarged
upon the fact that SO many of the mighty
men of old, with whose name and fame the
world is familiar, were of the cursed race of
Canaan. Nimrod was Canaan's son. The
proud dynasty of the Pharoahs, under the
shadow of whose power the Shemitics were
forced to cover, were likewise sprung from
Canaan. Egypt under Canaanite rule was
a country where the arts and sciences were
cultivated in all their perfection. Why
should not the Afro-American of to-day
make his race famous in the same glorious
paths trodden by his fore(athers?
Having quoted extensively from the Bible
in support Of the Canaan theory, Mr.. Tay-
lor passed on to the scientific division of his
lecture. He said: ITO the skeptic there
are other proofs of our common origin with
the white man. We know that mans
growth, complexion and health depend
largely on the locality in which he lives,
and the peculiar kind of food which that To-
cality produces. 1t is my theory that the
sun, and the heat that it gives forth, are the
true causes Of the Canaanite's change
from white to black. Cast your
eye over the three great continents
of the Old World. In Europe the
climate is temperate, but grows hotter to-
ward the south. Consequently we find that
in the north of Europe the people are light
complexioned, while in the south they are
of swarthy skin. In Asia it is the same
The southern portion, through which the
equator passes, produces the Hindoo races,
all Of whom are blacks. Africa, which lies
in the hottest part of the globe, also pro-
duces black men. Had the sons of Canaan
settled in Europe, and the children of
Japhet in Africa, we negroes might have
been Southern Shareholders, and the domi-
neering Caucasians our slaves" Il
COLOR IN THE CUTIcLE.
Mr.. Taylor then pointed out that every
man was possessed of three skins. The |
first skin. or cuticle, and the third skin, or |
cults vera, were colorless. 1t was the mid |
die skin which gave the coloring matter. |
This second skin was dinted with little cells, |
and in these cells was stored a limpId fluid. |
Under the cuticle of a white man this Sc
creted fluid was mixed with a colorless |
liquid. and produced red tinge. In the |
Mongolian this mixing fluid was partially |
dried up, and brownish color was produced. |
In the negro it was dried up altogether by |
the tremendous power of the sun and turned |
into black. If blood were left in a saucer
till the moisture had evaporated out of it,
it would become black. It was Just the !
same with the coloring matter OF man. The |
sun had turned the sons of Canaan from
white men to negroes. As to the hair of the
African, its crispness was due to the same
If Caucasian put his hair
close to fire it also would shrivel up and |
grow crisp.
The fiat noses with which negroes were
usually depicted would soon be things of
the past. 'Their cause" said Mr.. Taylor,
sis to be sought in recent times. Our tath-
ers and grandfathers, when enduring the
horrors of slavery, were compelled to carry
heavy burdens on their heads. The weight |
pressed on the frontal bone, which in turn
pressed down the delicate construction of
the nose, spreading that feature out over
the face. In the native African races the
fiat nose is uncommon, except among ma
tions who have become slaves of their more
powerful neighbors."
The lecturer then announced the subject
of his discourse concluded, remarking that
it was not by the color and form that man
was to be judged. 1t was the soul within
which was the true index of his character
The negro race was waxing stronger every
day, thriving under the very branches of
the upas trees of prejudice and persecution.
Some day men would be called upon to
new Pharaohs, and the world of
the future would be proud to grasp the
negro's hand.
A vote of thanks to the lecturer was pro-
posed by Rev. G. V. Holiday and passed
The meeting then separated.