Evening journal., 1890-07-15
LIE NsaRo.s FUTURE.
A Notable sermon by vicar-GeDer
Kelley, Formerly of WILMINGTON.

A Notable Sermon by vlcar-GeDeral
Kelley, Formerly of Wilmington.
Last Sunday, at the dedicatory services
Of the new Cathol church Of Sts Peter
and Paul, Vicar General Kelley Of Atlanta,
Ga, formerly pastor of st. Peters Pro-
Cathedral in Wilmington, under Bishop
Becker delivered the evening sermon to
a crowded congregation in Chattanooga.
Father Kelley was one of the most popu-
ar pastors in this city, hence these
extracts from his sermon will be Of
interest He took up tie late sermon OF
Archbishop Ireland Of st. Paul, delivered
in the colored Catholic Church in Wash
ing ton, and said:
LET me make passing reference here
to work which can only be done by the
church, and which. IL neglected, must
prove menace to us. There is no qHes-
tion so deserving Of the earnest atten
tion of our statesmen as the one con-
cerning the futu.'e relations of the white
and colored man in the Southern states.
BY the census of 1880, there were in
these ten Southern states nearly five mil
lion OF colored people Twenty-Five
years have passed since they obtained
their freedom, and as ! am a Southern
man, born and bred, | have noticed two
prominent facts In connection with the
col9red people during this time, and
appeal TO the truth of my statement to
the experience of any man who, like
myself, has lived among them. The first
is that two non-Catholic religious bodies
have practically monop0lized the field of
church work among negroes. The second
will put In the shape Of question: Are
they any better rellgiously or morally
than they were quarter of century
ago2 Have honesty and personal purity
any stronger hold on them now than
them Ny answer is unquestionablY, no.
| may as well state here that the reason
the Catholic church could heretofore do
nothing for them was that she had but
few priests and limited means in those
states. There is involved In this ques-
tion a social problem, and on Its practi-
cal solution depends the well being of
both peoples; depends, mayhap, the
preservation Of our civilization. Let me
say word here in reference to some
solutions which have recently been pro-
posed by a distinguished nan whose
opinions. by reason of his exalted char
acter and official position, demand a
hearing. He has claimed that there is
no color line except In the
minds of those whose intellects
were clouded by unjust reasoning and
that because of the simple accident of
color, it did not follow that they we're to
be treated on different lines. religiously
and socially Again he asserts that the
white people had permitted unreasonable
causes and prejudices to sway them.
The day was fast coming, he goes on to
say, when the prejudiced ones would be
ashamed of their action, and when the
colored man would not be Disseminated
against in the church, hotel, colleges or
business pursuits The remedy proposed
by the speaker is Gil follows jealousy
and firmly must they stand for their
rights and In as far as party was con-
cerned, they should find out which one
WAS willing to give them their rights
aud to that party extend their fran
chise
But In all this, let II be said in ali
frmness and clearness, there Is rot
there never will be any ques Ion qs soclal
equality. He who advocates II ls al en-
emy to both races, II viii never come.
The Catholic Church has no Thought nor
loeA o preaching such al evsnsel to the
negro IL Is not her mission In my
own church but week ago | came down
10 the altar rails aud broke the bread Of
life to black men and white men who kuelt
side by side and yet / still asseft Chau
social equality between these Two 30
widely separated fa5as will never come,
and should never come and need not
come IN rrafr ~ bring these poor people
under the yoke or Christ. | do not re-
"a d. as docs the archbishop, tie ques-
tion of uhe difference between us and
them as being so purely accidental.
| rather recognize positive and direct
interference by the Creator for a wise
end / thank God that slavery no longer
exists in the states of our union, because
the church can now exert her benign iu-
huence on the colored man. ] am not,
however, accustomed to look back with
blush or shame on my people who held
slaves, for whether the material or moral
prosperity OF the colored man had ad-
vanced since his freedom, is debatable
question.
"Apd now let me say but word, and |
have done. foresee a wonderful futufe
for our land To aid in its development,
we need good men, too, from other states
and from other lands. We viii welcome
those who come to live under our free in
stitutions and adapt themselves to Our
ways.
ROACHEs. Flies. Bed Bugs Ants, Beetles,
cleared out by Rough on Rats. See direc-
| tiOns.
Bay Ridge, Sunday, July 20.
The third select excursion 70 Bay Ridge via