The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-23
SECTIONALISM AND THE FARM
ERS' ALLIANCE.
Pulpit Review of Current Events, by
Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr.
FoR SUNDAY, DEC. IA.
NEW YoaK, Dec. IA, 1890.

NEW YOHK, Dec. IA, 1890.
Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., pastor of
the Thirty third street Baptist church,
addressed his large audience this
morning, at Association Hall, on the
subject, "What is Religion?" it being
the continuation of a new series of
sermons for December. 1t was pre-.
coded by the following review of cur
rent events:
At last the bloody chasm has been
bridged. The war has really ended
and firing must soon cease. The
farme IS of the West and North have
joined hands with the farmers of the
South, solemnly covenanting together
to forget the bitterness of the past
and throw off the curse of traditional
sectionalism.
The Christian manhood of America
owes to the farmers a debt of graft
tude for undertaking this divine work.
General Sherman has said,
"WAR IS HE'LL"
1t is. And we have had enough of
it. Every effort to revive the bitter
ness of the late war is inspired only
by the devil. The curse of the nation
for the last two decades has been the
determined efforts of d certain class of
demagogues to trade in the memories
of the dead. When the soldiers laid
down sLheir arms and returned to
their homes and loved ones, these
ghouls began their ghost dance over
the fields made rich with the blood of
heroes. While the war was IN
progress these men were not in it.
When the fighting ceased they
whetted their ia Rbones and began,
and they have been at it faithfully
ever since. They have driven the
sections further apart by SANDER and
representation, They nave wearied
the ears of heaven and earth with
their din. They have famed the dy
ing embers of hatred into fame again
and again, that IN the confagrations
which followed they might roo and
steal. They have made progress i'm
possible because they have made
ISSUES OF MEMORIES,
and marshaled the hosts of the living
to fight the hopes of the dead. They
are neither brute nor human; they are
ghouls. The farmers have declared
that they are going to hang the ring
leaders of this gang and put an end
to their business. In this God, given
task they should have the earnest
prayers and co operation of the Chr s
tisn manhood of the North and South.
The Christian exclaims with the
farmer, elm the name of God, the
common Father, let us be brethren
Let us cease this foolish wrangle over
memories and turn to the great work
of to. day"
The men and the organizations re
fuse to give heed to this cry of the
heart of the nation for peace and fra
ternity will be crushed by the resi- 1t.
less sweep Of determined millions as
they join hands and together press
forward to the goal of a regenerated
nation. The issues of the sad past are
all settled. They are history. Mis-
sissippi rises from the lethargy of ira
ditionalism, turns her face toward the
rising sun OF a new day, drops a tear
over the grave of Jefferson Davis,
formally repudiates in her new Consti
tuition the doctrine of secession, and
extends her hands to the struggling
farmers of Kansas. Slavery is now
only a memory for the aged. 1t is
an ;ient history for the young. l
never saw a slave. The negro is en-
franchised; and it only remains to
educate him and be will be free.
There is no
NEGRO PROBLEM
to-day outside the imagination o.
political schemers, except the problem
of education and growth of the negro
race. Such men as J. G. Price, of
North Carolina, President of the
Afro-Amerlcan League, have long
since recognized this fact, and have
entered with energy and enthusiasm
upon the gigantic work of thus uplift-
ing their race. The problem that
%confronts the negro in the South is
the same that confronts his white
brother in the North and West. 1t
is not the problem of ballot, but of
bread.
The real issues of our life have been
obscured now long enough by the fog
OF sectional luminosity. We must ad-
dress ourselves to living issues.
A NEW GENERATION
of men has come upon the scene.
They have new problems, new hopes,
new aspirations, new fears and new
dangers This younger generation of
men r sick and tired o. listening to
harangues about memories and issues
i -