The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1890-04-05

matter of retaliation, unless ii be
found in the following language,
written January 2nd, go, in reply
tO letter from DR.. Griffith, which,
I am of the opinion, | sent him at
ter holding it number Of days
that ] might think il over more
carefully:
SPY your actions, you simply
make it necessary for that two
thirds of the Baptist population of
he South which is black to organ
ize for the publication of lIieIa-
ture of their own. just as the A. NJ.
Z. church is doing. They supply
all their Sunday School literature,
and your policy, your backward
movement, will help us to do like
WISE"
| do not advocate anything as a
retaliation, but you must see, that
if we are to have a Sunday School
literature of which We are to be, In
some measure, the creators, some
kind of a publication society is
necessary to the printing and cir
culatiOn of that literature. Now
as the American Baptist Publica-
ton Society, is under the moulding
influence of certain Southern men.
some of whom that society regards
as foes and others friends, bet all
/ ,f lnpn in fh.1
that "the Negro should not be en-
pluyed as a contributor to our Sun
day School periodical literature" +"
We must either content ourselves
with beng rejected On the foolish
and unchristian prejudice of the
| Southern white man against our
"race, color and previOns condI
tIOn," or seek out some other
means of getting our Sunday
School literature before the world.
DR.. Griffith aud certain Southern
friends of the society, insist in
claiming that the present exclusive
policy. which shuts out cOlored
mems thoughts from the columns
Of the "Baptist Teacher" is not
due to mtre race prejudice. Bat
DR.. Griffith cOnvicts himself and
his Southern advisers when he
says: "If the VIII te BaptistS Of
the South are not yet willing
to have their children instructed
by those whom, however able and
excellent, they formerly hello in
Servitude it cannOS be greatly won
dered at" / quote from letter of
DR.. Gliffith's which was written
Dec. 2lSt, 1889. This language
admits of no doubt. 1t is plain,
candid statement, and we see, that
since the war against the society,
which is wadged by ertain wing
of the Southern Baptist convention;
DR.. Griffith has come to the conclu-
sion that no amount of ability and
excellence will render Negro
competent to contribute anything,
save money, TO the periodical liter
allure Of our Bapt, Sunday Schools,
so long as the ex slave holder
objects. Now, if, from either NOR
al cOwardice or greed for Southern
geld, DR.. Griffith and the society
which he represents should con
tinue this policy of giving to the
country what is designedIy a white
mans Sunday School periodical
Literature, will you charge tho e,
who, finding no way of overcoming
the fact, that they belong to a race,
apart of whom, were once, like the
ancient series Of the white Ameri>
can, helpless slaves, with resOrting
to schemes of retaliation, should
they seek to elevate themselves
aud advance the cause of Christ by
organizing a publication society,
which shall deal with men aud
matters on the ground of merit
and not the mere accidents of race,
color and ancestry? Certainly
something of the kind is necessary
for our development and general
we'll being, as a great religious
body, standing apart from all 9th
er bodies in this Southland where
eur lot is cast.
Ii the white Baptists of the coun-
try are not willing to share
with Us the making Of a periodical
Sunday School literature and ale
not willing for US to institute
means for creating literature of
this kind of our own, they must be
regarded as enemies to our best
interests, notwithstanding their
utterances to the contrary aud
their labors amopg us and for us
along other lines.
But must close, lest 1 tire you.
that God shall direct US