The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-14
Troueles N colorea cnurches

Two Of The largest Of the colored churches
Of this city. the Second African Baptist AID
the Bryan Baptist, are hayiog trouble OF 50
serious character that II is a question
whether tie cong. egation Of each Of them
will not &c broker up. And the trouble in
eacl congregation grows out # differences
relative 10 lis minister. The TWO factions
Of tbs Second African Baptist church have
been warning with each other for months.
They So disturbed the people IN the vicinity
Of their church that the police were COM
On one occasion they gagged in e rough
and-tlmble fight, and the church and church
furniture suffered considerable damage.
The troubles Of the Bryan Baptist church
are not ot 20 Ling standing as those Of the
Second African Baptist church, but they
threaten to become fully Is serious The
cause Of the troubles i stated Ia a card
published in another column this morning.
4 portion Of the congregation declare that
they are opposed ID tie present minister.
and Insist that he is not acceptable 70 q
majority Of the church.
Savannah has been noted for long time
for the number Of her coiored churches.
Some OF these churches have a very large
number Of members. Even in slavery
times the colored churches attracted atten-
ton, not only because of the size OF their
congregations. but also because of tie
interest that was taken in them Then
they were managed by white trustees, and,
as rule, they were very well managed.
The little troubles which arose were quickly
adjusted. The congregations were satisfied
With their ministers and found great deal
OF pleasure 10 all matters connected with
their churches
After the civil war the colored people
thought they would rather manage their
own church affairs. The white trustees
therefore got out OF the way, and the colJred
folks selected officers from amoug their own
numbers. 1t was not long before they be-
gan TO have trouble. Differences cropped
out which led to lawsuits and even to vio-
lent disturbances. In some of the churches
there has been comparatively little harmony
since they have passed entirely under the
control OF the blacks.
There is no doubt that the colored people
are very sincere in their profession of re-
iigion. but great many, perhaps the great
ma iority of them. have q rather cloudy idea
Of religion, and Of the obligations which it
imposes Their theology contains good
deal of republican politics and not few
superstitious. Their religion. therefore,
when they have differences ia their
churches, does not exert very great re-
straining inhuence. The card published this
morning presents pret4 fair picture of
the way they manage their church affairs,
and the scenes which are witnessed when
factions are arrayed against each other
And these are the people TO whom Messrs.
Hoar, Reed, Spooner, Frye, Lod<e and other
republican leaders want to turn over the
control OF those southern communities IL
which the colOred people are in the majority.
Could white people live in communities con-
troiled by the colored peoplel Could COM
munlties controlled by them prospect
In calling attention to the troubles in the
colored churches there is no desire to pre-
sent the colored people before the public in
an untavorable light. The purpose simply
is to point out that the colored people are
not yet prepared to manage their own
church affairs successfully, aud, therefore,
much less to assume control Of municipal,
county and state affairs.