Morning journal and courier., 1891-06-29

Clergyman From Georgia Describes
the Condition of the Colored People
There.
A large and interested congregation as
sembled in Calvary Baptist church yester-
day morning to listen to words from Rev.
G. P. Gaylord of Macon, Ga. He spoke
on the condition and prospects of the ne
groes in the south, particularly those on
the plantations. Mr.. Lyford formerly
occupied a pulpit in Boston, but for the
last seven years has been engaged in re-
,igious work in Macon.
His talk was of the most interesting ma
ture and contained many facts concerning
the colored people of the south not gener-
ally known. He began his discourse with
reading the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Unless we are anxious and interested for
the welfare of his neighbor when he is in
trouble, then we are no more Christians
than they who do not believe in Christ.
don't know of people whose case more
nearly resembles that set forth by Christ
in the parable than our colored brethren.
We have OF them now in this country over
5000, 900, and if the same ratio of increase
continues for the next twenty-five years
which has taken place since the war, we
millions hardly half have any education
whatever, and this is a problem now be-
fore us of great moment.
We find the plantation negroes, he said !,
in state of almost midnight darkness in
mental capacities. They act like great
grown-up children, lacking reasoning pow
er, and have not right standards of NOR
atty. They were taught in slavery days
that religion and sin are consistent. Their
habit of petty pilfering is something they
cannot conceive of as wrong. In the ante
ing that the plantation was in a certain
sense theirs, and was represented by the
remark of the old colored man who had
stolen chicken from his master. "Thar's
less chicken for NASSAU but NOAH Niger"
The speaker gave vivid description Of
the trials and tribulations his wife expert
enced due to this annoying habit when
they first went among the negroes. He
said that they had now resigned them
selves to the fate of supplying the rations
for whole family outside. The colored
people of the south have no better friends
than the white people of the south. There
is not half the violence or outrage which is
reported in campaign times. The white
pcOPlo CuSIo uO LUZ WduI Lu0 CO1OT0O 10
rule, not so much because of their color
or previous condition of servitude, but
because they abhor the idea of gross
ignorance and immortality ruling the cul-
tured and more refined portion of the
society. The white people have in their
hearts an earnest wish to have the oolored
people educated and elevated to q higher
scale of living and citizenship.
The great mass of tho colored people
live on the plantations and are remote
from these advantages. The educational
efforts in the large towns and cities do not
begin to keep pace with the tremendous
increase in population. The masses must
be reached in some way by general ele-
mentary work. A new movement has
been started for this purpose.
From plantation to plantation teachers
go about assembling the negroes and
starting them in primary work. The
success of this work in seven counties of
Georgia has been astonishing, and prom
Uses to become general all through tho
south. l-.
This is day of progress, and indications
are that ere long the world will ring with
the grand results made in the advance
ment of our whole moral natures. -,
He closed with an appeal for assistance
In aid Of the work which they are now car
rying on in Georgia.