The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-23
THE WEALTH OF AFRICA.
BISHOP TURNER TELLS sAVAN-
NAHIANs ABOUT IT.

The Promised Land for the Colored
People-The Bishops Travels in the
Heart of the Dark Continent-Some
of the Products of the Great Country.
a New Field Pointed Out for Savsn.
nah g Enterprise.
Bishop H. NJ. Turner of the African
Methodist Episcopal church delivered an
interesting lecture on africa, Its People
and It's Industries" at the theater last
night. A fairly large audience OF colored
people listened to the bishops address,
which was of such an entertaining charac-
ter that although ID occupied nearly three
hours those who were fortunate enough to
hear it would have been willing to have
listened three hours longer.
Bishop Turner only recently returned
from Africa, which Is his field Of labor. He
is enthusiastic over the country and be-
Meves it to be the promised land for the
oolored people. It's wealth is too great to
be told in words, and the bishop sees won-
derful possibilities for the negro In the home
of his forefathers. The time is fast coming,
he thinks, when the black race will turn to-
ward Africa, aud the sooner 1t does she bet
ter IL will be-
The work Of civilizing Africa Is going for
ward at a wonderful rate, and white women
are doing as much. and possibly more, in
this direction, Bishop Turner said, than the
missionaries. Forty miles from the coast,
In the interior Of the country, far away
from civilization, he found a young white
woman from Baton Rouge, La, teaching
little black children. ''She is not northern
lady, either" said Bishop Turner, "but a
good, self-sacrificing southerner. thanked
IoAl tho whIta
working for the elevation Of the Africans
as the grandest moralizers the sun ever
shone upon. Out there among the heather,
as we call them, these young ladies are as
safe as in their homes in America. The
Africans are the most chaste people on the
face Of the globe, and woe would IL be to
the man who dared offer insult to those
noble women, who are to be found all
through Africa, In the hearts OF the forest,
striving to c1vilize the people"
AFRICA's sTUPRNDoUS WEALTH.
The wealth of Africa, Bishop Turner
said, is stupendous, In Its mountains are 80
per cent OF iron ore It's coal fields are beN
yond calculation, and gold can be found IN
abundance in its streams. He displayed TO
the audience a ring OF pure African gold
which a native made for him two hours
after measuring his finger.
The bishop displayed specimens of
African industries, the handiwork, he said,
of the heathens as they are called, which
nothing in civilization can surpass. The
cloth Ii a handsomely woven striped goods
of durable character. He showed piece OF
mating made OF grass fiber worked into
elegant designs, straw hats that couldn't
be torn by the combined strength OF two
strong men, bamboo cane, combs, brushes,
spoons, sandals, pottery, etc.
Bishop Turner exhibited specimens OF
wild cotton, which is growing In every part
Of the country. When cultivated the cotton
of Africa, he said, is the finest produced In
the world. He also exhibited bottle Of
coffee beans, which he claims to be finer
than the finest Java. There's millions Of it
In Africa and there will be millions Of
money In 1t some day for somebody.
Bishop Turner said everything that
grows in any other part of the world can
be found in Africa. The fruit there is the
Rrandest he ever saw. The African oranges
are the ugliest in the world, but at the same
time the sweetest.
LAND OF WONDERS.
Africa is a land of unceasing wonders and
untold wealth. Bishop Turner cannot un-
derstand why 1t is Americans haven't tried
to get some of the benefit Of the country
Europe Is getting wealthy from 1t and
America could add millions to her imports
II she would only strive for some Of the
African trade. Savannah, he said,
COulQ become OUo OI tue WchkbulS5b pOTS Oh
America IL her people would only get few
steamers and trade with Africa. For the
trifles taken there she would get poured into
her lap the products Of the most favored
land of the globe. He urged the colored
people to get together and raise money
enough to buy ships and enrich themselves
with the products Of their forefathers and
II the whites are wise they will send colored
agents to Africa to open trade with her
people.
Bishop Turner closed with an eloquent
peroratlon about the future of the colored
race. which is yet in It's babyhood days, but
1000 years from now will be one of the
grandest races of people on the earth
Africa is their opportunity and If they are
wise they will take advantage Of it.
There was also musical programme in
connection with the address, which was
PARTICIPATED in by the colored musical talent
of the city. 1t was nearly midnight when
the entertainment ended.