Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-03-05
CONDITION OF THE NEGRO.
The Rev. ]. B. NASSAU Discourages
Higher Education at Present.

f1lRncI ECuC2tlOn at fIcSCuSs
A far sized audience assembled At
ST. Marks church last evening to hear
J. Z. NASSAU. the coIored Episcopal
clergy. epeak upon the negro question
in general, and his particular work
among his people in Cairo, Illinois.
Mr.. Massiah said that of the 10000, 900
negroes in the United States, about
1000, 900 Of them lived III the south
where great gulf is fixed between
them and the whites. He believed that
the church alone could make the
whites see that it was their duty before
God to treat the negroes - if "all men
are created equal" and that the church
10 able TO deal with the colored prob.
lem. in spite of the social, political and
religious aspects it presents. Colored
clergymen for the colored people are .
necessity, the speaker SAID, foi "ne-
groes are actually afraid of a white
mans society,"" although they are 20
we'll accustomed to it. 1t is not nat
ural for the two races to be together.
Mr.. Massiah advocated the arch-dea.
conry system in the south, and would
put colored men in the high positions
of the church, so that they could
nlngle with the people more than the
white bishops do. He believed that the
sooner the church gives q colored
bishop for colored people exclusively,
the better it will be for all concerned.
The speaker then spoke Of his own
work in Cairo, H.. and gave some in
teresting facts concerning st. Michael's
parochial school, which he has founded
there. There are 1877 children, from 8
to Is years of age, enrolled on the
school books. forty of whom are in the
industrial department. One hour of
every DAY is given to religious instruc-
ton. and all are obliged to attend the
A boy-choir conducts the singing, not
has found his people 80 emotional that
they must have some way OF expressing
what is in their hearts, and they ell
enjoy the boy choir. Mr.. Massiah
breads the influence of the Roman
Catholic church on the negroes because
of their fondness for ceremonies. There
are three teachers III the school, and
q plea was made for money to
pay the salaries of these teachers.
The pupils are taught to wash, cook.
and nurse. and in the last few months
Mr.. Massiah has cent out eight servants
from the echool. He says there is q
demand for colored nurses and makes
something Of q speciality Of teaching
nursing. Ii Is his aim to educate his
people for their sphere-not for sta
ton above it--and to make them good
honest citizens in that sphere. He die
coursges any disposition on their part
to get a living out of the whites without
working for it, many Of them seeming
to think thai since the whites took their
earnings for 800 years, It MAS ti1ee
something u turned over TO them with
out compensation. he teils them that
they can't ell be congrenmeu and son.
atVrs. but he wishes he could give
them positions - cooks or nurses. Hs
objects very seriously to giving the ne
groes college educati0rs and examining
their heads full of Greek, Latin and
German, tor he believes that . negro is
. poorer waiter for being q better
scholar. His constant aim is not to
overreach IN educating the negroes-at
least not just yet.
have been put in this country by God
for some good purpose-may be to
learn to be missionaries TO their BROTH
ers in darkest Africa. Trouble would
result from migration Of the negro
from the south at this time. King Cot
ton would come forth and say, I'VE
will not let you co." The lecturer
made an eloquent appeal for the race
who took care Of the helpless women
and children during the dark days OF
the war and were faithful and true 10
"oIe miesus" when they might have
massacred her. and closed by begging
Christians mot to refuse Ethiopia when
she stretches forth her hands for the
light"
At The close of The talk DIR. Fair
spoke . few earnest words in suppor,
Of Mr.. Mssssah's cause, and collection
WA taken no.