Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-23
WILL STAY HERE .
Rev. DR.. Seaton Against Emigration
to Africa.
PROGRESS MADE BY HIS RACE.
He Says This Land is Their Home
and They Will Remain.
REPLY TO BISHOP TURNER.

REPLY To BISHOP TURNER
Rev. DR.. D. P. Seaton, pastor of Ebenezer
A. NJ. l.. Church of Georgetown, last night
preached a sensational sermon in answer to
Bishop Fl. NJ. Turner of the African N. Z.
Church. Bishop Turner advised the color
ed people to emigrate TO Africa. Especial i'm
port is to be given to DR.. Seaton's reply, from
the fact that he is looming up as a prospec-
tive bishop, and holds very prominent
place in the estimation Of the colored
Americans. DR.. Seaton said: Bishop Tur-
ner has for years been exerting himself
in the interest of our race. He has done no.
BILE work in uplifting us to a plane of
prosperity. He has written an article ad-
vising an exodus of colored people. This
sentiment has caused our worthy bishop to
be handled without gloves by the leading
spirits of his race. His sincerity has been
questioned even by his admirers. He was
perhaps, drawn to his conclusion without
giving prayerful consideration to such a
rash step. 1t would be folly. If his people
obeyed him, to his last breath, he could
never gain his own pardon. We are ad-
vised to emigrate, because. looking into the
future, centuries shall come and pass be-
fore the black shall be accorded those rights
which are his. The wrongs which We en-
dure are a barbarous blight on Utilization,
and curse on this cultured nation. But
the remedy is in our hands. Victories are
not won by running away. Retreat Is a
declaration of weakness.
African Climate Against Them.
'"The climate of Africa is against us.
Man has a right to live in the country in
which he desires to live. There the land is
poisonous to us, and the air pregnant with
death. Each emigrant would be a candidate
for fever. Look at the death list of our
missionaries. Government subsidies should
not tempt us to go. Bishop Turner declares
that we are poor and ignorant, and that
though free, we have advanced but little
in intelligence and wealth since we were re-
leased from slavery. Such statement from
a leader of our race is monstrouS. He has
hurled this statement to the world and in
the face of the facts. Our people have
been demonstrating their capacity for high
err functions from the morning OF their
freedom till today. Our schools, our church
es and our publications attest the truth Of
what / say. We are not failure; we are a
success. II We are fizzle here. how can We
manage a republic in Africa? Let our bish-
op turn his eyes to the days of his child
hood, and look for schools and great names
of colored people. He would look almost in
vain. In those dark days 80 per cent of the
colored population in the states OF North
and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ala
bama, and Louisiana were even ignorant
of the alphabet. Now the reverse is nearly
true. We have some young people who can
notsread, but the southern whites must ac-
knowledge a similar deficiency, despite their
greater opportunities The worthy bishop
overestimates the number of blacks in the
land. and underestimate the number who
have made advancement. He did not con-
slider sufficiently the subject upon which he
essayed to write. At the close of the war
not per cent of our race could read God $
word. BY the census of 1880. 80 per cent of
the people ten years old and over could
read and write. That was a fair gain in
nineteen years, and in the thirteen years
which have passed since that census our
gain has been in greater ratio.
In 1884. according to the Budget the cob
ored churches had an enrolled member
ship Of 1,6SS.5y1. We have over 1000 pastors
and 1890 local preachers and exhorters. In
our schools we have over one million en-
rolled pupils and 2,4s6 teachers. 1t is reas-
onably estimated that the value of the col
ored church property is $16.31 AL, and the
total value of the property possessed by
the colored race of America is set down at
$263. 100000 Having these facts before us,
and remembering the deep and pitiless pow
erty and ignorance in which centuries of
slavery left us. ! ask any fair-minded man
if we have not made commendable progress
in thirty years?
Property Involved.
What would become of our property
should we emigrate? We could not realize
en- Gods word that they would find a land
of promise and of plenty. Is Bishop Turner
inspired by God to tell us that Liberia is
land of promise and of plenty? The facts
are against him. Where is our capital with
which to begin life in new country and
under strange conditions? The antipathy
between the whites and blacks is not in
herent and natural. 1t is the result of cir
Cumstances and of early training. If white
parents would allow their children to as
sociate more with black children this an
antipathy would take back seat. AS the
blacks increased in wealth, education and
consequent power, this antipathy would
fade away like the dew of morning. If this
antipathy We're natural we would find 1t
throughout the Caucasian race. Instead Of
this 1t is restricted to this country. The
right is on our side and will be ultimately
asserted. There was time even in the
justice loving north when We could not
ride i'm common carriers with white folks.
but this thing Is changing now. 1t is only
question of few years when the parti-
ton which ropes off the races down in
Dixie will be knocked out. The black man
has rights. and must be allowed to enjoy
them. God sees our afflictiOn; He knows
our sorrows, and He is coming down to de-
liver us. This is our home, and here we
will dwell till Jesus takes us to Him. We
will stay here and trust in the arm of the
living God. already catch the whisper
fngs of cheering words from the highest
heaven. They are Sweeter than honey to
my soul. Hear them Say We to the right
eous it shall go well with them for they
shall cat the fruit Of their doings. Woe to
the wicked, it shall go ill with them for the
reward of their hands shall be given them
We will stay, because we have blood
bought right here. Negro blood was shed
for American independence. When rebel
hands pulled down the star spangled ban
ner the arm of the negro helped to hoist
it again. We will stay here because we
were brought here in chains hunted by
night and fogged by day and now that the
God of battles has burst our bondage We
will show our bitterest foes that it is pos
sibie for us to rise out of the dead ashes
Of slavery and become prominent part of
this nation. We are Americans, as truly
as any others in this land, this is our
home. and here We will stay.
Cries of approval greeted DR.. Seaton's
MT