The Baptist headlight., 1894-01-25
Mission Work Among the
Hea hen II

t 1t would be impossible in Sc
limited an article as this mus
necessarily be, to go into detail.
concerning missionary worl
among the heathen; so we shall
conhne ourselves to the work O.
giving some reason why we think
that young men and young women
OF the Negro race should educate
their heads, hearts and hands, in
order that they may take part In
this great and good work of edu-
eating and elevating the heather.
| make no apology for the Negro
OF this country. He needs none.
Long years of experience has en-
abled me to see that they have
Joined the caravan and are max
ing rapid strides in the onward
march of civilization.
Thirty years of freedom has
done more for the Negro as a race
OF people who can boast of no
celebrated ancestry with wealth,
fame, and education, than centur-
les have done for the southern
whites, a people who have had
nothing to do all their lives but to
develop their intellectual powers
and to make their purses grow
fat. Long ago came to the con-
clusion that if Africa be educated
and brought up to high moral
and intellectual plane, the work
must be done by the Negro large
ly, and now | am more and more
convinced of this fact; and, why
do | make this assertion?
For two reasons-the whites
have time to do the work, and
they are not willing to doit if they
have the time The southern
whites have their percentage of
greenness as we'll as the Negro.
There are certain weaknesses in
his character which entirely un-
fits him for becoming leader and
educator of Africa. The south
ern whites cannot teach the Ne
gro thrift, industry and enterprise,
for they themselves were born
lazy, and have never recovered |
from it. He cannot teach the Ne
gro honesty and integrity, for he
has already stolen the Negroes
birthright-hls freedom, and be-
cause Uncle Sam compelled him
to give it back, he has been busily
in devising means by
which he can rob him in other
ways He cannot teach the Ne
gro religion and morality, for he
has none himself. The average
white man knows not the mean
ing Of the word morality, and
since religion aid morality 60
hand in hand, it is quite evident
hat he does not possess a super
ebundadce of either. He hasn't
-eligion enough to save him, for
ne IS preparing to 60 to heaven
where there are no Negroes.
The southern white can not
lot teach the Negro to be just and
for he has strangled
mercy and is continually shaking !
lis fist in the face of justice.
Neither can he teach him to pre-
serve peace and order, for he is
orever trespassing upon the Ne f,
,roe's rights, and then swinging
lim up to the gallows, if he re-
ents it. He can not teach him 5
for he makes his liv- {
NJ by putting the fatal cup to the
(egro's lips. How can he teach .
he Negro patriotism, when he has
nd still does openly defy the
American flag? How can he
each the Negro to be a true hon
'rable American citizen, when he
tands at the polls trying to pre- !,
ent him from casting his vote, :
he very thing that makes him =
itizen. He cannot teach him n
dependence. manhood and race ~
ride. when he is continually v
houting in the Negro's ear that to
ny kind of white man, be he rich te
r poor, lazy or industrious. ignor-
Mt or educated. good, bad. or in p
ifferent, Is better than the most q
-hned and respectable Negro. n
What then can he teach the Ne q
70, | ask? Nothing but mean, a
oW principles. and he has his share D
+ these atraaIv- Tbare - ~tt~h = / :