The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-18
DRAWING THE LINES.
Pastor Olden breaches on the Duty
of Colored Men
IN RELATION TO NEGRO CRIMINALS.
They should Not Give Them Aid and
Comfort Any MOre Than the White
Race Does White Criminals.

kHC0 Does " mite criminals.
When Rev. G. D. Olden of the Second
Baptist church (colored) has a thing to
say to his congregation or his race. he is
one minister of the gospel who LET'S
thought of his salary and his love of
popularity go and says it in no uncertain
tone. His sermon last night at the First
street church was on "The Negro High
wayman and Our Duty as Citizens"
1--WE as a race are no more responsible
for the crimes mmitted by negroes" he
said, ethan the white race is Tor crimes
committed By white desperadoes. The
reason for this is, that we do not draw
the lines of society tight enough. This
is the only reason we are all stigmatized
when a negro that is low down does a
mean and contemplate thing. 1t is
fact, too, that there is too much condor
ing crime in our race.
"Our churches and preachers in this
country are largely responsible for the
crimes committed by negroes in this
country. Our theology is one sided. We
do too much talking about heaven and
hell and too little about how to do the
right thing by our fellowmen here on
earth.
"a man who isn't good citizen here
on earth isn't likely to be a good citizen
in heaven, and l don't believe the Lord
is going to take him there. If some of
the people l know who left word here
that they were going straight to
heaven are really there, then l don't
know whether l want to 20 there or not.
There seems to be notion that a man
can do all the mean, low, despicable
things on earth he wants to, and then ten
hours before be dies repent, and that the
Lord will snatch him into heaven by the
hair of his head, and all will be we'll
don't believe that's possible.
Is is true that there are crimes and Grim
iuals in the other race. But that don't
excuse US. Two thieves don't make one
honest man.
sit is our duty to demand better citi-
zeuship CT the members of our race.
There is no excuse for crime with the
advantages for education that we have.
If a child grows up in crime l say the
parents are responitbie and you can't
make me believe anything else.
"The trouble with the young negro of
today is that he is allowed too much
freedom. He is allowed to run about
the streets in all sorts of company, and
his mother doesn't know what sort of
company he is getting into until there is
a rap at her door and she leaves the
washtub to find that it IS an officer to tell
her that her boy, or girl, is in jail, and
wants to see her
I'VE ought to have curfew laws in
every city in the country, and it should
be SO strictly enforced that children
would not have a chance to grow up
crapshooters and criminals.
1.-The mother says she hasn't got time
TO spare from her work to look after her
4. children. What are the few dollars you
might lose to the character of your chill
dren. l tell you that too often the mon
ey parents have saved by negIecting
their children goes in the end toward
paying fines and costs to keep them out
OF Jail.
81 hope. too, that the time will soon
come when Kansas will have law that
will compel parents to keep their chill
dren in school until certain age or tine
them If they don't"
This compulsory education talk didn't
suit some young men in the audience,
possibly. for they got up to leave.
"Sit still" called Nr. Olden; II won't
hurt you. l know it's hot, but I'm right
after you crapshooters.'
Continuing he said: ''If something is
not done to improve the condition of our
young men we might as we'll right now
petition the state to enlarge the jails and
reform atories.
81 know that there are plenty of par
ents in our own race who wilfuIIy neg
lect their children. With this fact star
ing us in the face what can we expect of
them but gang of criminals.
1--WE must do something for our young
men and women. The white race have
reading rooms and gymuasiums for
theirs. We should have the same. 1t
can be done.
Just last night in our city a colored
man tried to rob white woman These
things are thrown in our faces and it is
said that we are all alike. We must
brand that statement as lie.
"To do this we must draw the lines of
society in the race closer have no
more sympathy for colored man who
will do low mean thing than l would
have for white man who would do the
same thing, nor than a white man would
for either a white or colored man that
would do the same thing
"We must put premium on virtue in
the race. If man is low enough to be
seen with a low down woman, he should
Immediately be stunned by all the re-
spectacle women in the race. That's one
trouble with US A white man that would
allow himself to take a disreputable wo-
man to pubic place could never again
get into respects BILE society in his race
Why should not the rule be applied to
our race?
Reading rooms and respectable
places of amusement would be a step
along this line. One-thlrd the money
you colored people spend on excursions
annually would establish these reading
rooms and keep them going.
at is fact that men live as they
please and commit the most outrageous
crimes with their names on the church
book and when they die say they are
going TO Heaven, and the preacher has
to get up over the miserable body and to
please few people say lot of good
things about the man even though he is
lying when he does it He's got to tell