The Portland daily press., 1895-06-01
BAPTIST ANNIVERSARIES.
Education and Advancement of the
Negroes.

A Plea for the Cooperation of North and
South-AppeaI for Spelman University.
Saratoga, N Y, May 81. ssFhe Coop
GRAFTON of Baptists North and South in
the Religious and Educational Advance
ment of Southern Negroes" was dis
cussed by Rev. J. B. Hawthorne, D. D,
Atlanta, Ga, at the Baptist Anniversaries
today.
A recent interview with the two secre-
taries of the Home Missionary Society
(North), left in mind the conviction that
they had carefully studied the character,
condition and possibilities of the negroes
of the South, and that the plans of coop
erative work submitted by them to the
Home Mission Board of the Southern
Baptist convention, evinced not only
high degree of intelligence upon these
subjects, but a sincere desire and purpose
to dosthe Lords will concerning these
people. He was SO deeply impressed with
the thoroughness and impartiality of
their Investigations and with their frank,
courteous and fraternal spirit that he had
not the least difficulty in accepting their
proposition. 1t requires no prophetic
gift, DR. Hawthorne said, to see that the
happiest results will follow this union
of forces for the accomplishment of a
great and difficult undertaking. 1t can
not fail to impress the negroes them
selves most favorably. Some of them
are already exclaiming, See how a COM
ing together and cementing the white
Baptists of this country 1t will over
come in great degree difficulties created
BY their race prejudice The man is sadly
ignorant who thinks that the negro is
free from such prejudice. There is moth
ing that an uunadulterated African
Would rather do than stand before null
titude and thank God that he has not a
drop of mean white blood in his veins.
Every true Caucasian will applaud that
sentiment, for he knows that there is
nothing under the sun more deserving of
pure negro's contempt than white blood
in African veins. In the field of oratory
the Africans are destlned TO surpass eve
ry other race. In the present generation
of Southern negroes there is material for
a n army of pulpit men of which any ma
tion might afford to be proud. They pre-
fer to listen to their own speakers. They
are patriots, for patriotism in it's last
analysis is the love of ones people more
than any other people. The plan of work
Southern board recognizes this race preju-
dice. Our puprose is not to supplant their
ministry with aminiStry of another color,
but to help their ministry to become
stronger and more efficient. Our pur-
pose is not TO overthrow their present or
ganizations, but to teach them how to
improve these organizations and how--to
use them more intelligently and effective
ly. In other words our plan is not to
take from them the management of their
own work, but to help them, to gain
more completely the mastery of it. By
thus working in harmony with their ra-
cial prejudices we shall win their con-
fidence and affections, and exert an infiu
ence upon them that will be wholesome
in the last degree. This joining of forces
for the betterment Of the condition of
these people, will promote fraternal feel
ing between the Baptists of the North
and the South. Working side by side
through our respective organizations we
shall know each other better, and thor
ough knowledge of each others methods,
purposes and spirit, cannot fail to weak
en- suspicion and prejudice, and strength
en- brotherly confidence and affection.
A certificate of membership from any reg
ular Baptist church in the North is cur
rent anywhere among the Baptists of the
South and such certificate from any
Southern Baptist church will be accepted
by Northern church of the same denom-
ination. Neither territorial lines nor po-
litical issues have made any breach of
church fellowship among the Baptists of
this great country. Each section has it's
own machinery, for the prosecution OF
missionary work, but these separate Or
ganizations are based neither upon doc
trinal differences nor sectional feeling.
The Southern Baptist convention exists
not because the people who support it are
hostile to your Missionary Union, and
your Home Mission Society, but because
experience has demonstrated that in a
territory as vast as ours two or more or
ganizations can accomplish more than
one. But while Southern Baptists do not
favor organic union with their brethren
of the North, they sincerely covet and
seek cooperation with them in the great
work of giving the Gospel to the world.
The present concern of Southern Baptists
for the religious welfare of the negroes is
not something of recent origin. The rec
ords of our Southern convention, State
conventions, district associations and local
churches, will show that the obligation
to provide for the religious training of
the colored people is one of which the
Baptists of the South have always been
deeply sensible.
"a Plea for Spelman Seminary was
presented by Mrs. N. G. Reynolds, Cor
responding Secretary of the Woman's
American Baptist Mission Society. She
said that ninety per cent. of the colored
people of the South live in one room cab
ms some without windows, and with
earth floors. The family numbers any
where from eight to sixteen people. From
such homes come large part Of the girls
Of Spelman Seminary, an institution for
colored girls in Atlanta, Ga. The mis-
sionary training class is a new feature of
the religious work of this school. Six
young ladies, three of whom. including
one born in Congo are fitting them
selves for mission work in Africa Nor
NAL schools in New York, Pennsylvania,
Massachusetts, and Maine are represented
among the Normal teachers. The Nor
NAL department is also a comparatively
new work, it sends out its second gradu-
ating class this month. AS nearly all the
colored children of the South are taught
by colored teachers, it is of great impor-
tance that they should know how to do
their work A practice school of three
hundred children is divided into fourteen
classes.
The industrial department. is a strong
feature of the work
The Nurse training course covers three
g