The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-21
FREEDMAN's AID.
Rev. DIR. Hammond ut Chestnut Street
Church Yesterday Afternoon.

The services yesterday afternoon at
Chestnut street church was in aid of the
Freedman's Aid and Southern Education
Society. Rev. &. W. S. Hammond, D..
D., an Afro-American preacher was
present and presented the claims of the
colored race.
DIR. Hammond 10 very pie asing
speaker, and at times grew eloquent as
he pleaded for the rights of the black
man, of which race he is part, and for
whom he is earnestly working.
Ii Ia almost impossible. said tne
speaker to institute comparison between
the nationality which / represent ana
the people of other nations Abraham
Lincoln was indeed raised up of God to
be the emancipation Of the down treddsn
southsrners We have enjoyed freedom
for some thirty years now and during
that time the race has made considerable
progress, but find that even today there
are some people in this country who are
hoping that the institution OF human
slavery may be again established. can.
not forget that at the time that President
Lincoln issued his call for volunteers Do
enter the fight for the abolishing OF
slavery, that New Englanders responded
molly to the call.
The black man is grateful for the work
accomplished by the North. and always
shall the graves of the fallen heroes OF
the North who fell in Southern battle
fields be kept green. You cannot con-
tinusd the speaker, succeed in lifting uE
any people that are Goddess. Such a
people is absolutely hopeless and In
bondage. There is deep down In the
negro heart respect for God and the
things of religion. The coloJed people
are ready and willing to be lifted up to
higher level. This cannot be said OF
the mum berless thr0ngs Of anarohistit
and other clements that are constantly
immierating to our shores. Today 5000.
600 of the colored people belong to tbs
church and these with families are striV'
ing to elevate theiY children, their homes
and their communities to higher level
of Christian progress and growth. Take
away the moral and social shackles,
bring him the spelling book and give
him the liaht Of the gospel and you VIII
then find that this celored man will %
better able and more willing to assist In
the work that makes for Righteousness
| and the evange1ization Of the world.
There are among this people a goo1ly
portion Of practical and studlous beings,
who are striving TO find place in the
moral and industrial world. We have ous
| industrial schools and our people arr
taught in the various branches OF manua
training, and OF late years ue have beer
offering to the women advantages to pc
| come qualified in this affairs Of domestic
life and household duties. What progress
the black man has made has been &C
complished IN the paEt thirty years,
while the progress Of the white man haf
been accomplished in hundreds OF years
| We do not claim to be equal with, OF
superior TO the white man, bnt all we
ASK is chance to educate our masses
and give them opportunities for socia
and moral advancement which they are
eagerly striving to obtain. Tine speaker
closed his remarks with an appeal fol
| funds to be devoted to tns Freedman
Aid society. an organization OF the
Methodist church which has been at work
for SO many years is striving to advance
the interest of the colored man OF TIT
| South.
| DIR. Hammond spoke Sunday morning
to the Msthodists at West brook, and las
evening presented the claims of the blaci
man to tfe Congress street Methodls'
| churc'..