The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-13
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
POSTAGE PREPAID.
FRIDAY, AUGUST u. 1897.
g ONE HOPEFUL SIGNS AS TO NE
GROES.

We intended to have noted earlier
one example-the first we have seen
of negroes taking counsel together TO
and cure the crying. awIul
evil Of raping among the bad men OF
their race. At Houston, Virginia, there
recently met the cOlored Bannlster
Baptist Association. It adopted resolu-
lions worth mentioning in relation to
Iynchings. 1t was admitted that there
was alarming increase of this devilish-
ness in the south, and the association
pledged the cooperation of the color
ed race with the whites in Efforts 10
stamp out the hideous Offense and
bring the guilty to Justice" This is
really the first time that n religious
gathering of negroes has had a word
of complaint or censure OF the helllsn
and brutal rapes, but ali nave de-
nounced the lynchings Of the scoun-
drels. The negro churches are COM
posed of large memberships in the
south. If they would all unite in this
work of condemnation of the violence
and baseness Of their race n stand
purity and safety and social order
it could not but avail of good results.
The Virginia colored Baptists say OF
a.the infamy'' so generally increasing,
that it threatens to create n per-
petuate the greatest alienation of the
-whies and blacks, and it is also des-
tined, if not stamped out by the good
and law-abiding citizens of both races,
to cause the inoffensive and law-abid-
ing citizens Of our own race to suffer
in various days." After this preamble,
the resolutions declare that 1--WE stamp
our most emphatic condemnation upon
any and all Of this wretched and in
famous class, who have been, or may
be, found or known to have commit
ted such an outrage against society,
and pledge our willingness to cooper
ate with the whites to bring to justice
any INC all who have or may be gull
-ty Of such a revolving crime"
Since preparing the above. which
was lone several days ago, we have
met with another incident that is hope
full. In Atlanta there is a negro preach
eer named H. H. Proctor. He is pastor
of a negro church and is a man of evil
dent sense and with a better under
standing of the situation than the
great mass of negro preachers, Metho-
dist bishops included. He preached to
his people lately and in a strain OF
moderation and intelligence not conf
mon with his brethren in the minis
try. He is quoted as saying:
on race ines. Whether we will 1t or
not, the division exists, n wise men
accept things as they are and try to
make them as they ought to be. The
crimes that provoke are generally laid
at the door Of the black race, while
the crimes that retaliate are put to the
charge Of the other race. If you belong
to that race charged with the crimes
tina retaliate, you should try to Gre
ate a sentiment against that class of
crimes. If you belong to that race
charged with the crimes that provoke,
you should try to create a sentiment
against that class Of crimes"
That is the kind Of talk that is very
greatly needed. The southern press
all along has been pointing to the very
EMBARRASSING 1dCI (AaS SAS AO6AO
preachers have had only words of fierce
denunciation Of hanging rapists by
mobs and have had no words Of repu-
-diation or for the black scoun-
drels perpetrating the devilish deeds Of
lust and murder. 1t is q good omen
that one preacher among the hundreds
of negro preachers in Georgia has set
the good example Of pointing in rep
rehension of the crimes Of the black
race. Has such a voice eve been rails
ed in North Carolina?
The Baptist negro movement, n
the most opportune words and good ex-
ample of preacher Proctor in Georgia,
1t is to be hoped, are such excellent
examples that they will be quickly
followed, and that nee started the ne
gro preachers will take the matter in
hand and do their level best" to stop
women, and thus put an end to the ne
cessity of lynchings to save the moth
ers and wives and daughters Of the
Anglo-Saxons from the horrible as
saults of African brutes
The Springfield (Mass) Republican,
"A very conservative paper among New
England dailies Of it's party, copies
from Parson Proctor and mons other
things says:
He was very interesting. That the
black race embraces a class of very
low and villainous negroes he candid
iy admitted. They are a menace to So
niptv the prisons ra filed with them
What cause the growth Of this class?
The Industrial situation is one reason,
said the preacher, and at this point
the white race becomes responsible,
too The venue in which the young
people of our race may enter are very
few. Many who have talents for high
,er lines of work are discouraged when
they cannot enter the desired field |
Then the ignorance of the class is ap- |
palling, and the home life is low n
q RI |