The record-union., 1897-08-22
The CONFERENCE YESTERDAY
BISHOP GAINES TELLS OF HIS
EARLY LIFE AND THE WAR.
Advancement Made by Colored Peo-
pie During the Past Thir-
ty-Two Years.

>
was we'll attended
The services opened as usual with
prayer and praise, a number of the
members taking part in the exercises.
Rev. T. H. B. Anderson was intro
duced TO the Bishop. who welcomed him
mad said that he himself joined the
Methodist Church South in 1S49. and
would have been there yet, but that he
found his chances of attaining the
episcopacy too slim.
Rev. Anderson said that he wondered
II his chances in that direction would
be improved by leaving it himself, and
the Bishop expressed some doubt.
Mr.. Anderson made a most interest
ing address, in a humorous vein, re-
garding Methodism and its usages
Speaking seriously, he said that his
heart and soul were bound up in Meth
odism and its prosperity. He wished
that the divisions of the church We're
wiped out; that there We're no North
or South, white or colored branches. He
hoped that the conference under way
for that purpose might meet with a
successful outcome. 1t would be a joy
ful day when the complete unificaton
of the Methodist Church throughout the
world is accomplished.
His remarks were greeted with much
laughter, and when they took a Sc
rious turn his audience was clearly
with him.
The Bishop said that he early found
that the African Methodist Church was
the best place for him, as unfortunately
his color was a badge of jnferiority
against him. If the white people OBJ
jected to the colored people on account
of their bad morals, they should be
mended; if on account of ignorance.
they should become educated better, If
on account of poverty, that would be
improved, as colored people are now
paying taxes on S300,OO0,000 but. if
on account of their color, God made
them. and they could not 4 change
themselves
To be sure there is division in the
colored church, but they are an imita-
tive people, and when they see the
white people quarreling, they naturally
followed their example. The white peo-
pie are a superior race. but the colored
race is following hard on its footsteps
It has taken a thousand years to de-
velop the high civilization the white
race possesses. but it has only taken
thirty-four years to lift up the colored
race to its present position, and the
white man viii have to stir himself
to keep out of the way.
We hear much of race war in the
South; but he wanted to say that the
better class of Southerners did not ap-
prove of lynching and murder. The
Christian gentlemen and the represent
ative men of the South have a bond Of
sympathy with the colored people that
\. Ia non
stand. There are very many kind mas
ters in the South, who treated their
slaves well and took care of them.
He knew many such. OF course
there were bad white men and
bad negroes, and they make the
trouble that is so much spoken Of in
the papers and gives the South such a
bad name.
For himself he was well treated No
white man ever struck him, for he at
tended to his own business. and did as
he ought. He was anxious that slavery
should cease but he did not hate the
Southerners, and was sorry to have
them killed. He was only boy when
General Toombs came to him at night
and told him he wanted him to hitch
up a team and take him away, as the
Federal soldiers were after him. and
would take his life if they caught him.
II did not like the idea exactly" said
the Bishop. Il thought I saw chance
that We would be free. and I was
afraid that if the General took me far
ther away from the Union troops, he
might be able to still hold me in sav-
cry I did not want 10 go, therefore I
Went to my mother and asked her what
to do. and told her what 1 was afraid
of She said to me, You hitch up those
horses. and take the General where
he wants to go as quick as you can.
Why. Miss Jane would turn over in her
grave if ! let the General be taken and
lose his life, when I could have helped
it. You hitch up those horses and go
quick
Il hitched up the horses and took him
TO the cars, but I was uneasy. When We
got there. I asked him how things We're
going and he said. BY G., the country
IS all gone up. We are beaten 1 asked
What shall 1 do now. take the horses
home?' He answered, Take them back
home as soon as you can.
Il started back home with them and
I met the Confederate troops coming
pell neil. When they met me they com
m6nded me to halt and / did so mighty
quick. One of them took my hat. / told
them had pass from General Toombs
An officer said What's that, pass from
General Toombs? Give him back his
hat Immediately They gave me back
my hat and ] went on. Pretty soon I
met the Federal troops hard after the
Confederates and as soon as [ met them
I threw up my hands and shouted sHur-
rahi we've won. We're all righti' You
see it was a case of agreeing with your
adversary quickly"
Rev. r. H B. Anderson said that the
Bishop had told the true story Of affairs.
Eight-tenths of the colored people in
the South are orderly, law abiding citi-
zens. and he knew it to be so. They
have contributed largely TO the material.
moral and intellectual wealth of that
section. Their progress and develop
ment has been wonderful, and there is
not true Southern man who does not
rejoice at it. He was a Southerner. but
had always been opposed to slavery. His
father owned slaves, but was always in
his soul an anti-slavery man and said
his slaves owned him. There is a law
less spirit among some of the white
race that leads to lynching and it is
done both in the North and South and on
white men and negroes. There are
many. both white and black, who de-
serve il for their crimes.
The Bishop hoped that lynching would
cease. The colored people had been
quiet and orderly through the war. Had
they been so disposed, there was nothing