The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-11
HOW TO AVOID LYNCHlNG
SIMPLY TO DO ONLY WHAT is
RIGHT.
KNOWLEDGE or GOD THE REMEDY
For the Negroes Condition The Need Of
Industrial Training Next in
Importance.
Importance.
Baltimore SUM-


Rev. S. n. Vass, colored, of Raleigh,
\. c., who has an oversight of the
missionary work of the American Bap-
list Publication Society among the color
ed people of the South and travels eX-
tensively among his people in every
State of the South, preached a special
sermon last night in Trinity Baptist
Church, Twentieth street, near Charles
street, on the condition and needs of
his people.
He said the negroes are doing more to
effectually destroy themselves than the
white people He has travelled extern
sively among his people, observing the
conditions and needs in all the States
of the South, and in every tSatecmfwpy
found the negro his own worst enemy.
Instead of the whites of the South being
the worst enemies. he is decidedly of
the opinion that the greater portion of
them are his best friends. He said that
the very things the white people will
not allow the negroes to do are the
things in majority of eases that would
work his destruction and ruin. He said
the white people of North Carolina are
the most friendly people in the world
and had the negro been intelligent and
wise the results would have been differ
ent. He said that he had learned that
practically might makes right, and that
slong as the negro is ignorant he win
be weak and powerless. Theories can.
not help his race and even legislation
is powerless.
The negro is theoretically free and in
vested with all his rights, but man is
only so free and has only such rights as
he is able to enforce. We need the
strong arm of power, and that power
must be in us. If we are weak the next
best thing TO do is to ally ourselves with
power He said his people must cease
to knuckle to irresponsible men, white
or black, and should seek the friendship
of the best class of the white people.
They should further and especially seek
to avail themselves of the power which
is Gods. Said he: BE strong in the
Lord and in the power OF His might.
He maintained that his ignorance OF
God is the cause of the races ignorance
along general lines, maintaining that a
proper conception of God and His Son
and the Spirit must invariably result in
increasing intelligence, and this con-
ception is not the result of thought, but
the result of faith in Christ, coupled
with knowledge of His word
He agrees with Professor Washing
ton in the Importance of an industrial
education. but he feels that a practical
conception of religion will do more thai.
anything else. He told how devoted
negroes were to politics, and thanked
God that the circumstances are such
as to make his people do right when
they will not do it otherwise.
He said from his observation he has
come to the conclusion that his people
must decide upon one of two things ct
once: They must decide whether they
are going to remain in this country Or
return to Africa, and said that only a
small portion are inclined to leave here.
If we are to remain here any sensible
negro can see what is a proper course
to pursue, and if he does not follow it
he win be made to do so or suffer de-
struction. He said his people must adj
here strictly to God and right, and, al
though others may succeed in some
other way, the negro viii be destroyed
if he does wrong. If we feel that it Il
cumstances the theory is all right but
the snrest way not to be lynched is to
do only what is right. Ii the negro will
acquire knowledge suitable to better his
condition, especially knowledge of Christ,
our race will continue to find the South
the best place for us.
In New York an inoffensiye negro
was recently shot dead, but / do not re-
member a similar case in the South.
There he must offend before he is pros
ecuted so summarily. / live at Raj
eigh, and nowhere in the land is there
more justice for negro. Wilmington
was the freest town for negro in the
country and believe it will still regain
its old name 1t was fortunate for us
that our race suffered there for design
ing white men. for we can see that IL
negroes will cease to be influenced by
such men they will no longer suffer for
them. He said that as between the
two classes of whites, then the negroes
as n mass would far prefer to have the
laws administered by the older, wealth
Ter and more refined whites than to
submit to the domination of men whose
interest is not backed by law and social
state. He believed that the hand or
God is in this matter, ana that me-
groes would not get the proper kind of
knowledge God would allow circum-
stances to arise that would compel him
to acquire knowledge of His word.
He said that he was not at all dis
couraged at the outlook if olny he can
see that his people are striving to learn
of God. He advised them to be up
right and religious. and especially TO
train up their children to know God.
He felt that the preachers are mostly
responsible for the condition of his PEG.
pie after slavery, and he urged that 9th.
er ministers follow some OF the Balti-
more ministers and teach the people the
everyday lesson of life.