Richmond planet., 1898-02-19

Publication Society and the American
Bapt. Missionary Union. Nor have we
confined our liberality to our own de-
nomination. nor to the representatives
OF any one race. This is the character
of what Rev u d Lewis calls my in
consistency. God grant that there will
be mere of it in our churches.
A sTINGINo RKJoINDKR.
1t is sn outrage to compare this ef-
fort on my part TO work with, and
through, the agencies of Christian mis-
sions which are controlled by the TWO
races respectively in this country, to
the double life of a man, who is at once
model gentleman, according to cir
cumstances, and withal the grandest of
Williams. AS q Negro, l favor enter
prises which build up the race and the
great body of Negro Baptists in this
country AS a man and a Christian
among men and Christians. / favor
organizations which look to the eleva-
tiOn of men as men, and to their saliva
tion as those for whom Christ died, re-
gardless of the question of race ana
other circumstances.
Am /. therefore, ahypocrite7 Should
love the colored brother, and care
nothing for the rest of mankind 2 Or
msst / love the rest OF the human fam
lily and be ind fferent to the interests
OF my own people2
DEFENDED THE BOARD.
While the ministers from several of
the states were here in December last,
i made a speech favorable TO the Pub
location Board OF the National Baptist
Convention, in the presence of my
friend, Rev. Vass. and at the same time
had Rev. Vass preach for me and gave
his " ork a collection. Am ] hypo-
critic, because i want the Amercan
Baptist Publication Society to live, and
also cur own Publication Board Must
l undertake to Kill every enterprise
stArted by Negro Baptists in order to
prove to my white brethren l love
them2
THE KxTRNT OF HIS ALLEGED HYPOCRISY
Well, l am not going to do it. am
going to love the white man, and help
him. and l am going TO love the black
man and help him too, and if this
makes me hypocrite / expect to live
and die Cne. If any one asks how it is
that Brother Brooks is in both white
and black Christian socieIies, let
Brother Lewis tell them what / have
here stated, and ask them is not this
sensible, right and manly in me But
my critic, l fancy, is himself in white
and in colored religious societies ?
Rev. Holmes, Rev. Wells and any mum
Der of the best men in Virginia were
made life members of the American
Baptist Home Mission Society some
years ago by collections given by their
several churches for the work of that
society?
WILL THE LORD FORGIVE BROTHER LEWIS?
Are these brethren therefore vile
men, men leading double lives? /
trust that the Loro will forgive Broth
or Lewis folly, as well as his malice
and tendency TO utter untruth.
In answer to question number three.
= request Rev. Lewis to state to those
who wish to understand clearly my Do
sition, that 10 advocating the cause OF
the National Baptist Convention, l do
not insist with the extremist of that
body on entire separation from the
white :people in Christian work. nor
am / in sympathy with men like Rev.
Lewis, who seem to oppose Bitterly
any enterprise which coIOred Baptists
without injury to our white brethren.
are conducting for the elevation of our
race and the churches in which our
membership is cast.
GRAVE CHARGE.
The man who says, that the National
Baptist Convention has declared for
entire separation from the whites in
Christian work speaks what is not
true. All of the Northern Societies
were heard at the Boston meeting OF
the National Baptist Convention and
their work endorsed. So was our own
missionary and publication work
There was nothing Of entire separation
in this.
REV. DIR. JoHNsoN's UTTERANcEs AT Bos-
TON.
But some of my critics, and especialiy
Rev u d. Lewis will remind me of the
utterances of DR.. Harvey johnson and
others who believed in entire separa.
tion. Well, they expressed FHEIR opin-
ions in THEIR way, but the CONVENTION
never made itsel: responsible for their
views and sentiment. There is a vast
d ference between hearing a man. and
| adopting his views. insist that Rev
Lewis should have some respect for the
truth, If not for his own reputation al
a man of honor in making statements
Moreover. the charge, which Rev
Lewis makes against the National Bap-
list Convention, with respect TO the