Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-02-19
THE NEGRO BAPTIST
PUBLISHING HOUSE,
WHY THE ENTERPRISE
SHOULD BE SUP
PORTED.
The History of the Move
ment.-The Result of
the Effort.
A REMARKABLE SHOWING.

Good newsl Massachusetts,, New
York. Pennsylvania. Maryland and
Washington, d. @ all send word that
the Negro Baptists are taking the Sun
day School literature published by our
house in Nashville. The scholarly,
Rev. @. s. Norris of Newton Centre.
Mass, the wide. awake, Rev. Dixon OF
New York the old wheel-hOrse, Rev
Harvey johnson. d. D., and the great
head light. Rev. George w. Lee, d. D..
have sounded the gong of marching
orders in advocacy Of this heaven-sent
child of our great National Baptist
Convention.
Sunday before last DIR. Harvey john
son lifted large collection and sent it
to Nashville to aid in the good work
Tie Fifth Street Church of Richmond
will soon do the same.
NOT THE WORK OF DIsGRUNTLRD PARTIES
No, Mr.. Editor, the establishment of
a publishing house by the Negro Bap-
lists of this country was not the un-
guarded thought, nor the passionate
execution of few disgzuntled notorie-
ty-Reekers. The men and women sup
porting and conducting this work are
not of that tickle minded class of the
race, characterized more by their abiI-
itv TO ever be before the public in
high sounding bombast rather than in
deeds of nobleness and real usefulness.
The age calls for men to speak for the
guidance of the race who themselves
have succeeded at something for the
advancement of the race. This is q
practical AEGEAN age in which men
ought to show their faith by their
works.
THE CAUSE OF THE MOVEMENT.
More than decade has passed since
the feeling began to be universally felt
among Negro Baptists that recognized
men and women, efficient in learning
and experience both practical and the
oretical, should be allowed to have
some say in the preparation of reli-
Rious literature for their children
especially when it was remembered
that they were spending tens Of thous-
ands old ollars for such literature every
year District. state, and other reli-
gious gatherings held not their peace
until their cries reached the ear of the
National Baptist Convention and the
voice of mighty men OF Valor gave the
warning that unless something was
done to satisfy the rapidly increasing
desire of Negro Baptlsts to dD,Sunday
School literary work for themselves
the ultImatum would eventuate into
an independent effort
DISTINGUISHED LEADERS osTRACIsED.
Doctors w. H. Brooks, E. K. Love
and w Simmons-men of whom the
world may well feel proud because Of
noble deeds and gifted talent-were
invited to write articles for the Baptist
Teacher published by the American
Baptist Publication Society. But what
was the RESULT Be it known to sll the
proud young sons and daughters Of our
race that as soon as it leaked out that
Negro preachers were invited to write
articles for the very Sunday School lit
erature used in 10, 900 Negro Bapt. Sun
day Schools great cry Of objection
went up from all over Lhis broad land I:
What" said they, "shall we submit
to such an outrage as having these
niggers write for our literature and
thus teach our children" What was
the result? Why the articles were
side-tracked, our men told to write no
more. But when we turn to let them
alone and undertake to do for our
selves that which others have been do
ing in a way that reflects no credit up-
on us, we are told to stop, close up
your house, go home and buy your
Sunday School literature from u.s." In
other words the thing is reduced to
this: Negro Baptists shall not ''co-op-
crate" to the extent of writing matter
for the American Baptist Publication
Society, neither shall they have q pub
fishing house of their own; but they
shall take just what the whites want
them to do and no more. And the sick
ening feature OF the whole thing is the
concurrence Of some black men and
women in sash an unholy prescription
NOT ANGRY WITH WHITE BRETHREN.
We are no. nn~-y with the wh't~s