The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-04-06

If | did not put my trust in a great and
good Creator in whom live and move
and have my being | would be most
miserable. He made me and He will
take caro- of me. The Bible has stood
ss the bulwark and foundation of tt g
Christians faith for nineteen centuries
and now the Rev. Cadman and these
late tho Old Testament. Moses and
the old prophets and the ten command
mentf must go, for they cannot strike
out the miracles and leave the rest to
stand. AS yet, we have seen no reply
to or explanation of this astounding
departure from the faith Of the fathers.
Are tho times out Of joint in the clos
ing OF this centuryp Are wars to con-
tlnue? Are mobs to administer the
law? Are negro soldiers to tramp
through this goodly land and outrage
our people ana make them desper.
ate?
This reminds me of letter that
| Bishop Turner wrote to us in kind
remembrance of our late wedding.
have known this eminent negro
preacher for thirty-live years and mover
knew anything but good OF him. In
1865 he was at Rome and used his tai
ents and cloquence in pleading for
peace between the races and in giving
his people good counsel. | remember
his public address there on one Occa-
sion, during the reconstruction times,
when he and Albert Berrien both threw
themselves within the breach and how
they counscled tho insolent Spanish
captain and provost marshal, De La
NJ esa, to stop arresting the white peO.
pie on every trivial complaint OF the ne
groes. They had good influence over
nd II
and alarmed him into milder treat
ment of the rebel traitors, as he called
US. There is something very touching
and pathetic in this long continued de-
v0tion OF Bishop Turner to his people.
He has lived to see them oil free and
many Of them to prosper, hut his dis
couragement has at times almost driven
him to despair. He sees the aliena
tion between the races is growing
wider and deeper and that 1t has arisen
more from political factors ana for
political purposes than from race,
color or condition. He sees not less
than 200 Of them in the chaingangs
Of Georgia and a like proportion in
the other Southern States, when there
was not one in slavery days, and all
this in the face Of a degree Of education
that the African never had before, for
it is a fact OF record that Is per cent.
OF these cOnvicts can read and write
and but few OF them are old enough to
have known what slavery was before
the war. He has lived to read of a
thousand outrages and & thousa nd
lynchings when there Was not one IN
slavery days. NJ wonder he is begging
and pleading with his people to 60 to
Africa. Hero is part OF his letter to
US:
"Bill Arp. Esq.-Dear Doclor :;
Please permit member CT the junior
the inferior race, to tender you and
your distinguished consort his sincere
and unfeigned congratulations upon
reaching your golden wedding aud
being able, through the providence Of
God, to celebrate.your ii!ticth marriage
anniversary. The privilege Of spend
ing fifty years with a devoted compan-
ion Is an exalted honor and should call
for recOnsecration Of time and talents
to the service Of God and the better
ment Of mankind. Onco IN while
you have hurled some heavy blows at
tho degraded portion OF my race, but
you have ever been charitable and
always conceded the fact that there
are some good honest and Christian
negroes. | pray God that the remain
der of your days and the days OF your
loving companion may be pleasant and
fclicitous, and finally terminate amid
the smiles and sunshine Of our common
Father. Your wide reading, your bright
in elect, your wit and humor aud wis.
dom, and your ccaseless industry will
rank you among the great aud nota-
bles m.n Of Georgia. Again l tender
you my congratulations. Next July |
will celebrate tho iifticth anniversary
Of my connection with the Methodist
church at Abbeville, S. Z. Yours
with high esteem,
d" HENRY Nj. TURNER"
We are pleased to place this good
letter in our wed ding scmpbook with
all the rest. e., /
| BILL ARP.