Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-08-19

Editor OF The PLANET:
Again, We call to the minds OF the
friends of the Virgins Baptist State
Convention few unmlstakable evil
dences OF the attitude of our great
Baptist host, touching their allegiance
to principles resolved upon 1T Lexing-
ton last May. With each dawn OF .
new day comes cheering news. While
we are jubflant, we are not surprised !;
we have too much confidence in our
people to doubt for ., moment their ir-
telligence, their self-respect. their no.
BILE asperatlonE 20 the higher walks of
recognized the fact that like other
great races the colored race is pos
sessed of . soul fred with 1.-THE hope OF
reaching she topmost round Of compe-
tent citizenship; 80 accomplish this
our people realize the absolute neses-
sity of self-reliant efforts in those par
ticuiars essential - influence and pow.
or in the civilized world.
MUST DO FOR THEMSELVES.
We realizs the great strength that
comes to q people who learn TO do for
themselves There are some things in
the short history OF our emancipation
that speak out in tones of thunder ad-
monishing Us not TO rely too much up
on friends to make OF Us what we ought
to make of ourselves. Ever since the
war gratuitous help from kind hearted
friends has been In different ways gen.
erously poured into the South to assist
the colored people.
The criticism passed by many among
the race is that our bsnefactoSg net on
ly bestowed gifts upon the race, but by
assuming charge and control in an alb
sol1te InsEner, and by perpetuslly
ss@ching as by word, example and
course of procedure in the manage
ment OF Affairs, they have raised up IN
ali this beautiful Southland. q distin at
class Of educated dependents-persons
who seem to be afraid to launch out on
the high seas OF self reliance; but
would rather wait about the tables of
their benefactors catching the crumbs
as they fall. IL sent from these hum
bic positions about the tables, these
people many of them having looked to
Others SO long for help would scarcely
be able TO keep BODY and soul togeth-
er.
VERY DAMAGING.
This to my mind is very damaging
to the race. 1 firmly believe that our
friends who spend millions of dollars
for our enlightenment give of their
means with the hope of seeing the
black man b5come man among man
and not an everlasting dependent with
eyes turned northward crying more
yet" Moreover, believe that the
more the colored race in America
proves itself industrious and self-reli-
ant, the more and lasting will be the
! G ,nfideRce imposed IN US by others.
But, Mr.. Editor, did not start out
to write an essay my idea was to give
Information as so the astions OF asso-
ciational bodies touching our Baptist
State Convention.
GOOD NEWS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
Let US see. Already we have report
ed four OF the largest Baptist Associa.
tions as having taken a decided stand
for the Virgins Baptist State Conven-
tion. We have reported the Woman's
Baptist State Convention and six large
districts sunday School Conventions.
These are all unshaken in their conf
dence in the work of the BAptists as
resolved upon at Lexington.
We come again this week with news
OF q most encouraging nature. I am
from the Great Valley Association that
met last week at East Radford. This
Association is the largest in the state,
stretching in territory from Bristol to
Lynchburg; having 1872 churches and
150 preachers. They voted 80 stard by
the Virginia Baptist State Convention
our National Baptist Convention and
| placed the National Baptist Publish
| ing Board on the letter form as an OBJ
| 1eet OF contribution. While we were
there SIG % for Foreign Mission were
given 20 me, and $3.50, turned over to
Dr. B. F. Fox for the Virginia Semina-
~ debt.
Notwithstanding all this good news
while was there telegram YVES sent
me from the Rockfish Baptist Associa-