Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-22
DIR. L,NDRUM on CHILD SLAVERY
Former Richmond Pastor Discusses
This Subject,
(AtIanIa UNCONSTITUTIONAL


This Subject.
atlanta Consutution)
Rev. Dr. W. ". I.andrum preached
forcofm sermon last night at the First
Baptist church on Child Slavery in Geor-
gia."
The sermon was semi-political i'm nature.
as Dr. Landrum called for more potential
legislation in behalf OF the child. and,
also, took occasion 10 condemn the Hard
WICK bill, saying 10 puts a premium ON
ignorance in white youths by excluding
! ignorance I'm the negro. He said. LET
our boys grow up with clear-cut notions
! as TO impartiality and fairness IN an the
acts Of legislation"
The church was filed with q congrega-
ton that crowded the buildin TO the
/ doors
The text was from Matthew xxi, 10
THE children crying in the temple and
saying h0sannah 10 the Son of David"
Among other things Dr. Laudrum said:
Children appreciated Christ, because
Christ appreciated the children. The ideal
disciple, according 10 our Lord. o. not the
courageous and inviuCible Roman soldier.
not the sedate and s0mbre Jewish priest:
not the polished American scholar. but a
little child. When His disciples were I'm
hot dispute about VINO should be greatest
! IN the kingdom the Saviour rebuked them
by lftng child over their heads and
into their midst saying. Except Sc be-
come as little children ye shall in no case
enter into the kingdom of Heaven
christ s. religion rises coz falls in IT'S at
titude toward the child question. Chris
tianity is The only religion that has been
conscious since the beginning of ii dis
tlnct mission TO childhood. II alone has
definite mission ON behalf of childhood.
Statesmen and sOcioiogists everywhere
conccde that the treatment of children
serves as the real barometer OF civiliza-
ton.
'lt was Christs treatment Of the child
mat became The spring and fountain of all
modern reform. Christ VIII judge the
nome by its treatment of the child the
Church 10y its treatment OF the child. the
state by its treatment OF the child. and
civilization in general by the same lust
ana unerring standard. Whatever and
whoever labors for the salvation Of the
child is blessed of Christ. and doubly
cursed are an who suffer or promote his
dwarfins or degradation.
Slavery exists in this country. That
Us slavery surely where the human chat
tel has no time he can really claim as his
own. He is free 90 starye if he elects to
protest against the yoke imposed But if
Dee submits he VIII have n0 time he can
call his own. And the slave is the child.
OF AN crimes the crimes against childhood
are the most deyilish; of an woes the
woes OF childhood are the most heart
breaking
parents are often tyrants- In the city
and i'm the country. black and white. those
who work their iliterate children i'm the
factory or i'm the field are not guiltless be-
fore God. Iiteracy i'm Georgia is "a foul
blot which neither the Church nor the
state can remove without the consent of
fathers and mothers
Commerce. too. calls more and more
for the sacrifice of youth Child labor is
Increasing in this country in the ratio OF
80 per cent. every ten years. Reputable
employers are consentng more and more
10 grow rich through the slavery of the
child. though that slavery must involve
the arrangement or the destruction Of the
home, and the moral deterioration of 500
ciety.
"All legislation which looks TO the man
omission of the child should Doe encour-
aged. The child should be permitted TO
live where the Sunday laws are observed.
The child is entitled 10 dwell i'm "a state
where ne is freed from labor until he u.s.
at least, Is years OF age Now, the cry
goes up that the supremacy of the South
I'm cotton manufacturing is to come not .
from manifest natural advantages, but
from child labor, and the servile igno- :
rance of crackers who Will work any
number OF hours without complaint.
White slavery is to be substituted for ne
gro slavery.
"The child IS entitled 20 growth and
bodily health, but trade says il must be
sacrificed. The child is entitled TO educa-
ton but trade demands that he be only .
piece of machinery. The child is entitled
TO spiritual development but this must be
given up.
"The child, again. has the right 10 live F.
under a wise and impartial and benefcent F.
civil constitution which limits suffrage 10
the virtuous and intelligent. Suffrage is /
q privilege. II should bee accorded those /
only who understand how TO employ it 4
Tor the good Of the Commonwealth. Tn /
limited use of the franchise in Georgia. or !
IN all the States, is a crime with innu-
merable evils # should be restricted,
but not I'm such a way as VIII put pre-
MUM on the ignorance OF The white man
for the purpose OF excluding the ignorance .
Of the negro. Exclude Iliiteracy-white /
initeracy and black iliteracy-and make
suffrage the expression Of intelligent citi- /
zenship.
so long as the young are enslaved 10 /
Ignorance. prejudice or passion. the king
dom Of God Is forestalled, and succeeding !
generations I'm all lands will remain COM
mitted against its pure and peaceful
sway"