The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-16
Ministers of African M. E. Church
in Session in Seattle.
REV. 81 sEAsRook's ADDRESS
Speaks at Evening Session ON the
Americans and Declares IL To he
the ONLY solution of the Race
ProbIem-Electfon OF Conference
Omcers - Today's Programme.

The annual conference of the Puget
sound district OF the African NJ. e
church opened yesterday morning in the
Seattle church of that denou,ination. on
Fourteenth avenue Bishop Shaffer pre-
sided and called the conference to order.
The session in the morning was Occur
pied with routine work In the evening
Rev. h. F.. Seabrook, of Portland. adj
dressed the conference on Education"
The opening session began with COM
munion service. and was followed by the
election OF secretaries. The following
were elected: Recording secretary, Rev
G.. A. Bailey; state secretary, Rev. B. F.
Seabrook, and financial secretary. Rev.
N. D. Hartsfield. Bryce Taylor. of Sc
attic. was chosen marshal.
After the election. the pastors of the
seven churches OF the denomination in
the Puget sound district reported on the
condition OF their pastorates. Steady
progress over last year was shown. both
in regard to finances and membership.
After short address by Bishop Shaffer
on the development in the last year of
the different departments. the session adj
journed.
The evening session OF the conference
opened with a hymn by the choir. Rev.
n. ID. Hartsfield offered up prayer. and
then Bishop Shaffer introduced the speak,
er OF the evening, Rev. Mr. Seabrook. who
spoke on education in its relation to the
colored race in America
Mr.. Seabrook had as his text, Paul ii:l5
Study to show myself approved of
God and workman who needeth not
TO be ashamed, but rightly dividing the
truth" Mr.. Seabrook said in part:
Paul In this verse referred TO a par
ticular profession. the ministry, but this
evening l will deal with education in its
Broader sense II anything should be
thoroughly impressed on the minds of
any OF our people, II Is education. Why?
because there is no race no class Of peo-
pie In this or any other age. who have
risen ana assembled in the scale of intel
lectuai progress and attained the heights
OF civilization, who have been content to
remain In intellectual darkness.
the dominant class. the rulers OF the
world are not only the weather. people
put also the most learned. The class that
which Is sunk In Ignorance knowledge
mas always ruled ignorance. and IL any
people want freedom. intellectual. polit-
icai i, ana social. let them become educated
This IS the problem that confronts our
race, the Africo-American There is
perhaps no people more despised than
cause we are. as rule. Ignorant. The
only remedy Is education. / do not mean
education IN any profession: we need
s spe,hren farmers nm mechanics. and. my
listers. Let US see to It that our children
go into the arena of life armed ana
eSu1ppea with all the knowledge we can
Shall we sit idle and let other races
continue in the lead? No. we must ~
, up ana doing This Is the age Of intel
ana let us take advantage OF IT, Yet
what matters II what age we live in the
question i, Shall we be among the gov
erning or>the governed? II in the former
the only road we can travel toward that
goal IL the road of education. II we would
be men and women of influence in the
must be thoroughly equipped for the con-
hict Let us show ourselves approved OF
God and workmen without shame.
The African NJ. f church has awak-
eened TO this sense Of duty and is alive 10
the fact that to raise the standard OF its
people IL must educate them This is
the only solution OF the race problem
learning, not supported by the contribtl-
tions OF Rockefeller or a Vanderbilt
but maintained by the great mass OF our
people themselves and such men as Bish-
op Lee, and our own Bishop ShafYcr
ITO this great land OF the Northwest
came from the historic South, where the
opportunities for the black race are not 80
numerous. Here We are In a country
where there is no ingrained pre- tudice
against us and where the gates Of learn
ing know no color but are open TO all
alive TO our duty and see 10 IL that our
children enjoy these advantages and are
educated until they are approved OF God
and workmen not ashamed. Don't think
II YOU are going to he educated II is
necessary for You TO enter profession
The world needs more producers not
more consumers. GO out into the country
10 the farm lands " need be, and became
factors in the creation of wealth"
A selection by the choir followed the ad-
meeting with short address in which
he announced the subjects 20 be consid-
cred at todsy's sessions.
For this morning the programme r. as
follows: Reports Of committees fconiin-
ued) miscellaneous business; .. m. re-
ports from the conference branch OF the
missionary society.
Seattle. will preach the annual missionary
sermon.