The colored American., 1901-03-02

we all come III the unity or talth, ana
the knowledge Of the Son Of God, unto
q perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature Of the fulnesS Of Christ
SO much as to the meaning of the
theme assigned me by DR.. Beard; now
a word as to the application Of it by
the Missionary association, and | shall
have finished.
while I mused," says the Psalmist
''the fire burned While men quib-
bled over the question of the infer
iOrity Of the cOlOred people and denied
that they possessed the capacity to re-
ceive any kind of culture enacting at
the same time stringent laws enfOrc
ing degradation and ignorance, the
American Missionary association
planted itself firmly upon a
declaration of principles involving an
eternal, an uncOmprOmising warfare
against caste and the whole foul brood
of the Vulture Of chattel slavery in this
Union. There this association has
stood since it's formation like the rock
of Gibraltar. The winds of denuncia-
tion have blown against it in vain and
the waves Of opposition have dashed
against 1t without effect,
''Steadfast, serene, immOVable, the
Year after year, through all the silent
night
Burns on fOrevermore that quenchless
flame,
Shines on that inextinguishable lightp'
In the first place the cOlOred people
need this higher education to fit them
for participation in the constructive
work now being performed for the
world by this nation of whom they are
the One-eighth part.
In the work of this nation upon the
sea, or upon the land; in battle array
or in the avOcatiOnS of peace they have
their share-equal in kind and stress to
that Of their other fellow citizens. If
they fail or are handicapped in any
emergency, the nation, the cause, the
world, are handicapped through them.
Viewed then as a rational and national
policy apart from moral and religious
motives, the recognition of all the spir-
itual, social and intellectual claims Of
the colOred people would add to the ca
pacity, power and prestige of the re
public.
1t would prove a direct addition
without offset, as in asSimilating a
foreign element to citizenship to the
strength and resources of the Union in
respect of it's admeaSurement in this
or that particular with the great ma
tiOns of the world.
To persist in an insenSuate policy OF
the Ostracism and oppression Of the
cOlOred people by denial to them at
any time or place of the enjoyment Of
all benefits flowing from just and wise
government is not only a qualification
Of the nation at large, but a dangerous
and reasonable attack upon the inSti-
tutiOnS and upon the safety of the
whole people, for which the whole peO-
pie are responsible, on the well-knOWn
principle of the maxim, ''RatihabitiO
mandate aequiparatur:" Ratification Is
equal TO command.
This is an important consideration
that comes home to every ireSide il
this broad land whenever this nation
is called upon to face any crisis, eXter
nal or internal in it's affairs, for there
never has been, and there never viii
be, an occasion of peril to the nation
but that its welfare will depend IL
great measure upon the courage, the
capacity, and the devotion of native
cOlOred manhood and wOmanhOOd
They have always in the past respond
ed to the measure of their OppOrtunl
ties, to every demand made upon then
in spite Of the fragrant denial to then
Of the plainest rights embraced in the
statutes, and in the face of reverend
ing, insulting and cOntemptuOuS treat
ment, as if cOlOred manhood anC
wOmanhOOd in this republic were goOC
for nothing but to be cast down anC
- broken under the feet Of men.
The dUtv the good faith and the