The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-04-17
THE NEGRO RACE.
A Minister Argues That They Are
Not Descended From Adam.

A Minister Argues That They Are
Not Descended From Adam.
In the last number Of the Bible Bap-
tist, . religious monthly magazine,
edited and owned by Rev. E R. Cars
we'll, Jr., we'll known Baptist minis
ter, is an article which contains some
startling statements and will create
quite 8 sensation in the religious world.
Before quoting f1em the article above
referred to, it is but lroper to state
that Rev. Mr.. Csrswell is 8 native of
this county, snd is graduate tf Mer-
Ger University, the Southern Baptist
Theological seminary, sud sn author Of
several works upon theology, besides
hsvinc filed IS pastor some Of the lead
ing Baptist pulpits in this state and
Texas.
That he is g man CT extraordinary
ability, OF great uen,sl grasp, a hard
student Of the Bible and 90 editor, and
lecturer. who's, fame is bounded only
by the extent of the Sou.hsro Baptist
denomination, gives great weight to his
editorials. Mr.. Csrswell is ia bis f.
ticth year, and resides in North
Augusta, but at the present time is
holding $ meeting in Lake City, Fla
The editorial in the Bible Baptist is
upon ''Trsditionslism,' snd in it he
dissents f,on many current theological
views, which hs says are only based
upon tradition, and which he holds to
be erroneous. He says:
1T is pure tradition that assigns to
negroes a plscs in the human family.
The Bible will be explored in vain for
such doctrine. Even tradition irds
no negro in the original creation IS a
member of the Adsnic household.
Moreover, Noah's other sons, Ham
and Japhetb, were white and produced
Only white tribes and kindreds. The
Csnsanites, whom tradition taught us
to regard as negroes produced by the
Hsuatic curse, weknov to have been a
race Of blonds-the South Irish Of later
times, the prevailing type being fair
skinned, blus eyed and red haired.
True they have been servants always,
ditch diggers and table vaiteis."
He then aske the question:
"Whst then will Bible folks do with
those traditions that class negroes with
tho family Of Adsn?'
Ycu see the question is up to Us. If
the negroes be not descended from
Adam, then the orthodox view is that
Christ did not die for them. Hence
they are lost, or special provision is
made for them in the plan of salvation,
or they still need Messiah who will
yet save them. But Mr.. CarsWell con-
tinuea:
'For the present, We are not con
cerned about the origin Of the negro,
or whether, like Adam, he was made
immortal-in Gods image; but We simp-
ly ssy the Bible coatradicts that tradi-
tion which reads the negro
into the family Of Adam. That
tradition is false. Ii is unscriptural.
It is unscientif,. It is wholly unteu-
able. No man ever believed it save in
ignorance or in advance Of investiga-
tiou."
Ycu see, according to the Bible Bap-
tist, We hsve all been wrong up to date.
We look in vain to fnd the good editors
views as to the origin Of our Brother
in Black" but he does not attempt to
throw any light On the matter, but
simply says:
whether the negro is 'Pre-Ada-
mic, or Post Adamic. We care not to
say; but sure tits, be is 'Eztra-Adsmic.
Again:
1.-THE negro is unknown to oreatiOn
as 8 humsn."
This sounds very much like an author |
who signed himself Ariel, and who |
directly after ''the war, between the |
wrote 8 brochure, endesvoring
to prove that the negro had no soul.
If, as Rev. Mr.. Carswell states, ''s
re study Of the Bible account Of cres-
ton and all history" have brought him |
to his conclusions, would it not be be-
ne6clal to the negro for him to proceed
further and solve the problem Of which |
he writes, and give the needed infor
nation to the many seekers Of truth
who are striving to fix the status Of the
negro in the divine plan Of salvation.
In the meantime, it is needless to
state that the tradition of the origin of
the negro will still be held to by those
who, in lieu Of something better, are
obliged to hold to it in their ignorance
or in advance Of Investigation. -
Augusta Herald.