The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-24
PRAISE ron ms PEOPLE.
kindly words irons n SeEr@ Pastor.
ConcernfuE the s~dvase~ment af
His Race.


L good work in = community, there
" h appreciate that effort coming TO
the front with congratulations. Ny
heart is always reioiced and my soul
ever praising the man who strives At
self-betterment n who at the same
time holds in kindly regard the welfare
OF his neighbor.
The highest accomplishment any man
can bring to pass. Is 70 make the most
OF himself and his community the best:
Because OF the work which my peo-
pie have done along this line during the
past year. / desire Il bring to them IN
his article 4 word Of praise. and urge
that even more be done IN coming days.
4 cashier OF one OF our city banks
said to me the other day-"the majority
OF respectable negroes OF Wilmington
runs an ccoun with this bank. and
which, he say has a tendency 10
make them more respecting and
more respected" Is his not i
complimentary thing to see our
people establishing character by
means OF frugality? Booker Washing
ton, at the Atlanta congress. gave a
fine method OF testing the worth OF a
negro. He said whenever he wanted
TO find out the character OF 4 man he
went TO his local banker and asked II
said mans check was good for ten dol
lars. and If the banker shook his head
negatively then he stamped that mans
character as a There Is a goodiy
number Of Us who. according To this
method, seem 10 be making our charac-
ter Good-but not half enough. l pray
TO see the day when every respectable
colored man viii keep IN his home 4
bank book standing for SO much money
TO his credit in some institution OF saw
ing. There are banks IN Wilmington in
which We may deposit as small a sum
as twenty-five cents: shall not those
Of us who have not done 50 make the
first deposit tomorrow? Nine months
ago l found in my parish visits any
quantity OF negro property holders over
anxious TO sell. l thank God that to-
day L find n quantity over-anxious TO
buy. Let the negroes OF Wilmington
buy all the property they can, for his
viii number us among the meek L
heard a very witty negro once say that
the white man was mentioned only once
in the Bible, and that was in the be-
attitudes. which says the meek shall
inherit the earth" Now. no man can
go TO heaven without becoming meek.
Let us then begin hastily our march to
the Kingdom.
The next thing for which / praise in
highest terms the colored man OF our
city. is for his hearty response TO the
| educational calls made by the pastor Of
| Christ Congregational church so often
during the past summer. Last year the
negro of our city did not fully avail
himself of the school opportunities open
ed up TO him; this year he has at the
very beginning crowned himself with
honor. At Peabody graded school we
! ha va anrnt1nI af tho Worry haUtnnfnep Ag0s
at Williston school we have placed
more than $50 and at Gregory Institute
more than $50. the largest opening IN
the history OF the school This is indeed
a commendable record. but IL can be
bettered. There are yet more seats in
our public schools, and there are still
more children upon streets OF u
city. Let us take them off.
In connection with this thought I
wish to say a word concerning the la
boring negro Of our city. What a beau
tiful rose is to a flower garden. SO is
an honest. thrifty Christian Iaborer to
a city. The man with his sleeves rolled
to the shoulders is the motive power
to the shoulder tilt is the motive power
Nv in an open air speech at the cotton
press, and speeches in church and halls
in the city, to show this class OF our
us by employing so large a number OF
school boys and girls at twenty-five
cents per week to carry their meals A
large number OF these honest toilers
needed my advice, but there are many
yet continuing to throw this evil upon
US; may / beg once more that not q
single boy and girl Of school age be en-
ployed r. you. The efforts put forth by
our school committeeman to make our
schools what they ought to be should
not be interfered with by such over
sight.
The interest which the negro mani
] tests in the improvement being made
in the city IS more than gratifying.
Numbers have spoken to me in compli-
mentary terms about the beautiful bank
building erected on Front street, and
the new express office on Chestnut
street. The other day I was taken
around the car circle to be shown the
~remodeIed Union school building. !
could not but help see new things for
my people as the brothers who accom-
panied me began so unselfshly TO praise
the worthy donor and compliment his
city for having so monumental a build
ing. / passed a few days since, with a
crowd of school children and teacher
the Hemenway school building: all be
a to admire the house. and TO ms
great pleasure not one said. as used "a
be so frequently heard. why don't they
give the negro one as good?" All praise
to my people for the displacement OF
@"'- anu sN1l- ~ aAiGIo HaS v
because of conditions which we have
not created, We are glad TO see others
, have because of conditions which they
! have created.
With this increase in school atteu-
dance has come this year an increase
In church attendance. The city mis-
sionary movement has begun anon
our churches. and this more than al
? else viii do most TO stir up our stun
element and push long much more
rapid the work so nicely begun. Al
present the Christ Congregation a
church is the only negro church work
ing among u unreached negro; viii
not every denomination begin immedt.
ately? No man Is more acceptable q
q community than an honest man, and
the integrity which is SO evident amonr
the Wilmington negro is exceedingi,
satisfactory.
From a study Of actual conditions
find less BaliH sales Of negro household