The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-08
THE NEGRO CONGRESS
Many ADDRESSES MADE ny LEAD
ERS OF RACE.
SOME GOOD THINGS SAID.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SENT
GREETINGS.

Mammoth Prayer Meetings Held al
the the Theological Seminaries
and 5000 Delegates Present al
Morning Session-The Negro Meth.
err Lyncher, a Striker, "a Social
ist Nor an Anarchist, Said One
speaker-The Negroes Troubles
Due Largely to His EmotfonaIism
said AnOther-Need of Properly
Trained Ministry DweIt Upon.
Atlanta. Aug. 7.-Strong addresses
Belivered by prominent leaders of the
race made interesting to-day's session
of the Negro Young Peoples Christian
and Educational Congress, and from
the sunrise prayer meetings until the
close of the grand concert at night, in
which 500 voices took part. the day S
programme was complete. The fol-
lowing letter of regret from President
Roosevelt was read:
Corresponding secretary. Negro
Young Peoples Christian and Educa-
tional Congress. My Dear Sir: Your
letter of recent date referring to the
proposed negro young peoples con-
gress, to be held in Atlanta, Aug 6
to H. 1902, has been received. 1 very
much regret that it will not be posi-
BILE for me to attend, but 1 take pleas
ure in sending to the congress, through
you, greetings and best wishes for its
success in intoxicating in the young peo-
pie of your race principles of right
thinking, of answering integrity, and
of thoroughness in whatever part they
may take in the worlds work.
Theodore Roosevelt"
In addition to the morning and even
ing exercises, mammoth prayer meet
ings were held in the early morning
at the various theological seminaries,
and during the afternoon many dele
gates gathered a the different city
churches to discuss problems in regard
to the future of the negro race.
Rev. ]. w. E. Bowen of the Gam
mon Theological Seminary, Atlanta,
presided over the morning session, and
5000 delegates were present when the
gathering was called to order.
An interesting feature of to-day's
session was the farewell talk of the
delegates of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, Bishops John M. Walden of
Cincinnati, and Isaac w. Joyce of
Minneapolis. The general subject for
discussion during the morning was
1.-The Religious Life of the Race" The
first paper read was on THE Present
Religious Status of the Negroes in the
United States" by Rev. E. Lyon of
Baltimore. He Indignantly denied the
statement that the negro had no reli-
gious status. Being a man, he is
religious being, he said He claimed
for the negro what he termed the six
elements of religion: Humility, pa
thence, endurance, forgiveness, charity
and brotherly love. Measured by these
standards, the negro was religious.
The Negro Defended.
Speaking of lynchings, Rev. Lyon
said: THE negro has been lynched
and his body used as fagots for bon
fires, but there is no record in the
courts of the law charging the negro
with leading mob against his per-
secutors, or with putting torch even
to the homes of his enemies"
THE negro" he said, lis a friend
of law and order.
HE is neither striker, a socialist,
nor an anarchist" He referred to the
work of the negro troops in Cuba dur
ing the Spanish war, and
spoke of his position in the various
churches.
Kew. George II. motifs Oh MOIIlS
town, n. j., the next spea ker, talked
on the Ante Bellum Religious Life of
the Race
In an original poem, Rev. D. w.
Davis of Richmond declared that the
negro must fight his own ignorance
and sin more than the hate and preju-
dice without.
The Negro Too Emotional.
T.. - ,.o.ov ~ +bo stvNr,,a apd False
in the Revival Methods of the Race,
Rev. A. c. Gardner of Washington
stated that most of the negro's
troubles grew out of emotionalism
Emotionalism has some virtue, but 1t
must not be the only result of re-
vival
I'm some of our churches the chief
evidence of conversion is found in ex-
elements, visions, strange phenomena
and great physical agitation. The
temperament and mental caliber of
pastor and people make this both pos
sible and agreeable, but this is not
spiritual power"
The subject of revivals was further
discussed in the speech of A. l..
Gaines of Norfolk. Va.
The need of properly trained min
istry." was explained by D. j. Sanders
of Biddle University, Charlotte, N. c.
"A properly trained ministry is nee
essary," he said. 1.-THE negro is dis
proportionately dependent on their
ministry for religious leadership. He
is also injured by caste distinction.
Many intelligent negroes are deferred
from entering the ministry by the
manifest influence of weak men in the
ministry"
A. w Pegues of Shaw University.
Raleigh. N. c., talked on the same
subject. Ministers should be well
educated. Men in other lines find II
necessary. Why should not ministers?
With too many of us religion is emo
ton"
Music and EIocutiOn.
The evening session of the confer
ence was devoted entirely to music
and elocution. Prominent participants
in the programme were Prof. D. W.
Davis of Richmond, Liattah B. Mar
shan of New Orleans, and Laura An
derson of Cincinnati.
The musical programme included Sc
lections from Handel, Rossini, Verdi
and many other classical composers:
Prof. c. G. Harris of Tuskegee 'ed
me chorus of 500 voices.
Delegates are still arriving in the
city, and the attendance is expected 10
reach 10000 by tomorrow night.
MET THE nCMIIGEE.