The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-20
CONDITIONS
IN The SOUTH,
Pastors Vivid Portrayal to As
Semb|y Of PreSbyierians.
MORALS SHOULD Be IMPROVEB
He Declared That CoIorsd People Are Emo
tOnal and SupersiliIous Rather
Than Religious.
MORALS SHOULD Be lMPROVEB

new YORK, May 2O.-ln an tmpassioned
appeal before the general assembly of
the Presbyterian church now In session
at the Fifth Avenue church. for Increased
support TO the Freednen's board, Rev.
DR.. John NJ. McGonigal OF st. Augustine
predicted that unless the moral conor-
tions of the negro of the south were bet
tered. the race problem would In time
undermine the institutions of the country.
He declared that in a majority of the
negroes the moral sense. IL not entirely
lacking, was rudimentary. and held 1t
up as the duty of the north to uplift the
men they had freed and made part OF
the body polite.
The sessions of the general assembly
marked the opening OF the great ceiebra-
ton of the centennial OF the home mis-
sion board. which will be brought 10 a
close tonight with mass meeting at Car
negie hall, at which President Roosevelt
will deliver the principal address.
After the usual devotional exercises in
the morning. which were led by Rev.
James ID. Moffat, of Washington and
jefferson university the regular session
was begun by the reading OF the report
OF the standing committee on the Freed
mans board, by Rev. Dr. s. A. Martin.
president of Wilson college, who made
n strong plea for increased support by
the church.
CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH.
Rev. Or. John NJ. McGonigal of St
Augustine was then called to the plat
form TO speak of conditions in the
south.
1T is TO you men OF the north that
We appeal" said he; you who gave your
blood to free this people and made them
part OF the body polite. What the OUT
come will be none can tell. At present
1t is like living at the foot OF slumber-
ing volcano which, like Mont Pelee. has
remained inactive fo- 80 years. Some
day, unless the soothing influence and
power OF Christ the Lord lays hand on the
race, the awful crater will burst and
carry in it's wake shame. death and de-
struction, and, more than that. dishonor
TO the name OF the man who is now ven-
Grated alike by both north and south.
"It Is mistake to think OF the negro
race as religious race; 1t is not. The
negro is superstitlous and emotional But
superstition and emotion are not religion
In a great majority of the race IL the
moral sense is not entirely wanting. IL
is rudimentary. And / make this state
ment after years of experience and asso-
citation with those who are engaged In the
endeavor TO uplift this people.
THE negro has been the victim OF
those who in pretending to minister to
his spiritual wants have made direct ap-
peals TO superstition and emotion, at one
time painting a heaven of supreme lazi-
ness and at another the terrors OF u
roasting hell. A clerical authority repre-
sented by clerical clothing, but by men
living the lives of abject beggars on the
outlook for the political rake-off and ue-
pending for support on the railroad
panic.
TOO often born In sin, with the In
bred passion OF the gaming table ana
worse, the negro race in the south pre-
sents one of the greater problems with
which we have to deal, and In pleading
for the negro. we are pleading as weil
for the white man. for In sin no color
line Is drawn.
THE best negroes | know are either
Roman Catholics or Presbyterians. Tho
Roman Catholic church appeals to them
by it's impressive service and Its strict
discipline keeps their passions in check.
The success OF the Presbyterian church
crises from it's establishment of an edu-
Gated native ministry"
ASK FOR FAIR CHANCE.
Three colored preachers-Rev. DR.. Lew
j. Melton Of Charlotte, Rev. II. w. Hol-
man OF Atlantic Synod and Rev. DIR.
Clark OF Birmingham-spoke of the work.
"AG we ask for is fair chance" saii
Rev. II. w. Holman. And II you will
not give us that. we shall do as we did
last Saturday,at the New York university.
when finding ourselves on the lower
steps leading TO the bluff. with a crowd
of brethren before us, we gently pushed.
step by step, until we reached University
Heights. traversed the corridors and en-
tered the Hall OF Fame" [Laughter.1
A most cordial reception was given to
these preachers.
After they had been heard DR.. McGon-
igal presented n resolution asking all
churches to double their contributions
for the coming year to the Freedmen's
board.