The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-08
ROOSEVELT WRITES
 NEGRO CONGRESS
States Regrets Because He is
 Unable to Visit Atlanta
5000 DELEGATES PRESENT
Many Papers Are Read at Meeting By Prominent Educators of Race-At. tendance of Ten Thousand Is
 Expected Today.

Atlanta, August 7.-strong addresses de- livered by prominent leaders of the race made interesting today's session of the Negro Young Peoples Christian and Ed ucational Congress. and from the sunrise prayer meetings until the close of the grand concert at night, in which 800 voices took part the days programme was com- p1ete.
 The following letter of regret from President Roosevelt was read:
 Corresponding Secretary. Negro Young
 Peoples Christian and Education Con
 gross:
 My Dear Sir: Your letter of recent date referring to the proposed Negro Young l Peoples Congress to be held in Atlanta Agust to Il, 1902, has been received. I very much regret that 1t will not be pos sible for me to attend, but I take pleas ure in sending to the congress, through you, greetings and best wishes for its success in inculcating in the young peo- pie of your race principles of right think ing. of unswerving integrity and of thor oughness in whatever part they may take in the worlds work.
 (Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
 In addition to the morning and evening exercises mammoth prayer meetings were held in the early morning at the various theological seminaries and during the af- ternoon many delegates gathered at the different city churches to discuss prob lems in regard to the future of the negro race.
 5000 Delegates Present. The Rev. Dr. J. w. E. Bowen of the Cannon Theological seminary, Atlanta, presided over the morning session, and 5000 delegates were present when the gathering was called to order.
 An interesting feature of today's ses- sion was the farewell talk of the dele gates of the Methodist Episcopal church, Bishops John M Waldon of Cincinnati and Isaac W. Joyce of Minneapolis.
 The general subject for discussion dur ing the morning was ''The Religious Lafe of the Race"
 The first paper read was on The Present Religious Status of the Negroes in the United States" by the Rev Ernest Lyon of Baltimore. He indignantly refut- ed the statement that the negro had no religious status; being a man, he Is a religious being. Dr. Lyon claimed for the negro what he termed the six ele- ments of religion: Humility, patience, en- durance, forgiveness. charity and broth erly love- Measured by these standards the negro was religious.
 Speaking of lynchings, he said
 '"The negro has been lynched and his body used as fagots for bonf1res, but there is no record in the courts of the l 1ax NIa mob against his prosecutors, or with put ting torch even to the homes of his enemies"
 'The negro" he said, Ifs a friend of law and order. He Is neither a striker, a socialist nor an anarchist"
 He referred to the work of the negro troops in Cuba during the Spanish-Amer- ican war, and spoke of his position in the various churches.
 The Rev. George E. Morris. of Morris town, N. J., the next speaker talked on the "Ante-bellum Religious Life of the Race"
 Negro Must Fight Ignorance. In an original poem, the Rev. D. Web ster Davis of Richmond Va, declared that the negro must fight his own ignor- ance and sin more than the hate and prejudice without
 In paper on the True and false in the revival methods of the race" the Rev. A. c. Gardner of Washington, D. C., 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 revival. Tn some of our churches the chief evidence of conversion Is found in settlements, visions, strange phenomena and great physical agitation The temperament and mental calibre of l pastor and people make this both pos sible and agreeable, but this is not spirit ual power" he said.
 The subject of revivals was further dis cussed in the speech of A L. Gaines os Norfolk. Va.
 ''The need of a properly trained min istry." was explained by President D. J. Sanders of Riddle university, Charlotte. N. C.
 "A properly trained ministry is neces- sary," he said. The negro is dispropor- | tionately dependent on the ministry for religious leadership. He is also injured by caste distinction. Many intelligent ne- groes are deterred from entering the ministry by the manifest influence of weak men in the ministry
 Prof. A. w. Pegus of Shaw University, Raleigh, N. C.. talked on the same sub ject.
 Ministers should be well educated. Men in other lines find it necessary. Why should not ministers? With too many of us religion is emotion.'
 The evening session of the congress was devoted entirely to music and elocution. Prominent participants in the programme were Prof D. Webster Davis of Rich mond, Miss Liattah B. Marshall of New Orleans, and Miss Laura Anderson of Cincinnati The musical programme in- cluded selections from Handel Rossini. Verdi and many other classical compos- CTS. Prof Charles c. Harris of Tuskegee led the chorus of five hundred voices.
 Delegates are still arriving in the city and the attendance is expected to reach hxrf fAxn 4<xt,A