The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-20
WORK AMONG THE NEGROES.
NORTHERN PRESBYTERIAN DIS
CUSS THE SUBJECT.

A Variety of Views Expressed-Pres-
byterian Church Not Doing Its
Share, Said Secretary Cowan-The
Negro Emotional and Superstitious
Said st. Augustine Prencher-Pres-
! byterians Only spent SIG5.oOO In
This Work Last YearNegrO Clergy
man Said They Were Here to stay.
New York, May 19.--To-day marked
the beginning of the centennial cele-
bration of the Presbyterian home mis-
sions, which is being held in connec-
/ tion with the general assembly. Rev.
/ DIR. Samuel A. Martin, president of
! Wilson College, Chambersburg, Pa,
chairman of the standing committee
on freedmen's missions. presented the
thirty seventh annual report of the
board of missions for freedmen.
Rev. DR.. e. p. Cowan, corresponding
secretary and treasurer of the board
for freedmen, said that the Presby-
terrain Church would have to bestir it
self and do its share of the work
among the freedmen if the day was
to be ushered in when the freedmen
political, but spiritual equals of the
whites.
Rev. John N. MacGonigle of St. Au-
gustine, Fla. also made an appeal for
the freedmen's missions. He COM
menced by saying that the negro was
not religious by nature. He was only
emotional and superstitious. The av-
erage negro preacher in the South was
ignorant.
"They play upon the emotions of their
people on Sundays" he said, by
preaching about a paradise of laziness
as a reward for the good, and hell
for the wicked. On week days they set
examples which will lead those that
follow them to eternal perdition."
Mr. MacGonigle said the best negro,
officially, in the South was the Roman
Catholic or Presbyterian. He offered
an amendment to the report of the
Standing Committee, recommending
that the contributions of the church
to the freedmen's work be increased so
per cent. during the coming year.
Rev. Levi ]. Melton, negro preach
err of Charlotte, N. c., next spoke. He
made a plea for the work among the
negroes.
The report of the freedmen's board,
with the Rev. Mr.. MacGonigle's
amendment, was accepted and adopted.
Rev DR.. r. A. Mckinley of Steu-
benville, o., presented the report of
the Board of Education, which was
adopted.
Negroes the PIantfOrm.
At the night session at the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church. Rev. DR..
IL. c.. McClelland of Pittsburg, presi-
dent of the board of Freedman's Mis-
sions presided. On the platform with
him were several negro ministers.
Rev. Dr. David Kennedy, pastor Of
the First Presbyterian Church of AL
leghany, spoke in behalf of the negro
cause in the South. The speaker said
that last year the Presbyterians spent
but 1855, 900 in on effort to better the
condition of the negro race. He said
that prejudice did more to hinder the
cause than anything else, one class
holding that negroes are a coordinate
race, while others hold that by design
of Providence the negro is an enfeebled
race.
1--WE should forego these prejudices,'
he said, 'let Christ work out that
question, and show whether or not
they are a coordinate race"
Rev. Clarence Diller, a negro Pres
byterian clergyman of Goldsboro, n.
c., made an impassioned address in
behalf of the negro. He said that In
1919 there were but twenty negro men
In this country. "Since then" he said.
1--WE have been faithful and obedient
under the circumstances that have
confronted us. We have been faithful
in all your wars and al San Juan Hill
we were among the Rough Riders and
probably saved the life of our beloved
President In that famous charge.
"Forty-four years ago l was a slave
and tonight am Presbyterian Min
lister standing in a Fifth avenue
church. We are eight and one-half
million strong; we are strong in num-
hers and we are here to stay"
lie said in conclusion that the Pres
byterian church Is doing more for the
negroes that all others combined.