The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-24
THE NEGRO PROBLEM
Addresses by Rev. H. H.
Proctor and President
GLADDEN..
CBy the Associated Press.)

New London, Conn, Oct. 23.-Rev.
Washington Gladden. of Ohio, was today
re- e-elected president of the American
Missionary Association. Among the
speakers at the closing session were
Miss Mary E. Westgate, of Blowing
Rock. n. c.: Mrs. Ella Sheppard, of
Nashville, Tenn: Mrs H. H. Proctor,
Atlanta. Ga, and Mrs. Minnie Cross
thewaite. Knoxville. Tenn.
An address by Rev. H. H. Proctor
of Georgia, was listened to with particu-
lar interest in connection with a report
on Southern church work by Rev. Ed
ward NJ Noyes. d. D., of Massachu
sctts.
"As a race" said Mr. Proctor. 1--WE
form one-tenth OF the nation and one
third of the South. We shall contribute
at least that proportion toward tearing
down or building up. There are 7,VVJ,-
GOO negroes in the South and of these al
least 1000 900 are outside of any church
as many as were set free generation
ago. One-half the black race is un-
churched and one half of the existing
churches are totally incompetent to meet
the religious needs of their members
Fully one half of the ministers are yet
unprepared mentally and spiritually tC
properly minister to the people.
mo other denomination has built as
many schools amongst us as the Con
grcgatfonalsts and no other leading
denomination has so few churches. Tho
success of your school work makes the
expansion of your church work i'm
perative.
There is a real breach between the ole
church and the new negro. Unless it bt
filled. we shall reap a crop of black
intidels. The best way to fill that breacl
is to multiply Congregational churches
in the South. The young negro today
is doing an immense amount of thinking
He is thinking on questions of religion
Unless the church can answer the deeI
questions he is pondering and PROFOUND
ing, he will turn away from it,
In his annual address today, President
GLADDEN. said:
What a tremendous problem still i:
this problem of the black race at tho
South There have been times when
seemed to us that we were getting i,
pretty well out of our hands, but Ne
such possibility is now in sight. 1t was
never more serious than it is today.
THE men who are seeking to co
operate with the Southern people in pro
noting the general cause of education
at the South have undertaken a mos
patriotic service. Their efforts arc noJ
directed towards the. education of the
negro--it is the promotion Of education
in the whole country. irrespective o.
race, sex or creed to which they have
pledged themselves. 1t is not merely
an educational crusade Of the North il
the South: Southern men are in the
front of it, the North is rising in re
sponsc to the call Of the South, witt
the purpose of using its larger resource.
where they are needed most.
Education prosecuted along these
lines must result in a more intelligent
and a kindlier public sentiment toward
the negro and in a better estimate of his
rights and capabilities
This powerful movement toward tht
spread of education in the South mus
also create tremendous demand 70!
we'll trained teachers and the burdeT
thus thrown upon our colleges ant
secondary schools will be greatly in
creased. Those measures by which, il
most of the Southern States, the negro
has been practically disfranchised repre-
sent an ominous but not permanen
tendency The dsfranchisemeGt c.
ignorance or moral worthlessness is no
to be deprecated. but the drawing of tn,
line of political privilege between tho
ignorant white man aud the Ignorant
black man is a wrong that cannot endure
1t can only be justified by the deliberate
purpose to reduce the race to n subicct
condition The Southern people are es-
scntially a chivalrous. people and they
cant build their citizenship on any
measure Of injustice TO the weak. TheG
must prevail because this is Christian
age aud a Christian nation aud lie who
counts the poor and needy among his
friends has come TO reign and will reign
uAtfl has put all Ills enemies under
Ifia/