Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-04-29
Our Duty Towards the Negro
Rey. Thornton WhaAng, u. d., in P,es6yte,,a,
QOa1fetiy, ApyH, Ioo5.

J. IMPOSES upon us, as individuals AM
Il as a church, a duty which we canno
- evade, any more than we can escap
= our own consciousness or surrende
% our own being. Every now and thel
4 some one, who has surveyed more G.
/. less carefully something like few
square acres Of ground, tells us that
like the Indians, this race is dying
out, and is destined to extinction. II
:, this were true, It would not alter oul
I duty to the nine millions of living
members Of that race, and to theil
, gradually decreasing descendants,
who mustlast for many generations.
. But thisviewofthe gradual decrease
! and final extinction of the negro race
. IN America is not supported by the
best authority we have on this sub
jest, viz., the various censuses of the
United States, in which various flaws
i may be picked here and there. but
which gives us the best approxima-
ton to the truth on this subject we
, cenobtoin. Thisauthority promises
us no relief in the way Of gradual
extinction from the pressure which
these millions Of colored pc 0pleim
pose.
"Some years ago an interesting
writer published "A book entitled An
Appeal to Pharaoh, in which he adj
vocated the forced colonization of
tbs race in the original home from
which they were brought: a view
which has found advocates in the
Senate Of the United States. but
whose impracticability, from every
standpoint, is it's condemnation. If
one hundred ships carryingfive hun
bred passengers were to make two
trips IL year in the work Of the en-
forcedgOvernmenta transportation
Of this race to the continent from
which their fathers came, after all
the expense and suffering which |
such a measure would entail, there
would be just as many left in this
country at the end of the year as
when the work began. for they are
increasing at the rate of more than
one hundred thousand per year.
Our duty, therefore, towards this
race is one which we can in no wise
escape, and from which our children
and children's children for untold
generations will doubtless find no
door of escape opening for them
through either the gradual extinc-
ton or the enforced colonization Of
this people. What, therefore, is the
duty which the white man owes to
the negro? There is a wide field
opened here, but we write now as a ,
Of the gospel, and answer: t
The white man owes the negro the {
gospel of Jusus Christ. We stand On j
Il platform which must command c
universal assent when | say we owe L
the negro the gospel, and ought to
pay the debt. We might go further
and say that all our conduct toward =
he negroought to be inspired by the :
principles of the gospel, but that 5
'pens too wide field, and purposely q
larrows the scopeof this note to the o
Jingle point that We ought to give s
o them the pure gospel of the Son II
# Cod p,
After stating the duty to the h
egro because of his dependence $
pom and close association with the
whites, and outlining plan for his o..
eligious training, which training :,
es essentially in educated color :, -
d ministry. DR.. Whaling closes -
nth the following reference: 81
''These words are written under ~
he influence of the traditions and ~
istory of the church of which the =,
ritter is the pastor. Perhaps the -,
rst colored Presbyterian minister ",
the United States was member ".
Lexington Presbyterian Church, =
he was certainl y taken under the
ire of the Presbytery of Lexington Nd
hen meeting in this church, in nc
ctober, 1899, and licensed one year oy
ter by the same Presbytery. when 60
Getting in Lewisbug, w. Va, the H.
ev.John Chayis byname, forneariy VI
rty years preacher in the Pres S''
1terian Church. And our lecture :"
ON, with its historic col0red Sab ne
lth-schoOl, differed and taught III
r StOnewall Jackson and others, WI
hose names ar, hOnOred far and
de, makes an appeal which must vi
heard. And all over our South cai
nd are scattered churches which, sta
true to their traditions, to their no
esentduty, and to their Lord must VIII
give that as he sits over against you
e treasury watching their gifts, NIr
will say, 'They have given the
lch. Amen y can
req
After two years of local option ooo
Buchanan Magisterial District, A
,etition has been presented to the sole
txv 81 l. %, u 1.