Richmond planet., 1903-03-14

BISHOP IRELAND AND THE COLOR
LINE,
A Word About the Church-Race Pre-
judice and Professionalism.

judice and Professionalism.
Baltimore. Md. Mar. 3, 1908.
Editor John Mitchell, Jr.,
Dear Sir:
notice that your recent victory
In the liable suit has caused quite a
comment and justly increased the dig
nifty and renown Of your paper; receive
my congratulations with the MANY
others you have received. The lesson
you have taught such cliques and con-
spirators against the truth shall be a
warning to the whole race to lay aside
prejudice and malice and recognize
principles of right and reason.
notice also in your last issue quota
tlons from Archbishop Ireland, the emf
nept Catholic divine, in favor of the
colored people When he speaks in IA
vor of the colored race he not only
sDsaks his own sentiments, but also
those of the Catholic Church But this
is nothing new to those who have read
of the endeavors of the church to secure
TO all mea, regardless of race or color,
ii56s y 0f both both soul and BODY.
The very thing that Protestant Chris
t-anity has not only failed to do, but
even affected to contrary. Many men
of the greatest eminence and dignity in
the Catholic Church have been noted
advocates of the colored race.
In the church of St. Augustine in the
city of Washington some time ago the
Arch bishop said:
1T makes me ashamed as a man, as a
citizen, as a Christian, TO see the preiu-
dice that is acted against the colored ci-
tlzen of America because of his color.
As to the substance, the colored man is
equal to the white man; he has a like
intellect, Sh2 same blood courses in their
veins; they are both equally the chill
dren OF a common Father, who is in
heaven. A man showed a narrowness
of mind and acted unworthy of his hu-
manity by refusing anysprivilege TO his
fellowman because he is colored. Every
prejudice entertained, every breach of
justice and charity against a fellow-citi-
zen because of color is a stain flung up
on the banner of our liberty that floats
over us.
mo church is a fit temple of God
where man, because of his color, is
excluded or made to occupy a corner.
Religion teaches that we cannot be
pleasing TO God unless we look upon all
mankind as children of our Father in
heaven. And they who order and COM
pei man because he is colored TO be-
take himself to a corner marked off for
his race; practically contradict the prin-
clples of Justice and of equal rights es-
tabllshed by the God of mercy, who
lives on the alter. Let Christians act
out their religion, and there is no more
race problem. Equality for the colored
man is coming. The colored people are
showing themselves worthy of it. Let
the colored be industrious, purchase
homes, respect law aud order, educate
themselves and their children and keep
insisting on their rights.
line color line muse go, and soon,
too. The line will be drawn at person.
al merit
This clearly refutes one of the MANY
erroneous ideas among our people con-
corning the Catholic Church. In Bra
I'll which is Catholic country. the
slaves Were freed without bloodshed
many years before the question was agi-
tated IN this country under Protestant
rule, and then it took four years of the
most barbarous slaughter of men ON
both sides TO obtain what is liberty in
name only. 1t is we'll known fact
that all the men who enact such meas
ures against the Negroes are Protes-
tants, the most of whom are as promin-
ent In their churches as in legislating
against a defenseless people Reason,
conscience and religion are tossed to the
winds as mere theory when it is q sub
ject of the Negro
The contrast will be very plainly
drawn If a colored man visits a white
Protestant Church and sits among the
congregation to find himself ushered to
the gallery; when he goes acrofs the
street TO a Catholic Church he sits in
the same pew with the white people
and kneels at the same altar at the same
time, and in no respect does he find a
difference Then he realizes the effect
upon the heart and the power of the orr
glnal and true Church of God, and that
Gods true people are indeed no respec-
ter of person, and in this one place only
he breaths the spirit of true liberty of
soul and body. The time has long since
past when, to be a race, we must lay
aside malace and superstition and study
from proper sources the true knowledge
OF those who are favorable to us. To be
true to our race and ourselves we must
be true and faithful to God, and that
religion which is not practical when
dealing with our fellow christians, but
simply held as a mass of controversial
theory, is the most dangerous form of
Inf1dellty. But our race is burdened
with host of so-called church leaders
who themselves are blinded with malice
and seek to pervert the people to crafty
personal gain. Not until we learn to
think and acknowledge and seek the
real truth will we be successful race.
Respectfully,
ORvILLE A. MCNoRToN, JR.