The colored American., 1903-03-28
P1sHOP HOODS ADDRESS.
Tho PrOvidential Purpose in the Ne
oro Church Eloquently and Phil
osoDhicaIly Discussed by
lot

The Metropolitan A. M. e. Church,
,,.,+ad on NJ street, was honOred with
large and representative gathering
;, irs lecture room last Tuesday night
- hear the address of Bishop J. w.
Hood who took for his subject 'The
providential Purpose in the Negro
church President George w. Jackson
orasided while Miss Ella M. Boston,
the recording secretary, Officiated. The
bishop took high grounds in presenting
his new subject and showed by ancient
PfbIical history that Ham was black
man and that the Egyptians and other
dark races of Egypt were descendants
of Ham. After fully sustaining his
claim both from ancient history and
the Bible he showed that the Negro
church in America was the work OF
Providence and that God in his in
finite wisdom and mercy was behind
the movement.
While much has been said about the
early colOred churches in America the
bishop showed by facts and figures
that there was a simultaneous move
ment on the part of the cOlOred people
in various sections of the country tC
organiZe churches of their own and to
follow the tenets of the faith which
they had wOrshipped in the white
churches. This Simultaneous move
ment of the cOlOred people took place
in the Eastern and Southern States
about the same time. Wonderful
movement. that without rapid transit
such as steam boats, steam cars, tele-
graph and telephone that the Negro
MethOdists of New York and Pennsy-
vania and the Baptists of irginia and
Georgia who severed their relations
from the white churches about the
same time. The movement which led
uP to the formation of Negro churches
was due TO the prescription and the
restraint which were placed upon the
people who were permitted to attend
white churches.
They had to sit in the rear of the
church, said the bishop, or they would
he up in certain places of the gallery
Of thechurch, known as NEGRO
corner" and in many instances OBJ
tlincd admission to the church through
Sjairways from the outside, so that
they would not have to come in con-
tact with the white people. In many
cases they were forced to sit in sheds
outside of the church where they
could hear the minister, but could not
see him. This led the Negro to organ
lie a church of his own. The bishop
then showed that the early leaders OF
The race were the eXhorterS and
preachers who learned how to call
meetings. together, how to preside, how
TO OragniZe and how to conduct public
meetings. When Emancipation came
the only men of the race who were
capable Of taking the leadership in
public affairs and who, of course, took
the lead in politics, were the ministers,
and but for these men the race would
have been leaderless.
The bishop showed what great pro
gresS had been made by the Negroes
through the church, and what great
and powerful influence the churches
eLerred. 1t has done more to unity
l1e race, to teach them the power of
@saniZation, to develop the ablest men
and the most powerful forces than any
gNer agency. At the conclusion of
lis address he received hearty ap-
Pause. After music by the choir, a
lSeussiOn was participated in Dyer
discussion of his address was partici-
Ealed in by Prof. J. w Crumwell, Hon.
John c. aDncy, Lawyer ]. M. Kicks,
riot L. NJ. Hershaw, Rev. J. B. Boil
ing, Rev. S. S. Corrothers, Prof. w. II.
Lerrls and Miss Maria L. Gordon. The
discussion provoked much interest and
Nr h. L II