Evening journal., 1903-02-06
'COLORED PREACHER ON
WORSHIP OF HIS RACE
He Scores His Brethren in
Both Prayer Meetings
and Revivals

The Rev. J. Albert Stemett. OF this
city, the well-xnown evangelist and Il
gave a lecture in Fieldsboro
on Wednesday night The speaker n
said in part:
have not come here tonight to talk
about myself That is one job that q
good many people relieve me Of. The
reason | make q speciality OF the sub
ject that use tonight is that a great
MANY pastors say: REV. SterTett \
speaks the truth. but l cannot afford
TO preach the truth to my congrega-
tion so forcibly."
They say It would make the people /
angry, and cause them to lose a great
deal OF their salary Also they would
be unable to relieve themselves Of the
great financial obligations annually APP
portioned them by their superiors.
| can afford TO. simply because 1
have resolved TO starve sooner than
scratch the etching ears" of a pervert-
ed congregation by deliveing TO them |
a deceitful message. / do not land |
thank God for iD ask support OF a |
people who are not willing to receive |
the unadulterated word of God. Some /
time ago a few preachers formed a
traitorous conspiracy in order to rout
me and curtai my religious influence |
They stumbled over their own hes, /
and fell into the very same pits they
/ digged for me- 1 did not give them
passing notice. The Gates of He'll
cannot prevail against the TRUTH let
alone n few Insignificant preachers
This is the only apology ] mnke for
what shall say tonight
B. Should a delegation of colored
church members go from some places
that you and know OF TO Washing
ton, to interview the President about
, something OF grave Importance to their
: race. and should the President say to
}. them, LET us pray over this matter
l. and urge them to pray exactly as they
= would II at home in their churches.
l. he would see them take off their coli
lars. cuffs, coats and vests, and wrap
= their suspenders around their waists,
r and begin to ''pray' just like they
I; would at home.
n They would start moderately. mot
, rushing the spiit' gradually increas-
+ ing their force by smacking their
Q hands, jumping shouting, halloOing,
weeping, faintlng, raging with emotion
until the supplicants became exhaust
ed, and the perspiration and odor re-
suting from their homeiike prayer ne
X, oessitated lowering the White House
. windows "a lttfe at the ton" causing
Il the President to wish he had not en-
Z joined prayer. and to believe that he
had never before witnessed the 'stren-
uous life"
Should you visit negro prayer
meeting OF revival held in some Of
their churches. and at their campmeet-
- ings, you win see how he prays at
home. II you ever lived within one
half mile of a colored church you have
doubtless heard down the negro
prays at home.
le After speaking about the origin OF
the negro prayer meeting the speaker
said; II the negro desires classification
as a civilized being, and solicits Amer
lean assistance and recognition. he
; must drop the Devils Bush Dance" OF
darkest Africa. and initiate the polish
ed Indian. who loses sight of the War
a Dance OF darkest America.
They say it Is "old time religion, b
which is true Indeed. It was practced
by them long before the year 1919, and
before they ever heard the story
Jesus of Nazareth Passeth BY" They
say Our pastor tells us Il is right II,
\ is educated and should know. We be
2 lieve him"
know some colOred ministers VIII,
1T will not allow such practices. They
aaIl ufpTfIH
b's are educated, too. but they have thu
sse ability TO minister a pure Christianit,
pm to a needy people. There are some
1n't but a very few colored people. wh,
in would laugh in the face of a preache
ne. who advocated such things Further
more, If your pastor teaches you sllcl
% supersutious principles, his education
- Is not serving its purpose.
- l know Of an African heathen wh
was sent by missionaries to Americ
to be civilized and schOoled While /
school he was called TO preach Whe
he finished he made a dash for Afric
rP to preach to his former tribesmel
When he arrived and saw the scenes
I'D his childhood, he pulled on his Amer
can suit and put on the skin Tacke
All his American university diploma on
tree for the monkeys to throw coco
nuts at while he danced with sava,
delight as of yore. Moral-It is nj
always safe to initiate your preache
.et. simply because they have gone throug
school.
A few weeks ago in a colored mini
terial meeting / mentioned somethir
about heathen practices in religion.
was not to my surprise that some
the most learned preachers in the gat
Su ering repudiated me. and some seem,
very much appalled, at not possessil
greater zeal in order that they won
be a more formidable adjunct to 4
cause requiring great physical enere
regardless of an absent spirituality.
a. Some of the most successful parti,
pants In these mad demonstrations a
too often the worst persons in a cor
IN. munity. I was in church once where
Irs.I a.