The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-08
TO RAISE
THE NEGRO
DR.. Mitchell Wants the De-
nomination to Undertake 1t.
APPOINT A COMMISSION
Remarkable Editorial in the Christian
Advocate on the Subject of Trusts.
What the Article
Says.
APPOINT A COMMISSION

Considerable Of a stir Is expected to
sue of the Religious Herald, of this city,
Of an editorial calling upon the demonlna-
ton to lend hand toward the solution
Of the negro problem In the South by
the appointment Of commission of prom
trent men to study the conditions and
report some feasible means OF helping
the black brethren.
The writer is Or. 8. G. Mitchell, Of
Richmond College. professor Of history
in that institution. Tho matter to which
he refers is one of very unusual inter-
est and what he proposes Is something
decidedly now. He has himself given
close study to the negro problem and
several able articles have appeared from
his PEN His suggestion TO the denom-
inatlon, of which lie Is one Of the most
prominent and influential ministers, will
be received with great interest.
WHAT HE PROPOSES.
DR.. Mitchell declares his belief that
commission of the wisest men in the de-
nomination appointed by the Southern
Baptist Convention to study the problem
and to report some feasible means of help
ing the negroes more effectively would
result in good. Such a step on the part
OF the Baptists would express In an I'M
mistakablc way the genuine sympathy
they feel in the well-heing of their black
brother a commission of this kind would
also bring to the attention of the Baptist
people anew the necessity OF working III
a. practical and gradual way at this prob
lem, throwing all theories to the wlnds.
This duty devolves more especially upon
the Baptlsts because the vast majority
of the negroes In the south are OF Inc
Baptist persuasion.
According to Dr Mitchell, there Is no
work before Southern Baptists that IS
comparable in significance with this task
OF elevating the black people of the
South.
while We have no measures ourselves
to suggest for the report of such COM
mission" he says, eve believe that wise
brethren, by taking counsel together,
could bring us light and leading. and be
perhaps the means Of initiating work
for the colored people that might yield
era tifying results. 'Wha tsoever thy hand
findeth to do. do 1t with thy might
Here is a supreme task-we had almost
said a supreme test-for our religion.
Shall we lay hold of 1t with courage.
faith and conscientlousness? What do
the brethren tIllllh L-Cl 10 iiSt'h 'S''A
you as to commission to suggest to us
as denomination such practical ap-
proaches to this problem as are deemed
lest
ADVOCATE ON TRUSTS"
The Christian Advocate of this week
contains a remarkable three-coumn ar
ticle entitled ''The Presages of the Depli:'
Bar" It refers to the recent session
OF lawyers at Hot Springs and the dis
cussion there on the subject of Trusts"
Then the Advocate discusses trusts itself.
The general tenor of tho editorial may
be gathered from the following pungent
para graphs from the bottom of the third
columns:
..When a Christian nation defaults to
its principles, the plowshare Will tear up
the briars, weeds, vile herbs. Christen-
dom was corrupt to the core when Ma
homet with fire and sword eXtermlnated
It's superstition and rottenness.
I'm essence, the Trusts are the diameter
of the poles from the Man with Towel
washing the feet Of his fellows 1t IS
an attempt to enslave a nation OF free
men at a period when the bulk of them
sacrificed billions and the first born sons
of choice households by the tens OF thou
sands to give liberty to a low race OF
Africans. Is there not judicial blindness
in the purpose Of the Trusts?
eve discuss In such large space th's
subject for it concerns civilization, Chris
tianity, every citizen. 1T Is the imperial
theme