Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-16
SAYS GARRY ARMS
PREACHER URGES NEGROES TO
PROTECT THEMSELVES.
Rev. F. c. Lomack, of Des Moines,
Formerly of the Second coIored Bap-
fist Church Of ottumWa Raises
Storm Of Comment by Sermon.

Rev. F. c. Lomack, who was at one
time pastor of the colored Second Bap- |
fist church of Ottumwa and who later |
built church of his own on North |
Jefferson street. on last Sunday even !
ing preached a sermon in his present !
church, the First Baptist church of
Des Moines, in which he urges the |
colored people to arm themselves and
kill the lawless among the white race
who believe in lynching. That the ad-
vice of the former Ottumwan does not
meet with the approval with the calm
er and more thoughtful people of the
colored race is evident from the nu
merous interviews which have already
appeared attacking his standpoint
and cautioning the more reckless indi-
viduals not to be misled by such hot
headed and i'll advised talk.
A portion of the sermon which has
excited so much unfavorable comment
is as follows:
81 believe that the grand old republic
can party of this nation whenever we
take manly stand first from relig-
ious standpoint, moral standpoint
and educational standpoint, patriotic
standpoint and a race standpoint of
view, and prove to them that we are
willing to die for those we love and for
the rights and privileges of the race,
and flag of this country, and the laws
which created us what we are, by said
party. that there will be among them
abolitionists of today who will come to
our rescue and will assist in relieving
us from this horrible oppression, and
when we shall have proven to this
grand old party that we have the man.
hood and courage to stand for our
rights granted us by the constitution
of these United States, and if neces-
sary, drink cur own blood, in the de-
Tense of said laws and our rights, we
will not dream once more then of a
Lovejoy, Phillips, Garrison, Beecher
Sumner. John Brown and Grant But
we shall have them in reality in the
persons of the abolitionists of today,
whose hearts are throbbing and wait
ing for the action of the negro, in his
own behalf; then shall the negro arm
themselves against the white race, not
as a race. on the WHOLE. nor the gov
eminent, but they should arm them
selves against the thugs and lawless
of the white race when they come to
burn negro at the stake, charged
with a crime, irregardless of whether
he be guilty or not. and all the-news-
papers Of the country cannot do for us
that which we must do for ourselves.
God himself will not do for us what we
must first do for ourselves, but it is
preposterous for any one of us: togo
upon the assumption that the Presi-
dent and the newspapers will do for us
,,,Jo Il ff>,.
Brethren and friends, can we do
otherwise than to indorse this spirit
after a review carefully of sacred and
profane history, for there has never
been q time since the worlds history,
that any race, nationality or nations
ever received help when oppressed un-
til after they had convinced those de-
string TO help them that they, them
selves were willing to sacrifice their
own blood for the principles for which
they commended.
''Lynching in this country will new
er cease until the black men take up
arms and fight against it, and thus
kill many of the lawless and thugs
from among the white race who be-
lieve in lynching. This work must
begin in the south and by the black
man, and whenever assaulted in the
manner in which they ly2ch our race,
We must make UP our minds that we
have got to lose thousands of men in
battle with the lawless of this coun-
try | mean the south before we shall
ever be released by the government
or any other nation or governments.
So arm yourselves and prepare for the
great work that must be performed
by us and the help of Almighty God"