The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-17

opportunity for labor and the reward
stances OF the south render the prob
lem there far greater and far more
acute.
The problem Is so I adjust the re-
fations between two races OF differ
ent ethic type that the rights OF
neither be abridged nor jeoparded:
that the backward race be trained 81
That ii may enter into the posses
sion Of true freedom. while the for
ward race is enabled to preserve un-
harmed the high civilization wrought
out by its ~forefathers- The working
out of this problem necessarily
be slow: 1t is not possible in o1hand
fashion to obtain or to confer the
priceless boons of freedom. industrial
efficiency. political capacity. and do
mestic morality. Nor is it only ae-
cessary to train the colored man: it
is quite as necessary to train the
white man, for on his shoulders rests
q weIlnigh unparalleled sociological
responsibility. 1t is a problem de-
handing the best thought. the most
patience. the most earnest effort, the
broadcast charity, of the statesman, h
student, the philanthropist; of the
leaders of thought in every depart
ment of ou- national life. The
church can be a most important fac
tor in solving it Alright. But above
all else we need for its successful so
luton the sober, kindly. steadfast.
unselfish performance OF duty by the
average plain citizen in his everyday
dealings with his fellows.
The ideal Of elemental justice me-
ted out to every man is the ideal We
should keep ever before us. 1t Till
be many a long day before we attain
to it, and unless we show not only
devotion to it. but also wisdom and
self-restraint in the exhibition of that
devotion. we shall defer the time for
its realization still further. In striv-
ing to attain to SO much of it as con
Germs dealing with men Of different
colors. we must remember two things.
In the first place. it is true Of the
coiored man, as it is true of the
white man, that in the long run his
fate must depend far more upon his
own effort than upon the efforts OF
any outside friend. Every vicious,
liz VI III III f1ail A| XII
ever greater foe to his own race than
to the community as a whole The
colored mans ~self-respect entities
him to do that share in the political
work of the country which Is warrant
ed by his individual ability and in
tegrity and the position he has won
for himself. But the prime requi-
site of the ace is moral and indus
trial uplifting.
Laziness and shiftlessness, these.
and above all, vice and criminality o.
every kind. are evils more potent for
harm to the black race than all acts
Of oppression OF white men. put to-
gether. The colored man who fails
to condemn crime in another colored
man, who fails to cooperate in all
lawful ways in bringing colored GRIM
inals to justice, is the worst enemy
of his own people. as we'll as an enc
my to all The people. Law-abiding
black men should for the sake OF
their race, be foremost in relentless
and ~unceasing warfare against law
breaking black men. If h stand
ards of private morality and indus
trial efficiency can be raised high
enough among the black ace then it's
future on this continent is secure. The
stability and purity of the home is
vital to the welfare Of the black race,
as it is to the welfare Of every race.
In the next place the white a
who, if only he is willing, can help
the colored man more than all other
white men put together, is the white
man who is his neighbor, North Or
South. Each of US must do his whole
duty without f1inching, and if that
duty is national it must be lone In
accordance with h principles above
laid down. But in endeavoring Ia
to pe his brothers keeper it is wise
to remember that each can normally
do most for the brother who is his
immediate neighbor, If we are sin
cere friends Of the negroNlet us each
in his own locality show it by his ac-
ten therein, and let us each show it
also by upholding the hands Of the
white a in whatever locality, who
is striving to do justice to the poor
and the helpless to be a shield to
those whose need for such a shield
Is great.
The heartiest Acknowledgements are
IL to the ministers, the judges and
law officers, the grand Jurles, the
the public men, and the great daily
newspapers in the south, who have
recently done such effective work in
leading the crusade against lynchins
in the south; and 1 am glad to say
hat during the las three months
the returns. as far as they can be
gathered, show a smaller number OF
l%ynchings than for any other two
months during the last twenty years.
Let us uphold in every way the hands
Of the men who LAY led in this work.
who are striving to do all their work in
this spirit. I am about to quote from
the address Of the Right Reverend
Strange, Bishop Coadjutor Of North
Carolina, as given in the southern
Churchman of October 8, 1904:
The bishop first enters an emphatic
plea against any social informing
ling of the races: a question which
must, of course, be left to the people