The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-06-29
OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
NEGRO.

importance, hesitancy naturally
comes to any thinking man before
expressing an opinion. That there is
Ia race problem before US there can
be no question. 1t manifests itself in
la dozen different ways every day. 1t
is surcharged wire live to the touch
and capable of varied phenomena
from every standpoint. Conditions and
not theories confront it's very being.
There is one general law, however,
which can be expressed in a few
words and that is Christianity is COM
lprehensive enough to embrace every
human problem and potent enough to
solve every human problem. Chris
tianity is the most practical thing in
the world, and God Evidently meant
for it to have the most practical ex-
preston. 1t is an evidence above all
things of a sound mind. Rightly ap-
piled to any problem, social, racial,
physical or spiritual, it is the key to
the situation.
There can be no room as to whether
the negroes need the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Ethiopia stretches out her
arms unto God and whoever has the
Great tidings and can reach the negro
is responsible for getting the tidings
to him. We are debtors to the negroes
in our midst so far as the gospel is
concerned.
! God broke down the middle wall of
partition between the nations when
He sent universal Redeemer. Out of
every nation, kindred, tongue and
tribe, they are to come to Him.
Our difficulties are great; greater
in fact, than the obstacles confront
ing the missionary to African tribes
in the dark continent. A great social
gun yawns between the whites and
blacks of the south.
Neither time, nor heat nor thunder
can wholly do away l ween with
thoughts of that which once hath
been" A religious gulf yawns in that
as a result largely of the civil war
and there has Deen a complete sepa-
ration so far as church work is con-
cerned. Negro churches with negro
pastors, white churches with white
pastors, practically and almost COM
pletely no conference or consolation,
or unity as to work is the order of
the day. The white pastor who used
to be called upon for help or even to
preach to the negroes no longer has
much of that cort of work to do and
no white pastor of my acquaintance
would have a negro occupy his pull
pit under anything except the most
extraordinary circumstances. Occa-
sionally at conventions. state or
southern negro preachers will address
the body, and as a general thing at
convention meetings visiting breth-
rem visit and preach to the negro
churches This is not reciprocal, how
ever.
The condition of the negro is deplo-
rable one from many standpoints. Po-
litically he has been practically elm
mated, except in local option cleo
lions. Some of the strongest uphold
ers of the white mans primary, both
pro and anti will use every means in
their power to carry an election when
it comes to question of wet or dry
by negro vote.
Spiritually and religiously the ne
gro is much practiced upon. There
are many negro preachers who have
upon their hearts the Outstanding
of their race, but many others con-
stitute the worst enemies to genuine
Christian development. Ignorance is
no rare thing among them to say the
least and to play upon the emotions
is a prominent feature of ministerial
work. Sensuality is the worst sin of
the race, and most unfortunately and
shamefully it is felt as to it's infiu-
ence among the whites. A mulatto
has invariably black mother, but
he furnishes a sphinx question that
ought to brand the white cheek with
an indelible blush of shame. Every
mulatto in the south is illegitimaet!
This evil grovels in the dust and
sinks back to hell when Christ is
truly in the heart of the lowest of the
low among black or white.
Physically the negro is in bad
shape-consumption and several dis
eases are playing most conspicu-
Gus part in his destruction.
Socially the negro plays no part.
Indeed would not be understood on
this point. l believe social equality
with its natural sequences would be
the most hideous and awful thing
possible, but it stirs the heart to see
the great per cent. of negro prisoners