The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-21

The General Conference of the Color ed Methodist Episcopal Church will meet in its eleventh session in Topeka. Kan, May 2, 1906. Before the civil war all negro Methodists in the South were members of the M. E. Church, South. There was no independent, dis tinctive negro church organization in this section. The African Methodist Episcopal and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Churches had organic tangible church form in the north. but none in the South. These churches were not permitted, of course, to oper- ate in this. territory, But after the din of noise, the smoke of battle, the tramp of infantry. and the yell or hos tile combatants had ceased, leaders Of of the two above denominations came Sout hand organized their churches. They found an open door and an easy field. Conditions which obtained in the South and surroundings generally greatly favored their operations.
 The "peculiar institution" of slavery had. as one of our preachers used to pray, Been knocked in her mediocracy and had been bied to death." But a state of servitude and bondage had not only created in the negro stupidity and perverseness of humor characterize tic of such a state, but had. at the same time, so wrought upon his constitution al nature as to make hi measily re- sponsive to any teaching that reflected upon the religious leadership of the white people. Now. when these North ern leaders came preaching that ne- groes who remain in the Church, South. were Democrats who did not appreciate their freedom, it ought to occasion no surprise that there was large exodus of the colored contingent from his | 5t.kx yn1x al crf0 q organizations. A more effective and in genious instrument to allure, incite and excite the people could not have been devised. In those days the negro was highly sensitive and as easily wrought upon as he was sensitive.
 The aftermath of the exodus shows that whereas ther ewere 207,000 negro Methodists in the Church, South, at the outbreak of the civil war, only 78.O0O remained at it's close. Had all gone in- to the A. NJ E. and A. M. F.. Zion and Methodist Episcopal Churches there would have been no Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. The fact that the residue became the latter church evil dences the wisdom of Providence. And this leads to the mere statement that the forming of this residue into an ecclesiastical body was providentiaL Just as various nations and countries serve to occasion mutual emulations and jealousies to rival each other in riches and power, inspire each with the ambition to equal and out do each oth- CT in restraining public vices, encour- age labor and industry, the cultivation of liberal arts and all social virtues so the c. M E. Church has acted as q spur and an inspiration to the other ne- gro religious bodies in everything that Is holy and lovely-in everything that emphasizes that the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteous ness. peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
 An Important Question.
 Referring again to the 78,000 mem- primarily in their interest that the General Conference of the Church, South, at it's session in New Orleans, April. 1866. queried: What shall be done to promote the religious inter ests of the colored people?' The rais- ing of such query was because of sine qua non. The colored member ship was rapidly exodizing and the re- suits of the war had not only changed the relation of slave to master. but had made 1t practically impossible for their church to longer provide for the relig- ious instruction and spiritual edifica- tion of her colored votaries.
 Environments were such that the Church. South. could not have retain ed its celored worshippers as the Meth odist Episcopal Church has done all these years. Indeed. the fathers did not desire such a relation. They wish ed to keep house for themselves. There is no disposition upon my part to di- rectly or indirectly criticise the stat us of our colored brethren in the Meth odist Episcopal Church. They occupy a most fortunate position. Large num- bers of them come in touch with the church; few hold General Confer ence positions; a few are given places upon the general boards of the church, and a goodly number of the connection in conjunction with teachers of the other race.
 Inspirations and Benefit.
 This arrangement furnishes the for mer an excellent opportunity to catch the inspiration of and be inspired and benefited by all that Is good in the latter. And, on the other hand, 1t af- lords the latter most excellent oppor- tunity to realize the possibilities of the negro race by knowing some of the qualities of head and heart of num- Der of its representatives. For this and other reasons. I have long since concluded that negroes should not only remain in the Methodist Episcopal Church, but they have at the same time a most enviable chance to make them selves powerful factors in the solution of the race problem. The New Orleans General Conference of the Church,