Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-10-19

the AuuICh- i ne plans as set lOrln
are stated as follows:
Three propositions were offered
for the consideration Of the commit
tee First OF these was the major
ity report OF the joint commission
on memorial from conference Of
workers among the colored people
This committee, after making a most
able and valuable report on the
whole subject, offered a resolution
allowing a diocese to elect one or
more suffragan bishops under GER
tain restrictions. The second plan,
that embodied in the minority re-
port. which cOrresponded with and
was denominated the Pennsylvania
plan. gave permission TO erect RAJ
cial missionary districts with mis-
sionary bishops mot necessarily col
ored, however, within the territory
OF existing dioceses or missionary
districts. The third was that now
familiarity known as the Arkansas
plan, giving the Negroes three bish-
ops and an autonomous church.
But The discussion as shown
through the newspapers would seem
TO indicate that there were some
spicy utterances on the inside. The
Negro-haters were not much fin evil
dence and those who were inimical
to our progress encouched their
plans and purposes I'm diplomatic Ian
guage. The plan recommended by
a majority OF the committee is not
even a sop to the whale"
IL gives the suGrasan bishops the
shadow without The substance. They
viii be called bishops. but as a mat
ter of fact they viii be no more than
class-leader in q Methodist Church.
But it was TO the alleged utterances
OF some of the able divines that we
desired to refer While Rev. DR..
Clark OF this city was speaking. the
Times-Dispatch reports the follow
ing:
Some one asked him what ne was
pleading for and he replied. IT am
pleading for a full blown missionary
district for the Negroes with their
bishop sitting over there in the
House OF Bishops. For once 7 am
glad 10 say / can agree with the
President of the United States.
want "a square deal for the Negro"
This IS high ground for q church
man OF Dr. Clarl's standing to take.
It looks TO us as though ne IS all
right. permeated by proper thoughts
and impregnated with right princi-
pies. Tn the midst of another one
OF his oratorical ebuHltions. the re-
port says:
The Rev. William Meade Clark of
Virginia. said that he had never been
so disappointed in his life as IN the
discussion of this question. He had
thought the plan was to help the
Negro. but the discussion seemed to
be how 90 keep the Negro out of
the church" He said he was for
once in accord with the President
of the United States when ne pleads
90 give the Negro a chance and not
10 shut the door in his face. MT
Clark said that TO speak plainly. the
Jim Crow conditions which prevail
IN civil life prevail in religion, and
for his part ne could not understand
how any Negro man could be n
churchman when he was sidetracked.
He ridiculed the idea of conflict be-
tween white and Negro bishops. say
ing that the line between the races
is so marked that a white bishop
would know a Negro bishop was IN
town. He urged that the Negro be
given the episcopate. as suggested
I'm the Pennsylvania and North Car
olina plan.
The vote was then taken to secure
an expression of opinion only OF the
house sitting as a committee OF the
whole.
The vote was first taken on the
Pennsylvania plan which was over
whelmingly defeated by the vote of
327 TO 5S.
The above Is enlightening to an
outsider. and it should AFFORD a
world of information" to a COM
municant of the Episcopal Church.
We share Rev. DR.. Clark's opinion.
The colored people connected with
the Episcopal Church as a rule are
generally of a high order Of intelli-
gence. They go to~that Church be-
cause OF its alleged intellectual su-
periority as in contravention to re-
.ligious ignorance. Still colored per-
sons of this class should be expected
to carry their manhood and woman
hood with them.
The conditions portrayed by Rev.
DR.. Clark make this impossible.
They cannot expand. They are par
asites so to speak. They are with
but not of the Episcopal Church, if
the proposed status, as laid down,
lis TO prevail.
These embarrassing conditions
win continue to exist as long as the
forces of right and wrong, proper
and improper dealing hold high car
nival in the Church. The only true
and lasting solution is the establish
ment Of an autonomous Church, duly
authorized and recognized by the