The Washington bee., 1907-06-15


They are learning the lesson Of self
help and recognize that this is a God
given duty. A race that has enjoyed on
Iy forty-four years of freedom is not
strong enough to stand alone in such
period of time, and yet, with the tre-
mendous strides already made, it can
not be altogether a baby race. Com
pared with the other races Of the world,
however, its a very small child indeed.
They need the gidace. sympathy and
helping hand that will rouse within them
a desire to put forth greater efforts to
help themselves.
OF the ten million colored people III
the United States, statistics show that
two and one-half millions are seeking
an education, and that they have thirty
FIVE thousand public school teachers in
the United States This is very cred
liable showing along educational lines
l regret to say, however, that the ngures
are not so encouraging along Sunday
school lines. The religious statistics are
not at all accurate. Denominations, in
their desire to have large numbers, and
thus be in the lead, as far as numbers
go, pad their statistics. From the most
accurate that can be obtained we have
only one and one-quarter million people
| enrolled in the Sunday schools of all
denominations among colored people.
The Sunday school presents a most
inviting field for work, and thSe is no
! question about the fact that if the na-
! ton is to be strong and lifted up perma-
nently, it must be done through and by
the Sunday schools. ABOVE industrial
and above higher education, the race
needs a religious education In England
the elementary education of the children
began in the Sunday school and the
present educational system of England
IS due primarily to the Slnday schools
In America, among the colored people
/ especially, the elementary education OF
the children should begin in the Sunday
schools A few days ago l noticed
where a wealthy lady in America gave
a million dollars toward the elementary
education of the coIored children in the
Southland. God bless the giver and the
gilt, for this was indeed a noble thing,
and will be far-reaching in its effects
for good and the lifting up of help
less. struggling and ambitious people!
! If some person could be convinced that
this foundation should be first religious
and then be induced to give a million
dollars for the elementary education OF
the colored youth through the Sunday
/ schools. and give to the boys and girls
! a high Christian ideal in the beginning
of their lives, what magnitude Of fu-
ture possibilities would be revealed. With
: trained teachers, earnest, C0nsecrated
workers, and schools OF methods along
Biblical lines, the foundations will be
, safely laid and such a gift will do more
toward lifting up the race and making
them better citizens than a gift five
times as large toward industrial or high
er education on straight-out educational
f lines. God grant that the scales may
+ fall from the eyes and duty stand re-
vealed! For the harvest is truly great,
= but where are the right kind of reapers
| believe in the education of all the
5 people, and l believe that the State is
unsafe when the people are ignorant and
superstitious-an ignorant man is a clog
e in the wheels Of progress. But l believe
: that the moral Christian character
should first be laid, and after wisdom has
. thus been obtained, knowledge and
n wealth can easily be acquired
! The races Of the world need a Chris
tan education, for with Christian edu-
/ cation will come Christian tolerance and
P, loVe,wh will lessen friction, bridge the
s chasm of hate, and make a way of peace
e l wish that l could stoop down and lift
e up all the children Of the descendants
+ of the three fathers of the races, ia
pheth, Shem and Ham, and if need be-
4 put them in the clouds and tell them
+ to gain inspiration from the heavenly
= host, learn the lessons Of duty to each
other, and to their fellowmen, and dis
seminate the seeds OF Christianity and
c kindness upon earth. But seeing that
this cannot be done, the only thing to do
/. is to seek to gather the children into
r the Sunday school, teach them new
= lesson of love and faith and they will
S be the ones who viii scatter seeds OF
+ kindness"
1 The United States contains the larg-
i est Negro population in the world, save
D Africa. In forty-four years Of freedom
t from slavery the progress along indus
D trial and educational lines has been SIM
e ply marvellous. Although the wages paid
: in a great many sections of the country
Z are Door, a large proportion of them