The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-10
THE NEGRO AND THE CHURCH

cial Inequalities from degrading into IA
c.1I hatreds
Where the Catholic Church has had a
controlling influence among the colored
people for many generations as she has
had IN the lower counties Of Maryland.
she has abundauUy demonstrated her
civiIizing powers. IL is quite remarkable.
but il is a fact. that in these counties
Of Maryland there is no negro question"
OF any consequence at all LynChings
have disgraced other parts Of the South,
almost without exception, though they
are rarely heard Of IN Louisiana. But
in the Catholic counties Of Maryland such
crimes have been seldom If ever heard
Of Cardinal Gibbons practically makes
this statement IN a late article on Lynch
Law in the North American Review.
II IS the unanimous testimony Of priests
VINO have lived in 81. Mary. Charles.
and Prince George counties that the
negroes there are law-abiding people I
can bear testimony, for 7 have given
missions ia these counties, that as Catho-
lies they are quite as good as can be
found anywhere In the country among
people of q similar station in life They
are full of faith They are good church.
gOers and literally support their church.
and their lives are marked by a practi-
cal CltholiCity that would do credit 10
any race. They are "A simple aEricuI-
tural people. to be sure. and one ordinar-
ily does not expect much viciousuess
among such people. but I venture 10 say
that the records of the criminal courts
in these counties are notable for the alb
seuce of any OF the AeinoUs crimes that
have stained the court records whore
the Catholic Church is unknown and
which are the cause OF the people taking
the law in their own hands.
This fact Of course. is attributable 10
nothing else but the restraining influence
Of religion that follows them into their
daily lives ana compels the respect for
and the observance OF the Command
ments. In the present crises many of
the leading publicsts among the colored
people are openly saying that the home
Of the negro is within the Catholic
Church. They acknowledge that in the
church of ell nations. Their own viii be-
recognized and be estimated at its true
value. For this reason il is now com
monty said shat a food Of conversions
may be expected among the negroes. 1t
is certainly true that where negroes have
organized parishes they have succeeded
remarkably well. Two notable instances
Of this fact are to be found In ST. Angus
tines and St. Cypriau's parishes. in the
city of Washington Both these parishes
are entirely out Of debt, and they each
have fine churches, together with other
properties that are valued at 100000. in
their respective parishes, and it is de-
ligntfui to sec how devotedly the colored
people use their churches and love them
as they do their own homes.
To make the negro race Catholic is
merely a question Of means and of men.
There are some OF the most devoted secu-
lar priests in the United States who are
working in this field. while the Joseph
ties and the Holy Ghost Fathers, and now
the Lyons missionaries. are bending all
their efforts to secure results. But with
al the energies and zeal they show. yet
they realize the colossal task that Is be-
fore them. a Conservative estimate
places the negro race at 100000, while
there are but meager quarter
of a million Catholics II the men
were multiplied a hundred-f5id. they
would readily find work to 90 in the
most promising vineyard. and work that
would be rewarded with most gratifying
results. The cOlored people will be found
exceedingly responsive 10 any ministra-
tons bestowed on them, and If the leaven
of Catholic teaching and restraint could
be made to work among this naturally
religious people, it would go far TO enable
them TO work out their own destinics as
u race in the United States.