Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-10-26

prevail in civil life prevail In reli-
gton. and for his part he could not
understand how any Negro man could
be a churchman when he was side
tracked.
This is our position exactly. No
educated man who has read history
can understand such an anomalous
condition. People tinged with ser
Witty and who "cringe the supple
hinges of the knee that favor follow
fawning." may not understand It, but
men, free men viii never submit to
it. In this respect. color is no bar.
Manhood will assert itself II there,
In black man as much so as in
white one. in a yellow man as much
SO as in a brown one. When il does
not assert itself. it is because, in the
language Of President Roosevelt, che
hasn't got the stun in him"
It is dimcult for a man of even
DR.. Thomas Nelson Pages liberal
views to understand that there are
upper class" educated Negroes. who
viii not submit 20 indignities and in
suits any more than will he. and will
be just as quick to resent them. ev-
en- though injury and death will be
the result Of the exercise of such
inherent qualities.
DIR. Page states frankly, the cause
of the whole trouble. when he SAYS:
To speak frankly. the two chief
dihculties in the way OF bringing
the coiored men into the conventions
of the church I'm the same way that
white representatives are brought
are the apprehension that should
they come in considerable numbers
thev might hold the balance OF pow
er and might use it by voting solidly
together-this being the result OF
the unfortunate training of the re-
construction period. and further. the
difficulty of making provision for
them at such meetings 7 have no
doubt Ire ms own mind that the time
viii come when both Of these diff
fcultics viii Dee removed. the last by
the frank acceptance OF the situation
by the co'nrcj churChmcn and the
consequent provision made for them
boy their own people.
This is rather q peculiar plea com
tng from the representative of a
great Church which Processes to Zoe
the divine agent of the good and
lowiy Jesus 10 is a frank confession
but # is ar unfortunate one. Ger
tainly tho very best people are in
the Episcopal Church. IL was all
legged thai the Negroes permitted
themselves To- Doe used by the white
carpet-bae-ar from the North, but
in this case. these "God-feariur
Christians" fear that they may be
used I'm the House of Deputies or In
the House of Bishops AGAINST them
selves.
DR.. Pas and his friends lose sight
of the fact that in either case. so
small would De the minority that a
white mans proposition would win
. i'm either event. But race prejudice
has .lways been equally inconsistent
/ and unreasonable.
Dr Page displays his own weak
( mess when DE says:
! Ny own feeling Is that there is no
/ inherent right OF approximation I'm
Ia convention by those brought in
throurh missionary efforts. as. there
might be- I'm "a civil government. be-
+ cause he work OF the church is
spiritc. and not political. and the
machinery for the conduct of the
husiuo-e OF the church. Of which the
4 CouveuO ons are simply the express
. sion. is devised for the purpose of
. doing this work in the best way as
may appear 10 the majority OF those
who have it in charge. However,
4 this may be, this convention has en-
, deayorc' in the most earnest, labor
1 ious aud faithful way TO end the best
. solution of the difficulties in this as
I'm other questions without the least
I trace of seldshness or self-seeking on
the part of any of its members.
The frst idea is to get the Ne
I groes .l as the result Of missionary
efforts and on missionary fcotine
and then TO deny them representation
because they were brought In
throueh missionary efforts. This ther
brings rs back TO the original propC
sition-that of suffragan bishops
\ When mat proposition has been en-
grated in the canons OF the Church
the last condition OF the colored con
imunicants of the Episcopal Churci
viii be worse than the first and We
can AN Join in with Rev. DR.. Clark
when the daily press quoted him a.
follows:
The Rev. William Meade Clark o.
Virginia. said that ne had never beer
so disappointed in his life as in th'
discussion of this question. Re haS
/, thought the plan was TO help Thu
Negro but the discussion seemed L
be how to keep the Negro out o
the church"
i AGAINST COT OPEN Sol nIETeC