The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-20
WORK FOR NEGRO
TO- Be DISCUSSED
Episcopal Convention to Hear Re
port on Work Among
Colored People.
PROPOSE SEPARATE CHURCH
Much Opposition in the Church
to the Creation of Negro
Bishops.
PROPOSE SEPARATE CHURCH

w tiiS >~ANoSISbi VI ANNSYiO
Bishops.
Work among the colored people Will,
in the opinion of many people, be the.
most important and most difficult pro-
blem which will demand the thought
of the coming Episcopal General Con-
vention. There are not lacking those
who frankly admit that the present
OF great expense to the board of mis-
sions. and ts at the same time CO.
lossal failure so far as making any
real impression on the negro race is
concerned.
The negro population is now too
much scattered over the country to
make 1t in any way a local or South
ern problem, and In the judgment of
many the s time has come when ds ma
gates of all political affiliations end
from all parts of the country. may dis
cuss the negro problem without sec
tona1 prejudices and without the heat
and discord which such discussion has
provoked in the past.
While In some parts of the South
the work among the colored people
has met with some success. yet in
many districts the work cannot be re-
garded except as failure. The sta
tistics show that there has been little
or no growth in the membership
among the colored people. notwith-
spent.
Colored bishops.
Perhaps the most striking PROPOSE
ton to remedy the situation is toecon-
secrate colored bishops for the colored
people. either as suffragans to the
ent missionary jnrisdictions.
The whole question was brought be-
fore the Boston convention three years
since since on memorial from the TWEEN
Workers Among the Colored People.
After. fun discussion by both houses
OF the convention committee. of
which DR.. Strange, Of Virginia, now
time rector of ST. Paufs. Church. was
chairman, was appointed to consider
the whole question. The committee
recommended a Joint commission on
sisting of five bishops five presbyters
and five laymen. toNgather information.
ascertain the mind of the church. and
report to the Richmond convention
will best meet the conditions. III the
past three years this commission has
held a number of meetings, but has
not made public just what they will
recommend.
Commission Appointed.
The personnel Of the commission,
however, promises much for the sane
lem. the House of Deputies appointing
on the commission Rev. Mr.. Clark. of
Virginia; Rev. Mr.. Joyner. of South
Carolina; Rev. DR.. Winchester. OF Mis-
Carolina; Rev. Mr.. Brown, OF Indian
apolis; Mr. Bryan, of Virginia.: SIR.
Virgins, of Tennessee; Mr.. Rockwell,
of Kansas: Mr.. Old, of Southern Nir-
1 Lott, 4
lana.
The House of Bishops approved the
action appointing this commission. and
appointed as their members the
bishops of Louisiana. Tennessee, North
! Carolina, Rhode Island and Newark.
Pending report from this com
mission the church papers nave been
active In their discussion of ways and
means of solving the negro problem
as 1t applies to church work. The
tied by Rev. w. NJ. Clark, rector of st.
James Church, Richmond. has declared
for separate and distinct church
among the colored race. with bishops
perhaps such financial assistance as
the board of missions could give.
Others have urged the conservation
| of colored bishops in diocese which are
people or white congregations. espe-
cially in the South, would consent to
the rule of negro bishop, and in the
minds of many writer's there are &c
clesiastical difficulties In the way OF
having two bishops of the church ilav-
ing Jurisdiction over the same terri
tory. one among the colored people
and one among the white.
SuffrngUn bishops.
In the opinion of the Southern
| Churchman the line between the two
| races is much better defined than the
lines between any two States in the
| Union.
The advocates of reviving the office
of suffragan bishop as in the Church
of England, would have in the South.
ern States a suffragan bishop working
under the diocesan bishop for specia
control Of work among the colore6
people. 1t is proposed that for the
given seats in the house of bishops
| Of the convention, nor would they en-.
| Joy the right OF succession.
The opponents of the separate
church for colored people are largel.
| of the Middle West and Far West
where the race problem is purely AGA.
demic, These writer's continually. al,
| Church," communion large enough
and broad enough to include all be.
.leyerS of every race and condition
Writers of this type have not hesitatet
to refer to the separate church prop.
/ osition as an effort to Vim Crow" TIL
church.
81 Social Objections.
Outside OF those whose first and mos
ardent interest is the spiritual vel.
rare OF the negro, there is strone
| opposition to the creation of negro
bishops under any plan. A man once
consecrated and set apart as bishoI