The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-05-28

!" DACA phioScSs IuiS FITSl, I'D hEcI
faces as flint against all social in
termingling that looks toward anal
gamation. Then, across this chasm
which both races frankly accept, Il
join hands with those trying to lst
and better themselves cheering, en-
~couraging, and helping them. We nus
give them full protection in their life
liberty and pursuit of happiness; 10
must give them even handed justice
in law and in politics; we must give
them equality Of opportunity in earn
ing their bread, in making their homes
in educating their children; we must
give them every chance and all cheer
and sympathy in seeking the fulfill
ment Of the aspirations of the human
heart among their own people.
Keeping clearly in mind these con
ditions, what ought we Christians in
the church Of God to do to help and
strengthen this smaller, higher class
and to persuade many of the larger,
! lower class to join this higher? In
| the first place, we must frankly ac-
knowledge the hard facts of the case.
and as far as possible put to one
side theories. We are confronted BY
a condition as far as I study abb
s~Olutely new in the history of man.
kind, where we have no exact prece-
dent to guide US. The underlying
practical fact is this: there must be
separation lot from but in the church
between the two races, for the growth
OF the church among white men and
black men, and for the development of
Christian manhood among the black
men. Having settled and agreed on
that fact, how are we to effect that
separation SO as to do justice to the
negro? How shall We keep him in the
One Holy Catholic Church in the Unit
ed States of America and bestow :lpon
him her priceless blessings; how shall
we keep him close enough to receive
the sympathy, the support and the
guidance of the white race: and yet
put him far enough apart to grow and
to strengthen, to meet responsibility |
and to make character, to develop a
manly independence and to cultivate
a brave and sober initiative? We nave
long given up the point of contact in
the n parish church, and have made
the separation there; We are now Civ
ing up the point of contact in the Do
cesar council, and are making the sep (
aration there. What more shall We do?
The true answer to my mind is: make
vention, and make the separation, not
by superior n inferior councils in
he same diocese under one bishop, but
by the erection Of missionary jurisdic-
made up out of the cOlOred DeO-
pie in different dioceseG under their
own bishop, OF equality with any
Their missionary jurisdiction in the
We must have missionary
Jurisdictions in the south-one, or at
most, two to begin with-cOmpOsed of
he negroes Of two or more contiguous
which shall be a part of the
general church, independent of the
bishops and councils of those dioceses
gearing the same relation to the gen.
raj convention that the white mission
try jurisdictions do. That is to say,
hey shall have their representatives
o the house of clerical and lay dele
gates and their bishops in the house
# bishops. The negro clergy and laity
would thus meet together in their mis-
ionary cOnvOcatiOn n numbers great
enough to hearten one another and to
'tlr enthusiasm; they would become
for their own success or
allure; they would discuss, resolve
hey would have large missionary {
which would make a deep ]
on the negroes living in !
he city where the c~Onvocation meets.
"Of what race should be the bishop
# this negro missionary jurisdiction? l
There are two answers to this ques-
ion. One answer comes from those
n the church who still cling to the i
that there must be no race di- i
ision whatever in the church, that :
here must be under all conditions :
onceivable or inconceivable one bish-
in the same territory to all kinds.
lasses and c of people. "No.'
ay they, mo negro bishop. What 1
yer be your divisions in councils or {
onventions, let M white bishop be !
be bond of unity" The same n Yer !,
ONES as a practical matter from men !
who differ widely from the above .
heory. 1t comes from those who look =
90 much, it seems to me, at the mass
t the negroes, the lower majority of
Vhom [ have spoken; it comes from a
hose who are hopeless of doing much y
or or with the negroes, who regard i
hem as children, careless and uEre- V
liable, with different aspirations from 1
hose that actUate the white man