The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1907-12-27

sWer at the earliest possible date, as
our Convention has authorized me to
publish a series of Sunday school peri
odicals by January 1, 1897.
Signed,
r. II. BOYD
"a copy of this same letter was sent
to the American Baptist Publication
Society, the National Baptist Publica-
ton Society then of St Louis, and a
copy addressed to you | need not
here repeat the answers received from
the other two institutions, but you can
not imagine my surprise when in your
answer you said you had neither type
nor presses, that your printing was
done by contract, but if | could see
! you and have a conference with you,
you and your Board stood ready to do
anything in your power to assist in
this work.
IF you remember the morning of
November II, 1896, a Negro, poorly
clad, distressed in looks, trembling in
voice, appeared at your Office door,
which vas then situated in one room
)f the Southern Methodist Publishing
House. Sir, if | am permitted to live
two decades longer T should never
forget the warm shake of the hand.
the pleasant smile, and the invita-
tion offered me to take a seat And,
like an older and more experienced
brother, you went over calmly and
carefully the difficulties before me. Do
7ou remember that when | asked you
The price of the electrotype plates
from which your periodicals for the
7rst quarter of 1897 were being print
d, and upon what terms you would
sell them to me, how you smiled and
yet looked at me with pity, and said:
They are not for sale. When our
printing is done, we are done with
them. They are of no service to us
and no service to the printer, except
for the metal that is in them. If the
use of these plates would benefit your
race, benefit your denomination, and
glorify God, | would feel ashamed,
and feel that | was degrading the de-
nomination which | represent, should
| sell them to another more poverty
stricken, and less experienced than
ours. But if you can use these plates
to any benefit (and am sure you can,
if you WILD, you may have them gra-
ciously-you may have any part of
them; you may have the use of any
cuts, pictures, maps, plates or any
thing else that is ours. You may
change any name, change any article, |
or use any part of any article or any
thing else that we have, and as far
as our LIMITED stock will allow, you
can get from us Bibles, song books,
testaments or any other religious
books, and we will allow you time to
collect from your people to pay us
you then advised me to call and
see the Brandon Printing Company,
the University Printing Press Com
pany; you told me that they did your
printing and that you would give your
influence to have them print for me in |
the same way, at the same price and |
under the same terms.
you will possibly recall how
seemed to be attracted by figure on
the carpet near my feet, when | said |
to you that Our Board has not fur
nished me with one dollar, not even
money enough to buy one postage
stamp, and yet | feel that | must un-
dertake this work Do you remem-
bcr how kindly you said to me, Take |
courage. Six or seven years ago !
came TO Nashville under similar cir
cumstances and in a similar condition
am not much better off now, but
think I am in a position to help you.
Take courage; so ahead Call on me
from time to time, when you meet diff
ticulti-s, and if | can help you ont, ! !
will do So Each word was indeliblv
impressed upon my memory: I cannot
f0r"et them if | would; | would not
if J could
with that offer Of helm, and with
tNat encouragement furnished. 7 went
fo"w9rd The nrinter credited me; /
rs~d vour nlates. shall not here
wNntion the criticism that came
against me, eycent to say you will re-
member the stereotype saying that
took the rounds throughout the conn
try, Negro backs and white mans
brains. I did not retaliate or answer
The criticism then. J will not retail
ate ilow.-You may also remember Cor
Il may have nassed 50 unnoticed that
your own Southern brethren, eriti.
vou have forgotten itl. how You were
criticised Criticised bv number of
cised by the Northern white Baptists