The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1908-02-07

be said that from a material point OF |
view, the denominational printing |
press is the hub of the church, and it |
is an undeniable fact that religious |
societies the world over have pros
pered in proportion to the efficiency |
of their publishing concerns.
The church printing houses have al
ways taken the lead in spreading truth |
to the masses, and the day was when !
they were largely looked to for every |
thing that amounted to much in the |
way of books, magazines and news |
papers 1t is also true in this day that !
the only printing concerns conducted |
by Negroes that have reached posi- !
tions of respectability are those fos
tered by the religious denominations.
This is due to the fact that the de-
mand for religious books, magazines
and newspapers is greater among our
people than the demand for CONNER
cial printing. You ask why is this so
simply because as a race the Negroes
own more churches than commercial
enterprises. There are four church
publishing houses conducted by Ne
groes in the South, and not one Of
them could keep open six weeks If
they had to depend exclusively upon
the revenue derived from printing 9th
er than. that done for their respective
denominations. But, fortunately, the
church and Sunday school printing
in any of the four concerns in mind,
namely the A. M. e. Church Sunday
School Union and the National Bap-
tist Publishing Board, located in
Nashville, Tenn, the G, M. E. Pub
fishing House, in Jackson, Tenn, and
e, the A. NJ. r. Zion Publishing House,
It, in Charlotte, n c., are all kept busy
a. attending to the printing and bind
ce ing of books and Sunday school liter
ature for their respective denomina-
G. tions. And with all of their facilities
H. they cannot print one-tenth of the
is books bought by the members Of the
in churches that support these institu
lr- tions.
nd The Negro of the twentieth cen
of tury is fast learning that everything
of he reads in books, magazines anC
Ie- newspapers is not true, and he il
of learning, further, that Negroes cal
he best write for Negroes and will com
he nearer telling the truth on his brothe
'er than will those who have not tha
Ill same feeling of brotherly love towar
ng him. He reads the daily paper, an
of finds columns about some large M
gro gathering that has been in se'
49, sion: but he is better satisfied after h
- reads one-half a column in the littl
Negro weekly that comes to him ate
all the delegates have been home tC
several days. Another thing he
N learning is the difference between pa
ID ent and original matter; and he
~ learning that some authors wri
things to print in periodicals ar
books published to teach Christiani
kv that would make bad reading in
NY dime novel. He is, therefore, cryil
out for a wholesome literature tn
will enlighten him, and that he CT
put beside that published by other r
tionalities and say with assuranC
'"This is my authority DIR. Solom
and Prof. Johnson were men of stro
,cu character and ability, | can rely
WI what they say They spent so ma
e.. and so many years searching out II
or that, and were recognized by
'I0 world as among the foremost write
osE of their day"
lin. want to impress upon your mir
" one fact, and that is, it takes ma
ING years to reach this degree OF pro-
EMIT nence in the art of printing to
able to cope with the leaders in t
NJ race to create the sentiment OF
<-v world, but | hold that the A. M.
Church. by virtue of seniority, ough
be expected to take the lead in I
race so far as the American Ne
is concerned. Is there anything
that the way to impede her progress?
would contend that there is, What are tt
inter- hindrances, and is there a remedy
deav- will endeavor to point them out
2 him you between now and the first n
I'd re- day in May, in order that when
lation meet in Norfolk we may be acquail
sands with the facts.
untry Suppose I draw in your mind
open imaginary map on which you car
hight. cate the departments of our CHI
sent that require an amount of prin
to warrant consideration. We
ethod- start with the Oldest in the cor
from ton which is the Book Concern
le fos Philadelphia, Pa, in the eastern
ly de- of our country, and far removed
hitting large majority of the member
,rhaps, of the Church Not one in
= what sand have ever seen it, Next we
L. ~ ION, +