The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1908-10-23
DR.. ROBINSON INTERVIEWED.
Makes Some Facts Known That Will
Be Interesting to Nash
vile Readers.

There is no man who visits Nash
vile frequently more highly respect
ed and honored than is Rev. ]. P. Rob-
inson, A. NJ, D. D., who was in the
city last week attending the meeting
of the National Baptist Publishing
Board, of which he is a member He
is also chairman of the Home Mission
Board of the National Baptist Conven-
ton. While here Dr. Robinson was in
terviewed by Globe reporter, because
his national reputation as a leading
race man and a gospel minister of
great ability makes his opinion worth
a deal in Nashville or wherever he
goes. To the people here his church
at Little Rock, the First Baptist, is
the Mount Olive of that city. His
membership is about 1900, hence he
reaches the masses. In talking over
the conditions of affairs in Arkansas,
DR.. Robinson was very optimistic He
admitted that conditions financially
could be better He was asked if the
night riders had invaded his state and
if it was true that Negroes had re-
sorted to it, to which he replied in the
negative He said:
81 have heard something of this
night riding among Negroes, but
have not been greatly disturbed; in
fact, consider that the thing is done
with when they report that the Ne
groes have taken it up. There is one
thing | would like to state that we
have been doing over in Little Rock.
We have actually had an inter-race
meeting among the leading white and
Negro ministers of all the denomina-
tions. We had educators in this meet
ing 1t was not held in lieu of any
disturbances between the races, as we
have not had any friction that would
amount to anything. But the meeting
was called and held in order that the
Negroes and whites might better un-
derstand each other, and that they
might work together religiously for
the upbuilding of the entire citizen
ship, as it is apparent that the lower
element works together creating vice,
making criminals and dragging down
the race.
Little Rock is an important city
the capital of Arkansas, if you please.
We have three very large colleges in
our city. The Arkansas Baptist Col
lege, Prof. ]. A. Booker, President;
the Shorter College, Prof HILL Presi-
dent; the Philander Smith College,
Prof j. M. Cox, President, Hence.
We have quite few hundred students
from all over the country in our city
each year We are building up an
intelligent refined, educated lot of
young people, So we decided to take
advance steps towards lettering the
condition. In our meeting there were
such white ministers as Rev. Ben Cox,
Drs. Hyde and Jessup and others such
Negroes as Rev. Sims, Rev. Gains.
Profs. Booker and Hill and others. It
was a plain, friendly meeting. Each
was asked to express his views We
decided that the Devil had had a pic
mic for many years, as he had worked
both races to his own advantage, using
the old winning card-prejudice He
had encouraged the white minister not
to consult the Negro on account Of his
color and past condition He had en-
couraged the Negro not to consult the
white man on account of his hair and
previous condition SO he had won
the game. But these small matters
were laid aside. We came together
and by mutual agreement canvassed
the city by twos-one Negro minis
ter and one white minister We have
made a house to house canvass and
great was the results. We expect to
-ue these meetings The confer