The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1909-04-08

has done much for the negro race
About forty-fve years ago a littl,
black boy was brought TO Rev,
Daniel Flickinger, who was then a
missionary OF Africa. At the par
ents' request he n1med the boy,
giving him his own name and that OF
Bishop Wilberforce. The boy was
brought 10 New York and educated
until he graduated from Wilberforce
University fullhedged minister OF
the church. He married and became
the father OF four children, his two
sons now being educated at Oberlin
University. Ohio. He returned to
Africa with his wife and two chill
dren, engaged in missionary work
and made many converts. Return
ing TO this country he made an ex-
tensive lecture tour, telling OF his
work and collecting a large fund. at
ter which he returned to his labors
in the African jungles.
Once more in the jungles where
he was born, surrounded by the in
fiuences Of heathenism the thin
veneer Of the educated savage was
not strong enough to restrain him.
He threw off the oligations Of
Christianity, became the chief Of a
tribe Of devil worshippers and led
in the wild orgies and dances and
fetish practices OF the African saw
age. He took five wives and in
dulged in all the british practices OF
voodooism and restrained savagery.
1.-The dog is turned to his vomit
again, and the SOW that washed to
her wallowing in the mire." "Can
the Ethiopian change his skin or the
leopard his spots1 Then may we
also do good that are accustomed to
evil"
Years OF education, moral train
ing, Christian teaching and asso-
citation with guiding white men
exerted an insufficient restraining
influence on this African savage
when he heard the "call OF the wild"
in his native Jungle. The savage
nature was too strong to be resisted.
Had he remained in this country he
might have continued useful men,
Der Of the race among people of bis
kind. The negroes Of this country
are the descendants OF savages, not
of the highest African type. many of
whom we're slaves in their own coun-
try, and who we're brought here
through the white mans greed. 1t
was terrible mistake for the white
man, for which his defendants have
dearly paid, but ii was blessing 10
the negro. Slaves in their own land,
members of race that has no litera-
ture, no monuments, no greatness,
no achievements, although it has
existed centuries, they we're brought
under the influence Of civilization
and given benefits and advantages
they never could have had otherwise. .,
Through the influence, encourage
menl and aid Of the white man they
have schools and churches and OPP
portunites for advancement and bet
terment mentally, morally and ma
terially, not possible for the race
elsewhere.
How long would they maintain
their present condition or degree
Of civiliztion il left alone1 More
than once in certain congested sec
lions of the South they have shown
a disposition to return to the savage
practices Of voodooism. Assemble
hem all together. set them off in
region TO themselves, without the con-
trolling presence or restraining in
iuences of the white man, how long
would II be before evidences OF de-
Ierioration became visiblel Would
all the education and religion and
moral and industrial training among
hem be sufficient 10 prevent deca-
ience, retrogression. downward
.endency and gravitation toward the
savagery from whence they GOMEZ
We merely ask the question. Let
he reader in the light of known
iacts, in the light Of history of the
race, its character and natural ten
iency, here and in Africa. answer
he question for himself. The career
IF the negro whose history we have
-ecited is not wholly convincing, but
I is illuminatively illustrative, and
S one of many indications and ten
iencies shown many times and in
many ways here in the South, the
pest home the negro has ever known.
Nashville American,