The Washington herald., 1909-06-12

As an aftermath 70 the doctrinaI dis
eussions OF Thursday. the burning issue
before the congress OF Catholic mission
aries yesterday was "the negro ques-
ton"
Il evoked q spirited debate. The con-
servative faction. believing danger would
result TO the Southern proselyting from
80 much plain speaking. made a deter
mined effort to strike all reference 10 the
negro from the records Of the congress.
but was voted down
The debate was precipitated BY Rev.
Father J. Plantevigne Of Baltimore. one
Of the few negro priests n the United
States. He did not mince words. He
struck q keynote when he said
jim Crow Methods.
The blood OF the negro boils In resent
ment OF q jin crow system IN the Cath
ole Church. The doors OF the church
must be opened fun width. not a side er-
trance. n the negro Is 10 be saved BY the
Catholic Church.
He met With ample support, and sp-
plause frequently punctuated his remarks.
Father Murphy, % 81. Louis. provincial
OF the Order OF the Holy Spirit. congraru-
lated Father Plantevigne on hts address.
Vigorous objection was entered BY Rev.
". J. Boarman. OF Chicago. he declared
himself as a southerner. and believed the
publication of the paper under the au-
spices OF the congress would give grave
ofienss 70 the South.
into the Catholic Church" said Father
Pantevigne. but have fallen away IN
great numbers because they have not
been given active part In the organic life
o. the church. Social circumstances COM
pei Us 20 compromise This Is u9fortu-
nate. because Il loses the negro and fails
10 develop true religion among the whites,
FOR true religion is charity.
The negro wants colored priests Non
Catholic colored peoples are accustomed
10 coiOred ministers, and refuse 10 enter
the Catholic Church under white priests.
Let a German congregation relegate q
few Irish families 20 the gallery or the
back Of the church and watch the result.
Human nature is the same everywhere
Treat the negro as man. and not as a
problem"
Trfbute 20 Negro.
AS a representative of one Of the
greatest orders in the world said
Father Murphy. IN sustaining Father
Piantevigne's attitude. 7 wish 10 bear
witness that the negro is capable OF the
highest development. intellectually and
spiritually. Archbishop Ryan. Of Phfa-
deiphia. has expressed a similar opinion.
70 difficulty IS experienced IN bringing
the negro into the church IN Northern
cities where the work has hourished-
In Maryland and Louisiana all the
negroes should be Catholics. There they
have been neglected The non-Cafholic
churches have succeeded among them for
the reasons which Father Plantevigne
pointed out Every colonizing govern
naent has succeeded only by giving au-
tonomy 70 the colonial peoples.
Every man who has worked among
the negroes has liked the work. but the
church cannot. owing 20 peculiar condi-
tons In the South. reach the negro
through white priests The prejudice
against negroes exists among priests as
well as among politicians IN the South
Colleges for educating negro priests must
be established. II we make the negro a
good Catholic. We can make him a good
priest
Rev. F. F. Price. OF North Carolina.
said a strong disclaimer should be made
OF social equality between the races. 9th
erwise mission work among non-Catho-
lies in the South would be ruined He
told OF riot and arson following attempts
20 mix the races al missions
Rev. p. T. Costello. Of BIRMINGHAM.
Ala. made an earnest plea that Father
Plantevigne's paper be printed. with the
fun authority OF the congress Re saic
It was not social equality which he ad-
vocated. but justice 20 the negro hitherto
defrauded OF H.
Father Plantevigne's paper was emil
nently Catholic. Opposition to Il Is not
in the true Catholic spirit he concluded.
At the morning session the work done
under the auspices OF the Knights OF
Columbus BY Bishop Keane. OF Cheyenne.
Tyo., was described by Rev. c. A. Mast.
Father Elliott led a discussion on the
songs 10 be used In missions 10 ron
Catholics
Mission on Broadway.
Rev. Luke J. Evers. pastor OF St. An
drew's Church. New York. told how
mass for newspaper men at 2 o'clock in
the morning was begun nine years ago.
He lectured on his experiences IN q
Broadway church A discussion OF busi-
ness affairs was feature Of the after
noon meeting.
At the evening sessions a committee
was appointed to draft articles OF mutual
cooperation between mission bands. com
prising Fathers Rress, Busch. and Bless
ing The congress also appointed Fathers
Costello. Doran. and Rohlman 10 take
proper steps 10 obtain from Rome dis
pensation from the breviary for diocesan
priests when giving missions.
Declaring the financial leakage OF mis-
sion work should be stopped, DR.. Francis
c. Kelly. OF Chicago. made a vigorous
address upon the extension OF the work
20 the weak and vulnerabie points
The enemy has attacked where the
wall is weak-the country places" he
said. The church has failed there be-
cause the opportunity Of cooperation has
been neglected by the church. BY con-
trast, the home missionary societies OF
the Protestant churches place churches
Ill CAPITAL and Profits Over 81 sE5po iii