The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-07-14

things than prize fights, horse races
and gambling.
! "As l have read the articles upon
the Johnson and Jeffries fight, both
before and since the contest took
place, have been impressed with the
oneness of human nature as never be-
fore. Humanity, as a mass, what
ever It's color, nationality or location,
Is still brutal and anxious to see it's
particular class, clan or clicl.
triumph over It's competitors, wheth-
er in the right or not.
1 THE johnson and Jeffries fight has
! plainly proven that race prejudice,
though unreasoning and unreason-
able and contrary to the teachings OF
Jesus Christ, Is still the dominant
passion In the lives of hundreds Of
millions Of civilized peoples and that
| materialism enters into almost eyery
| thing pertaining to the human race.
The Olympic Games were engag-
ed In ancient times for the deve!ope-
ment Of physical endurance and the
rewards were wreath of oak leaves
plucked from the Sacred Grove ali
honor such as only Kings received.
Prize fights and similar sports are
engaged in these days for the money
there is in them. The Johnson and
Jeffries fight proves conclusively that
there are some Negroes superior to
some white man and when placed in
similar environments with the same
opportunities and training black men
Will prove themselves equal to their
white brethren in any walk Of life.
The results of the Reno bout
proved that men cannot indulge their
lower appetities for any length of
time and then come back" men
must bring their bodies into bondage
to higher things or they are sure to
fail at the crucial moment. Sober,
temperate and Virtuous living is the
only kind Of life that is dependable"
dreds Of places by white persons be-
cause a black man won the fight, and
the storm Of protest against the pub
lie exhibition Of the moving pictures
Of the contest raised by newspapers,
Ministers, Young Peoples Societies,
Y. M. c. Associations, etc., among
the white people in America, Eng
land, Australia and other parts of the
world, would indicate that the much
Wanted superiority Of the white race
rests upon something other than in
herent qualities"
-. THE victory OF Johnson over JET
fries will result, eventually in the
suppression Of prize fights in this
country-not because the masses Of
Americans are opposed to pugilism
but because they are afraid other
black men may prove themselves the
equal of-and sometimes the mas
ters of-white men In the brutal art
Of fistcuff. Should this prophecy
prove true, we may we'll rejoice that
the black man whipped the white
man at Reno"
From what We have read Of the
conduct Of the sporting world before,
during and after the Johnson-Jeffries
fight, we would say that it is more
fair in it's treatment of the black
champion than the Christian world
is of it's black children in many parts
of this country. - ----~...-.-..
There is no excellency even in
prize fights without great labor and
self-denial; the young men and wo-
men of this entire country would do
we'll never to forget this lesson Of
the Johnson-Jeffries fight and the
teachings of our Text-both sound
the same note"
because John Arthur Johnson
won the mastery over James J. JEFF
fries is no proof that every Negro is
q Jack Johnson, or every white mau IS
jim Jeffries; and the thousands of
young Negroes, young white men who
have pugilistic aspirations would do
we'll to turn their attention to some
other means Of winning a livelihood
and fame"