The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1910-02-11


miles from Nashville on the Whites
Creek Pike. So far as can be learned,
no actual negotiations have ever been
made toward such a deal.
Roger Williams University has not
the funds with which to purchase the
old Peabody site, and, even if it were
willing to accept it, could do so only
as gift. When the old Roger Will
1ams buildings beyond Vanderbilt
University, burned a few years ago,
the Home Mission Society of North
ern Baptists, which then controlled
the institution, collected, it is under
stood, 100000 of insurance and sold
the grounds for $175,OOO. "All of
this money" said the Negro hereto
fore quoted, "was taken to New York,
or at least out of Nashville. Imme-
diately after the buildings were
burned it was decided, in New York,
that Roger Williams would not be
rebuilt. Mr.. Morehouse, Secretary of
the American Baptist Home Mission
Society," announced that he would re-
build it on better basis, but the
proposition he made to the Negro Bap-
lists of Tennessee was that if they
would raise $4,000 the society would
give $4,000. Dr. R. H. Boyd and 9TH
ers had DR.. George Sale, of Atlanta,
Educational Secretary of the Home
Mission Society in charge of Negro
schools, to come to Nashville and
agree with the Negroes of Tennessee
to give dollar for dollar for all they
could raise. Our Southern white peo-
pie had been so handled, they were
so distant from us that we could not
have them intercede in our behalf.
The Negro Baptists of Tennessee had,
for a long time, been handled like ba-
bies by the white Baptists of the
North and were not in position to do
much for themselves, so that COM
paratively little has resulted from
that arrangement.
Taking Candy from a Child.
"Of the $235,000 taken away from
Roger Williams University-like ia
king candy away from child-by the
American Baptist, or Northern Home
Mission Society, not more than $15,-
900 or $4,000 has ever come back.
The Negro Baptists of Tennessee
themselves raised the $4,000 with
which they purchased the present site
on the Whites Creek Pike.
"The Northern white Baptists have
given only in proportion as
the Negroes have raised money,
when if they had given ac-
cording to equity, Roger Williams
University would have received back
more than 100000 of the money de-
rived from the insurance on the old
buildings and the sale of the old site.
That property out there was never
purchased by the Northern Baptists.
1t was given by the people to DR..
Phillips, the first president of Roger
Williams. For more than twenty-five
years every Negro Baptist Church,
every Negro Baptist Association, and
the Negro Baptist State Convention
has contributed regularly to the sup
port of the institution. 1t was from
these contributions that the school
was maintained and improvements
made. Suppose that the Northern
Baptists have given $25000 to Roger
Williams University, still they have
made a clear profit of 21,000 out of
Roger Williams University and the
Negroes of Tennessee. The only rea-
son that we did not keep the money
here was that the four Negroes on the
Board of Trustees did not have nerve
enough to enjoin the Northern Board
from taking it away. They could not
seem to get away from the idea that
whatever the Northern men said or
lid was all right
Roger Williams University is now
by the Negro Baptist State
Convention of Tennessee. The Amer
can Baptist Home Mission Society
still has one member on the Board |
If Trustees. While it is not to be
construed that the authorities in con-
rol of Roger Williams University will |
10 anything to antagonize the North
ern Society, still they see the mistake
,f not having done more for them
selves in it's management The white
3aptists of the South, and the white
people of the South generally, are our
eal friends. The Negroes Of Tennes-
zee would have been in much better
now if they had not believed
hat the Northern white people were
itting up there with wagon load of
money, ready to shove it down here
whenever the appeal was made. If
We were in the same organization
With the white Baptists around us, or
ven in close sympathy with them,
We would get the help we need"
Under this state of affairs, it is ar
ued Roger Williams University could
a.n,.i.n 4kn LLr.i..n..-i4.. aa A-ash /