Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1911-07-21

church life OF the people on this con
tinent. the blacks have been the bene-
ficiaries to very large extent This
bas enabled them In the forty-flve
years OF thier freedom to establish
more than one hundred high schools
and colleges. twenty-seven thousand
church houses with a valuation of
forty million dollars. They have also
twenty-five thousand ordained minis
tiers. and more than ten thousand well
educated men and women who are
teaching in schools and preaching In
churches. while others are successfully
following the professions of law and
medicine and all other vacations. Then
again. the negroes have enrolled fully
fifty per cent. OF the entire race in
this country In Christian churches.
This, IN my opinion, Is showing
which cannot be made by any other
race in so short time. and Is due
largely to the fact that the negro peo-
pie regard their ministers as their
God-appointed leaders. and, as a rule,
accept their teaching without ques-
tion.
But in speaking of The Negro Work
for the Negro" we are including a
larger range OF thought and territory
than that which applies TO the negroes
of the United States. and We hope to
make It plain that the negroes Of tho
United States are the logical Christian
leaders OF the black people OF the
world
In the Beginning OF the negroes life
as freemen in the United States. q
wise Providence directed that the
race should make as the base of IT'S
future the principles OF Christianity,
taking as guide that scripture which
says. Seek ye first the kingdom OF
God and his righteousness. and all
things shall be added unto you. They
believed then and believe nov that
whatever else ia necessary 20 com.
piete well rounded Christian cigiliza.
ton nust follow in its time
The blacks of South America we're
liberated more than a score OF years
before freedom came 10 the negroes
OF the United States, and | mean no
unfavorable criticism when | say that
1t appears from present conditions
that the black people OF South Ameri
ca turned their attention principally
70 the accumulation OF wealth and
secular education. which indeed are
essential elements in the well being
and growth OF any people. But these
when used as a foundation Will prove
shameful failure Hence our South
American brothers IN black are lack.
ing IN those Christian graces OF sell.
control. forbearance and perseverance,
and the like. which have rendered the
achievements OF the negro OF the Uni
ted States wonder OF the world.
What Is said OF the blacks Of South
America may be applied With some
emphasis TO the black people OF the
West Indies and other parts OF the
world. II IL a fact that the negroes
OF the United States have became the
logical leaders OF the black people OF
the whole world and are today giving
the Gospel OF the Son OF God 10 those
OF their own race who we're free many
years before they were.
As further evidence on this point.
and TO strengthen the proposition that
the negro Is the most acceptable and
successful ambassador 10 bear the
message Of redeeming grace 10 the
people Of his race. submit you an
official reference 20 the great WORK
OF the foreign mission board OF the
National Baptist convention. The
secretary OF that board Ia speaking OF
the glorious achievements Of the ne.
gro Baptist among the dark races Of
the earth, says: -As negro Baptlsts
We have more than sixty churches and
missions in Africa. eight IN the West
Indies. five In South America. with
between 1900 and 10000 baptized
believers enrolled on the books
II should be BORNE In mind that
the negro Baptists have only been or
ganized for foreign mission work
30 years. and when these facts are
laid alongside the earnest. devout,
persistent efforts of the boards among
out white brethren to accomplish re.
suits among these same people. 1t
Will be clearly seen that It would
have been far better II Il had always
been recognized that the foreign mis-.