Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-07-07
AFRO-AMER|CAN CULL|NCS ]
4EE3a8 stsa 54f

Some weeks ago learned clergy.
man (white) delivered the baccalaur.
cate sermon at the commencement ex.
ercises OF q negro college. We asked
several Of those present how they liked
It. The majority agreed that 1t was
the greatest sermon they had ever
heard. Among them was an untutor.
ed cfitic--a man who is in the habit
OF looking for the other side. This
man argued that II the clergyman
were to get up before his own audi
ence and say one third of the good
things for the negro that he said to
the negro, he would have done ten
times more good than he did do.
One remark reported to have been
made by the Clergyman attracted my
attention especially. He is reported
to have said that according to history
the negro has not yet done anything
but that Under God he is destined to
do great things perhaps. Now we
have nothing to say about the latter
part Of this statement-not being an
expert in theological provision. But
as to the former statement to the eff
feet that the negro has done nothing
why that's another story; and on that
proposition we're on solid ground
ground that is enveloped, we confess
in fog and mist--but the ground is
there. It is SO common for orators
and writer's to dwell on the assertion
that its correctness has come to be
accepted not only by the orators and
writer's, but by the negroes them
selves. Let us see, who, think you,
was the real inventor and founder Of
our elaborate system of religious wor-
ship? If we were to quote from q
negro asserting that he (the negro)
was the founder, you would probably
discount the testimony by about 05
per cent. But suppose we summon
white witness to testify on this
point-a witness whose testimony has
never been successfully impeached!
In 1902, a French philosopher pub
lished book called THE Ruins of
Empires In It he recounts his ex-
plorations. his travels, his investiga-
lions among the ruins of cities and
empires that hourished, declined and
disappeared thousand years before
the birth OF Greece and Rome. The
author (volney) Of "The Ruins Of EN-
pin es" in describing the ancient king
dom Of Euriopia and the ruins Of
Thebes, her opulent metropolis. says.
There people, now forgotten, dis
covered while others were yet barbar-
ians, the elements of the arts and
sciences. "A race OF men, now re.
jecteG from society for their sable
skin and fgfzzled hair. founded on the
study Of the law Of nature, those civil
and religious systems which still gov
ern the universe" A statement like
the foregoing would naturally draw
fire from thousand hostile critics,
and, when they found that 1t could not
be disproved, the proper course would
be to ignore 1t, and let 1t fall into OBJ
livion. That's what happened with ref
erence to the foregoing quotation. For
in the publishers preface we read:
"A voluminous note in which stand
ard authorities are cited, seems to
prove that this statement is substan-
TALLY correct, and that we are in real
ity indebted to the ancient Philippians
to the fervid Imagination of the per
secuted and despised negro, for the va
rtous religious systems now so high.
ly revered by the different branches Of
the Semitic and Aryan races. This
fact may perhaps solve the question
as to the origin Of all religions and
may even suggest solution to the
secret SO long concealed beneath the
fiat nose, thick lips, and Nero features
OF the Egyptian Sphinx. 1t may also
confirm the statement of Dioderus.
that the Ethiopians conceive them
selves as the inventor OF divine wor-
ship. OF festivals, Of solemn assem-
blies, OF sacrifices and Of every other
religious practices.
That an imaginative and supersti-
tious race and founded In the dim OBJ
security Of past ages, system Of relig-
ious beliefs that still enthralls the
minds and clouds the intellects OF the
leading representatives Of modern
theology - that still clings to the
thousnrs and tinges with potential in
fuence the literature and faith of the
civilized and cultured nations Of Eu-
rope and America, is indeed strange
Illustration Of the mad caprice of des-
tiny Of the insignificant and apparent
~ trivial causes that oft produce the
most grave and momentous results"
From the foregoing the student Of
Psychology can readily understand
why the negro is more enthusiastic
about solemn religious doings than is
any one else. And the reader who is
still In doubt as to the correctness Of
these statements may consult Ora
per's International Development Of
Europe" and learn that in spite Of the
rantings Of demagogues. the greater
part Of the civilized world in matters
religious. Is still under African domi-
nation.
Ethiopia has already stretched forth
her hands, and like the Niobe Of Ma
tons they may be empty now, but
here was q time when they were filled
with blessings for the world.
It's all right to say that the negro
has done nOthiDR-say It and lef II 90