Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-01-20
RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY
IN CITY OF CINCINNATI.
Caused by Effort to Draw Color Line at
Missionary Exposition.

Cincinnati.-Thc controversy as to
whether the colored people of this city
are to be allowed representation at the
world in Cincinnati" missionary ex-
position proposed to be held in this city
next spring is assuming wide proper
tions. The attempt to BAR the churches
of Afro-Americans has aroused the
Rev. G. X. Robbins to righteous indig
nation.
In an open letter the Rev Mr. Rob
bins says concerning the matter:
am so constituted by birth. natural
and spiritual. by the blood OF my honored
parents and the blood OF my adorable Re
deemer that IT IL utterly impossible for
me not to take the part OF the despised OF
rejected or slighted or purposeiy hinJered
and hurt. am persuaded that & great In
Justice Is being inflicted upon the colored
ministers ana the members OF their
churches in this city By tile action OF the
stewards committee OF the world In Gin
cnnati" in not allowing them some little
part In the proposed exposition 10 be held
in our city i'm the early spring
To me 1; seems. IT must to every
careful and candid thinker aud especially
Christian. that 1t Is the height OF folly
and the qointessence OF absurdlty a sin
and shame for "A movement which ad-
vertises itself to show what Christianity
tions and theatrical and operatic presen-
tations to leave out what the colored peo-
pie have accomplished in the south and
what has been undertaken by different
denomina tons in Africa. 1t is self evil
dent that such movement Is dangerous
to the cause of Christianity and will do
more to hinder the work of Missions home
and foreign. than can be conceived by the
human mind. II this IL allowed surely in
fdels will scorn. demons laugh and angels
and saints weep bitter tears.
Would 1t not be perfectly possible. with
out giving ofIense to any one. even those
least liking and loving the colored people.
to have all churches invited and then so
arranged not to offend the most sensi-
tive in any and all churches?
There are now some 1900. 600 colored
people In the south against 100000 at the
close of the civil war. Are these not to be
evangelical? Where In America IL there
a larger and more important missionary
field?
Is II not the hope of every prophet that
these may be evangelical and educated
and thousands OF them sent across the
waters OF the sea to evangelize the dark
continent? Is 1t possible that after hun
drcds of thousands of the boys in blue
met the boys in gray and baptized the
virgin soil of the fair southland with their
blood for the liberation OF the black slaves
that they might have civil liberty we here
In the Queen City of the West shall catch
tne NeBroeS anu sHathie theHi anu ioipi"
them the religious liberty to have a little
booth in some nook or corner OF Music
hall to show some of the great things
God has done for them?
Great God forbid! Ministers. laymen.
citizens, Christians. Protestants, Catho-
lies, Jews, stand up and say. No; this
must moi i,e sot" otherwi3o VIC shall be
very guilty before man and God. Not
only will the city be dishonored and the
work of the churches retarded. but n set
back will be given to the work Of world
wide evangelization. May no man got-up
movements ever be allowed to hinder the
divine kingdom movements OF hastening
the time when all the Kingdoms of this
world shall become the kingdoms of jesus
Chriaf