The Colorado statesman., 1915-11-20
AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[L|NCS

In communication to The Living
Church. George F. Bragg, Jr. of Bal
timore, advances the following argu-
ments for church unity:
A National and Not Sectional Ques-
tion.
To the Editor of The Living Church:
1t is perfectly permissible. as well
as lawful within the bounds of Pro-
vince No. 2. for a congregation of
coiored persons to be constituted on
racial lines. 1t is permissible. and
lawful, also, for colored persons to
become members of parishes made up
of white people. We certainly would
not change this liberty. We would
vigorously protest against any law de-
ciarins that colored people shall be
organized along racial lines. We
would as vigorously protest against
law which compelled the admission
OF colored persons into white parishes.
What we now ask is that the several
congregations organized on racial
lines within the province be permitted
either to associate themselves with
the diocesan convention of the particu-
lar diocese where situate or to asso-
ciate themselves with similar congre-
cations within the province and be
given a status" of their own, with a
conyocation and missionary bishop.
In every division of the church there
will be colored members. but in the ra-
cial division the great body of colored
people will be found. The point of
unity is in the one episcopate. Still
again, this unity would be in evidence
in the Provincial synod.
By such an arrangement, which is
not mandatory but simply permissive,
the great body of colored churchmen
would be associated together in the
work of missions, and also in build
ing up institutions for colored orph-
ans, the aged and infirm, and other
charitable concerns. Otherwise, they
would justly claim the benefits of such
institutions now practically confined
to white people. Right here is a great
and vexing problem that is sure to
arise, without the permissive legisla-
ton which is sought
We are asking simply for the legis-
lation. The initiative, in every case.
must be taken by the diocesan bish-
ops. The question of more elastic
episcopal supervision for the colored
race is not sectional but a national
question. and is intimately connected
with the subject of church unity.
If in 1878. when an entire Negro de-
nomination, bishop, ministers, and
latty. asked to be received into the
Episcopal church in Virginia, the leg
islation which we are now asking the
general convention to adopt had been
a part of our canon law, the church
would not have lost such a splendid
opportunity. At the next meeting of
the house of bishops the bishop of
Virginia would have laid the whole
matter before that body. And the
probable result would have been some
what like this: North Carolina and
Virginia would have been constituted
a special missionary district with re-
spect to the colored race, and the very
best colored priest that could be Sc
cured consecrated a missionary bishop
and set to work, with the cooperation
and guidance of the bishops of North
Carolina and Virginia. That organiza-
tion alone would have given him twen-
ty-odd ministers, and more than two
thousand communicant members
know enough about racial life to
assert that 1t is entirely within the
range Of possibility. some day, for the
bishop Of New York to be surprised
with a request from some Negro body
in the state of New York, seeking ad-
mission into the church, not as pau