The Denver star., 1916-07-15
IN1ERRAc,AL GOOD WILL.
Byrd PriIIerman Tells Sunday sehoos
Workers How It 10 Obtained.

Professor Byrd Prillerman. president
of the West Virginia Collegiate insti-
tute. in concluding his address before
the recent annual meeting OF the West
Virginia Sunday School association
said:
The Negro's interest In the work OF
the West Virginia Sunday School as
sociation dates from the time you de-
clared n special interest In him. This
Mt once attracted his attention. For
ever since II party OF Negroes took that
trip In Dutch vessel with party or
white men ~ jamestown. Va. In lOl3.
the Negro becomes ,svaOiehus when
the white man shows my special In
terest in his welfare. Herein lies one
OF our most serious problems. The Ne
gro is suspicious of the white man. and
the white ma n is suspicious OF him.
The best way to convince the e-hHgro
of your interest in him Is TO manifest
the same kind of genuine interest that
has been shown in him by this ussocia-
ton. You have impressed him with
your interest by putting special work
er of his own race In the field In the
person OF Rev. T.. C.. Page. by making
It possible for Rev. II. c. Lyman. ID. D..
national worker. to hold a Sunday
school institute ut the summer school
for teachers at the West Virginia Col
legiate institute FOR two sessions and
by having the students OF that institr-
ton to attend your last convention In
Charleston In body.
But your most genuine interest has
been impressed by Mr.. Arthur T. Ar
mold. your scholarly. consccratcd secre-
tary. coming among us and helping u
and by the Sunday school institute he
had conducted Mt the West Virginia
Collegiate institute last January. II Is
generally thought hy teachers and stu
dents that this was the most helpful
week In the history OF our school. IL
has not been the practice OF your secre-
tnry and other workers OF this nssocia-
ton to grow despondcut over the evils
the Negro brought with him from hcn-
theuism through slavery. But tbcy
have needed the Injunction that the
strong ought to bear the infirmities OF
the weak
! ngrec with Macnulny when he says
that there l. Only one cure for the
evils which newly acquired freedom
produces. and that cure IL freedom.
When II prisoner first leaves his cell be
cannot bear the light OF day. he IL IN
able to discriminate co,ors or recognize
faces. But the remedy IL not to re
mand him TO his dungeon. but to nc
custom him to the rays OF the sun. The
blaze OF truth and liberty mny at Hrst
dazzle and bewildcr nntious which
hive become half blind In the house of
bondage But let them gaze on md
they win seen be able to bear II. II
become wise and good In slavery they
may indeed wnit forever
The Negro has proved his loyalty to
this country by his devotion to her best
Interests. Who ever beard Of n member
Of this race melting strike or leading
mobf Crispus Attucks. Negro
slave. shed the first blood for American
liberty. The Negro soldier has fought
on the battlchelds Of every war this
country has wngcd in defense OF hu-
man liberty. To right his wrongs the
Indian uses the tomahnwk and scnip-
ing knife. the I'rcnchrhan, APPLIES the
torch. the Russian uses dynamite. But
the American Negro hns fought. bict!
md died for the flag that cnsiavcti him.
.The sweetest song In human story
will tell you how. when laundering
guns moved white men down on fields
Of glory. he stayed at home to save the
helpless ones"