Evening journal., 1916-05-18
PEOPLES COLUMN

social or the commercial world, may
be justifable, but among Christianized
people, and representatives OF Jesus
Christ, never.
The Negroes have thought that they
could do better work among them
selves by the elevation OF bishop of
African descent. This was declared by
all the Negroes conferences, with the
exception of about two, notwithstand-
ing the denial of certain clergyman
of the Wilmington Conference, that
the colored people themselves did not
want it, The Christian Advocate says:
"The Mississippi proposition was al
most unanimously supported by the
colored conferences. Out OF the 14,127
votes cast by both the ministerial and
lay members, 1921 votes we're given
favoring the proposition" It would
have carried had it been a majority
instead of a two-third vote.
There are one or two reasons given
why the Negro is not eligible 70 the
Episcopacy One is, that the restric-
tive rules must be changed; the other
that he is not mentally efficient. In
opposing his election, this is what a
district superintendent of the Phila-
delphia Conference said There is a
racial prejudice we cannot overcome.
We must face the question as we see
it. There is not the slightest possi-
bility Of a Negro being elected bishop.
No white conference would allow a
colOred bishop to preside over it,"
The amendment is not the way to
merge the Methodist Episcopal Church
and the Methodist Church, South. A
union, favor There is a color line
and l would draw it, although there
are no cOlored ministers in the Phila-
delphia Conference. How unfair? The
Negro Is not asking to preside over
white conferences. Think of a min
lister, representing Jesus Christ,
making use Of such language to JUS
tify his position engendered by racial
prejudice. Has the blood of Jesus
Christ lost its power?
II favor a Jim-crow Bishop" he
says, "if one big enough can be OBJ
tanned"
We have obtained men big enough
to graduate from Harvard. Yale Bos-
ton and the University of Pennsylva-
mia. We have obtained men big enough
to graduate from Princeton, Union and
Drew. Theological Seminary at Mad
isOn, n. j.. the same seminary from
which he graduated.
| Now. while all this talk of intellect.
ual efficiency. the race produces q
Greek author, and several first-clas:
professors in the dead languages; il
produces mathematicians. who hole
their own as good and efficient teach
ers. While all this talk is being in.
dulged in, Meharry Medical College. a
Nashville, Tenn, a school for Negro
students in the Methodist Episcopal
Church, has graduated some OF the
best physicians of the country.
While this random talk was beine
indulged in, Col. Theodore Roosevelt
appoints Charles W. Anderson. a col
ored man, Collector of Internal Rev
enue OF the City of New York. and Pro.
fessor Allan Leroy Locke won the
Cecil Rhoads scholarship in a compel.
tive examination with several white
men, while Isaac Fisher. colored. re.
| 'Sdleu hlluoei champion prize WIN
ner. winning, perhaps, more essay
compositions than any white man OF
/ his time
This acknowledgment is made in the
secular world, where is the church?
Finally, hear what Rev. ]. NJ. Buck
ley. d. d., LII. D.. the hero of Metho-
dism, says in the May IL. 1916, issue oi
the Christian Advocate: 81 have
known some colored preachers in oui
church, who could preach in an,
Methodism, and other denomination.