The Twin City star., 1916-07-22
militant BODY
OF CHURCHMEN
Baptlsts Make Strong Plea
For Rights as Citizens.
RACE MUST DEFEND ITSELF

Committee on State Of the Country For
New England Baptist Convention
Wants Federal Supervision Of Fed
srai Elsetions-Rsnews Fight Against
Injustice and Political Piracy.
The committee on state Of the coun.
try representing the New England
Baptist Missionary convention has is
sued its statement for 1916 following
its annual meeting held in Philadelphia
In June. The territory of the conven-
ton covers fourteen states, including
the District Of Columbia. Its religious,
educational, home and foreign mission
work is carried on by its local boards
grouped in the various states through
out its Jurisdiction. The Rev. w. B.
Reed Of Hartford, Conn.,, is chairman
Of the standing committee on (resolu
tions) state Of the country.
The report Of the committee released
July 1S. says:
After charges and countercharges
the New England Baptist convention
has come through the conflicts Of an
other year. Our battle against sin, un-
Righteousness and evil has been inces-
SAINT; trench after trench has been
taken, fort after fort has fallen before
our advancing army, and our King goes
on 'conquering and to conquer We
pass in this annual session the forty.
second milestone of our journey with
Thanksgiving to our Captain. for the
Lord alone has brought us. and there
was no strange god among us. .~
I'VE are living in a great yet pecul
lar age. The popularity may be oh.
served under the seven general head.
lines in this report. We are living at a
time when wisdom has greatly increas.
ed, yet wise men are greatly deceived
on important questions affecting us In
peculiar way as people. A new pub
lie sentiment Is in the mOlding. If
soda Is left out of the dough 1t would
be most difficult task to put 1t in the
bread after 1t is cooked, and the baker
who tries 1t would lose both reputation
and trade.
I'm our great body polite no man OF
group Of men is taking chances on
waiting to put his essence in the mold.
ing after it comes out Of the mold
The time Is too critical to intrust 9th
ers altogether in the molding. The
cost Of neglect is too great; we must
insist on our place and time in the
grinding. So the New England Baptist
convention has selected some twenty
five men, covering its territory from
Maine to Virginia. to survey in broad
sense the political end Of our conven
ton from a national point Of view.
I'VE aim to deal with national Ques
tons as they affect us as people. We
aim at our well earned and we'll de.
serving place in the great functions
Of the government. BY this we do not
ask a place for a colored man, but q
man, a loyal patriotic citizen and an
American, with an ancestry older than
the constitution. We are not mere
politicians looking for personal popu.
larity, personal consideration or per
sonal friends.
I'VE are Of age and we aim to speak
for ourselves. We aim to deal with
this magnif1ed southern question. We
are going to deal with 1t not as subject
citizens, but as sovereign citizens, not
| by permission, but voluntarily. fred
by duty with the knowledge Of a com
mon privilege burning in our souls. We
aim to ill up the gaps broken down by
the suppression Of free speech by
southern political machines through
the terror Of its mobs. We aim tG
break down the southern oligarchy
that makes the southern cOngressmen
representatives Of only white men and
misrepresentatives Of colored men. We
aim to tell of the hypocrisy of all law.
| makers who advocate jimcrow laws.
"The aim of this committee Is backed
up by work. We are uniting our forces
we are fighting nearly half million
strong. The New England Baptist con,
vention has invited all Of it's state con.
ventions to aim and fight with 1t fol-
federal supervision over federal cleo
lions. This will be the key to the stu
alton, the great highway to the goal OF
our inalienable rights. This is the
weapon that will bring dlsfranchisers
home and supplant political piracy with
political equality.
"In our fight we shall not be guilty
L NHy n. -
our enemies. We shall speak the truth
from hearts free from hatred. selfish
ness and racial prejudice. All the com
mittee combined cannot tell all the
truths of the horrors Of the rclltica