The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1917-01-18
DIR. JOHN WESLEY GILBERT,
Augusta, Ga.
Hits the Nail Square on the Head
Tells an Audience Composed in
Main, of White People, Some Unde-
sirable Truths.-Must Get Together
Especial 70 the Blade.)

DR.. John W. Gilbert, Dean of The
ology at Paine College, Augusta, Ga,
provoked much favorable discussion
here when he addressed The Federal
Council of the Churches of Christ in
America which has been in session
since Tuesday. The eloquent educator
was speaking 70 the report of the
Commission in the interest of Colored
churches. He was frequently and loud
ly applauded by the five hundred dele
gates, majority of them white, while
he made his plea for larger co-opera-
ton of the white pulpits of the South
in the interest of justice for our peo-
pie. Among other things he said:
Sentiment is higher than law, Sen
timent overrides the law when the law
is not the offspring of sentiment.
Therefore it is the duty of the minis
try to change the sentiment antagon-
istic to the colored man. Most preach
ers are towards in the face of senti-
ment and therefore for fear of losing
their personal popularity they fail to
teach the ethics of Christianity, fail
to talk and act upon the principle Of
the equality of man, the principle of
the Fatherho. I'd of God and the broth
erhood of man." He spoke hopefully
of the brotherly relationship existing
between the NJ. E. Church, South, and
.l IN L CEnxoh uo halinuac fhot
most so-called Christians need vision
of Peters sheet in order to be taught
that God is no respector of persons"
"My people," said he, "are more
sinned against. than shining in the
matter of residence in unsanitary, un
drained and dirty sections of our cities
and towns; also in the matter of al
coholic liquors; for we do not own dis
tilleries nor operate barrooms. White
men manufacture liquor and sell 1t
to our race who ar edebauched and ru
ined thereby" DR.. Gilbert also con-
tends that our womanhood is sinned
against and defenseless in many places
because the community sentiment is
against her. AS to education the race
is sinned against because he does not
get his just share of the public educa
tional money and, therefore our rural
schools are over-crowded and teachers
incompetent and underpaid at that.
Competent teachers cannot work for
the rittance offered them as salaries.
He further contends that the argu-
ment so often resorted to, viz, that
the white pay the larger part of the
taxes, is false in it's political economy, |
for in the last analysis, the consumer,
the renter, the tiller, the miner-these
people pay the taxes. it is their pur-
chases in the marts, their labor in the
fields and mines that give taxable
value to material things. The preach
er must teach the people the truth
along these lines.
He suggests that Ministers ALI
ances composed of white and colored
preachers be formed in every COM
munity to take into consideration all
matters pertaining to the community
without regard to race or color.
He also suggests that at least two
and the same Sundays per year he
set for preaching to both races on
their duties to each other. He pledged
the hearty cooperation of the colored
ministry of all churches with their
white brethren in any endeavor, North
or South, to inaugurate an era of good
will, love and mutual help.