Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-05-12

IeluctaHtly-WauC-Cla Is usually the
great parliamentarian class Of polish
rhetoric, of voluminous vocabulary of
most generous diction. They are tho
twentieth century Pharisees and
Scribes, color-blind and race-blind;
tied down fast by puerile servial OBJ.
legations, whose manhood is dictated
to, warped, intimidated and coerced.
Beware Of them!
And yet they are very helpful. They
inspire your greatest energies that
would otherwise remain slumbering
They polish the truth and cause 1t to
stand.
The anxiously-need, class belongs
to that galaxy Of courageous men and
women who in deed and truth are
consecrated to the realization Of on
ideal freedom. These souls are ablaze
with the truth-the consuming truth
tho truth that knows no retreat
the truth that knows no surrender.
That Is somewhat akin to Divine
Truth, isn't It? A man must have an
heavenly vision to comprehend this
Truth. The neutrality-suspicious. is
the aggregation Of the worlds most
glorious achievements. Analyze CIV
ilization and its progress and you will
End this bit Of philosophy preeminent,
The convention represents this class.
Has the convention achieved any
thing? The question suggests o
textbook Of answers. One answer to
this question Is tho surprising apti.
doctrine of ideal freedom. The
this very strange, singular declara
l. noo{xy snof
lessness among the people for half
a century. Their language has been
inadequate to describe the needs Of
the soul. This state was not destined
to remain forever without concrete
definition. The people have 6iscov-
cred tho fundamental need OF pro;
grcss--freedom. -
Have they enjoyed this inalienable
distinct races have, Fifty years Of
finds the Negro yet q slave to ideals
'duction. He Is almost afraid to
protest against them because of his
previous training. When he speaks
or acts there Is hesitation-apprehe
~sive Of the censorship of traditions
Has his intellectual freedom been
emancipated or Is the present system
Of intellectual development broad
and radical enough to guarantee Just
results? The promoters OF this dire
system know they are taking adyant.
age Of credulous race.
The new physical freedom thrust
the Negro In a strange civilization
N,yifh
nomic uncertainties. He must pre-.
pare to figure out the meaning Of
his new environments by dint Of his
own ratiocination and this mental
process Is susceptible to the highest
possible development only when
quickened by the sense and weight
Of responsibility. This responsibility
may be individual, corporate or racial.
racial the sense and weight of respon-
sibility are absolute essentials to the
symmetrical development of ideal
manhood.
Asymmetrical indeed, is the product
as It now stands for universal in.
spection. An exhibition of the pro-
needs no Aristotilion philosophy to
palpable excogitation dressed In the
most dilusive linguistic garb will
give an arc sufficient to measure
their entire circumference where
strictly race questions are involved
with Anglo-Saxon affiliation.
All the debates, polemics, intrigues
and star-chamber deliberations are
focused at Lynchburg. The Virginia
Theological Seminary and College
the product and progeny Of the Vir-
ginia Baptist State Convention. The
only grounds Of opposition and OBJ
lection to it's existence Is that 1t
represents the highest attainable edu-
cation for Negroes and that It instills
in its student body the spirit of
courageous, uncomprcmising man.
hood and womanhood. eve do not
use the word incorporating in that
narrow demagogic sense where trifles
are involved-but only where the
principles of right and justice obtain>
The progress of the Negro needs
and must have educated, courageous,
fearless leadership. And there must
he some institution in the State and
nation where such leadership Is
trained. The institution at Lynch
burg is dedicated to most sacred
duty-the sublime duty Of moral,
religious and educational training Of
Negro men and women-which train
ing is one Of the specific adaptation
to elucidate and clarity the most es-
sential need Of the race-manhood.
Can any one impeach the object
and advocacy Of the convention in
the establishment of such an insti-
tuition? The Virginia Theological
Seminary and College Is the natural
logical outgrowth of the thought Of
the convention. It's establishment
was a necessity consequently impera-
tive. The vital interests Of the de-
nomination had to be cared for as