Gideon Bands for work within the race and for work without the race: a message to the colored people of the United StatesGrimké, Francis J. (Francis James)
Religion
Gideon Bands for work within the race and for work without the race: a message to the colored people of the United States
Grimké, Francis J. (Francis James)
African Americans
are entitled to precisely the same treatment as white men are entitled
to. They think we are entitled to some consideration, but not to all
that white men are entitled to. The broad Christian principle of the
brotherhood of man, not of white men, but of all men, is a principle
that, in spite of our professed Christianity, and our professed passion
for democratic institutions as a nation, has never been recognized
in this country except so far as white men are concerned. And this
is why the struggle of the colored man here for civil and political
equality has encountered such wide-spread opposition on the part of the
enemies of the race, and such half-hearted support on the part of even
his professed friends. It is because, at bottom, on the part of both
friends and foes, there is this denial, consciously or unconsciously,
of brotherhood, this feeling that they are dealing with a different
order of beings from themselves. Loyalty to Christianity and to
democratic principles requires, however, that this barrier be broken
down. And, sooner or later, I believe it will be broken down. The Negro
cannot permanently be denied equality of rights and opportunities and
Christianity and true democracy be maintained. One or the other will be
sure to succumb. Christianity and true democracy cannot exist anywhere
and inequality of rights and opportunities continue to exist. The whole
tendency of both of these forces is to break down walls of separation
and to bring about a state of universal brotherhood. And these are the
great forces of the future--the forces that will more and more, control
the destiny of humanity.
What now is our duty, in view of present conditions--in view of
the forces that are arrayed against us--the forces that mean, if
victorious, physical, intellectual, moral, economic, social, and
political degradation? How are these evils to be met? God’s method of
meeting the enemy, as set forth in the passage we are considering, is
the one that must be followed.
How was the yoke of the Midianites thrown off? It was through a band of
faithful men, whom he had gotten together, and who worked in dependence
upon him. And this is all that is needed to-day to bring victory, to
overthrow the forces of evil, to drive out the enemy.
(1). We need the right kind of men and women--men and women who see
the evil and deplore it--men and women of moral convictions--men and
women whose sympathies are with the right, whose whole nature rises
up in protest against the evil. One reason why it is so difficult to
get anything done along moral lines is because there are so few who
have any convictions, so few who feel, as the apostle felt when he
said, “Necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is me if I preach not the
gospel.” So profoundly had the truth taken hold of him, such were his
convictions in regard to the needs of humanity and the adaptation of
the gospel to meet those needs that he simply could not keep still.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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