“And which would you ruther have, the black shadow growin’ deeper and deeper every year on this continent, and sectional hatred and race prejudice, and fear, and distrust, and jealousy, and alarm, and a constant variance all the time, onrest, and despair, and helplessness—which would you ruther have, them cruel spirits to camp down by you for good, and a growin’ worse all the time, or to make a big effort and heave the load off for good, and clear the air of all the bad atmosphere of internal and inevitable war, and let Peace settle down on this onhappy land agin? For it would be jest as great a relief to the oppressor as to the oppressed. Lots of good folks South have all their life groaned under this problem of what to do with this burden laid upon their backs by their ancestors. “They wanted to do right, but didn’t see their way clear. They wanted to solve this problem, but it wuz too big for ’em.” Then Maggie, bless her sweet soul, spoke up, and sez she, “_I_ believe in the great power of Christianity and education.” And Col. Seybert sez, “They have got too much education now; that is what ails the brutish upstarts. In the old times, when they couldn’t read nor write nor put on any of their cursed airs, you could get along as well again with them.” Cousin John Richard bent on him a look that held in each eye a hull Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments, besides lots of Gospel, and pity, and a sort of contempt too. It wuz a strange look. But I wouldn’t demean myself by even answerin’ him, but replied to my daughter, and sez: “I don’t see how any one can help thinkin’ that Christianity and education are the best solutions of this problem that can possibly be found if the black man remains here,” or wherever he is, I added reasonably, in my own mind. “These, with an educated sufferage, that includes the best of black and white, male and female, bond and free, is, in my opinion, the only hope of this Nation under these circumstances. “But,” sez I, “religion, though it can do almost anything, yet there are some things it hain’t never done, and I don’t spoze ever will do: it hain’t never took the spots offen a leopard’s back or made a jackal coo like a dove or a serpent walk upright, or a turkle dove mate with a tiger. “The One who made all nater and true religion, who holds the heavens and earth and seas in His hands, has laid down certain laws ever sence the creation of the world. And it is perfectly impossible for us to break down them laws, or climb over ’em, or creep under ’em. “There they are, firm, immutible, not to be stirred one jot or tittle by all the strength that can be brought to bear aginst ’em. And Hypocrisy and Cant hain’t a goin’ to help any by sayin’ that Religion is a doin’ sunthin’ that it can’t do.