The Colored Man in the Methodist Episcopal ChurchHagood, L. M. (Lewis Marshall)
History
The Colored Man in the Methodist Episcopal Church
Hagood, L. M. (Lewis Marshall)
African American Methodists; Methodist Episcopal Church
When we contemplate caste in all its blackest and most disgusting
phases, we grow sick at heart, and feel as if we would like to snatch it
out, top, root, and all; but then we remember it may be that in doing so
we might draw up a beard of wheat. We believe, however, that as our
membership in the South, of both races, get more and more under the
light of the cross, and farther away from “slavery days,” they come
nearer together; the more harmony that exists between the two in their
efforts to educate themselves and elevate those about them, and with
whom they have influence, the more potent factors in the evangelization
of the world they become. No sane colored man within the Methodist
Episcopal Church believes that it would benefit his race if the Church
were to give up all its work in the South among the whites. Nor is it
just fair to believe that the colored man is in and remains with the
Methodist Episcopal Church for her “loaves and fishes.” It also appears
that we as colored men in the Church must be on the alert lest we be
pushed up to the point of antagonizing all our Church work in the South,
save that among and for ourselves. Following the action of the board of
managers of the Freedmen’s Aid Society the Lexington Annual Conference
unanimously indorsed the following action, and requested its publication
in the Church papers, showing one phase of this question, viz.:
“The results attained by the Freedmen’s Aid Society since its
organization are marvelous, viewed from every point. The work of
this society in the country, Christianizing, elevating, and
educating the people, can not be expressed in figures or told in
words. Wherever its schools have been established the condition
of the people has been bettered and public sentiment
liberalized. Too much in the way of praise and thankfulness can
not be said of this benevolent organization of our Church and
its officers, and we earnestly commend its objects and work to
the thoughtful consideration of our ministers and people,
satisfied that the more thoroughly the operations of the society
are understood, the more hearty the support it will receive.
“As to the Chattanooga troubles, and other matters of the same
nature, we beg to say:
“We do not believe it is right to yield the time-honored
opinions and views of the Church as to the equality,
brotherhood, and perfect freedom of man, nor that a line of
action should be pursued by the society or Church to secure the
favor or countenance of those whose life-teachings are inimical
to the position of our Church, and who really have no objection
whatever to the Negro, so that his relation to them is a servile
one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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