Then as men and women we could have the courage to ask our white friends to help us, and they would give you their hearty support, and be glad to do so. And then we would be doing what God wants us to do. We could have money without begging our old mother and father for it. If we would be manly men and women, help those that need it. The Bible says, “thou shall not walk in the path of the ungodly,” and our leaders teach us the same and tell us we must stay out of barrooms and the gambling houses, and the houses of immorality. But my friends that is a mistake, those are the places we should go in, in the Lord’s name. I understand the meaning as, you should not crave for those evil things; when you do, then you are walking in the path of the ungodly. If your heart desires to murder someone, then you are a murderer; in God’s sight the crime is committed. If your religion cannot last long enough to go into those dens and speak to your brother or sister and try to bring them out, then you haven’t faith and you glory in yourself, and you will have to answer before the bar of Judgment, and with such pride of the world your whole church will be lost, for you are too proud to stoop to falling humanity and help them, for that is what you must do. An appeal to the young educated and manly leaders: in your financial affairs be a manly man, a real man, don’t accept a nickel or a dime from your old mothers and fathers who have toiled for years and put you on the platform you are now on. An old mother at fifty or sixty, it is a disgrace for any church to accept money from her, when they have to toil hard every day for bread. Young leaders you should take care of them, instead of taking from them, then you are showing the spirit of a hero, and a manly man, don’t let the prince buy the manly part of you, so that you cannot excuse your old mothers and fathers. Money you want, but you should not accept it unless it is honorable. The facts and conditions that are in actual existence among our people, there should be some remedy for them, someone has got to open the eyes of the race, they cannot be honestly contradicted, they are not of myself, I am commanded to right them from a pure and honest heart, I am willing to devote my time and money in every way for the upbuilding of humanity. My greatest knowledge of this subject is from the Bible. If you study God’s word instead of just reading it over, you will understand it better. Then try to live accordingly. The prince of the world studies his word and uses it to condemn you before God. He puts another meaning to it and tries to make you believe he is right, so it is best to know for yourself. If you study in faith He will give you understanding. I trust that you will read carefully and weigh every sentence, and place the right meaning to them: there are exceptions in all cases, some are not guilty, but slow in action. _My First Sermon to the World_