The Man Farthest Down: A Record of Observation and Study in EuropeWashington, Booker T.
History
The Man Farthest Down: A Record of Observation and Study in Europe
Washington, Booker T.
Poor -- Europe; Working class -- Europe
Somewhat later, in another part of the city, I had an opportunity to
listen to another of these street preachers. In this case he was a
young man, apparently fresh from college, and he was making a very
genuine effort, as it seemed to me, to reach and influence in a
practical way the people whom the lights of the torches and the music
had attracted to the meeting. I observed that the people listened
respectfully to what he had to say, and I have no doubt they were
impressed, as I was, with his evident desire to help them. It was
only too evident, however, that he was speaking another language than
theirs; that, in fact, one might almost say he belonged to a different
race of people. The gulf between them was too great.
After listening to this man I thought I could understand in a way that
I had not understood before the great success which the Salvation
Army at one time had among the masses of the people of East London.
In its early days, at least, the Salvation Army was of the people; it
picked its preachers from the streets; it appealed to the masses it
was seeking to help for its support; in fact, it set the slums to work
to save itself. The Salvation Army is not so popular in East London, I
understand, as it used to be. One trouble with the Salvation Army, as
with much of the effort that has been made to help the people of East
London, is that the Salvation Army seeks to reach only those who are
already down; it does not attempt to deal with the larger and deeper
problem of saving those who have not yet fallen.
The problem of the man farthest down, whether he lives in America or
in Europe, and whether he be black or white, is, in my opinion, not
one of conversion merely, but of education as well. It is necessary,
in other words, to inspire the masses in the lower strata of life with
a disposition to live a sober, honest, and useful life, but it is
necessary also to give them an opportunity and a preparation to live
such a life after they have gained the disposition to do so.
The Negro in America, whatever his drawbacks in other directions,
is not indifferent to religious influences. The Negro is not only
naturally religious, but the religion he enjoys in America is his own
in a sense that is not true, it seems to me, of much of the religious
life and work among the people of East London.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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