Twentieth century Negro literature : $b or, A cyclopedia of thought on the vital topics relating to the American Negro
History
Twentieth century Negro literature : $b or, A cyclopedia of thought on the vital topics relating to the American Negro
African Americans -- History
From every view-point the pulpit is the strongest factor in the
cultivation of social sentiment. Some few preachers occasionally
"_talk_ on this line," but unfortunately for the influence of their
admonitions, they themselves purchase their groceries and drugs,
employ their physician and undertaker from members of another race. "A
house divided against itself cannot stand," like many another passage
and teaching from the "Book of God and the god of books," might as
applicably be preached to a large number of Negro preachers as to
their congregations. It is no "unholy compromise" of the gospel of
saving grace to teach that the "Man of Galilee" came first unto his
"own," and that to "follow after him" and his apostles in their
doctrine of "first to the Jew," our religion should exemplify Christ
by our acting on the principle, "first to the Negro." I would have
this doctrine promulgated persistently, earnestly, constantly, from
every Negro pulpit as the only hope of the Negro race, as such, and,
therefore, of the perpetuity and progress of their churches. Nor
should the publishing of the doctrine find place only in the
congregations of the laity, but it should be proclaimed in the
clerical conferences, conventions, associations, synods, assemblies,
etc., for I recognize it as a case of "Physician, heal thyself."
This cultivation of sentiment in the purely religious bodies should be
supplemented by similar efforts in the "thousand-and-one" societies of
one sort and another among us. Let them incorporate it in their
constitutions as a requirement for membership. It would not be amiss
for our national race congresses and conventions to scatter broadcast
and thickly over the whole land literature to this effect. Let that
Negro individual or body be ostracized that does not subscribe to this
doctrine, or fails to live in accord therewith.
To summarize, this training in the school room, preaching in the
pulpit, proclaiming in social and civic organizations, promulgation
from the rostrum, and broadcast distribution of literature, all
tending toward the same end, it seems to me, would properly educate
the popular mind and be productive of that social sentiment without
which Negro enterprises and professional men are doomed either to
utter failure, or, at most, to the eking out of a miserable
death-in-life existence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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