SOME CHANGE NEEDED.
We publish the following as evidence of the necessity for Congregational Churches among the colored people. There are some kinds of religion from which intelligent people wish to get away. Of these kinds it can be truthfully said that a “special religious interest” is not a blessing.—ED.
“The church here was organized in April, 1882. From the beginning we have held worship in one room of the Knox school building, which is owned by the A. M. A. This room is not large enough to accommodate the people when there is anything like a good interest, as we cannot seat, comfortably, more than one hundred persons. We are, therefore, put to great inconvenience at times. Again, there is not the air of sacredness in worshiping in a school-house as there is in an out-and-out church edifice. At least it is so among the people here.
“Great as these reasons are for a church building, yet there is another still greater. It is this; we are holding our services not farther away than thirty steps from a colored Baptist church whose congregation is immense. Moreover, our meetings are held at the same hour as theirs. Their great demonstrations and shoutings are destructive to the solemnity and comfort of our quiet and orderly congregations. When there is special religious interest among that people—and it is almost a perpetual thing—the good effect of our services is almost as good as none.
“Now, to carry out our building plan we need fifteen hundred or two thousand dollars. We hope our Northern friends will give us at least one thousand dollars of this amount. Please respond as soon as possible, as we are very anxious to complete our church by next April when our fifth anniversary will be held. We wish to hold that service in the new edifice.
“The future good of the work here will depend very much upon our ability to build within the year 1887.”
And the following is an evidence of the necessity for Congregational ministers:
“Dear Sir: I hav been infome buy Some of you brothren. As I wished to Change my Relation Ship with the Church to Some other branch of Church. I. hav. come. to. the. conclusion to Join. with. you. Church. as. a. Colord. Missionarie. in you church with. my. peopl. I. Am. in. the. best of. Good. Standing. in. the. Church. And if. you. Dought. this frase. you. can. Rite to the Rit Rev Bishop in Regard. to. my. Standing in the. Church, but Dont. Say to him what. I. say. to. you a bout. Joinen you Church. if. you. please. not as. I. am tring. to Run. off but. I Like to. no what. I Am Going. to. Do. first I hav been a Elder in the Church for. 9 years and for five years I. hav. not. Got. 3000. Dollars, for. my Laber. not as. I. Dezier riches of this Earth. but. a Enought. to Live. with. in this. Life. I. Am thinking to tak. up. a home Stide, on Goverment. Land. in Kansas. or. in Alabama. or Some plase where Grate meny of our people is but if. I. am Blesst. to Join. with you Church. I. will Do. as you. Law Says. I. m. familey. wife. and one. neace. And. I Expect my. neace will. not. be. with. us. Long please be So Kine. as. to answer this Soon as. you. Get. it.”