11. Yes, if we had a third party with racial cohesion.
12. Suffrage to be effective must be taken and not conferred. "Who would be free, himself must strike the blow." A man has no right that he can't protect and defend.
Question: How about religion as a solvent of racial difficulties and differences?
| Religious Progress[86] | 1866 | 1919 | Gain in Fifty-three Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of churches | 700 | 43,000 | 42,300 |
| Number of communicants | 600,000 | 4,800,000 | 4,200,000 |
| Number of Sunday schools | 1,000 | 46,000 | 45,000 |
| Sunday-school pupils | 50,000 | 2,250,000 | 2,200,000 |
Answers:
1. Religion, if it ever becomes a vital force in the everyday affairs of people, will be one of the greatest forces in solving race difficulties. At the present time its influence is practically nil. The average church is still calling worn-out theology religion; those which have adopted a more modern and practical view of religion are too few to exert any influence in race problems.
2. Religion per se, to my mind, has failed, but Christianity, the spirit manifested by Jesus Christ in his life and which he commanded his followers to imitate, if adopted in its vital truth and simplicity by all professing Christians, could solve all the difficulties.
3. Religion might be helpful in solving racial difficulties if it were tried—but it has not been very largely tried yet.
4. Religion as a solvent of racial difficulties is necessary, but both groups will need to practice it to the same degree.