THE FREEDMEN.
REV. JOS. E. ROY, D. D.,
FIELD SUPERINTENDENT, ATLANTA, GA.
SUNDAY-SCHOOLS FOR THE FREEDMEN.
The International Sunday-school Convention at Atlanta, upon the motion of Rev. Joshua Knowles, of Georgia, passed this resolution:
“That the present mental and moral condition of the colored people of this country, especially their lack of proper and adequate instruction, is calculated to enlist our sympathy, and call forth our earnest prayers and endeavors in their behalf.”
At the request of the executive committee, Rev. W. S. Plumer, D. D., of South Carolina, spoke upon this resolution. The venerated man, cutting down the tangle about the entrance to the subject, showed that the prophetic curse uttered by Noah did not apply to the African race, but only to the Canaanites, a single branch of the family of Ham. He spoke of the Ethiopian eunuch as one of the first trophies of the Gospel out of the Jewish nation. Africa now says to us when we put the question: “Understandest thou what thou readest?” “How can I, except some one guide me?” And that is what these people are looking to us for to-day. Now a great work is to be done for these people, and it is to be done just as it is to be done for white folks. We must do this in self-defense. It is not possible that this great mass of uneducated mind can be among us without in the end doing great mischief. In 1825, Dr. John H. Rice predicted that if this country was ever desolated, it would be by some crisp-haired prophet, arising and claiming inspiration from Heaven, holding himself ready to lead on these people to damage and mischief of every sort. He had known for sixty years that colored children could learn by rote as well as white children; he had sometimes thought better. And here is encouragement. He had written a memoir of a Christian negro, Monroe. His own life had been saved by a negro, when, as a boy, he was capsized in the Ohio. “Be kindly affectioned toward these people,” said the patriarchal man in the spirit of the aged John, “and God will provide for them a future of great honor and usefulness among us. Let us love them and treat them as brethren, and remember that ‘the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin’—us, the black man as well as the white man.” In the printed report of that speech “applause” is counted nine times.
At that convention, in the report by States of Sunday-school work, Maryland announced three Sunday-school missionaries, one of whom labored among the colored people, and two teachers’ associations in Baltimore, one for the colored. “We wish it understood that we are taking care of the colored children and gathering them into our schools.” Virginia reported: “We are earnestly engaged in pushing the work among the colored population.” The colored Sunday-school organized in 1855, by Stonewall Jackson, was still alive, superintended by Col. Preston, and having as teachers some of the ablest professors in the university at Lexington. Experience has shown that the best way to elevate the colored man is to give him well-ordered and well-taught Sunday-schools. Florida said: “The work in colored schools is gaining ground, one of them having over 300 scholars.” Texas reported many flourishing colored Sunday-schools, and was happy to have one of her intelligent Christian colored superintendents in that convention.