Page:Daniel Minort Baxter - Bishop Richard Allen and His Spirit (1923).pdf/64

Bethel are the ashes of the sainted father, Richard Allen, but his spirit hovers over every one of his children and their churches, and schools; over all their parsonages and business buildings and general departments that have been reared in the name of the Lord under his banner. Bishop Allen bequeathed to us many valuable heritages, but none have more of his soul of pathos in them, and rings more truly the sound of his last will and testament, than these words of his; “I hope the names of Dr. Benjamin Rush and Mr. Robert Ralston will never be forgotten among us, because they were the first gentlemen who took up the cause of the oppressed and aided us in building a house to worship in.” Allen’s spirit here teaches that a people with a heart can never forget their benefactors, only the base and the ingrate who glories in rendering evil for good, can fail to remember the kindly acts done them. When these two white brethren came to the assistance of these oppressed Negroes, they no doubt incurred the displeasure of their own people. It took courage for them to walk out in the face of the lords of the church and the earth, to say even a word for these Negroes, but not only