development. He remarks: "When on Sundays we enter negro churches and behold large, well-dressed, and well behaved audiences, presided over by pastors of good standing and ability; when we observe their numerous benevolent societies conducted; when we enter their schools and see large numbers of obedient pupils diligently studying their books, and when in their high schools we see exhibitions of scholarship that would be creditable to the whites, with all their present and antecedent advantages, we must confess that here is an immense advance."
There are dozens, yea, hundreds, whose views are similar to these that have been quoted. These people behold every day, by contact and observation, the progress of the race, and they are always ready to commend us and bid us "go on."
(We will now deviate a bit from our stated topic, but the reader will indulge us in so doing, we trust, since he may be benefited by a knowledge of the facts we are about to state,—having briefly given which we shall return to the subject proper.)
The greatest progress made by us has been in the professions of teaching and preaching. This has been a sensible and manly step; since the education of the children depends upon good Christian teachers and divine instruction from competent preachers. A devout and well-trained preacher is necessary to a moral and virtuous people. The foundation for a legal or medical education must be laid by the pious and God-fearing teacher.
In 1889, there were 16,000 common schools in the South, taught by Afro-American teachers, and 1,000,000 AfroAmerican children attending such schools. There are now in the South 2,000,000 freemen who can read and write. The ministry is receiving many additions of brilliant and competent young men. The Conferences, Conventions, Associations, Presbyteries and Councils, will not admit men who
