With the growing isolation of the negro in his state of freedom comes the necessity of a well-educated clergy[1] to counteract an increasing tendency to relapse into fetichism and magic and all manner of degrading superstitions. The profession of Christianity in empty words does not avail anything, and the practical interpretation of those words by means of the ideas of fetichism secures and confirms the lowest status of savagery. The more highly educated the colored clergy, the more closely are the masses of the people brought into intelligent sympathy with the aspirations and endeavors of the white race with whom they live. For it is not the abstract dogma that gives vital religion, important though it be as a symbol of the highest. It is the correct interpretation of that dogma in terms of concrete vital issues which makes it a living faith. One must be able to see the present world and its Sphinx riddles solved by the high doctrines of his creed, or he does not possess a "saving faith." The preacher who cannot, for his illiteracy, see the hand of Providence in the instruments of modern civilization—in the steamship, the railroad, the telegraph, the morning newspaper, the popular novel, the labor-saving machine, the investigations in natural science—is not likely to be of much help in building up a new civilization, although he may, it is true, administer consolation to souls world-sick and weary.[2]
The Christian religion as interpreted by the modern spirit means not only the preparation for death, but, more than this, a preparation for living. The true missionary spirit is thoroughly of this character. It bids each human being help his brother in all ways that may secure his self-help. Hence the conquest of nature, first by means of natural science, and secondly by means of useful inventions, to the end that man may be lifted forever above a life of drudgery into a life of intelligent directive power, where brains count more than hands,—this conquest is demanded by religion as a preliminary missionary movement.
The labors in social science directed to the end of discovering the best means of administering charity so that it may create activity and enterprise, rather than demoralize society's weaklings; the improvement of tenement houses, hygienic precautions, public parks and innocent amusements, all that goes to increase the interest of man in his fellow-men, and especially all that goes to lift the burden from childhood,—the burden that is premature and causes arrested
- ↑ The improvement of the character of the negro preachers is even more important than the improvement of the character of the negro teachers; but it is an end more difficult to reach, because the preachers cannot be selected, like the teachers, after submission to an ordeal that tests their fitness for the positions to be filled. As a rule, the present spiritual guides of the Southern negroes are self-appointed. The most feasible plan for promoting this improvement of character seems to be the establishment of a large number of seminaries, to be controlled absolutely by the white religious denominations, in which the general system of instruction now pursued in the normal institutes, with religious courses predominating, shall be employed for the education of the students. A second Peabody or Slater, instead of leaving a large fund for the advancement of the usefulness of the normal schools for the Southern negroes, should set aside the same amount for establishing new seminaries for the education of negro preachers, or enlarging the scope and improving the methods of those already in existence. P. A. B.
- ↑ One of the chief drawbacks to higher civilization in the negro race is the exceeding difficulty of giving a predominant ethical character to his religion. In the black belt religion and virtue are often considered as distinct and separable things. The moral element, good character, is eliminated from the essential ingredients of Christianity, and good citizenship, womanliness, truth, chastity, honesty, cleanliness, trustworthiness, are not always of the essence of religious obligation. An intelligent, pious, courageous ministry is indispensable to any hopeful attempt to lift up the negro race.—J. L. M. C.
