CHAPTER V.
ALLEGED EXPRESSIONS CONCERNING THE NEGRO RACE.
It has been said by many that it was almost impossible for the negro race to do anything, and, as one member of the race, I determined, by God's help, to see if the alleged expression was really true. It is also said by the same accusers that God did not intend for the negro race to do as other nationalities. It has been so commonly spoken that God has no respect of persons. I prayed over the matter, considered it, and reconsidered it. Oh! how strange it seemed to me that a just God, that formed the heavens and the earth, and made every creeping thing--animals, man and beast! Oh! how strange it seemed to me to believe that a just God would make some races superior to others, and to stamp a seal of damnation upon a race eternally because their faces were black, and whatever they should undertake to do should fail! After studying carefully over the matter, I cried, because I knew we had a just God. It has been said that the race is prone to debauchery and detestable things in all of their actions; and yet when I read the Good Book I would see that God did not refer to
a man because his face was black. I had heard it said to be a member of the negro race was a disgrace to human sight, because they were vicious and were not capable of doing anything that had any responsibility in it. My heart bled within me. Again I went to the Bible to see if the race that I was identified with was so condemned and had nothing to aspire for, by reason of their condition and complexion. I got down upon my knees and prayed to God, and said, "Oh, Father of Heaven and God of Love, if this calamity is true it would have been better for us if we had never been born" After I arose from my knees, praying to God in whom there is no varying to the right nor the left, and who knows no man by his condition, but measures out truth, justice and righteousness to all men alike, I found that I had great peace. I found that the burdens of these accusations would have to be made from a source of God-like power before I could accept them.
I then determined that I would take up the great responsibility to prove what had been said was not true. I made up my mind that I would begin nothing small because it had been said that a member of the negro race could not start anything requiring extraordinary ability and carry it to success--especially if ten thousand dollars or a hundred thousand dollars were involved.
I first thought that I would establish a university and connect it with some religious denomination. The second thought came to me, if I do that it will not begin to solve the negro problem, because the accusers would say, if it is connected with any particular denomination, that would not be evidence that a member of the colored race could do anything. They would say almost any denomination could form a combination and build an institution, because, if the colored denomination could not build the institution the white people of the same denomination would help them. The accusers would say it is easy to elect one of their members as president of the institution, and that is not sufficient evidence that the race can do anything of themselves.
ALLEGED EXPRESSIONS CONCERNING THE NEGRO RACE.
It has been said by many that it was almost impossible for the negro race to do anything, and, as one member of the race, I determined, by God's help, to see if the alleged expression was really true. It is also said by the same accusers that God did not intend for the negro race to do as other nationalities. It has been so commonly spoken that God has no respect of persons. I prayed over the matter, considered it, and reconsidered it. Oh! how strange it seemed to me that a just God, that formed the heavens and the earth, and made every creeping thing--animals, man and beast! Oh! how strange it seemed to me to believe that a just God would make some races superior to others, and to stamp a seal of damnation upon a race eternally because their faces were black, and whatever they should undertake to do should fail! After studying carefully over the matter, I cried, because I knew we had a just God. It has been said that the race is prone to debauchery and detestable things in all of their actions; and yet when I read the Good Book I would see that God did not refer to
a man because his face was black. I had heard it said to be a member of the negro race was a disgrace to human sight, because they were vicious and were not capable of doing anything that had any responsibility in it. My heart bled within me. Again I went to the Bible to see if the race that I was identified with was so condemned and had nothing to aspire for, by reason of their condition and complexion. I got down upon my knees and prayed to God, and said, "Oh, Father of Heaven and God of Love, if this calamity is true it would have been better for us if we had never been born" After I arose from my knees, praying to God in whom there is no varying to the right nor the left, and who knows no man by his condition, but measures out truth, justice and righteousness to all men alike, I found that I had great peace. I found that the burdens of these accusations would have to be made from a source of God-like power before I could accept them.
I then determined that I would take up the great responsibility to prove what had been said was not true. I made up my mind that I would begin nothing small because it had been said that a member of the negro race could not start anything requiring extraordinary ability and carry it to success--especially if ten thousand dollars or a hundred thousand dollars were involved.
I first thought that I would establish a university and connect it with some religious denomination. The second thought came to me, if I do that it will not begin to solve the negro problem, because the accusers would say, if it is connected with any particular denomination, that would not be evidence that a member of the colored race could do anything. They would say almost any denomination could form a combination and build an institution, because, if the colored denomination could not build the institution the white people of the same denomination would help them. The accusers would say it is easy to elect one of their members as president of the institution, and that is not sufficient evidence that the race can do anything of themselves.
