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SAYS THAT THE RACE IS PRESSING FORWARD. THE CHURCHMAN CALLS UPON HIS HEARERS TO WORK AND FIGHT. One of the Prominent Members of His Race Who Occupies a Number of High Positions.  Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, at 1207 Powell street, was
crowded to the doors last night on the occasion of a lecture by Bishop B.W.
Arnett on the subject of “The Lessons of the Century.” Though the audience
was composed mostly of members of the Bishop’s own race, there was a
sprinkling of Caucasians. Bishop Arnett is one of the eloquent speakers of
the country and his every word was listened to with rapt attention. Among
the negroes of the country the Bishop holds a prominent place. Besides his
high position in the
Methodist church he is a member of the advisory board of the National
Republican Committee and is a trustee of the United Society of Christian
Endeavor.
The Bishop’s address last night, was, for the most part, an appeal to the
negroes in the audience to take pride in their own race and to move forward
in all the varied intellectual, social, moral and religious activities of
the day. “Show by your daily conduct that you are not ashamed of your color,”
was the keynote of his lecture. In part he said:
“You are probably not aware of the fact,
but it is true, that the majority of mankind belongs to the darker races. It
is no cause for shame that you are as God made you, and not white as some of
your brothers. It is rather an honor. Why, in Manila they have an image of
Jesus that is held to be sacred and it is made of black wood. The color is
honored. Be proud of the fact that you belong to your race. Make the best
use in all directions of your brain. Show by your actions in daily life that
you have backbone.
“We have had great men in our race just the same as in every other race. Where can you find more illustrious or more notable men than Douglass, Robert Small or Bruce? And we can have more of the same kind of men. We must learn to work, however, and we must learn to fight. Sword in one hand and the oar in the other, we will help save the Nation for righteousness, for Christianity. The negro has always been ready when Providence called. In the war of humanity through which we recently passed the negro was at the front, and now he is making a place for himself in the Army.
“With the three books of power, the Bible, the spelling- |
