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The Atlanta Riot and the
Ministers' View-Point
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Immediately following the dreadful tragedies that were en¬
acted during what is now known as the Atlanta Riot, leading
citizens in our community conferred, frequently and intelli¬
gently, about the alleviation of the distress of the suffering
people, and the remedy to prevent the recurrence of such
atrocities as were witnessed upon the streets and in some of
the homes of our city. The whole city was deeply stirred.
The newspapers took a leading part in quieting the distur¬
bances and pointing the way, not only to immediate relief,
but also to permanent prevention.
In the meantime, there appeared in the columns of the
Atlanta Constitution, a notable communication signed by
"Mrs. M. L. H.," of Bibb county. This writer recalled, that
while the negroes at the South were under the patriarchal
system before the war, they regarded the white man as their
best friend, and the white woman their best teacher in religion
and morality. Then, said the writer, there was no Race Prob¬
lem; the unnamable crime was altogether unknown, and the
negro developed into a truly religious, moral being, docile
and respectful under the wise government of the superior
race. The good woman then asked, why the gospel, taught
by white men and white women now, could not be made just
as effective as then.
Following this admirable suggestion, the Constitution pub¬
lished a strong editorial appeal, "Shall We Blaze the Trail?"
This editorial attracted the attention of conservative Chris¬
tian people throughout the South. A striking paragraph reads
as follows:
"We have tried violence. Has it succeeded? Lynching—
regrettable it is true—has been in vogue in the South since
reconstruction. Yet, the problem is here, large and sinister
as ever before. The thinking negro preachers, negro property
owners, law-abiding negroes all over the South, are actually
praying to the Southern whites for help in leading them out of
the wilderness. They pray for such sympathetic help as will
prevent the disease from spreading. Here is the mission of
the Southern pulpit—it is under obligation to the people at
the South, to the Creator himself, to discharge that mission.
The Southern preacher can, with the co-operation of the press
and conservative thought, gradually eliminate the depraved,
criminal germ in this half-civilized race. Does the Southern
minister recognize his opportunity? Will he undertake the
mission ?"
Following these two publications, many ministers wrote
lengthy replies, indorsing with remarkable unanimity, the
views of the lady correspondent and the writer of the edito¬
rial. Sentence expressions are here quoted:
"The churches at the South should lay hold of the domina¬
ting religious nature of the negro, and in that direction, work
out their problem of amelioration."—George W. Mack.
"The South must do for the negro' in America, what it is
doing for the negro in Africa—evangelize and educate him in
Christianity and civilized life."—Frank E. Jenkins.
• "It would be well if your editorials on the Problem could
be published in all our church papers."—Theron H. Rice.
"Everywhere a white preacher can get a negro audience, he
ought to preach Christianity though the heavens fall."—John
■E. White.
"True religion that makes man patient, just, unselfish, al¬
truistic, will solve any problem and mitigate any peril, how¬
ever threatening."—Charles E. Dowman.
"Crime.among negroes must be prevented by Christianizing
them; a work in which the good white people ought to help,
as their fathers and mothers were wont to help in the old days.
Stonewall Jackson was not too proud to teach in a negro Sun¬
day-School."—C. B. Wilmer.
• is .'/Let us give Christianity a chance now as Sir Robert Hart
begged that it be given a chance, after the Boxer rebellion in
China and the siege of Pekin. What alone can save China and
Africa, can alone save America."—Bishop Eugene R. Hendrix.
"All this discussion will come to nothing unless folks are
ready to let God have his way, and work out his own pur¬
poses."—Virgil C. Norcross.
"It we want peace and quiet we must use as far as we may,
by advice and action, the power of God that worketh in us,
unto the amelioration of man's condition on earth and to the
glory of the Creator."—Bishop C. K. Nelson.
"If we continue the policy of letting them alone, of making
no determined effort to reach the masses of them by the re¬
ligion of Christ, they will not only go lower, but become the
occasion of hardening and making pitiless and Christless the
white people who live around them."—James W. Lee.
The Southern Presbyterians have put into practical opera¬
tion the Christian principles set out above. Rev. John Little,
of Louisville Ky., is superintendent of missions to the negroes
at the South, under the direction of the Southern Presbyterian
Board of Missions. Using stereopticon views, he will deliver
several lectures in this city, showing the remarkable progress
the Southern Presbyterians have made in giving the gospel to
the negroes at the South, through instruction given by white
teachers and white preachers of the South.
Mr. Little is a Southern man of marked intelligence and cul¬
ture. He was born and reared in Alabama, and was graduated
from the Presbyterian Theological Seminary, located at
Louisville, Ky.
Every citizen at the South is vitally interested in the sub¬
ject matter of this lecture. You are specially invited to hear
the lecture. Bring your friends with you, whatever may be
their views on the negro question. Sometimes it is well to
help people change their views. No charge for admission.
See accompanying announcement of dates and places.
W. J. NORTHEN.
Gove^sior of Georgia, 1890-9^-
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