The Colored American in the Service of God the Church as a Career for Colored Americans — Influence of Religion a Powerful Incentive to Success — Opportunities to Follow an Honorable Vocation — High Religious Aspirations an Inborn Sentiment of the Race — Men Who Have Been Pioneers in the Field
The church offers an opportunity to embrace a high and honorable calling, a career that is the noblest in the world.
The spirit of religion is an instinct of the race, and the past decade or two has demonstrated that the spirit has quickened into a most beneficial activity, and is exerting an influence for good that has made itself felt.
Before the race lifted itself up on the wings of freedom, there was good soil to cultivate, and many apostles and evangelists of the Christ prepared the way for the present splendid hierarchy. The latter are preparing the way for their successors in the same manner as their predecessors, but the field is enlarged to enormous dimensions. The laborers in the vineyard are becoming too few to gather the harvest, so it is necessary to prepare leaders of advanced thought to keep pace with the work, and to increase it.
The Colored Americans are the fruitful vineyard, that is constantly increasing and there must be more laborers. The foundation is laid, the way is open, and the young Colored American with a vocation has not far to seek to find an open door.
There is loving memory for Rev. Lemuel Haynes, the revolutionary soldier, who drew the sword for his country and never laid it down until the last foreign enemy had left the country. Then, he turned his sword into the Word of God, and fought the powers of evil as the first Congregational minister in the United States.
In loving memory is held Bishop Daniel A. Payne, the most remarkable preacher among his race that has ever been produced. He was responsible more than anyone else for the Wilberforce Community and University.
For sixty years the celebrated John Jasper, a preacher of highest virtue, piety and sincerity, labored to bring souls to God, becoming a national character.
There were Alexander Crummell, the eminent Colored Episcopal minister and author; Henry Highland Garnett, missionary, army chaplain, and diplomat; Joseph S. Attwell, missionary and rector, till his death, of St. Philip’s church, New York City.