_Would there be anything gained by a separation?_ To our mind there is nothing to gain, and much to lose, by the colored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church separating from it. In the first place, it would have the same tendency that the now existing colored organizations have, casting reflections upon the wisdom of those good men and women who all along have contended for general equality; it would weaken the race politically and socially; widen, instead of narrowing, the chasm between the white and colored clergy in this country. “Like priests, like people,” would naturally widen the breach between the laity. This would naturally cause variance between neighbors because of color. This would naturally lead to separate schools where they are now mixed, and keep forever separate those that are now separate. In a word, it would magnify caste, race prejudice, and eventually lead to a war of races. The segregation of one million or more colored men in this country into _one single organization_ would endanger the safety of our Republic in more ways than one. In the second place, a separation now from the Methodist Episcopal Church for _anything less than a crime against the race_ would not only be suicidal, but foolhardy, paying kindness with contumely, and subjecting not only the members concerned, but the race to the scorn and laughter of the world. We do not expect to have everything go our way, to count for more than we number, nor to see every law we propose adopted, nor to be fondly dandled in the lap of an affectionate and opulent mother. We expect only what we have always received from the Church—the privilege of _full membership therein_.
The work which the Church has done in the South, may be seen from the following tables:
BOARD OF EDUCATION UP TO JANUARY 1, 1887.
═══════════════════╤══════╤════════════╤════════════════════ NAME. │Pupils│ AMOUNT. │ LOCATION. │aided.│ │ ───────────────────┼──────┼────────────┼──────────────────── Centenary Bib’l │ 46│ $1,850 00│Baltimore, Md. Institute │ │ │ Central Tenn. │ 67│ 2,446 00│Nashville, Tenn. College │ │ │ Claflin University │ 45│ 2,015 00│Orangeburg, S.C. Clark University │ 12│ 732 00│Atlanta, Ga. Cookman Institute │ 4│ 158 00│Jacksonville, Fla. Bennett Seminary │ 6│ 200 00│Greensboro, N.C. Gammon Theol. │ 29│ 1,663 00│Atlanta, Ga. School │ │ │ Haven Normal │ 3│ 75 00│Waynesboro, Ga. Institute │ │ │ Morristown Seminary│ 22│ 755 00│Morristown, Tenn. New Orleans │ 44│ 2,327 00│New Orleans, La. University │ │ │ Philander Smith │ 5│ 228 00│Little Rock, Ark. College │ │ │ Rust University │ 11│ 400 00│Holly Spr’gs, Miss. Rust Normal │ 2│ 75 00│Huntsville, Ala. Institute │ │ │ Wiley University │ 18│ 855 00│Marshall, Texas. West Texas Conf. │ 5│ 140 00│Houston, Texas. Sem. │ │ │ ───────────────────┼──────┼────────────┼──────────────────── Total │ 319│ $13,919 00│ In Northern │ 6│ 2,000 00│ Colleges │ │ │ ───────────────────┼──────┼────────────┼──────────────────── Grand Total │ 325│ $15,919 00│ ───────────────────┴──────┴────────────┴────────────────────