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JUSTICE TO THE NEGRO. This is the subject of a communication sent out recently by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Like most of the articles written on this subject, this was written by a Northern man. We recognize the fact that in the North there are just as good people as there are any where in the world. We also recognize the fact that there are just as wise people in that section of our country as there are anywhere else. We also recognize the fact that there are many people in the North who have the kindest regards and best intentions towards the negro ami towards their brethren in other sections of the country. But along with all this we cannot help feeling that all wisdom does not belong to any one section. The vast majority of Northern men and women who write about the negro show almost ttire ignorance of conditions, and at the same ,?.ne are ready to pronounce in no unmeasured terms their condemnation of what they deem the sins and shortcomings of the white people of the South. We are fully aware of the fact that negroes in the South do not always receive justice. We know also that white people do not always re ceive justice. We know, too, that at the North the negro does not always receive justice, nor does the white man. We know that human nature is weak and sinful and that it is very much alike every where. But to have the broad charge made against the whole South that the negro as a race and because of his race does not receive justice is a matter that demands more proof than is usually attempted. Most of the writers on this subject remind us of one or the other of two scientists who undertook to write a treatise on the life, habits and characteristics of the lion. One sat down in his study with a picture of a lion before him and wrote what he imagined would be true of the lion. The other went to a zoological garden and for a few moments watched n lion pacing back and forth in his cage and heard him roar, and then went home and wrote. Much the wiser, as well as the more scientific plan, was that of the man who went into the jungles of Africa and sought out the home of the lion and lived for months where he could study him in his natural surroundings. Since so many negroes have gone to the North to live, the Northern people are getting more acquainted with the negro and they are learning to know themselves better, but they still do not know him in his natural environ ment. It may be that after awhile the}- will find out that the people of the South know the negro, with whom they have been living peace ably for generations. We do not pretend to say that conditions are ideal. We know that there are bad white peo ple in the South as there are bad negroes. And when these two come together, and the occa sion arises that brings out the badness, there* is likely to be trouble. This is true every where. We of the South know that the vast majority of the negroes are quiet, peaceable and well behaved. And when trouble occurs it is not with these. We know, with deep regret, that there are among the negroes, especially among the younger men, some who are brutes of the most dangerous character. If there were any way by which this element could be sepa rated from the race as a whole, there would l>e no negro problem to be solved in the South. The South has not done all that it ought to have done in many directions nor all that it would like to have done for the negro. But we believe that it has done as much for the benefit of the negro under all tht cireum stances as New York has done for its lower grade of foreigners who compose a large part of the population of its great cities, or as Penn sylvania has done for its foreign workers iu mine and factory, or as California has done for the dwellers in its Chinatowns. Much has been said about the necessity of "cleaning up the slums" in thccities. So far as we have ever heard, not much has been ac complished. There are some people who, if put into a clean house, will dirty it up or will move out to some place where they can live in filth and squalor. The citics can furnish clean streets and good sewerage, but there will al ways be people who will live in squalid, dilapi dated homes, rather than work a little harder and have a better and cleaner home. The communication above referred to says, iimong many other things: "We emphasize the urgency of giving to the negro his full share of local and national funds." Upon what basis "his full share" is to be calculated we do not know. We know this, that, if the basis is that of taxes paid, the negro gets far more than "his full share." Any one who will study the matter at all \flll see that the amount of taxes paid by the negroes is a very small proportion of what is spent on him in governmental care and in education. Every year he receives the benefit of many millions of dollars more than he pays in to the government. There are a number of other things touched upon in this communication along similar lines. ? We are thoroughly convinced that such pub lications, with their broad, sweeping charges, do more to complicate the negro problem than anything else. When the negroes are continu ally told that they are being badly treated and are not receiving justice, naturally many of them, especially the worst element, will believe that these statements are true, whether they had ever had such a thought before or not. The best course to pursue is for each section of the country to deal with its own racial prob lems. Let New York handle its own problems with the Italians, Russians Jews or negroes. Let Pennsylvania deal with its Slavs and Cali fornia with its Chinese and Japanese. The South will solve its negro problem. The great source of all these problems is the fact that so many of these various peoples are wthout the salvation of Jesus Christ, and none of the problems will be solved until the people concerned have been won for him. The great duty of the Church, North and South, is to give the gospel to those in their midst. A MISINTERPRETATION OF SERVICE. The misuse of words is a common fallacy. There is no more frequent one than the calling of the worship of God's people by the title of service. The primary meaning of this word is, "an act of labor performed for the benefit of an other." Those common acts of devotion per formed at the hours of public worship are not labors performed for the benefit of others or of ourselves immediately. They are the spon taneous expressions of our love and gratitude to God. By calling them service we have inculcated the idea of meritorious acts into them. By the going through a certain ritual, either devotion ally or formally, we have put God under an obligation to do something for us. Worship is "worthship" of God. It is em phasizing the worthiness of our Saviour. Ser vice is a duty rendered to others for their ben efit and without hope of reward. One has said, "service begins Monday morning." One reach es out to our fellow-man; the other looks up to God. Cur service is that Christian deed or word, that we can render to all, and at all times. The humblest disciple serves in his place , however lowly it may be. Dorcas, sewing for the poor orphans and widows of Joppa, served her peo ple and her God. Paul going out with the evangel of hope to the sin-laden peoples of the world, served them. Gutenberg, discovering the printing art, served his age and ours. Edison, harnessing up the unseen powers of electricity, truly served his day. Service is of numberless kinds and even "they also serve who simply stand and wait." The unconscious weight of a good example is a useful labor for the good of others. We sigh for a wide open door of usefulness, when it is already open to us now. We often hear advisers tell us to find some thing for each church member to do. There is something right at hand. Living right is the greatest service we can render to mankind. Speaking words of kindness to the shy and timid is a great source of helpfulness. Per forming the duties well, that pertain to us^ as inferiors, equals or superiors, is a mighty se^- J vice to an upset world. N It is time we were glorifying the ordinary, * rather than the unusual. The plodder is often of more value than the racer. The plow may be as sanctified as the flying machine. True church worship ought to bef and is, a wonder ful inspiration to service. Men and women, wko live segregated lives, lose their incentive to serve. They spend time in retrospection rather than extension. They are more con cerned in what they can get from others than what they can do for others. The true worship of God sets a man forward with a new motive to aid another. To do his full duty toward his fellow-man. So those who neglect God's house are not mos* useful citi zens of any community. Unselfish life dies in such a breast. This is the test of all false creeds and religions. What is its attitude to others? All false religions centre on self. Paganism is pre-eminently a religion of fear ? and fear is always selfish. Mohammedanism dangles the gratification of passions and appetites before us as the one aim and end. Christian Science is a more refined kind of selfishness, but has the marks of the beast. It is always concerned about "my joy," "my peace,"' "my health," etc. These religions are propagandist in na ture from selfish points of view. Paul said that so intense was he in his desire to save his people that he was willing to be come a castaway, to be accursed for their sake. Thus worship brings us close to God and warming our hearts with His love sends us out not to "enjoy our religion," but to render a compassionate service to all the world. A. A. L. , Contributed MINISTERIAL DERELICTS. Long ago I read a story of a Spanish galleon, richly freighted with gold and silver, from which a storm had swept the crew and it had been sinee drifting aimlessly, doing no good to anybody. It was called a "derelict." I have thought it a fit symbol of some in the gospel ministry. Religiously they are loaded with "the wealth of Ormus and of Ind;" but for some reason ? perhaps for various reasons ? the cargo cannot be delivered. A right wide ex perience in overlooking the work of other min isters, so far as Presbyterian ways will allow, has convinced me that often one defect can mar and mayhap ruin an entire career, the gold la den galleon circling around among the church