Or, A Colored Man's Reply to Bistop Foster. ir
world is my parish." When we speak of Christianity we have
no reference to that spurious, blustering, self-sufficient spirit
which derides God and authority on the one hand and crushes
the weak and helpless on the other. We speak of a Christianity
which upholds the doctrine of human rights in church and
state. Which demands honor to all men. Which recognizes
manhood in all conditions. Which uses the church as the
means and agency for the unlimited progress of humanity-
This principle has its root in the Holy Scriptures, and it has
been sent forth as a part of Christian life to stay. Some men
have sought to crush it and it has crushed them. The principles-
of Christianity in essence, are of God and irresistible, because
they are the mighty breath of God. Its present and future
demand is equality of man in Church and State, irrespective
of race, condition, or lineage. The only questton now remain¬
ing among us for the full triumph of True Christianity is the
equality of the Negro. Perhaps rre have not put it the right
way. We should rather say the Church of to-day is on trial.
The Negro is only the touching-stone, by the black man, she
stands or falls. Christianity, when once concentrated, is a
sledge-hammer whose blows no public wTong can long resist.
God raised up John Brown and the Rebellion to awaken the
public conscience to the evils and dangers of slavery, and
finally resulted in the freedom of over four millions of slaves.
Times may change, men may change, but Christianity never
changes. Its constitution is complete and therefore needs no
amendments. God has sent it into the world for the express
purpose of bringing peace out of confusion, to destroy self-
righteousness and elevate all races upon the same platform in
the Kingdom of God. She is going through the world even
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