themselves good, but to make
ourselves worthy of them is infinitely better. It is encouraging and
gratifying to know that so many are getting a correct interpretation
of life's deeper meanings and are daily coming into possession of
higher and purer ideals. Who can say that the Negro has not made
progress commensurate with his opportunities?

FIFTH PAPER.

DID THE AMERICAN NEGRO MAKE, IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, ACHIEVEMENTS
ALONG THE LINES OF WEALTH, MORALITY, EDUCATION, ETC., COMMENSURATE
WITH HIS OPPORTUNITIES? IF SO, WHAT ACHIEVEMENTS DID HE MAKE?

BY REV. D. WEBSTER DAVIS.

[Illustration: Rev. D. Webster Davis]

REV. DANIEL WEBSTER DAVIS.

Randall and Charlotte Davis, who were valued servants on a
Caroline County farm, found themselves, March 25, 1862, the
parents of a little black boy, who brought gladness and
sorrow to their hearts. Gladness, because the Lord had sent
them a boy, and he was their boy, bone of their bone, flesh
of their flesh, blood of their blood. Sorrow, because, while
he was their child, he was "_Marster's_" child too; he
belonged to "_Marster_" more than he did to them.

War was raging. The Negro cabins knew little else but
muffled prayers, stifled songs, unuttered sermons--all for
deliverance. From the cabin to the broad fields of tobacco
these emotions and utterances were carried daily. Father
preached, mother prayed. Singing was but the opening of the
oppressed heart. Those were troublous years, heart-aching
years. Years of consecration, fixed and unceasing, to the
God of Freedom. In such an atmosphere the boy was nurtured
and reared.

The war was over. The boy over whom mother and father had
prayed had changed from a chattel, a thing of barter, to a
free child, belonging only to mother and father. What a
change!

Entering the public schools of Richmond, step by step, grade
by grade was passed with honor and public commendation,
until June, 1878, when D. Webster Davis graduated from the
Richmond High and Normal School, receiving at the same time
the Essayist Medal.

In 1880 the subject of our sketch commenced to teach in the
public schools of Richmond and has taught therein
continuously ever since, and is to-day rated as one of the
best and most progressive in the system.

September 8, 1893, Mr. Davis mar