f a master who used or abused either as he chose; their
children grew up under the same conditions and were encouraged or
forced into unchastity, lying, stealing and betraying of one another
under the teaching that there was no moral wrong to them since they
were the property of another who was responsible for their acts. There
could be no growth in morals, and there can be no true religion
without morals. To say the least they came out of bondage with a
dwarfed moral nature, and to this day suffer more or less from the
effects of it. The carnality of slavery has not yet ceased to bear
fruit, as we all know. Ever and anon it shows itself in those horrible
acts which the newspapers report in full.

It takes long and weary years to root out of a race or nation evils
that have become fixed in its nature. But while there is much to be
deplored as to laxity in morals among the masses there has been
constant and steady improvement in this regard. It is no doubt true
that any race, kept in bondage under similar conditions, and for the
same length of time as the Negro was, would come out of it in no
better condition, and would, perhaps, show no better record in forty
years than this race has shown, and especially so if that bondage were
preceded by heathenism.

Dr. Haygood has said, "The hope of the African race in this country is
largely in its pulpit. No people can rise above their religion; no
people's religion can rise above the doctrines preached and lived by
their ministry."

The Negro began almost unaided and alone in this particular. As to
their religion they were very largely left to themselves during
slavery. Their ministers were ignorant and unlettered. Many of them
were pious, but many were ungodly and unscrupulous. So theirs was a
religion largely without the Bible. It consisted of bits of Scripture
here and there, of glowing imaginations, of dreams and of
superstitions; yet it was the best they knew.

Then many years of freedom had passed by before fully equipped
ministers could be provided them. During those years faithful servants
of God, unlettered, did their best to be the true religious leaders of
the people (all honor to them), but they necessarily came short in
many respects and could not carry the people up to the higher plane of
religious life.

With these things before our minds we say that the race has shown a
remarkable growth in the essentials of true Christian manhood. Their
notions may, in so