enjoy abundant and varied opportunities of enlightenment and culture
who fail to show in all their outward life what they profess in their
heart to be. Some do fall into the error of trying to separate between
the religion of the heart and that of the life, but generally they are
learning the better way. Where so large a percentage of the people
cannot read and write, how can you expect of them the highest degree
of moral and religious life? Taking into account the disadvantages and
limitations under which they labor, you rather wonder that they have
reached so high as they have in Christian living. We must consider the
past history of the race, its present disadvantages, environment and
opportunity, if we would justly estimate its Christianity. We must
base our judgment upon the developed Negro if we would be fair.
Education helps us to be better Christians just as it helps others
and, and as we get more knowledge of Bible truths such as education
can give us we will be better Christians. Educated ministers are fast
displacing the uneducated, and those whose moral and Christian
character fall below the standard are being crowded out, and schools
and colleges are sending out every year hundreds of educated Christian
men and women who raise the standard of right living in any community
where their lot is cast.

The material prosperity of the Negro may be placed in evidence as to
his Christianity. With all the odds against them and starting up from
absolute poverty, the race now owns farms, homes, schools, churches,
bank accounts and personal property amounting to five hundred and
fifty million dollars. It is remarkable that this has been acquired
in forty years. God's word teaches that nations prosper in material
things as they get close to God.

Thus looking upon the brighter side we are led to commend in many
things the Christianity of the Negro race and to believe that as a
people higher ground is aimed at. Though yet a long way off from
perfection, yet ever onward and upward are they tending.

SECOND PAPER.

THE NEGRO AS A CHRISTIAN.

BY REV. L. B. ELLERSON, A. B., A. M.

[Illustration: Rev. L. B. Ellerson]

REV. L. B. ELLERSON.

Rev. L. B. Ellerson, A. M., was born at Cheraw, S. C., in
1869. Mr. Ellerson's father having died when the son was but
an infant, Mr. Ellerson was left to be reared under the
fostering care of his mother alone. He spent his youthful