prosperous ones among them, are declared to be better than those enjoyed
by their kinsmen, any where on earth.

THE FREEDMAN'S FRIENDS

The Freedman has hosts of friends, who are interested in his welfare. He
has interested neighbors, amongst whom he lives, and also friends at a
distance. Both are trying to solve the problem of his true relation to
American institutions and privileges. While both have been co-operating
together to a considerable extent and in a very commendable manner for
the betterment of his condition, it remains to note however that if one
is considered by the other as moving too slowly, or too rapidly, one
acts as a gentle spur or check to the other.

This is the harmonizing process that is now going on among the friends
of the Freedman. He is scarcely regarded as a participating factor in
this harmonizing process. There are times when to him every new event
seems to be one moving him in the wrong direction. His natural impulse,
on experiencing these apparently adverse movements, is to raise the
voice of bitter complaint against one set of his friends. When this is
done in a personal or partisan way it is offensive and always does more
harm than good. This method of procedure should therefore never be
approved or adopted.

FRIENDLY COUNSELS

A respectful protest against a wrong and an appeal to have it removed,
addressed to the person or body having the power to remove it, is an
inherent right and a proper method of procedure whenever deemed
advisable.

"Love thy neighbor as thyself" should be regarded as a fundamental
principle by every Freedman. When the herdmen of Abraham and Lot had a
little trouble over cattle and pastures, Abraham, who had received all
the land by promise and Lot was really a troublesome intruder,
discovered the greatness of his soul and settled the difficulty by
saying to Lot,

"Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and
between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we be brethren.

"Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself from me, if
thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if
thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."

Do not become impatient. Your friends at a distance, especially those in
the churches, are generously endeavoring to help you to climb the ladder
of progress, until a larger proportion of the race has been uplifted to
the plane of an enlightened christian