Transcriber's Note:
Obvious typographic errors have been corrected.
THE
DISADVANTAGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
OF THE
Colored Youth,
—BY—
Rev. R. C. Ransom, B. D.
CLEVELAND, OHIO.
Thomas & Mattill, Printers.
1894.
Preface.
The first four chapters of this booklet comprise a series of Sundayevening lecture sermons delivered in St. John's A. M. E. Church,Cleveland, Ohio, in the month of April, 1894. They are published atthe urgent request of scores of persons who heard them delivered.They were delivered extemporaneously, as all my sermons are, andappear here as they were taken down by the stenographers. No revisionhas been attempted. The intelligent reader will readily detect manyimperfections both in matter and style. They were not given with aview to exhaustive treatment or literary excellence, but for theencouragement and inspiration of the young people of my congregation.If, appearing in this form, these lectures reach a larger audienceand strengthen the faith of any who are loosing confidence in thefuture progress of my race, I shall be abundantly repaid for the smalllabor they have cost me. The last chapter of this book, entitled "TheFifteenth Amendment," was delivered in response to a toast at theLincoln Banquet, held at Columbus, Ohio, February 14, 1893, under theauspices of The Ohio Republican League. It is given here because itharmonizes with the subject which gives title to this book. We have notsought in these pages to give a solution to the "race problem," forafter all attempts at solution it remains the great unsettled questionof our times. But we believe that our youth, by "taking advantage oftheir disadvantages," and improving the opportunities at hand, can domuch to overcome the impediments by which our pathway has been so long beset.
R. C. R.
Race Soil.
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holynation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praisesof Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."
1 Peter 2:9.
I begin this evening a series of Sunday evening lecture sermons, with adefinite purpose in view, which I hope to develop and make more clear,as I shall proceed with their delivery. The subject to-night is "RaceSoil." As a basis or foundation upon which to stand, we call yourattention to the first epistle of Peter, second chapter and the ninthverse: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holynation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Himwho hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."
The history of races and nations proves that some peoples areespecially endowed for the germination and production of certaingreat ideas. Viewed in this light, do the nations of the past possesshistoric value and interest to succeeding generations of mankind.
The value of an idea, the truth of a dogma, the greatness of anachievement, do not receive their permanent value by the estim