The Secretary of the Protestant Episcopal Church of America writes:  “All ordained men on our missionary staff in Africa, from the Bishop down, are colored men.  I think we have concluded that, all things considered, except for the work of higher education, colored missionaries are more available in that field than white.”  He refers with gratification to the career of Bishop Ferguson, the only colored man who has a seat in the American House of Bishops, who was born in America, educated in the mission schools, and has risen through the positions of teacher, deacon, priest and rector, until he was consecrated the Bishop of Cape Palmas in 1885, and has worthily filled all these positions.  The Church Missionary Society of London refers to the remarkable career of Bishop Crowther, who was born in Africa, put on board a slave ship, rescued, and landed at Freetown, educated in Sierra Leone and in England, and at length entered his chosen field on the Niger, reduced the language of the people to writing, and preached the gospel to them in their native tongue.  In 1861, there were reported to be 1,500 converts as the result of his labors.  He received the degree of D.D., from Oxford, England, and was consecrated in 1864 African Bishop of the Niger.  This society also mentions others, one as possessing “special educational and linguistic powers;” another as a “pastor and evangelist with remarkable power and spiritual influence;” another as “a practical organizer and administrator;” another as “very successful in educational work,” and it adds:  “Many others have also shown considerable power as educationists, pastors and evangelists.”

From all these facts, the inferences are plain: 

1.  That Negroes have succeeded in this work, and that those in America can be prepared for it.  They can endure the climate, find ready access to the hearts of the people, and be eminently successful in preaching the Gospel.  They should have the best training for the purpose, and great care should be exercised in selecting and sending forth only those of good education, mature character, sound judgment and unquestioned piety.

2.  America owes it as a debt to them and to Africa that they be furnished with the means for this training.  The guilt of man-stealing and of slavery can have no better atonement than by sending back to Africa the sons of those stolen from those benighted shores, who shall bring with them the light and blessing of civilization and Christianity.  England, too, having had a share in introducing slavery into America, should take its share in making this atonement.