The colored races are highly susceptible of religion; it is a constituent principle of their nature, and an excellent trait in their character.  But unfortunately for them, they carry it too far.  Their hope is largely developed, and consequently, they usually stand still—­hope in God, and really expect Him to do that for them, which it is necessary they should do themselves.  This is their great mistake, and arises from a misconception of the character and ways of Deity.  We must know God, that is understand His nature and purposes, in order to serve Him; and to serve Him well, is but to know him rightly.  To depend for assistance upon God, is a duty and right; but to know when, how, and in what manner to obtain it, is the key to this great Bulwark of Strength, and Depository of Aid.

God himself is perfect; perfect in all his works and ways.  He has means for every end; and every means used must be adequate to the end to be gained.  God’s means are laws—­fixed laws of nature, a part of His own being, and as immutable, as unchangeable as Himself.  Nothing can be accomplished but through the medium of, and conformable to these laws.

They are three—­and like God himself, represented in the three persons in the God-head—­the Spiritual, Moral and Physical Laws.

That which is Spiritual, can only be accomplished through the medium of the Spiritual law; that which is Moral, through the medium of the Moral law; and that which is Physical, through the medium of the Physical law.  Otherwise than this, it is useless to expect any thing.  Does a person want a spiritual blessing, he must apply through the medium of the spiritual law—­pray for it in order to obtain it.  If they desire to do a moral good, they must apply through the medium of the moral law—­exercise their sense and feeling of right and justice, in order to effect it.  Do they want to attain a physical end, they can only do so through the medium of the physical law—­go to work with muscles, hands, limbs, might and strength, and this, and nothing else will attain it.

The argument that man must pray for what he receives, is a mistake, and one that is doing the colored people especially, incalculable injury.  That man must pray in order to get to Heaven, every Christian will admit—­but a great truth we have yet got to learn, that he can live on earth whether he is religious or not, so that he conforms to the great law of God, regulating the things of earth; the great physical laws.  It is only necessary, in order to convince our people of their error and palpable mistake in this matter, to call their attention to the fact, that there are no people more religious in this Country, than the colored people, and none so poor and miserable as they.  That prosperity and wealth, smiles upon the efforts of wicked white men, whom we know to utter the name of God with curses, instead of praises.  That among the slaves, there