Word: blackshear
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...cotton planter, Mr. Blackshear became Rector of St. Matthew's Protestant Episcopal Church in Brooklyn last June. The congregation knew he had been trained at the Virginia Theological Seminary and had done graduate work at Oxford and Harvard. They knew he was a captain in the War, cited for bravery. They knew he was 36 years old. What they did not realize was that like any true southerner Mr. Blackshear believes Negro and white civilization can at the best be parallel, never equal. This lesson he taught them dramatically at a Sunday service...
From his pulpit Mr. Blackshear read to his congregation, among whom were a few Negroes, a notice he had printed in the church bulletin: "The Episcopal Church provides churches for Negroes. Several of these churches are within easy reach of this locality. They are in the need of the loyal support of all true Negro churchmen. Therefore, the rector of this parish discourages the attendance or membership in this church of members of that race...
Newsgatherers were soon asking Bishop Ernest Milmore Stires of Long Island what he would do about Mr. Blackshear. Bishop Stires was pained, but he explained that the Episcopal Church leaves the individual parish practically autonomous. He declined to express any opinion except this: "Personally I have the greatest affection and a warm paternal feeling for our colored brethren...
Amid a rising storm of comment, Rector Blackshear stuck to his announcement, explained he had done it as a matter of "church policy" and as a "friend to the Negro race." Reasons he gave were: "I do not wish to take support from the two churches for colored people in the neighborhood. Furthermore, in these congregations Negroes can develop their power of leadership, whereas in white congregations they are bound to be subdued...
...particularly irate objector was Colyumist Heywood Broun of the New York Telegram. Wrote he : "I have a grave suspicion that the Rev. William S. Blackshear has somewhat mistaken his job and function. Seemingly he has begun to assume that he is chairman of the Com mittee on Admissions and that the Lord's house which he tends is one of the better country clubs. . . . There is no record that Jesus Christ ever said, 'Love thy Nordic neighbor as thyself,' or 'Suffer little Caucasian children to come unto...