RACIAL AMITY
BY LOUIS G. GREGORY
Report of an Address given at the First Convention for Amity between the white and colored races, held at Washington, D. C.
“ALL races, tribes, sects and classes share equally in the bounty of their Heavenly Father. The only real difference lies in the degree of faithfulness, of obedience to the laws of God. There are some who are as lighted torches; there are others who shine as stars in the sky of humanity.
“The lovers of mankind, these are the superior men, of whatever nation, creed or color they may be.”—‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
THE new springtime is the spiritual springtime, with the flow of the light and the love of God, the Divine Unity, into the hearts of mankind. When the springtime comes, the winter, with its decay, degradation, and death, has passed away, and we find the sun shines with brilliancy and splendor, and that clouds of mercy shower their drops upon humankind. We feel these zephyrs of divine providence waft upon all. The light of reality gleams. The human heart becomes more tender and sympathetic to the needs of its fellow beings, and all these vibrations of love that are transmitted from the Kingdom of God have their play in the hearts of men and make more certain and real this thought of brotherhood. We have our problems to solve in this country, but let us not become despondent over them, realizing that today the whole world is having its problems and difficulties. There is no country in the world today that has not difficulties equaling, if not surpassing, our own. I do not say this with the suggestion that misery loves company, but in order that we may not be despondent and think that these difficulties are hindrances. The divine springtime has appeared and the great enlightened principles, which are the light and progress of the whole world of humanity, are set in motion. These relate to the great peace, the universality of truth, to the great law that humanity is one, even as God is one, to the elevation of the station of woman, who must no longer be confined to a limited life but be everywhere recognized as the equal and helpmeet of man. These pertain to the universality of education, to the oneness of language, to the solution of this economic problem which has vexed the greatest minds of the world and its noblest hearts, and to that supreme dynamic power, the Holy Spirit of God, whose outpouring upon the whole world of flesh will make this a world of light, of joy, and of triumph. “In His Name,” as the Herald proclaimed, “In the name of God, the victor of the most victorious, proclaim! God will assist all those who arise to serve Him. No one is able to deprive Him of His majesty, His dominion, His sovereignty; for in the Heavens and the earth, and in all the realms of God, He is the victorious and the conqueror!” If we follow the Creator in all His marvelous work, we shall find that it is characterized by infinite diversity and variety. Wherever the human eye moves in creation we see variegated forms. In the mineral kingdom if you should bring together a number of jewels, the diamond, the emerald, the ruby, the sapphire, the pearl, you will find that their combined beauty is greater than any single element. They enhance each[Page 166]
other’s value. Traveling through the far western country one may see thousands of sheep gathered together in a peaceful fold, one shepherd and one fold. The fact that some of these sheep are black and others are white does not make the slightest difference in that community of interest, for they know each other not by their color but by their kind, and they love each other in response to that spirit of God which vibrates in all creation. One star differs from another in magnitude, but each and all of these stars contribute to the brilliancy of the heavens. We have heard the wonderful harmony of an orchestra. We have heard those rich strains. Have you ever stopped to consider that in an orchestra the words, the music, the voices, the instruments may be different; and yet exquisite harmony, under the guidance of a great master, may come from that orchestra? The world has had a note of discord for many thousand years, and it must impress itself upon every reasonable man that war, force, and violence, are the greatest calamities that afflict the world of mankind. But now we are striving for the note of harmony. The thought of harmony, itself, is a happy thought, something that makes the hearts of men joyful, something that makes their minds flash with the gems of reality. For our own peace, safety, and salvation, we should make every effort to bring harmony out of these discordant notes that have been struck for time and ages throughout the world.
The races living side by side need each other. If even two communities which are near each other cooperate, it works to the commercial development and the happiness of both. We know the advantage and benefit which comes through cooperation when it affects two great nations, even though their ideals and principles and self-interest differ in every stage of their growth; but, today we need a harmony which is so universal that it will bind together the hearts of all these struggling elements which make up creation. Let us follow the guidance and the wisdom of God! Have you stopped to observe that the clouds of His mercy shower upon all the world of humanity; that the air we breathe is not confined to one church, or one synagogue, or one mosque, but the universal bounty of God supports all life and creation? The sunshine, with its great splendor, is not limited to this class or that class, or this race or that race, or one nation or another, but it beautifies and glorifies the whole realm of existence. God’s is the universal bounty and He loves all of His children. He has provided for them out of that great love. Shall men, therefore, reverse the purposes of God? Shall we reject the divine wisdom and initiate a different plan? If the divine plan is one of light, shall we make ours one of darkness? If the divine plan is one of providence, shall we devise a plan of greed? If the divine plan is one of altruism, shall we make ours the plan of selfishness? If the divine plan is universal tolerance, shall we inaugurate a plan of prejudice and pride? How can man escape disaster and humiliation if he is so self-centered and so self-satisfied that he attempts to reverse the principles of God?
The races living side by side have a common origin and a common destiny. From God we came and to Him we return, and we have many things in common. We live in the same favored land; we are warmed by the same sunshine; we strive for those same virtues and ideals which adorn and beautify the home; we have the same virtue of patriotism (and may this embrace the world!); we speak[Page 167]
the same language; and, most significant of all, we profess the same religion. If we but put our religion into practice, and do not quarrel about its form, this alone would be sufficient to solve any human problem. But there is more than this to consider. In the past the white people of America have done a very noble service to the colored people of our land, and this is something we should stop to consider. About the time of the civil war you fought each other for our freedom. That is one thing which we should not wish to forget. The eloquent Senator has referred to the progress made by the colored people in America as distinguished from their backward condition in Africa. This, too, is a service which has come to us through you, from contact with your civilization. This is something that we should appreciate. This is something that all thoughtful people must appreciate. On the other hand, if you stop to consider the other side of the question you may find that there are some services which are valuable which the black people of America have rendered the white people. Lest I, who am outwardly identified with one racial group should be thought to be claiming too much for my own, I wish to quote to you the ideas of two distinguished southerners: Passing through the city of Atlanta a few months ago I saw the statue to the Hon. Henry W. Grady, a statesman of the New South, and one of its most brilliant advocates, now passed away. It was this enlightened statesman and friend of men who declared that one of the greatest mistakes ever made was that this country did not erect a monument to commemorate the loyalty and fidelity of black men and women during that awful period of the civil war. About a year ago it was my pleasure to listen to an ex-confederate soldier, Doctor Boags of Florida, a man bowed by the weight of 80 years, who had come from his home in Florida, leaving a sick bed, and had taken a journey to Washington to speak upon this very question. The subject which he selected was the golden rule applied to the race question, and the eloquent speech which he delivered was a vibration of love. He said more for us, that ex-confederate veteran, than we are willing, in our most sanguine moments, to claim for ourselves. So I say to you that these enlightened souls saw the relationships of these races to each other. It is only by co-operation, mutual appreciation, and good will that we can get anywhere in the solution of these problems that vex us. If this room were filled with darkness we could not remove that darkness by intensifying the darkness, nor can we remove discord from the face of the earth by increasing discord. Darkness has no reality. Darkness is only the absence of light. When the light comes in, darkness disappears of its own motion. So all the turmoil, and distress, and hatred in the world are only the absence of this divine, perfect love.
Therefore let us shed the light of divine love, a real love, upon all of our fellow beings, a love for the sake of God, a love which has no limits, no boundaries of race, or country, or clime, or color, or creed, but is a universal reality of the Sun of Truth shining from the very Throne of God. Such a love will remove all these questions from the world and will make us realize our relations to each other as we realize first of all our relations to God. Without knowing the divine bounty and the divine love a man cannot know even himself. I believe that under the providence of God this Nation of ours has a bright destiny—it may reach it through sorrow, I hope it may achieve it through joy—and that is, as has been so eloquently expressed by our
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noble friend, the nations of the whole earth are looking to America for peace, for the example of ideal brotherhood. If they are asking us for bread, shall we give them a stone? I believe that America, under the inspiration of divine Guidance, will fulfill the high ideal of this noble destiny by fusing with the fire of love, into one harmonious brotherhood all the variegated elements of which this world is composed, and it is incumbent upon each individual, just in so far as he can, to contribute to this ideal brotherhood; and not only theorize about such a condition, but put his thoughts into action; for the wise man today is the man who makes his knowledge practical.
Speaking about the interrelations between the white and colored people; some months ago, traveling through the city of Monroe I met a friend who travels much and uses his eyes. He told me one of his impressions. He said that if, traveling through a section of the South, he came into a community and in this community saw nothing but white people, he could immediately form a correct impression by their general bearing and manners, about the habits of their colored neighbors. But if, on the other hand, he saw nothing but colored people of the community, he could also form a very vivid and correct impression of the habits and manners of the white people. Now this may seem somewhat far-fetched, but you can see that it is the logical condition with regard to these civilizations so closely associated for centuries, that one should be but the reflex of the other. Therefore, instead of being critical toward our fellow beings, we can most happily occupy our time by considering what contribution we can ourselves make to the spirit of peace and brotherhood throughout the world. If our thoughts, and our aims, and our ideals are constructive, they will be supported in this day by divine confirmation and will bring this light of peace and brotherhood to all the people of the world. Let us not for a moment be despondent, for the glorious Sun of Reality has dawned and the light of that Sun now illumines the whole world. It is only for us to discover what a great bounty God has provided for us. “To the state of holiness He calls us!” To the exalted state of peace and ideal brotherhood he summons us! If we bring the best treasures of our minds and the noblest resources of our hearts, coming to the aid of the Lord against the mighty support this happy condition, He will give to us that inward peace which shall leave its bright traces in all the realm of existence. It will make us true men and women; it will make us the torch-bearers of the light of God and will enable us to transmit a radiance by which the peace and pleasure and happiness of the whole world of existence will be adorned. And there is nothing more glorious for man than to realize this bright destiny. God is with us! We can not fail if we are firm in His covenant and steadfast in His commands. This gloomy age will pass away and the radiance of the divine love will penetrate the whole earth, for as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the Great Teacher says, “There is a mysterious power at work in the hearts which moves the rocks, which rends the mountains, which creates new spiritual worlds, which administers all complicated and difficult affairs.” This power will not fail, for it is the vibration that emanates from the Kingdom of God.
