Dr. Graham Speaks-- The Work Progressing.
March 8, 1902
Summary
Dr. Graham praises the development and recent accomplishments of the Negro Baptist Church, mentioning their plans to meet in Petersburg and create a large convention to raise money.
Transcription
Richmond, VA., March 8, 1902.
Editor Richmond Planet:--
I am proud to say to you that our work in the hands of the Negro Baptists is making commendable progress. Never before have the colored Baptists of this State been so stirred as they are now to do great work for the denomination. From every part of the State comes news from the pastors and Christian workers who propose to be in Petersburg in May prepared to help raise the $10,000. Petersburg is aroused. Indeed, it looks now as though we are going to have excursions running from East, West, North and South bringing in great crowds of Baptists to see to it that the ideal of their hearts (Virginia Seminary) is freed from debt. Since I made my appeal in the columns of The Planet, I am receiving assurances from all sides in Richmond, regardless of denomination, to the effect that their money will be forthcoming in due time to help us in the struggle.
We are very greatly encouraged. Let no one tremble or fear Virginia Seminary is safe. We are in position to know what we are talking about.
It would be surprising for some people to know how firmly this idea of Negro Baptist self help has taken hold in the State of Virginia. For example: churches, whose pastors led them out of the Baptist State Convention without telling them what they were doing, are to-day coming back to their first love,
We will break some startling news to the public in a few weeks along this line.
Just think, the Fifth Street Baptist Church Sunday School was the first in the State to take literature from our Publishing House in Nashville, Tenn.
I sent the other day for an official statement of the number of Sunday Schools in this State using that literature. We received tabulated a list with location, names of schools and persons ordering the literature for the schools.
To day there are 307 Sunday Schools in this State taking our literature. Is not that progress, especially in a State where every foot of the ground had to be contested? And again, it is now a recorded fact that out of 14,000 colored Baptist Sunday Schools in the United States, 12,000 are using literature direct from our Publishing House, and that is why we keep on our way rejoicing and “feel like going on” in the mighty work of the Baptist cause.
Respectfully yours,
W. F. Graham.
Editor Richmond Planet:--
I am proud to say to you that our work in the hands of the Negro Baptists is making commendable progress. Never before have the colored Baptists of this State been so stirred as they are now to do great work for the denomination. From every part of the State comes news from the pastors and Christian workers who propose to be in Petersburg in May prepared to help raise the $10,000. Petersburg is aroused. Indeed, it looks now as though we are going to have excursions running from East, West, North and South bringing in great crowds of Baptists to see to it that the ideal of their hearts (Virginia Seminary) is freed from debt. Since I made my appeal in the columns of The Planet, I am receiving assurances from all sides in Richmond, regardless of denomination, to the effect that their money will be forthcoming in due time to help us in the struggle.
We are very greatly encouraged. Let no one tremble or fear Virginia Seminary is safe. We are in position to know what we are talking about.
It would be surprising for some people to know how firmly this idea of Negro Baptist self help has taken hold in the State of Virginia. For example: churches, whose pastors led them out of the Baptist State Convention without telling them what they were doing, are to-day coming back to their first love,
We will break some startling news to the public in a few weeks along this line.
Just think, the Fifth Street Baptist Church Sunday School was the first in the State to take literature from our Publishing House in Nashville, Tenn.
I sent the other day for an official statement of the number of Sunday Schools in this State using that literature. We received tabulated a list with location, names of schools and persons ordering the literature for the schools.
To day there are 307 Sunday Schools in this State taking our literature. Is not that progress, especially in a State where every foot of the ground had to be contested? And again, it is now a recorded fact that out of 14,000 colored Baptist Sunday Schools in the United States, 12,000 are using literature direct from our Publishing House, and that is why we keep on our way rejoicing and “feel like going on” in the mighty work of the Baptist cause.
Respectfully yours,
W. F. Graham.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Right Quadrant
Contributed By
Brooke Royer
Citation
“Dr. Graham Speaks-- The Work Progressing.,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed January 20, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/264.