One association even
appointed a "missionary" whose duty it was to warn the people
against sending their children to Tuskegee. This missionary had a
son in the school, and I noticed that, whatever the "missionary"
might have said or done with regard to others, he was careful not
to take his son away from the institution. Many of the coloured
papers, especially those that were the organs of religious
bodies, joined in the general chorus of condemnation or demands
for retraction.
During the whole time of the excitement, and through all the
criticism, I did not utter a word of explanation of retraction. I
knew that I was right, and that time and the sober second thought
of the people would vindicate me. It was not long before the
bishops and other church leaders began to make careful
investigation of the conditions of the ministry, and they found
out that I was right. In fact, the oldest and most influential
bishop in one branch of the Methodist Church said that my words
were far too mild. Very soon public sentiment began making itself
felt, in demanding a purifying of the ministry. While this is not
yet complete by any means, I think I may say, without egotism,
and I have been told by many of our most influential ministers,
that my words had much to do with starting a demand for the
placing of a higher type of men in the pulpit.
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