“The above statement, I make in the face of the advice that has come to me from many friends that such a policy is and will be at present unsafe for me. I am informed that my life has been numerously threatened if I make such a statement. I am told that the mob used my name repeatedly in such a manner as to very much concern my friends. I can truthfully say that the attitude of this mob toward me does not in the least concern me. Better men than myself have died when far less was at stake. I am only concerned in doing my God-appointed duty in this situation. Therefore, without apology or plea for quarter, I unhesitatingly condemn the burning of these men in our city as an act of lawlessness, which if carried to its legitimate ends, would destroy our government and damn our civilization. And in making this statement I ask for neither the protection of my friends nor the mercy of my enemies.”
If all other white ministers were to take such fearless and open stands against such savage doings, that are heaping as much shame and stain on the United States as such crimes in Europe ever heaped on Turkey, they could in a few years make these United States a truly Christian land. And in taking such stands such ministers (if they showed the same kind of faith in God as Rev. Shuler did who is still living and preaching) they would also be delivered from a threatening mob. But where within the recent past or the present have there stepped out from the white ministry two Rev. Shulers? Among all the nationally famed white evangelists, which one or three of recent times have in preaching in all parts of the United States proved himself a second Henry Ward Beecher, an Elijah P. Lovejoy or a C. T. Torry, who fearlessly and fruitfully preached against all national as well as local sins, crimes and lawlessness that came under their notice?
Among all the white ministers in the United States, only they themselves can tell how many of them peacefully feel within their secret hearts and contentedly feel within their reasoning minds that they are giving full reverences to God, full honor to their calling and full service toward all weak and suffering humanity through their Sunday preachings against all sins and crimes? And among them only they can tell how many of them, through advising words in reasoning talks, are trying each Sunday (if only for five minutes) to blow out and drown the sinful sparks of jealousy, envy, malice and hate that instantly flame up in the breasts of so many of their church members as soon as they see a Colored person, even if that person is well-behaved, well-educated, well-dressed and well-to-do. Such feelings merely on account of color are not natural and God has not meant for such to be; for if He had, He would have made the brown earth white, the green grass white, the blue sky white, the yellow sun white. These are the greatest things in the world and all of them are colored. Even the water, that covers three-fourths of the earth (while it is supposed to be colorless) is more colored than it is white. Those white people who wish that there were no colored on earth should remember that God in His infinite wisdom fully realized in making the universe that if He made all things white the glare would be so great and intense that every seeing thing would be driven totally blind. So God put soft and blending colors on earth in order that humanity might retain its sight to see His works and learn to love them but not to look upon any of His works with scorn and hatefulness.