The revealed word of God. Our lost brother found

Preface

To the Georgia Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church :

In memory of my deceased mother, Martha Butler, I have asked the blessed Lord to reveal to me the understanding to write this precious little volume, which she taught me during her life in this world. Trusting God for everything in life, I have arrived at the conclusion to pay homage to her instructions, which I have done from my youth until the present hour. Be it remembered, that in the thirty-third year of my age, in the State of Georgia, I, Isaac Charles Cray, in behalf of my dear wife, sisters and race in the United States of America, and for the ministerial dignity and the laity of the church, whoever may accept this little volume for their consideration, have deposited my lifetime in the title of this study, whereof I claim the title of this book for my wife. This volume which I have compiled, I trust it will be for the benefit of my race and for those who may sympathize with my disadvantages in trying to get up this work. In conformity with that father and hero, Rev. J. A. Wood, whose assistance to me in the dark and lonely hours of grief, before I could get this little work prepared for the public, I do sincerely trust, from the depth of my heart, that all who may read this volume may gain some words of interest to cheer them on in their pilgrimage. My design in this work is to rouse to honorable efforts those who are wasting their time and energies through indifference of life. In the furtherance of this dim question, I have endeavored to get all the information that I possibly could from the Holy Bible, and other sources, from the sacred and ancient historians, and the thoughts of such wise iv

PREFACE.

and earnest men as Bishops H. M. Turner, W. J. Gaines, Abram Grant, and Rev. J. A. Wood, to whom I am very much indebted for valuable information, and scores of others I could mention; but time and space will not permit me. They have not failed to use their pen to delineate life and its possibilities, its joys and its sorrows. I have gathered from sources widely different from my humble teacher of earth in the person of Rev. D. J. Straughter, in my youth. I sincerely trust that I shall be able to rouse in the minds of the careless a sense of the value of perseverance. To those who are striving to be noble and true, I trust that the womanhood and manhood in my race may derive the inspiration that the sacred pages will attempt to serve you with, which may make your now called Negro hope for success and happiness. I. C. C.

The above cut is a portrait of Rev. J. A. Wood, the oldest member of the A. M. E. Church in the State of Georgia. He is called the hero of the Georgia Annual Conference. He is noted for his veracity and loyalty to the connection. He has traveled over more territory in the State planting churches than any other man in the Georgia Conference.

Many thousands of dollars of the money collected by the churches have from time to time been placed in his hands for safe-keeping. The following are some of the appointments which he has held as pastor: Bethel Station, Atlanta, Ga. ; Griffin Station, Griffin, Ga. ; Marietta Station, Marietta, Ga. ; Allen Temple, Atlanta, Ga. He was appointed to the following named districts as a Presiding Elder: Cuthbert District, Albany District, Savannah District, and the Waycross and Brunswick District, where he now presides.

Introduction

To the many friends who read this volume, I am frank in saying that you will be more than benefited by reading the contents of this excellent work on the problem of the Negro race. It is a work long wanted and which may tend to clarify many mistakes that have caused many irritating broils and has engendered enmity towards us as a race. This little book opens up with the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man, and Christ the common Savior of us all. It points with index fingers to the repeopling of the earth after the mighty deluge, which left only eight persons alive. From these persons God chose three families to repeople the earth, viz.: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Thus you see these were brothers. From them the world has been repeopled and from these three there are over 150,000,000 souls, and every one of them of our blood. The reader will also see that the author has endeavored to set the Negro race in the proper light of true history, as a prominent factor from the remotest times.

The Negro as a leader in civilizing and ruling race of the world. He sets him forth as the first that gave thrones and imperial powers, shook the earth while kingdoms bowed, and wrote his fame among the clouds.

I trust, in behalf of the author, whom I know to be a Christian gentleman and an able preacher of the New Testament, as well as the many readers who may read this masterpiece of race pride, that it serve as an eye-opener on this problem. E. H. Zeigler.

Contents

CHAPTER. PAGE.

I 7

III 39

IV 50

XVI 267

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Chapter I. The Problem— Must Begin To Work

I see from the Holy Bible, and other ancient writers, that the people who lived before the flood, were called antediluvians, and we know nothing about them except what we are taught from the Holy Bible. It is said that probably they extended over but a small part of Asia, and that no human being dwelt in Africa, Europe or America before the flood. The Bible tells us that it rained forty days and nights. The ancient writers also say that it began about November and ceased in March, then state that when the waters subsided Noah's Ark rested on the top of a tall mountain, situated in Armenia, called Ararat. The people and animals now came out of the ark, and from them the world was again repeopled and stocked. The inhabitants, which were eight persons (the now called Negro was with them — Hamitic descendants), and the animals all spread themselves abroad in the country, and after many centuries they were scattered into all countries. Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth — these with their families — proceeded to the country of Shinar. It was said to be a beautiful and fruitful land, which lay to the south, near what is now called the Persian Gulf. Here it is said that they settled themselves on the borders of the river Euphrates, probably in the same country that had been inhabited by the antediluvians. It is in this region that the first nations are said to have been placed. As I have told you above, the people were said to have increased very rapidly, and at the end of 100 years from the

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deluge, they were said to be quite numerous. The most of Noah's family were at this time alive. They had told their descendants how the world had been overflowed with water, which destroyed all the people and animals on the land except those that went into the ark.

All who remembered the deluge, or had heard of it, were afraid that the wickedness of mankind would be punished again in a similar way. They therefore resolved to build a tower that they might go upon it and save themselves from destruction. Accordingly they laid the foundation of the said edifice and called it the Tower of Babel, on the eastern bank of the river Euphrates. It is said by Parley's perhaps they expected to raise the Tower so high that the top would touch the blue sky, and enable them to climb up into heaven. Their building material was said to be bricks that had been baked in the sun. Instead of mortar they cemented the brick together with a sort of slime or pitch, which was said to be in abundance in that country. The workmen labored very diligently and piled one layer of brick upon another until the earth was a considerable distance beneath them, but the blue sky and sun aud the stars seemed as far off as when they first began.

One day while these foolish people were at their labor a very wonderful thing took place. They were said to be talking together as usual, but all of a sudden they found it to be impossible to understand what each other would have to say. If any of the workmen called for brick their companions at the bottom of the Tower might mistake them and their meaning, and would bring them pitch; so if they asked for one kind of a tool another was given them. Their words appeared to be mere sounds without any sense. The (now called Negro) king was at the head of the building of this Tower — Mmrod, Ham's grandson, by Cush, the grandson of Hamath, the said despised black-skinned brother in the United States. Gen-

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esis 10th chapter 6-10 verses. At this work it is said they were like the babble of a little child before it had been taught to speak. This strange event caused such confusion that they could not go on in building the Tower. The Bible teaches us that there was a great east wind came and blew them away from their work. Hence, they therefore gave up the idea of climbing up into heaven. They were scattered into the several parts of the earthy which we shall name hereafter. It is said that those who could talk intelligently went together. It was said that they set forth on their journeys in various ways. As each company departed, it is said that they most assuredly threw a glance behind them. The now called Negro was said to be king of the whole earth at that time. These were the only ones known at that time: Ham's grandson Nimrod; Cush was his father. 1 Chronicles 1 chapter 8-10 verses. I now ask the blessed Lord to please give me the wisdom of this Problem of the now Negro Race. " If any man see that he lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men, black skin and the white skin. He will give liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." This problem must be worked by some generations; why not we begin ?

The descendants of Shem are said to have distributed themselves over the country near to Euphrates, and founded the nations there. The descendants of Ham took a westerly direction, and proceeded to Africa. They settled in Ham or, Egypt, anciently, and they laid the foundation of a great and noble nation, the now called Negro in the United States of America. The descendants of Japheth proceeded to Greece, Rome, and other countries in Europe, and thus laid the foundation of the European nations. But the most painful thought of this problem, is that part of ancient history — Africa, which belonged to the slave trade from the time of antiquity. When (the now called Negro)

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human society was in a rude state, it was the custom of all nations, as much so as the now called African (Negro) nation, to make slaves of those who were taken in war. This practice was continued in the time of antiquity, and thus, for 1,000 years, slavery was said to be established in all of the nations of the earth. In Ancient Ham or Egypt (Africa), Greece, and Rome, in Europe, slaves constituted a large part of their inhabitants. But in those countries where the Christian religion prevailed, slavery came into general disuse. In 1482, the Portuguese were the first to begin the traffic of the African slave trade. The English are said to have followed in 1563 A. d. Thus slavery was then established in America and the colonies. At least for 200 years this traffic was carried on to a great extent. The custom was, that vessels would go to the west coast of Africa aud purchase of the native African princes, such persons as they would have for sale. Bishop H. M. Turner, D.D., LL.D., certifies that this statement is correct. One of the native princes told him it was a fact, that it did begin just that way. Sometimes the captain of a vessel would rob the people of their children, or they would go on shore with a body of armed men and would capture a whole little village, and would carry away the entire inhabitants of the now called Xegro. So you, many readers, can see that the Xegro now in America did not come of his own free will and accord. But your poor, despised black-skinned brothers were thus taken from their homes and separated forever from all they held dear, and crowded into the vessels bound to America or the West Indies. On the passage it was said that they were half starved, and did suffer with disease, sometimes, or unkind treatment. Such was said to be frequently their distress, that they would jump into the sea, or would beat out their own brains in despair. In modern times the civilized nations, that is, the principal part of them, made laws to suppress the slave trade in

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America. Thank God , it did prevail! America was the first to set that wicked example in the civilized world of nations more than 300 years ago. In this progressive age they shall be compelled to make up the disadvantages of a bound tribe of people. It has always been taught in all ages, Love the brotherhood, and it ever shall prevail, because the murder of another brother is expressly forbidden by the commaud of the Almighty God that will control and govern the universe. So we all shall answer at the dreadful Day of Judgment for our actions and the deeds we have committed in the flesh. Here we take our pairs off. After the sweeping winds came, and God blessed Noah and his sons, the now said Negro, too, Ham's descendants, and God said unto them : "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. " This is the command that God give. He gave this to the black skin, the white skin. This is the command he gave when he sent us out to till the different parts of the grand divisions of the globe on which we live. He said, "and the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, and upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea." He said, "into your hands are they delivered; every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things." This was the same command given to Ham, as much so as to Shem, Japheth and his father, Noah. Genesis 9th chapter. "But the flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast (not only the said brother) will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man (the black one and the white one — not one can and will escape his alldiscerning eyes), at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made

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he man" — (the said Negro, now called, and he with the white one called. Did God not make these men ?) "And you," he said, "be fruitful, and multiply ; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein." And this is the word he said to all mankind upon the face of the beautiful green earth, which he the Father gave us to live upon. "And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you (so the now called Negro are the seed of Ham. So the entire world declare); and every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go with you out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant (with the now called Negroes and all the others that were in the ark — there were only eight in there) between me and you and every living thing that is with you" (Negro now called). He said, I will make it for a perpetual generation. Neverceasing, everlasting, with the Hamitic seed; as well as the other seed. "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and thee. And it shall come to pass when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud" (as much for the now said to be Negro as the others). "And I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh" (the poor black skin did not make his tincture, it was the Father of Light). He could have made it a green skin (flower) as well as he did the black; and also blue skin as well as a white (flower). Which one could have said Why have you made me thus? "The waters shall never any more destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I shall look upon it that I may

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remember my everlasting covenant between me and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noab, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth" (the now said Negro, if he is the Negro). Here the three brothers come which were the sons of Noah, that went forth out of the ark : Shem, Ham (the Negro now called), and Japheth. The nations again in the literal Garden of Eden. Ham is the father of (the now called Negro) Canaan, which eleven tribes descended from his loins, and will be mentioned hereafter. If this blessed Bible be true, these were the three sons of Noah, and it is shown that from them the whole earth was spread with the different people. "And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he did plant a vineyard; and he drank of the wine and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and went backward, and covered their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him, and he said ' Cursed be Canaan/ (This was Noah's, not God's, because the Lord had blessed us all. Yes, all flesh upon the earth, and can never change his oath's sake. His sentiments goeth from him and never do return back void. It has accomplished in all ages what he said, aud always shall. He changeth not; this is Noah's saying, A servant of servants shall he be." And remember that Ham begat other sons, which I will mention for you hereafter, and each one's descendants. Also where each inhabited.) " And Noah said, blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." This is Noah, not God, because he had spoken once, and that was for ever. Not

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whom we shall bless is known to be accepted with God. This is what he says in every nation. He that worketh righteousness is certainly acceptable with him. Not as Noah willeth, but as God said. Acts 10 chapter 34 verse. And Noah Jived after the flood 350 years and all the days of Noah were 950 years; and he died. The Bible may be said to begin with the origin of the human race, because no sooner do we read of the creation of man, the said problem and place was fixed and mentioned, which abode was the Garden of Eden. It was no doubt intended that we should be informed where this happy laud was situated, for a number of circumstances particularly so stated, as if to direct our minds to the very spot where our first parents had their probation. The question, therefore, of the (now called Negro) does, and which demands an answer. It relates to the Garden of Eden. Because out of one blood God created all men on the face of the earth.

This must be acknowledged in the outset, that our knowledge of the countries which occur in the antediluvian histories is very small, while at the same time we may be assured that nothing has been withheld in the inspired record which is necessary or important to be known. If entire satisfaction cannot be attained upon this (now called Negro) subject or problem, it is because no great practical advantage could result from more minute description. Many pious and learned men have diligently examined all the existing sources of information, yet the opinion of all the theologians and commentators may differ and can contradict the Bible. But can that make it true ? This was the residence of our first parents in their state of innocence and bliss and was called Eden or Delight. Now in seeking the spot where this Garden was planted, I shall determine upon those marks that are now given in the word of God. I am informed in Genesis (2d chapter, 8th verse) that Eden was eastward, that is, we might locate it

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from the country of the Israelites, or the land in which Moses wrote this term. Of course it is very general in its significance, but may apply to any of the countries upon the River Euphrates, for they all lie east of the ancient (now called Negro) country, Palestine. The ancient name is Philistine. The Greeks called it Canaan. Ham's son Canaan's descendants inhabited it in past time, the (now Negro) Philistines. And we have the name of the River Euphrates, which flowed out of Eden and which has retained that original name until the present day. It is said upon this river in some parts of its extensive course, we can with certainty place the Garden of Eden. We have a second river mentioned, namely, the Hiddekel. Almost all of the historians acknowledge this to be the Tigris. The eastern name of the Tigres is said to be an abbreviation of the ancient word f as Degil, Diklath or Diklat, and Digola. Besides this, the prophet Daniel said, that he had a vision of the latter days in Babylonia, by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel. The only great river of which he could speak of, is the Euphrates or the Tigris; and it is said for certain that it was the former. I have thus arrived at the conclusion, that the eastern region in which Eden was situated, lay in some of the countries where the Tigris and the Euphrates approached one another. As we could not give the exact dimension, but it is said to be some 100 miles to the paradise in which Adam was said to have been placed to dress it and to keep it. We find Eden also mentioned in other parts of the Scriptures and from the countries with which it is named, we will form some idea of its situation. 2 Kings 19:12.

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Chapter II

"Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my father has destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden?" 13th verse: "Where is the (now called Negro) king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad?" And we read of Gozan, and Haran, and the Eden which were in Thelar or Thelasar. Gozan was Media, Haran, Rezeph in Mesopotamia. Again, in Ezekiel (27th chapter, 19-25). This is the (now called Negro) Problem, where they were situated, their descendants : " Dan, also and Javau, going to and fro, occupied in thy fairs; bright iron, cassia and calamus, were in thy market. Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots. Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats; in these were thy merchants. The merchants of the (now called Negro) Sheba and Raamali, they were thy merchants; they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold- Haran and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad, were thy merchants. These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cord, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise. The ship of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market; and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. These are the (now called Negro) inhabitants at Tyre, Zidon, or Sidonites, Ham's son Canaan's descendants, the said Hamath's grandson. Head the 3d to 11th verses, and Ezekiel will show you the now called Negro kings in Tyrus (in ancient times it was Parthia) and Asshur or Assyria; it lay along the upper part of the same river. Hence we see that the land of Eden could not be, as some strangely

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suppose, in Babylonia. But further north, in Media, Armenia, Mesopotamia. It remains then to be determined on what part of these rivers we are to place the Garden of Eden; whether at their source, or in the middle course, or near their junction. The remarks of a late ingenious writer are just and appropriate. We have all seen that the country of Eden was somewhere in Media, Armenia, or the northern part of Mesopotamia, all mountainous countries and affording health, instead of being the sickening plain of Babylonia; some of the grandest as well as the richest scenery in the world. A river or stream is said to have risen in some part of this country, and entered the garden, where it is said to be parted into four others, in all probability by first falling into a basin or lake from which the other streams issued at different points, and taking a different direction and growing into mighty rivers; although at their sources in the garden, they would be like all other rivers, mere brooks, passed by a stepping stone or a plank, and forming no barrier to free communication between the parts of the garden. The Euphrates has its source in the central part of the mountains of Armenia, near the lake Van or Arsissa. It is said to be formed by two streams which first flow west. After their junctions near Hebban, in Mount Taurus, the rivers bend to the southwest, and joining a smaller stream, pursue a course as if to reach the Mediterranean, but being turned by the mountain of Caucasus, changing its said direction to southeast, joins the Tigres at the Kuran, forming the Shatel Arab, which fall into the Persian Gulf by several mouths. Near the fountains of the Euphrates we find those of the Hiddekel. The Tigres rises near the head of the Euphrates. The now called Negro country. (Genesis, 2d chapter, 10-13th verses.) "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The

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name of the first is Pison, that is it which compasseth the whole of the land Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon; the same is that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia, that is it which goeth eastward to Assyria/' This great river divided Assyria from Mesopotamia, and is, as has been said, the Hiddekel of the Scripture. (Genesis, 2d chapter, 11th verse.) The Pison is not so easily discovered, but is generally supposed to be the Phasis, or Absonesof the ancients. Notice the Havilah which is compassed by this river, is different from the country of this name, which is in Arabia, and which will be mentioned hereafter. It may be readily taken for Colchis between the Black Sea and the Caspian. The River Phasis flows through Mingrelia and falls into the Black Sea. The country through which it passes was celebrated among the ancients for its gold. (Genesis, 2d chapter, 13th verse.) Notice. The Gihon is said to compass the whole land of Ethiopia. Cush is a term used to denote various regions, both in Asia and in (the now called Negro) Africa. In antiquity it was called Ham or Egypt. Now as no one will contend that the River Gihon encircled either Ethiopia proper, or the part of Arabia, so called, we seek for some other land to which (the now called Negro) Cush may be applied. It is thought by many that the first settlement of Cush, the son of Ham, was made in Susiana. Upon this, we may take the Gihon to be the River Kerah, which the Greeks called Gyndes, apparently a corruption of the Hebrew name. This river encompasses the east borders of Susiana. The opinion however, most commonly received, is that the River Oxus, which is even now called by the Arab, Jihon, and which falls into the sea of Aral, must be concerning a country which was desolated by the universal deluge. We may still be safe, it is thought, to place the Garden of Eden in, or near Armenia.