ey were calm, good men, Bishops of the Apostolic Church
of God, and strove toward righteousness. They said slowly, "It is all
very natural--it is even commendable; but the General Theological
Seminary of the Episcopal Church cannot admit a Negro." And when that
thin, half-grotesque figure still haunted their doors, they put their
hands kindly, half sorrowfully, on his shoulders, and said, "Now,--of
course, we--we know how YOU feel about it; but you see it is
impossible,--that is--well--it is premature. Sometime, we
trust--sincerely trust--all such distinctions will fade away; but now
the world is as it is."

This was the temptation of Despair; and the young man fought it
doggedly. Like some grave shadow he flitted by those halls, pleading,
arguing, half angrily demanding admittance, until there came the final
NO: until men hustled the disturber away, marked him as foolish,
unreasonable, and injudicious, a vain rebel against God's law. And
then from that Vision Splendid all the glory faded slowly away, and
left an earth gray and stern rolling on beneath a dark despair. Even
the kind hands that stretched themselves toward him from out the depths
of that dull morning seemed but parts of the purple shadows. He saw
them coldly, and asked, "Why should I strive by special grace when the
way of the world is closed to me?" All gently yet, the hands urged him
on,--the hands of young John Jay, that daring father's daring son; the
hands of the good folk of Boston, that free city. And yet, with a way
to the priesthood of the Church open at last before him, the cloud
lingered there; and even when in old St. Paul's the venerable Bishop
raised his white arms above the Negro deacon--even then the burden had
not lifted from that heart, for there had passed a glory from the earth.

And yet the fire through which Alexander Crummell went did not burn in
vain. Slowly and more soberly he took up again his plan of life. More
critically he studied the situation. Deep down below the slavery and
servitude of the Negro people he saw their fatal weaknesses, which long
years of mistreatment had emphasized. The dearth of strong moral
character, of unbending righteousness, he felt, was their great
shortcoming, and here he would begin. He would gather the best of his
people into some little Episcopal chapel and there lead, teach, and
inspire them, till the leaven spread, till the children grew, till the
world hearkened, till--till--and t