hs before he died of sheer exhaustion,
and the last he made before any great body of his own people, he said
in part:

"My only excuse for accepting your invitation to appear before you in
these annual gatherings is that I am deeply interested in all that
this National Baptist Convention stands for. It is in my opinion the
largest and most representative body of colored people anywhere in the
world.... I believe most profoundly in the work of this convention
because it represents the common masses of all our people, those who
are the foundation of our success as a race. I believe in you because
you do not pretend to represent the classes but the masses of our
people. I am here, too, because the Baptist Church among our people
throughout the country is affording them an opportunity to get lessons
in self-government in a degree that is true of few other
organizations.

"You who control this great convention have before you a great
opportunity and along with this opportunity a tremendous
responsibility. It is given to you, as to all men, to pursue one of
two courses, and that is, to be big leaders or little leaders. You can
construct or you can destroy. The time is now at hand when in each
individual church organization and each district association and each
State convention and in this great national convention, the little man
must give way and let the big, broad, generous man take his place.
Nothing is ever gained in business, in education, or in religious work
by being little, narrow, or jealous in our sympathies and activities."

Two days later, after he had left the convention and returned home,
Mr. Washington received word that the convention had split, contending
leaders holding out for what they termed principles. Immediately on
the receipt of this report he dispatched the following telegram to the
leaders of the two opposing factions:

I earnestly beg and urge that each convention remain in
session until all differences are composed. In the event
this cannot be done I hope each convention will empower a
small committee or authorize some one to appoint committees
that may have power in settling present difficulties so that
next year there may be but one convention. It is easier now
to bring about reconciliation than it will be later. It will
be a calamity to the Baptist Church and to our race for the
present split to continue. It will soon spread to all the
Ba