CHAPTER IX.
THE SECOND TRIP ABROAD.
In 1875 Fisk University completed its first decade.
During the ten years thousands of young people
had been gathered in its classes. Its students, in
turn, had taught tens of thousands in Sabbath and
day schools, communicating far and wide among the
freed people its uplifting influences. It had conquered
the respect of those who began by hating it.
It had opened to the vision of vast numbers of
coloured people new possibilities of Christian attainment
and manly achievement. It had demonstrated
the capacity of that despised race for a high culture.
It had raised up the Jubilee Singers, who had done
great things for their people in breaking down, by
the magic of their song, the cruel prejudice against
colour that was everywhere in America the greatest
of all hindrances to their advancement; who had
raised the money to buy a new site for the University,
and erect on it a substantial and beautiful hall
to take the place of the tottering hospital barracks;
and who stood on the threshold of its second
decade as its special and providential reliance in
laying the foundation of its needed endowments.
