THE NEGRO AND THE FLOOD.                     439



                             XI.
                   THE NEGRO AND THE FLOOD.

             BY BISHOP BENJ. TUCKER TANNER, D.D.

                     A CORRESPONDENCE.

                              FRANKFORD, PHILADELPHIA,
                                             March 8, 1892.
Bishop B. T Tanner:
  DEAR BROTHER: In company with other members of our
Meeting, I attended the third lecture of Professor Harper to-day,
and he dwelt largely upon the fact that all the race varieties
possessed a tradition of the Flood or Deluge. Among other
things, he said: "Every one of the race varieties, except the
black race, has a tradition of the Deluge." Busy, however, in
taking my short-hand notes of the lecture, I did not at the
moment realize the magnitude of the assertion. Since coming
home I have revived the statement, and I regard it as tremendous,
both in point of scope and, especially, in its effect upon such an
intelligent audience.
  At the conclusion of the second lecture he gave place for
questions, but none were asked. I feel sure, that had the oppor-
tunity presented itself, some one of our representatives would
surely have inquired as to the facts upon which he based his
discovery. Among those present were the President of Wilber-
force, the Editor of THE REVIEW, the Presiding Elder of the
Philadelphia District, also J. B. Stansberry, D.D., W. H. Heard,
D.D., and others of less distinction .      .    .
 Your experience, library and observation, and, to say the least,
your acquaintance with ethnology being far more extensive than
mine, I would be glad to have you submit a little light on the
point.                       Yours in Christ,
                                             J. M. PALMER.

                           REPLY.
                            2908 DIAMOND STREET,
                                Philadelphia, March 9, 1892.
Rev. J. M. Palmer:
  MY DEAR BROTHER: Yours of the 8th ult. is before me. Its
reception gives me pleasure, evidencing, as it does, that the time
is rapidly approaching when, from among the men of our branch
of the common race, there will come a generation of scholars
who will not only intelligently question the truthfulness of much
that.the white scholarship of this age and civilization presents,




			

African Methodist Episcopal Church Review, [Vol.08, Num. 4]

Negro and the Flood

Tucker

Volume:  08
Issue Number:  04
Page Number:  439
Date:  04/1892