EDITORIAL
AND OPINION
PAGE
mS (SEE
IT
by Bruce Barron
A Bruce Barton A
Y Elmer Hunt ?
Photos
HARPER'S FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH HOLDS HOMECOMING.
BURNS NOTE AND Pl-ACES CORNERSTONE
ll is the lesson for homecoming*. I recently look part in homecoming at my own home church.
Deep Branch Baptist Church It i* a time for spiritual renewal Ail Christians look forward to
homecoming day*, a pale preview of that Great Homecoming in Heaven that we all await anxiously
All homecomings are special But White Hill Free Will Baptist Church and Harper's Ferry Baptist
Church are two churches who paid particular attention to their historical past in planning their
homecoming this year We made note of While Hill in an earlier issue.
Last Sunday Harper's Ferry Baptist Church used the occasion of homecoming to burn a note they
have recently paid off and lay a cornerstone to be opened in 40 years
Being an historical buff, both homecomings caught my eye and I attended both momentous days.
Harper's Ferry Baptist Church was organized about 1887 (about the same time the Indian Normal
School, which is now PSU. was begun) The church rests on the banks of the historic Lumbee River
on Highway 711 approximately 2 miles from Pembroke James lowry, the antecedent of most of us
operated a ferry and a tavern for travelers nearby Henry Berry Lowry roamed the area as he
hammered away at injustices that hampered progress for Indian people Harper's Ferry Baptist
Church is on historic building m on historic setting Henry Oe'ry's /vife fVsodo is boned in the
church cemetery
The church is located on land obtained from S R Townsend and wife. The land, deeded to trustees
Aaron Brooks, Paisley Sanderson and Sinclair Lowery. cost ihe grant total of SI .00. a mighty sum in
those days.
Sinclair Lowry probably was the brother of Henry Berry Lowry, the hero of all of us
Some of the former pastors were Rev. Zack Brooks, Rev Angus D. Locklear, Rev. Silas Lowry,
Rev. Phillip P. LockJear, Rev Zimmie R Chavis. Rev lonnic W Jacobs, Rev. Clarence Locklear.
Rev. Harvey Brewington. Rev. Sanford Locklear. and the present pastor. Rev. Steve Jones.
HorpWs Feny Oopnsr Church is sroreiy ond modern
OlH Gre-wlngron choirmon of it* booro of deacons poses with it* comersrone before it is
j- ploced in ft* church edifice The inscription teods Founded 1887 flenovored 1970, Open
2018, October 8. 1978 " Enclosed in o voulr (hopefully otr right) within rhe corner srone ore
numerous histoncol documents pictures. ond records including on oltxim cower of rhe
Horpettones o popular gospel singing group rhor wos orgonued of Harper's FerryBaptist Church
O message from the posror o message from Oro Wiley Jones ( who gave o history of the church/
O church directory, history ond financial records including a copy of the deed and other church
documents letters from members to their survivors etc It will be on e/e opener m 2018 when
it* voulr within rhe cornerstone is opened
Rev Coolidge Cummings post or of Island Grove Baptist Church delivered rhe message of
morning worship services
?? jrmmam
A#ier*w* dmntronthtgrajrir* Pto?*yrjUpnl t*',**?< fryon* *n\t? *?*/?*<vtmrv?t
iheeciwdion1 o**r ntmm, 1if* "v*# t(*??, ,,r+r*i ibtr,,,f, ?<*,*,? ?>?vM ?%?
| WpWrt^lWumeJIer WCOntft '*?" 'Ovt f>.
Wl^WCW OtpWd toy *? W?l <jf lh? Hm>? o y<M?. rif #?*? >riw^ >y.f
Although not pictured here, it it worth mentioning that the Harpanonea. a group organized at
Harper11 Parry Baptiat Church, tang dunag the evcniiy tarvicaa. It wat a tpacial treat for all thbac
who heva enjoyed rtjem over me paw few yean The Horpertonet ore Ouce Swetr Judy Jonet
and Undo Oxendme Planar a Gemude fVtrtwtn
MMMiHfliiiNHHHaHMaMMaai
A very specoi moment during the afternoon service* was o musical selection by Oro Vlley
Jones Providing the music was Oro Villa >ghby Jones ond sister Srello Lockleor MC Oelron l\
lockleorsoidifbesrwhenhesoid They talk about keeping up with rhe Jones' I soy we ought not
to try because we couldn't do it if we wonted to or Harper s Ferry "
And Brother Viley Jones ("maybe rhere is one here who hos been o member longer rhon me")
gave o brief history Of rhe church Vhen he got to rhe present posror. fVev Steve Jones, he said I
don't know onybody who doesn r lihe out pastor If you know of onyone well, let me know so I
con pray for him. "
Oro Princell Oullord, left treasurer of the church, is shown occepring the nore from Jimmy
Hedgepeth. president of First Union National Sank in Pembroke where the loon to remodel the
church was mode Although rhe note wos secured for up to ten years the church paid rhe note
off in six years The omount of monies borrowed was for some *80.000 With rhe extensive
remodeling done, the church is now volued or more rhon *300,000
A few yean ago when il was mentioned that the church might borrow up to UK),000 some thought
that the buiding committee, consisting of Dr. English E. Jones. Purnell Swett and Earl Cummings
weren't being reolisnc Some member, /mndered if rhey would ever live ro see the church out of
debt It was a subject of intense debate within the church before the extensive remodeling was
undertaken Dr Jones, soon to retire as chancellor of Pembroke State University, laughingly said,
"It is easier to be choncellor of P5U then, to be choirmon of o building committee
Some of the stalwart members of Harper's Kerry baptist Church, who were instrumental in doing the
rebuilding (and paying for the note) were Hro. Vardell Ransom, chairman of the finance committee
Bro. Ransom said, "I always added a little bit more to what the church sent me to deposit..."
Bro Prtncell Bullard, treasurer, who intoned, "My job is sort of easy . and it was made that way
by your giving. All I had to do was sign the checks for what we bought, etc."
*
Bro. Willoughby Jones, one of the beloved elders of the church. Bill James Hrewington, chairman
of the board of deacons. Dclton Ray Locklcar, who replaced Purnell Swett on the building committee
when Swell's work as an educator took him to Washington, DC to work for a few years; Mrs C'oree
Oxcndinc, known affectionately as 'the mother of the church', Anderson Jones,
former chairman of the board of deacons Purnell Swell, Mrs Stella Sanderson, another beloved
member of the church. Earl Cummtngs and many others
Special comments were also given during the special ceremonies by Pastor Steve Jones and Rev
Tony Brewington, director of missions for the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association of which Harper's
Ferry is a member Both warned the church to "let it he a building that God builds unless God be
the foundation, the church building will crumble Rev Jones noted, "Jesus Christ is the corner
stone of our lives ond our foundation Without Him it would be like standing in sinking sand
It was a nice day and one worth commemorating I am proud to have been part of history in the
making at Harper's Ferry Baptist Church
The Carolina Indian
Voice
(MmMhImiJ l'l/? l'.ihli,ho,l I Kh Ilutrvljy
HIIIM I IINKIMS (IAKKY MAN Hi t
I 'lilm \??? i rtc I >lil<?
(ONSII MMMllM\ IKINSII MM KM \M
A???M. I ild'H iii.nltii.Hi Minnvr A I iv.mi
fHI CAAOUNAIWOIAN VOKI ??i. i ?? mnili. .l|H??,?lv .I , 11.4 II.. ,>11 VIKII
? 11 ? i-'ii ii'. iukl M >'? "??? i ? 1 1 iii.i?i. < .'..It * i.. TM CAAOUNA INDIAN
V VOta I'll IK ii MlM I' N I Mil*
Correction
To whom II may concern
I am a reader of our CasaMua
tadfam Vaim and would like to
aay in hopea that you could lb
an error in my article that waa
made. I'm not from "Hagers
town. Md." U ahouid have
?aid that I'm from Cherokee,
N.C. where I am born aa well.
The reaeon I'm writing you
from Hageretown la that I'm in
prieon here. I'm going to
Hageritown Jr. College here
within the prieon, but will be
leaving on parole very toon. I
had only a five-year sentence
and I'm going to get my lawyer
degree as well. I thank you so
very much.
May I add that 1 would like to
receive The Cardba ImHan
Vole* please, for I have no
money yet, at this time, but
will pay you all whenever I'm
paroled soon.
Please send each week:
"Subscription, Carolina Indian
Voice. Great peace be unto you
all, brothers and sisters, with
all the Great Spirit's love and
warmth forever.
Lewis A. Thompson #143483
Cherokee St Lumbee Indian
P.S.: Could someone please
write to an Indian inmate who
has no one. Thank you again.
MCTC It 3 Box 3333
Hagorslown, Md. 21740
A Letter
From the
Editor
Now is the time to act.
Elections for four members of
the board of directors of the
Lumbee River Electric Mem
bership Corporation will be
held Tuesday, October 17th at
the Pembroke State University
Performing Arts Center. All
the consumers, if possible,
ought to be there. That's when
we have our say so about the
member-owned electric coop
erative.
a U? tig v? >
President, Rev. Elias Rogers,
and incumbents, Frank Ja
cobs, Jr., Harold Dean Brewer
and Bradford Oxendine.
The Carolina Indian Voice
considers all four of them
eminently qualified to'serve,
although they are being con
tested by a number of good
and qualified challengers.
Now, unlike days of old, one
can run for election to the
board without being discrim
inated against. May the best
men (or lady) win. That's as it
should be. We champion open
and honest elections.
Until Rev. Elias Rogers arriv
ed on the scene, Indians and
blacks did not have a fair
chance to contest for a seat
on the board of directors. It was
a closed cooperative, for a few
consumers...and not for all the
members. Most of us just paid
our light bills uncomplaining
ly.
Rogers, an Indian from
Hoke County, fought a long
and costly battle to gain the
right to be seated on the co-op
board of directors. Rogers won
his law suit against the
cooperative and was seated
by the courts the first time in
1967. Since then he has won
each resulting election. The
Lumbee River Electric Mem
bership Corporation spent
some 540,000 contesting Ro
gers in the federal courts
before allowing him to be
seated.
Hone of that board of direc
tors remains in office. Roger's
win opened the way f?r good
and positive change in Lumbee
River. Load management and
long range planning are two
results of free and honest
I elections. The present admin
istration disavows the action of
the administration that was
toppled, In part, by Rev. Ellas
Rogers.
Should we throw them all out
and start anew? The culprits
are federal regulatory agen
cies and a sordid past, not the
present admlnstration or the
present board of directors.
Still, thanks to Rogers and
others, members have a right
to throw them out if they want
to They won the right to open
and honest elections for all the
members of the Lumbee River
Electric Membership Coypny
alam That's how M should
So. rome out on the 17th and
vole youf convictions The
raarperstrve wM be better *df H
you partuipeie by voting We
you these
g
*
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR
EKrcZ lz R'gh'
Dear Bruce,
This month an event of great
importance for several thou
sand residents of Robeson,
Scotland, Hoke and Cumber
land Counties takes place, the
annual meeting of the Lumbee
River Electric Membership
Cooperative.
The Electric Membership
Cooperatives not only brought
electricity to many rural areas,
but also brought control of the
electric cooperatives to the
local people. That is a very
important factor. If consumers
have problems or questions,
they can go to a local board
member, usually a friend, and
get answers quickly without a
gaggle of red tape and bea
racracy.
I am a consumer of Carolina
Power and Light Company and
they do not operate like the
cooperatives. We have basic
ally no voice in matters of the
company and for practical
purposes can only receive our
bill, "cry" and pay them.
Lumbee Kiver Electric'Mem
bership Cooperative it diffe
rent. Rev. Elias Rogers, Har
old Brewer, Frank Jacobs and
Bradford Osendine are mem-,
bers of the Board of Directors
that are up for re- election at
LREMC Oct. 17th. And I feel I
could go to either one of them
if I had a consumer complaint
and get action.
I feel that their communities
are fortunate to have Such
great influence in a multi
million dollar cooperative that
possesses the potential for
community improvement for
so many years to come.
I encourage each member
and your family to go out and
enjoy the annual meeting
festivities and to exercise that
very important right of voting
for the candidate of your
choice. Your candidate needs
your support.
Sincerely.
Harold Deese
414 Central Street
Maxton, NC 28364
Expresses Opinion on
Rev. Rogers ond
Upcoming LREMC
Elecrion
Dear Sir:
As a member- consumer of
Luftibee River Electric
Membership Corporation, I rind I
must express myself prior to the
election for board of director
members on Oct, 17,
I have followed with interest
and much admiration the career
of Rev ElrtB Roger*, how
president of the LREMC Board
of Directors. When he was
elected to that position last year, I
could not help but think about
how deserving he was. I termed it
"poetic justice" because he is
the pioneer who made it possible
for minorities to be seated on that
board. He did this through
determination and untiring belief
in what he knew was right After
six years in federal court. Rev
Rogers was finally seated by a
federal court order on the board
Something that should have
happened 6 years earlier
considering that he won the
election fairly and squarely
Although receiving enough votes
to unseat his opponent, things
being as they were for minorities
in Robeson County, it took six
years for him to be seated These
things only a minority can
understand I am sure
I followed that law suit with
much interest and earnest prayer
I prayed continuously for him
because I knew that he had
something that most of us lacked,
the courage to stand for his
convictions. Stand alone when
necessary and I know that many
many times he stood alone I am
convinced those were the
loneliest days of his life.
Knowing in my heart that most ot
us who wished him well and
prayed for him, did not openly
take a stand with him While he
continued the battle, even to the
point, I have heard, of checking
under the hood of his car before
driving it, most us breathed a
silent prayer for his success and
quietly went our way.
And now after tilting on thai
board for a term or two I am sure
and being ignored by hi* fellow
board members. Rev Elias
Roger* ha* stuck with it until he
ha* become. I dare say, the most
qualified person to ever serve on
that board This statement is
proven fact. Proven by way of
certificates of accomplishment
and appointments to slate and
national board* Any person
wishing to become informed of
the fact* can verify what I am
saying
Come Tuesday night. (Xtoher
17, Rev Rogers will seek
re-election to his seat at large on
the I.REMC Hoard of I brae tors
And I am saddened to know that
I hose opposing him an not those
persons in reality who were
responsible for flushing his
r
ballots in the first election down
the toilet. No, it these persons
were opposing him, at this time,
it would not make me sad The
sad thing is that two Indians,
Rev. Grover Oxendine and Mr.
Hamer Lee Oxendine. and one
Black, Mr Robert hurley arc the
opponents, that really is sad,
isn't it. We stand to wif* away
what it has takV^Lj man IH
years to accomplfsh^ori? flight.
Perhaps I would not lind the
upcoming event so appalling, if
Rev Rogers had not stnved to
make things better for us all But
he has done more than his share,
and has qualified himself to the
point that there is no questioning
his credentials for holding that
position
I have heard many of ihe same
complaints, most consumers have
heard, ever increasing electric
bills, so-called luxury trips, etc I
wish to clarify these complaints
somewhat The electric hills are
not the only things which have
been sky rocketing lately.
Inflation is not the fault of the
present board of directors of
LRfiMC. And as for those
luxury trips, they are seminars,
workshops, etc that members of
the board of directors of any coop
must take in order to make
himself aware of the functions of
a coop. A person off the street
with no experience in the field of
utilities, has a lot to learn when
he becomes a member of a hoard
of directors for a coop. To
replace the present board at this
lime, would not save money, as a
matter of fact, it would he quite
costly to us. the consumers
because we would certainly have
to pay for a new member to attend
these sessions and become
informed and qualified to serve
us
It is my hope thai those
consumers who arc believing I tu
rn mors that arc circulating about
the spend thrifts on the present
LREMC Board will do some
sincere fact finding before they
vote on Tuesday night The facts
arc readily available to any
member-consumer. Just
approach your hoard members,
or visit the LREMC offices and
ask for the facts Do mil he
misled by those who do not fully
understand what is involved in
running a cooperative the sirr of
LREMC
I urge each member to join inc
on Tuesday night as I attend the
annual meeting ol consumers at
PSU's Performing Arts Center
and cast tny voles lor the most
qualified competent members In
represent me on the I KI-.Mf
Board of Direc tors
Sincerely
DOROTHY lOa/flVf
Mi?r<vi Nt
in imiim fl0km4 H mm ? >>??? n?n ?*
iwiiimi m mww>t an mt*w mm* mn< tract m mmrv
cppmmnllfi
I