The Africo - American
Presbyterian.
Established in 1879.
CONSOLIDATED WITH
TEE SOUTHERN EVANGEUST.
Rot. H. L. McCROREY, d. d. ll. d.,
Editor.
W. E. HILL, Associate Editor.
Rov. C. P. PITCHFORD,
Business Manager.
Devoted to the Educational, Mate
rial, Moral and Religious interest*
of our people in the South, and pub
lished at Charlotte, N. C., every
Thursday.
All questions arising under the
varioui subjects above indicated are
discussed from a Christian point ol
view. Each number contains the
freshest and best news from the
Southern field and from the Church
at large. There is carefully select
ed reading matter suited to all class
es of our people—the farmer, the
mechanic, the artisan and the pro
fessional man.
The Sabbath School and Mission
ary causes will receive special at
tention.
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Six months -- -78
Three months - -6C
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
Given on Application.
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and prayers of our brethren and
friends at large in order that oui
efforts in this enterprise may be
crowned with success.
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Send all money by P. O. Money
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Bible. __
Entered at the Postoffice at Char
lotte, N. C., as seopnd class matter.
THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1925
MINISTERIAL CHANGES
Among recent ministerial
changes we note that Rev. W.
J. Nelson has gone from our
church at Ridgeway to Good
will church, near Mayesville, S.
Cm and Dr. C. A. Ward from
Newport News, Va., to Toledo,
Ohio.
Both Rev. Nelson and Dr.
Ward are strong, energetic
preachers and had marked suc
cess in their former fields.
Goodwill church boasts the
largest membership of any of
our Southern churches, and has
a long and interesting history.
For many years it was served
by Dr. I. D. Davis, eloquent
preacher and sweet singer, who
succeeded the late Dr. M. G.
Johnson at Ladson church, Co
lumbia.
The Carver Memorial church
in Newport News, is one of
the best in Virginia. Dr. Ward
leaves a fine church edifice and
a united congregation that
wanted him to stay. He was a
factor ifi all phases of our
church work, and we in the
South shall greatly miss him.
He carries to his new charge
the best wishes of all his min
isterial brethren and a large
circle of other friends.
AN EPITHALAMION:
DR. JOHN M. GASTON’S
MARRIAGE.
A Polyphonic Prose Poem
(Written December 12th, 1925)
By Rev. Yorke Jones, D. D.,
Author of “Gold and Incense.”
Ham, ’tis good to be named—“John.”
In the Book, note two great Johns:
Him who said, “Behold the Lamb of
God!”
And him who had Patmos visions.
Strewn through the ages are great
Johns—
Princes in the Kingdom of God,
Who went on swift feet beautiful—
Feet “beautiful upon the moun
tains:” i
There was John Chrysostom, ■
John Wycliffe, John Huss, John Cal
vin,
John Knox, John Bunyan, John Wes
' ley,
And hew' world John Witherspoon,
And the great John who died for
thee—
John Brown.
On feet “beautiful upon the moun
tains,”
Going hither and thither on labors
of love,
Not dying, but living for thee, Ham,
To break fetters off the soul of
thine,
There is another great John—
John Gaston—
Whom thou, Ham, dost love!
Anent him, thy great John, Ham,
Southward upon thine ears attent
A North-born wind hath a message
borne.
And thin the message Is:
Whereas, aforetime, thy great John
Was alone what time went he hither
And thither, in his labors for thee
of love,
Latterly it hath come to pass
He hath linked his hand masterful
In a gentle, queenly hand—
One name and roof the same,
Hereafter, to suffice for him and her.
And Ham, thou art glad!
Thou art glad with and for him and
her!
CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH, WILSON, N. C.,
RAISES $1207.20.
In a financial campaign just
brought to a close the Calvary
Presbyterian church, of Wilson,
N. C., realized $1207.20. In this
supreme effort the members and
friends worked most admirably
to the end that the standard of
Calvary might not be lowered.
The official body cannot be com
mended too highly for its care
ful and prayerful planning of
the campaign, and following it
up with unrelenting toil and
endeavor. Nor can one forget
the tremendous sacrifice made
by the officials and the bulk of
the members. In this period of
retrenchment there was a little
doubt as to whether the church
could maintain its past stand
ard. “We strengthened our
stakes; lengthened our cords;
and enlarged our plans and
gifts.” A new standard was set.
The object of the campaign was
to clear some outstanding obli
gations and to pave the way
for the erection of a manse in
the near future.
The Missionary Society, one
of the most energetic and potent
organizations in the church, is
doing effective work in the
community. Its members are
“evangels of mercy” to the
needy. The society contributes
largely to the support of Home
and Foreign Missions. Its
regular weekly meetings are a
source of inspiration and infor
mation to all who attend.
On Thanksgiving Day this so
ciety served a dinner and the
sum of $65 was realized.
On December 4th the society
rendered “The Reverend Day
ton Up to Date” to an appreci
ative audience. The characters
deported themselves nicely.
in the recent financial cam
paign this group contributed
nearly $150.
On Thursday, December 10,
the district meeting of the Pres
byterial Society was held with
the local organization. This dis
trict is composed of Rocky
Mount, Elm City, Wilson,
Smithfield and Goldsboro. Mrs.
S. C. Baskerville, of Rocky
Mount, is the leader. This was
the first meeting and the time
was spent largely in setting the
machinery in order. The
group pledged itself to try to
set up an organization in every
church in the ditrict. These
meetings are to be held fre
quently.
The Sunday school depart
ment recently presented to the
church 10(T new hymnals, re
vised edition, at a cost of $162.
These Hymnals will be formally
dedicated the fourth Sunday
night in December.
The Intermediate class of boys
is elated at having Mr. Bill
Hines, a successful young bus
iness man, as teacher.
Frederick Reid was re-elect
ed head of the Pioneers. Bill
Jones is the new Secretary.. A
Quartette from this group will
soon make its initial appear
ance.
John Burns Jackson is the
new President of the Y. M. B.
C. In addition to its prescribed
activities this group is doing a
lot of reading with a view to
giving a synopsis of what each
one reads.
The “Radiogram” is the name
of the news letter the Friendly
Church on the Corner sends out
frequently to all of the Wilson
students who are away in
school.' This letter carries a
pastoral "message; the activities
of the clubs; the activities of
the local schools, etc.
The Light Bearers, under the
leadership of Miss Willie Har
grove, will render a literary
and musical program Sunday
night, December 20th.
Rev. George preached to
the faculty and student body of
Bricks Junior College Sunday
morning, December 13th. Rev.
Fred Davis, a local Baptist min
ister, filled his pulpit.
THE SCRIBE.
MI§|lONARY ACTIVITIES
IN AMELIA COUNTY, VA.
Rev. W. H. Freeland, of the !
Russell Grove Presbyterian
church, Amelia, Va., addresses'
the Ladies’ County Missionary
Circle at Allen Memorial church,
Jetersville, Va., November 29.
Mrs. W. J. Wright, presiding,
called the meeting to order at
2 o’clock P. M., and introduced
the following program:
The Rev. W. H. Shepperson,
pastor of the church, read the
3rd chapter of John and led
in prayer.
Congregational Singing, “if
Jesus Goes With Me I’ll Go.”
Roll Call—Russell Qrove,
Oak Grove, Huntington Mission,
Albrights and Allen Memorial
reporting present.
Welcome address, Mrs. Sarah
Page Brown.
Response, Mrs. M. J. Wright,
President.
The Russell Grove choir sang,
“Let the Gospel Light Shine
Out.”
Mrs. Claire Pearon Alter,
Preceptress of Ingleside Semi
nary, and Misses Frances
Craine and Bertha Tate, teach
ers in the same school, were in
troduced. Mrs. Alter made a
short address in which she told
of the importance of all work
ing together in the spirit of
love and harmony for the ob
taining of the proper results.
We thanked Mrs. Alter for her
interesting remarks.
Mrs. M. J. Wright then an
nounced the speaker, Rev. W.
H. Freeland, who had for his
subject, “Money.” He empha
sized our financial duty to the
church, urging the necessity of
each member paying the $1.63
per capita which every member
of the Presbyterian Church is
asked to give as benevolence.
His address was timely and in
structive, and, we are sure, will
bring forth fruit.
There was a song, “Speed
Away,” by the Ingleside Quar
tette. This Quartette consists
of Miss Evelyn L. Reasor, Miss
Wilbert McLaughlin and oth
ers.
Address, Miss Josie Morgan,
of the Virginia Normal and In
dustrial Institute, Petersburg,
Va. Her subject was “A Chal*
lenge to the Present Day Negro
Woman.” Miss Morgan did jus
tice to her subject and was
heartily applauded.
Select reading, Miss Annie
R. Vaughn, Albrights.
Solo, Miss Madeline M;
M. Thompkins, of the Oak Grove
Missionary Society.
An appeal for a strong collec
tion was made by Mrs. S. V.
Thompkins, of the Huntington
Mission, Mannboro, Va. The re
sponse was liberal beyond ex
pectation, with the Rev. Charles
Pitchford presenting the first
dollar. Others whose names we
present, gave a dollar: Mrs.
Alice Pitchford, Mr. Clarence
Wright, Mrs. M. J. Wright, Miss
Hattie Post, Mrs. Fannie Wil
kerson, Mrs. Nannie Swann,
Mrs. Maggie Swann, Mrs. Sarah
P. Brown, Mr. Edwin Thomp
kins, Mrs. S. V. Thompkins,
Mr. David Thompkins and oth
ers whose names could not be
gotten. The collection was fine.
Duet, the Misses Evelyn Rea
sor and Wilbert McLaughlin, of
the Ingleside Quartette.
Miss Frances Craine was
organist for the Ingleside sing
ers.
Song, Allen Memorial Quar
tette.
Remarks, Rev. W. H. Shep
person.
Closing hymn, “Blest' Be the
Tie That Binds.”
As on most occasions , Mr.
Clarence Wright presided at
the orgian.
Our next place of meeting
will be the Big Oak church the
fifth Sunday in January, 1926.
Our very highly esteemed Rev.
T. H. Lackland, of the So. Vir
ginia Presbytery , will make the
principal address.
Mrs. Claire Pearson Alter ex
tended invitation to the “Circle”
to be the guest of Ingleside
Seminary in its Spring meeting
which invitation was .accepted
joyfully.
SARAH V. THOMPKINS,
Secretary.
During the. past two weeks,
Dr. J. M. Gaston, accompanied
by Mrs. Gaston, has visited
several of our schools. This
was Mrs. Gaston's first visit
South. The workers were de
lighted with her.
ECHOES FROM LOUISVILLeT
(Continued from page 1)
chastened you! Surely her efforts
were hot in vain, for in her ill
ness she could call each by
name and say how kind and con
siderate you had been. You
poured out your love, affection,
gratitude for her and these
were enough. Surely this made
her departure more seemly,
more satisfying. It was easier
to depart and be with her Lord
which is far better. Departed
from the boy friend of her ear
ly childhood; departed from the
gallant youth who won her
heart, departed from the hus
band of her joys and sorrows.
One pouring forth her sym
pathy on one occasion said: “I
have a pain in my sister's side.”
•This characterized the life of
our sister here. Her neighbors’
pains and sufferings Were hers.
Living so long in one neighbor
hood, and known as a good
neighbor testifies to the fact
that she was a good neighbor.
As I went to see her during her
illness, her neighbors in 32nd
street would stop me and in
quire as to her state. On Mon
day a little boy halted in his
skating to know when Mrs.
Buckner would be brought
home. She has departed from
the neighborhood. She will be
missed.
There are those here who
were her friends from child
hood. The way over which you
trod together was beautiful. It
is more beautiful today than
ever, for you see it afar; you
see it as those whose he(arts
are more tender at this mo
ment than ever before. 0, how
she loved you! How she loved
you. This is the time of her
departure. Some day you shall
be with her when all the beau
tiful things you did and said
may be lived more happily than
here. When you were ill or in
trouble did she say in action:
“I have a pain in my sister’s
side.” Sympathy is the true
mark of the Christian, the
mark of the Christian. When
the hearts of Mary and Martha
were broken because of the
death of their brother, it was
sympathy that rolled away the
stone. A little boy looking on
a funeral procession, it was a
wife and mother, noted how
crushed was the spirit of her
husband and father and how
halting was the step. It reached
the heart of the little fellow. He
left his play and stole up to
he broken-hearted man, and
taking him by the two hands,
walked with him silently to the
tomb. This dear woman knew
how to sympathize with the
broken-hearted. Her Lord had
taught her and she learned the
lesson well. Departed from the
ways of sympathy!!
The time of my departure
from the church is at hand. Re
moved from the church, sepa
rated from the visible, moved
on to the invisible body of the
saints. How she loved the
church! Great was her devo
tion! Was it worthwhile?—fif
ty-five years in the service of
Christ—a longer life than most
of us live here! Was it worth
while? I can show you in one
instance that is was worthwhile.
At the recent congregational
meeting when the matter of sell
ing this church property was
being discusesd she arose with
broken voice and dimmed eyes
and declared how she loved the
spot and how reluctant she
would be to leave. The pastor
and others attempted to show
her how necessary it was so to
do and how it would mean the
broadening of the life o fthe
church and especially to those
who had come up with it she
seemed to be relieved and sat
isfied. This is the mark of a
Christian. She loved her
church. She has rejoiced be
cause of it. She has wept
because of it. She was
ready to be offered up when
the time of her departure was
at hand. She desired, no doubt,
to depart and be with her Lord.
Her death is her graduation day*
It is the commencement of her
real life when she will enter
into the fellowship with spirits
of just men made perfect, the
ideal socialism of heaven, and
into the service of eternity.
“Death releases us from the lim
.ita-mm cm cm cmcmm mmmm
itations of this earthly environ
ment and lets us out into the
infinite and perfect environment
of God. In union and fellow
ship with Him all our powers of
thought and action will find un
hindered expansion and complete <
satisfaction. Our intellectual
faculties will roam through in
finite fields of truth and tack-.
Le problems of which we have <
never dreamed, our esthetic •
sense will bathe itself in beauty (
more grand and lovely than
was ever suggested by Human 1
art or by the cloud-clapped tow- 1
ers and gorgeous palaces of the ;
world, our wills will hitch 1
themselves to celestial stars of 1
duty and service, our affec
tional nature will be satisfied
with the perfect society of per
fect' spirits, and our sense of
dependent childhood and yearn
ing for a Father will be cra
dled in the Everlasting Ark,
close to the loving heart of
God.” “For we know that if the
earthly house of our taberna
cle be dissolved, we have a
building of God, a house not
made with hands, eternal in the
heavens.”
“There is no death! The stars
go down
To rise upon some fairer shore,
And bright in heaven’s jeweled
crown
They shine forevermore.
And ever near us though un
seen,
The dear immortal spirits
tread
For all the boundless Universe;
In life there are no dead.”
God’s Studio. I John 3:2.
You go into an artist’s stu
dio, and all about the walls are
fragments of pictures,. blotches
of paint, suggestions of scenes,
mere hints, and you say, “You
call this man an artist?” But
your friend replies: “You are
only in his studio; these are only
his sketches; these are his unfin
ished works; if you want to
know what he means, you must
go to the gtalleries where his
finished pictures are gathered.”
This world is God’s studio.
There are sketches, blotches of
what is to be; but the finished
work is gone, it is not here;
when the picture is ready, it is
taken to a higher gallery and a
nobler service. The best saint
on earth is like a potted plant;
when the roots get too great
tor the pot, and the gardener
sees that the pot, which has in
tended to preserve it is dwarf
ing and killing it, he breaks the
pot, and takes the plant out and
transplants it.
“To those everlasting gardens
Where seraphs walk and angels
are the wardens.”
The time for departure
draweth near. Paul has made
the voyage and is gathered
home. Sister Buckner has
made the voyage, had a longer
period of service to Christ than
did the Apostle. She, too, is
with Him. During the stormy
days of the Civil War a gov
ernment vessel sought to enter
the harbor of St. Augustine
from the ocean side. A severe
storm prevailed. It was early
morn. The wind blew a gale.
Huge waves lifted and rolled.
The unwieldy steamer rolled,
swayed, creaked. A group of
office’s sijood on the forward
deck The snowy crest of waves
on the confronting bar seemed
to shake defiance at the ven
turesome voyagers, forbidding
their progress. Yet there was
firm hope among the watchers,
for they trusted in Him to whom
their lives had been committed.
Far forward, in the eyes of the
steamers bow, clinging to an
iron girt stanchion, stood the
sturdy, weather-beaten old pi
lot of the port. Before pilot and
watchers, out' of the reach of the
storm, on the far shore of the
sheltered bay, there lay in the
morning light, the quaint old
Spanish city, and none of the
steamer’s deck had doubt that
they would reach the port, for
the pilot whom they trusted
was a very present help in trou
ble.”
“One who has known in storms
to sail
I have on board;
Above the raging of the gale
I hear my Lord.
He holds me when the billows
smite,
I shall not fall.
If sharp, ’tis short; if long, ’tis
light;
He tempers all.
Safe to the land, safe to the
land,
The end is this;
And then with Him go hand in
hand
Far into bliss.”
as
< Continued from
did; not deem it fail
the Editor with piaci
ofthe school in the A
months’ subscriptioi
taken, one to come to the
ary Society, one to the Research
Society, and one to the C. E. So
ciety.
The bas
idly gettinj
to play ma
season ends.
The students of the Normal
Department'1 have organized a
society known as “The Research
Society.” The aim of the organ
ization is to do research work,
declare war on slang anc( bad
English, and advocate whole
some and decent literature.
Miss Beatrice Wilson, a mem
ber ofthe second year Normal,
on account of continued illness,
has been forced to give up
school for a while and.han gone
to her home in Georgetown,
Ky., to take treatment under
her family physician., We hope
for her an early recovery and
return. . .;..
Miss Kinchlow and Miss Cal
iman. both teachers in Fee,
spent Thanksgiving in Bowling
Green and Richmond* Ky., re
spectively. \
Much surprise as well as
much joy was given us a few
days ago when Rev. Mc^ajr an
nounced that he had added a
new feature to Fee. He stated
that after seeing some local
friends, he has been able to
make the following offer: that
the girl finishing the Normal
Department with the highest
honor, provided her average in
deportment is not below 98 per
cent and her average is not be
low 75 per cent in any one sub
ject will have her way paid
through some institution dur
ing the summer, and will have
the honor of being one of the
teachers in Fee the coming
term. He states that he hopes
to give some of the exceptional
ly bright girls an opportunity
to teach in Fee, but’ not until
they have done extra work in
some noted school. Since this
announcement every girt has
determined to win this honor.
Mrs. McNair has begun to
practice the primary and
grammar grades for an exer
cise to be had during the Christa
mas holidays.
The Quartet sang for the
Baptist church last Sabbath and
gave a good account of them
selves as usual.
Our friends have already be
gun to speak of our site as
“College Hill,” and we hope this
is only an indication of what’
the future has in store for the
school.
A school bank has been or
ganized among the students and
the following are the officers:
President, Mary F. Mitchell;
Cashier, Ada B. West ; Auditor,
Eddie M. Harris; Board of Di
rectors; Nina M. Henry, Willie
M. Walker, Cleo Ramseur, Mil
dred Gray and Winston Miller.
BOGGS ACADEMY, KEYS
VILLE, GA.
On Founder’s Day, December
8, we were delighted to have an
inspiring address by Mr. W. L.
Hughes, of Dublin, Ga. This ad
dress was so helpful that we
are hoping to have another ad
dress from this splendid speak
er soon.
Boggs Academy is pleased to
offer the following courses this
term: Literary, Musical, Com
mercial and Industrial. Stu
dents are making splendid pro
gress in all the courses.
Preparations are already be
ing made for the Christmas ex
ercises which are to be held on
Christmas Eve. Plans are being
made to try to make the ser
vices during the Week of Prayer
unusually helpful.
Boggs Academy opened its
eighteenth term the last of Sep
tember with a corps of ten ef
ficient teachers. The enrollment
was large and is still growing.
This promises to be one of the
best terms in the history of the
scnooi.
Our Principal, Rev. J. L.
Phelps, seems to be just as full
of energy as he was before his
long and serious illness. The
five churches and two schools
under his care seem to have
taken on new life since the Fall
saeson opened. 7
Several improvements have
(Continued on page 3)