Newspapers / Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.) / Oct. 20, 1932, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
\ TVl'io P i- ' Africo-American Prt^feyterian “AN® YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE.”—John viii. 32. VOL. LIII. cHARLorri'l c., Thursday, October 20, 1932. NO. 41. CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY EFFORT AMONG THE WOMEN OF THE EAST New York. Albert L. Scott, Chairman of the Laymen’s Foreign Mis sions Inquiry, authorizes the following: Today is made public an in stalment of the Report of the Appraisal Commission appoint ed by the Laymen’s Foreign In quiry to examine and recom mend concerning the future plan and scope of foreign mis sions effort in the Far East. The Laymen’s Inquiry repre sents seven of the leading Pro testant denominations, and the Report, which will be published late this fall, embodies a two years’ study of the subject by experts. In the first instalment issued the Commission was quoted as saying that the effecting of change in foreign missions ef fort should be “the condition of every further enlargement of the enterprise.” The instal ments being released through the press indicate the nature of the changes recommended. This instalment deals with the need for reorientation in m’"' effort arising from F mg situation of th tl;j’‘*=''' Th ' lol- lo'' - ■ JSfy represents a radically aifferent environ ment for women, from that which the pioneer women mis sionaries, or those of even later period, found when they came to the Orient. “In India, where vibrant na tionalism has been a powerful ally, the emergence of women has become perhaps the most significant fact of the present day. “The forward movement of Chinese women is less spectac ular than that in India but no less significant. The dissolution of the old family system is lib erating the women of China from the traditions of farnily dependence J into expanding freedom of an individual life. New concepts of betrothal, marriage and the home, more freedom of social relationships a growing urge for econornie independence, the active partic ipating of women in national affairs are mile stones of pro gress in the life of women in China. Japanese Women “The chanlging situation in Japan has produced a paradox ical combination of remarkable progress and retarded de^^elop ment of Japanese women. In economic puijsuits participat ing more fully than any other women of the East; in educa tional advance, judged on the basis of literacy, equal to the women of any western country, in the widespread process of westernization sharing f«teely, as is shown in the increase in western styles of dress and mode of living in all these phases of life, Japanese women have stepped out of the eastern frame. ‘Tn thfs foi*ward movement of eastern women, Christian missions have played a signifi cant role. Through a composite of direct and indirect influences Christian missions have stead ily exerted pressure against the stifling tradition of the past and have opened the doors of opportunity to women for the future. . “Today the new situation, which in no small measure may be considered an achievement of Christian missions, consti tutes one of the most serious problems of the missionary en terprise 3-s related to women. “The very fact that women in the East are beginning to live on a different educational and social Tevel creates new needs and makes new demands on missions far more exacting than those that were made in earlier days. The changed and steady changing East necessi tates readjustments. The abil ity of missions to make these necessary' changes will deter mine their future effectiveness “Thrqu,ghout ,the Orient in the field of direct evangelism women missionariets should be replaced by trained Oriental leaders as rapidly as is possible without detriment to the work, since eastern women, because of language equipment and un derstanding of folk ways, can carry on the work much more effectively. Possibilities For Fellowship “There is a field of unexplor ed possibilities for fellowship of Christian leaders with worn en of non-Chrstian faiths. With the awakening of eastern wom en has come a sense of com mon -spimual need, which ha.s drawn women of different reli gions together. Missionaries “With the incre'^s^.^of wornen leaders of the ut in admin istrative positioj . the numoer of missionaries ^■“'■’■uirally diminish. Eas »5's, however, ,expre re there may be a certain numbe Ign v/orkers in C tu- tions for the s; ’a- tional contact. “There is also for an undefined tj which foreign leade. der with eastern through personal contact with both Christian and non-Ch^s- tian, and through an actjpe participation in civic and na tional women’s movements, i' “Oriental women are just be ginning to extend the range pf their interests and have a g'rojv- ing desire for international friendship. The East today m- fers rich possibilities for ip- formal contacts and coopeija- tion.” - ■service can ren- womfen The Report of the Appraiial yiuiis Commission of the Laymen’s should be in a position to give Foreign Missions Inquiry, which . Cl .1.^ J-,-v orx*i'irnol -v« r. -ft-Kiol QriiT'm.T OlJUUld WC Cl' VV./ X ATXXOOi'-'iXkJ xikvvik. ^ j ^ and share richly in this spiritual jg now in procses of final editing, quest. They have much to v. ill be submitted on November learn from the Oriental quality of deep devotion and the east -M-- genius for meditation. In the presentation of the aistian message to the women of the East there is need for a basic change in appeal. Christ ianity can no longer center its emphasis on the social handi caps of non-Christian faiths, .such as child marriage, Hindu widowhood, and purdah, since non-Christian leaders also are repudiating these evils and are undergoing a process of social reform from within, slowly ac commodating themselves to the idea of freedom of women. “The emergence of . eastern women has eon-te with a sur prise and even a shock to many missionaries who have built their service and technique on the concept of Indian women be hind four walls of the zenana, or of Chinese women with bound feet and bound minds, or cff Japanese women sitting pas sively at home. Need for Reorientation “To shift mental gears sud denly to the concept of the wo men of Asia in a changing en vironment, ep.joying the privi leges of a new freedom and likewise exposed to its dangers, is very difficult. But the for eign workers must recognize this change in environment and welcome the eastern women in to larger responsibility. “There is perhaps even great er need for reorientation in the noint of view of the American constituency and boards than of the missionary in regard to the changing situation of east ern women. “In fact, the readjustment to the changing situation of east ern women is often handicap ped by the prevailing psycho logical attitude of the mission public in America, whose men tal picture of eastern, women, especially in India, is heavy with shadows of the depressed, illiterate masses, almost unre- h'eved by high lights of pro gress or by any conception of the outstanting leadership de veloping among Oriental wo men, both Christian and non- Christian. “The primary task for the future, in all phases of mission effort for women, consists in the training of leaders and withdrawal of the foreign worker as rapidly as this can be achieved without sacrificing the essential values of the Christian program. “Today the enlarging _ free dom of the women of Asia has loosened the ties of their de pendence and has made possi ble and even inevitable the transfer of responsibility. “The future of the Christian movement as related to women depends on the discovery and training of eastern leaders in all lines affecting women. 18 to a meeting in New' York City of approximately 300 offi cials and leading member of the mission boards of the seven denominations represented in the Inquiry. The Inquiry was sponsored and financed by laymen of sev en Protestant denominatioi^ as follows: Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed, United PBesbyteri- an, Methodist Episcopal, Con gregational, Protestant Episco pal and Northern Baptist. The seven denominations represent ed in the Inquiry annually con tribute approximately $16,000,- 000 for foreign missions effort. There are some 13,000 inissi^))^, 'aries of ail denumiim-lrcfiiw rim the foreign field. The Appraisal Commission, consisting of fifteen members carefully chosen for their judg ment and experience as well as because of their special train ing and fitness to evaluate the various phases of missionary work, has recently returned from a nine months’ examins.- tion of missions effort on the ground in China, Japan, India and Burma. PARH REGULARITY By Dr. Kelly Miller of THE WORLD’S FyFS AMERICA UPON Friends of the Dry Cause are urged to press forward, no mat ter what the odds against them. The eyes of the world are upon the U. S. A. at this time. The World Prohibition Fed eration continues to follow the struggle hopefully, and in the firm belief that what America has gained for herself and proved of worth, she will stead fastly hold to for the sake of rising youth at home and over seas, and for generations yet unborn. A remarkable appeal for the saving of Prohibition in the U. S. A. has also been address ed by the International Prohi bition League of Okayama, Ja pan, to the adherents of the Woirld Prohibition Federation, and others, in America. Japa nese Prohibitionists realize, as they say, that “any relaxation of thg enforcement of Ameri can Prohibition is far-reaching. It would certainly affect ad ■'.’ersely not only al! movements for prohibitory legislation in the various countries, but indirect ly encourage drinking habits in the whole world.” Similar expressions have come from ProMbitionists in China, South Africa, India, Austria and other countries, to hearten the American forces in their herculean struggle; for “A_s America goes, so goes the world,” says the Federation. Forbearance, kindliness, sym pathy, loyalty and inspiration all go into the construction of a true home, be it a one room cabin or an elalrorate mansion. Heresy is the antithesis dogma. Wherever there is a body of fixed belief or doctrine, religious or political, which is passionately held,by its devotees, any deviation therefrom is al- W'ays denounced by the bigot Orthodoxy used to be consider ed the crowning virtue; heter odoxy the crowning vice, but the world today is happily lib erated from dogma and bigot IT- Non-conformity lies at thf o.asis of all progress. So long as we remain chained body anc .■'oul to a dead tradition, there Can be no advance. It is f-oi this reason that for the last ten or more years I have insistently preached, in and out of season, that the Negro should free him self from the gives of the Re publican Party. Under the pall of this bondage he has steadily retrograded politically for the last fifty years, as he will con tinue to do for the next fifty. The recent lamentajble White House conference illustrfated this retrograde tendency. The colored race might well adopt the language of the Apostle Paul: “0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body] of this political corpse”? Note the series of diminishing terms: Roosevelt, Taft, Harding, Coolidge, Hoov er. His last state is certainly worse than the first. The pres ent day Republican Party has lost its ancient aippeal which compelled allegiance. Its pres ent day representatives have no miOre moral or political kinship to Lincoln, Sumner and Stev ens than the present day Greek shoe shiners have to their an- cieiit and‘trlusti-ious ancestry. We live at a time when polit ical loyalties are discarded all over the world. The genera tion of moss backs and die-hard politicians is rapidly becoming extinct. In 1928 the Democrat ic Party was split asunder by internal disaffection. The poll of the Literary Digest discloses that thirty to forty percent of He Roosevelt vote are bolters fi-om the Hoover column. Of course there always will be found a class of political mani pulators who preach party reg ularity as a means of keeping themselves in position and pow cr. The Negro knuckle-close and rever-die Republicans do not serve the G. 0. P. for nought I dare say that every Negro de- claimer of the doctrine of never deviating devotion to the Grand Old Party is either on the pay roll or is in quest of position, compensation, or some other form of personal reward. “Great is Diana of the Ephe sians!” cried the craftsmen v.'ho made images. Idol makers will never destroy idolatry, and .so our political prrtfiteerfe will never break the strangle hold of political bondage which holds us back. But the day of their doom is at hand. The Non-partizan League pointed the way, and pointed the way out. Never again can the Republican Par ty control the Negro vote through the dead hand of a spent force As many Negroes v.'ill cast their votes for Roose velt as for Hoover. I should hate to see the race irretrievably bound to the one or the other. No longer does any one stigma tize him with opprobious epi thets for his political alignment. Orthodoxy has always a con sistent policy of fear. It always threatens the heretic with fu ture or instant damnation for departure from the faith of the fathers. Note how the dying old guard attempts to threaten the race with direful prophe cies of what will happen if Gar ner,, the terrible, should by any tragic chance, become Presi dent! What awful fate awaits the race if the administration should fall into the hands of Roosevelt who indited tne Hay- tian constitution and posted a segregation bulletin. These ca lamity howlers who would warn us of the wrath to come affect a guileful oblivion of the fact that Garner at present occupies the second most powerful posi tion under the government but the race has suffered no detri ment. They delijght to ignore that President Hoover is fully committed to all phases of es tablished segregation, and that his own record of race rights and recogniition compaiies not too favorably with that of his New York rival. Those who would warn us to flee from the Democratic wrath to come would be hard put to sxiriain the liberality of Governor Roosevelt in placing a Negro Presidential elector on his own State ticket in face of the tra ditional attitude of the South on which he must depend for basic political support. Let me tell them what it means. It means this proffer of political support on part of the Negro is met more than half way by the lib- er.al spirit of the Democratic Party, not only of the North, but of the South as well. Whatever Garner, the Southern provin cial politician, may have said or done is neither a fair nor gen erous guage of what he i.ri likely to do when his views broa len to meet the expanding national horizon. There has been no act )f his as Speaker of the House which evinces an anti-Negro at titude. Ask Congressman De Priest. The Negro hopes sooner or later to come into the full frui tion of his political rights. North, and ^specially South. This will not be accomplished by compulsion, but by propitia tion. The division of the Negro vote. North and South,the 1 rripending election, id the ' hai-' binger of the dawn of a better political day. NATIONALLY KNOWN DRY LEADERS CALL FOR RE- ELECTION OF MR. HOOVER Never before since the flgh’ against liquor began have the drys had so much at stake in a single election as they have in that of November 8th. It is not prohibition alone that is imper illed but the results of seventy- five years of progress against the liquor traffic. The most se rious threat in this situation comes not from the zeal and en thusiasm of the wets but, rath er, from the uncertainty and in difference of the drys. Prohibi tion, I’ight now, is in peril at the hands of its friends. In three particulars the dry cause seems to us to be more critically involved in the forth coming election than it was in 1928. First, a determined drive is under way in twelve States to repeal the State enforcement measures. These drives are mere ly a part of the nation-wide wet effort to encourage nullification, break down respect for law and increase the difficulties of law enforcement. They constitute not only an attack upon the 18th Amendment,, but upon the very foundation of good government itself. This threat, which was a minor issue in 1928, has become a major and critical issue in 1932. In the second place, the wet strategy is designed this year to capture Congress. The last Congressional elections made un deniable inroads upon the dry majority in the House of Repre sentatives and the Senate. It is likely that there will still be a dry majority after the elections of November 8th. But in the face of the continued lethargy of the dry voters even this is uncer tain. And the wets, ,better organized, better supported and more zealous than ever before, look to these elections definitely to turn the tide from prohibi tion and toward repeal. Finally, and we believe most critically, there is the question of Presidential candidates. It is cur considered judgment that the election o£ Herbert Hoover, this year, is of greater impor tance to the dry cauAe tltui it was in 1928. Inactivity and consequent failure at this point would, we believe, nullify what- 'dver apparent successes v/ei'e gained in the various State and Congressional elec- ions, damage beyond repair the improving machinery for law enforcement, transfer the eadership of this issue from the enemies of liquor to its friends and destroy the oppor tunity that still remains to bring this problem to a con structive solution. When he was a candidate fcr governor of the State of New York, Franklin D. Roosevelt an nounced that if the Assembly passed a measure for State en forcement of the liquor law, he would veto it. With that decla ration he joined the ranks of the nullificationists. Today, as the repeal candidate for the presidency, he is still travelling in that company. With such a platform he has won the sup port of the oi’ganized wets of the nation. And it is on a plat form which is as wet as the Tammany Halls of the country could make it, that he proposes to reach the White House. The election of Governor Roosevelt might not bring about immediate repeal. But, it would almost certainly lead to a situation both in Congress and throughout the country hat would make eventual re peal inevitable. The effect upon Congress of an aggressive wet in the White House would be immediate. The drift toward the wet camp would be turned, by such a victory of the liquor interests, into a stampede. Ad equate enforcement legislation, hitterh- fought cas' in the last session', would in all likelihood, go down to defeat by a presidential ve to. The morale and efficiency of those responsible |for law en forcement, which was improved under Mr. Hoover’s leadership, would be dangerously impaired. For there is no reason to sup pose that Mr. Roosevelt, in the White House, would be any more active toward the elimina tion of the liquor traffic in the nation than he was, in the gov ernor’s mansion, toward the elimination of the illicit traffic in his own State. State-wide rnillification, which received his tacit sanction when he went to Albany, would receive nation- wMe sanction if he went to Washington. Liquor lawless ness, which has been increas ingly curbed during the lust four years, would be freed from any effective federal restraint just as, under Mr. Roosevelt’s regime in New York, it was kept from any State restraint. And the gains which have been made against the liquor traffic Under prohibition would be swept away in a debacle. The issue, here, is not between the two party planks, but be tween the two men and their records. Mr. Hoover still stands, as he has always stood, as the of the liquor interests. Wha. he has proposed is offered not as a concession to the liquor traffic but as an honest plan tc end the evils of that traffic more speedily. Whether we a^'ree with that plan or not, we are convinced that Mr. Hoover is steadfastly in agreement with the drys of the nation in bis desire and determination to see these evils destroyed. His objective is our objective^ and, we are certain, the objective of every dry voter. His continued leadership is a guarantee that nullification will have no presi dential sanction; that a dry congressional majority wiU still be able to translate the will of the people into effective legis- Lation; and that the Federal government will continue to us,e to the full its available agencies (Continued on page 3)
Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Oct. 20, 1932, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75