VOL. LIX.
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1938.
YOU CANT STOP ME FROM DREAMING
By Dr. Kelly Miller
The caption of this release
furnishes the theme of a popu
lar song, which has become one
of the hits of the season. I
wish, however, after the man
ner of the preacher, to take this
theme as a text from which to
draw valuable lessons for the
Negro Race at this crucial stage
of its existence. We often look
upon a dream as a visionary
idea of anticipation of what the
future may be, vain fancy and
wild scheme. Founders of great
races, nations and institutions
have frequently caught a pre
vision or foreglimpse of coming
greatness through the medium
of dreams.
Abraham, the father of the
faithful, through a dream pre
visioned himself to be the fath
er and founder of a great peo
ple through whose seed all the
nations of the earth should be
blessed. Moses, in obedience to:
the vision vouchsafed to Abra
ham, refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh’s daughter, but
preferred to lead his people out
of Egyptian bondage, through,
the wilderness into the Promised
Land.
Father ASneas, as Virgil tells
us in the iFneid, in pursuit of his
dream pressed through the vi
cissitudes of fortune and made
himself father and founder of
the Latin Race. The Apostle
Paul, the constructive states
man of Christianity, was il
lumined by his elevation to the
Third Heaven and remained for
ever thereafter obedient to the
Heavenly vision. The Pilgrim
Fathers dreamed of a land be
yond the sea, where they might
worship God after the dictates
of their own conscience. In fol
lowing out this dream a new
civilization has sprung up in the
Western World. Our forefath
ers and mothers m the dark
days of slavery dreamed of their
happy home beyond this veil of
tears, that’s built on High—
“far, far above the starry sky.”
What else could have sustained
them amidst the cruelties and
hardships of the dark days of
slavery? The Christian still
dreams of the coming of the
Kingdom of Heaven on earth
where cruelty and injustice,
sickness and sorrow, pain and
death are felt and feared no
more. Who would or could stop
them from dreaming?
When the Negro race was set
free, it began to dream a new
dream, which brought the King
dom of their hopes down from
the skies, into closer proximity
to the world that is here now.
The happy home of a happy
race was located on the earth
beneath. The black patriots
dreamed of America, the land
of the free and the home of the
brave, in which the Negro’s en
joyment of citizenship would
not be denied or abridged on ac
count of race, color or previous
conditions.
Negro ecclesiasts dreamed ot
the founding of a Christian
Church, where the Negro could
stretch forth his hands, and
worship God under his own vine
and fig-tree with none to mo
lest or make afraid. Ambitious
Negro leaders, energized by the
first breath of freedom, dream
ed of establishing great pro
jects1—cities, towns, railroads,
banks, factories, corporations
and commercial houses which
would rival the gigantic pro
jects of this material age. Mar
cus Garvey dreamed a dream
which no Negro ever dared to
dream before, when he envision
ed a great Empire across the
seas, of four hundred million
souls under the dominion of
Negro Princes and potentates.
The Negro scholars dreamed of
a Cultural Empire where Ne
groes would enter into the pat
rimony of learning beyond the
veil where race prejudice is un
known.
But alas, alas, the happen
ings of the last seventy years
have dimmed the rosy tint of
these idealistic dreams with the
somber shade of actuality. The
Negro of the present gene
ration finds his earlier promise
and prospects so blasted that
hope gives way to hopelessness.
Courage yields to discourage
ment.'
The imagination contracts
itself to a circumscribed situa
tion; his political hopes have
faded; his religious garment is
stained with the greed and lust
of the flesh; his practical en
terprises are reduced to little
more than naught. Haiti, Li
beria, Ethiopia, the Negro’s
pride of a half century ago,
have fallen prey to the white
man’s political rapacity. Mar
cus Garvey’s voice has been
hushed by the roar of the Brit
ish Lion. The present day Ne
gro peon is a doleful jerimiad.
The pessimist never dreams.
For want of vision, the people
perish. Woe be to that day
when the old men among us
cease to see visions and the
young men to dream dreams.
Let the Negro say to the
white race with unabashed self
assurance, “You may put me in
jim-crow cars, confine me to
separate schools, you may cur
tail my economic and industrial
opportunities, refuse to make
lynching a crime, restrict my
political and civil rights, yet
you can’t stop me from dream-:
ing.”
THE CHURCH IS FOR
PEACE
Philadelphia, Pa.—Resistance
to reliance upon militarism,
urged by the Federal Council of
Churches, meets the hearty ap
proval of the Department of So
cial Education and Action of
the Board of Christian Educa
tion of the Presbyterian Church
in the United States of Ameri
ca, Dr. Charles J. Turck, gen
eral director of that depart
ment, announced here today.
According to Dr. Turck", the
recent message of the Depart
ment of International Justice
and Goodwill of the Federal
Council of Churches Is" being
transmitted to Presbyterian
leaders of Social Education and
Action Committees throughout
the country.
Federal Council’s message,
said Dr. Turck, urges churches
to resist resolutely the in
creasingly prevalent reliance
upon militarism, which is ex
pressed in the armaments race
in which America is entering,
in schemes to set aside demo
cratic policies and procedures
and to regiment the nation,
such as those suggested in the
War Department’s Mobiliza
tion Plan and in the May Bill,
and in manifestations of belli
gerency in response to inci
dents such as the sinking of the
Panay.
‘The Presbyterian Church,
while not a pacifist body, has tak
en advanced positions against
war,” declared Dr. Turck. “The
Church gives full liberty of
conscience to each communi
cant to determine what his
duty may be. “In 1937,” Dr.
Turck continued, “the General
Assembly declared: ‘We testify
to our abhorrence of war, and
we unite with our brethren in
all the churches of Jesus Christ
and with men of good will ev
erywhere, in persuading men
and nations to the more excel
lent way of peace. In 1936,
the General Assembly said:
‘We protest against the glaring
inconsistencies of a desire for
peace by our government and
its unprecedented expenditure
of money in building a war ma
chine.’ ”
Reminding church groups
that questions of adequate de
fense must be largely determin
ed by military and naval ex
perts, Dr. Turck expressed the
belief that the primary ques
tion is: What are we trying to
defend? He declared that an
army and navy capable of de
fending the territory of conti
nental United States would be
incapable of defending the
Philippine Islands or the proper
ty rights of an American com
pany in the interior of China.
A clarification of the foreign
policy would, therefore, he be
lieves, be exceedingly helpful.
The greatest contribution
that the Church can make, ac
cording to Dr. Turck, was de
scribed by the 1936 General
Assembly—“that the Church
give more heed to the words of
our Lord, ‘Blessed are the peace
makers,’ and through all agen
cies, give itself anew to the dis
armament of the mind of the
world and to the creation of a
will to peace.”
LEONARD STREET CHURCH,
CHATTANOOGA
By Mrs. Nina W. Moore
Sunday services at Leonard
Street church during February
were well ^attended by members
and friends and an ever increase
ing number of visitors. The
pastor, the Rev. J. B. Barber,
preached every Sunday of the
month, and his sermons brought
joy and blessing to the hearts
of all who heard him.
Our “Church Night” program
has been carried on each Wed
nesday night from 6:30 to 8:30,
with a three-fold emphasis:
Food, Fun and Faith. These
meetings have attracted many
members, and quite a number
of friends. The number has in
creased each week; last week
more than fifty persons were
present.
On the third Sunday after
noon of the month, about twen
ty-five members of Leonard
Street church gathered at the
residence of Mrs. F. C. Barbee
to join her in entertaining the
officers of the church. Well
nigh the entire official staff of
the church was present, and en
joyed the elaborate and most
delightful banquet. Mrs. Bar
bee was a most gracious hostl
ess.
Leonard Street church will
promote a “Stewardship Month”
during March, and our pastor^
officers and members are active
ly engaged in the effort to make
it a success. Tithing will bfe
featured. Already more than
twenty-five members have
pledged to tithe during March,
and we feel that many others
will join the movement. Those,
who do not tithe have beitr
asked to make a sacrificial of
fering to help the church round
out the year. In connection
with “Stewardship Month” it
has been announced that our
church bulletin, “The Messen
ger,” will carry two pages of
Stewardship Education each
week during the month.
The young people and chil
dren of our church, under the
leadership of Misses M. R. Bon
ham and M. A. Eddings, Mes
dames M. F. Barber and N. W.
Moore, and Mr. Ralph H. Mar
tin, have undertaken a subscrip
tion campaign for the Chatta
nooga News, a leading daily
paper of the city. This paper
is generally said to be the most
liberal and courteous of all in
its attitude toward our people,
and especially our women and
girls. It is also one of the few
white papers in the South to
have a full time Negro reporter
on its staff. About twenty of
our young people have entered
the campaign.
Sunday, March 6th, a New
ton Center” program was giv
en at 3 P. M., sponsored by the
Excelsior Club, the children’s
service organization of our
church. In connection with the
program a pew rally was held
to help in securing the chil
dren’s General Assembly as
sessments. Such a splendid
work is being done at Newton
under the direction of Mrs.
M. F. Barber and Miss Mary F.
Wilson, that we are glad to
bring the youngsters and their
parents into the church for the
closer view of their activities.
More than ever, this year New
ton is aiding all classes and
corners of our community with
its plendid program of service.
SWIFT DAY AT JOHNSON
CITY, TENN
Swift Day, which was held
in Johnson City at the Bethes
da Presbyterian church, Sun
day, February 20, was a grand
success. Plans for Swift Day
had been underway for several
weeks and an unusual amount
of enthusiasm had been
aroused. Upon investigation it
was found that the number of
Swiftites in this vicinity was
large enough to make quite a
representation. An active com
mittee was formed of former
students of Swift and this com
mittee did some very effective
work.
Dr. W. C. Hargrave, of Swift
Memorial Junior College, gave
a remarkable address on the
occasion. He was accompanied
by his well trained group of
singers and Dean Lee. The
singers were under the direc
tion of the music instructor,
Miss Slaughter.
Following the program at the
Bethesda church the group was
entertained with a buffet sup
per at the home of Mr. and Sirs.
Wm. Cope.
The committee on arrange
ments was as follows: Mrs.
Wm. Cope, Chairman: Mr. J. N.
Armstrong, Mr. G. W. Rich
ardson, Miss D. V. Hoss, Mrs.
Wm. Cope, Miss R. B. Cope,
Miss Edna Dowel!.
MRS. AGNES McLIN
By Rev. H. L. Peterson, D. D.,
Pastor
Death is never a welcome vis
itor. On Jan. 24th the Reaper
entered the home of the McLin
family and took to rest Mrs.
Agnes McLin. This is one of
the oldest and most respected
families of the Keeling, Tenn.,
community. The father, a
watch-dog, a prince, a spirit to
be reckoned with in Greenleaf
Presbyterian church, preceded
his wife by many years to the
reward of the faithful. He left
this widow indeed and 10 chil
dren, two of whom followed the
father and 8 still live—three
boys and five girls.
Sister McLin was not a per
son of letters—though she
learned to read and write after
she was old. Catching the spir
it of an educated home from
her late husband and taking
God with her, she was deter
mined that her children should
be educated. The result was
two boys are doctors, one girl
a pharmacist, four girls teach
■ers-and one boy a teacher,
Mrs. Agnes McLin, on her
own farm—facing the prob
lems that widows much face;
testing the satanic spirits that
often walk her way; passing
through the enchanting grounds
that lie in widows’ path, with
Jesus by her side sent the chil
dren forth to do a task that God
would honor.
She so lived that at her pass
ing both races were glad to
honor her. Her faithfulness
to her church, her loyalty to
God is emulated by most of her
children.
On the morning of January
26th the friends gathered to
pay tribute of respect to her
memory. Her pastor, from
Psalm 13:5-6, gave a eulogy for
the 90 years’ service in the
home, the community and the
church.
Her family is in a class by
itself in the way of sending
prepared helpers into the vine
yard of the world. Surely her
life and home was one of God’s
baskets of ripe fruits. God
grant that more widows will
take Jesus into camp with
therntj and prove to the world
that widows can be widows in
deed.
SHADY SIDE PRESBYTE
RIAN CHURCH, LEXING
TON, N. C.
It has been some time since
you have had a word from us,
but we are still working in the
Master’s vineyard. Since our
last writing we have lost three
of our members: namely, Mrs.i
Maria Cowan Koontz, Mrs.
Eliza Sowers and Mrs. Sarah
Miller. Mrs. Koontz was 104
years old and Mrs. Miller 99.
We feel our loss deeply.
Rev. Miller of the Baptist
church and Rev. Thomas of the
M. E. church rendered service
for us the past two Sundays in
the absence of our minister,
Rev. Thomas Bullock. We are
praying for Rev. Bullock’s
speedy recovery.
Our minister not being able
to serve us in these last few
busy weeks before our Spring
Presbytery has somewhat hand
icapped us, but we are trying
to come up to our former
mark. We realize that a bur
den has been added and hope
that each member will put his
(Continued on Page 3)
THE TRAIL OF THE EVAN
GELIST FOR ATLANTIC j
AND CATAWBA
SYNODS
By Rev. W. E. Houston, D. D.
Roanoke, Va.
In my last letter I failed toj
make mention of the splendid j
work the officers of Fifth Ave-i
nue church of Roanoke, Va., are!
doing. Under the leadership of;
Drs. Dudley and Downing this!
church is making fine progress.
I believe it is doing better than
any church I have known with
out a pastor, and a great many
with pastors.
I was impressed that more
than $1,300 has been paid on
their debts since the pulpit has
been vacant. This is a finely
organized church. I sincerely
hope that more of the officers
in our churches will follow suit,
and keep the church alive, pas
tor or no pastor. What a bless
ing it would be if our pastors
would organize their churches
like the late Dr. Downing did
this one. The church is plan
ning some great improvements.
Martinsville, Va.
After we left Roanoke we
made our way to Martinsville,
Va., where we were the guest of
that prince of preachers, Dr.
G. P. Watkins, and Mrs. Wat
kins. We had one of the finest
times of our life. When we left
Richmond we had not planned
to go to Martinsville, but while
at Amelia, about four days be
fore we went there, we wrote
Dr. Watkins about stopping by
a night or two. But he was not
satisfied at that, and insisted on
five nights, which we gladly
gave. Only one announcement
was given. We arrived Mon
day night at 8 P. M. The peo
ple were waiting for us. After
a hearty meal we immediately
went into the pulpit. Each
night we had a fine crowd. These
people are loyal to their pastor
and church. Ninety per cent of
the members were present each
night. Dr. and Mrs. Watkins
are doing a great work here.
We had the pleasure of mak
ing the rounds of the wonderful
pants factory in Martinsville,
where more than 1000 people
are employed. We were in the
company of the Mayor-Editor
of the daily paper, the pastor
of the First Baptist church,
white, and the manager. The
first stop was in the plant where
900 women and men are em
ployed—about 800 white wom
en and 100 colored and white
men. We had the pleasure of
speaking to the men.
Our next stop was the plant
where colored women only are
employed. At this place I had
the pleasure of speaking to
these colored women. Dr. Wat
kins presided. Dr. Watkins is
the “king pin” in this town. We
left with an invitation to return
as soon as possible. We had one
addition to the church.
Danville, Va.
Our next stop was Danville,
where we opened on Sunday,
Feb. 20. We were much sur
prised to find this work in the
shape it is in. Rev. W. G. An
derson seems to be the right
man in the right place. He is
really bringing things to pass.
On Sunday afternoon we went
with Rev. Anderson to the
High St. Baptist church where
he preached a most wonderful
sermon. He so impressed one
young woman that she came
over on Tuesday night to in
form him that his sermon had
changed her course in life.
On Monday we were the guest
speaker at the Baptist Minis
ters’ Conference; on Wednes
day we were at the High School.
Rev. Anderson is making him
self felt in Danville. Great
crowds came out each night.
On Thursday night we had
Young People’s Night. It was
a fine meeting. We were de
lighted to see so many grown
people out. Nine young people
gave God their hearts. Five of
them joined our church.
Friday night was Back-to
Chureh Night. This really was
consecration night. One came
back to the church. The rest
made a vow to do more for God
and the church than they have
been doing. It was a hearten
ing sight to see this great
crowd dedicate themselves to
God.
Sunday was Family Day. At
the services it was. a splendid
sight to behold many families
sitting together in church. One
young man was baptized at this
service.
At three o’clock we had a
great mass meeting—one of the
finest I have ever witnessed, A
great crowd was present. Many
came from the Baptist church
es of the city. Ten persons
confessed Christ, 6 joined our
church. I am convinced more
than ever that our Church is on
the onward march.
MR. GEORGE R. MARSH
Resolution
Adopted by Yadkin Presby
tery in session with the Oak
land Presbyterian church, Bear
Poplar, N. C., September 29-30,
1937:
Yadkin Presbytery notes with
regrets inexpressible, the resig
nation of Mr. Geo. R. Marsh,
Sunday School Missionary, who
for nearly a quarter of a cen
tury has labored in the cause of
the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
While it is said “The evils
that men do live after them,”
it is also true the good lives
long after they have retired
from the active duties, even
long after they are dead.
Presbytery recognizes the
fine work the retiring Mis
sionary, Mr. Geo. R. Marsh, has
done during these long years of
service and rejoices in the fact
that he has been loyal and
faithful through the years; that
his touch and influence on the
boys and girls have led many
into the work of our own and
other churches. But since it is
decreed that all men will some
day come to the end of the row
by reason of impaired physical
powers, it is but natural we ac
cept the inevitable.
Be it resolved:
(1) That Yadkin Presbytery
express to Mr. Geo. R. Marsh a
vote of thanks for his long and
faithful labor on the Field;
(2) That Presbytery com
mend him to the God of our
Fathers and fervently hope that
his influence and guiding hand
will still be felt among us;
(3) That a copy of these
resolutions be published in the
official organ of The Synod of
Catawba and a copy be sent to
the Sabbath School Department
in New York.
Respectfully submitted:
Committee on National Mis
sions!, Yadkin Presbytery,
H. C. MILLER, Chairman.
DA VIS-SPENCER MARRIAGE
Announcements have been
sent out by the Reverend and
Mrs. H. S. Davis of Mary Pot
ter School, Oxford, concerning
the marriage of their sister,
Miss Alma Grace Davis, to Mr.
Leander Spencer of Ossining,
New York. The quiet and in
formal affair was held at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. T. K.
Borders of the Colored Orphan
age, on Sunday, February 13th,
nine P. M.
Rev. Mr. Davis, brother of
the bride, performed the cere
mony in the presence of a
small group of friends. Mrs.
T. K. Borders softly rendered
“To a Water Lily” by Mac Dow
ell, during the ceremony.
Mrs. Spencer is a graduate of
the E. E. Smith High School in
Fayetteville and of the Barber
Scotia Junior College. For the
past four years sne has been
employed as a teacher in the
graded school system of Hen
derson, N. C, Mr. Spencer is a
graduate of Morgan College and
has pursued graduate work at
Columbia University and is a
member of the Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity. For the past six
years Mr. Spencer has been
teacher of Biology at Hender
son Institute, Henderson, North
Carolina where the couple will
make their home.
Those present at the occasion
were Mr. and Mrs. Reginald
Harris, Miss Vivian Steele, Miss
Foster, Mr. E. L. Peyton, all of
Henderson; Mr. F. A. Williams
and Miss Anne Robinson, of
Greensboro; Mr. and Mrs. D. H.
Banks, Mr. and Mrs. Borders,
Rev. and Mrs. Davis, of Ox
ford.
The worst enemies often get
more attention than the best
friends.—Sel.