Newspapers / Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.) / March 31, 1938, edition 1 / Page 1
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“AND YE SHALL VOL. LIX. CHARLOTTE, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1938. REPORTS OF WORKERS CONFERENCE COMMITTEES COMMITTEE ON FINDINGS The Workers’ Conference, be gun in 1914, measured by any yardstick, has been a most worthwhile venture and an agency of unappraisable service in promoting the work of the Lord that has been committed to our trust. We recognize with deep ap preciation the wisdom of its originator and the gracious spir it he has manifested in guiding the activities of this Conference. In this undertaking Dr. Gaston has revealed himself as a gen uine friend and brother as well as a directing genius. We here and now record our inestimable esteem for him and our inex pressible gratitude and praise to God for this man of God who has so exemplified the Lord Jesus as he has ministered to us in His name and spirit. The program for this Confer ence shows thoughtful prepara tion and planning, attesting the wisdom of Drs. Gaston and West in its formulation and their sympathetic knowledge of the needs of our various fields —churches and schools and ev ery phase of the work. Each participant on the pro gram measured up to the trust and confidence imposed, in the thoughtful and thorough prepa ration and admirable presenta tion of his or her paper or ad dress. We acknowledge our indebtedness to each, and pledge our further study of the sub jects presented and our earnest endeavor to put into practical operation many of the very timely suggestions offered for more effective promotion and development of our Church and school enterprises. We urge more adequate, church building programsTa greater stimulation of Evangel ism, better Church and Benev olence support, more intensive heart-understanding in develop ing and guiding our young peo ple in the way of life, that they may be in very truths the chil dren of God. y The Community^ Center, yet young, is very promising and we hope will be fostered and ex panded. We endorse the idea of a modern Christian expan sion of the Rural Church pro gram. The Larger Parish Plan challenges us and we feel in debted to Dr. G. W. Long for initiating it among us, and we are happy over its spreading growth. Our Secondary schools are in safe hands, we feel sure, and are still arms of help to the churches. Surely we must join hands and hearts in urging the homes to reestablish the family altar and to give God the first place in our family life. We gratefully acknowledge our debt of gratitude to Mrs. Snively, Mrs. Preston, Miss Ray and Miss Sheibley for their in valuable contributions to the great success of this Confer ence. We are very happy to note the presence of two of our former most effective workers and truest friends, Misses Maud A. Kinniburgh and Jean M. Speer. Our hats are off and our hearts are all athrob to our good and Godly women for their wonderful program of Wednes day night and for their helpful and uplifting influence felt throughout the Conference. Pen and tongue are paralyzed in any attempt to express our appreciation of and thanks for the inestimable and tmapprais able service of Dr. Louis H. Evans in his conduct of the Bible Hour and the preaching of God’s word. Surely God has been good to us in sending us Dr. Evans following our la mented Dr. McEwan, whose passing we mourn. We have been led into very green and fertile pastures in the study of God’s word, into the discovery of (to us) new truths and more illuminating interpretations of the glorious word. Though we have never doubted the word, Dr. Evans has strengthened our faith and revealed to us most impregna ble fortifications of our faith, and light houses of illumination of God in his word. We can not say it, but our hearts feel it and we thank God that He has spoken to us by the head, the voice and the soul of Dr. Evans. ‘We join the Resolutions Com mittee in expressing our regret of the sickness of Mrs. H. L. McCrorey, who from year to year has meant so much to the entertainment and promotion of the Conference and we as sure Dr. McCrorey of our fel lowship-suffering and anxiety, and our confident hope for the early and complete recovery of his dear wife. We thank God for the success of the 24th Session of the Work ers’ Conference and look for ward with happy anticipations to the 25th. May God continue to guide us and guide him through whom He has so gra ciously and profitably guided us these twenty-four years of happy, brotherly and Christ dominated fellowship. H. S. DAVIS, G. E. CAESAR, G. W. LONG, C. J. BAKER, Committee. March 11, 1938. REPORT ON NECROLOGY This Committee is always in order and it shall ever be as long as time stands out against youth and infirmities accompa ny old age. Paraphrasing some what to make this hymn fit into the truth, Our days are gliding swiftly by; And we, as helpless strangers, Cannot detain them as they fly, In hours of joy and danger. Although we stand on Jordan’s strand, Our friends are passing over, And just before the shining shore By faith we will discover.” Since the meeting of March, 1937, in this capacity, the Reap er, whose name is Death, with his sickle keen, has reaped the bearded grain at a breath, and the flowers that grow between. This reaper, like light, travels in a straight line. This reaper knows no rich, and knows no poor; he knows no high and he knows no low; he knows no so cial divide; he takes all in his path. On the 5th of November, 1937, this reaper summoned from Hodge Presbytery the Rev. T. A. Thompson, age 83, and who did his best work in York County, S. C. On March 15, 1937, the Rev. J. L. Phelps, D. D., of Waynesboro, Ga., passed to his great reward. Dr. Phelps was the founder of Boggs Academy, Keysville, Ga. He gave years of faithful and sacrificial service in Burke County, Ga., in school and re ligious work. On the 28th of August, 1937, Rev. W. I. P. Roseborough, in the bloom of life, was summon ed from Fairfield Presbytery, Melina church, Sumter County, S. C. On the 20th of December, 1937, this reaper came for Rev. J. M. McKay, at the age of 80. This brother gave the best of his ministerial service in Fair field Presbytery, in the Counties of Sumter and Clarendon, S. C. Unexpected by his wife and the friends nearest to him, the Rev. Jno. T. Wright was com manded to take his flight to his reward on Feb. 4. This elo quent preacher, born and reared near Lincoln University, was graduated from this outstand ing institution in 1889, and from the seminary in 1892. The same year he came to South Carolina and took charge of the church es at Clinton and Mountville. He labored faithfully in Laurens, Newberry, Orangeburg, Abbe ville, and York Counties. On the 10th of December, 1937, Rev. H. M. Stinson was called to be crowned. This broth er, after graduating from Bid dle (college 1892 and seminary 1895) labored in Spartanburg, S. C., until he went to Cotton Plant, Ark. There he carried on well until the Master called him to receive his crown. Dr. Win. L. McEwan passed from earthly * labor to eternal refreshment October, 1937. This Christian giant was presented to those of our older group Oc tober, 1922, on the day Biddle gave up her name for that of Johnson C. Smith. On that day he injected his personality into our work so completely that to hear his name he was before you in the Spirit, a friend —reproducing the man of Gal ilee; he was the imitation of Christ in all his active and pass ive obedience to save a lost world. His sermons were sun shine to the soul. Without his personality, this Conference— though one of the best—seems to be at another place minus a great spiritual force. Committee, W. L. METZ, A. W. RICE, T.C. BOYD, Z. A. DOCKERY. RESOLUTIONS OF THANKS Dr. Gaston, Members of the Workers’ Conference and Friends: We, * your Committee on Thanks, submit the following: From year to year the Work ers’ Conference has been a great refreshing in mind and spirit to those who have the privilege to attend, because of the fine op portunity for fellowship and the helpful information and trend, suggestion of the well planned program and the wonderful stimulation for greater endeav ors in the work on the local fields represented. We wish here to express our gratitude to Dr. J. M. Gaston, Secretary of the Unit of Work for Colored People, Board of National Missions, for provid ing this great enterprise; in wisely planning the program; for his unappraisable contribu tion to the fine spirit that has pervaded every session of the Conference, and for his wise and impartial presiding and di recting its activities; •> - We acknowledge with grati tude our indebtedness to the Committee on Entertainment, consisting of Rev. L. B. West, D. D., Chair., Rev. A. H. Prince, Rev. F. C. Shirley, D. D., Rev. W. R. Mayberry, Rev. S. Q. Mitchell, D. D„ and Prof. W. G. Morgan, for the thoughtful and ample provisions made for our accommodation and comfort during our sojourn here. We are grateful to the stu dents of Johnson C. Smith Uni versity who so graciously coop erated with the committee on entertainment in sharing their rooms with members of this body, and to the members of the faculty and friends of the community who in such a fine spirit of hospitality welcomed us into their homes in response to the solicitation of the Com mittee on Entertainment. We cannot in words express our appreciation for the wonder ful service rendered by Rev. Louis H. Evans, D. D., of Pitts burgh, Pa.** in his striking, lu cid interpretation and presenta tion of God’s word, in the Bible Hour study and in his sermons. Our minds were greatly enlight ened and our souls stirred to their depths, as he made us feel as the apostles of old, on their way s: to Emmaus: our hearts burned as through him Christ spoke to us by the way. From year to year Dr. and Mrs. McCrorey have been the impersonation of courtesy and friendliness in their unstinted entertainment of the Confer ence and placing at our hands every facility for its easy and effective operation, and we are unspeakably grateful to them for their bountiful hospitality this year. We note with regret the absence of Mrs. McCrorey, due to illness, and hereby ex tend to hen our best wishes for a speedy and permanent recov ery. Though she is not pres ent with us, we feel her influ ence and very sincerely thank her and Dr. McCrorey for the gracious courtesies we have en joyed at their hands. We feel deeply grateful for the presence of the various members of the Board, to Mrs. Gaston and every visitor. It means more than we are able to express to feel in our hearts your sincere interest. A tinge of sadness enters the picture when we think of the retire ment of our dear Mrs. Snively, who has so faithfully discharged the duties of her office. There is joy, however, in the assur ance that this is only officially, and the mutual love shall ever exist in the unbroken circle. We wish to acknowledge our appreciation to Dr. Thos. A. Long and Prof. David E. Carroll for the fine and beautiful music. Truly we have soared to the heights and felt keenly what music means to the soul. We express our thanks to the facul ty and students from every in stitution who assisted in mak ing the music outstanding. We are grateful to each individual who participated on the pro gram. Very hearty thanks are ex tended to those who have served our physical needs. An abund ance of appetizing food has been served us daily by a corps of courteous young men who have been at all times mindful of us. To them and to those in charge of this department, we say in all capital letters, “THANK YOU!" In the light of the special emphasis given the Rural Church we feel that words of commendation should be given Dr. Geo. W. Long, of Cheraw, S. C., for the demonstration presented; for indeed it is an inspiration and an incentive for greater development in our re spective fields. The entire atmosphere has been so home-like, so permeated by the spirit of God that we bow in humble submission and pray his blessing. Now that we have a fuller knowledge we go forth feeling and caring more. Let us reconsecrate our selves to giving our all and do ing our utmost in bringing his kingdom on earth. Respectfully submitted, C. A. EDINGTON, j. e. McMillan, D. T. MURRAY, — v*RUBXE B.. STANBACK. Johnson C. Smith Universi ty, March 11, 1938. ANOTHER PARISH ORGANIZED Mrs. W. L. Metz, Reporter The Parish Council of the Adams’ Run, Edisto Island, and Wadmalaw fields was organized in St. Paul’s Presbyterian church, by our Sabbath School Missionary, Mr. F. R. Pinck ney, Tuesday afternoon, March 22nd, at 3 o’clock, with Mrs. Marcia Marion as Parish Work er. y There were representatives from the different fields; name ly: Adams’ Run, 8; Edisto Is land, 2; Wadmalaw Island, 5. After the program of devo tionals was carried out, the election of officers was entered into. Mrs. W. H. Paden was elected chairman of the Parish Council; Mrs. G. E. Henderson and Mrs. W. L. Metz, Vice-Pres idents from their respective islands; Mrs. Dent, of Adams’ Run, Recording Secretary; Mrs. Juanita Grimble, of Wadmalaw Island, Treasurer; Mrs. L. E. Whaley, of Edisto Island, was elected chaplain in her absence. Dr. W. L. Metz emphasized the fact that this Parish Move ment should not be spasmodic, and the interest should not soon lag; but that every effort should be put forth to make it a permanent institution and a suc cess in Atlantic Presbytery. Each person present pledged his support to make this Parish a success. Rev| J. M. Miller, D. D., of Walterboro, being present, made timely remarks concern ing the organization. The offi cers were then installed by Rev. W. H. Paden, D. D., of Adams’ Run. Rev. G. E. Henderson, the third minister of the Parish, entered into the spirit of the occasion. He offered many help ful suggestions and discussed many things that will undoubt edly be beneficial to the Parish Council. “Blest Be the Tie That Binds’’ was sung and the meeting ad journed with prayer and bene diction by Dr. Metz. Thus closed the first meeting and organization of the Parish Council of the Adams’. Run, Ed isto and Wadmalaw fields. CLARENCE DARROW AND ROBERT G. INGERSOLL By DR. KELLY MILLER Clarence Darrow and Robert I G. Ingersoll were champions of agnosticism and irreligion. They were both rugged, homespun in dividuals who dramatized athe ism and unbelief by holding up the Christian religion to public ridicule and scorn. They were both, however, uncompromising advocates of justice and equal rights, which appeal powerful ly to a suppressed people to whom these claims are denied. By precept and example they made agnosticism more alluring than orthodoxy as exemplified by many professing Christians. As a student in Howard Uni versity I used to go furtively to hear Ingersoll’s lectures on “The Mistakes of Moses” and other irreligious topics. The wit, wis dom, eloquence and human sym pathy which flowed from this great soul, I confess, put a tem porary dent in my orthodoxy. I fear that many of my school mates never recovered their re ligious composure. I shall nev er forget that Robert G. Inger soll and Frederick Douglas roundly denounced the Supreme Court decision invalidating the Civil Rights Law, before a great mass meeting in the city of Washington Clarence Darrow was a noted criminal lawyer who devoted his legal talent to the defense of the under dog. Dr. Sweet, a successful colored physician of Detroit, Michigan, purchased a home in an exclusive white resi dential district. He was charged with murder while defending his home from the mob which sought to eject* him from his premises. The current of race prejudice ran high, no Christian lawyer could be found who would jeopardize his future by defending the rights of a Negro to defend his home and fireside. All the professing Christian leaders in Detroit, lawyers and laymen alike, had run to cover. Clarence Darrow gallantly stepped to the front to plead the cause of this defenseless Ne gro. He not only saved his life, but established for the Negro the legal right to protect his home and his castle. Orthodoxy and agnosticism met in duel at the so-called “Monkey” trial to test the le gality of excluding the teach ing of the doctrine of Evolu tion from the public schools in1 Tennessee. Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan were the opposing champions. Bryan was the apotheosis of orthodoxy, as Darrow was of agnosticism. Bryan pinned his faith in the “Rock of Ages”; Darrow in the “ages of the rocks.” Darrow laughed his op ponent to scorn. Bryan died at the trial as the Defender of the Faith. Darrow survived as the champion of liberalism. Bryan won his case before a precon vened jury; Darrow won his cause in the enlightened opin ion of the world. I have always held William Jennings Bryan in great esteem, not more because of his adher ence to the religious verities, than because of his devotion to the welfare of the man farthest down. I admire and extol Dar row and Ingersoll because of their intense human sympa thies, notwithstanding their skepticism and unbelief. While it is true the noble impulse and humane sympathies may be ex emplified by such examples as Darrow and Ingersoll, yet the Negro should not allow himself to let such intensity swerve him from his fundamental reli gious moorings. The essential mission and message of Christi anity is to those who are over borne and heavy laden. A few noble examples like Ingersoll and Darrow are no adequate off-set for what Christianity has done and is yet calculated to do for the uplift and reclamation of the Negro race. Unfortunately, the wide margin between profes sion and practice of many Chris tians tends to discredit the val ue and advantage of Christian ity. Often agnostics act like Christians, while Christians act like pagans. This lesson is of peculiar sig nificance to the Negro race at this day and hour when religion is losing its emotional appeal faster than a deep understand ing of its moral, ethical and cul tural value is taking its place. The religious appeal has all but lost its efficacy with the intel ligentsia or the talented tenth, and is confined to the mass life of the lower ninety. A few more talented and fortunate individ uals may, indeed, think that they can get along without re ligion, but to the unschooled masses, it is in truth and in deed, the power of God unto salvation. , It may be true as Goethe says: Who so has art and science found, Religion too has he; Who has nor art nor science found, Religion his should be.” The poor, humble Negro man and woman, who bear the bur den of the world on bended back, have found neither art nor science, and therefore must rely upon the sure support of religion. Let the Godless Negro Doctor of Philosophy in his impotent sophistication stop to consider the state of his parents and grandparents whose humble sacrifice, devotion and prayers enable them to step aside and let him pass. Notwithstanding the good deeds and human kindness of such noble agnos tics as Darrow and Ingersoll, nevertheless* the Negro would do well to ponder the lines, of Robert Burns, “An Atheist laugh is a poor exchange for Deity offended.” ANTI-MEASLES SERUM Raleigh.—Measles epidemics in many parts of North Caroli na have brought to the State Laboratory of Hygiene in Ral eigh numerous requests for an ti-measles serum, Dr. J. H. Hamilton, the director, stated here. “We are not prepared to make this serum at present, but it is one of the added things which we will be able to provide when the new laboratory is complet ed,” Dr. Hamilton said. “As an immunizing agency this new serum is about as ef fective in preventing measles as anti-toxin is in the prevention of diphtheria, but it does not cure measles. “However,” he added, “the period of immunization does not last more than three or four weeks, but this is sufficient to keep measles away during an epidemic such as now exists in various places.” Newspapers from some sec tions state that the serum is being imported from other States. Not only will anti-measles se rum be provided the people of North Carolina with the com pletion of the new laboratory, but several other important pre ventive agencies, Dr. Hamilton pointed out. SENATORS’ VOTING RECORD PREPARED New York, March 25.—jThe record of votes by each sena tor on the anti-lynching bill be ginning with the filibuster of May, 1935, and running through the vote on February 21, 1938, is being compiled by the Nation al Association for the Advance ment of Colored People and will be ready for distribution in about ten days. The tabula tion of the N. A. A. C. P. shows how each Senator voted on the various matters to adjourn, to take up the bill, to invoke clo ture, and to take up other legis lation. This tabulation will be one of the features of the April number of The Crisis which will be devoted largely to the anti lynching bill fight.
Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.)
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March 31, 1938, edition 1
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