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I
NUMBER 48
CORRESPONDENCE 1
=S'A' l ■■
.FlfcOJf Z!HE MINISTERS AND
ac.' ■*4tf.*rSh»3 -Srff-t •JfO’nrtr*
MEMBERS OF THE A. ML K.
ZION CONNECTION M
'• VJH*?
ALL PAMS OF TBE
LNITED STATES.
-* a:
TO THE STAB QF ZION.
■/TCJtiaT * .iv’.'Cv) » «i *• Jilv.
BISHOP HOOD’S ADDRESS
[for the star OF ZION.]
Mr Editor :
Daring the five weeks I have been
travelling through the East Alabama
Conference, I have visited nearly all
the circuits in the following counties,
. viz: Montgomery, Lowens, Wilcox,
Bntler, Crenshaw, Macon, Russell and
Lee. I have preached thirty-two ser
mons, and delivered thirty-six lectures
to churches and Sabbath schools. 1
am happy to see some improvement it
the work since last year. I have hope
for a much better financial exhibit.—
Many of our people through the sec
tion over which I have travelled* ait
making a good living. They have
. procured a considerable quantity ei
stock and farming utaasils. I have
travelled the whole distance of 365
miles in buggies belonging to our peo
ple. I have been upon a horse, or
mule back only once, and that for
less than a mile. Sometimes I had a
splendid turn out. A brother brought
me from Shiloh to Opeliha, Over a
hilly road with his mule, making six
miles in forty-five minutes. In feet
they own as fine stock as the country
affords. I found occasionally, in the
country, not far from town, considera
ble refinement—ladies neatly dressed;
and genteel young men. The old
habit of all sleeping in one room,
which is largely the result of the de
grading effect of slavery, mid which
is not wholly confined to the colored
people,is beginning to yield to the force
of better influences, which results
from freedom, intellectual develop*
men s, and gospel light. The Sabbath
schools are accomplishing splendid re
, * suits in these oountry churches. Re
turning to the subject of material im
provement, it is pleasing to note that
; - many of our people are not satisfied
with only fine horses, mules, wagons
and buggies, with a dozen fine hogs,
or a large flock of turkies, but a con
siderable number Are purchasing and
farming their own lahds^. One place
in Montgomery county, I travelled for
three miles over one tract, belonging
to colored people. Mach of it was
under cultivation, and the balahoe
finely timbered. And this valuable
timber and fertile soil is not more than
from two to five miles from the pres
ent terminus of a narrow guage rail
road leading out from Montgomery.
In another county I passed over a
tract of more than a thousand acres,
f belonging to two men, and 1-have
seen many similar tracts belonging to
our people.’ As JEte. iHaygoodvre*
marks, those who pass through the
towns and~ fRIag^ and attempt to
frite us up from their hasty and par
tial jpbsetFatipn,' come vary;, short of
* giving a true picture. In fcpt their,
statements for the puypose^f, eonv^
ing an idea ofthe condition of out
^ people, w ymote &»&&&&
f
1 -""'if .rw^ .Ml1* *r
are written upon.. To learn the #on
dition of; the colored people in the
South, you must take the same steps
you would kavo to take to learn the
conditioner white people ,# You must
go among them, eat *ad/»lei|s Sikh
^^taid thus stmi’ft thflirf hnV*^ see
I^oneof those-who have attemnted to
write us up have d«nethi*,a«4 hence
they know* hot about; us* ?; Ujtt*
fortunately many of our chuiehee are
built on hunt to which we have no
title. Experience, the severe teacher,
ia;learaing our peopie the folly of this.
Men have permitted them to build on
land for which they .gave no deed,they
have died and the church has been
taken lor a dwelling house. It is well
that they are learning thafolly of then
course beginning to build fine churches j
When anew and substantial building
takes the place of the shanty in which
they are now worshipping, it will be
built upon land for which they have a
deed. And they have been fooled so
much that they won’t commence to
build or improve in any way until the
deed is recorded. Such I have found
to bathe sentiment in many places.—
There has been a considerable num
ber of deeds obtained and building
erected during this year, and the work
will have to be continiied for a num
ber of years before the churches are
all comfortably housed. At {fine
Apple, my first, appointment, !: found
Elder Lawhorn, struggling with diffi
culties, but making head way. At
.his point the white people gave me the
most cordial greeting that^^Jjave met
at any point on the route. They in
vited me to preachat their church,but
an engagement for the night, fifteen
miles from there, forbade xny'accept
ing the invitation. The .white Metho
dists, in most places that I have been,
have evidenced their interest in the
religious development of our people.
Revs. William IJaatly, of the Hop
erwall circuit, Mv Jackscn, of the Lit
tle Zion circuit, A;. Gregory, of the
Bragg Hill circuit and G, W. Higgins,
of the Oak Grove circuit, are all doi$g
tolerably well. At Weeping Mary
church laid nrtfand thepreacher at
bis port. I visited tiro of hiscburches,
bat have not met him,yet After a
drive of twenty-five miles in the rain,
I reached the little village of Athens,
a Uttle while before night, a stranger,
and not a mortal being in the place
who I had ever met before, except the
brother who bad driven with me there.
The rain was falling fart, mid the mud
deep and stickey. We drove through
.the village before we found a stable
for the male, and shelter fur buggy
and baggage. Leaving these^ to the
care of a good brptb?r—a member of
the Primitive Baptist church, who was
the only colored man. who owned
property in the village, yfe struck
out through the rain and mud to find
shelter for ourselves. or rather te find
our own people, for: the Baptist broth
er would have dpnethe best ho could
for us. Fortunately, a trustee, who
lives three miles from the village, on
his own plantation,, hoard of ourin
quiring the w*y**nd jumped upon his
mule and gallopped after us, met us
ploughing way through the mu-d
dy atreots, and took us to a place pre
pared.for us. The news of pur ani
vai spread, and notwithstanding the
rain, there was quite a little congrega
tion out As jaj/ next appointment
was xfe t till. the ueat nigfi^.and^ly
six miles away, I consented to pipach
again the next day. at 11 o’clock, at
which time I had a good congrpga
tipn. The prartfoer^in charts pf this
phncch f.Jart year reported that .he
■<- ♦ . •«
.V ; *
> >
but on thisoooftgen they raised $2.
more than the assessment
juwtor to help raise it
tru**e
«arefuily, started. the*«
one dollar, anAthe ge
hastes,
And so did :
apt seen anything p^bis kind-t
I made a note jitjftfc. and told them
that I was going to put their names
down on a roll of honor and publish
them in the minutes. These three,
members of Weeping Mary church,
are the first to my knowledge who
hare ever paid a dollar on general
fund at one time. If wehad a thous
and of such members we should soon
be relieved from our present painful
embarrassment, and there would be a
prospect of the Bishop: getting some
thing over $400 a year salary. And
our teachers would have, a prospect,of
something more than $250. Mention
ing this feci as I have has induced
others to add their names to the rollJ
of honor,
The following is the roll of honor
thus far :
Weeping Unurch—Mr. Upas, bteel,
$1 ; Mrs. A. Bonner, $1; Mrs, L.
Norman, $1.
Pleasant Hill Church—Mr. P. Efar
rold, $1; C. Rutledge, $2 : 6. Jack
son, $1; Win. Bell, $1. ?r
Not Members of Church-—William:
Freeman, $1; Robert Ford, $1.
Clinton Chapel, Montgomery—Rev.
Samuel Trimble $1; E. Cook, $1.50 ;
Janes Hale, $1.50. ' '
At Auburn—Miss Anna Adams
and Miss Caroline Adams.
Rev Israel Furby, at Ada circuit,
has had rather a rough time, and like
some of his people, is glad that his
year is most out. He hopes that the
Bishop will send a preacher to this
place who the people will like better
than they do him, and that he will be
sent to a people that be will like bet
ter than he does some of these. This
is the Methodist preachers’ advantage,
he can have a change
Deacon A. Watkins, at Stone’s Turn
but, has put up the best built church
that I have seen in the country, and is
doing well in every way.
Deacon fl, Tally, at Mbdnt Mpria,
has sealed his church, and has his con
gregation nicely, in hand.
Rey. Nelson McCree, contrary to
Methodist usage, has,held his present
charge at Benton for about tap years.
And also contrary to usage has pon
turned to do. well, notwithstanding,this
departure from the rule, and is still
the first choice ot the congregation.—
He is a striking pxampte of what a
good, earnest, faithful, upright minis
ter can accomplish. He b a standing
rehuko to the shiftless, worthless class
of preachers who can do nothing, un
leu there b a church built and con
gregation already gathered—and then
are good for nothing bat to lord it
aver God’s heritage. When he went
to Benton he did not fifid a Methodist
in the pls^o, and there were those who
were ready to smile derisively at ftis
oily in hoping to* establish a church
here. But he went to work and con
tinued to work, and the result b, that
while the church which held sway in
hat town when he commenced,has
lot more than ten members, (four of
whom were conv
fcracted meeting o
on. Our
the church,
tnih dbcipJines,
Zii?5 is taken and read,
pact is that the folk a
fund will be raised
&m town., J tnqw pt ^o^ wiio
hOftdane better thanElder McCree—
few^edimerpo.well. S^n plaan
auiet man. witk Kmifai^ a^iwwtian W
>•“ -Jr- •*• -f i.V “7“ '! •/'»> ^
frHir devoted to 1 ^,i»b4Ju% iwrkj
furf lows W» ©on- A few*toto men
*t% dfyftednaw tathe
cause ofeZion is all thatia needed to
make thig/desert blossom as a rose.—
Deacon Brown, at Hainvllle, is doi
ing tolerably well.
Deacon, Hale, who has been but a
short whflev at BraKle Springs, has
captured hh» people, -and they are en
thusiastic for his return.
Clinton Chapel, of which Rev. C.C.
Petty (our general secretary) has had
charge for three years pastes iu better
condition than it has. been for years.
| At no time has this most efficient pas
tor enjoyed the confidence and esteem
je| his congregation to a large degree,
than he roes now, at the close of three
years faithful service*Elder Petty
byrhis spotless life and character, has
made a record which will tell for pur
church and ministry. j
Rdv. G. W. Cooper* of the Warrior
Stand circuit, has built two churches,
and it preparing: to erect another. He
is a man g of energy, piety, and good
common aense, and be hashed more
than ordinary educationalad vantages,
which he has improved. His work is
doing well.
Rev. Wm. Brewer, of the Hurts
borough circuit, reminds ope oi the
old fashioned, solid Christian minis
ters^ Everybody respects him because
daaia-wortfay of respect. His circuit
is doing WeU.
Deaeon Mahomory, of thaUchee
circuit, is another man who has Been a
1 long time in one place .and still holds
his holt.
i Deacon Price, of the Marvin cir
cuit, all things considered, is doing
fairly well. , -
The Shiloh -and St. James Circuits,
in which there are some Very excel
lent people, have not enjoyed the de
sired peace, harmony, nor prosperity.
Their pastors, at present, are loaded
with the blame. Whether rightfully
or wrongfully, it may. not be fall to
express an opinion.
Rev, . John Alstock, of Opeliha, 1
may say without hesitation, is a com
ing ptan. For his years in the minis
try, he has no equal in this conference,
He pays church debts, builds up his
church, and . meets the connectional
demands. Some men want to be, ex
cused for their negligence in.one: di
rection, on the ground that they have
done well in another. When asked
ral t; J|H|
they point to some improvement they
have made on the church, fhey might
i>© answered , in the language of the
matchless speaker: “This ought ye
to ha^e done, and npt left the other
undone,” The course " pursued by
Brother mistook and th< resets, folly
illustrate the wisdom of this maxim.
The im^tioBsfeiiyit he will getthe
general fond from; every member able
to pay it i None- are exempt except
such as a committee have declared
unable.to pay. Add yet, rigid as be
is, his congregation have unanimously
' “■ si£^LaL ljj,_i_i»_.1^ third
-Vi
polled to plead the peoples’ poverty In
order to Iseepin with them. And after
afl they finally go hack on him, be
cause he is unworthy of confidence
Rev. BT. S. Peterson, at tlfis place,
has done well, has greatly improved
the church In every waj£ except tBa|.
he has been a little slow on the gene
ral fund question. Not having been
duly impressed with its importance,he
has not ; ’made as much effort as he
might have done, but being a progres
sive man and wanting to stand in the
first rank, he will attend to this mat
ter hereafter.
Presiding Riders Strong, Fannin,
Thomas and Shuford, are working
hard and faithlully. Elder Hannan
has been too feeble to do much.
More later. , 8. W. Hood,
Auburn, Ala.
Nov. 18th, 1884.
I
SABBATH AT NEW MCBRIDE.
The day began with rain, which
cleared off in the .afternoon. People
from all parte of the neighborhod;
Norfolk and Elizabeth City, N, CM
were in attendance at conference, and
during Sabbath crowded the church.
(Our white frienus attended alao.)—
Rev. J. R. Johnson preached a soul
stirring sermon from the text, “Sir,
-thou knowest, and he said unto me,;
These are they which out of great
tribulation, &c.
He appealed in strong* language to
the brethren and people to be faithful
in the discharge of their Christian du
ties ; to see to it that their robes were
washed, and kept washed and made
white by the blood of the lamb, and
’though he lived in the North, when
the trumpet sounds, Zion trumpeters
and the blood washed away would
both meet in heaven to help crown
Jesus, Lord of all, Elder Johnson’s
sermon carried joy to every heart, at
the close of which a collection of
$21.10 was 'carried for the benefit of
the conference.
3 o’clock, afternoon,
Bishop S. T, Jones took for his text
the 48th Psalm, 12th, 13th and 14th
verses- The Bishop in strong logical
language showed from these verses the
protecting power of God oyer his
church, and that the church had noth
ing to fear who reign and rule in this
world, while the followers of Jesus
were, safe in him by regeneration ami
adoption. He invited all to walk
about Zion, and go around about her,
tell the towers thereof, &c. This ser*
mon wab one of Bishop Jones’ grand
productions. White and colored en
joyed ita sublime teachings. At the
close another collection was lifted.
7:30 P. M.—NIQHT SERVICE.
Rev. J. H. Manly announced for his
text, Isaiah 35-10: “And the ran
somed of the Lord shall return and
come to Zion, Ac.” Rev. Manly
handled his text with great ability.—
He snowed God’s dealings with his
ancient church, and the present
church, and the great joy that was
manifested in ancient times among the
good and holy ones, in keeping God’s
law, and the ioy they had in returning
to Zion; comparing the same to the
joy that the true worshippers will en
joy in serving faithfully Zion’s God.
Rev. Manly’s sermon was highly ap
preciated. This closed the day's ser
vice at NewrBrid^ $W<b> Camden,
_
Bed room cufclaidafar the winter
are made very foil and heavy, with
out being looped bank. 'Crimsonnot*
m iplmk ioi them and; is. re
idly, pretty and warm as well as <&$»$
Subscribe to the Star ofcMM*j
'■tfjW-::r > fc T tim&l
t
COMMUNICATION.
r
DECLAMATION OF THE PULPIT.
j TM dignity and sanity of the place,
and the importance of the subject, re
quires the preacher to exert the ut
most powers of his voice to produce
a pronunciation that is perfectly dis
tinct and harmonious, and that he ob
serve a deportment and action which
is expressive and graceful. The
preacher should not roar like a com
mon crier, and rend the air with a
voice like thunder, for such kind of
declamation is not only without mean
ing and without persuasion, hut high
ly incongruous with the meek and
gentle spirit of the gospel. He should
likewise take particular cjare to avoid
a monotony; his voice should rise
from the beginning, as it were by de
grees, and its greatest strength should
be exerted in the application. Each in
flection of the voice should be adapt
ed to the phrases and to the meaning
of the words, and remarkable expres
sion should have its peculiar inflec
tions, the doctrines requires a plain
uniform tone of voice.
God’s word demands a greater force
than its promises and rewards, but the
latter should not be pronounced in the
soft tone of a flute nor the farmer
with the loud sound of a trumpt. The
voice should still retain its natural
tone in all its various inflections.—
Happy is that preacher who has a
voice that is at once strong, flexible
and harmonious on a:r of complacency
and benevolence, as well as devotion
should be constantly visible in the
countenance of the preacher, but every
appearance of affectation must be care
fully avoided, for nothing is so dis
gustful to an audience as even the
semblance of dissimulation, eyes con
stantly rolling turned towards heaven,
and streaming with tears, rather de
notes a hypocrite than a man, posses
sed of real Spirit of religion, and feels
the true import of what he preaches.
An air of affected devotion infallibly
destroys the efficiency of all that the
preacher can say, however just and
important and just it may be.
A. W. Allison.
FROM FRANKLIN.
a- • Franklin, Pa., )
d November 13,1834. j
Mr : Editor t '
I write you a few lines to give jou
an account of the prosperity of our
church in this place. It has been
closed for the past three weeks* but
was formally reopened on Sunday
November 9th. We feel very proud
oi our success. Our church has been
painted new, part furniture, new car*
pet, making a grand finish to the
whole that is both agreeable to the eye
and comfort to the body. Our pros
pects for the future are bright. We
have had some increase in the church,
and the spiritual indications are good.
Elder Madden, of Pittsburgh* officia
ted during the day. His text for the
first discourse was from the 9th chap
ter of Isaiah and 6th verse. It was
both logical and spiritual. We feel to
be under many obligations to him for
the services rendered. It made our
grand rally a success, both spiritually
and financially. We feel encouraged
to continue and trust in the Lord. *
Yours for God and Zion.
J. E. Little,
Pastor A. M. E. Zion church.
. ■ -i i. ’■* ' »
Silver finger bowls are nowf in fash
ion. They are only used at small din
ner parties, and ara presented on tiny
.oilver tiays.