Newspapers / The Star of Zion … / Sept. 3, 1896, edition 1 / Page 1
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f ■AJtT dr th:e -A.raia-Ajsr i^ethoidis'X’ EPjfcsOoFjLn. zioisr ohuroh in .a^erio-a.. CENTENNIAL VOLUME, 1796-1896. CHARLOTTE, N. C, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3,1896. MCCONICE, MINISTERS ity. —Str on gAVor d s Layman. (that the Negro if _rac£ upon the oowledge as individ K»n that our thoughts alized upon our spiritual aporal and intellectual ;; for early in youth the it ajid portrays deep re masses ol rcaWi and have [Teas on divine; wor lre .it is an( impossibility ese down-troddeD people Etate of ignorance and rship by ministers jbeiug are not above their lit is the sentiment Iking Afro-Ameri 1 educated 5ook which 5s of the filing own to the forlorn ^humble peasant, is ”all ages. It was too ■winat 1 par n fid me.il of ce and Rome to fathom ; apest sweets lie hidden to ll' this pur greatesf sages. , how con the uneducated iig Out the hidden facts and 16 deep mysteries ? Id. nister must be above his tion^Cir else he is a failure, e has come or is fast appi oach t the uneducated preacher will thing of the past; and, like oth cient customs, will have to take ack pew. This age of en nment requires ministers! who masticate the Scriptures, bring I Hheir startling wonder^ and them before his congregation so the most ignorant can under The argument, “All didn’t the chance to be educated,” will suffice; for there is no man witli e last 20 years who didn’t have hance to secure a limited educa if he chose to do so. The unedu d ministers must study so as to be ith the times, for this age requires nes who not. only read but under d the Bible. An ignorant preach ,id in one of his sermons, “A red ;ed cow supplied the children of i with milk the forty years they wandering in the wilderness.” in the name of heaven can our le be elevated and prosper, and all, have the proper ideas of te worship when such is preached yjfom the sacred rostrum ? The Earner is nearer and has more to do Jth the elevating of the masses of ir people than any other living gifcacter; therefore, he should be a sOund wisdom and broad in The masses of our people are aal and superstitious, for the ^ reason that uneducated men that nature have preached and en fted in them the same principles. •on the streets in our town, as fas many others throughout this Ld Southland, and you cannot tell minister from anybody else, so far lignity is concerned. We do not an any attack upon the uneducated lister, neither would we-do him an jstice, but it is our sentiment, and trust the sentiment of the entire >ple, that the quicker these char ;ers step back and let the intelli at divines of our race take theii ices, the sooner you will see a na n bettered one hundred per cent e times demand men who will warr IT 6f their sins and not whoop then to a state of emotion and barbar n—men who -will preach that call 5 is ability and not a voice fron aven; men who will preach thai ligion and Christianity require ui do right and be Christ-like, mor< rs besides Sunday. I once hearc jinister say: “It is not any serioui m to lie, but it is almost an un ■donable sin to take part in parlo: athletic games.” God hasten th< r- when all such characters wil p what they have sown ! ?A ‘We do no great many say, nt an educated minister to preacl new religion.” Neither do we dends. What religion was in th< , so it is to-day,. Min w into the streams of God’s Holy Word plough to its icy bottom and bring up mysteries an 1 untold wonders tc a thirsting peop .e, are the men re quired at this age. A man whc works all the w sek and gets out his sermon at 12 o’< lock Saturday night, cannot preach to a weak and wanting people as we ar<. Our greatest heed at this age is a minister who w 11 preach directly tc save the souls o: men and not to paint and polish his 1 inguage to suit theii ears.. Many a time have I heard preachers take heir texts in Genesis, preach for thirt r minutes, and failing to produce the < lesired- effect, jump to Revelation anc preach about the “Book of seven 3eals,” and the “An gel with one foe t on the sea and the other on the hnd,’.’ until he would have preached 1 is congregation to the desired point )f emotion; then he would take his seat. We need men who will take o .her and right meth ods to preach t< our people. We are glad that those times and methods are fast sinking ; and ministers who can lead us u; >on the mountain of knowledge whe e the air is purer, the water, sweeter ind the sun shines brighter, are fas t filling our pulpits. A little anecdot 3 told by Major Har ris seems suited jusithere: ‘One Sun day evening a i old lady went to church, for som ; cause. Tl e son re mained at hoim. Later in the even ing he was me t; by the voice of his mother. ‘Oh ! jor, you ought to of been to church to have heard Brer John’s sermon Oh! that sermon ! that sermon ! t hat sermon! ’ ‘Well mother, what d d he say ? ’ ‘I don’t know; you < ughter been there.’ ‘Well what was his text?” ‘f don’t know what'he £ lid or preached about, but _ oh ! that sound ! that sound ! that sound ! ’ ” This is one jf the greatest evils evils caused by t ae uneducated preach ef among our. )6cple and it can be checked by edt cated divines preach ing to our peop le, that sound isn’t re ligion. You w 11 find the Bible to be the most inter( sting and complicated of all studies ; therefore it requires men of deep tnought and extensive learning to ex] >ound it. Within the next half century the greater portion of the Negro race will have been rev olutionized religiously. The unedu cated minister has been crowded from the large citie 3 to the small towns and plantation i where he is becoming less prominent each year. A few more risings a id settings of the sun and they will 1 iave gone to meet their God, and their places will be filled by educated divi ies. When that hour dawns upon i s, the demahds of the age will have >een supplied : we will be caught up n a new era and will have better t mes, fairer days and brighter prosp ?ots. Fill our pulpits with refined und intelligent divines, and, under th< blue sky and smiling heaven, life’s sea for the Negro will be calm, and he will have a prosper ous voyage. Livingstone Ala. BISHOP VfALTERS’ APPEAL. (1) Questic n to the Bishops: Have all your presi< ling elders been furnish ed with dolls r certificates ? If they have not beer supplied, send the or ders in at once. (2) A wori 1 to the presiding elders: By an act of the General Conference every presidi ng elder in the Connec tion is made m agent for the purpose of working u p the Centennial in hie district. It is his duty to see that Cen tennial exert ises are held in every church in tl e district. The presid ing elder tha l raises the most money in his district; will be given fifty dol lars in gold. (3) A wori to the pastors: Every pastor in Zion Connection must seetc it that a Cen tennial Jubilee is held ir his church on or before the fourtl Sunday in September, and an amount equal to one dollar per member sent to the treasurer, Rev. E. Geo. Biddle 353 Bleecker St., -N. Y., (instead o: Jersey City';. Any pastor who hat not received a sample of the program to be used ir. the individual churches can be supplied by applying to Cen' tennial Connittee, 353 Bleecker St. N. Y. City. The pastor that raisei and ^forwards to us the largest amount of money will receive fifty dollars ir see list in an Rev: J.R.B. SMITH DEAD. A Prominent Divine, Soldier, Politician and Editor Passes Away. A BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS LIFE. Rev. J. R. B. Smith, pastor of the A.. M. E. Zion church of this city, died at his home Monday morning after an illnesB of several weeks from pericar dites. For five weeks he had been confined to his bed. It was thought the day or so before his death that there was some slight improvement in his condition, but towards morn ing, Monday, a change for the worse .occurred and death soon followed. He was one of the ablest preachers in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church'in this country. He was a profound thinker and forcible speaker. He stood high also in Grand Army circles, having been department chap lain at one time. Rev. Smith was born in Brooklyn, April 19* 1846, and was a son of Francis Smith, a na tive of Virginia, who was born a slave, but obtained his freedom and became a creditable portrait painter in New York. Rev. Smith’s mother was also born in slavery. The de ceased received his early education in and also in New York befa:e became to Troy. Since he came to ;,he church in this city the church has prospered as it never did before, lit 1892 he was elected committeemt ,n-at-large | on the Republican State committee and represented Rensselaei bounty in the executive committee o| the col ored Republican State orj'unization. He was a member of Post Pratt, G. A. R., 127 of Kingston, u^d of the Order of Moses of New Yo -k. He is survived by his wife, and hree chil dren. The funeral was held Thursday and was largely attended. The ser vices were held in the church on Sev enth Street. The remains ay in state from 8 o’clock until 10:30 in the morning. A guard of hon^r from Post Willard, G. A. R., was stationed at the church until the funeral* The different church organizations at tended in a body. The McAlpin Guards, connected with the church, were the ushers. Bishop J.W. Hood, D. D., LL. D., was in charge of the service. Bishop A. Walters, of New York, read the opening hymn, and the Presiding Elder of the district. Rev. E. Geo. Biddle, of Newburgh, read the lesson from the 3criptures. The sermon was preached by Rev. Ja HEY. J. R. B. SMITE. 1 i ' ’( 1 I was received into th« conference in 1882 and Brooklyn and in tlie Vine-street school, Buffalo, where he went after the death of his father. He also be came a pupil in the Model Grammar School and Upper Canada College at Toronto, and at the age of 13 was a writer on the Toronto Globe. After wards he was a contributor to the Anglo-African, a paper printed in the interest of the colored people. He returned to th^e United States when 16 years of age and became a resi dent of Rochester. He enlisted in the Forty-fourth Massachusetts regi ment the same year and served for three months, when he was discharged for being under age. He afterwards enlisted in the Twenty-seventh regi ment of United States colored troops mustered in at Delaware, Ohio, and became and efficient soldier. He be came a non-commissioned officer. He was wounded at the battle of Peters burgh in 1864. After the war he be came interested in the freedmen's work and pensued his studies. At one time he became a writer on the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Afterwards hesjient some time in the South and in ’72'became prominent in political affairs in this State. He was chosen delegate to the Colored Men’s convention at Troy and to the Re publican State convention at Elmira. At one time he was editor and pro prietor of the Western Echo, at Bath N. Y. He gave substantial aid in the establishment of the Soldier’c Home/ i \ of young r the de e part in in Troy of young r the de e part in in Troy • Persons desiring to with Bishop G. W, Cli: dress him as follows: communicate nton can ad cob Thomas, D. D., of New Rochelle. The pall-bearers were J. J. Epps and J. E, S. Williams, representing the board of trustees of the church; the Rev. Benjamin Judd, of Hudson aad the Rev. Allan Walker, of New Ycrk. Veteran soldiers of this city and vi cinity were present, including repre sentatives of-Post Willard and the Ladies' Auxiliary, with the president, Mrs. Gates, of Post Gilbert, of Green Island and Posts Kane and M’Conihe of West Troy. Presiding Elder Grif fin, of the Troy Methodist conference, also attended the funeral. The re mains were taken to Kingston for in terment.—Ex. In addition to what is paid id the above there was a largely attended funeral service in the Zion church at Kingston, N. Y.. conducted by Rev. Adam Jackson, pastor. Bishop Wai ters, Dr. Thomas and Rev. Biddle took part. The Kingston G. A. R. held a very impressive service at the grave, gfving him a military or G.. A. R., funeral. Commander Geo. M. Brush, of Pratt Post 127, Deputy of New T^ork, and Chap. A.-F. Drake, led in the G. A. R. service. The Mc Alphin Guards, «'company colored men organized 1 ceased in Troy took an act the funeral obsequies both and in Kingston. A BRIEF REFORT Of the Work of the Men on the New York District. J BY REV. R. J. STROTHER, A. M. Haying been elected by the New York conference to report its work from time to time, and having re ceived a brief statement from the Presiding Elder, E. George Biddle, B. D., I herewith submit what is go ing on in the banner conference ol the A. M. E. Zion Connection in the North: We are more than glad tc welcome to our district Bishop J. W. Hood, whose counsels and .wishes have always been obeyed by the min isters of this conference. Asathink er and mind-reader, he is unexcelled, and his appointments are always re ceived with great joy by churches and ministers. The fact that the churches all over the district are ten dering Dr. Biddle receptions is an evidence- of ftheir appreciation ol him, as well as the approval of the wise judgment of Bishop Hood in the appointment of him. He is elo quent, graceful and dignified ; honest in his dealings with met, and always keeps before him the good of bis church. He has recommended each pastor to become an agent for the Star. It is his plan to have each minister dispose of so manjr copies weekly. The following is a synopsis of the work of the district: Hudson,'N. Y., Rev. B. Judd, pastor, has his work in hand, and already has begun prepar ations for the annual conference. Troy, N. Y., Rev. J. R. B. Smith, pas for,is~nb more. He was unwell since last conference; yet the church is full of vim and sacred fire. This grand preacher and orator never knew what a failure was. He was a faithful pastor and an eloquent preacher, and his fame as a worker was known in Zion Connection. Cats kill, IS". Y.t Rev. A. J. Tolbert, pastor, is showing himself to be the man for the place and is arranging to buy the old Episcopal Church. He is collect ing funds and banking it. Kingston, N. Y., Rev. Adam Jack son, pastor' is a man of large experi ence and is bringing order out of con fusion, and we are hopeful yet of this church being brought to the front. Poughkeepsie—Rev. T. H. John son, pastor, is a man of God and is meeting with great success. Newbergh—Rev. W. H. Newby, pastor, a transferee from the Phila delphia and Baltimore conference, is carrying every thing before him. Peekskill, N. Y., Rev. L. D. Wil liams, pastor, is more popular now than before and is and intelligent, faithful and upright young man. Nyack, N. Y., Rev. W. H. Abbott, pastor, is a thorough church worker, as well as a gospel preacher. He was grandly received by his people. Yonkers, N. Y , Rev. W. B. Bow ens, pastor, is meeting with great suc cess. His people are standing right up to him. The officiary and mem bers of his church on 15th ult. gave Presiding Elder Biddle a fine recep tion. Dr. Biddle responded in eloquent terms. A few remarks were made by Rev. R. J. Strothers, of Tarry town, N. J.; also Mr. C. Kingsland of the same place. Mamaroneck, N. Y.—Rev. W. H. Ely, pastor, is a grand church worker. A notice of his work has already ap peared in the Stab. Portchester—Rev. C. Fairfax, an exemplary pastor, has his work in good working order. New Rochelle—Dr. Jacob Thomas, pastor, has his work in Bplendid con dition. Pastor and people live in union. .✓ ' . River Head, N. Y-—Rev. P. M. Jackson, pastor, is in fine working or der. Sag Harber, N. Y., Rev. E. J. Mil ler, -pastor. His reception by his members is an evidence of their ap preciation of him. Oyster Bay—Rev. T. W. Johnson, pastor, is getting along nicely with his church. Westberry, N. Y.-, Rev. C. W. Tynike, pastor, is beloved by his mem bers and is meeting with success. - __ bersbf Zion church at Yonkers oji the. night of Presiding Elder Biddle’s re ception, by the pastor Rev. W. B. Bowens, assisted by Revs. Biddle and Strothers. Moreriches—Rev. J. A. L. Porter, pastor, is succeeding nicely. Graves End, N. Y.—Rev. Butler, pastor, is meeting with success. East Brook lyn—Rev. C. Randall pastor, is hold ing aloft Zion’s banner at East Brook lyn. Harlem—Rev. A. Walker, pas tor, is succeeding nicely. Middle town, N. J.—Rev. G. M. Payne, pas tor, is doing grandly. Fleet-street, N. Y.—Dr. G. W. Offley, pastor, has been somewhat indisposed since con ference; part of the time confined to his room. He is up now and doing a grand work. He has the reins and knows how to hold them. His loving people gave him a grand reception on the 30th ult. Mother Zion-^-Dr. M. R. Franklin, pastor, was tendered a grand reception by his members July 15th. Every department of the church was represented. The Star has already reported it. The wel come address was delivered by Miss Nickson, a graduate of Livingstone College. Her remarks were pointed and eloquent. Prof. E. V. 0. Eato presided. The officers have refur nished the parsonage and renovated it from top to bottom. Dr. Franklin is companionable and therefore at home. They are preparing to renovate the church in the latest style, and it is the desire of the pastor and board to make it a beauty for the Centennial. Tarrytown, N. Y., Rev. R. J. Stroth ers, pastor. This is possibly the third church financially and other wise in the conference. She is hold ing her own and gathering in more. Rev. T. 0. R. - WHll'ams is-located here. He is proving himself to be a great help to the pastor. It is to be painted in the latest style. On July 7th, at 6 p. m., Mrs. Anna L. Kings land, wife of Charles Kingsland, treas urer of the trustees and preacher^ af ter long suffering, died in the faith. She was a teacher in the Sunday school. She leaves to mourn her de mise a husband, one daughter and three step-sons, besides other friends. We could not think of closing this letter without expressing our grief at having to be separated from such able men as Drs. Coffey, Caldwell, Wil liams and Adams, and our joy in re ceiving such noble Christians workers as Drs. Biddle and Franklin and Rev. Bowens. ? Dr. Biddle has taken up the work where our esteemed Presiding Elder M. A.' Bradley left off; a ad 4hose who know him, kn^rtbathe is at the head of a district where there are to be found men of push, grit, energy and loyalty. So there is no such thing as a failure. The churches are using their best steps to make the Centennial the grandest gathering that has ever assembled in the city of New York. Bishop Hood^ assessed this conference $1,000. When the annual conference meets every cent of that money will be on hand; if it is not paid to the steward beforehand. Please send by order of the Presid ing Elder, to our pastors copies of the Stah weekly to be sold by them. Hold them responsible. Send me 10 copies weekly. Tarrytwcn, N. Y. , The difficulties and opposition with which we have been confronted at times have seemed insurmountable ; but through it all we have kept Zion’s banner high. Our church here at Jonesville is still growing, religiously and financially. We are highly please 1 with our beloved pastor, Eld er S. Hernton, he has just closed a successful revival. There were quite a number of souls who profess ed faith in Christ. Elder Hernton is the right man in the right place. He loves bis church and will defend it when called upon. He is a great preacher and an accomplished leader. During his revival, he was assisted by Elder J. A. Miller, from Gastonia. Elder Miller is one of Zion’s stalwart preachers. He laborel earnestly during the revival, and the congre gation regretted to see him return home. Hbkrt G. Harrison. JonewiUe, If. C. COLLECTIONS On Children’s Day.—Secretary Johnson Makes his Report. AMOUNTS COLL ECTED TO AUGUST 1ST. July 6, July 8, NEW YORK CONFEBBKCE. July 2, W T Biddle, RosSvillc, “ H H Coleman, Ithaca, P M Jackson, River Head, C Fairfax, Portchestcr, G M Payne, Middletown, C W Randall, Brooklyn, “ A W Tolbert, Catskill, July 22, M R Franklin, N Y City, “ f B Bowens, Yonkers, Aug. 1, Benj Judd, Hudson, phila’piiia and bal’more conference. July 2, J P Scott, Harrisburg, 17 CO July 3, J S Cowles, York, 26 CO #7 50 680 1 50 900 200 250 4 75 5300 15 15 5 00 NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE. July 3, G H S Bell, Waterbury, 9 00 “ AT Clark, Middletown, 1 97 July 22, J T Gaukill, Derby, 14 07 “ S E Robinson, New B’ford, 4 00 July 31, CD Hazel, Cambridcport, 10 00 NORTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE. July 1, IIS McMullen, 8. Ridge, 1100 8 D Watkins, Ruth’fordton, 2100 G E Carter, Mocksvillc, 14 50 P J Hclmes, China Grove, 7 00 N L Mi Lis, Conover, 3 00 R B Biuce, Charlotte, 7 53 F L Bell, Wilkesboro, 11 20 W J Sides, Monroe, 16 00 G L Blackwell, Charlotte, 25 00 D C Covington, M’r’sv’Ile, 25 00 “ J W Harris, Manchester, 5 CO July 8, J A Barber, Matthews, 6 00 “ A J McNeill, Albemarle, 175 “ J C Co z, Keyser, 6 00 “ C WSmmohs, TFaxhaw, 7 00 July 22, D Hagler, Oak Grove, 35 “ DAM ^KojtrWinston, 5 01 U H Simmons, Waxhaw, 65 “ W D Claytpn, Plymouth, 140 . “ W D Alexander, Lodo,. 7 46 “ H B Miss, King’s Mtn. 1750 “ J Twitty, Rutherfordton, 1,55 “ C Jones, Stella, “ H S McMullen, July 8, July 7, O L Wilson, N Cl St’nt’nsburyCt L Balance, $4 04 J July 31, C H Ardis, Cedar Hill, 2 08 H Bell, Washington,.N C, 40 05 W J F Moore, Greenville, 10 00 A J Rogers, Concord, 11 00 S M PJiarr, Marion, 20 00 C H Smith, Whitesville, 2 68 R Hasty, Dial, 9 84 G E Carter, Mocksville,' 4 00 A A Crooke, Tarboro, 15 00 P A McCorkle, Statesville, 4305 Wm Johnson, Lincolnton, 19 44 S Carter, Lincolnton, W J McEntirc, Clio, H J Blanks, Rosindalc, F H Noble, Salisbury, Wm McKoy, Glendon, D A Williams, Siler City, J-45 B. A Johnson, Financial-Secretary of Livingstone -College. -1 ^g0 3 70 5100 12 00 A RESULT OF PRAYER. BY C H. WETHERBE. It is well to refresh ourselves fre quently by reading some of the re sults of genuine, heart-prayer. One such result if: referred to by Dr. B. H. Carroll in a sermon on Nehemi ah’s rebuilding the walla of Jerusa lem. He says: “Now, what reason able hope could this man have that his request would be granted when, he went to a heathen king and asked permission to be gone from his bond age twelve years, and asked that king to give him letters to his governors, and to aid him with money and in all other wavs? What reasonable hop was there that this king would grant such request? There was only one. power able to turn the heart of that king. That was the power of God; and so he kcelt down and prayed for that thing. ‘0, Lord, I pray this prayer. I am the cup-bearer of this king. I priy thee to incline, the heart of this king to grant my re-' quest.’ ” Do you believe in prayer? Do you believe that prayer will ac complish such a result as that ; the heart of an idolater, of a could by the power of God, be turned as t) grant a request c kind ? That was the firat ment that came to tfc He asked Gad for » < thing. God gave what he asked for. pressive and valued result tl of one mau’fl prayer! naturally iuid visibly against his praying, lieved *
The Star of Zion (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Sept. 3, 1896, edition 1
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