Newspapers / The Star of Zion … / Jan. 7, 1897, edition 1 / Page 1
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°■'OfAFRICAN METHODI3T BFISOOF^jlZIOJST OHUEOH TNT A'MnmBTnA VOLUME XXI. CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, JANUARY ?, 189L NUMBER 1. <ALARM CRY RO. ORE, A Spiritual Famine in the Church.—A . Crj For Cod’s Presence and Soring Mercies, BY BISHOP O. W. CLINTON, D. D. —■ (Sometime ago Editor Smith re vested me to write a few articles for Hhe Stab that would be of special in terest to preachers. His desire is that the articles be along a line that will be suggestive and helpful to preachers in the preparation of sermons and in the performance of pastoral duties. I freely confess that I scarcely feel ad equate to so important and needful a'task.' But the fact that there is great need of such articles being cir culated among our preachers, the ma jor part of whom have never had the benefits of either college training for the ministry or a well-directed meth od of study in private, and therefore must feel the disadvantages of this de fect in their preparation for the min istry, I have decided to soon begin the preparation of a series of brief, practical articles which I hope will be both suggestive and helpful to some , of our preachers, at leatft. Just now I am to ask your attention to the first of what I have chosen to style THE THREE ALARM CRIES. 1 will ask that class op readers wno feel a special interest in, and desire to be benefited byHhese articles, to read tbe following passages from the Bible: Isa. ii:9; Isa. lii:l,and Ephe sians v:14. These passages will sug gest the line of thought which the ar ticles under the above caption will endeavor to follow. It is not the purpose of the writer to give either a critical exegesis of these passages or make a labored comment thereon. It is. th$s*purpose to emphasize some thoughts which these verses suggest because of the bearing they may have and the influence they ixertupon the revival efforts which many pastors may put forth during this and the succeeding weeks usually employed in that work of stimulating believers and saving sinners. Let us quote the first passage: “Awake, awake, put on strength, 0 arm of the Lord. Awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old.” Two facts are evident to the careful reader of this verse. 1, The people who made this cry were persons with the Lord and fa miliar-with gracious care and great favor toward his people “in the an cient days, in -the generations of old. That they who made this cry ~e not enjoying a conscious mani festation of that gracious care and a realization of the favor and presence of God in the midst in that measure which ^ad been manifest at the time, and among the generations referred to in this cry. The reader needs only to take up his Bible: and read this chapter through and he will findhimself face to face with God’s Israel who, at "this time, realize that they are not in the enjoyment- of flfiat .peace and happi ness vouchsafed by that blessed pres ence which promised-to go with them and give "them rest. Being sensible of this awful fact they cry out “Awake, a,wake; 0 arm of the Lord.’ etc. " - - The question arises just here, “Wai the Lord asleep, or does He evei sleep; ”ln other words, was He then or is He ever, indifferent con cerning the welfare, prosperity anc greatest success of His Church anc people. I answer, No. He thai keeps Israel, that watches over th< Church, the bride, the Lamb’s wife , never sleeps or slumbers. As H< watched over Israel in the sojourr from Egypt to Canaan, riding in a* pil lar of cloud by day and guiding anc protecting them in a pillar of fire bj night, so now He keeps a watcbfu ej e over His Church and people a all times. If we admit this fact, anc admit we must; if we believein th< Bible and the God of the Bible, thei we must And another cause for thi cry.. What is the real cause of thi cry? We need.only trace the history o ..God’s dealings with Israel, and fo that matter with His people in al ages, to find the cause. When Israe and obedient to God’s pres ie arm of His power and favo gods at d departs from the statutes of their K eeper, then it is that Israel is deprived of the blessing of that gra cious P resence and the defense of that everlas iug Arm. So with the Church and tbs individual Christian- A de parture from Cod, a forsaking of the paths or righteousness, always leaves the Chi rch and the individual Chris tian in a sad plight, in disfavor with God. ! See. Ezekiel xxxiii:13. Howe ref, it is a healthy sign when Is rael dia iovers that the arm of the Lord is not'j resent as in former times, for no ouii that has once enjoyed the benefits and blessings of God’s presenc e and saying mercies, can be content and happy in, the absence or outside of the pales of His presence and saving mercies. .To discover that absencs will, in most cases, institute an inquiry why it is departed, and a cry for its return. When Israel made this cr r, he, like the prodigal son, had eoiae to himself and- discovered the spiritual famine that was prevail ing in the land where he had taken up his ibode. The, former glory and comforts of his father’s house, the gracious presence and benefits of pro tection of that gr. at God which had spoiled his foes, brought victory and success , all came fresh to his memory, and nov, like the poet, he is wont to erv “ Wh< re is the blessedness I knew, Wh en first I sjgv the Lord; Wheie is the soul’s refreshing view Of Tesus and His word ? ” We may be assured that when this first al'irm cry is heard, that a blessed discovsry has been made; and we may ex pect a movement in the right direction. Wherever we turn to-day the crj is heard that there is a state of spiritual dearth prevailing in the Church. It has been a long time since there has been a thorough and wide-spread spiritual awakening among the Churches of this country. ’Tis triiie there have been showers of refreshing in incUvidsalChurches^in some Communities, but the need of the tines is a great revival that shall he fe t and witnessed throughout American Christendom in every de partmi-snt of the Church. It is the fault of the Church if such a revival is not witnessed during thef* coming year, ns it has beefi the fault of the Churc 1 that we have not enjoyed such a blessing in so long a time. It is useless as well as unwise and sin ful to say “Awake, aWake, 0 arm of the Lc rd,” etc, Jehovah is “the same to-daj, yesterday and forever/’ He waits to-day to be gracious. He will wait pet longer until the Church draws to Him, and then His blessed promise will be fulfilled. He will draw nigh to the Church. The great unres ; and dissatisfaction that are seen in the Church among both clergy and 1« ,ity, the financial depression and endeavor to find seme new or cheap er wap of operating the Church, may all h! traced to a lack of that spirit ual vigor-so essential to a healthy, aggressive and succsssful Christianity; a religion to stem the tide of evil now prevslent everywhere.' If ihe above lines will even direct the t loughts of some of the readers of the Stab to a sad condition once prev alent in Israel, that has often ob tained in the Christian.* Church, and that now obtains in many places of our (wn beloved Zion, and thus cause the I'iist Alarm Cry dohe heard from earnest hearts and sincere lips, we may hope to sa^ something in the contribution on -the feeoond Alarm Cry that will help some to find out the i emedy that gives relief, the true balm of Gilead which will prove the need id panacea. [to be continued. Clarlotte, jy. C. BY ME. B. F. GRANT. EVILS OF INTEMPERANCE. -ft N) question now before the public demanding attention and seeking so luti< n from press or pulpit has ever equalled the liquor traffic. Wonder ful in progression, terrible and.de cept ive in its magnitude and strength and nature, this gigantic traffic has gottin such a hold on the vitality of our iountry that, through long indulg ent -and careless toleration, it is even no* working its appalling upoii the whole world in a wide resevoir of financial despondency and political ruin. To-day we can see the awful effects of it in the idle workshops, silent fac tories, numerous riots and strikes. We are safe in the assertion that al most 90 per cent of the suffering which we see among the children of men is subject to the cause of this in famous liquor traffic which has em bedded its poison in the very life of our government. Politicians and demagogues seeking to gratifying their own personal gains are unjustly placed in offices Of honor and trust becau e they are in league with the pernicious, fascinating poison which will drag the government down, down beyond resurrection. "When we con sid&^how low this monster has laid the once great powers of the earth— BaybloD, Greece and Rome-^-and now how he is seeking to destroy this gov ernment, we ask h.ow long will intel ligent men and women be blind to reason and led as sheep to the slaugh ter, dumb before the shearer and open not their meuths? This wicked yid damnable traffic is annually hurling its millions headlong into poverty and into a drunkard’s grave. We live in a Christian land W'hose flag is loved by all true patriotic Americans and respected by foreign .friends and foes. What a shame and disgrace that the American eagle the symbol of liberty, should have her wings saturated and loaded down with whiskey barrels and victims of intemperance I If I had seven mil lion votes, I would cast them for ev ery man, woman and child in the United States, and wipe out intem perance with one stroke. America, “the land of the free and the home of the brave," is fast becoming a den of murderers, thieves, vagabonds, pau pers, socialists, anarchists and tramps; j and the .sceptre is nearly wrested from, the haqd of temperance by king akukul. . i agree witn mm wno sam umv judgment hast fled to brutish beast ana men have lost their reason."' If there ever wa3 a passage of scripture appreheneive to the human mind, it is that which pictures the devil as a roaring lion, going about seeking whom he may devour. Here we have him in the form of a whiskey barrel or a beer keg, rolling through cities and towns, church and home, finding an honored reception; in homes where the Son of God hath not where to lay His head. It is wonderful to note the gallons of whiskey consumed annually by this people. Were it all poured into one great resevoir, the United States navy might float upon it m safety. The records Bhow that the liquor bill for 1893 was $1,350,000,000, which, if expended as God would have it, would have built 10,000 churches worth $10,000 each; paid pastors for the same, $2,000; built 1,000 libra ries and furnish each with $100; giv en $250 to each of the 2,000 disabled ministers of the Gospel, and added to our bread and meat supply $200, 000,000, doubled the amount paid for education, established 3,000 churches for the heathen or built 450,000 dwellings at $3,000 each. It is no wonder that we have so many poor people, and that we see such horrible condition# among mankind at this time. O man 1 take counsel of Solo mon who says: '‘Look not upon the wine when it ia red, when it gives its color in the cup, when it moveth it self aright. At last it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.” Death and destruction are in its path; starvation * and poverty are at th^ door ; troubles and trials await those that linger at the wine cup. Washington, D. C. Rev. Manley bears ably, in his connec tion the title of a financier. Since being pfcetor of Talbot Chapel this city, he has succeeded in a few months iu raising sufficient monyes to pay off a mortgage of several hundred dollars on the charch property, besides. keeping up with the other regular expenses of the church. The members are very exultant over this great'relief, and are loud in their praise and commendation of the untiring efforts of tbeir beloved pastor. Others are also joining in praise of his action, BETHEL MB ZION, We Cannot Agree as to Dates.—Dr. Smith a Valiant] Jefender.—The Elec tion or Dishop C. W. Clinton the Highest and Mott Progressive Step that %ion has Ever Taken. REV. J. M. HE SDER80N, M. D. When I wrote ■ the article to the Christian Recorder that was quoted in these columns at the commencement of the present flist ussion, I had. little thought that igy words would reach others than thi readers of that paper. My intention-was to anticipate the publication of jthc Centenary Papers and to set our pjeachers to re-read ing the history of Bethel ere the coun try became flooded with the published proceedings of Zl)n’s Centenary Ju bilee. 4j I had no idea that one article from a’pen so hurible as mine would be regarded as al dangerous contra diction of statements that would soon appear in a book containing papers from some of th} best men of Zion Dhurch. When 1 read the article svritteu by BisjiCp'Walters and ber keld the alarm tr d excitement which ;t revealed, I wgs 'rather surprised. [ had no dreaha that the leading Bishop of Zion Church and the nro ector of and nM|i ager of the Jubilee iould so easily Jte made to lose his nental equilibmim. Of course I nade reply, but! was careful not to :ollow up the personal and merely spiteful flings which he had been veak enough to *iake. I saw no rea lon to be a party to the commence nent of strife between the lay mem >ers of the two New York churches.. When I came to the city I found Rev. r. S. Caldwell, B X)., pastor of Zion. We became frisnda, and1 still are ‘riends. He is^road of mind and me of the very best pastors whom I lave met. It was.<during hi3 paator ite that many v lied financial prob 'Ma^p.'y’njpir wore lolved, and the lileecker-st. property ileared of debt. We each found the :ity large enough to Keep uaouny without ever con ing into conflict, but >n the other hanijlfound many oppor tunities to assist etch other. My peo ple liked him and his pbople treated no with great courtesy. I was not willing to permit Bishop Walters to lestroy this feeling of fraternity be tween the city phurches, and I did not believe that he would repeat the attempt after having had time to re gain his poise of mind. I have never found it necessary to iuvolye innocent persons in my quarrels. I would re gret to be a party to anything that would bring discord among the lay people. It were unworthy any fair minded man to attribute my reluc tance to pursue this line of conduct to any other than the motive stated. Fear is a quality that was not in cluded in my make-up. I have nev er asked leave of iny to exist and to follow my consc: enee. Were it right to do so, I would undertake to hold the fort entrusted to me here against every possible eiemy and would have no doubt of the issue. In a friendly way I pursue a perfectly independ ent policy and have achieved all the guccesa for which I could ask. S^My intention in this controversy has simply beer to bring out the ac tually authenticated historical facte relating to the origin of our two Churches. Thanks to Dr.. Smith, a measure of succ jss has been attained. There are few clerical pens that are keener than his, and Zion has no writer better known or more fitted for th9 task. He had some advan tage of me arising from- the fact that he is editor o:' the paper in which most of our discussions have taken place. This* er &bled him to reply to my articles ii the same issue in which they appeared; it also gave him a chance to say "we" and to bring to bear tpoa me the powerful sentiment of » loyal people who naturally would frown upon a reputed assailant of their Church. ' He stood forth as the Cjoampion of Ziou, and right well did lie handle his lance. I every member of Zion her valiant defender, he has done every d be done to present is. side. He has to each fact £nd doubt not'that is satisfied wit All should he thing that coc work out whatever Providence may design. It- is proper to close this phase of the discussion by answering the challenge thrcwn out in the good Doctor’s last article. He wants to know when the first society of Bethel Church was incorporated. I have de layed reply, hopii g to secure full his toric records, bul; have not had time to do so. Time..is the only element which I honestly believe is lacking. I will give here a copy of what Bish op Tanner has stated and am assured that he based hia assertion upon the very best authority. He says, Richard Allen in “1787 withdrew from the Methodist Episcopal Church, and led off in the wOrk of organizing the Af against him, He has, in my judg ment, sometimes let his zeal as i champion triumph over his candor as a philosopher and has thus been led to mislead the less thoughtful. He has also at times failed to grasp the more subtle poinls of an argument and has thus lacked in discriminating power. He has at all times written as one who had in mind the less cul tured class of bis readers and has fre quently appealed to their emotions and prejudices. Tieae defects should but win for him pcaise at the hands of bis people, however they may be criticised by those who take a purely dispassionate view There is no need for either of us to continue the disc ission as it relates to dates of origin. We cannot agree. I have presented dates and given authority; so has he. We both agree as to the dates and the events asso ciated with them, but we differ as to the meaning of those events : e. g., I claim that the eve at of 1796 was only a social movemei.t; he gives it a greater significance, down the gamut. So it is up and Seeing that we have each had oui say, all we have to do is to cease and leave our words to yican Methodist Episcopal Church ft A store-room and held wor ourselveii: ' 1791 By act of ip by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, April 6th, Bethtl became an inde pendent corporatod body." Bishop Tanner is a man of well trained mind and is therefore capable, of restrain ing his emotions and of laying -aside partisan feelings when dealing with history. I am not afraid to quote his statement and submit it to the closest investigation, and regret that I have not had the time to cite the records. It has been the characteristic of the few historians of Bethel that they are thoroughly impartial and very accur ate. They hare never filled in btanks from imagination. Our his tory is, therefore simply record and statistics; i. e., a skeleton. Like all history it must be filled out by rea soning from data. Sometime it will be .done. Zion snd Bethel will each find that the con ing century will de mand them to gi re the very best rea son for their claims to continue. The task of the present generation is to interpret the meaning of existing in stitutions, to eliminate the worn-out and to preserve and develope the use ful. There are a great many. things that have been landed down that will be laid aside'. The errors of the past have no excuse lor continuance. Re ligion as taught by the average Afro American preacher is a hindrance and a curse. I.eligton as lived by many is a blot ami a shame. The Negro Churches of the coming cen tury must hdve theology. The Churches of the present have a list,of books and a sta .ement of dogma and doctrine, but ro actual theological thoughts whicl they promulgate. There must also be discipline. There is at present among Negro Churches no higher or more stable standard than sentiment. Law means nothing when sentiment is arrayed against it. With these reflections I close this part of our late controversy and thank Brother Smith for his oourtesy and assure himtba, I have meant at no tjme to strike a blow that should go beyond the limit of this discussion. I will reply to the article that is probably to appear in relation to the Episoopacy of our two churches and will then wifi draw. I shall state the reason. I u ant to ha fair. I no tioe that DrJ Jc Recorder, hi* of soa, Editor of the he be organ of Bethel. I will say in jnstice to J)c. Johnson that he is con strained to take his stand by the per sonalities that have been introduced, as there is a rule forbidding the in troduction of personal quarrels into our paper. In jnstice to Dc. Smith I will say that I don’t' recall any occa sion where he has been improperly personal. He has been seyere, shrewd, trenchant but has been a gentlemen Bishop Walters has, in my opinion, been weak, puerile and spiteful. I will reply to his last article and then decline to recognize him as deserviag .the honors of knightly treatment. If he wants personal warfare in the pa pers or the courts he can have that, but I cannot honor him with knight ly recognition. I close this part o f r.he discussion with the belief that the following facts stand oat in promi nence. The A. M. E. Church is the organized expression of a truth con cerning the Negro which was first as sarted by Richard Allen. The overt act which marks the birth of African Methodism took place in* 1787. Zion A. M. E. Church is a connection of ■ of societies which have sprung up and clustered around a Negro Methodist Society organized under the M. E. Church in New York, 1796/ and which became an independent body in 1821. Zion, therefore, had no special message to the race and did not begin to make history until 1821, or just thirty-four years after Allen had sounded the tocsin. JLne xurtner tacts also are now clearly revealed. Aa Zion grew in age and power she also grew in pride, and at last had thr temerity to think of herself as an equal of' Bethel. When Bethel Centenary Celebration took place in 1887, Zion began to re new some of her worn-out claims of equal age. This found eloquent ex pression in the Zion Centenary Jubi lee in 1896. Being demanded to -pmtiftr arw»l< .. aa i mki ——Hmmmfimqi+iLm Zion's for<hn6St thinker and writer, could only cite Bishop Hood, talk about incorporation, and attack Beth el History. He has done this frith all of the skill, earnestness and ability that could be brought to the task. He claims victory. I laugh at him; he shouts again his dry of triumph. I become grave and say, “Let us give the words we have uttered to pros terity and leave the verdict with the future.” You cannot snuff out facts of history as you would a tallow can dle. Yon can obscure facts and mis lead the ignorant, but the deluaion will not last long. He is always safe who has truth on his side. Zion is yet"far behind Bethel in her propor tion of cultured minds. This is shown by the language, style and method adbpted by Dr. Smith. He is a man of culture and can U3e chaste Eng lish, but knowing his readers, he adapted himself to them. If the Edi tor of the Recorder should represent himself as a prize fighter and make vise of such crude expressions as has Dr. Smith, he would be held in con tempt. The editorial columns of the Recorder are always*elevated in sen timent &nd chaste iu language. Dr. Smith could shine if he had a con stituency, bnt in order to winthe has had to come down below his real lev el. It-is the general opinidft that £ion does not properly value her men of highest culture. The election of Bishop G. W. Clinton is the highest a§d most progressive step Ziop has eter taken. I am not narrow iu my views, if I do say it, and l oan appre ciate merit and ability. I kno\r and honor Zion's progressive men and feel that we are engaged in common talk. Zion needs brighter head lights. She needs 9 history that is not. Written in the spirit of-vanity. She needs to understand her mission and to present it. To seek to be like Bethel is her undoing. Let Zlpn be herself and put to the front men who can be exponent* Brooklyn, N. Y. _ i « ♦ ____ *this is to oertify that Rav. P. L. Boyd of the West Tennessee and Mississippi annual conference has been duly expelled *from the A. M. E. Zion Church for gross immorality. .APPOINTMENTS, Whem the Ministers are Stationed for the Ensuing tear. TWO CONFERENCES. PALMETTO CONFERENCE. Bi&Sop I. 0. Clinton, presiding, Spartanburg District, S. T. Meeks, presiding elder. St. John station and Spartanburg, J. N. Nuton. Stephens Grove and New Prospect, John R. Blake. Woodruff, Littlefield and Burnt Factory, S. R. Gattieroy. Syn- , od’s chapel, Greenville and Ezeal, J.f E G-ones. Glenn Springs and Rich Hill, W. Johnson. Rice's chapel and Jacob's chapel, J. Brown. Union station, P. A. Chambers. Baties chapel and Good Hope, W. W. Hall. Cedar Grove,. Spring Hill and Whit mires, A. McNeal. New Hope and Sweet Cannon, J. W. Eiehelburger. St. Matthew and St. Lnke, A. J. Mc DoaaL Mabenton and Sims, J. B. Crosby. Columbia District, L. W. Steward, presiding elder. Columbia andNCar lisle, R. B. Williams. Winnsborb,"*" ^ Ridgeway and Roundtop, D. C. Baum. St. Paul, New Zion and Horse Branch, * L. H. Chamblain. St. John and Whits Oak mission, to be supplied. Mt. Visit and Sweet Prospect, J. R. Izzari. Goldmine and Shiloh, A. Barber. Mount Pisgah and Eliza beth, Y. J. P. Cohen. Qld Provi dence and Brown’s chapel, C. H. Hood. New Providence and New Zion, J. F. Adams. Gethsem&ne and Bethel, J. W. Tuter. St. Home mis sion, E. Rochelle. Charlsston District, R. Kearns, presiding elder. Shiloh station and Charleston, E. Hinton. Tabernacle and St. Charles, C. W. Washington. Virgin chapel and George’s station, I. W. Gibbes. Mt. Zion and Summer ville.c P. B. Brown. Bethany and fidcT^an^PEiITip^ c£ap«^'5P?^r^re??1 ter. Gaston and St, Matthews mis sion, J. Leary. Camden, Little Zion and Smith chapel, W. W. Thompson. Zion Hill and Good Hope. L. G. Gregory. Ebenezer and Rock Hill, J. D. Lakens. Beaver Creek and Bethel, J. G. Green. Paradise and Pleasant Grove, M. C. McClen. Rose ville and Nebo, G. L. Hendrick. Glad en Grove and Camp Wellfare, D. S. W ilier. > . WIST ALABAMA C0N72BE5CE. Bishop J. B. Small, presiding, Mobile District, W. G. Strong, ' presiding elder. Mobile, State-street church, John F. Moreland, Ph. D, Mobile, Big Zion church, C. K. Smith. Mobile, Hope chapel, S. M. Gains. Mobile, Bethlehem A and Virginia-streets churchesJ_J£v hg. Hogan. Mobile, Ebenepef^and Sprwg Hill churches, J. C. Lee. Whistler church, Whistler, Ala., A. L. Green. Mosely’s Springs and Water Works, Whistler, C. O. Wilkerson. Cit^ron elle, A. B. Smyer. Fair Ford, Mt. Zior , Chestang and Mount Vernon, 'f S. I.. Lloyd. Lang’B chapel Nos. 1 and 2, and Mount Shady, Richard Lang. Grand Bay, Theodore, New ship and the Narrows (St. Paul) A. Morris. Moss Point; West Pass Oa- f goula and St. Elmo, M. G. Thomas. Scranton, Biloxi, and Ocean Springs, G. W. Johnson. Vancleave mission, Mississippi, James Gray. • . . . • Jefferson District, Samuel Sherman, presiding elder. Jefferson, . Little Rook and St. Peter, A. G. Alstork. Lin don, Old Spring and Miller’s chapel, Joseph A. Lewis. Sand Hill anc. Choctaw Level, H. W. Barnette. Janes chapel, Myrtlewood and Nao* afa ia, J. H. Hanner. Thompkine vil ie, Butler and Little Zion, W. H. Prince. Bethlehem, Walters’ mp I sio:i and surroundings, S. M. John* sor.. Pine Grove, St. Paul ah<£>.. • Ward’s chapel,. R. A. Jones. Monte Valo and Burrell’s chapel, Wm. Guil mcre. Mount Moriah, Mount Stoney and Good Hope, J. D. Donald. Monnt Boykin, Mount Pieasant, Bethlehem and Harris mission, P. C. Claney. Jackson, Star of Zion, Mt. Zion, Walker's Springs, .Thomasville and Horse Creek, J. H. Hall. Spring field and Berry’s chapel, J. K Jack jt West Bend Miesion, Clark’s pel, Coffeeville and BurroundingB,
The Star of Zion (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 7, 1897, edition 1
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