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Ol^ca-Ajsr OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPlSOOPAIi ZION- CHURCH IN AMERICA. VOLUME XXI. CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, JANUARY 2»,‘1897.' —. 1 ' NUMBER L “HE IS A NEGRO STILL.” The Uncompromising Prejudice To wards the Negro American. BY SOLOMON O. BROWN. “Why don’t the Negr.* keep his place? ” Not force himself upon-our race? n ' It matters not what men'may say. They are inferior every way. Inferior to the meanest white, Are always hateful in our sight; We never will accept his race— ’Twould bring our children to disgrace, Pm free to own we can’t suppress That hatred harbored in our breast; I’ve turned and twisted every plan— Yet can’t regard him as a man. Even though his skin be bright and clear, No kinks nor curls mixed in his hair; That hatred comes, and come it will, Which makes us hate the Negro still. Some I’ve seen with splendid mind, Their whole demeanor was refined ; But yet would come that stubborn will And makes me hate the Negro still. I often feel condem’d ill mind, Repentant tears will upwards climb; Like brine they’ll flow, like dew distil— ' I’ll rise, but hate the Negro still. I’ve tried to make a compromise, But this my very soul denies; I greatly fear I never will Cease to hate the Negro still. They are very good tojscruh and sew, And do our kitchen Work below ; To raise him up—we neve? will— But keep them down as Negroes still. To do our will we think them-nice, Even then we’il pay the lowest price; This is his place, no white can fill— And there we’ll keep the Negro still. His offspring we can’t recognize; These Negro children we dispise ; To keep this class just where we ought— In separate schools they must he taught. Our Negro driver’s name is Jim, Our Negro maid is tali and slim, Our Nesrro cook is old Aunt Till—. Are good, but all arc Negroes still. Suppose Jim takes yjour worn-out farm — And makes it bloom out as a charm ? • This way your empty pockets fill— That’s grand, but he’s h Negro still. Suppose true bravery he possess, Through him your armies have success! The victories gained fiy his own skill— Even then he is a Negro still. Suppose his education’s rare, His eyes are blue, complexion’s fair And he a good position fill— To us he is a Negro still. Suppose he bo physician square, With practice large and charges fair ? He cures disease with extra skill— He is a Negro doctor si ill. He’s well enough among his race, And this alone is his true place; We’ll not regard his fame or skill, But hold him as a Negro still. Suppose he has inventive art, The world acknowledge he is smart, Intelligent and fills the hill ? He’s nothing but a Negro still. Suppose he sits in C ongress Hall, With handsome face and stature tall ? And carries ont the people’s will— Indeed he is a Negro still. Supposethis wife has manners fine, Cultured, brilliant, splendid mind ? And every rule she rightly fills— That womqm is a Negress still. Suppose she holds in her own name, Such wealth that brings her into fame ? Much power subject to her will— Even then she is a Negress still. UNITY ESSENTIAL BY MISS MAGGIE FISHEB. Suppose she comes to your relief, And softens down your deepest grief? As a nurse she has been drilled— That woman is a Negress still Suppose she finds you out of doors, And takes you in, provides her stores ? And every Christian duty fill— She is a Negro woman still. And then for you she kneels in prayer, She pleads that God your life would The Lord her wishes does fulfil— [spare; Even then she is a Negress stilf. And should I die in her embrace, Grant me a white man’s resting place; Don’t let me rest if I should die, Near where a Negro’s body lie. And should they take me to the church, Be sure and make the proper search; See that no Negro’s standing near To place his hands upon my bier. Sere is a fact you cannot hide,' The Black Man is our country’s pride; May twist and turn it as you will— The Negro is your brother still. This fact he loves above the rest, While it disturbs the white man’s re3t; Twist and turn it as you may, The Negro’s here, he’s here to stay 1 Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D. 0. It has been 100 years Bince Zion hoisted her sails and launched to en lighten the fallen race and fight against the kingdom of the evil on®, ace that time she baa made wonder now atill reach It is true that we have progressed and ire still progressing, but there is still room for improvement; and if we as a Connection and a race wish to proa] >er we will find .that unity is one of tha things that is most essential to civil; zation and progress. Had unity and t trength prevailed since the crea tion of the world there would have been a, vast difference in its history. This virorld would have been one of brotherly love and union. Success and prosperity would predominate, whil s war and strife would be lost in the e ea of forgetfulness. Di scontentment, enviousnees -and selfishness are things that stand pre eminent in effecting the progress of chur:hes as well as communities. Somo people are prone to a sour tem per j nd habituated to gloomy ways. They perceiye only the dark side of things and take a wrong view both of th emselves and others. Instead of look ng on the bright side of things and trying to be kind and agreeable to ti eir neighbor, they do the opposite thin];. Such people are in great dan ger, because they will never suoceed in ai y of the pursuit# of this life. Tft here there is enmity, unity can not exist, success will not' follow. Enviouimess is a habit which is not easil r overcome ; and it is also- one that plays a conspicuous part in hin derii g the progress of the world. Se Ifishness is also an antagonist to succ< ss. It is our duty to forget ouf selv«3 and try to do something for othe: s. Many of us do not know that in tr ring to help others to rise higher in tl is life, that we are rising at the same time. W 3 should be united in our reli gion duties, as well as in any other duty in life. We often find that one dene oainationpr one theological party shoua i tself far mote afraid of the. prog *esi3 of the opposing one, than of the ] regress of sin. People ought to be ce utious how they get the commu nity divided into parties .and the chur sh and world arranged one agai; ist the other in open war. We are i ot strong enough for such a con test/ and if we want to prosper we musl abolish all jealousy and unite to travel to that city which has been prep ired for us. We will often find that our 'lives will be better, our thou >hts purer, our faith more real, our words more charitable, if we woul d forget some of our bad habits and learn to do unto others as we woul d have them do unto us. T] is is a progressive age; one of inve itions and discoveries, and we have a part to play in its drama. We are 1 oo easily satisfied. Let us awake, arise at d worjr while it is day. The most hopeful prospect tq this age is unit; v and with it, success will follow. Thee s results depend upon each one of us. Tt ere is work for us all to do. We know\our work; if not, let us find it, in order that in pome future day ve will not be weighed and found wanl ing. After achieving these ends, we v ill enter upon a new career, ex actir g increased wonder of the world by c ur grander achievements, nobler deed 3 and more wonderful progress. CENTENNIAL DINNER. I wish to recommend to every young Zion preacher (of course they rail lake the Star,) a book,by D. L. Yi e had a Centennial dinner at the Evelyn- Barber Memorial A. M. E Z.on Home recently at 6 o’clock p. m., in honor of the closing exercises of tl e Centennial of the' A. M. E. Zi on c lurch. “ Ain’t I glad I’Ve lived to e< e the day ?” opened the exercises, whit h used to be sung by great grand fa th ir, Mr. *George W. Phoenix, of Baltimore, Md.. After pronouncing the 1 dessing we sang the Centennial hym a which was written by Mrs. 0. E. S, Cartwright, wife of our mission ary i igent to Africa. The menu tfon siste 1 of fowl and cranberries raised at tl e Home, apples and other fruit. The room was lighted by wax canoes held by brass candle sticks a century old which were presented to my mother by a Mrs. Drake of Windsor, Con:i., a relative of *0ol. Drake. The;p were presented to my mother seve a years ago. Sylvia E. Moore. ]Vest Granville, Maas. * QUARTERLY REVIEW. Three Points of Inquiry Answered. ' BY HON.- JOHN C. DANCY. To the Editor .of The Stab op Zion : Numerous are the inquiries as to what *has become of the Quarterly Review. Others wish to know why the last number was so reduced in size. To the first question I would say the Review will soon be out and speak for itself. To the second ques tion I would remark that the last, number was arranged to be published long before it actually appeared and was intended to serve the ptirpose chiefly of proving that it was still alive. The time of issuing it being so very much delayed it was thought best to get that out, and have a full size number follow ae -quickly as was consistent with our capacity to pub lish it. The matter for the next num ber is choice-and up to date in every -respect, and the character of the Quarterly will be richly sustained as a racq and church enterprise. Were the friends half as active in helping to sustain an enterprise of the character of the Quarterly, as they are to seek every possible op portunity to impair'its strength and 'influence by remarks which are neith er intended to help nor to foster, but to satisfy a morbid appetite for noto riety and cynical criticism, they' would put its success beyond the pale of doubt or anxiety. The editor of the Quarterly gave two of the best years’ service he ever gave to any thing to the agitation oL the recent great Centennial. He traversed *the entire country and spoke in nearly every leading church of Zion Connec tion East of the Mississippi Kiver. He tried to do his full duty to the Church as well as to all concerned. He ac tually aroused and worked up the Centennial sentiment. He alwt^s knows by the manner of his recep tion whether he is making any im pression or not. He agitated—and those who heard him said frankly-^ that they thought he was opening the eyes of all on the history of the church and importance of the Cen tennial. As nearly all interest was centered in the Centennial, there could be but little centered in ihQ.Quarter ly. Hence the Quarterly suffered on account of the Centennial. It will begin to recover now from that agita tion, as it is nearly over. The worst part of it is that some of the thinkers assumed to re-arrange what the Centennial Committee firm ly agreed upoD, as the records prove, and whose action was never reversed by any general body having power to act, and so crippled the Manager of the Centennial in a financial sense, that the Quarterly felt the effects of their action, since its support for two years has, as stated, been very meagre. Tfye ^editor being financially em barrassed, aud the Manager being also short, the General Fund being cut almost entirely off to all interests out8ide the bishops , seemed to knock the Quarterly senseless. Yet we will be out in a few days in - spite of all these disadvantages and reverses, and we confidently hope that the prestige which the Quarterly won when it was easy for the Editor to run his hand in his pocket and pay Sot it, may very early return, when the friends will run their hands in their own pockets and pay their subscriptions to Manager Blackwell who- now re ceives and makes acknowledgement of all moneys. We trtist this will satisfactorily explain the cause for any past shortcomings. Replying .to the inquiry of our young friend Fonvielle, as to the why and wherefore of our boast of the late Hon. Frederick Douglass, I take.this occasion to remark that I blame my self largely for nearly all that was said about Mr. Douglass daring the Centennial eelebrations both at New York apd elsewhere. I never made an address during the more than 200 that I delivered covering the two years I agitated the JubilSe, without referring to him. It was never claimed that he worshipped at our churches in Washington. Perhaps our people did not ask him. But he was with us on every great occasion, and twice emphasized biB connection with Zion waere etc. Read Bis bop Hold’s history and observe his own statement. We simply claimed what he him self acknowledged—that Zion chnroh produced him, was the field for the development of his great genius—the theatre of some, of his greatest tri umphs. He never left Zion church to join any other. He was never ex pelled, never v,ithdrew, and never renounced our faith, and if he be longed to any church at his death it was Zion Church. The burden of proof to the contrary is oh the part of those Vrho dispute this proposition. We make it bole ly, and deny positive proof to the c sntrary. Even when asked to identify himself with the church where '■ he worshipped in Washington byi the pastor, he de clined, giving an a reason fiiat he was already identified with one church— which his friends recognised as Zion. About his church identity there should be no further question nor quibble. NEGRO ADVANCEMENT. derful proof ot The special r* port of the bureau of education in Wasbington gives won the progress of edu cation amoDg the colored population of the country. I| affords conclusive evidence that no race in history has ever made anything like the advance ment recorded pf the colored people since they were redeemed from slav ery. It redounds :bost emphatically to the credit of the Southern States that in the last 20 y ‘ars they have appro priated over §,000,000 for the ed ucation of the i ace they had so long kept in bo»dag«. _As a result 52.92 per cent of the pupils enrolled in the 16 formerly slave states are colored. At the close of the war the colored people of the Scjujh were reckoned as totally illiterate. In the SO succeed ing years 40 percent of the illiter acy has disappeared, and now it ap pears that ther<j are 162 institutions in the South fo • the secondary and higher educaticn of the colored peo ple, including 32 colleges. There are several colored million aires in the South, and hundreds possessed of cot lfortable fortunes se cured in extensive business concerns. There are over 17,000 colored teach ers and several prominent graduates from leading c illeges in* the North who can read (their Latin titles to distinction cleaif. The elevating of the colored race from servitude Fto a level with the most favored peoples reads almost tike a romance., And what adds all the more -do tin astoniehment is the fact that the events that redeemed the blacks have lifted the whites in to an era of ent jrprise and prosperity that sometimes seems almost fabulous. What a grand lesson is presented for posterity on the blessings of liber ty.—Boston Daily Globe. -- & TESTIMONY. ceive its remedy timony is impressive: “I love come back to ihia dear old A TELLIN The honest, earnest testimony of one who has be< n saved from a life of terrible sinfulness and self-destruction is not only a great recommendation divine grace, but it goes far to enco urage other desperate cases to seek tb a same grace and re The following tes to mission where I first saw the light, twenty months ago. Little did I think, the night' I came here, all broken up, a would-be murdorer, having tried that afternoon to kill my wife, and failing, determined to take my own life, with po'ison in my pocket. I heard the cornet, came inj and. thank God, the usher gave me ' hat chair in the front row. A man,t estifying on the plat form, exactly told my'story,, and I believed that if God could save him, He could save ne. When the invita tion was given [ raised my trembling hand and soon found myself on-bend ed knee, crying; to God to have mer cy-on me, a sinner. The Lord rec onciled my. domestic relations, we have consecrated our all to Him and He has called ns into His service.” It was the testimony of a man who had gone deep into sin, but was brought out of it by God’s power that encouraged this man, steeped in vies to cast himself on God’s mercy awl OUR ZION. • Its Origin, Leaders and Growth. BY HISS Maud b. hazel. * In 1765 the first light of Metht^d*1 ism shone forth in the city of New York. Thd Joha-st. Chnrch was the first Methodist church erected in that city. There were, several* colored members in this church from its first organization, and between the years 1765 and 1796 t ie number of colored members largely increased; so much bo that race prejudice forbade their taking the sacrament until the white members were all served. This be ing the case, anc the desire for other church privilegeti denied them, it in duced them to organize among them selves into a dene minatioD, which they did in the year 1796. One hundred years ago ! Thin was the first Afri can Methodist Episcopal Church of which we have any account. In the year. 1800 they built a church and called it Zion. This Church, unlike the other Methodist Churches formed about the same pe riod, was as regards its temporal economy, separate from the Method ist Episcopal Church from its first organization. They drew up articles of agreement with the Methodist Episcopal Church, under which she supplied. them with ministers for about twenty years. So that Zion, the oldest church of the Connection, that has by general consent taken her name must be conceded to be the old est Methodist organization, separate from the Methodist Episcopal Church, in this country. The Connection is generally called "Zion” out of re spect to the fir it church. But the style and title of the church is the African Methodist Episcopal Church. And if there is 8 ny body o^Method ists in the world that has a pre-emi nent right to this title, it is the Zion Connection ; for she assumed it before there was any other to assume it. James Varicfe, Abraham Thomp son, June Scott. Francis Jacobs and others were ameng the first members of this church. Their meetings were held in a rented house on Cross St., between Mulberry and Orange Sts. James Varick w is the first Bishop of this Connection, and'I am firmly of the opinion ths t he was one of the greatest men of his day. He was horn in 1750 ntar Newburg, N. Y., and died in 1827. As a man, as a leader, and as s ruler, I think him equally entitled to our praise and ad miration. If I st rvey him as a man, I find him irreproachable in every avo eation of life. - His personal charac ter was pure beyond a shadow of sus picion, and his social character was equally above the reach of blame. H'o was* just a;id honorable to all men, and he infringed no unlawful' rights, and exacted no undue obedi ences. ow her foe he'right roai iot, Bhe woo ray-eidelonj I farther regard him as a leader. I End in him everything to admire and nothing to oond< mn. He was brave, far-seeing, quick in insight, hold, prudent and dee jrvieg. 'He was just to those under his command. Next let us notice Jiiii as a ruler. He is perhaps'more renarkable still for sa jacity, strong, practical wisdom, promptueeB, firmness, fearlessness ind unsullied justice. So, my dear learers, you car see that we had a jreat and noble leader, and we have seen moving on. The progress be gins with the minority. It is com pleted by persuading the majority md by showing the reason and the i'dvantage of tie step forward; and ;ha± is accomplhhed by appealing to ;he intelligence. >f the majority. We have nude rapid progress, rhe importance of our early religions training can never be over-estimated, md its influence cqn never be wholly iradicated. Thu religion of the Af dean Methodist . Episcopal Zion church is impaited cheerfully to all. [t is a mistake to imagine otherwise, rhe Scripture tells.us: “That all her vays are pleas mtness and all her >aths are peace. ’ So it is with the' African Methqc ist Episodprfl Zion Dhurch. Hotv then can gloom fol itbpa? Is she not oh tl .at leads to God ? If 1 have fallen by the and*her- banner iUog in the dust? i eyery dime! We are moving on to fame. We should therefore exercise every virtue and be grateful to our heavenly Father for our success in this life. Let us notice some of the iustitu* tions of the A. M. E. Zion Church the Book Room, located at 353 Bleak er St., New York City; the Sta^ of Zion, published in Varick Memorial jBuilding, 206 S. College St., Char lotte, N, C.; Livingstone College, founded in 187.9 and in 1882 was re moved to Salisbury, N. 0. Rev'. J. 0. Price,. R,ey. C. R. Harris, Prof. E. Moore, A. M., and Mrs. M. E. Har ris formed the first faculty. The founders of Livingstone College were Rev. W. H. Thurbur, Prof. A. S. Richardson and Rev. 0. R. Harris. We have other institutions, namely, the Home and Foreign Missionary Board; the Woman’s Home and For eign Missionary Society was organ izes in 1880 at Montgomery, Ala. Then we have five institutions of learning now aided from the Chil dren’s Day Collections, namely, Liv ingstone College in North Carolina; Lancaster High School in South Car olina; Greenville College in Tennes see; Jones University in Alabama, and Atkinson College in Kentucky. Dear friends, you can see from this brief sketch that we are moving on towards the ladder of fame. Our Church has spreaded from the Atlan tic to the Pacific, leaped the seas and gone across to our own native land; and it shall continue on and on until time shall be no more. We have done and are still doing a great work for our people, led by men of our own race who are able, by the assistance of God, to carry us on to victory! We should feel proud of this Connec tion, because we are governed entire ly by our own race. Let as hold high Zion's banner. Wave it high, and let it fly from one end of the globe to tb« other. Then let us Btand together as one, for "united we stand, divided w'e fall." Well has Poet Biddle said : "Hail the Church that Varick started, A hundred years ago; Mother Zion filled with gladness, And Centennial glow. Shout, O shout in Mother Zion, Here your offerings bring; Wave, O wave onr Zioq banner And make the welkin ring. Varick’s faith pierced gloom and dark ness, ! A hundred years ago; Toilingun ’mid joy and sadness, Gospel seed to sow. Zion’s banner, see it floating, Skyward let it wave Rally I all ye Zion soldiers, Prove its powbr to save. Rouse, 0 Zion, Christ is coming, To redeem the world; Varick’s faith is still proclaiming, Conquests new and old." Beaufort, JV. C. ZION’S PROGRESS. We are alive and at work 'here. Mr. W. M. Rice is the Superinten dent of the Sabbath-school. We had a fine Christmas tree and Christmas exercises. Bro. Ive Morris, the old est member of the church, led in opening prayer.- Rev. G.'D. Dorrah and Nimrod Nebbeth made timely addresses. Mrs. 0., 0. Dorrah. Woodruff', 8. C. —o— In our centennial anniversary held December 16, 17 and 18, we raised $378.88. We have 41 members, a Sunday-sohool of 27 and a Varick C. E. Society of SO. Our church is grow ing. We could have a better report if our .pastor could give all. of his , time to this work which has been at- , tached to Mamaroneck. This neces sitates, him to divide his time. - Rev. W. H. Ely ie a working pastor., ; t -r L. A. Robinson. i Ml. Vernon, N.Y. Greenville District under Presiding Elder J. S. Henderson is gaining ground. People and preachers .on every hand are coming to Zion. With such men as Revs. Henderson, White ind others, we are bound to take East Tennessee for God and Zion, rfie pastors are working faithfully. We have a Preachers’ Institute in this inference which we organised last June. - We are pushing every inter »t of Zion. With able'men at the lead of Zion, the grandest Negro Ihurch on earth, let us all rally and MRS. HOOD’S_AHSWBR. To lira. Hamilton’s Inquiry Relative to the Use to be Hade of One-Third of the Missionary Money. Fayetteville, N. 0., Jah. 19,1897; Sister Hamilton seems to under stand correctly that two-thirds of the money raised by the local Society is to be sent to the annual conference, one-half of which is disposed of by the conference, and the other half turned over to the Vice-President of the Woman’s Home and Foreign Mist ionary Society. Bat she wants to know what lati tude is allowed the local society in disposing of the one-third which the law permits it to dispose of at its own discretion. There seems to be no re. striction, except, possibly, that it should be Bpent for some missionary purpose. But this takes in a wide range. If a second churoh can be es tablished in the same town, or in the same vicinity, or anywhere else, that would be a missionary effort; for be it remembered that the Society is not obliged to spend the money just wheye it ui raised. The law simply gives4 the Society the right to dispose of the money, by vote, as .it may think best. It has the right to decide how, where, and for what missionary purpose it shall be spent. If there are ragged children who can be brought into the Sabbath school, saved from sin, and made members of the church, by furnishing the needed clothing, that would be a good missionary work. If your church is embarrassed by debts, the money might properly be spent to relieve it. If there is a young preacher in your mid it .for whom the conference has not been able to find work, and he hivi ng the true missionary spirit, is willing to gq out somewhere and work up a mission, the Society might do a splendid missionary work J>y helping him.' They might thus giveiT” useful young man an opportunity.tdr show his ability, and at the same time extend the borders of Zion. These suggestions might be extended almost without limit, but I presume that this will he sufficient. I do not get ■ the idea that making presents to the poor, except in the interest of mis sionary work, would be exactly what was intended. Respectfully^ K. P. Hood, Prenident of W. H. and F. M. Society. P. S.: While writing,-1 wish to call atcention to a mistake that sever al Vice-Presidents have made. They send money to. the President. All moseys for the Society should be sent to tlxe Secretary, Mrs. S. E. D..Pet tey, Newbern, N. C. Fayetteville, N. C. .WADE, FLA,, NOTES. Zion is like a tree planted by & river- of vaters in Wade,. Florida^ -' Oar pastor, Rev. G. B. Wileen, an ambitioua young man 22 years of age, " I has labored hard this year for the upbuilding of our Connection, fie is cur great Zion commander and is ona of the ablest ministers in this state. Be has a strong band of soldiers, and when he speaks, We march -to . the front. He is now in possession of the leecis of our church property which is valued above $1,600. We have mly 44 members. This is the first pear that the new Bethel A. M.. E. Zion church has been organised and [ wish to let the public know who are ts strongest workers: E.-W. Flowers, rohn Brown, T.J. Demar, 0. S. Snell, Joseph Hughes, Fronie Righley, E.D. barton, E. 8. Snell and John Brown. Wade now .affords a Sunday-school hat hasn’t hnany equals in the state, rhe school has 56 scholars/ Her co\« ection each Sabbath is not less than' >ne dollar. Our pastor will be ona >f Zion’s bishops by and by. Bishop G. W. Clinton is our bishop, le succeeds the noble Bishop A. Walters in the West Tennessee and Uismssippi conference. He visited 3at<*ville, Miss., last October and >reached a powerful sermon on ’Joshua.” Text, Joohua 6:16. He
The Star of Zion (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 28, 1897, edition 1
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