I - ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIS1' EPISCOPAL ZIOIT OEUROH IN ^JMERIOA.
YOIUME XXII.
CHARLOTTE, N. C.f THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3,1888.
i
LIFE MORE ABPNDAinV
Some Or The Accessary Conditions Be
fore One Gets This Life.
A NOTABLE ADDRESS.
[Opening address of V. D. David, the
Tamil Evangelist of India, on “Round
Top,” one Sunday afternoon, at the4 re
cent Norfhfield Conference.] "v f
“J am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundant
ly." John 10:10. j
I want to give you the message of
God. Not my own word, but His word,
I shall speak. What is “life?” What is
“the life more abundant?” Before I
touch on the life more abundant, I want
to deal with life. In order to make
this very plain, let me give you some
points that you may know
9 WHAT IS NOT UTK.
Morality is not life. A Christian man
can be a moral man, bat morality itself
will not make a man a Christian. Once
a moral young man <jame to Jesus; be
was very earnest, and asked Him, "Mas
ter, what shall I do to inherit eternal
life?” thinking that Christ would pat
him on his back and say, "0, yes ! right
you are; you may go to heaven.” But
Christ knew what he had in his heart,
and He also had fiery eyes to see what
was in that man. He did not at all wfsh
to contradict him, but with great patience
U ' said to him, “Have you been keeping the
law of God?” “Yes, sir! from my youth
up.” “0," Christ said, “you just go
home and sell all you have, and give to
the poor and follow me.” Ah ! the man
was very glad of all else that Christ
said, but he was not at all pleased with
that ‘a-1-1,’ all. He would have gladly
given to Him hundreds of thousands of
dollars, but the word *‘alV' upset him.
“Am I to lose- my ‘air which I -have
been earning all these years ? I am not
going to lose my all for this eternal life.
O, Master! keep it to Thyself. I am go
ing away,” and he went away sorrow
ful. (“Thou knoWest the command
ments, Elo not commit adultery, Do not
kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false wit
ness, Honor thy fpther and thy mother.
And he said, All these have I kept from
my youth up. Now when Jesus heard
these things, he said unto him, Yet lack
-- est thou one thing: sell all that thou hast,
and distribute unto the poor, and thou
shall have treasure in heaven: and come,
follow me. And when he heard this, he
was very sorrowful: for he was very
rich.” Luke 18:20 21, 22, 23. Coinp.
Matt. 19:lG-22.)
There are many moral people like that;
they think that they can go to heaven
because of their moral life; but in spite
of it all, with thetr moral life, they will
go straight to hell, because morality is
not Christianity. I know of many Hin
dus and Buddhists in my own land who
live good moral lives, but they are not
Christians. So you, dear young people
who are here, if you are taking shelter
under this branch, set aside all those
vain imaginations, and come to the con
clusion that you are not a Christian yet,
though you lead a moral life.
To be religious is not having life. Many
seem to think that they lead a very good
religious life, and therefore call them
selyes Christians, Many Pharisees and
Sadducees were religious. “For I say
unto you, That except your righteous
ness shall exceed the righteousness of
the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no
case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matt.5:20) You may go to church,
say your prayers, pay your subscriptions;
you may do all these things, but this is
people, to understand that your relig
ious life can never save you. If you are
under this delusion, come out of it at
once; your religious life is not life eter
nal.
You may have conviction of sin, hot
this does not prove that you have life
eternal. See FoliX. When Paul spoke
to Felix about righteousness, coming
judgment, and teihperance, Felix was
convinced of his sins and trembled from
head to foot. And what did he say?
Was he converted? He said, “Paul,
come thou and see me, and speak to me
at some convenient time; I cannot listfen
to such things now. Good-day, Pauf.”
“And as he reasoned of righteousness,
temperance, and judgment to come, Fe
lix trembled, and answered, Go thy way
for this time; when 1 have a convenient
season, I will call for thee.” (Acts 24:25.)
He was convinced ;of his sins, but he was
not converted. He had not life eternal
Perhaps you feel your sins; you ac
knowledge your sins, you are very sorry
for your sins; and there you end, that is
all. You stop there; and that does not
save you; it does not prove that you
have life eternal. You may be a good
teacher, dr one who is able to preach the
Gospel, one who knows the Bible, able
to give a good commentary on- it—able
to give chapter and verse for everything.
That does not prove that you have life
eternal. Look at tficodemus He came
to Christ one night,and said, “Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from
God, for no man do these miracles ex
cept God be with him.” But that man
-was not converted. He was a teacher
The knew the law of God, but he never
understood what it was to be “born
Again ” When Christ said, “Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the
i of God,” he did not at all un
it was strange talk to him
s saith unto him, How can a
vheahe i* old ? can he en
k -
ter the second time into his mother’s
wc mb, and be bornf” (John 8:4.)
{ o you see you may even be a good
teacher or preacher, or clergyman or
bis nop, but that does not prove you are
coi iverted. Tonr tcork is one thing; eon
ter <ion .quite another thing. Preaching
is * me thing—potsetsing life eternal quite
an >ther thing.
] fow you may be having a reformation.
Wulll reformation is not regeneration.
Sei itimental religion is not experimental
rel trlon. You may reform yourself, but
th; t is not life eternal. Herod waB such
a i lan. ke reformed his kingdom ac*
co: ding to the counsel of John the Bap
tis , but never was converted. "For
Herod feared John, knowing that he
was a just man and an holy, and ob*
served him; and when he heard him, he
die many things, and heard him gladly.”
(Mark 6:20.) “Herod had laid hold on
Jo in, and bound him, and put him in
prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother
Philip’s wife.” (Matt, 14:5.)
1 coaid give many other instances, bat
I Link that these are quite enough to
pri >ve that these things are not life eter
na .
WHIT THEN IS LIFE ETERNAL?
1 n a word, it is a “right about face’ ’ —
chinge the heart, and change of life.
Le t me give you some points so that you
mt y prove whether you have life eter
na.
. The first mark of life Eternal is
coi mciion of tin. “And he, when he is
co: ne, will 'convict the world in respect
of sin, and of righteousness, and of
judgment.” (R. V. John 16:8.) Forbe
ho d, this selfsame thing, that ye were
mi de sorry after a godly sort, what earn
est care it wrought in you, yea, what
clc aring of yourselves, yea, what indig
na lion, yea, what fear, yea, what long
injyea, what zeal, yea, what avenging t
In everything ye approved yourselves to
be pure in the matter.” (R. V. II Cor.
7:11.) First the Holy Ghost comes into
yo ir heart and shows you what you are.
Hi causes you to see the photograph of
yo ir own heart; and in that you are able
to see all that you are. Have yon ever
ha 1 this experience in your life? O 1
W sen the Spirit is a candle in your con
scienceyou will be able to see just what
you are. I know the Spirit of God
brought His own light into my con
sci ence nineteen years ago. I had never
beloved in these things. I was laugh
in j at the ideas of Christians, and wrote
agtfnst the preachers, and mocked
th sm. Not a bit of feeling did I have
ujon this kind of a life. But the Lord
juit brought the light into my heart,
an d I had no power to stand against
H m. If you have not had this experi
en co of conviction of sin, or, in other
words, if you have not seen yourself,
th it you are wrong in the sight of God,
II ell you, according to the Word of God,
yc u are not converted.
1. The second step is acknowledging
your tins. In Psalm 51:4, you will find,
D ivid acknowedging his sins; he says “I
hive sinned”—not “we;” but he puts
it “I”—“Against thee, thee only, have I
si ined.” (Psa 51:4 ) Some people want
to hide themselves in the plural number
—“we;” but when you get a real convic
ts >n of sin you always change the “we”
into “I.” If you are an honest man,
you will never try to hide your sins from
G >d. All those who haye conviction by
tl e power of the Spirit are sure to ac
knowledge themselves sinners in the
si {ht of God. Examine your life. Where
aie you standing in the sight of God?
FHiat about your business life?—Your
sc cial life ?—Your family life ? Just ask
G >d to show you. Your pride, selfishness,
grudges, worldliness, love of money,
lcve of pleasure—oh ! ask God to show
▼i >u all. If you are living in anv known
si o, you are not a Christian. “He that
0 immitteth sin is of the devil; for the
4 tvil sinneth from the beginning.’* (I
J >hn 8:8.) So, humble every nook and
& irner of your heart; everything is be
fore Him plump and plain. O, dear
fi iends, find out your true state in His
presence. If you do not acknowledge
y sur sins, you will never come to the
p Dssession of life eternal.
3. Then eonfemon of tin. “If we con
figs our sins, he is faithful and Just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
f 'om all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9.)
1 lave you confessed your sins to God ?
I es, many have done it. They confess
a ud they stop there. Many know how
t > confess their sins, but they stop there;
a nd some don’t like at all to confess.
5. The next all important step is for
nking tin. “He that covereth his sins
a hall not prosper; but whoso confesseth
«nd fonakeih them shall have mercy.’’
(Proverbs 28:13.) This is the deep lack
ii many church members. Many are
t onvinced of their sins—they acknowl*
(dge their sins—they confess their sins,
II ut they do not f&rtake their sins. This
is called repentance. Repentance, does
i iot mean feeling sorry for sins; that is a
I >art of it, but not all. God says that be
lore yon get eternal life you must for
f ake your sins entirely. All those who
lo not forsake iheir sins will never be
laved.
In India,I visited many churches hav
I ng from 10,000 to 14,000 professed con
certs. Many of them were living just
i ibout as they used to do. I asked a
mmber of these, “How do you know
rOu are converted?” They said to met
‘We acknowledged andconfessed our
:
BIBLICAL EPISCOPACY
“Back To Rome!” Seems To Be Th<
Trend Of Tbe Bishop’s Argument.
BT REV. JHO. A. D. BLOICE.
Dear Editor: The Bishop’s article
essaying a reply to mine, savors sc
much of the argumentum ad hominem
and the argumentum ad invidiam* thal
were it not for a few Scriptnreal quota
tions therein to sustain his conscientious
convictions of the divine right of Epis
copacy, I would consider it unworthy oi
my attention.
t beg leave to inform the Bishop that I am
not “contending for the faith and prac
tice of the Fathers,” but “for the faith
once delivered to the saints.” I would
also assure him that “epithets and un
couth sayings generally employed in
newspaper contentions” shall never
XUC UC1CU9C
i/uaiauici uic -aliy aiuuoo.
of what I conceive to be the truth is my
sole aim.
While I honor, lave and esteem my
superiors in office, and especially those
placed on the Episcopal bench by the
suffrage of their peers, I love, honor
and esteem Truth more. . r*
My intense love for the Scriptures,
and appreciation of their contents as the
foundation and ground of tfuth, forbid
me accepting any unscriptural dogma or
tradition of individuals or organizations
without some inquiry and investigation.
If therefore the genuineness and au
thenticity of the New Testament Scrip
tures be accredited by the Bishop, then
the references and arguments produced
in my last two articles have reached the
finality of a geometrical problem to ev
ery unprejudiced mind, and may justly
merit the subscription of “ Quod erat dem
onstrandum
In dilating upon the merits of Patris
tic writings touching the Divine right
of Episcopacy, the Bishop, in his ifirst
essay, remarks, “Strange indeed that we
accept of their Bible and not their polL
ty.” It was not the Episcopal Fathers
who gave us the Bible. Neither the
superscription nor subscription of the
Books of tho New' Testament thus in
forms. I shall not open a question just
here, but suffice to say that the Roman
Catholic idea of the Church being great
er than the Bible lies encouched in this
remark. “Back to Rome!” seems to
be the trend of the Bishop’6 argument.
The Bishop’s quotation of Mark 3:13,
14, and Luke 0:1213_to prove the divinity
of the office and order of the Bishopric
would suggest to a New Testament
Greek student either a defective ac
quaintance with the principles of Exe
gesis,' or a superficial knowledge of
the true meaning of New Testament
Greek terms. The Bishop seems to dis
cover the Episcopal element in the word
“ordained1” of our authorized version.
Possibly, he also sees the laying on of
hands in it, preceded by a ritualistic ser
vice of which the Saviour’s prayer, to
which.he alludes, forms a part. If the
Bishop will take his Greek Testament
and review his quotations, he will find
that the Greek word in Mark 3:14 trans
lated “ordained” by our authorized ver
sion, is liEpoiesen,” which means to
make or appoint; and that the word sub
stituted for it in Luke 6:13, and trans
lated “cTwse” “EkUxamenos,” which
means to select. If he will now turn to
2 Cor. 8:19 and Acts 14:23, and compare
the words “chosen” and ‘•ordained” in
the English version with the words for
which they stand in the Greek Testa
ment, he would, no doubt, repent of his
error and confess his mistake. The
words in the Greek translated in the
English|version “chosen” and“ordained”
respectively, are cnnrotonstMit” and
'cluirotoneMantte,” which mean to vote or
appoint by stretching out the hand.
The word “Epoiutn” in Mark 3:14 has
no modern day Episcopal idea in it. It
■imply means to appoint, or as Luke
says, to choose. Both Evangelists quot
ed by the Bishop tell us that the Saviour
having appointed or selected the
Twelve, named (onomcune) them not
Epiteopaui, or Bishops, but Apostollous
or Apostles.
■ I would again advise the Bishop, to
study well the distinctive meaning of
these terms.
The Bishop, after quoting John 20:21,
8dds “Thus making them overseer or
Bishops.” To what does. this “Thus”
refer ? I would remind the Bishop that
asserttons are not proofs no matter how
many “Thus’s” may conclude them.
We do not deny the order and office
of the twelve as Apostles. We deny
that the Lord made them Bishops. The
Apostles as heralds of the gospel were
all equal. No one was Bishop over the
other.
Touching the Bishop’s citations from
Psalm 109:8,1 would simply remind him
that the Apostles did not quote from the
Hebrew Scriptures, but from the Sep
tuagint or Greek version. Any student
of -New Testament Greek would quick
ly see and carefully heed the significance
of this suggestion.
Yes, I am willing to be left with Peter
who saw ths ridiculousness of the pre
tensions of modern Episcopacy, and re
duced it to the level of an Episcopacy
ever other men’s business. See 1 Pet.
4:15. -“But let none of you suffer as a
murderer , or as a thief, or as a busy
body (cUlotnepiacopos) a bishop oyer oth
er men’s matters.” Adieu until we
meet again.
OOHGLOMMU.TIOS Of 8TAT*M*HTS
The Bishop’s articles are
logical stamina that one can scarcely see,
' the drift of his argument. They seem to
, be simply a conglomeration of state
ments, heterogeneous in character, and
affirmative of lothing.
The exegesia of passages quoted is
moife than fa alty, and the inferences
drawn are fallacious beyond degree.
References to’ Mosheim’s Commentary
and Bishop El nd’ef History of the First
Century are out of order when compared
with New Tee ament History.
Wo are deal) ng with "Biblical Epiecopa
eg,” or the Ep: scopacy of the Now Tes
tament. On* ha# ho need of turning to
Conybeare aid Howson’s “Life and
EpSst'.e of St. :?ani, ’ or Corley’s “Lives
of the Apostle i” “for a true copy of the
letter” recorded in Acts 15:23-29. The
letter as presented to us in the New Tct-'
tament is sufflciemiy true to answer ail
Scriptural purposes.
The suggest; on to turn to these Com
mentaries, Histories, and Lives, may af
ford a precedent in later years for the
ministry of tho A. M. E. Zion Church to
turn tn thn “T?sh»V of Ttiahnn
Pettey on “Biblical and Patristic Epis
copacy,” for settling the question of the
Divine right of Episcopacy, and the
threefold ord< r of the ministry.
The decisions of dogma and tradition
should have nc authority, legal or eccle
siastical, in the light of Biblical facta and
Apostolic evider cea. Let the Bible speak
for itself, and let dogma and tradi
tion be relegated to their respective
spheres of influence. “Back to the Text,’
should be the ;ry of every honest seeker
after truth. Fearing that I might be
found guilty of arguing in a circle, 1
shall wait until I seo the Bishop take an
onward march, before I begin again to
track his path, and expose to public gaze
his hidden foott teps.
A tlantic dtp, JV. J.
ZION IN FLORIDA.
BT BEV. ». F. STEVENS, P. E.
I succeeded Rev. F. Smith as pre
siding elder ucd by the help of God
I intend to b reak the former record
of the district. The ministers are
waking up along all lines.
Rev. T. D. Upshaw, of New Hope
chapel, OaryviI^eT ia one of Zion’s
young sons v^ho was assigned here
after Rey. Fitch refused to go. He
has done a good work and added 20
persons to th<» church. We expect a
good report from this work on gener
al fund.
Summerville is a new work. A
church has jest been built on it. The
pastor, W. D. Linnox, is getting
along nicely with his people.
At Point Washington Rev. J. 0.
Bellamy wan Bent to gather the dock
send feed them. Instead of doing so, he
went' as a Vrolf and scattered them
and then tried to close the church
against the members. Poor fellow!
He didn’t know any better, having
been in all oif the Negro denomina
tions in the South and wouldn’t stay
in any of them for the reason that he
was called' but not chosen. I
preached there four nights, had four
converts and six accessions to the
church. We organized a Sunday
school, a W. H. and F. M. Society,
and a V. 0. !3. and left the church in
good condition. R. Middleton, J.
others are pillars of the
Rand and
church.
Rey^ H. Taylor is doing all he can
to pat our church on solid basis at
McAsker Mill which is 12 miles
across Ohocbtohachee Bay. He has
organized two new ohurches this
year. This is the kind of men Zion
needs in Florida—men, who* will not
sit and wait for bthers to die in order
to get their places, but men who are
willing to gc out and build up the
Connection. Rev. Taylor is the
giant mf We it Florida.
Rev. C. S, Scarboughow is pot
getting along so well with his work
at Cotton Dale. Pastor and people
seem .to lovo each other, but it looks
as if he cam ot manage them.
We had a‘ good time at Tallahassee,
Rev. J. C. Lee is here. He is hired
out in a st >re instead of pastoring
his church. We need a strong man
for this Capital of the State. Oar
next conference meets here.
One year ago Zion was not known
in Drifton. Rev. R. H. Hurst has
built a .chuich here and added eight
members to it. He has suffered for
Zion’s sake. Let all who believe
they are caied to preach go and do
will be ten new
ts on my District another,
EMANCIPATION SPEECH.
The Negro Still Climbing The Ladder
Of idrancement.
CLOCK TO THE TOP.
[Address by [lev. E. M. Smith, pastor
of the St. Mark's A. M. E. Zion -Church,
Athens, Tenn., delivered at the Coart
Hoase irf the Emancipation Proclama
tion meeting, J w. 3rd, 1808.}
Ladies, Gentlemen and Fellow-Citi
zens: I assure you with a grateful heart
that the opportunity Which now pre
sents itself to me affords me no little de
gree of pleasur 3. I do not come before
you to try to b< tter what baa beensald; I
come because i, is my duty. Like all
ether races, tho Negro is still m the line
of progress: Ne t at the foot nor at the
middle, but so :lose to the top-round of
tho ladder of a* iraneement that he nay
well be consldired o*b of the first in
ranks. The Nigro, like all other races,
has his ups anc downs; yet In many re
spects his case presents a different as
pect to the world than that of his pres
ent competitors; for to my mind there
has never been a race of people- who
have made the lame nhlimited progress
under the same conditions and in the
Rama lenvth of tt th» “Knrlu”
hated Negro. Brea his worst enemies
will not attempt to deny this fact.
And now stretching before ns in the
great field of advancement, in legislative
halls, in oar sc io«l houses, in every con
ceivable line ol industry, yonr, wisdom
cannot bat bel old the climax of the Ne
gro’s progress, though faint was the be
ginning. The question now may be
asked, why is it that .1 commend one
race and not another ? Is it because of
a special point of gain I wish to reap ?
Or is it because of the prejudice stirred
up in me? My reply, dear friends, is
neither. It is only from a heart filled
with the love cf justice. It is from a
motive pure and true as the qualities of
tried gold. I might pause, it is true*
and flatter tin Caucasian race which
would claim naturally to be the first in
the line of pi ogress; or perhaps exalt
the Mongolian to heights which he has
never attained yet, through the omnis
cient eye of tt e Almighty my wrong
acts would be found out, while beneath
the loathing o 'a guilty conscience, as an
outcast, I wou d feel condemned. Bo as
the Romans of old, I will say, “Let jus
tice to whom j isticc is due.bejjiven, for
Caesar and his edicts must be obeyed.”
Taking up the line of argument from
which I have somewhat deviated, I am
forced to a great pause when I contem
plate the Negr )’s past or beginning; for
here lies t ie invisible protoplasm
from which shall develope the highest
organism of man, only to be considered
machines in the hands of a dominant
race.- The Nigro was considered by (
the tiller in tt e ante-bellum days only
an instrument to be used in the hands o*
another, but if those producers were liv
ing at the present day by his achieve
ment they would necessarily have a
higher opinioi" of him. According to
onr chances we have superseded all ,
classes in progress, regardless of its size
or principles. Yes, from the exiles of ]
barbarism hav 3 we come. Out of the (
most ignorant ants and darkest j angles of
Africa, by marauders were they brought, ;
without sympathy, friends or money.
By innumerab ic hosts did they continue
to pour in upon our shores until this
fair America, .he home of the brave and
the land of tho free, was glutting In the
brutish nractices of human- slavery.
vhich lias stained her bright name
,nd laid low ti e higher virtues, which
could only crown her to be the peer in
reedom of all nations. Tet while a bi
tss-minded pwple were still revelling'
n that atmos[ here of God-given free
lom for which they through many sac
ificcs had gained, they did, in the face
»f all this, on save and deprive others of
bat which thsy had justly [gained. But
hrough all this, the just God who sees
md rules all t hihgs, still kept His omuls,
sient eye upo:i the wicked doings of
nan, and inasmuch as they meted it out
o others, now' should the same be
neted out to them. Independence
imong the Colonists could now be heard
is the cry rising po-frcm-* alt Sources,'
laying tutu, taxation without represent a
;ion was tyranny. In the midst of all
his, Providence brought forth Crispus
ittucks, a E egro slave, to challenge
jven Great B rltain herself for the cause
>f Independence. And for the princi
ple of this right he bravely met his death,
ihereby beinf the first martyr of Inde
pendence. The Anglo-Saxon, his broth
er, who, because he was endowed with
the mere supi erne powers,held hisbroth
sr as a slave The Revolutionist con
pi ered in tha great struggle and not
w ithout the i dd of the Negro.
And again was the Negro forged in
chains of silvery more' debasing and
cruel than ever known in the annals of
civilized hist >ry. During the two hun
dred years oi more in which the Ne
gro was in bondage, he was not standing
still nor rett rning to misfortunate traits
of the past; tut instead was rapidly tak
ing those strides w^ich were destined to
make him a | rest and prosperous future.
In the place >f barbarfaun he partook of
the elements of civilisation; and with
these he adap tedjjteffelf to the surround
ing sit
boon
slave existing with individuals of the
same rights under the same material and
spiritual laws? This question was a
monster. A. weight of conviction was
on the one side and a load too large for
digestion on the other. Providence was
now rapidly but silently opening the
way to which the Negro though ignor
ant was developing. God himself with
His mighty host had set in opposition
those instruments which would scon
burst forth the clouds of the gospel
truths. The Church and the ministry
were the first in action. And mighty
ones were they. With their martyrs
and their saints of devotion did they
pour forth their denunciation of human
servitude—'that none shall be called mas
ter save God. And with the more pow
erful agencies of prayer the strongholds
of mammon slavery were soon seen to
shake. The press began to cry alond
and when her blasts were all turned loose
frith full force the fortress of slavery
was again seen to tremble. From every
pulpit and rostrum the voices of Garri
son, Wendell Philiipe and others could
be heard thundering ia words of logic
their abhorrence of the moat diabolical
oriminal practices by men of intelli.
gence that the world had ever known.
Anu bo poweriui were weir appeals mat
the whole world was stirred to the
greatest depths of sympathy for the op
pressed. The crisis had come. Legisla
tive enactment had been propounded
and enforced. The legions could lay
under it no longer. Secession was de
clared. Fort Sumter had been fired and
a Jefferson Davis had been crowned in
the city of Montgomery, Ala.
But where was Alexander before
Egypt fell ? Where was Napoleon be
fore France was subdued ? They were
being reserved until their time of need
fulness should come. And thus it was
with old America and the secessionists.
Sod was holding in reserve Lincolm
Grant and Sherman who should be on
theb' fields of duty and force to subjec
tion the rebellious sons, Davis and Lee,
with their children; to liberate those
bondmen who had served their untimely
end as Inferiors and not equals, that they
might pursue the line of progress equal
to that of their Anglo-Saxon brother,
rhos with the fall of Richmond and
principally the year sixty-three, Africa
end her children have been marching
3n, on,on, migrating to the different
States without money or friends. lie
liaSAtriven to keep pace with all other
races. As I have said, I will .repeat
tgain, according to the Negro’s circum
itances he stands to-day second to no
>ther race in the strides of progress.
We have our great men, preachers of the
gospel, lawyers and doctors and profes
iors, men like Hon. B. K. Bruce and
Booker T. Washington and our Bishop
George W. Clinton, A. M., D. D., John
W. Smith, D. D., Editor of the Star of
Sion. These men are worthy of note
ind any race may feel proud of them.
Remember all this has been accom
jlished in thirty years. If you will par
ion me for the presumption, I will say
hat in the next thirty years the world
vill be more astonished at his achieve
nents than it is now, I hope at
,he expiration of that time that all pre
udice against the darker race of man
vill have been wiped out of existence
ind happily may we all then be making
>ur progress on to God. You talk about
solonization, emigrating to Africa. The
Segro is here; and here we expect to
itay. This country the American Ne
gro knows. Our future is filled with
jrightness, and as the poet says, '‘Lives
>f great men all remind us, we can
nake our lives sublime, and departing
eave behind us, foot prints on the sands
>f time.” 1
HIGH SCHOOL VISITORS.
This morning Bishop George W. Clin
;on. of Charlotte, N. C.; Bev. C. H. Wye,
)f West Harrisburg, and Rev. J. H. Mc
Mullen, pastor of Wesley Union Zion A.
If. E. church, paid a visit to the High
School in charge of Dr. William Howard
Day. Bishop Clinton is one of the. re=_
jresentative^ colored men of the new
Wtu. 'tester day morning and evening
;he Bishop filled the pdlpit of Sev. Mc
Mullen's charge, speaking in the morning
of “The Great Faith and Wise Choice of
Moses," and in the evening on “Christian
Life and Duty.” The partv inspected
the High School and were much pleased
with what they saw. Bi shop Clinton
will return to his home Wednesday. Be
expressed himself as well pleased with
what be had seen. Bishop Clinton, who
annually delivers a series of theological
lectures before the well known school of
Booker T. Washington, is actively en
gaged in the work of improving the con
dition of bis- people. Unusual success
has attended his efforts. He will preach
to-morrow ntoht'at the Harris A. M. E.
Zion church, Marion street. While in
Harrisburg he is the-guest of Rev. J. H.
McMullen.—1the Harr Murg Nett*.
A mutually pleasant surprise at
tended this visit to the High School,
as the Bishop and the Principal rec
ognised each other as old acquaint
ances. Principal, Prof. Baer and
Bishop Clinton some years ago in
structed together in the Teachers’
Institute, of Iforth Carolina. Both
of the gentlemen rejoiced in the op
portunity of renewing an old and
profitable acquaintance and each eras
* of the other’a success. Bmhop
incident aa
viat to
REVIVAL FIRES BURN.
Presence Of The Holy Ghost Mani
fested—Work Progressing.
BY BEY. B. A. FISHEB, D. V.
Editor of Stab of Ziok: The
work in the first or “Philadelphia
district is in a state of prosperity,
The revival fires are burning in many
pirts of the work. Wesley church
in Philadelphia is in the midst of a
gracious outpouring of the Diving
Spirit. Both Bishops Walters and
Clinton have labored in this meeting.
Er. Goler and others of Zion’s leadeif
hive also preached the Gospel dur
ing Sts progress and have rejoiced in
the con verson of many souls. Over ;
forty have been taken direct from
the ranks of the enemy, and between * s!
seventy-five and a hundred acces
sions to the church. Brother Oald
well is happy; he sings and shoots.
Rev. B. J. Bolding at our church
in South Media rejoices in the con
version of twenty souls, fourteen of
whom joined his church. The writ
er labored with him in this meeting,
doing all the preaching whilp pres
ent, but one sermon which was de
livered on Sunday morning, 16th,
tie pastor, which was a splejadldone. II
Dr. J. Mitchell Hall, at Avondale
church, rejoices in the greatest riviv
al in the history of that church.. Dr,
Hall graduated from Marion College,
later in theology, and went as a
missionary to Africa and taught the
heathens thd blessed gospel. He
came back and subsequently studied
medicine and graduated with honor
from Howard University, Washing
ton, D. C. His few years’ practice in
Washington found him climbing to
eminence in that profession. The
call of God which he heard in his
earlier days seeming to ring louder in
i is ears, he has entered with all the
powers of his soul into the v/orjc of
a gospel minister. His success is^’
simply grand. He was appohite<tt>y ^
Bishop Pettey to Avondale church
last May and he has more than
doubled its membership. Within '
the last two weeks he has had forty- “
nine accessions.
Rev. J. H. Hardin, of Newtown,
Pa., stands at the head of the list so
far this year as a church builder.
Within a very few weeks from Sow
be will dedicate the~ most beautiful
brick church owned by colored peo
ple in all that part of the country,
'i.his he has done, neglecting no other
financial responsibility. I think our
Conference Steward will bear me out
in saying that Brother Hardin was
£ mone the first, if not the very first
that sent in a dollar general fund after
receiving his appointment at confer
ence. When the writer held his first
quarterly conference he found:
about half of his general fund was
raised and sent in.
onfer
isfiiit
I learned from the steward that _ j|
neveral brethren have not rent in gen
<?ral fund who have raised it. Brethren,
et me Bay in one simple sentence, but
powerful in meaning—you had better
send it in. Within two week si will
oe in positon to report revival meet
ings and the aspect of the work more
generally.
Philadelphia, Pa.
_
The work here is going on gradual
ly. There is more activity and in
terest manifested la the V. 0.. E.
Society in the* Sunday evening
prayer-meeting than has been for a
long time. The church is still
marching on to victory under the
leadership of our noble pastor, Rev.
F. H. Hili.—Mary E. Chase, Provi
dence, R. I.
BISHOP HARRIS’ APPOINTMENTS.
PABTOBS’ ASD BISHOP’S P. O. ADDRESS. "
Jan 26, Lamberton, NC,' N D King
“ 27, Wilmington, *“ . E B Williams
“ 30, Jacksonville, Fla, A H Evans
“ 31, Elridge, “ A A Marshall
Peb 2, Orange Bend “ J H Oreea
“ 4, Center Hill, “ J E Rivers
“ 0, Kissimmee, “ R R Frederick i
“ 7, Bartow, “ J Alston'
“ », Homeland, “ W Walker
“ 11, Myers; [if practicable] A Jackson
“ 18, Key West,
“ 20, Tampa,