Newspapers / The Star of Zion … / June 23, 1898, edition 1 / Page 6
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EPISCOPAL DOTS. BY C. R. H. Permit me to tell an old story. A Scotch minister in reading a Psalm during the church services came to these words, “I said in my haste, all men are liars. ’’Rais ing his eyes to look at his congre gation, he said, after a pause— “Had David lived in these days, he would have needed to say the words in his haste. ” While in Goldsboro I saw, or heard read a newspaper paragraph concerning a horrible, murder that occurred in Concord, N. C., and what was if possible more horrible the mur der of two colored “suspects” by a mob after they had been arrested and were in jail. I said in my haste I would like to have been there and led the band of men to arrest the lynchers. My thoughts turned to Charlie Taylor’s military company, just entered the U. S. service for the Cuban campaign, and I believed he was needed more in Cabarrus county at that time than any wThere else. Then I said to my com pan on, It may look strange for a preacher to talk that way, but it ought to be done. The Negroes need an Equal Rights League, and the whites or, the citizens without regard to race, party j or sex to form an Anti Lynching League for the purpose of prosecuting every such violation of the laws of our land. Even if this be the “whiteman’s country,” they ought to obey their own laws, especially when judge, and jury, and advocate, and the sus pect’s'counsel, and a vast majority of the citizens are cherishing con tempt and hatred for the class of persons to which the unfortunate suspect belongs; andean easily see that no guilty Negro escapes the just penalty of the law even if he were allowed the forir of a legal trial by a jury of his peers. I would be glad tc be one of a thousand men who will pledge $5.00 per annum to raise a fund to prosecute all violations of law made on accoun t of 4 ‘race, color or former condition of servi tude.” I need not have used the last five words however, for lawbreakers and suspects are usually under forty years of age, but as it is part of a quotation I leave it as it is. I think that language is in one of the amendments to the U. S. Constitution which were adopt ed by the American people for the purpose of guardicg the rights of a loyal, docile, but recently enslaved race. At Scotland Neck, N. C., is a promising mission established by a blind preacher in a county where there'is no other Zioa Methodist church and with no prestige or aid of any sort that I knew of except that of the Holy Ghost and a res olute will. I had the pleasure of leaving with the church treasurer ten dollars granted by the Mission Board at its last meeting. I hope to be able to promote this pastor at the next opportunity. At Rocky Mount, the pastor, Rev. T. H. Hall, has added ten feet to the church and ceiled it and a neat recess for the pulpit. He is quite popular. IS [any of the Baptists seem to like to hear his preaching as well as do the mem bers of his church. He reported to me some thirty additions to the membership and began a protract ed meeting on the night after I preached there. Rev. W. J. Moore’s Jubilee was not a financial success, and upon motion it was decided to keep the books open for donations until December 1. This will allow those who, on account of any cause, were unable to respond as they wish, to get into the stream which floats into the favor of God. The liberal, zealous, and the loyal, Rev. H. H. Bingham, the pastor at Wilson, had spared no pains to accommodate the guests to the number of two hundred, and we were well cared for. Rev. Miles, though severely cirticized through the Star, stood mildly by those charged with the duty of reading papers or preaching sermons for not giving sufficient notice, and it showed that he was not alone nor wholly to blame. He made amends by contributing his best towards a happy and profitable renditon of the pvogam. Bishop Hood gave us one of his charac teristic sermons, and contributed more than any one else to the real good obtained by a discussion of themes of vital interest to Zion at this hour. I hope I may not be regarded as invidious if next to him I shall name J. H. Love, G. H. Miles, H. H. Bingham and A. F. Moore. The display of local talent was powerful. Livingstone College was well represented by Mrs. E. C. Bingham, a college alumna, and several former stu dents. I mention this to give added zest when on Children’s Day, we all sing, “Oh ! Living stone, my Livingstone.” Sanctification recieved more than its usual share of discussion, a whole afternoon being devoted to it. Here the logical acumen and nice discrimination ofv thought peculiar to Bishop Hood were manifest, as well as the reverence accorded him as a “walking cyclo pedia” of religious knowledge which by common consent called upon him to decide as to which is the true doctrine. He did so to the satisfaction of all. Dr. Rives’ pa per on “Is Baptism Essential to Salvation?” was carefully and thoughtfully discussed as was de manded by the able manner in which the subject was treated by the writer. At the close of the Jubilee it was voted that we have a similar Preachers’ Institute every year. At this place, Kinston, the sanctificationists have done some harm, but the evil effects have al most ceased to manifest them selves. It is said they denounce or discourage the collection- of general fund and pastors salary. If the so-called “evangelists’’ were pastors, they would sing a different song, wouldn’t they? Some think the movement is in tended to be a secession from ex isting churches and the institution of a new sect. Let us “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord,” while we continue to preach faith fully, plainly and zealously the true doctrine of our holy religion. “Truth crushed to earth shall rise again The eternal years of God are hers: But Error wounded, writhes with pain, And dies among her worshippers.” Iunstan, K. C. If we allow our children to run in the streets on Sabbath when they ought to be in Sabbath school or churcji, what do we ex pect will become of the church when the present membership is dead? WE ARE HUSTLING. BUILDING CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS. BISHOP JEHU HOLLIDAY, D. D. I am well and, hard at work. I dedicated a fin a church at Pine Bluff Sunday, M'ajy 15th. We had a grand time; took 11 members in the church. I went from there to Wilmot, Arkansas, to see after Wal ters Institute. I arrived there on Saturday, May 21st, and remained until Friday 27 :h, during which time I got things arranged for th building of the house which is 40x60 feet, two stories high. It is to be ready by the first of October. Then I will huve a grand time holding services in the Institute. I would love for you, Mr. Editor, to be there on that day. I will give you due notice of it. Rev. B. Macon is going to build a fine church at Wilmot, Arkan sas. He expects to have it done by September. He has a work ing trustee board. He has two professors on his board—Jackson and Douglas. They are on the College Board. They are making things move. I went from there to Brinkley, Arkansas. We are going to have a new church there. The foun dation is laid and the carpenters said we ould chave it by the first Sabbath in July. Rev. R. Y. Thompson, Rev. W. W. Matthews and Rev. H. L. Lee are making things move in Little Rock. Rev. Thompson is going to re build at St. PluI; Rev. H. L. Lee is going to pay on his church and increase his membership, and Rev. W. W. Matthews is finishing paying for Paynes Chap el. When Conference sits there on the second Wednesday in De cember you will see grand church es and we will have a good time. Rev. E. D. Washington, P. E. of the second presiding elder dis trict, is standing by me and pushing the educational work, and he promises a • great increase in general fund. Rev. E. M. Mar tin, P. E. of the first district, says his work is prospering and he will not be behind on any line, for all are at work. I will try to meet you at Asbury Park, N. J., in August at the meeting of the Board of Bishops. Then I will tell you more about the West. Tell the coming young ministers to come West and suffer a little and we will be able to spread Zion and advance the Re deemer’s kingdom as never before. Little Hock, Ark. A FEW SPARKS. NO USE TO KICK BECAUSE A WOMAN HAS BEEN ORDAINED AN ELDER. BY B. E. GRANT. The Philadelphia and Baltimore Conference is over. The boys had a good time. It was a fine ses sion. Bishop C. C. Pettey is a grand and dignified presiding of ficer. I heard the lamented Rev. F. A. Clinton sf.y at our Confer ence in Harrisburg in 1895 that there were thre3 things for a man to learn: first, what to say; sec ondly, how to say it; and thirdly, when to say it. Bishop Pettey has learned these three things. He is a great preacher and speaker. While there I formed the ac quaintance of Professor B. A. Johnson, of Livingstone College, Secretary A. J. Warner and Gen eral Manager G. L. Blackwell. They are learned, men of business, and not for foolishness. We missed the genial, kind-hearted, all around man, Editor J. W. Smith. The W ashington church es are marching on successfully under the leadership of the old battle-axes, Revs. R. J. Daniels, A. A. Crooke, W. A. M. Cy press, P. L. Cuyler, and Logan Johnson. Rev. Crooke has his sol diers in marching orders, divided into companies for a grand rally of $300 the third Sunday in July. The charming wife of Editor Smith, the man of the times, stopped a day and night in our city with Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Turn er, one of Washington’s progres sive families that owns property, and then left to see her parents in Carlisle, Pa. While here she was given a grand reception by Mrs. Turner, g,nd several of the elite of the city were present. Rev. Crooke and wife and Rev. J. J. Evans and wife were also present. The ordination of Mrs. Mary J. Small is attracting wide atten tion and is being warmly dis cussed. It seems that several ministers are becoming worked up over it. As a lay delegate I voted for her ordination, not so much for my belief in the ordination of women but because I did not see anything against it. In such a case it is one of those questions in which we must use our best judg ment. These kicking ministers are now getting their own corn back. They were very eager a few years ago in the General Confer ence to strike the words “male and female” out of our Discip line so that both sexes unlike in the great M. E. Church could have equal privileges in Zion and hold the samci offices. After we or dained her a deacon in York and she passed a creditable exami nation the other day in Baltimore she had a right to receive elder’s orders. Since the bars have been let down the women have been coming to the front inch by inch until she has reached next to the highest round in the ministry. Who is to blame ? The General Con ference, not the annual. The body that makes the laws must shoul der the responsibility. Mrs. Small is not responsible. She only asked for what that body said she could have if she was competent. She prepared herself, the committee said she passed a creditable exam ination, nnd of course she won her position by merit—no favor in it. Kicking ministers, you made the law. Now take your own medi cine. Washington, D. C. Marriage life reminds us of the flies and the show case. The flies that are in the case are butting to get out, and those that are out are butting to get in. These are the words our wives use when they are making slow progress toward a new dress: ‘You n€iver do get anything I want, arid I don’t mind cooking when I have something to cook.’ __ t ( * The Slate Sunday-school Con vention of the South Carolina Conference will meet at Kershaw, S. C., August 10th, 1898. All ministers and superintendents of this Conference will please be present. The Star man, General Manager, and President of the Y. C. E. are invited to be present.— M. D. Lee, State Superintendent, Lancaster, S. C. SOME PLAIN TALK. LET US LOOK AFTER THE WORNOUT MINISTERS. BY REY. A. M3IYER. I find myself thinking over the sad condition of the wornout min isters of our Church. The Zion Church is called a great Church. It is I think the grandest Church in the world; but she seems to be weak when it comes to taking care of her wornout ministers. The old fathers that have worked hard and have given their lives for the Church should be remem bered and cared for in their old days. The 126th Psalm tell us that “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Let our proud Zion look after these vetesrans. Well, some kind brother will say that there is an appropriation from the general fund for them* That is so, but what they receive is entirely too small to do them much good. The General Conference has appointed days and collections for the several Departments of the Church, which, is alright. Now let the General Church set apart one day in twelve months and give" the old ministers and wornout preachers a collec tion, and let it fix the day for a collection to be raised and let the Bishops see to it that the law is carried out and let the General Conference elect a treasurer to pay it out. Other churches are looking after their dear old preachers and Zion can do the same. I will close up on the wornout ministers for this time. If I am right, say so; if wrong> say so. I am down with the peo ple and know what I am talking about and I shall not take it back. I think all the ministers should be treated right. One man is no better than another. I think the ministers should be better provid ed for. The General Conference should pass a law for ministers to get their back salaries. I will hold up on the salary. Well, wffiat about the General Officers? Is it right for them to receive a salary of one thousand dollars a year and then have charg es equal to pastors. I am talking about what is right in the sight of God. I am not speaking of what I want my dear friends to have,, but “right” is my text. The Edi tor, Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Alstork, are in charge of churches. Now if most of the ministers are living off of $250 a year, I don’t know how it is that some ministers cannot, live on a $1,000 salary. Come,, you three ministers must turn on. more light. The time has come that we. should collect the general fund, quarterly. Let each member pay 13 cents every three months. The P. E’s salary is niised on this, plan—15 and 25 cents every three months—and they get from $6 to $15 every week. Elder J. W. Thomas, you are right, and the people say you are right on this robe-wearing. I am opposed to it. Let the General Conference forbid the wearing of them. I hope, Mr. Editor, that you will let all of this letter appear. The boys all say they will remem ber you in two years to come. Newton, NO. If there is a past in which men have done ill, let them have hope,, for there is a f uture in which tney may do well.
The Star of Zion (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 23, 1898, edition 1
6
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