ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH IN AMERICA.
Volume XXII.
Charlotte, N. C., Thursday, August 4, 1898,
Number 33.
THE Cl E. CONVENTION.
The Great Gathering at Nashville
--Denominational Rally.
BV PROF. B. a. JOHN SON.
The great Christian Endeavor
Society held its 17th annual ses
sion in Nashville, Tenn., on the
(>th to Uth of July, and for the
first time South of the Mason and
Dixon line. Except in numbers,
the Convention in all other re
spects hds been pronounc ed a suc
cess.
Zion cannot boast much in Nash
ville, for unfortunately our mis
sionaries and founders passed it by
when they were planting tlle Church
in Tennessee. However, our de
nominational rally was properly
scheduled with President Colbert
named for chairman. But the
wise judgment of the bishops and
ministers of both the A. M. E- Z.
and A. M. E. Church 3s caused
them to agree to a joint denomi
national rally which was held in
the St, Paul A. M. E. church
Friday morning, July 81;h. Bish
ops Alexander Walters and (3r. W.
Clinton w^ere there representing
the Episcopacy of Zion, whil
Bishop B. W. Arnett, who acted
as chairman of the joint meeting,
represented the A. M. E. Church.
Besides these, there were ministers
and laymen not only oi the two
Churches mentioned, but of the
M. E. Church and also of the Bap
tist Church. In the last instance
notably two delegates from Cherry
Street Baptist church in Philadel
phia. ^\.n account of the meeting
is given in the following minute:
The meeting was opened by sing
• ing “ Pass me Not, O Gentle
Savior.’’ Rev. C. W. Ziegler, of
the A. i\L E.. Church, led in prayer,
which was followed by the rendi
tion of'the excellent anthem by
the choir, entitled “Search me, O
God.” Bishop Clinton then con
ducted1 the Scripture reading,
choosing the 72d Psalm and the
13th chapter of First Corinthians.
The secretaries chosen were Sidney
E. Purnell, of the A. M. E.
ChurcH, Philadelphia, and B. A.
Johnsojn, of the Zion Church, Liv
ingstone College, Salisbury, N. C.
Bishpp Arnett next introduced
Rev. J. O. Davis, D. D., the pas
tor of St. Paul, who in nicely con
structed phrases spoke words of
welcome. He was happy in his
remarks and laid emphasis on the
delight it gave him to vwelcome the
delegates who had come from a
distance. He also paid an excellent
tribute to the two great founders,
Variek and Allen. The response
was made by Mr. Geo. M. Oliver,
of Philadelphia, who is president of
the Variek Endeavor Society of
the A. M. E. Zion chui ch at 15th
and Lombard Streets. Mr. Oliver
in the course of his remarks, inti
mated; that the small attendance at
the Convention from ab:-oad as well
as the lack of patronage of its meet
ings on the part of the citizens of
Nashville, was an indication that
the Convention had come to Nash
ville too soon.
When the choir had sang, “God
is calling the Prodigal,” etc., Rev.
D. A. Graham, of Indianapolis,
Ind., was introduced for an ad
dress. He announced that a little
more enthusiasm was necessary to
his speaking and requested the
singing of the song “Loyalty to
Christ.” He prefaced his remarks
by saying that Tong before he had
heard of Dr. Clark and his work
he had organized a 4 4 Gospel Band ”
among the young people of his
church in Washington, Ind. But
when the Christian Endeavor be
came prominent, finding that it
was the same as his,, he adopted
that name, and then jokingly re
marked that he and Dr. Clark are
the fathers of the whole concern.
The burden of his remarks was to
the effect that the work of the C.
E. is practical and contributes to
the material, spiritual and charit
able development of the Church.
He spoke in excellent manner of
the prominence given by the Con
vention to the original Methodist
doctrine of a high spiritual life.
When more music had been in
terspersed, Rev. J. B. Colbert, A.
M., who is the official head of the
Endeavor work in the Zion Church,
was introduced for an address. In
speaking of the origin of the work,
he made the statement that the C.
E. Society was born in heaven.
The burden of his remarks was upon
the great advantage the work was
to young people in the Church,
insisting that its methods are
adapted to young people and young
converts especially, relieving them
of much of the embarrassment
which often comes to such con
verts in taking part in church ser
vices. By special request, Rev.
Graham sang “It pays to serve
Jesus.”
Mr. J. Jarrett Johnson, repre
sentating the Christian Endeavor
Society of the Cherry Street Bap
tist church, of Philadelphia, was
called upon to say a word for his
denomination.
Bishop Walters, who is one of
the 35 trustees of the United En
deavor Society, next made an
address. He spoke with enthusi
asm when he pointed out many
reasons for his being in the work.
His race, he said, needed to be
identified with all such great move
ments, and he and Bishop Arnett
had both been re-elected for a term
of three years as the race’s sole
representatives on the board of
trustees.
Dr. C. S. Smith, the Superin
tendent of the Sunday-school De
partment and the Manager of the
Publishing House of the A. M. E.
Church, when called upon, said he
simply represented the social side
of the meeting and gladdened the
hearts of the delegates by extend
ing them invitations to a reception
Saturday evening from 8 to 10
o’clock at the Publishing House.
The feeling having been be
[CONTINUED ON EIGHTH PAGE.]
DR. DAY’S MOTHER.
She Was The Embodiment of
Great and Noble Qualities.
BY MRS. BISHOP 0. C. PETTEY.
The more we study the beauty,
symmetry and force of nature as
exemplified in a multiform variety
of organic life in the several king
doms, the more curious we become
not only to find the cause by which
life is forced to growth and action,
but that which mnkes distinct the
species as well.
Common organism is natural;
but the development of peculiar,
rare and distinct species entirely
new to the world has a cause if
natural, unseen and inexplicable.
Every student is possibly famil
iar with Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and
Neptune; but once in a while an
astronomical expert, scanning the
plains of the Pleiades, discovers an
orb heretofore unknown. Up
shoot the telescopic lenses from a
thousand and more observatories,
with wonder and amazement, in
search of the new neighbor to our
planets.
Such phenomena are found in
every kingdom. From whence
they come we can hardly surmise,
as they ^are^guicied by laws un
known to us.
Likewise at great intervals, un
der strange circumstances, and at
times when the ciyil and religious
world is most in need of reform,
we discover a new intellectual,
moral star rising higher, and shin
ing brighter, spinning aloft in the
great world of thought. To this
class of superior models came forth
Moses to guide Israel; Solomon
for the Jewish kingdom; Mary to
mother the Church as she gave us
Christ; Dorcas for evangelistic
work; Napoleon for France; Joan
d’Arc for Orleans; Nelson for
England; Victoria as a Christian
sovereign; Touissaint L’Overture
for the freedom of his island; Go
mez and Maceo for liberty-loving
Cuba; Frances Willard for tem
perance reform; Lincoln, William
Lloyd Garrison, Stephen A. Doug
las, Charles Suhiner, Frederick
Douglass, Harrier Beecher Stowe
and our own Eliza Day, for the
emancipation of American slaves.
God has specialists in every de
partment of His vast laboratory,
and none are fraught with more
curiosity or welcomed with greater
admiration than the phenomena of
the mind. As we find no example
in nature for super-individual de
velopment, we 'finally conclude
that God in His providence brings
forth these rare specimens to meet
the uncommon demands and to give
to the world such lights in order
that humanity may attain to that
dignity and eminence in character
and thought essential to His glory.
Another illustration of divine
purposes may be found in the days
of colonial oppression, when the
colonies, were suffering unjust tax
ation without representation.
When the time was ripe, God
raised up Patrick Henry to blow
the sparks o:: liberty and independ
ence into a colonial blaze. Then
it was thkt Washington rose from
the humble position of surveyor
to the chieftainship of the colonial
army and or to the Presidency of
the new born republic.
With the uevv republic came new
church organizations, which grew
into might}' strength, and com
menced an evangelical career of
gigantic pcwer. The revolution
might'be truly styled the mother
of Methodism.
Methodist ic moral suasion wres
tled against every species of en
slavement in favor of the republi
can liberty which is to-day charac
teristic of this glorious Union.
Slavery, the: hydra-headed gigan
tic evil, has haunted the shadows
of civilization through all ages.
Emerging’ from barbarism, the
stronger realizing their superiority
have a tendency to oppress and
enslave the weaker; but in so doing
the oppressor as well as the op
pressed is cursed with the multi
tudinous evils en-ailed in this
crime. The plague-smitten Egyp
tians are verily typical symbols.
But there: was still another great
evil which greatly agitated the
minds of the free people of this
country, nearing the close of the
eighteenth century. At this epoch,
there was not a single colored re
ligious organization in all America.
The colored people were subju
gated to white supremacy even in
receiving the holy communion;
and this being the age of revolu
tion and reform, every spindle
revolving ground the sentimental
axle of Amarican civilization was
independence.
[continued in next issue.]
j TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE.
BY P.. B. HENDERSON.
The Teachers’ Institute held in
Charlotte, N. C., from July 25-31
inclusive was well attended. The
roll numbered 120, wTith an aver
age attendsce of not less than 75.
Great intei est was manifested each
day by the teachers and instruc
tors. Prof. Geo. Pi. Davis was the
chief and able instructor of the
Institute, assisted by other pro
fessors and noted educators. Pres
ident Sanders, Dr. Yorke Jones
and Dr E. E. Green, of Macon,
Ga., delivered timely and pointed
lectures, and in a most striking
manner the needs of the race were
pointed ou: and advice given as to
how these needs might be complied
with. A vote of thanks was ten
dered to the officers of the Insti
tute for faithful performance of
duty.
Rev. Geo. W. Ingram, of Kershaw, S.
C., raised a mortgage of four years off of
his church, and it is doing well spiritu
ally and financially. His church at Gold
Mine is prospering He is preparing to
entertain th 3 State Sunday-school Con
vention which meets August 10th. Broth
er Ingram in a graduate of the Junior
class Living3tone College, studious, fine
orator, intei ligent preacher, and cannot
be kept doM n. If he could be given a
church up K orth whera he could attend
Yale or Boston University,he would soon
rank with D octors Blackwell andBloice.
CHURCH AND CILERGY.
Succinct Reports Indicative Of
The Progress of Zion.
DOING A GREAT WORK.
Our pastor loves the Sunday
school. His equal was never here
before. The whole chi>rch loves
him. Good Hope church had a
fine picnic—150 people led by the
pastor marching around the church
singing, ‘‘Marchingmustbe done.”
—W. M. Alexander, Ca.rty, S. C.
—o—
Sister Kizzie Johnson is a faith
ful member of Little Zion church
of which I am pastor. Instead of
the Negro expressing his desire to
fight Spain he had better organize
some plan to stop lynching and
Negro suffrage in the Southland.
—Rev. T. M. Moore, Furman,
Ala.
Brother Charley Lovless’ house
was burned July 12th. He was
preacher’s steward at Cooksville
A. M. E. Zion church and local
preacher. I feel that he has
friends white and colored that will
reach forth their hands to help.—
Rev. Wm. C. Pierson, Cooksville,
Miss.
— U
My father, Rev. A., Robinson,
had a grand rally two Sabbaths ago
and collected $14.12 which enabled
him to pay $13.25 on the new seats
for his church. Rev. W. O. L.
Kelly of the M. E. Church
preached a wonderful sermon for
him.—Hattie A. RobiUson, Sum
merville, Ga.
—o—
Rev. J. M. Hill held my third
quarterly meeting on the Tar
Heel circuit. Ninety-six took the
Lord’s Supper. We raised $25.25.
We had a Holy Ghcjst shower.
We are moving along tine on all
lines. The Star is tine in her
new dress.—Rev. H. C. Harrison,
Fayetteville, N. C.
Rev. J. S. Jackson held a suc
cessful quarterly meeting here
June 27th. While our member
ship here is small yet through the
untiring efforts that are being put
forth by the pastor and. P. E. suc
cess is ours. Many thanks ten
dered you for the eight-page pa
per.—Rev. W. L. Hamblin, Har
persville, Miss.
—o—
Rev. M. Hancock was with us
recently. Zion is coming in this
place. We have done a good work.
Rev. J. M. Mitchell, the mission
ary, set up a mission here April
25th and appointed Brother J. E.
Moss pastor. He has added sev
eral members and has a good Sun
day-school*—21 on rojl.—O. G.
Moss, Blythe, Miss.
—cp-' I
I have been reading the Star
which is grand and full of news.
We had a grand time Sunday of
Children’s Day. Rev. F. R.
Smith, our pastor, is building up
our church. Our superintendent,
C. C. Terrell, is doing well. Miss
Mollie Locke, one of Zion’s daugh
ters, is our teacher. God bless our
Editor.—Mira Grice, Powellton,
Fla.
i