ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH IN AMERICA. Volume XXII. 4 Charlotte, N. C., Thursday, November 17,1898. Number 48. CHURCH PROPERTY. The Charlotte Ch urch Case.—Its Important Lesson. BY BISHOP J. W. HCOD, D. D., LL. D. The end of the long church law suit at Charlotte is just what I predicted it would be from the start. The suit might have been much shorter if our lawyers had known the case, us I knew it, at the beginning. What we proved was, that the A. M. E. Zion Church was organ ized in that city in 1865* and that the church property was bought by that organizat on, and that the same organization had continued in possession of t ie property. The fact that the deed was not drawn correctly, did not affect the right of that organization to the posses sion and control if the property. The man who had the deed drawn was ignorant of ;he exact title of the denomination for which he was acting. His inter tion was to make the deed as stron g as possible for the people for whom he was act ing, but he missed it. It is the prerogative of t ie courts, in such cases, to give the parties, who are thus unfortunate, a corrected deed. This is what has now been done in Charlotte. Our enemies,' by taking us into court, have really done us a favor. It is true it has cost considerable, but it has givert us a title which can never again be questioned. And that church will enjoy a state of peace and prosperity, we hope, which it has not known since one troublesome man began to play the boss there. The lesson I svould like to have all learn from this i$, that the courts do not permit people to take church property away from the denomination for which it was originally purchased. What the courts do, is to find out what de nomination the property was pur chased for, and whether the deed was correct or not, they maintain the right of that denomination to J hold it, even though the majority secedes. In Knoxville, Tenn., we had a case somewhat like this. In that case, however, a large major ! ity withdrew, and tried to take the property with them. But they were not permitted to do so. In giving the final decision the judge said: It does not mat ;er whether that deed was drawn incorrectly, through igno rance or fraud, the fact remains, that the original purpose was to establish an A. M. E. Zion Church; and those who have seceded from that denomination have no more right to take the church than Jeroboam had to take Jerusalem ' from the son of Solomon. This was going pretty well back and digging pretty deep for a foundation, but it is a very solid one. It is in harmony with all the decisions which have come under my notice in church cases. This was the ground of my confidence in the final result of the case in Charlotte. Some of our people may save something by keeping this in mind. .There is one other church in this State, in which there has been some talk about shutting out ministers. They sav it is not deeded to the Connection. I have never seen the deed and cannot speak for that, but I know that it belongs to the Connection. Some time ago the minister wanted to adorn the front with a date stone with the title of the Connection on it- The trustees refused to have it done. They might as well have had it put in. It would not have made any difference. I organized that church in 1865, soon after the Federal army passed through that city. And all our church property there has been purchased by that organization. The ministers also will show that the church has been represented -in the annual Conference ever since its organization. The first church we bought was burned down, but we got a small insur ance, with which tb#' present lol was purchased. On this lot we first built a frame house, which was also burned down. We now have there a brick church, toward the building of which I contribut ed $20 at one time, and other amounts at other times. Since the property was bought by this organization which was founded under the Discipline of the A. M. E. Zion Church, there can be no doubt as to how the courts would decide in that case, if it should ever come into court. Fayetteville, N. C. WHAT NEED. BY REV. S. M. JACKSON. Zion needs more strong, able, gospel ministers that care for their Christian characters and religious purity; men that consider them selves not Negro preachers, but ministers of the gospel and will take care of this great and grand Connection. It is believed by the people of this place that the A. M. E. Zion Church is the greate^l Church on earth. We are satis fied that it is. We have had some of Zion’s best preachers in the West Ten nessee and Mississippi Conference such as: Revs. W. L. Carr, W. Jones, A. M. White, M. W. Wa ters, W. L. Lewis, W. S. Cooper. J. H. Marable and others. Since that time our church here has no1 progressed much. We need s church close to town, which we are now preparing to build. We have purchased the land. We have a fine people at this place. We are in hopes that the Rt. Rev. Geo. W. Clinton will pass through and preach one of his stirring and able sermons. Our next annual Conference will meet at Webb, Mississippi. We would be glad to have presenl our bright and brilliant Editor wh« is making the Star shine so brighl and brilliant in the Southland. The Star is a balm to a sad and weary heart. Torrence, Miss. THEME-IDLE WORDS. A Heavy Account Will Be Against Us at the judgment. BY REV.' FRANCIS H HILL. u Every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. ”— Matt. 12:36 Death, at the farthest, can’t be far from anyione who hears my voice to-davL and the general judgment miglit immediately suc ceed so far as the issues thereof affected your' soul’s everlasting future. Thatfc there will be a gen eral judgment, many believe; still, there are thousands who act and speak from day to day as if they did not believe it. Even many professing Chris tians do not believe this plain and positive declaration of the blessed Lord in tha 4ext, that every man shall give account at the judgment for every idle word spoken. Men reckon idle words to be of no ac count, but the text makes it clear that they will* have a heavy ac count. In the book of God’s re membrance all your words are written, and “by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Concerning the use of idle words, how many ake ready to exclaim, ‘Oh, I can’t help it.” Having allowed sin §) reign in their mem bers, they : endeavor to ease con science by concluding that “no one can help using idle words,’’ implying that it is impossible to avoid this