HE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN
MET H OI
HODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH.
Vol XXVI
Charlotte, N* C.f Thursday, January 22y 1903.
No. 4
facts versus fiction
Of the Hissionary Secretary.
BY BISHOP J. W. HOOD, D. D., LL. D,
LETTER NO. 2.
In this letter, X want to give a
little of our experience with Mis
sionary Secretaries.
First, however, I wish to state.,
that for twelve years preceding
the year 1892, the Women's Soci
ety did well in raising missi n
funds. Several thousands dollars
were raised and sent to the general
missionary treasury for disburse -
meet As much as four bundled
dollars ($400.00) a year had been
appropriated to the African work,
and many home missions had been
assisted. The exact amount cannot
be given, because what publica
tion was made of the disburse
merits, was mainly through the
columns of the ctar; and a com
plete record has not been kept by
the secretaries who have served.
Peoplerush in to office, but when
it comes to informing the duties
iif office, +here is a lack of zeal.
There was a gradual increase in
the annual amount of funds raised.
In the New England conference,
the amount bad reached $250 00 a
year. But about that time, the
election of a Missionary Secretaiy
was strongly advocated by several
writers, each of whom was a can
didate for the offiee. That is the
mre way to get an orifice created.
Each candidate and his friends
swell the numlier of votes in favor
)f the office, and when it is all
rrer, the ninety nine who get left,
realize how.little they have gotten
3Ut of it.
I he secretary was elected and
began his work in New England.
At his meeting in Boston, he real
ized $*200. There were some things
connected with hi* entertainments
which the New England people
ikought were not suitable to be
performed in church, and they
wanted me to interfere I said,
“No; he is a general officer, put
into the held without instruction
ar restriction, (tor in their haste
to make a secretary, they maide
aim without any law to govern
aim) and that, 1 said, is his idea of
the way to raise money. If he sue
-eeds, the end may justify the
means.” There were murmuring
elsewhere; but the performance
went on. At the end of four years,
not one penny had gone into the
missionary treasury; not even the
inaount advanced to start with.
In justice to the Secretary, I
may say, that he claims to have
helped several' churches. That is,
I he churches at which the enter
lainments were given, received a
portion of the proceeds; but as
hece churches were not missions,
t seems evident, that the Mission
'iiuse was not helped in any way,
Whatever discredit, the seeming
lesecration effected, goes down on
'■he losing side of the account.
The effect upon the Women’s
itforts, was most damaging. In
New England, the amount raised
iropped from $250 to less than
The Missionary Secretary
1 ■ >k the held, and all that they
' >uld do was to glean after the
maper. The general falling off in
:he.amount of money sent to the
.rea>ury indicates that the effect
*"as general.
At the end of four years, this
'.'•cretary was succeeded by an
ther; and two years later, a third
nan was given an opportunity to
-te what ne could do;* but not a
penny ever reached the Mission*
ary treasury from the efforts of
these officers.
Su<cb, was our experience for
eight years, Does it seem strange
that we are a little ‘‘shy?”
But if we still want toexperiment
is it not a little remarkable that
nobody has suggested a woman for
this place, especially in view of the
fact that nearly all the money that
has been raised for missions in
twenty years has been raised by
them? I fear the suggestion may
have the same effect upon the
male candidates that a red rag is)
supposed to have upon an enraged
bull; but 1 cannot see why the ex
periment might not be made, if we
should re crea'e the office. I have
no candidate, and for obvious
reasons should not name her, if 1
had. I know of a woman who
seems to have special fitness for
tbe work. She is not a Bishop’s
wife, widow, mother, sister or
daughter.
The.positions which require sac
rifiee and expense, without profit,
have been filled by the Bishop’s
wives, because it was supposed
that others equally trustworthy,
and having equal ability, would
hardly be wilting to make the sac
rifice without charge; bat if the
office of Missionary Secretary is
again created, I presume there
will he a suitable salary attached
i to it. And the one only thing that
| should govern the selection is, £t
j ness. If the fittest in sightas a mao,
put him in; if a woman, do not
keep her out because she is a
j woman. But I, for. one, am not
ready for another experiment, yet.
I am as anxious for the expan
skm of the Church as any man in
iU My plan is to raise the full as
eessment, and more if possible. I
think I have shown my faith by
my works.
To those who want to increase
the offices, I would say hurry up
tbe slow conferences. When all
a*re up, we shall be able to increase
tde number of officers. Even tben,
we should make officers with great
care, and he sure that the officer is
suited to the wo'’k. As Dr. Coffey
says, “misfits are our great
trouble ”
(To be continued.)
Fayetteville, N. C
in Kentucky Conference.
BY BISHOP GEO. W. CLINTON.
JANUARY.
28, .New Albany, lad.
29, Springfield, Ky.
30, Bardstown,
FEBRUARY.
1st. 11 A. M^Broadway, Louisville, Ky
1st. 3 P. Mw New Albany, lad.
1st 8 P. M., Jacob St , Louisville, Ky
2, Meeting of Presiding Elders.
2. 8 P. M , 15th St
4, Russellville, Ky.
5, Adairville, Ky.
8, It A. M , Madisonville.
“ 8 P. M.. Earlington.
Pastors of the Kentucky Ccnfererce
who have not sent in the amount due
Varick Building should remit at once.
That fund must be paid.
Etch church to be visited is urged
to make a special effort on Connection
a! claims as this may be the only visit
I can make to some of the above church
es before C mference. The watchword
in Kentucky this year is the full assess
ment and enough over to make up past
siioi tages
We must not neglect the Church ex
tension collections and subscriptions.
This deparment of our Church is yet
destined to furnish the sinews of war
by which our Church is to be extended
and strengthened. Of course our wom
en will take care of the Missi mary cause.
Bishop Walters preached ft large
audiences of both races at the religious
congress held in the Zion church at
Lakewood, N. Y , two Sabbaths ago.
SEARCH LIGHT SCENES
Southern Political Traditions
and th« Negro. 1
BY KEV. J, H. ANDERSON, ftD. '
-- vK
(I® three atiio'es )
^Sinco toe birth of the Nation.,
Southern p ditics has occupied an
unique posiwH* in na
tional-' atFaira, an d
maintained a,peculiar
dipt wetness identical
with Southeio iradi
lions anil mwitoutions
hueruoDizin* wit'h
Northern id pais only
at certain pjpints of
iioc#. uu u \ it;
democracy differs essentially from
Northern democracy in in any de
tails, though t'be^auae in ti» orig
inal conception of popular Gov
ern ment. The same is true of
Southern republicanism *on the
1NTegro question. The popular sen
timent of almost the entitle South
held different views on the ques
tion of lawman slavery and race
equality, which are still prominent
features •dominating political sen
timent in the South whecelin ear
lier history its trend was tl make
everything, local and national, sub
serve its purposes. The .-South
ern people thought they wepfe right
and were earnest and eonscien
tiotie in their belief, insiststing;
upon it io legislation, state and
federal, in literature, advocacy'and;
brave arbitration at arms, till the
soil flowed with the sacred blood
of her heroic -sons. It is bu t fair
to sav they were honest and con
scientious in what they conceived
to he right.
lhe Southern liberal political I
sentiment, with few -exemptions.,
never contemplated Negro eman
cipation even by gradual legisla
tion, much lesss by sudden or ac
cidental proclamation, it was out
of harmony with the democracy
of its section for the sake of pop
ular reform only, and this ele
ment; (Republican) on this side ot
the act of emancipation only used
the Negro in its contention for par
ty supremacy, with no particula
political regard for the Negro’.
interest except to compliment him
with a janitorship, (his usual em
ployment) or compromise him with
promises, and the hope of sub
stantial reward, there being n<>
purpose to depart from the old
traditions born at Jamestown, Va ,
in 1620, as far as they could be
applied under the new regime.
When opportunity, offered the
white political adventures and in
terlopers of the North rushed in
to the South, took advantage of
the humiliating, confused- situa
tion of affairs, and placed Negroes
in positions, some of which were
filled with incompotency, and some
not, and in some cases they at
tempted to actually set up Negro
government. This was out of har
mony with all precedents in bu
man history of government. Any (
one knows that a people emanci 1
pated from human degradations as J
the American Negro slave, was <
not and is yet a long way from 1
being fitted for civil office in an <
advanced form of goverment like 1
this, except in a very few instan- I
ces. When the South recovered 1
from its chagrin and humiliation
at defeat in arms, and fouud white
men (many degraded characters,)
from the North, Negro ex-slaves, <
and the lower classes of their [
own section, in possession of State j
government, municipality, judi- ,
cial aud'other departments -of the
public service, they determined b/
every-Aneans fair or otherwise, to
reverse this state of affairs, and
continued the application of rem
edies, gome of them terribly vio
lent andnruel,—some of them far
from b«ng just and honest, till
finally reduced to legislation of dis
franchisement of the Negro. They
were not long in ridding them
selves of the Northern political in I
terlopers, and the local under el
ement, but to limit the terms <*i i
the TJnited States constitution —
iWth and 15tii amendments—re
quired more time.
; Some strongly advocated the"
ihstdudus extermination ot tin j
Negro, hut a humane seutiEm-to >
ot ihe S-rnth prevailed on the on*-]
h*nd, and recent federal sup-rnn
acy at arms on the othe • proven i - j
ed this The Negro’s deep sen-*
of gratimde to President Lincoln
■ind the Kepublman party for t.i
emanCipatUMi naturally induce-1
him toa iv his political fortunMs
With that party, and the designii g
-not *11 of them—minority«polili
cinn-» of the South thought to climb
to power on the shoulders of the tre
mendous united Negro vote. Fail
ing, aiiter long yearsof struggle and
patiem waiting, they have decided
that their case is hopeles, and the
graceful way to retire from their
emharassing situation is to help
the dominant party, who they see
determined to do so, disfranehis-e
the Negro and then read the residue
of them out of the party, and
thereby prove to the world thai
they were never identified with the
Negro in politics for the Negro’»
sake, nor or they t » be considered
a “nigger” party, hut are in per
feet harmony with Southern polit
ical tradition.
(To be continued.)
Allegheny, P*. '
Bishop Harris’s Appointments.
JANUARY.
23-28 Key Wes. Fla. (d. M. Gain>.)
27 Miami FI i.
FEBRUARY.
218 Nassau, N. P.
22 8evi Je, Fla.
24 Putman Hall, Fla.
26 Jacksonville, Fla.
MAHCn.
1 Knoxvil e, Tenn.
2 Asheville, N. C.
4-9 Green b ro, N. 0.
BISHOPS MEETING.
11-17 Key West, Fia.
19 Plant Cii v. Fla.
20 S finer, Fla.
22 Tampa, Fla.
24 L keland, Fla.
25 Gar<iner, Fla.
26 Alifia. Fla,
27 Kissimmee, Fla.
29 Lresbnrg F a.
3t Evinston. Fla.
APRIL.
1 Gainsvil e, Fla,
2 High Borings, Fla.
3 Albin, Fla.
5 Cedar Ke's F'a.
6-14 High Springs Conference.
<
l
1
(
(
Incendiary Burning.
r
BY REV. R. O. SPAULDING.
On Friday January 9, 1903, the f
following personal property was ^
turned at a total loss of $2,000.
?ivq houses, 500 or 600 bushels of e
iorn, 100 bushels of peas, two 8
tales of cotton, shucks, fodder, t
:ane mill, all fanning tools. They ,
vere fired while we were at sup- ,
ter, just as daylight shut in. No ,
nsu ranee. f
Emerson, N.- C. y
—- |
Mr. Gerard Beckman, a noble white [
riend, prese ted to the Zion church at t]
)yster Bav.N. Y., as a Christmas gif;
i la ge and fine Mason and Hamlin or* „
;in. Kev. C.'VanBuien, the paster, is f
loin g grandly. V
NEGRO PROGRESS.
Here and There, Despite Bitter
Oppression.
READ
A. colored boy. nineteen years
old owns a tine farm of 125 acres
in Texas.
A. colored woman in Texas owns
two farms which are well stocked
with the best grade of cattle.
A colored man in Montgomery
Co., Ala , has discovered three very
rich veins of silver on his farm,
for which he is offered $3,875,000.
Miss Clara L, Scudder, an ac
complished pianiste and contr<o
vocalist, of Philadelphia, has
recently returned from a successful l
professional tour of Europe.
A Kansas City Negr i was hon
ored by being placed upon tie
•charity board of tbat city In the
formation of committees, he wasj
additionally honored by being
made one revision committee of
said board
Colored citizens of Pine Blutf,
Ark., have organized a new I ank.
J. N. Donoho is the leader in the
move.
The Southern Federation of
Women’s Clubs, which embrace
all Clubs composed of colored
women, will hold its annual gath
ering in New Orleans December
29 and 30, next. Mrs. Booker T.
Washington, the president,has sent
out a circular letter urghig-» large
attendance. 1
A. C. Hutcherson, a prominent
rail road man of this city, who
was president of the Morgan Loui>
siana and Texas Railroad and
Steamship Company, died Sunday,
the 7th inst , and left to his house
servant, Mr. Jane Gaines, colored,
$LO.000. ..
Mr Charles Yo i g, the colored
officer of the Nint • C valry, who
will in the future e -tationed at
Presido, was a gr^at favorite on'
the Sheridan coming from M ini la
to San Francisco and was in great;
demand. His skin is of the dark-’
est. hue Of the race, but he is ex -
ceedingly clever, a West Point
graduate, and a pianist of rare
iDility. ‘ •'
Toree colored men, Kaltsh W
Fay lor , Wilbur Jones and George
A.. Weaver, have acquired a tract
)f land in Ohio, embracing seven
y five acres, pronounced by ex
perts to be the finest oil producing
erritory in the state. The deal
promises to be the most gigantic
wer swung by a set of colored
nen in this country, and while the
lurchase price was quite a hand
some sum the investors are sure to
•ealize thousands of dollars wheu
he tract is capitalized and devol
ved.
A. w. Hamilton, a rising; young
lolored artist of New York has
von the first prize from a Cor
espondence School situated at
cranton. Pa His sketch study
/as “For want of work.” The
acuity in awardingthe prize offered
im a full scholarship, the tui
lon being a reward lor his repeat
d successes and perseverance de
pite many obstacles. In making
be offer ihe faculty said in iheir.
ndorsement: “We have ma< e a
pecial study of your work and do
ot hesitate in recommending you
or tho opportunity because of
our great natural ability and
amstaking habits drawing and
rediet that as a cartoonist, cum
lercial designer, new paper or
aagazine artist you wilt win fame
or yourself and honor the race
rith which you are identified.”