THJB OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH.
-\
Vol XXVI
Charlotte, N. C.,j [Thursday, February 12, 1903.
facts versus fiction.
The Fearful Consequences of Neg
fecting the Counsel of Age
and Experience.
by bishop J. W. hood, d. d. ll. d.
LETTER NO. 5.
Some time ago an article ap
peared in the Star, the purpose of
which was to decry the counsel and
leadership of age and experience.
I wonder if the writer thought of
the consequences of such conduct?
It is not a new thing. It is rather
an old whim that tires of old lead
ership.
liUClier was pusswsseu UI It, anti
undertook to introduce a new order
of things under new and younger
leadership. I think it is pretty
generally known what a mess he
made of it; or, to be more solemn,
how fearful were the consequences.
The prodigal son got tired of the
old leadership, and thought it best
to throw it off. It may be said
that this is far-fetched. Very well,
we shall come nearer.
There have been many instan
ce- in human history which have
„hown the evil consequences of rej
jocting wise counsel. When Solo
mon was king of Israel, the poster
in' of Jacob were at the zenith of
their glory. Solomon’s was the
most renowned kingdom on eaith.
All the w* rid paid him homage.
The queen of the South came from
the uttermost parts of the earth to
behold his glory. But in the course
ofAiature, ‘ Solomon died; and the
kingdom passed to his son Reho
boam.
The people came to Rehoboam,
and informed him that the burdens
that his father put upon them were
a little too heavy, and asked him
to lighten them just a little. Their
demands were not threat, so he said
he would consider them. He asked
the old men, and they advised
him te encourage the people with
kind words, and to grant their re
quest. But he forsook their coun
sel, and accepted the counsel of
the young men. And when they
heard his decision, they said, “To
vour teats O Israel.” (See I Kings
XII l yi.)
And thus the doom of ,Jacob’s
posterity was sealed. The kingdom
was divided never again to be uni
ted.
.Napoleon was a great general, a
mightv conquorer. He was the
terror of nations; but Napoleon
made the fatal mistake of rejecting
tie eomiseljoi age and experience,
and lost hit crown and kingdom.
A hen about to enter upon that fa
tal campaign, his old friend and
counsellor advised him against it.
At the close of the last effort of
his old friend to change his pur
pose, it is $iid that Napo'eon re
plied, "Md judgment agrees with
your reasoning; but my ambition
leads me m the other direction.”
0 Ambition how many thousands
thou hast ilined! He forsook the
counsel of nje and tvpeiienee, and
with ad bis honors
ways been, so it will
'tied an cmI
lost.
So has it *a
ever be.
It the davjshall ever come that
Zion Connection r jects the conn
sel of age anJ experience, and ac
cepts the Itaifership of youth and
inexperience, he days of her uni
ted strength pill then be nura
bered. God f0: bid that such a day
should ever co ^e,
I have no ft iu that I shall live
to see it; but
this fatal ste;
But surely
call to mind that
as been suggested,
writer could not
have counted the cost of what he
wa&4Juggesting.
x * * *
Mr. Editor: Permit me to most
heartily congratulate you on your
editorial in the last issue entitled:
“Organ of the Whole Church.”
Nothing better could be said. I
agree with every line of it.
* * *
In answer to Dr. Manly I wish
to say that it is not my purpose to
misrepresent any one. If con
vinced that I have done so, it will
be mv pleasure, as well as my duty,
to make the correction. I fear his
memory has not served him well
about the Pittsburg affair he men
tions. Bishop Jones used to think
he could almost swear by my
memoiy. If he were living now
I should not want him to take that
risk, for my memory is not so
good now, yet I can remember
some things still.
Dr. Manly admits that §200
realized by his effort in Boston, as
I said My point is, that the rais
ing of §200 in that church, (even
though it was nof a mission church,
got one half,) paralized the worn
en’s effort there.
My understanding is that the
money paid out at Charlotte was
only the return of money loaned
I had no thought of making any
personal attack on Dr. Manly. I
purposely avoided mentioning
any name What I wanted to
show was that the creating of the
office was a mistake. It is true
that alter they had decided to
make a missionary secretary I
voted for him thinking he would
do as well as any body else. I had
refused to support him for Eduea
tional Secretary, but could see no
good reason for refusing to sup
port him for the other office.
He says we ought to discuss
measures and not men. I learned
that a long time ago, and follow
that course. I never discuss a man
unless be is so close to the subject
that I can not get around him. The
talk of crushing is unworthy of a
Christian man, for he knows I
never try to crush any one. My
effort has always been to build up.
* “ * *
I want to congratulate Dr. Col
bert on the high tone of his letter
Of course 1 did not agree with
him in a good deal that he says,
but I rejoice in every indication of
a higher tone in correspondence.
This letter is away up in the sky
above one I saw from him some
months ago. Let us continue to
discuss issues on a high plane.
Fayetteville, N C
• Grand Editorial.
BY KEY E GEO. BIDDLE.
Dear Br Sm tli: Yo ir leading edi
t jr al in ill's week’s STAiiis a grandot e.
I rather think you are rea"y makiot
The Star The Orgnn of the. to’ o',e (Jhwch
FeatleoMit ss in lights oiistieS'is Abac, we
need in ev,-rj offi :e ani ‘‘Order” in the
Church.
N t w Haven, Conn
Commission t > Investigate.
Wadi ng'ni), F h, 5—The comniitte'
on eiuc.HiioL autuotiz d a favorable re
por on the Dili providing for i he ap
, ointment of a commission of five to tu
v es ig te the condition of the coloivd
reop e of the Unitid St tea, and es
pecially wiih ref.rence to educational!
faeili-ies; ff jrdel to them.
He is happy who e ci cumstanecs suit
h's temper; tut he's more excellent
who can sift his temper to any circum*
sta; c:s,— Hume.
Hippiness is often cur next-'oor
neighbor, but we fail to meet l.er be
cause of cur lack of neighborline s.—
We 11s; rings.
THE flEETING,
Of the Executive Commttee.
AFROAMERK AN COUNCIL,
Washington. D. C , Feb 2, 1902.
The executive committee of the Na
tional Afro-American council held its
regular semi-annual meeting at Lincoln
Memorial church, Washington, D. C.,
Monday Jan, 26 1903, Bishop A. Wal
ters, chairman, presiding.
It was decided to hold the next annual
meeting of the Afro-American council
at Louisville, Ky., July 7, 1903. The ar
rangements for the meeting are in the
hands of a committee of which William
H. Seward, Esq., editor of The Ameri
can Baptist, Louisville, Ky., is chair
man. Disfranchisement is to be the par
amount theme for discussion. Each per
son on the programme will be limited
to twenty minutes, and all speeches
must be manuscript.
Monday night a public meeting w°s
held. Acting President William A.
Pledger of Georgia, presiding. Addres
es were delivered by Rev. George W,
Lee, H. L. Johnson, E q , Hon. John C.
Dancy, James H. Hayes. Esq., ex-Gov.
P. B. S. Pincbback and Bishop Walters.
A musical and literary programme was
rendered bv prominent Leal artists.
The pub ic press of the country con
tai ed inaccurate and misleading re
ports of this meeting. Some of the
statements given out were ridicu’ous.
For instance the story of the executive
committee planned an “office trust” to
pas3 upon the fi ness of Afro-American
applicants for public office. No such
scheme was ever hinted at a meeting of
the executive committee. The N ational
A :ro-Americ m C- utic.l stands for law
and order. The battle of the race must
be fought in the arena of public opinion,
with skill, courage and intefi g nee, and
must be persistently waged until a
healthy publ’c sen intent is created,
which will accord God given rights to
everv man of every race.
The committee adt/pted the follow
ing address to the country :
‘ It is evident to the though fu*
among us that we a-e passing t! rough
one of the most ciitical periods of rut
existence in this country. Questions
that immediately concern the libert)
and well being of one-eighth of the
population of the Un ted States, and
scircely to less degree the whole popu
lation of the country are pressing for
treatment as never before. A systematic
effort has been inaugur< ted on the par
of the South wiiirh has for i sohjec. the
w t drawal of the franchise from the
Afro-America s of that section, and
their reduction to a position of absolute
sub-eruai cy in all the relations of life.
It has been openly declared by some of
tl e most prominent le iders of the South
thatQt was the iuttn'ion of the framers
i f the new constitutions to < isfranchise
as many Atm-Americans ns possible and
.leave every Caucasian in full p ssess'on
of the -uffrage. The effect has been that
m«t only has the Afi o-Amer'can been
disf anchised, but also a very large
number of Caucasians, who, previous to
the adoption of these constitutions, p r
ticipated in elections, have ceased to
regi-ter, to vote.
'Ve contend for our cons Rational
rights ou the ground that the right of
stiff age has bun conferred up n its cit
izciis i y the Fed r.U g vernment
“ Ve hear ily rec immend ihe Afro
Aim ricans of Vuginia, Alabama, Loui
siana and oth r states, who 8 re seeking
re ress ibri ugh the c urts of the land,
and we pled e them our mora1 and fi
nancial sunonrt.
“We denounce the mob murders now
so |.r-va'ent in this country.
•* \ eca'l th ; attention of • he count j
to a condition of service on m my farm
inanumb^r nf South rn St des resem
bling very much the old peonage sys
tem > he remedy of h - evil
“We s i unit our protest against the
uni. r i rac i*< s in the transpor'atio
of pass •! ge-s in the Southern S'ate-,
dsrminmi g ui justly aga n t Afro
An eri ans, rtqu ring of them the high*
es' rates for tra/il and providing in re
1 u 'n tne poorest accommoda ions m
arrhg ; an i we invoke the exercise 1
he pore's < f the Interstate Cimmtrc
commission, by that tribunal, t,n m e
vei t d'scriminations in rates and ae
commodations against interstate pr.s
seng- rs
‘‘We appeal to congress for favors b1
ac ion upm one of the several measure
now pending therein for the : ppoii.t
m ntof a commission to it quire into
ihe cond tion of the Airo-America:.s ol
the country.
‘*V\Te hear.ily indorse the deliverances
of President Roosev. It with referenc*
to the fitness for appointment to office,
and the attitude of the Fideral govern
ment toward all of its citizens, regard
less of race or color. He has im; arted
ne w life and vigor to the time honored
principles and traditions of human
rights, and his given hope and inspira
tion to a people struggling heroically
beneath the burden of hate and pro
scription. We commend TheoJore Roos
evelt to the affection and confidence of
our people regardless of party affilia
tion. ”
Alexander Walters, chairman execu
tive committee; Cyrus Field Adams,
secretary committee and council; Wil
liam A. Pledger, acting president Na
tional Afro-American council.
Startling Views.
BY A NEGRO.
“The best law ever passed and the
best thing ever done for the race is the
law that takes ihe vote a.vay from the
Southern Ne^ro ”
This is a sample utterance by the Rev.
William H. Mitchell, the Negro princi
pal of the Hardin Institute, at Allen
dale, S C., in his remarkable and radi
cal address at Dr. Charlt s H, Parkhurst’s
church last night. It was only one of
the many surprising things he said,
nearly every word being exactly contra
ry to the argument usually employed
to waken sympathy and open purses for
the Southern N( gro. When he had fin
ished his talk a richly dressed woman
walked up to the stand where he stood
w ith Dr, Parkhurst arid stretching forth
her hand caul:
“I am from North 0 roliua, and wish
I had money enough to give you $10,000.
You have shown tne people h-re,for the
first time what the Negro really is.”
‘The present generation of grown-up
Negroes are hopeless,’ he said. “You
waste j our time if you try to rave them;
tbev are too far goue.”
Murmurs of surprise' and astonish
ment swept over the audience at this.
The speaker said the only way to save
the race was to begin with the young.
“But don’t give the Negro Greek and
Latin,” he said. “Teach him how to
plough aad to drive a nail. Too much
education isn’t good for him. T tke a
Negro boy in one of the typical Negro
homes and educate him and }ou make
him a worse min than he would ever
have been. You simply educate the
worst part of his nature. The only way
to save him is to take him out of his
home and put him iu wnolesome sur
roundings. If jou leave him wi.h his
mother and educate him at the same
time you m ike him worse.
‘‘The mothers are a low lot. Can you
wonder that the children grow up in
w'cktdness and imm >rality.? You must
take them from their mothers and put
tiem in schi ols like mine, where they
can be taught fo work, to read and
write and to be Christians.
“That Disfranchisement law was the
best thing ever done for them, because
it makes them work to get $350 worth
of property s> they can vote. I dou’t
like the reading and writing c’ause, bu>
I do feel glad tuat Mr. Ti'.lman had that
iaw passed. I call him the modern
Balaam, because everything he does to
curse our wee turns into a bless-iag.”
Dr. Park durst followed the colored
speaker with a few lemarks, assuring
i ne audience, that absolute faith could
be plac d iu Mr. Mi chell’s statement
of the case as it is in South Carolina.
Dr. Parkhurst urged his hearers to help
out the iniiitute which needs $3 000
to get an endowment fund of $2,000
more for a larger senoul building. Mr
Mitchell was educated iu Auburn The
ological Sen inary in Auburn, N. Y.—
Sew York World, Yeb. b.
Church Out of Debt.
BY REV R M STMMONS.
The rally at BriceviUe A. M. E.
Vaob church was quite a succe. s
aud largely attended. At each ser
vices we preached three sermons
on January 5th. Many of the
vhiles of Briceville were out at
Dight to hear us speak on the sub
ject of the walls of Jerusalem from
Nehemiah 6:1-3. White and c< 1
ored gave money until one said
i hat’s enough. Collection $58 05
cash, $11.85 through office. We
will write more when the $11 85 is
collected and reported. Briceville.
Newcomb and Jellico are all 0. K. ,
Newcomb, Term.
WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?
TO THE LAW AND THE TESTIMONY
BIBLE READING.
1. No man is one naturally, or
as a birthright: Eccl. ix. 3; Jer.
xvii. 9; Matt. xv. 19; Rom. v, 12:
I. John i. 8.
2. No man divinely unaided can
make himself a Christian. Isa.lviv.
6; Rom. iii.20; ix. 31, 32; Gal. ii.
16; Eph. ii. 8, 9; II, Tim. i. 9; Tit.
iii. 5.
3. The way of man’s salvation
is revealed in the word of God
the Bible. John xiv. 6; iv. 13, 14;
Rev. xxii. 17; Rom. iii. 24; v. 1:
Tit. iii. 7.
4. Repentant, believing sinners
are justified, or saved, by faith;
whose factors are the belief of the
heart and the confession of the
mouth, Rom. x. 9, 10; Acts xvi.
30 31; Matt, x, 32; John iii. 16, 36;
I. John iv. 15; John iii. 14, 15;
Mark viii. 35.
5. The sign of salvation is right
eous service,--“even so faith, if it
hath not works, is dead, being
alone.” James ii. 20, 14, 17; John
xiii. 15, 34; Phil. ii. 5; Acts x. 38;
John x. 32; xv. 4, 5; II. Tim. iii.
16, 17; Col. iii. 17. * s
6. No one should be satisfied
with less than full salvation. I.
John i. 7; Matt. v. 8; Heb. vii. 25;
Rom. viii. 9; Heb. xii, 14; Jude
24; I. Peter i 15, 16; II. Peter ii.
21.
7. A soul that is saved is as
sured of the fact by God in one or
all of three ways.
(a) By the testimony of personal
consciousness. II. Tim. i 12; Job
xix. 2s; Ps. xlvi. 10; John vii. 17;
x. 14.
(b) By the testimony of the word.
Jobn ii. 16, 36; Rom. i. 16; x. 9
John vi. 40, 47; I. Peter ii. 6.
{c) By the testimony of the Holy
Spirit. Rom. viii. 16; II. Cor. i. 22;
I John iii. 24; iv. 13.
, 8. What inestimably precious es
tate by God’s promise shall suc
ceed salvation? Rom. viii. 16, 17,
18, 30; Matt. v. 12; vi 20; Luke
xii. 33; John xiv. 2, 4; I. Cor. xv.
50; II. Cor. xii. 2, 4; Heb. iv. 9;
Col. iii. 4; I. Peter i. 4.—John
Williamson, D. D.
Woman’s Day Collection.
FOR DECEMBER 1902 AND JANUARY
1903
Nor! h Alabama Conf. rence. •~s«* *
Rev- G. W. May.
Goosad station. $7_00
Missouri conference.
Rev A. Wakefield,
Henderson, Ky. 2 00
NORTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE.
Rev. J. S Maultsby,
James City, N. C., 5 06
PHILADLPHIA AND BALTIMORE.
Rev. G M Oliver,
Union mission. Phil., Pa., 2 00
SOUTH CAROLINA.
Miss Alber.a L. Walk* r,
Ches er, S, G., 5 00
WESTERN NEW YORK.
R'.v. W O. Gooper,
No wich, N Y., 1 00
VIrs. C. D. Lacey,
Schoharie, N. Y., 1 00
M ss Cora M. Tucker,
wilkes Birre, Pa , 6 00
Rev. L. G. Mason,
Hudson, N. Y., 3 00 .
Rev. L. N. Guinn,
Wilkes Barre, Pa , 4 00
SOUTH FLORIDA.
Rev Henry J. Jubuatua,
Abaco, N P , Bahama Isl. 2 00
WEST TtNN, AND MISS CONF.
Bishop G. \V. Clinton, 4 20
NORTH ARKANSAS CONF.
Bishop G, W. Clinton, 4 00
M. E. Harris,
Treasurer.
It is human nature to be ungrateful to
.he man who fights your battle for you
aid gets liked.—Chtcvgo Daily News.