THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH.
Vol XXVI
Charlotte, N. C., Thursday, February 19, 1903.
N o.
FACTS VERSUS FICTION
The Success o$ the Work not De
pendent upon Resident Bishops.
BY BISHOP'J. W. HOOD, 15. D.,
LL. D. i
!L®TTER NO.
In the attempt to make it ap-;
pear that we need more bishops, itj
has been stated that the work in
North Carolina has prospered be
cause so many Bishops reside;
there. N® statementraould befwrth ;
er from 'the truth. No man living1
knows more about the history of
Zion Church in North Carolina
than I'do. Zion began to <©>0]oy!
great,prosperity ic“this State when!
There was no Bishop living m orj
near it; and the large number of!
Bishops residing"here during the*
last fourteen years has had no ap
preciable effect upon the prosperii
ty of the Church.
But! shall not iilmit my obser
vations to North Carolina i© 'con
sidering this subject. The New
England Conference has sot had
an active resident bishop tfor .‘19
years; and yet it has led the Con
nection on all Hues for more than
ten years.
1 ne e w i '®er k i^omeren'ce
reached the lowest ipoint in its his
tory of at least fifty years, at a ipe
riod in which a Bishop had been
residing in it for ten years; and»t?he
church at his homeywhich had osee
once been considered as seossnd
only to Mother Zion, was mot
among the most prosperous*
When H took ©barge of (fikat
work in 1886, there were oaly
three churches in really good con
dition. Cess than twenty were
supporting regular,pastors. M&ay
of the churches claimed that they
were not able to suppsrt pastors.
Middletown., iPeekskilf, Port Ches
ter, New Rochelle, Mt. Vernora,
Mam mar oneok, Oyster iBay and
Nyack were ah without pastors.
Mother Zion bad three factions,
and that reoowtaed choir had so
run down that the pastor was lead
ing the singling from the pulpit.
That.church was raising 1©$3 than
$'5C general fund, and the whole
Conference less than $50!). She
now laises $350 and the CVsfer
enen nearly $1200.
My first visit to dsbsgston, I had
to raise money to pay the pastor's
rent to keep him from being put
outdoors There hawe been only
three new churches added to this
Conference m many years, and
fitst by resuscitating and improv
ing what we formerly had, we have
now, nearly iwi.ee as iinany preach
ers employed asI found there; and
the Presiding Elder’s report for
the last (quarter informs me that
nearly ail are doing well.
The Virginia Conference has
'•never had a bishop residing in it
or near it; and yet it has al ways
been among the foremost of the
Southern Conferences. When the
S uth Carolina Conference was
raising 5 cents a member, general
fund, anil North Carolina .8 cents
per member, Virginia was raiding
1 > ceuts per member, and it held
th it lead for many years, and still
pays a larger percentage per mem
ber than the maj >rity of the South
ern Conferences.
The Kentucky Conference has
no resident bishop, and yet it is on
a boom. The Blue Ridge Confer
ence has no resident Bishop, and
yet no Conference is improving
more rapid iy.
Alabama never had a resident
bishop till a littie over two years
ago, and yet the strength and in
fluence of Zion Cpnpeclion in that
State is second only to North Car-j
olina.
Coming to North Carolina,!
where so many 'Bishops have lived,'
it is true that the Old North Car
olina and the Central N. C. Con
ferences are <4oing weflt; bat how
a boat the Western Nort h Cawoii
ca Conference in which four hish
•ops have lived, and three still re-J
main*? 'If that Conference had;
['been formed where it is for the
purpose of proving the uatruth
fillness of the assertion that ?a n u m-!
her of bhhops residing in Con
Iference‘is an advantage to it,'the]
(proof could not have bee® made!
more ccmspicuefss. That Confer-]
<ence has every advantage, and yeti'
for some cause, it lags behind!
every other Conference of its shc-e!
in theConrsoifeon. Certainly, not
because so maey bishops live with
in its bounds, but the fact that
their Qiving'tbere has'net prevented
the-existing state of -things, is fa
tal'to the the-claim, ead ought to
con-vince any reasonable person
that there !isabsolutely nothing in
it
According to the claim, that
Conference iaaving-irs it threehish
ops, the College, the Publication
House, and the -great town of
■Charlotte <(which some one has
called the future ^London) ought
to lead all. It refuses to be a wit
ness to 'the claim; bwt etands there
in the negative, as stubborn as a
rock, against which, this claim for
more bisb®ps butts its own brains
omt.
v* .*
Mr. Editor: I -saacist take issue
wkh Dr. Wheeler respecting the
omission <d “He descended into
'beli,”iin Edit©” lilrme hasfol
lowed the order of the Genera'
Coaferenee, Whether it is found
dnithe minutes or-not, it is found
in the Discipline as ordered by the
General Conference in 1872. In
the eeremoay for the baptism of
Admits, page loS.
The order of the General Con -
fere-nee has been violated time and
agaiua, and I have frequently called
attention to it. Now that our
Sabbath school literature is com
ing out according to discipline, I
think it is not the time to criticize:
it. Get any discipline since 1872
and you will find that “descended
into help is omitted. When I
have more time, I will state why
it was omitted.
l*ayetttvUle< N.C.
Dr. B F. Wheeler’s Open Letter,
ANSWERED.
BY DR. R B. BRUCE.
I THE LORD’S PRAYER.
I prefer the present form of the
Lora's Prayer to that of Matthew’s or
Luke’s. It is the old familiar form,
and I think it is the best and most ap
propriate form for our Sunday schools.
I prefer this above the other forms,
because this is really the correct form
of the Lord's Prayer The form in
Matthew 's and Luke’s Gospels are com
plicated and misleading to a child.
II. THE APOSTLE’S CREED.
I do not know just when the General
Conference ordered the phrase “He de
scended into hell” stricken out of our
book of Discipline, but it is out, and
that accounts for its present form.
III. THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION.
It is not supposed that a superinten
dent will pronounce the benediction like
the pastor, but it is intended for him to
read just as he reads all the other parts ;
of the opening and closing services. j
I shall not pay any attention to your
suggestions whatever, because they are
not given in good taste, nor in a good
spirit. I am willing to take any sug
gestions from any one for the good of
the work, when they first tpta'i to me pn
vitely, otherwise I shall treat it with
the contempt it deserves.
HR. e. E, COOPER.
Dhe Mosi $ufcce8$ff)ttl Negffi'Journ
a l ifi t Mv-mg-.
’EY J. G. C©NNINGlfi»3M[.
Itls not my ’intention to write
him a letter *clf 'reconrm6ndation,
not to introduce him to this public,
tor Mr. Edward E- CoopOr is too
w^ll knowa for that, anti needs
'nothing of the bind*fiom us Bur,
it was our pleasure, about eight
years agu, to form the acquain
tance of this hustling journalist,
and we teuve watched him closely
ever since. During this time we
have ha<d some business transac
tions with Mr. Cooper, aqd have
always found him to be a man who
practices what he preaches in re
gards to elevating his race, etc.
----H-;
Mr. E. E. Cooper, Journalist.
We wish to mention here some
of his kind heartedness to others,
to the detriment of himself. Ever
since we have known Mr. Cooper
we hav-e noticed that he seems to
take special delight in trying to
boom others for high positions in
life, but never says a word about
himself. Have the readers of this
or his paper ever thought of this?
Many of the big colored men who
hold good positions under the
Governm 3iit to-day, are largely
indebted to Mr. Cooper their
success. Now., ho v many of the
successful ones have endeavored to
push Cooper's name for a nice
“berth,” which he so much de
serves?
Not only has Mr. Cooper labored
hard to laud men of his own race,
through the columns of the Colored
Lmric c i, b it ch u-e are Repub
lican representatives in the United
States Congress who should ever
feel grateful to him for their tri
umph over their Democratic op
ponents. Even at times when the
colored voters were threatening to
knife some of the representatives
who are no v in Congress —and
doubtless ought t o have been
knifed—Cooper held them in the
ranks by bis earnest persuasion in
behalf of the Republican party.
Njw, since those who have been
true ti the cause are to be reward
ed, why pass him by.f,
The Republican representatives
in Congress owe it to Cooper to
stand by him for anything he may
ask for. He is a modest man—
possibly too much so for his own
good —now who of those who have
been aided by him (of his own col
or) will first put forth an effort to
land him in a nice position? No
place? Why, you made a place
for him to help fight the enemy.
Let some on .3 ou the extreme end
just move up a little, and he can
get in. How about a second Aud
itorship in one of the big depart
ments? The race would be glad
to see Mr. Cooper thus honored.
Messrs John P. Green, of Ohio;
Smalls, of South Carolina; John
C. Dancy, of North Carolina; J.
W. Lyons, ot Georgia; Hill, of
Mississippi, and others have done
much for the success of the Re
publican party. But none of these
in our bumble opinion, are more
deserving than the aforesaid
Cooper. Mr. Cooper has never
been accused of being untrue to
any trust imposed in him, nor of
being untrue to a friend; neither
of being any son’s father, but he
pleads guilty of having done much
lor this prosperous administration
of which the gallant President
Theodore Roosevelt is chief.
Wmkinqton, D, C.
They Join Issue.
Ia the last issue of the Star of Zion,
Dig. J, B. Colbert and J. H. Manley
join issue -with Bishop J, H. Hood,
D. D, L.L. D., on questions relating to
the general Church The senior Bishop
is a great churchman, far-seeing and
sagacious. They are all able writers
and we are expecting some interesting
reading.—Zion Methodist.
That Pension Bill.
FOR EX SLAVES.
Mr. Editor:—I see that Senator Han
na has offered a bill to pension the old
ex-slaves. We pray that the bill will
pass in Congress by a unanimous vote,
and become a law this session of Con
gress. We feel that every Southern
Congressman ought to give the b’ll h;s
hearty support, for we were faithful
and true to them, and they should be
willing that we be rewarded. There is
but a few of us that come under the
bill; therefore, we appeal to Congress
to pass the bill at this session.
Signed on behalf of old ex-slaves,
Rkv. S. Derry, D. D.
Montgomery, Ala
Great Demand for Help.
BY REV. E. GEO. BIDDLE, B D.
Dear Dr. Smith : I wish to announce
in the Stab that there is a great de
mand up here in New England for col
ored help, male and female. Good wil
ling servant girls can get steady work
and good pay at once in almost every
N‘• w England town and city. Batespec
ia’lj in these thriving towns is there a
great demand. Ou" Zion pastors in Ter
rington, C»nn , Northampton. Mass.,
Leominster and Ciin^on and Webster,
Mass , in New Brittian, Oonrt., in Dan
by, Conn , and wherever there is a Z on
pastor here in New England colored
help would be looked out for and situa
tions secured immediately by writing to
the pastor of our church, or by writing
to me herein New Haven, Conn. Re?.
J. W, Davis and Mrs. Biddle here will
look out for any who will come to New
Haven looking for work. Rev. J. Fran
cis Lee in Worcester, Mass., Rev. A.A.
Crooks in Hartford, Conn , Rev. J J
Smyer in Bridgeport, Conn., Rev. W.J.
Holland in Providence, R. I, and also
Rev. 8 L Newby in Providence, R. I.,
and Rev C. S Wni ted in Attleboro,
Mass., will secure places for any help
who will come
134: Asthma Street,
New Haven, Conn
Church Burned.
BY REV. R, J DANIELS, P. E.
The Clinton A M.E Zion church,
Rockville, Aid, Rev. Timothy
Keene, pastor, burned down Fri
day night February d, 1903. The
cau-e of tire is unknown. The
church was insured for $1,200, not
a Mifficient amount to rebuild a
creditable church. The members
aie without a p ace of worship and
need the sympathy of loyal Zion
ites This I know will be rnani
tested wben an appeal is made for
assistance. Washington, D. C.
ORGANIC UNION.
To the Sixth Episcopal District.
BY BISHOP C H. PHILLIPS.
Presiding Elders, Preachers,
Women of the Missionary Society,
Members and Friends—Greetings:
At the meeting of the Commis
sioners of our Church and of the
A. M. E. Zion Church at Washing
ton, D. C., last October, I found
myself in a hopeless minority. I
was the only man who voted
against organic union. I would
have voted for federation pure and
simple, but all the commissioners
wanted and voted for organic un
ion. I did not want organic union
at Washington, neither do I want
organic union now. 1 have noth
ing unkind to say of any man in
our Church who may want to unite
with Zion, neither have I any crit
icism to offer. But personally, I
do not favor organic union.
1 am not tired of the C. M. E.
Church, neither do I believe her
condition would be bet'ered by
uniting with the A. M. E. Zion
Church. At some time in the future
Iwill set forth in an elaborate paper
why 1 do not favor organic union.
In the meantime I desire to say
that I will entertain the very
friendliest feeling towards my col
leagues and all others who may
want union.
But, as for myself, and speaking
only for myself, my mind is made
up to stand firmly by the Church
of Miles and Vanderhorst if I have
to stand alone. I want federation
pure and simple. But federation
or no federation; union or no un
ion; the C. M. E. Church just like
she stands is good enough for me.
“For her my tears shall fall.
For her my prayers ascend ;
To her my cares and toils be given,
‘Till toils and cares shall end.”
[In Christian Index ]
Jcickst n, Term.
Livingstone College.
BY REV. W. H. GOLER, D. D,
My Dear Dr. Smith:-Livingstone
College is now crowded. We have 390
students in attendance and several ap
plications. The Theological Depart
ment has 4o students. Dr. R. B. Bruce
is in the happy exercise of his duty as
one of the instructors. We are meet
ing the conditions of the General Con
ference in this particu’ar. More room
however is much needed, both for the
accommodation of the classes in recita
tions and seating in the chapel exer
cises. * *
An earnest effort is new being made
by the Facul y, alumni, students and
friends to secure at once the
PRICE MEMORIAL BUILDING
Let the ministers and the general
Church give us the Hood Theological
Building and a chapel. A movement is
on foot, aided by some of the best citi
zens of Salisbury—inc'uding Senator
Overman, Congressman Klutz and the
Mayor of the city, A.H. Boyden, Es>q.
to secure a Library Building. We have
hundreds of books for which we have
no shelving space. We are looking
forward for great things.
Our Industrial Superintendent, Mr.
Melton, began this week to put the
brick >ard in order preparatory to mak
ing brick in the early Spring. Our car
penter shop, blacktmiih ehop, dress
making, sewing rooms and aundry are
a 1 in suecessfid operation. Work is
also p ogressing on the firm in the way
of plowing aud preparation for tarly
plan ti g.
We appreciate the kind words in your
columns from so mmy of jour corre
spondents, urging that lo legislation
be ma’e that shall affect the progress
and usefulness of the Co lege There
can be no doubt that the institution is
in a more prosperous condition than
ever before, and needs to be helped
-atherthan hindered in its beneficent
work for the general Church and the
people.
Salisbury, N. C,