f
THE OFFICIAL ORGAN NOF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH.
Vol XX VI
Chariot!
Ji.
N. C., Thursday, February 26, 1903.
No HO
facts versus fiction
jhe Manner of nan the Bishcp
Should Be.
BV BISHOP J. W. HOOD, D. D. LL D.
Paul wrote two letters, one to
Timothy, and the other to Titus, in
which he minutely described the
prerequisites necessary to the dis
charge of the work of a Bishop. I
havel-ead these epistles many times,
but the study of the subject for the
purpose of preparing a series of
letters has given me light only
faintly seen before.
In an episcopal form of Church
Government, there is nothing of
more importance than a complete
iy equipped bishopric. As water
cannot rise above its source, neither
can a Church rise above the level
of its bishopric. It is therefore
essential that the Bishop should
possess the highest and best Chris
tian character and culture.
But I am not going to draw on
my own imagination or opinion. I
am?going to let Paul speak; and,
I sitting at his feet,I am going to lis
ten as never before to what he
teaches. And I invite the reader to
sit with me and listen. If he does
not, like myself, get an idea of the
bishopric which he never had be
fore, then I shall be greatly dis
appointed.
As Timothy and Titus were both
bishops, it may have been Paul’s
purpose to admonish them respect
ing their own behaviour. But he
doubtless also had in mind the fact
that they would he called upon to
ordain other bishops, and there
fore he gave this minute descrip
tion of the manner of man the
bishop should be.
He started out bv calling at
tention to the excellency of the
episcopal work, Some have the
idea that he meant to commend the
desire for the bishopiic; but a lit
tie study of the original text wi’l
show that it is not the desire for
office, but it is the overseer’s or
officer’s work that he declared is
good. It is work, not office, that is
emphasized in the original, as fol
lows: “Faithful is the word (or sav
ing) if any (one) stretches forward
t<> the ovcrseership he desires a: qor>d
tcork. ! bat is, he who makes an
effort to become an overseer (that
i- a bishop) should be moved by a
desire to be employed in a good
wmIx. The paramount idea should
: t be office, for the office sake,
!t tor walk’s sake. The purpose,
ok -retelling forward to the
• >ee;slrp should be to engage in
;,u work, This indicates that the
• ••{>'* time must net be spent in
■i a!ier;’S)S, but in excellent
':no n - employ rnent: and a
v--;o );u* any other idea re
■ ~ it, is i - i the manner of
■ !' 1 n;sh<'prk d -mauds
•" fir.-i pretaqwisite is, he mu-t
! - :'touch ibie or blameless, us
1 > e it in the Old Version. Tins
-••cs in a whole sweep, and in
'Ces his character, disposition
an ! conduct. He must be free from
1 me Like Job, be must be a
lyaVct and upright man, one who
b o<jth God. and escheweth evil.
If Job could maintain that eharae
ivr hi bis dark day, (and he has
f jod s testimony that he did) cer
tainty it is not too much to require
°f the ambassador of the (Jbief
Shepherd of souls and the visible
head of His Spiritual Israel in the
h'aze and splendor of the Gospel
dispensation
Ihe Apostle says he must be
blameless. Not that he may be, or
f,ught to be; but must be. If he
he will bring reproach upon
his calling, hinder his usefulness\
and fail to accomplish the good
work to which he is set apart. It
is thought by some that a Bishop
should be exempt from criticism. I
ventured once to tell a Bishop that
his conduct was hurting his influ
ence. He said, if 1 thought so, 1
ought not to have told him. I
never felt just that way. I was
taught when quite young that they
are our best friends who tell ns of
our faults. And, then, I have
read in the Psalms (14L:5) “Let
the righteous smite me; it shall be
a kindness; and let him reprove
me, it shall be an excellent oil
which shall not break my head.”
So I have found it to be a good
thing for me to be admonished,
and have improved by admonition
If 1 could not always see that the
criticism was just, it, at least, set
me to thinking, and that is a good
thing for anyone.
But, after all, there may be
something in this idea that a bish
op ought to be free from criticism.
And certainly, if he is blameless,
if he fills the Apostle’s mold, or
comes up to the Apostle’s model
as we shall see it set forth in the
twelve virtues, mentioned in the
letters to Timothy and Titus, he
will be far beyond the reach of any
just and reasonable criticism. Un
less the Apostle was mistaken,
such only is the manner of man
the bishopric demands.
Mr. Editor: I promised to slate
why, ‘'Descended into hell'’ was
left out of the Apostle’s Creed in
our Discipline, But permit me to
say first that it has been in my
miqd for sometime to congratulate
the Editor of the Sabbath school
literature on his great success, he
has proven to be the exact fit. The
Connection never did better in se
lecting an officer. He spends his
time in studying the scriptures,
and in giving us the results of his
studies. I have known him frc m
boyhood, and through all tbeyears
he has been a quiet student of the
scriptures, not seeming to care for
anything else.
But to the subject why was ‘des
cended into hell” left out? It was
considered in the General Confer
ence in 1872 bv some of the great
est minds the Church has produced
Among the number were Bishops
S. T. Jones, Sampson Tolhot, J.
V\r. Loguen, J. J. Clinton and J.J.
Moore, also Eiders James A.Jone-i,
oar first General Secretary, 'V, H.
Decker, J a c o b Tin mas. J. ft
Smith, Joseph C, Giibeit. Wil
liam Sanford, H. II G. Dyson.
L'hese were the great lights in that
day. Some who have risen, to dis
traction since that day, "'ere pres
ent 1 may mention Bishop T. I!
Lomax, Y\ , J. Moore anti II. C
P b i 1 i i ps.
After a most thorough.discus
sion it was decided to leave it out:
and my iaipression is that the vote
was nearly, if not quite, uaaui
mous.
The reasons for this discussion
were as follows: First, there
seemed to be no certainty as to
what is meant by “descended into
hell,” as it stands in some creeds
There were three opinions. (1)
That it meant descended into tor
ment. (2) That it meant descended
into the place of departed spirits.
(3) That it meant descended into
the grave.
It was there held that a term
which could not be certainly un- *
derstood ought not to be put into
the creed, unless there was un~
questionable Bi >le authority for it.
[Continued Qu Fifth Huge ]
PRICE BIRTHDAY.
Price Memorial Building— $1250
Xubscrib ed— Grf nd txecists.
BY J. E. KWEGYIRAGGREY.
Perhaps never in the history of
Livingstone College have the cele
brations.' n Price Birthday been on
a whole more successful than were
the exercises on Tuesday evening
February the 10th. It is true that
none else have crystallized into
such substantial results.
Exactly at 7:55 p. m., to the
strains of sweet music evoked by
Miss R. Louisa Ader our music in
structor, the performers marched
in amid great applause. Rev. W.H,
Bryant, A. M., pastor of the Pres
byterian church in town and a col
lege-mate of the lamented Price
fervently invoked the throne of
grace, and then the chapel was
flooded with melody entitled
“Heaven and the Earth Display”
composed bv Veazie and sung by
the Choral Union. The Biography
of Dr. J. C. Price by Miss Marie
Fonvielle was concise and to the
Rev. J. C. Price, D. D.
point. The congregation rendered
feelingly “Lead Kindly Light,” a
favorite hymn of Dr. Price. Mr.
J. W. Hood delivered successfully
a selection from Dr. Price’s speech
before The Nineteenth Century
Club at New Yo’.k. “The Negro
Problem Stefed.” “Livingstone
College, Its Influence” by Mr. VV.
J. Walls was a happy effort. Miss
Ella Ree Stockton then followed
in a sweet soft tone with the beau
tifully rendered solo “The Golden
Path.” “Ode on Dr. Price,” a poem
composed by one of Livingstone’s
own poets was perfectly rendered
bv Miss Lizzie O. Darden who was
accord ed pron o u n ced a p pi a use.
Then followed the inspiring trio
“Father, Lead Me by Thy Hand”
faultlessly rendered by Misses Eliz
abeth Weaks. Eugenia Hanes, and
Mr. Max .McDonald. The selection
i composition of Butterfield’s re
ceived high com pi inn nts. Miss
Mary A. Lynch then read a paper— j
Dr. Price as a Temperance Advo-1
cate 6he closed appealing to all j
present to catch tne spirit of Price
and help promote the prohibition
movement now on foot. MissEliz
abeth Weaks drew cheers on her
matchless solo, O Divine Redeemer
by Guonod. The orator of the day
was J, E, Aggrey. His subject was,
“Price the Angel of Flope, Messen
ger of Truth.”
After that followed “that Chorus”
“Inflammatus” by Rossini, which
received pealing ovation so pro
longed that it had to be repeated.
The audience went into “ecstasies
over it, and that chorus inflam
Tnatus” has bten the talk since
then. It has been a problem wheth
er the marked effect was due to
Prof. Hannum's professional violin
accompaniment, his perfect direc
torship, Miss Ader’s extra perfor
mance with finished touch on the
piano, Miss Weaks splendid solo
part, or the Choral Union’s charm
ing execution. I cut the gordian
knot by saying it was a matter of
exquisite melodies brought into
beautiful harmony. But watch the
Choral Union during Commence
ment. Liquid music.
The climax of the occasion was
not reached, however, until the last
item on the program was reached.
Dr. James E. Mason our indefatig
able financial agent thinking it a
fit time to strike the iron while it
was hot came down all the way
from Boston to ful fil a great mis-,
sion. No wonder the classic halls
shook with applause when he came
in. The item referred to was “Price
Memorial Building.” Rev. W. H.
Bryant started the ball a rolling
by a two minute speech in which
he eulogized Price, and pledged $5,
assuring the audience also that he
was confident that every graduate
of Old Lincoln would gladly render
his quota to help make the build
ing a certainty. Dr. Mason was
then given the full charge of the
remainder of the night’s exercises.
In his usual happy demeanor he
proved himself to the manner born.
His speech was full of enthusiasm
and evoked enthusiasm. Dr. Goler
started with $50; Dr. Bruce $50;
Dr. Moore $25, and then the slips
from teachers, students and friends
began to pour in rendering prof.
Wallace, the master of ceremonies
and secretary of the occasion, very
busy. Dr. Mason had come with
the watchword $1000 from the stu
dents, faculty and friends, but so
successfully had the seeds of self
reliance and independence been
sown in the students and all that
when the roll was called next
morning the subscription list had
run up to $1250 and more. More
would have been subscribed but as
was announced, all who subscribed
did so with the avowed intention
of either paying the amount or col
lecting in and handing it over by
the first dajT of October 1903.
At a special meeting of the Fac
ulty the next day, it was agreed
that articles be prepared and sent
to all leading Negro journals in
forming all friends of the move
ment on foot. It was decided to
build an administration building
to be christened Price Memorial
Building worth between ten and
twenty thousand dollars. Dr. Goler
was elected president of Price
Memorial Building Committee, the
Faculty composing the committee.
j< 1. \\ . B. Hannum, the College
n ! 11 ii j, was elected Treasurer
and Dr J. E Mason, General Man
ager and Secretary. Dr. Mason left,
next day to sweep the country sail
ing under the watchword $10,000
before Christmas,and he will do it
if ail lovers of that prince of prince
iv orators, that defender of his peo
pie and ablest advocate of his race,
will rush to help.
Every one who reads this or
hears of it will do the race a com
mendable honor by sending his
subscription to Prof. W. H. Han
num, Livingstone College, Sal is
bury, N.C. Due receipt will be sent
and all names of contributors will
be published in Timm Let all true
patriots come together, and with a
pull,a. long pull, and a pud together
do honor to t he noble dead whost
very name is an honor, a glory, and
an inspiration to every loyal Ne
gro.
Salisbury, N. C.
Tne Sunday School at Jacob St. Tab
ernacle is 'n the be>t'condi ion that ii
has been in for yeais. The attendance
is large anJ a deep interest is shown in
the lessons. Dr. Flack, the able Supjr
incendent, and his teachers are justly
proud of their work.—Zion Methhdist.
Tne revival closed Sun lay night at
B-oadway A. M E. Zion Church. The
meeting was quite a success, haviog
thirty-live converts and forty accet
sions to the church This meetir g
surpasses any meeting this church hes
had fir years.—Zion Methoditt.
SPLENDID MEN.
Who are Helping to Build up Our
Zion.
BY BISHOP I. C. CLINTON, D. D,
Mr. Editor:—Permit to refer to
the Western North Carolina Con
ference.
1. The Charlotte district is
presided over by Rev. M. V. Mar
able who is a high tone Christian
gentleman. His leadership is such
that though he has been on the
district for years, more than an
ordinary effort was made to have
him returned. He has improved
the district annually. I thought
it best to let well enough alone.
2. The Statesville district is
presided over by Rev. P. A. Mc
Corkle. He is a grand preacher.
All he wants to hold is to get in
the pulpit and the congregation
is his. He can sway them at will.
He is modest yet firm and unyield
ing. He is loved by his ministers
and their congregations.
3. The Lincolnton district is
presided over by Rev. H. L. Sim
mons. He is a Christian gentle
man of more than, ordinary life.
Far-seeing, he understands the
law and knows how to administer
the same. As a financier he has
his district in his fist.
4. The Salisbury district is
presided over by Rev. R. H. Sim
mons, D. D. He is a grand man
of long experience. He doubtless
has presided longer than any one
man in the Conference. I have
known Dr. Simmons for quite
awhile as a dignified gentleman.
He is loyal to Zion and clear in his
interpretation of the law. He is
succeeding as usual.
5. The Wilkesboro district is
presided over by Rev. B. F. Mar
tin, D. D. He is quite a theologi
an and can hold his own in the pul
pit whether North or South. The
new district gets a grand treat to
have a man of Dr. Martin’s abili
ty to sit in the chair and dictate
the deliberation. The district will
be expected to bring in a report
commensurate with that district
leader. The majority of the min
isters of the Western North Caro
lina Conference are intelligentow
ing to the fact that Livingstone
College is nearly in the center.
Her educational influence on the
Conference is having the effect
that the linen had which a woman
bid in three measures of meal.
What is true of the above Con
ference is also true of"the Tennes
see, South Georgia and West Flor
ida Conferences, Livingstone Col
lege excepted.
Lancaster, S\ C.
CotJgratuialions.
BY REV. E. M STANTON.
Elitor Smith: I congratulate you up
on tue position you have taken in re
: r J to ! he Star of Zion being the “Or
gan of the ^ ho’e Ohurcli,” You have
t rsely, timely and justly expressed the
■sentiments of two-thirds of oar Z'puites,
aad of thereadiag world. Drive ithome
tad clinch it on the o'her siie. O for
iiiore men, Church organs, and other
public papers that will plead for truth
and justice. May God still more and
more make you a polished shaft in his
quiver.
Latontowrii N. Y.
Miss Lizzie Lilly joined Jacob Street
Tabernacle last Sunday morning. Miss
Lilly is a graduate of the Central H'gh
School, and is a young lady of promise.
^-Zion M thodist,
By the way, the Re. Rev. J. Wj
Hood, D. D., LL. D, is shelling the
*oods and the sons ani daughters of
Zion are trembling. BishopETood is a
power. —Industrial Watchman.