THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OETHE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
Vol >(XV1I Charlotte, N. C., Thursday, April 28, 1904. No. 16.
1——^- - «
HE BEING DEAD.
Vet Speaketh—An Unpublished
Letter.
by rev. g. w. offley, d. d.
Mr. Editor: Id looking over
some papers, 1 came across the
foliowing unpublished letter to
the Star of Zion. Commenced
over three years ago, it was not
finished and published then for
the reason that after having read
what I had written to Dr. R. E.
Fisher, he advised its non-publica
tion and I withheld it. On the
ev of another General Confer
ence, I trust that its publication
now will serve to prevent in some
measuie the recurrence of the la
mentable scenes exhibited in the
two preceding General Confer
ences in connection with the as
signment of the bishops. But
here is the letter:
“Two articles have recently appeared
in the Star op Zion which deserve
more than a parsing notice. Both arti
cles are manly in utterance and unsel
lishiy Christian in sentiment. I refer
to the one written by Prof. W. F. Fon
vielle, which appeared in the Star op
Zion in the issue of January 10th, and
to the one written by Prof. R- J. Greek
ett, which was published in the issue of
January 24, 1901. He who can read
Fonvielle’s letter wiihout emotion of
some kind must certainly be lacking in
some of the finer qualities which con
stitute the Christ-like man. That arti
cle stamps Fonvielle as being not only
a writer of clear-cut English, but a
manly man with a great and sympa
thetic heart.
i never attenueu v.omerence w iinr - i
was more torn by conflicting ernotj .es
and sentiments than I was at the Gen
eral Conference of 1900. My judgment
was one way. I favored tne election
of two bishops—my sympathy was
another way—I felt fur the “under
clog” in the fight. Four year’s previ
ous I had witnessed a somewhat sim
ilar case, but then my judgment and
my feelings coincided, and with oth
ers likeminded I could and did strive
with all the {owers that God gave me,
and the result of that battle was that
the “under dog came out on top.
“But Bishop Pettey is dead.'’ Yes,
he is dead! What avails it then to
speak of the possible, probable, or re
mote causes of his death? What, in
deed, but ihis, to prevent, if possible,
the recurrence of “schemes” which
FonvielJe declares are “wicked,” and
the re-enactment of that kind of bus
iness which he characterizes as “«»•
Chrisiain, wicked, devilish.” Had
there been lees iron in the composition
of Bi hop Pettey, or had there been
more of the political trimmer in his
mental and moral character, Bishop
Pettej wou.d have ‘ bent” when “oppo
sition came carrying down all before it,”
or at the critical moment he would
have shifted his position and joined the
preiatical majority. But being what he
was, he could not do otherwise than he
did. Though defeat stared him in the
face, he maintained his position to the
last, preferring rather to be defeated
than to bear the charge of being vacil
lating, inconstant, and unreliable.
Was Bishop Pettey defeated only?
or was there added to defeat punish
ment? Evidently, Prof. Fonvielle
thinks so, and undoubtedly there are
others who believe the same. The
Wame, however, it seems to me, can
not be laid at any particular man’s
door, but rather to our methods ot.
transacting business which makes it
possible for such -things to be done—
that is, if what Prof. Crockett says con
cerning our methods be true. Prof.
Crockett more than intimates that the
bishops appoint themselves. He says:
■'iver all these embarrassments rises
toe one of self-appointment.” And
h>s reflection upon this is that “the un
assuming man feels it keenly,” and
'hat “there will be upheavals and dis
coneertions as long as such is permitted,
despite all the Christian Bafe-guards
you may cloak around i’.” ‘‘Self-dele
gation,” he says, “or self-appointment
ts dangerous”
Here, Mr. Editor, my letter of
ttuee years ago ended* Members
°- the General Conference of eight
yfcai’8 ago will remember the ex
treme tension existing at one time
during that session, and members
01 the Geceral Conference of four
years ago]will remember the ex
citing—not to say disgraceful—
scenes exhibited in that Confer
ence in connection with the mat
ters treated of in this paper.
What is the remedy ? I suggest
the following: 1st. Let the epis
copal districts be composed of
contiguous conferences. 2nd. Let <
the General Conference assign the 1
bishops to their districts. 3rd. '
Change the bishops every four
years; or better, let them rotate
and thus give the people an oppor
tunity to see and hear each of the
bishops.
If we do these things, we will
save hundreds of dollars in travel
ling expenses, and prevent the
possibility of a recurrence of the
sad incidents of eight and four
years ago. If we do these things,
we shall act wisely and legislate
for the best interests of the entire
Connection.
In the assignment of the bish
ops, however, in view of his long
years of service to the Church and
of his age, in case we should
make the suggested change in the
episcopal districts, I do not think
it would be amiss to make an ex
ception in the case of Bishop
Hood and give him his choice of
the districts. He deserves that
honor.
Just one word more, Mr. Edi
tor, and I close. It is sincerely to
be hoped that the General Confer
ence of 1904 wilt profit by the
experiences of the past and not
defer important legislation until
i he last day or two^of the Confer
ence and then adjourn and leave
its unfinished business in the
hauds of a committee. Had we
not done so at the last General
Conference we would not now
have this brotherhood business in
its present unsatisfactory condi
tion on our hands. But I forbear.
Let us all go to the General Con
ference asking God for wisdom to
enable us to legislate wisely and
well for the interest of the Con
nection and for the universal
spread of the Redeemer’s king
dom.
Avondale, Pa.
South Carolina Delegation.
FOR ST. LOUIS.
Dear brethren: After careful con9id
ation of the different routes to St.
Louis, we beg to advise that we have
made the following airangements with
the Southern Railway to furnish one
first-class coach for the South Carolina
delegation and their friends to leave ,
Rock Hill, 8. C., Monday morning of
May 2nd, 1904, a9 follows:
Leave Rock Hill, S. C., 5.3O a. m., ,
Blacksburg 7.55, MarioD, N. C., 11.50
a. m., Asheville 1-15 p. m.; Knoxville,
Tenn. 6 p. m., Louisville 8.50. Arrive
3t. Louis 5 p. m.
The delegates from Lancaster, Car
lisle and Chester will purchase their
tickets via Rock Hill, Union and Spar
tanburg, and the others will join the
delegation at Asheville. This car will ,
be attached to the train with the North j
Carolina delegation at Marion and will ]
go into St. Louis together. Hoping
that all of the delegates will find it con
venient to join me in this arrangement,
I remain,
Sincere’y yours,
I. C. Clinton, Bishop.
Chester, S. C. 1
Our Pastor Sick.
BY LIZZIE M. HARDY. ;
Rev. Thomas King while pre
paring his quarterly conference J
was taken very ill and was not <
able to meet his Presiding Elder, i
He desires the prayers of the 1
Church. He has done good work (
for us. We are preparing also to
improve the cbuich of which he is t
the pastor. BXacksUxne^ Va i
PRESS OPINIONS.
1
Concerning Some of The Men of j
Zion. i
READ THEM.
The paragraph Editor of t.he the Star
)f Zion ig a close and careful reader of
he Colored American.--Colored Ameri
;an.
Rev. C. D. Hazel, of Atlantic City,
S’. J., is recognized as the foremost
eader of the New Jersey, Conference.—
Philadelphia Tribune.
Dr. A. J. Warner, of Charlotte,
preached a soul stirring sermon at the
A. M. E. Zion Church Monday night —
Rock Hill (S. C.) Messenger.
The Cleveland Gazette, the Chicago
Conservator and the Star Of Zion are
three papers of • which the colored
American can justly be proud.—Texas
Express.
Revs. W. H. Davenport, G. C. Cle
ment, J. H. Anderson, S- A. Chambers,
H. W. Smith and W. H. Marshall are
prominently mentioned far Editor of
Star Of Zion.—The Journal.
The generalissimo of the A. M. E.
Zion Church, the Hon. John C. Dancy,
will succeed himself as editor of the A.
M. E. Church Quarterly. This Church,
nor anything else, to our knowledge,
has never caught John Dancy nappin.—
Colored American.
Several candidates for the bishopric
are in the field ; Drg. J. W. Smith and J.
S. Caldwell, are in the lead so far.
Looking from this distance, it seems
that nothing can prohibit their election.
The opposition they have, serves to
bring out the best there is in them —
Tne Journal.
Rev. W. H. Chambers a successful
pistjr of Indianapolis, is out for bishop,
as 'He candidate of the western section
of the A. M, E, Zion territory. He is
backed by the Kentucky and the Missouri
Conference, of whicn be is an acknow
ledged favorite sou.—R W. 1\ in
CLaiieston (W. Ya-) Advocate.
It seems to be a foregoue conclusion
that Di s. J. W. Smith and J. S. Caldwell
will be elected bishops at the General
Conference of the A. M. E. Zion Church
when that great body convenes in St.
Louis, Mo , May next. 1 hey are both
able and fully capable for the office, and
would prove a credit to their great
Church and race.—Cary (Miss) Negro
World.
Rev, J. W. Smith, the trenchant and
versatile eci or of the Star Of Zion, is
too powerful a man to be kept lied
down to an editorial chair. This min
isteral light is a veritable diamond in
the rough; consequently, it is absolute
ly necesssary to elevate him to the bish
opric where the Zion Connection can
more clearly seen what he cau do.—
Fexas Freeman.
Her. IM. Argyle, A. B, pastor A.
M. E. Zion church, Dayton, Tenn, has
Keen selected to preach the baccalaureate
sermon at the commencement of the
East Tennessee Industrial Institute of
Harriman, Tenn., May 15, Prox. The
>oard of directors of this school are all
vhite. The sermon will be preached
n the W. C. T. U. Hall, a white instiiu
ion.—Industrial Plea.
In closing up his eight long years
nentally hard editorial service in which
tie has made the Star Of Zion naiion
illy popular and silenced the gun of
-very enemy that was trained on his
Church, Dr, J. W. Smith, whose place
will be hard to fit), in his editorials and
shooting stars is doing the writing of
lis life. Will his Onnrch grateiully
lonor him, as the two M. E., and C. M.
E. Churches honored their faiooful
editors in the last quadrennium?—The
Advocate.
The paramount question among th*
eaders in our colored Methodist
ihurches is, who are going to be made
3ishops and given the general offices?
We n ote that in a late interview, pub
isbed in the Indianapolis Freemau,
lishops George W. Clinton is credited
vith expressing the opinion that Dr. J.
W. Smith, the editor of the Star Of Zion
tnd Dr. J. S, Caldwell, the pretent Finan
iial Secretary of the Zion Cnurch, will be
rieeted Bishops in the Charca. Tnis
s a pleasing expression of opinion t »
he many friends- of the distinguished
andidates.—Afric o-American Piesby
terian.
The General Conferences of the vari
ms Methodist Chinches-will bj hdi
n May next. There are many offices
o be filled, and bishops to be elected in
nearly all these Churches. The A.. M.
3. Zion Church will elect two or three
nshops. Tho Rev. J. W Smith, D D ,
iditor of the Star Of Zion, is the lead
ng candidate for the bishopric in this
3burch—and all of the members of
hat denomination seem to be anxious
;o have him promoted to the position,
^.nd after May next it will, in a 1 pro*'
ibility, be Bishop Smith.—Colored
American.
General Conference.
A. M. E. ZION CHURCH,
Wednesday, May 4, will see the first
session of the A. M. E. Zion General
Conference at the Metropolitan Church,
St. Louis. Its routine will be very
similar to that of the Chicago gathering
aid candidates for office will be equallj
imnerous. It is generally agreed that
;wo bishops will be elected and already
she popular voice has called Drs. John
Wesley Smith and J. S. Caldwell to the
Episcopal bench. Other aspirants, no
sably Rev3. W. H. Chambers, M. R,
Franklin, S. L. Corrothers, G. L. Black
well, A. J. Warner and P. A. Wallace
will keep a weather eye open for 1908.
It is not improbable that Dr. Frank
lin will make the race for General Stew
ard this year as a stepping Btone, al
though the woods are fall of candidates,
active and receptive, none of whom,
however, is more deserving than Rev.
R. S. Rives, of Washington.
The great contest hinges about the
editorship of the Star of Zion, which
is quite a luscious plum, and the situa
tion has narrrowed down to three
strong contestants: Revs. George 0,
Clement, J. Harvey Anderson, and W.
H. Davenport. Tue odds slightly favor
Dr. Clement at this time, as the Ken
tucky man has a large number of dele
gates pledged and is the second choice
of all of Dr. Davenport’s friends, who
will go to him when the break-up comes
and their leader appears to be in the
minority. Dr, Anderson is a powerful
mao; nevertheless, should he lose the
editorship he will be handsomely pro
vided for.
The missionary secretaryship lies be
tween Rev. E. D. W. Jones and Mrs.
E. Washington, and the race is a pretty
one, abounding in tact and diplomacy
of the most delightful kind. The death
of Rev. J M. Hill makes a vacancy in
the office of business manager. The
place is being temporarily filled by
Bishop G. W. Clinton, who is familiar
with the details of the department be
cause of a long previous connection
with it. Rev. F. K. Bird is said to
have been the choice of the deceased
manager, and this report has helped
his chances. Rev. J. F. Moreland, of
Chicago, and Rev. W. H. Snowden, of
Louisville, would be willing to accept.
Tne office will not go abegging, in any
event, and the Church is sure to get a
good man for the very responsible duty
of handling Zion’s increasing output of
literature and job work. Mr, John C.
Dancy is a fixture as editor of the
Quarterly Review as is also Rev. R. B.
Bruce in charge of the Sunday school
interests, and Rev. J. B. Colbert, the
Vaiick Coristian Eadeavortr.
Additional provision will be made for
Livingstone College and the educational
work generally. There is no sentiment
for organic union with the A. M. E.
Connection, and it is scarcely probable
that any decisive step will bo takea at
this time toward an al.iance with the
C. M. E. Church. The Zion Connec
tion has now a membership of nearly
300,000, and is planning an extension
system that will largely increase her
ire a and numbers.—R. IV. T. in
Charleston (IV. Va.) Advocate.
Carthage District.
BY REV. W. H. GRAHAM, P. E.
We have finished the first rouud
on the district and I am pleased to
note the work is ’alive. Revs. J.
J. Stitt, B. W, Tamer, J. C. Cox,
W. B. Gordon, G. H. Miles, M.
H. Farriah, Wm. Mitchell, N. H.
Tyson, R. A. Simmons, T. J.
Housion, S! D. McKay, C. M.
Little, F. R. Cox, R. Taylor, W.
W. Boston, C. M. Mason, P. A.
McRae, M. S, McRae and their
various charges and doing fine.
We mean to push the battle to the
gate, God being our helper.
“On to General Conference!” is
the password nqw'i;!
Sanford, N. C.
THE MANAGERSHIP.
Merit And Service Should Win
Place of Honor.
BY REV. D. J. DONOHOO, D. D.
As has been said time and again,
the unexpected and sudden taking
off of Dr. James M. Hill was a
shock to every true Zionite. We
need not worry about his eternal
happiness. Such a beautiful life
and glorious death are unmistaka
ble evidence of the sure reward
and blissful home of God’s servant.
His place having been made
vacant as Manager of the A. M.
E. Zion Publication House, the
ensuing General Conference will
be called upon to elect his suc
cessor. Four persons have an
nounced their candidacy for the
place. I wish to speak of one of
these gentlemen.
Dr. John F. Moreland, whose
great service in and for Zion,
entitles him to the favorable con*
sideration of every delegate to our
ensuing General Conference, if
merit and work are the true stand
ards for promotion. A man who
can make his own business a suc
cess and build up an income or a
bank account while obeying the
commission of the Master, has
proven himself deserving of the
support of his brethren. When
that man uses his means as I have
learned from reliable and honora
ble sources, to save churches and
build churches, while he and his
family are sacrificing or denying
themselves many of the comforts
of life, he indicates his fitness for
an important and exalted post.
Dr. Moreland is a man who
possesses business tact and is al"
ways full of push and enterprise.
He is very economical and, like
our late lamented Dr. Hill, he
would carry this excellent trait
into his office with him. If Zion
would encourage merit and service
and show others how to come to
the front and win her best gifts,
then, let the General Conference
elect Dr. Moreland General Mana
ger of our Publication House, and
I believe the whole Church will
be made to rejoice before the end
of the next quadrennium.
Indianapolis, Ind.
A Few Thoughts,
BY REV. H. R. JACKSON.
We are by appointment at Coffee
ville charge. The church received
me gratefully. The members here
are truly loyal to the laws of the
Zion Church. We have met the
trustee board and the quarterly
conference; had nice meetings of
each. Every member of each
meeting declares that he ex
pects to do more this year than
ever before to bring up a good re«
port on all lines. We have started
off for the year.
But listen, listen! We have a
church in Sardis ready for service,
complete saving silling and paint
ing. I was determined for the
Bishop to report us a church at
Sardis in the the next General
Conference. Please give us that
same giant, intellectual and clear
cut gospel preacher, Bishop G. W.
Clinton, and Zion will be a field
that all will be glad to pome.
Will you, Mr. Editor; lend
your assistance to get another
good team in,,; the > Publication
House, as you will apon: put on a
new garb? "
Batesville, Miss.