Newspapers / The Star of Zion … / Nov. 10, 1921, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE OFFICIAL ORGAN Of THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZIC^ OHJlRLOTT* MOKTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1921, NUMBER FORTY-FIVE VOLUME PORTY-FTV» The Revival at Rheims. By Henry Van Dyke. An event with a large meaning took place at Rheims on Sunday, Oc tober 23. It may-fill-but little space in the columns of foreign news; but its deeper significance ought to be noted and felt in America. Famous for its great cathedral, cel ebrated as the chief wool market of France and the center of champagne production, renowned for its obsti nate, heroic resistance and suffering during the World War, the city of Rheims stands out as a-type of French art, industry, and patriotism. A hundred thousand people lived and labored there before the war; about four thousand of them were Protes tants. When France was invaded, all the able-bodied men were drawn into the army defense, and the rest of the inhabitants, old men, women, and children, were scattered far and wide, or driven underground for refuge in the vast “caves” in the chalk rock which underlies the city. In these subterranean asylums the indomita ble remnant found shelter for four years while their -homes overhead were wrecked by a continued, cruel, senseless bombardment. Under ground the children of those dark years were born and nursed, brave little schools were carried on, and divine worship was conducted. All this ruin in the daylight and distress in the dark were part of the price that France paid to nave mankind ' from the menace ofsth^Bphejizt4|§rh Every shell that made its barbarous mark on the beauty of the cathedral awakened an echo of resentment in the heart of the civilized world. But there were other deeds of destruc tion wrought by the invaders, which though less known, were no less de serving of a just and humane indig nation. The Protestant church at Rheims, the beloved “house of pray er” for a laborious community of the descendants of the Hugenots, was not merely^ marred and broken, but utterly destroyed; and with it the modest parsonage and the indispensa ble Young Men’s Christian Associa tion Building went down in total ru ' in under the ruthless fire of the ene my. Now the tempest has passed. The refugees have returned to Rheims, ready to revive their city’s life. The Catholics dr!e repairing the great cathedral. The Protestants, who were among the first to come back, are keeping up their fellowship and their simple worship in a wooden barrack, and making generous offer ings to rebuild their house of pray er. Out of their poverty they have gathered 250,000 francs, and friends have contributed 200,000 more. On October 23 they laid the cornerstone of their- new church, a fitting, beau tiful, commodious edifice, which is to rise like a .shrine of remembrance, on the very site where'" the old church met its martyrdom. American thank-offerings have helped in this revival. But to com plete the restoration there is need of something more. Beside the church, and to replace the destroyed Y. M. C. A. building, there must be a model parish-house, well-equipped with rooms for the Sunday School and for the young men’s and the young women’s associations, mothers’ meetings, boys’ clubs, and so on. It should contain both a library and a gymnasium; in efiect it should be fitted for the social work of a mod ern church in an ancient city, revived and advancing bravely after the bit ter trials of wa\ A hundred thous and dollars will do it. Such a build ing as this, would be a noble memorial to any of those fine, forward-looking can boys who gav<» thoir lives cause of liberty on the soil of e. It would help to realize and tuate the ideals of faith tor which they made their great sacri-. flee. Protestant Christians in the United States do not fully appreciate how much the Protestants of France suf fered during the war nor how well they are doing their duty under diffi culties now. Of the 400 churches belonging to the Evangelical Re formed communion, 33 were partially wrecked and 12 totally destroyed. To meet the increased cost of living these French Protestants have raised their annual church budget from 1,000,000 francs in 1912 to 3,000,000 in 1920. At the same time they have doubled their foreign missionary work, ad vancing from 900,000 francs in 1914 to 1,800,000 in 1920. These people, are not slackers and leaners. I ley are workers and self-helpers. Th«.v are worthy of sympathy and aid, be cause they carry such, a heavy b ;r den so bravely. They are- laboring in the common cause of human wel fare which is dear to all true believ ers. - The laying of the cornerstone of the new church at Rheims is an evi dence of faith surviving and reviving among the ruins. It ought to call out a generous prac tical expression of admiration and gratitude from Christians who hold a like -faith in America.. Many gifts, large and small, should be sent to the Federal Council’s Commission on.Relations with France.in4 Belgi um, 105 East 22nd Street, New York strong. 'The-'; ihve^^^^^ Splettdfd^ SOUTHERN WOMEN APPEAL FOR JUSTICE TO NEGRO. No more hopeful indication of a new spirit in the relations of the white and the colored races has appeared than the recent notable utterances of a group of Southern churchwomen. They protest strongly against lynching or mob violence for any cause whatever. They insist that it is never necessary “for the protection of womanhood” and desire that this excuse should no longer be offered. The group which has made this statement are prominent citizens of Georgia, assembled to form a woman’s section of the State Inter-Racial Com mittee. Part of their fine utterance is as follows: “We have a deep sense of appreci ation for the chivalry of men who would give their lives for the purity and safety of the women of their own race, yet we feel constrained to declare our convictions concerning the methods sometimes employed in this supposed protection. “We find in our hearts no . ex tenuation of crime, be it violation of womanhood, mob-violence, or the il legal taking of human life. “We are convinced that if there is any one crime more dangerous than another, it is that crime~which strikes at the root of and undermines constituted authority, breaks all laws and restraints of civilization, substi tutes mob-violence and masked ir responsibility for established justice, and deprives society of a sense of pro tection against barbarism. . “Therefore, we believe ittthat no falser appeal can be made to southern manhood than that mob-violence is necessary for the protection of wom anhood, or that the brutal practice of lynching and burning of human be ings is an expression of chivalry. We believe that these methods are ‘no protection to anything or anybody but that they jeopardize every right and every security that we possess.’ ” This action of Georgia women has been followed'by a similar pronounce ment from a group of Alabama wom en who have also organized a woman’s section of the Inter-Racial Committee in that state. DR. MOTON LABORSjTO IMPROVE RACE IN RURAL LIFE. Tuskegee Institute^ 5—The efforts of Dj* principal, Tuskegee educational, econom rural betterment of t ing evidenced in movements. These largely a basis, not ori for general rural are interesting thousa especially in the agr of the South, in me agriculture. Dr. Mofcon, thro of Tuskegee and ot the uplift of his ter understanding is aiding the rural N with the better people for safe fa tion for human pro B. F. Hubert, ment of agrictf Institute, Who is tor in the Co% ganization among N supported by Dr. M ing Negro educator ralists in working Tuskegee for a spl gro rural leaders ate a definite aim Negro farmers to for the improvement This is also to help try life more attra to thousands of are leaving the T. M. Camp demt States department of agriculture, with headquarters at Tuskegee Insti tute, is cooperating with Dr. Moton and his director of agriculture. This has resulted in a splendid campaign for better rural conditions to be launched throughout the South. Direct results of these plans are shown in the improvement of agri culture, home life, schools and self help among Negroes which reveal practical demonstrations of safe leadership and progress. Recent agricultural fairs held at Tuskegee Institute, and throughout Alabama and the South, reveal con structive strides of Negro farmers in labama, Nov. iR. R. Moton, Institute, for and general Negro are be y essential qavors are of study, but They s of Negroes, ral regions s of better. the agencies activities for and a bet m the races, to cooperate >nt of white and coopera 2tor depart Tuskegee large fac Life Or , is being other lead agriettltu ■era all branches of farm life. This is largely due to Dr. Moton’s interest in fairs; the cooperation of Negro local agents, home economics workers, Smith-Hughes agricultural teachers, Jeanes supervisors, pijeaofhers and teachers and Negro schools in the territories where fairs are held, and the substantial encouragement of the white school authorities and business people. At each fair there was re vealed a spirit of “working togeth er” for betterment of community, state and country. JDr. Moton in advocating principles fdr rural betterment emphasizes ab solute justice and opportunities for the farming group of his race. From present indications these activities, to help make the Negro in the rural districts contented and successful, will bring about a new era in the life of this group of people. IMPORTANT NOTICE. The Board of Trustees of Living stone College are called to meet on December 6th at Livingstone Col lege, Salisbury, N. C., at 10 A. M. A full meeting is desired. Signed: J. S. Caldwell, Chairman. ANNOUNCEMENT. The members of the Alumni Asso ciation of Livingstone College are ^requested to, meet in the College Au ditorium Thursday mtfrning, Novem ber 24th, at eleven o’clock. Business of importance. f J. W. Walker, Pres. Methodist World Conference in London. The Attitude of the People Towards Religion. On this subject of commanding im portance the Rev. Samuel Chadwick (W. M.) was the first to deliver his soul. He admitted that there was much religion outside the Church, and that often disregard for the Church was linked with reverence for reli gion. The social reformers who abuse the Church honor Jesus Christ. Mid dle class women, made heady by the new wine of freedom, are hostile to the Church. Their rebound from re ligion is as daring as their attire. One reason is that churchmen are trying to run the Kingdom by plans that Christ rejected. The Church cannot win the people until 1. It re covers its faith, 2. Has a passion for souls, and 3. Returns to aggressive evangelism and grapples with the power of evil. Professor Andrew Sledd (M. E., S. ) thought the Church was coming to be a dying curiosity because it was judged by its fruits. As now organ ized and interpreted it does not meet the need of the times. To change that attitude the body of Christ must be reinforced with His Spirit. An army chaplain, the Rev. George Standing (P. M.), gave a frank re; port of the religion of the British soldier, many of them “Esaus, whom Jesus would have loved, and who wopld have loved Him.” The Rev. W. A. Blackwell (A._^E; Z.) touched with the ' local officials. The Rev. W. E. Chivers (U. M), speaking on Intensive Culture, said that the secret of success was to have no waste land and to improve the quality of the fruit. The Rev. Wesley Boyd (P. M.), had discovered to his sor row that too many church members were not dominated by the spirit of Christ. There was abundance of Christian/work waiting for men and women to take it up. As one might well suppose, all this dreary recital of the faults of the Church and the indifference of the people to its message was lis* tened to with some impa tience. Dr. H. C. Morrison took the floor to declare that the Church should go back to first principles and preach the old fashioned gospel. Owen S.. Watkins, a chaplain, said that when soldiers faced death they wanted to hear Jesus Christ preached by men of faith. They accuse us of not believing our own message. Dr. T. M. Larkin (M. E.) indignantly de clared that the American people were not indifferent nor hostile to the churches. The pastor of Wesley’s Chapel,* W. H. Armstrong, said he would quit the Church tomorrow if he thought it was half as bad as it had been pictured. Indifference could be overcome "by enthusiasm.- Dr. Jabez G. Bickerton (M. E.) of Philadelphia alluded to the spread of spiritism and humanitarianism in tfce United States. Speaking of Drifts to and From the Church Bishop D. J. Coppin (A. M. E.) admitted that on-account ef com promises with the world, people on the outside were a.'king, “Why should I join the Church?” The lack of true brotherhood was also an offense. Christ preached it, but society re jected it, and the Church often stood with society rather than with its professed Lord. The Rev. T. Ferrier Hulme (W. M.) on the status of village Methodism made out a dolorous case for the Church. The public house was much more sociable and attractive, and the multiplicity of chapels was “a run ning sore of schism.” “We must be aroused to disgust with what is in tolerable!” Professor _G. F. Porter (C. *M. E.) thought the Church was injured by admitting some members who would do less harm if left oul Bide. The Rev. George Eayrs (U. M.) thought the adverse popular attitude might be altered by more prayer, more earnest evangelism, and a wiser use of the press. Dr. J. s. Ladd Thomas (M. E.) was "confident that the attitude was temporary and su perficial. The Church would profit 1. By exercising fuller spiritual influ ence over its young people. 2. By leaving its ministry time and energy for prophetic and spiritual ministry, and 3. By deepened spirituality. In the final paper on the subject the Rev. J. E. Rattenbury (W. M. C.) con sidered the intellectual attitude and the life of the city in their relation' 'to the churches. Christ and the Social Order. On the tenth day this topic, whish had asserted itself in many previous sessions, had the field to itself. Dr. ft. Maldywn Hughes (W; M) in a paper of distinction offered the view that “The conversion of the Church to Christianity must precede the conversion of the world to Chris tian practice.” Modern society was “acquisitive.” “Selfishness is so se curely enthroned that those who pro fess its opposite are objects of sus picion.” “Today it is not charity but success that covers a multitude at sins.” “There is something wrong with a system whose central princi ple is selfishness.” “The great heresy of the day,” he claimed, “was that unity is committed to principles bat not to any social theory. We shall not win until we make sacrifices for our principles. It is no use waiting for legislative millennium or a sweeping revival. Christianized individuals must lead the way. Dr. Clarence True Wilson (M. E.) put the case of Prohibition in a way that evoked British and American cheers. He exhorted his hearers to apply the lessons of St. Paul and John Wesley "until the workers of iniquity tremble because of the mil itant church on their track,” Bishop F. J. McConnell’s essay on “Changing Moral Standards” was read by Dr. W. H. Lacy. He admitted the temporary weakening of the moral spirit of America since the war, but detected signs of recovery. Ideals of personalty were gaining. Moral tone was becoming more as sertive in relation to social questions. A powerful engineering body had pronounced in favor of the 8 hour day; a leading law school had announced the startling theory that a lawyer’s first duty is service to his community. The social attitude of recent college graduates was one of the strongest grounds for hope. We must show an improved moral attitude toward la bor, something above mere paternal ism. War must be banished by pro moting better international and ra cial relations. The advanced nations must exercise an unselfish trustee ship over non-adult nations. “Phillips Brooks, saying that it was our busi ness to take Jesus Christ to the Christ to heathen peoples and leave Him there, was all very well, provided that we would leave with Him Enough of the heathen’s own coal and ore and rub ber and oil.” The Conference listened in silence while Victor Murray (P. M.) com mented on “The Changing Moral At titude of the Young.” The things we see about us are a revolt of life against authority. The fault is not in the new wine but the old wine-skins. Yet youth is "misunderstood and de nounced. This age is not more aban doned but more honest. It is better to dancfe, and believe that it is right*, than to conform to rules and live, a hypocrite. The Nemesis of education is the right of students to think dif Continued to page 5. M
The Star of Zion (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Nov. 10, 1921, edition 1
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