THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
NUMBER ONE
CHARLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1924.
VOLUME FORTY-EIGHT
A REMARKABLE
MINISTER
' •'•
DR. W. D. BATTLE EXCELS)
AT GALBRAITH.
By I. J. D. Lipscomb.
North Carolina is the stronghold
of the A. M. E. Zion Church. Some
of its most splendid institutions are
located there, and not a few of the
notable men of the race are natives
of North Carolina. The State has
contributed many strong men to
Zion’s pulpit, who have made their
mark in other sections and in other
states. Among these must be men
tioned Rev. William Delmar Battle,
A B, S. T.. B., pastor of the Gal
braith A. M. E. Zion church of
Washington, D. C. He is a native
of the historic old town of Newbern,
N." C., on the eastern coast of' the
State. His father' the Rev. Thomas
C. Battle, was also a minister ot
the Zion Church and did a notable
work in Eastern Carolina in his day
and generation. Growing up in New
bern, young Battle laid the foundation
of his education in the public and
high schools of that city. For his
normal and college courses he went
to Livingstone College at Salisbury,
N. C , where he won his A. B., degree
In iy04. He passed from Living
stone to Lincoln University for his
theological training and won the .
T B from that institution m IWL
Our subject was converted at- the
tender age, of .ten years; but even
before that, and as a mere boy, he
felt that, bis work in life must be
that of the ministry. He was licensed
at Statesville, N. C., and joined the
Conference in 1903. His first regular
conference appoinment was the Se^'
ond Creek Circuit, Salisbury, N.
which he served for a year and a
half. While at Lincoln University he
served a local Mission most success
fully. His next appointment was at
Avondale, Pa., where he preached one
year and paid the church debt. It
was while at this, point, June 11. be
was happily married to Miss Ada A.
Harris of Concord, N. C. Mrs. Bat
tle is a graduate of Scotia Seminary
and was before her marriage an
accomplished teacher. She has con
tributed largely to ms
went from Avondale to Vanck Tem
ple, Philadelphia, as the first pastor
of that church and served it for two
years. His next appointment was
to York, Pa., where he preached for
more than four years. While on that
work, he had splendid growth in the
*' numbers and the power of the mem
bership took an active part in all
civic and moral interests. From York
he was sent to his present appoint
ment, Galbraith Station at Washing
ton, D. C. Coming to this work m
1914 he reorganized it and ’put new
life into the church. A long stand
> ing indebtedness, with which the
church has been burdened for more
than thirty-five years has been can
celled, and the congregation has
' steadily grown, until now the build
ing is too small. Up to this time a
Building Fund of $16,000 has been
raised and we hope to begin re
modeling in early spring; which wifi
cost between twenty-five and thirty
thousand dollars. Washington was
sjtartled when he raised $10,000 in his
Big Rally in the year 1919. He
raised $3,700 in his recent Fall Rally.
Rev. Battle is interested in the Ter
centenary Movement. During the
five years drive he raised and sent
in for Ter-Centenary $4,600. He led
.the Baltimore and Philadelphia Con
femce.' He has been a delegate to
three General Conferences. He is a
delegate to the ensuing General Con
ference. He is a hard worker, pains
taking and a man of executive abil
ity as well as a'popular and eloquent
preacher. He. is much concerned
about the present and future progress
of the church of his choice, and is
a quiet unassuming^ factor in helping
to shape her destiny. I predict for
him the highest gift of the church.
Washington, D. C.
Thus saith the Lord, Caljl untQ
me, and I will answer thee, and shew
thee great and mighty things which
thou komwest not.'..Behold, I
will bring it health and cure, and I
wilf cure them, and will reveal unto
them the abundance of peace and
truth.
DR. KENNY MAKES
UNIQUE CHALLENGE
fo COLORED PHYSICIANS,
DENTISTS AND PHARMA
CISTS. I ■
Secures $1000 Insurance Policy
On His Life, Naming Howard
And Meharry Medical Colleges
Beneficiaries.
Washington D. C—Dr. John A.
Kenney, Medical Director of the John
A. Andrew Memorial, i Hospital at
Tuskegee Institute,- Alabama, has just
DR. W. D. BATTLE. D. D.
Pastor of Galbraith A. M. E. Zion Church, Washington, D. C
WATCHING THE
BREAKERS.
DAVENPORT ANSWERS MED
FORD—WALLS AND ALLEYNE
IN QUESTION.
By W. H. Davenport,
I 9 In the current issue of the Zion
\ Methodist Dr. H. T. Medford asks
the following questions to which we
gladly give answer:
“What does Dr. W. H. Daven
port mean by “aspirirfg to- editorial
translation of Zion’s aims and pur
poses” in a recent issue of The Star
of Zion? Does that mean he wants
j to edit The Star, the Seer, the 'Re
view, the Bulletin, or Sunday School
j Literature? Sometimes definitions do
not define, as Prohibition does not
Prohibit.”
^*We are not posted on prohibition,
but we appreciate and thank Brother
Medford for the generous conces
sions which his questions imply, and
the solemn admonition he gives us
in the unquoted text.
The pronouncement of my aspir
ings has had the desired reaction. I
wanted to know the mind of tfie
Church. I wanted to know which pa
per, if any, It preferred I should try
to edit. The response from every
quarter has been definite and dis
tinct. I like to scribble; I have a
nose for news, they say. I prefer The
Star of Zion and public sentiment
seems to accord with that preference.
I ilke to send a word of cheer to) the
disconsolate; to bring the light of
joy to the eye, and the prospect of an
other chance to ,the bosom of the
1 )
I ■ J ..
written a letter to President Durkee
:■£ Howard University stating:
“Th;s letter and enclosure will re
mind you that a year ago I took out
a Five Hundred Dollar policy on my
life payable to the Meharry Medical
College and The Howard Medical
School. This was not at all satisfac
tory to pie, but it was all that I felt
that I could do at that time. I am
pleased to advise that I have now
seen my way clear to raise this to
$1,000, thus placing $500 with How
ard Medical College and $500 with
the Meharry Medical School. I agree
o keep up the annual premium on
his policy and trust that you will
accept it as an indication qf my in
terest in the work in which you are
engaged and in the future of medical
education for our group, also I hope
fh°t it wijl be of some little encour
agement to you in the great wcirk
that you are doing.
“Let me add that I am carrying an
editorial in the coming issue of the
Toumal appealing to nine hundied
and ninety nine of our five thousand
physicians, dentists and pharmacists
to do likewise in order that a million
i$l,000,000) dollars may eventually
be placed at the service of these two
big institutions from this source,
which would be g big thing for the
work and a small thing for the indi
vidual.” .
Challenge to 4,999 Others.
If Dr. Kenney’s suggestion is taken
'ip by the cither 4,999 Colored Physi
cians, Dentists, and Pharmacists, both
Howard Medical School and Meharry
Medical School will be well on the
way to that financial independence
which should be theirs.
Makes Plea in Editorial for Support
'' ' ''''
of Race Medical Schools.
The editorial -referred to by Dr.
Kenney which appeared in the Octo
jer-December number of the Journal
:>f the National Medical Association
is as follows:
‘ Although we are aware that it is
not usually considered good manners
otr good morals to “do thine arms” and
advertise the- fact to the world, yet,
:n this special instance we feel jus- •
titled because We are especially anx
ious to have nine hundred and ninety
nine other physicians, dentists, and
pharmacists do likewise.
“Much has been written and said
with reference to the scarcity oft
Negro physicians and dentists, and
c-f the uncertainty of the future with
reference to an adequate supply of
members of these professions foi* the ■
demands of the Negro race. We
kna\H that fewer men and women of
color are graduating from the pro
fessional schools in the North year
by year. We have reason toi believe
that our students are not as welcome
in many of these institutions as they
formerly were.
’‘The writer was present at a meet
ing in one of the churches in Cleve
land in 1920 where one of the Greek
letter societies was instituting its
“Go to College” campaign. The
secretary of the Western Reserve
University was present and spoke on
this occasion. He very frankly ad'
vised colored‘youth against matricu
lating at the ^Vestern Reserve in the
professional schools, but strongly
urged that they enter their own
cial institutions.
(Concluded nejct week)
COLORED CONTRALTO SO
LOISTS SCORES WITH
PHILHARMONIC.
(Lincoln News Service.)
Philadelphia, Pa.—Marian Ander
son, a twenty-two year-old colored
girl, of this city, recently scored a
heavy hit as contralto soloist with
the Philarmonic Society, one of
America’s Reading orchestras. The
young artiste, who is at present stu
dying with Giuseppe Boghetti, rose
to the occasion of her opportunity,'
and, with musicianly sensibility and
a voice of quality far above the av
erage rendered a number cf out
standing selections. First, she offer
ed “O Mio Fernando,’’ from Doni
zetti’s “Favorita.” Then she sang
two Negro swMt.uals, “My Lord.
I What a Mornin’,” a
Heav’n.” Delivering the Donizetti
air with tell'ng fervor and- dramatic
emphasis, she passed to the more
congenial field of the racial songs in
wh;ch she was thoroughly at home.
These naive ballads she gave in a
way that reached and stirred the
hearts of all who heard her luscious
and resonant voice, with a driving
power of art and temperament be
hind it The anplause, when she fin
ished, came like a sudden blast of
gun-fire, and continued through so
many recalls that it seemed as if a ; ,
rule must be broken and an encore 1
granted. ,
JORDAN. SPANISH WAR
HURO PASSES AWAY.
(Lincoln News Service.)
JPh’ladelphia, Pa.—John C. Jordan,
formerly chief gunner of Admiral
Dewey’s flagship, The Olympia, and
famous for gallant service at Manila
Bav, during the Spanish-American
War, passed away peacefully in this
city after a brief jfllness. His death
marked the closing of a brilliant ca
reer, which began with his enlist
ment in the Navy in June, 1887 Dur
ing the battle^ of Manila Bay, Mr.
Jordan toek charge of the guns on
the Olympia, and for his excellent
service during the period he was ,
later assigned to important duties
at the Naval Academy, Annapolis,
Md. He leaves relatives in Washing- 1
ton, D. C., where his body was .
brought fpr burial. ./
RACE PRESS NOT FA
VORABLE TO MES
SAGE.
WASHINGTON EAGLE COL
LECTS DATA.
The general tone of the press is
against the President’s message.
Some of the old line “me too, boss’*
type straddled the issue or said noth
ing. However, there is a group of'
semi-progressives and progressives!
who are outspoken againts that part
of the message referring to the Ne
gro.
The Negro World says:
The President, could have said some
thing about -vyholesale disfranchise
ment, Jim Crew laws, race discrim
ination ijr the public service, and the
vile Harding policy of excluding Ner
gro Republicans from appointment to
public offices at home and fgbroad,
and of forcing them out of political
leadership and association in the
higher councils of the party, hut he
said nothing, so that the d'scontent
and rebellion of Negro Republicans
remain and are likely to go on and
menace Republican success in the
P-es?den+ial elections next year. The
Negro has grown weary of Republi
can neglect and insults and'kicks ^
The Amsterdam New? says:.
“There fS nothing particular new
in his utterances on the subject.
Nothing about which we should be
jubilant or about which we should be
sad”
The Savannah Tribue (Ga.J de
mands action:
“The President is noted tor his sin
cerity, but in dealing with our group
this sincerity must be shown in a
concrete manner and within the com
ing moons, ’’
“Woefully disappointing” says The
Afro-American.
The Philadelphia Tribune would
add to^the message: !
We again quote the President:
“The world has had enough of tire
curse of hatred and selfishness of de
struction and war.’’
We add: America has had enough
of lynching, “Jim Crow Cars,” des
poliation of womanhood and the sub
jugation of twelve million citizens.
May America with a strong courag
eous President backed by a loyal
justice-loving people arise in their
strength to blot out the continuation
of this evil.
“Enforce the Constitutional Amend
ments, ” says The Star ctf Zion.
Mr- Coolidge and his party will
only give the Negro the rights which
he says “under the Constitution ana
just as sacred as those of any other
citizen” when he and his party come
sauarely out and enforce the Consti
tutional amendment which made the
black man a full-fledged citfzen.
The .Freeman says “The President
gave the Negro* a hone.”
However, the message with refer
ence to the Negro, to our mind. lacks
punch, and is capable of more than
one interpretation. Most of the state
ment. above quoted is hut a state
ment of what has been said time and
fme again and the last paragraph <xf
+his remarkable statement leaves us
considerably up in the air as to just
what the President really did mean.
At first glance it looks alright. . Ana
lysed however, it suggest state rights,
a compromise with the South that the
South alone should settle the Negro
question. The ,rptes4dqnt seems
to dearly realize the needNof action
on the part q/f the Federal\govem*
ment and ajt the .same time'seems
willing tohjjass the regnonsibil
the sections and cummunUies factu
ally faring the problem. This
the thpg that the Negro co,
L is," the .ot.th
states' government to recognize tlnh
fact that the race problem is a na
tional problem and should be nation
ally adjusted...:..
(Concluded next week)
v '