I
-p THE Of flClAL ORGAN OFTHE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH Wb
NUMBER ELEVEN
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1924.
VOLUME FORtY-EIGHT
ZION’S GOAl
By A. C. Year wood.
Letter Number One.
As we take a retrospect of the
History of Zion, we find that she
stands shoulder to shoulder with any
religious body for notable achieve
ments and great leaders. Our learned
and dignified bishops, our efficient
general officers, our affable presiding
-elders, our scholarly professors, our
progressive ministers, and our loyal
and highly cultured lay members,
are all to be commended for our
present standing and greatness.
But despite of ^ur past and pres
ent achievements, we still find it ne
cessary for our Church to undergo
certain specific changes in order to
become the largest and greatest Negro
denomination of the world. It must
be remembered, however, that we
are in peace and harmony with all
Churches, and therefore, not antag
onistic to any special denomination:
but as loyal and true Zionites, we
should not be satisfied with the past
or present, but devise plans by which
we could establish ourselves as the
most progressive, largest, and most
efficient denomination of color in
America.
Our critics^tell us that we have
made many serious blunders in the
past; and to back up or substantiate
their charges, they point to the pres
ent shortage of bishops, the way sev
eral departments conduct their bnsi
ness, the failure on the part of the
General Church to g;ve nroner finan
cial aid to worn out ministers and
their dependents, the methods used
by some officials to* collect assess
ments, etc., our .underpaid profes
sors, and a great many other things;
but they forget that we are yet in the
•experimental age, and therefore,,
should not expect a perfect organiza
tion. And whether they are right or
wrong, the writer will not start up
a controversy by giving an opinion;
but there ig one thing certain, and
that is this; if we have made mis
takes in the past, we can remedy the
same by wise legislation, and there
fore those of us that constitute the
legislative body of the 1924 General
Conference, can effect such changes
without destroying the usefulness of
any particular person.
But the time has come for us to
improve upon the past; we must ex
pand faster than we have done in the
past sixteen years. Africa and South
America are calling us to their spir
itual rescue, and we as Christians
and brothers of these people, must
respond to their cry. But for us to
do that, we must make ourselves
stronger financially •
And we can accomplish this great
task without incurring the enmity of
the lay members for after all, all of
our success is due entirely to the
support given us by faithful lay mem
(Continued to page 5)
DR. B. G. SHAW IN
MOTHER ZION
NEW YORK.
i ____
SEEN IN ACTION.
By William H. Ferris, A, M.
Author of The African Abroad
and Formerly Literary Editor
of The Negro World.
January 1924 was the red letter
month for evangelism in New York
City. Rev. Dr. Johnson conducted
a campaign in Abyssinia Baptist
church.
Rev. Dr. Scott, of Chicago, con
ducted a campaign in Betjiel A. M.
E. church and Rev. B. G. Shaw
D D., director of the Bureau of
evangelism, with headquarters in
Washington, D. C., conducted atwo
weeks’ campaign in Mother ion
church, New York City, beginning on
Sunday, January 6th.
All of the three revivals of the
three great churches of Harlem were ]
remarkably successful. But both in
point of attendance, enthusiasm, out
pouring of the spirit and saving of
the spuls, it was universally conceded
that Mother Zion eclipsed all others.
Before a crowded congregation on
the Sunday morning before Christ
mas, and at the largely attended, j
Christmas services, in Mother Zion
church, Rev. J. W. Brown, D. D.,
told of the remarkable preaching
qualities of Rev. Dr. B. G. Shaw,
of Washington, D. C., who *ras
FLASHES FROM THE
COASTAL REGIONS.
By H. R. Jackson.
_ 9
Three months from now we will
be in General Conference. I believe
we go to this General Conference
better informed as to the real needs
of the Church than ever. We have
had a better opportunity to know our
chief pastors have not tried to keep
back anything from us that they
. EV. B. »J. COW*•'RU
Presiding Elder of the Goldsboro District. Former successful pastor who is
lionized by the officers and members of the Wilson, N. C-, Church.
coming tfT conduct, a .. vo vveo^s- e-j
vival. Many in the audience thought
that Ur. Brown heaped on the ad- j
jectival attributives and piled on the ;
superlatives too much in describing ;
Dr- Shaw. But after the noted evan
gelist came to Mother Zion, they
felt as the Queen of Sheba did when
she surveyed the wealth and mag
nificence, and listened to the wisdom
of King Solomon, that the half had
not been told.
Despite the fact that many large
churches had evangelistic services,
there was no such demonstration,
thought would help us to get first
hand information.
The very brilliant editor of the
Star of Zion has discussed every
phase of the Church in such a way
to at each of us may run and read.
The- departments, especially the fi
nancial, education, Church extension,
foreign mission, and Brotherhood
have all been ve.'y elaborate in giving
information through the Star of
Zion. The management of the Pub
lication House has been helped; the
Sunday School Literature was never
better. This of course gives us some
♦ ST. JOHN pHURCH, WILSON, N. C.
Built by the Dr. B. P. Coward, who enjoyed a pastorate of 12 years at
this point. Rev. J. E. Kennedy is now the pastor.
commotion and ,soul stirring as. in
Mother Zion. Scores of members
from other ' churches attended the
revival and discussed the revivals in
class meetings the following week.
The (writer heard the revival dis
closed at a testimonial meeting in
(Continued on page 51
room for rejoicing. Still there is-a
deal of hard work* for the forthcom
General Conference.
= 'I’M-i old world instill reeling and
rocking from the shock o-f the world
war. Truly hut slowly she Is getting
Vaok to he- normal, state, hut there
‘ is where the danger lies. It will take
cautious and steady minds to lower 1
her to her right place. Reconstructive
legislation has to be taken up in a
careful way. It is the aim of the
fathers, and I truly believe, a major
ity of the delegates, to build sure,
but there are several things to keep
cur minds on. for the future.
The last quadrennium has been full
of great meetings of national char
acter such as the law enforcement
gathering in Nashville, Tenn., a year
ago and many others which I will not
’ise space to mention just here and
before we get steady there are going
to be many more.
Remember too that before the wind
ing up of another 4 years we will
be confronted with the modernist idea
in our own ranks. Just how well we
will, be able to meet this and other
(Continued cn pmge 5)
SEEKI NG NOT
SECRETLY.
Rev. J. B. A. Yelverton.
$. . ■■ v y
Men must reap what they sow. So
said C'.cero. So said Solomon, the
wi3e man. fSo said the Apostle Paul.
So said the Lord Jesus Christ. He
particularly cautioned us not to ex
pect grapes from thorns or figs from
thistles. So, says - the most profound
and unchangeable law in God’s uni
versal. empire. Be riot deceived; God
is not mocked: for whatever a man
soweth that shall he also reap. This
law is universally established, and
no" one #can escape it, nor stay its
execution, or limit its power in its
application. It rung all through the
natural world.
The late Prof. Tyndall did the
world a great service by demonstrat
ing that all life originated with pre
existing life; that so far as science
is concerned, a living thing can not
spring from a dead thing. He might
have added just as truly, that all life
must originate in pre-existing life of
the ,same kind. A good tree can not
bring forth evil fruit, neither can j
a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
It is so with human beings. Bad men
can not produce good things matters
not when nor where they*, are plant
ed. And evil things are not the fruits
of good men, matters not when nor
from whom it exists.
Let them be bishops, elders, dea
cons or men in other walks of life;
he harvest will correspond to the
kind of seed sown. Electing to office,
ordaining nor our order of consecrat
ing have no power over pre-existing
life. *
| The laying of the hands upon the
head brings about no change in the
head nor in the heart. There has
been a great deal said about the
products of our Zion, and many have
expressed-'tiheir dissatisfaction with
her increase; and- much time and la
bor are being spent in trying to for
mulate plans to be enacted at the
next General Conference whereby all
of us will reap better results for the
service rendered. But as we go up
for business we must remember that
the only way to change the harvest
we must change the kind of seed
sown. The farmer who will plant
potatoes this spring will not expect
a crop of melons from that planting,
nor the one who sows cotton will
not expect a • crop, of tobacco: from
that planting. We will reap what we
sow - This law runs all. through - t|ie'
educational world.’ If one .desires ;to‘
prepare for the practice of ^jnqdicipe
he would not go to a theological sem
inary to prepare for, the jnedic^J. pro
fession, because it, requires a, spgpial
kind of skill to become a successful •
physician and surgeon ; and one could
not require such skill while studying
the details of Church history, or the
principles^! Biblical interpretations. .
There must almays be some considera
tion of the necessary connections, bp
<Continued to page 5)
UNDER INFLUENCE OF
THE GENERAL CON
FERENCE.
» ■■
Rev. J. L. Black.
We are ve^r near the end of o|in
four years’ journey from May 1920. to
May 1924, from Knoxville, Tenn.,*to
Indianapolis, Ind. Because of our
near approach to the General Confer*
enee, we find ourselves within the
convex of its powerful influence and
from this influence we eould not ex
tricate ourselves if we would- A
Methodist General Conference holds
peculiar charms for those who are
fortunate enough >, to compose its
membership and creates a lively in
terest among those who will haVe
no voice in the legislation other than
through their chosen representatives.
Membership in the General Confer
ence imposes responsibilities too
weighty to be regarded lightly, and
it is hoped that no delegate wil\, look
upon the Conference as an opportu
nity for a vacatipn or a pleasurable
holiday at the expense of the people.
We are the chosen representatives
of a toiling, anxious const’tuency,
some of whom are just as’ worthy
membership in the conference a§ we
ars, and as such we, should regard’1
our duties as sacred and our respon
sibilities tremendous. Only once ina
four years do we stop to repair the
ship and mend the net. We should
do our best, for if our workmansfiip*
is poor, the Zion of our choice and.
the kingdom itself will suffer Jgsfc!*
The influence of our near approach
to the General Conference has not
effected us all in the same way, ancfc>>
this is very noticeable to those who
have carefully read the Star of Zion
for the past few months. Under this}
influence some have been provoked
to thought and to a very lively dis
cussion of measures to be proposed
and acted upon. Some have been
moved to boost their frends for of
ficial positions in the Church, while
others are showing themselves very
friendly and exceedingly generous
by making mention of men and their
work even in the remotest corners
of the church, and quite a few have
responded to the inward urge an*
the appeal of their friends and open
ly announced themselves as candi
dates for the various elective offices
to be filled. There is such a iuani
festatiob of ambition in the Church*
some of our very thoughtful men
have expressed alarm for the future
of Zion, anfl express an opinion l^iafc
this ambition can only result in the
poverty of the pulpit and a wasting
in the pew. This alarm should he
underscored by those of us who love
the church, and yet I hardly think
the spirit of ambition has grown^ to
any dangerous proportions in Zion.
Ambition in itself is not sinful, and
some aspirations are holy. So |ar,
every man in the race for office is
friendly to every other man, and 1
cannot believe there is a man ip the
race for any position in Zion .that
would quit the church or wane in his
love for her institutions because ofl
his defeat. *
^ Personally I am of the opinio* that
visible expression of ambition ^a»
seen: in the multiplicity of candidates
is-the best evidence that our. Chqprch
is youthful, vigorous and prosperous,
and that thp Church will go on ant^on
accomplishing her; mission ..yeyen
.though ,a ; few of us should -cross ^he
bar. .
I‘ can see no reason why every. j£tn
Idter in Zion who'can qualify for Uhe
bishopric under the rules, of
discipline. • should not otter* Mmself
to the prayerful consideration, of *the
General Conference for that: highland
Holy office. We cannot always know
God’s man at first sight and by out*
ward ’’appearance. Jesse caused Severn
of his sons to pass before the L8rd
v
(Continued to page 8)