I
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WALKING ABOUT
ZION.
Bishop J. S. Caldwell.
I am submitting some thoughts on
what I consider has been beneficial
' to the Church aside from monetary
value in connection with our Tercen
tenary Campaign which has covered
a period of nearly five years. This
by no means is the first general con
nectional rally that the Church had
conducted, although the longest, and
perhaps the most successful.
The campaign for the Price Me
morial building at Livingstone Col
lege, was the first large undertaking
which called for united effort on the
part of all the conferences. Twelve
hundred or more dollars was the
result of the effort. This was follow
ed by intense two years’ drive to
raise ^twelve thousand five hundred
dollars ($12,500.00) for the Girls’
Dormitory at Livingstone College./
The incentive in this effort was the
pledge on the part of the General
Education Board of New York City,
to give twelve thousand five hundred
dollars, ($12,500,000) if we raised a
like sum. In all of these efforts the
goal was reached and the Church
was made the stronger.
The Tercentenary Campaign out
stripped any previous movement
from any angle, which shows that
the Church when cultivated and led
properly, can and will make pro
gress . The plan for the Tercentenary
^campaign was the most comprehen
, sive, covering a larger number of
years with a goal hitherto unheard
of in our Church. "A jnJltloU dollars
and fifty thousand souls”- was the
slogan. The report which is soon to
he made will tell the result in both
respects. I have been wondering af
ter all whether the denomination has
not received something of value
from this drive aside' from ^hat
be probably mentioned in the report
of dollars and cents. The material
and spiritual development of our or
ganization through this agency per
haps will never be fully known.
I submit in the first place as an
additional asset growing out of the
campaign, that the. Church discover
ed itself. Few, if any of us, thought
five years ago that we could collect
two dollars a member from such a
large number of our parishioners
without disruption to the breaking
point in our ranks, and yet, many of
the pastors raised the full amount
apportioned, which in
most every
case represented two or more dollars
(for their membership. Even in sec
tions where collecting was difficult
a good showing was made, and that
too, with the best of feeling on the
part of all. *»
It must be remembered that our
organization started without asking
its constituency for a very large sum
for capital. Twenty-five cents, fifty
cents and finally a dollar represent
our askings in a direct appropriation
in all the years of our existence.
When we dared to ask a try-out
on our part for additional two dol
lars, covering a period of five years
with the result we have to report,
we must conclude that we are dis
covering ourselves.
A few years ago in a General Con
ference when we were discussing the
possibility of raising the General
Fund from fifty cents to one dollar,
I recall a large delegation in which
were some of the best men in the
Church, who said, *Tf the law was
enacted we wpuld lose hundreds and
i hundreds of members in certain sec
tions of our Zion.” Of course this
was a mistaken view. The law was
k ?nacted and nothing was lost, but ,
* instead, the whole line was extend
ed to the good of the Church and the
glory of God.
The second asset which I wish to
mention as a result of the campaign
on-vr closing is the test pf loyalty on
^ *he part of our constituency. The
number of ministers are too few to
count on one’s hand Who balked
i ■. -
or kicked out of the traces because
I of the pressure on him brought to
bear in the execution of the drive,
it is beautiful to contemplate con
ference after conference, embracing
both ministerial and lay members,
falling in line year after year, until
the ve^y close of ,the effort without
a complaint that amounted to any
thing.
You will recall that two years of
the Quadrennium passed before the
Discipline carrying the new laws
was published, and yet, so loyal were
our member, so firm in their faith
and confidence in their spiritual
leaders, that they accepted the state
ment of the pastor as to what the
Discipline contained that was new,
and went cheerfully to perform the
duties involved. There was no law
governing the Tercentenary Rally,
but merely an argument on the part
of the whole Church to raise certain
amounts.
(Continued to page 5)
RESOLUTIONS MADE
TO THE GENERAL
CONFERENCE.
By the Ministers* and Laymen’s
Meeting.
Held at' Richmond, Va., March
4th, 1924.
(1) That there be twelve (12)
Episcopal Districts. 9
(2) That each Episcopal District
buy an Episcopal residence.
(3) That an Episcopal District
shall not be changed by- th& death
of a bishop. It remains fixed.
i (4) That the Church be divided into
contiguous districts.
General 'Conference Episcopal Dis
tricts.
First District: f
New England, Western New York
and New York.
Second District:
New Jersey, Philadelphia and Bal
timore, Allegheny.
Third District: \
Western North Carolina, Central
North Carolina. Blue Ridge, East
Tennessee and Virginia..
Fourth District:
Virginia, West Central North Caro
lina, Albemarle.
Fifth District:
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana.
Sixth District:
South Georgia, Georgia, Palmetto,
Alabama.
Seventh District:
Kentucky, West Kentucky, Ten
nessee, West Tennessee and Missis
sippi.
Eighth District:
North Carolina, Cape Fear, South
Carolina and Pee Dee.
Ninth District:
North Alabama, Central Alabama,
Cahaba, Southeast Alabama and South
Mississippi.
Tenth District: ,
West Albania, South Alabama, Flor
ida, South Florida, Louisiana
Eleventh District:
Missouri, Arkansas, North Arkan
sas, Oklahoma, California, Oregon,
Texas.
twelfth District:
Africa, South America and the
Islands. *
(5) That adjoining states where
there is no Zion work be added to the
district to' the end that the' “Church
may cover the whole of America.”
(6) That the conferences left with
out supervision by the death of a
, bishop shall he filled by the Episcopal
committee.
(7) That the Episcopal Committee
be a permanent committee.
(8) Thatrin making up the General
Conference Boards, that such boards
he elected by the General Confer
ence instead of being appointed by
the bishops.
(9) /That five (5) Bishops be elect
ed at the forthcoming General Con
ference .
(Continued Jo page 5)
, ' ——
DR. JAMES E. MASON
ADDRESSES DETROIT
KIWANIS ON LIVING
STONE.
STATES OBJECT OF PRICE
, AND FOUNDATION.
Rev. James E. Mason, Financial
Secretary*--of Livingstone College,
Salisbury, N. C., traveling in the
west during December, vros the first
colored guest and speaker of the Ki
wanis Club of the city of Detroit at
the great Stabler Hotel. His address
was spoken of by the press as being
able and eloquent.- Among other -
things he said: v
Livingstone uouege ior over w
years has emphasized that all forms
of labor are honorable. t We have
continually a greater demand for
intelligent domestics, laborers and
■ teachers than we are able to supply.
Our founder and first president, Prof.
J. C. Price, was an orator of enrap
( turing eloquence and international
fame. He believed industrial and
classical education ought to go hand
in hand. His successor, for oyer 20
years, a scholar and great organizer,
President W. H. Goler, was a man
of tireless business energy. The
requirements of the college were
never more numerous or exacting as
today. President D. C. Suggs, with
very limited funds, is ably endeavor
ing to meet the demands of the njany
sided activities.
We believe as an institutioni that
vfe are. here not, simply
soil, or 1» «*6Tore
leVel the forests and to build hous
es, and to carry on commerce; but
we are here for' the settlement of
great moral questions •
Hence, We are committed to the
idea of Christian Eucation. Educa-J
tion does for men four things: it im
parts instruction; it evolves power;
it implants principles; it develops
character.
The instruction given to men may
be the instruction of the parents, the
teacher or the preacher. The evolu
tion of power is the calling into ac
tion of all the latent forces of man.
The implanting of principles is put
ting within the hearts of all those
motives which control the actions in
all circumstances and on all occa
sions. The development of charac
ter is the unfolding of justice, of
right, of truth, of honor of manliness
and whatever else there is best and
deepest in man.
We believe such education is incom
plete. if not Christian. That education
which seeks to train simply the body,
falls far short of doing for man that
which ought to be done. I like- to
think of this body as I think of, a
scaffolding of a mighty build-ng, only
of value until the building itself is
completed.
Knowledge—if it is understood prop
erly, ends ih Christ. Christ said: “I
am the Truth.” Man is a spiritual
being, that which is deepest and
most Godlike in man is not the in
tellect, or the reason, or the imagina
tion, or memory, but it is that power
by which he lays hold on God
We believe in the'Golden Rule; the
great law of self-abnegation, the
chief law of love; regard for the im
mutable justice and truth, are as
unshakable as the foundation of
God’s throne.
We, therefore, commend to- the
Negro men and women Jesus Chist,
the greatest model of human char
acter and manliest of men.
In carrying our message to the .
masses, we are constantly surround
ed by day laborers;. The South of the
world cannot get along without day
laborers. The question is; “Shall our
labor be serf or free? Shall it be in
telligent or ignorant? Shall we try
the Massachusetts system or the sys
tem of Russia? Does education spoil
the laborer? In communities all of
whites, there must be a laboring
class. .Is that class In Europe or,
v*r
/
America spoiled by education? If it
is spoiled, the world is yet to discov
er it. England and many of the lead
ing states in America are working
harder and harder to extend, and
improve their systems of free and
universal education. If education
does not spoil the white laborer, why
should it s'i>dil thbv Neg/o laborer?
With separate schools in the South
and extra expenses, the necessity for
the training of Negro leaders to edu
cate their people must be self-evident
to all.
Livingstone College is without en
dowment and its enlarging work and
Scholarship Fund are) in pressing
* need of one hundred thousand dol
lars . -
The Negroes have the most diffi
cult part of the problem to solve.
Nevertheless we are hopeful and ap
peal to the patriotic citizens to as
sist us in the uplift of the unfortunate
masses, and prepare for the larger
and better citizenship of tomorrow.
For first, there can be no more pro
lific source of danger to the state
' (Continued to page 8)
THE QUITTAH A. M. E.
ZION MISSION AND
SCHOOL, WEST AF
RICA.
By Dr. W. E. Shaw,
Formerly Missionary to Africa.
Quittah (Keta) is the easternmost
v station of any size in; Gold Coast Col
«®y, on the^West ’•Odist of Aftic^;
Quittah is situated on a Van^y1 isth
mus between a lagoon and tlW open
sea, and is about thirty-five ihiles
east of the Volta river. The muddy
lagoon makes Quittah a most un
healthy settlement. Quittah has a
large import trade , it is in that part
of Upper Guinea just five degrees
from the equator. It is needless to
say the climate is hot, yet it has,
however some variations "within cer
tain seasons of the year. About the
beginning of the year the Harmattan
winds blow with peculiar effect,
parching the human skin and wither^
ipg vegetation. During the rainy sea-1
son, from April to August, the heavy
torrents, pouring down for many suc
cessive days, cause the rivers to
swell and the lagoons to break into
the sea. The season following is, the
unhealtjiiest part of the year. The
malarial miasma from stagnant pools
and decaying vegetation, poisoning
the atmosphere, is deadly to foreign
ers.^ This is the coolest season of the
year, and succeeded in the months of
.November and December by the hot
test,. in which a few showers fall on
the sea-coast, often accompanied by
lightning flashes and tremendous
thunder peals
The population of Quittah is nearly
ten thousand, all* Negroes, with the
exception of a few British govern
ment officials and—a dozen or more
European merchants and traders.
Mary Kingsley says, ‘‘This region of
Guinea is peopled by men of a race
different from that of the Western
Sudan, namely by true Negroes—a
race most probably indigenous to the
African continent, highly specialized
to resist the unhealthiness . of the
Guinea climate—a race differing rad
ically from the European and Asiatic
representative races of today—pos
sessing alike virtues and vices that
do not characterize them. Their
resistance to the usual fate of dark
skihnned peoples when brought into
contact* with whites is one of the
.most remarkable characteristics of
this race. Not only do the Negroes
not die off in the face of white civ
ilization in Africa, but. they have in
creased in America, whereto they
were taken by the slave trade. This
fact urges Us to the belief that these
Negroes are a great world-race not
passing off t^e stage of human affairsr
but one that has ah immense amount
of history before it.” \
(Continued to page 5)
SHAKING THE
PLUM TREE
MEN AND THINGS.
Rev. E. D. W. Jones
Bishop Kyles’ Creed is a splendid
reaffirmation of loyalty and devotion
to our common cause. But he said
nothing about education: 9yhjere da
you stand' on that, bishop, and are
you willing to give place to our strug
i gling schools by apportioning a large
enough sum for them to run without
ever recurring embarrassment ?
His financial plan shows a readiness
to move forward. We cannot, how*
ever, go before the people asking for
-a flat $2 taxation, $1 is the limit for
general fund. The benevolences
should be made & distinct item from
by percentage according to what Is
purposed to allow each department.
The word or term ‘’General Claims’*
should be dropped as it means every
thing, all funds, coqnectional monies
and can and is used for all purposes.
It is not a definite term. The Church
has developed to say what it ipeans.
The people want to know what we.
mean. . ~
the general
proportion
Benevolences should go where they
are legally directed; to the de-'
partments and the entire- ex
pense of the connection shr.vtd
come, out of the general fund,
such as salaries, clerk hire, and
paid from a central treasury. Wbat
we raise far Education, Church Ex
tension, . Missions, Home and For
eign, Worn out Preachers, Widow*
Land Orphans should go for that and
I not for debts and. current expensed.
The bishop has begun, a good dark
and he is capable of finishing the
same completely..
Washington is simply full of scan-r
dais. Money is an oily thing. It can
not be trifled with. Jesus thundered .
against it and we are ever reminded
of the uncertainty of riches. That
is the reason He never provided for
His ministry to be rich. We are to
live by the gospel we preach but
not above it. It was never intended
Jjhat the Church should produce me*
of great wealth as its Apostles. The
“Tea Pot Dome” has rocked tha
whole structure of our government.
V
We were elated over the recent an
nouncement of one of his friends that^
| Dr. William M. Robinson, of South
Carolina, wag also to be among the
candidates. Well might his friends
push him not only for one of the ■ /
Secretaries of the General Church,
but he is a man who has prepared
himself, so worked and produced and
is so exemplary in his official life
and character that he is well fitted
for the highest position in Zion
Church. But for his modesty and hu
mility long ago he would have been
an honored Bishop in the Church of
God. I speak of him in this connec
tion to show that though the Church
has many candidates for office, that
even so large a number does not by
any means exhaust our qualified eli
gible^ With all the men running for
the office of Bishop, there are scores
equally as able, and very many more
so, whose names are not mentioned!
for that plass of service. Zion ha* r
an unnamed host that would measure
up to any man now prominent before
the Church, and let none so blindly
conclude that all of our strongest and*
best men are in this crop of aspi
rants.
Dr. J. Harvey Anderson, perhaps
the oldest effective or active minister
in point of service in Zion Church
today, spent a few hours in the Cap
itol City last week. While here he
was the guest of and preacher fo*
the writer and the recipient of manyv
complimentary honors from Drs.
Battle and Carrington. He is beyond'
all doubt one of the real noble father*
of our Methodism. He was honored
(Continued to page 8> 'i w -
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