I
THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
NUMBER FOURTEEN
CHARLOTTR, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1924
VOLUME FORTY-EIGHT
GENERAL CONFER
ENCE HOROSCOPE.
By Bishop G. L..Blackwell.
Dear Editor:
This is my first article to your well
edited paper since you donned the
tropid nearly four years ago. First
of all, therefore, permit me to pay
my respects to you as editor. You
have wielded a strong and trenchant
pen, and your preachments have
given high-toned character to our
weekly connections! organ. Judging
from my own observations and from
the opinions of others, you have giv
en general satisfaction as Editor of
The Star of Zion almost from every
view point. Both the Church and the
race have been helped by the rich,
sane, and, I may say, rare editorials
you have written from time to time.
So much am I impressed with the
quality of service you have given, I
could wish that it might be your wish
to continue to be the chronicler, the
expositor, and the interpreter of the
current events and opinions or the
ChuTch and race through The Star
of Zion tor years to come. I do not
mean by this that an embargo snould
.be placed upon any other aspiration
you may have to t serve the Church,
but rather to put a premium upon your
eminent qalification as an editor.
The Church has produced a galaxy
of excellent writers, narrators and
correspondents, the character of
whose contributions distinguishes
them as such, but few men possess
t such a robust vocabulary, such fine
discriminative powers, such elegance
in pharslng sentences and para
graphs, such ability to differentiate
the shades of difference between
terms of similar meaning in such
:hoice diction and chaste style, with
the equipoise that you seem to pos
sess. The periodic revolutions
of The Star of Zion require
that an editor should be a j
close observer, a quick and accurate
thinker, a strong and logical reason- j
er, aside from being a scholar, well- i
read, broad in views, with a wide
range of knowledge of men, places
and things, and one who is industrious
enough to make researches and ob
serve the trend of current events in
Church and in state. And so you have
my highest compliment for the ex
cellent service you have given and
are giving the Church.
General Conference Matters.
During every quadrnnium when we
are aproaching the General Confer
ence The Star is filled with interest
ing articles from every part of the
field giving suggestions for new leg
islation and providing for revision of
the present law and regulations. For
forty years I have observed this not
withstanding some men say each time
we have need of great changes, etc.
It is true in a Church system like
ours, both'monarchical and democrat
ic, that men who have the right to
speak and to, write, will see why
changes should be made. Then, too,
after the changes are made they do
not satisfy them. It will be that way
so long as men are imperfect in
judgment. I have passed through
eleven quadrenniums with this one,
and each time on approaching the
General Conference the solons have
said certain changes are imperative.
The changes are in many instances
made, but when they are put into ef
fect, to them they are unsatsifactory.
Perhaps some changes in our pres
ent regulations are necessary, but
not near so many as the new thinkers
would have you believe. For instance,
in nearly every General Conference
someone offers a resolution to put into
law things which are already there.
The fact is many do not read the
law often. We have enough law now
to hang an elephant. None of us even
make an attempt to carry out all of
the law we have. We could easily
d’spense with a good deal of law that
now have. Yet It might be well
to make some few changes.
There are those who advocate the
election of two, of three, of four, of
five of six bishops, and one brother
wants eight. Well, each bishop, min
ister and layman, has a right to ex
press his individual opinion when it
comes to what he thinks the General
Conference should do. No one’s rights
should be abridged when it comes to
the expression of one’s opinion; but
when the solons meet in the highest
law-making body of the Church, they
usually do the wise and common
f-ense thing, especially when they
have reasoned together for about fif
teen days. In my opinion, to elect
only two or even three bishops, we
would not have a sufficient number !
if we were to appoint one to the I
foreign, field exclusively. To make
eight, six or even five, we would be
running a great risk. Six of the
present board have decided that four
new men on the beach, should the
Lord bless the present number with
•good health, will be an adequate
number to serve the Church. That
number presupposes ten domestic,
and one fore'gn district. The pres
ent board is not so particular about
how many bishops are created; they
(Continued to page 5)
FOR THE GOOD OF
ZION AND NOT SELF.
By (Mrs.) Daisy V. Johnson.
In a few days representatives from
different sections of our Church will
gather in the city (if Indianapolis,
Ind., to listen to reports of Zion’s
activities during the past four years,
and to plan for her future progress.
Dr . W. J. Walls Editor of' the Star
has been fair to all in getting articles
in the Star as their turn come. In
reading the S ar we get an idea of
the sentiment of those who go tb
make up this great law making body.
The world is calling for real lead
ers among the laymen as well as
the minis Lerial rank.. The world ad- |
mires a man or woman always that
can and will think, speak and act for
themselves, a man or woman that
cannot be bought, • that is broad
enough to forget self and think of
the cause he represents.
It is a nice thing for those who dic
tates the policy of others and see1
them follow, but shows weakness in
the follower, be he ever so learned
if he has not the manhood when he
is being commanded to do what he
feels and know to be wrong and then
wilfully do or say that thing that will
help to' hinder the progress or defeat
the plans that are in operation for
the success of any worthy cause.
We may succeed in enslaving the
minds of those who we have control
over for awhile but after such a
length of time that enslaved mind
be master and think and act as his
own conscious tells him to be right, ■
then all respect for the master is
lost be he ever so learned.
To those who perhaps are too weak
to take a stand for right, let me say
to you that the cause you represent
is God’s cause, the Lord is great in
Zion and he is high above all the
people Lean and depend on Him.
During the Quadrennium God has
visited the official family of our
Church as never before. He has
taken from us some of our strongest
leaders, as we look on in silence the
thought with us is who will fill their
places. There are many who are pre
pared but will we who compose this
great law making body lay aside the
little narrow views and in God’s ■
name elect them? Elect them not
because they are our friends nor for
any personal gain but because they
are prepared and the Master has need
of them.
Among those who are aspiring for
Episcopal honors we have some of
the brainest men not only of our
Church but of the world. They are (
men who have n<y fear when it comes (
i Continued u» page S)
ILLUMINATIONS
By Rev. A. C. Cook.
The date for the meeting of the
forthcoming General Conference has
been fixed by law. The program as
laid out by the Board of Bishops has
been arranged. Dr. Davis and Bish
op Wallace have projected local ar
rangements that will prove a bene
diction to the sessions of this delib
erate body, and finally, to the
church generally.
The program of which I speak, is
for our daily guide in the General
Conference, and recommendations of
needed legislation and the number of
bishops to be elected.
We hear it whispered around that
possibly a majority of the bishops
favor the election of four new bish
ops, and a minority favor the elec
tion of five new bishops, four for the
home field and one for our Foreign
work. If surface indications count
for anything, and they do, should a
minority report be rendered, it will
be carried.
Zion Church stands With her face
toward opportunities that she can no
longer fail to grasp. Our home field
hag much territory that Zion has
never reached. The people are here
and we have a God given right to
bring them into our fofils. ran v;e
accomplish this with seven chief pas
tors? I answer no. Nc|t only I, but
all progresive men apd women in
Zion will answer in the negative. But
twelve strong men supervising
twelve well arranged episcopal d’s
tricts, will help the pastors and the
presiding elders to putiover a com
. prehfmaiveprGgram.„*
Some men seem to be spineless,
have no opinions of their own, pro
tect no plan that will assist opr Zion
unless it has the aproval of the pow
ers that be. The powers that be want
us to think, they want us to speak,
and they want us to work. Why keep
silent?
The lower house, as the ministerial
and lay conference is styled, has for
its leader or president, Dr. C. S.,
Whitted, who is large in body, great
in soiil, whose ambition is to be a
bishop in the Church of his choice.
He is a man of splend’’d parts.
It shall not be the purpose of this
conference to knock the board of
bishops, but it shall be the purpose
of this body of honorable men and
women to plan for the good of Zion.
We will never get anywhere trying
to stab our leaders in the back. I
have no confidence in any one who
makes capital out of the actions of
our chief pastors, and then want a
place with them.
Let us be fair, and treat those who
are over us as we would have them
treat us.
It is anticipated that the above
mentioned body will put forward
some proposals that will be hard to
turn down at the General Conference.
Just here we must ask for/the guid
ance of the Holy Spirit, and our ef
forts will not prove in vain.
Legislation! Legislation! will be
the cry of many. Adequate Episcopal
supervision will be the cry of others.
All should agree on things essential,
and nothing detrimental.
The chieftains of Zion Church are
a set of very fine mea. Ail for the
most part, are progressive, brother
ly, scholarly, and withal an anxiety
to spread the borders of Zion.
We are coming forward With re
newed vigor and proposals to place
our Home and Foreign Mission de
partments under one and the same i
management. Develop these agencies
af the Church and in the next quad* i
rennium, we will see a new Zion.
We should not remain longer in
the rear of other branches of our <
faith when it comes to the Church 1
Extension department. We should i
make our Church extension depart- ]
merit an agency that will work un-' <
seasingly to extend our Zion to ev
>ry section of the country (America.)
iVe must put a man at the head of
this department uporn whom we ca,~
depend to carry the banner to the
top of the mountain. If we want a
veteran of many years, Dr. Bennett
is the man. If we want a young man,
Drs. H. H- Jackson, the man with
a program, J. P. Foote and Lawyer
Dudley are saying, take me, and I’ll
deliver the goods.
This writer has a yearning for a
Church Extension Department that
will have Dr. Stout of the C. M. E.
Church know that we too, are on the
main line. ,
Another proposal that is in the
mind of this writer and many others
is, the placing of our assessments
under less heads. We have too many
assessments mentioned bn our certi
ficate of appointments. Blind some
of them and we will reap even greater
benefits. ;
This General Conference should
pass a law making more adequate
provisions for our worn-out ministers,
widows and orphans.
(Continued to page 8.)
Depreciating Achieve
ments And Guessing at
Leadership.
______ i
By J. H. McMullen.
Business men, corporation leaders,
and now our diplomatic ministers, all
have reached their high posts through
service in their especial fields of la
bor. Every where this has been the
only rule by which to determine
leadership. But for some reason
Which we cannot explain, certain
minds in the A. M. E. Zion Church
discard what has been governing
principle in leadership from the very
beginning ofiime to the present day,
and cry what a man has accom
plished through experience and great
work is not worth a grain of salt
when we want another whose achive
ments 'do not recommend them more
favorable than the man of achieve- |
ments and capability whom they do
not like. i
nence tne argument is produced
“not what he has do’ne but what he
is capable of doing.”
I have asked the question once be
fore and I now repeat it^ how are
we able to know what a man is,cap
able of doing only by the rule of what
he has done? Then we might also
ask, why is it needful to keep argu
ing this question discounting achieve
ments if there is not something at
stake which we fear will come to the
light? The impression is left that
the man of achievements is bending
under the weight of years and hence
is incapable of bearing the burden de
manded for a bishop. Well, if this
includes the writer, we will be fifty
six years during the sitting of the
General Conference.
That I suppose puts us under the
bending years of old age, and yet
oi\e of the strongest and most active
of our present Board of Bishops has j
reached the fifties. Of the older men j
of our present chief pastors, tell us
if you will, who has become incom
petent because of bending under the
weight of years? And telj us also
who of our present bishops went to
the head of the church without hav
ing proven their ability to lead be
fore being elevated through active
pastorial service the essential ele
ment in their leadership plus what
ever experience they may have had?
The. argument to which I have re
ferred may be good politics, but the
judgment is like that of Bob Inger
3oll’s Billy goat who undertook to'
butt the New York Central engine
iff the track while speeding rapidly
towards New York City. If there
tre men of past achievements bend
ing under the weight of years now
unable to function as leaders, name
hem and come out in open in opposi- j
ion to them. And along with them |
lame the capable unachieving men
ireferred ip their stead who by pro
:ess of reasoning resorted to will
nake capable leaders as bishops in 1
die Church.
Sewickley, Pa.
WALKING ABOUT
ZION.
By Bishop J. S. Caldwell, D. D.
Mr. Editor:
I wish to point out some activities
and progress made by the Church
during the Quadrennium now closing.
I am led to make these observations
from what I heard one of otir breth
ren say who said he was quoting
another respecting the lack of prog
ress the Church has made in the last
four years. Inefficient leadership,
non-progressiveness and poor plan
ning was given as the reason for
this backwardness on the part of the
Church, It,is admitted that we have
had an insufficient number of leaders
for a large part of the four years.
For this, no one among us is at fault*
■It is God’s way to which we all hum
bly bow.
As to those who have been per
mitted to lead the forces up to this
present day, and I trust into the
Geneifal. Conference, I wish to claim
on their behalf that they address
themselves' like Christian heroes to
the task assigned and as a result of
what has been accomplished, let thav
records speak.
1 have taken the time to look, into
our past history to1 refresh my menv
ory on achievement^ that §+and euL
(in every .Quadrennium, for a little*
, more than a quarter of a century.
In comparing the highest water-mark
reached in any previous Quadren
| nium, this present Quadrennium
stands head and shoulders above any
during that stretch of years. This
progress is not due to any one agency,
but every member ministerial or lay
who has worked within the borders
of our Zion, is due his or her mead
of praise for what has been accom
plished. If we had not worked united
ly together, we would to-day, Have
little or nothing of which we can be
reasonably proud. I can in this brief
note only hint at some of the things
what has been accomplished..
The largest number of churches
bought or built and dedicated in any
previous four years, will be reported
by three of our Bishops at the forth
coming General Conference, namely,
Bishops Blackwell, Kyles and Clem
ent. Bishop Kyles and his c'o-work
ers have organised a new conference
on the Pacific Coast, and built and
bought several new churches; to say
nothing of the new organizations
and new church buildings that have
been acquired on this side of fhe
Rockies. Bishop Clement has aston
ished us all in the number of. new
churches that he has bujlt and bought
in the State of Ohio, making the Con
ference one-third stronger than when
he took charge. Bishop Blackwell
had just taken over several new or
ganizations in Chicago and the mid
dle west, at the close of the last
Quadrennium. He has given his time
and talent to the work of securing
for Zion these properties so that
they might not be endangered from
a financial standpoint. Detroit and
Richmond belong in this category of
churches. Bishops Wallace, Wood,
Lee and the writer have all seen
new churches bujlt and dedicated in
their respective Districts during the
Quadrennium.
The historian will record the fact
that the largest donations in the his
tory of the Church has been made
to three of our congregations: Cleve
land, Ohio; Paterson, N. J., Newark,
N J., each received Five Thousand
Dollars (5,000.00). Mother Zion,
New York, Fifty Thousand Dollars
($50,000). Twenty-fiv^-other church
es scattered throughout our'daaa^jjj^
nation received a Thousand Dollars
each. Those receiving Five Hundred
Dollars and downward are too num
erous to be mentioned. These simply
represent the high spots touched in
>ur onward march to quicken our
:hurch-life in all parts of the field.
In the field of educational endeav
or, we have se$n Atkinson College re
(Contlnued to page 5)