_ .
VOLUME FORTY-EIGHT
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1924.
NUMBERS THIRTY-SEVEN «*
WALKING ABOUT
ZION.
Bishop J. S. Caldwell.
Mr. Editor:
For the past few weeks I have
been moving around over the country
a little, giving some assistance to our
Brethren who are engaged in church
building.
Rev. B. M. B. Butler, pastor of
Stoner Chapel A. M. E. Zion church,
Louisville, Kentucky, invited me to
attend the opening of the new church
there Sunday, September 7th. The
church is a beautiful veneered struc
ture with all of the appointments
that go to make up a comfortable
church building. Rev. Butler has
done a very remarkable piece of work
in the construction of this edifice;
in fact, Brother Butler is a church
builder, having repaired and built at
least four A. M. E. Zion churches
during the past twelve or fifteen
years. >
Dr. C. C. Steward, pastor of Broad
way Temple, has erected a beautiful
annex to the great Broadway Temple
complete in ail of its arrangments.
Louisville is very much alive, so
far as the work of our churches is
concerned. Bishop G. C. Clement
who has his residence in that city,
has purchased and is about to move
into a beautiful home on one of ,the
best thoroughfares in the city; the
home is a thing of beauty.
Dr. J. W. Brown, pastor of Mother
Zion church, New York City, is in
the midst of the greatest prosperity
that the mother church has had per
haps during its history. The new
$300,000.00 church is going up daily.
Work began on its erection in May
last, and unless hindered by some un
foreseen - circumstance the building
will be enclosed in the early winter.
This is to be as good, if not the best
well-equipped church, for our people
in the great city of New York. The
corner-stone is to be laid Sunday,
October 5th. Elaborate preparations
4u*e being made for this occasion with
the view "of raising a large sum of
money to help, in fostering the work.
Our bishops, general officers, and
friends generally are asked to be
present ki this eventful occasion. Up
to this time $105,000.00 has been ex
pended upon the church’s erection,
most of which has been raised
thrcfugh the efforts of the local
congregation. Sometime like $1,000.
00 every week is laid upon the table
by the anxious membership to insure
the continuation of the work.
Philadelphia, Pa.
THE RECENT CONNEC
TIONAL COUNCIL.
By Rev. R. A. Morrisey, D. D.
Just as the recent General Confer
ence at Indianapolis, Ind., marked a
new epoch making period in Zion
so did the Connectional Council, held
« few weeks ago in Buffalo, N. Y.
Composed of a group of repre
sentatives, men and women of the
Chuftih with enlarged visions and
thoughts with determined effort for
the welfare of the Church—the
Council met in the new and beautiful
-church erected through the untiring
and persistent efforts of Dr. H. W.
Durham and his loyal members, who
entertained the Council in sueh a
manner that it was a continual source
of pleasure and enjoyment from be
ginning to end. Altho’ Dr. Durham
has been serving in his present pas
torate in the city of Buffalo, more
than 8 years, he is still growing in
) popularity and in influence among
both races.
For the first time in the history
of Zion Methodism, 12 Bishops of the
Church were members of the Council.
For the first time in the history of
the Church one Bishop was present at
such a meeting whose work has been
assigned by our Denomination ox"
clnsively to Africa for the advance
Foreign field.
Bishops Shaw, Jones, Walls,
Martin and AUeyne, the five new
JBishops elected at the redent Gen
f eral Conference along with our Sen
ior Bishops, Caldwell, Blackwell,
Kyles, Lee, Clement, Wood and Wal
lace were strikingly interested and
active in the proceedings to further
the progress of Zion along all lines;
thus showing that their chief ambi
tion to be bishops was not simply
to wear the honor of the office, bu|.
to render efficient service to the very
fullest extent of their capabilities.
Our board of Bishops constitutes a
big hearted, friendly group, cooperat
ing with pastors and laity for the
welfare of Zion and the upbuilding
of the kingdom of Christ.
Our brilliant new Editor of the
{■Star of Zion, Dr. W. H. Davenport,
altho having entered upon the duties
and responsibilities of the position
but a short time rendered an excel
lent report which called forth live
discussion from the Council. He
made a strong plea fbr increasing
the subscriptions to the Star of Zion
as a crying need for the greater
success that should meet with a
hearty response throughout the
Church, resulting in thousands of
new subscribers to the Star—our
chief organ o’f Church publicity.
Because of the operation of the Bud
get System,, according to the Enact
ments of the recent General Confer
ence, the report of Dr. W. H. Goler,
Financial Secretary, attracted more
attention thap any other. If was
waited for with anxiety on the part
of all. His report showed that altho’
the Budget System had only been in
operation, but, a little more than
two months, all the Bishops had been
paid their salaries due them in full.
A thing that has never happened be
fore in Zion so soon after the close
of a General Conference. This shows
conclusively that when the Budget
has had time to be fully put in opera
tion in all the Annual Conferences of
the Church when all of our pastors
report monthly it will be a decided
success from every angle.
It will spell good-bye to “Back
Salaries”, good-bye to misunder
standing and bitter criticisms and un
friendliness with regards to handling
money forever in Zion. Certainly
now all can see both the wisdom and
advisibality of its adoption at the
General Conference as well as the
greater vision of Bishop L. W. Kyles
who was its uncompromising author,
and champion of its cause.
Our Sunday School and Christian
Endeavor Departments under Dr. J.
Francis Lee, Prof. James W. Eichel
berger and Prof. Aaron Brown have
taken on new life and are goin^ for
ward at a rapid pace. These men
are doing an outstanding work for the
religious education of our young
people o’f the Church and the race,—
the value of which cannot be esii*
mated.' Thus the recent General
Conference did a wise thing in pro
viding more ample support for their
Departments.
Members of Connectional Boards
present at the Council met promptly
arid took definite actions for the prog
ress of Financial, Educational, Mis
sionary and Church Extension inter
ests of the Cburch instead of being
a set of mere onlookers as has some
times been the case in the past. This
was another progressive step of the
Council that will make itself felt for
\good throughout Zion. '
j On returning to our present field
j of labo’r Thompkins Chapel Metro
1 politan A. M. E. Zion church, we
found awaiting us an intensely loyal
cooperating officials and membership
who have lined up under our'leader
ship to raise $5000.00 ©n the indebt
edness of the church the 3rd Sunday
. in September. They have received
, us with open arms of welcome as
their new pastor and we have every
■ assurance of marked success here fob
God and Zion in kingdom building,
' in this city of more than one hun
. dred thousand inhabitants where Zion
is the lead among cdlored churches.
CRUSADING FOR Af
RICAN REDEMPTION.
By Bishop Cameron C. Alleyne.
Robert \Moffat, Mary SHessor,
Francis Coillard, Father Cartwright,
Bishop John Bryan Small—crusaders
all for the redemption of Africa.
Cartwright and Small were path
finders for Our Zion. They left the
beaten track and followed the trail
pof Itissioliify H^Mdea^r irt the neg
lected continent of our forefathers.
In the thoughts of the day and the
dreams of the night they saw men
of Africa and heard them say, “Come
Over and help us.” Whereupon, they
were nft disobedient to what must
have been a heavenly vision. They
were lonely travellers but they fol
lowed the gleam.
Their splits undoubtedly hovered
over the General Conference while
we debated things Africa. In other
days Cartwright pleaded eloquently
for a’ more aggressive policy in the
matter of redeeming Africa. Small
stood forth like the voice of one
crying in the wilderness for “Bleed
ing Africa.”
Red Owl was a Chief of the Sioux
tribe during Bishop Whipple’s early
days among the Indians. When dying
he said to his young men, “the story
which the white man has brought to
us is true. I have it in my heart.
When I am dead I want you to put a
Cross on my grave so that the In
dians may see what was in Red
Owl’s heart.”
Bishop Small’s dying words were
indicative of what was in his heart.
“My African work; My African work:
-——*—-——
BISHOP L. W. KYLES
Third Epischopal District.
Don’t let my African work fail!”
Pathos, I can hear it ringing like the
peal of a funeral dirge through those
words. 0 the pathos of the passing
of a man whose heart dreams are
uninterpreted;-whose best ideals have
not been worked out, whose life’s
work is unfinished. He must entrust
that work to others. And Small
with failing powers left the commis*
sion to the Church, “Don’t let my
African wo’rk fail.”
waiters ana t.ement as uisnops;
Blackwell and Wood as Secretaries
pf Missions, the late Annie Blackwell
as leader of the Woman’s Legions an
swered, “It shall not fail!” And they
set about to strengthen the things
that remained.
In our present day endeavors we
are treading where the immortals
trod. Everywhere there is a feeling
that we have come upon a new flay in
our Missionary work. God grant
that we take full advantage. of the
opportunities pf this new day. Op*
portunity always brings correspond
ing responsibilities. Some o*ne has
said, “The opportunity of a life-time
lasts only during the life-time of the
opportunity.” Nature visits dire pun
ishment upon us for misuse—a failure
to use our endowments and opportun
ities. The Master instructs that we take
j from him who gained nothing on his
■ assets and give to him who had. We
do well to ponder in our hearts
whether we are meeting the chal
lenge of Africa in a way commen
1 sutate Vith our opportunity. Per*
haps we have done we’!. P,tA '•'wtM
we not have done better?
on the careful planning of the^ cam
paign. In the late war the Allies
faced disaster on occasions because
of the inadequate output of muni
tions. The fighters are helpless if
not well supplied. Even so’ our Mis
sionaries are rendered impotent if
not adequately supplied.
While some go down in the trench-*
es, others must keep the home fires
burning. I am calling attention to
three conditions which will hamper,
if not destroy, our work: |
1. Disunion. The secret of the
success of the Apostolic Cfyurch was
their one-mindedness. “They were'
all of one accord." Union cannot be
had if the lines of our lives are hori- i
zontal, beginning and ending in our
selves. There must be self-forget
fulness, self-suppression, self-abnega
tion. We must adopt the motto of
the self-forgetful General Armstrong.
It wasv inscribed over his office at
Hampton Institute “Not for self, but
for all.” The ^business of our adver- !
sary, who goeth about like a roaring
lion, is to scatter. Disunion is dis
aster, division calls for revision. And
it is a sign of fundamental disease |
when suspicion, selfishnes and sordid
self-seeking disrupt and disorganize
a people. A vistor to an asylum said
to the keeper,, “are you not afraid
that the inmates will unite and harm
you. “No,” he said, “for crazy peo
ple never unite on anything.” If we
are going to redeem Africa then
what is needed is “a steady pull, and ■
a pull all together.
2. A penurious policy. Let us be
careful that we are not penny wise
and dollar foolish. Paul says, “what
soldier ever serveth at his own
charges?” He that ploweth ought
to plow in hope, and he that thresh*
eth to thresh in hope of partaking.’!
The missionary is no exception. He
is so situated that the Church must
maintain him and support the work
which he is sent to do. I h'eard a
minister of the A. M. E. Church say
in one of our District Conferences!
the other day, “we sent Bishop Samp- |
son Brooks to’ West Africa with a1
school' in his pocket.” The natives!
wi 1 ask our representatives, “what
is in thy hand? Let us enable them '
to answer “wfe have in our hands that
which you so much need for developT
ment and growth.”
3. A failure to rightly appraise
Experience. Bulwer Lytton once
said,, ‘if I were asked what is the
sublimest thing in all the world I
would say experience.” In cogitat
ing the problems of the African field
I have formed the opinion that one
of our greatest assets is Experience.
For lack of it we have made many
blunders. That is but natural. Ex
perience is needed. We are dealing
with new situations, new conditions,
new folk. Therefore I believe thatj
as far as possible no station should
be manned by inexperienced persons. |
They should associate those who have j
been sometime on the field, absorb-j
ing the lessons for which they have
paid in the school of , experience.
Theories are well enough but ex
perience is the best teacher. Many
well-meaning- missionaries have fal
tered and failed for want of expe
rience. -
New York City.
HAS YOUR RELIGION
ANY POWER?
By Rufus M. Jones.
There have been many ways of re
garding religio'n, and different per
sons today think of it differently.
It is very common to speak of it as
something which one “gets” of “ac
cepts^ “He go religion,” , the neigh
bors say, or “he has always kepit his
religion through every trial.” It is
not uncommon to' think of 4jb as a
stat^nent of belief or faith which a
person holds. “I accept
trine of the Trinity, of
meut, and of eternal life, and
punishment, therefore I have
many a
' >o
THE SILENT HOUR
, Elder E. George Biddle.
| “Be Silent All Flesh Before Je
hovah.” Zech. 2:3. Said Joseph Park
[ er, commenting on this verse, “The
literal word translated silent, is
■Hush, the duty of the earth is to be
silent when Jehovah speaks.” Peo
ple’s Bible, vol. 17, p. 392. It is a
sad day for the Christian Church
when excessive thinking on material
things drives out mysticism—for real
worth-while things are spiritually
discerned,—even undue emphasis on
doctrine will eventually deprive the
soul of true spirituality. Even in
heaven there is silence at times. (Rev.
8:1.) A very enlightening article
in The Congregationa’ist of Aug. •
28th, by John Wright Buckham, on
The Rise of Presdnt-Day Cults and *
Movements, in which he cites, and
lieartily endorses Dr. Gaius Glenn
Atkins’ recent Book on Modern Relig
ious Cults and Movements; this fine
book should be read by all our pas
tors and leaders.
We should learn the lesson of self
suppression,—the mystety of silence;
greatest things are done in silence;
one has asked, “Who has ever heard
the opening and shutting of the doors
of the morning?” We need the bles
sed experience and exhilirating tonic of
SILENCE;—just sitting still in abso
lute speechlessness,—may we not
say thoughtlessness—not even .think
ing; just LISTENING to what God
is saying. “Be STILL, and KNOW
that I AM GOD.” Then let Him lead
us besides still waters. Let us eovet
David’s experience when he said, “My
meditation is sweet and I will be glad
in the Lord.” “O golden silence, bid
our soul be stili.” We not only
should have a “Quiet Hour,” and set -
times to %e alone with God in private
devotion, but we should have the bles
sed experience of ^LISTENING (to %
God even in the midst of the storm
and stress of the activities of life;
while all nature, and everybody else
may be noisy and blistering we
should, and may be quiet. Some are
so noisy even in prayer and devotion
that if God should speak they would
not hear Him, unless He spoke in
thunder and earthquake, then they
would be too frightened to receive
much benefit. Christ invites us to
rest and quietness says the Holy
Scriptures, “The. work of righteous
ness shall be peace; and the effect
of righteousness QUIETNESS and
assurance forever.” *
“Tfien my. soul in SILENCE wait;
Faint not O faltering feet;
Press onward to the blest estate
In righteousness complete.”
We miss much that is at our door
by being so very busy; said Jesus,
“Mary hath chosen the better part.”
'After Padf had given due honor and
credit to' those who spake with
“tongues,” in his matchless argument
in the twelfth chapter of his first
letter to the Corinthians, he tells us
that there is “a. more excellent way”
than even speaking with tongues.
Mary pointing to the Saviour, said
“Whatsoever He saith to YOU, do it.”
If we would hear His message to us
individually we must be quiet.
We must be QUIET in the pres
ence of Gdd; as Mr. Wesley sings,
“Attend the whispers of Hisc grace,
and hear Him inly speak.” Moses
was twice alone on the mount with
God, and for. forty days and nights,
each time listened, to see and hear
what God wrote on- the tables of the
Law. It was in the silence of the
Egyptian jail where Joseph got his
commission as Prime Minister oi
Egypt. It was in the midnight Prayer
and Praise Meeting in Babylon when
and where Daniel received power to
interpret the king’s dream. It was in
the Quiet Hdur that Joseph was madb
aclfuainted with the mystery of the
Immaculate Conception. It was amid
the silence and -darkness of three
days in Damascus that Christ re
vealed to Saul his life work as “Apos
tle to the Gentiles.” And it
the silence of The Lord’s Day
The Sen of