TSitfolioaK xt ,n:k?&
‘AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH. SHALL MAKE YOU FREE”--Jolin via, 32.
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ MARCH 26, 1925
VOL. XLVIL
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REUNION AT JOHINSON G.
1 SMITH UNIVERSITY AND
WHAT WAS ONCE OLD
' BIDDLE.
Ik. - ■ ■ ■ ’ :
/f Would it not be like lviing life
over t to ; return to the cam
pus; of what was once old Bid
dle to' see only a landmark here
and there that reminds you that
' this was once Biddle of the 60’s,
70-s and 80's, and of the 90-s,
but now Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity making her way to her
* intended goal, which broadens
dia its range of action to accom
plish the-end for which it was
established? This is a long ques
t tionj but can Sny true alumnus
of* this institution be so evasive
- *astogive other than an affirma
tive) answer? Then let us return
next June and have the biggest
; relation that has . ever, been had
bat any Negro college in Ameri
ida. Others .may follow and excel
us in every feature of such an
v occasion, but we can make this
tha,;first big reunion of a real
Negro college? Can this be done?
n As an humble alumnus, far away
‘from the campus, Lam sure it
can be done by a very little sac
rifice on-our part. Those who
hays cars can use the good roads
and bridges, and my group can
use the railroads.
Why should we have this re
union Lift'it worthwhile? These
are.-squestions that are likely to
he - asked by some graduate of
■/old; >Biddle, who has an inclina
* tion to feel that; he has out
* grown the old Biddle and to look
. qppn the Johnson C. Smith as
ua* stepmother, divorced from
‘.anqther- source and with no le
gitimate claim op him. But as
President of the Alumni associa
,tfen of this • institution, I feel
0,that {jthis. reunion is worthwhile
from many viewpoints, but I
will—I am determined—mention
i onto a few, . , ,
ftlaid^ pur foundations and made
ns iwhat we are. If your super
,’str^ucture attracts attention, ip
.'viies' delay, and demands re
aspect from those of recognized
ability, then are . you not proud
of your foundation, though it
were laid in the days of small
things? In the days of my
group, in this old institution,
many a man—there were not
many, boys there then—went to
kBiddle and remained there and
graduated much cheaper than
he could stay at home—and
Negro homes in those days did
hot; go into bankruptcy because
of, extravagant living. Old Bid
dle has sons, who were recipi
eptsnf what she was able to give
iii,'the days of her early strug
gles, spattered over this coun
"ti*y; attd they, are not hunting
se^td in the rear of the world
because they came out of that
institution ip lamp-oil days and
WO’od-stove years.
' (2). This reunion is worth
while ,rbecause it manifests a
spirit of appreciation of those
hard-worked men there, who
have given many years of real
service as teachers, and who are
on a west bound train to pover
ty’s new-made grave. College
teachers’ lives are very unevent
ful*. College teachers are scarce
ly known beyond the college
campus; but they are hidden
dynampds that set other lives in
motion to accomplish great ends.
This exhibition of appreciation
does hot stop here, but it shows
to the general Church that our
group is-a-grateful group, it
will Jshow to Mrs. Johnson G.
Smith and Mr. Duke, who came
down from the mountain top of
wealth f romamong those whose
ancestral extraction runs back
to the brown stones of Scotland,
that we appreciate their election
to help raise the under man, who
hasaever proved himself a trai
tor* from a dead level in igno
rance to a living perpendicular
on a square of intelligence.
- f (3). This reunion is worth
while because there is ho gath
ering • where communion is
sweeter and where fellowship is
\ stripped more completely of con
I ventionalities mid matter-of
V fact formalities than at a reun
ion of college-mates and class
mates mi the old college campus.
\ Space wiU not allow me to car
\ ry the reasons further, and I am
Conceited enough to believe
Fthere three reasons are suffi
cient to convince any true alum
nus'..that a reunion of all men
who ever attended what was
once Biddle mid now Johnson C.
Smith is worthwhile.
‘ Extracts from letters from
some of tiie boys who are plan
ning to be at this reunion read
as follows: “You can expect
me with my wife.” “I will drive
in the night of the Junior
prize contest.” “I am coming if
my wife and I have to fcpend our
nights in my car on the cam
pus.” “Is Goode’s oldhotel still
operating?” “I have not seen
Biddle in thirty years. Do street
cars operate betweCnBiddle and
Charlotte now?” “I am on my
way now.” ; ’ ■'?
Of course; if these boys live
they will make good- their deter
mination, for they are among
that group of the old guard who
revere the very atmosphere of
what was once Biddle. ?
I have more to say as soon as
this receives publicity. =
W. L. METZ.
President of the Alumni Asso
ciation of Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity.
WOMEN'S MISSIONARY CON
FERENCE.
The Women’s Missionary
Conference of Catawba Piresby
terial, Dist. No. 1, will convene
in the Biddleville church, Satur
day, April 1st, 1925, at 10:30.
All of the Societies in this Dis
trict are earnestly requested to
send a representative.
The leaders from the other
Districts are cordially invited to
be present. Information concern
ing the work for the New Year
will be given by the President,
Treasurer and various Secreta
ries. Special addresses on the
need of larger interest in mis
sions among the churches will
be given by Mrs. Fi J. Anderson
and Dr.-'R. I/.' Douglas»‘^’t^-w ,fl
MRS. M. G. DAVIS, Pres. ’
MRS. P. W. RUSSELL, Sec.
M^S. A. L. SHUTE, District
Leader.
NO FUNDS BUT GOOD
CREDIT.
An average of ninety-four
per cent of the loans of
the Bowery (New York City)
Y. M. C. A. to jobless men are
paid back. Its credit system is
based not on material assets,
but on manhood. Thus among
the lowliest is applied the prin
ciple which the late J. Pierpont
Morgan, financial leader, had in
mind when he said that “char
acter is the basis of credit.’”
Ames O’Neill, writing in
Printers’ Ink of the Bowery Y.
says, “Since it is known that the
Y. M. C. A. gives credit and not
charity, those who want charity
and not self-supporting work
are not likely to seek its aid. The
Y’s whole credit systeiri'is predi
cated oh the willingness of the
applicant to work. All it agrees
to do is to find him a job and
to give mm credit ior Doara ana
lodging until the first pay day.
The Bowery Y. M. C. A. ex
tends the services of its credit
department just as does any
other well-managed business.
The only difference is that the
commercial credit man must be
assured that the applicant has
financial responsibility. The
only asset the Y. M. G. A. insists
on is that spark of manhood
which, somehow, it is able to
find smouldering in the depths
of the soul of the down-and-out
er.” ■
During 1924, 6,024 needy
men were given relief at the
Bowery Branch', 6,091 were ex
amined by doctors and 2,163
were placed in jobs by the em
ployment department. Nearly
700,000 meals were served at
the restaurant where a bowl of
coffee and three slices Of bread,
or soup and bread or hash or
baked beians or pie, may be had
for a nickel
“I was impressed,” writes Mr.
O’Neill of his visit to the res
taurant, “with the fact that pie
was missing frOm only two
trays that passed folder my ob
servation. It speaks well for the
popularity of New England’s fa
vorite breakfast food that these
humble diners dre willing to
Squander a- niekel of their pre
cious hoard to partake of a
wedge of the toothsome sweet.”
Reminiscences of Egypt, the Land
', J , of the Phkraohs.
; By T. A. Lewellyn Daley,
In Johnson C. Smith University High
School Messenger. •
Part J,
i It is an ill wind that blows no one
any good. Had there not been a world
war, I have not been here to tell my
story. But the war came and with it
the opportunity of satisfying a fond
desire that had been cherished from
early childhood—to see that ancient
land of Egypt, the wonders of which
I had heard, so much. Eor,.&jER«JMi
in Egypt that the. plot of. the story
of Joseph was laid? Was it hot thert
that Moses wrought’ten plagues to
the discomfiture of Pharaoh? Was it
not there, i,oo, (hat Jesus was carried
by Mary and Joseph to escape He
rod’s1 hangmen? And finally, were
not the Sphinx and Pyramids,-those
marvelous structures, stiil to be seen
in that. enchanted land of' the- Pha
raohs ? .
And to 'all this the fact (hat for
about six months I had been almost
a Cripple through a fearful attack
of rheumatism, and youu will readily
see. that a long, sea voyage was also
highly necessary for,me!
I decided, therefore, much to the
astonishment of every one, I admot,
to volunteer for active service in the
British West Indies Regiment leaving
for Egypt in. March, 1916.
The war happily is now ended;
one has no longer to fear the Mili
tary Censor; one may, therefore,
mention the movement of troops and
their destination;without fear of giv
ing valuation to-the'enemy!
Our itinerary Included a call at Hair
if ax, Canada; and a short stay at Ply
mouth, England, before going on to
Egypt. My dreams came near being
Shattered on arriving at Halifax. We
ran into one of the worst blizzards
imaginable, for which, coming from
the tropics, we were wholly .unpre
pared. Badly 'frostbitten, along with
mjgnKjithe^
Home, notwithstanding we nad spent
six weeks convalescing at Bermuda.
It was only through the-kind offices
of an influential friend whom I met
at Plymouth that the authorities fin
ally consented to my going to Egypt.
At least if the blizzard had put hie
hors de combat, I could still be1' of
some service as a clerk. : * > *
< I rather liked the arrangement, I
must confess. For one thing, I found
that I was able to get hold of valu
able information, that I > might not
have been able to • secure : otherwise.
The destination of troops is often un
known to the troops themselves; it
was an advantage to know that ottir
immediate destination was not Egypt,
but that we were scheduled to call at
Malta and to sail through the Aegean
Archipelago to Salonica, where sol
diers and ammunition were , to be
landed, before our landing at Alex
andria. On the other hand, this inside
nfqrmatioh was not at all reassuring,
'here was the increased risk of' en
ountering inbre Submarines in an
-xtended voyage of the Mediterra
•leaft', ’ Especially in tlie1Korth-teastern
Corner of that‘ sea. You will remem
ier that it: was in 1916 that the Ger
lan submarines were particularly in
dustrious in dispatching folks to Davy
Jones Locker! The reports that came
h us at this period seemed to say
hat the submarines were more ac
tive in that “small enclosed Mediter
ranean” than any where else. :
Well, we sailed from Plymouth,
called at Gibraltar, halted at Malta,
went on to Salonica, and finally
reached Alexandria, all on scheduled
time and-*Would you believe it ? -with
out the thrill of even glimpsing a sin
gle submarine out on the horizon!
Of course nearly i every morning
there wasthe usual rumor:,, we had
'ust missed a submarine that night;
that had it not been for the able sea
manship of the vessel we would hate
been -sunk; that we were taking an
unusual zigrzag course; ; just ahead
of us a vessel had been sunk. But
what mattered all these rumors whilst
our two British anti-submarine chas
ers, like two faithful ; watch dogs,
were still to be seen, 'one on each
side, every morning? And did we not
have each a life-belt to which we
clung in our waking hours 4 and in
which we slept at night.
We had arrived at Alexandria at
last. But was this the" Alexandria
founded by Alexander the Qreat,
enlarged and beautified by his gen
eral Ptolemy, that once boasted'of its
famous lighthouse 300 feet high, of
its huge library and Museum in
which those brilliant company of
scholars gathered from time to time?
Was this theJ Alexandria' ‘ that pro
duced the great astronomer, Ptolemy,
the mathematician, Euclid, the geog
pher, Erastothenese, and the host
other scientists in so much so that
city eventually outstripped Ath
itself as a center of learning?
changed!
n one enters New York Harbor
one] cannot but he immensely im
pressed by. the beautiful green
and palatial houses which
its shores, with the Statue of
y whose outstretched arms
eJteft, the torch of Liberty and
pip, with the usual crowd which
to 'tnove about concerned in
_ but its own affairs; when one
enters an English harbor one is im
pressed by the beautiful landscape,
th^ rnassive structures and the bust
crowd of bright, smiling faces
plainly bid you welcome; when
enters the harbor of Alexandria
a curiods feeling of depres
* a feeling little short of dreari
ness and desolation. In place of that
fruh$ess of vegetation so pleasing to
thy eyW, one Sees nothing but
scorched shrubs, and dry, barren,
sandy wastes. Instead of neat, beau
tiful buildings, one sees only sqalid,
dark-brown mud-huts, closely clus
tered together, not unlike some huge
mole-hills. Strolling or standing idly
around the pier are a few native
Egyptian men, bare-footed and squal
id, ekeing out what what appears to
be‘;a sordid existence by whatever
food refuse chanced to be thrown out
from the ship.
1 (TO be Continued.)
DEATH OF AN AGED AND
W BELOVED WOMAN.
Mrs. Jennie Armstrong was
born at Richmond,. Va., in the
yeaf of 1819 or ’20. Was removed
frogp Richmond to Rogersville,
Tenn., by her young mistress,
W -----
, before
in Rogers
ville continually except for a
few years spent with her daugh
ters in Knoxville, Tenn., and
Chicago, 111., after the death of
her husband, Edmund Arm
strong.
For many years she was
an earnest* zealous and consist
ent member of St. Marks Pres
byterian church, ever faithful
and responsive to every appeal
from the church.
She was the mother of thirteen
children, five of whom are liv
ing—four daughters and one
son, and had sixteen grand
children, thirteen great-grand
children, and five great-great
grandchildren. She was always a
devoted and generous motner
and grandmother, especially: de
voted to children.
On leaving the State of Vir
ginia she left an infant son
with her, grandmother, of whom
she has not heard since.
She was a woman favored of
God. She,had passed the century
mark, and had lived to see the
beginning of the fifth genera
tion. She was a woman of ster
ling worth and strong physique,
althpugh small of stature; very
few were as active and energetic
as she, even in her declining
years. For only a few months,
even at her advanced age, was
she to any degree incapacitated
for her active pursuits.
- She was submissive and pa
tient in her suffering and ex
pressed her desire that she
should soon enter heaven where
sill suffering would end. As reg
ularly as we assemble in our
homes, equally so is our atten
tion called to the unoccupied
places and the faces that are
missing.
No year can fly by swift enough
to escape the dread summons of
death. Yet may we ever be will
ing to say, “Thy will be done.”
Let us - heed the warning given
us by death and let us prepare,
while yet time and opportunity
are ours, for the fate which ere
long must overtake us all.
‘•One by one we lose the hand
clasps 1
That so warm a welcome gave;
One by one the voices Silence
In the stillness of the grave.
One by one we miss the faces
Of the forms we once caressed;
One by one ’ their names are
written*’
Cease to labor; Home; At Rest.”
This beautiful and impressive
obituary is a tribute to one of
God’s noble women who had
been faithful unto death and has
fallen asleep in Jesus, and has
gone to receive her crown; It is
fitting that the Church which
she'so nobly and gloriously re
presented should have the ben
efit, the encouragement, and the
inspiration which will bring
joy, peace and happiness to the
saints which are soon to join her
in her eternal home.
The funeral services of “Aunt
Jennie” were held in the chapel
of Swift Memorial College, in
the presence of more than a ca
pacity audience. White and col
ored were there to pay the last
tribute of respejct to the noble
“Mother in Israel” who had so
serenely fallen asleep in Jesus.
The preliminaries were con
ducted by Rev. C. A. Edington,
her minister; and the sermon
was preached by President
Franklin of, Swift Memorial Col
lege.
She has gone where there
shall be no more tears, nor sor
row, nor pain, nor no more
death.
Farewell, dear sister, until
the resurrection morn!
W. H. F.
Rogersville, Tenn. ;;
NATIONAL INTER-RACIAL
CONFERENCE.
Race problems will be dis
cussed at the National Inter
racial Conference to be held in
Cincinnati, 0., March 25-27. It is
believed to be the first .national
conference of this character ever
held in America.
The meeting is being called by
the Commission on Race Rela
tions of the Federal Council of
Churches, with headquarters in
New York, and the Commission
6n Interracial Co-operation, with
headquarters in Atlanta. Active
ly assisting the•TXficftflrati'
Council of Social Agencies
through its Negro Welfare As
sociation and the Cincinnati Fed
eration of Churches.
The meeting will be mainly a
conference of white and Negro
represntatives from the North
and South and not a convention
of alldresses from noted speak
ers. With few exceptions the del
egates will represent organiza
tions that have undertaken com
munity interracial activities.
The purpose of the Confer
ence will be to enable white and
colored people in different ocm
munities who are wrestling
with problems of organization,
methods and programs tor im
provement of interracial rela
tions and for community wel
fare which involve white and
colored people to exchange ex
periences.
While more than three-fourths
of the time of the sessions will
be taken up with discussions,
there will be a short address on
each topic given by some one
competent to deliver it. Among
the speakers expected are: Dr.
Alva W. Taylor, Indianapolis,
Ind.; Dr. Will W. Alexander, At
lanta, Ga.; Dr. George E.
Haynes, New York City; Dr.
John Hope, Atlanta, Ga.; Mr.
Bleecker Marquette, Cincinnati,
Ohio; Prof. Herbert A. Miller,
Ohio State University; Miss
Mary Vanleech, Russell Sage
Foundation; and Forrester B.
Washington, Philadelphia.
At the public mass meeting,
Sherwood Eddy, of New York,
will be the main speaker. Two
other speakers will be Dr. Will
W. Alexander, Atlanta, Ga., and
an outstanding Negro speaker.
—The Presbyterian Advance.
JOTTINGS FROM AMELIA
CO., VA.
By Mrs. J. E. Scott.
On Sunday, Mar. 8, the Wo-j
man’s Missionary Union met at
Mt. Hermon church, Chula, Va.
The meeting was full of en
thusiasm from beginning to
end. Only three societies report
ed: Oak Grove, Albright’s And
Mt. Hermon. Each Society had
the requirements of the Pres
byterial.
Owing to the much regretted
illness of our beloved president,
Mrs. S. J. Wright, oilr Vice-Pres
ident, Mrs. Daisy S. Scott,' pre
sided. Mrs. Scott was at her best
on this occasion, and her open
ing remarks were an inspiration
to all who heard her.
Interesting remarks . ^
made by the following *
Mrs.. Sarah .Thompkjns, '.lff
Kate McNeil Robin ’
Lackland*. Mrs. Oscar Scott, asc
Mrs. Daisy Scott. , «
The welcome address ; ; wps
made by ;,Mrs. KateArcher,
President of the Mt. Hermon
Missionary > Society.
Mrs. Thompkips
sent the Union at the Presl
ry, which meets at Bracey,
April 7.
Mrs. Kate Robinson reatLa
very interesting paper, entitled*
“Japan.”
The next meeting will be held
at Albright’s church the 2nd
Sunday in April. u -
The meeting closed with the'
benediction by Rev. T. H. Lack
land.
There will be communion at
Mt. Hermon church March -lh,
also the ordination of one of
our young men as an elder—
Bro. Willie Archer.
Miss Annie Vaughan^ one of
our popular young teachers, and
a product of Ingleside Seminary,
is now teaching in Huntington
Mission school, near Mannsbo
ro, 'with Mrs. S. V. Thompkins
as principal.
Mrs. Sadie Archer Taylor, ft
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jun
ius F. Archer, lost her husband
in Atlantic City, February
We extend to her our sympathy.
Rev. Henry was at his best on
the 3rd Sunday when he so
beautifully portrayed the life of
David, “a man after God’s own
Prof. I. M. Martin, the Sab
bath School Missionary, spent a
few days in the county, last
week, stopping at the residence
of 0. C. Scott.
REVIVAL IN LOUISVILLE,
KENTUCKY.
.{jifrUr*.-., jrL jV -
Please grant us space in ytypr
valuable columns to speak ; of
our work in Ferguson Memorial
church. -:
Our Synodical Evangelist,
Rev. W. W. Mayle, has just
closed one of the best evangelis
tic meetings'ever held in Louis
ville. Fate seemed to be against
us, for on the arrival of Dr.
Mayle, the family of our pastor,
Rev. P. J. Coxe, was in the grip
of sickness which terminated in
the loss of their precious baby,
James. The evangelist called the
church to her knees in prayer
and laid a plan of work before
the Lord for His approval. The
City was divided into four neigh
borhood groups with an elder
and. a consecrated woman as
group leaders. Cottage meetings
wer.e held each day from 5 to >
6 o’clock. The effort of these
meetings was rapidly seen' in
each evening’s service at the
church. The entire membership
was quickened with spiritual
iife and prepared for the mes
sage as they were so powerfully
delivered by the evangelist.
The Lincoln Presbytery" in
particular and the entire East
Tennessee Synod in general
should pray a special prayer of
'Thanksgiving to God for JQr.
Mayle. •*
The neighborhood groups
designated for work1 have been
permanently organized With the
following presidents;: Group t No.
1, Mrs. Margaret Nance j? group
No. 2, Mrs. J. E. Smith; grodp
No. 3, Mrs. E. Lang; group No.
4, Mrs. Tyndal Bailey. 1;
The every-member canvass
for the entire church budget
was made under the direction pf
the groups and the budget fully
subscribed. . .1 < . »
Dr. Coxe, our well »beloved
pastor, is much pleased Witirthe
present outlook for. our church.
Besides the new members add
ed during the revival, the chief
benefit has been the spiritual
awakening of Ferguson Memo
rial Presbyterian church, j
The New York Yoting
Men’s Hebrew Association* in
message to v the NeW- York
City Y. M. C. A/ on iffae
occasion of its recent annu
al dinner, conveyed “felicitous
MRS. S. T; BAILEY:*
____1A '
greetings to its, sister inst^
erate m every way possible