The Africo $§ American
Rev. H. L. McCROREY, D. D. LL. D.,
Editor.
r i ,W g XIIT.I. iMnnafai FiHlnr
71 .omev. C. P. PITCHFORD,
Businep ^
Bti Devoted to thp • Educational, i^Mate-i
rial, Moral **d Religious interests
■jw& our people in the Sooth, and pub
lished at Charlotte, N. C., eyery
Thursday. /
questions arising under' the
• various subjects above indicated are
discussed from a Christian point of
• view: Each number v contains ilthe
freshest said! best / news frorathe
Southern afield' and from the, Church
l ilt large. There is carefnlly jseleft
- ed: reading matter suite dto all class
ics of our people—the farmer, the
'.'mechanic, the artisan and the pro
fessional man;
.’■i The Sabbath School and Mipion
ary causes -will receive .special >pt
tent.ion. irftM .
OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Single copy one year—. |1.B0
Six months —-----——-— -7B
■''' tVe earnestly ask; the sympathy
’ ; )d.‘prayers of our brethren and
' Meiids at large in order that our
efforts id this enterprise may be
• cfoWftedj with success;
AGENTS WANTED—to whom a
liberal commission will be paid.’1
’ ‘ ‘Send all mOney by P. Oi Money
OMef, Registered Letter eir Bank
Check, otherwise it might get lost
and the sender alone will be respon
sible. • ■''! v. ’
Entered at the Postoffice at Char
lotte, N. C., as second class matter.
Three months ~;1—--- .SO
' 'RATES OF ADVERTISING.
;T It': ;J ; •
ri r
Given on Application.
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1925.
!> ■ MV',' .
'SMITH MEN IN WASHING
TON FORM A CHAPTER.
fu tjohrwA -m*._Ll. t fe;5
An Alumni Association can be
^ierrice to a college |4U
colleges, therefore, should have
. .both the moral and financial
support of then: graduates. We
feel this would be the case more
i: generally if graduates could re
alize that the benefits resulting
.. from such loyal, active coopera
tion on their part are not only
1 helfrful to the institutions,, but
to the graduates themselves as
-irell; The prestige a success
ful/ growing college gives to its
^graduates counts much in $heir
favor. -troth; v.IT .noihnoM k
•i! We consider it a favorable
■» omen for Johnson C; Smith Uni
s' versity. that - chapters of its."
o alumni are being organized in
• various parts- of the country to
foster the interests of the insti
tution. There is one such organ
ization in Knoxville, Tenn., one
•:in Charleston, S. C., one in New
•York City; and another in
t Washington, D. C., just recently
- organized, is, composed of the
following persons: 1 v.rni
; ' Rev. R; A. Fairley, President,
- m R;1 E, Williams, Vice
President; 1)1 1 .--.v”
Mr. R. M. Wyche, Secretary;
Prof. W. M. Brewer, Treasur
er* J<>< fa H h; no v;n > swfl *t<vSj
u ; Mr. S. W. Williamson, ’
A. W- Scott, Esq.;
■ Mr. J. E. Smith, <>
•7 'Dr. E. L. Williams,
:J; Prof. C. O. Hilton,
Mr. A. F. Harrison,
,J .-Mr. T. R. Ellerbe,
* Mr. J.E»j Roberts,
fl'f;Mr. Jas. H. Coles”
V' Mr. W. D. WaZhin
Mr! |!p! Hams,
V Dh Ernest Wetmore,
" 7Mr. R. E. Waiiams, Jt:;
- Mr. H. Brattoiv
” Mis. McCrbrey, who
when “.the on
"perfected, spea—
; terms of the enthusiasm of the
tboys” in pledr~~ +Wlrf"
toyhlty to, and coot
tkfn* n^af^ses&QWdhddrful
possibUities.
"ifioim /;.
£ Watkins, wtiojM
■UA ii,1 rxJAiL.A
,W Concord last Fri
day, was an alumnus of John
• soh C. Smith University of the
class of ’95> and Was‘regarded as
' an afcle physician. fie Was an d
/der in Westminster church. Wo
hate just Heard of the death
class For matty
years Dr. Robinson was a prac
tfcihg physician • In Providence,
B.L
Rev. H. L. McCrorey,
j. C. S. University,
Charlotte, N. C.
wwwjiiiiiwwi <MWWwmr’,fin*gg» ■: • ■
Dear Dr McCrorey:
Please find enclosed a check
for ten dollars. This is my cofo
tribution to the "clock fund.”
You have received many let
ters congratulating you on your1
achievements as President of our
Alma Mater. They have been
crowding your mail and claim
ing your valuable moments, and
no doubt, have become weari
some. Some facts constantly re
peated become irksome, but oth
ers, the more we reiterate them
the better they sound. The
dream that Johnson C. Smith
(Biddle) Would become an A
Class School has become a real
truth—one anxiously awaited,
aim shall we hold Our peace?
No! We are noising it abroad to
young men and women with the
hope that it will have the same
significance to our girls as it
now has to our boys. All honor
and many congratulations to
you, Dr. McCrorey. You have
actually lived to see the twilight
of the day which is to usher in
the fulfillment of your prophecy
that Biddle should become “The
Yale of the South."
Please send ten application
blanks, including form for class
room record. Shall be glad to re
ceive some catalogues also.
You will find here names of
our faculty for 1924 and 1925,
and our enrollment.
I shall join the crowd at the
approaching re-union.
Many good wishes to you and
the work.
Fraternally yours,
S. Q. MITCHELL.
THE RE-UNION.
Mr. Editor: I note with pleas
ure a call for a re-union at Bid
dle, now Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity. One of the ways to stir
and wake up enthusiasm is for
every man who tasted the good
things at “Old Ma” (Biddle) to
obey the call and rally to the
colors. To the men, East, West,
North and South, get a move
and keep moving until we stand
face to face on the grounds, and
say with wonder, “What hath
God wrought?”
S. D. THOM.
Atlanta, Ga.
OtJR CHURCH AND SCHOOL
AT RIDGEWAY, S. C.
Some weeks ago, I sent a
short article to the Africo
American Presbyterian for pub
lication. I had not the slightest
idea that another would follow
so soon. However, I feel called
upon to drop a few lines which
I hope you will find space for in
your splendid paper.
I wish to speak of the school
and church at Ridgeway, S. C.,
which, as you know, are under
the supervision of Rev. W. J.
Nelson. Rev. Nelson is one of the
persons whom I style as “silent
workers,” and I think that you
and others who may read these
lines will agree with me after
I shall have made a few state
ments of what this brother has
accomplished : during his short
stay on this field. I was there
less than a week since, and found
th$ following conditions: 1 will
mention first, the splendid par
sonage, which was completed
last year. It is a beautiful mod
em bungalow with six rooms.
The school house is a good build
ing, 'containing five rooms, a
Chapel and four class rooms, well
furnished.
The church building is of
brick, the only brick church in
the town, and built on modern
style, with Sunday school room,
pastor’s study and ladieis’ rest
room, well furnished through
out, lighted by gas, and is val
ued at $7,000.
Had I Hot been called to this
field on a special and pleasant
occasion, I would not have had
this valuable information. I
noted with pleasure, one feature
of this work: there seems to be
splendid harmony existing be
tween Brother Nelson and his
people, the avenue through
which success mostly comes,
fo Just here I am called to go
on: a sad mission and must stop.
I will' conclude by saying that
Brother Nelson has done and is
still doing « good work at Ridge
•Swiie. *Ci* iHfe'iaim ■ to;r /.
loauiD .fci#. F. ^RUSSELL. s
Blackstock, S. C.
Dear Editor: !
I congratulate you on the
splendid paper that is how being
issued. It looks better* reads
The winter is gone and man*
ories gather fast. Anions than
is the picture of the trip of the
Missionary Quartette of six
weeks with most of the time
spent in Central New York,
where snow was three feet deep
on the level and from twelve to
fifteen feet in drifts, and the
thermometer stood at 18 and 32
below zero. But we went night
and day and friends were made
for our work. The trip ended
with the Pittsburgh campaign,
where about 46 speakers and
two quartettes were assembled
in Pittsburgh Presbytery un
der the direction of the Board
of National Missions. When you
remember that this Presbytery
pays about one-sixteenth of our
Church’s entire budget you will
at once see the significance of
the presence of the missionaries
and field workers in the Pitts
burgh Presbytery for an entire
week. This was a great week.
The Indians, Eskimoes, Mexi
cans, all Spanish speaking peo
ple, and Negroes were repre
sented. It was very significant
that none of the above men
tioned peoples were there in per
son exept the Negro; the others
were represented by white mis
sionaries who labored among
them—but the Negro represent
ed himself. This was a great
compliment to the Church. It
showed the effect of the mis
sionary efforts put forth by the
Church during these past years
among the Negroes. When I tell
you that Dr. McCrorey, Dr. Sav
age, Dr. Lee, Miss Laney and
Mrs. Clark were there, backed
by the Quintette from Johnson
C. Smith University, and the
Missionary Quartette, you will
agree that we were well repre
sented.
me local management ot the
Pittsburgh campaign was spon
sored by the genial secretary,
Dr. John M. Gaston, ably assist
ed by the affable head of the
Woman’s Department, Mrs. La
rimer. Evidences of real friend
ship forthe Negroes were shown
in no little degree. The future
of Our Church is very encourag
ing. We have every reason to be
hopeful. The Negro is still cling
ing to the “Faith of the Fath
ers.”
The new program of the Sun
day school Missionary Depart
ment affecting the four Negro
Synods, put in operation April
1st (this month) shows pro
gress. It is not a new program
as far as the Board is concerned.
For some time this method of
work has been carried on in
white Synods, but it is new with
us. Hereafter Rev. F. C. Shirley,
of Catawba Synod, and Rev. J.
B. Barber, of East Tennessee
Synod, will devote their entire
time to Sunday school efficiency
—developing the already organ
ized church schools. This is a
fine opportunity both for the
work and for these two young
men. The department congratu
lates itself on being able to lay
hands on such splendid men as
these for such a responsible
task. Both of these men are well
known, and well prepared both in
training and experience. Both
have proven their ability to lar
bor with others and both are
highly respected and greatly ad
mired by those with whom they
have labored more closely dur
ing the past few years.
inis change in our held activ
ities relieves the Presbyterial
Sunday School Missionary from
the responsibility of caring for
the Sunday schools already or
ganized in the churches. The
Presbyterial Missionary from
now on will devote his entire
time to pioneer work. This puts
him in line with his commission,
which reads “to the neglected,”
and the “neglected” is found in
the rural districts and the alleys
of our towns and cities. We are
asking, therefore, that the min
isters, superintendents, Presby
terial Sunday School Committees
and young peoples’ workers co
operate with these men, both
Presbyterial and Synodical, in
their effort to do the great work
that has been assigned to them.
We have a fine bunch of men on
the field* and with encourage
ment these men will do some
good and lasting work. The Syn
odical work in Catawba and East
Tennessee Synods will be taken
care of by Rev. F, C. Shirley
and Rev. Barber respectively.
Atlantic Synod for the present
Will he taken Care of by Miss
Percival and the writer. Miss
Pereivai
ble grasp
this program we must have lead
force to the extent of putting
into actual practice the plans
tory, therefore, that the church
es' and auxiliaries see to it that
their young people are brought
into contact with the medium of
training and leadership
The Synodical Convention* and
Schools of Mehods that are held
every Summer offer untold op
portunities along this line. Ttiese
conferences will be held within
ear four Synods as usual this
Summer and we are preparing
for a large attendance. You
should register as early as possi
ble with the dean of your con
vention.
These conventions offer not
only opportunities for study and
recreation, hut social intercourse
is enjoyed, new friendships are
set up and old acquaintances re
newed. It might be a stimulus
to some of the young women
and men to remind them that
although these conferences have
only been running for four years
they have netted two very hap
py marriages and the third one
takes place in June of this yen*.
This in itself should appeal to
those who have been on the
“waiting lbt” for a while.
I am interested in the “Biddle
Re-Union” and I cannot close
this letter without “whooping it
up.” There is no loyalty as bind
ing, no pride as commendable,
no sentimert as sweet as that
which binds us to our alma ma
ter.
Then, again, the President has
done some wonderful things at
Biddle, and the presence of the
Boys would be a source of en
couragement that would be ap
preciated and deserved.
Atlanta, Ga.
MT. HERMON CHURCH
NOTES, BIG STONE GAP,
VA.
Prof. S. H. Buchanan left the
dity a few days ago for Johnson
City, Tenn., where he will assist
Rev. W. Yv. Mayle, our Synodi
cal Evangelist, in a series of
meetings that are to be held at
Bethesda Presbyterian church,
of which Rev. J. H. Byers is
pasor. Prof. Buchanan will di
rect the music.
The following named persons
attended the meeting of the
Rogersville Presbytery which
met at St. James church, Kings
port, Tenn., April 9-12th: Elder
John W. Price, Miss Lucy Duff,
Mrs. Sophie Morris, Little Flor
ence Morris, and Rev. and Mrs.
B. C. Hood. They report a splen
did session.
Rev. B. C. Hood, our pastor,
preached a soul-stirring sermon
Sunday morning, April 19th,
from Exodus 4:2. All present
went away with uplifted souls.
Mr. Jake Miller, our efficient
brick-mason, who has been
working in Bluefield, W. Va.,
for several months, is home this
week visiting his family.
Mr. Morgan Martin, of Rose
Hill, Va., was in town a few days
ago enroule to the Rogersville
Presbytery.
Our class in Evangelism,
which was organized by Dr.
Mayle, is moving on nicely with
its work.
An interesting Easter pro
gramme was rendered by our
Sabbath school Easter Sunday
morning. Many visitors from the
other churches of the city were
present.
Mr. Matt. Harris, who has
been out of town for some time,
is home again, and worshipped
with us Sunday morning.
Ross Beatty, one of our loyal
Sunday school scholars, was
called home a few days ago on
account of the death of his
grandfather, who lived at Fitts
Town, Va.
MRS. ESTELLE M. CARR,
Reporter.
CATAWBA PRESBYTERIAL
DISTRICT MEETING.
There will be a Presbyterial
District meeting at Wilson St.
Presbyterian church, Shelby, N.
C., Saturday, April 25th, 1925,
at 10:30 A. M.
A full attendance is .urged
from each church in the Dis
trict.
MRS. GEO. E. DAVIS, Pres
District
chairman.
wmmgg/gfugmgm
Foreign Missionary Society of
the Presbytery of Southern Vir
fijria held their annual mraUng
with the Presbytery Ap~. .
1925, at Great Creek Presbyte
rian chnrch.Thc Preebytcrial
yterv in the
ing.
The business mee
held in the parochial school
building and were well attended
each day. Each evening the wo
men attended the business and
popular meetings of the Pree
bytery, also the special sermons
during the day.
Presbyterial* reports showed
growing interest in the work.
The Presbyterial Treasurer’s
report gave knowledge that our
budget was paid in full for the
year ending March 31, 1925. It
was one of the most harmonious
meetings we have witnessed,
and the appreciative gatherings
to listen to the reports and the
ways of working and holding
business meetings very greatly
impressed the people. Our
President was at her best.
Reports from the General As
sembly by Mrs. Kendrick great
ly informed the whole Presby
terial. Report from the Synodi
cal Society, given by Mrs. C. P.
Hedric, was splendid. Reports
from the Synodical Presidents’
Conference in Grand Rapids,
Mich., and. the organization of
the Southern district in St. Lou
is, Mo., February 25-26, were all
very pleasantly received.
The story of the the twenty
fifth anniversary of edu
cational and missionary work
done by our Vice-President
Stewardship Secretary, Mrs. M
B. Marks, was joyf,ully listened
to from Rey, W. H. Shepperson
at the. Presbytery’s popular
meeting, and Mrs. Marks at the
Woman’s popular meeting.
Our program was full and
very interesting. An exercise
was rendered by ten ladies,
“The Missionary Dollar and
What Becomes of It,” also a pa
per, “Our Missionary Dollars,
How They Travel, Where They
Go, What They Do,’ Mrs. S. J.
Dillard. The public offering was
| splendid, surpassing any one col
lection of the past.
Mrs. M. H. Burrell, our Pres
byterial Treasurer, made an ear
nest appeal for money for the
benefit of our Presbyterial Soci
ety, and Dr. W. E. Carr, Rey.
G. P. Watkins and Prof. I. M.
Martin made the call, and they
soon realized $62.00.
Mrs. W. E. Carr, Secretary of
Literature, received many or
ders for literature: The hand
book, which every local officer,
ais well as Synodical and Presby
terial should have, “Women and
Missions,” “The Year Book of
Prayer,” “One Blood, “Young
China,” and “Stewardship.” Our
local societies are becoming more
aroused to their duty, as they
get information.
We were not able to put our
Young People’s program over
for our annual meeting, but we
had splendid reports from our
young women officers, who have
recently shared with us respon
sibilities in our Presbyterial So
ciety. The Secretary for Freed
men, Miss E. Reynolds, of Dan
ville, who is teaching in Wake
Forest, N. C., gave a full report
showing what our Presbyterial
Society is doing for the Division
of Missions for Colored People.
Miss E. V. Gunn, of Danville,
Va., who is also teaching in
Wake Forest, N. C., is our Sec
retary for Young Women and
the Westminster Guild. Her re
port was fine, showing what our
young people are beginning to
do. Mrs. C. P. Hedric was elect
ed Secretary for Senior and Jun
ior Christian Endeavor and
Children’s Societies instead of
Mrs. Susie B. Harris, who re
signed, H?r .report will follow
another year.
Our Recording Secretary,
Mrs. L. M. Onque, was kept very
busy making record of our do
ings.
Our Treasurer’s report was
very encouraging, showing
what amount of money had
passed through her hands for
Foreign Missions, National
Missions and Division of Mis
sions for Colored People—a sum
total of $524. The assessment
and basket offering was $102.67.
Total, $626.67.
Miss E. Reynolds was elected
delegate to Catawba Synodical
Meeting, Charlotte, N, C., Octo
ber next.
Ron of Officers for 1925-1926.
President, Mrs, A. Kendrick.
Vice-President, Mrs.* M. B.
Marks.
Secretary M. E., Mrs. Sarah
rhompkins.
Secretary of Freedmen, Miss
Secretary Associate Membera,
Mrs. B. E. Hector. ^
Secretary B. W. anrVTMTG.,
Mrs. C. P. Hedric.
Overseas Sewii
iss Viola Ragland. j
Treasurer, Mrs. M. H. Burrell.
Mrs. M. J. Wright (“Mother
Wright")lour senior officer, wtu
was the organiser of the South
ern Virginia Society, Was witl
us and coTitributed of her eopi
sel and encouraged the wo
She hopes to be faithful to 1
We were very sorry tc
just heard during our meeting
of the passing of Mrs. Sarah
Mabry, of Raleigh, N. G<; whor
our Synodical Society made
Life Member last October. T1
Lord was pleased to take frO
our Presbyterial Society a vei
faithful teacher and missions
ry, Mrs. Emma Galloway Dick
son, of Stuart, Va. The memo
rial service was very impres
sive. '
With much encouragement
and hope in our work, our meet
ing closed to meet next April in
Norfolx, Va.
THE BAND PLAYED.
mi • >n i -jii. '■ k )? 'jf{T
The early, Methodist Circuit
riders were not as a rule men of
scholarship, but for resourceful
ness and ready wit' they jhad
few superiors. Here is a case in
point where one of these unlet
tered pioneers was reading the
third chapter of Daniel when he
came to a batch of Words that
gave him trouble: “At what
time ye hear the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, dulcimer,” etc. Now
this list of instrumeiits is re
peated several times in the chap
ter, and the second time he
stumbled through it with even
greater dif Acuity than the first.
Before he reached it again, how
ever, he had found a way of es
cape. So the third time ‘he re
lieved both himself and nis lis
teners by reading with the ut
most gravity, “And the band
played as before.”—-North Car
olina Christian Advocate’: s
DRAMATIC CLUB PRODUCES
PLAY, iio-: ,sa
■- ■
The J. C. Bryant Dramatic
Club presented in the University
Auditorium op Friday, April 20,
“The City.” An appreciative and
attentive audience was out to
greet the young men.
The drama was admirably , in
terpreted by the very able cast,
leaving a deep impression upon
the audience. While. *U parts
were adequately interpreted,
the stellar honors of the evening
went to Vance Henry -Chavis
who interpreted the roje of Fred
Hancock in a manner approach
ing professionalism. Henry Mar
shall as Teresa, LaSalle Williams
as Foot, Leon Steele as George
Rand, Jr., John T. Wilson as
Mrs. Rand, Scotland Harris as
.Cicely Rand, Herbert Powe as
George Rand, Lockwood Love
as Albert Vorhees, Robert Cra
ter as Donald VanVranken, and
Shepard Gossett as Eleanor Vor
hees gave thoughtful interpre
tations to the lines allotted them
in the drama and rounded out a
very capable cast.
__ICHABOD.
LYCEUM COURSE ENDS.
The Lyceum course it John
son C. Smith University was
brought to an end on April 20
with a violin recital by Kemper
Harreld of Atlanta. Mr. Harreld
olayed with authority and pre
cision, revealing a depth of
soul rarely displayed by conecrt
violinists. He is a master in his
chosen field and is a living in
spiration to the rising young
musicians of color. Mr. Harreld
plans to spend a part of next
winter in Europe in study. We
are sure that Europe, which
has been the making of Roland
Hayes, will send Mr. Harreld
back to us a maturer and much
finer artist. ; u ;
Miss Novella McCrorey was
his impeccable accompanist, dis
playing a wealth of tonal color
and interpreting the numbers
discriminatingly, both of which
went a long way in making the
recital the success accorded it.
MissvMcCrorey, who is from the
Syracuse Conservatory, is' one
of the best accompanists and one
of the most thorough musicians
in this section.
ICHABOD.