The Africo - American
Presbyterian.
Established in 1879.
CONSOLIDATED WITH
THE SOUTHERN EVANGELIST.
•5- Rev. H. L. McCROREY, D. D. LL. D.,
Editor.
W. E. HILL, Associate Editor.
* Rev. C. P. PITCHFORD,
business Manager.
Devoted to the Educational, Mate
rial, Moral and Religious interests
of our people in the South, and pub
lished at Charlotte, N. C., every
Thursday.
All questions arising under the
various subjects above indicated are
discussed from a Christian point of
. view. Each number .contains the
- freshest and best news from the
Southern field and froin the* Chfifch
at large. There is carefully select
ed reading matter suited to all class
es of our people—the farmer, the
mechanic, the artisan and the pro
fessional man.
The Sabbath School and Mission
ary causes will receive special at
tention.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Single copy one year-$1.50
Six months _ .75
Three months- .60
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
Given on Application.
We earnestly ask the sympathy
and prayers of our brethren and
friends at large in order that oui
efforts in this enterprise may be
crowned with success.
AGENTS WANTED—to whom a
liberal commission will be paid.
Send all money by P. 0. Money
Order, Registered Letter or Bank
Check, otherwise it might get lost
and the sender alone will be respon
sible.
Entered at the Postoffice at Char
lotte, N. C., as second class matter.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 1925.
NATIONAL EQUAL RIGHTS
LEAGUE.
The National Equal Rights
League, Dr. W. A. Sinclair,
President, and W. Munroe
Trotter, Secretary, will hold its
18th annual meeting October
T-D, in the Trinity Baptist
church, Baltimore, Md. Racial
segregation is one of the prin
cipal questions to be considered
at this meeting. Negro organ
izations are asked to send del
egates and individuals who may
be in sympathy with the pur
poses of the League will be wel
comed.
YOUR ENEMIES—WHAT TO
DO WITH THEM.
Here is a nice bit of philoso
phy, submitted by a reader:
“The injury a man’s enemies
do him is so trivial compared
to what he almost surely will
, ,do to himself that it is an ab
solutely negligible quantity and
should be ignored. The corol
lary is also true, that the inju
ry you can do to those you hate
will probably be of so little
consequence to them that it is
positively not worth the trou
ble. It is also true, that while
one’s enemies as a rule can do
one very little damage, one’s
friends can be of the greatest
assistance.”
Enmity, hate, grudge, malice
, are all bad words.
We should avoid them, and
the thoughts and feelings they
describe.
Don’t spend your time trying
to confound your enemies or
your competitors. Concentrate
on self-improvement, self-pro
gress. If you think you really
must annoy those whom you!
regard as your enemies, try to
do it by succeeding in spite of
their ill wishes. This will real
ly hurt them.
The most blighting of all
tasks is to be against something
or somebody. It is always more
effective and more pleasant to
be for somebody or something.
Politicians recognize this. They
always have their own ticket,
so they may be for certain can
didates.
Cultivate friends; disregard
enemies. If you don’t get on
with certain people let them
alone. You can’t expect every
body to like you, you know.—
William Feather.
In the municipal primary
election held Tuesday in New
York City, State Senator James
Walker, who was supported by
the regular Democratic organ
ization, was nominated for May
or over Judge John F. Hylan,
the present incumbent, who
sought renomination for a third
term. Mr. Frank Waterman
won the Republican nomination.
The election will be held Novem
ber 15.
DEFENDING DR. GASTON.
(From the New York Age, Septem
ber 12.)
The editor of The Age is in
receipt of 'two letters written
in defense of Rev. John M. Gas
ton, secretary and assistant
treasurer of the Board of Na
tional Missions of the Presby
terian Church, U. S. A., Pitts
burgh, Pa., in charge of the Di
vision of Missions for Colored
People, to - whom was recently
tendered the presidency of Lin
coln University, which he de
clined. The naming of Dr.
Garstdn by the Bo&rd of Trus
tees of - Lincoln • University
Stirred considerable opposition,
especially atmorigr i£he" alumni,
which a meeting in Phila
delphia and adopted resolutions
of protest.
In the issue of August 22, an
Age correspondent writing over
the name, "Torch,” emphasized
the opposition to Dr. Gaston as
president of Lincoln, and
charged him with a prejudicial
attitude toward colored schools,
ministers and workers.
The letters received by The
Age editor, replying to the
alumni resolutions and to
‘‘Torch,”-are as follows:
ABOUT JO&NSOtf C. SMITH
UNIVERSITY.
Editor of the New York Age:
We feel that a great wrong,
unintentionally no doubt, has
been done the work with which
we are connected by certain
statements in two articles re
cently published in your paper.
Some of these statements were
made by the Alumni of Lincoln
University, and some by a per
son whose suggestive assumed
name is “Torch.”
There is not the slightest
idea on our part that in either
case there was a willful distor
tion of facts; on the contrary,
we believe that both parties
were influenced by information
they had received from persons
who did not know the real facts
in the case.j
Our relation to the University
of Johnson C. Smith has put us
in position to know a few things
touching the institution, and we
beg the opportunity to give
them to readers of The Age to
the end that they may draw
their own conclusions relative
to the charges made.
In the first place, it is said
by the Alumni of Lincoln Uni
versity that Dr. John M. (Easton
is Southern in his attitude to
ward the colored people and that
his past record shows that he
does not favor the same kind of
education for the Negro as for
other race groups. .
To support the above charge,
it is said that under his admin
istration, Dr, Gsiston allowed
Biddle University to so lower
its curriculum as to drop into
“Class C” of educational insti
tutions.
Touching this matter we wish
to say two things. In the first
place, when the curriculum of
Biddle University was lowered,
Dr. Gaston was not a member
of the Boslrd of Missions for
Freedmen, and, therefore, had
nothing whatever to do with
the demotion of , our college. In
the second place, on one occa
sion when the faculty, after Dr.
H. L. McCrorey had become
President, was, considering the
question of raising the curricu
lum, Dr. Gaston said: “You need,
and ought to have, a curriculum
that will enable your students
to enter the ‘A Class’ medical
schools of the country; make it
so that it will meet the require
ments.” Remember, th©j writer
was present on this occasion.
In the light of what is stated
above, let the reader draw his
own conclusions respecting the
attitude of Dr. Gaston and the
college education of the Negro.
We take the following from
the article; which . appeared in
The Age on the 22nd of Au
gust: “One,, of the .brightest
graduates of Johnson C. Smith
University in the last five years
is Henry L. McCrorey, son of
the President of the University,
and this young man, after re
ceiving his A, B., could not en
ter the Freshman class of Co
lumbia University.”
Let us consider the facts in
this case. Mr, McCrorey en
tered Columbia University late;
it was about time for school to
open and he entered the Exten
sion Department. There was
no attempt to classify him; no
attempt, to put him in the Fresh
man class or any other class.
The department he entered at
Columbia University was no
proof, of a low curriculum in
our school, nor an evidence of
a lack of ability on the part of
our teachers.
Perhaps we can get a better
idea of what we are doing here
along educational lines if we re
fer to some other cases of young
men who have gone from here
to other schools. A young man
who was a junior, 1915, under
the low curriculum, was admit
ted, by examination,: to the
Freshman class of Harvard Uni
versity. A graduate of 1916
now has his B. S. from Columbia
University, having been re
quired to do 26 points at that
institution, four or six points
less than a year’s work. A
member of the class of 1917
was admitted to the senior
class of the Universityyof Kan
sas. None of these men had the
full benefit of the curriculum
raised in 1914.
Let us take three men of the
class of 1921. Of these men,
one has his B.« S. degree from
the State College of Ohio after
studying one year there; anoth
er was admitted to graduate
work in the University of Pitts
burgh; and the third one is to
do graduate work in North
western University this jfall.
Mr. H. L. McCrorey, Jr;, grad
uated in 1920—one year before
the persons referred to above.
In the light of these facts, does
it seem reasonable that he could
not make Freshman class at Co
lumbia University +,
We are not boasting, but we
think we are in position t0 do
good work along educational
lines. As stated by Dr. J. A;
Savage, we have the “A” rat
ing. We may say that this rat
ing was given as a result of an
investigation by a committee
sent here for the purpose of
ing into our work. The com
mittee did not write to find out
what we were doing; they came
and saw for themselves. j
Our curriculum has been
raised twice during the admin
istration of Dr. H. L. McCro
rey. It was last raised in 1914;
and we are seeing some good re
sults from it. Our students are
now being admitted to ‘‘A
Class” medical schools. This
fact is demonstrated by the ap
proval of the medical schopl of
the University of: Michigsm of
the application of a member of
the class of 1925. Also a mem
ber of the same class has been
admitted to the School of Med
icine of McGill University of
Montreal, Canada,
We are proud of the Presby
terian Church, and the Work
she is doing through many
agencies for the uplift of our
people. . ;
The trustees of Lincoln Uni
versity were wise in them se
lection of Dr. Gaston as Presi
dent of Lincoln University; and
Dr. Gaston exercised wisdpm in
declining the presidency of that
institution, for he can certainly
do a greater work for our peo
ple in the position which he
now holds than he could possi
bly do as president of Lincoln
University.
We conclude our article by
saying there is freedom of ac
tion and thought in all of our
church courts; no person is
forced to do anything against
his will to my knowledge. If
I am wrong in this matter, I am
open to conviction.
P. W. RUSSELL,
Johnson C. Smith University,
Charlotte, N. C.
WHO IS TORCH?
Editor of The New York Age.:
The article appearing in your
issue of August 22 over the sig
nature of “Torch,” is a very bold
piece of effrontery and cowards
ice, to say nothing of the gra
tuitous misrepresentations.
The writer, apparently a re
cent convert of the North,
seems to think that Southern
Negro workers in the Presbyte
rian Church should be made
wards of some of the Negro
Presbyterian misfits of the
North. The idea is preposter
ous and does not merit a pass
ing remark.
Now, “Mr. Torch,” we wish
to resent your insinuations on
the manhood of the Southern
workers of the Presbyterian
Church. You may say we are
coerced to vote for the policies
of our Secretary at General As
semblies. You know, “Torch,”
that statement is a mischievous
fabrication of your wild imag
ination. “Torch,” you say that
you labored under the old Freed
men’s Board for many years.
Then why not sign your name
that we may take your meas
ure? You are not under the
Board now. Are you the fel
low, “Torch,” who was turned
down by your Presbytery for
immoral conduct, and then
abused the Board because it re
fused to continue you in the
work against the wishes of your
Presbytery ? Your article has
much the tone of that fellow.
We are of the opinion that
there is something radically
wrong behind a calamity howl
er of the stamp of this yellow
journalistic Torch.
Very truly yours,
C. E. TUCKER, D. D.,
Stated Clerk and Treasurer,
Presbytery of Le Vere, 405
West Tenth Street, Chattanoo
ga, Tenn.
THE ATLANTIC SYNODICAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL CON
VENTION AND SCHOOL
OF METHODS.
By Mrs. Thomas B. Hargrave,
Corresponding Secretary
The Atlantic Synodical Sun
day School Convention and
School 6f Methods convened at
Haines Institute, Augusta, Ga.,
during the week of August 16
23rd. The interest and enthu
siasm manifested on the part of
a large number of young people
marked an epoch in the history
of the Convention. The records
revealed 125 registrations and
it was interesting to note the
large number of young people
who attended for the first time.
This within itself proved that
Idle leaders of our respective or
ganizations have the right idea
in giving others a chance.
On Monday night the Conven
tion opened with Mrs. A; S.
Clarke, of Cordele, the Vice
President, presiding.
Col. R. H. Richardson, our
President, was called to his re
ward a few days before the
Convention, thus casting the re
sponsibility upon Mrs. Clark.
Mrs. Clark’s address was pow
erful and inspiring. After the
address a memorial service was
held for Col. R. H. Richardson,
with Dr. A. B. McCoy, Director
of the Convention, presiding.
DrSi A. U. Frierson, I. D. Davis,
M. J. Jackson and Mr. J. M.
Somerndike spoke on the life
and services of Col. Richardson,
Each told of his life and devout
serVice to his fellowman and to
his God.
On Tuesday morning every
one was ready for class work.
Each' morning at eight-thirty
Dr. A. S. Clark taught the Adult
Bible class, and Rev. J. E. Jack
son, the Synodical Evangelist of
-Atlantic Synod, taught the
Yoqng People’s Bible Study.
Special emphasis upon Bible
study this year added a greater
significance to our school.
Mr. J. M. Somerndike was with
us again this year. During the
assembly period at 10:25 each
day he discussed the meaning
and requirements of Christian
Stewardship. Dr. C. J. Baker
taught Stewardship in the class
room. i
We were glad to have Miss
Agnes D. Snively added to our
faculty this year. Her charm
ing personality easily won a
place in our hearts. Mrs. Snive
ly taught National Missions
and the subject was discussed
each day with interest and en
thusiasm.
We were also delighted to
have our own Miss Maud Kinni
burg again this year. Although
she has been appointed Dean of
Barber College, we feel that the
Convention would be lonely
without her.
From 11:50 to 12 :20 each day
the addresses were respectively
as follows:
Tuesday Rev. A. U. Frierson,
D. D., spoke from the subject,
“The Teaching Function of the
Church.” ,
Wednesday: Rev. J. H. Toat
ley, of Due West, S. C., spoke
from the subject, “The Bible as
it Applies to Modern Life.”
Thursday: Mrs. A. D. Snive
ly spoke from the subject,
“The Presbyterian Church at
Work in the World.”
Friday: Rev. Italy Le Conte,
of Union Point, Ga., spoke from
the subject, “How Christianity
Changes the Individual Life.”
All of these subjects were
ably discussed and each speaker
held the interest of the Conven
tion.
Oh Tuesday night Rev. M. J.
Jackson delivered a forceful ad- i
dress.
On Wednesday night a busi
ness meeting was held and of- <
fleers were elected. Mrs. A. S.
Clarke, of Cordele, Ga., was ■
elected President. Mrs. Clark
holds the distinction of being
the first woman President ever
elected in our four Synods., ,We j
consider this a victory for our
women who are coming forward 1
to take their rightful place in ]
the Church. • ■ ■ • ,
Rev. M. J. Jackson was elect- .
ed Vice-President; Mrs. Ethel J
Cain, of Savannah, Ga., was
elected Secretary; Miss Lucin
da White, of Abbeville, S. C., j
Treasurer; Miss Carrie L. Jack
son, of Greensboro, Ga., Corre
sponding Secretary. Owing to
Miss Jackson’s absence, Mrs.
T. B. Hargrave was asked to act
in her stead.
On Thursday night there was
a grand social held in the re
ception room of Haines. The
evening was filled with social ac
tivities and feasting.
Friday afternoon Dr. and
Mrs. T. J. Frierson entertained
a large number of delegates in
their beautiful home in honor
of the graduates of Johnson C.
Smith University.
Friday night Dr. E. J. Gregg
delivered a wonderful addres^
on “Our Heritage.”
Saturday afternoon at 3
o’clock the final athletic con
tests were held. Never before
has there been so much enthusi
asm in this field. The directors
of the “Whites” was Dr. G. W.
Long, captain, who was-replaced
by Prof. Adair, Dr. Long hav
ing been called away. Rev.
Thomas B. Hargrave was coach.
Rev. F. C. Shirley, of Cataw
ba Synod, was captain, and
Rev. Wm. D. Wood was coach
of the “Greens.” It was a fight
from the very beginning, and
although the “Whites” were vic
torious during the early part of
the week, the “Greens” tri
umphed on the final day, receiv
ing the cup given by Mr. J. M
Somerndike.
On Saturday evening at 7 P.
M., Miss Laney was hostess to a
number of friends in her beauti
ful home. Among those present
were Dr. and Mrs. A. S. Clark,
Prof, and Mrs. Adair, Mi*. J. M.
Somerndike, Mr. L. E. Black,
Mrs. Agnes B. Snively, Miss
Maud Kinniburg, Miss Theodo
ra Percival, Drs. A. B. McCoy
and C. J. Baker, Dr. and Mrs.
Foster of Sumter, S. C., Rev.
and Mrs. J. H. Toatley, Rev. and
Mrs. T. B. Hargrave. Dr. Mc
Coy was master of ceremonies.
Mrs. Snive.ly and Miss Laney
made wonderful addresses.
On Saturday night a grand
musical was rendered, directed
by Rev. S. Q. Mitchell, of Bruns
wick, Ga. Rev. Mitchell was
highly praised by Mr. J. M.
Somerndike for his unselfish
service and efficiency.
Sunday morning Rev. R. E.
Foster preached an interesting
sermon and it was interesting
to note the large number who
remained over.
Sunday night Dr. A. S.
Clark administered the Com
munion. Sixteen diplomas were
awarded to those who had at
tended the School of Methods for
five years.
Miss Lucy Laney had charge
of the boarding department this
year and it was a treat to en
ter the dining room.
We are all looking forward to
another year when we can drink
once more from this fountain of
opportunity.
THE SYNODICAL ASSESS
MENT.
The Presbytery of Catawba
in session at Love’s Chapel,
September 11, 1925, ordered all
the churches within its bounds
to see to it that their Synodi
cal dues are all paid to the
Treasurer of Presbytery before
the meeting of Synod.
The approaching meeting of
Synod demands attention to this
matter immediately.
ROBERT P. WYCHE,
Stated Clerk.
WANTED—A man or
woman teacher for an
Elementary school, whc
can play music well
enough lor school clos
ing. Send applications
and testimonials t c
John F. K. Simpson
Fayetteville, N. C., P. 0
Box 642, at once. .
|N qPEN LETTER TO CAPT.
^ JOHNEDGAR SMITH.
2apt. John Edgar Smith,
Secretary of the Board of
trustees of Johnson C. Smith
Jniversity.
Washington, D. C.,
Dear Capt. Smith:
I have read your open letter
;o me as President of the Alum
li Association of our Alma Ma
;er. For one, I am sure you are
suggesting a forward step. Our
notto is: “No Step Backward.”
Eour . suggestion says, “Go
Forward.” The late Dr. Sanders
suggested this—not to the
Alumni, of course—to our
workers on the field over thirty
pears ago, but somehow anoth
er every one was too modest (?)
except the members of the fac
ulty of Biddle University. One
old alumnus of Biddle said to
me that he was not seeking
“cheap notoriety.” False modes
ty! But at the same time the
Presbyterian Messenger had on
its front page every week a cut
of some man of note of our
Church, with a brief sketch of
his life: Where he graduated
and when, his college attain
ments, etc., and what he was
(jloing and where constituted the
outline.
The late Dr. Joseph T. Gib
son was the brilliant editor of
this weekly paper then; and be
ing a, Washington and Jefferson
alumnus, he did not fail to extol
the merits of Washington and
Jefferson and her brilliant men.
But modesty has about buried
all that was in Biddle.
While, on the other hand, there
is a remnant of old Biddle left
to make a suggestion sufficient
ly potent to arouse and to be
stir an interest to move for
ward.
As your Secretary, I will do
what you so timely outlined in
your open letter to me, if the
Editor of the Africo-American
Presbyterian will grant us brief
space. No doubt a number of
the boys are too “poor” to fur
nish us with cuts of themselves,
while others are too .close with
the money they a|*e spending
for soft drinks and ice cream.
Send me your cuts and where
you were born—and when, if
you wish—and the year you
graduated and such matters,
and all other things wilMSt lidd
ed thereto to make things in
teresting.
Capt. Smith, it is still inter
esting to pause just for a sec
ond at your kindly reference
as to how true Lincoln was to
Dr. lines in landing him in St.
James pulpit in New York
City. Good for Lincoln! While
an old Biddle “boy”—and an
able one-he is—was called to
Fifteenth Street church in
Washington, D. C., an old alum
nus of Lincoln—who was once
a Congressman in this State—
told me on King Street in
Charleston that some of Lin
coln’s best men “worked hard
to get one of Lincoln’s men as
Dr. Grimke’s successor.” In this
I should say, Hurrah for Lin
coln! And, on the other hand, I
should say let none of us lose
sight of a place’s needs to save
an incompetent man because he
is a member of our clan. Love
your mother, father, sister, and
brother, but don’t get married
to them lest you prove the the
ory of evolution that man did
spring from an ape and a very
poor grade of ape, or at least
can go back to the ape.
Don’t be too anything. “Ni
hil excelsiore.” It will cause a
toppling and deterioration. Love
your Alma Mater; but don’t
lose sight of the fact of the ex
istence of others, Johnson C.
Smith; for there are others.
I shall have to close this let
ter. I hear the Charleston bus
coming. I must run out and
sign it down in order to meet
our Smith Chapter tonight. I
arose this morning at five
o’clock to write this letter to
you before the bus comes by.
I hope it will arouse the boys.
I shall lay the matter before
the chapter tonight. I feel that
other chapters will do likewise.
W. L. METZ,
President of Johnson C.
Smith Alumni Association.
We call the attention of our
ministers and churches to the
letter of the Moderator and
1 Stated Clerk of the General
, Assembly on the church budg
et. Let every church do its ut
most to “lift the level” in rais
ing the quota allotted to it;