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CHARLOTTE, N. C*
VOL. XLVni.
THE CHURCH’S MISSION
(An Editorial from The Charlotte Observer.)
•'VK
Millions of people on the first
Sabbath of the New Year will
gather in the churches of this
country for one purpose and an
other. Ostensibly all, or the
greater portion, of those who at
tend church services, dp so for
the purpose of worship or for
the purpose of obtaining inspi
ration, and in very fact it is
^doubtful that any large portion
of the millions who go tp
church to^ay are actuated by
other than sincere motives.
The church la the greatest in
stitution in our land, despite all
the ravings ot all its critics and
Slanderers. There are more
good people in the church than
outside and more bad people
outside than in the church. The
average quality of all the peoplp
that make up the membership
of the churches in the United
States is higher than the aver
age quality of all the people out
side the ranks of church mem
bership. The church member
is in good company—at least
the very best company that can
be found in this world—after
all that is done and said about
the shortcomings of the church
people and after making due dis-:
count for all the hypocrites that
may infest the church.
Take the influence of the
church out of any community
and few people who are really
worth while could be attracted
as new citizens of such com
munity, Even the man who is
not a diurch man and never
goes inside of a church, if he is
a success in any line of worth
while activity, if he is the type
of man that chambers of com
merce make efforts to get for
their cities, would not care to
move into any community
member ot a civic ciud, as a
member of a fraternal order, or
even as a citizen of a communi
ty, in an overwhelming majori
ty of cases at least has a whole
some respect for the church and
would not care to live in a city
where its influence is unknown.
In these latter days, however,
the church is on trial. Tremen
dous attacks are being leveled
against the church as our fath
ers knew it and as most of the
middle aged and older people of
today knew it in their youth.
And it is not for us to say that
all these attacks are without
reasonable ground. To be sure
the church fias its faults. In
too many cases, perhaps, it is
not fulfilling its mission. In too
many cases, perhaps, the mem
bership of the churches is, too
much interested in handsome
buildings and elegent furnish
ings and not enough interested
in the religion of the church’s
Great Founder. In too many
cases, perhaps, the individual
members of the church are
more interested in what they
wear to church than in the
quality of his or her heart.
* One of the grounds ofjpodern
day attack upon the rch is
that it has not kept step with
the world’s progress, that it is
behind the times, that it has not
kept up with the advancing
thought of the century. On this
ground there seems to be some
thing of widespread revolt
among the young people of the
country, even the denomina
tional colleges, supposed to be
citadels of fundamentalism and
guardians of the orthodox in re
ligion. Many of these young
people, students in church col
leges, are championing new
views of the mission of the
church.
Oliver Sherman, special cor
respondent of the Consolidated
Press Association, in a copy
right dispatch from Evanston,
Illinois, teHs us that the thous
and representative students
from most of the church col
leges, who spent several days
of the past week “taking
healthy wallops at hide-bound
religious ideas" during their in
terdenominational m eet i n g
there, gave the cue to what is
happening to the religious
thought of the youth of the
land.
These coming leaders of the
church, many from the popular
ly pictured cloistered seclusion
of Bible schools and religious
institutions, struck out fearless
ly at the church as at present
operated, and at old fashioned
religious ideas. But none of
the speakers despaired of the
church or of religion. Rather
they indicated the field which
the church might occupy to bet
ter advantage, but not without
repealing Hhe fundamental re
volt of youth against the old
order.
“The church lacks courage/ in
dealing with industrial prob
lems and has shown an Undue
fondest for the capitalist order
of society. It has side-stepped
or white-washed the race ques
tion and has failed to create a
sentiment of racial brother
hood. It is un-Christian in its
attitude toward war,” one stu
dent leader declared, addressing
the meeting.
• “The1 church too often is a.
perfume to obscure the stench
of social life. It is the victim
of the Roman genius for organ
ization so that today it’ is easier
for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle than for a bish
op or a church official to be aj
Christian,” a clergyman told
the students in hjfl address. ^
A girl student speaker direct
ed this shot: '‘The church is
frittering away its energies and
resources ih futile denomina
tional rivalries which never
had 4eep significance or have
long since lost that significance.
Costly buildings, printing
plants, colleges, are set up by
ful duplication.”
“It is time the church tackled
the problem of eugenics,” a Bi
ble school student ,and leader
in the youth movement told
the meeting. “The church will
not be fulfilling its mission un
til it has birth control clinics,
psychiatric service which will
assist its people with their be
havior problems and thus make
possible a healthier and happier
race. The appeal should be to
the intellectual persons and
aim to improve the people by
improving the breed.”
“The church is unwilling to
deal with the race problem be
cause it knows it will tread on
someone’s toes. It assumes an
un-Christianlike attitude on
war and militarism as the tool
of the Government for creating
a war-like spirit directly op
posed to the teachings of Je
sus,” another declared.
"Too many ecclesiastical
dentists have been pulling the
teeth of Jesus’ words until they
don’t upset' anybody,” a church
man told the students. He de
plored the great building pro
gram of churches estimated in
the neighborhood of five hun
dred million dollars for the last
year. As a result the church
will have a perfectly magnifi
cent place in which to say
something and will have noth
ing to say.”
But all expressed the hope
that the church Would change
its course and meet the require
ments which the student lead
ers set up. Churchmen, instead
of being shocked by the student
expressions, expressed pleasure
that the students are thinking
seriously of modern problems.
TO PRAY FOR MISSIONS
FEBRUARY 19.
A day of prayer for missions
will be observed by all denomi
nations in the United States
and Canada on the first Friday
in Lent, Feb. 19. Mrs. Helen
Barrett Montgomery is the au
thor of the program, entitled
“In Everything by Prayer.” It
was thought fitting this year,
when “Prayer and Missions” by
Mrs Montgomery is one of the
current study books, to have her
prepare the program.
itallation of Rev. T.
by request of Cong
The Presbyterian
Made by Mr. Teames Gettys at i
at Ridgeway, S. C., and pub]
Presbytery. Reprinted,
1
1
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You have heard the charge to
your pastor with regard to hiff
duties to you, and now it be
comes,, my duty to charge you
as to your obligations to JiinMMi
your pastorr As it happensj,
your pastor is also my imsrorT
and I may, therefore, speak the
more freely and frankly; be
cause the obligations of which I
shall remind you are the same
obligations which I feel are up
on me and my church.
We have as our pastor a young
man who is just beginning his
first, ministry. It is true he is
not without experience as a
preacher and that lie has been
with us in that capacity for
some time, but it is today, for'
the first time, he has assumed
those serious obligations rest
ing upon an ordained minister
as the pastor of this congrega
tion. How great the effort up
on his whole future career may
be the success of this, his1 first
ministry, and how earnest wp
should be in our endeavors to
make it a success, not only for
his sake and the sake of our
church, but for the sake of
God’s work here on earth.
It seems to me that your du
ties to your pastor may be con
veniently grouped under thrpe
heads—your business or world
ly obligations, your social obli
gations, and your religious or
spiritual obligations. Let mi
consider them in the order
named. J
Your business obligations are
outlined in your call and in the
promises you have made today.
^^mmcompetenc'e that he may
be free from worldly cares and
avocations, and to continue
that competence during his min
istry among you. That is a
business obligation and should
be met as business obligations
are met' in the business world.
It should be paid as promised.
Your pastor’s business affairs
are arranged on the supposition
that this will be done, and if
you fail either in the time or
amount of your payment it' can
but cause embarrassment to
him. This obligation rests up
on you individually as a congre
gation, and should any of your
members fail in their expected
contribution, you, as a congre
gation, are in no wise relieved
from any part of your obliga
tion. I charge you further, the
payment of the agreed compe
tence does not end you financial
obligations. Your promise is to
furnish him, in addition, with
whatever you may see is need
ful for the honor of religion and
his comfort among you. There
are times when most of us have
extraordinary financial de
mands made upon us, and it is
probable that at times your pas
tor will need financial assistance
beyond his stipulated salary. If
so, I charge you it is your duty
to come to his assistance at such
times. Further, you have agreed
to furnish him with whatever
may be needful for the “honor
of religion.” What does that
phrase, “the honor of religion,”
include—what does it mean? I
believe that it means that your
support should be such that
your pastor may always main
tain that appearance among his
fellow men which is worthy of
his high calling. Your support
should not be so meager as to re
quire him to live in a manner
which will bring reproach upon
you, your churcch or your reli
gion.
Now, what are your duties
in a social way? That your pas
tor may serve- you to the best
of his ability, he should know
you—know your strength and
your weakness as individuals
and as a community. He car
never know you intimately from
casual conversations before oi
after church or on the streets
He should be invited to youi
es, However humble they
y be, and to sit at your ta
however frugal may be
ur fare. It is in your homes
,t he will learn to know you
you to know him, and it is
your homes that that friend
p and mutual confidence so
essary between a pastor and
people can be established,
invite him to your homes often,
treat him as an honored
est. He should take part in
Ur social gatherings as far
possible. Just so far as he
shut out of your social life,
t so far is the Church and
d shut out, and any social ac
ity in which he cannot par
ipate should be viewed with
pfution if not suspicion.
JpPassing to your religious or
“ iritual obligations: You have
mised to encourage Him in
labors and to assist him in
endeavors for your spiritu
edification. As I have said,
is a young man and will need
ouragement, and I believe no
ter encouragement can be
ered him than by regular at
sndance upon the services of
church. Whenever your
star is in the pulpit, it is your
ity to be in the. pew. When
e doors of your church are
en, you may know that the
isiness of your Lord is being
_ cted, and it is your duty
i>e present to take your part
In that? transaction. How
jthem? Could anything happen
that would encourage him more ?
He would feel that that
church really meant something
to you, that he was accomplish
ing something among you, that
he was succeeding in his work.
There are usually in every con
gregation two or three mem
bers who are always in their
places and who can always be
counted on. They are sometimes
called ‘‘‘the pillars of the
church.” How strong your
church would be if every mem
ber were a pillar, if each one of
you could be counted on al
ways.
And having come to church,
what is your duty? I charge
you it is your duty to partici
pate in every part of the wor
ship. Join in the singing to the
best of your ability, and if you
cannot sing, you can follow the
words of the song in your book
and as the voices of your fel
low members rise to heaven in
praise, your thoughts may rise
with them. During the read
ing of the Scriptures, listen
with attention and reverence,
for it is the Word of God. Dur
ing the sermon took your pas
tor in the eye, let him know
that he has your attention,
that he has your sympathetic
understanding. However gc %
his sermon may be, however
much hard work he may have
devoted to it, he will feel it is
a failure if he looks out over
his congregation and sees one
asleep here and another there,
some looking out of the win
dows with their thoughts far
away. He will go out of the
church a discouraged man. I
charge you, therefore, it is your
duty to give h’im your earnest
attention.
And when the service is over,
you will refrain from criticism.
As you go out of church you
may say to your neighbor,
“Rather a dull sermon today.”
You are criticising the Word of
Life as spoken by the servant
of your God, and you are prob
ably implanting a thought in
the mind of your neighbor
which will render him indiffer
ent to any message your pastor
might bring him in the future.
He will come to church next'
Sunday expecting a dull sezpon.
four vow today is to reoatre
with meekness the Word of
mith as spoken by your pas
or. A spirit of meekness, I be
ieve, implies a spirit of earnest
ittention, a spirit of obedience,
deekness can never carry with
t a spirit of criticism. There
an never be a poor sermon if
ve give it our earnest attention,
or every sermon is taken from
;he Word of God.
And lastly, I charge you it is
rour duty to pray for your pas
or daily. What an encourage
nent it would be to him should
le come to this church on next
Sunday knowing that every
nember of his congregation
hroughout the week had been
)raying for him and for his suc
cess. With such a knowledge
le could not fail. There am oth
jr duties which I might men
;ion as owing to your pastor,
>ut I believe if you observe this
iuty of praying for him; daily,
ill of your duties will be made
)lain before you. If you fulfill
his duty, I believe it is a fore
gone conclusion that you will
iulfill all others. For if we wish
'or a certain thing, if we pray
:or it earnestly day by day, we
ire certain to do all we can to
)ring that event to pass. H you
visli your pastor to succeed, if
pray for it, you will do iUl that
rou can to make him succeed.
So, I charge you that it' is your
iuty to honor him, to jrespect
lim and to pray for hint.
“A CREDITABLE BOOK OF
POEMS.”
(From The
Countee Cullen,
is beauty wherever it appears,
whether it springs from the
blind alleys of the Negro poor
or in Oxford sanctuaries, The
News cannot withhold praise
from the young Negro artist'
Cullen, a child of New York’s
Harlem 'and son of a Negro
Methodist preacher in that
teeming hive devoted largely to
colored people. The vivid sim
plicity and pathos of this “In
cident” is fairly indicative of
Cullen’s powers:
Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with
glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very
small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked
out
His tongue and called me “Nig
ger.”
I saw the whole of Baltimore,
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened
there,
That’s all that I remember.
And again there is the minor
strain in the beauty of “Yet Dc
I Marvel,” but with a more am
bitious setting:
I doubt not God is good, well
meaning, kind,
And did he stoop to quibble
could tell why
The little buried mole contin
ues blind,
Why flesh that mirrors Him
must some day die,
Make plain the reason torturec
i an units
Is baited by the fickle fruit, de
clare
If merely brute caprice dooms
Sisyphus
To struggle up a never-ending
stair.
Inscrutable His ways are, and
immune
To catechism by a mind too
strewn
With petty cares to slightly un
derstand
What awful brain compels his
awful hand.
Yet do I marvel at this curious
thing:
ro make a poet black, and bid
him singl
Countee Cullen was born in
May, 1903. Every poem within
the covers was written before
his twenty-second birthday. He
won his first' recognition as a
poet while in high school—a
prize offered by the Federation
of Women’s Clubs. While a stu
dent at New York University he
was elected to the Phi Beta
Kappa. In his sophomore year
he took second prize in the Wit
ter Bynner intercollegiate poet
ry contest; in his junior year he
won second prize again, and in
his senior year he carried'off
first prize. He was recently
awarded the Amy Spingarn
prize for poetry in the contest
conducted by The Crisis.
Within the past two years his
verses have made their way in
to the best magazines; and now
hjjj, first book appears, striking
evidence of the growing
achievement of his race in the
field of letters. In his work
are tenderness and passion, hu
mor and scorn, and a quite deli
cate and appealing lyrical qual
ity rarely found in these latter
days. And if a day may be
judged by its morning, the
yfung black poet will do bigger
and better work.
AMERICAN NEGROES EN
TERING A NEW DAY.
The fact that every tenth
American is a Negro makes the
American colored man, by sheer
numbers, one of the most impor
tant factors in American Hfe.
Fortunately for both Negro and
white, the progress which the
colored people have made since
emancipation is one of the re
markable achievements of the
modern era. Negro illiteracy
has been reduced since the dose
centto somewhat less tmmzO
per cent, though in some of the
backward communities of the
South it still reaches the fifty
per cent mark. But the recent
heavy migration North has
awakened even these sections,
and they are hastening to pro
vide for the Negroes education
al facilities and economic oppor
tunity, hitherto vigorously de
nied, in a degree at least partial
ly commensurate with that af
forded the white population.
Some States, like North Caroli
na, have revolutionized their
budgets, and for the first time
now hold out promise that at
least a common school education
is available for all children, Ne
gro as well as white. On the
11,000,000 Negroes in the Unit
ed States, 7,000,000 still living
in the “old South,” this tardy
acknowledgement of their
rights is likely to have epochal
results.
In one field Negroes have made
a substantial advancement of
which white people in general
have little knowledge. It is the
field of agriculture. Most of the
contacts between the races be
ing commercial, white persons
usually think of Negroes in
terms of porters, luggage car
riers, waiters, house servants
and unskilled laborers. They
little realize the number of
bankers, lawyers, physicians,
nurses, teachers, ministers, ar
tists, editors and social work
ers among the Negroes. The
number of trained Negro men
and women devoting their lives
to arts, science and music, and
the various professions is amaz
ing. And often their skill has
been achieved at acute sacri
flee.
Likewise in religion the Ne
groes advance. The old primi
tive emotionalism of plantation
life is passing out, and a new
conception of Christianity aa it
is—not a superstition or pri
marily a mysticism, but' a life—
is coming in. An educated min
istry is being developed. _ Sub
stantial church buildings,
equipped for social work as well
as for worship, are being erect
ed. With developing intelli
gence and advancement in the
economic scale, the Negro* s
(Continued on page 2)