vot. XLVIIL
CHARLOTTE, N. C*
THURSDAY, MARCH IS,
A CHANGED ATTITUDE TOWARD THE NEGRO
.<a&m
By Will W. Alexander.
The Negro is not a ipenace to
America. He has proved himself
worthy of confidence. He his
been and may continue to be la
blessing. In the years that ate
to come he needs the help if
those Who have voice and in
fluence. He needs unnecessary
barriers out of hie way, and la
chance to demonstrate under
God he is a man and cun play
a man's part. : '
The popular picture which
many white people have of the
the Negro mind is the picture
of : a Negro mind that never dm
exist. Negroes understand
whites better than whites un
derstand Negroes, and yet much
that Negroes attribute to whites
is.not true. The relationships
are made difficult by misunder
standings on both sides.
There is much good-will
among whites in the South for
Negroes. The difficulty is that
that it is good-will toward the
tvDe of Negro that no longer
exists. Old Uncle Tom on the
Southern plantation was per
haps never so docile and submis
sive and contented as he has
been pictured; anyway, he ex
ists now only in a story-book
and in the minds of many of the
better people of the South, who
do not realize how completely
his type has passed. Such peb
■ pie know absolutely nothing of
v.the intelligent, the ambitious;
efficient type of present-day Ne
gro.
The work of the Commission
' on filter-racial Cooperation hks
been tb try to build a bridge
across the gulf that exists bO
2n the intelligent white men
mtfies* to
- the SoStfrthaf’have ten per cefit
t^or more'-Of Negro population.
^We sent a white men and a bcfl
mrei^an into each ohe of the
coflftttuhities to study the gen
eral Situation and discover who
/ were leaders of the two races,
and if there were men in each
-group who had the confidence Of
both races.
This very interesting thing
developed: White men that
white men believe in are, as a
rule, the white men that' Ne
groes believe in. Negroes that
honest, intelligent white men
believe in are the Negroes -that
intelligent Negroes believe in.
There is no mystery here.
Soon we began to discover that
hi many of the communities we
could bring these men together
—•get them to sit down and talk
ever the local situation—and
that out of that conversation it
self grew a better race attitude.
Whenever the habit of confer
ence grew up, not only could a
• better racial attitude be main
tained, but many of the things
that vexed the life of the com
munity could be corrected—
things Which all right thinking
people knew ought to be correct
ed.
There, are, therefore, two
fundamental principles for cre
ating'better race relations: con
ference and cooperation.
There had been a conspiracy
of silence in the South on this
question. Dr. Moton says that
Negroes tell white men what
they think, is safe for the white
men to know; and that white
men tell Negroes what they
think Negroes have sense
enough to understand.
You can not get along that
way. The first step is to luring
this, question to open, frank dis
cussion. There is nothing about
it. that ; cannot be discussed.
There i$,hqthing that makes for
danger more than whisperings
behind closed doors. You in the
Northern cities need to be
. warned that secret organiza
tions and secret methods of deal
ing with this question only tend
to spread the hysteria and stir
the passion so common to com
munities where race questions
ar^j acute.
What are the people of the
South, doing to promote better*
relations between white men and
Negroes? Today women’s or
ganizations with a million and
a half members are -cooperating.
Missionary societies, women’s
clubs and the like have pledged
themselves to fight lynching and
are demanding of those who en
force the &w in the South that
lynching shall cease, They are
pledged to work in their local
communities not for Negro wo
men, but with them, that Negro
home life and Negro child life
may have a better chance.
It may be difficult for you to
understand the meaning of this
movement among Southern wo
men. Negro ' womanhood and
Negro home life have not had
the proper protection and help.
When a million and a half white
women in the South understand,
as they have not understood be
fore, the-things against which
Negro home life battles, there
will be a new day for Negro wo
men and Negro homes in the
South.
For years under Dr. W. D.
Weatherford there have been
voluntary classes in the colleges
for the study of this question.
A few years, ago two annual con
ferences of college professors be
gan to be held, one East and one
West of the Mississippi. Teach
ers of history, economics and so
ciology in Southern colleges
came together to ’ seek to an
swer the question: “What can
the colleges of the South do to
enable students to deal intelli
gently with this question?” To
dny as a result of these confer
ences and similar efforts, at
least fifty colleges of the South
gept colored men spoke in
Southern colleges. They proved
in some instances the most pop
ular speakers that came during
the year. This year in possibly
half our colleges Negroes will
speak on what the Negro wants
and what he ought to have in
American life.
Plainly there is a changed at
titude toward the Negro. The
white people in the South who
have been with the Negro have
a new estimate of him.
The other day a hospital in a
small town in one of the Wes
tern States .; lost the little vial
of radium it owned. After a
very diligent search .it was de
cided that it must have gone out
With the soiled bandages from
the operating room down into
the incinerator arid thence into
the ash heap. Those ashes were
sent halfway across the conti
nent to a chemist' that he might
rescue the radium.
Radium in ashes makes a very
great deal of difference in their
value. To many the Negro had
been the. social ash heap in
America. He had been talked
of as a problem. But many saw
the Negro, during the war, how
much he had contributed and
how much of an American he
had become. Some went into
the laboratory of George Car
ver at Tuskegee, and realized
that he, a black man, had for
twenty-eight years worked qui
etly. there, and in that time had
probably made more contribu
tions to the scientific develop
ment of agriculture than any
other Southern scientist, black
or white.
In the light of such examples
this ash heap was seen to have
greater values thari radium. The
voices of the Fisk singers, the
lives of Negro doctors, minis
ters. and farmers, many of
whom were trained in the
schools that you established, a
generation ago, today have a
new meaning.
-'5' ■ . "
A first-class general manager
or president is really an expert
ftdjugter. He may not be able
to do any one job better than
any other man in his employ,
but he does have the peculiar
faculty of being able to keep
maohifle in halmrc
GOD SAVE AMERICA
Nations like individuals
traveling the broad road
leads to destruction.
The whole pathway of
is strewn with the wrecks
empires.
It is a common belief that
tions like individuals nc
ly have their day and cease
be.
But this view dishonors
God of nations. He intended tl
they should live as long as
sun and moon endure.
No nation ever perished i: i
nocer.t. National sin is the oh y
reason for national overthrow1
National righteousness is tl e
one condition of national salva
tion, and national salvation cof^
sists in right relation to God.
What then must America;f
to be saved? Evidently s
must get right with God.
There are three steps in th|s
saving process, and each one'"
absolutely necessary to the
that the nation may be ri|
with God.
The first step is national
fession of national sin. The
was a time during the civil W£
when the entire nation
conscious of its sin of forget
God.
President Lincoln appointed'
day of humiliation and confe
siOh of national sin. This ws
followed by manifest tokens of
divine favor.
The nation experienced tl
joy of salvation because
turned from natidnalsin to
tional righteousness.
While many thousands
American citizens are God-i
ing people, the nation as a
ical body has forgotten God,
the Scriptures declare that si
nations are, turned into She
S suofms
to the Lord Jesus Christ, who
died to save nations as well as in
dividuals, and who is enthroned
as the ruler of this world.
The tendency to yield to the
anti-Christian spirit of the day
and ignore Jesus Christ in the
political realm is deserving of
severest condemnation.
The least that can be said
about this tendency is, that it
is incipient rebellion against the
nation’s Reigning King.
The nation is not right with
God, and therefore is not saved
until it submits to the scepter of
Jesus Christ.
The third step is national con
formity to the moral laws of
Christianity which are authori
tative for nations as well as in
dividuals.
The police power, which in the
very nature of things inheres in
the State, involves the right to
protect ana enforce public mo
rality, and the moral law is the
standard to be observed.
No nation is saved so long as
the Sabbath is trampled under
foot, the law of the family dis
regarded, prohibitory liquor
laws made of no effect, and blas
phemy, robbery, and iniquity of
every kind coming in like a
flood.
America must be saved from
itseii. it is working its own
destruction, and it must repent
and reform
America must be saved from
alien hands which are striving
with fearful success to eliminate
every vestige of its primitive
Christian character.
America must be saved from
the hands of Godless politicians.
While the government treats all
religious faiths with leniency,
the nation has a religion of its
own, and no Philistine hands
ihould be permtted to mutilate
it or substitute for it any form
of national agnosticism.—The
Christian Statesman.
It was Victor Hugo who said:
“Come to this God, ye weepers,
for He weeps;
Come to Him, ye who suffer,
for He cures;
Come to Him, ye who fear; He
pity keeps;
Come to Him, ye who pass, for
He endures.”
WHiTE AND COLORED
SING PRAISES TOGETHER
IN OKLAHOMA.
This seems to be an ago of
evangelism in the breader and
more definite Bible sense of the
term evangelism. In Paul’s
letter to the early churth at
Ephesus, as recorded in Ephe
sians 4th chapter and 11th
verse, we find five forms of
ministry gifts to the church,
which wove to characterize the
entire church age, including the
period in which we now * live.
These five forms of service are
Apostles, Prophets. Evange
lists. Pastors and Teachers.
The work of the evangelist's,
then, is according to God’s di
vine order. Theentire world is
to be evangelized. A quicken
mg sense of responsibility
seems to be taking hold of the
Church, and, as a result, great
evangelistic campaigns are be
ing held all over the country and
many precious souls are being:
awept into the kingdom pf God.
We are glad to report such a
great campaign in Okmulgee,
;Oklahoma. Beginning January
31st the John Sv Hamilton
Evangelistic Party began their
county-wide campaign with the
avowed purpose of reaching all
races, creeds and colors. While
separate sections were provided
for Negroes in keeping with
Southern tradition and the peo
ple among whom the party had
to labor, yet at ail times Dr.
John S. Hamilton,.the Evange*
list, himself a Northern man,
showed the greatest coneerh
for colored people attending
idle servi-.e3. A former ac
quaintance of Dr. Hamilton’s,
in the person of Rev. W. W.
Mayle, p:,stor of the Presbyte
rian church, was appointed to
head a committee of leaders1 to
gelistic meeting for colored
on Monday night, March 1st.
Rev. J. E. Toombs, Rev. G. H.
Bundy, Rev. A. Gordon and
Prof. W. H. Fort, Principal of
the Dunbar High School, com
posed the committee. The
meeting was the greatest event
in this county, if not in the en
tire section, when considered
from the standpoint of race ad
justment and the promotion of
good will to all.
The order of service was
strictly evangelistic, and deep
ly spiritual throughout, Be
tween five and six thousand
people thronger the great Tab
ernacle, and many were turned
away when all standing room
was taken up. The special at-:
traction was the singing led by
Miss Clarissa V. Diggs, a gradu
ate of Fisk University, an ac
complished director of chorus
choirs, and an efficient leader
of the famour spirituals. A
large chorus of 250 voices in
wnicn tne coiorea cnurcn cixuua
of the entire community were
represented, virtually swayed
the great audience with melody
of praise. The center and front
sections of the great Taberna
cle were occupied by our peo
ple, the rear and side sections
being crowded with white peo
pie. The daily press next day
was emphatic in praise of the
event, which was styled “the
greatest meeting of its kind
ever held in Okmulgee.”
Dr. Hamilton preached a
great and glorious sermon on
“The Love of God,” using as a
text, the well known Scripture,
John 3:16. Several persons ac
cepted Christ at1 the close. This
meeting has proven that the
gospel of Jesus Christ is the
only panacea for all ills, the
greatest of which is race ha
tred on both sides. There is
no other way, but His way.
Jesus says: “I am the way, the
u ath and the life.”
We are happy to report the
progress being made by Mt.
Olive church. Our pastor, Rev.
W. W. Mayle, has demonstrat
ed that a church , with an evan
gelistic program, has the most
important element of a stand
ard church. At last Sunday’s
communion service fifteen new
members were received intc
the church and took their, first
•his makes in *11
21 members . received dujriiig
the six months’ service of Blr.
Mayle. He has also conducted
successful meetings u) Tulla
hassee* Okla., Muskogee, Okla.,
and in Crockett, Texas, .
The writer has been^c^iosen
as commissioner to Presbytery
with instructions^ \ to ask far
Rev. Mayie as permanent, pas
tor. He has many calls fdr re
vival services.
Cleric of Session.
BAKBLh HILL AKKAINULM
AS RANK INJUSTICE. i
Newspapers Voice VigWWB De
" mand for Its Appeal Oppan
sition General; <
Atlanta, • Ga., March 15.—Se
verely arraigning Atlanta’s re^
Gently enacted barber (Ordinance
which provides that Negro bar
bers shall hot serve white wo
men and children, Idle Wesleystn
Christian Advocate, of this city,
official organ of the white South
2rn Meti.odists of Georgia, de
mands the repeal of the law and
calls upon all right minded cit
izens to busy themselves to that
end. Among other" arguments
against the law, the Wesleyan
says:-■'_ fv--' ,
“ it is an attempt of one dass
of men to chpitalizO prejudice to
their own materia!" advantage,
t is the rankest kind of injus
tice. Every member "6f every
white barbers’ union that had
any part in''advocating this law
ought to hang: his head in crim
son shame. A big nfewsboy who
shoula browbeat a small cripple
from the streets in order that
hie might have the iwhdle busi
ness opportunity that they of
fered would be in the dame class
lnheC0S3l"'ath~P^
race. That his competitors
should seek to drive him from
the field is an outrageous vio
lation oi human rights. If
white barbers cannot meet black
competition- then they ought to
retire from the field like men
and coniess themselves beaten.
To call upon a white government
to come to their rescue and
drive from the field those who
in fair competition are securing
some of that trade that they
covet is to take an unworthy
advantage. Fight fairly, win
honestly.”
Reproducing this editorial in
full, the Atlanta Constitution
vigorously supports the demand
for repeal of the law in a half
column editorial which con
cludes:
“it will be a happy day foi
Atlanta, and for this greal
State, founded upon the bedrook
of individual justice, when the
bigotry of ignorance and prej
dice, and the designing capitali
zation of these destructive ele
ments, snail have been driver
from the life of the common
wealth.”
The bill has been widely anc
vigorously denounced by th<
press of Georgia and the South
CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH, PETERSBURG, VA.
On last Sunday, March 7,
our pastor, Rev. J. E. Tice, S.
T. B., preached to us from the
subject, “The Lord God.” It is
the fourth of a series of ser
mons he is preaching each Sun
day on “The Creed or Doctrines
of the- Chuach.” His discourse
was very inspiring and helpful.
At 8:45 P. M., the. Holy
Communion 'Was celebrated, at
which time two persons
(adults) were baptized,- and
two deaconesses were ordained.
These services were all very
impressive. ;
We feel very fortunate inrise
curing Pastor Tice and. his: un
tiring wife in the sendee. r>:$Ht
came to us September l, 1925
and since that time he has, mil
spared time nor energy in try
ing to build up the. cqngrega
tion and draw the .whole mem
bership ] together ,;andadvanc<
the church work ,t>n all lines
Mrs. Tice is a wonderful helj
to him and the church..; Tfhej
have succeeded in rnnpmiiiuf
fbe parochial school with 42 pu
pils enrolled. The Hahhnlh
school is improving and eight
«ouls have been added to the
church,! and we are looking far
ward to aa many more uniting
with us to the near future.
Cottage prayer meetings are
toang held each week, and the
joor ana sick are being looked
after ami helped as far as pos
sible; not only in our chueck,
but tbe community generally.
Children who do not attend any
toy school or Sunday school
are urged and helped to attend
our schools.
The Bible is being read dai
ly by a band of Central's mem
bers (19 in number) to be com
peted l^r laid down plana by
the coming of Christmas, 1926;
also, this band is praying every
toy at noon for a new church
and manse which are so badly
i needed. .
Under the energetic leader
ship of Pastor Tice and bis un
tiring wife, Central Presbyte
rian church is moving on to
victory. Let us pony that it
[may continue to advance until
n the near future it will be
come a “Shining Light” to the
omm unity, and . may be the
means of pointing many souls
io the “Lamb of God that tak
eth away the sin Of the world."
A MEMBER.
ACTIVITIES AT JOHN HALL
CHURCH, CARTHAGE.
The spirit of enthusiasm
still prevailing on Sunday.,
March 7, when the Gideon Band,
taught by the pastor, won the
banker, raising the sum of
112.10. Total amount rained,
/ 1%e amount realpSd by Mia.
P. N. Baykin &s*n the sapper
giVfeh iit" imki1
terest ot the $1,000 rally, was
$21.16.
Our Teacher^Training Class is
io£ng fine. The Brotherhood
and Boys’ Club will have their
meetings Thursday night, the
former at Mr. Hubert Hayes*
and the latter at the church.
We dose by extending our
good wishes, thanks and prayers
in behalf of the Africo for the
splendid service it is now giv
ing.
MT. HERMON CHURCH, B|G
STONE gap, va.
On March 4th the Ladies’ Mis
sionary Society met with Hi*.
J. W. Brice with a good attend*
ance. The ladies all took a peart
jn the devotional*. The differ
ent topics on missis* work
were discussed. At the cotseof
the business hour dues were col
lected, amounting to $530.
March 7th Rev. B. C. Hood
preached a very inspiring ser
mon from Mark 1:17.
Miss Janie M. Duff has been
-pending a few days very pleas
antly in Louisville, Ky.
A very interesting service
was hela at Mt. Hermon Sunday
afternoon under the auspices of
the Ministers’ Alliance of the
city. Rev. Scruggs, a very en
ergetic and promising young
minister of the A. M. E. Zion
church, preached a very inter
esting sermon from Hebrews 13:
1, which was enjoyed by the en
tire audience.
At the close of the services,
Rev. H. C. Carpenter, pastor of
, the A. M. E. Zion church of the
i. city, spoke very favorably of the
. splendid work that Rev. Hood
has done since coming to this
; field as pastor twelve years ago.
i In recognition of the same Rev.
I S. B. McBrayer, pastor of the
. Baptist church and also Presi
dent of the Alliance, presented
l a purse of ten dollars to Rev.
- j Hood on behalf of the Alliance.
* The RogersVille Presbytery
i >Hll meet With us in April. We
i- 'are looking forward to it with
I great hopihgthat it
- wilt pnove Successful from every
* angle.; • j: ;
- ' We have lots of sickness and
aythere have been several deaths
.{in our.-town and surrounding
> country., ■ -r ...
rj. ? .u »ui)HI3S; JANIE licDUFF.