North Carolina Newspapers

. The Africo - American Presbyterian. Established hi 1879. CONSOLIDATED WITH The southern evangelist. Rev. H. L. McCROREY. D.~D~LL. D* ■ Editor. W. E. HILL, Associate Editor. Rev. C. P. PITCHFORD, Business Manager. Devoted to the Educatioul, Mate rial, Moral and Religions interest! of oar people in the South, and pub lished at Charlotte, N. C., every Thursday. Ail questions arising under the va rious subjects above indicated are discussed from a Christian point of view. Each number contains the freshest and best news from the Southern field and from the Church 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 .. JZ5 Three months .50 RATES OF ADVERTISING Given on Application We earnestly ask the sympathy and prayers of our brethren and friends at large in order that our efforts in this enterprise may be crowned wi h 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 Postofflce at Char lotte, N. C., as second class matter. THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1926. UNJUST RACIAL DISCRIMI NATIONS ON RAILROADS. Inequality in railroad trans portation in this country in dis crimination between the white and colored races is contrary to Christian principles if the Bible conception of Christianity is true, and we know it is. The front coach where the colored people are compelled to ride is less saxe because of its proximi ty to the engine than the other ; coaches. And what makes mat ters worse is that frequently these front coaches are con structed of wood. Thus sand wiched between the iron engine and steel coaches, these wooden coaches in case of wrecks are us ually crushed as egg shells, re sulting very often in destruction of life to the occupants. There is no law for such discrimina tion. There is law for separa tion of the races on railroads, but if there is a law on the stat ute books requiring coaches for colored passengers to be placed nearest the engine we have never read or heard of it. Another condition which ob tains on some trains of provid ing for colored passengers only one toilet for both males and fe males is quite unjust and ex ceedingly humiliating to the race and should be remedied. When so much of this kind of thing is practised in this coun try and published to the world, should we be surprised to hear soon coming from heathen lands the cry, Send us your Christ, but keep your Christianity? MEETING OF PRESBYTERY OF CAPE FEAR. The Presbytery of Cape Fear held its 40th session in the Ebenezer Presbyterian church, New Bern, April 14-16. A large delegation of minis ters, elders and missionary women was in attendance. The opening address was ably and enthusiastically made by Lawyer R. W. Williamson, LL. D., retiring Moderator. His subject was, “Our Church and , My Trip Abroad.” The address was vivid, dear and historical ip scope. The speaker was high in his praise of the Welsh people, whore he was in attend ance as a delegate to the 12th General Council of the Alliance of Reformed Churches, which convened at Cardiff, Wales. The Presbytery was very cordially welcomed on behalf of the city by ex-Mayor Edward Clark, in lieu of Mayor Bangert. Mr. Clark paid a very high tri bute to the colored people of New Bern as to their obedience to the municipal laws and their spirit of coperation in civc af fairs and otherwise. This ad dress was responded to by Mr. S-. H. Vick, of Wilson. The Rev. J. Julian Robinson, of the A. M. E. Zion church, welcomed •the Presbytery on behalf of the Ministerial Alliance. Mrs. Mary Robertson Bryan wel comed the Presbytery on be half of Ebenezer church. Dr. George C. Shaw, of Oxford, re sponded to these addresses. The new Moderator, Dr. Clarence Dillard, of Goldsboro, in receiving the office on his 40th anniversary as a member of this body, gave some prac tical words of wisdom to the young and old. Thursday morning was taken up witn various church reports by the' ministers and elders, it is to be regretted that as a whole the churches did not show a very healthy gain in membership as they did last year. More money was raised for benevolences this year than last. At la :3U, aevouons were conducted by the Rev. L. H. Fuller and Elder Murphy. The afternoon session was taken up by the various committees submitting their reports. The evening session was de voted to the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the found ing of Cape Fear Presbytery. Dr. J. A. Savage presided. Dr. Mabry gave a “Review of the Spiritual Growth of the Pres bytery,” and Dr. Dillard gave a “Review of the Material Growth. These valiant soldiers of the Cross spoke in vivid terms of those pioneer days. Rev. Hermon S. Davis, re presenting the younger group of ministers, received the man tle from the older ones. The scene was a dramatic one, Drs. Savage, Dillard and Mabry, re presenting a. combined service of 126 years, proud in their achievements, gracefully turned the more arduous duties of Presbytery over to the younger members. Rev. Davis, in his characteristic way, re ceived the mantle. At this pdint Rev. A. H. George came forward and pre sented to Drs. Dillard and Sav age a gold stick pin and to Dr. Mabry a five dollar gold piece as a token of esteem and recognition of faithful service rendered. This presentation, made on behalf of Presbytery, was made possible through the efforts of Elder Julius Murray, of Wilmington. A brief sketch of the activities of these men shall appear in a later ar ticle. The Rev. J. W. Smith was received as a member from the Presbytery of Le Vere and his name was enrolled as a member of Cape Fear. Rev. Smith is supplying the Chest nut Street church, Wilmington. Rev. Otto E. Sanders was granted permission to labor out of the bounds of Presbyte ry for a year. Rev. B. S. Brown will supply the field formerly. held by the late Rev. T. G. Williamson. Rev. J. B. Harper will sup ply Frement, Farmville and Pendleton. The Ebenezer church, New Bern, the Davie Street church, Raleigh, and the Shiloh church, Goldsboro, are left vacant. Drs. Dillard and Mabry were made ministers at large for the Presbytery. Dr. J. A. Savage, after forty years o fservice, resigned as Stated Clerk, and was made A. H. George was elected Stat ed Clerk. Presbytery present ed Dr. Savage a purse of $25 as a token of appreciation of his service as Stated Clerk. The Communion service .was conducted by Drs. Dillard and Savage. On Thursday a very touching memorial service for the late Rev. T. G. Williamson was conducted. Resolutions were read by Dr. G. C. Shaw. Several brethren spoke of Rev. Williamson’s life and work in Bladen County. Rev. William son was in many respects a he ro in the cause of Christ. For a large number of years he la bored in Bladen County as educator >and minister. He was isolated from most of his friends, yet he gloried in his work and was contented to do bis best for the betterment of the people in his section. It will be remembered that in this county there are about 3,500 Negro children of school age and only about 400 in school. Rev. Williamson dedicated his life to the Christianizing and educating of this groups His life was one of effective service in an isolated section of^North Carolina. Bev. Williamson was an unsung hero. . :»n •, The commissioners r elected, to the General Assembly are Bev. R. C. Scriven and*. Elder Geo. P. Dudley, principals; Dr. J. A. Savage and Elder S. H. /ick, alternates. Presbytery adjourned to meet in Maxton the second Wednes day in April, 1927. A. H. GEORGE. YADKIN PRESBYTER?. Yadkin Presbytery ih^t .May 14, 1926, at St. James chureh in Greensboro. It. opened with a sermon by the retiring modera tor, Rev. J. M. Morton." He preached from Esther 4:14. He preached a fine sermon to the delight oi all who heard it. Dr. Z. A. Dockery was chosen Mod erator. Rev. H. C. Miller had everything pleasantly arranged for the Presbytery and our meeting was one grand affair. The St. James and HAnnah churches served delicious din ner eaech day in the basement of the church. Good homes were provided for the 120 people who attended the Presbytery. The work of the Presbytery was carried on with a degree of smoothness that had not existed* heretofore. There were few changes made with reference to the ministers. Kev. L. M. Onque is to take our work at Mocksville and Mt/ Ver non. Rev. J. H. Clement jis to take Alien's Temple instead of Edward Webb Memorial, and for the summer Mr. R. N. Cowan, who is in the Middle Theological class of Johnson C. Smith Uni versity, will supply the pulpit at Mt. Airy. Rev. Dr. Rankin re signed the work at Southern Pines. Rev. P. W. Toney*% to take that church in connection with the Aberdeen church. Rev. Mayberry was ordained to the gospel ministry. The report of the Council was adopted with reference to the program of field activities. Any church that did not pay its quota or at. least a part pf .it, will not be heard in the Presby tery. Something new under the sun occurred at this Presbytery that we have never known be fore, Whatever happens, some body always says, I knew that, whether it is good or bad; but something happened in Greens boro that nobody knew even could happen. The First Presby terian church (white) opened their doors to the Presbyterial Society to hold their meetings in their church. That act alone shows the splendid standing of the Rev. H. C. Miller and the class of men and women that he preaches to. Our financial report 4 for this year was good, A number of churches had paid their entire quota and our General Assembly money was larger this year than ever before. The collections during the Presbytery were splendid.On Friday night the ladies’ took up $70.00 at the end of their; Mis sionary program. We beg to say that this was one of the best, if not the .best Presbyteries that we have ever attended in these twenty , odd years. * I. H. RUSSELL, , Permanent Clerk. CARP OF THANKS, Mrs. Emma F. Springy and family desire to thank their many friends for kindness ex tended during our bereavement in the death of daughter and mother, Mrs. Bertha Faggott Herndon, who died at her resi dence, 412 North Alexander St., April 14th, 1926. r Rev. D. S. Collier’s address is changed from Okolona, hliss,. to Gaffney, S. C., and he \yill be in charge of the Reidville and Wellford churches of the Mc Clelland Presbytery. DIL CADMAN MAKES A POWERFUL PLEA i . FOR PROHBmON Washington, April 16.—“The churches are dry—more so than ever before." Their stand on prohibition was made plain by Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, of New York, President of the Federal Council of Churches, in a state ment presented to the Senate sub-committee today. “ They are niore convinced than ever before of the value of prohibi tion/’Jt declared. “Modification," it warned, “would inevitably bring bade the saloon." “Give prohibition a Square deal," was the plea. At the same time Dr. William 1. Haven, of New York, general secretary of the American Bible Society, presented the official action of the Administrative Committee of the Federal Coun cil taKen last Friday in view of the hearing. . The declaration of the feeling of the churches was presented at the Senate hearing by the Rev. Dr. Charles S. Macfarland, of New York, general secretary of the Federal Council, on be half of Dr. Cadman. Dr. Cadman and many other prominent churchmen from all parts of the country, who had been promised a hearing yester day afternoon by the Senate sub-committee conducting the inquiry were not able to remain over when at the behest of Sen ator Reed the hearing was post poned until today. “The personal liberty plea of the /wets’ is a delusion and a snare. Ail law is limitation of personal liberty for the sake of the public welfare/’ said the statement of Dr. Cadman. “Only yesterday a bread trust was dissolved before it was well begun. The plea that one can do as one pleases with his own property does not avail for the bakers. Why should it avail for the brewers and drinkers? “One of the blots upon our na tional cnaracter is due to the utterly misleading conception of personal freedom which rejects control and defies authority. How else can we account for the swollen lists of divorces, rob beries, murders, the notorious deeds of public spoilation and financial debauchery ? I maintain that the Republic we love needs the discipline which prevents reckless and assertive individu alism from prostituting the hon or and imperiling the safety of the American people. “The perils ot alcoholism give a growing uneasiness to states men everywhere. And although the degrading habits of those who openly flout the law are se rious for them they are neither as widespread nor as iniquitous as the consequences of legalized liquor traffic of a decade ago. Then, saloons were on nearly ev ery corner, groggeries in the slums, and breweries which owned them in full blast. They were sinks of human undoing, alive with legislative corruption, political fraud, prostitution and crime. I know few who dare to hint that these dens of drink and creative sources of poverty and misery should be restored to their former vile supremacy. Yet should prohibition be weakened at the dictates of its foes, I am convinced that event ually the saloon will return. Its non-social and pestilential rule will be resaddled upon the peo ble. Those who are disposed to heed the pleas of the wets for a more liberal interpretation of the law should ask them how the re turn of the saloon is to be avoid ed. ‘They say that prohibition was foisted suddenly upon an un willing people. As a policy, en tire legal suppression of the liquor traffic, in one form or an other, is seventy years old in the United States. During that pro longed period the traffic was given repeated opportunities to reform. “Recall its bone-headed bru talities, its flagrant violations of law, its conscienceless outrages ulpon the . security and peace of countless American homes. Tax ation, police supervision, State regulations or the governmental ly controlled systems of some of the Canadian provinces have alike proved ineffective. Finland, after experimenting with other plans, has followed the example of the United States and adopt ed prohibition. “The descriptions of the vio lations of law, of the wealth of bootleggers and of other villains and villainies preying upon our people, are usually made by those who want the modification or repeal of prohibition Why they should make a concerted othshrdlu sh shrdlu sh shssshh drive in its particular policy is not obvious apart from their selfish interests. Other laws are exceedingly difficult of enforce ment, but we do not advise their modification or repeal. “Give prohibition a square deal. No sooner was prohibition established and the wets had re covered from the shock, than they began to encompass its de struction. But after enduring drink for many centuries, nearly always with ignominious results, can we not endure prohibition even for a decade? What homes has it blighted, what disgrace has it brought upon us, what shame and sin, when compared with the unbridled tise of intox icants during these centuries? “I ask for a rigid enforcement of the law, backed by an equi table and rational public opinion whicn will not be diverted from this magnificent experiment till it has had a fair opportunity. “Give sobriety an equal chance with drunkenness. In view of the undeniable benefiits which have already been produced by prohibition, and because of the sheer impossibility of dealing with the liquor evil by any othei method, I call upon all good citi zens to rally to its support.” GOODWILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MAYESYILLE, S. C. Goodwill church has just closed one of its most success ful years along all lines. Its financial report- is the best in its history. The Rev. W. J. Nelson, after considering a call from this church, finally decided to ac cept the call in September, 1925, and came to us the first of October. Having built up such a fine record at Ridgeway, his former field, and having in gratiated himself in the hearts of the people, it was a very hard matter to get him to give up. Plans were made in Septem ber for a rally on the second Sunday in October and every body looked forward to the day with great interest, and on that day we raised $1019.40— a record breaking day in the history of Goodwill. Since that time the spirit of giving has been kept up and as a result the receipts for the year ending March 31st netted $2939.31. We are too sorry that we did not meet our full quota to the Boards, but when what has been done is considered, per haps some will agree that we have done well. The church and it sauxiliaries gave to the benevolent cause of the Church $435.23. Our Sunday school under the efficient management of Mr. John J. Burgess, played well its part in last year's work and began the new church year, April 4, (Easter Sunday), with a splendid program, which net ted $16.40. The Missionary Society, un der the leadership of Mrs. W. W. J. Nelson as President, is doing a most splendid work, having raised its full Presby terial quota, this amount being the largest assessed. The Young People's Society, under the leadership of Miss Susie E Cooper, is also doing a splendid work among the young people; n fact, all of the auxil iaries of the church are thor oughly organized and doing their part in carrying forward the great work in which we are engaged. The spiritual condition of the church is fine. We get a great message from God's own Word every Sabbath, and we are eager to get back to hear what the next one will be. We Rev. Nelson has some excep tional gifts as a preacher. He is very unassuming and quiet, but to know him and the pow er there is in him, hear him and you can never forget Him. Since he has been here fifty two members have been added to the church and the attend ance is good. The membership is large and is scattered over a large territory; there are those who live fully ten miles and never miss a Sabbath. There is one thing about* us—we will go to church and we are learn ing to do some other things Something must be said of our day school. There are 315 students in school and the school is better equipped than ever. Since Rev. Nelson has been here he has secured and installed two hundrd individual desks and seats.' Some of our friends ot the other race have visited our school and declared it one of the best equipped of the rural schools in the coun ty. The teaching force is not at all what it ought to be in a school of this size, but those who are here are doing a splen did work. Rev. Nelson, as Principal, is as hard a worker in the school work as in the church. Mrs. Nelson as a life licensed teacher of experience and ability, is a great asset in both church and school. She is the church organist and a Sunday school teacher. The other teachers are showing a deal of interest in the work. We are indeed on the upward trend. We are proud that our pastor is comfortably housed. We have built a seven-room house since he has been here and his family seem to enjoy their comfort. The family is quite a unique one; it is rare to see so many bright little boys —only five of them. The home can never be lonesome with these boys. We ask the prayers of , those who are interested in this great work that God’s blessings may be continued on Rev. Nel son and us all. ONE INTERESTED. THE HOME (From The Charlotte Observer) Dr. James I. Vance, a noted Presbyterian divine, of much fa miliarity in North Carolina pul pits, is conducting a series of meetings in Statesville, and in his Sunday morning sermon he struck the keynote message, which is the salvation of our homes. His appeal was for “re vival of the Christian home, an institution older and more far reaching than any other institu tion in America.” It was a ser mon in which were embodied thoughts that should be passed around, because Dr Vance struck at the very root of the evils of the day. Incidentally, The Observer might incorporate a need that would necessarily develop the one important need Doctor vance is proclaiming for. it is need for more evangelists to talk along the same lines Doc tor Vance has chosen. The newspapers have a habit of co pying tne better sentiments of other newspapers. It might benefit the pulpit if it should adopt the general policy of copy ing after the better remarks of other pulpits. When a preacher makes utterance that grips the public mind, it might be quoted from the pulpit with “credit” as is the custom with the newspapers. In that way appeals for the revival of the Christian home might have the larger circulation. “The Home” might be a standing topic for pulpit discusion throughout the land, and there is Biblical au thority for it. In fact, Doctor Vance found the appropriate text in Timothy: “Learn first to show piety at home.” From hat text Doctor Vance drew some sensible conclusions. He maintaned, as stated in The Statesville Daily, that the reviv ed this country needs most today is not one of trade. Trade is do ing very well. America is not only the richest country in the f (Continued on page 3)