r ‘j-*' 1? ‘ if v.<-s
AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE
BY THE WAY
By Uncle Billie
Your life achievement is not
conditioned upon what you
think of yourself, but upon your
conduct and what others think
of you as a resultant of your
conduct. Listen to the Man of
Galilee: “What think ye of
Christ; whose son is he?”
“Whom do men say that I am?”
Driving With a Big Stick.
This statement implies at
least two beings and one inani
mate object: a driver, his big
stick, and the driven. Stripped
of its verbiage, this is the atti
tude some of the brethren
would have the Church assume
toward the individual church
that fails to raise its full quota.
To legislate or even suggest that
a church is to receive no support
from the Colored Division of
National Missions because it
fails to raise its full quota is
nothing more nor less than driv
ing with a big stick. The
Church is receding with marked
acceleration to materialism
when it emphasizes and makes
clear that the local church’s ex
istence is conditioned upon a
certain financial standard set
for it with no regard for the
progress the local church is
making to meet its quota, and,
at the same time and with
breath to spare, say nothing
about the spiritual growth and
numerical results of the spirit
ual fervor. Some would give
the local church a limited time
to measure up. That is about
equal to two times three and
three timesitwo; for it is still
driving with the same big stick:
W.JPU are
get out of
stick. The
driver is after you with the big
stick and if you don’t run the
consequence is evident.
In the Workers’ Conference one
of the brethren higher up sug
gested the idea that if the local
church did not dr could not fos
ter a mfssion Sabbath school in
connection with it, the preach
er's stipend or supplement
should be “held up.” That cer
tainly has the color of the ma
terialistic and the stench of
commercialism.
given a; little time to
the way of the big
Let Us Educate the People.
You can lead people to hell
but you can’t drive them to
heaven; and when you attempt
it you are making enemies for
the Kingdom and citizens for
the commonwealth of destruc
tion.
I should feel very mean did
I feel that any reader of my
opinion on this advanced step of
the Church, that is the budget
plan, should regard it as radical
and an innovation that is likely
to work harm to the local
church. The Presbyterian
Church believes in the process
of education; and—not boasting
—I am a Presbyterian from my
grandparents and parents, ma
ternal and paternal, and I be
lieve in Presbyterian principles.
I believe in intelligent leadership
and not driving. I firmly believe
t!iat within a very short time
our entire colored constituency
is going to measure up to its full
quota. Most of you can recall
when our group thought it was
a flashlight of honor and praise
from the first and second heav
ens to raise ten and twenty dol
lars on Children’s Day. And
what did we do with it? Some
of the ministers would give each
Board a dollar and keep the res
idue for “other expenses.” That
meant, of course, that a partic
ular church had given £he gen
eral Church eight or nine dol
lars for benevolence.- And the
entire matter stopped there un
til the next Children’s Day.
Are we still in that rut? Of
course not. Brother C. J. Baker
and Dr. George W. Long have
talked “quota” so loud, long and
direct that the most ignorant
layman is talking about “our
quota."
I am sure that the big stick
is not needed when a Presbyte
ry jumps practically from noth
ing to over 50 per cent of its
quota. Yes, a little over half;
but that is a long jump when
you stop and consider that the
jump was from the freezing
point, 32 degrees ; but we are
now half way to the boiling
point, 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
And who can safely predict that
the Colored wing of our great
Presbyterian Church will not
have risen to the boiling point,
212 degrees Fahrenheit, in its
contribution to benevolence
within the next two years?
Of course, a few of our small
congregations have “gone over
the top,” they say; that is fine
and gives a brother an opportu
nity to boast; but when a church
with over two hundred members
“goes over the top” in its benev
olent quota, the signs of the
times reflect progress.
This is an era of economic dis
ruption and consequent migra
tion among peoples and not a
people. And under these condi
tions, when you drive with a
big stick, you subtract consid
eration for the slip of the cog
or the broken cog in the wheel
oiled with desire and hope, and
pushed with determination.
Many of the prophets and
many of God’s chosen servants
of the people drove with a big
sticks That was the big stick
age and the age of the sword.
That was a dispensation in
which the .big ' stick figured
largely* i» of
God’s Kingdoni and in the prep
aration for the advent of the
Messiah. But when He came
He preached and taught that
the sword of the Spirit is the
weapon of the New Economy.
He commanded Peter to put up
his material sword.
I believe that our people and
all other peoples should be
taught, impelled, and persuaded
in all Godliness to give liberally
to the cause of Christian work.
I believe that giving, to benevo
lence should be the biggest sec
ondary matters in connection
with any congregation. But when
you tell your congregation: “If
you don’t come across with your
quota the Board is going to cut
us off or cut the preacher off,”
you are certainly sounding a
minor note of the dying swan.
At antic Presbytery
Atlantic Presbytery did not
pay its quota in full; it paid
over half, says Dr. J. M. Miller.
This year they say they are go
ing to pay all. They say the
people are becoming more inter
ested each year through the
ministers of this Presbytery. -
Throw away the big stick and
let’s reason. That is the way
Presbyterians do; that is the
way far-seeing men do; that is
the way the Man of Galilee did.
SPRING MEETING OF THE
WHITE RIVER PRESBY
TERY.
By C. N. Shropshire
White River Presbytery con
vened in its spring meeting
Wednesday, April 14-18, at Alli
son Presbyterian church, Little
Rock, Ark., of which the Rev.
Geo. E. Caesar is pastor.
The retiring Moderator, Rev.
G. F. McMilter, D. D., of Spring
field, Mo., preached the opening
sermon from the text, Rv. 21:
21, “And the twelve gates were
twelve pearls.” The sermon was
clear, forceful and practical. The
speaker called our attention to
the fact that there are twelve
gates leading into heaven. Three
on the east, three on the west,
three on the north, three on the
south. He said as Presby
terians we do not fight, and as
other denominations we go On
our way to heaven, but let us
all be friends and work togeth
er.
Rev. L. W. Davis was elected
Moderator, and C. N. Shropshire
and M. B. Dasby, temporary
clerks.
The Presbytery was welcomed
to the city by Rev. 0. C. Wallace,
pastor of the Congregational
church, and Dr. G. B. Ashford,
President of the Ministerial Al
liance and pastor of Bethel A.
M. E. church. Response by Dr.
E. C. Hames.
The docket was very full, but
the Moderator kept it on the
schedule time. Reports coming
In from me various churches on
membership, raising our benevo
lences, and on the spiritual con
dition of the churches show an
increase over any previous year.
Altuough our Presbytery is
small and several of pur church
es are vacant, almost all of them
paid their quotas—six exceeded
their quotas and one doubled its
quota.
Gibson chapel is not one of
the seven, but this church is
buying a manse without aid
from the Board. They raised
nearly $2500.00 during the
year.
The Presbytery was glad to
receive Rev. C. J. Maclin from
the Presbytery of Birmingham
into our Presbytery. We wel
come. others to come West.
On Thursday evening at eight
o’clock the Preshytfery listened
with interest to a popular meet
ing of ten minute'addresses on
the following subjects: “Chris
tian Education,” Dr. E. C.
Hames, of Little Rock, Rev. T.
G. Boyd, oft Pine Bluff, an4|jb&
N. Shropshire, -offt-Texai'Saatofrf
“Ministerial Relief and Susten
tation,” Revs. S. J. Grier, Crocks
ett, Txas, and L. W. Davis, Mor
rilton, Ark.; “National Mis
sions,” Dr. C. S. Mebane, Hot
Springs, and Dr. H. M. Stinson,
of Cotton Plant.
The Rev. T. C. Boyd and Elder
J. C. Thompson were elected
principal ministerial and lay
commissioners, respectively, to
the next General Assembly.
Friday evening was given over
to the Women’s popular pro
gram. An excellent meeting
was had. The President, Mrs.
T. C. Boyd, presided. The sum
of $25.00 was raised. The Sun
day services were good.
Much credit is due Rev. Geo.
E. Caesar and his congregation
for the most splendid way they
entertained Presbytery. Rev.
Caesar is doing excellent work
in the church. He is loved by
all.
Resolutions of thanks were
read. Doxology was sung and
prayer offered. Benediction
was pronounced and Presbytery
adjourned to meet with Holmes
chapel,, Monticello, Ark., Wed
nesday, August 18, 1926.
Our western field is coming
to the front. We are praying
for other workers to come over
and help. Our schools are doing
good work. Most of them are
overcrowded with pupils. In
Dr. Stinson’s school the pupils
scarcely have standing room.
Some of his teachers have more
than fifty pupils in their rooms.
We have some churches that are
vacant. Have you not heard
the Macedonian call, “Come over
and help us?”
ATLANTIC PRESBYTERY
By Rev. T. A. Robinson
The Spring meeting of Atlan
tic Presbytery was held with
the Edisto Presbyterian church,
Edisto Island, S. C., Dr. W. L.
Metz, D. D., Stated Supply, Wed
nesday, April 14th, through Fri
day the 16th, 1926.
The writer, in company with
Rev. J. M. Miller, D. D., Mrs.
Myers, a teacher of Emerson In
stitute, Blackville, S. C., and
Miss A. B. Singleton, a teacher
at the Fraafer Excelsior Acade
my and Elder W». Parker, of
Zion Hill churchJvBamberg, SI
Go motored from Bamberg to
Edisto lsland, more than a hum
dred and twenty* miles. The
good i>r. Miller took us in his
high powered Chrysler six.
At Charleston we were joined
by this Moderator, Rev. W. T.
Frasier, D. D., and his delegation
and good Madam; also Rev. J.
E. Jackson, of Columbia, our
Synodical Evangelist, Rev. j(. H.
Ayers’, D. D., Prof. Harper and
Mr. HL Q. Walker, our Sunday
Schools Missionary of Orange
burg, jftnd the bishop of John’s
Island! Rev. S. H. Scott, with his
delegation. After gazing and
stretching a little we were off
for the seat of Presbytery, Edia
to Island. In' a short while we
were passing Adam’s Run. In
the yard of our Stated Clerk,
Rev. tym. H. Paden, we saw a
few Jcfhu Henrys warming up
for the last lap of the trip. One
was that of Rev. H. McFadden,
of AUtodale. We reached the
home «§■ Dr. and Mrs. Metz,
Edistof^sland, just before sun
set. Jpr. and Mrs. G. W. Long,
of Chc^aw, in their Studebaker
coach, had preceded us by a few
minute!; but long enough to be
safely v tucked away in the
manse, !
Dr. and Mrs. Metz met us m
the beautiful, well kept yard, all
full of welcome smiles, wiljh
hearty1 handshakes. After greet
ing the delegates, the good Div
processed at once to assign ps
to oui*f temporary homes, so
that bjjk sunset ; or thereabpujt,
all of yps present had pleasant
sical preliminary with his robed
choir and beautiful anthems.
Mrs. Metz, the organist, deserves
much credit for the showing
the choir made. Many of the
city church choirs will have to
hustle to even measure up with
the choir out on Edisto Island*
The retiring Moderator, Rev.
W. T. Frasier, D. D., delivered
a soul-stirring sermon from the
subject, “Friends in Two
Worlds.” All present were deep
ly touched as the speaker de
fined and explained the spiritual
relationship existing between
this and the “better land.”
After constitution of Presby
tery with prayer by the retiring
Moderator the following elec
tions were had: Moderator, Rev.
M. A. Sanders, Charleston;
Temporary Clerk, Mr. H. Q.
Walker, Orangeburg; Stated
Clerk, Rev. Wm. H. Paden, Ad
am’s Run.
The welcome address was de
livered by the pastor, Dr. Metz,
in well chosen words. He also
gave us a brief historical out
line of the entertaining church
and Edisto Island. He stated
that the material used in con
ducting the present church ed
ifice has been in constant use
for more than a hundred and
fifty years, having been the
property of the white Presby
terians in use down on Edding
Bay in colonial days, and about
60 years ago was brought to its
present site and reconstructed
for use by the colored Presby
terians, and the church was pas
tored by the first ordained . col
ored Presbyterian minister in
America.
The response was made by
Rev. G. E. Henderson, pastor of
Zion church, Charleston, S.C.
Rev. G. W. Long, D. D., of
Fairfield Presbytery, and Rev.
J. E. Jackson, of. McClelland
Presbytery, were voted seats
corresponding members. They
were introduced and asked to
make remarks. Rev. T. H. Ay
ers, D. D., Fairfield Presbytery,
was received by letter and his
name enrolled as a member..
Thursday morning at. nine
o’clock the Presbytery reassem
bled for business sessions. The
chief business of the day was
the election of commissioners
the General Assembly con'
in Baltimore, Md., the f<
Thursday in May, 1926.
following were elected: mL»—
rial, Rev. M. A. Sanders,
Charleston; Rev. Wm. H. Paden,
principal and alternate respec
tively; lay commissioners, El
der W. R. Grant, Summerville,
principal, and Elder Simmons of
Zion church, Charleston, alter
nate. >
After the election Dr. G. W.
Long; of Cheraw, our Synodical
executive, was given the floor.
He brought to. the Presbytery
quite an inspiring message con
cerning the work of the Church
at large. He gave us to know
that the general Church is ea
gerly interested in the work
among the colored brethren.
Dr. Long was given many cheers
and a rising vote of thanks for
his devout interest and ardent
work, which never seems to
cease for our good. Our Pres
bytery is always delighted to
hear him.
in tne aiternoon session we 5
had two welcome visitors in the :
persons of Prof. Adair, of Ches- J-.
ter, S. C., the worthy dean of ;
the Sunday School Missionaries,1
and Mrs. Jones, of McConnells-'
ville, S. C., the lovable and vet
eran missionary and President t
of the Atlantic Synodical. We '
were delighted to have these dis-J
tinguished visitors. They were
on the Woman’s program Thurs
day night. Prof. Adair brought
to us the sad news that some of
the Sunday School Missionaries
had to be cut off for the lack of
funds and that Atlantic was
about to lose a full time Sabbath
School Missionary. The Pres
bytery feeling the paramount
need^of.-^ fulltime miflswftwwy
voted a resolution in the form
of an appeal to the Department
of Sabbath School Missions
asking for the continuance of'a
full time Sabbath School Mis
sionary, and, if possible, Mr. H.
0. Walker, our present mission
ary. The Presbytery also voted
a resolution endorsing and
thanking Mr. H. 0. Walker for
past services in Atlantic Pres
bytery.
Thursday night was given to
the Women for their popular
meeting. They had a grand
time and raised, it was said,
more money than any other
Presbyterial in Atlantic Synod.
The night’s collection alone was
$45.
The Presbytery finished its
business Friday evening in time
to get dinner and visit places of
interest on the Island. Most of
the delegates being inlanders
were anxious about seeing the
beach. Our party went to Mc
Konklyn’s Bay, and while there
we watched nature’s blue waters
of the Atlantic rolling in from
:he East and gatherel clams
and oyster shells, using our ko
dak to catch the beautiful ocean
scenery on the beach.
Friday night was used for a
men’s popular meeting. The
treat of the evening was the
lecture by Rev. J. E. Jackson on
“The Value of Christian Educa
tion Over All Others." The
speaker in a masterly way en
tertained his audience by driv
ing home his subject with an
avalanche of points, showing
clearly that our education is in
complete without Christlikeness
in our hearts. I have heard
many lectures on Christian Ed
ucation, but none better or more
affectively handled from entirely
new angles. He left us thirsting
for more of what he had to say.
A large number of white folks
were present who seemed to en
joy the lecture and entire pro
gram equally as well as our own
people.
Dr. Metz, assisted by others,
pulled off another new one in
the form of a pageant, entitled
“As It Is Today." The pageant
endeavored to show the way the
world of today judges and how
God judges. It dealt with two
characters, a man and a woman
Both had fallen, but the man
soon received back into so
ciety by the world, but the wo*
man was scorned. The »«
toasted and was stubborn ; the
svoman wept and was sorry, but
was turned down. At last they
came before God, but this time
the ease was reversed. The
toasting man was turned away,
while the penitent woman was
forgiven and received into heav
en.
Dr. Metz is the author of this
pageant. The pageant, to one
who studied it, is a new epoch
ip moral dramatics, the evolu
tion of involution, classical in
its presentation, and yet so sim
ple and true that we can see the
lesson or picture in every day
life.
■ After the pageant an offer
ing was taken amounting to $26.
From the church we were in
vited to the manse where we
were guests of the Charleston
Chapter of Johnson C. Smith
(Biddle) University Alumni.
Here we had a delightful time
mingling with friends new and
old, while salads delicious, and
sweet courses were served.
I All of the Presbyters and vis
itors are with one accord in say
ing we had the best all round
Presbytery on record. “Unde
Billie” went over the top. We
just had a great time.
P. 0. Box 600
Bamberg, S. C.
HAHiSiSON AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGE NOTES.
By Mrs. A. P. Butter.
Since our last writing many
interesting things have hap
The Mareh exhibition given
by the Young’s Literary Society
proved to be a pleasant affair.
The program in the chapel, con
sisting of orations, declama
tions and a debate, was of a high
order and witnessed by a large
crowd. At nine-thirty gallant
young men and beautiful
young ladies wended their way
to the spacious dining room,
which was beautifully decorated
and where the tables were laden
with the delacicies of the sea
son.
The program in the dining
room consisted of a toast to the
ladies, one to the faculty, one
to the seniors, and other witty
speeches. As the last strains
of music died away, each one
went away, declaring this to be
the end of a perfect day.
The following persons attend
ed the Smith-Livingstone game:
Dr. and Mrs. C. M. Young, Miss
Jennie Young and Mrs. W. D.
Hall.
Prof. J. P. Sartor was called
home on account of the death of
his brother. We sympathize
with him in his sore bereave
ment.
Mr. Walter Harry, of Phila
delphia, a former student of
Harbison, spent a few days on
the campus recently.
We were glad to welcome the
McClelland Presbytery to our
church and community. It was
inspiring to have in our midst
men and women who are work
ing so ^ard to hold up the ban
ner of tne cross.
Sunday morning, April elev
enth, the congregation and
friends listened to a forceful
sermon preached by Rev. J. E.
Jackson, Moderator of the Pres
bytery. His. subject was, “The
Reward of Faithfulness,” Num
bers 13th chapter, 30th verse.
Miss Lucy L. Notestein, of
New York, a member of the
Board of National Missions,
spent two or three days on our
campus. She visited our class
rooms and spoke highly of the
work being done. While here
she had the pleasure of meeting
the Presbytery. Her talks were
inspiring and full of informa
tion.
(Continued on page 3)