'A. M
JULY 7,lt*T.
THE BIENNIAL AS A PRESBYTERIAL
PRESIDENT SAW IT
By Mrs. E. F. Roberts
The Woman’s Biennial at San
Francisco opened with the offi
cial conferences beginning
Thursday, May 10th, 2:00 P.
M< in the Clift Hotel, Taylor
and Geary Streets. The confer
ences consisted of the members
of the Board of National and
Foreign Missions, Synodical
Presidents, Advisory members
and Board Secretaries. Mrs. H.
C. Louderbough, acting chair
man of the Woman’s Committee
of the Board of National Mis
sions, presided.
Mrs. John Harvey Lee, act
ing chairman of the Board of
Foreign Missions, gave the rea
sons for our coming together.
Among the many things which
she said was; “We are meeting
to study plans of Women’s work
in missions. Our meeting is not
a review, but a preview of the
work—a call to spiritual awak
ening. We must devote our
selves to deeper emotions. We
must have Christ in ourselves
if we hope to be transmitters/#!
God.
The presentation of the year’s
work was given under four top
ics: First, Field Administration,
by Mrs. Chas. K. Roys, Miss
Edna K. Vass and Mrs. W. T.
Larimer. Mrs. Larimer repre
sented the Division of Missions
for Colored People of the Board
of National Missions. Among
the things which she said was:
“This has been the best, hard
est, most discouraging, most
encouraging year.” She summed
, up the year’s-work and-told.of
!he Board’s budget which had
been cut. As a result 21 colored
schools would be cut off from
the support of the Board and 40
schools would be given shorter
terms. Twenty-four hundred
children would be affected by
this cut.
The second topic under tne
presentation of year’s work
yras Promotion. Miss Ann Eliz
abeth Taylor and Miss Ger
trude Schultz discussed Gener
al Promotion while Publicity was
discussed by Miss Mabel M.
Shiebley. The Young People’s
Work was discussed by Miss
Faye Steinmetz and Miss Kath
erine Gladfelter.
The Biennial hymn was sung
at this point. The hymn was
composed by Mrs. Eva Clark
Waid, member Board of Nation
al Missions.
Time was given for the dis
cussion of the program after
which the dosing prayer was
offered by Miss Margery Schu
bert.. T
Thursday from 8:15 to 9:15
a Fellowship and Prayer Hour
was held. This was attended
by all official delegates, Board
members and Secretaries and
the local committee. Each lady
was given a card with some
scenery of California jand her
own name written upon it to be
worn with her official badge.
Every lady had an opportunity
to get acquainted.
The ladies were introduced in
groups or by sections. Mrs.
j Lucy Lepper Shaw sang a solo,
“Down at the old Bayou.” Miss
M. Josephine Petrie gave her
impressions of a quartette of
Negro' boys in one of our schools
- singing, “Wasn’t it Sad When
That Ship Went Down.”
Mrs. Dan E. Waid gave a bur
lesque of the Standard of Ex
cellence, assisted by Mrs. M. J.
Petrie.
Mrs. Geldert, of the local com
mittee, sang “Two Songs,” and
“Just a Prairie Song” as an en
core. The hour was closed with
a, thanksgiving prayer.
Friday morning was spent in
conferences with various dis
tricts.
Friday afternoon irom <s:yu
to 6:00 Mrs. John H. Lee Re
sided. The following topics
were discussed: The Missionary
Outlook; Organization; Interde
nominational Contacts; Adapta
tion Within the Individual
Church. These discussions were
opened by various members of
the Board.
On Friday night a special
program was given on Young
People’s Work. Many points
were brought out upon handling
the young, and making future
leaders of them. Misses Kather
ine Gladfelter, Faye Steinmetz
and Emily Gordon were speak
ers on the subject: “The Why
and How of the three Board’s
Cooperation in work for chil
dren and young people. The fact
of the definite responsibility of
the Presbyterial Society and the
Presbytery for the training of
young people and children was
brought out by the discussions.
The theme for Saturday morn
ing’s discussion was “Personal
ity.” “They first gave their
own selves to the Lord, and un
to us by the will of God.” II Cor.
8:5. Mrs. Vera L. Merrill
brought out the fact that 60 per
«ent of the women in our
^churches were not interested in
missions. In her own way she
gave solutions for arousing the
60 per cent. Mrs. Charles W.
Williams discussed this point
also. She said the 60 per cent
must be aroused through the 40
per cent.
T^e second topic for the
morning discussion was “Pow
er and Prayer, “Now when they
saw the boldness of Peter and
John, and perceived that they
were unlearned and ignorant
men, they marvelled; and they
took knowledge of them that*
they had been with Jesus.” Acts
4:13.
The discussion of the power
of knowledge, gifts and of ser
vice was led by Miss Katherine
Gardener.
Prayer—Devotional Service;
Retreats and Intercessors—was
led by Mrs. Andrew Todd Tay
lor.
Saturday atternoon at d r.
M. an opportunity was given to
delegates to see San Francisco.
The citizens furnished the au
tomobiles and all the ladies were
invited to go. It was the pleas
ure of the writer, along with
Mrs. P. W. Ujjssell and Mrs.
M. H. Burrell, of 4he Synod of
Catawba, to be the guests of
Mrs. Southworth. We went to
the Golden Gate Park. There
we saw the rhododendrom in
bloom, the Arts and Science
buildings and the Aquarium.
We visited the Japanese tea
garden. Everything in this gar
den was an exact copy of
things in Japan: bamboo trees,
birds, flowers and gods. From
here we went to the Pacific
Ocean and Beach. We passed
over Twin Peaks and had an
Opportunity to see a steamer
just as it entered the Golden
Gate. We returned by the Pre
sidio, and on back to the Y. W.
C. A. The ride was indeed a
pleasure
Saturday at 8 Pi M. the report
of the findings committee'
was read. Its interpretation
was given by Board meiftbers.
The meaning of the confer
ence was given by Mrs. Dan
Everett Waid, in which she ex
pressed some disappointments
because more was not said about
the gains of the conference.
Sunday, May 22
The Communion Service of
the Woman’s Biennial was held
at the Calvary Presbyterian
church on Fillmore and Jackson
Streets. The choir of the j Girl
Reserves under the direction of
Mr. Wheeler Beckett, rendered
the music. Rev. Charles R.
Erdman, D. D., LL. D., jgave
the communion meditation.! The
meditation was based upon Luke
10:42, “But one thing is need
ful: and Mary hath chosenjthat
good part which shall not be
taken away from her.” Hf de
veloped his discourse along the
line of the usefulness of Mary
and Martha in the life of Jfesus
Christ, and then the usef
of the missionaries. No
sionary life is wasted.
The Lord’s Supper was
ministered and the service
closed in silent. prayer. j
Monday the Biennial held
sessions in the First . Co:
tional church. Heretofore
officials conferences had
held in the Clift Hotel. |
John Harvey Lee, acting
man of the Woman’s Coounil
tee of the Board of Fqn
Missions, presided. The service
of worship was conducted by
Miss Marjorie Schuberth. Mrs,
Andrew Todd Taylor read the
“Call,”—“0 thou that tjeHest
good tidings, get thee up into
a high mountain.”
The Missionaries of the
Boards of Foreign and National
Missions who were present, were
presented to the Biennial. Mis
sionaries representing India,
Korea, South America, China,
Japan, Mesopotamia, Indians,
Negroes and mountaineers were
present and a number of talks
were made by them. The Mon
day morning service closed with
the singing of the Biennial hymh
and prayer.
Monday, May 23rd, 2:00-4:45
P. M.
Mrs. H. C. Louderbough, act
ing chairman of the Woman's
Committee of the Board of Na
tional Missions, presided. The
theme for discussion was, “A
World Family in the Making."
This theme was presented by
Mrs. Dan Everett Waid, of the
Board of National Missions.
Dr. A. B. McCoy, Superinten
dent Sunday Schools of the Ne
gro Synods, presented the Ne
gro in the world family. Among
the many things he said were:
The Negro is the only group of
foreigners that came to Ameri
ca on free transportation; t he
human race owes much to its
women. White men have
reached fame and intelligence
in science, history, inventions,
etc., but yet they are not willing
to accept the Negro as jtheir
brother. Nowhere is the jim
crow available except in Chris
tian America. All of the white
man’s talk is as sounding brass
when he permits these things.
The Negro comes knocking at
the door for entrance in the
world family. Negroes have
made fame in music, the World
War and in religion. They do
not question the Virgin Birth
of Christ. Their women are he
roines of patience, long suffering
and forbearance. Dr. 'McCoy
made a strong, pathetic plea for
the admittance of the Negro in
to the world family.
Rev. A. B. Carr represented the
West Africa Mission. Latin
America was represented in the
world family by Rev. Robert
N. McClean, Superintendent
Southwest Spanish-speaking
people’s wortc.
A few minutes of open discus
sion was conducted by Mrs.
Dan Everett Waid. Many in
teresting questions along race
lines were brought up. The
writer found that every section
of America has its race prob
lem. The West has its Japan
ese, Chinese and Mexican; the
North and East have their Jew
and Italian and the South has its
Negro, and yet the Lord has
made of one blood all nations of
men for to dwell on the face of
the earth."
The session was closed with
prayer by Mrs. H. L. McCrorey,
of Johnson C. Smith University,
Charlotte, N. C.
The afternoon was spent
pleasantly by the delegates and
missionaries at a reception at
the Chinese Mission Home, 920
Sacramento Street, San Francis
co.
On Monday mgnt «ev. w. v.
Thompson, D. D., LL. D.f was
the principal speaker. He spoke
on “My Observations.” He em
phasized'the cause that brought
us together, the j^bility to give
expression to what God has done
for us and a few things about
Women's Work. The closing
prayer was offered by Rev.
Stanley Armstrong Hunter, D.
D.
Tuesday^ May^24Uh, 2:00
Tue^dajr w*s 1&e day fpr the
contribution pf youth tp mis
sions. “Youth , Preparing for
Service’' wad divided into two
topics: 1. Trmfng for Christian
Character—Ae Basis for. World
friendship,” I was discussed
fey Miss Emily Gordon, Assist
ant Director of Young People’s
Work of the Board of Christian
Education. second topic:
pfipaining for Missionary; Ser
vice,” was discussed by' Miss
Katherine Gtadfelter, , Dhrectoif
of Young People’s Work Of the
Board ox National Missions.
I A response for the youtlji was
blade by Miss Dorothy Dragon,
fef the University of California.
She represented the local church.
One main point which . was
brought out about young; peo
ple was they were not interested
in missions because they did not
know. She said the youth were
diking the question: “Conser
vative or liberal—which ?” She
pipad that ydung people be giv
en Christ or the pure gospel.
Rev. Monroe Everett, student
pastor of Oregon Agricultural
College, gave the response for
the youth on the campus.
Both responses were unusual
ly interesting because the
speakers were young people and
gave us something different to
think of while dealing with the
youpg. $ ■■
Mention- should be made of a
solo, “Trust in God,” by an In
dian student* Mr. Howard Gor
man.
The theme for the afternoon
was: “Beheld.! I have set before
you an often 4°°r‘” Mrs- Andrew
Todd Taylor discussed the “Wo
men Who Publish the 'JSd
Mrs. Essie B. Mears, Presby
terial President in Catawba
Synod, rendered a solo, “Nobody
Knows the Trouble I See.”; She
also sang as an encore, “Steal
Away.” Both of these selections
took well and the Biennial had
an opportunity to see Negro tal
ent on display.
Miss Gertrude Schultz dis
cussed “The Western Front of
World Missions.”
Then came the closing hour
of the Biennial. This was cop
ducted by Mrs. H. C. Loud^r
bough. The closing prayer was
offered by Mrs. John Harvey
Lee.
On Tuesday night at 8 P. M.
the Calvary Presbyterian church
a pageant, ‘The Call and the
Answer,” was presented. It was
written by Mrs. Dan Everett
Waid and was produced with
the assistance of Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Poole and choir, Board
members and Synodical Presi
dents.
The presentation was given as
a summary of one year’s endeav
or in following “The Call to
Spiritual Advance” throughout
the whole organization. Four
points were emphasized: Prayer,
Power, Program, Personality.
The spirit of the call has been
evidenced in its text, “0 thou
that tellest good tidings... lift
up thy voice with strength.”
Thirteen women represented
the four colored Synodicals:
Mrs. H. L. McCrorey, Mrs. P.
W. Russell, Mrs. Essie B.
Meares, Mrs. M. H. Burrell,
Miss Amy Jones, Miss
Mamie I. Davis, Mrs. Geo. W.
Long, Mrs. A. A. Jones, Mrs., J.
G. Porter, Mrs. H. M. Stinson,
Mrs. C. S. Mebane, Mrs. E. M.
Downer and Mrs. E. F. Rob
erts.
Birmingham, Ala.
There are three characteristics
of God's love which we need to
remember. He loved us first—
while we were yet sinners, be
fore we thought of Him. He
loves us in those awful provi
dences which we cannot now un
derstand, but which He has
promised we shall understand
when we ‘know as we are
known.' He loves us with a love
that does not break, but outlasts
the sorrows and sins of earth.—
Dr. J. H. Pressly.
BY THE WAY
Men are accepted and ap
proved by what the world thinks
or believes they know, and not
by what they know unproved by
the world.
Last year the Southern work
ers in the Division of Missions
for Colored People in our Church
were notified that they help
matters by not expecting or
asking for an increase in their
supplements. This year many
of the elementary schools, feed
ers for our secondary schools
and sopie of our colleges have
been notified by the Division of
Missions for Colored People
that the length of their school
terms will be cut next term by
two months. For instance,
those schools that have been
supported by this Division
eight months will be cut to six.
At this rate we may expect a
recession—not a halt—in many
of our parochial schools, and
greater things next year in the
reduction plan. That is hard.
But more is expected of us now
even though our economic rela
tions in the South and the atti
tude to Negro education and
progress otherv;j$% are what
they were fifty y^rs ago in
many sections. Sill too, the
Church is trying 15 get out of
debt, or to run things hereafter
on “a no debt plan.” But Un
cle Sam, who makes and mints
money, took stock the first of
this month of the government’s
finances, as a new fiscal year
began this month; and he fig
ured out that a surplus of $635,
809,921 was amassed during
the last 12 months* And hear
ready been applied to the reduc
tion of the public debt and re
tirement of obligations.” This
is the greatest ahiassed amount
for any fiscal year in the history
of this country. But the thing
that pricks to the quick is:
Even Uncle Sam has debts and
runs into debts. But we must
wake up, for the Church is not
planning to borrow any money
or run in debt for you. Put
forth a supreme effort to pay
your quota and meet the
Church’s obligation as best
you can; and some day the star
of hope for the development of
Negro Presbyterians in the
South will appear to so rival
Venus in brialliancy that it will
cast shadows of fleeing obsta
cles that we now so much dread
in our work as laborers under
our Division.
A few years ago a friend of
mine went to the Columbia State
office in classical Columbia, and
spolke in a friendly way to one
of the owners of this big daily
paper relative to using a capital
N in printing or writing the
word Negro. Equally as friend
ly he replied: “The policy of
The State has not been so adjust
ed and modified as to raise the
the Negro to the capital nth
power;” but now this big daily,
for over four years, has been
raising the Negro to the capital
nth power.” And I believe that
this is the only paper printed in
the South that uses the capital
N in writing or printing the
word Negro.
A few days ago—just last may
_some very influential white
women, Southern born to the
core, refused to give to any of
the South Carolina newspaper
reporters information about a
meeting being held in this
State, and in which meeting
colored women figured conspic
uously, and also some strong
colored men,—because these re
porters would not use the dis
tinguishing title, Miss and
Mrs. in reporting matters rela
tive to colored women. Is this
progress, bringing about a bet
ter feeling or attitude? Or
is this the Zeit Gist the
inter-racial groups are talk
ing about in the streets and
market places? Every economy
has what appears or really is a
Zeit Gist; but is limited to a
few who are called cranks, fa
natics, harmless fools, or at
tributed to eccentric, or victims
of hallucination. We have such
wild .cat fellows as Thomas Jef
ferson who started at slavery
with a big stick, but was “head
ed off” by the crowd; Beecher
sold a slave from the pulpit of j!
historic Plymouth in Brooklyn; \
his sister Harriet, gave the ,
world “Uncle Tom’s Cabin;” \
Clarkson, of Eastover, S. C., and
of Charleston, S. C., would not 1
separate a slave from his wife
and would sell no slave, and left
a home for each slave, and was <
opposed to the institution as the
system existed in the South.
Such great and outstanding
personalities win their cause and
die and leave fyar$-set -Uncom
promising, bllnd-to-principle
enemies to a cause of righteous
ness. To cause this group to
change its attitude to the Negro
is the herculean task of the in
ter-racial groups of the South.
“Answer, Uncle Billie.”
I am glad our good Brother
Hollowell saw Prof. Francis H.
Robinson at the General Assem
bly in San Francisco. I keep
in epistolary touch with Prof.
Robinson and have been for 24
years. I am planning to write
him and others this week rela
tive to the outline of our work
in the South and outstanding
workers. I feel sure I have'about
all the information one can get
for such work until it is out;
then some harmless fellow will
be surprised “Why Brother
Turriipseed or Brother Puckhar
ber” was left out? You are not
fair, sir!” I tell you, Brother
Hollowell, writing history is the
beginning of trouble. Some
strong men fail to answer your
answer they give poor, discon
nected, general “information.”
Then, Brother Hollowell, pic
tures of some of the most out
standing early workers are dif
ficult and fsome are impossible
to get. For instance, I have
been searching for Rev. Sidney
S. Murklapd’s picture twenty
seven years. The nearest I could
get to him* was a grandson with
Sears, Roebuck & Co. I found
him four years ago through the
pastor of the Southern Presby
terian church in Baltimore. I
could get nothing but of him
relative to his grandfather, Sid
ney Murkland; but he gave me
some facts worth knowing about
the Murkland family, et al, and
wants a book when it is print
ed.
I went to Lynchburg, Va., in
November, 1919, in search of
the Murklands, through the
advice of a friend in Baltimore,
the late Dr. -Weaver, but could
find nothing that could point me
to Father Murkland. I have
given up.
I would like to say that the
historical information that I am
to give to the Africo-American
Presbyterian is only an outline
of our work and sketches of the
men’s lives in connection with
the work. I am authorized to
perform this task by Atlantic
Synod. But the heart and core
of the work that I am preparing
is more comprehensive. It
reaches back to the colonies and
through our present work.
I am planning to run to
Charlotte within a few weeks
and place this outline in the
Africo’s office for publication. I
am to wind up my book this
fall, about September. Then to
get it published is the next
thing.
Editor Hill, I have been asked
to put in book form “Looking
Back at Old Biddle.” What do
you think about it? What think
the “boys?”
UNCLE BILLIE.
Edisto Island, S. C.
“You are sentenced to penal
servitude for three years. Have
you anything to say?”
“Yes, sir; will you tell my
family not to expect me back to
dinner until 1930?”—Buen Hu
mor, Madrid.