.
' t
AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SH,
YOU FREE.”—John viU, 86.
CHARLOTTE, N. C., THURSD
VOL. L.
SUPPORT THE CHURCH OR PAY MORE TAXES
(From The Presbyterian)
A few weeks ago, Rev. Arthur
H. Simpson, pastor of the First
church £f Pottstown, Pa.,
preached % sermon on the rather
striking theme, “Support the
Church or Pay More Taxes.” An
interesting thing about this
sermon was its effect upon the
newspaper reading public. It
was preached on the evening of
the every-member canvass to a
small congregation, so the pas
tor wrote out rather full notes
for the Pottstown News. It was
given a prominent place on the
front page, and was read by hun
dreds of people. Next day the
pastor received a letter from a
man who does not go to church,
saying: “I want to keep my tax
es down, and since nobody has
asked me for a pledge this year,
I herewith send you my pledge
of five dollars per week for the
church.” The next week a wo
man, who conducts a Sabbath
school in a rural schoolhouse,
telephoned to say that the people
in her territory had read the
sermon and were talking about
its topic and wanted the pastor
to come out to the schoolhouse
and preach it to them. They
would gather sixty or seventy
people to hear it.
From the Pottstown News we
take the following extracts from
Mr. Simpon’s sermon:
.We read in St. Matthew’s
gospel, the twenty-second chap
ter, that the Pharisees consulted
together how they might entrap
Jesus in His conversation. So
they went to Him and said:
"Teacher, we know that you
faithfully teach God’s truth and
that you fear no man; for y'ou
are not biased by men’s wealth
~ or cask*. . JGiyft . us your judg
ment therefore: is it allowable
/or us Jews to pay a poll-tax to
Caesar, or not? He saw through
/heir plans and replied: Why
are you hypocrites trying to en
snare me ? Show me a coin. They
brought Him a piece of money
that bore the image of the em
peror. Whose likeness is this?
Jesus asked. They replied: It is
Caesar’s. He astounded them by,
saying, “Pay therefore to Cae-|
sar what is Caesar’s and to God i
what is God’s.” That is the
verse I want to talk to you about.
We might translate it freely this
*rgy: Pay to the government
$vhat is justly due to the gov
ernment, but pay to God the
money that is justly due to Him.
I suppose most people would
summarize the thought in this
way: Pay your taxes to the gov
ernment and give your free-will
(Offerings to God. But that is
•not H should be: Pay
your takes to the government
I and to God. This correct trans
I lation of Scripture shows that
V both are taxes, demanded and
id:, for. the very same reason
l. /value received
„ subject is, “Support the
rch or Pay Bigger Taxes.”
|or the other. You take
choice. Either contribute
irgely to the church that
ppel of Jesus may be
3r you will be compelled
State to pay heavier tax
leet the extra expense of
eligious worlds Do you
iieve it? Then listen to
the business man’s ad
he will show you in
that if the churches of
jted States had only been
Ho spend more money—
—-, -ihiisands of dollars—in
true Chh&CSn education in Me'x
l ico, the United States would not
have had to spend millions of
dollars for border warfare.
Americans will not pay enough
in benevolent offerings to the
churches to evangelize Mexico;
so they are compelled to pay
very much more in direct taxes
to the government to quell dis
turbances along the border.
Christ said to the Jews: Pay
your taxes to the government
and to God. Babson, the busi
ness expert, says: It is either
taxes or benevolent offerings—
pay a few dollars for benevo
lences through your churches or
you will be compelled to pay
many, many dollars in taxes. In
the words of our topic, Support
the church or pay bigger taxes.
As our text says: Pay your tax
es to government and to God. It
is—contribute to the churches or
pay bigger tribute to the State.
It is the collection plate or the
tax-gatherer. As a non
churchman said to me recently:
“The church is the cheapest po
lice-force in the world.” The
people in Pottstown who receive
the blessings of this community
and country without contribut
ing generously to the church of
their choice are a lot of cheap
skates.
God as well as the State de
mands that the tai* be paid. We
foolishly call it a free-will offer
ing, but Christ recognizes it as
a tax, justly due and rightfully
demanded.
Let us return to our text and
notice the first part, which is:
Tile* Justice of the National Tax.
“Pay ^to Caesar C'hat is Cae
sar’s.” The World War taught
us the^ k’Ttice of th/tax. It
shew J <rs the^ ^mection be
tween the cof ^>rts and privi
leges of American citizenship
and national taxes. When we
get food and clothing from the
store to keep us alive and to pro
tect us from the weather, we
pay money—that is natural. We
realize now that when we get
protection and comfort from the
government, we must pay—'that
is what taxes are for. The peo
ple who enjoy the privileges are
to pay for them. We want in
t^'^nt citizens, we must pay
tho Hool tax. ~We want police
protection—then let us pay the
tax. We do not expect insur
ance for nothing. Neither must
we expect “life, liberty and the
pursuit oi nappiness wiinout
taxes. Jesus said: Pay to Cae
sar what is Caesar’s.”
Now notice secondly: The
equal justice of the church tax.
Our Lord said: But pay to God
what is God’s.
The benefits you get from the
church are just as real as the
protection you get from the
State. You pay the one, you
must, or take the consequences.
You ought to pay the other, the
one to the church. Spiritual
benefits are just as necessary
and just as real as material
blessings. We have talked too
long about free-will offerings.
We Protestants make our reli
gion and our church too cheap.
Some years ago I took an auto
ride with a friend who was a
traveling agent, Beyond Read
ing we met another agent of the
firm, named Van, and as I was
introduced as “Mr. Simpson,” he
thought I was a new agent
learning the route. He swore so
terribly that I said: "Cut out
the cussing, Van; I am not used
to it.” He could not imagine an
agent who did not swear, so he
said to my friend: “Doesn’t
Simpson swear?” “No,” was the
reply. He then turned to me
and asked: “What is your line?”
I laughed and said, “I am not
really selling anything. I am
giving my line away* and, tell
you the truth, Van, I have a
hard job giving it away.” That
mystified him more than ever
and he asked, “What is it?” I
replied quietly, “It is the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am
a minister.” Then instantly
with a wisdom that was born of
keen business insight he said:
“If you would charge for it, you
would get rid of it better,”
The more I preach, the more
fully do I believe in the necessity
of applying in the religious
worlds the business principle
that keen agent gave me. Mr,
Van “cussed” too much, to be
sure; but he had discovered a
great principle that the Protest
ant Church has failed to recog
nize through all these years.
Jesus said: Pay your taxes to
God. You have received fuH
value; now pay. And modern
life is showing us that if we will
not pay through the church, we
shall be compelled to pay much
more through larger taxation by
the State.
My non-church-going friends
are the first to acknowledge to
me the value of the church to
the community. You would not
live in a town without a church.
You could not live safely, or even
comfortably, if the town had
been churchless for five or ten
years. Then be honest and pay
your tax to the church of your
choice. You pay to the govern
ment—you have to. Pay to the
church—you ought to.
SCOTIA CHAPTER MEETS AT
SUMTER, S. C.
The regular meeting of the
Sumter-Camden Chapter was
held at the home of Miss H. N.
\Usher on Saturday afternoon,
May 26th, with the President,
Miss Usher, presiding. The min
utes of the last meeting were
read and approved. The record
ing secretary being absent, a
substitute was appointed. We
were glad to have with us Miss
es E, Jackson and J. Washing
ton.
After the routine business
the following program was ren
dered :
Dr. D. J. Satterfield as an Ed
ucator, by Mrs. S. S. Rice; As a
Friend, by Miss C. E. Manoney;
As a Minister, fey Miss H. N.
Usher, and as a Philanthropist,
by Miss N, I, Davis. The ladies
in a brief manner presented the
various phases of Pr. Satter
field’s life and the service he has
rendered as one of the Presidents
of Scotia College. On the mantle
in the living morn were thr pic
tures of Dr. apd Mrs. Satterfield.
The interest of the Chapter
has grown to such a degree that
several gf the members were in
favor of not disbanding for the
summer. However, owing to so
many going away it was decided
to have no more meetings until
August 26th, when Mrs. M. J.
Jackson, of Paiseii, will be the
hostess,
A delicious salad course was
served. The home was an ideal
setting for the chapter, Here
and there beautiful roseg vied in
color, while the dainty nastur
tiums were wafted by the sum
mer breeze. We had an unusual
year in attendance and interest
in the chapter.
ENTERTAINS WITH ANNI
VERSARY.
Rev. and Mrs. A. W. Rice en
tertained their many friends on
the night of June 18th, with a
house warming at their beauti
ful new home on the corner of
South Highland Avenue and D
Street ip South Anniston, AJa.
The guest began arriving at
eight o'clock and as they en
tered the lovely living room the
women were directed upstairs
where they removed their wraps
and then to' the dining room
downstairs where the guests
were served refreshing punch.
They were then shown through
the house by the reception com
mittee, and the beauty and un
usual taste in the furnishing of
each room was a special attrac
tion in itself,
After the guests had been
shown through the house a
course of delicious ice cream and
cake was served,
There were approximately 1§C
guests present who enjoyed 8
delightful evening, Many beau
tiful and useful gifts were re
ceived by the host and hostess.
Rev. Rice, who is Principal oj
the South Highland High School,
and his wife have worked faith
fully among the people of An
niston for fifteen years and
everyone is happy and rejoicing
with them, for their home U
one of the most attractive ir
the city.
CHRESFIELD
Wall
Chari
30th,
years
father.
His fa
Coles,
Coles,
Mission
a gradua
and upo:
Secretary
of the N,
position
inl902.
His
Miller,
Belk, a
niece of
field Coles died at
C., Saturday, June
age of 26, just 26
the death of his
the late Walter
of the Rev. W. R.
ser of Immanuel
rol. Aiken S. C., was
f Biddle University,
graduation became
the Colored Branch
Y, M. C. A., which
held until his death
, Mrs. Mattie Coles
rly Miss Mattie
hate of Scotia and
B. F. McDowell, of
Ureenvxlli
His
physician"
Miller’s
young Wj
en years"
one coul
He had p
abroad
his coursi
Walter
ing at Ai:
of seven
Boston
he atte
of that c
Charleston
Haines
Ga., from
in 1920.
He was
Haines, j
churcE, aj
with all
of the sc
came one
ing stude:
He was
al Haine
to her
u.
ther is a prominent
Charleston. * Dr.
and devotion for
jr since he was sev
[ age was all that any
lope from a father,
led for him to study
the completion of
|t Howard.
in his early train
S. C. At the age
is mother moved to
„ and for two years
the public schools
Later moving to
falter was sent to
litute, in Augusta,
rhich he graduated
onverted while at
d the Presbyterian
connected himself
religious activities
1 church, and be
the most outstand
of the Institution,
trnefriend and loy
always responsive
a# liberal to her
athlete and
Utmorof
the Red and Black.
In the fall of 1920 he entered
Lincoln University and main
tained a high standard of schol
arship, and was one of the stu
dent instructors in chemistry
during his Senior year, He or
ganized the Beta Chi Scientific
Society at Lincoln, was a mem
ber of the Nu Chapter of the
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
and graduated in 1924 an honor
student with the degree of
Bachelor of Liberal Arts,
He accepted a position at Av
ery Institute, in 1925, but gave
up teaching in the fall of 1926
to taKe up me stuuy 01 meuicuie
at Howard University, where he
was a student until stricken with
pneumonial in February last,
After a courageous fight for life
lasting over a period of four
months he was brought to
Charleston, where he calmly
awaited, like a true and hopeful
warrior, the fate of all flesh. In
the midst of preparation for
greater service he was suddenly
taken and ushered into the
presence of Him beyond whose
love and care we cannot drift,
He leaves to mourn a devoted
wife, Mrs, Catherine Beaubain
Coles; a loving mother, Mrs,
Mattie Coles Miller; a kind step
father, Dr. Wm. Miller; an aunt,
Mrs. H. C. Dugas, of Augusta,
Ga.; an uncle, Mr. W. R. Coles,
of Memphis, and a host of other
relatives and friends.'
His funeral took place from
his late residence, 7QVa Bogard
Street, Charleston, & 0- Rev, A.
C. Griggs, Treasurer of Haines
Institute, in delivering the eu
logy paid a fitting tribute to the
deceased. Rev. 0, S, Ledbetter,
of Plymouth Congregational
church, and Rev, G, E, Hender
son, of Mother Zion Presbyterian
church, made remarks. The
body was taken to Aiken and en
tered in the family plat in Aiken
Cemetery,
‘This is the verse you gave to
roe;
‘Here he lies where he longed to
be;
Home is the sailor, home from
the sea,
And the hunter home from the
hiU.5 ”
THE NEGRO DOES NOT
WANT POLITICAL REPRE
SENTATION.
(From The Independent Atlan
ta, Ga., Benj. J. Davis, Editor.)
The more we study our eco
nomic and political problems the
more convinced we become that
the Negro does not Want political
representation. The race is fur
ther today from economic and
political solidaity than it was 30
years ago. We are more divid
ed among ourselves, one against
the other, each pulling for him
self and against everybody else,
than we were in the days of
Bruce, Lynch, Lyons, Cheatham,
Hill, Cuney and White.
There is no organized effort
among us to build a leadership
with a view of securing represen
tation in Congress, legislatures,
city councils and local govern
jments. We do not want a place
in the economy of party coun
cil; we would far rather see a
white man filling every place in
the party councir than to see one
another fill these places. We do
not want such positions in the
party organizations as chair
man, secretary or central com
mitteeman. We fret and foam
at the mouth about representa
tion on the national committee,
when in truth, our activities are
empty camouflage. Our game is
purely one of “If I can’t get it,
you shan’t have it, and I’d rather
see a white man with it.’’
At
great
All of the racket about our
race representation is bunk.
What the average Negro leader
wants is a place for himself. It
is to h—with the race if I can’t
get what I want, and I’m not
particular about the methods or
means used to reach the coveted
end.’’
Kf
cami
presentation and there was not
a single organized effort among
the Negro men and women pres
ent to secure representation for
the race or to increase its eco
nomic and political influence in
party councils. There was a
bunch of self-constituted leaders
propagating race representation
every day and there was no or
ganization among these propa
gandists. What they were try
ing to put over was to make
themselves important and create
a market in which they might
sell an influence wmcn uiey
never had.
Perry Howard was trying to
preserve the integrity of his own
oganisation on one hand and to
fight lily-whites on the other,
and he never received any help
outside of Mississippi. Every
other Negro leader was either
fighting to preserve his own
hide or was trying to impress
the white man with his own im
portance with a view to selling
himself to the highest bidder.
Bob Church, of Tennessee, was
too busy trying to maintain his
seat in the convention to help
Ben Davis, of Georgia, or Perry
Howard, of Mississippi. Walter
Cohen had all he could do to re
tain his seat and had no assist
ance outside of Louisiana.
There were a lot of Negro lead
ers tailing about Davis and
Howard voting against Cohen,
[ but these propagandists made
no effort to render Cohen any
assistance. Ben Davis was
overloaded trying to maintain
regularity in Georgia and was
kept so busy fighting the trait
ors in and out of the State who
were trying to defeat him and
elect a lily-white for a Jousy
dollar to help his neighbors.
McGill, in Florida, and McDon
ald, in Texas, were so busy
fighting the lily-whites that they
had no time to look after the
race.
The Negro press was so busy
propagating yellow journalism
and misrepresenting the Negro
delegates that it never thought
of promoting race representa
tion. And those of the race not
strictly engaged in politics were
so busy socializing, dancing and
having a good time that they
never thought of the welfare of
their kith and kin. They were
out for a red letter night and
never had time to think of little
things like economic opportunity
and political freedom. ||
Taking our observations at
Kansas City in consideration to
gether with the drift of the Ne
gro towards a good time and the
strife, envy, dissension and jeal
ousy among us we can hardly
escape the conclusion that the
present educated Negro leader
ship does not want any place in
the councils of the party, doesn't
want to be members of the na
tional committee or county com
mittee or to hold places of polit
ical preferment or economic ad
vantage.
A race of people divided into
selfish groups and individuals
makes no progress and in like
manner the individual who los:
es himself in selfishness may
earn money and prestige but
success will be short-lived. Kan
sas City tells the story of race
consciousness, race pride, and
individual selfishness among the
present-day Negro leadership.
There was absolutely no effort
at Kansas City by the Negroes
who were not in trouble to help
those out who were in trouble
in order to give them race pres
tige and to promote the common
good of all. Neither were there
any efforts among those who
were in trouble to make common
cause among themselves to win
for all. Each tried to win for
self, and, in a way, each lost for
all. Yes, Iwe lost prestige at
Kansas City, but it was not be
cause of any prejudice without
the race, but because of our
down-right selfishness, nonsense
and short-sightedness within the
race. No, Negroes do not want
real political
they'woairSti
folks with it.
CHESTNUT STREET PRES
BYTERIAN CHURCH, WIL
MINGTON. N. C.
On Sunday morning, July 15,
Rev. N. A. Johnson preached
from the text Isaiah 1:3, the
latter part of the verse, “But
Israel doth not know, my people
doth not consider.” The sub
ject was “The Folly of Inconsid
erateness.”
On Monday, July 9th, at 9:00
A. M., our Church Vacation Bi
ble School was organized with
the following departments and
teachers:
Kindergarten and Primary De
partments, Miss Louise Har
grave.
Junior Department, Mrs. Susie
Howard.
Intermediate (Girls), Miss
Carrie Hargrave, assisted by
Mrs. George M. Fox.
Intermediate (Boys) Depart
men, Rev. N, A. Johnson.
On Tuesday morning Mrs. K.
T. Boland, one of our music
teachers, took charge of our
music period and taught
our school many beautiful, live
ly songs. Others assisting us
are Mrs. Polly King, Misses Lu
Icile McRae and Katie Allen.
Our enrollment for the first
week was 95 pupils with an av
erage daily attendance of $75.
We are hoping to double that
number this week, as we hope
the heavy rain storms are over.
On Thursday and Friday we
were happy to have Miss Susan
Peacock, of Wilson, one of our
field workers, with us. She
bromrht us greetings from many
oth\ schools she had visited.
Fridv r morning Miss Peacock
conducted the Worship Period
which was indeed very impres
sive. She also took charge of
jthe games on Thursday and Fri
day which were greatly enjoyed
by the children.
On June 29th our Tuxis
'Girls’ Club gave a Flower Pag
eant in the church grove. We
had a plendid audience. Our
full receipt, including sale of
(Continued on page 4)