Newspapers / Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.) / July 28, 1932, edition 1 / Page 1
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t VOL. LIIL CHARLOTTE, N. O, THURSDAY, Africo 4AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH. AND THE TRUTH NO. 29. THE VALUE OF THE CHURCH PAPER By Rev. W. H. Davenport, D. D. (Dr. Davenport is the Editor of The Star of Zion, the organ of the A. M. E. Zion Church. The following article is an ad dress delivered at the Ministers’ Institute, held at Johnson C. Smith University, June 27-Jfcly 1.) “The Press! All lands shall sing; The press, the press we bring All lands to bless. 0 pallid want! 0 Labour Stark! Behold we bring the second ark! The press! the press! the press!” For centuries the press has been regarded as the palladium of the people's liberty, the ex pression of their hopes. In the formation of our government the freedom of the press was one of the guarantees of the Republic. The eminent John Stuart Mill well said: ‘The time, it is to be hoped, is gone by when any defense would be necessa ry of the liberty of the press” as one of the securities against corrupt and tyrannical govern ment. No argument, we may suppose, can now be needed as one of the securities against permitting a legislature or an executive, not identified in interest with the people, to prescribe opinions to them, and determine what doctrines or what arguments they shall be allowed to hear.” Denying the right of the people or the gov ernment to coerce opinion John Stuart Mill maintains: “If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contra ry opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he bad the power, would be justi **ff£ffTh sifeiiCTn^ nTafikind/ Wdre ah opinion a personal posses sion of no value except to the owner; if to be obstructed in the enjoyment of'it were sim ply a private injury, it would make some difference whether the injury was inflicted only on a few persons or on many. But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth; if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impres sion of truth, produced by its collision with error.” Upon the elaboration and con cretion of these hypotheses of Mr. Mill all orderly government is built, and the liberty of the press is the sine qua non to its efficient and effective opera tion. , . The quality of the news of the secular press is determined, very largely, by the quality of its readers. Its aim is not only to serve the public in a general way, but to make money, and it often panders to that which is base and passionate for pure ly commercial purposes But the news of all the folk, o whatever state or degree, it de signs to give. All humanity is one, and there is no more inter esting subject than man. In the Mosaic account of the creation, “whether taken as di vine authority or merely histo rical, the doctrine of the equality and unity of ,man *8 enunciated.” “And God said, Let us make man in our own image. In the image of God created he him; male T*m1o created he them.” The only distinction prescribed there is that of sex. In its treatment of news or subjects the real objective of the press is expressed in the words of our Declaration of In dependence: “All men are cre ated equal; that they are en dowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights ; that ptnnng1 these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The Denominational Paper Co-existent with the estab lishment of our government was the Church, and the prin ciples enunciated in the Decla ration of Independence and the Sermon on the Mount were breathed into its charter. For the more extensive diffu sion of its principles the Church paper was established. It was subsidized. It was not established to make money. It was established to promote loy alty. Knowledge of a cause is proportionate to a knowledge of, and sympathy with its prin ciples and objects. Pride in an organization or a people is de pendent upon a knowledge of its achievements, and the pros pect of propagating its aim3. Ignorance is the mother of de spair and the breeding ground cf sullenness, discontent, and resistance. The denominational paper, through its educative process, is designed to dissipate this ignorance and lessen the impact of stubbornness and re sistance to those measures and policies which are designed to be helpful. In the pursuance of this poli cy repression may not be con sidered a benevolent art, nor suppression a virtue. Free and unhampered expression is not only the safety valve of the Re public, but of the Church as wen. By this we do not mean the ,enc<wragem#nt of anarchistic , impulses, or a flawless revolt against constituted authority. It does not essentially require a large number of people to make a mob. The individual who incites to confusion and lawlessness is a synthetic mob. The older wrong becomes, the stronger does it grow in the belief that it is right, and the more vehement it, is in its re sistance to interference. It is the task of the Church press to differentiate between a glorious tradition and a destructive tra ditionalism. To this task the religious press endeavors to address itself. It should, there fore, have the heartiest co-op oration of all who are interest ed in the universal reign of Emanuel, for, as Bishop Ran som says: “The armor of con troversy has been discarded for the peaceful robes of toler ance. It has exchanged the sword of bigotry for the torch of fraternity and co-operation. It is not so much concerned about the character of a man’s doxy as it is about'the quality and worth of his service.” Times have changed. A quar ter of a century ago people rev elled in personal controversy. They were eager to read. It was a period of satire, sarcasm, ridicule, billingsgate, and he who was most expert was most applauded. That day has passed. With the increasing intelli gence of the pew and public, personal controversies have lost their fascination. With a keener perception of Christian ideals, with the growing belief that preaching and practicing should be linked, those who per sist in the exhibition of. their rwssions fall in the public re gard. Bishop Ransom has wise ly said: “The cause of Chnst is not advanced nor is any con tribution made to human up lift. The Church paper should not be the medium of purely personal controversy and scan dal.” The columns of the denomi national paper should be relia ble. Neither pride nor ambi tion, nor hope, nor competition should inspire the publication of any statement from any source that is not based upon existing facts. When a Church paper publishes what it has no reason to believe is in harmony with the actual facts, it creates for itself an atmosphere of un reliability and untrustworthi ness. Ministers of whatever rank should not burden the Church paper with what they know to be mis-infiormation. The temptation to make a fa vorable impression is always great but he who is tempted from the truth is tempted to a dangerous road. The columns of the Church paper should be reliable because falsehood will soon be discov ered and the disadvantages will be greater. Plutarch has said, “It is no disgrace not to be able to do everything; but to undertake or pretend to do what you are not made for, is not only shameful but extreme ly troublesome and vexatious.” There is slavery in falsehood and misrepresentations. The columns of the Church paper should be filled with the truth —the open door to freedom. I have already trespassed upon your time, but the Church paper, like the minister in the pulpit, should point men to a higher life—to Christ, salva tion, love; peace should be its dominant note. It should know no big nor little, bond nor free, no Jew nor Greek. It is the ser vant of all and its chief delight should be to serve all without favor or fear. Its tone should be dignified, for the denomination is judged very largely by its press, and this judgment is true. If there is evidence of thought and stu dy in the contributions of the Church paper we are judged as a thoughtful and studious peo ple. Work for the Church Paper To Do We are tempted to quote from David M. Sweets in the North Carolina Christian Advocate of date of July 30th, 1831.: “If there is any real place of power and usefulness for the Church paper, it is in making1 men realize the truth of the words of Philips Brooks: ‘Sad will be the day for any man when he becomes absolute ly contented with the life he is living, with the thoughts he is thinking, and the deeds he is doing; when there is not forev er beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant to do, because he is a child of God/ ” The Church paper ever holds to one ideal—the creating in the hearts of its readers a holy discontent with mediocrity and inspiring them to attempt no bler things. Addressing the National Press Club, former President Calvin Coolidge suggested that it is time for the daily newspa oer to recapture the dominating position it formerly held as a molder of thoughtful public opinion. In commenting on President Coolidge’s remarks, the business manager of the New York World, Mr. Don Seitz, said: “Where next is to be found the real force in America?” I answer that it ex ists in the church membership and attendance, which is large, liberal and progressive, and this great body of men and women is reached by the religious press. He mentioned several weekly denominational papers which, he says, are “edited with ability beyond that of our secular weeklies and reaching a class of people who really form the background of the coun try_The religious press can do more to p reserve liber ty than any other factor now active in the land. ' There is plenty of work for the real ed itor, with a real pen, to do.” The influence of the Church paper is vastly more than some evaluate it to be. The secular press watches it with vigilant (Continued on page 4), DR. ID. DAVIS By Rev. W. L. Metz, D. D. The passing of the Rev. Irby Duncan DaVis, D. D., removes from the ranks of the old guard of Atlantic Synod one of our men who was a pupil in the pi oneer days • under pioneer teachers. He had been feeble for some time, although he never retired from his minis terial duties. All his life the writer has known Irby Duncan Davis, be ing natives of the same county and having been born six miles apart: he was born in Laurens and the writer was bom in Clinton, S. C. It was in the early 70’s when Irby Dunekn Davis’s parents consented for him to go with young Benjamin Franklin Mc Dowell to jbe under this young man as a teacher in one of our first parochial schools, which soon became Freedom church, about eight miles out from Statesville, N. C. This little school was founded and sup ported by Rev. Sydney Murk land, one year before the Board of Domestic Missions received it and supported it. It was here where Irby Duncan Davis saw the light in a school house. Dr. Davis was graduated from Biddle in 1881 with the degree of A. B., and from the Semi nary of Biddle in 1884. His cljajss consisted of only four: Rev. Wm. E', Partee, D. D„ Rev. Geo. S. Leeper and the late Robert H. Richardson, of Sum ter, S. C. Dr. DaVis was licensed to preach June, 1883, by the Pres bytery oi* Catawba, and was or dained bi; the Presbytery of Catawbajsi»94. He pastored Woodland, N. C., ’84-’89; he pastored Lincolnton, N. C., ’84 ’90; he pastored McClinotck, ’89-’90; from ’90-’94 he pas tored our flock in Winnsboro, S. C.; and from Winnsboro he went to Goodwill, Sumter Co., S. C., in 1894. It was in this Barge field densely populated by colored people—and the col ored group of this section was among some of the first of Ne gro Presbyterians in the early days of the colonies; and one young student from Goodwill told me when a student in Bid dle that it was years before he knew that there was any other denomination than Presbyteri an-where Dr. I. D. Davis did his best work; this is where he reached out and saved so many young people. At one time this was the largest Negro Presbyterian community in the United States. And the records of the differ ent Negro Presbyteries will show that more young men en tered Biddle to study the min istry from Goodwill church than from any other church in any other Negro Synod. Some of our strongest and best men in the ministry and in Chris tian work are from Goodwill church. Wherever a Goodwill member goes he will hunt for the Presbyterian church; and if he can not find one he will try to make one. About all the Negro churches in the State of Florida were organized largely through the efforts of Presby terians from Goodwill or some where in Sumter County; and these faithful Presbyterians have Dr. I. D. Davis' personali ty written in their lives. In 1894 Dr. Davis was Moder ator of Atlantic Synod when it met in Chester, S. C. When I met Fairfield Sabbath School Convention as a Sabbath School Missionary for the first time, July, 1898, in the town of Lan caster, S. C., Dr. Davis was its most active secretaay. He re mained in this office until 1904. but he was active in young peo ple’s and Sabbath school activi ties until the end. Thirty-four years ago this faithful servant and I as a Sabbath school Mis sionary Used to travel the en tire section of Good will, on bicy cles at night on our visit to some mission Sabbath school con nected with Goodwill church. And when we arrived the house would be filled with boys, girls, men and women, waiting for the Sabbath School Missionary and Dr. Davis. This work of Dr. Davis was not in vain, for his spirit still abides in Sumter County. He was loved and respected by all who knew him and made con tact with him. He was a Ches terfield when it came to polite ness; he was thoroughly evan gelistic in the pulpit; he was a fine Presbyter and faithful churchman. He missed no meeting of his Presbytery. He was present at all. of the meet ings of his Sabbath School Convention, and attended all the meetings of the Synod. He was chairman of the Commit tee on Foreign Missions of At lantic Synod, which place he had held for over thirty-five years, and at the meeting of our last Synod, which was in Savannah, Ga., Dr. Davis made his usual most excellent report on Foreign Missions and re signed as chairman of the com mittee, but the Synod would not accept his resignation. It appointed Dr. I. P. Pogue to as sist Dr. Davis in this worfc. But that was Dr. Davis’s last report to Atlantic Synod. Dr. Davis was twice married. His first wife who preceded him sixteen years* ago was formerly Miss Emma Griffin, and was one among Scotia’s first pupils. To them were born six chil dren: Carrie Lou, Anna, Sarah, Dr. Benjamin Davis, who is head of the Dental Department of the Veterans’ Hospital in Tuskegee Institute; Dr. I. D. Davis, Jr., who is a successful dentist in Sumter, and Nan nie, his youngest daughter, who teaches in Florida. These two young sons of Dr. Davis and Miss Nannie are very active and are fine representatives of old Biddle and Scotia. The first three passed some years ago after being graduated from Sco tia. His second wife was formerly Miss Olive Shelton, who is a most ardent church worker and reflects the training of Ladson Presbyterian church and Claflin University. She was a most devoted wife in every sense of that qualifying term. Two children, one boy and one girl, were bom to them and are left to travel with the bereaved mother a part of the journey left by the devoted father and friend to tne L-nurcn. Like the writer, Dr. Davis was the last of his mother and father’s family. His father died when Dr. Davis was quite a young man in college; his moth er died about twenty years ago, and his two brothers and sisters passed years before the moth er. Dr. Davis died on the night of the 13th of July after con ducting his mid-week prayer services. He was not ill many minutes before passing. He was connected with many secret fraternities; and for many yeajrS he was Grand Treasurer of the Masonic Grand Lodge of South Caroli na. For years he was Master of St. Paul Lodge No. 8, of Sum ter, S. C. The funeral service of Dr. Davis were beautifully conduct ed by Dr. Geo. W. Long, of Cheraw. He was assisted by Dr. J. W. Manoney. Brief eulogis tic remarks were made by sev eral brethren of the different Presbyteries and of other de nominations. After the funeral, which was largely attended by his minis terial brethren from different parts of the State and by hun dreds of friends and admir ers of this good man of the lo cal community, that which re mained of Irby Duncan Davis was carried to the land where the sun's eye always seems to have a sickly glare, and the earth is wan with age; and where the skeletons of nations are around that lonely man. THE CARTHAGE FIELD By Rev. P. N. Boykin John Hall Church During the second month of the first quarter we had a splendid young student minis ter to visit us in the person of Mr. Timothy Fowlkes, of John son C. Smith University. We lis tened to a sermon rich in thought, inspirational and practical. In the afternoon of the same day he visited our point at Cameron and was greeted by a large congrega tion. The most outstanding event during the quarter happened on the second Sunday in June when an invitation extended to Rev. and Mrs. J. H. Clement, of Mt. Airy, was accepted and they were greeted by one of the largest crowds assembling ? t John Hall in a long time. Rev. Clement took charge of the ser vices for the day and intro duced as speaker for the mis sionary service Rev. H. 0. Walker, who was enroute to take charge of the work at Ca'meron. His message was far reaching. A Methodist brother having listened to the sermon, exclaimed: “When I die I want that man to preach my funer al.” Music was rendered by a choir from Durham, N. C., made possible through Mr. Ed. Barnette, a former member of this church, who at present is residing there and was instru mental in securing their servic es for us. The second service was com mitted to Mrs. Clement and we can not recall ever having any thing like it. Her forceful man ner, intelligent means and con genial spirit in presenting the program of the Presbytenal among women was a reality rather than a dream. Rev. and Mrs. Clement concluded the eve ning services. They left the fol lowing Monday, carrying with them the hearts of the people cf John Hall and others who heard them. Come again, friends! S Shady Grove jThe people at this point re main loyal in support of the pjfetor and work. The Children's Day exercise was fine. The amount collected fqr National Missions was $7.50. Amount forwarded, $5.00. Presbyferial assessment for first quarter, collected. Food supplies and relief for pastor have been as follows: Elder Hugh Monroe, 3 bushels of corn; Mrs. Marguerite Brown, three jars of fruit, po tatoes and eggs; Elder Ross, oack of flour, lard, sugar, etc.; Charley McKinnon, flour, wood, milk; Seward Brown, , two chickens, fish; Mr. Herbert Harrington, one half bushel white potatoes; Charley Brown, potatoes, cabbage and onions; Mrs. Isabelle Brown, dew ber ries; Mrs. Sarah McLaughlin, early peas, squash and milk. Other gifts will be mentioned in the next writing. Union Grove Sunday School This work is growing. Prayer services are held twice a week, home and school. Sunday school attendance during Children’s Day exercises, 104.. Number attending during main service, 150. Program rendered ac cording to form, sponsored by Mrs. Dora Ritten, and was ac knowledged one of . the best rendered in this section. It was supervised by Elder B. D. Ross who served the people with all the cold lemonade they could drink. . Ingram Branch We were unable to attend the Children’s Day service at this point, which was reported as having been good in every re spect. It was largely attended. * (Continued on page 3)
Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.)
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July 28, 1932, edition 1
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