AND YE SHALL KNOW
CHARLOTTE, N. <V
►AY, AUGUST 15,1935
VOL. LVL
NO* 32.
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BIDDLE SMITH AND BARBER SCOTIA ,
ALUMNI SWINGING INTO ACTION
Shortly after the commence
ment exercises were over this
year, a few of the sons of Bid
ole-Smith and aaughters oi
Barber-scotia assembled at tne
manse m Kaleigh, tne capital oi
the Old Norch State, and after
discussing tne advisability oi
organizing a chapter of the Bid
dle-Smith-Barber-Scotia Aiumm
Association, they at once agreed
and proceeued to organize.
The. of hcers elected were as
follows: Mr. A. J. Mack, ^resi
dent; Kev. H. T. Mcradden,
Vice-President; Miss Virginia
Hawkins, Secretary; and Mr.
Zohie Hill, treasurer. This is a
temporary set up and we are
loosing forward to a more com
plete organization and linal or
annual election of officers on tne
second Tuesday evening in Sep
tember.
It is hoped that all former
students of our beloved institu
tions who are living in Wake
and adjoining counties will oe
interested, and meet us in Wake
Forest, M. (J., on the second
Tuesday in September at 8:30
P. M. at the home of Miss Ailie
Mae Young.
An appeal from Mr. A. J.
Mack, President of the chapter,
follows: *
A DEFINITE PHILOSOPHY
OF LIFE
Now that we have launched
out mto the tumultuous, dynam
ic, changing civilization with
the candle that our Alma Maters
have given us, where shall we
start? What shall be our philos
ophy of life, in order that we
might bring honor and glory to
then!?
fravel back with ine h ffew
centuries; let us scan the pages
of history and see what has been
done, and determine its stabil
ity. Home, under Alexander, the
Great, thirsted for power. Alex
ander conquered the world and
cried because there was no more
to be conquered. Rome built up
a great empire and it crumbled.
France sought' after the same
thing and she likewise was de
molished.
Ik
In the early days of America
when she was only an infant,
Spain had become the strongest
nation of the world. Most of her
power came from the great
quantities of gold, silver and
precious stones that she obtained
from America; for with such a
treasure, she equipped large ar
mies and fleets. Other nations
feared because she had become
so powerful as to endanger their
independence. But Spain’s pow
er was built on sandy soil aud
it was swept away within a day,
so to speak.
England said she vis mis
tress of land and sea back in
those days. She tried to control
the world by these powers. But
her philosophy failed.
\ Picture, if you please, me
philosophy of King William of
Germany, imperialism. Think
of the human suffering brought
about by such philosophy ; the
world suffered beyond human
knowledge. You remember your
sugarless days, butterless days,
meatless days, etc. Money
could not buy these things and
human suffering went on re
lentlessly. Defenseless women
and children were killed, unde
fended towns were destroyed
and valuable relics of the ancient
past demolished, and millions of
souls were blown into dust or
eternity. Why? Was, the philos
ophy sound? Was it an adequate
one? No.
Insull had a philosophy of
getting money and you know
the story. Many people lost their
fortunes because of his tricky
and unsound plan. They accept
ed his philosophy of life as to
getting money. Many social ills
have come about because of In
sull and his followers. That
community has beeh in an up
heaval and is still in such.
Some men have a philosophy
of control; some men have a
philosophy of getting money;
some men have a philosophy ot
conviviality and some of power.
But let us come nearer home.
From observation and direct
contact I have discovered that
we have a philosophy of conviv
iality which is sapping the very
iife-Dlood out of ourselves,
out of our schools, out u.l uu.
homes, out of our churches and
out of our communities. A good
time, (in the common vernacu
lar of the streets) seeks to tear
down and destroy. It is an im
pediment to the growth of our
i)ear Alma Mater; it under
mines those cardinal principles
which she has so long cherished
and has striven to perpetuate.
It takes all of life and puts
nothing into it. We are satisfied
co get all we can out of our in
stitutions, and put nothing m
hem. We need an attitude of
appreciation of the foundation
chat the past has laid for the
present.
Empires have qrumbled, ca;
tastrophies and social ills have
swept the country, and institu
tions have been static because
of the previously mentioned
•‘Philosophy of Life.”
Classmate*:, in the name of
humanity, in the name of dear
old Johnson C. Smith Universi
ty, choose ye the good life. The
supreme end of living; is the
achievement of the good life.
The quality of culture of any
given period and the progress
of civilzaton are to be measured
by this criterion. Goodness
without effective technique and
knowledge js inadequate. , gut
knowledge and technique are
fertile. We need, not les stech
nology, but the subordination of
technology to the end of the good
life.
Technology involves a recon
struction of the process of hu
man living and fresh re-exami
naton of the values by which
we live. Too long we have gone
out into the world without a de
finite philosophy of life. We
have been more or less like a
ship at sea without a rudder,
following the tide and drifting
along. Awake! Awake, oh sons
and daughters of Smith and re
direct your thoughts and actions
Every man can do a little bet
ter each day than he did the day
before. If he does this three
hundred and sixty-five days m a
year for ten years, that >meaiis
three thousand six hundve-1 and
fifty little improvements, which
is enough to change a complete
failure to a successful, com. nt
ed man. Be not contented, but
march forward into this hyper
lex civilization and achieve a
place of usefulness.
Johnson C. Smith University
has placed upon us her sar.iu
of knowieugo, skill, religious de
velopment, moral character, culr
ture, menial discipline, citizen
ship and social efficiency. These
powers are enough to renovate
the entire world if used proper
ly with a sober heart and mind.
With such a stamp we could
face the question of life square
ly, How to live? That is the es
sential question wth us. Not
how to dine in the material
sense only, but in the wide sense
of the term. The general prob
lem which comprehends every
special problem is the right rul
ing of conduct in all directions,
under all circumstances. In what
way to treat the body, in what
way to treat our minds for men
tal growth, in what way to man
age our affairs, in what way to
utilize those sources of happi
ness which nature supplies —
how to use all our faculties to
the greatest advantage of our
selves, and other achievements
of a good life will inevitably ac
complish these ends.
The good life is an affair of
persons. It is only found as it
manifests itself ;in the specific
behaviour of living persons. Per
sonality is more or less a sta
ble organization of physics,
chemical elements, impulses,
habits' attitudes, ideas and pur
poses, undergoing continuous
changes. Character is, the ethi
cal quality of personality. .
I have said that; the good Kfe
is an affair of personality, butt
we must go further and more
deeply; so, more specifically it is
the ethical quality that-ushers
in the behaviour of a person
when that behaviour is judged
in the light of the best ideals of
a race which has been tested;
through-long social experience
There has been a decided in
crease-in crime rate; poverty1
has had and is having and prom
ises to have'a marked effect on
the possible development of
standards of health and intel-i
lect, the effect in question being;
applicable i both to ydiihg, and;
old. Something must be doneJ
What are We going to do? Will
the achievement of a good life
suffice? Yes. If we accept the
achievement of good life as a
philosophy of life, we will have
a better social order, a better!
interpretation' of the biological
phenomena of life; a new and
better system, of economic eth-l
ics; a. , better afi'd bigger John
son C. Smith University. '
BY THE WAY
By Uqclje BUUe
■r- ■■ .7rr ' v
About the only man living}
who was associated with Biddle
as a student when the school
was in her swaddling clothes is|
our good, aged friend, Rev. B. Fi
McDowell, D. D., of Greenville,*
S. C. Although, up in years, his
mind is as bright and ’memory
as retentive as, a youth's. In a
recen^ inteiPdew with him eon*
ceming the. birth and cradle of
Biddle, he never burdened me
with, “I think thus and'so.” And
on comparing his data and dates
with recorded early history of
Biddle and our work in the
South among our people, Dr.
McDowell is genuine and his
memory is still green’
This good man lost h|s sight
completely several years ago,
and therefore he does not care
to go to any more of our gathr
erings. But I 'always keep in
epistolary touch with him
whether he answers me or not;
for he likes to know just what
is going on as far as I'am able
to relate, among those of our
group especially. But he is pecu
liarly blessed with a fine wife,
well educated, active, youthful,
godly, who handles a typewriter
skilfully, v- •
In relating some of the Side
lights of our recent Biddle*
Smith reunion to Dr. McDowell^
he says: “I well remember Rat
tley, Berry and Wyche. Rattley
came there when a* boy.” He
says the, school that grew into
Johnson C. Smith University of
today began as a parochial
school in that part of the* city
of Charlotte known at that time
as “Log Town.” The school was
carried oh in ah old “government
building.” It was under the su
pervision of Rev. Samuel G. Ah
exander, who was the first Pres
ident of Biddle, and Rev; Willis
S. Miller, who was the founder
of the, school, and at one time
an alderman of- Charlotte. Roth
of these men, Dr. McDowell
said, were of the Southern
Church; and; he is correct. But
Rev. Samuel C. Alexander ^eame
South fresh from Jefferson-Col
lege (Washington and Jefferson
now) and entered Columbia The
ological Seminary at Columbia,
S C. After being graduated
from this seminary, he served
Steel Creek Presbyterian church
a few miles out from Charlotte!.
Dr. McDoWell says that Rev. Al
exander married in one of the
families of this chiureh, one of
his members, Miss Nannie Brice,
who, Dr. McDowell says; seemed
to have been with himf: (Dr. Al
exander) in point of interest m
colored work. *. -*•»?.•
Dr. McDowell further relates,
c . • >.r> ' * . - . -t .. .
and as some of us know, that
Calvin McCurdy was the first1
it to enter what was to be
It was he who broke the
und, at the commencement
of ld$4; for Carter Hall. When
ne entered this parochial school,
Dr. MCDowell says, Mr. Mcuur
dy was a man of age.
Among these early students
along with McCurdy were Mat
thew I jams and James Phifer.
Dr. McDowell says McCurdy
and Ijams were ordained; and
McCurdy served around Char
lotte and at Washington Ave
nue church, Macon, Ga., while
RdV; Mr. .Ijams served McClin
topk and other churches in
Mecklenburg County. Mr. James
A^JPhifer likewise served around
Charlotte, and was the first to
begin the work at Reidville and
Walker’s Chapel in South Car
olina. Digressing a little, you
sea that Charlotte has been
Charlotte-Jerusalem, N. C., for
many years.
This scho-n outgrew its q mr
teTs and the late Captain Myers,
of Charlotte, gave eight acres
fbr the school where Johnson C.
Smith University now stands,
and many of us know this. But
who were the boys who carried
the Gunter’s chain or the ivir
vejrbr’s chain when these eight
acres' 'were surveyed ? Benjamin
Franklin McDowell was one of
those: boys.
(To be concluded in the next
issue.)
TOE SHILOH CHURCH AT
KNOXVILLE, TENN., PLANS
1 70TH ANNIVERSARY
According to information just
received from the pastor, Rev.
T. A. Jenkins, the Shiloh Pres
byterian church at Knoxville is
flailing a 70th anniversary
Wednesday, September 4th, and
concludes on Sunday,.'September
8th.
The Rev. A. H. George, a
former pastor,; and now a mem
ber of the faculty at Johnson
C. Smith University, will tlelivr
er the anniversary sermon at 11
A. M.f September 8th. Hundreds
of former members and friends
from all sections of East Ten
nessee are expected to share in
this celebration.'
ANNOUNCEMENT
Coulter Memorial Academy
at Cheraw, S. C., will open the
fall session, September 9, 1935.
All students expecting to attend
are urged to be present at the
opening. Pupils in high schools
which: are accredited by the
State Board of Education of
South Carolina must be present
180 days or 9 months or 36
weeks to maintain their class
SLanuing.
Students registering in the
Normal School must be present
at the opening. Our Normal
School is accredited by the State
Department of Education of
South Carolina. Students finish
ing this two-year course will re
ceive a first grade Elementary
Teachers’ Certificate issued by
the State of South Carolina.
The outlook for Coulter Acad
emy for this year is exception
ally bright. We have been able
to add the public health depart
ment to the regular work of the
school for the coming year. Miss
Blanche Sowell, who is a regis
tered nurse, will be in charge of
this department. Miss Sowell
will spend four months of the
year working in the Cheraw
Second Presbyterian church par
ish. The other eight months she
is employed as nurse in the Tu
berculosis Department of the
State Health Department of
South Carolina.
We are asking the co-opera
tion of out' patrons and friends
as we begin this year’s work.
We have secured a strong fac
ility of conscientious Christian
men and women for this year.
- ' G. W. LONG,
Principal.
American humor has wound"
ed the sensibilities of the Japan
ese nation. A magazine has cari
catured the Japanese Emperor
in the guise of a laborer draw-’
ing a jinirikisha containing the
Nobel Peace prize. The Japan
ese missed the joke. The Em
peror’s receiving the peace prize
and not his conveying it was
supposed to make God and na
tions laugh. All labor is honora
ble, even if performed by Pres
ident, King or Emperor. " The
American humorist, with impu
nity, directs the shaft of his
wit at anything in the Heavens
above, the earth beneath and the
waters under the earth. To him
nothing is sacrosanct or invio
late. Our high dignitaries are
caricatured in whatever simili
tude the humor of the artisp*
may devise and the victims of
ms snait are supposed xo snuie
while they smart. Sanctity is
fast becoming a lost art; Thing^
sacred and divine alike become
the object of ridicule and; side
cracking laughter* But not so
with sensitive nations such as
the Japanese are now and the
Germans were recently; It is
easy, to recall the. international
episode caused by an Ameri
can Admiral’s humorous rendi
tion of “Hoch Der Kaiser!” The
Germans regarded their Emper
or as the embodiment of divin
ity in person. The Japanese esr
teem their Emperor as being a
direct descendant of heaveni
Any disrespect manifested to
wards his sacred person is re
garded as blasphemy against
the Deity. They, hold their dig
nitaries and traditions With the
same reverential regard as the
Jews hold 'JchoVah-set fbrth-in
the admonition: ; “Thou shalt
not take the name of the Lord
thy God in vain, for the Lord
will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain.” To
the present-day Christian wno
invokes the name of God on
every occasion, serious or trif
ling, this commandment has
degenerated into mere glib re
cital, wholly void of the sancti
ty and reverence which it orig
inally enjoined. It is difficult for
one race, one nation or one reli
gion to understand and' enter
into the delicate sensibilities of
another. There is a deep under
current of meaning in Kipling’s
lines: '
“For East is East and West is
West, •“ • • .
And never the twain shall meet
’Till earth and sky itaiid pres
ently
At God’s great judgment seat.”
What makes the American
laugh makes the Japanese
erri ovA ' ’
Freedom of speech and 6 Hke:
press is the constitutional right
of every American citizen.'The
government itself, therefore,
has no recourse .against an
American citizen wfftr exorcises
this right $o t&e discomfiture
of a foreign- potentate beyond
our Constitutional or national
horizon. It is only a gesture of
international courtesy and’ chiv
alry which causes the Depart-'
ment of State to heed the cu tri
plaint of Japan for ah unintend
ed offense for which'the go^erri
irnnt can not ordinarily: take
cognizance. Lose- Majesty not
American
man is a
in accord with the
spirit where every
king.. *'v '! -
The swift response of the de
partment to J apan’s comp’ai nt
suggests th. respect and defer
ence which power always 'com
mands. ‘The apologetic' -apology
which this nation extended to
its Wounded rival was not whol
ly without connection with- her
rank in the family of nations.
“Kiel Hitler” offends -the loysil
Nazi of Germany as keenly as
yoking the Emperor Of Japan to
a jimrikisha hurt the sensitivfe
Orientals. But the German" na
tion is now in international dis
favor And such feiharks lightly
pass as ridicule and jest with-»
out effective resentment. Japan,
ranks among the great powers*
of the earth. The United States
does not feel that it can allow
ah' American citizen to wanton
off end Japan’s armour propre
without at least a gesture of
amende honorable. Had a similar v ? *
cartoon been published in an - 'Jz
American magazine caricatur- - •
ihgthe Emperor of China re- -
monstrance from the Celestial —
Empire would have been laughed
at to ignored in silence. The
American indulges his freedom
of isphfech in caricaturing minor
ity Sgi«ups with impunity. The
Jetir and the Negro, especially
the latter, are held up to public
ridicule and scorn ad libatum.
The1' genteel American spirit ’ .
must yet learn to pay the same 7
deference and respect to the
just Sensibilities*of the meek
and lowly as to the high and
mighty1.
In an early release I will ap
ply the doctrine of Lese Majes
ty to th£ Negro race.
PLANNING A NEW CHURCH i
EDIFICE AT WAYNES
BORO, GA.
Waynesboro, Ga., Aug. 15. —
Our Westminster Presbyterian
church has taken on hew life
under the leadership of its new
pastor, Dr. J. L. Phelps. Many
of the old members have been
reclaimed and new members are
being added. ■ >
All indebtedness on the church
property has been paid *and
plans are being drawn for a new
church which will cost $5,000.
More than half of the money is
in night. A . five hundred doHar
rally has been planned for the
latter part of October and we
hope to be successful in raising
that amount. After our rally is
over, we hope that the ground
for the new church can be brok
en.
Dr, Phelps will be installed as
pastor the sixth of September
and he is very mufch encouraged
with the co-operation given and ,;t
nterest shown by both mem- •
bers and friends, white and col
ored. The church is being well ,'
organized, The Sabbath school ia '} v :
directed by Elder N. K. Royal, ^
one of our outstanding, colored ^
Merchants of the city* 1310 Sen
ior' choir of thechuch is. direct
ed by Elder R: R. Davis and the
Junior choir is .under the direc- ,
tion of Miss Ethel Wiliams, a
teacher in the Waynesboro pub- , .J,
lie school? The Ladies’ Mission
ary Society is a potent factor in
the church. Miss ;Janette Nor
tonais 'President of the Society,
j^here are other activities that
ac^d much to the usefulness of
• the church.
i' Due to the fact that our pas
tor has two other churches and
is Principal of Boggs Academy,
we .are. having preaching service
,qnly once a month. As soon as
Dr. Phelps can be released from
some of his other duties, he wiil
be able to. give more time to
this . church. Westmnister will
■then he self-supporting. He has
an able assistant in Mrs.'Phelps
who is interested in every activ- _
ijty.of the church. , < \->
r. ;We. are asking the prayers of
.pur friends as we enter into this
great work, of • Kingdom builds ;
ing,.:
. * ; .OLIVIA J. JOHNSON.
NOTICE
Vo Pastors and Church Ses
rsioris^ U ^ • ' ’• • * . ' •'
' I an^nov available for evan
, greli^tic Services and Bible Lec
i ts^s, and shall be pleased to W
serva city as well as rural
churches and schools in any
section , of onr great Church.
Address: «
, REV. A. A. HECTOR> w <
.... 31,4. West Clay Street, ^Rich“»
mend, Va. .*■*.' J sio %
... ..... v, 'it 8
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