VOL. LIX.
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1938.
NO. is.
WEST OF THE FATHER OF WATERS
By Rev. T. B. Hargrave
This article is being written
far up in the Blue Ridge Moun
tains, one block from the cabin
, where John Fox wrote his fas
cinating story, “The Trail of
the Lonesome Pine.” The low
hanging clouds about the tow
ering peaks after a morning
shower, with green meadows
covered here and there with
fragrant flowers lifting • their
heads skyward, give one a
picture of a weeping maiden
calling to her lover.
Rogersville Presbytery
Takes Off
Like a giant air liner Rogers
ville Presbytery got off to a
fine start in the new Church
Year. Dr. Charles Edington,
Stated Clerk, called his work
ers into action and outlined a
program for the new Church
Year. One of the major points
was the raising of the full be
nevolence quota by the fifteenth
of July. Today half of the
churches have responded by
raising over half of the quota
and some have raised all. Dr.
Edington is here with me in
Big Stone Gap this week and
the program is going over in a
big way with a crowded house
each night.
Kingsport Scores Again
For a number of years St.
, James church has led the Pres
bytery in paying the benevo
lence quota. Last year Calvary
was a few days ahead of them.
Rev. Whitley said that it would
not happen again and his Ses
sion and members were with
him. Today St. James has
paid her full benevolence quo
ta plus General Assembly as
sessments and all other taxes
and has raised $7 over. The
.aevea dollars oyer,.was divided
among the Boards as follows:
$3 to National Missions, $2 to
Foreign Missions, $2 to Pen
sions. The church has observed
Children’s Day and has an ad
ditional sum to send in. The
Ladies' Missionary Society, the
Young People’s and Sunday
school assessments have all
been sent in. Monday morn
ing this church opens its Vaca
tionn Bible School and a num
ber of well trained teachers are
' in line. This church is grow
ing numerically and spiritually.
Hats off to Rev. and Mrs.
Whitley, Elder Preston Collins
and a number of workers.
Rev. J. J. Shepperson Reports
I spent some time with Rev.
and Mrs. Shepperson on their
two fields at Jonesboro, Tenn.,
and Abingdon, Va. During
our revival at Jonesboro we had
an overflow of young people.
The Junior church that was or
ganized some years ago is still
functioning in high order. Our
two lady elders, Mrs. Lizzie
Brown and Mrs. Grace Bundy,
with their co-workers, are car
rying on in a big way. While
there we held a Vacation Bible
Sr.Vinnl. hnH mnvfirt.s in
the meeting and raised over
half the benevolence quota.
Rev. and Mrs. Shepperson then
took me to their work in Ab
ingdon, Va. There we found
eager souls waiting and at the
first request 13 came forward
and confessed Christ and 8 were
baptized. A Junior church was
organized and Mrs. Shepperson,
who is an Elder in this church,
has personal charge of the
Junior church and plans to
make white robes for the Jun
ior choir and make Junior offi
cers. The Vacation Church
School here, under Miss Rozel
la White, was a very good suc
cess. This church raised over
half of the benevolence quota
and sent it in. Go to it, Rev.
Shepperson, “Psychologically
speaking.” *
Calvary, Asheville
We hear good news from our
Asheville church. This church
has already raised its full be
nevolence quota and all assess
ments for the year. Dr. Ed
ington is full of praise for his
people. He is making quite a
shout about the work of the va
rious departments of his church.
The musical department under
the leadership of Prof. Rags
dale, formerly of the Green
Pastures, is rendering a great
service. This church plans two
Vacation Bible Schools, each of
five weeks. The church is
growing spiritually and numer
ically and we predict further
gains during the Summer evan
gelistic campaign which we plan
to hold in the open.
Oklahoma City
One of the most beautiful
church buildings in the four
Synods is nearing completion
at Oklahoma City. Rev. Hy
land Garnett Lee, one of our
youngest ministers, with his
good people, is doing a great
work. At the close of the
church year this church report
ed all assessments raised and a
complete budget of $6,000. They
are paying for ithe church as
they build and expect to dedi
cate it free of all debt. Dr. Al
len Bethel, clerk of Session,
says that they plan to break
last year’s record and they will
do just that.
I was highly pleased to hear
of the wedding of - Mr. Earl
Temple to Miss Odessa EuDai
ly. Earl was converted during
one of my meetings at Morris
town, Tenn. He is a successful
business man and a good Chris
tian and this union of two
strong Presbyterians should
prove a great life of happiness.
Much happiness to you both!
' Cotton Plant -
Rev. L. W. Davis is hitting
a stride that spells results. Al
though his school is located in
a section \ where machinery has
taken the place of the laborer
and there is nothing like a pay
roll for fifty miles where our peo
ple benefit, yet this courageous
man, with his workers, marches
on.* HTs students make goftd iff
other schools after graduation
and under his direction learn
thrift and industry. We are
praying that he will get his
work shop that he has been la
boring for. He knows what is
needed for the future of this
section and if this shop could
be secured it would prove a
blessing to that community.
Help us to pray and work for
it. Rev. Wm. Sample is mak
ing the church go. Church and
school in Cotton Plant take the
lead. Watch Canadian Young
People’s Conference when it
meets this Summer!
Swift Junior College
Swift Memorial College has
just closed one of the most suc
cessful school years in its his
tory. This institution is stead
ily growing and students are
finding their way there from
all sections of the country, for
parents realize their girls and
boys are safe at Swift. Dr.
W. C. Hargrave is wide awake
and seeks to bring people who
are inspiring to Swift, and as a
result the students are greatly
benefited by the number who
serve the institution.
Philadelphia
It was mine to attend the
celebration of the 131st Anni
versary of the First African
Presbyterian church during
the meeting of the General As
sembly at Philadelphia. At
Convention Hall about 8000 of
our group attended the celebra
tion and heard Drs. A. B. Mc
Coy, J. W. Holley, Wm. Lloyd
Imes and F. C. Shirley deliver
history-making messages. All
eyes were upon Dr. McCoy, our
new Secretary of Work with
Colored People. It is useless
for me to say that he came
through with, flying colors.
Watch the Negro weekly papers
for a full account of the work
under Dr. McCoy.
The reception at the First
African church was of the high
est order. Dr. George F. Elli
son, pastor of Reeve Memorial,
was chairman of the commit
tee, and he proved himself a
master mind. Hats off to you,
Dr. Ellison! Among the speak
ers were Dr. Amos, of New
York, Dr. John W. Lee, Dr.
Colbert, of Baltimore, and Dr.
Freeman, of Jersey City, and
others. With such a back
ground I am sure the Presby
terians of Philadelphia have
been inspired.
A lovely banquet was given,
by the Smith-Scotia alumni in
honor of Dr. and Mrs. H. L.
McCrorey. My old pal and
classmate, Dr. T. C. Mitchell,
was master of ceremonies. It
was a wonderful occasion and
Dr. and Mrs. McCrorey were at
their best. Mrs. Addie W.
Dickerson, outstanding civic:
leader of the city, introduced:
Mrs. McCrorey.
Do You Know
Do you know that we have a
second member of the Board of
National Missions among our
group? Yes, Rev. J. B. Bar*
ber, of * Chattanooga, is the
youngest to hold such an im
portant position. Rev. Barber*
was in demand as a speaker
while on his latest trip, making
an address at Buck Hill Falls,
Pa., and at other important]
points in the North.
Do you know that we have:
four Negro Presbyterian church
es in the City of New York?,
Yes, with four strong Presby
terian ministers in charge. j
That the ministers and con-'
gregations all over the Church;
have pledged their full support
to the administration of Dr.
McCoy, and that Rogersville
Presbytery is in a drive to be
come the first to present him
with a 100 per cent paid up
benevolence by. the 31st of
July? Yes, they have reached;
the half-way mark this week.
That Dr. Arthur Rankin, of
Philadelphia, has added 207,
members to his church in the
last year and is still going
strong?
That the Rev. Coleman, of
Lombard Central Presbyterian
church is packing his church
every Sunday? Yes, Presby
terianism is growing. Watch
Blue Ridge and Canadian!
LETS FACE FACTS4
By Rev. H. W. Givens
Those of us who interest
ourselves with the rapidly
changing events are aware of
the great responsibilities that
have thrust themselves upon
us as Negro members and min
isters of the Presbyterian
Church, U. S. A. Things have
been changing so rapidly that
it is hard to keep our balance,
no matter how hard one tries.
There never was a time when
such major changes have tak
en place all at once.
Let us, first, consider the re
tirement of Dr. Gaston. Upon
his shoulders has rested the
Welfare of this Negro work for
more than a quarter of a cen
tury. He has been our repre
sentative to the Board for lo
these many years, but, alas, he
has stepped down and a man of
our own race has taken the
helm. And with his taking
Dr. Gaston’s place many ques
tions pop into our minds.
One of the first questions
that presents itself is this:
What is the future of Negro
Presbyterianism under a Ne
gro leader? The second ques
tion that might follow is: What
will be his policies? A third
question might be: v What
changes will take place ana
how will those changes affect
the individual churches?
Only time can answer these
questions. Only time is the
great revealer of truth. Only
time can bring out the merits
or demerits of this great change
that has come to pass. But if
I am allowed to take the role of
a prophet I should predict that
out of this great change great
good will come. After all these
many years of hard work and
service we as a people have
come to the place where we can
take the responsibility of men
to guide our own ship. We have
a chance to prove our worth. I
for one believe that under the
leadership of Dr. McCoy we are
headed for a wider horizon with
a new and better Church in the
years to come. In fact, I hold
ahd maintain that should he
succeed (and I think he will)
he will be the means of open
ing the door for us as a race
into more and better positions,
in the years to come, in the
Presbyterian Church, U. S. A.
in this time of changing events,
who knows but that Dr. "Mc
Coy, to use his own words,
“was drafted” into this posi
tion for such a time as this.
God has peculiar ways of pre
paring a man for a job in His
own time, and in His own way
commands him to “Go.” The
only words we should have as
members and ministers for Dr.
McCoy should be the words of
king Saul to David: “Go, and
the Lord be with thee.’*'
The next fact for our consid
eration is that Smith Universi
ty has become independent.
For lo! these many years this
great institution has been un
der the Board of National Mis
sions. For seventy years it has
been guided and directed by
that Board, just as a parent
guides and directs his child.
“But,” to use the words of Dr.
McCrorey in his report to the
Alumni Association*, “the insti
tution has become of age.” And
upon being asked what about
the future of Smith, Dr. Mc
Crorey assured all of us that
Smith would not fail. When
we remember that it was
through Dr. McCrorey that all
the good things that Smith
now boasts came, we get a new
vision and new courage and
new consolation that under his
leadership Smith cannot fail.
But the fact remains that,
now that it is independent, it
will need our loyal support. It
will need the support of all the
churches and all those who
claim Smith as their Alma
Mater. It not only needs your
money but it needs your moral
support, your constant boost
ing.
Yes, Smith has become of
age in terms of years, and in a
way strong enough to carry
on, but the fact remains that it
will be able to run much faster
if jail of us_put our shoulders to
the wheel and push. Leths or
ganize ourselves in every State
where Smith men are found,
realizing that there are hori
zons that have never been ex
plored and friends who have
never been reached. And by
way of suggestion, would it not
be a fine thing if every gradu
ate would make himself respon
sible for at least five dollars
($5.00 a year? Smith needs a
million dollars for endowment
and a half million for buildings.
As large as these figures may
sound, fellow graduates, it can
be done.
PHILADELPHIA EXPECT
ING A GREAT REVIVAL
The interest in the revival
that seems imminent in Phila
delphia is most encouraging,
according to Dr. E. A. E. Palm
quist, Executive Director of the
Philadelphia Federation of
Churches.
“A special sub-committee of
the Federation’s Department
of Evangelism under the lead
ership of the Rev. Dr. Walter
B. Greenway, President of
Beaver College, is meeting this
month to plan an aggressive,
city-wide movement to reawak
en the religious interest of our
people.
“The Federation is convinced
that the time is ripe for a
great revival of religious life
among our people and Philadel
phia with its 1,000 Protestant
Churches is the logical place
for its birth.
“Standing united in our com
mon devotion to Jesus Christ,
our Master and Saviour, we
jonn not only revitalize our
Churches but also sweep along
in our train the multitude who
are not now enrolled in any
church body.
“This old city,” said Dr.
talmquist, “is just celebrating
the 150th Anniversary of the
j confirmation of the Constitution
upon which this great nation
has been founded. At this
I time it is fitting that we reaf
jfirm our faith and devotion to
'the Gospel of Christ as the
only hope of the world.”
In India, masses of the peo
nl*3 live and die, never having
had sufficient food. In China
the cry for bread is ceaseless.
—-Sel.
I
T
(Excerpts from t&e report of the
Continued from last week.)
The Committee desires to t
call attention to the retire
ment, on May 15, 1938, pf Dr.
John M. Gaston,' who served
the Board of Missions for Freed
men and the Board of National
Missions for twenty-seven
years as Secretary in charge of
the Negro work. The Commit
tee feels that it is highly ap
propriate for the Assembly to
note the untiring and conse
crated service of Dr. Gaston in
this field. We wish him many
years of service in the less ex
acting occupations to which his
years of retirement will take
him.
The Committee would also
direct attention to the election
by the Board as Field Secreta
ry of the Unit of Work with
Colored People of a distinguish
ed Negro minister, Dr. A. B.
McCoy, who began his service
in this capacity on May 15. Dr.
McCoy has served for many
years as the Superintendent of
Sunday School Mission Work
in the four Negro Synods in
which his service has been out
standing. He is the first mem
ber of his race, so far as the
Committee knows, to serve in
such a high executive capacity
in missionary work and cer
tainly he is the first representa
tive of his race to become a
member of the headquarters’
staff of our Board.
In the changing world to
which the report calls atten
tion, it is interesting to note
that the Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity has decided to assume,
with the assent of the Board of
National Missions, the status of
an independent Presbyterian
College, reporting to the Gen
eral Assembly through the
Beard of Christian Education
as of | October 1, 1938.
When the National Board
was organized in 1924, it was
contemplated that all subsidiary
Boards should transfer to it
their assets of every character.
Certain legal obstacles in Penn
sylvania have made it impossi
ble to carry out the order of
the General Assembly with re
gard to all of the assets of the
! Board of Missions for Freed
men. Through consultation
with counsel, however, plans
have been made by which this
transfer can at last be effected
and the Board of Missions for
Freedmen, a Pennsylvania cor
poration, has taken action to
turn over to the'Board of Na
tional Missions, on or about
August 31, 1938, all of its
property and assets, in accord
ance with the action of General
Assembly, authorizing the said
Board of National Missions “to
take over, carry on and conduct
the w;ork of the Board of Mis
sions for Freedmen,” and “to
take over, acquire and become
possessed or invested with all
or any part of the property and
assets of every character and
description then or thereafter
owned by the Board of Mis
sions for Freedmen.” In view
of this action your Committee
on National Missions recom
mends that the General Assem
bly authorize the proper offi
cors of the Board of National
Missions to execute an indem
nity bond in favor of the pres
ent members of the Board of
Missions for Freedmen in tne
form submitted by the attor
ney for the Board and approved
by counsel of the Board of Na
tional Missions.
Your Committee further rec
ommends that the Board of
National Missions, upon the
consummation of this transfer,
report to the General Assembly
for record and final approval
all of the steps which have
been taken whereby the assets
which have formerly been
held by the Board of Missions
for Freedmen have been trans
ferred to the Board of National
Missions (except funds as were
held by the Board of Missions
for Freedmen in trust for
Johnson C. Smith University
and for Barber-Scotia College
and which -were transferred by
the Board of Missions for
Freedmen to the respective
Committee on National Missions.
Boards of Trustees of these
two institutions).
The Committee desires to
:all attention also to the sub
stantial progress that is -being
made in developing cooperative
relationships with the Board of
Christian Education through
the medium of the Interboard
Commission on National Mis
sions and Christian Education.
Whereas the Overture pre
sented by the Presbytery of
Denver and referred by the
Committee on Bills and Over
tures to the Committee on Na
tional Missions has to do with
an Article in the Report on
the Maintenance of the Minis
try considered impracticable
by the Assembly of 1935, your
Committee recommends no ac
tion.
me committee notes with
approval the various steps be
ing taken through the National
Staff to make closer and more
effective the cooperative rela
tionship between the Board
and those Synods and Presby
teries which conduct their Na-^
tional Missions work outside of
the budget of the Board, with
reference to the support of the
entire National Missions enter
prise of our Church and the
carrying into effect of the pol
icies approved by the General
Assembly.
In view of the action taken
by the General Assembly oft
Saturday morning upon the re
port of the General Council
looking toward a more adequate
maintenance of the ministry,
the Committee recommends:
First, that Synods and Pres
byteries .which do not budget
with the Board be urged to co
operate to the utmost with the
Board of National.. Missions in
the studies and surveys, which
the Assembly has directed the
Board to pursue.
Second, that in the prosecu
tion of these studies on the
part of independent Synods
and Presbyteries the uniform
report blanks prepared by the
Department of Budget and Re
‘lenrrh of the Bor.rd be em
ployed.
Third, that the earnest at
tention of the Presbyteries of
ur Church be called to the de
moralizing effect of the un
wise use of pensions to supple
ment salaries. There are many 1
churches which are receiving
pensions because the funds paid
by the Board of Pensions will
enable them to establish a pas
torate upon a lower financial
basis. After a few years of
this procedure the church is
unable or unwilling to return
to a satisfactory financial bas
is, or to one which would make
it possible to call a pastor not
a recipient of such aid.
The Committee has learned
with gratification of the elec
tion by the Board of Dr. Henry
S. Randolph as Secretary of
the Unit of Rural Church
Work, succeeding the late Dr.
Warren H. Wilson. In Dr.
Randolph, who has served for
eleven years as Principal of
the Asheville Farm School, 7one
of the most distinctive educa
tional enterprises under the
Board, this important and diffi
cult phase of National Missions
is assured of wise and aggress
ive leadership.
Evangelism
The Committee has carefully
considered the evangelistic
work of the Board and has
been deeply impressed by the
concern of the Unit of Evan
gelism for the whole evangel
istic program of the Presbyte
rian Church. The work of the
Unit of Evangilism can be sum
marized under five distinctive
heads, namely, first, direct con
tact with the idividual church-,
es for stimulation and encour
agement in evangelistic work;
second, cooperation with the
Department of Evangelism of
the Federal Council of Church-"*
es of Christ in America; third,
cooperation with Synods ana
Presbyteries in the development
of programs of evangelism;
(Continued on Page 3)