RELIGION/ The Charlotte Post
AUGUST 22, 1996
Panther joined Mormons in 80s
Sept. 13 & 14, 1996
By Vem Anderson
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SALT LAKE CITY - If
Mormons who brought former
Black Panther militant
Eldridge Cleaver into their
fold thought he would influ
ence many other black
Americans to join him, he
proved them wrong.
For Cleaver’s well-publicized
embrace of Mormonism in the
early 1980s proved both
ambivalent and transitory, as
improbable a spiritual
stopover as his political jump
from Marxist to capitalist,
from revolutionary to U.S
-Senate candidate.
\ “He's bounced around all
|over the place," said Newell G.
'Bringhurst, a historian at the
College of the Sequoias in
Visalia, Calif., who is
researching Cleaver's Mormon
experience. “He's all over the
rmap."
- Bringhurst remembers his
;own reaction when first hear
ing that Cleaver, a former
felon and international fugi-
'tive, noted author and ex-
Black Panther minister of
information, was considering
joining a church that until
1978 barred black males from
its priesthood:
“This is really very, very
unbelievable."
In a paper delivered
Thursday at the Sunstone
Symposium, Bringhurst said
Cleaver remains on the mem
bership rolls of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, but has had little con
tact with the church since
1986.
“In general. Cleaver's
involvement and relationship
to Mormonism was ambiva
lent," said Bringhurst, who
has interviewed several mem
bers of the congregations in
Oakland and Berkeley that
Cleaver attended only sporad
ically.
But it wasn't until
Wednesday night that
Bringhurst, after much effort,
finally located and talked
briefly by telephone with
Cleaver, who will be 61 on
Aug. 31. Living with a mar
ried niece in Rialto, Calif., and
Churches bigger and better
By Vem Anderson
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOLIGEE, Ala. - Three black
churches that burned in rural
Greene County are nearly
rebuilt, bigger and better than
the original buildings thanks to
donations and volunteers.
"It's just wonderful," Mary
Smith said as she sat under a
big shade tree and watched
Quaker volimteers lay bricks at
Little Zion Baptist Church,
which burned Jan. 11 along
with Mount Zoar Baptist
Church.
Work at Little Zion, Mount
Zoar and Mount Zion Baptist
Church is in the final stages
thanks in large part to the
Quakers, Mennonites and thou
sands of dollars in donations
that have flowed in.
Contributions should cover the
full cost of building the church
es, organizers of the rebuilding
efforts said.
Little Zion members are hop
ing the church will be complete
by Sept. 15, in time for a dedica
tion service in October.
The Rev. Willie Carter, a
member of Little Zion and coor
dinator of the rebuilding efforts,
beamed with pride as he
showed visitors around the new
church, stepping over piles of
plywood.
The wooden sanctuary walls
are stained and varnished, and
fan and a chandelier hang fiom
the ceiling. The restrooms are
handicapped-accessible, and the
pastor's study is no longer
cramped.
"In the old one, he couldn't
even put in a couch," Carter
said. "Now, he has better room
to put furniture, like a desk."
When the work began, officials
estimated the project would cost
as much as $200,000. Carter
said he wasn't certain what had
been spent so far.
Mount Zion, destroyed on Dec.
22, is the only one of the three
Greene County churches relo
cated from its previous site.
Robert Woohidge said the esti
mate for rebuilding was
$105,000, but the cost is run
ning hi^er.
Virgil Kauffman, a volunteer
from Michigan, said materials
to reconstruct Moimt Zoar have
cost $78,000.
When Art Smucker of the
Mennonite Disaster Service
came to the site to help with
rebuilding efforts in May, all he
saw was a clesuing in the woods.
He returned last week to find
the work nearly done at Moimt
Zoar.
“A multifaceted display of talent
both on and off the ice."
-Cblciigo Trihtino
r IV c 4 c I j
SEPT. 12-15
Charlotte
^PERFORMANCES*
Ttiu. SEPT. 12 OPENING NIGHT* 7:30PM
yri,. SEPT. 13 7J0PMt
,;S«;>-SEPT. U IliOOAMt 3:OOPM 7:30PM
■.|un.,Sm. 15 2:00PM
s* OrpNING NIGHT - ALL TICKETS ONLY S9
(Exclu?ing Rinhilk SeaU)
t CHJLDREN SAVE $2 on all tickets for children
underi2 with coupons from McDONALD'S*
Courtesy of McDonald's* / fox is wccb tv
☆ INFO & PHONE CHARGE:
(704) 522-6500
1*“^“ of S2.00periKket, S800 max. per order plui SJ.OO
charge ^ort^ S2.M aervice charge per ticket on
Rinkaae Seats plus $l.(W handling charge per order)
Tickets also available ai the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM BOX
OFFICE (no aervice charge) and all TICKETMASTER outlets
including 2 Rrst Union Center, Kockbuster Music, Sound Shop,
Camelof Music, Famousmarf, Marshall’s. Record Cellar, Hecht's,
Book Mark and Square Records (service charge cf$L7Speriiden S2 50
aervice charge per ddet an Rinitide Seats)
Group Rates: (704)557-4786
ALL SEATS RESERVED * PR/CE INCLUDES TAX
$9.50 - $12.50 - $15.50
SpedalRINKSIDE SEATS AfoilabU
Whertvtr Tieketd Art Sold
(DUeount^ Do Not Apply To Rinkride Seato)
i
helping out with the family
business, Cleaver is working
on an autobiography and col
lection of essays.
In the early 1980s, many
Mormons in the missionary-
minded church were thrilled
at Cleaver's interest and
hoped his conversion would
bring other blacks to a faith
they viewed largely with sus
picion and contempt.
But some Mormon acquain
tances of Cleaver doubted the
sincerity of his decision to be
baptized a Mormon in 1983
after a three-year study of the
faith and an elaborate
courtship by such conservative
Mormons as later church
President Ezra Taft Benson
and ex-Salt Lake police chief
W. Cleon Skousen.
However, Bringhurst found
that many who knew Cleaver
well during that time still
believe Brother Eldridge was
genuinely committed.
At the time. Cleaver said he
closely identified with church
founder Joseph Smith as a
religious seeker.
BLUES FESTIVAL
FricJay Uneup Indudos:
Maceo Parker
James Cotton
Lil' Brian
& the Zydeco Travelers
Saturday Uneup Includes:
Junior Wells
Denise LaSalle
Joe Louis Walker
& the Bosstatkers
DKADIJNi;:
Aug, 28, 1996
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
St. Joseph's Historic Foundation
(919)683-1709
FOOD LION
Chiquita Golden
Ripe Bananas
USDA Choice Beef
Boneless Bottom Round
Or Rump Roast
Reg.
59c/Lb.
Regular Retail |
*2.99 Lb.
$U>8.0r
More
California Bartlett
Pears
Reg.
$1.09
4 Pack
Angel Soft
Double Bath Tissue
$■^99
Reg. $2.39
42/33 Load - Reg. & With Bleach
Cheer Ultra 2
Detergent
®10
Reg. $5.59 Ea.
USDA Choice Beef
Boneless
Bottom Round Steak
Great On The Grill ^Tsiabt
Pork Spare Ribs... ,^More
Jumbo Pack
Chicken Breast.
Catfish Fillet Or
Salad Shrimp.
1.79.
1.69.
1.49.
3.99.
32 Oz.
Neumann's
I Mayonnaise
Reg.$2.79
8-10.1 Oz. Assorted
Kid Cuisine
Dinners
Reg. 2/$3
DELI/BAKERY
Honey Cured $079
Ham Reg. $5.49 Lb.
Baked Apple Pies 1.99 Ea.
Delicious ^
Roasted Chicken O ■ 49 Ea.
2/$3.00
6/12 oz. Cans
Coke Classic, Diet Coke,
CF Diet Coke, Sprite,
Diet Sprite
Buy One,
Get One
Romantica
6.75 Oz. -10 Pk.
Capri Sun
Reg. 2/$5
Save Even More With These MVP Items!
40 Ct. Reg./
Morning Fresh
juggle
Dryer
Sheets
2.25-3 Oz.
Deodorant Gel
Soft & DrI/
Dry Idea/
Right Guard
Assorted
1
14.6 Oz. Cut Or French Style
Qreen Beans/
14.76 Oz. Cream Com/
16.26 Oz. Whole Kernel Com/
16.26 Oz. Sweet Qreen Peas
Del Monte
Vegetables
95
Exira Low Price
Wilhout QQ
MVP Card O
9.5 Oz. Box
Kraft Light
Italian
Pasta Salad
Extra Low Price
Without ct
MVP Card ®
2 I Extra Low Price
Wilhout
MVP Card 2/^1
Extra Low Price
Without c; Ox,
MVP Card
MOST STORES
OPEN 24 HOURS
Prices in this ad
good Wed., Aug 21
thru Tues.,
Aug. 27,1996.
We reserve the right
to limit quantities.
Most Stores Now A ccept
l^!a!Bl