BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
REV. J. W. SANDERS AND
SUNDRY ARTICLES
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
REV. J. W. SANDERS AND
SUNDRY ARTICLES
REV. J. W. SANDERS
History of His Ministerial Career From 1885 to 1921.
He was licensed as a local Preacher in St. John's A. M. E.
Church, Pueblo, Colo., October 1884. While working in that
city his home was in Denver, Colo., and to this city he had
prone, when in March, 1885, he received an appointment from
Rev. Marion Wooten, who had charge of the Church in Pue¬
blo, to take charge of the Church in Colorado Springs, Colo.,
which he did at once and began his work. He added a num¬
ber of persons to the membership of the Church and
improved the physical condition of the building, &c.
During this time a new organ was purchased, and the
membership increased and all lines of Church work was
brought up and report was made to the Annual Conference
in the month of September, 1885. His work was pleasing to
the Bishop and Conference, and he was credited for a full
year's work and received into Conference, passed to the sec¬
ond year's studies and was given charge in Trinidad, Colo.,
his second appointment. Here the Church was painted and
a small parsonage was built; membership increased; Sunday
School made rapid progress, and in 1886, Conference meet in
Lincoln, Neb., Bishop John M. Brown ordained him a Deacon
while the Bishop was in bed with rheumatism.
From this Conference he was sent to his third appoint¬
ment, which was Minneapolis, Kan. At this point a frame
Church had been put up, but was unfinished. Our subiect
started in to finish up the building and attend at the same
time to the Spiritual work also. One year the building was
finished, membership increased and the Church in general
was left in a prosperous condition, and in 1888 he was sent
to Salina, Kan. Presiding Elder J. H. Hubbard said Rev.
J. W. Sanders snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at
this point. It was made a larger field; the work was much
improved in every respect, and at the Conference of 1889 he
was sent to Albuquerque, N. M. Here, ^s at other points, the
wrHc went forward to oronoun^ed success. The first year
a Revival added to the Membership and the Church was ren¬
ovated as well as the parsonage put in order after it had
be^n moved back to the rear of the lot to make room for a
new brick Church which the neople had decided to build. A
foundation had been laid for this structure when he reported
tc t^p nevt Conference, which was held at Pueblo. Colo.
The Bishop needed his services and from this Conference
3
he was sent to Helena, Mont., to save a new Church building1
which had been erected almost entirely on credit. In one
year's time more than $2,000 was paid on the main debt
and all of the work was left in a most prosperous condition.
Before going to Helena, Bishop Ward, who had charge of the
District at this time, ordained him Elder, and it was on the
recommendation of Father John Turner that he was sent
to far away Montana.
On return to Conference in 1890, in Denver, Col., he stop¬
ped at Salt Lake City, Utah, where the great Mormon Temple
is located, an organized a church for his people in that do¬
main. While at Helena, he preached many times to the sol¬
diers in Fort Shaw, Mont., and Fort Missoula, Mont.; also
organized Churches or missions which grew to be Churches
in Great Falls, Billings, Bozeman and at Livingstone, all in
Montana. When the report was made as to what had been
accomplished, the Bishop commissioned him to go to Salt
Lake City to lift the standard of African Methodism in that
Mormon center. A small brick Church was built here under
the most trying circumstances, and when failure seemed to
loom up large before him, one of the members of the Church,
Mrs. Mary Bright, came forward and loaned the Trustees
$1,500 with this as a nucleus. A lot was purchased and
house built in two years' time. The first Conference ever
held by Bishop Handy was called to order in this new build¬
ing, and for the first time in the history, African Methodism
flung her banners to the breezes in Utah as a Conference.
The Bishop and Conference praised the subject hisrhlv for
the great work done, and as a petition came from Albu¬
querque, N. M., Bishop Handy sent him there for the
second time to finish the work of building the Church which
was begun by the laying of the foundation three years be¬
fore. Rev. Sanders married a Miss Annie French, of Pueblo,
Colo., ni November, 1891, and hence the couple left Salt Lake
City for the far away field of Albuquerque, N. M. After two
years of hard work he was ale to turn over the new Church,
whose walls had been erected by his predecessor. It was
cleared of debt and left m a splendid condition. While pas¬
tor here, he organized two other Churches in New Mexico:
one at Eddy and the other at Roswell, N. M., and in doing so
he had to travel one thousand miles to get to his work after
organization. It was found to be nearer the Texas Confer¬
ence than Colorado, and hence they are supplied from Texas.
Leaving this charge he was sent to Cheyenne, Wvo. This
charge had a heavy mortgage debt. He set about to pay off
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the entire debt; the debt was not fully paid, but greatly re¬
duced; membership was increased and work improved gen¬
erally. While in charge here, preaching points were opened
in Laramie, Wyo. Up to this time two girl children were
born to them; and in the birth of the second child, 19 months
apart, a deep sorrow fell on the preacher, for the noble and
most lovable wife died from the effects of child birth. The
younger child lived about one year', but the first girl seemed
to gather into her mental and moral make-up the best that
was in both father and mother. She was educated in Den¬
ver, Colo., until she had well nigh finished the High School
and still made the very highest marks in all her studies
right through the three years, and on the fourth. In the
meantime he was transferred to Virginia and called her to
come to us here, having married the second wife. She taught
a private school for a short while, then was sent to Wilber-
force, Ohio, where in. four years she held the highest honor
marks and graduated at the head of her class, "Cuma Sum
Lauda," highest honors ever friven a student since Wilber-
force has been in existence. She was elected teacher with a
leave of absence; spent one year in Radeliffe College pursu¬
ing special training in Language and Mathematics; taught
three years, then resigned on account of meaner salary;
spent one year in Newport News introducing a High School,
of which she is the founder. She was again souo-ht for by
the College to take charge of the Chair of Mathematics.
This time they nearly doubled her salary. This is the only
case where a woman has been honored with a full professor¬
ship. While in Wilberforce she pursued Post-Graduate
course leadiner up to Master of Arts and won that in 1920.
My second wife had five children, only two of whom are liv¬
ing; both boys, 14 and 12 years of age.
This much of digression while on the auestion of family:
leaving Cheyenne, Wyo., he was assigned to take charge of
the 23rd and Lawrence Street Church in Denver, Colo. At
this point great strides were made along both temporal and
spiritual lines, adding many members to the Church and
leaving much of a balance to the Church Treasury. About
this tiirte the "Bishop B. T. Tanner thought he was entitled
to a better work, hence transferred him to Hannibal, Mo.,
1897 to 1899, a much coveted Church. In two years a Re¬
vival, 66 new members an dall Conference claims brought
up. Here also ore of the finest Sunday Schools I ever saw
was conducted. The next year was divided between Louisi¬
ana Mo., and Pueblo, Colo. This was owing to the general
5
Conference of 1900, had'elected Rev. P. A. Hubbardifinancial
secretary and the subject of this sketch was his private sec¬
retary and campaign manager. Bishop C. T. Schaffer had
just taken charge of the District and from Pueblo he was
sent to Leadville, Colo., after doing a splendid work in Pue¬
blo in the few months that intervened between June and
September. In Leadville the Church parsonage, fences, out¬
buildings and lot were completely overhauled from one and
to the other. To the Church was added many new members,
and during one of the revival meetings a most remarkable
thing1 occurred: Revival services were extended to the Sun¬
day School and every child in the Sunday School was -con¬
verted and joined the Church.
^ On finishing two years at Leadville, he was sent to Silver-
ton, Colo. Two churches were bouerht, one at Silverton and
the other at Durango, Colo., and both of them well nigh paid
for. After the work in establishing mission work out in the
mountains of Colorado, at his own request he was given the
position of General Missionary and Fiscal Agent of the Con¬
ference, with the task of raising $10,000.00 for Missions and
Education. Soon after his, however, a wealthy gentleman of
Colorado Springs gave a valuable lot upon which to ereet a
Home for Superannuated Ministers for the connection,.and
it was thought that the two causes were so near alike, and
as the lot was in hand, it was better not to push the Mission
cause at the time. While General Missionary, he traveled
extensively and formed two Missions in Nebraska* one at
Crawford and one at Alliance.
In 1904 he wrote the Conference report on "Statfr of the
Country," Bishop A. Grant presiding over Colorado .Confer¬
ence. Theodore Roosevelt was making campaign? for- Presi¬
dent. He paid such a glowing tribute to the distinguished
statesman, that Bishop Grant had several conferences of his
district to adopt it-—Colorado, Kansas, South Kansas and
North Missourii He afterwards had it put in form and pre¬
sented it to President Roosevelt, who was so highly pleased
that Bishop Grant said the President* promised to favor him
in any way he could. After this W. T. Vernon was appointed
Registrar of Treasury at Bishop's nomination in 1908. Com¬
ing East in the year of 1909, he was transferred from the
Missouri Conference to the Virginia Conference, which met
in April at Staunton, Va. He was given the Staunton Church
as pastor; held his pastorate one year, during' which time
Revial was held, 30-odd members* added to the Church,
and both: Church and parsonage were renoated and the
6
parsonage was remodeled and a new roof put on both
Church and parsonage and painted within and out. Pre¬
siding Elder Jimmerson in reporting the work at the en¬
suing Annual Conference remarked, "That Rev. Sanders is
the hardest working minister in his District and perhaps
in the Virginia Conference. From ths charge he was ap-
ponted to Smithfield, Va., in the year 1910. At this point
revival was held and the parsonage renovated, membership
increased and Sunday School was left in flourishing condi¬
tion. Bishop Coppin assigned Rev. Sanders to the Church
at Roanoke, Va., saying he desired to give Rev. Sanders the
wider field. Here he remained three years, during which
time every department of the Church, Sunday School and
Allen Endeaor League, Mite Missionary Society, as well
as the classes in the Church and the Church in general took
on new life.
A Revival was held and many souls were added to the
Church, the Church building itself was renovated, parsonage
was renovated and painted, a new room under the parsonage
was excavated and free night school was conducted bv the
Pastor while his wife taught in the daytime the lower
grades. With much regret the Pastor and people parted, but
the Bishop made Rev. Sanders presiding elder of the Norfolk
Distrct, supposed to be the leading District of the State.
The District prospered under his administration, and in the
year 1915 the Bishop by special order transferred him to the
Baltimore Conference and stationed him at Bethel A. M. E.
Church, Druid Hill Avenue and Lanvale Street. This Church
is considered the largest Negro Church in America. There
was a debt of $75,000 in round numbers originally purchased
from St. Peters Protestant-Episcopal Church (white). He
at once began to organize for a great campaign to pav off the
entire indebtedness. He secured the co-oneration of all the
white daily papers for purposes of publicity; thev freelv
gave space for the campaign till the whole State of Maryland
knew about the affair. After working two years for pur-
noses of harmony the Bishops of the A. M. E. Church, in
their mid-winter conference, concluded to relieve Rev. Sen¬
ders of this heavy burden, and Rev. Dr. W. Sampson Broods
was appointed to take the pastorate. The burden was so
heavy that one minister actually died, and the minister iust
preceeding Rev. Sanders had enough of it in 2 years; but the
nlans inaugurated by Rev. Sanders was strictly adherred to
bv his successor and a wonderful victory was achieved in
that Dr. Brooks paid the entire $75,000 in three years' time.
7
It was a connectional affair so that in the session in the
General Conference held in St. Louis, Mo., the General Con¬
ference elected Dr. Brooks a Bishop of the A. M. E. Church
because of the wonderful success in Baltimore.
One very significant incident occurred on the occasion of
the first mortgage burning of $15,000. Dr. Brooks, by spe¬
cial request, had a former pastor present; the Church was
filled to overflowing—2,500 persons—and the pastor, Dr.
Brooks, lead that vast audience in rising to give Rev. San¬
ders the chautauqua salute, saying, "It was by reason of
Rev. Sanders' works that made this success possible.
From Baltimore, he was assigned to the St. James Church,
Berkley, Va. Here he was pastor three years. At this point
as at all others a Revival was held, the Church was reno¬
vated within, a new system of finance was inaugurated and
the mortgage debt was greatly reduced. The Church pros¬
pered under this administration. From this Church, Rev.
Sanders was stationed at Hampton, Va. This pastorage we
have had a number of accessions, about thirty-five; new sys¬
tem of finance introduced and the various departments of
the Church in splendid working condition. Several hundred
dollars are in hand to remodel the parsonage, and when that
is done this charge will be one of the coveted places in the
Virginia Conference.
A Men's Club has been organized and it bids fair to be-
comie very influential and helpful. It is not based on de¬
nominational allegiance, but takes in the men of our com¬
munity. Its idea is to make for the uplift of all of our men
in the community along lines of Social, Civic and Industrial
betterment. It wll help the uneducated; give impetus to
"personal efficiency" as well as furnishing a Forum for the
young men who seek to be masters of speech.
Ancestry.—Rev. Sanders' father fas a farmer in early
life; later was a drayman; had but little or no knowledge of
books; died in 1876, while but 46 years of aee. His mother
was a devout Christian; lived many years with her son; out¬
lived her five children save him, and died in 1907 in Berk¬
ley, Va., at the age of about 75 years. She was given to
prayer; a leader in Church work in Denver, Colo., where she
lived 37 years. She organized a Ohurch in her home in Den¬
ver, Colo., before she came to Virginia to live with her son.
And was until her demise a prop to the spiritual life of the
home. Wife's father was a minister in the A. M. E. Church
for many years in Missouri; moved to Virginia and died in
the pastorate here several years ago. Her mother also died
8
here in Virginia and both of them were removed to their na¬
tive State and laid to rest.
My present wife was educated at Hannibal, Mo., graduat¬
ing at the head of the High School class of 1899; Prof. J. H.
Pelham, principal.
His Education.—He was early in school, attending Mis¬
sion School of the Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tenn.,
and receiving equivalent of a Normal School Education as
early as 1873, being too young to take charge of a school.
After entering the ministry some ten years thereafter, with
a knowledge of educational fundamentals, history, science,
Latin, mathematics, &c., he sought to further perfect him¬
self for the ministry by private instruction. Hence he had
graduates from Princeton, Harvard and Yale as his instruc¬
tors in Greek and Latin as well as in Theology. Rev. A. B.
Christy, of the Congregational Church, and F. D. Kelsey are
two names to whom he is indebted. He further shows his
interest in education by support given his daughter and the
number of books he continually adds to his library.
Occasions of Note.—Very early in 1892 he was a member
of the Ministers' Union (all others white) in Albuquerque,
and was called upon to prepare with others a short address
to a mixed audience, mostly white persons. The addresses
were spoken of as one of the best delivered on that occasion.
When President McKinley died, Conference was in session
in Colorado, and he was chosen as the Conference represen¬
tative to voice the sympathy of the Conference to the White
House, which was done and duly acknowledged by letter.
Annual Conference Secretary.—He was for seven years
Chief Secretary of the Colorado Annual Conference under
Bishop J. A. Handy, D. D., and Bishop C. T. Shalfer, D. D.
And before this he was the Statistical Secretary; also has
written many of the Chief Conference Reports.
White House Visit.—Formed one of the 15 men who was
received in the Blue Room of the White House by President
William McKinley after his inauguration, March, 1901. The
delegation was led by the late Bishop B. W. Amett, D. D.
In 1904 he read the report of the Colorado Conference on
"The State of the Country," Bishop Abraham Grant pre¬
siding. Conference was held in Colorado Springs. This re¬
port was so favorably received by the Bishop and Conference
that it was ordered to be engrossed and after adoption was
sefit to both the South Kansas and the Kansas, North Mis¬
souri Conference and was adopted by them. It was after¬
wards presented to President Roosevelt as an expression of
9
the sentiment of the race. Bishop Grant with a delegation
made the presentation. The President expressed his delight
and promised to do any favor he could for Bishop Grant, who
afterwards secured the appointment of Dr. W. T. Vernon,
then President of Western University, as Register of U. S.
Treasury.
Newspaper Work—Publisher.—He considers that the ap¬
pointment to Bethel Church, Baltimore, was the greatest re¬
sponsibility and the greatest honor that has come to him.
A Bishop that could see in him a man of sufficient calibre as
to entrust the greatest building in the world to him with its
burden of debt is considered a great honor. During the time
of his pastorate there he began to publish "The Bethel
Herald" as a weekly bulletin for the Church in June, 1915.
The venture which began as ^a small sheet to be given each
Sunday to the members and congregation has grown to be
a newspaper. It will soon , enter upon its sixth year. Around
the paper has grown a Job Printing-Establishment, and it
bids fair to be a paying venture about Herald Printing Com¬
pany, with Rev. J. W. Sanders as the President.
Missionary Activities.—-As shown by the record, one great
thought which has ruled the life was to do as much good and
give as wide service as possible; hence it may be said in all
modesty as well as truthfulness that the subject of this
sketch has traveled more extensively in Home Mission Fields
over more territory perhaps than any minister in the Afri¬
can A. M. E. Church. For nearly twenty-five years he served
in the Rocky Mountain region, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah,
Montana, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, New Mexico and Ari¬
zona. During his stay he traveled to as many missioned
points as promised hope of a success. Traveling to establish
missions where there were hone. The following map gives
some idea of the extent and scope of his travels, sometimes
having to go as far as 1,000 miles to reach the Mission Field.
Though in the Rocky Mountain Regions 25 years ago that
was not considered an unusual distance, for often Confer¬
ences are held where some of the Ministers are fifteen hun¬
dred miles front the seat of Conference.
MY MISSION—1905 TO 1908.
J. W. Sanders, Hampton, Ya.
♦Livingston, Mont. *Tucson, Ariz.
*Bozem"an, Mont. *Prescott, Ariz.
10
*Missoula, Mont.
*Miles City, Mont.
Cook City, Mont.
Belt, Mont.
Virginia City, Mont.
Lewiston, Mont.
Calisbel, Mont.
Hamilton, Mont.
*Larimer, Wyo.
Rock Sprintrs, Wyo.
Evanston, Wyo.
* "Rawlins, Wyo.
Hanna, Wyo.
Green River, Wyx>.
Sheridan, Wyo.
* Raton, N. M.
*Socora, N. M.
San Marcial, N. M.
Flagstaff, Ariz.
*Douglass, Ariz.
*Bisbee, Ariz.
*Williams, Ariz.
Globe, Ariz.
♦Florence, Colo.
*Glenwood Springs, Colo.
*Ouray, Colo.
Idaho Falls, Colo.
*Rocky Ford, Colo.
*Salida, Colo.
* Alamosa, Colo.
*Walsenburg, Colo.
*Tulleride, Colo.
Lamar, Colo.
♦Alliance, Neb.
*Crawford, Neb.
*Ogden, Utah.
♦Reference to points actually made.
ADDRESS OF REV. J. W. SANDERS
Presiding Elder of Norfolk District
To the Pastors, Preachers, Exhorters, Sup'ts of Sunday
Schools, Officers, and Laity, Greetings; Grace, Mercy, and
Peace from God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, abide with
you forever, Amen.
By the Providence of God through the appointment of
Bishop oppin, LL. D., I am given Presiding Eldership of
this Grand District.
I am not insensible of the honor conferred upon me, and
I trust I shall be able in the spirit of Meekness to serve the
Church to the glory of God and the advancement of the
Kingdom of Grace. I do no come as an untried man; still
in this partcular line of activity, I am new. First of all may
I ask the prayers of the entire Church, that God may direct
us all this Conference Year that a closer bond of Christian
unity may be effected which will make us more useful in
God's service than ever before.
"This life is a battle, against satin and sin,
And we are the soldiers the victory to win;
And Christ is the Captain of this little band
IX
Whatever opposes for him we will stand."
It is generally conceded that the A. M. E. Church is the
one grand organization which takes the leading part in the
uplift of our people the world over. The activities of all
Christian bodies go out in two great channels—Viz: Mis¬
sionary and Educational. The Message is, "Go! Preach,'
carry this Gospel to others:—Then again—"Teach them all
things whatsoever I have commanded you—Education."
Every true Member is doing something along these lines.
We understand that the Fathers have mapped out a certain
line of action by which we are to work. And when we enter
they say, "You are to keep our rules—not mend them; not
for wrath but for Conscience sake." We are being examined
from time to time as to our faithfulness. It is possible to
be called upon to pass under official review fifty-eight times
a year. *
That is to say—we find it lawful to have our Official
Boards meet once a week in stations; or fifty-two times a
year. Four Quarterly Conferences, one District Conference,
and one Annual Conference, that is fifty-eight times in one
year. It's a continual call to service. Now to one who has
no interest in the cause of Christ this is irksome, drudgery,
but to the man who is spiritually alive it is exhilarating, a
pleasure, a joy. I have said that if I was connected with a
Church which did nothing for God, I would want to quit and
join a Church which was doing something for the Lord Jesus
Christ who did so much for m!e.
All of our Pastors have great responsibilities; and they
bear them cheerfully for Jesus' sake. I think it a most beau¬
tiful sight where our members give the Pastors cheerful and
loyal support. This District under the former Presiding El¬
ders did splendid work and made an enviable record." Let our
slogan be, "Onward, ever onward." We should seek the
"Annointing from on high," to the end that we shall have
revivals all over our District. May many souls be born into
the Kingdom, for is it not written, "And the Lord added to
the Church daily such as should be saved." I have often
thought of that saying of the Master, Luke 16-8:
"The Children of this world are in their generation wiser
than the children of light." I look at men in all of life's ac¬
tivities and I find them doing strenuous work. They take
pleasure therein because they put their hearts into their
efforts. Look at the men who go on the diamond to play
baseball. See how eager they are to establish new records
if possible. Every energy of body and mind is brought into
12
where and in at least one important respect she challenges
play. Same thing in football, and in the various lines of
business.
Go to the Colleges and Universities, where men seek to
excel in the acquisition of knowledge. They strive as under
whip and spur to get ahead of the other fellow. Their effort
and labors are often attended with sacrifice and toil, but
t^ey enjoy it, because they have their hearts in it.
When I look at these things, I ask myself the question, "Why
can we not put some such enthusiasm into the service of
God?"
When I ponder these things then hear a man rise up and
speak of the burdens imposed on the poor members by the
big men in the Church I at once begin to get suspicious of
that man's friendship for me, and begin to think of Frank¬
lin's story about the "man with an axe to grind." Now such
a man is not seeking to help me religiously, and if I am not
benefitted in a religious* way I am not benefitted at all. I
have held these views for near thirty-seven years since God
saved me from sin and folly. The thought came to me many
years ago that God can do more for me in a moment than I
can do for myself in a thousnad years, and He can do it more
easily than I can turn my hand over.
Why should a man who is an intelligent Christian allow
himself to be coddled by some demagogue playing on his
selfish or avaricious proclivities prompting him to harden
his heart against God's Church, by giving it meager or
grudging support. We are naturally covetous, and that in¬
stinct must be warred against. By so doing God seeks to en¬
rich us. When I see the blind, poor, lame, I do not stop to
ask him, "What will you do with this nickel if I give it to
you?" I simply give him because his condition appeals to
me. But when I come to a church of strong men, I do want
to know just one simple thing, Viz.: "To what use do they
put the money I help to pay into the Treasury?" If the an¬
swer comes, "It is for the uplift, and advancement of Christ¬
ian Missions and Education," it is enough. The more ag¬
gressive, broad and comprehensive *the plan they lay the bet¬
ter I am pleased and the more I will sacrifice to push along
just that kind of work knowing that Jesus is thereby more
and more glorified among the Children of men.
Let's take the field glasses of fancy, fact, and faith, and
sweep over our land. We have a splendid field of operation:
Here is St. John's Norfolk—a magnificent Church in a hus¬
tling, prosperous city. This charge is hard to equal any-
13
comparison. All of us should feel a pride in this Church. In
three years, under Dr. E. H. Hunter, she has gradually come
to realize her boundless possibilities; and having given us a
splendid organization in all departments of church activity,
and having curtailed the bonded debt till it is now $3700.00,
she now nerves herself to make one grand heroic effort to
free herself entirely of debt. If she is successful our whole
District should rejoice her. Now turn to the Peninsula: On
the East is the Atlantic Ocean, on the West is the Chesa¬
peake Bay, two great counties, Northampton on the South,
and Accomac on the North;
A land created by the Almighty to minister to the needs
of man. Waters on east, south and west, teeming with pis¬
catorial life, rich in food supply. God's sun by his attractive
power draws the vapor from these prolific waters, they rise
above land; the winds from ocean side kiss counter winds
from bay side which causes the vap#or to condense and give
us dews and rain—the land is watered as the garden of the
Lord.
The land smiles under 'the touch of God's sunshine and
rain, and yields an hundred-fold under the skillful touch of
the ingenious husbandman. I notive even children are taken
into account in this work.
Thus in a material way God says to man, "If you will co¬
operate with me by plowing, sowing, and reaping, and gath¬
ering in the havest, I will bless you abundantly."
In like manner God has designed that we all shall join His
men, women, children, in t^e carrying forward His spiritual
Kingdom. We are to preach, teach, sing, pray and study his
word just as unitedly, enthusiastically and devotedly. He
says then, "Sons shall be as plants grown up in their youth,
that our daughters shall foe as polished stones after the sim¬
ilitude of a palace." Ps. 144-12.
Now as he turn to this tide-washed Eastern shore, we see
that magnificent structure at Eastville. Some think it the
most beautiful rural church in the connection. At the head
of this church we have one of our best pastors, Dr. Fred A.
Seaton, who holds the reins with steady, experienced hands.
He is learned, musical and resourceful. Now turn the glass
to Franktown. It is said by many that Franktown people
are not a whit behind any on the Eastern Shore. Her pastor,
Dr. I. L. Butt, the Conference Treasurer, is a man in whom
all Virginia confides; a scholar, historian, and preacher. He
is also an executive hard to eclipse. If he does not bring
14
things to pass in that town with such people as he serves we
will all be mistaken.
Now take pnancock. At this point our lamented Brother
Andrew Robinson fell last year. He was an energetic, heroic
character. We always expected him to "bring things to
pass." When he fell, "His sword .was in his hand." We have
at this point a young man of great promise, Rev. G. Oliver
Wing, B. D. He hails from our greatest school, Wilberforce.
It is said that the Onancock people are both loyal and able;
hence we predict for both pastor and people a crowning year.
The spirit of progress is sweeping over our entire district,
and we are sure that when counting time comes around
neither pastor nor people will be found wanting. And what
shall I more say of that God-fearing Church-loving band of
good pastors who have gone down in the trenches and dug
out material which our great Redeemer will own in the day
when He comes to make up His jewels.
I refer to such heroes as Beckett, of Bridgetown; Monta¬
gue, of Capeville; Davis, of Daugherty; Thomas, of Savage-
ville; Drummond, of Cape Charles; Augustus, of Treherns-
ville; Collins, of Eastown; Benjamin, of Belle Haven; and
last but not least, Wright, of Accomac, whom, when the call
to arms is given, have grasped their weapons and rushed
into the thickest of the fight, inspired by Him whose name
we all adore, even the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have
heard it said of some when sure they were working for God
and His Church, being opposed by the enemy, they have de¬
clared, "You may take my life, but I will never yield." Now
with such a band of men, if we are united and determined,
what may we not accomplish ?
Let us organize Sunday Schools; there are many places
where we can go with our Quarterlies and Catechisms and
(ret our young children together to be taught. There are
places where children have to go five miles to Sunday School.
The very young can't go; why not take the Sunday School
to them ?
Then let us plan to have Revivals. Not a big gathering
with money the main thought, but a plan should be laid to
have as great a crowd as you can command with the thought
of salvation uppermost in the heart.
The money is good—we need it to carry on our work. Our
ministers must be fed, clothed, and housed; their families
should be cared for, their children educated while they are
working for God. And besides all this, churches are to be
erected in which our God is to be worshipped, etc. For all of
15
these things money is needed. But as Paul would say: "He
that gets money does well; but he that gets souls does bet¬
ter." How can we do this grand work?
There's not a living man, no matter what his talent_ or
ability, education or culture, who can do this work of him¬
self. As Paul says again.: "Who is sufficient for these
things ?" The only way we can do this work successfully is
by the "Anointing from on high." It can only be done by
Holy Ghost Power. There is a power that is given by fast¬
ing and prayer only; hence I would humbly suggest that
when we plan our Revivals or open-air meetings we would
do well to spend the preceding week in prayer as one of the
means of preparation, and fast one day or part of the day.
Now if God is pleased to use us as instruments in his hands
;unworthy instruments we may be) for the salvation of
precious souls, then we need have no fear about our finances
either for local or general purposes.
I think our preachers should look out for new preaching
points—the more the better if there are willing "hearers."
See Discipline, Page 178.
We should by all means organize Sunday Schools where
we can find a dozen children, and thus do as Jesus com¬
manded: "Feed my lambs." He also said: "Suffer little chil¬
dren to come unto me." This is equivalent to a command for
us to bring themj to Him. If we fully appreciated the im¬
portance of this particular work, we would rush with glad
hearts and willing hands to carry on this work.
Some people don't like Revivals, Open-Air Meetings nor
amp-Meetings, but it is well to turn any way in the world
to get men saved; as it is said—"Be ashamed of nothing
but sin."
What good would it do if we could preach like angels, if
we had no souls saved—none made better? May I drop this
thought in right here. We as ministers should use all of our
influence to better the educational facilities for our children.
If we do not take more interest in the education of our chil¬
dren along lines civic as well as religious, we shall find in
generations that follow us a race of mental dwarfs, an easy
prey to any one who wishes to use them as dupes for his own
personal gain.
Of course it is a part of our duty to collect money on the
General Days. Plan beforehand to make each day a success.
Children's Day, June 14; Educational Day, Third Sunday in
September; Literary Congress and Educational Rally, Octo-
16
ber 6th and 7th; Allen's Day, February; Endeavor Day;
Easter Day; Great Missionary Rally Day.
This is a stupendous program and none but men of the
highest type can carry out this program. A man to do this
work must be touched by Holy fire, and lifted out of himself.
If we have such men we will succeed, for God himself has
so decreed. We need men who will lose sight of everything
b-it God and duty. Peter Cartwright, an eccentric M. E.
preacher i nthe last century, was preaching one day and
Andrew Jackson came in. He preached right on as though
he did not notice him. A young preacher was sitting near
and whispered at once, "There's General Jackson." The
preacher spoke on as if he did not hear. Again the whisper,
n little louder than before, "There's General Jackson!" Still
he did not seem to attract the attention of the speaker. But
when he snoke ouite loud the third time the same thing, the
speaker stopped and looked at the young man saying, "And
who is General Jackson ? God Almighty will damn his soul
and send him to hell as quick as he will a guinea nigger if
he does not repent and cry for mercy." He then went on and
finished his sermon. When services were dismissed, it is
said General Jackson remarked: "If I had an army of men
like that preacher I could conquer the world."
So we need men wh will lose sight of men and put away
the man-pleasing spirit. We are all one—one company—
let the cry be, "Our District." We will succeed more glori¬
ously if we unite our forces and move in a solid phalanx
against the enemy. Aim to succeed not only as individual
pastors, but as a District as well. We need more consecra¬
tion; we should be more loving and God can use us to better
advantage. While we address the ministrv as the leaders in
the work of soul-saving, it by no means follows that they are
to do all the work. God wants to use His whole church.
Each member and each child feel that God highly honors
him by allowing him to take the least part in this holy and
frforious work of soul's saving. God does permit angels to
minister unto them who shall be the heirs of salvation, but
He allows none but human kind to preach this wonderful
salvation to his fellows, and teach them, line upon line, and
precept upon precept, the way of eternal salvation.
How glorious then that God should so honor the poor sin¬
ful men. If He should speak to an angel that creature would
fly with hasty wings. But no, He addresses himself to men
"Go into mv vineyard and work and whatever is right I
will pay thee!" Why can we not see that thrones and crowns,
17
mansions and rule over five cities and ten cities are held up
before us.
Methinks we just would see the Savior in his passion for
souls, how his zeal would inspire us! If our hearts were in
just the proper frame, if a double portion of his spirit rested
upon us as Elijah prayed—we would consider no task too
hard or too humble just so we were winning souls for the
Master. Even young children when inspired bring their
young voices to sing His praises and hands to do any little
task assigned them. For James 5-20 says, "Brethren, if any
of you do err from the truth and one convert him, let him
know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of
his ways shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multi¬
tude of sins."
May our God start a wave of Holy impulses sweeping oyer
our entire District till every nerve center in our physical
anatomy shall thrill and vibrate with God's love, till our
sons and daughters, our neighbors and their children shall
be brought into the kingdom ofChrist. Oh! that the lay
members may take a deeper interest in this glorious work.
We are calling the man in the pews to song, prayer, and
earnest living, and God will make us a spiritual dynamo to
batter down the ramparts of sin and satan, and usher in the
glorious kingdom of the immaculate Christ. Let our local
preachers take notice—I. Tim. 4-14: "Neglect not the gift
that is in thee—seek places to exercise your talent."
Why should we not reach out for new records ? Records
for soul-saving, and finance as well. I say "Why?" Inspired
by that intrepid, learned,.sagacious, consecrated man of God
who leads the Second Episcopal District, Bishop L. J. Cop-
pin, LL. D., and that no less eminent man of God in his class,
Dr. E. H. Hunter, who knows how to bring thins® to pass—
pastor of St. John Norfolk, and that array of efficient, true,
tried, pastors on the Tide-washed Eastern shore—backed up
by a loyal membership, we have the means in hand to set
new standards. Why not take the Connectional Dollar
Money Banner, and the Centennial Banner as well.
All Europe had made a coalition against Napoleon, the
Great Military Captain General of the ages. The Austrians
were led by Mesaias, the old General. He had thrown his
phalanxes against Napoleon's "old guard" which was led
on by Desias, the "Boy General." The on-slaught was so im¬
petuous that even the "Old Guard" gave way and was beaten
back. Napoleon came upon the scene only to find his old
guard driven back. Desias came sweeping to the side of the
1&
great general. "We are beaten," says Napoleon to his Lieu¬
tenant. "Beat a retreat," says he to the drummer boy whom
Desias had picked up on the streets of Paris. The boy stood
unmoved. "Gamin, I say, Beat a Retreat." "I do not know
how to beat a retreat," says the boy, "but I can beat a
charge, 0 I can beat a charge till even the dead will fall into
line! May I beat that charge now? Desias says there is
time now to win a victory before night. I beat it at the
Pyramids, also at Mt. Tabor and at Lodi." He did beat the
charge till in a few moments the corps was following the
sword gleam of Desias, which pointed to victory. Desias fell
at the first volley from the enemy, but on the Drummer boy
went, beating furiously the charge till the men moved by the
drum beat swept everything before them, and a great vic¬
tory was gained that day. The Anstrians were taken com¬
pletely by surprise and swept back and still back till they
were utterly routed, because the boy had never learned to
beat a retreat. We have but one Captain—His name is
Jesus. He is invincible, His sword-gleam points us to vic¬
tory—we are all drummer boys; can we not. beat as furiously
and march on singing, "The fight is on O Christian Soldiers."
Beat till every member and friend of our church in the whole
District move by the drum beat whose every( tap thrills with
glory to His name. We wil Ifollow our Captain to tV>e end.
"If Jesus Christ is a man, and only a man, I say
Of all mankind I'll cleave to him,
And will cleave to him always.
If Jesus Christ is a God, and the only God, I swear
I will follow Him through heaven and hell
The earth, the sea, the air."—(R. W. GILDER).
STATE OP THE COUNTRY—B¥ J. W. SANDERS
Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Colorado Conference:
To me is assigned the subject of the State of the Country. We
will notice first, the country as viewed from without, and its attitude
to the outer world.
Second. Let us note in part, at least, its internal conditions.
Third. Let us see if we can gain a dearer idea of the attitude
of the country to its Colored citizens.
Fourth. Let us pay a tribute to that gallant, intrepid leader of
men who is now called upon to grasp the standard of the great Repub¬
lican Party.
First. In so far as" this country, as a nation, is concerned, it is at
peace with all the world, and in the comity of the nations, she is the
acknowledged leader of the civilized countries of the earth; in wealth,
railways, agriculture, industries, manufactures, and commerce, she
has not a rival.
19!
These tangible evidences of material prosperity are to be consid¬
ered as having been won through the application of inventive genius
and mechanical skill to the inexhaustible resources of our virgin soil-
Our expansion policy has given us very much territory ni the tropics
—either as colonial dependencies, Porto Rico, Guam, Hawaii, Philip¬
pines, or as proteges of the government, as Cuba, under patronage ox
the Monroe doctrine. .
So, if we but view from without as she rides in majesty, delivering
the oppressed, lifting intolerable burdens from the shoulders of the
downtrodden, bringing inestimable blessings to the afflicted of earth,
we shall be struck with admiration of her wondrous career and cry:
"Ride on in grandeur, ship of state."
Second. Internal Conditions. When we begin to examine her
internal workings, grave difficulties present themselves. When we scan
her complex machinery of government, the three co-ordinate func¬
tions—legislative, judicial and executive—which trinity is supposed to
itvork in such harmonious accord that no serious friction shall result,
but the outcome of such working shall be equal and exact justice to
all citizens, we find that grave and complex questions, arising from
our economic condition, .press forward for settlement, till it requires
the best brain and patriotism of the country to avert open war. The
great questions before the country are seven in number, viz: (1) Race.
{2) Labor. (3) Trust. (4) Tariff. (5) Expansion. (6) Foreign. (7)
Currency.
We will waive the discussion of the race problem for the present,
and notice the others briefly in order. In a recent number of the "Out¬
look," in discussing the policy of the Republican Party, it says we can
best find it in the utterances of the leader of the party—President
Reosevelt. Without equivocation, he has spoken outright and direct
on all important questions.
Labor. At Chattanooga, Tennessee, he said: I believe in organi¬
zation of labor, in organization of wage workers. Organization is one
of the laws of our social and economic development of this time. In
Butte, Montana, he said this is not, and never shall be a government
of a plutocracy. It is not and never shall be a government by a mob.
And when one "Miller" was expelled from the union in Washington,
D. C., and the union demanded his expulsion as associate foreman of
the government printing office, it seems that he was discharged. But
Mr. Roosevelt reinstated him, and said, "I cannot consider his being a
member of the union or not, as being for or against him in govern¬
ment employ—labor should be free to join "the union or not, just as it
may elect."
On the question of trusts, he thus speaks: "These great corpora¬
tions, loosely called trusts, are creatures of the state, and should be
controlled by the state. If we have not the full power to do so, I be¬
lieve this power should be given by constitutional amendment, if need
be, and these trusts should be controlled by national government. WTien
the power of control is assumed, it should be exercised with extreme
caution. That is what I should insist on. Then the first step in this
regulation is publicity—turn the searchlight of publicity on the in¬
ternal workings of these organizations, so we may know what they
do. For the purpose of such regulation and publicity, a department
of government should be created, which shall have charge of that
work, and a cabinet officer appointed known as 'Secretary of Commerce
and Industry.'" That recommendation has been enacted into law, and
20
these very clear and just statements have brought down on him the
wrath of a number of the great money powers of Wall Street, New
York. It is said that J. P. Morgan was once bitterly hostile, and did
not hesitate to criticize him, but has been placated. Many presidents
would hesitate if he hopes for election again. But see the man! With
fire on this side we shall see later the same intrepid spirit drawing
fire from the left flank.
Tariff. He believes in a protective tariff, a protective policy.
However, when the tariff is no longer needed for protection, he would
have the system so flexible that it can be adjusted from time to time
to meet the varying economic conditions, and. if needed, the Republi¬
can party can be trusted to change the schedule of particular items.
And, supplemental to protection, he would have a carefully considered
and well organized policy of reciprocity, to enlarge the scope of our
commerce.
Expansion. The right of the American people to own territory
not a part of the United States, and to govern those residing therein,
though not citizens, is no longer a question, since it has been settled
definitely and repeatedly by the supreme court. But the question is,
with what spirit shall we approach these people? We aim to do more
for them than has been done for the people of the tropics by the best
nations who have had experience in governing colonial dependencies.
W do not aim to exploit these islands for our own aggrandizement;
but our purpose is to lead these people upward along the stony path¬
way of self-government, giving themdn larger degree a share in the
government as they show themselves capable of assuming govern¬
mental control, until they shall finally be a free and self-governing
people like the best of the really free nations.
Foreign Policy. We want the friendship of all nations—the great
nations and the large and small nations. Let us attend to our own
business—^let others attend to theirs. Let us lift what needs to be
lifted here. In order to carry out this policy of peace, let us have a
larger navy. We want to be in a state cf preparedness. , Not that we
want war, but peace. The voice of the weakling or craven counts for
but little, but we wish to stand with those whose plea for peace is lis¬
tened to with respectful attention.
Currency, fie is against free silver and for the gold standard.
He would have an elastic currency, which will meet the varying needs
of the nation as contraction or expansion requires. In short, Mr.
Roosevelt says about labor:
Labor. Let us have labor free to join or not join unions.
Trusts. Let government supervise great corporations.
Protection. Maintain it, subject to revision supplemented by a
well regulated reciprocity policy.
Dependencies. We rule alien people only to prepare them for
self-government.
Navy. We need an ample navy.
Currency. We need a flexible currency, based on an inflexible
standard.
Race. Let us now see if we can arrive at a clearer view of the
attitude of the government towards her Colored citizens. We shall,
perhaps, have time to notice but three questions that are up affecting
us as a race directly. And we can safely say that the executive de¬
partment cf our government stands for full rights as men. So, if we
can have the judicial and legislative departments to work harmoni-
21
ously, our hindrances and barriers to advance by honest, intelligent
efforts will be removed.
Mr. Roosevelt says, treat Negroes as other men—that is, he—the
Negro—will not be coddled because he is a Negro, nor will he be
barred from preferment, if worthy, simply and only because he is
black. His words along these lines have the ring of the patriot
statesman and philanthropist. His main utterances were drawn out m
the case of the appointment of Dr. Crum to be collector of the
Charleston, S. C. The people said in a mighty spirited protest:^ He
is a colored man, and that in itself should bar him from office."
I judge that they thought it was a special lick at Tiltmanism to
have this man in his state. The president replied: "God bless him
so far as I legitimately can, I shall always pay regards to the wishes
and desires of the people in every locality, but I cannot take the po¬
sition that the door of hope—the door of opportunity, is to be shut
upon any man, no matter how worthy, purely on the ground of race
or *color. Such an attitude would, according to my convictions, be
fundamentally wrong." Again, "All men up. No man down" vs.
"Some men down. White men up."
Co-Education. The enemies of co-education in Kentucky are ac¬
tive, says the July number of the A. M. E. Review. That magazine is
edited in a masterful manner, and is indispensable to the A. M. E.
preacher who would be up withi the times. I quote largely from it now
on the pending questions. At Berea College, in Kentucky, the educa¬
tion of the two races has been going on side by side for nearly forty
years. The legislature of Kentucky passed a law prohibiting such
education. The trustees believe that the law is repugnant to the Four¬
teenth Amendment to the National Constitution, which prohibits any
sate from making such a law, hence, they proposed to raise a fund to
fight it in the court. Mr. Andrew Carnegie at once gave $50,000 to
the institution. So there seems to be an almost universal sentiment
in the South to rob colored men of the rights conferred by the Four¬
teenth Amendment. If Berea College loses the fight they will move
the school to Cincinnati.
Trial by jury. The supreme court has handed down an opinion
which is far reaching in its effect.
Justice Harlan first laid down this principle: It is a denial of the
equal protection of the law guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amend¬
ment to exclude colored men from jury, and that whenever such ex¬
clusion was practiced, no matter under what color of authority, any
conviction had could be set aside by appeal to that guarantee of the
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Case in Delaware. Still
Texas and Alabama sought to set aside this plain principle, and Jus¬
tice Gray says: Whenever by any action of state, whether through
its courts or its executive or administrative officers, all persons of the
African race are excluded, solely on account of color, from serving
as grand jurors in the criminal prosecution of a member of his r-ace,
the equal protection of the law is denied him. The case is an impor¬
tant one, since no verdict of any kind will stand, even though both
parties in a given case be white, for the losing party could always note
exceptions to the decision of the supreme court; It can but have a
beneficial effect, and in this we can score a victory all along the line,
based on our constitutional guaranty.
Franchise. In six ofthe Southern states, laws have been passed
by legislature, whose purpose is to rob the colored men of the privi-
lege of voting, viz., South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama,
North Carolina and Louisiana.
The constitutionality of these laws was tested in several cases
before the supreme court. When the cases came up the court in¬
variably refused to annul them on the ground of no jurisdiction. One
of the justices said the court could not give the petitioners the relief
sought, for they could not remove the governor and other state offi¬
cials while the representatives in Congress, elected under the same
constitution, held their seats in national Congress. Fortunately we
have to look only a little further when the same authority tells us
(Mr. Daniel Murray ni the Review), Mr. Mann, of Illinois, Chairman
of Committee, on Privileges and Elections, U. S. House of Representa¬
tives, in the case of Dantzler vs. Lever, from the 7th District of South
Carolina. In this report reference is made to an absolete law on the
reconstruction acts, passed June 25th, 1868, and made a fundamental
condition in re-admitting Couth Carolina into the Union. It was sol¬
emnly affirmed by all the states that the constiuttion of neither of said
states shall be so amended or changed as to deprive any citizen of the
United States of the right to vote in said states who are entitled to
vote by the constitution thereof, herein recognized, except as a punish¬
ment for such crimes as are now felonies of the common law, whereof
they shall have been duly convicted under laws equally applicable to
all inhabitants of said states. Providing any altering of said Consti¬
tution may be made with reference to the time and place of residence
of voters. Now, the state of South Carolina nor any of the other
states had any educational or property qualifications in their constitu¬
tions for any of their /voters. Hence, there are six states of the South
who have violated the fundamental condition of the act readmitting
them into the Union, and it is now up to the legislative department of
government to say what shall be done.
The question was first brought up by Mr. Robt. W. Taylor, of
Ohio, in the first session of the 57th Congress, in the case of Mr.
Carter Glass to fill out the unexpired term of Mr. Peter Otey, deceased.
It is probable that a suit in the supreme court under this head
may be made, since any citizen deprived of his right to vote may in¬
augurate a suit to test the constitutionality of this question under a
suit for damages for such a denial. If the supreme court of the United
States shall declare that the conditions imposed by the reconstruction
a;ts of June 25th, 1868, were fundamental and constitutional, and that
the several revised constitutions are in conflict therewith and hence
invalid, the effect of such a decision would be to compel all such states
to immediately bow in submission and change their constitutions that
they may be in harmony with such decision, otherwise to be denied
representation in congress. Herein lies the whole question, and what
is more to the point, the method of procedure.
No new question is involved herein. Xn 1820, when the famous
Missouri compromise was up, Congress assumed the right to impose
fundamental conditions on a state seeking admission into hte Union,
whuch, when accepted, became a forever binding contract; one which
the state was bound forever to observe. Missouri had in her consti¬
tution in 1818, a clause forbidding the Negroes from coming into the
Stave, and because of this, the House of Representatives refused to
admit the state in the Union. Now comes Henry Clay with his fa¬
mous compromise, which was inserted in her enabling act, by which
Missouri agreed never to pass any law by which any citizen of any
state would have his right annulled or impaired. Congress can, in
dealing with the six states which have disfranchised their Negro voters
control the matter by compelling each state to observe the funda¬
mental conditions imposed previous to admission, otherwise to be de¬
nied representation. This plain principle was not by any means
strange, but by many it was forgotten. Utah had conditions imposed
upon her in regard to polygamy. Ex-Governor Bullock says, in the
"Sun": "The Fortieth Congress in 1869-70 compelled the state of
Georgia to act squarely by its colored citizens. The state of Georgia
was the first to throw down the gauntlet to the United States govern¬
ment, in expelling her colored members elected under the reconstruc¬
tion policy of the Republican party. When Congress and the presi¬
dent heard of it, the representatives from Georgia were denied seats in
Congress. There was no< whining for a supreme court decision.
Georgia repented of he rhasty action, and from that day to this has
not sought by illegal means to deprive colored men of the right to
vote or, if elected, to a seat in state legislature, that seat has not
been denied him."
The latest decision of the supreme court on the disfranchisement
clause of the several Southern states was rendered April 25th, 1904,
in th case of W. H. Jones vs. Andrew Matahue, Governor of Virginia.
The opinion of Mr. Justice Brewer, all the justices concurring, would
not give the colored people the idea that all of their friends on the
supreme bench were weakening in their attitude on the question of
human rights. There are rules .and precedents which hedge about the
supreme court. The cases brought to the attention of the court were
wrecked against these snags. Mr. Justice Harlan is one unfailing
friend, who never omits an opportunity to speak a word for the Negro.
The course adopted by the United States Senate in the Georgia case
will have to be followed by the House of Representativs in this mat¬
ter; i. e., deny representation to all such states, and in that way make
the question a national one. So we are fighting for equal educational
advantages, right of trial by a jury of our peers, and a free ballot and
fair count.
In conclusion, there stands at the head of the nation at the pres¬
ent time, a man who is known as the most outspoken man on all pub¬
lic questions since the days of Abraham Lincoljri. Not in any sense
rash or unguarded, but a man grounded in convictions of duty. A man
of sterling integrity and honesty. A man who looks duty in the face—
and duty never looks him out of countenance; who, when called upon
to define his position on any question of justice or public policy, never
hedges nor dodges. Such a man is called upon to grasp the standard
of the great Republican party. Not since the never to be forgotten
days of the early 60's, when Abraham Lincoln rose in majesty, the
guiding genius in those dark and troubulous days. His voice was
heard above the din of conflict: "Malice toward none, but charity for
all'. He urged on the boys in blue, telling them: "This nation cannot
permanently endure half slave, half free." They rallied to his call till
they said, "There's a million of men in the field." Then prayers arose
from every hearth. War clouds darkened the heavens. The roar of
cannon, the flash of musketry made the skies lurid with flames. Earth
shook beneath the clash of contending battalions, who cried, "Victory
Dr the grave!"
In that day the immortal Lincoln made illustrious his name, and
jnshrined his memory in the tender affections of four millions of
24
freedmen. Never since his day has there arisen a man to hold the
reins of government like Theodore Roosevielt. He seems to be the man
Providence designs "should come to the kingdom at such a time as
this" to further the work so auspiciously begun a generation ago. In
this day when riches increase, and through the arts of peace comforts
multiply; when rampant commercialism aims to defy the very powers
of government and all law; when labor complains they have no just
share of the product of the toil of their hands; when racial antipathy is
seen on every hand, and the energies of the black man are bold and
defiant as they systematically proceed to dspoil him of his rights guar¬
ds labor; sheriff shuts him from the jury box where he is being tried,
anteed by the constitution, by every subterfuge; the Peon system takes
grandfather clause takes from him the ballot; while labor unions deny
him the right to aim to dignify his toil—at such a time the nation
needs a man fearless, unbiased. We want no special favors. No
privileges not given every other citizen. But we need a man who will
hold the scales of even-handed justice—and such a man is now before
th American people. There are a thousand princes. He is the one
among them who, by reason of his rounded develpoment in physical,
mental, moral and spiritual qualities, is eligible. He is the one among
them who possesses all these qualities in full measure. By his avail¬
ability he will be called upon by the franchises of seventy millions of
people to preside over their destinies. To such a man Africa's sons
and daughters are ready to bow. He has' been spoken of as the man
on horseback by Col. Watterson, evidently intending to convey the
idea that he was another Bonaparte, sitting on a white horse, with
consuming ambition to become dictator of the world. They are just
one hundred years apart in time; both may stride white horses, but
.here the similarity ends.
Wendell Phillips said Napoleon made his way to empire over
broken oaths and through a sea of blood. And the star that rose one
hundred years ago, was he who was called the man of destiny. But
he went down a perjured, lone, pitiable object, stripped of power. But,
ah! he who sits as a conqueror today has made truth his panoply, and
called justice and reason to wait at his side as handmaids. Robed with
this pharaphernalia, we cry: "Ride on, thou who sits as a conqueror
glorious in thy conception of duty. Matchless in the stretch of thy
beneficent fancy. Unapproachable in the execution of thy trust. We
hail you, and we will march with a million ballots as so many freemen
spears to guard the integrity of thy seat of power. Ride on! till this
nation, being baptized with increasing light, and grace, shall lift every
toiler, of whatever race, to higher heights of Christian civilization.
Ride on! til the lowly of our people can arise from' the dust and lift
up their heads—advancing in education, in industry, and usefulness—
lay claim to all the rights and emoluments granted any citizen under
the Magna Charta of America—liberty—and have those rights ac¬
corded them. Ride on, till this nation, being moulded more and more
in conformity to the principle of justice as between man and man;
till in every nook and corner of the land the scintillations of enlight¬
ened intelligence shall drive darkness from the earth, and your lumi¬
nous pathway shall be the beacon light and guiding star for your suc¬
cessors for all time, as Lincoln was; and this matchless republic, the
most glorious of any upon whom God's sun has shone, shall expand
and unfold in beauty and symetry, like the forest oak of two hundred
years, till its.height shall reach to the skies, and in its spreading
25
branches wide extended, the oppressed and humble of all races, like
birds, may find shelter; while in its shade the toiler may recline. Kide
on till the evolution of this nation shall usher in the Godman, when He
shall come again to reign with his people a thousand years, and they
shall be in number as the leaves of the tree th atfills the whole earth
and every leaf shall be vocal with praises, when the acclaim shall ring
through th vaulted skies. Allelua! The Lord God Omnipotent
reigneth!"
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
By J. W. Sanders
To the Bishop and Conference:
We, your committee, beg to submit the following report:
By education, we mean to bring out and train the mental powers;
to inform and enlighten the understanding. We see at once the im¬
portance of the subject while we live in the world and while we are
constituted as we are. The question of life itself in one view is a
question of education. Our physical life is contingent on the develop¬
ment of the knowledge or instinct of self-preservation. As Herbert
Spencer points out a person destitute of this knowledge, loses his life
the first time he goes down the city, by steam engine, electric car,
automobile or moving train, fey: all the world moves with the idea that
the instinct of self-preservation is everywhere in evidence. And also
a spiritual education is deemed necessary in sacred writ: "For this
is life Eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus
Christ whom thou hast sent." We are led up to this knowledge by
religious education; hence it is difficult to over-estimate the importance
of education if we take it in the full force of its meaning. There is
down-right pleasure in the thought of education for intelligent beings.
A growth ni knowledge and wisdom in the power of thought and ratio¬
cination. How different from the lower animals. They start in life
farther advanced than the infant child. You take the chick, kitten,
puppy, they do all their parents ever do in the way of sustaining life
ina few days after birth. But this early maturity is given them at a
tremendous cost. They never know the pleasure of improvement. By-
instinct they are barred from the opportunity of being educated.
Heredity equips them so they are able to do just what their parents
have done before them and so they make no progress. They begin
existence as mature creatures with activities predetermined, hence im¬
provement in a chicken today is as the one 1,000 years ago.
But man coining into the world at such a low state of existence—
unconscious ofthe fact of his being—is entirely dependent on others,
and that through a long series of years. The normal child is seen
gradually expanding in physical proportion, in mental power, in moral
grandeur, in spiritual vigor and understanding. Herein God has set
the seal of his sovereignty on man in that he can advance in power
and greatness, i. e., he can be educated. We have thought to consider
the subject from the viewpoint of four eminent characters, who, look¬
ing on the English-speaking peoples of earth, in their efforts in modern
education, have sought to lift to a higher plane and give greater effi¬
ciency to the universal effort being made to enlighten every child of
the nation by giving many millions in money for this noble cause.
Perhaps from this general view we may get a clearer idea, of how
these movements* affect us and what w© should endeavor to do in,the
premises, for in, the last eight years there has come over the minds of
mn an intense- interest in popular, as well as higher education.
Some years ago Mr. R. C. Ogden, with others, organized what is
known as the Southern Educational Board. It had no funds to dis¬
burse but was a. board for agitation and investigation only; to secure
greater educational help for the children of the South, both white and
black, and that in places where most needed. It is said this board led
to the organization of the movement by John D. Rockefeller. This
"Ogden" board created a sentiment among the best Southern men, sa
well as the liberal minded men of the North. So a natural feeling
along educational lines was fostered. It did, however, escape the
criticism that the movement had resolved itself into a movement to
help Negroes, and neglect whites. After this board had made an ex¬
haustive study of the situation then comes forward the man who has
given the largest sum of money the world has ever knwpn for educa¬
tion, viz.: J. D. Rockefeller; He has a force of experts in the con¬
tinuous and systematic study of educational conditions in all the states
of the union. The board assists by gifts and otherwise at its dis¬
cretion; it also designs to be a medium through whieh other men of
means can promote education in its various forms in a systematic, in¬
telligent and effective way. Mr. W. H. Baldwin was the first chairman,
Mr. Geo.' Foster Peabody, treasurer; Dr. Wallace Buttric, secretary.
All of the first board were members of some society which aimed to
foster education in the United States, chosen for their experience in
educational benefactions; It all shows that the modern world is moved
by a spirit of research, investigation and study. Teh general ideas
advanced and the money to carry these ideas into effect are- influencing
the world as never before along educational lines. First, Mr. Rocke¬
feller caused a temporary board to be organized, and one million; was
given it, while Mr. Edward H. Shepard was preparing a charter to be
presented to Congress for passage. It was signed by-President Roose¬
velt January 12, 1908i It was permanently organized'and enlarged
January 29, 1903. At first they decided to nicrease the" efficiency of
rural schools i nthe South and they adopted a practical plan.- The
South is 85■ per cent rural an has a large body of praotical agricultural
knowledge, not put into practices They held,, that the best way to im¬
prove elementary- 'schools 'is to train- farmers in scientific farming, to
enable the farmers to better their condition. There were demonstra¬
tion farms in Txas, conducted by the United States Department of
Agriculture under Dr. S. A. Knapp. This Rockefeller board then
sought to co-operate with the government in ..these demonstration
farms in other states. This board has an. agreement with the gov¬
ernment Department of Agriculture for the promotion of the work in
Alabama, Mississippi, eGorgia, South Carolina, North. Carolina, Vir¬
ginia, and Florida. Several years ago * there were 89 supervising,
agents and 15,000 farms for demonstration. Many letters-., are re-
ceiyed, approving this work. The. board feels. that if they are,per¬
mitted to follow up this work through a series of years, the country
will prosper to that extent, that they will be able , to support a system
of elementary schools unaided.
Thus far the board has fashioned its; working modelafter the
Booker Washington idea. It was found that, another need of the. South
was an efficient system of High: Schools. Years ago the schools of the
South were the best in the land. But now, they are mostly, found in
cities and they are of poor grade. Hence the board decided it was
best to co-operate with High Schools and Universities., and appropri¬
ations have been made to Universities for professors and secretaries,
for travel, etc. Those men had invaded Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Louisiana,
and on the 30th day of June, 1905, the board received a notice that Mr.
Rockefeller would give ten million dollars. It was October 1, 1905.
This enabled the board to extend the work throughout the whole coun¬
try as at first contemplated by the charter. It was called the John D.
Rockefeller Foundation for Higher Education. This board had spent
$700,000 of the first million in the South and about one-half of that
sum was spent on colored children.
The conditions, in the South had been studied, and now a study of
conditions in the whol ecountry has begun. In order to aid all of the
colleges in the whole country to do a greater work for the students, on
February 7, 1907, Mr. Rockefeller sent another gift of $32;000,000 to
the board, making in all $43,00.0,000. Conditional appropriations have
been made to forty colleges in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Caro¬
lina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky,
Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Mis¬
souri, Kansas and Colorado. Twenty-five of these Cheery schools have
complied with the conditions, and only one has failed. Fifteen report
progress.
Who can tell the benefits from such a far-reaching, comprehensive
policy, backed up by that princely sum of money, having some of the
wisest practical educators in the land to handle the fund.
In the second place we have the movement of Hon. Cecil Rhodes,
the late South African statesman, e died March 26, 1902, and left
$10,000,000 to found scholarships in connection with Oxford Univer¬
sity, London, opened to English speaking people the world over. Ef¬
fort is made through this movement to find the brightest mmds and
strongest moral characters, to remove every obstacle to such person
developing his powers to the utmost in order that the world might
have the best he is capable of producing. This-school is situated in
proud and cultured England, but so broad was the mind of the founder
that all English speaking people are included. About four years ago
the United States sent over thirty-seven students under the provision
of the "Rhodes will," and last year one of the young o win this much
coveted scholarship was Alain LeRoy Locke, of Philadelphia. He
thereby demonstrated that—
"Honor and fame from no condition rise,
Act well thy part, here all the honor lies."
He outstripped thousands of white young men. Next we have the
work of Mr. Andrew Carnegie. He is perhaps the most unique charac¬
ter this country has produced ni fifty years. He founded the Carneg-ie
Institution with Dr. D. C. Gilman, president. He says the purpose of
this nistitution is the "advancement of knowledge." It is located in
Pittsburgh, Pa. It's a school of technology. It occupies a distinct po¬
sition in the field of education with no interference with the plans of
other organizations. He hopes to promote science in this country. He
seeks the man who along with other qualities has faculties keen for
research and investigation, e is supposed to be led to the border land
of the knowable, then push out in his bark of investigation and re-
2S
search into the unknown, seeking for new truths for the delectations
of the world of mankind.
Mr. Carnegie's benefactions take seven distinct directions:
1. Carnegie Technical Institute, Pittsburgh.
2. Washington Memorial Institute, Washington, D. C.
3. Carnegie libraries, of which there are 1,500.
5. Carnegie's Hero Fund.
6. Pan-American Congress building.
7. He is building White Temple at The Hague.
In all of these movements an educational idea prevails and an ef¬
fort is made to make the world better. The aim is to make knowledge
accessible, not remote. He does not intend that any great mind shall
remain undeveloped, because of poverty if he can help it. Genius is
a rare plant—it may spring up in any soil. Attention is given to
physical education as well. The statement is made, "He who helps a
boy to become a strong boy as well as a good boy makes a contribution
of the first class to the nation." We have education for occupation,
and education for trade and craft is the technical demand of the hour;
education for character the little rural college gave; education for
citizenship belongs to the college of tomorrow. While the "union" of
all these ideals mean culture/the standard of today is commerce, but
we must make culture the goal and as we raise the "social leader"
we suppress the "leader of society." We shall demolish the standard
of the leisure class education, as we develop the "democratic educa¬
tional conception"- for which Matthew Arnold pleads: "The great men
of culture are those who have had a passion for diffusing, for making
prevail, for carrying from one end of society to the other, the best
knowledges—the best ideas, of their times, who have labored to divest
knowledge of all that was harsh, uncouth, difficult, abstract, profes¬
sional, exclusive; to humanize it, to make it efficient oiitside the clique
of the cultivated and learned, yet still retaining the best knowledge and
thought of the time. We have about six millions of people above ten
years of age who are illiterate. Less than one-half of these are col¬
ored; two millions of these are native whites to say nothing of foreign-
born. The average annual attendance is nine millions; 150,000 stu¬
dents attend our colleges and universities, public and private. We
have $200,000,000 invested in equipment arid endowment. We spend
from fifteen to twenty millions for the education of a body of students
who number 1.40 per cent of the illiterates. This money is given in
part by rich men who want the next generation to be better educated
than we. In either case we pension a small number to increase their
efficiency. And for what? We want to span the gulf between the
educated and the uneducated, and we are to provide leaders of the
unlearned from the ranks of culture. Because subsidized education
means reciprocal social service. In other words, if we educate one
of our boys he feels it his bounden duty to give his life for the church
and race. We have illustrious examples—Rev. J. C. Caldwell, of the
Allen C. E. League, and many others we might mention. Hence, we
proceed on the assumption that the problems that confront us are
largely edu cational and foremost among all i sthe question of de¬
veloping leaders.
Nevertheless, in the sweep of the ages you will find no age like
the present. Doubtless other ages had that wherein they glorified,
but if you take up the field glass of history, look back to the begin¬
ning of time, you will find no age like the present. Popularly speak-
29
•ing, the world was 4,000 years old in the time of Christ; it has seen
1,900 years since His day. If each century be regarded as a golden
link of a chain uniting all past with the present, then of the fifty-nine
links, the last one is the most luminous of all.
Education implies no the one hand a master mind, who compre¬
hends the scope of the work to be done, and on the other the "sub¬
ject" committed to his hand to be conducted along the way of knowl¬
edge to towering heights of commanding intelligence.
In the subject a new force is to be taken into acicount, a mighty
energy is being unloosed, a deathless spirit suddenly begins to push
its way into this busy world to influence it and be influenced by it.
There are marvelous powers and susceptibilities. I see this same in¬
fant clinging to the hand of its guide, rise from its swaddling clothes,
and step by step he advances to childhood, youth, young manhood, then
the mature manhood. When fully developed educationally he can delve
into the bowels of the earth, scan the fields, survey the nations, count,
th stars and call them by their names, measure the distance of un¬
known worlds, and as he sweeps the heavens with the eye of his in¬
telligence he sees system upon system, solar, and stellar, "worlds
without end." Or, grander still, if he turns his eyes within himself
and understands first himself, and how he is related to God and to his
fellowman, both for time and for eternity! 'Tis the educated Negro
who must know and teach these things. .We have certain rights guar¬
anteed us by the constitution. But statutory law is one thing and
what we have accorded us in actual experience is quite another thing.
The A. M. E. Church has ever put forth her efforts to train a class
of men through her schools, who have ever "sounded forth the trumpet
which shall never call retreat" till the forts have all surrendered and
the victory is won." Certainly the vicious, the ignorant, cannot hope
to succeed. One of the strong points in the training given by the
schools of the African M. E. Church is this: They teach self, help
self-reliance; a striking out in life in noble endeavor to dare and do
for God and race. Bishop Foss said at one time, "God's message to
races, nations, and communities as well as individuals is, work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling." He says America can
never save India, England can never save India. If India is to be
saved it will be by India; Japan by Japan, and the Negro by the
Negro. The most of us are of the servant class and we therefore
start low down in the social or commercial scale; but we must not
be content to remain there. We must be content to serve for a time.
It was Satan who said, "Better reign in hell than serve in Heaven."
The most that can be done by the outside is to lend a helping hand
till the saving work is fairly begun. Prof. Johnson writes a school
history for colored youth. He also contributed an article to the A. M.
E. Review some few years ago. In that article he gives this illus¬
tration: There is a park in England of two or three acres enclosed by
a wire netting forty feet high, covered, and full of birds. These birds
are apparently at liberty; but let some powerful specimen undertake
to try his wings, say the eagle, and he would soon see that his flight
would be cut off. It is_ true many smaller ones would find ample
exercise and perhaps enjoyment in simply flying from tree to tree.
But the strong Negro, as the eagle, is shut in by the limitations set
by American prejudice and hate. An instance of manly protest vs.
unjust discrimination is seen against certain railroads in the South he-'
fore the interstate commerce commission, for equal accommodations
on common carriers, and our Bishop is one of those leaders. We must
educate because no Neophite nor Tyro pan hope to have emoluments
or honors heaped, upon him. We must develop a higher class of in¬
tellectual man, as well as moral and spiritual man—we must do a
more thorough work for our children, for we are borne along on the
crest of the wave of superficiality in every phase of our modern, rapid-
going civilization. _ Our young men must learri to think, study, reflect
for correction in judgment. It all takes time; many boys hasten to
leave school though parents beg him to go on; he makes a sad mistake
for all half educated men in future years are going half armored into
the battle of life; the enemy is simply tempted to strike him in the
unprotected parts. Time is an element; the Duke of Wellington said
at. the battle of Waterloo, "It is not a question of who can pound the
hardest, but who can pound the longest."
The world knows the result. He pounded the longest and won.
We believe in the light of present conditions, it becomes the duty
of the church more and more to train leaders of our people in pur
.church schools. We favor the policy of Secretary Hawkins: He says
not how many schools, but how good. He believes in merging some
of our weaker schools into a lesser number of stronger ones. - Strong
school;—it means equipments, campus, halls,'recitation rooms, dormi¬
tories, and above all a. strong faculty. We have seen how millions
of money are poured hi to secular education and elementary studies
are and will be gradually morte and more generally distributed. So
much the more should we strengthen the hands of those who specialize
to prepare leaders in our institutions' of higher learning for the va¬
rious activities of life. The great schools of earth have been a. long
tiem in building. / Oxford was founded 996 years ago, Cambridge 677
years, Harvard 277 years, Yale 207 years, in 1908. Of course our oldest
school, Wilberforce, is only 52 years old, but she grows in public favor
as the pioneer blazing the way for the mfental disenthrallment of the
race. True, we have other schools said to be worth more in dollars and
cents, but ail must give place to this school ni point of influence and af¬
fection in the heart of the general public. Here i^ our school here in
the west at Kansas City, Kan., "like a strong man to run a race; he
shakes himself." Western University is on the map and under the
leadership of Bishop" Grant, Dr. Vemon and Prof. French, it is destined
to do great work. Its success in, the last quadrenium has been phe¬
nomenal. Secretary Hawkins tells us in the "Educator" of a number
of other schools, and gives us the cuts of some. We have Morris
Brown, of Atlanta, Ga.; Kittrell, of Kitrell, N. C.; Allen University,
South Carolina; Paul Quinn, of Waco, Tex.; Payne University, Selma,
Ala. We Relieve that no place on earth can train our race so well
as we can; that thought is in harmony with the idea advanced by
Bishop Foss noted a while ago. A peculiar condition confronts us
as a people, hence a peculiar training is necessary. This need is laid
on the hearts of some of our noblest citizens, for Miss Anna T. Jeanes,
of Philadelphia, Pa., gave one million dollars to educate Negroes in
the rural districts in the ex-slave states. Our own Bishop Grant,
Booker T. Washington and Hon. Wm. H. Taft, candidate for president,
are on the board of trustees of the fund. New questions are ever
arising. There is a committee of 100 who stand for the advancement
of science; they insist on a cabinet position for a representative of
public health. Both of the great parties have a plank in their plat¬
form on the same subject. In this life we are ever learning and never
able to come to a knowledge of the truth in its entirty. Along this
line Mr. J. D. Rockefeller has done a thing that will immortalize his
name. He is responsible for the discovery of anti-toxine for spinal
meningitis. It saves 85 per cent of its patients, whereas before
15 per cent ever survived and they were in a masure wrecks. Dr. Win.
H. Welsch, of John Hopkins University, says by proper organization
we can cut our death rate in two. This life has its various manifold
and sometimes contradictory propositions presented for acceptance.
An educated minister must first of all know his Bible; then he
should know something of every thing that effects human life. If pos¬
sible, he should study these that he may the better understand the¬
ology, which is the science of God and Divine things. He should know
God, study nature, sociology, political economy and soar in the realms
of thought where his aesthetical nature is called upon to expend her
energy to sweep on to the purely spiritual. He should know the
things that are only material, but this is only ground work. He cannot
fulfill his calling till he can lead a people on to the heights of a spirit¬
ual plane where every soul stands out in the fierce light which beats
against the throne. We preach that "God is no respector of persons."
Every man must give an account of himself to God; the father cannot
transmit to the son. Standing there God actually weighs us in the
balances of the sanctuary morally, intellectually and spiritually, and
he rewards all for what we are, for what we are fitted to do, and for
what we are willing to do. Here is acaseinpoint: the man who went
out at the eleventh hour was willing at the first hour, hence the master
rewarded them with "every man a penny." President Roosevelt speaks
of the efficiency of our nation, or our nation as a force in the world
for the uplift of the nations. The governors of our several states met
in Washington the early part of the year and agreed that they would
all work for the beauty, healthfulness and habitability of the whole
country. We have said many things. Does it appeal to any young
man or woman, we say to all, "on to college, grapple with classics,
higher mathematics, science, both physical and metaphysical, until
you are able to defend your position against all comers.
"Is learning your ambition?
There is no royal road—
Must climb to her abode.
Alike the peer and peasant
Who seeks the thirst for knowledge
If Helicon may slake it,
If he has still the Roman will
To find a way or make it."
Produced and Read by REV. J. W. SANDERS.
ADDENDA
I regard you <s an tored^^ &S a coraPliment.
Conference as delegates to the next r Ave ®1Imters of the Va.
Ch«irch at Louisville Ky. May 1924 Thtl £0nfference °f A- M. E.
remote, our Annual Confe ence if onlv I* Conf€rLeDfe h som^at
ask you to help me by n 7 * W mon,ths h™ce. May I
you shall vote D. V If affcr readfaEVVTl, P* fiv® for whom
church for the past 38 y#ars von thnKJ l . ™y W01* in the
honor and f.vor. 7 8 X° VPIJ Y°rt^ 1 shaI1 ***** it «
Iruly your brother in ru^ q
TTuuuy i snail est
Iruly your brother in Christ
Re?. J. W. Sander*
*"THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL SERVICE"
Rev. J. W. Sanders
HE BIBLICAL WORLD of Jan., 1913, begins an
article by saying: "Modern society is under con¬
viction of sin, not in the old way of the horrors
of hell, and our consciousness that
"If my soul was sent to hell,
Thy rightous law approves it well,"
as Doctor Watts sang near two centuries ago.
But we are suffering the pangs of conscience
just the same.
So much for that Editor. You take the turmoil, maelstrom and
continual rolling around of our modern social life, and if you will take
time to observe you will see thrown up from the bottom, like mire
thrown up from a troubled stream, certain deadly evils which are
unmistakable evidences of social corruption.
Some persons are responsible for our social condition, no one
man—for the very name social sins implies collective responsibility.
Some sins God purposes to punish in this world—sins of a nation,
sins of society. r These are punished here. When we stand before the
judgment we stand as individuals. You take, for example, such sins
as lynching or the burdens and wrongs men suffer because of race
prejudice.
They are debarred from entrance into the race of life for the good
things of this world, which are won by the strongest, swiftest and best
in fair competition. When a man is barred from entering in the race
because of race prejudice we hold it to be a crime against the human
kind. Others may think it is all right and defend their action on the
ground that they are thereby guarding the purity of the race and the
ideals of the advanced civilization.
_ - -. . —1*-%
Take a few examples of what I mean as an illustration: Irish
suffer in England; Jews suffer in Russia; the Negro or any other dark
race will suffer in the United States more or less.
266
ATONEMENT OF CHRIST
265
tyrant! It is the necessary constitution of things, which even God
could not alter, without changing Himself.
Shall the ETERNAL GOD change His nature to please the rebel?
The holy law is not too jealously maintained. And surely, as we shall
presently see, God has taken the most effectual means to vindicate
both His justice and His mercy. Surely, after what He has done for
human trangressors, they carnot complain of His want of compassion!
If any one believes that the law of God is otherwise than here
whose very mission was mercy, and who could not therefore be sus-
represented, and that every sin, however slight, does not justly incur
such a weight of indignation, let him give ear to the words of Him
pected of unnecessary severity: "Think not that I am come to destroy
the Law or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."—Matt,
v. 17, 18. There is nothing about the ceremonial law, whose appoint¬
ments were indeed arbitrary and temporary. The whole is an as¬
sertion and an explanation of the spiritual, inward, boundless and
righteous dominion of moral principles; and nothing can be clearer
than the words just quoted express the absolutely unchanging,
and ever-obligatory nature and rule of those principles. This vindi¬
cation of them was uttered by Him who "came not to destroy, but
to save"; to redeem; not to judge; to endure punishment Himself,
not to punish others. To support this vindication, He agonized,
bled, and died. Is it then an unjust one? Is it then an unmerci¬
ful one? Is it an arbitrary one: If it be not, what is the situa¬
tion of every one who violates a law thus asserted, and thus sup¬
ported both by justice and mercy? Cursed is every one that continueth
not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them."
"INDIGNATION AND WRATH, TRIBULATION AND ANGUISH,
UPON EVERY SOUL OF MAN THAT DOETH EVIL."—Gal. iii:
10; Rom. ii: 8-9. **
There would then be absolute need of a superhuman salvation,
and, in short, of such a one as no human creature could effect, although
man had been a sinner in the least conceivable degree. Whatever we
may think of the degree of human guilt, this truth is every way
impregnable. But we rest not here.
Pastor St. John's A. M. E. Church, Birmingham, Ala.
CHURCH AND SOCIAL SERVICE
267
I quote from Biblical World again: Here we have overworked
mothers whose progeny must start life with an enfeebled personality.
Then come children trained and forced to work. The work of the child
is not to train him only, but he is forced to work for life and support,
and that is a sin against humanity.
Then—shop girls are burned to death for lack of fire escapes,
politicians who are grafters, corporations who defy law, white slave
traffic and America's great sin, her tremendous consumption of spirit-
ous liquors. Then come our new women, our twentieth century prod¬
uct, who, if they do not hate children, have no special love for them
nor joy in motherhood, but prefer easy club life, social club, cards,
wine, theater, dance and the continual whirl of the vaudeville and
the movies.
These evils have gripped our modern social life. You look around
in Norfolk and you will find a pronounced expression of these evils in
life, just as you will find in every modern city's social life. You go
into the streejts where men and women, boys and girls who compose
our social fabric move to and fro, and you cannot fail to discover
evidences of deep-seated social corruption. But I might say that con¬
gestion in city life has much to do with the ills our people suffer in
social life. You crowd men and women and children together in close-
heated contact and you will incubate more evil in a month than you
can neutralize with good in a year. Hence it follows that the worker
along lines of social uplift should seek for better housing of the
people, more light, air, grass, trees, plants, flowers, water and bath.
Often a person is made better by simply giving him a good bath;
warm water, with good soap to cleanse the skin; let him soak a while
to remove the effete matter from the five million pores of the human
body that throw off the poison from the system. Not let him rinse in
cool water—cold if he can stand it for a minute—to cause the blood
to rush to the skin to prevent his taking cold. Now let him rub with
a towel briskly and a glow will follow; put him into a light room, well
ventilated. Give him clean underwear, and no tonic he can take will
do him so much good, I don't care if he has been told that one good
drink of Kentucky Bourbon is the best tonic. Let him take my advice
and I will guarantee he can give the other man half a mile and beat
him in the race.
I care not how well disposed a youth may be, you take him amid
evil surroundings and just let him go, let him see and hear nothing
but evil and only evil, and that continually, and itowill take' a God to
bring him through pure and clean and undefiled. "For who can bring
a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one, says Job. The philosophers
tell us that the earth feels the tremor of a falling leaf."
If the universe is so nicely adjusted that the zephyr of a sum¬
mer's morn is felt throughout the universe, then I aver that social
repression from above has a baneful effect on the substrata of the
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THE A. M. E. REVIEW
social group which now is the poor Colored youth. The lid is on and
some one sits thereon. We hear a voice saying, "Thus far shalt thou
come, but no further."
If there is a social group higher up than we, and we acknowledge
that there is, then one of the greatest incentives to high moral effects
would be to remove from the lower social groups the artificial barriers
that fence off the underlings from the higher-ups and leave the way
open for those who, by native strength or training, can plume their
wings for higher flights than artificial barriers will allow.
You might ask: "Along what lines would you ask for the way to-
be left open, even in the present stage of social development?" I
answer, along the lines of better home conditions and better indus¬
trial opportunities and better wages accorded to efficiency. Professor
Johnson says in his school history: There is in England a park of ten
acres, wired around and above forty feet high—it is an aviary. In
this park there are a large number of birds. If in this flock there
should be found a bird of kingly mould, say an eagle, he could never
know how high he could mount on his majestic pinions, because he is
hemmed in. Now, it is all true, the average bird might do all right,
might have every aspiration of his breast satisfied by flying from tree-
to tree, from one end of the park to the other. But suppose some day,
when the storm clouds gather and begin to darken the heavens, your
king among birds should feel that lofty instinct stirring his breast and
should mount to some treetop with a screech, ready to mount heaven¬
ward through the storm. He would be barred by the wire.
Now, in like manner, all colored men are not on the same level.
Some are more gifted than others. Take some powerful specimen of
the Negro race, who feels that "the world is my parish," like Mr.
Wesley. What would he do in a wired pen? Take Prof. Booker
Washington, Bishop Coppin, Bishop Johnson, who hf.s swept half way
around the world. Would a restricted district allow them opportunity
for development? No. Take the barriers from above the eagle, and
he would flap his wings from the treetop and mount heavenward,,
defying the zig-zag lightning as it dashed its tongue of flame. He
would mount up on lordly wing. God has given every man one or
more talents and he should be allowed to exercise his god-given talents.
We will never know just what a black man can do till he is
allowed a white man's show in the race of life. We are all the time
asking that the white man should take away his restriction, give the
black man the same chance in life that other men are allowed and then
see if he can measure up to the standard set by others. When white
men require of colored men that they live up to the same moral code
the^ set for their own race, then put obstructions in the way of the
social evolution of the colored man, he re-enacts in the twentieth
century what the Egyptians did 3400 years ago—demanded of Israel
"the tale of the bricks" and refused to give them straw. But while-
CHURCH AND SOCIAL SERVICE
269
I do bring out the mitigating circumstances in the case, it by no means
follows that I do so in extenuation of the evils.
I am sure we can develop a much stronger moral character in
our social contact than we have done. "And what I can do I ought
to do and what I ought to do I will do by the grace of God."
Now our social evils are worked out along four lines mainly. And
what are they? First—I might say because it is "leading," as attor¬
neys say—is along lines of "craze for overdressing." Really a great
many of us are not able to dress as well or expensively as we do. I do
not say we should use shoddy dress, but many poor boys overdo the
thing and dress to ape the wealthy banker, and captains of industry.
I believe it is a moral duty to dress in accordance with our income,
fully recognizing the fact that we need to provide other things besides
dress. We think this dressy proposition fits us for this society we are
talking about. Now we are dressed, let the young men of my
acquaintance see my trousseau, see how lovely I look when dressed
and vice versa.
Mothers often dress girls to excite the passions of men, then
under the impulse of the third evil, viz., strong drink, too often
indulged in by both sexes and altogether too freely.
My beau or fellow and my girl fall into the sin—violation of the
seventh commandment.
I was over on the Eastern Shore on my first visit when a white
man met me, and while riding along with him (he was a storekeeper)
he took occasion to tell me, as a minister, the shortcomings of our
young people. He said that nine out of every ten young people were
off morally. „
He said he told me not to throw off on them, but that I might
see what a task I had to work on. I did not say to him all races have
their degenerates, I merely said it's too bad that the number is so
large.
One of the greatest evils, if not the greatest, is the prostitution of
the procreative organs and functions of our common humanity—men
using women simply as a tool of lust. Woman, that queen of man's
nobler nature; woman, God threw around her a barricade with only
one door of legal ingress where man could find access to her. In days
of chivalry he approached her on bended knee. We need a revival
in respect for our womanhood. God thundered from Mt. Sinai two
great laws: Six—"Thou shalt not kill." Life is sacred. He forbids
any man from taking that which God alone can give. "Do not commit
adultery" was also thundered from the same lofty peak. By this
command God threw a sanctity about the persons of our mothers,
wives, sisters, daughters, aunts and cousins. The sacred charm of
their sex was their virtue, and the man was under a curse that would
violate that chastity.
And she carries with her the unfailing evidence of her fall from
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THE A. M. E. REVIEW
a lofty pedestal when she will not defend her honor at any cost and
regard her chastity the most sacred jewel God ever gave her for
keeping. Solomon says to the man who would commit adultery with
a woman, "He lacketh understanding," a modest way of saying he is
a fool.
But how many men are there who have never violated that com¬
mand in desire nor deed at some time in his life, taking the words of
Jesus for it, who says, "Whoso looketh on a woman to lust after her
hath committed adultery with her already in his heart"? Now, if I
should begin numbering Israel I am afraid the proverbial chips might
fly too near home, so I will not stop here to inquire.
Now, following up the questions in order, we come to the fourth
proposition, viz., worldly amusements are a moral drawback to us as
a people.
Now I am not one of those people who think that young people
should not have any sort of recreation or amusement, no social gath¬
ering. But I am decidedly opposed to many forms of so-called amuse¬
ments. ' Let us not try to stamp out or disarrange social groups enjoy¬
ing the pleasure of society. But let us endeavor to regulate amuse¬
ments, purify social gatherings and thus glorify God in social life.
When we, as Christian people, get an intelligent conception of the
duty of the church in regulating social life, we will have opened up a
field of wondrous possibilities for the church.
Whence comes our social groups? They are our sons and daugh¬
ters, reared in Christian homes. Just grown up a little and strayed
away from their early training.
Society is vitally connected with our churches. We may try to
excuse ourselves from responsibility on the grounds that they are not
communicant members of our churches, many of them, but the fact
remains that they are interwoven with us in life and in death. They
are our sons and daughters. They all passed through our hands in
our Sunday schools, but we did not keep them. 1
What is the church?
It is a congregation of faithful men, where the pure word of God
is preached, etc. ,
.It is God's spiritual dynamo, which has a God-given power to
burst asunder the hard crust of the social fabric dominated by Satan,
and from the rough ashlers taken from the quarries, smoothed and
squared by master workmen, we will have beautiful stones for the
Master's use in the building of His temple.
Ps. 144-12. That our sons shall be as plants grown up in their
youth; that our, daughters shall be as stones polished after the simili^
tude of a palace. We need as workmen to catch a new vision. We
must have a center of operation, and yet we are commanded to "Lift
up our eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to the
harvest."
CHURCH AND SOCIAL SERVICE
271
From our point of vision can we not look up and out, then see if
by some concert of action we cannot shift the currents of action in
the social life in Tidewater, Va. Now let us see what is before us as
a church.
We will lie down one night and an angel will come to our section
armed with authority from heaven's God on a mission to remove the
greatest hindrance to our social regeneration. He will take the key
of every saloon and lock the doors, knock the bung out of every whisky
barrel and beer keg and let the contents flow into the gutter as a thing
outlawed. He will empty every bottle and turn glasses upside down,
and declare that traffic in the vile stuff will no longer be tolerated.
It is a most prolific source of moral degeneration. By one fell
swoop the saloon will be removed from our social and industrial life.
A void will be made, a vacuum created. Nature abhors a vacuum.
In readjusting the social life to meet the changed conditions, what
can the church do to meet the changed conditions and improve on
them?
What will rush in to fill the vacuum?
Is it not an opportunity? I might say, however, we need not
expect that the simple announcement that the saloon is to be removed
will usher in the millennium. In removing the object of our lust in no
wise removes lust from the soul. Israel in the wilderness still lusted
after the leeks and garlic and fleshpots of Egypt.
But I raise the question: Can the church rise up and, by united
action in the new adjustment to meet new conditions, shape the social
life of our youth so that it will not any longer be positively and
emphatically sinful and demoralizing, but that it will be moulded in a
Christian mould?
Young people are enthusiastic, filled with youthful fervor. They
accentuate the example set by older ones. Imitative, they will pattern
after that which they see. Hence the necessity of well-defined positive
social standards set by older persons. Let us look at the situation in
this way. Older people may be situated so they cannot well get
drunk or gamble or commit lewdness; marriage and social ties may
hedge them in from these things. But now suppose a case. If I take
an occasional glass of whisky I should never be surprised if my chil¬
dren should, in their enthusiasm, go me one better and get drunk and
make fools of themselves.
Again: I may not gamble but John comes in after an all-night
poker game, and he is young and smart. Mother asks him why he
kept her all night waiting for him; would not bolt the door, thinking
sure he would be in every minute after 1 o'clock, anyhow. He smiles
and from a handful of bills he won in the game he takes $20.00 and
gives mother with a smile. She smiles in return and says, "Where
did you get all that money from? My! my! You ought to give your
father some of that money; you will just throw it all away, anyhow.
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THE A. M. E. REVIEW
Then your sister Anna, she needs a new hat, dress and shoes." He
will give up $50.00 in that home. And they will say: "He ought not
to gamble, but he is past 21 and so smart and lucky."
This is Sunday morning. "Ain't you going to church tonight?
All of us are members but you and you went to the S. S. till you were
18 years old." Now that young man needs no other license to urge
him to gamble his soul out of his body but those soft criticisms and
extenuating smiles while eager hands are outstretched to take his
illgotten gains. He sleeps all day and gets up at sundown. Mother
has a good dinner for him. He eats, bathes, puts on his good
clothes, for he dresses almost fastidiously. He goes to church after
the other members of the family are there. Hears about five minutes
of the sermon, gives 25 or 50 cents in collection, is quiet and well
behaved in church; people say he is a nice young man. But the
gambling instinct in that young man has demoralized and destroyed
him. Again—I may myself be kept from actual adultery, but if I
allow my children the freedom of the home with young company,
going to shows, dances, engaging in parlor games with wine to
enliven and add spice to the game..
I am a good church member. I go about my church duties and
allow my girls in their teens to have a good time. I will not be
peeping and watching after them like white people did in slavery.
Let them sing, play, amuse themselves in any way they want to.
Is not my house the most popular in the neighborhood ?
Our nicest young men just love to come here and they have so
much manners—they speak to me everywhere they see me.
Under those circumstances, if I should find that under the stress
of strong temptation, the ebullition of strong passion excited by too
close intimacy, a little wine thrown in and a studied effort to let
people feel they are free and not noticed; is it any wonder that
sometimes our youth give way under such loose Christian oversight
and social freedom, and the end is seen in the social contact, and1
in social degradation and sin. And often girls are found with a
progeny of which they are not proud.
"The Church and Social Service." For years our young people
have been drifting from the church in their social life. Church en¬
tertainments are too dry, too tame; not enough excitement in them
for warm blood; too quiet; not enough dash. Not enough glitter in
them to be fascinating. Our youth again are not grounded in the
oldtime morals of the Bible. Why then should we expect them to
attend social gatherings where modesty of dress, gentle demeanor,
coupled with a high regard for our beauteous sisterhood is shown.
One of the grandest reforms among us as a people will be "A sacred
regard in the superlative degree for our young womanhood. The
average young man is discourteous. He will meet a young lady on
the street and will stop her to hold a conversation, and she, poor,
CHURCH AND SOCIAL SERVICE
273
silly thing1, will allow him to handle her name in any old way as if
she was only too glad to have him notice her.
If we can get young men to worship at this shrine with intense
devotion, you will in a single generation produce a race of men
touched by God's all-embracing spirit of power.
As he worships there he will be touched by the sword of knight¬
hood and be told: "Arise, Sir Knight, honor and power henceforth
shall ever be thine!"
Resolved: That we deem it our indispensable duty to shape the
policy of our churches to develop and guide the social life of our
young people.
We cannot excuse ourselves by saying we are too busy or we
think the social life is too complicated for the church to handle.
We have our Sunday Schools and Allen Endeavor Leagues, and
Ladies' Aid Societies, and willing workers, these have their social
committees. We can organize strong social committees who shall go
forth in God's name to shape the social life of our youth in such a
way that the baneful features of our social functions will be elim¬
inated.
Recognizing the fact that man is a social being, if we plan to
meet the longings of his social nature, we do a thing that is both
wise and godly. Notice Jesus in the home of Mary, Martha and
Lazarus, at the marriage of Cana, in the home of Zaccheus, and
Levi. Not like John the Baptist, who was an ascetic, but a loving,
humane, social being. Can you figure out how many men who fre¬
quented the saloon and how much time they spent there?
Now when you wipe out that institution—pull that tree up root
and branch and cast it into the sea—what will you give the men
better?
What ideals will you set before them? Can we figure out just
how we will meet this changed front in our social organism?
How about co-operating with the educational authorities to set
on foot night schools to give an opportunity to all who will, to im¬
prove themselves by study in night schools, as our white people
are doing for their people?
Can we not open some of our churches and get some competent
teachers who will give an hour for such work?
We can raise the cry of efficiency in our daily service.
Such a field opened and cultivated might yield a rich harvest.
For our young women we can organize and train for more in¬
telligent and efficient service in the domestic realm.
Why not unite to boost the Y. M. C. A. in its various fields of
activity. Raise the cry for a greater Y. M. C. A. commensurate with
this broad field. Make it the equal of other cities which have far
outstripped us in matters of this kind. Why not lead off in these
things?
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THE A. M. E. REVIEW
I noticed an article in the Journal and Guide, speaking of the
vast amount of money our race spent in Baltimore for strong drink.
The figure given is $500,000 a year. Money worse than wasted. A
white business man said to me just after our election here, he had
worl ed ard reasoned with our people here and how proud he was
that the election showed that the altruistic spirit was dominant in
the state of Virginia. ^
He said: "In one block we have three saloons. These depend
almost wholly on the trade of colored people for support. They take
in $100,000 each year. Now," says he, "here is an object lesson.
Those poor people could take that money and erect fifty homes worth
$2,000 each, all paid for in one year."
What a commentary on the prodigality of our dear men who are
led into these ways of sin.
In Baltimore, a much larger city, of course, we would have the
splendid sight of seeing a whole addition to a city built up with 250
new $2,000 homes, all paid for in a single year.
From an economic point of view, then, we have before us a
problem of how to so win the confidence of these people. That our
care is really for their welfare along every line of human interest.
Summing Up
We started out in the discussion by saying that boys and young
men go off in social life along four main lines. First, baneful
amusements. Second, in relation to our girls. Third, in the drink
habit. Fourth, gambling habit.
Now we will set over against these things which tend downward
four lines of action which will inevitably tend upward. First, in¬
stead of baneful amusements, I would set up a standard of whole¬
some amusement which would have the approval of good men and
women.
Second, instead of the young girl studying to appeal to the
lower nature of the young man by her dress and general lack of
high personal regard for herself, and the man treating the young
lady as if she was his toy or plaything, making her person and name
as common as a door mat, I would have our boys HONOR WOMAN¬
KIND.
Third. In the matter of drink habit with its loss of health and
strength with its additional waste of hard-earned money, I would try
to encourage sanitation, economy, frugality to the end that we would
have better living conditions, homes, food, clothes, etc.
Fourth. I would set over against the gambling habit: Educa¬
tion, a more efficient service in all lines of human activity. We
would offer night schools, Y. M. C. A. work, and general social uplift
along the various lines.
CHURCH AND SOCIAL SERVICE
275
Rerolved: Finally, in view of the wonderfully fertile field before
us of social service, rich with possibilities, and teeming with life, we
pledge ourselves to do all in our power to bring this black boy row
handicapped in life's race to realize the possibilities before him.
Resolved further, that we give ourselves to him as leaders to help
him build for himself a more helpful and perfect social service, that
in the years to come his life may unfold in power and beauty to the
intent he may be used of God as beacon lights to usher in the seven
fold splendor of the Millennial Day, when every disability will be
forever removed from all men, when they shall not hurt nor destroy
in all his holy mountain; when the oppressed shall have every right
accorded him. For we believe
"The halcyon days are coming by prophets long foretold.
When men shall live by reason and not alone for gold.
When man to man united, and every wrong thing righted,
The whole world shall be lighted, as Eden was of old."
1351 Anne Street, Norfolk, Va.
THE CHURCH—ITS INFLUENCE AND ITS OUTLOOK
By Rev. William B. Lowery, B. A.
MONG all the institutions which have been organ¬
ized, the church stands pre-eminent. Benevolent
organizations, social clubs, fraternal societies, all
have their place and work, all fill their places in
a very creditable way. Yet the church is more
important and efficacious than either of these.
They were planned and organized by man; the
church was instituted by God. They are founded
upon mortal truth, which is temporary and fallible; it is founded
upon the eternal truth that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the
Living God." They have only man's ingenuity to sustain them. The
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THE A. M. E. REVIEW
church has Christ's promise that the power of hell shall not prevail
against it. They are of the earth, earthy; it is from God, out of
heaven.
But what are we to understand by the church? The church, as
St. Paul addresses it in his epistles, is composed of all "the beloved
of God," "those sanctified in Christ Jesus," "saints" or "faithful
brethren." The church, in other words, is the congregation of Christ's
disciples, and its object is the spiritual edification of its members
and the spread of the gospel to all who have not yet heard it—the
gathering into the fold all who are still wandering outside of it.
The church of yesterday and the church of today, while they
have the same problems to meet, are meeting and solving them in
different ways. "The church of the upper chamber, the church of
the catacombs and the church of today have the same divine life, but
can hardly express that life in identical ways. The one hundred and
twenty have grown to millions, and the narrow catacombs have
extended to the diameter of the globe. The church then was poor;
now it is rich. Then its proclamation was through the lips of
unlettered apostles; now it has all that culture can do for it. Then
it had the power of the Holy Spirit without measure; today's need is
that we take care that the church lose not its ear for the voice of
God. In divine wisdom the Founder of the church established prin¬
ciples rather than rules, for principles never change and cannot
unless God shall change. It is ours only to hold fast the principle,
to mourn not for the old sins, but to rejoice that the divine life in
man is a growing life, an enlarging life, and that He who has led
through past ages will ever be able to lead it on."
So the church, with the Son of God as its founder and with all
of His disciples as its members, is the one institution to which all
may come and receive helpful sympathy, fellowship and prayers.
The church in the community stands for more than a mere place of
worship for its members. It is a center from which radiates in all
directions an influence which draws men to it and through it to God.
In its incipiency the church drew men to it through its Founder, who
healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out devils. Multitudes crowded
Him day and night to see his miracles and to listen to His words of
wisdom. When the miracles were performed the amazed men
exclaimed, "What new doctrine is this?" "We never saw it on this
wise." And the more they marveled the more they came, heard the
gospel and carried it away with them. At the day of Pentecost, when
the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, the town was full of strangers,
•who heard the disciples preach the word of life. Thousands of them
believed, were baptized and joined the church, and then, leaving
Jerusalem, they carried their new-found religion back to their own
i country, and many through their teaching were converted to Chris¬
tianity. Indeed, that has been God's way all through the ages.