The Southern indicator. (Columbia, S.C.) 1903-1925, February 12, 1921, Image 1
li
VOLUME yvXII?
COLUMBIA. S. &S/ntfRD*V. FEBRUARY 12 1921.
NUMBER 13
NOTES BY A TRAVELS!*
Dear Mr. Editor:
It haB been some time since th
.writer gave to your many readers ai
account of his going to and fro ii
"the .interest of the Voorhees Nor
mal - and Industrial School of Den
mark, the Tuskegee of South Care
lina/
. OUT first visit for mention was mad
to Atlanta, Ga., in company with Pro!
A. W. Nicholson ?principad of 'th*
Bettis Academy of Trenton, S. C. Th'
meeting was called by Superintenden
of Bureau of Education, W. D. Clax
ton of Washington, D. C. A bringing
together of the heads of all the voca
t'ional schools from Virginia to Texa:
to discuss the benefits of vocationa
education upon the rural life of tin
Negro. The meeting lasted two days
November 18-19. The sessions being
held in the capital building in th?
Senate chamber, and your humble ser
vant occupying what* he never dreamec
. as possible, a seat in the Senate ol
the great State of Georgia. Nolens
volens, we must agree with Dr. Silas
X. Floyd .that Georgia is the first and
foremost State in the Union. We
learned at this meeting, that last year
the State of Texas appropriated foi
Negro education over eight hundred
thousand dollars, Louisiana appropri
ated two hundred and sixty-seven thou
sand, and South Carolina came next
with an appropriation of one hundred
and sixteen thousand for Negro" edu
cation. Our speech before the gath
ering was nat long, but we got this
statement recorded in the proceedings
that in Bamberg County where thc
Voorhees School is located, that thc
. Negroes in ?919 purchased and paid
' for seven thousand acres of land. Dur
ing our stay in Atlanta, the first day
the delegation was most royally enter
tained at dinner by Clark University,
and on the second day(by the Gammon
Theological Seminary in their hand
some dining hall. Professor Nichol
' .,.^jaan. voitad--our . sentimentsr.~whan- he
exclaimed, that Negro education is,
engaging the attention of the United.
States government as never ? before,
and soon all vocational schools will re
ceive government aid. /
Our next visit, December 10, WaE
scheduled for New Yo^k City, for the
purpose of having a "face to face" talk
with Dr. Wallace Buttrick, chairman
of the general education board. En
route ,we stopped in Philadelphia, Pa.,
and obtained the following letter ol
introduction to Dr. Buttrick:
PM la delphi a, Dec. 14.
Dr. Wallace Buttrick,
New York City.
My Dear Dr. Buttrick: This will in
troduce to you Rev. E. R. Roberts, who
is the principal of the Voorhees Nor
mal and Industrial School of Denmark,
S. C., a school for the training of col
ored young men and young women. I
have known Mr. Roberts intimately
for a number of years. He made a
splendid record as a StnJp ?i?jvi??v
School worker in the employ of the
American Baptist Publication Society
for a number of years. His praise is
in all thc churches and schools in
that part of the South land.
Two years ago, he was called to his
present work as principal of the Voor
hees School. I visited the school last
May and preached the "Baccalaureate I
sermon to a splendid graduating class]
of fine young folks. There was a great j
congregation present on that occasion.
They have a number of unusually fine
school buildings and there are big pos
sibilities ahead of them. Their campus,
for a school of this sort, ?B one of tho
best that I have seen in the South
land. They are especially in need
of a new chapel building; their pres
ent building being altogether unsuited
and inadequate for their needs. I
have no hesitancy in saying that any
money given towards their proposed
new chapel building, will be the best
kind of investment. Any service you
may be able to render to Mr. Roberts
will be greatly appreciated by my
self. He is a moat worthy brother;
true, tried and dependable.
With every good wish, I am,
Very sincerely yours,
S. G. Neil,
Bible and Field Secretary American
Baptist Publication Society.
Before leaving for New York City,
we filled the pulpit of Rev. A. R. Rob
inson of the Shiloh Baptist Church.
Dr. Robinson was just recovering from
a severe attack of indigestion, which
rendered him as the French say, "hors
de combat." "We preached in his
5ECOND G E T-TOGETHEI
MEETING RACE CONFER
ENC? PROMOTERS.
Tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock th
second get-together meeting of Colum
blans preparatory to the great Rae
Conference next week, February 16tl
and 17th, will be held at First Calvar:
Baptist Church. All lovers of goo<
music and short and helpful speechei
should avail themselves of the oppor
tunity to attend this meeting. Corni
early and get comfortable seats. Bring
your whole family with you.
stead, morning and night tb an audi
ence that filled the auditorium from
pulpit to door ; earnestly pointing tc
the repentance that leads to God, and
tb faith in Jesus our Lord. At the
night service, seven joined for bap
tism. The Church was just finishing
ap a drive for ten th'ousand dollars;
and they collected every dollar of the
amount in one month. An after col
lection of $35.00 was given us for the
work at Voorhees. We give the fol
lowing from a recent letter to UB from
Or. Robinson.
"I am writing to report to you my
condition at this time. I am consid
erably improved in health and hope,
ere long, to be ablo to take hold and
handle my work. It is really boauti
Lul the patience and sympathy which
my church is exercising during my
Illness.. They are doing things for me
that I did not dream they would do.
Every little detail is being looked af
ter and done for my comfort. They
do not want me to Worry about one
thing, as they are willing to wait until
I am well. This is very kind of them.
All of my needs are being taken care
of by them in every way, and ' with
great delight. Such things as I can
eat they delight to furnish. All of this
tends to lighten my burden and make
lt possible ?for me to early regain my
health and strength. I enjoyed very
much your presence) and it" came ?t a
time when I needed lt. The two ser
mons you - preached at Shiloh will
.lever be forgotten. I guess the Lord
sent you here just at the time with
these two splendid messages for the
people, and to give cheer and comfort
to me."
We left for New York City on Wed
nesday, December 15th, arriving there
safe and sound, and found a royal wel
come to the home of Rev. J. B. F.
Coleman, who was for several years
haplain of the Voorhees School, which
he resigned to accept the Presidency
of Liberia College of Monrovia, Libe
ria. Dr. Coleman ls at present taking
a post-graduate course at Columbia
University, preparatory to his return
to Africa. After transacting our busi
ness with the General Education
Hoard and returning to our habitat, we
met the Rev. H. L. Jones, D. D., who
s a graduate of Columbia University,
and at present pastor of the Baptist
Church at Yonkers, N. Y. We spent
..he night at his hospitable home en
joying the many good things of life
)ountifully provided.
Dr. Jones is formally of Virginia,
and he is thinking of returning South.
We have invited him to come to South
Carolina, it being the garden spot of
the world. Churches in the State in
.iced of a pastor might write him. His
iddress is No. 248 W 133d street;
The Christmas holidays being near
at hand we decided to return home
and receive our Santa Claus under
jur vine and fis tree.
Our next visit found us at the Tus
kegee Institute, attending the Annual
'armers' Conference by speclla invi
tation of Dr. R. R. Moton, the princi
pal, who asked us to deliver an ad
dress on "Why the Compulsory School
Law as applied to the NegroMchild was
largely ineffective. We delivered the
same before the Worker's Conference.
The Montgomery Advertiser (daiiy)
spoke most flatteringly of our speech,
for we dealt with the cause rather
than the effect.
Tne Annual Farmers' Conference of I
Tuskegee brings to its campus not'
only the farmers, but the heads of
schools and educators from the entire
South land. Not to visit the confer-1
ence is to miss one of the greatest j
meetings annually held for the uplift
of the race. Dr. Booker T. Washing-;
ton laid the foundation of Tuskegee,
but Dr. Moton is erecting a superstruc
ture greater and grander than any
leader of the race in America ever
dreamed of. Long may he live to bless
and be a blessing to the race.
E. R. Roberts.
oOcTH CAROLINA RACE CONFERENCE
* 1 ? th Annual Session, February 16-17,
Columbians. C.
You are cordially invited to bej present at the 17th As
nual Session of the South Carolina Race Conference io be hel
in Columbia February 16th ,and 17th, 1921..- The, followin
speakers have been invited to address the meeting : vf
Wednesday morning, 9:30 to 12:00-The Educational Di
vision meets at Sidney Park Church, Pres. R. S< Wilkinson, lead
ing, assisted by Prof. T. L. Duck t!, Benedict College; and Mri
C. G. Garrett, Supervisor Schools, Richland County.
- Wednesday morning, 9:3^) to 12:00--The Farmers' Divi
sion, leader, Mr. J. E. Dickson j U. S. Demonstrator, Richland
County, assisted by R. W. Westberry, Sumter County, asid Mr
F. W. Williams, Richland County.
Wednesday, 9:30 to 12:00-State Y. M. C A., leader, \Dr
Hodges, State Secretary. jtj
Wednesday Afternoon, 2:30--Conference Mas? Meeting
Address by Mr. E. J. S^wyzr sxi? Dr. Hodges.
Wednesday night, at 8:00 p. mu-i-First. Calvary Baptist
Church, address by. Mayor R. J. Blaiock, president Columbia
Chamber of Commerce, Senator Niel Christensen,v Gov. R. H.
Cooper. Reply, Pres. R. S. WUhlnsoa. ..
Address-Bishop R. E. Jones, Sidney Park Church,
Thursday 9:30 to 12:00, Health Division. Leader, Mrs.
L. J.-Rhodes, assisted by Dr. E. A. Huggins and Miss A. A.
Nelson *
Thursday morning, 9:30 to 12:00-State Business League
Meeting. Leader, Mr. E. J. Sawyer, Pres. Bank Bennettsville,
S. C., assisted by Mr. R. W. Westberry, Secretary State Business
League and Mr. L. B. Woods, Treasurer State Business League.
Thursday morning, 9:30 to 12:00-Religious Section.
Leaders, Rev. P. P. Watson Missionary Baptist) State Conven
tion, assisted by Rev. J. F. Greeny Rev. N. F. Haywood, and Rev.
D. F.Thompson. '* s *'~ . >.'.'.
Thursday, 2:30 p. m.-Official Business Meeting, to which
the public is invited. .-.<;.
Thursday night-Address by Wm. H. Johnson, M. D.,
Charleston, S. C., Senator Alien Johnson, and Rev. Mark T.* Car
lisle (M. E. Church, South.) vf ~
I Committee, .
, LS. LEEVY, President,
MRS. Li F. HOLMES, Vice President,
T. L. DUCKETT, Secretary,
L. B. WOOD, Treasurer.
SECOND CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Bull Street, Between Taylor and Hampton Streets.
I Invites you and your friends to worship with them at
their services.
ORDER OF SERVICE
I Sunday 10 a. m. Sunday School.
I Sunday- ll a. m., Morning Service.
S Sunday 6 p. m., ,B. Y. P. U.
I Sunday 7 :30 p. m., Evening Service.
i H. M. Moore, A. B., D. D., Pastor.
?i _
LETTERS FROM REV.' AND.
MRS. G. A. BURKE, WEST
COAST AFRICA.
Lott Carey Mission, '
. Brewerville, Liberia,
West -Coast Africa, Dec, 1920.
My Dear Rev. Carroll; I hope every
thing is running smoothly with you.
I have been keeping very busy with
just such work as Rev. Burke de
scr?beselo you in tils letter. He asked
me to supplement his letter by relat
ing this incident to you. I went out
the other day as a 'sister of mercy
looking for objects of pity. I heard of
a suffering family. I succeeded in
reaching their hut after wading wa
ter, and foundL four in family who were
seriously sick, all of whom were' lying
on the ground half starved, with noth
ing under them but an old piece of
matting, with no one to do anything
for them. I rendered them all the as
sistance I could. Three are belter,
one of whom has accepted Christ and
will be baptized Sunday. * I believe I
am especially adapted for just such
work. It is the work that I WSB In
structed ,to do, but necessity compels
me to -put much time in the class
room.
After diagnosing the cases abovo
mentioned as best I could, I found that
the principle medicine they needed
waa tsuiuething to eat. As all of them
were suffering with an acute attack
of starvation, I sent up a prescription
to Rev. Burke for a little foodstuff.
The prescription was filled; the nodi
cine met the demand, and now the pa
tients are on the go. They come from
time to time to thank us for services
rendered. I told them that their souls
are in a worse condition than their
bodies were, and that Jesus Christ,
who had sent me there to heal their
bodies, ia the only physician who could
heal their souls and save them from
eternal death, the dreadful results of
the sin-s'ck diseases.
They are anxious to have Him do
so, and listen attentively while we ex
plain to them the wonderful plans oj
salvation. j
_- - --?nMMMBMM
Kindest regards to all. . (
Faithfully yours.
Marie E. Burke.
*
Lott Carey Mission,
Brewerville, Liberia,
Weat Coa?t Africa, Dec, 1920.
Dear Brother Carroll.
Words cannot be found in the Eng
lish language with which to express
the joy that your kind and welcome
letter brought to our hearts. We are
getting along, very well under the pre
vailing circumstances. The future
hope of Liberia depends almost all to?
gether upon the quantity and quality
of missionary work done here. We
have the same problem to face here
that you have done so much toward
solving in America, namely, to bring
about a better feeling between some
of the Liberians and some of the na
tives, as the relation between the Li
berians and the natives, as I see it, le
about like that which exists between
ihe~ white man and the Negro in
America.
There are many evils here to retard
the progress of the country, whlcl
must be overcome. Some of them
the laws of the country are against
and assist the missionary in suppress
lng. I will name a few of the greai
evils which are hindering the prog
ress of the country: First, stronj
drinks. The public sale of strom
drink is permitted, and whiskey ii
imported in large quantities. Second
the virtual existence of slavery wha
I would call blind tiger slavery, bc
cause the laws cf the country buln
against it. It is carried on in an ur
derground way. For instance, a chu
may be pawned for a certain sum c
money in case the owner of the chile
some of his people, or some one it
terested in his freedom fails to r<
deem him. He is compelled to wor
for the person to whom he ls pa wno
as long as he lives, without receivin
anything for his labor save the foo
which he eats. The son bf a chief wa
in our mission. The' chief died. .Th
next week his mother carried him o
and pawned him for the sum of $48
A third great evil ls a society know
NOTICE.
A Religious Congress to be Held
Morris College Tuesday, Feb. 22d.
i On Tuesday, February 22d (deorf
Washington 's Birthday), Hey.. JT::,
Stark's, president of Morris Colleg
Sumter, S. C., inviter the ministers <
?.U. denominations ia the Pee Dee se
lon to come to the chapel of Morrl
tollege at 9: au a. m. until 12^00 noo
and hear a great Sermon on "Evang'<
Iisin" by a gentleman, who comes froi
the far north. Afterwards we wi!
have short statements by the Sou tl
Carolina brethren of all denomino
tjions.
\ Come, A Free Dinner Given to All.
. j The singing during the day will. b<
done by sj hundred voices. Good mu
sic . will bfc played by the'best bane
in the SUte. -Your soul will bo filler
with power upon leaving those- hal
lowed grounds.' ? t
J. J. Starks, Pres, Morris'College.
Richard Carroll, Columbia, S. C.,
Assistant for thia day's meeting.
as. a Leopard Society. Leopards are
very numerous In this oountry.. They
give the people much trouble attack
ing their goats, sheep, hogs and cows,
carrying them off'in the bush and eat
ing them, but a leopard will not attack
a person unless he is wounded. The
Leopard Society is. a set of ca?abais
or. men who eat human fl oe h. They
dingujB^ themselves by putting on a
leopard akin and crawling about pre
tending to be tl wounded leopard.
When he sees an unarmed (person by
himself. He carries in his hand a
dagger with which he? stabs his prey.
The laws of the country are strictly
against the society, and the executives,
are doing all they can to exterminate
it. But it being a secret society, it
will take time. .The people here seem
to be great believers in society. The
strongest society out here, from our
point of view, i's the Griggle Bush, or
Devil Bush, as it 1B commonly called.
: The members of this society publicly
'tftrfrtar?&tt aa^thWr^capth&T:-riey
practice witchcraft.
Time will not permit me to describe
this society in full. Hope to tell you
more about it at a later date, also of
our controversies with the Mohame
dams.
I have a very bright boy, which I
hope you will support in our school.
We have several children who need
scholarships. We make $25.00 'per
year support a child, and some of our
children are almost grown. A very
small sum indeed, but somehow by the
help of the good Lord we get through
by supplementing the scholarship
funds with a part of our salary.
We have just closed a successful re
vival meeting at the Zion Grove Bap
tist Church, of which the Rev. J. O.
Hays is pastor. Twenty-three accept
ed Christ as their personal Saviour,
among whom was a notorious infidel.
This infidel was a hard nut to crack,
as he would not visit church to hear
the gospel 'preached. A committee
was formed, consisting of Sisters A.
Hays, L. Smart, A Moore, C. Bowens,
P. Bryant, Bryant agafn and Marie E.
Burke. They went to his house, which
was about four miles away. At first
he made them very unwelcome. He
told them he had no time to bother
with them and they had better go
back home. When they insisted on
him, he began abusing them in harsh
language. He assured them that he
did not appreciate their interest at
all, and that it was none of their busi
ness how he died or where he would
go after death. He dfd not believe in
God or Jesus Christ, neither did he
believe that there was a heaven or
hell. The Bible to him was no more
I than any other book. He got BO an
gry with them that he cried and tried
ito drive them from his house. But
instead Of going they forced him in
the house ?nd entered themselves,
Singing "I Dreamed That the Great
Judgment Morning Had Dawned and
the Trumpet Had Blown." After sing
ing, Mrs. Burke read a passage of
Scripture and laid her hand no his
head and prayed as if they were or
'daming him to the gospel ministry.
All of the sisters prayed. At the
close of the meeting he seemed to
have had a better spirit toward them.
I He" then thanked' them for showing
their interest in hfm, but still he
claimed that he did hot have time to
go to church. Furthermore, he was
living in a house alone and had no
one to look after his things while he
> was away. But the spirit of God pre
vailed "and. some time during that
night he became anxious about the
LQOKJNG OVER
THE FIELD.
Notea by Rev. ?Rrfhajp^ Carroll.
Since leaving Voorhe'es Industrial
school, Denmark, S.* C., I have "spent
a number of most comfortable duyr
with Dr. J. W. Boykin and Deacon- T
J. Boykin of Camden., and lastly, with
Rev. A. W. Hill, D. D., and family at
Aiken, the famous winter resort.
I went into the country to look
around Storm Branch Academy. \At
this school cleanness abounds.
Though six miles in the country,
where the Union met, the church,
steps and surroundings were clean'.
In Aiken, S. C., the drug store of Dr.*
C. C. Johnson is one of the most up
to-date; and I don't mean of colored
drug stores, but cf all drug stores In
South Carolina. His patronage comes
from both races, from the lowest to
the highest. Politeness, courtesy and
grace abounds. In Dr. Johnson, the
Baptists of South Carolina have one ,
of the greatest laymen, with ability
to preside at and on all occasions
anywhere in America.
At the parsonage Rev. A. W. Hill
and his wife spared no pains in mak
ing me comfortable. As costly as
chickens are, they had chickens on
the table from their own yard. Mra.
Hill is ? good cook from "Old Vir
gin-la." She is among the young
women who knows how to make corn
bread eatable when only made of
water, salt and meal. Good fires were
In my room and the study. Bro. Hill
bas two diplomas; one from Benedict
College and one from the Union Uni
versity of Virginia. He is still dig
ging away at Science and Philosophy.
Say what you may, I believe he ls one
Df the many who ls struggling to dj
right.
Rev. W. Kenner lives in this city.
He has just married a wife and Is as
happy as a lark. Both he. and his
wife have proper*7 and they have a
plantation together. '
>~Me?fc'auuJftg' 1 t;o^&'iBntnn~A^^ ^
somewhere on the coast "near Savan
nah, Ga., with my old friend as man- ?.
ager, the Rev. J. M. Glenn, of the A.
M. E. Church. He tells me that he has
the co-operation of the Baptists for
ten miles around and other citizens,
white and colored. So next Sunday
he hopes to have a great meeting.
Some Notes.
The Rev. Richard Carroll states that
he was partly instrumental in get
ting the Rev. G. A. Burke in the Lott
Carey Convention as a missionary in
?Africa. Without calling names just
now, he has reliable information that
some money is going forward to help
Rev. Burke educate ten students in
the Brewerville, Liberia Normal and
Industrial school, West Coast Africa.
The editor of The Indicator is right.
Make the preachers, teachers and oth
ers wtjo we advertise in papers, pay
for lt. My writings are free, but the
publisher should have pay for all ad
vertisements.
It is said that Mrs. Cora Boykin
will be the general manager of the
Negro Baptist hospital that is to be In
Columbia. She can manage the wo-'
men and men folks of Baptist persua
sion, well.
welfare of his soul. He got up the
?ext morning and moved everything
he had to a neighbor's house, em
ployed the neighbor to keep them for
bim, and left home for church, declar
ing that he would never return honte
again until be had found Jesus, pre
cious to his soul, and that he did.
They came in contact with another
infidel, who delighted in cursing
Christ. Calling Him a bastard and
io forth, but now he is seeing the
Saviour. He ran away from his home
when he found that a committee waa
coming to see him, and went to the
house of the Justice of the Peace,
whom he thought had directed them
to his house, and cursed him shame
fully. He dodged them like a crim
inal would dodge u possee of sheriffs.
But, like a possee of sheriffs, they fol
lowed him until they found him, and
took him by force In the midst of his
?lastphemy and carried him to the
nearest house, where they read, sang
and prayed for him. The next day he
was found looking for them to pray for
him again.
I am asking Mrs. Burke to relate to
you another" Incident which time does
not permit me to do just now. Thank
ing you In advance for assistance ren
dered and remaining your most loving
brother and everlasting friend.
O. A. Burke.