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About The voice. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1946-195? | View Entire Issue (July 31, 1952)
The Laymen’s Voice official news of the Fifth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Church George Jones.President Fifth District Lay Organization Published Monthly Editorial and Executive Offices 2225 S Street, Lincoln 3, Nebraska Rubie W. Shakespeare, Managing Editor The Rt. Rev. D. Ormonde Walker, Presiding Bishop George Jones, President Box 281 OSKALOOSA. KANSAS Uerbert L. Dudley, President Connecticut Laymen’s League, Detroit, Michigan Conference Presidents Mrs. A. L. Cooke, Puget Sound Conference, Seattle Wash. Mrs. Georgia Marshall, California Conference, 4210 Market Street, Oakland, Calif. C. A. Stafford. Southern California. i594 E. 45 Street, Los Angeles 31, Calif. Mrs. Elizabeth Twyman, Colorado Con/erencn Dr. J. Louie Ransom, Kansas Conference 2251 lopeka Blvd., Topeka, Kansas J. J. Parks, Nebraska Conference. 2044 N. fth Street. Kansas City, Kansan Joseph T. Anscel, North Missouri Conference. 106 Soutn Wintz, Macon, Missouri Clarence E. Owens. Southwest Mlsso irl Conference, 2134 E 27th St., Kansas City, Mo. Mrs. Odessa W. Farrell. Missouri Conference, 1901 Cora Ave.. St. Louis, Mo. SPECIAL WRITERS Mr. P. G. Porter.Olatha, Kansas Dr. J. Louis Ransom..Topeka, Kansas Mrs. Ida M. Moton .. Kansas City, Missouri Mrs. Ester Hearn Smith.Omaha. Nebr. Mrs Wm M. Blount.Kansas City, Kansas Mr. R. J. Gardner. Cleveland, Ohio Mrs. Camillia Leftridge...Los Angeles, Calif wr* J*£fer?.on. Cheyenne, Wyo. Atty, F^l" Martin. 7.7.7. V.'/. .y.'.V.y.'V.V.V.V.V.V.'7.7.7.''.7.7.7.7.V'.BL^uin^Mo. Results of Bishop J. H. Claybom’s Resolution RESOLUTION Whereas, We are living in an age of standardization, where scholarship requirements and cul ture are among the chief requi sites, and Whereas, this age calls for pre paredness in all fields of labor and education, and Whereas, We want the best for our youth, as relates to these mat ters, and Whereas, Just any type of train ing is insufficient, inadequate, in-! jurious seeing that the age calls! for thorough and specialized, training, and Whereas, Such training cannot ■ be obtained in poorly equipped! schools with inefficient personnel, and Whereas, All students complet ing the curriculum sponsored by these poorly equipped schools, non-standardized institutions, are crippled, handicapped, in that! they cannot enter the graduate schools to take their Master and Doctorate work, because their basic work and college structure is inadequate, Therefore, Be It Resolved, That this General Conference, now in its 34th Quadrennial Session do hereby recommend and issue a directive to the General Board oi Education of the African Method ist Episcopal Church for actions to merge the present schools, thus reducing the number ten to five more or less standardized four year Liberal Arts Colleges. Whereas, The ten schools we are striving to operate, all except two, are non-accredited in any of the National Accreditation Agencies: Be It Further Resolved, That this 34th Session of said Confer ence go on record as approving the merger: Be It Finally Resolved, That all of the African Methodist Episci pal Schools and the Presidents, Deans of the Schools of Liberal and Industrial Arts, Chancellors, and local Trustees, be so in structed and fully informed that immediately following the third annual .Commencement, in 1953 that all schools, colleges, owned and controlled by the A.M.E. Church elect offically, be duly notified that all schools that have not fully qualified with all re quirements be closed, and the Bishop, or Bishops, violating, fail ing to carry out the full purport • of said resolution, been penalized, silenced by the Bishop’s Council and Judicial council. The Presi dents who attempt to continue to operate as Presidents be dealt with as any other suspended col I lege officer. ‘j The 34th Quadrennial Session of the A.M.E. General Conference just closed in Chicago, was re garded by many as being hectic, (but was constructive. I think' ^more sane legislation was done in Chicago than during any other of the General Conferences. JUDICIAL COUNCIL The birth of the “Judicial Coun cil” was a step forward. The step made in the right direction for,' peace, harmony and better under-j standing between Episcopates. I stood for it from its inception. I wanted it without Bishopric per sonnel: To have had Bishops on iti' would have given those who would have had membership on it advantage over those that were ! not on it. The next reason I was 1 against Bishops being on the Judi cial Council was if when any would appeal from a Bishop’s de cision (if that Bishop were a member of the Council) you would, be appealing from him to himself, j 1 At that rate it would be hard to, convict him. This Council can t make a mighty contribution in i breaking down Episcopal Tyranny. ) It makes all concerned have more » respect for the law in the A.M.E. f Church. It means the curbing of - ungodly power heretofore exer !. cised. We thank God, that many of the helpful measures, and reforms recommended by your humble servant, prior to the convening of the General Conference were adopted by the General Confer ence. Many helpful mergers we prayed for came to pass. I. The Southern and Western Recorders were combined-made one “South-western Recorder". II. The Department of Educa tion and Christian Education plus the Sunday School Union, are one General Board, known as the “General Board of Education." I This cuts out a board. Heretofore 'there were two boards—now one. III. There is no such thing any more as the old “Book Concern” Publishing Board. It was merged with the Sunday School Union Board. Many thousands of dollars were saved in these mergers. The school merger was a problem that j could not be worked overnight, hence some time for careful study | had to be made but the time is short for the continued life of I poorly equipped, slip-shod, money ^ 'sucker institutions, running just to jgive some friend a job, and some| to say “I am Chancellor of this school,” and he assesses the poor 'preacher and members just what A Message From To the Laymen of the Fifth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church: Greetings: I am indeed very happy over the accomplishments of the Thirty-foufth Quadrennial Ses sion of the General Conference, held at Chicago May 7 to May 21, 1952. I rejoice with many co working ministers and laymen who have worked and prayed in yesteryears for such legislation as was enacted at this session. But this is just the beginning of laws for our church. We are still top heavy and must unload; for we at the bottom who are carrying the load can persuade no help from any source under conditions. Facts are stubborn things, but must be faced and acted on to survive. First, I want to report that we are doing very well in the Fifth Episcopal District with the League. We called the Executive Board to gether while at the Conference in Chicago. Mr. Benjamin W. In grahm of the Southern California Conference was elected treasurer of the district. OUR NEWSPAPER caught the eye and praise of many at the editor, should have our sincere Conference. Mrs. Shakespeare, our thanks for her Conference work without pay, by bringing to the General Conference a fine Con ference issue and proving its worthwhileness to the church, as the three Bishops elected adver tised their candidacy in the paper. At a meeting of the Connectional AME Church Districts Contribute to Wilberforce WILBERFORCE, Ohio — ANP) -Five episcopal districts of the \ftfE Church contributed $533, 741.96 for the operation of Wilber-' force university here according to i quadrennial report released this veek by Dr. Charles L. Hill, presi ient of the university. The AME Church has been the sole support of Wilberforce since 1947 when the state of Ohio with drew its funds and formed Central State college adjacent to the 96 year-old institution. The quadrennial report also dis closed that the church raised $94,000 for the current expenses of Payne seminary and $131,000 toward the seminary’s building fund. I With $10,865 received from the department of education and board | of trustees, together with $300,000 provided from fees and private donations the total amount showed a sum in excess of $1,000,000 foi the operation of Wilberforce ovei | the four year period, the report stated. .( In 1948, the church enlarged Wilberforce university support and sent five of its bishops tc direct district support. Five dis tricts were included in what wa: I called the First Education Area ' They are the first, the third, the ^fourth, the fifth, and the 13th. he pleases. I say the sun is rap idly setting on those things. I thank God and our friends who stood by us and who voted for all these reforms. “These seventy-five aqd one hundred student-schools” i without well equipped labora tories, no standard modem li braries and poorly trained per sonnel faculties, are on their way 'oift. In less than ten years, the African Methodist education insti tutions will face the world with one of the finest,, best equipped set of religious colleges operated for and by our group. We are going to have nothing but the best. Our clergy and laity are going to demand the best as well as a strict, honest accounting of our funds put into our Christian schools, or they are going to stop giving. Your President i _ _ ___ ___ ^^^GEORGE JONES Lay Organization, I offered a mo tion that President Dudley ap point a committee to meet with Mrs. Shakespeare, myself and other representatives of the Fifth! District on the proposition ofj making our paper an official Con-| nectional Lay paper. This unan imously carried and President Dudley named the District Presi dents and any lay paper repre sentative on the committee. Owing to the interest mani fested in the electing of church officers and Bishops, President Dudley and I agreed to bring it to the Connectional meeting in Tulsa in 1953 and this proposition will be favorably considered. So, I am appealing to my conference presidents to be responsible for the small amount necessary to keep his paper alive until you can conference to take care of this have sufficient subscribers in your monthly expense. The four or five church papers with their salaried editors and planned subscribers render but very little service to laymen. So let each lay home be a subscriber. I am hoping that after the lay ment co-operated with the minis ters in Chicago, the ministers will co-operate by encouraging their members to subscribe, send news, and read The Laymen’s Voice. Will you do this & Thanks. I be lieve you will. THE DOUGLASS HOSPITAL is to be remembered by a direc tive from the Executive Board that I am to send out in a letter later in the year with plans for the gathering of pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters for this gift fund for 1952. I wrote our Bishop D. Ormonde Walker for his bless ings and help in our efforts for this year’s work; also to express ; appreciation of the laymen for his fairness in discharging the duties , of the office of bishop, especially , where the laymen are involved; > and, further, to express our re . joicing in his return to our dis j i trict. I HOPE A LAY DAY will be ; recognized by every individual church co-operating in some way jl hope the time s near when lay jmen will have a day set by the ^General Conference. It could be 51 the first fifth Sunday in the new Entzminger to Organize Post WILLIAM ENTZMINGER—For the past ten years president of the Fourth Episcopal District Laymen Organization, who was appointed connectional organ izer of the Laymen at the 34th Session of the General Confer ence by Atty. H. L. Dudley, Connectional President. Mr. Entzminger, a member of St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, De troit, Michigan, has been a member of the last five con secutive General Conferences. He will assume his new duties August 1st, 1952. Schedule For Annual Conf. 5th District The Rt. Rev. D. O. Walker, presiding prelate of the Fifth Dis trict has announced his schedule of annual conferences to begin August 6th. PUGET SOUND CONFERENCE August 6, 1952 Spokane, Washington, Rev. Vel ton Randall, host-j>astor. Annual Sermon—Rev.. J. L. Boyd. Missionary Sermon—Rev. V. N. Reaves. CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE August 20, 1952 St. Andrews, Sacramento, Calif., Rev. L. Sylvester Odom, host pastor. Annual Sermon—Rev. E. David Chappelle. Missionary Sermon—Rev. Wil lard Leake. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CON FERENCE September 3, 1952 First A.M.E. Church, Pasadena, Calif., Rev. Alfred K. Quinn, host pastor. . .Annual Sermon—Rev. Harley Akers. Missionary Sermon—Rev. L. T. Thorhill. COLORADO CONFERENCE September 17, 1952 Salt Lake City, Utah, Rev. L. K. Williams, host-pastor. Annual Sermon—Rev. Jerry W. Ford. Missionary Sermon— Rev. G. Daniel Choice. KANSAS CONFERENCE October 1, 1952 St. Paul, Wichita, Kansas, Rev. T. J. Burwell, host-pastor. Annual Sermon—Rev. H. H. Brookins. x Missionary Sermon—Rev. G. R. Woods. NEBRASKA CONFERENCE October 8, 1952 St. John, Omaha, Nebraska, Rev. S. H. Lewis, host-pastor. Annual Sermon—Rev. L. R. Hayes. Missionary Sermon—Rev. S. H. Lewis. NO. MISSIOURI CONFERENCE October 22, 1952 Columbia, No. Missouri, Rev. E. W. Hall, host-pastor. Ahnual Sermon—Rev. F. L. Whitlock. Missionary Sermon—Rev. E. B. Martin. S. W. MISSOURI CONFERENCE November 5, 1952 Ebnezer, Kansas City, Mo., Rev. George F. Martin, host-pastor. Annual Sermon—Rev. A. A. ; Morgan. Missionary Sermon—Rev. Paul ; E. Kidd. MISSOURI CONFERENCE Nov. 19, 1952 St. James, St. Louis, Mo. Rev. i Fred Stephens, host-pastor. [ Annual Sermon—Rev. S. M. . Pointer. Missionary Sermon—Rev. H. C. ; Cummings. year. Cold or hot, we could make it a big day in Georgia, New York, California, Africa, the ^sles of the Sea, or anywhere where there is an A.M.E.. Church. What a day the laymen could have! OUR SECRETARY, Mr. Henry H. Glass, 2106 E. 27th St., Kansas City, Mo., has plenty of by-laws and constitutions on hand and will send them to you at 15c a copy. Get as many as you wish and or ganize a Laymen’s League in your church, or, if you have one, revive it. We will be glad to have a letter from any layman on any thought or suggestion for the good of the church. Yours for the good of the Church, GEORGE JONES, President 5th Episcopal District Laymen’s League