Oakwood University - Acorn Yearbook (Huntsville, AL)

Page 18 text:

Early picture of Pittsburgh congregation. K g l 5 4 f I 4 I g f i i , 1 l ff 1 as ,f gf , 1 1 24, If if 2 5 1 , ' , 1 A 1 2 ' 4 'ff' 1 1' 3 '7 , ' ' 4 4 fr ' I 2 f , 'lp 14, J P'12'4f',f'4'3 , , .1 , 4 Md,,,,t U z , ,',,4,ZgA': 1 ,, 'Z H , f ,ff iw, HJ I 1 , M ,,y ff' I ' J 4 14 ' f l '4 1,1 f' 45 f ff 'Fl W ' W IK! ' 'Wt J' ' fn H ffff'-ff M 5 f pig ' v ff. 2,.., 1 I. 4 1 4 ff 1 ' f 4- ' ,f AI, s 1 1 , ' 0 5' if ,I , 1, 4, v fr 7 , 2 1 ,ff ! 1 , 1 Q ma ' 4 1 fn 1, fr , f 9- ' 4' 'A f , f -nfQ,2 f f wwf!! 11511 -22225 J.'?iEii'1Ij ies and helpers of the various departments of the several union conferences in the South as are required to look after and care for the development of the colored work.' Now the irony of this whole situation is the fact that many of these recommendations relative to the organization were never fully impleted. In 1929 at the Fall Council held in Columbus, OH the first major recommendation relative to the organization of the black work in the North was voted, referring to the minutes of that Annual Council. Recommended: fly That in each union conference where there are as many as five colored believers, except in the Southeastern, Southem and Southwestern, a Negro secretary be elected, the sec- retary to be a member of the union conference committee. C25 That the union secretary together with the secretaries of the South- eastem, Southern and Southwestern Union Conferences be invited to attend such Autumn Councils as the local conference presidents may be called to attend, thus, they would receive the encour- agement to be gained by contract with the leaders of our world wide work, and would carry it back to the colored churches in their fields, the appeals on all our activities throughout the field the world around. Q33 That these secretaries together with the union secretaries together with the union secretaries of the Southeast, 16 Southem and Southwestern Unions, and such other persons that the General Conference may appoint, would form the General Conference Negro Department Advisory Committee. This Com- mittee will counsel over matters pertaining to the colored work, and at this Annual Council the primary responsibilities of these secretaries were outlined as follows: C15 Holding evangelistic efforts when advisable. C21 By assisting evangelists with the efforts when advisable. C35 By helping to train young preachers and workers. Q45 By helping to foster real soul-winning work in each of the churches and conferences. C55 By cooperating in all lines of departmental and church activities and Q63 That where the colored constituency in a local conference is sufficiently strong, and is represented by a colored minister of experience, we recommend that he be made a member of the local conference committee. Now this more or less applied to the Negro constituency in the Northem sections of our country. At this Annual Conference, con- sideration was given to the previous recommendations that were made by the joint committees of the Southern, Southeastern, and Southwestern Unions which met in 1827, and these were among the actions which were approved: .... fly That the Negro Com- mittee of the local conference be composed as follows: the presi- dent of the conference, the secretary-treasurer of the conference,

Page 17 text:

Hpi' lil i ,V an-44 ' ,..-nl an '-49 our to recognize black leadership. At this meeting, Elder McElhaney, President of the General Conference, was present and recom- mended that the Union should separate and formulate specific ac- tions that could be voted upon. It was voted unanimously by the black leaders that the name of all three Unions be changed to read The Colored Department There was also quite a discussion as to the title of the leading min- isters for the colored workg the names of evangelists, secretaries, and superintendents were discussed. After considering the names and responsibilities from most every angle, it was finally voted unanimously by standing that the title for the leading minister of the colored department of the Union and each local conference be evangelist, and that he would carry the secretarial work of the col- ored department. We recommend the adoption and principle of the recommenda- tions regarding the organization of the colored work as passed by the General Conference of 1926, adapting them to tit the condi- tions ofthe three Southern Unions, recognizing the need of stress- ing evangelism in our fields for the colored population, and in view ofthe fact that our resources both in men and money are very lim- ited, and believing that the life and growth of our work among otir colored believers depends upon emphasizing evangelism: there- .,,.-1- -Qi .1 41-if -1 , QQ' -N ,M f' 4 ,,,,-4s- A - J, .f'4 .- - ' 1.- fore, RESOLVED, that we urge our colored laborers lt' Lis: 1:1 utmost efforts to carry the message to all colored people liters adapting the plan of our colored departmental work in our an. and local conferences as suggested by the General Conleretice res- olution in Milwaukee, the work of the union and local departnzerp tal committee be to study and provide for the needs ot' the work :t 7 the colored people in harmony with established policy NX licti :zen policies are suggested, they must be brought before the lzsecaig Committee that the work of the said union or local conferei evangelist be outlined and directed by the president and cotttttttiicc of the respective conferences the same as other laborers. that we recognize the work ofany other department to be the same as 1: is understood to be the work of any other department. that tell ct . sel be had with our colored laborers in planning their work. it bex: distinctly understood that the union of local conferetice es ang '-,. . has no administrative authority We recommend that the Liezzera. Conference recommendation No. Stl. as appears in the Reszew .x Herald oflune 14, 1926, p. 5, shall be understood to apply 1. . - ored departmental work, and to be carried out only as tinatzces mit, and the recommendation referred to reads 'where tize .ic oping and better prosecution ofthe work for our people 7- better attention, there should be appointed such assistant sec

Page 19 text:

N 1 the colored evangelist of the conference, and two Negro members to be elected. C29 We recommend that in conferences receiving ap- propriations for their colored work the proportionate share of local conference administration expense be on a ratio of one third to the colored and two thirds to the white work, this calculation to be based on practically equal constituency of white and colored mem- bership, and where the proportion of constituency varies from that ofequality, either up or down, the proportion of administrative ex- pense be carried on the same ratio, up or down. The first black person elected to the General Conference was El- der W.H. Green, and he served from 1918 until his rather sudden death in 1928. ln 1929, G.E. Peters, one of the most outstanding black pioneers ofthis church and one of the most progressive lead- ers that we have ever had, was elected to the office. ln 1930, under his leadership, the following recommendations were made at the time of the General Conference Session, June 12, 1930, in San Francisco: tlj That the General Conference Committee select one ofour representative colored ministers to fill the office of secretary of the Negro Department, that this secretary be located in Wash- ington, having his headquarters at the General Conference office: that in giving general supervision to the colored work throughout North America he'd work under the counsel of the General Con- ference Committee as do all other General Conference dep.irtnpe tal secretaries. Then, again, there was the reiteration ot etclliilin tri had been previously taken concerning the organization wl the e- ored work in the Southland and the recommendations tor 1 Northem sections of our country. In regards to the organization ofthe early work in the Soulhlaric the committees that were referred to as the colored committe- were more or less rubber stamp committees. 1-or example. w it I was an evangelist and a representatiye of the colored work in t Florida Conference, we would meet on the same day .is the li-.sec tive Committee: that was the committee made up ot .ill the w lx, representatives of the conference. They would meet generai speaking, in the morning and would make their decisions lfic decisions not only' pertained to the operation of the white work. if also the operation of the black w ork. Then. in the .il-lL'l'l'.Us'11. 2 Colored committee would meet. We would consider the recomztie dations that were made by the Executiy e Coniniittee, .ind w ith y e few exceptions, we would approye the decisions that w ere n1..c prior to our meeting. You will recall that in the recommendation that w .is nzacie 1 General Conference Session in 1-'r.incisco. it w .is requested Lita. General Conference Committee select one of our represent.i11y es