Oakwood University - Acorn Yearbook (Huntsville, AL)

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with the employment of a full time general secretary As has been already stated we numbered then only 900 but someone had a vi sion and the vision brought results We now number 15 000 and the advancement merits a full time secretary in each Union Con ference to spend his entire time in the duties outlined by the Au tumn Council of 1929 Elder Peter continued My plea for the perfecting and strength ening of the department I would also suggest that the negro Advi sory Committee be called together in 1942 and every two years thereafter Sufficient time should be given to discuss plans and rec ommendations for the development of the colored work with its own peculiar problems Personally I believe the present organiza tion known as the Negro Department can be made a more ideal system or organization for the Negro work of North America if fully carried out and broadened It is in harmony with the Spirit of Prophecy and in every conference where it is put into full opera tion there will be greater and larger returns to the cause of God As it is we are domg well but we can do better To put this organi zation full force where it is not now operating will of course call for expenditures ofa few more dollars but even from a business view point we must spend money to make money It must not be that 20 ' . r s 5 - ' a ' 7, . 65 . 1 , - . , ' 1 , - , . u s - ' 5 , - , . children of this world are the only generation wiser than the chil- dren of light. In closing, Brother Chairman, I ask for a continued confidence in the consecrated ability of Negro leaders. Give us a fair chance, a greater responsibility with our own people, and I assure you there will be yet greater results in the building up of the work of God as related to the great Advent Movement where all races should stand together, united and true for the completing of the task committed to us by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Let me refer to three significant statements that Elder Peters made in his report: Q11 His appeal for confidence in the consecrated ability of Negro leaders. C25 His appeal for a fair chance of greater responsibility with our own people. C31 There will be greater results in the building up of the work of God as related to the great Ad- vent movement. I wonder what would have been the state of affairs today in our church as related to the development of our work among the blacks in the area of leadership and participation if the actions taken had been implemented. Recommendations are not worth the paper they are printed on unless they are carried out. For example, in 1929, the same appeal Elder Peters made in 1941 was made by our

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ll? -fn 'hi Q -S' ' , ,1',.jf ,. , . . B'f:-'N lg' ' 1.510 Wt ik , 1 :IQ '.a'-L .' , '. . 'ffza' .f. f 1:5 s -. . . compltshed as we broaden the scope of organization for the Negro work And, then he referred back to 1929 to certain events that oc- curred It will be remembered that some years ago our colored brethren gave study to its work and its development as associated with this great movement, and the question of Negro Conferences was introduced You see, that was back in 1929. As 1 mentioned earlier, CM Kinney had raised the issue in 1889. The idea was that these conferences would operate under the guidance of the Union General Conference as do all other local conferences. lt was reasoned by the colored brethren that just as prosperity attended the work when Negro churches were established, with Negro lead- ership tn both the North and South for the furtherance of their own work, and such a development brought added souls and means to the cause of God, such a forward step with greater responsibility by Negro leaders who are versed with their own native psychology and means for the advancement of the cause of God and finishing ot the work This move was not considered wise at that time, so there was then offered what was considered a most desirable substitute plan oforganization by a committee of both black and white. This orga- mzatton framed by the Plans Committeewas adopted and became U J l,' ' i 'N I Q . . K I 'Q A Bal 1 N! ' W1 4' 'J I 1. 4. i ' kim ' A Y . 'fx 'A rf, ff 1 , A N M , K , I-,L I l 99 S6 s' , I vw, . ., tx. up-. sl t 1.1, 1, ..'1i flt-age' lg ifitftzf l fizf- 'fxvfi ',y,fA.G,,1,'l S ,s fl vt' -A-.QM .Il ' f V 't W, , fs - ' -vt, x.- Q Y..- ' . '-K ,. -, 3 - -.Nhat A 'S-if' it a resolution ofthe General Conferences He then relerrcti tions of the Autumn Council of the General tynterez t mittee of 1929 in Columbus, Ohio. which concerned ttse.t organization in the Southern Lnton lcxels, these ,. . mittees, and the appointment ol' a leading Black nnniste: retary or an evangelist and the same relationship in areas with the exception that the man would serxe on 1 1 level as a member of the Exectittxe Committee. and ti: level as a member of the local conference eotnnnttee Elder Peters further stated. Brother Chatrrnan, the fia s l referred to has been carried out in full tn certain L nitti ences, but carried Oul only in part in other L nton territ 1 Union Conferences that are now operating the plan. tha fully carrying out their resolution, l atn sure has e nt-1 l K willfully or from any lack of 111101651 tn the colored ts.-r N times in changing leaders the next leaders. in taking up ti- sibility may not have had an opportunity tt- learn alum.: lutions, its background. and lls merits Our colored brethren hat e waited tor sears tot ti: this plan in total. Workers and Iatty are both asking it s vote ofthe General Conference not been tttlls carried .. one years have passed since the department ts as IH .Qt le tl1eN

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Church school group, Detroit, Michigan 1957. Q l F W '!? N911 . -A 0 as .75 el 'h s .A a. : 1 I v I L I 616 'l-I... black leaders. But the church turned a deaf ear, and at that time, several of our leading black pastors left the orgnized church. J.K. Humphrey organized the first black conference, churches were es- tablished in America and in the West Indies. And there were other conditions existing in the church organization which placed the black believer and the black pastor in a position of inferiority. Now here are some examples which I think are very important to an un- derstanding ofthe subject we are endeavoring to present. I have already referred to the operation of the committees, par- ticularly in the Southland, and how it was more or less a rubber stamp committee. Then secondly, there was inequality of wages and allowances. For example, a black minister in Atlanta with a church of 500, with I5-20 years of service, would have a salary less than that of a young white pastor with a church of one hundred members. I can recall that when I first went to the Southwestern Union as union evangelist, one ofthe first prerequisites I laid down was the fact-of equality of salaries. That was in 1946. Thirdly, there were limited funds for church and school build- ings. Surprisingly, very few churches were built for black congrega- tions during the years prior to regional conferences. There were limited funds for evangelism and very little equipment of any kind. . I 1 During this time, our black leaders were forced to attend sclircr ted meetings held by the church: that is. annual cittlliclls I remember an experience back in the early 3U's ol the Rui.. Council in Fort Worth, Texas. where our black leaders had to .. the service elevatorg of course, many refused lo do that. and th were branded as agitators. etc. During those days Scy enth-day .-X ventist blacks were not accepted in our hospitals and sanitari..:t The sanitarium in Washington did not permit blacks to enter un l940. Prior to that, there was a very tragic experience 'where woman who was very' ill was refused admittance and died later t R her way to Freedmen's Hospital. Blacks could not eat .it the view and Herald until the early l95O's. When Elders Peter and P terson had their oflice in the General Conference. they could :1 even have their meals at the cafeteria. lf was in the iqftllis bet. the largest white Seventh-day' Adventist church in Detroit accept its tirst black member, And. today. a Black Set enth-day AX ventist is not welcomed in the white church in Nlobile, sXl.th.i::' So you can see how the trend of segregation yytthit: the I ' continued, even though in the 50's many other clttlfclics opened their door, to say nothing of the change of climate .11 sports and in the other areas ofsociety. Conscqtiently, on iitc ey C I