The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-02-26
COLORED CLERGY ANGRY.
baptist and NothodIst Preachers CharC-
ed with immortality and Ignorance.


orcd preachers Of Columbia and goo,
part of South Carolina are IN a fcrmcn
over certain charges recently made affect
ing the intelligence and morals of tin,
colorder Methodist and Baptist clergy o
the South. They might, in one sense, be
| said to be at ''white heat" and their feel
inSs have found vent in an INDIGNATION
meeting held at the Cappel-Allen uni.
versity, this city.
The cause OF the commOtion is the
publication Of certain letters of Booker
L. Washington president Of the Normal
school, and the endorsement thereof by
Bishop Daniel a. Payne, of Wilbcrforcc
Ohio. bishop OF the African Methodist
Episcopal church, who has at various
times had charges in all parts of the
South.
Washington charges that over 70 Der
cent, Of the colored Southern ministers
are totally unfit by reason Of their want
OF intelligence and morality to be leaders
of the people. This Bishop payne en-
dorsed i'll the following words: II saw
emphatically in the presence of the Great
Head OF the church that not more than
one-thlrd OF the ministers, Baptist and
Methodlst, IN the South arc morally and
intellectually qualified. l will stand by
this statement and can demonstrate It's
truth fully by shameful and painful facts
with regard to names, times and places ,
1t Is charged this is the beginning OF a
move by the Northern wing of the Afri-
an church toward disgusting the
colorcd congregations South with their
pastors III order to create demand for
Northern educated ministers, graduates
OF colleges there. and TO destroy the
present power and influence of leading
lights in the church at the South.
The indignation meeting held here is
to be followed by similar meetings all
over the Southern States. 1t was held
pursuant to a call Of the Rev. VIM. D,
Chapel, presiding elder Of the Manning
district Columbia annual conference, and
was a convention Of the colored prea CHI.
ers Of this entire district. They gave
vent to their indignation at Bishou
Payne's charges by adopting a preamble
and resolutions which would fill q
column in The News. The OPENING
paragraphs give good idea Of the tone
OF the resolutions and their red hot char.
acter. They are as follows:
"Whercas, we believe Bishop DAME
A. Payne has Intentionally and mali
clouslY, with an aim to injurc and de
tame Southern ministers and their tami
lies, assisted in circulating slandcrou.
letter throughout the public prints tt
the effect that Southern ministers ar,
immortal and ignorant, too much so [,
fill the pulpit.
NWhereas, no man is more guilty O
immoral acts than Bishop Payne be
cause he took our money from us, car
ried it North and did with the hard earn
ing of our people educate Northern
preachers and transferred South sucl
scoundrcls who could not live North, be-
cause Of their dirt and immortality ant
who, in anything about immortality, have
taught us.
In closing they say: "Wc condemn
the article of Bishop Payne and hurl
back the charge TO him as a base false.
hood instigatcd by the devil, and we be.
llcvc until he retracts, the entire South
should look upon him as personal enc,
my Of the South, and therefore hold him
as we would a poisonous adder"
They also remind the bishop Of an
alleged debt of gratitude he owes the
South Carolina brethren who, it is
claimed, at the last general conference
at indianapolis, saved him from censurc
and probably impeachment for malad-
mlnstratiOn.
An accompanying incident which
gives rise TO a split III the church in this
State is the alleged attempt Of Presiding
Elder 5. II. Jefferson, Of Sumter, to So
ccdc from the convention with the A. NJ
f. church with the whole district. lie
IS charged with hay ing himself made
bishop of the First" a. Nj. +. church
and seeking to carry his people with
him. .-(irccnvillc News.