The Afro-American., 1896-04-18
NEED OF EDUCATED MINISTERS.

NEED OF EDUCATED MINISTERS.
Passing through the small town OF
9, in the south ern part OF Fehh-
sylvania, a few Sundays ago, l was
rather forcibly reminded OF our nee"
Of educated ministers.
AS / passed hall / saw quite lew
people standing around. On inquiry
found there would be a gospel
meeting at s o'clock.
Being in no hurry, and anxious 10 |
see how the meeting would oe con
ducted, | persuaded my companion 70
Stay awhile. ,1
hHed with both white and coloreo
people. took q seat on the corner
bf the second bench from the 'front.'
hin ectly iii front of the minister:
1 Glancing over the congregation,
saw the white people were in the ma
ority and all on one side OF the ha'l'
At SIS D. IN. the minister arose anu,
Without giving either page-or mum
Der of hymn, gave out the hymn
"AmI a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb 2"
Looking closely / discovered his
oTmn book was upside down. AS he
bever raised his eyes frOm the book
thought, perhaps, the book had IN
some way been detached from the
hack and had been carelessly re-
placed | discovered my error when
the book was handed to lady VINO
was sitting directly in front OF me
The meeting consisted of few re-
marks by the pastor and praying and
singing for about 20 minutes. The
minister then arose and said, broth
ers and sisters, please come forward.
All the church members came front
and gathered about and around a
long pine bench. They saug, prayed,
shouted and screamed for about an
hour or two. l was so ashamed ana
disgusted that | could feel my face
burn as If atire.
After they had become almost ex-
hausted they all went back to their
seats, and the minister arose ana
said these words, sisters ana hrud,
ders, the spirit Of de Lord habs bid
wild US, and we feel dat we hab been
greatly benefited; now, please come
| forward and put on dis table de small
sum of So so, and do it quick
| An old lady arose aud said, Sisters
! and brudders, Eve been a. feedln dt
ministers and a payin' my debts anc
udder peoples, too, fo' de las twelDt
wears. an [ done 'cided Use gwine dt
no mo- work in dis church, Use no
eben gwine to be sUewardess eny mo
so ~ou'se can jest do to suit yo self.
T49 White naGt aE8 OF dtdd t69 dioBBgregaG Bgg ga
heard from them all over the hall.
Is it any wonder they laugh an(
make fun of our race when those tina
are educated and presiding, and pre-
tend to be working for the upbui!d
lug of rhe race allow such illiteratt
men to occupy our pulEits
This is not only in one church, but
services are conducted in many oil
our villages and churches in just this
manner.
An uneducated church officer is baC
| enough, but au Ineducated minister
| is ten times worse.
| To sit and hear minister of the
! GOSPEL using such language is simply
disgusting, and causes more than one
person to blush for him and his ig-
| norance.
Is it any wonder that our young
| people IN tneS6 DIdceS cOfDpIdIn Ol
| being tired and discouraged, and say
they will give up and let some one
else carry the burden the rest of the
way? How can we expect to get them
| interested in church WORK when such
meetings are held in the churches and
particlnated in by the minister in
| charge?
| remember the first meeting of the
kind | ever witnessed. | thought
then, and think now, that man sent
to preach the Gospel in this enlight-
ened day, and helps and endorses
such meetings should be put out OF
! the church. The trOu BILE il, there are
| too many who imagine they are called
to preach, who do not possess the
qualifications that belong to Il true
minister. In most cases the minister
uses his entire efforts to force praise
from some other lips. Some are so
| egotistical that their religion be
comes a mere form and consists
mostly of noise and outside show,
speak strongly, because | feel
strongly.
know that God never inspires
mortals with religious selfshness, and
never seuds His people to work, but
He accompanies them.