Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-01-20
ARIZONA
OUT FOR
AN OFFICE
A VOICE FROM THE SOUTHWEST.

The Negroes of the Southwest are
"a progressive people. who seem TO
have Just enough of the white mans
tenacity TO grasp prosperity. open
ulstness enterprises and save money.
But best of all. the people OF Phoenix
have enough OF the spirit OF God TO
erect in this small community of 1000
Negroes three magnificent churches
for worship, all of which are pros
pering
NThe African Methodist Episcopal
church has planted itself with deep
roots all over this wide world where
ever our people live. and wherever it
enters you find them drawing the
crowds for God and humanity. be
cause of the superior qualities of her
ministers. and the earnestness and
zeal which they put forth.
The conception most people from
the South. East and North have of
t,1s Southwest country is very crude
nGniaA La -llliIlA- ia ~.2allgls Ia
couth iliiterate pieces OF humanity
whose country Is Inhabited with moth
ing but outlaws and cowboys who ride
into churches. stores and saloons
horseback or tease the tenderfoot by
shooting him tune to dance by. But
my utal EfAAfl - " lAAll AIbh anu MS
people enter a country 1t means civil
ization. cultivation and progress. We
have here with us some OF the most
spiritual, a. intellectual OF the land
and are SfSsrUyss for you to give us a
chance to prove to you. who have new.
er had the pleasure OF visiting and
coming in direct contact with us that
the Southwest is creeping upon you
and II you don't awaken. we will win
in this great spiritual and intellectual
race.
The intellectual and broad minded
people OF the Southwest are placing
before the next general conference
which meets In Kansas City next May,
as editor of the Western Christian Re
corder. one of the grandest and best
equipped this western country at-
lords. We know that no other sec
tion OF the church can place before
the next general conference a better
man than our candidate, DR.. II Frank
lin Bray. In placing him before you
for your suffrage We desire that you
know that in every way he Is quail
fled for the position. His college and
seminary training, coupled with his
actual experience in newspaper work,
give him n foundation upon which he
can build up a paper OF which the en-
tire connection will be proud. our
candidate is an ambitious and earnest
man, full of good business sense and
literary ability. Rev. Bray was at
one time the youngest presiding elder
in the entire connection and the
youngest ministerial delegate to the
general conference in Chicago in 1904.
He has dedicated his life and service
81 h., oh IN,
- West In this city he has built n
modern church and parsonage valued
at fifteen thousand dollars and has
placed African Methodism thereby in
The forefront of all Negro churches
in the Southwest He has made Phoe-
nix what it is for the Negro today. By
his exemplary life he has won for
himself leadership of his race in this
part of the country and demands and
carries the respect of not only his
race but the leading and intellectual
white people of this community. Rev
Bray has succeeded in his every un
dertaking because of his superior
ability to manage. We plead for n
chance to place before you one of the
most God-fearing, consecrated and
earnest men this country affords,
Rev H. Franklin Bray of Phoenix,
Arizona. Make him the editor and
manager of the Western Christian
Recorder and the church will prosper
in the West as never before. Give
him n chance and he will make good.
Yours for the church,
MISS Il. NJ. MILLEN,
Teacher in City Schools of Phoenix,
Arizona, and Supt of State Sunday
Schoul Convention.