The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-03-18

Meridian, Miss.-I jumped so far and
so fast that 1 did not get to send you
letter last week. If you will re-
member 1 was in Kansas City, when 1
took my pen in hand to write you
few lines last week, and you will see
where 1 am today, and 1 will not be
here when this letter reaches you in
few days.
1 have been trying to study the
White man, but find it impossible for
me to reach him and understand his
case, so 1 am going to give it up as
soon as 1 can do so. will turn him
over to God, and then 1 think God
will understand him here or the devil
will understand some of them yonder.
am not joking about this, and must
tell you all about it. The Lord hath
been good to me. He will take care
of me in trouble.
I told you in my last letter that 1
would reserve the right to say a word
about Evanston in another letter, and
think I will here exercise my rights, and
if 1 fail you will not think it was
because I failed to try. Rev. L A.
Thomas, pastor of the Second Baptist
church invited me out to see his church
and to meet the people of Evanston.
He thought it would be good thing
to have a real Kansas farmer to come
out and see a real church. 1 hesitated
at first, but made up my mind to 60. 1
went and 1 was well paid for going.
wonder if you are acquainted with
DR.. Thomas. He is a man and well
trained man at that. He has made it
for himself and for his race. He was
born way down in Georgia, got his
education down there in the public
school, in Central City College, Macon,
Ca, and Morehouse College, Atlanta,
Ga. 1t was in these institutions where
he pushed his way to the front, and
where he became a man of education.
He taught in the Central City College
for some time and resigned to go to
another part of the world. He resigned
from there to go to a church, and then
to take up some special work in the
University of Chicago. 1t was while
studying that the people up there got
to know him. When DR.. Gayles re-
signed they called Rev. Thomas, and he
heard the call and went out there. He
found that little frame building which
had stood by the side of the ark. A
small membership.
Now you want to know what hap
pened7 He took up his coat rolled up
his sleeves and said brothers and
sisters work must be done here in this
zion." 1t was done too, for the old
building was torn down, and new
one started. Many people stood off and
looked and declared it could never be
completed. DR.. Thomas said it would
be. So many predicted failure, but he
predicted in his own mind success, and
success did come to him. Soon the
building was down, the new one up,
and they tell me that in three years
these people raised $4,000. They have
some valuable property right in the
heart of Evanston. 1t is worth having.
1 met a loyal set of hard church
working people. They were serving
supper, and invited me to eat. 1 did
eat. 1 looked at that fine church, and
went right off to shouting without any
particular sermon, but this church IS
sermon enough to make any one shout.
The people think that I must be going
crazy, but 1 am not. 1 feel happy at
times. 1 must speak right out when
the spirit strikes me. You must not
keep back the spirit. 1t must come out,
and I am willing to let it out. want
to congratulate these people. They
deserve credit. The membership has
been increased under DR.. Thomas, and
it is hard to tell where he will stop.
He is a worker.
left there as told you and went
on to Alton, st. Louis, Kansas City.
I found the people busy getting ready
for the National Negro Business Lea
que. We farmers are going to have
hand in this big meeting. I met
Mr.. and Mrs. Fortune I. Weaver, and