The broad ax., 1921-02-26

Oauas, IeA.-haNe you ever Deen 70
meeting Of the Bishops Of the A. NJ
E Church, If you have not 1 would
advise You to go to one, for it is wen
worth all the money it win cost you to
60 to see these wonderful leaders Of
this race of ours. know whereof
speak, for am at one right now, and
/ am as happy as a Junebug in the
summer time, when he can get in
among some good blaekberries. Tell
the people I told you this.
have been telling you from time to
time about this meeting, and what it
meant, and now ! am prepared to say
told you so. When saw so many
Of nv people around that great church
building. am sure that it was a church
for white folks, for it is without a
doubt one of the finest church build
ings in Texas, and it is all due to the
fact that they had real man as pas
tor, Rev. c. W. Abingdon, who is going
to be promoted one Of these days to
the position of Secretary of Missions.
He is 70 be the successor to DR.. J. W.
Rankin, and am sure that this is not
saying too much. lie has won his
spurs, and like Bishop W. Sampson
Brooks, he has wen his way to the
hearts Of his people.
A fellow can certainly enjoy what
he earns, and 1 looked into the faces Of
all these bishops thought of how they
had to work up from the ground on the
top. Such men as Bishops B. F. Lee,
who is the oldest Of them all-that is
TO say he has been bishop longer, and
he is now called the senior. He pre-
sides over the meeting, and he is just
one more well trained man, full of the
spirit of our Lord and Master.
1 have been in the Sanitarium, again,
and DR.. H. w. Conrad has again been
looking after the bugs. He has been
listening TO them talk, and upset their
plans to get me to another world. He
says he is going to give them a great
chase, and land them in their graves,
if they don t stay away from me.
But now let me come to the Bishops
meeting, and say a few things about
them They are here from all over the
country, and they are talking about big
things here. DR.. c. W. Arlington has
been assisted, OF backed in ali of his
plans by the man who is taking his
place among the great men, Bishop
William Decker johnson, Of Plains,
Ga, and who was made Bishop at the
general conference last May held in
st. Louis, but you would take him to
be a bishop Of many years standing.
He is just leader of men, that's all,
and he is going to take the place of
some of those leaders who have left US,
such as Grant, Gaines, Arnett, Derrick,
Payne and others of the thinking rank.
I am not going to attempt to tell
you all saw or heard, or all the men
and women met during This meeting |
for it would just take too long. But I |
am JUST going to tell you so much and
stop. I was there before the bishops
got there, except Bishop Johnson. I
heard all the preliminary meetings, and
was in some of them myself.
1t was a great sight to see all them
and general officers open that
big meeting, and then to look at that
packed auditorium All anxious to pay
tribute to their leaders The meeting
was called to order by the Father in I
God, Bishop Benjamin Franklin Lee,
senior bishop Of the connection, and a
wonderful character. he took time in
his bOyhoOd days to prepare to take his
place among thinkers, and he is just
one of them. He is a wonderful man,
and while his age is telling on him, he
has a real young brain, and viii cope
With any Of them.
Mong the other Bishops were: W.
q. Heard, Philadelphia; John Hurst,
Baltimore, Nd; Levi J. Coppin, Phil
,delphia, Pa; Charles Spencer Smith,
Detroit, Mich; W. D. Chappelle, Colum-
'ia, S. c.; ]. S. Ripper, Atlanta, Ga;
!. Albert johnson, Philadelphia;
Joshua Il. Jones, wiIberfOree, o.; W.
4. Fountsine, Atlanta, Ga; ". W.
Beckett, Brooklyn, n Y; A. J. Carey,
,hieago, H.; II. Blanton Parks, Chi
ago; J. n Conner, Little Rock, Ark;
William Decker johnson, Plains, Ga;
bishop W. Sampson Brooks, was in
Vest Africa, and W. 7. Vernon, in
'Outh Africa, but special prayers went
p for them.
An interesting opening was had, and
bishop W. D. Chapelle, preached one
lore great sermon. He is a great
reaeher, and knows what TO say and
ow TO say it He took his text from
be Song Of Solomons, and made sure
hat he was going to sing, when he
aid the Song Of Solomon, and felt
ben like getting up and walking out,
or was there to hear preaching and
OF singing. 1 thought that he vas
ding to throw back his head and 60
Ike dying calf, and believe me honey
e win Join right With yOu in speaking