The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-07-14

IOILy-lVS uOuSduQ CNuICIl DuuUuiSS
in this country; and an aggregate
value Of church property more than
eighty-seven million dollars. Do not
accomplishments in material good i'm
press that there is a vast amount of
improperly handled and misdirected
wealth?
The thousands that are homeless
and in want; the thousands that every
year suffer from hunger and cold, is
no compliment to the efforts of the
church. To sit few hours of Sun
days of each week in some of these
massive, magnificent, beautiful struc-
lures do not add substantially to the
daily comforts of those who toll in
misery and are clothed in rags; whose
lives are half starved existence in
cold, uncomfortable shacks, huts, tene-
ments and novels Six days of toll,
hunger and suffering cannot be allevi-
ated by few hours of prayer, songs
and sermons on the seventh day. We
must take thought for tomorrow; for
tomorrow we must prepare; for on
tomorrow we must have something
to eat and on tomorrow we must also
have something to wear. The widow
must no longer give her all, her mite.
She must provide for her own, espe-
cially for those of her own house. To
the widow it is far better to give than
from her to receive.
Begging, an attribute of the church;
system if not degrading in itself, it
is, to say the least, too often democrat
izing in it's effect; often bringing in
nocent and unsuspecting young women
and girls in contact with seducers,
procurers and panderers. Unity of
effort on the part of the colored peo-
pie in the promotion of progress and
uplift is a necessity that cannot be
denied. Yet uplift and progress can
not be accomplished by leveling all to
the lowest social strata. Since it is
customary with American educators,
journalists, publishers, social workers,
etc., to measure the colored people by
their lowest; it follows that the SUI
preme efforts should be to elevate
those that are fallen. This cannot be
accomplished through the immediate
recognition of those that are morally
and mentally repraved, by the indis
eliminate placing of them in position
to breed evil influence upon the un-
wary young and unsuspecting youth.
And, too, there exists a peculiar mar
row, clannishness that destroys the
spirit of united democratic effort that
is so necessary in the work of social
uplift and reform. 1t is also true that
some of the most degraded characters,
some of the most prof1igate libertines,
boast not only of their utilization, but
of the most conspicuous positions in
the church. Every person that holds
a conspicuous and responsible position
in the church, should be a living, prac-
tical example worthy of emulation.
Again some of the most cruel and
beastly husbands and fathers, some of
the most unfaithful wives and negli-
gent mothers are members of the
church. Membership in the church is
guarantee of honesty or of good char
aeter. While our Magdalenes should
be given aid and encouragement in
their efforts to attain social uplift;
yet they cannot be indiscriminately
mixed among our Marys. Society de-
mands not only assertion, but proof
of the change.
Not only should the dying thief be
awarded a place in Paradise while he
hangs upon the cross; but conditions
should continue to improve until en-
vironment and circumstances no Ion
ger necessitate his being a thief. The
effort of the church not only should
be to abolish illiteracy, but it's in
fuence should be used to provide the
very highest possible development of
all the youth of the colored race.
'The effort of the churches to meet
the recreational needs of the Negro
people has been very limited" Worlds
Survey, American volume, Revised
Preliminary Edition, page 94). There
are relatively few moving picture the
aters in Negro ighborhoods. A num-
Der of these use questionable pictures,
often interspersed with vulgar vaude
vile.
Pool rooms, run for gain without
proper supervision, are simply breed
ing places for gamblers.
"Here unwary youths, with their
natural craving for pleasure, meet de-
signing exploiters seeking victims"
"Dance halls in many cities, fire.
quently conducted under commercial
auspices, are places where all types
of characters mingle. Often innocent
youth plays without warning with
tawdry vice and designing seducers."
"The need of meeting places for So
cial intercourse and of places with
equipment for indoor and outdoor
games, under trained supervision, is
universap lib, page 93). The above
quotation from the Council of Church.
es needs no comment. From the same
report: "Amicable adjustment of race
relations on a basis of justice, peace
and good will is an acid Test for the
Christian Church."
"The neglect and exploitation of the
mental, moral, physical and spiritual
powers of the Negro child in Christian
America is a heartrending confession"
1t is very safe proposition to as
sert it unsound in precept to spend so
much time in considering the lilies
of the field" and talking no thought
for tomorrow" and it far more un-
sound in practice. Again from the
Worlds Survey: "Let it be burned into
the minds of our church leaders that
A CHURCH WHICH CANNOT SAVE
ITS OWN CHILDREN CAN NEVER
SAVE THE WORLD" Present con-
ditions demand that every institution
must produce material benefit through
physical, mental and last, but by far
not the least, MORAL development.
And the church is no exception. One
of the main facts about the discussion
of subjects of this nature, the majority
of the people are little afraid to give
their honest opinions. The average
individual is afraid that to express his
honest oninion will carse him Tn he