Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-07-12
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LEADERS
By Joe Simpson

There is at the present time much speculation who
the leaders in this city, and to our minds TINS speculation ~
order provided however we let interest stop here
Richmond needs general reorganization of her spiritual NOR
al social economic forces We need general audit and m
vesgation of socaed civic leaders In this city, as IN any
other supposed leaders, but the question Wc
should be minds is where and to what are he
leading
How many men in public life today in this city are devo
ting any ther time toward the civic and political develop
men of the in this city? HOW many are oong tt
s pride and unity into the minds OF those na
come under the hearing of their voces How many OF them
practice things they preach? In to the above que
lions we must say that, they few and far between
In building up caste system which is in operation mere
today we have the gaows and supplied the with
which to break our neck The who has financial IN
fuence among dealings they be of
with the who has sterling character and
an unouestionabe reputation honesty integrity and mora
ty In other value not by what he is, but by
what he has minister recently criticized by another
here because of the fact that he the door
of the church and shake hand with members and friends of his
shurch The complaining minister said that ne felt that such
actions lowered the dignity of the profession Such gross gno
rance socaed minister OF the gospel not
excused We say that here is one man who pro0a
bly, highest educated minister Richmond who has not
gotten the and condesenson and who has not
made the fatal mistake of letting education and little honor
and influence turn him fool
Such shining example for men OF lesser accom-
phments education honor and influence to strive to initiate
We many of this complaining ministers type men
who pulled up with false pride who too big to stoop
down and get the hand of tn poor man and give him mt ne
think of the force that him his high plane
supplies his daily bread When we better the condition OF the
thereby better condition for the wealth
the uppercst of the Negro from no otr source
than from the toiling Negro masses.
For sixty years continually taught die
tina become experts in that art let
how live and dying will become of the least of our
worreo Let learn that the high the low the rich and the
created family to aid support and pro-
each other practcng this theory will become in i'm
portant cog in tn wheel of American progress.
Ministers considered the most influential in the
Negro today in order the Negro teashers the
schools Negro editors and coumnsts next next in order
the Negro business the Negro lawyer and the Negro
doctor Great possibilities lie in the hands of of these
essions shaping the desnes of oncomng generations OF
Negroes.
ministers must consider it their duty to do than try
keep their members the church books it is their d
to teach their communicates how to meet the Difficult
ties faced in their daily lives how improve their condition
life whole; constructive and uplifting dscourses the
practical side of life favored with the of short plain and
unadoed spiritual lesson is the thing that will keep the young
people in the church. The day of hell and damnaon sermons
is past
Negro teachers charged with shaping the mind of the
child and nstng into it those virtues that to make up
manly and womanly women, they like parents
member that their actions have effect shaping the f
re actions of the child than all the teaching they give them
Negro editors and comnists the moders of public opi
they Shaud therefore cater to the well the
classes they must strive write terms that the can
read and understands the writings editors and column
lists not be read and understood by other than college
graduate while the majority of people have than
common education They therefore cater class that such
small minority OF the that it unable to adequately sup
port them They should write and publish of
tightening educational and instructive nature and less of the
passion stirring and sensation Black and tan
and divorces should forever be discarded from tn from pages
and headlines of Negro newspapers We by actions in giving
such new prominence such escapades when we
should treat them with contempt Continued 81