Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-12-27

an
Of silence but sometimes it wise to speak.
An article the Miss Mamie Burroughs with res
pc to the duty of Negro leaders, especially the churches and
pastors concerning the unemployed recently received wide pub
this article as "corching Indictment He cites much that he
and his church doing to meet the situation and This
the only practical way to meet Mamie H. Burroughs challenge
and to answer her scorching Indictment
The Incident Is Uncaled For
Dr. Powell seems to ndorse the searching Indictment His
efforts put forth alleviate the tense situation of unemployment
prompted by what Mrs Burroughs rather than
sense of duty Long before Miss Burroughs wrote churches
doing what they could places to meet this stua
ton Many who have read her article or who do not know
ministry is so ignorant Indifferent selfish to need
scorchng Indictment to call them to this task
The Church Made Last When 1t Should Be First and
First When 1t Should Be Last
MANY of the people now in need had little use for church
in the time prosperity Much to rackes
booteggg good time and ratemtes by people than IS
given the church The Negro pays his club and lodge
dues and gets his uxures before he puts aside church
money live high with thought of the needs OF the
church When however need comes the church and the
take of such people in time of need We DO not mean
that the church should raate We do not deny the call OF
ought say that if the church to be present help in the time
of trouble then those who would be helped should remember the
church when the time not of trouble We do not charge
that all who need have not been faithful There
orally exceptions and good but wholesale criticism of
the ministers account of failure to help or relieve such stu
The Norfolk Journal Guide in its issue carried the
Stephanie St. Clair wealthy Franco American who
told the investigators of the Magistrates Court of how she made
racket in Harlem She claimed that after she retired these off
Gals framed her and had her sent to the work house, We
wonder how many of the Womens former customers are on the
charity roll of Dr. Powels church. Help them? Yes, help
Them but should make such people feel that they go
ous privileged sn gamble and squandr their earnings
that the church and the minister are vigorously doomed for not
supplying all of such peoples needs from the earnings which they
the minister's have saved and few ministers enough
decenty to say nothing OF saving.
Where Is The Money To Be Had?
If the people of employment and the collections
from the people be the from which the church gets
her charity money then how the church do many
things? 1t is simply vicious circle Most of the money the
money the minister's salary excepted which has been
trbuted churches has gone into fine buildings The church
cannot these into cash give away The members of the
church jobs affected by the pres
should contribute but these largely in the minority
The Pastors
Most of the pastors do not make Giving salary"
Powell able to give away more than the preacher
m during a whole year. Those who have should
give Every wei Uniformed knows that the salary of the
minister below that of any other of the kindred
fesons Most churches behind in the payment the pas
tors salary since the coming of the economic
pastors have almost become objects for charity Dr. Powell
states that he refused to accept the gift offered gift
though the he drives four years DID,
been informed that DR. Powes Packard The average
than thatthe bought by him. Many pastors have
Packard cost three and four times the Ford ought
driven longer The church barely able meet it's as
umed obligations because of the snted way the
member contributes Let those who give give But indirect
Charity Not New With Churches-nOr With Pastors
The church is not excited the stuaon-the poor We
have always with YOU Despite the fact that many men in pros
pery forget the church, the church faithful have always
made Sacrifices when necessary eeven though the recp
lent caused his need by his SHINING.
Noble Examples
The church foces-wthout the criticism the Burroughs
article have done many noble deeds to meet the situation
in the city of Richmond the Sunday School Bible whte
started movement to employ 2 OF the most needy unemployed
city, three months three per dav three
OF these coored The roll for all
They were to work the parks and city cemetere-paces
and atea organizations of both joined the movement
and rising nob to do the task They doing this not to
Miss Burroug because they not dead to
OF Christian duty and the call of charity
In the Writer'S Church
YesteGay (Dec 21 sXtywo dollars laid the table
in to the efforts of little society of the church who
looks after the poor This church regularly list
its members who need and who helped monthly The
writer himself has turned beggar from his dooand
there have been He not exception but rather just
the thousand themselves have nothing for