St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1937-09-10

thursday mgnC joined nanoS IN u
cently-freed Scottsboro Boys, DIN
Williams and Willie Robertson.
Arriving in his car approximat
was given rousing ovation by the
several thousand Divinites who
iammed and crammed the side
walks in front of the auditorium.
Passing down the aisle on the way
to the rostrum Harten was met
with salutations of $50 Glad" and
peace"
Divine Gets Great Ovation
But the ovation given the
Brooklyn clergyman was as drop
in the bucket to the pandemonium
and ear-splitting cries, waving of
handkerchiefs and singing Of songs
which greeted the arrival twenty
minutes later of the stocky pleas
ant-faced leader whom thousands
call "God." Harten descended
from the platform to meet him
and together they came down the
aisle amid applause and cries
which seemed to rent the air.
Ascending to the platform Divine
raised his hand and there was as
much silence as there had been
noise.
"Peace, everyone" he hailed
throatily.
"Peace, Father" echoed and re-
echoed the reply.
Harten Not To Be Converted
The small but powerfully-built
cult leader returned to his seat on
the rostrum and the Brooklyn pas
tor came forward to the speakers
stand.
81 never thought I'd be on the
same platform with Father Di-
vine," declared Harten, 81 never
wanted to meet him-to tell you
the truth. But God had to go down
to the darkness of an Alabama
cell and bring the Scottsboro lads
to Brooklyn to get Harten and
Divine on the same -rostrum.
There are a lot of people here and
a lot who aren't who are going to
talk about me for appearing here.
But that doesn't matter. They
talk about you wherever you go.
That doesn't worry me. 1 want
you to know, however," the min
lister raped out forcefully, chat
Father Divine will not be converted
to me tonight, nor will 1 be won
over to him. He will go back to
his kingdom and I will go back to
the Holy Trinity Church, still it's
pastor and still loving the faith I
preach Sunday after Sunday.
II want you to know that we're
not here to do battle. But we're
here for common cause. For the
cause of liberty, justice and right
eousness. Fathers word is
Peace Well, mine is WAR And
before I get through the devil in
He'll is going to be very disturbed
and his imps on earth very aroused.
Fact is, they're walking around
Harlem tonight"
The Brooklyn pastor went on to
declare that the Scottsboro lads
owed great debt of gratitude to
the LID, NAACO, Scottsboro De-
tense Committee and other organi-
cations which had labored for their
freedom. He acknowledged that
they owe everlasting gratitude to
Samuel Leibowitz, whom he called
a "great emancipation" Vigorous
ly he scored those who criticized
the career of the Scottsboro boys
on the stage, declaring that he
would gladly turn the boys over
mot tomorrow but tonight, to any,
one who had anything better to
offer them to enable them to be-
come financially secure, to comfort
their aged and sorrowed mothers
who have gone through as much |
as the boys themselves and to earn
for an education" |
Harten Introduces Divine
Harten then presented to the
wildly-cheering audience "your
great leader" After extended ap-
plause which lasted for ten or
,welve minutes, Divine spoke: |
"Peace, everyone" he cried.
"Peace, Father" from five thou
sand threats.
"God" announced that lecture
would be read to the audience by
MS secretary. Stepping to the
speakers stand, a tall, attractive
white girl read one of Divine's
to his people. The lee
lure lasted for fully an hour. Mean