The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-02-04

More than decade ago he was
singing the economic blues 30
persistentiy that he was dubbed
the Gloomy Dean what he saw
then. even the casual observers
see clearly today. The question OF
where the Negro is going 10 And
marker for his labor is upper
most In the minds OF thoughtful
Negroes. and what Is more Il is
4 question still unanswered and
will he until Nesro leadership
learns 70 face the ugly facts
such important question cannot
he evadcd or dismissed bu' must
sooner or later he faced squarels
even Il our presen, scheme ot edu-
cation must he reyemped. The Ne
FRO race must rise or fall with its
masses aud unless these masses
are wisely guided he future OF
race is uncertain indeed The
emergency involving Negro leader
snip inspires This article Today
there are foooo Negro Baptist
churches alone in the United States
ana nearly eooo ministers die
annually with only zoo students
preparing for the ministry. II takes
no prophet 10 see the crisis inn
pending
For nearly ihrec-qusr,ers ~
century The Negro race has hcen
organized about the building OF
churches TODAY there are scatter
Cd lhroushoui he country thou
sands NJ churches in which has
gone he major share Of Tho Ne
sros accumulated wealth. These
churches are the mothers ~ higher
learning among Negroes and with
our them the cause OF Negro edu-
cation would no mmeasurably re-
tarded. These churche. have hcen
The clearing house for the Neeros
ambitions and the cradle OF the
races enterprise.
The Negro leadership NJ TO-DAY
IL thurch-grown and there il every
reason 70 believe that II The Ne
Ero ~ tomorrow il 70 he led the
church must furnish The leaders.
l. il true there are few mis-
guided Negroes who feel that The
church il obsolefe hut The an
swer 10 the questions thar position
propounds can best he answered
nv 4 casual r,ance Al tho power
ful Influence Thar The white church
j. asserting what il more where
rs inc Negro miniSiry Is not self
tetpetuating The white ministry
is flourishing and in The two south.
or white Baptist Seminaries alone
arc approximately a thousand
Young men preparing FOR the min
isrry.
The south j. furnishing This ma
ton more Than LIS quota ~ preach
crs. These Southern preachers Arc
fast taking over The ministry NJ
his country and thus they arc The
major force in shapiSg tho morals
' OF The nation. II is going 10 he an
awful thine for the churches OF the
South and country 10 he manned
by intelligent white ministers and
for the Negro church 10 he manned
by preachers ~ the swamp angel
type who are long on "whoop-
ology and short on learning and
theology Eihusiasin and zeal arc
poor substitutes for training. i
me present trends continue ono Oh
t~o things are inevitable. First
those thousands OF Negro churche,
must he served by llliterate ant
often ignorant pastors and second
The more and more intelligen
masses will leave the church ant
this will he q calamity.
We know that there ia cor
relation between good communi
ties and good leads hin an,
which comes frs, has long beer
pressing question. Good com
murities produce good leaders AM
good leaders make good com
muniiies but We know that tn
good leader comes first and so m,
advancement OF the Negro through
Tho church depends upon the cali
bre ~ leaders who have charge o
the great potential power Of tn.
Negro church. The reason youns
white mon enter ihc ministry Is
because white people honor and
respect their ministry and encour.
age iis recruiting
One reason why young Negfoc'
do nol enter the ministry is be-
cause Negroes have NOT grown Ia
sppreciaic its challenge. n one
Negro minister makes mistake
the entire Negro ministry Ia damn
cd just as our entire race Il damn
I'd II Negro commits crime,
when white minister makes a
mistake IL IL the mistake Of mis-
taken man. In other words Negroes
lido for their ministry what the
Ivhiics do for the %.rro race
teneralize Then TOO. n is more
than passing strange that whites
Will throw-off and tell jokes on
negro ministers but not on their
own. Negroes are In many in
stances 100 dull 10 see this and thus
enjoy throwing Off on their min
isters. Unless this condition IL
speedily rcmedicd ANOTHER