The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-12-16
EDITORIAL PAGE
Our Business Duties
BY 7. ". BOYD
of nsySs 6.sssss L<ssdsslns Service
OR PREACHERS, .cHrRcIrs AND BUSINESS

club"
This outrageous statement OF bssphemy in sub
stance is what one OF group OF young folk said in
my office in the course OF business discussion lev
days ago In way. was definitely terrified Could
It be possible that all OF hopes aud prayers for
better things both for ourselves and for poster,y
were fall in the OF such spineless youth who
profess the intelligence to the danger ahead as
pc simists. but totally lacking Ia that quality
OF optimism and vision which would enable them TO
believe /. not TO now that within their power
rest ability through strong convictions. fortude
and sels-determinaton 10 turn the tide OF circum-
stances Of what they consider the inevitable?
Are these the fruits OF the family and church life OF
the present-day communities? Again. could Il be
that these youth willing accept this fate that
would enslaye themselves liz the death chambers
OF their conviction for sixty years TO come only
to die in The end without fight. But are not We
older members as we'll those OF our group who
have not lived but merely existed since eman-
cipaiion guilty OF he crimes, II not IL thought.
In passheness. Are not these youth predicting
their future r the terms OF what they have been able
observe OF our past and present, Would Il
no, be expecting 700 much OF these young folks 10
make applications OF sober Judgment and experience
which only as older aDd more seasoned members
OF our group should be in position 10 DO but RE-
FUSE to: or. have our PREACHERS and the
CHURCH 90 completely failed In its program OF ever
arousing the constructive interest OF the YOUTH
and the PEOPLE so as to perpeiuaie the CHURCH
institution tina; q in turn might protect the
general welfare OF MANKIND.
Asking myself these questions and many others
followed trend OF thought and reason that forced
me 10 take stock OF our people as regards our rela
ionship 10 The CHURCH and what is has offered
a. people. ! reminded OF statement made
by he renowned Roger W. Babson. president Of the
BABSON STATISTICAL. ORGANIZATIONS and au-
thor Of two widely read and circulated books. RE-
IIGION AND BUSINESS and THE FUTURE or
THE CHURCHES In the former book ne stated
that History apparently suggests that the churches
will again acquire power and influence oa!y as they
become factors In the solving OF he problems Of
the day Just child depends on rs parents as
child but on becoming an adult no longer feels the
necessity OF so doing-so 4 l. with our attitude TO-
ward the church when 4 has failed TO make is serv-
fees and stewardship indispensable 70 the people
Il becomes the salt without the SAVIOR.
could not enlrcl, sanction this conversation
had witnessed however did want 10 justify 81. /
had only few weeks written an article IN this
paper 70 business men and women rejecting the
air 81 pessimism Zach additional thought Only
sha -pened ms desire seek he cause OF back
wardness and desired 10 study in a ia shon the
NEGRO and his RELIGION.
When We appeared on the scene IN 1866 as Amer
lean citizens civilization a. We know IL today was
cut and dried The Emancipation Proclamation set
free millions OF black folk who had idea 10
what organized society had offer the inielli-
exploit civilization for the better interest OF
ourselves II We could not appreciate the social.
political. and economic evolution that had taken
place In Europe since The dawn OF the first century.
20 say nothing Of The contribution made by the
Gent races. We could not expected 10 understand
the constant evolutionary changes that had taken
- our liberation Even as far back as 1865 wrought
indvidaalism as manifestation OF the poneerin 2
spirit no longer the order 81 he day. America
had become OF and vas now rejecting its wishes
and hopes through he medium ~ well organized
form Of government "Of toe people. by the people.
and for the people" The very STATUS from which We
had just emanCipaied was 10 be clue To the begin
ming OF an even newer era an Era OF Specialization.
In no greater way could the advantages Of speciali-
cation in labor be foretod han through close study
Of the institution Of slavery with its millions OF
forced laborers becoming a part and parcel OF the
economic system Of that day. We had not been cor
sidered people but as tools work with. We we're
chatel property enjoying no rights that our mas
ieIs had to respect We had been taught TO work
not hat We might economically emancpa;e ourselves
or posterity. but 70 do and continue 10 do through
onsprings a bigger and harder day Of work for
Also. when We arrived at this station Of political
emancipation In 1865 our baggage contained only one
thing that linked US group with our past-OtR
RELIGION. This being our only heritage dare
not part with II. II FOR other reason than that a
drowning man grabs al a straw-foi in our religion
az least had hopes through promises OF a better
day in the work THIS WAS THE DOCTRINE
OF THE CHURCH THAT HAD BEEN TAUGHT rs
Up TO THAT TIME AND MOST UNFORTUNATELY
STILL Is. \ RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY WHICH
HAD SUCCESSFULLY AIDED IN KEEPING MIL
! LIONS OF HUMAN BEINGS ~ SLAVERY FOR
THREE HUNDRED YEARS tby keeping them more
or less conterr COULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO
BE ACCEPTABLE WITHOUT GREAT AND FT'NDA-
ENTIRELY DIFFERENT AND NEW SITUATION.
Our failure as race 10 keep step with other peoples
has nor come from our acceptance OF the Christian
religion guide in principle such but. rather
from our determination make OF II THE END OF
OUR OBJECTIVE rather than THE MEANS by which
its principles would have enabled these
fundamental truths in laying the ground plan for the
success that would have been certain come
II az the time OF our emancipation had had
men OF intelligence. 81 vision. az To fight
IN behalf OF their convictions as our leaders In the
church they would have quickly adjusted and direct
| ed in the attitudes should have adopted
toward our church IN position and rela-
ton TO Il. They would have been who know that
the highly developed economic order OF that day was
the oligrowth OF STEP BY STEP IN TINE
n THROUGH THE CHURCH EVEN BEFORE THE
ERA WHEN THE CHURCH AND STATE WERE
one That az one time The business economic life
OF the people was directed BY the church That the
church In its prime role guardian OF the people
was really the link turning point between the
dawn OF man as social unity their family and
clan life cycle to the present highly organized giant
OF civilization OF this day. Ever now In own
United States there churches that successfui-
~ performing the duties as performed
by the church OF old prior its evolutionary
ner Of weaving It's economic functions TO the care