The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-08-03
(By REV. LUTHER M. FULLFR7

/
inspired by the Rev. William Green
leaf Johnson, pastor of the First
A.M.E. Church of Chelsea, Massachu-
sets, in which he said that Rev,
Luther NJ. Fuller was in error in what
he said in a recent article concerning
Mr.. johnson in the same paper as of
July 6, 1910 by saying: at is abso-
lutely untrue as the record shows.
My lifetime attachment to the A.M.E.
Church has never once changed and
l never sought ordination by the Bap-
fist or any other than the A.M.E. Con
nection." Thus wrote Mr.. Johnson.
dislike to bring up the matter but in
justice to myself l must present the
facts. l do not make unsupported
statements.
Let's look at the record then. have
before me Mr.. Johnson's record at the
Zion Baptist Church of Everett,
Massachusetts directly from the pas
tor of that church which says: SIN
June, 1884, William Greenleaf John
son joined the Zion Baptist Church
and was baptised by me (the pastor) -
Mr.. johnson talked to said pastor
about being ordained to the Baptist
Ministry, but Mr.. johnson was told
that the pastor of Zion Baptist
Church could not call any ordination
council which would ordain him be-
cause of his lack of college and theo-
logical training, so Johnson was ad-
vised to go to the Gordon College of
Theology and Missions in Boston to
get more training. Yet, Mr.. Johnson
says that he has had no other con-
nection in his church life other than
with the A.ME. Connection.
When he was assured that he could
get no ordination in the Baptist
Church with such meagre training as
he possessed, he scathingly denounced
the pastor of Zion Baptist Church in
Everett, quit said church, went to the
A.M.E. Church and was ordained in
two years. The writer was present at
Mr.. Johnson's ordination in June, 1898
at New Haven, Connecticut, where we
heard him say on the floor of the
Annual Conference that he was a
graduate of High School when he
knew that he was not telling the truth,
but upon recommendation of the Pre-
siding Elder the Bishop ordained him.
According to the statement of the
pastor of the Saugus Baptist Church
in Saugus, Mass, Mr.. johnson went to
said church and the pastor took a
great interest in him and tried to help
him to become a minister, but in a
characteristic Johnsonian fashion,
started whispering campaign
against said pastor in an effort to turn
the people against the latter so that
he, (Johnson) could get the church.
but when rumors against the pastor
had gone so far, the pastor of the
Saugus Baptist Church took Johnson
aside and told him never to- be caught
in Saugus again at his church. or
among the members of said church
and if ever caught there again he
would administer a good beating to
johnson, so the latter has never been
caught in Saugus again.
Mr.. Johnson also said in the write
up that he completed the course in
High School at the Roxbury Memorial
High School for Boys and at present
is enrolled as student in the Gordon
College of Theology and Missions in
Boston" Mr.. Johnson told the writer
the same thing at the Annual Picnic
at Salem Willows on Thursday, July
IL, in the presence of Rev. Harvey H.
Stanford and other witnesses. and on
Johnson's offer to show his diploma
from said High School I told him that
his was forged and fake diploma and
that the Head Master of the Roxbury
Memorial High School for Boys had
never signed his diploma. I received
this information personally from Pro-
fessor Robert B. Masterson, Head
Master of said High School, and
secured written record from Mr.
Masterson concerning Mr.. johnson in
the Head Masters own handwriting.
1t reads as follows:
Roxbury Memorial High School (Boys)
Townsend Street, ROxbury
July 30, 1910
Reverend and Dear Sir:
"The record in this school shows
that William Greenleaf Johnson was
born October 10, 1917, and resided at
1874 Cabot Street, Roxbury, Mass, and
he had previously lived at II Haskins
Street, RoXbury. His parent was
Charles L. johnson. William entered
this school, from the Chelsea High
School on March 5, 1886 He finished
the school year, 1935-1936, and con-
tinued during the entire school year
of 1867, although he was dismissed
to go to work on May 10, 1887. He
re-entered School on December Is,
1887, having been out of school all of
September, October. November, and
December up to the date he re-entered
He came to school seven (7) days;
that is, up to Christmas time in 1887.
On January 10, 1888, we received
word that he would not return on
account of illness. We saw no more
of him that school year. On the fol-
lowing October, 1888, we sent his
scholastic record to Scott High School
in Toledo, Ohio. HE WAS NOT
GRANTED A DIPLOMA FROM
ton Arbuckle was the soloist and the
choir rendered two beautiful anthems.
Joe boz 1.,,r n. 1