The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-08-03
SHORT ON EDUCATION

IL you WISH.
Respectfully yours,
Robert B. Masterson.
Mr. johnson has tried to fool the
public by saying that he graduated
from the Roxbury Memorial High
School for Boys, But Head Master
Masterson said that "He (Johnson)
was not granted Diploma from this
school," So whose word will the pub
lie take, Johnson's or that of the Head
Master of the Roxbury Memorial High
School for Boys?
Mr.. johnson also said that he is at
present a student enrolled at the Cor
don College of Theology and Missions.
| contacted the deans office and secured
from her his record which reads as fol
lows: civilian Greenleaf johnson was
admitted to Gordon College in October,
1889, but after attending said school
for a period of four months the faculty
voted to drop him from the school be-
cause of his poor work and frequent
absences from the classes, and at pres
ent he is not enrolled as a student in
this school,"
Mr.. johnson also told the Gordon
College authorities that he graduated
from the Chelsea High School and a
record OF the same was presented to the
dean Of that school, but she, feeling
that as a minister Mr.. johnson was
honest, no check-up on his record was
made at the Chelsea High School.
secured Mr.. Johnson's record from the
Head Masters office at the Chelsea
High School which reads as follows :
William Greenleaf johnson was at
one time enrolled as a student in the
Chelsea High School but was transfer
red to the Roxbury Memorial High
School for Boys on March 2, 1896, and
there is no record of his having re-
turned to this school or having grad
uated from said school at anytime, and
if he presented any record of gradua-
ton from the Chelsea High School to
the Gordon College authorities in Octo-
Der, 1899, it was not an official one
signed by the Head Master of said
school"
So it seems that Mr.. johnson has not
told the truth about either his church
connection or his school record. The
above mentioned records from the var
iOus schools may be seen by anyone who
so desires. 1t has never been my policy
to try to hurt any honest young man
or young woman who is trying to make
his or her way in life, but it is also not
my policy to send unt1uthful state
ments to the press for publication, so
| am not afraid for anyone to go be-
hind me and look up any and all state
ments made by me concerning Mr..
johnson. 1t is my policy to know that
| am right before writing or saying
anything about a person, and to know
that one is right makes one courageous
in the face of opposition, resolute in
the face of Encouragement, eloquent in
the face of apathy; it armors one
against successful attack, and fortifies
one against contumely. It gives a mill
tant and mconquerable faith that was
trlumphantly proclaimed by a great
poet who once wrote: Gle has sounded
forth the trumpet that shall never call
retreat; He is sitting out the hearts of
men before His judgement seat; O, be
swift, my soul, to answer Him; be ju-
bilant, my feet, our God is marching
on"
Yes, God is steadily marching on to-
day, while the A.M.E. Church is stead
lily tagging behind. I am very sorry
that | have been forced to write the
foregoing statements concerning Mr..
Johnson, but he tried to make me out
liar I still maintain that Mr.. John
son was ordained to the A.M.E. Minis
try with only Grammar School Edu-
cation, and the Bishop knew it. Some
day the ministers and higher officials Of
the great A.M.E. church will find that
to build their foundation upon the
sands of lying, IMPURE politics, a left
handed way of killing good and honest
and true ministers of the gospel, and
upon ignorance and cut-throat competi-
ton, will certainly result in the church
and themselves going down to ignomin-
ious defeat. The A.M.E. Church today,
is greatly in need of great leaders like
Payne and Derrick, Turner and J. AL
bert johnson who were not afraid to
descend from the seraphic abstraction
of the episcopacy to the homely appli-
cations of the Christianity of Jesus.
They preached the dignity of man and
the religion of humanity, and not a
false philosophy of Materialism and
money-grabbing as today. But there
are no bishops on the bench today who
can take the places of these immortals.
The A.M.E Church can never return
to its former high place of influence in
the Christian World of man until it
begins once more to practice the simple
philosophy and humanity of Richard
Allen. We wonder if that day will ever
come.