The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-11-20
THE FACTS
N OUR NE " s


Editors Note: The views OF Mr. :
White do not necessarily reflect the
views Of The Michigan Chronicle.
Business and the Church De-
troit has been witnessing some
very interesting adventures in bus.
mess by Negroes This is all very
encouraging indeed. The industry
and planning back OF some of these
enterprises make the whole thing
very hesrtening.
There is one aspect about the Ne.
groes' adventure into business that
can be very easily overlooked. The
churches have played a great part.
One church leader has done De-
troit Negro business and immeasur-
able service. This churchman is DR..
william Peck of Bethel AME
church. DR.. Peck has contributed
more to having Negro consumers
and business men think about Ne
gro ownership Of business than any
single person in Detroit Visitors to
Detroit often ask, why are Detroit
Negroes so business conscious?" The
answer is DIR. William Peck" This
preacher has given himself to CIV
ing the Detroit Negroes a mind set
about business. This has not been
very easy task. He has had to
fight Ignorance. petty politics and
downright selfishness on the part
of some Negro business men. Dr.
Peck has succeeded in giving us IN
Detroit new horizon about Negro
business because he was always out
side of the pettiness that goes with
building a program. He had a goal
for his Detroit Negro community
and he has stuck to it. He can have
deep satisfaction in seeing In his
lifetime the fruit OF those hard,
weary years.
Negroes are beginning to achieve
in business. We are learning how
to dream dreams in our business
and have those dreams come true
by hard careful work and planning
This possibility is among thousands
Of Negro people il they can find a
leader who is big enough to believe
in them when they do not deserve
believing in" DR.. Peck believed in
Detroit Negroes in business when
it was hard to do so. The Detroit
Negroes in business today are prov
ing that his belief in them was not
in vain.
When We are conducting depart
ment stores, manufacturing con-
Germs, and all manner OF consumer
business, DR.. Peck will have to be
honored as the man who gave De-
troit Negroes the spiritual mind set
to dare dream Of themselves as ef-
fective business people Who could
say this without adding that Mrs.
Fannie Peck gave Negro housewives
a new vision in spending their mon
ey. She taught them to put wings
on their dollars so that when they
were spent they could return in
achievements for Negroes.
Churches. then, with DR.. Peck's
leadership have been the first weak
legs Of Negro business. Business,
you must help to make your legs
strong and you can run faster.
80 Years Of Being . Friend to Man
For 80 years DR.. Robert Brady
has stood in one pulpit - Second
Baptist. This Is a great tribute 70
him and his congregation. There Is
something creative about the re-
lationship between pastor and lay.
men. A real pastor knows that what
most men want is a real friend-a
friend who knows their weaknesses
and still loves them. A pastor must
be able to love people when those
very people hate him the most. The
wise pastor does not just love peo-
pie because he Is pastor, he loves
them because he knows that hate
met with hate breaks down the
human spirit. DR.. Brady In his 80
years Of service has nursed little
men back to full free stature out
of their dwarfing dungeon of hate.
He has spoken words of comfort
to the discouraged and has helped
the lost to find their way to path
of reality and success.
DR.. Bradby's pastorate represents
the signs of growth in Negro life
in. America. II signifies the stability
of our institutions and leadership
This Is shown in both leader and
institution they have been able to
meet changes wrought by time with
strength and progress.
There Is great deal Of criticism
hurled al Negro churches and their
see the Negro Digest thriving and
-. Ill