St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-04-27
Rev. Simmons Is
Praised BY Mrs.
Wreufhu Maxwell

hfS. W featha Maxwell, cIVIc
worker and active church
worker paid high tribute to
Rev. Martin Luther Simmons,
pastor of st. Peter AME
church, Minneapolis.
So well received was her adj
dress that II is reprinted here
Mrs. Maxwell said:
IT'S a far cry from the red
hills Of Georgia to the leadership
of over 400 souls in the st. Peters
African Methodist Episcopal
church in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
but such has been the accomplish
men Of our leader in about seven
teen years OF his still young life.
According to his biography, he
left Georgia at twenty years of
age to attend South Carolina
State College. His father gave to
this, his eleventh child. S35 in
cash and his blessings and started
him on his way.
Most Of us know the struggle
that confronts any young man or
woman who has to work his way
through school; but the task
seems doubly hard when you're a
Negro and the school is below the
Mason and Dixon line. Jobs for
students, in the first place, are
very limited in kind as well as
number so the going is usually
pretty rough. Therefore you can
all the more admire and appreci-
ate the spirit and character of the
person who says, Tho I eat some
meals and skip some, I have a
desired goal in mind Strange
that goal wasn't TO become a min
lister of the gospel, but to make
money, honestly Of course, for
oNNhAihg anu pItSNlkN.
There was God-fearing
Mother and Father back in those
red hills Of Georgia, who had
talked TO God about that SON
Lord. we haven't much to give
him, but our prayers, our love,
our courage and our blessings,
but somehow call him to carry
further the work we've already
started in this cause OF Kingdom
Building
80 near the close Of his
matriculatIon In South Carolina
state, that prayer was answer
ed and Martin Luther simmons
decided 20 20 into all the world
and preach the gospel
There were still many long
weary years ahead: still working
his way both at Howard Univer-
sity and Oberlin College, he en-
rolled in preparation of his chosen
work-the Ministry.
The scene changes now The
time Is September 1919: the scene.
the Northwest annual Conference
in st. Paul, Minnesota. Bishop
Baber is making his appointments
he's talking to the Rev. II. C.
Boyd of St Peter AME church.
Minneapolis, MINI. Let's listen
Rev Boyd. you've done an ex-
ccllent piece of work in st. Peter
church this year; your report was
one of the best. You've wrought
well, now you deserve something
better where you won't have to
work so hard, I'm transferring
you 10 the Michigan Conference.
meet me in Chicago next week at
the annual conference. I'm sending
TO st. Peters AME church I'm Min.
neapolis, the Rev. Martin Luther
Simmons of ST Paul AME church
OF Detroit, Michigan. A splendid
young man. Go there, son and
build a new st. Peters. Youm
find IT a good charge and fine
people to work with. And may
God bless you.
''Such was the coming Of our
leader just nineteen months ago.
Mrs. Simmons and Martin
Luther Jr., followed shortly, and
then the family was at home In
the parsonage.
Now, let's see what's been ac-
comphshed in those nineteen
months financially, morally,
and spiritually and what the
plans are for the future.
He was fortunate due TO his
predecessor. TO find enough
money TO pay all current improve
ment bills and a neat little nest
egg on which TO start the building
program.