The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1951-05-12
Ga. A.M.E. Laymen
OK Bishop Greene

tended to Bishop Sherman l..
Greene last week, when aroused
AME laymen of Georgia, led by
their spokesman, Sidney A.
Jones of Savannah, about faced,
and suddenly adopted a strong
resolution pledging their support
to the bishop and calling for fl
nancial support to Morris Brown
college.
The resolution, adopted at a
one-day meeting of the Electoral
college of the Georgia Annual
conference at the Mt. Moriah
AME church in Jesup, Ca, was
signed by H. B. Hannah, Sidney
Jones, Donald Thomas, James
Gordon, who served as chairman
of the group and Mrs. Albertha
Stoken, who served as secretary
of the committee.
Specifically the resolution call
ed for a vote of confidence in
Bishop Greene, pleaded for loyal
support to the Bishop and AME
program, "our bishop and his ad-
ministration," and that we 'use
our best efforts to encourage the
laymen throughout the Georgia
Annual Conference to give loyal
and liberal support to the pro-
gram of the church and to Nor
riS Brown college and endeav 4
to assist our pastors and presid-
ing elders to render 100 percent
reports in all general assess
mentS."
The committee, following the
adoption of the resolution, re-
quested that copies be sent to
Bishop Greene and to the press.
The meeting called for the
purpose of naming delegates to
the 1852 AME General Conference
in Chicago, saw the following
delegates elected
Sidney A. Jones, w. L. Rivers,
E. Shuler, E. E. Moore, Mrs.
Laura Meridy, Leroy Butler,
Donald Thomas, and Benjamin
Hannah.
Alternates include J. Adams,
J. T. Greene, J. Keith, William
Walker, M. Hutchins, Richard,
Wright, w. L. Bolds and c. E.
Bennett.
The laymen, last month, led by
Jones, filed sensational injunc-
ton suit against Bishop Greene
attempting to keep him from as
Stunning authority over the Sixth
Episcopal district. Judge Virlyn
E. Moore Of Fulton Superior
court (Atlanta) refused to Inter-
fere with Bishop Greene's rights
aid powers in the church, but
did grant the laymen's plea that
he be prevented from Interior
ring with the personnel at Morris
Brown, the AME school in the
state.
The fight between the new
Georgia bishop and the laymen
came about after his predecessor
in this district, Bishop R. R.
Wright, Jr., fired DR.. w. A. Foun-
tain Jr., from the presidency of
the school. The AME Bishops
Council transferred Wright to the
Arkansas Oklahoma area as an
outcome of the fight and sent
Greene to rule over the district.
Laymen, backing Bishop Wright
sought to prevent Bishop Greene
from taking over. Their action
this week, seemed to suggest sur
render, and write finish to the
fight that temporarily has. split
the church in Georgia.
Rumors making the rounds here
this week presented a move to
have Bishop Wright ''unfrocked''
at the AME General convention
in Chicago next summer.
What effect the laymen's reSo-
luton would have on the admin
istration of Morris Brown COL
lege could not be determined at
this point. DR.. Fountain, former
president, was appointed last
week as commissioner of educa-
ton for Georgia by B S h o o
Greene. Speculation had it that
he might regain his chair, now
occupied by DR.. E. c. Mitchell,
next September.
Judge Moore ordered at the
injunction trial that the bishop
make no changes until he pre-
Sents his plan of action at the
school to the court for approval
or rejection.