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THE COMMONWEALTH: Published Every Saturday by The Commonwealth Publishing Company, at 414 W. HOFFMAN STREET, Baltimore, Md. ERNEST LYON, EDITOR. Subscription: One copy, one year, 75 Cents; Six months, 40 Cents, in advance. Single copy. Two Cents. The Commonwealth may be had atany of the branch offices, or sub-stations. SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4. 1915, THE DIVINITY OF THE CHURCH. The Divinity of the Church is no longer a question of doubt and uncertainty. Her age, history and triumphs arethe guarantees of her integrity, and should be sufficient in themselves to remove all doubts and misgivings, notwithstanding false alarms raised occa sionally by her enemies in certain quarters. The times are auspicious and call for men of faith and vision, who can see God, though the night be dark, and who can hear his voice, though the din and uproar, and noise seem at times to drown it. World conditions today, influenced by the warring nations are no more confounding than when Israel of old stood confounded and bewildered on the shores of the Red Sea hemmed in between two mountains on either side with the poweriul army of Pharoah pursu ing from behind and with the deep sea blocking the way in front, The pillar of cloud and of fire nevertheless were there, but they could not see them, for they lacked faith. God, their spiritual leader was in the midst of them but they could neither hear nor see Him. So, many today, like Israel of old, are confused and bewildered on ac count of world conditions. Many, like Dr. Elliot, Emeritus President of Harvard University, are saying that the.church and Christianity have failed—that mankind must now seek for a new institution and a new religion—but to these, and to all like these, Christ says: Upon the truth I build My Church and the gates of hell—i. e., opposition of all kinds—shall not prevail against it, or dominate over or hinder it. Let the children of God therefore take courage—through faith in the promises which are yea and amen. i In the death of Thomas G. Hayes—at one ‘time Mayor of this city—a unique personality has departed. Many of the elements which entered into the constitution of his character are extremely attractive, and worthy of the emulation of young men—in this busy and materialistic age. The record shows that Mr. Hayes was an extremely busy man—that every moment of his time was taken up with one or another of the affairs of life; yet he found time, amid the cares and responsibilities of office and of his profession, to devote some time to the service of God and his fellows in a most singular way. The greatest service which he has rendered to his fellows, and we are not unmindful of his brilliant career as lawyer and public official—were the services rendered, as he stood every Sunday morn ing before the members of his Baraca Class expounding the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. When his brilliant victories at the bar shall have been forgotten, the last Sunday school lesson, written for his class a few days before his translation, and which as a tribute to his memory was being studied as his remains were en route to his home city—will serve more than anything else—to perpetuate his memory among his fellow men. For this simple work he received no pay in earthly coins, but his experience was rich in the results of his labors— which were manifest in the moral rectitude of those who came under the influence of his teaching. Let the young layman—llawyer, physi cian, mechanic, merchant, or laborer—think of Thomas G. Hayes in this particular, and so imitate him in this quality of service. In the death of the Rev. C. W. Mossell, D. D., Presiding Elder of the Potomac District, of the Baltimore Conference of the A. M. E. Church, the race has lost a strong and fearless leader—of a type con fessedly scarce—in these latter times. Dr. Mossell was a man of convictions and the courage to stand by them. Ile was not easily frightened. He knew his rights and privileges as a man and Amer ican citizen and was never found wanting in the courage necessary to maintain and defend them. He was not of the type of leaders—famous for their defense of the race at the big gate. Dr. Mossell was a profound thinker— skilled in the art of logic and debate, and those who dared to meet him in the arena recognized that they had a foe worthy of his steel. Ag a preacher he had very few equals, He preached the truth— which was not always popular in certain quarters—but he knew no compromise. His history of the Republic of Haiti, written in blood and tears, is an imperishable monument to his intellectual activities and a rich legacy to the race; and the church which he served so well could do nothing more effective than to see to it that a copy of this book—at so opportune a time, when Haiti is passing through the fire—be put into the hand of every intelligent man. The CoMMONWEALTH extends sympathy to the widow who sur vives him, and to the great African Methodist denomination of which he was a minister. ‘ The editor promises an inter-esting letter from Calvert county, the home of the late distinguishedjurist, Chief Justice Taney. _ THE LATE MAYOR HAYES. CHARLES W. MOSSELL. EDITOR LYON’S TRIP THROUGH WEST VA. ! Lewisburg is the seat of the Cumberland District Conference, ‘undoubtedly the largest district of the Washington Annuali.Co‘n—' ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, from the view point of territory. The Rev. R. W. S. Thomas, D. D., is the district super intendent of this partly wild region and the ecclesiastical overseer of all he surveys. Upon this district is an able, intelligent and well trained corps of men, who give loyal support to the plans of their brother, the district superintendent. ILewisburg, as I have afore mentioned, is six miles from the main road and connected with Ronceverte depot by trolley, a recent improvement on the old stage system. Our first unpleasant experience happened at Ronceverte. Hungry and tired, with the information that although we had reached Ronceverte at 7:30, we would have to wait for the trolley, which came from Lewisburg to meet the 11 o'clock train. It returned at 11:30 and reached Lewisburg at midnight. Having been so well treated in Wheeling, we concluded that as we were still in West Virginia, we could get something to eat, at least from an ordinary restaurant, especially when that restaurant was kept by a foreigner, who called himself a Greek. DBut this hyphenated foreigner soon gave us to understand that colored people could not be served, although he was only a shade lighter than the editor. Lewisburg is interesting for the many historical incidents cov ering the period before the Civil War, that greatest of all struggles in American history., The town is named in honor of General Andrew Lcwis, who fought and won the battle of Point Pleasant in 1774 between the Indians and the white people. An old stone Presbyterian Church, erected in 1796 commemorates the affection iand esteem of these early settlers for the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ, is among the objects of attraction for travelers and visitors. Henry Clay visited this town in the years gone by, conducted a case in the old court house, and was struck with this inscription which appears on a stone slab rudely cut into the front of the building: “READER, ' IF YOU ARE INCLINED TO APPLAUL THESE VIRTUES, GIVE GOD THE GIL.ORY.” | The session of the District Conference opened after devotional | exercises with a sermon by Dr. Turpeau, from the words “We Are | Laborers With God.” The church in which the District Conference convened is a beautiful building, ninety-three years old, built formerly for white people, and bears the relic of the past, shown by the high galleries, devoted to the use of colored Christians in the days of slavery. Dis trict Superintendent Thomas presided with dignity, and filled his office with credit. The proceedings of the conference went along smoothly until Wednesday morning, when the subjects of a Colored Bishop, Federa i tion, and Organic Union were discussed, concerning which discus sion, the ComMONWEALTH will have more to say. The welcome ad dress by the Mayor of the city was a compliment to the race, and the response by Rev. C. Y. Trigg, of Pittsburgh, was of a high order, reflecting much credit upon the whole affair. The music was ren dered by the Roncerverte choir, of which the Rev. Mr. Yearwood is not only the pastor but their leader and trainer, which reflected | great credit upon both pastor and choir. His wife renders him as sistance by presiding at the organ. The Rev. Mr. Tyler is the pastor of this church—a keen, intelli gent, up-to-date, and dignified minister of the Gospel. His manage ment of the affairs of the conference won commendation, not only for himself, but for his loyal and loving people; he is loyally supported by his refined and sweet tempered wife. . The editor left Lewisburg on the midnight train, on the C. & 0., Thursday night, very much impressed with the personnel of the Cumberland District, ahd the intelligence, the dignified and Christian bearing of the men upon it—each one of whom the editor will in due course of time make personal mention. We tried to secure a reserva tion from Roncerverte to Washington, but were told that all reser vations were taken. This might have been true, or it might not have been true, but notwithstanding the fact that the train was known as a through train, we were “Jim-Crowed” at Allegheney, Va., and compelled to ride all night in a coach filled with bums, crap-shooters, and other undesirable persons—while on the passenger list, were 'many refined people, who were compelled to undergo the same incon venience and bad behavior which characterized the crowd. ' i The School Committee, except one member, have voted to rec ommend to the School Board the transfer of School No. 39, Carrollton and Laiayette avenues (now used for white children), for the use of colored children. School 112 is found to be too small to accommo date the colored children of the neighborhood, while in No. 39 are many vacant class rooms. As a result of this crowding in No. 112, only daily half sessions can be held, and the colored children are therefore deprived of school facilities. T'he Superintendent of Public Instruction and the School Com mittee are pledged to give the children of Baltimore, without regard to race or color, school facilities. They have nothing to do with the economic questions involved in transfers to provide accommodation for the children of the city. They have to do with the question of providing school facilities for all the children. With this point in THE DISTRICT CONFERENNCE. SCHOOL NO. 39.