Portland Observer, November 5, 1961 Page 9
Roots in Africa
Sunday at Emmanuel Temple
O rassrool News. V IF .— F or
many (he movement o f Sunday
morning is the synchronized process
o f going to church. The Black relig
ious experience is unique with the
discipline, music and spiritualness
rippling down to influence all as
pects o f A fro -A m erican life . H is
torically, the church served as the
first institution when there were no
blueprints around. I t ’ s to some the
sustaining force which gives the
1032 N. Sumner. “ The amp may go
in and out because o f interference,”
Bishop W eils said one Sunday
m orning. “ But 1 re m em b e r," his
tone deeper, voice louder and more
rhythmic as he wiped the sweat from
his forehead, “ when we didn't have
a mike at a lll" His statement is met
with Amens, Yes Lords, and Thank
You, Jesus.
This is the call and response o f
A fro -A m e ric a n religion. From its
Bishop Adolph Wells In his pulpit.
power to endure when endurance
reaches its tolerance lim it, and is
viewed as a time for a personal audi
ence with God where the modes and
models o f behavior extend beyond
the Sunday meeting.
Emmanuel Temple is among the
many churches located in A lb in a .
Il's o f the Pentecostal denomination
and the supportive element and
unique feature is that among its 230
member congregation are form er
drug addicts, women o f the evening
and convicts. Due to the discipline
and regimentation that a life o f be
ing saved, sanctified and filled with
the Holy Ghost requires, many lives
have turned I KO degrees.
The catalyst behind the change
and devotion (hat one must become
committed to is Bishop Adolph A.
Wells. “ When you speak o f religion
you have Christianity among Bud
dhism, Hinduism, Islamism and Ju
daism. N aturally, as Christians we
believe that Christianity is the only
true religion. It grew out o f Judaism
becaiwe Jesus Christ was a Rabbi.
Out o f the Roman Catholic Church
came Protestanism beginning with
M a rtin Luther and sprouting out
into many different sects.
spiritual roots in A frica, the Pente
costal church typifies the style and
intonation o f our oral history. The
music o f the church is the base for
every form o f music in A m erica.
Em m anuel T em ple has a horn,
string and key board section that
plays with a spiritual intensity (hat
creates good q u ality music. The
openness th a t’ s reflected in their
worship stops when service is over
because to m aintain being 'saved*
requires obedience to the Ten Com
mandments along with local church
rules.
“ L o rd , I need some money. I
need some greenbacks. M y bills arc
over my income. And Lord, I got a
little idea. O , how I can fix it.
Amen, I just need to have your en
dorsem ent." A part o f the sermon
o f Bishop W ells. When he reaches
this p o in t his vocal approach
changes and instead o f giving defin
ite statemens, the Bishop begins to
explain as a teacher would explain
to his students. " ! was on my way to
the bathroom and the Lord spoke to
me and told me to give. H ere I ’ m
praying on my knees and God tells
me to give. The voice said give and it
shall be given unto you.*’
His voice becomes stronger as the
rhythm in his phrases is met with the
organ pro vidin g a background
sound. Throughout his sermon the
congregation responds to every sen
tence as if to let each word soak in.
I t ’s in the church that the troubles
o f the world and o f personal matters
are set aside as the frustration, an
ger, excitem ent and fear are dis
persed. T h ey in terject each other
with the spiritualness o f what they
believe in. Inside the Temple every
one is equal. They praise one
another for Lighting o ff the devil o f
the day and will provide construc
tive criticism when a rule o f beha
vior is not adhered to.
“ I went to church that night and a
young man got up and testified. The
Lord touched him and he took out
his wallet while he was speaking in
other tongues. He made his way to
the pulpit where three preachers sat.
He hung over all three w ith his
money in his hand. He opened up
my pocket and pushed the money
down into them!” This is the climax
o f Wells’ sermon and the congrega
tion embraced it and celebrated with
handclaps.
_
The p o litic a l position o f the
church is not in this world because
the main goal o f Emmanuel Temple
is to prepare its believers for the af
te rlife and the second com ing o f
C h rist. “ W e are a spiritual entity
and our ace is being able to in flu
ence people in a spiritual w ay." This
position is radically different from
other churches where many Black
leaders spring from , like M artin L.
King and Jessie Jackson.
Emmanuel Temple is just a drop
in the river o f the Black religious ex
perience in America. When we were •
forced across the A tla n tic we
brought with us a certain spiritual
dimension. Dr. DuBois sums this up
in The G ift o f Black Folk " In the
singular and the fine sense the slave
became the master, the bond servant
became free and the meek not only
inherited the earth but made (hat
heritage a thing o f questing youth,
o f fru itfu l labor, o f joy and music
and free spirit and m inistering
hands."
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— Shampoo & Set (Thurs. & Fri only)
Senior Citizen Discount
For Appointm ent Call
289-9492
1905 N. Killingsworth
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E
X
O
D
U
S
1639 N.E. Alberta
PORTLAND. OREGÖN 9721 1
294 7997
by Tom Boothe
From The Front Door, it was just last week when I began to answer the question asked by
some o f my readers, to describe my philosophy on life. I, was then when I republished the
firs, ten principles o f guidance, laid out in the abstract o f my “ Final Wisdom” publication.
This week Part II as follows are the next eleven remembrances.
Final Wisdom
Part Two
ll.
First comprehend and remember that reality must equal the knowledge o f actual
experience to your senses: energy to energy, matter to matter, substance to substance.
Thoughts and beliefs do not have these qualities
12.
First comprehend and remember that your life has only the value you place on it at
any given time
First comprehend and remember that money does not buy truth
First comprehend and remember that no person or thing planned their time or place
to be born or created
15.
First comprehend and remember that the most any person can be responsible for
giving is their best effort, if it is truly their best effort
16.
First comprehend and remember that life's forces have no favorites: it provides a
living environment fo r all, from the amoeba to man
17.
First comprehend and remember that each living being instinctively knows its needs,
but has no control over the forces that provides them, each are dependent on the other
Rythmic music accents the religious service.
First comprehend and remember that compassion is a human asset if used unselfishly,
but a liability otherwise
Schools seek citizen advisors
The volunteers will be helping the
school district in its third year o f di
rectly involving citizens in the bud
get building process.
Citizen budget-review committees
examine budgets at all schools, the
district’s area offices and for all the
SPECIALS
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is offer
ing three scholarship awards
through its national high school es
say contest. The 700-750 word essay
is to be entitled "Striving for Excel
lence." Awards are $750, $500 and
$250. The contest is open to all high
school seniors.
For in fo rm atio n call Kenneth
A dair, 287-7691 (evenings) or 244-
6111 (days).
(Photos: Richard Brown)
Portland Public Schools are seek
ing citizeni to volunteer to review
proposed budgets for the school dis
trict’s central departments.
O c to b e r b N o v e m b e r
From the Front Door
“ The Pentecostal group is among
the youngest having its roots in the
early 1900s. The date that's recog
nized is 1906 when in L .A . the spirit
o f the lord fell upon a group of Bap
tist ministers causing them to speak
in other tongues. Many Pentecostal
groups sprung up after that and we
happen to be part o f one that had its
origin in 1915. A Baptist minister by
the name o f M o rris came to the
Northwest and established the Pen
tecostal church in this area.” Wells
laid the theological base o f his reli
gion.
On A p ril l l t h , 1965. W ells
started the Emmanuel Temple Con
gregation out o f a storefront on
Mississippi Street. Its growth was
rapid and this led to its relocation at
Monty's Salon of Beauty
Essay contest
central departm ents p rio r to the
budgets being subm itted to the
school board in February or March,
The committees advise the school
or program adm inistrator and sub
mit a w ritten review to the school
board including their comments and
suggestions.
Citizens for school and area bud
get reivew committees will receive
an orientation session at Cleveland
High School, 3400 S.E. 2 6,h A ve.,
at 7:30 p.m ., Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Members o f central budget review
committees will receive a similar ori
entation Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7:30
p.m. at the school district’s Educa
tion Service Center. 501 N. Dixon.
C itizens o f P o rtla n d , w ith or
without children currently in school,
may volunteer for a central budget
committee by calling the Budget O f
fice. 249-2000, Ex,. 295.
First comprehend and remember that miscommunication is far worse than no
communication
20.
First comprehend and remember that consistency is the key to success in any
relationship
21.
First comprehend and remember that each o f us has a purpose and a small part of
that purpose is to know what that purpose is, the rest is performance
Presentad as a community service by the House ot Exodus